LOGINI nodded, standing and swaying slightly on my feet, then slipped out.The hallway was mercifully empty. I kept my hand on the wall again as I made my way toward the exit, the music from the banquet growing fainter with every step until I pushed out through the side door and the night air hit me all
Liora’s POVMrs. Oakes didn’t slow down until we were halfway across the building, moving at a pace that had me struggling to keep up with her given the state I was in. The hallway lights felt too bright after the dim candlelight of the banquet, and the tiles on the floor suddenly felt like a maze.
“All of it,” she said.“I have to be prepared for tomorrow,” I said. “I can’t—”“All. Of. It.”The command in Bianca’s tone made me stiffen. I felt her wolf’s newfound power wash over me, forcing my fingers to tighten around the cup. Before I could regain control of myself, I was lifting the cup bac
Liora’s POVThat night, Bianca oh-so-graciously hosted a banquet to celebrate the first day of the tournament. Mia, Zane, and I found seats near the middle of the room, toward the end of one of the longer tables, far enough from the head of the room that I could almost pretend Bianca wasn’t holding
Liora’s POVMy first opponent went down in under two minutes.He was a big guy, a quarterback on the football team, all muscle and size. But he was slow and clumsy, and relied too much on his strength to win—not enough combat technique to hold his own despite his larger stature.He came at me swingi
“Told you,” she said.“Show-off,” I replied as I clapped her on the back. Zane produced a single rose from behind his back, which Mia accepted with a squeal and tucked behind her ear. I shot him a look that he pretended not to notice as he draped an arm around her shoulders.We stuck around to watch
“You really didn’t have to do this,” I muttered as he pulled out of the parking lot—one hand on the steering wheel, the other on the shifter.He shrugged. “It’s too far to walk, anyway. I’m surprised you walked this far.”My face heated, but this time, it had nothing to do with his unexpected gentle
Liora’s POVI turned abruptly, staring at Callum with wide eyes. His gaze remained fixed on the road ahead, guiding the car through the winding landscape with ease, but his jaw was set in a firm line and his expression was completely serious.“You… believe me?” I whispered.I almost thought I was dr
“You ruined my dress,” I hissed.The guard shrugged. “Principal’s orders.”I grit my teeth and whirled on my heel, storming away. But I didn’t return to my dorm; rather, I snuck off into a side corridor, then located the door that led backstage. I slipped through and climbed up the ladder to the mai
Liora.“What are you doing here?” I blurted out. I glanced over her shoulder to see that the King’s apartment door was shutting behind her, as if she had just come out.Liora didn’t answer right away. She just stared up at me, lips parted, just like…Dammit.Just like last night.When I had almost







