The silver collar was a cold, heavy weight that felt more like a brand than jewelry. It didn’t just choke my throat; it choked my identity. As the warden fastened the hidden latch at the back of my neck, the click sounded like a prison door. She didn’t look at me as she stepped back, her eyes checking for flaws in the black silk dress that clung to my body like oil."Keep your head down," she said, her voice like flat stone. "The King wants you visible, but he doesn't want you heard. You are the shadow in the room. If a guest asks for a drink, you give it. If they insult you, you swallow it. If you fail, your grandmother dies in her hospital bed. Do you understand?""I understand," I whispered. My voice felt small, scraped raw from the silence of the fortress.The ballroom doors opened, and the noise hit me. It was the sound of a hundred Alphas and Lunas pretending to be human. The air didn't smell like the forest anymore. It smelled of expensive brandy, heavy perfume, and the cold, s
Last Updated : 2026-04-21 Read more