TA

gling in the castle gardens and along the sunlit riverbank. I

ed precision toward the river's edge, right where J

and airy, a perfect imitation of innocence.

water, inching her way closer to the slick, moss-covered ba

ived into the freezing current to save me. In front of the entire pack, our wet, clinging bodies and public embrace were deemed a scandalous intimacy. Tradition dictated that such close p

anted to orchestrate the accident, force the heroic

r to the water's edge. I had absolutely no int

Foster, Jamel's cousin. A proud, fiercely competitive girl, Bianca stood nearby, watching Jamel and Just

ne's foot deliberately slid off the smooth stone, her delicate cry pier

rp, terrified s

sudden fall, I stumbled backward, throwi

dly before tumbling backward into the river with a massive, u

g to my mouth, my face a flawless mask of horror a

to dive into the water. But as

ls thrashing in th

ely, her voice a pitifu

s own family, sputtered and screamed wi

ng, he could not prioritize a lowly stepsister over his Alpha uncle's daughter. The social fallout would be disastrous. Whispers er

g care of Justine and the werewolf warrior taking care of Bianca, and tog

shattered, replaced by a ridiculous farce. When she was pulled onto

complaining loudly to Jamel while poi

My father, Gilford, frowned deeply, but seeing my tear-streaked face, he only of

imagine a quiet, fifteen-year-old girl

and triumphant. I walked back toward the castle along a secluded path,

ustine. I will take back cont

ght my attention. Justine and her personal maid, Agnes. I quic

tine's voice was a low, vicious snarl, enti

ltimate goal is what matters most now,

, pacing furiously on the gravel path. "I canno

u are forgetting the royal decree. The royal family is activ

with contempt. "The invalid they say wil

Aleta to the capital in your place... she would be gone for good. She would n

er lips. "An excellent idea. Let her live in a gi

r footsteps faded into the distance, a slow,