I awoke to a stinging pain on my lower back, I winced as I tried to sit up; my vision swimming for a moment.

Gods, what had he done to me? No one told me this was what it felt like, even my neck hurt from the claiming bite.

My back went rigid when something moved. Slowly turning to look, I flinched back in surprise at the sight of Eilis on his knees. It suddenly felt like déjà vu, this was the second time the feral prince was on his knees in front of me.

"I'm sorry." He said the words like it physically pained him to voice it. "You didn't deserve to be treated like that."

I blushed as I remembered all that had transpired between us. I shifted, biting my lip as it felt like the pain spread to my foot.

"It was part of the claiming my prince there's nothing to be sorry about." My voice was small, barely audible. But that was what I could manage as I tried not to break down.

"Don't say that." He hissed, "I knew what I did was wrong. You gave me no permission."

I could see he was sorry, by the way his expression tightened, he looked angry at himself. But what was I supposed to say? You shouldn't have claimed me? I hate you?

I opted for the truth. "I don't think you were in your right mind when you did it."

Eilis flinched, his eyes closing as he took on a breath. "I think I owe you this much, you're right, I wasn't in my right senses, my other half took over."

His other half? Like he saw the confusion in my face, he answered. "When I went feral and was cured by the priests I didn't come back alone. A part of the feral side came back with me. I call him the wolf.

I don't remember what he does when he takes over but I'm sure it was bad looking at the state of you."

My back stiffened, a sudden flush overtaking me as I remembered the real reason I'd been in the situation in the first place.

"No one must know I still lose control." He continued, "I'll keep your secret if you keep mine."

The opportunity raced in my mind. This was a deal that could grant me life.

"The pack would put me down for losing control and my father will see you hanged for the betrayal, this deal is in our favor."

"I agree." I said at last.

"Good." He replied, standing up from the floor, "I have told the servants to just help with water and food, you'll wash yourself, better to be discreet than take the risk of someone finding out."

I nodded in understanding, not that I had servants at my beck and call in my father's house anyway.

"Continue pretending, try to speak less, and don't stand in a place for too long. The people will stare, they'll analyze you, so you must do your best they don't find anything amiss."

I nodded. Still sitting on the bed.

"I'll send the servants in now." He pivoted, heading towards the door.

Immediately it clicked shut, I tried to get up. At least the rumours about his bedroom activities had some truth in them.

___________

Denis arrived a while after I'd taken my bath, his face a ray of sunshine in the otherwise gloom of my own mind.

Calani had dressed me in a silk blue gown that flowed all the way to the floor and covered most parts of my shoulder except the claiming bite, at least it covered the marks and bruises.

"I'm so glad you survived your first night, how are you feeling?"

Was he to be trusted? Could I be free with him? I shrugged, going for friendly. "I feel fine, just tired." My right hand trailed to my neck, stopping just beside the claiming bite. Denis' eyes followed it, his eyes dimming into what seemed like pity.

"Wow, that's....that's rough."

I frowned, did it look that bad?

"Don't get me wrong, it's great..it's just-it looks like a vigorous claiming. It's screaming possessiveness, and that's a good thing."

Why did I feel like he was lying to make me feel better? My neck suddenly started aching again, despite the fact that Calani had put in soothe cream to reduce the pain for me.

"The wolves would know to stay away from you." He grinned. "We'll start with court training today, cause I'm sure the king will throw a ball to welcome the prince's mate into the family.

"Lesson one." Denis started, as we sat opposite each other, his legs spread across the chair, while I attempted to maintain my image by sitting as still as possible in order to avoid triggering the pain in my ass. "Do not, for anything, show fear."

"I think I'm managing alright." I shrugged.

He scoffed. "It reeked of you last night."

Yes, maybe because I was going to get claimed like an animal. I didn't say that though, I didn't know if Denis was a potential friend or enemy.

"Lesson two." He continued, "Never question Eilis in front of an audience, no matter how much you want to protest."

I blinked, did that mean he could do anything he wanted and I could do nothing about it?

"He's your prince first and foremost, the mate comes after. Think of it like this; If the kingdom were to be in danger and Eilis is asked to choose between his mate and the kingdom, he's expected to choose the kingdom."

I snorted before I could stop it, like the prince cared about me anyways.

"Lesson three: no matter how much someone pisses you off and just want to tell them to shove their opinion up their ass, you have to do it politely, for example." Denis brought his legs down from the chair to face me fully. "You say: I appreciate your concern, but I will consider it in private."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Exactly." He said pleasantly. "It's just wrapped in silk.

"And if I don't." I had to ask.

His smile was slow and sharp. "Then they decide you're impulsive, dangerous and unfit to be by the prince's side."

_______

"Your back is too stiff, you should try to relax more." Calani muttered as she tightened the corset.

"Says the person who told me the rumours in the first place." I said under my breath.

Calani was helping me get ready for the ball, Denis had been running right. The king was throwing a ball to welcome me to the family.

"At least you survived the night, that's a good beginning, now you just have to survive your first court session." Calani argued.

I shivered. "They're going to eat me alive."

I'd heard the nobles used the opportunity of court to get under ones skin, and I had a lot of garbage under mine. What if someone notices I'm not a woman?

My gaze took in the suffocating opulence of the hall. Gold leaf clung to every surface, reflecting the harsh glare of a thousand candles until the room felt like a polished fever dream.

The air was heavy with the cloying scent of lilies and the rhythmic, predatory pulse of the orchestra. Between the shimmering silks and brittle laughter, I saw the court for what it really was: a sea of masks, each one more dangerous than the last.

They were watching me the way I was watching them. With barely disguised contempt and a hunger for the smallest slip-up.

I was prey in the midst of hunters.

Nobles came to greet me and offer their congratulations, a few lingering long enough to stare at my throat and whisper at each other when they thought I wasn't looking. It was rude, but I couldn't do anything about it.

A figure approached me, long after they'd left me alone. Her smile, which looked fake, gave me shivers. Here comes the first test.

"Hello my Lady." Her smile widened. "I'm Lady Solvra of Jearna."

Ah, the daughter of a noble Duke indeed, the Jearnas were known for their snobbery.

I made sure my bow was low. "Nice to meet you my Lady." I managed.

She laughed out loud. "Come on now your grace, I should be the one bowing, after all I'm not the one mated to the prince." Her eyes narrowed on my neck. I felt the urge to cover the bite mark but restrained myself.

"The sound of your voice must be a whole new tone for the prince I'm sure." She was showing more teeth.

If she hoped to get under my skin by indirectly mocking the depth of my voice, she was playing a dangerous game.

"A whole new tone, indeed," she purred, her eyes flicking to the pulse in my throat.

"One wonders if the Prince prefers his... consorts to have such a command over the lower registers. It's almost masculine, wouldn't you say? Or perhaps it's just the strain of trying to hit the right notes."

I didn't flinch. If she noticed the way the heavy silk of my bodice hid the straight lines of my frame, or the way I kept my chin tilted to mask the strength of my jaw, she was keeping it for the kill. She was daring me to speak again and prove her right.

"It's a lung problem." I offered a smile. "Dear me and my daddy have tried absolutely everything to fix it. But the gods have willed it so. Besides, the Prince finds my voice... grounding. Perhaps you should ask him why he prefers it over the shrill tones of the court?"

She nodded, her expression changing to one of pity. "Poor you, having to go your whole life with a voice in-between a woman and man."

"Yes, poor me." Gods, how do I get rid of her?

I cheered in my heart when a servant bowed to me. "Your grace, the king would like a word."

Better the king than this vulture, I turned and smiled at her. "If you'll excuse me." I pivoted, following the servant, as she led me towards where the king was.

The music dulled as we passed into a quieter alcove draped in velvet.

The king stood alone near a tall window, hands clasped behind his back. When he turned, his gaze settled on me-it wasn't sharp or unkind, but thorough.

His eyes traced my face without apology, lingering the way many others had tonight. There was no hunger in it, only appreciation, like one might give a rare object finally seen up close. His eyes moved to my neck, lingering for a bit before offering me a smile.

I bowed to him and awaited his order. "Lift your head." He gestured lightly. When I did, his mouth curved. "Tell me, Raven... do you find our court to your liking?"

I hesitated, then remembered Denis's voice. Silk, not steel. "It's... lively," I said. "And I'm grateful for the welcome I've received."

Another smile, this one sharper. "And my son?" he asked, as if the thought had only just occurred to him. "How do you find Eilís?"

There it was.

"He's been considerate," I replied, choosing each word. "More than I expected."

"Mm." The king turned slightly, looking out the window. "He can be difficult at times, withdrawn. His wolf also complicates things, it makes him seem a little different each time." His eyes narrowed on the last part.

Was he indirectly expecting me to spill a secret?

"I don't find him difficult," I said before I could stop myself.

"Hmm." He nodded, looking back at the window.

Silence stretched between us, I stayed where I was, hands folded, breathing measured.

The king studied, more closely this time, as if weighing not just my words but the way I stood, the steadiness in my voice.

His eyes flicked once more to my face, my hair, the line of my throat. Approval settled there, quiet and unmistakable.

"I'm sure you've noticed Eilis is not in attendant tonight."

I nodded, wondering where this was going.

"I do apologize for him, he has a bit of a hassle to handle in the northern boarder."

"I understand Sire."

He stepped aside then, gesturing toward the hall beyond the alcove. "Enjoy the evening, Raven. Let them admire you. It does us no harm for others to see what stands beside my son."

I felt heat rise again, but I kept my expression calm. "As you wish, sire."

As I turned to leave, his voice stopped me once more.

"And Raven," he added lightly, "should you ever find yourself uncertain... remember that honesty, when offered sparingly, can be its own kind of power."

I inclined my head once more and stepped back into the light, the music swelling around me again. Eyes found me immediately, curious, appraising.

I kept my shoulders straight and my expression composed, even as a thought bothered me. The king never asked about my voice.

EILIS

The bond burned.

Not like fire though, this was a constant, pulsing pressure beneath my skin, it was a low ache that tightened every time I tried to ignore it.

I braced both hands against the cold stone wall of the training chamber and bowed my head. Sweat slid down my spine, my scars pulling as my muscles locked, my teeth clenched hard enough to ache.

Control.

That word had followed me my entire life. From tutors, from my father, from commanders who praised my discipline especially after I turned feral.

My wolf snarled inside me restless and offended.

Mine, it whispered, not with words but instinct. A possessive pull that surged whenever the bond stirred, whenever Raven was frightened, stressed, or too far away.

I hated it, hated the way the bond demanded attention, and demanded a reaction. The way it made me feel exposed, unguarded, one misstep away from losing myself, and I hated the fact that Raven felt none of it. Why should I have to suffer alone?

I grimaced when I remembered the reason I'd blocked Raven from feeling it in the first place.

I shoved off the wall and crossed the chamber in long strides, grabbing a practice blade from the rack. The sound of steel sang as I swung, the motion sharp, precise and brutal. I imagined cutting through the pressure, severing the pull.

It didn't help.

The wolf pushed harder, a flash of teeth and heat and hunger curling behind my eyes. I staggered, breath hitching as my vision flared gold for half a heartbeat.

"No," I growled aloud, voice rough. "Not now."

I forced myself to stand still, my shoulders back and my spine straight, a prince did not falter.

The doors opened, my best friend- Camden didn't bother knocking. He never did when something was wrong.

"Eilís," he said, already crossing the room. "We've got a problem."

I didn't turn to look at him. "If this is about the patrol routes, tell the council to wait."

"It's not," Camden replied, his tone stripped of its usual humor. "It's worse."

That got my attention.

I sheathed the blade and faced him. Camden's expression was tight, jaw set, eyes sharp in a way that meant he'd already run through every scenario and hated all of them.

"Talk."

He voice lowered. "North district, outer boroughs first, then spreading inward. I think it's Arden's people, they're calling it a 'correction.'

I felt the word like a strike.

"How many?" I asked.

"Enough," he answered. "They're not armed openly yet, but they're organizing, blocking roads. And-" He hesitated.

"They're using the mating as leverage."

My chest tightened. "Explain."

"They're saying the kingdom's weakened, that you're compromised, that a bond between a human and a wolf is unstable." Camden met my eyes. "That a ruler who can't control himself can't protect Caravia."

The wolf roared at that, furious, feral, shoving against my restraint.

My hands curled into fists, my anger almost getting a hold of me. "Where?" I asked, pushing it back down. It hadn't even be up to a week.

"Right now? Just noise," Camden replied. "But if it spreads to the inner court-"

"It won't," I cut in.

Camden studied me. "Are you sure about that?"

I straightened slowly, forcing the weight of the crown back onto my shoulders. "Issue a statement, keep it calm and measured, no threats."

Camden blinked. "That's it?"

"For now," I answered. "If they want proof of weakness, I won't give it to them."

"And the bond?"

My jaw tightened. "I will handle it."

Camden didn't look convinced, but he nodded. "I'll keep you updated."

When I was alone again, the chamber felt smaller. Hotter. The walls pressed in, echoing with the quiet thrum under my skin.

My wolf stirred, restless and angry.

They're coming, it warned. They'll try to take what's ours.

As I closed my eyes, "No," I said softly, to the beast, to the bond, to the kingdom trembling just beyond the walls. "They won't."

But for the first time, I wasn't entirely sure who I was convincing.

****

I sighed as the door opened again, I inhaled deep as Denis poked his head in, flashing me a smile. "Can I come in?"

I shrugged. Taking that as an answer he came in and clicked the door shut.

"I just thought you might want to know the king called for Raven."

I stiffened. "He did what?"

"They're conversing as we speak." Denis supplied.

I fisted my knuckles, what if he noticed something? I couldn't exactly go there and demand to see the king. My father would get suspicious. What could they be talking about?

I should have attended the ball.

"I didn't think you'd risk leaving her all alone there." Denis said slowly, "I had thought you'd keep her close considering the bite mark you left on her." His lips twitched.

I threw him a towel. "I didn't want to overshadow his moment, you know as well as I do that people would be hesitant to approach if I was there. As much as I need hi..her to keep to herself I also need hi..her to speak with people to avoid rumours." gods, saying the right pronouns was going to be a bitch.

"How was the claiming?" Denis asked, changing the subject entirely.

"Is this question coming from my friend or pack?"

"Both?" Denis replied, sounding unsure.

"She's alive isn't she? And she has the bite."

"That you're happy about it." He raised his eyebrows.

"Im happy about it." When he just stared at me, I groaned and rubbed my face. "What more do you want me to say? You want me to tell you I regret it because it just added more to the list of things I need to be careful about."

"She is not a thing." Denis said softly.

"Exactly! She's someone who just added to my problems, as if handling the pack wasn't enough now I have a mate to think about."

Denis hesitated a moment before he spoke. "Did....did your wolf take control?"

"No, thank the gods for that." I replied. Even though Denis was among the people who knew about my split personality, I couldn't exactly tell him the wolf had been the one to claim Raven. He'd just go tattle to Camden who'd tattle to Aria-my sister.

"Are you going to tell her?" He said, still hesitant.

"No, I'm not. Not if the situation calls for it."

"Doesn't she have a right to know?"

"No, she doesn't, I didn't choose to mate with hi..her she didn't choose to mate with me, we're both a victim of circumstances."

When he tried to speak again, I cut him off. "This conversation is over Denis please see your self out."

His mouth closed immediately. "As you wish your highness."

I sighed as the door clicked shut behind him.

What had I gotten myself into?