로그인Riley’s POVI should have known he wouldn’t let it go.Ezra was still standing in the doorway, one hand braced against the frame, his whole body tense.His gaze stayed fixed on my feet, on the bloody towels, on the bandages in my lap. I had already told him to get out. He had ignored that as easily as he ignored every other boundary I tried to put between us.“Nothing happened,” I said, grabbing another cloth and dabbing at the cut on my heel again.He didn’t move.I could feel him looking at me. The weight of his attention pressed against my skin until even the air in the room felt too tight.“Try that again,” he said.I didn’t look up. “I tripped.”The silence that followed was intense. I could almost hear the fury gathering inside him.Then he crossed the room.Before I could pull away, his hand closed around my wrist. The bottle in my other hand tipped and rolled across the blanket.“Ezra—”“Either you tell me,” he said, leaning down so I had no choice but to meet his eyes, “or I
Riley’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 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
Riley’s POVI yanked my hand out of his grip and glared at him.Why the hell can’t I shake this bastard off?Mateo looked between us, clearly shocked. “Riley, you know this guy?”Ezra straightened up and gave him a chilling look with those gorgeous green eyes. “Riley, aren’t you going to introduce
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







