LOGINDinner had somehow become even more uncomfortable than anyone had expected.The long dining table was covered with beautifully prepared dishes, expensive wine, and enough food to feed dozens of people but none of that could overcome the tension sitting around the table.Several servants moved carefully around the room, their movements quiet and cautious.Nobody wanted to attract attention, especially not tonight.Eugene watched Becca for a moment before speaking."You barely touched your food" he said.Becca didn't even look up from her plate."I'm eating" she said.Mira took a sip of water, trying very hard not to put herself in the conversation. Eugene noticed."Mira."She immediately looked innocent."Yes, Alpha King?""You aren't helping" he told her.Max snorted and Mira immediately glared at him. His amusement disappeared instantly.The tension between them had become impossible to ignore.Max frowned."You're still angry."Mira looked horrified."Still? You say that as though
For several moments after Seraphina left, neither Becca nor Mira spoke. They couldn't shake off the feeling that had settled during Seraphina's confrontation.They simply continued walking toward the dining hall and the silence between them felt unusually heavy.Seraphina's final words continued echoing inside their minds, telling them to prepare to lose as if they were in the middle of some war and the stakes were extremely high.The confidence behind those words was what disturbed them most, even if they told themselves they didn't care.Seraphina was many things, manipulative, arrogant, annoying, but she was rarely confident without a reason.That fact alone made Mira uneasy and all efforts she put to remove lingering thoughts about it proved to be a waste.Beside her, Becca appeared equally thoughtful.The earlier frustration she had felt toward Eugene had been temporarily overshadowed by the strange feeling Seraphina had left behind.Finally Mira sighed."I just don't like that w
Becca was still sitting on the edge of the bed when she heard a knock at the door. The sound pulled her away from her increasingly frustrating thoughts.She immediately stood, perhaps a little too quickly because she nearly tripped over the edge of her dress."Wonderful," she muttered.Her evening was clearly going perfectly.The knock came again, more impatient this time and Becca already knew who it was.Only one person knocked like that.She crossed the room and opened the door and Mira immediately stepped inside then stopped.Her eyes narrowed suspiciously and Becca instantly regretted opening the door. Mira was looking at her the way a hunter looked at prey."What?"Mira folded her arms."What happened?" She asked.Becca frowned."Nothing happened" she replied. "Hmm."The response was entirely too knowing then Becca sighed."Mira.""You look strange.""I do not.""You do" she insisted. Becca walked past her."I don't know what you mean" she said.The two women stared at each ot
The bathroom door finally opened and warm steam drifted into the room as Becca stepped out, feeling considerably fresher than she had earlier.The bath had helped but it was not enough to erase her frustration or even enough to make her forgive Eugene.But enough to calm some of the anger that had been simmering inside her all day.Her damp hair cascaded over her shoulders, and she rubbed it gently with a towel as she walked back into the room.She stopped immediately. Eugene was no longer wearing the towel.Thankfully.Instead, he was fully dressed. The dark outfit he wore fit him perfectly, emphasizing the authority that seemed to surround him even when he wasn't trying.He stood near a mirror adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves.For a moment, Becca simply watched him then she quickly looked away. She was still very angry and she reminded herself of that fact immediately.Eugene noticed her emerge from the bathroom and turned. His gaze lingered for a second but it was long enough to
The atmosphere inside Kaelyn's chambers was far from peaceful. The room, usually elegant and calming, had become a reflection of Kaelyn's mood.Several wine bottles sat open on a nearby table, one glass had already been emptied, another was currently in Kaelyn's hand.The young woman sat near the fireplace, her cheeks slightly flushed from drinking. Her son slept peacefully in a cradle nearby, completely unaware of the storm surrounding his mother.Ava stood close to the window, watching her then a knock suddenly sounded on the door.Ava immediately turned but Kaelyn barely reacted. She simply took another sip of wine."Come in" she said.The door opened and Ava immediately sighed in relief."Luna Seraphina" she called happily. Seraphina stepped inside with a scowl. The moment Ava saw her, genuine relief crossed her face."Thank the Moon Goddess."Seraphina frowned."What?""We thought something happened to you" she said.Kaelyn slowly looked up, her eyes slightly glassy from the alc
By the time Becca and Mira arrived at Eugene's chambers, the sun had already begun its slow descent across the horizon.The mansion had finally grown quieter after the chaos of the coronation, at least quieter than usual.Becca was exhausted, emotionally. Everything that had happened since the coronation felt like a blur and finally the discovery that Eugene had moved every single one of her belongings into his room without asking was just the worse.She still couldn't believe it.Mira pushed open the door first. The room beyond was spacious and elegant, fitting for an Alpha King.Large windows overlooked the estate, a massive fireplace sat against one wall, dark wooden furniture occupied the room and scattered around were boxes and personal belongings that had once belonged to Becca.Seeing them here irritated her all over again."Unbelievable" she muttered. Mira snorted."I agree."Becca walked inside slowly. Her eyes scanned the room then she froze."He's not here" she said as rel
The torches along the hallway brought light as Jack moved quietly, his shoes striking the floor. The air here always felt heavy now. Since Desmond’s coup, everything had changed. Blackwood was no longer a place of strength and honor, it was a pack of fear. Jack turned a corner and stopped. A sh
The dawn crept quietly over Blackwood mansion. Sunlight entered of through the curtains, softening the sharp edges of the room that belonged to Jack, the new Commander of the trackers.Jack stood before the mirror, fastening the last strap of his leather armor.He let out a sigh as he looked at him
Max had been awake since dawn, his head pounding faintly from the night’s wine. Sleep had evaded him, replaced instead by Mira’s face and that look of disappointment that cut deeper than anything.Now, dressed up, he walked through the hallway with purpose.He wasn’t doing this because he cared abo
The echo of chains was the only sound that followed Desmond as he walked out of the dungeon. The heavy iron doors clanged shut behind him with a finality that seemed to shake the air itself. Alpha Eugene was locked deep in the dungeons, bound and powerless, the proud half-brother now reduced to a







