Pustaka
Cari
Beranda / Romance / Vying For The Alpha's Heart / THE SNAKE IN THE GARDEN

Share

THE SNAKE IN THE GARDEN

Penulis: Aicy
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-12-07 17:40:46

The air in the pantry went from cold to suffocating in the span of a heartbeat.

Beta Kael didn't let go of Lyra’s arm. In fact, his grip tightened slightly as he looked at Holly. His face, usually stern, flickered with confusion.

"Lady Holly," Kael said stiffly. "This is not... a rebellion. It is a disciplinary matter. The Omega was hiding rations."

Holly stepped into the small room with her silk skirts rustling against the sacks of flour. She smelled of expensive rosewater, as opposed to the scent of dried apples and dust in the space.

"Oh, Kael," she sighed and shook her head with a sad, indulgent smile. "You always were too rigid. Too black and white. Just like when we were children."

She reached out and placed a hand on his forearm, right above his wrist. Her fingers were soft, her touch possessive.

"Let her go," Holly whispered. "She is just a frightened little thing. Look at her."

Lyra bristled. "I am not frightened. And I am not a thing."

"See?" Holly laughed lightly, but her e
Lanjutkan membaca buku ini secara gratis
Pindai kode untuk mengunduh Aplikasi
Bab Terkunci
Bab sebelumnya Bab selanjutnya

Bab terbaru

  • Vying For The Alpha's Heart   THE VACUUM

    The silence that settled over Ashwood Castle in the wake of Philia’s departure was not empty. It was heavy.It was the silence of a house that had been holding its breath for weeks and had finally exhaled. The Stone Ridge soldiers were gone. The smell of unwashed leather and roast pig was fading, giving way to by the crisp, clean scent of the wind coming off the mountains.But for Beta Kael, the silence was suffocating.He stood by the broken remnants of the main gate with a hammer in his hand. He wasn't wearing his Beta uniform. He was in his undershirt, his sleeves rolled up, sweat dripping down his forehead as he violently pounded a bent iron bar back into shape.Clang. Clang. Clang.He was punishing the metal. Maybe he was punishing himself."You're going to break the hammer, Statue."Kael froze. He didn't turn around immediately. He took a breath to prepare himself before slowly lowering his arm.Lyra stood a few feet away. She was holding a basket of apples and a waterskin. She

  • Vying For The Alpha's Heart   PHILIA’S FAREWELL

    The dust from the departing army was thick, coating the courtyard in a fine grey powder.Philia sat atop Titan, her massive war-beast, right in the archway of the main gate. She looked back at the castle she had occupied, terrorized, and emptied of ale.She looked at Oreon and Eltonia standing on the steps. Oreon’s hand was resting protectively on the small of Eltonia’s back.Philia grinned. It was the grin of a wolf who had found the hunt amusing."You survived me, little Alpha," she boomed. "Most men don't."Oreon nodded, his face grim but respectful. "Safe travels, Philia. May your hammer find your enemies.""It always does," she promised.Her slate-grey eyes shifted to Eltonia. The amusement faded into a grudging, hard-won respect."And you," Philia grunted. "Keep the mouse, Oreon."Eltonia blinked and held her shawl tighter."She has a spine," Philia declared. "She looked me in the eye. She didn't flinch when I threatened to take her hand. That is rare."Philia gathered her reins

  • Vying For The Alpha's Heart   THE LETTER

    The bird that descended upon Ashwood Castle was not a delicate white dove carrying a ribbon.It was a hawk. A massive, scarred creature with feathers the color of dried blood and talons that looked capable of crushing a man’s skull. It didn't land gracefully on a perch. It dove from the sky like a missile and landed on the roasted pig in the center of the breakfast table with a wet thud and a screech that shattered glass.Servants screamed and scattered. Oreon stood up with his hand on his sword. Eltonia, standing by the sideboard, dropped a pitcher of water.Philia didn't flinch. She smiled."Ah," she said as she wiped grease from her mouth. "Mail call."She reached out, without a glove, and let the hawk hop onto her wrist. Its talons dug into her skin, drawing small drops of blood, but she didn't seem to notice. She untied the leather scroll case from its leg.The Great Hall was silent as she cracked the wax seal. It was black wax. The seal of the Stone Ridge War Council.Philia rea

  • Vying For The Alpha's Heart   THE STARVATION TACTIC

    The sun rose over Ashwood, but the mood was far from bright.Holly was locked in the tower. The "Saint" was gone. But the castle was still occupied.Philia’s army—three hundred strong—was camped in the valley and quartered in the barracks. And they were hungry."They ate the breeding sow," Gamma Kornel reported, standing in the Alpha’s study. He looked disgusted. "The prize pig. They roasted it on a spit in the courtyard at 3 AM."Oreon sat at his desk, rubbing his temples. Beside him, Kael stood staring out the window, his face grim. He was throwing himself into work to forget the sound of the tower door locking."They are locusts," Kael muttered. "If they stay another week, we will be eating boot leather by winter.""She won't leave," Oreon said. "Philia is comfortable. She has my bed. She has my wine. She has no reason to go.""We could fight them," Kornel suggested as his hand drifted to his dagger. "A night raid. Cut the head off the snake.""No," Oreon said firmly. "We just surv

  • Vying For The Alpha's Heart   THE FALL OF LADY HOLLY

    Holly’s feet kicked frantically at the air. Her face was turning a mottled purple, and her hands never stopped clawing uselessly at Philia’s leather gauntlet."Drop her!" Oreon commanded, stepping forward, though the Stone Ridge soldiers leveled their spears at him."She is a pest," Philia snarled, tightening her grip. "I am doing you a favor, Oreon. I am taking out the trash.""Stop! In the name of the Council! STOP!"Abram came running from the colonnade. He wasn't running with the grace of a noble; he was running with the desperate, sweaty panic of a man whose secrets were about to be choked out of a dying woman."Lady Philia!" Abram gasped and grabbed Philia’s armored elbow. "You cannot kill her! She is... she is not responsible!"Philia looked down at the advisor with disgust. She didn't let go of Holly. "She planted poison. She lied to a warlord. That feels responsible to me.""She is sick!" Abram shouted as he pointed at Holly’s bulging eyes. "Look at her! The hysteria! The par

  • Vying For The Alpha's Heart   THE ALPHA’S DUEL (ROUND 2)

    The fire in the grain silo roared. Ash rained down like grey snow.Philia stood like a statue of war with her massive hammer leveled at Oreon’s chest. Her slate eyes had no mercy in them."Last chance, little Alpha," Philia growled over the crackle of the flames. "Put the deserter down. Or I make you both part of the pavement."Oreon didn't flinch. He felt Eltonia trembling against his back, holding his tunic. He shifted his stance to cover her completely."I will not fight you with steel, Philia," Oreon shouted through the smoke.Philia scoffed. "Because you know you will lose.""Because you are being played!" Oreon roared back. "You call yourself a warrior? You call yourself a leader? You are nothing but a puppet!"The insult landed. Philia’s eyes narrowed. The tip of the hammer lowered an inch."Puppet?" she hissed, stepping closer. " careful, Oreon. I have killed men for less.""Then kill me!" Oreon challenged, spreading his arms. "But know that you are doing the dirty work of a

Bab Lainnya

Anda juga akan menyukai

Jelajahi dan baca novel bagus secara gratis
Akses gratis ke berbagai novel bagus di aplikasi GoodNovel. Unduh buku yang kamu suka dan baca di mana saja & kapan saja.
Baca buku gratis di Aplikasi
Pindai kode untuk membaca di Aplikasi
DMCA.com Protection Status