로그인Emily’s POV The way Theodore was looking at me right now was far scarier than helpful in any way.His brows had drawn together slightly, his eyes fixed too intently on my face. Like he was searching and expecting to find something there.I might have accidentally said something Sharina used to say as a child.Because these memories I kept seeing… they didn’t feel like mine.They felt borrowed. Like it was Sharina’s.“How did you know that rhyme?”His voice sliced through my spiraling thoughts.I blinked, my fingers tightening instinctively around the fabric of my dress.“Uh… I… I just said it.”Judging by the look on his face, it was obvious he wasn’t convinced yet.“That was a personal rhyme I made for Rina when she was small,” he said slowly. “Even the nickname you mentioned… Ember.”His gaze lingered on me far longer than comfortable.Moon help me.I forced out a scoff, waving a dismissive hand as though the entire thing amused me.“I had a friend who used to call me Ember,” I lie
Emily’s POV “Sharina…”“What?” Sharina cut in before Malric could finish. “You’re going to tell me to take another horse, right?”Malric remained silent, but his arms tightened around me.“I’ve endured it all. Goddess knows I’ve tried.” Her voice sharpened. “You frolicking with your maid… do you know how the other maids will look down on me?”“Being a future queen isn’t the same as being queen,” Malric said, his voice vibrating against my back. “And the other maids? Tell me which one of them has ever dared cross their boundaries around you.”Sharina scoffed, folding her arms.“Really?”“Ride Blaze,” Malric added. “You always enjoyed riding him when you were younger.”“I can’t ride.”“I’ll ask…”“I’m only riding the one you're riding,” she cut in defiantly. The silence that followed didn’t need words to announce the tension already brewing between them.“I… I can ride with someone else,” I quickly offered.Malric deliberately tightened his hold around me.Sharina’s eyes hardened.“A
Emily’s POV We got ready for the royal hunt.I didn’t know exactly how these things were usually done, but one thing I did know?This was going to be fun.Well… aside from my actual reason for wanting to spend a night in the woods.Malric had mentioned the hunt would take place within the royal hunting grounds, so everyone was preparing accordingly. The royal doctor came along, along with a few guards, attendants, and maids.To my surprise, Malric announced we’d be travelling by horse.“Horse?” I muttered under my breath.“That’s how it’s always been.”I turned. Irene stood beside me, adjusting her gloves.“Oh… you’ve attended one before?”“Twice,” she said.Then she grimaced.“And the second one almost cost me my arm.”My brow furrowed. “What? Why?”“It’s hunting.” She shrugged as though that explained everything.Which… it absolutely did not.“A maid lost her life once. Another got badly injured.” She paused. “Unintentionally.”I stared at her.“What?”“It’s never really anyone’s f
Irene’s POV My hands tightened around the handkerchief the lycan prince had given me as I knocked on the door to his suite, waiting for him to answer.I couldn’t tell whether he was inside or not.Unlike the Lycan King, the lycan prince didn’t keep guards stationed outside his door who could tell whether he was in his chambers. Not because of anything in particular, he simply hated the idea ever since he was young.My mum raised him, so I knew most of his habits.Even as a lycan, you would rarely find scars on his body. He cherished his body more than even she-wolves did. I had seen him countless times half-naked whenever he ordered me to come bathe him in his tub. Soapy water always covered his private parts, but still… I had never seen scars on the exposed parts of him.I knocked again, waiting another thirty seconds before deciding what to do.According to his instructions, if you knocked three times and he didn’t answer, you were never to attempt a fourth."If I'm inside, I'd ope
Malric’s POV The way Emily stood up to Sarah despite knowing exactly who she was dealing with… made me a little uneasy.Reckless little thing.And sincerely… I loved that about her.I called her little fire for a reason.I stepped in before Sarah completely lost her temper.She already had, admittedly. And she hadn’t bothered holding her tongue either.Still, I granted Emily the audience.Even if I was about to bind myself to Sharina… Emily would always come first in my heart.That would never change. Not even if Sharina’s mark eventually pushed her away from me.Then Emily made a request I wasn’t expecting.“I want you to approve a royal hunt.”What?My jaw tightened as I paused and turned to her.“Why that?” I asked.She looked at me. Those innocent blue eyes silently pleading.I had to look away before I gave in too easily.“I just thought it would be nice… I feel bored here,” she said quietly.The way she said it made a pang of guilt settle in my chest.My mating ceremony with Sh
Emily’s POV After Lucien left, I walked over to Irene and we headed off together.She still looked shaken, though I kept reassuring her that everything would be fine.Lucien would look into it, just like he said he would.And… I had noticed the strange way he looked at her now.It wasn’t obvious. Just subtle enough to make me wonder.Although, I couldn’t tell what was going on inside his head… whether he actually liked Irene or not.That Lycan prince was impossible to read.Irene and I talked for a while longer since she had already finished her duties for the day.As for me… the butler still refused to let me lift a finger because of Malric’s ridiculous instructions.After talking and fooling around a little more, Irene suddenly remembered Lucien’s handkerchief.She insisted she had to return it before he got angry and lashed out at her.I laughed at the way she said it.I still didn’t completely understand why Irene feared Lucien that much.Then again…Maybe I did.When you’re secr
Emily’s POV When I stepped outside, I ran into the slender woman who had sat beside Alpha Dax at the table the night before.Despite the early hour, her makeup was flawless, her jewelry heavy and bright. She carried the unmistakable presence of a Luna.She smiled warmly when she noticed me. “Do y
Emily’s POV It took a moment for my brain to boot that I should check one of his bags. I rushed to them and rifled through the first bag frantically, but found nothing.Time was slipping away. My fingers trembled as I grabbed another bag.I didn’t realize Malric had quietly closed the distance whi
Emily's POV “My lord, whenever you’re ready, the table will be set for dinner,” Dax said. Then hurried out with the servants who brought in the mattress. The door shut behind them, leaving only Malric and me.My throat tightened. Aside from his intimidating presence, staying close to Malric alway
Emily’s POV The car slowly pulled away, the castle shrinking behind us as the highway stretched ahead. I tried to catch fragments of conversation between Malric and Theodore, hoping to understand what this trip was about.From what I could piece together, Malric planned to confront Kael, the vampi







