All Chapters of Bride Of The Beast: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

The walk through the corridors felt like a slow march toward my death. The wolves fingers digged into the nape of my neck with a possessive strength that forced me to stumble along beside him. Every guard we passed bowed, their eyes lowered, unaware that the man they were honoring was currently a passenger in his own body.We reached the heavy oak doors of our chambers. The moment the latch clicked shut, the atmosphere shifted. The "Prince" didn't even wait for me to turn around before he shoved the doors closed with a force that made the hinges groan.I scrambled away, putting the distance of the rug between us, my hands shaking so hard I had to tuck them into my sleeves.The Wolf didn't move toward me immediately. He stood by the door, letting the heavy fur cloak slide off his shoulders. It pooled at his feet, leaving him bare and scarred, illuminated by the dim morning light filtering through the high windows. He stretched, a slow, languid movement that made his muscles ripple li

I woke with my face pressed into the pillow, my limbs leaden and my skin humming with a dull ache.The Wolf was gone. The heat that had anchored me to the mattress was replaced by a chill, though the sheets still smelled faintly of my surrender. I didn't move for a long while. I couldn't. My mind kept flickering back to the bathroom—the sound of sloshing water, the cold tile against my wrists, and the way I had eventually stopped fighting and started wanting.That was the part that burned worse than the physical soreness.I sat up slowly, the furs sliding down my bare chest, and winced as my muscles protested. He must have carried me back here after I finally succumbed to exhaustion. He had used me until I broke, then tucked me into bed like a prized trophy.I wrapped my arms around my knees, feeling the phantom pressure of his hands still branding my hips. I looked toward the washbasin, my gaze catching on the ruined silk gown tossed near the hearth. It was a shredded mess of white

The King didn’t move. He didn't explode in rage, and he didn't call for the executioner. He simply stood by his chair, his expression returning to that mask of cold, weary indifference. He looked at the ruined makeup on my face, then at the floor where Kiya had just been gasping for air, and finally back to his plate.It was as if a curtain had dropped. He chose to see nothing. He chose to hear nothing."Go clean yourself up," the King said, his voice flat.I stood there, paralyzed. I had practically confessed—my real voice had filled the room—but the King was simply stepping over the truth like it was a puddle in the path. The Wolf’s smirk widened. He leaned in, his chest vibrating against my shoulder as he spoke for my ears only."He's choosing to be deaf, little bird. Why do you think that is?" the Wolf whispered, his tone almost playful now that the King had retreated into his denial.I didn't wait to find out. I pivoted, heading out the dining doors, my left hand raised to slight

The King’s footsteps faded into the stone corridors, leaving a heavy, curdled silence behind. One by one, the Council members retreated. Their robes hissed against the floor like snakes in the grass as they hurried away. I stood there, chest tight, waiting for Eilis to look at me.He didn’t.He stayed on the floor, hands buried in the matted fur of Osric and Elian. He whispered to them in a guttural sound that wasn't quite human. I took a step forward, reaching out, but he didn't notice. He was completely focused on his brothers.Slowly, the three of them stood up. They moved as one, with Eilis leading the way toward the doors. His shoulder brushed past mine as he walked out, but his eyes remained fixed ahead. I stayed frozen in the center of the empty hall. His silence felt worse than any threat the King could have made."Raven."I looked back to see Aria wiping her tears. She stood beside me, watching the door where the three brothers had disappeared. She looked at the empty throne

Aria’s warnings about being the easiest target had been haunting enough, but the sting of Eilis actually trying to send me away back to my family felt like a second betrayal. I paced the small patch of rug that wasn't occupied by the princes, my eyes hot with unshed tears. Eilis stood by the window, his back to me, looking out at the kingdom he was so desperate to protect me from. “You think you’re being noble,” I said, my voice trembling. “You think you’re saving me by throwing me back to the people who sold me to you in the first place.” “Raven, it’s not about nobility,” he rasped, still not turning around. “It’s about survival. If the Council moves against me, they won't go for my throat first. They’ll go for yours. They’ll use you to make me crawl.” “Then let them try!” I shouted. Osric let out a sharp huff from the corner, his head popping up at my volume. Eilis finally turned, and for a moment, the Logical Prince was gone. There was only a man who looked like he was mou