la

from her father's estate under the pretense of concern for my recovery. She swept into my private solar

I had seen her since

nged against my ribs. I wanted to seize her by those perfect blonde curls and break her

mercy-and it would warn A

broth to my lips, and looked at her with none

coldly, setting down

n open disbelief, clearly unprepared for my sudden ind

floor, C

ifted on the stone and looke

te whined, her voice trembling

clasped in her lap. Her blonde curls were artfully disheveled, a

Holly, who was carefully trimming my nails with a silver file. Jade, my

moothly, not even glancing at her. "In Northwind Castle, carelessness in the Alpha's household is disciplined. Co

he choked out, a single, picturesque tear rolling down

i

an slipping small doses of belladonna into my fo

leave us," I c

treating through the heavy doors

ng silk skirt rustled against the stone floor. I bent down, catching her chin

ng close enough to smell the cheap rosewate

dened in ge

you're h

eavy wooden doors of my solar

ease her th

eaving beneath a finely embroidered velvet doublet. His Alpha presence washe

cower. She growled,

as if her legs had been broken, extending a trembling hand towa

ast me to scoop Colette off the floor. He held her

disgust. "You treat your own flesh and blood like a common scullery maid! I always kn

k away. I di

file from the table, turnin

" I said, my voice dangerously calm. "Unless my father has suddenly ceded the northe

d so hard a muscle t

while you recovered! And you abuse

ht, musical laugh that made

eting Archer's blazing blue eyes

season soup properly? Unless, of course, your concern for her goes far beyond royal c

f raw, panicked guilt darted acros

, her fingers diggi

ed, but his voice lacked its earlier con

"Take her back to her father's meager estate if you cannot bear