LOGINRiley’s POVMy fingers closed around the dagger.The metal was cool, elegant, perfectly balanced. A weapon made for a clean kill.I hated how natural it felt in my hand.I lifted my head and glared at Ezra. “You’re insane,” I hissed through clenched teeth. “Stop it…Take it back.”He didn’t even blink, just staring right back at me icily.Maybe under different circumstances I could have fought him. Maybe I could have thrown the dagger into the hedge, cursed him out, and stormed away.But the mate bond had tightened around me the second he gave the order. I could feel it now like invisible chains wrapping around my ribs, my throat, my spine. Every instinct in my body was screaming at me to resist, and every part of that cursed bond was pushing me in the opposite direction.My pulse was pounding so hard it made my vision blur.Ezra’s eyes stayed fixed on me, dark and unreadable. “Do it.” He repeated.My breath caught.I wanted to tell him to go to hell. I’d never forgive him for this.Ye
Riley’s POV“Oh fuck…God Riley…Yes just like that. Keep going.”His voice was deep and sexy and it did something to my body. I could feel my underwear quickly getting wet.I was also surprised at the reaction he gave me. He sounded really turned on. Yet surely he had had other girls giving him a blowjob before and this should be nothing new to him.Nevertheless, his strong reaction gave me a great sense of satisfaction. I carried on and licked his balls to his dick and eventually sucked on the tip.He cursed and suddenly grabbed a handful of my hair.And then he pushed down my head hard.His dick immediately filled my mouth. I gagged, coughing involuntarily. He’s too huge! I started patting on his thighs and struggled to break free but he wouldn’t let me. He forced my head down and started fucking my mouth ruthlessly.I knew this was his way of punishing me. But I did nothing wrong. I didn’t ask for this matebond. I didn’t deserve to be targeted in the Hunting Season. And I definitely
Riley’s POVHis fingers dug into my chin hard enough to hurt. I slapped his hand away at once.“Don’t touch me like that.”He let me go, but only because he was too angry to stay still.He turned away, then swung back around, pacing two short steps like a wolf trapped in too small a cage. The dim light from the window cut across his face, sharpening every hard line in it. His eyes were dark and vicious, and I could feel the heat of his rage filling the whole room.I was exhausted. My head still throbbed from the party, from the king, from the arranged marriage dropped into my lap like a chain. I did not have the strength for another war tonight.Too bad Ezra had clearly brought one with him.“Try thinking about this from my perspective for one second,” I said, fighting to keep my voice steady. “I didn’t have a lot of choice in there.”He let out a cold laugh. “You think I’m a fucking idiot?”“Will you let me explain?” My hands clenched at my sides. “He’s the king, Ezra. He can force m
Riley’s POVThe moment King Soren spoke of a marriage partner already waiting in the palace, I felt Ezra change beside me.Until then, he had been holding himself together by force. I could see it in the set of his shoulders and the way his jaw kept tightening.But now something darker broke through. His whole body went still. The air in the room felt charged, as if a storm had suddenly pressed itself against the windows.“You don’t get to decide that for her!” Ezra growled.King Soren stood with one hand resting against the back of a chair, completely at ease, as if he were discussing a trade agreement instead of my future.“And since when,” he asked his son, “is this your concern?”Ezra’s hands curled into fists.Strong feelings flashed through his face before he could bury it—rage, protectiveness, something far more dangerous.I could tell he wanted to tell his father the real reason why this whole thing pissed him off so much.But the same truth that was choking him was choking me
Riley’s POVFor a heartbeat after Ezra pinned the medal to my dress, the entire hall seemed to forget how to breathe.No one moved or spoke. Hundreds of eyes stayed fixed on the gold resting against my chest.I could feel the weight of the medal through the thin silver fabric, cool and real and impossibly heavy. And all at once it hit me that this was not some fantasy.I had really done it. I had achieved the impossible.I won.The first sound to break that silence was clapping.I turned instinctively and saw Silas standing near the edge of the crowd wearing a huge grin on his face.A second later, another pair of hands joined his. Then another.To my surprise, two boys from Ezra’s team began clapping too. Hansen, of course, looked thoroughly entertained by the scandal of it all, but the other one nodded at me with respect in his eyes.Their support loosened something in the room.A few more guests began to clap, awkwardly at first, as if they were waiting to see whether they would be
Riley’s POVI stared back at him, lost in his gorgeous green eyes.I should be furious at his threat, but instead, at the bottom of my heart, I felt tempted. Like I was actually drawn to his dangerous charms. He was toxic and beautiful and maybe that was why no girl could ever say no to him.Ezra leaned down again and kissed me before I could think.It wasn’t a gentle kiss. It was rough, hungry, angry—like he was trying to shut up every question between us by force. My fingers tightened around his jacket. My pulse was going wild. His hand was still under my dress, his body pressed hard against mine, and for one reckless second I forgot where we were.Then—BANG. BANG. BANG.A heavy knock slammed against the door.I jerked so hard I nearly slipped off the sink.Ezra lifted his head, eyes blazing with irritation. “Fuck off!” he growled to whoever was outside.The knock came again, louder. Then Silas’s voice called through the door, confused and suspicious at once.“Riley? Are you in the
Riley’s POV“Fuck!” I cursed.At the last second, my wolf Rene took over and shifted us. She was a sleek white she-wolf, with just a splash of brown at the tips of her ears.She darted out of reach from the mutated dogs, weaving between them like smoke, leading them in circles around the lot.“Hey!
Riley’s POVHe was a guy I’d never seen before—tall, handsome, and clearly a warrior just by looking at his build. He wasn’t as bulky as Ezra, but he had that solid, alpha male energy all the same.I didn’t know him. Why would he help me out?When he caught me frowning at him, he flashed a grin, sh
Riley’s POV“What happened?!”Ms. Bright came rushing down from the podium, screaming. Everyone in the class jumped up in shock and turned to look at me.“Oh my god, I think I’m gonna faint! There must be glass in my hair!” Camilla shrieked.“You’re fine,” I rolled my eyes, still holding up my blee
Riley’s POV“Mom… wait!”I caught up to my mom and grabbed her hand, but she yanked it away from me.“I don’t want to talk to you anymore, Riley.” Her eyes were burning with anger.I took a deep breath. “Can you at least let me explain?”“What’s left to explain? You betrayed me completely!” Her fis







