LOGINIt might have been laughable, had circumstances not been so… sad.“So your parents took it badly, I imagine,” I pointed out.Callum huffed and looked into his bottle. “My dad beat the shit out of me.”I pulled my head back. “He what?”Wordlessly, Callum turned, pulling his shirt up to reveal his bac
Liora’s POVI just barely made it into the parking space before the car let out one final groan, then sputtered to a stop, rocking back and forth on the wheels.“Sorry about that, girl,” I said, patting the steering wheel. “That was a lot more driving in one day than I anticipated.”Shirley almost s
“Twenty lashes,” he said. “We’ll see if you change your mind then.”I grit my teeth. “I don’t have to put up with this anymore.”“Would you rather take it, or would you prefer if that little wolfless whore of yours took it instead?”The moment he said those words, I felt all the blood drain from my
Callum’s POVMy father’s shadow darkened the room.There was a time in my life when my father’s presence seemed enormous and all-consuming, like a black hole filling any space he entered. When I was a child, I remembered thinking that he was big enough to reach the moon, or to blot out the sun.I’d
“The ones at the top of the list are our recommended ones,” my father added before I could say anything. “But ultimately, dear, it’s up to you.”I quirked a brow and opened the folder. There were over a dozen names on the list, along with small black-and-white headshots of each bachelor and which pa
Liora’s POVWhen I returned to the palace, I honestly expected to find that half of it had burned down in some freak fire, or that someone was dead.I didn’t find any of that.The palace was as peaceful as ever, quiet and cheerfully lit, the yellow porch lights illuminating the melting snow. The but
Anything except the truth.“Princess?” A soft voice suddenly made me turn to find a petite servant with big eyes smiling up at me. She pointed to a large crate by the front door that was labeled “Banquet Supplies.” “Where should I put that?”“In the banquet hall,” I said without thinking. The serva
As we made our way through the main floor, I still couldn’t seem to shake that strange unsettled feeling. I chalked it up to nerves again and tried to ignore it. Instead, I watched as Bianca flung open a set of double doors.“And this is the banquet hall!” she announced. Everyone poked their heads i
Liora’s POV“I can’t believe how excited I am.” Mia leaned in, nudging me with her elbow. “What about you? You’ve been smiling all morning.”“Have I?” I shrugged. “I guess I’m a little excited to see the royal palace for the first time.”The first time. Like I didn’t live there for my entire life. B
Liora’s POVThe inside of the castle was just as beautiful as I remembered. Moody lighting, antique furnishings, portraits of royals long passed lining the walls. But it was not home. This wasn’t the royal palace, but my cousin Ambrose’s home.Everyone gasped and moved around the space, staring at t







