INICIAR SESIÓNEmily’s POV After the warning hidden in Sharina’s stare, I knew one thing — I had to stay alert.Not wanting to stand around looking useless, I joined the maids helping with the smaller tasks while the men handled the heavier work.The he-wolves worked quickly, driving stakes into the ground and hauling thick canvas upright between heavy wooden poles.Within minutes, the empty clearing began transforming into a royal hunting camp.The king’s tent rose first at the center.Large.Dominant.And impossible to miss.Dark fabric embroidered with the royal crest stretched across its frame, somehow carrying the same intimidating presence as its owner.Very Malric.Lucien’s tent was pitched beside Malric’s, similar in design but lacking the king’s almost terrifying dominance. Still, his tent was hardly any less intimidating.Separate tents were prepared for high-ranking wolves — Theodore, department heads, and a few trusted royals.Sarah hadn’t accompanied us. Apparently, she remained at the
Emily’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
Malric’s POV Sarah gazed at me, waiting for my conclusion.I checked the time, we had less than an hour left before midnight.“Where is she?” I asked.She raised a brow. “Who?”“Sharina.”Her face lit up. “You…you agree?”“I have a few seconds before I change my mind.”“Of course…her room. She’ll
Emily’s POVThe only man capable of drawing every emotion from me in a single breath was my shameless lycan king.But tonight… I was the shameless one.Just a few minutes ago, he had made me cry, and now, I wanted him to make me moan instead.My thigh tightened involuntarily, the soft heat between
Emily’s POV I stumbled out of the bathroom, my chest tight from how Malric had shouted at me.There was no difference between the way he had yelled just now and the way he had tried to tear my heart out in the woods.It hurt. More than I expected.All I wanted was to help… to be there for him. But
Malric’s POV I was still buried in work when a knock came at the door. Sharina stepped in.“Are you busy?” she asked, glancing at the papers on my desk. “Oh… you must be. I’ll come back.”I’d been brushing her off lately. Doing it again wouldn’t be right.I rubbed my temples. “No. Come in.”I set







