Aine was right outside my window, crouching down on the sill, and took a finger to his lips with her eyes fixed on the plank. I frowned, noticing she was wearing a hunting outfit.She kept staring at the panel, her nostrils flapping. I heard one last footstep at the top of the stone stairs. Aine let out a sigh and threw me a bundle of clothes.“I’ll be waiting behind the beehives,” she whispered, and disappeared before I could ask what she was up to.The bundle turned out to be a shirt and trousers. Good. I didn’t care what she had in mind. I could use those clothes.I changed in a hurry and put on my short leather boots. I almost forgot the map, but I changed my mind, because I didn’t want to damage such a beautiful book. So I took a good look at it, memorizing the way to the cave. I grabbed the flint from the mantelpiece and jumped out the window. The moment I set foot in the meadow, I sprinted away toward the closest line
I hurried out without looking back, pressing my chest where, like the princess had just said, my heart was pounding. I ran to the other end of the hallway, to the stairs that would take me to the security of my room.Tilda waited at the bottom of the stairs, worried and sad. Marla, Ronda and the other healers were right behind her. For some reason, seeing them felt like another punch to my belly.I faced Tilda with my eyes full of tears, and raised both hands when she stepped up closer to me. My reaction stopped them, and they looked taken aback as they watched me stick my back to the wall and move past them. I hurried into my room, closing and locking the door.It was always the same. Wolves showing concern for my wellbeing, while they kept putting me in situations than could only end badly for me.Like leaving me alone in the cave, without warning me that lion mountains came down to hunt in that part of the forest.Like making Selene scrub the fl
The girls’ puzzled looks reminded me of Selene when Marla asked her a similar question.“Did you try to stop them?” asked the Beta’s wife. “Did you defend her? Did you seek help? Did you report them to your tutor like you just snitched on them just now?”The girls bent over themselves, hiding their faces in their skirts.“What are we to do with them?” asked the princess, her eyes moving over the kneeling girls shaking before her. “Our guests arrive in only five days.”“We can’t have them loose in our home,” said one of the wolves. “They’re too dangerous.”“I’d be ashamed to let our guests see we harbor such scum,” another one added.“They can sleep in the dungeon until we can take care of them,” a third lady suggested with a mild smile.“And since we’ll have to keep feeding them, they can pay us by
Soon the wolves headed out of the hall. A chill ran down my spine when I saw the Alpha come out the first, with the princess and the long-haired prince. I noticed he keep his eyes down under a stormy scowl, and decided I wouldn’t take any risks. I took a deep bow, keeping my head down as the wolves walked by.Lucky me, none of them stopped, and the princess’ sons whispered their goodbyes without stopping for an answer. I was straightening up, swallowing a grunt of pain, when the maids’ tutor left the hall preceding the girls. Her face showed concern when she saw us there. However, she took on a patronizing attitude, nodding hi at Kendra like she was another human, and ignoring me completely.When the last girl walked into the side room, Kendra signaled me to follow her and we walked in too. All the girls were whispering with worried faces, and shut their mouth when they saw us.“Close the door, Joy,” Kendra said, scanning them with
“I’d like you to meet my mate, Ronan,” the princess said, looking up at her husband with both love and pride in her eyes.“My lord Ronan,” I said with yet another bow.“Glad to finally meet you, Joy,” he said with a deep voice. “My whole family told me about you.”“I’m honored, my lord,” I replied, keeping my eyes down.Brenan and his brothers came closer with their nice, warm smiles.“Joy, hi! I found a book you will like,” said Brenan. “I’ll give it to Aine for you.”“Thank you, my lord Brenan.”“When can I find you in the bathhouse, Joy?” asked Kellan.“Tomorrow afternoon, my lord.”“We’ll be waiting,” said Declan with a wink.“No tickles, I hope, my lord.”They chuckled on their way to the main table and I faced the princess. Her husband
The one who had recognized me stood before me and slapped me with all her strength.“We’re not afraid of you, abomination,” she snarled.Another one took her place with a mocking smirk and slapped me too.“You should’ve stayed in the kitchens,” she said.It was then that one of them spotted the moonstone pendant around my neck.“What are you doing with such a fine jewel?” she cried, outraged.She tried to grab it, but I covered it with my hand.“Don’t you dare touching it,” I warned her.Lila and another girl held my arms back. The tall one grabbed the pendant chain and twisted it around my throat, choking me until I stopped wriggling.“Where did you get this moonstone?” she demanded.“The queen gave it to me,” I grunted, gasping for air.“The queen! Sure!”“To a bloodsucker like you!”
I froze in fear, and Tilda grabbed my hand to make me walk again.“No, Tilda! Please!” I begged at the brink of tears. “I’ll serve any other table! I’ll scrub privies with Aurora and Selene! But don’t make me serve the Alpha!”She stopped to face me, surprised.“What is it, Joy? Why are you so afraid of him? I didn’t know you’d even seen him.”I shrugged, trying to find an answer without lying. The bathhouse! I told her about my coming across him while bathing Brenan, and how he’d reacted to seeing me. To my despair, Tilda shook her head, smiling, and kept walking.“Well, yes, he has a temper. But don’t be afraid, you’ll be fine.” She opened the door to my room and motioned for me to walk in. “Change your clothes. The green dress will work. I’ll wait to take you with the parlormaids.”I did as she said, fighting back my tears. My
The next day, I woke up before him. I was surprised to notice a trace of daylight through the black ribbon.“My lord?” I whispered, caressing his back. “Isn’t it morning already?”“It’s Sunday,” he grunted, sleepy, his face surely sunk in his pillow. “We don’t need to get up yet.”“But you’re going to church.”“I can go after lunch.”“And what excuse will I give to miss it?”“That you’re exhausted after a week scratching furry bellies,” he grumbled, rolling over to lay on his back.I giggled, feeling for his face and finding his eyes closed, his brow furrowed.“My lord, you know I can’t get dressed blindfolded.”“You’re in a hurry to leave me.”“Look who’s talking, counting down the days to go fight the vampires and leave me here, all alone in
The news spread as if wolves spoke with their minds.The healers overwhelmed me with questions about my encounter with the Luna queen, and seeing how over the top they were, I figured the whole castle was surely aware, or would be soon. I shrugged with tears in my eyes.“She’s the sweetest being I’ve ever met,” I said, and for some reason, that was enough of an answer for them.Even the wolf mentioned it that night.“Royal spoiler?” he teased, amused. “I have to call you my lady now.”“My lord!” I complained.He held me in his arms, chuckling, and kissed my forehead.“Thank you, my love,” he whispered, suddenly serious. “One day you’ll understand the importance of what transpired today. We’re honored she gave us her blessing.”“I’m happy to do anything to make things easier for you, my lord.”“And you h