LOGINRiley’s POVI stormed back to my room, the heavy wooden door shutting out the echoes of the ballroom, but it couldn't shut out the roaring chaos in my mind.Standing before the vanity, I tore off my jewelry and rubbed the makeup from my face with shaking, aggressive strokes.Suddenly, a sharp knock rattled the door.My heart instantly skipped a beat, leaping into my throat.Could it be Ezra? Maybe he had rethought everything. Maybe he had realized those people were innocent and came to tell me he would help them, that he wouldn't let his father murder them.I flew across the room and ripped the door open.But the face waiting for me in the dim hallway didn't belong to Ezra.It was Viola.The crushing weight of disappointment hit me so hard I felt physically sick. Viola stood there looking apologetic, her silver dress still catching the light of the corridor."Riley," she said softly, stepping into my room without being invited. "I'm sorry to bother you so late, but I promised I would
Riley’s POVLocked away in the dark, cramped wardrobe, the rest of the world seemed to fade. Despite the terrifying danger of being caught, a strange sense of comfort washed over me. For a few fleeting moments, there were no royal expectations, no fake engagements, and no Soren. There was only the heat of Ezra’s body and the steady, calming beat of his heart against my chest.But we couldn't stay hidden forever.The maid's footsteps finally faded out of the room, and the heavy hallway doors clicked shut. Ezra waited a few seconds, his senses tracking her departure, before slowly pushing the wooden doors open. The dim light of the sitting room felt blinding after the darkness.As we stepped out onto the hardwood floor, I immediately began smoothing down the fabric of my dress, my hands shaking slightly from the leftover adrenaline. I avoided his eyes, suddenly feeling the crushing weight of reality rushing back into the room. Downstairs, his engagement party was still waiting.Before I
Riley’s POVThe grand ballroom of the royal palace was a sea of glittering lights, expensive silk, and the suffocating scent of hundreds of high-ranking wolves. Gold decorations hung from the high ceilings, and classical music filled the air.Today was the official engagement party for Ezra and Viola.I stood stiffly near the edge of the raised platform, positioned right beside King Soren and my mother. My mother wore a proud, radiant smile, her arm linked with the King’s as if she had already secured her place in history. Soren looked down at the crowd with a cold, satisfied expression. He had gotten exactly what he wanted.Down on the main floor, the center of attention was unavoidable.Viola’s father, the Alpha of a Northern pack, stood beside his daughter. He was a tall, proud alpha, and his chest was puffed out with immense pride. He and his wife looked absolutely overjoyed, laughing and shaking hands with the other nobles.Their daughter was marrying the future King. For their f
Riley’s POVThe words felt like a physical blow.Ezra froze beside me. For a second, the entire room was so quiet you could hear the crackle of the wood in the fireplace. Then, he ripped himself away from Viola’s grip as if her touch burned him."I am not doing that," Ezra spat, his voice shaking with disbelief. He glared at his father, his chest heaving. "I am not getting engaged to a woman I barely even know!"Soren did not back down. He stepped closer, his eyes cold and sharp, analyzing Ezra’s every reaction."You don't want to marry her?" Soren asked, his voice dangerously soft. He tilted his head, a dark smile playing on his lips. "Why? Unless... you don't love her? And if you don't love her, Ezra... who is it that you actually love?"The question hung in the air like a blade.Ezra choked on his next breath. He stood completely still, his jaw tight. He wanted to scream the truth, wanted to tear the room apart, but he couldn't. If he said my name, it would doom us both. He could o
Riley’s POVExpel.The word echoed in my mind, cold and hollow, stripping the air right out of my lungs. I stared at King Soren, my jaw slightly slack, my body going completely numb.To be expelled by the Lycan King was a death sentence. It meant I would be stripped of my identity, cast out of the territory, and forbidden from ever crossing the border again.I would never be allowed to return to the only home I had ever known. I would never be able to go to school again.And my grandmother…A cold blade of terror pierced my heart.If I were expelled, I would never see her again. I would be forced into the wild, lawless borderlands, left with no choice but to survive among those rogues.Before the horror of the realization could fully settle in my chest, Ezra erupted.“Absolutely not!” he roared, his voice shaking the heavy stone walls of the chamber.He took a step toward his father, his massive frame radiating a terrifying, volatile heat. His eyes were completely black, the pupils bl
Riley's POVEzra’s jaw clenched so hard I heard his teeth grind. A low, vibrating growl rumbled deep in his chest, a sound so dark and menacing it made the hairs on my arms stand up. For a second, I thought he was going to shift right there and tear Vance’s throat out.“Ezra,” I whispered, tugging gently on his sleeve. “It’s fine. Let's just go.”He shot me a look of pure, frustrated agony, but he knew as well as I did that we couldn't defy Soren out in the open. Not yet.With a black look on his face, Ezra turned and led the way down the corridor, his hand still clamped around mine. Vance fell into step behind us like a silent shadow.When the heavy oak doors of the council chamber were flung open, the atmosphere inside was thick enough to choke on.King Soren stood by the massive stone fireplace, his towering, muscular frame silhouetted against the roaring flames. His face was flushed a dangerous red, his fists clenched so tightly at his sides that his knuckles were stark white.The
Riley’s POVOlivia’s face went white.“N-No! Wait—” she shrieked as two of Ezra’s men strode toward her.They didn’t hesitate for even a second. One grabbed her by the arm. The other reached for her shoulder like they really meant to drag her all the way back to the blasted camp and toss her into t
Riley’s POVMy eyes widened a little, stunned.I never thought that warrior would pick me as his opponent.Not because I was scared of him. But warriors and healers aren’t even on the same playing field when it comes to strength or combat skills.Like Danica once said, healers are usually protected
Riley’s POVWhat?I could barely believe what I just heard.Ms. Bright just said I was in Ezra’s team?But that couldn’t be right. Something’s wrong!For a second, the entire field was completely silent. Then chaos erupted. Everyone started whispering to each other, some girls even screamed. Everyo
Riley’s POVMe and Ezra Ravenshire are mates.This has to be the worst news ever.He took a few steps, then turned back when he saw I wasn’t following. “Hurry. Didn’t you beg me to come to this stupid thing? What are you waiting for now?”I let out a pained groan in my head.Still, I had no choice b







