LOGINValeria Dagar grabs me by the throat, lifting me up and cutting all air from reaching my lungs. “I’d break your neck, but your child could die. And we can’t have that. He will be my heir after all. I’ll break your arms and legs instead. By the time you are able to move again, I’ll hand you your mate’s head on a spear—” Dagar is tackled. I collapse beside Grimm and watch as Raphael pins Dagar by the throat. With a surge of strength, he hurls him against a tree, the bark splitting as Dagar crashes through it. Raphael rushes to my side. “Are you hurt?” I cough and take deep breaths. “I’m okay.” We watch Dagar get up from the rubble of branches. He stands tall and reaches his hands to the sky. A sea of ravens rises from the trees at his command. Not even I can control that many. Dagar swings his arms toward us, and the wave crashes into us, though Raphael takes the brunt of it because he shields me. I can’t take control of all of them as I did before when it was Dagar in Grimm’s bo
Valeria Generals shout like alarms blaring in the night sky. Everyone has been alerted, and just in time. Deep in the forest, we can hear the enemy’s cry of war. “We are not ready!” my father roars at the King, his voice cutting through the clash of voices and the distant battle‑call. “There is no choice but to be ready,” the King replies. Raphael is on me with pleading eyes. “I know there is no use in telling you this—” “Then don’t. I am not going anywhere. Without me, you all stand no chance.” He closes his eyes. I cup his face, threading one hand behind his head and locking eyes with him. “I don’t know what will happen. I can’t promise to be careful, because I won’t. I can’t promise I’ll be safe, because I don’t know that. Just as I don’t know if you will be safe, too. But I will fight, with everything I have. And if I should not make it… know that I am content. I lived, I loved, and I felt whole—because of you.” His eyes meet mine, shadowed with the weight of what is
Valeria It is a clash of breaths and hunger that leaves me reeling for more as Raphael stops the kiss to lay me on the wooden floor. “Raphael—” “Stop talking.” He puts a hand over my mouth, eyes darkened. “All I want you to do is moan.” His voice is rough, tinged with irritation. His hand drops from my mouth and grips the fabric of my dress. With a violent tug, the cloth tears. This animalistic version of Raphael does the same with his own clothes. I slide my hands across his chest, feeling his tight skin, and glide to his arm, gripping his hard muscles, yearning for him. His lips latch onto mine, his hands sliding to my thighs and hooking my legs around him. “Scream for me,” he orders as he suddenly enters me, like crashing through a door with no warning. I moan so loud, sudden irritation mixing with pleasure. I claw his back, making him grunt in pain. He grips my hips, holding me in place, and thrusts fast and hard. My body bounces, and I have to curl my arms around him to ste
Valeria “Has this woman gone mad?” one of the Alpha councilmen says. “Oh, you have not seen mad yet,” I say to him. Those who have witnessed my rage before say nothing. Even the King doesn’t dare taunt me, and Raphael watches me not with fear but with concern. But Godfrey—he must believe he is invincible. “Someone put a fucking muzzle on her,” he mutters. “You know what? I have had enough of you and your fucking mouth!” I squeeze my fist as hard as I can, ignoring the pain and the blood that comes from my nails digging into my skin. I swing my hand toward Godfrey, letting droplets of my blood touch his skin—necessary for the hex I am performing. I chant under my breath, my eyes locked on him. The man suddenly starts coughing. The sound is harsh, echoing in the room, eyes watering. Between gasps, his body bends forward, desperate for relief, and as he opens his mouth, something black begins to emerge. A beak first, black jet eyes next, and feathers follow, his mouth opening even w
Valeria “Valeria—” “Please… don’t lecture me.” I lie in bed, feeling Raphael’s hands caress my head as I wallow in my failure. “You can’t blame yourself like this.” How can I not? It is my doing. What I did caused this. But none of it means that I’ll stop. I am sad now and allowing myself to go through this emotion, but I am not giving up. Somehow, I will get Grimm back. I don’t know how, but I will. “Let me take care of you,” Raphael whispers. He leaves me for a moment, opening the door, and then I hear him wheeling in a serving cart. I can smell the food. I only get up when I feel something soft touch my skin as I lie in bed. Flower petals—he scatters them all over the bed. “What are you doing?” I ask him. Giving me only a smile, he begins to place tea candles all over the bed and lights them up. It makes me laugh. “You are going to burn our bed.” “It’s all for a good cause.” He winks and then places the food in front of me as he sits at the edge of the bed. It’s a rare mo
Valeria “This is exactly what I am speaking about. You are dangerous,” Godfrey says. “I am only dangerous if you make me dangerous. Let her go.” He casts a quick glance over his shoulder, toward the end of the hall where it branches into more corridors. Releasing Jade, he steps back. Just then, Raphael and Urien round the corner. I quickly make the ravens disappear, and Mother runs to Jade, taking her in a hug. Godfrey faces Raphael with the fakest of smiles. “Alpha—” “Why are you here?” Raphael asks, refusing to entertain any nonsense. “I was just looking to see if the ladies here had any clues on where I could find the young lad, Grimm. They are all so close to him after all. It would make my job easier.” “Your job? He’s the one in charge of finding Grimm?” I ask. Raphael nods. “Yeah—” Godfrey gives a small bow to Raphael. “If you’ll excuse me, I must get back to my duties.” He disappears into the hall. Jade and I stare at each other with concern. “Why is he the one in ch







