Page 4

Cedric Raine

“Any word from the Eastern royal family?” I lean back in my chair, looking at Derrick.

My friend has been very withdrawn over the past few days. It’s been a week since we returned from the East, and we’re still working on rounding up the remaining members of the royal family whose lives were spared.

“We heard from King Akmar’s brother. He was traveling during the attack and is currently returning from the wolf kingdom in the human world. He wants to secure Vivian’s release.”

“Well, that’s not going to happen.” I tap my fingers on my desk. “Make sure that if he shows up here, they never meet.”

“Bella told me the queen said that even Vivian’s father was not able to distinguish between them. Are you sure her uncle could? Maybe we should let them see each other so they have proof that we have Vivian, no matter who she really is.”

Derrick’s words make sense. Allowing a single, supervised meeting might be in our favor. However, I intend to be there. I don’t trust my mate not to run her mouth.

The mere thought of her puts a scowl on my face. I don’t understand the woman. Whatever I say to her, however I treat her, she accepts it all without a single complaint. When she looks at me, her eyes are always empty. No anger, no distress, nothing in them at all.

My body brimming with a strange emotion, I jump to my feet and go over to the window to look outside. To my irritation, she’s there.

Vivian—No, that woman is walking in the garden by herself. My mother always maintained the castle’s gardens, but after she passed, no one else bothered. I follow my mate with my eyes. She sits down on one of the broken benches, stretching her legs and rubbing them.

Are her legs hurting?

She suddenly jerks and stands up to examine the bench. Her hand runs over the wood, and she pauses at the spot where she was sitting. I know the bench has a crack. Foolish woman. She didn’t even check before sitting down.

She wraps her coat around herself and crosses her arms as if trying to keep warm. My brows knit in irritation. If she’s chilly, why not wear something warmer? That coat looks too thin. Then again, isn’t the weather in the East warm all the time? She’s probably not accustomed to the cold.

I lean against the window, my arms folded.

Why is she so thin?

I don’t spend any time with her. It’s been a week, and I haven’t shared a single meal with the woman. I prefer to eat in my office or while working. Her food is delivered to her room. What is she eating?

Just then, I see a familiar figure hurrying after her. It’s Harriet. From her body language, Harriet is clearly scolding her. The woman bows her head and nods along. Then she follows Harriet back inside the castle.

“Are you listening, Cedric?”

Derrick’s voice pulls my attention back into the room. “Did you say something?”

“I was asking what her name is.”

I stare at him. “Whose name?”

“Your mate, the queen. She’s not Vivian, so who is she?”

“Does it matter?” I shrug, recalling those thin shoulders and that thick, luscious hair piled on top of her head. She walks with elegance, each stride measured and sure. But there’s an emptiness in those soft, brown eyes of hers.

The perfect doll.

The thought makes me uncomfortable.

Derrick frowns before exchanging a look with Edgar. “What do you mean, does it matter? Of course it matters. She’s your mate. And she’s not Vivian. We have no bone to pick with her. She’s innocent.”

“She’s from the East.” I straighten up and head back to my desk. “She’s hardly what I would call innocent. The East is responsible for shielding the rebels that killed our parents, remember?”

Derrick’s face grows dark. “I will never forget.”

My mother and father had been visiting the Eastern Wolf Kingdom on a diplomatic mission. Derrick’s parents had accompanied them. All four of them were assassinated within the palace grounds. Instead of trying to take responsibility, the Eastern royal family tried to seize control of the North. They failed terribly, and had I not been so young, I would have made them pay tenfold.

Derrick takes a breath before continuing. “But this woman isn’t responsible for any of that. And she’s your fated mate, Cedric. Don’t take that so lightly. Your wolves are connected. Have you given her the mark?”

“No, and I don’t plan on it. She’s a political prisoner before anything else.”

Edgar chooses this moment to speak up. “Without the mating mark, your bond will suffer.”

“That’s my business.”

Rothan approaches the desk. “Cedric, this wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that she doesn’t have pure, royal blood, would it?”

As always, Rothan hits the nail on the head.

I look up at him. “She’s my problem. I know how to deal with her.”

“Step one would be to stop referring to her as a problem,” Edgar points out.

I growl at him. “Don’t you all have something better to do?”

Derrick starts to reply, but a knock on the door has him snapping his mouth shut and looking over his shoulder. Rothan opens the door, and Bella enters. I see Derrick’s expression change into that of a love-struck wolf pup.

“What brings you here, Bella?”

Bella narrows her eyes at him. “Nothing that’s any of your business. Don’t you have to go piss on a tree or something?”

Edgar snorts, and I press my lips together. My childhood friend has been pursuing Bella for two years now. One thing about wolves is that we are relentless once we know what we want. Despite all the rejection he’s faced, my friend still thinks he has a chance. He’s also doing everything in his power to drive off Bella’s other suitors, including marking his territory outside her bedroom window.

“Why?” Derrick winks at her. “Is somebody bothering you? I think I’m going to take a stroll outside your room again.”

“Don’t you fucking dare!” Bella grabs him by the front of his shirt, and he grins at her.

“Ooh, foreplay. Maybe we shouldn’t do this in front of the king.”

Bella shoves him away. “Get out. I need to talk to Cedric.”

“Don’t worry, Bella. I’m taking him with me,” Rothan says, taking Derrick by the arm and pulling him out of the room. Edgar trails after them.

Once the door closes behind my men, I look at Bella. “You really should give him a chance. You are a match made in heaven. He’s a masochist through and through, especially when it comes to you.”

“I think you shouldn’t worry about matchmaking when you have your own mate to deal with.”

My small smile fades. “What did she do?”

“What are Everence seeds?”

“What?”

She puts her hands on her hips, looking irritated. “Everence seeds, Cedric. I took your mate to the villages nearby, and she asked Harriet if she could get some Everence seeds. Is that a thing in the East?”

“I’ve never heard of them. Maybe you should talk to a botanist.”

“Whatever they are, she’s trying to fuck around with our ecosystem. You should have a word with her.”

I study Bella. “You don’t like her?”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “I don’t give a crap about her.”

“What else has she done?”

“Nothing yet, but I don’t like her asking Harriet questions. If she needs something, she should come to me. I don’t trust her, Cedric.”

This conversation is starting to annoy me now. “I’ll have a word with her. Have you shown her the books?”

“I gave her the castle’s budget. She’s going over it. Not that she knows anything.” Bella rolls her eyes. “She seems like an airhead. Look, if you want her to be queen, just put her in a corner and tell her to look pretty. The castle is running just fine without her interference.”

A soft growl leaves my lips. “Careful, Bella. She is still the queen. I expect some level of respect.”

Bella makes a face, looking away. “If she were deserving of respect, I’d give it. She’s not a pure blood. She’s some maid that you found and brought here.”

“Bella!” I raise my voice sharply. “I know I’ve given you a lot of loose rein around here, but at the end of the day, you are an advisor to the queen. Remember your place.”

Bella scowls. “Fine. But I don’t like her interfering with the castle when I don’t know what her intentions are. Tell her to watch herself.”

She storms out of the room, clearly unhappy.

Bella was the previous butler’s daughter. We grew up together, so we’re quite familiar with each other, but she has always been a little bit arrogant. After managing the castle for so many years, she probably doesn’t like sharing the authority, but she has no choice. I didn’t bring Vivian here just to sit on her hands and look nice. She needs to make herself useful. From what I’ve heard, she did receive some level of training, so maybe she has some skills.

There’s only one person who might know what is going on in that woman’s mind.

When Harriet arrives, her expression is strained.

“Is something wrong?” I get to my feet.

She shakes her head. “It’s nothing. I was attending to the queen.”

“Why do you smell of blood?”

Harriet hesitates. “She had a small accident.”

My wolf sits up in concern, and I slam it back down. “What happened? What’s wrong with her now?”

Harriet gives me an aggrieved look. “Nothing you need to worry about.”

It’s obvious from her expression that she’s not happy with me. After my parents died, it was Harriet who looked after me, so her disapproval stings.

I clear my throat and say, “Bella says that Vivian is looking for—”

“Leanna,” Harriet says abruptly. “That’s her name. You can take everything else away from her, but don’t take her identity.”

The tightness in her voice makes me pause. I can be rude to anybody, but in front of Harriet, I don’t want to raise my voice.

“I don’t care about her name, Harriet.”

“You should,” she retorts.

“I never took you for a bleeding heart, Harriet. She is the enemy—”

“She’s an orphan who was abused by the princess. Don’t add to her suffering when she has done nothing to deserve it.”

Harriet must really like her, I realize, if she’s defending her so vocally to me.

“Fine. Leanna.” My wolf rumbles in approval when the name leaves my lips. It likes it. “Bella said that Leanna is looking for some seeds.”

“Bella told you or she complained to you?” Harriet asks tensely. “She is refusing to accept Leanna. She’s very impolite to her.”

“I’m sure the queen isn’t blameless—”

“She listens to Bella’s insults and doesn’t utter a word to defend herself. She acts as if she deserves it!”

Harriet’s explosion stuns me for a second. “You’re telling me she lets Bella talk to her like that?”

“Yes.”

I know how sharp Bella’s tongue is. “Tell Miss Asher to control her temper, then. She said Leanna asked for some seeds. What is she trying to do?”

“She’s not trying to do anything.” The older woman before me sighs. “The plant she was referring to is grown in the human world in their coldest regions. It’s a type of vegetable. You know the farmlands here are wasting away. She is hoping to see if those plants can sprout here, and if so, she wants to purchase seeds and give them to the farmers to grow and harvest. Currently, we import vegetables from the Human Wolf Kingdom. If we start growing them, Leanna says it will help the economy.”

“We don’t need help with the economy.”

“You don’t, but the farmers do,” Harriet points out. “One of them has a bad back and was heating up some water in a kettle for a compress. Leanna mentioned that an electric blanket she saw in the human world might help with his pain. She has no bad intentions, Your Majesty. She is just trying to help.”

“Why didn’t she go to Bella with all these suggestions?”

“She did,” Harriet snaps. “Bella told her to stay in her own lane. So, Leanna asked me if she could plant a few things in the palace garden, just to see if they can grow.”

I take a minute to ponder this. “And you think these ideas are good?” I finally ask.

Harriet nods. “The truth is, Sire, we need to start pursuing some level of advancement. Before your father’s death, he was planning to bring some development into the North. Aside from basic electricity and some heavy farm machinery, we haven’t introduced much, not even vehicles or household equipment. The queen’s recommendations are helpful. I believe you should let her do as she sees fit. She’s quite intelligent. She has a good grasp of budgeting and of the human world. If we provide her with more resources, I believe she can work on developing the North while you focus on protecting the North.”

I raise my brows. “You got all this in a week?”

“All she does is work.” Harriet gives me a long look. “She is constantly trying to make herself useful.”

I nod. “Fine. I’ll have a word with Bella. If she refuses to cooperate, find somebody else to assist Leanna.” I fall silent for a moment. “What about her clothes? She was outside a little while ago and looked cold. Why haven’t you gotten her a thicker jacket or a warm coat?”

Harriet looks uncomfortable. “The budget you gave for the queen’s clothes, she wanted to use to purchase the seeds.”

I frown. “Why is she using her personal budget? She should have another account for outside use.”

“Bella isn’t giving it to her,” Harriet replies, looking reluctant. “I did talk to her, but she says she’ll get to it when she gets to it. She only just recently gave Leanna the books to go over. Bella doesn’t think she has the ability to understand them and is constantly criticizing her. I believe she is trying to make things difficult for your mate.”

“So, why hasn’t Leanna said anything to me?”

Harriet stares at me. “You’ll have to ask her that.”

A rush of anger runs through me. Bella’s obvious disregard for my decision is pissing me off.

“Rothan.”

Harriet blinks at me. “Your Majesty?”

“Have Rothan become her advisor. Tell Bella take a step back for a couple of weeks. Tell her I want her to cool her heels till she remembers who the ruler of this kingdom is.”

“I understand.”

“And Leanna’s clothes. Where did she get that jacket she was wearing?”

“It belonged to one of the maids.”

A snarl forms on my lips. “Are you telling me that my mate, the queen, is wearing a maid’s second-hand clothes?”

Harriet looks annoyed. “You told me not to bother calling a designer for her.”

I do remember saying that at some point. This last week has been a blur.

“Call designers to the castle. Get dresses and coats made for her, and make sure they’re warm.” I pause, and as an afterthought, I add, “The fire should be going continuously in her room. She’s always shivering.”

Harriet smiles slightly. “Of course.”

“What about her food intake? You told me she was having a hard time eating?”

Her expression darkens. “Whatever was done to her, Sire, her insides have been destroyed to quite an extent. She can’t keep food down, and she’s barely eating as it is. The healer is working on her, but she needs to have small meals regularly throughout the day. She refuses to have them, though, because apparently, you told her not to eat all the time. Not to waste everyone’s time.”

Anger flashes through me. “Well, if the damn healer is telling her to—”

“She does what you say. If you were to tell her to stand naked in the garden outside, I believe she would do so.”

I scowl. “She must have some sense of self-preservation.”

“I think she is just trying to survive in a new environment where all she faces is rejection from every side.” Harriet sighs at the end of that sentence. “I wish you’d be kinder to her, Cedric. She’s a lovely young woman. Your mating bond is so new. Instead of setting the foundations of your bond, you are taking a sledgehammer to it.”

She turns around to leave, and experiencing an odd sense of guilt, I don’t stop her. Feeling confined in my office, I head over to the window once again and look out at the bench.

I’m not surprised that Bella is reluctant to give over control of the castle. She’s been managing the budget for years. However, I have no intention of letting the queen out of her royal duties. I can deal with Bella and the initial resistance, but I don’t have time to worry about Leanna. My mate has one purpose, and that is to bear me heirs. Her existence in the North as Vivian is important to finally stabilize the relationship between the Eastern and Northern Wolf Kingdoms. Once we have more of a foothold in the Eastern Kingdom, I will finally be able to start looking into my parents’ murders. It has been years now, but the wounds of their passing are still fresh.

My eyes settle on the bench that my mate was sitting on.

I should probably get that thing fixed.

My wolf is unhappy with me. I can feel it vibrating with tension inside me. Normally it’s easy for me to control it, but lately it’s been getting harder.

My parents were fated mates, as were Derrick’s. However, my father had been betrothed to another before he met my mother, who coincidentally happened to be his fiancée’s closest friend. Whenever he and my mother recounted the tale of their meeting, they always disregarded the fate of the woman who had been engaged to my father since childhood. Her family, a noble one, was disgraced as a result of my father rejecting her. And his betrothed? She killed herself in shame.

As much as I loved my parents, their callous disregard for the woman my mother had considered her best friend and my father had known his whole life infuriated me. Their excuse was always that the Goddess had chosen them for each other.

The Goddess. She was their most convenient excuse, as if their ability to make decisions had been stripped from them. I refused to believe it then, and I refuse to believe it now. The idea of having a fated mate almost became repulsive to me. I understand my wolf’s desire to be with her, but I refuse to give in. It’s probably getting anxious because the night of the full moon is drawing closer. On this side of the Veil, the full moon only occurs every three months, and it is the one night when wolf shifters can conceive. Another two weeks and I will make sure that my mate is carrying my child.

It’s after a particularly long and tiring day that I find myself making my way to my bedchamber. I come to a stop outside my door, and my eyes flick toward the one that leads into Leanna’s room.

Leanna. I find the name suits her better than Vivian. I like how it rolls around in my mouth. It is simple and elegant.

It has been two weeks now, and I have made sure that our paths don’t cross. That doesn’t mean I’m not watching her, though. I have to keep an eye on her since she is not trustworthy. So far, all I have seen her do is visit the villages nearby and meet with the farmers and the local artisans. She likes going on walks by herself in the palace gardens. I’ve had all the benches repaired, and I’ve seen her use them. She’s not doing anything to rouse my suspicions, but I know if I turn my head, she’ll probably take advantage of that.

My mother used to maintain the greenhouse within the gardens, but it has fallen into disrepair. I have a feeling that my mate would not mind reviving it. She does seem to like spending all of her free time outdoors. Wolf shifters are not immune to mild illnesses; if she is so determined to sit outside in the cold, she may as well fix up the greenhouse and sit there instead.

Ever since Rothan took over Bella’s position, he’s been reporting to me regularly. Despite her quiet and reserved personality, Leanna has been working hard. He did tell me that the plants she was interested in are not available in either the East or the North and that she had been disappointed. Bella had been thrilled. My childhood friend is vindictive to say the least.

I look at the small parcel in my hand. I was planning to hand it to Rothan, but perhaps I can simply…

My hand clenches the parcel as I walk over to Leanna’s door. I don’t bother knocking because it’s not so late that she should be asleep. I open the door and enter her bedchamber.

The flames from the fireplace are casting dancing shadows along the wall. I look around. It is my first time in this room since the day of our mating ceremony. She has not sought me out even once. In fact, from what Harriet tells me, she goes out of her way to avoid me, going so far as learning my daily routine and avoiding areas where I would normally be.

It makes sense that I want nothing to do with her, but why isn’t she trying to change my mind? Female wolf shifters crave affection, especially from their mates. I was harsh with her after the mating ceremony to make sure she understands her status in my eyes. I thought she’d come crawling to me, trying to seduce me, and this lack of effort makes me uneasy. Shouldn’t she be even slightly bothered?

Leanna is not here, so I take the opportunity to look around. Why is this room so bare? Even my bedchamber has more character. Two weeks and she has not bothered to decorate at all. It is my understanding that females like to put their personal touches on their rooms. There’s not even a potted plant in here. Rothan told me she likes to read, but there are no books to be found.

I make my way to the wardrobe and open it. I heard that the designer Harriet hired sent some dresses today. But inside the wardrobe are simple frocks, not ones a queen or even a noble would wear. I remember how my mother used to dress, the things the women who flocked around her wore. My mate has ordered dresses that look cheap! Anger flits through me. The queen of the Northern Kingdom is dressing like a commoner. Is this a tactic to embarrass me?!

As soon as the thought crosses my mind, I glimpse something at the back of the wardrobe. Pushing the plain clothes aside, I see three fancy dresses. Elegant designs. They’re not very colorful, but somber and powerful. Confusion fills me. What was this woman thinking when she ordered them?

Just then, I hear a noise from the attached bathroom. I turn around and see the door swing open.

My mate walks out of the bathroom, in the process of wrapping a towel around herself, her long hair dripping. She hasn’t sensed my presence yet and pushes one of the wet strands of hair behind her ear. Her head is bent slightly forward, and I see the water droplets clinging to her thick eyelashes. The towel she’s wrapping around herself is tiny, leaving nothing to the imagination. Her skin is damp, looking soft and supple. She is too thin, but the curve of her breasts and the way her hips jut out have me feeling a flare of attraction.

I was never attracted to Princess Vivian. Visually, she was an appealing woman, but I found those coy looks she shared with men and her flirty gestures off-putting. But this woman…She looks like Vivian, but she is so different from her. Right now, in this unguarded moment, she looks delicate and charming. My wolf rumbles, wanting to take a bite out of that moist, flushed skin.

For all my talk of not wanting anything to do with her, I’m overwhelmed by the desire to rip off that towel and throw her down on the bed. I want to see what her skin tastes like. The night she spent in my bed, I didn’t lay a finger on her, but she kept gravitating toward me, seeking out my body. At one point, I gave up trying to push her away. She fit in my arms perfectly, as if made for me. Her face burrowed in my chest, and our legs became entangled in our sleep.

I’ve never taken a lover to my bed. Never held a woman within the privacy of my chambers. But that night, I was too tired to think much about it. And right now, I’m tempted to do more than just hold her.

As if sensing my thoughts, her head jerks up. Those gentle brown eyes grow terrified, and she clutches the towel to herself, squeaking, “Your Majesty!”

I stare at her, trying to think of something to say. “Why are you taking a bath at this time? Where are your maids?”

Her skin flushes. “They left.”

“They left you alone?” I frown, knowing that aside from Harriet, she has two maids who are supposed to wait on her.

She looks uneasy, and I instantly know there is more to the story. “Why did they leave?”

She presses her lips together. “I asked them to.”

She can’t lie worth a damn.

Her eyes dart toward the wardrobe behind me, and I can see that she wants to cover herself. Sighing, I take off my coat and walk over to her. She flinches. I don’t like it.

Throwing the coat around her shoulders, I snap, “I’m not going to hurt you, so stay still.”

She looks positively tiny in my clothes, making me realize how small she truly is. She’s not a short woman by any means, but compared to me, she is petite. Her head barely reaches my chest.

She pulls at the lapels of the coat, attempting to cover herself entirely. “Did you need Harriet? I can call her.”

She’s already rushing toward the bell on the side of the bed, but I grab her thin wrist, stopping her. “I came to see you.”

“Me?” The baffled look in her eyes makes me bristle.

“You’re my mate. I can see you when I want to.”

“Your mate?” The blank question has my wolf pacing inside of me. “Yes. I—Did I do something wrong?”

My eyes narrow. “Why do you assume the only reason I would come to see you is if you did something wrong?”

She stares at me. “I—Do you need something?”

“Are you trying to get rid of me?”

She should be happy that I’m here. I’m her mate. She should be thrilled that I’m paying attention to her. Instead, she’s acting as if I’m intruding in her space. That doesn’t sit well with me or my wolf.

I cross my arms over my chest. “I was planning to spend the night here.” The words spill out of me unbidden, in a fit of anger, and her reaction proceeds to piss me off even more.

“Why?” She looks pale now. “What about Miss Asher? Does she know you’re here?”

Bella?

“What the hell does Bella have to do with this?” I snarl, and she flinches once again, snapping her mouth shut.

I look at her, and she diverts her eyes, as if unable to meet my gaze. Why?

I choose to change the topic, to put her at ease. I don’t know why it matters to me. “Why haven’t you done anything with this place?”

“What?” She looks tense.

“Your bedroom. You haven’t decorated it.”

“It’s not my bedroom,” she says slowly.

“What the hell are you talking about now?” I growl at her.

She trembles but looks me in the eye. “You told me this room was for Princess Vivian, and that it’s not mine. I’m just following your orders.”

“My orders?” I want to choke. “You are living in this room, aren’t you?”

She stays silent.

“Decorate the damn place.”

It hits me how easily she accepts her situation. Any other female would have kicked up a fuss. She just accepts anything I throw at her.

“If you were to tell her to stand naked in the garden outside, I believe she would do so.”

Harriet’s words come flooding back to me, and I feel the same sense of discomfort I felt then.

“What would you like me to put in here?” Leanna finally asks, quietly.

“It’s your room, isn’t it? What are you asking me for?!” I explode, angry beyond my own understanding. Irritation eating at me, I see her wrap the coat around herself even tighter, and I growl, “Go get dressed!”

As she walks past me, I catch that familiar scent of her. For a brief moment, I close my eyes and savor it. When I hear her open the wardrobe, my eyes fly open. I turn my head and see her taking out a gray dress. “What were you thinking when you got those dresses? Not even a commoner would wear such designs.”

“Miss—” My mate falls silent once again.

She looks uncomfortable now, and I demand, “What were you saying?”

“I’ll choose something better next time,” she murmurs.

“Those three dresses in the back, who ordered those?”

“I did.”

“Why the hell did you order the rest that look like such garbage? You are the queen. I expect you to dress like one.” When she doesn’t speak, I ask again, “What were you thinking when you ordered them?”

She lifts her head now, and for the first time, I see a hint of anger in her eyes. “I didn’t order them. The ones I asked for were the latest trends and were meant for everyday wear within the castle.”

“Then why did the designer give you these?!”

The flash of anger, that fire behind those brown eyes intrigues me. So, she does have a spine. She has just been hiding it.

“Why don’t you ask Miss Asher?” Leanna clutches the dress to herself, her jaw set. “She told me I don’t deserve to wear nice things. She called the maids, and together they ordered these clothes. I told her they are not appropriate, but she refused to listen to me. And if you don’t believe me, you can ask the designer. She was here for the whole conversation. Miss Asher told her to use leftover fabric for my dresses. She and the maids even made recommendations. I was told to shut up and know my place. So, I stopped protesting and accepted what was given to me.”

This is the first time I’ve seen her so passionate, so worked up. She looks beautiful. My wolf approves of her anger and rage.

“You do everything Miss Asher tells you to?”

“I do not dare risk offending you, Your Majesty.”

I stare at her. “Stop with the ‘Your Majesty’ crap. Just call me Cedric. We are mates, after all.”

“You are Princess Vivian’s mate.” Leanna straightens up and meets my gaze squarely. “I am her substitute. You told me to always remember that.”

I do vaguely recall saying something like that. But I never expected her to take it so seriously.

Isn’t this what I wanted, though? Why does it bother me so much when she looks at me with those empty eyes?

“This room, these clothes, and you all belong to the princess.” Her voice is clear.

“You are the one who’s my fated mate, not the princess,” I remind her.

Her lips curve in a faint smile. “Your Majesty, you are her mate. I am your prisoner, nothing more.”

Gripping the dress to her chest, she slips off my coat and walks toward the bathroom to change. When she passes me, I see the scars on her back. I stiffen.

Harriet told me about them, but she downplayed their extent. Leanna’s back is a mangled mess. Not one inch of skin has been spared. Her buttocks are the same. I’ve seen similar scarring before. I know the kind of whip used to cause such scars.

“How—Who whipped you?” My wolf is anxious and angry. It’s pacing inside the confines of my mind. If I am right, then these marks are not just scars; they are permanent wounds. In the Eastern Kingdom, prisoners are tortured using a particular whip that has steel barbs on the end of it. Those barbs are coated with the most potent form of wolfsbane. The purpose of that whip is to force the wolfsbane so deep inside the prisoner’s body that it can never be removed. It is an extremely barbaric form of torture that even the North does not practice.

I’ve seen pictures of such wounds. It appears that my mate has been whipped not once but multiple times.

When she doesn’t answer, I say, “Leanna.”

Her body grows rigid when I use her name. She swallows. “Princess Vivian.”

“Why?” My claws are extended and digging into my palm. No matter what crime Leanna committed, it did not warrant such a punishment.

I see her body tremble for a moment before she squares her shoulders, her back still to me. Her voice is low and filled with a bone-deep awareness. “Because I was born with the same face as her.” She lets out a quiet sigh. “Like you and the other inhabitants of this castle, she too believed that I needed to know my place.”