All Chapters of Reckless Royals of Nocturne Prep: Chapter 1 - Chapter 7

RAEThe slap came so fast I barely saw Celeste's hand move. My cheek burned where her palm connected, and I tasted blood where my teeth cut into my lip."You brought the wrong wine," she hissed, her perfect blonde hair catching the light from the crystal chandelier. "I specifically asked for the 1987 Bordeaux, not this cheap garbage."I kept my eyes down, staring at the polished marble floor. "I'm sorry, Luna Celeste. I thought you said—""Don't you dare contradict me." Her voice could have frozen water. "Go to the cellar and bring back what I actually ordered. My guest is waiting."I nodded and turned to leave, but her voice stopped me cold."And Rae? If you embarrass me again tonight, you'll regret it."I walked through the ballroom, my face still stinging. The Vale estate was in full swing tonight, filled with the most important shifters in the territory. Crystal glasses clinked. Expensive perfume hung heavy in the air. Everyone wore their finest clothes, their shiniest jewelry, th

RAEI hardly slept that night. I tried, but every time I closed my eyes, I saw Saraphina’s smile… or worse, the way Luna Celeste’s eyes had rolled back when she hit the floor. I lay on my cot in the servants’ quarters, listening to the muffled voices and creaking pipes overhead. I wondered how I was supposed to pack up my whole life in a single night. What was there to pack, anyway? A few dresses, all black and plain. Three paperbacks with cracked spines. Some old letters Saraphina wrote me since I did not have a phone before she stopped writing. A scarf that still smelled a little like her perfume.The other servants found me as I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at my empty bag. Martha, who’d worked here since before I was born, put her hand on my shoulder. She didn’t say anything. She just squeezed, her rough palm warm through my nightgown. Someone else, a boy I barely knew, brought a cup of weak tea and left it at my side.“You’re leaving us, Rae?” Martha finally asked, her voic

CASSIANI tried to recover. I focused on Rae. I noticed the way she gripped her folder, the tremble in her jaw, the way her eyes darted around like she expected someone to jump out and yell “fraud.” She looked like someone who had learned how to be invisible, someone who had gotten used to being forgotten.For a second, I just wanted to shield her from everything in this school. From the whispers that would come, the cruelty that would follow, the quiet violence that lived in every shadow waiting for fresh blood. But I also wanted to shake her, to demand answers. Why did she look like my woman? Why now, after all these years?I held out my hand, hoping she didn’t see how it shook. “Assistant Professor Cassian Rhys,” I said, keeping it light. “But most people around here just call me Cass. I’m your tour guide, apparently.”She took my hand. Her skin was cold, but her grip was stronger than I expected. The moment our palms touched, a jolt shot up my arm. My incubus instincts screamed, w

RAEThe world tilted. I felt like I was falling, even though my feet were still planted on the carpet."Yes!" she continued, her voice getting louder. "You were a servant. I remember now. Sara told me you were her father's bastard."The blonde gasped, one hand flying to her mouth. They were both staring at me now like I was some fascinating specimen they'd found under a microscope.The dark-haired girl's eyes widened even further, and when she spoke again, her voice was barely a whisper. "Wait. Aren't you an Omega?"The question hit me like a physical blow. I felt my wolf cower inside me, pressing low and small, trying to hide from the predators circling. My tongue felt thick and useless in my mouth."I... I..." The words wouldn't come. My throat had closed up, and all I could do was stand there, opening and closing my mouth like a fish drowning in air.I tried to step back, to close the door, but the dark-haired girl was faster. She shoved her leg against the door frame, blocking it