LOGINRiley’s POVWhat the hell…broken glasses?!I stood there looking at Viola, trying to reconcile that bright, lovely smile with the suggestion she had just made.She looked harmless in cream silk, soft-spoken and elegant, the kind of girl older women instantly trusted and younger girls were supposed to admire. If someone had walked into the room right then, they would have thought she was offering me help.That’s how good she was at faking it.Even the women seated around the tea table seemed caught off guard. One of them paused with her teacup halfway to her lips. Another shifted uneasily and gave Viola a cautious look.Then Viola giggled again, as if she had just said something playful.“Oh, don’t look so serious,” she said lightly. “I was joking. Of course Riley can wear shoes.”A small wave of relief seemed to move through the room. The ladies started smiling again.But I didn’t relax at all. Something tells me that this isn’t a joke at all.Then Viola tilted her head and went on in
Riley’s POVFor a second, I honestly forgot how to breathe.It wasn’t just that Ezra had brought a girl to dinner. That alone wouldn’t have shocked me. Ezra always had girls around him. Beautiful and sexy girls.But this was different.This was the first time I had ever heard him use that word—girlfriend. The word hit me so hard my whole chest turned hollow.He usually just referred to them as his date.So there must be something special about this girl. Ezra must really like her.“Well, this is great Ezra!” my mom gasped like she was genuinely happy for him. “I’ve never met your girlfriend before.”“My King and My Queen, it’s my honor to meet you,” Viola smiled.She stepped forward with that smooth, effortless grace and greeted everyone with exactly the right amount of warmth. Not too shy. Not too bold.She knew how to smile at powerful people without looking intimidated. Within minutes, she had charmed the whole table.“Nice to meet you,” King Soren smiled back. He looked very pleas
Riley’s POVFor a second I was too stunned to speak.Not because I hadn’t been insulted before. I had. More times than I could count. But there was something especially humiliating about standing there in my running clothes, hair tied back, no makeup, while Leon’s mother looked me over like I was dirt.And Ezra was right there.Of all people, he had to see this.Heat climbed up my neck. I clenched my fists and snapped, “What makes you think speak to me like that?”Leon’s mother sneered, her perfectly arched brows lifting in amusement.“Can’t I? Listen to me young lady. If you want to climb the social ladder by marrying my son, you’ll need to learn to endure a little correction. A small-town girl like you requires a great deal of work before she can be presented properly.”Every word landed like a slap.Yet Leon just stood there beside her and did nothing.His father stayed silent too, hands folded behind his back, watching me with the same cool detachment people used when judging live
Riley’s POVShit. Shit. SHIT!For one second, all I could think was: I just slapped Ezra.The Lycan prince.The future king.The most dangerous person in this whole city besides his father.My palm was still stinging. The sound of it still seemed to hang in the air, sharp and stupid and impossible to take back.The two guards were still standing there waiting for Ezra to say anything. One of them looked from me to Ezra, then back again, clearly trying to decide whether he’d just walked into a crime scene.Ezra touched his cheek. The red mark on his face stood out viciously against his skin. I gulped in fear.What’s he going to do? Hit me back? Or order his guards to drag me out right now and expel me from this city?Then, to my surprise, he simply let out a cold chuckle.“I’m fine. Lady Riley’s just messing with me,” he said. “Leave us.”The guards hesitated.Ezra turned his head slightly and gave them a look that could have frozen hell.“Now.”That was enough. They backed out immedia
Riley's POVMy face burned.God! Why did he have to walk in on this exact moment? This ugly, humiliating little scene where Leon saw me as a grasping poor girl trying to sneak a bigger diamond.I wanted the marble floor to open and swallow me whole.“Do you mind?” Leon spoke up abruptly. “I’m talking to my fiancé.”Ezra let out a cold, mocking laugh.“By all means,” he said with a shrug. “Keep talking to your fiancé.”Then, to make things worse, he pulled out a chair for the girl hanging on his arm and sat down with her at the display table right beside ours.That girl—Jenny, apparently—looked thrilled by his attention. She immediately started cooing over the spring collection the sales assistants laid out for her, touching necklaces and bracelets and earrings with wide, sparkling eyes.“Oh this one is gorgeous,” she gasped, holding up a diamond bracelet.I took in a deep breath. Her face, sickly sweet voice made me want to puke.Ezra barely glanced at it. “Buy it.”Her eyes lit up. “
Riley’s POVFor a second, I honestly thought I had misheard him.I just stood there staring at Leon, waiting for him to laugh and admit he was joking. But he didn’t. He looked perfectly serious, standing there with that calm, polished smile still fixed on his face.“Excuse me?” I looked at him in disbelief. “Rule number one?”He tilted his head a little, like I was the one being unreasonable here. Then he smiled again, soft and charming as usual.“You’ll have to understand that I come from a very prestigious and strict family,” he said. “There are expectations for my future bride. Nothing unusual. Just certain boundaries that help avoid gossip and embarrassment.”I stared at him.There it was again—that polished tone, gentle on the surface and hard underneath. He didn’t even sound angry or demanding. He spoke as if this were obvious, as if I were already halfway molded into the kind of woman his family wanted.“If I’m going to marry you,” I said, keeping my voice flat with effort, “I’
Riley's POVSilence hung thick and tense in the air. He stared at me. Even though he hadn't moved, I could feel his scent growing darker, heavier, more aggressive.Shit. He was mad. Really mad.I swallowed quietly, wondering if I'd pushed things too far. No Lycan could stand to see his mate make ou
Riley's POVMy heart instantly jumped to my throat."What the hell are you talking about?" I snapped.Silas's eyebrow flew even higher. "Why so mad? I'm just messing with you. Or did I just strike a nerve?""No, you didn't. It's just a very, VERY bad joke," I gritted out."That's right. It isn't fu
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







