LOGINEVANDER'S POV"Belisara!" I kicked open the doors to her guest room, the wood splintering under my boot as I marched into the room. I was gone for a few hours, just a few hours and now I couldn't find her anywhere in the palace.My eyes roamed the empty room, her bed linenwas neatly arranged, her vanity and nightstand still untouched. . . like she hadn't slept here last night.And it quickly dawned on me that Belisara has been missing throughout the night.My blood boiled in my veins and I ripped apart the curtains from the windows. "Where is she?!" I snarled, turning on the three cowering maidservants as they huddled by the doorway."We don't know, Your Majesty!" the head maid shook her head in fright. "This morning, I came to fetch Lady Belisara for her mating ceremony dress fitting, but she wasn't in her quarters and nobody's seen her since dawn.""Fuck!" I threw a chair across the room and the maidservants flinched into the hallway. "I need to find her!" I ransacked the room, l
BELISARA’S POVSea water rushed into my lungs and burned my chest like liquid fire, the strong waves dragging me deeper into the endless abyss. Why don't you give up, Belisara? You're tired. Just rest and embrace the emptiness. A hollow whisper echoed in my head and my body went limp in the water.I sank further into the darkest depths, letting everything go and the biting cold in my heart spread across my body."A Luna's worth isn't weighed by her size, but by her heart." My father's words suddenly cut through the darkness and I opened my eyes.No, I couldn't die here. Not like this. Not while Uncle Maloch still wore my father's crown, not while Cressida tried to kill me.With an agonizing burst of strength, I managed to kick against the heavy current, pushing over the water, and swimming upward till my head finally broke the surface. Coughing violently, I spat out salty brine and I gasped for air, as the freezing wind tore at my soaked dress."Evander, please help." The current s
EVANDER’S POVSun rays spilled across the marble floor of my chambers, casting a brilliant, golden glow over the tangled velvet sheets.I remained on my side, propping my head up with one hand as I watched Belisara sleeping beside me.She yawned softly, her long eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks as she opened her gold eyes, squinting at the sunlight."Good morning, beautiful," I murmured, my voice deep and raspy from sleep.Immediately she realized where she was, a pink blush rushed up her cheeks and she pulled the velvet sheets all the way up to cover her face."How long have you been staring at me?" She pouted and I chuckled."Not for long." I leaned down to caress her jaw, brushing strands of gold hair off her forehead.She peeked from behind the duvet, her voice small and stuttering. "Your Majesty. . . I can’t be seen in your chambers. If anyone finds out—""Let them find out," I cut her off, pressing my thumb against her lips. "My mating ceremony will be announced soon, Bel
BELISARA’S POVEvander strode past me, his long black cloak billowing behind him as he pushed open the doors of the balcony.A wave of cool night air rushed into the room, and cut through the suffocation building up in my chest.I took a desperate step forward, closed my eyes and let the chilly breeze wash over my burning face. "Is this better?" Evander's deep voice rumbled from the shadows and I opened my eyes to find him watching me.I nodded, my fingers clutching the midnight-blue silk of my dress. "Yes, Your Majesty. And I. . .I apologize for making a scene during the ball.""Stop apologizing, Belisara," he murmured and gestured to a dining table near the center of the room. "Take a sit."I hesitated, but my knees were still trembling from the twelve-mile trek and the panic of the ballroom. I walked over and sat down on the edge of the chair, keeping my hands neatly folded in my lap.Evander walked over to a silver platter on the table, lifting the lid and the rich, savory aroma
EVANDER'S POVThe ballroom was a bright blur of spinning silk, glittering crowns, and mindless chatter.The orchestral music swelled, and echoed off the high ceiling, but I couldn't bring myself to care about the it.I didn't care about the food, the decor, nor the hundreds of noble wolves watching my every move.My mind was completely somewhere else or rather. . . on someone else. Standing by the edge of the ballroom, I kept my eyes on the grand marble staircase and waited for my date, Belisara. "May I have this dance, Your Majesty?" A voice broke out of my thoughts and I saw the eldest daughter of a neighboring pack standing next to me."Not tonight, My Lady. Forgive me," I replied, offering her a polite but firm nod.She sighed in disappointment and curtsied, before returning to the crowd.She was the third offer I'd rejected this evening at my own Royal Ball.From the balcony, I saw my meddling mother, Queen Anatolia, giving me warning looks but I ignored her.I checked the gra
BELISARA'S POV"Where the fucking hell is that fat-for-nothing Belisara?!" Cressida shrieked. "I'll butcher her damn head off if she doesn't bring in our food right now!"I swallowed hard and pushed the kitchen doors open with my shoulder, whilst balancing three massive, burning–hot ceramic platters on my forearms. My weak muscles ached under the platter, my skin blistering slightly against the heat of the porcelain, but I didn't dare to drop them. Keeping my eyes firmly on the floor, I reached the long table where my auntie and cousin sat."I'm sorry for the delay," I whispered, my voice was small and raspy even to my own ears. "I had one last meal to prepare.""Sorry for yourself," Morwena fired back, looking up at me from her polished fingernails.Cressida quickly snatched the lid off the center platter and her pointy nose wrinkled in disgust. She poked the roasted meat with the tip of her fork and glared. "Mother, come look at this. My breakfast looks small today, much smaller







