LOGINEvander's POV
I stared at the mountain of paperwork on my desk, my vision blurring. Reports from the northern territories, trade agreements that needed review, military requisitions, budget approvals, and diplomatic corres
Ravena's POV The Grand Princess's pack was behind a tall pale wall with iron gates, and the two guards at those gates didn't move to open them when our carriage stopped.One of them came to the window instead, polite and stone-faced."Forgive me, my lady. The Grand Princess is not at home. She has gone out on business."
Ravena's POV The King's banquet went on for hours, the way royal meals do, course after course, and it was past midday before Evander and I were free to call for our carriage and go home.We were on the steps when Orren found us again.I was beginning to dread the sight of that man. He had the same paper roll in his hand and the same look on his face. He drew Evander aside by the elbow and spoke low, and I
Ravena's POV His eyes had closed on the words, and for a moment I thought he had gone to sleep right there on the long seat with his head tipped against the post of the bed."They were yours," he had said. "I wanted them to like me." And then nothing, just the slow heavy breathing of a man the drink had finally caught up with.I knelt in front of him a while longer with the cloth gone cold in my hand, looki
Ravena's POV By the time the moon was high, I had a cup in my hand that someone kept filling when I wasn't looking.I don't drink much as a rule. But this was my wedding, and my own people were here, and every time I set the cup down some laughing cousin of Evander's or some old Alpha with a red face would lift his own and call out a blessing on the new Luna, and there was no setting it down after that. You drink to a blessing.
Lady Vivienne's POVThe evening called for a new dress.The morning had been for the binding, the silver cord, the vows before the King. The evening was for the kingdom to come and look at what my son had married, and to eat at his table, and to carry the story of it home. So the bride and groom went away to change, and the servants ran fresh candles down every hallway, and I stood in my own room while my maid pinned the deep wine silk at my shoulder and tried to make myself look like a woman who was glad.
Ravena's POV The road bent one more time, and the noise of the crowd changed.I felt it before I understood it. The marching feet ahead of my carriage slowed. The horses shortened their steps. Somewhere up at the front of the column a voice called an order, and the whole long line of us drew down from a steady roll into a walk.I pulled the curtain back a little bit and looked out.Another procession had come up to the crossing where the two pack roads met. I saw the banner first. It wasn't ours. It was the dark banner of the Blackstone Pack, lifted high on a pole, and behind it rode a column of men in their own dress armour, and behind them came a bridal carriage hung with red cloth.My hand was steady on the curtain as I waited for the old sick pull in my stomach that his name used to bring. But it didn't come.A horse moved up the line on the other side. I heard the creak of a saddle, and then I heard his voice."Your Highness." Lucien. Smooth and confident, the voice he used when
Ravena's POVI was about to say yes, to brush it off, but then his eyes dropped to my wrist.The skin was red where Lucien had gripped it. Angry marks were already forming, darkening into bruises that would last for days.Evander's expression changed immediately. The softness vanished, replaced by
Ravena's POVThe silence that followed my question was heavy, thick with tension and unspoken promises.Every warrior stood frozen, their eyes locked on me. Some looked shaken. Others looked determined. But all of them were listening."Do you all understand me?" I repeated, my voice cutting through
Ravena's POVI held Lucien's gaze, refusing to back down."Is that a threat?" I asked quietly."It is a promise," he whispered.My wolf snarled inside me, but I kept my voice calm. "Then make sure you can keep it."His face twisted with rage. "You are really not going to rescue her? You are just go
Ravena's POV"Just the battle," I said quietly. "Just everything."Mira reached over and squeezed my hand. "We will get through this. We always do."I nodded, but Mira's words had already stirred a dark and painful memory that I had been trying to suppress.The memory hit me like a fist to the ches







