"Allow me to introduce you to Lord Theron," Isabella said with a saccharine smile. "A nobleman of quite high status."Theron stepped forward, his sweaty hand reaching towards me. "Would you do me the honor of a dance, my dear?"Every instinct screamed no. I had seen him pawing at some of the other w
LilaI could feel every gaze in the ballroom pressing down on me as Damon extended his hand. Every woman in the room was watching, some with barely concealed envy, others with outright hostility. It was a silent chorus of judgment, expectation, and resentment.Swallowing hard, I slid my hand into hi
LilaThe moment Damon spoke, the room erupted in shock. Gasps, whispers, and even a few barely concealed curses filled the air.A one-on-one match with the Lycan King was unheard of. At least surviving one was unheard of.I could feel the weight of dozens of eyes snapping to me, their expressions a
– Your mother’s condition has worsened.The words hit like a blade between my ribs. I went completely still.Do as you’re told, or she won’t get the care she needs.My hands trembled with barely restrained rage. Seriously? We had a deal, Alpha.Henry didn’t even bother denying it. I’m ensuring you d
LilaI clenched the small slip of paper in my hands, scanning the name printed there. It wasn’t the Lycan King’s insignia.Relief flooded through me, but only for a second.My opponent was a girl I barely knew, Cassidy, quiet and unassuming. One of the few who had stayed out of the constant scheming
Lila"Damon!" I froze, gripping the thin towel wrapped around me as his imposing figure filled the doorway. His sharp eyes locked onto me, and for a split second, I forgot to breathe. “Sorry, I meant ‘Your Highness’… you, uh, you surprised me.”The air between us grew thick and heavy. Damon didn’t m
His palace. His rules.I swallowed hard, having forgotten for a second who I was talking to. But my curiosity got the better of me.I glanced up at him, biting my lip before finally asking, "That hairpin… Who did it belong to?"Damon’s jaw twitched."It’s important to you, isn’t it?" I added, watchi
LilaThe insignia on my lot shimmered faintly under the morning light, the golden ink standing out against the dark paper. My stomach twisted.Someone had switched my lot.I clenched my jaw, my pulse thudding in my ears as the realization sank in. It had to be the same person who took my clothes. An
LilaI woke to the sound of my own breathing. Shallow. Steady. Alive.The air smelled like rosemary and smoke, the faint tang of antiseptic salve lingering just beneath it. My body was a patchwork of ache and numbness, like someone had stitched me back together with cold thread and firelight.I didn
DamonWe made it through the gates just before dawn.My mate was cradled in my arms, limp and far too still, her blood already dried in jagged trails across my chest. The palace guards opened the gates in silence, eyes wide, faces pale. They’d never seen me like this.They’d never seen what I looked
DamonThe wind cut like blades as I flew through the territories.Frost bit at my skin, teeth sinking into the exposed lines of my shoulders and chest, but I didn’t feel it. Not through the pulse in my blood, the fire in my chest, the bond that burned with every beat of my heart.She was close.The
DamonI woke with a sound I didn’t recognize as my own.A sharp gasp—no, a choke—ripped from my throat as I sat up violently, sheets twisted around my legs, breath coming in shallow, desperate pulls. My skin was slick with sweat, chest heaving like I’d run miles.The fire in the hearth had gone out.
LilaI stopped counting after three days.It wasn’t intentional. Just a slow erosion. The lines I’d scratched into the edge of the hearth blurred, smeared by soot, damp sleeves, and the weight of not caring enough to redraw them.My internal clock had dissolved into fragments: sunrises, fire cycles,
LilaThe ride was long. Silent.No one had spoken to me since the palace gates disappeared behind the curve of the hill. The driver avoided my eyes, didn’t respond to my questions. When I asked for the name of the territory, he muttered something about “temporary reassignment” and tightened his fist
LilaThe knock came before sunrise. Three soft raps. The last ringing with a finality that made my stomach lurch.I sat up too quickly, heart already pounding. The room was still dark, the sky outside my window just beginning to pale at the edges. I’d barely slept, still dressed in the gown from the
LilaI had never paced so much in my life.Back and forth across my room, the same stretch of carpet worn slightly thinner with each pass. The window was open, letting in the cool afternoon breeze, but it didn’t help. My skin still burned, nerves riding just beneath the surface.The letter for Damon
I swallowed the dryness in my throat. “You’re manipulating the trials. The council.”Asher tilted his head. “Big accusation.”“You said it yourself.”“I said nothing that would hold in a courtroom,” he replied, stepping closer. “But you… Lila… you’ve got secrets of your own, don’t you?”My heart stu