LOGINLENA“The Council has issued an official decree,” Rowan replied. “Lena is to be transferred to the Hall of Blood before midnight.”My stomach turned.Vera stepped forward. “They claim the examination is necessary to determine whether she is the source of the poison.”“They know she is Elara,” Rowan said, his expression tightening. “But the decree names her as Lena of Blackthorn.”“They are avoiding the name.”“No,” the seer said from behind us.Everyone tur
LENAThe first thing I did after learning the truth was laugh not because anything was funny but because the alternative was breaking.I stood before the tall mirror in the western guest chamber, staring at the woman reflected in the glass. Pink hair. Pale face. Travel-worn clothes. A scar near my collar. A silver bracelet around my wrist.Elara Moonvale. Princess. Last heir. A girl whose family had been murdered because the Council feared what she might become.I looked exactly like the person I had always been told I was not.Ordinary. Unimportant. A servant.My reflection seemed to mock me becau
LENAThe seer’s eyes softened. “You were born Elara Moonvale, daughter of Queen Seraphine Moonvale and King Alaric Moonvale. Last heir of the Moonvale bloodline.”My knees nearly gave way but Kael held me tighter.I stared at the seer. “I was a princess?”“You were more than that.”“Then why was I hidden in House Ashford?”The seer lowered his gaze. “Because the Council ordered your death.”The words did not make sense, they should have and they explained too much but my min
LENAThe western guest wing was guarded from both ends by royal soldiers, they called it protection but it felt like a cage.Kael walked beside me as we crossed the corridor, his expression controlled but his anger moving beneath the surface like a storm trapped behind stone. Rowan followed with two Blackthorn guards, while Vera and Darius remained behind to question the servants and inspect the chamber where Cara had collapsed.The moment the doors closed behind us, Kael turned toward me. “Are you hurt? Did you drink anything? Did Cara touch you?”“No.”“Did anyone touch your food, your clothes, your—”
LENAFor one terrible second, the chamber became completely silent then everyone moved at once. Guards rushed toward me with weapons drawn, servants scattered from the shattered goblet and the royal physician dropped beside Cara while Adrian held her against his chest, shouting instructions that became tangled beneath the noise.Kael stepped in front of me, his sword flashed free of its sheath, the blade catching the chandelier light as he positioned himself between my body and the advancing guards. The Ember surged beneath my skin, hot and furious, but I forced my hands to remain at my sides.If I lost control now, they would not see a frightened woman being framed, they would see the monster they had already decided I was.“Lower your weapons,” Kael ordered.The command rolled through the chamber with the force of his Alpha authority, but the royal guards continued forward.Lord Veyran stood near the king, his face pale with manufactured outrage. “Lena of Blackthorn, you are accused
LENAI turned toward her. “You were the one who brought up old humiliations.”“I was warning the Council about your instability.”“Then you should be careful with the word instability.” Her eyes narrowed and I took one step toward her. “You seem to have forgotten that the last time you tried to destroy me, you needed Adrian to do it for you.”The color drained from her face and Adrian turned toward her. “Cara.”She looked at him quickly. “She is twisting everything.”“Are you?” I asked and Cara’s gaze snapped
I had barely slept a wink when a horrible pounding sent me scrambling to the corner in fear.The mark burning on my wrist burned but it was strangely comforting. Slowly, the door opened to reveal a pack warrior and I frowned, standing up in confusion.Why would a warrior be here by this time of da
Tonight wasn’t supposed to matter for someone like meThe other girls gleamed and sparkled while I struggled with a dress twice my size. Selene had only slid the notice of my invite under my door three hours ago. I could still recall how wide my eyes were when I read the notice. I had checked the
LENA“Lena.” His voice cut through the dining hall like a final verdict.I froze mid-step, my fork still half-raised from the plate I had been aggressively eating out of sheer frustration. Kael’s earlier words still echoed in my head—experiments in the bedroom—and my brain refused to decide whether
LENA“You’re smiling like you didn’t just have a corpse in your room.”The words slipped out before common sense could stop them, and for one dangerous second, the entire hallway went silent.Alpha Kael stared at me.Then he laughed.My jaw tightened. “You’re insane.”“I’ve heard that before.”He st







