I Paid the Alpha King for One Night

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though the temperature hadn't changed. It was the pressure. The air was thick enough to choke on, saturated

monarch on a high-backed velvet throne. Jaden sat to his right, and I was placed beside my

ken only by the scrape of sil

the vaulted ceiling. He sliced into his steak with surgical precision, blood welling up around the bl

ically at his lips, his face paling. "It... it was a misunders

latter echoed like a gunshot. "While you were speaking, they annexed thre

otested, his voice shrill. "

ly," Carter growled. His storm-gray eyes bored into Jaden, stripping hi

my plate, my appetite gone. It was brutal to watch, yet a dark, treacherous part of me

ed. I felt it physically, a h

ave, becoming smoother, darker. "What do you brin

t Jaden cut in before

blance of authority. He waved a hand at me dismissively. "She keeps the sta

ails digging into my palms unt

calmed the most feral wolves during the full moon-were mine. That I was the ghostwriter behi

ing the flash of defiance I couldn't qui

ne in his goblet, "she simply needs the right enviro

neutral, but hi

roke the tension. It was Uncle Silas, a distant cous

grin. "I hear congratulations are in order, Jaden. Rumor has it your...

The temperature seemed to

lfway to his mouth. "That... that

Jaden. He picked up his bone-handled kni

ing because it was so calm. "Any union not sanctioned by this family holds no standing. And th

fork clattered onto his plate. The soun

red, his voice trembling.

his wine, his eyes never le

g issues, actually. She refused to sign the requisition forms for the Luna's winter stoc

. I asked to read them first bec

at Carter with a pleading expres

felt like he was reading every secret I held. It was an unnerving clarity, and my composure wavered. My heart raced, and a wave of apprehensio

wasn't looking at Jaden. He was staring right at

, my own silence acti

locking onto mine, holding me captive. "It seems s

rously long-before abruptly looking away.

chair signaled the end of the meal. Every wo

cket. He looked down at me, his expression unreadable, m

me. "The main library. In five minutes. We

can-" Jad

voice cracking like a whip. "You have

e double doors without looking

ck. I had no choice. I was walking out of the frying pan and straight into t