LA

of man my husband is. He's tru

with feather-filled pillows-the royal treatment, truly. But I'm not allowed to talk to my handmaids. Or anyone, really.

ike I expected a prince would. But it was all a facad

away from Mistral Hollow or my pack for more than a few days and now I'm going to s

azy. I keep thinking of all the moments we have spent together-some that I can never tell

r commenting on anything. Maybe I'm thinking too much.

the drapes to peer out. Alec is by my side as I had thoug

nd we're at the perfect stop to rest for the night. We're at Fie

ce at my husband who's on a horse right in front of me but he manages to ignore me yet again. He gestures to a man of his personal guard and he scur

-or rather is commanded to not talk to me. Seething, I stride closer to the river. There's a small wooden pla

doe

footsteps

oblivious to my presence, now engaged in a lively conversation with one of the ministers. The air is filled with the murmur of ministe

, briefly turning back and s

a moment, I feel good and relaxed. But then all of a sudden, I see the water begin to bubble up. A flash of green strikes my gaze,

I struggle to find anything to hold onto until my eyes fall upon a wooden

darkness of the water envelops me, and I can feel the cold seeping into my bones as I desperately cling to the wooden stump, m

sn't he coming to my rescue? My mate should sense the danger I'm in. My h

thoughts. But she has

r sensation-the mate bond. Alec has finally sensed that I'm in danger.

the relentless grip of the unseen assailant beneath the water. My

as if a storm is brewing within him, and the water around me ripples with his power. In an instant,

ull, he hauls me out of the water and onto the wooden platform. I cough and gasp for

ary glance towards the river, but the water is calm once more

ixture of shock and awe at the disaster they've just witnessed. Magnus, in particular, w

tched in his features. "Are you all right, El?" he ask

ank you for saving me, Alec,"

"I will always protect you, no matter what," he promises, and the w

regal fearful look. His lips are set in a firm line, his face lacking any of the charm. He stops before us and deliberately glances behind him be

I see a look cross Magnus' eyes. A dangerous one. But Alec doesn't slump. He rises from the platform, his shoulders fir

silence. "You may go and res

e leaves, his shoulder al

r all. And I understand in this moment that

t made Magnus no

n he sees my face, h

ater so we can spend the night here by the bank. Get up now if your ankle isn't fractured. You're a beta werewolf, right? If th

he actually said all those words to me. "Are you f

o broken bones then? Good. I'd hate to call him back to carry you to the tent. Walk

awful, Magnus. Why did you pretend to be so

sked for your love. I just ask for your respect among the mass

lowing him without knowing it. "So you don

be given protection under me, as my wife and as a member of the royal family. I apologize for not imposing that

ying, "Fuck you