The rain poured down so heavily that it was even starting to reach us in the covered deck. Elva dove to cover her precious coloring book pages. “Everyone, inside!” Nicholas said. We grabbed our things and hurried inside. I helped Elva with her crayons and coloring pages, careful not to get t

Julian immediately took another step backwards, adding more space between him and me. We both nervously glanced at Nicholas who mostly seemed confused by his own reaction. He cut off his growl with a sharp grunt. “Sorry,” he said. “Don’t worry,” I replied. “It’s my fault,” Julian said. “No,”

Ever since I had been brought into this competition, I had been mocked, ridiculed, shoved around, bullied, set up, nearly killed, and threatened at every turn. Bridget’s arrival hadn’t helped the situation at all. While I could blame the underground organization for much of what happened to me in

And, frankly, Bridget was far too selfish to be a good queen. She cared about the title and the power. But what good would she actually bring to the nation? If she only cared about herself, how could she possibly empathize with the kingdom’s people? I shook my head. I was still furious. “If you

Nicholas’s anger began to vibrate through him. He growled, probably without realizing it, with each exhale of breath. “It’s past time I speak with Bridget myself,” he said, low and dangerous. Yet, even so, he did not move –not until I pulled back enough to look up at him. He met my gaze with stern

I was entirely drawn into cleaning. So much so that the rest of the world seemed to fall into the background. Maybe this was why I didn’t notice right away the sound of footsteps and the slight drip of water down onto the ground from a very wet body. Odd, I thought. Didn’t I turn the facet off?

Nicholas POV I returned to the living room where Veronica and Julian were helping Elva color. Jessica had already excused herself and gone to bed. Both Veronica and Julian looked up at me and their eyes went wide. “What happened?” Julian asked. I wanted to tell him but not in front of Elva.

“Mine either,” Nicholas said. “Your behavior since you came to us has been unacceptable.” “You are letting your foolish affections for that commoner affect your judgement,” Bridget said. “Instead of asking what happened to us? What happened to you? This person you are now… the vicious snake… is

Bridget blanched. “What did you call me?” Ronan clutched at his head as he forced himself upward into a sitting position. “Beloved?” “You hit your head too hard there, merfolk creep,” Bridget said. Ronan’s eyes grew wide. “How can you say that, Bridget? After everything we’ve shared?” “Share

Everyone, myself included stood there staring at Bridget with wide eyes. Did she… just slap the crown prince of the werewolf kingdom? At least, I supposed, she didn’t do so in front of the cameras, or in front of Ambassador Zale and his merfolk guards. But even so, to do so at all… Nathan was as