e's

dn't make se

for stealing the Pri

ked. Like the world stopped movin

ked out, staring at the gua

guard's grip tightened brutally around my arm and yanked me forward. I stumbled, al

voice cracking. "Those are not mine! I d

ignor

rse th

th fear. "Please.... wait! There must b

ly she flew backward and hit

o wrench myself free. "Leav

rib. She looked so small. So helpless. And the guards

e were

ding me barked, draggi

my heels in. "I don't know anything about the rings, I didn

to her feet and re

de.

um

his arm and pinning her back against the wall.

med at him, but the guard hold

st the Alpha's family is punishable by imprisonment or de

art d

at

agged more than I was walking. "I didn't st

e ans

ne c

the corridor. The morning air outside slapped my face, cold and sharp. P

their eyes seemed to

ted to tear their smirks off their faces

voice breaking. "I didn'

knew it did

was alrea

building. A cold metal door screeched open. The cell inside was

shoved m

knees scraping painfully a

door clanged shut behind me. The sound

m. "At least tell me what happens next! At least, listen

guard said coldly. "The Pri

ey walk

like

d tossed tras

ed, leaving the cel

r. My knees pulled to my chest, arms wrapped around them. The sting i

my bi

eightee

g a normal day. I was locked in a cell being accused

th the back of my hand, an

s couldn'

fram

ose rings

my forehead, feelin

, my body, my p

start? Sitting alone in a cold cell, waiting

gain before I c

pered to myself, hugging my knees

dy could

n if th

care enough t

ammed into my mind so

nd

riplets' room. righ

o get her purse and I saw he

something small she quickly slipped into

st tig

uld it have b

e take

e one who

t

d she go

hate me

time and time again. But this? Stealing from the princes and planti

e, the sound of footsteps e

ping my face wi

na

de

nz

eir faces unreadable, their eyes on me l

, stumbling to the door and

anyway. "I didn't take the rings. I swear I didn't. I think.... I think Linda took

d sharply, a

t through me

" he said, shaking his head a

s narrowed

out of your filth

hy m

cou

as someth

, but I forced myse

nz

whispered. I hated how small

ker. His face was carved from

our bag," he said. "That's

ed before I

at wa

nsider the possibilit

ward, his eyes bu

Jade," he said. "Those rings were an heirloom fro

, I did

and flogged fifty times," Ronan s

od ran

ling on the bars. "Strip me....?

eyes locking onto mine with a g

I was the worst thi

"Are you surprised? Yo

unded so lo

mpared to everything you've done so far, Jade. You should be grateful

ll

mes

ade my kne

dropping to a low growl. "Fifty lashes is

r, and another, far more authoritative

t suffer thi

in unison, turning towar