I was announced into the ballroom and saw all eyes turn. Men wearing their dark, masculine, masks. Women wearing pearled or feathered garments and matching masks. Wanting to cause a stir. Each trying to be unique. But it was a rather pitiful attempt since in the end they all looked the same. Indistinguishable from each other. I wandered further into the room. Trying to pinpoint the faces of those I might know. Watching for Alaric. A little voice in my head insisted on bringing him up. The allure of the mysterious wafted through the room. Every face hidden. Candle flames dancing. Creating jerking movements that mimicked those dancing. Jerking. More like wraiths than real people. For a moment I wondered what my dear king would’ve looked like down here. Years ago, when he’d been young... He would’ve it the Ballroom. I could envision him with some rogui

He’ll kill them. I realized. If I called for help and anyone came, he would shred them. His meaning was clear. Anyone getting between him and mating me would be in grave danger. Including me. He threw up my skirt and stepped next to the bed. He adjusted his footing on the dais in the chamber, so he was level with me. The back of the pretty dress ripped in his grip. The skirts going next. Until I was bare save for the corded belt wrapping my waist. He quicky gripped himself and aligned with me. “I only join with you because I need an assassin to protect me from the other ones.” I snapped. Defending that I wasn’t fighting him. Not because you don’t want to? A tiny voice in my mind asked. I stamped down the fact that my heart was racing. That my breath was ragged. And that I already ached from his nearness. He emanated power like a fireplace burning hot. He wasn’t fooled.

“I won’t ever go back to the pack!” I shouted. Jerking back from him and collapsing onto my back. Without missing a stroke, he framed my hips with his hands and began yanking me down to meet each stroke. “I didn’t say that.” He growled. I could see the tension moving through him and knew he was close. So was I, despite all my bitterness, hatred, and fury. The pleasure rippling through me would soon become impossible to hide. It was going to spill out of me. I wailed in frustration, self-pity and surrender. Clutching around him and slicking him with my lubricants as I vibrated inwardly. My muscles were flexing so hard they nearly hurt. Then quaking rhythmically until I’d sucked from him his climax. He gave a masculine shout that had to have been hard down the hall before he jammed into me to the hilt. Holding me down against him. Freezing there as he jerked raggedly. His arms twitching and his chest bulging with muscles which we

“What do you want to know?” “Oh?” He tilted his head in interest. “No fight? No loyalty. Poor bitch you are.” He grinned. “Who will miss you if I take you to toy with.” “The King.” “I’m not worried about him.” “Alaric.” I blurted. Saying the first name which might dissuade him. He laughed coldly. “The Alpha’s brother. You’ll have to tell him what I do to you. I’d love to see his reaction.” What’s he going to do? I was so terrified I was beginning to shake. “Who is the Alpha?” “Draven. You clearly already know that.” “I did. I wanted to see if you’d lie.” He said blandly. “What fortifications do they have?” “The wall. Everyone knows that.” “Good.” He stroked his rigid bit a little faster. Huffing as he got more excited. It was long and thin with a scatter of moles over it. It looked like poison. “Who are the Border Guards?” “Jaecar, the Hayden trip

My response to his comment was immediate in my thoughts. Just as cruel as every other wolf. But I bit my tongue and watched him leave. Promptly going to work on a plan to slaughter wolves. But I had one primary obstacle. Which was even more frustrating because I wanted that obstacle to remain one. My King. The kindest man I’d ever know. I wouldn’t be able to act on anything as long as he was alive. He wouldn’t understand why I wanted to slaughter a species. He wouldn’t condone me sending his knights to kill mass populace. Which means I can do nothing until he is gone. But that made my heart ache. I sat on the edge of his bed today. Hoping against hope that it would never happen. That somehow, he could be as immortal as I was. Wolves could live long lives. Though they could be injured or killed, if they weren’t they aged at a much slo