LOGINELENA'S POV, The room they had given me to wait in was small by palace standards, which still made it larger than most rooms I had lived in during the years between then and now. Someone had placed flowers on the narrow table by the window, white ones, and I didn't know whether that was intentiona
RYAN'S POV, “Ollie needs stability,” he said, leaning back on his chair. “She's been patient, she's always been too patient for a child her age, and I've been asking her to share me with an entire nation for years.” He paused, turning the pen in his hand slowly, like he was still working out how to
ELENA'S POV, “Support the Queen,” he said, and the way both of them were talking through their eyes, it made me shake my head in embarrassment. “I have control over both of the packs. I will be their new Alpha, and after that, I will ensure that the packs publicly come forward in your support, wit
ELENA'S POV, Three weeks had passed, and I was still learning the weight of the crown. Not the physical one, that stays in a glass case in the east wing and comes out only for the formal occasions, like coronations or state dinners. The other kind, the kind that lived in every decision made befor
The King's jaw tightened. "I will not hand the Crown of this Kingdom to a woman based on a prophecy and a viral video." "Then we'll take it based on those things and the army standing outside your gates," Ryan said, still perfectly even, still without heat. "Your choice is not whether this happens
"They came out," Ryan said quietly, watching the road ahead. "At this hour. They came out." I didn't answer because I didn't have words for it yet. I just watched the faces moving past the window and let the weight of it land where it needed to land. --- The Palace gates were already breached
“We'll be late,” I said lightly and heard him exhale a soft laugh before following me down.The drive was long—almost half an hour—and for most of it, we talked about the stupidest of things and laughed. The night outside was calm, and the scattered city lights looked like fallen stars. Every few mi
ELENA'S POV, “Elena?” Corbin's voice broke my trance. The snowy scene disappeared, and I was back on the palace steps. “Are you okay? You looked like you were going to pass out.” “Yeah, I’m fine. It was nothing to worry about,” I lied, though my pulse raced and my breathing became uneven. Andre
Even now, days later, those words echoed inside me. He hadn’t pressured me since then about whether I was interested or not. He hadn’t asked for an answer, he was giving me all the time I needed. Still, the thought returned every time I looked at him. Every time I felt his gaze linger just long enou
ELENA'S POV,“Yes. Exactly like Julian.”One name turned an amazing moment into an awkward silence. I wanted to stop myself from taking his name, but it didn't feel right, especially when I knew what he thought about women. Many can't digest when they see a woman succeed in life, but most of them ke







