MasukRiley's POVI stormed back to my room, fury still burning hot beneath my skin.The maids were already waiting for me, their faces carefully blank as they curtsied. I guessed they were trying to be sensitive with everything going on at the palace.One of them stepped forward, her voice soft and apologetic. "Miss Riley, we need to prepare you for tonight's mourning ceremony."Yeah right, the ceremony.This was exactly what I hated about the palace. Leon and Yilia had been killed by Ezra's own hand, and yet here we were, preparing for some elaborate mourning ritual like we weren’t the murderer ourselves.It’s all fake condolences and crocodile tears. Everyone playing their parts in this twisted theater.And I was Leon's fiancée. At least on paper. Which meant I had no choice but to play along.I stood there like a mannequin as the maids fussed around me, eventually wrestling me into a black satin gown that clung to my body like a second skin.They pinned my hair back, applied dark makeup
Riley’s POVMy whole body went cold.For a second I could only stare at Viola, sunlight falling over her shoulders as if she belonged there. My mind refused to catch up.Just hours ago Ezra had held me in the woods and kissed me like I was the only thing in his world. I had woken up in his bed still wrapped in his scent, smiling into his pillow like some stupid girl in love.And now his so-called girlfriend was standing here in the middle of his room.I didn’t understand.Had he let her in?Had he gone straight back to her after everything we said? Was last night just another one of his dangerous, beautiful lies?My fingers clutched the sheets as a mixed emotion of confusion and anger hit me.Viola took one look at the messy bed and smiled.“So it’s true,” she said lightly. “You two really are sleeping together behind everyone’s backs. Brother and sister. That’s…not sick at all.”I sit up straighter and looked straight into her eyes.“What do you want?” I hissed.She laughed softly. “
Riley’s POVThe moment the words left my mouth, I froze.I had not planned to tell him. Ezra had always been impossible for me to read. He could burn down my world for me one second and turn around to kiss another girl the next. Also I knew that he was such a dangerous fuckboy. He had so many more options besides me. Telling him how I felt would only humiliate myself in the end.Yet I still let it slip out.I had spent so long trying not to hand him the softest part of me that now, with the words already hanging between us, I felt almost dizzy with panic.Ezra slowly turned around to face me.The moonlight cut across his face, but I still couldn’t read it. His expression had gone so still that it scared the hell out of me.“You said…you love me?” he asked, his voice slightly hoarse.My throat felt tight. I swallowed and forced myself to breathe.There was no way back now.“Yeah,” I said quietly, clenching my fists. “Yeah, I do.”He kept staring at me.My heart was beating so hard it h
Riley’s POVMy mother’s scream still rang through the room.She stumbled backward, both hands flying to the blood splashed across her dress, her whole face twisted with horror.“Oh my…Oh my god!” she cried. “Why would you do that? Ezra, why! Have you lost your mind? This is Yilia! Riley’s future mother-in-law and you just—you just killed her?!”Her voice cracked on the last word. Her eyes were filled with horror and anger as she looked at him. But this time I stepped in before Ezra could answer.“Ezra saved me,” I said, clenching my fists. “Before he tells you why he killed that woman, why don’t you talk about why you handed me to a goddamn rapist first?”The room went still.My mother turned toward me, her eyes wide and wet. For a second I saw shock there, then fear, then that familiar, desperate instinct to twist the truth.“Riley—”“Don’t. Even. Try.” My voice came out loud and sharp. “Don’t give me that old speech about how you think he's a good person and will make a good husband
Riley’s POVFor a few seconds after Leon’s body went still, neither of us moved.Ezra was the first to reach me.He pulled me into his arms so hard that I almost crushed into me, and I clung to him just as fiercely.My whole body was still shaking. I wasn’t afraid. It’s just…I couldn’t control my body anymore when I was in his arms.Ezra buried his face against my hair and held me tighter.“…He died too easily. I’m going to chop his body into pieces,” he said hoarsely. “Then I’ll feed him to the fucking dogs.”I let out a weak, breathless sound that might have been a laugh.Then I lifted both hands to his face and made him look at me.“He’s dead. It’s over. Let it go,” I said.He didn’t say anything. He just stared at me with that dark gaze. And I could feel his wolf pacing and growling restlessly.“What’s the matter?” I asked quietly with a frown. His anger didn’t disappear. It grew stronger.His eyes were still burning. His chest was rising too fast. There was blood on his skin—Leon
Riley’s POV“You…you fucking bastard,” I said shakily.So that was it.My mom still gave in and let these monsters have me. She had chosen money over me one last time and walked away.The grief of it hit harder than the ropes digging into my wrists.Leon must have seen something change in my face, because his smile widened. He had already stripped off his jacket and was now working at the rest of his clothes with shaking, eager hands.There was something wrong in his eyes now, something frantic and sick and almost feverish. His gaze gave me the chill.I pulled hard against the ropes and snarled, “Get the hell away from me.”“I told you it’s our wedding night. And we’re already engaged. You just lie down and enjoy this,” he said in a soft voice.“I said get the fuck away from me!” My voice shook with rage. “You think doing this would change anything? No, I’m telling you now. Even if you touch me, you will still be that pathetic loser that everybody laughs at in town!”That did it.His
Riley’s POVLayla stared at Ezra in shock. When she met his freezing green eyes, she suddenly trembled.“What’s all this, Ezra? I thought you hated that woman,” she stammered.Ezra looked at her coldly, as if she were a bug. “I can hate her because I’m the heir of this kingdom. And you are just a f
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 POVI was in a great mood when I left the clinic.Odin and Olivia’s surgeries were perfect. Olivia woke up still acting like a diva, complaining all about the disinfectant smell in the surgery room, whining that the painkillers weren’t strong enough—basically just continuing to be a pain in







