Chapter 161: True Love

Riley’s POVEzra didn't even say another word. He charged directly at us.The heavy stone corridor seemed to shrink as his massive frame closed the distance. The torches flickered violently under the crushing weight of his Alpha aura.Silas didn't even have time to draw his weapon.Ezra shoved Silas backward with a brutal shove to the chest. Then, his large hand shot out and grabbed the thick fur collar of the general's cloak wrapped around me.With one violent, vicious yank, he ripped the heavy garment right off my shoulders.The freezing draft of the underground laundry hit my wet clothes again. I gasped, wrapping my arms around my shivering torso.Ezra threw the cloak onto the dirty floor. He kicked it aside like a piece of trash."You just can't help yourself, can you?" Ezra snarled, his green eyes burning with anger. He took a step toward me, trapping me against the cold stone wall. "First the rogues, and now my own generals? Do you just spread your legs for any man who tosses a

Chapter 162: Bloody Banquet

Riley’s POVTwo days later.Loud string music bounced off the high vaulted ceilings of the Grand Hall. Giant golden chandeliers cast a warm, glittering light over the royal banquet. Dozens of nobles in expensive gowns and suits sat by the long table, drinking and laughing softly.I stood perfectly still in the darkest corner of the room.I didn’t know why Ezra insisted that I came to this banquet. But now I wore the scratchy, thin gray dress. My crushed right hand throbbed painfully under a tight, cheap linen bandage. I held a massive pitcher of red wine in my left hand. The metal dug into my palm, but I didn't dare drop it.Ezra sat at the center of the raised dais. He wore a crisp, tailored black King's tunic. Elara sat right beside him in a breathtaking white lace gown. She smiled softly at the guests and leaned against his shoulder.Ezra didn't push her away, but he also didn’t look at her. His cold green eyes stared straight across the room, locked directly onto Silas.Silas sat

Chapter 163: Just To Hurt Me

Riley’s POVEzra dragged me through the winding palace corridors. His grip on my wrist was a vice of solid steel. Passing servants flattened themselves against the stone walls, lowering their heads to avoid looking at his blood-soaked sword.He kicked the heavy oak doors of the master bedroom open, shoved me inside, and slammed the doors shut. The iron lock clicked sharply.I stumbled over the thick carpet, catching my balance before I hit the floor."What the hell is wrong with you?" I snapped, rubbing my bruised arm. "You chopped a guy’s hand off in front of your entire court! Over nothing!""Over nothing?" Ezra tossed his bloody coat onto the velvet armchair and turned to me, his eyes bloodshot. He stalked toward me, his voice a low, lethal rumble. "The fat pig had his hands on you. He was feeling you up in front of the entire room. You’d prefer that?""And isn't that exactly what you wanted?" I shot back, lifting my chin. "You forced me into this maid dress. You paraded me around

Chapter 164: Dying Queen

Riley’s POVThe heavy oak doors slammed shut.I stood in the center of the silent room, clutching my torn dress. The silence was deafening, but Ezra’s broken voice echoed loudly in my mind.I put a sword through my own father's chest to save your life. And when I woke up... you were gone…I fucking hate you Riley…I sank onto the edge of the velvet bed, my hands shaking. I closed my eyes, and the memories of three years ago flooded my mind.He fought his own father to protect me. He took the throne covered in his own blood, desperately looking for the mate he had just sacrificed his soul to save. And he woke up in an empty castle.My heart squeezed painfully. A wave of profound, suffocating guilt washed over me.I had been in pain for the last three years. And I had been so caught up in my own heartbreak that I didn’t even think about how he had been. Taking the throne sure didn’t give him any sense of happiness. Maybe he was still haunted by my escape…just like I did.I looked down at

Chapter 165: Snow On My Back

Riley’s POVThe winter storm swallowed the courtyard.Within an hour, the snow piled up past my knees. The freezing wind whipped across my face, slicing my pale cheeks like tiny blades of glass. I knelt at the base of the Moon Goddess statue, my ruined right hand tucked tightly against my chest. My cheap gray dress offered zero protection. My lips cracked and bled, the blood freezing instantly on my chin."Get up!"Heavy boots crunched rapidly through the deep snow.Silas grabbed my shoulders. He yanked me upward, trying to pull me off my frozen knees."Silas, stop," I rasped. My vocal cords were completely frozen. "He will kill you.""I don't give a fuck what he does to me," Silas roared over the howling wind. He wrapped his arms around my waist, trying to physically lift me. "You are going to die out here. Stand up and you are coming with me.""Put her down."The voice boomed across the courtyard, cutting straight through the blizzard.Ezra stood at the top of the grand stone stairc

Chapter 166: Under The Ice

Ezra’s POVThe massive stone fireplace roared in the center of the my chambers.I sat on the edge of the velvet armchair, staring blankly at the dancing flames. A glass of amber bourbon rested in my hand.Normally the booze could buy me a good night sleep. Without any dreams of her. But tonight the old trick lost its magic.My chest felt completely hollow. My wolf was scratching violently at the inside of my ribs, pacing back and forth, snarling in endless circles of anxiety and rage.She belongs in the blizzard.She betrayed us.What she is going through now is not even one-tenth of the pain we endured before.I took a large swallow of the burning liquor. It did absolutely nothing to quiet the beast in my head. I wanted her to break. I wanted her to cry and bang on the glass doors, begging for my forgiveness. If she begged, I could justify dragging her inside.But she just knelt there. Completely silent. Perfectly willing to freeze to death rather than submit to me.Fuck. I growled i