"Genevieve! It's your father, he's been arrested!"
My mom's voice slammed into my mind through the link like a physical blow, shattering the haze of heat and forbidden desire that had taken hold of me.
My entire body stiffened against Edric's, the warmth of his hands still burning on my skin, his lips mere inches from mine. The world around us had vanished until now.
Now, everything crashed back into focus.
Father. Arrested.
"No," I breathed, shaking my head. "That can't be right."
"Please come home now. It's serious. I need you."
I shoved against Edric's chest, forcing distance between us. "I… I have to go."
His golden eyes flickered with something unreadable: possessive frustration, intrigue, maybe even suspicion but he didn't try to stop me.
Instead, he leaned back against the edge of the bed, arms folding over his powerful chest. Composed. In control. As if nothing had just happened between us.
A stark contrast to the chaos raging inside me.
"I assume you won't tell me why you're running?" His voice was lazy, like he was teasing me but there was an edge to it.
I yanked my gown from the floor, gripping the torn fabric. "It's none of your concern."
He chuckled a deep, knowing sound. "I think you'll find that everything about you is my concern now."
The words sent an unwelcome shiver through me.
I ignored him, tying the gown together as best as I could before pushing toward the door. I needed to leave. Now.
But before I could reach the handle, his voice stopped me cold.
"Genevieve."
I froze.
The way he said my name wasn't a request. It was a command.
Slowly, I turned back to face him.
Why does he look at me like he already owns me?
"Here, wear this." He handed his coat to me.
"But…" he paused.
The King's golden gaze swept over me, slower this time. Calculating. He was thinking something. Deciding something.
And then—
"I'll see you soon."
The certainty in his voice made my breath catch.
I tore my gaze from his and fled.
I hurried but home to the Montclair Manor
The second I reached the estate, I knew something was terribly wrong.
The grand gates were open, a pair of armed enforcers stationed at the entrance. More guards than usual. My stomach twisted.
I sprinted inside, heart pounding.
Mother was in the kitchen sobbing.
The moment she saw me, she collapsed into my arms, her entire body shaking. "They took him, Gwen."
I held her tightly, trying to calm my own frantic heartbeat. "Who? Who took him?"
She wiped her tears, her voice cracking. "The King's men."
The King's men?
My blood ran cold.
I had barely escaped Edric's chambers, only to find myself trapped in his shadow once again.
Mother's voice wavered. "They said… they said your father committed treason."
Treason.
I pulled back, nausea twisting inside me. "That's not possible. Father has always been loyal to the High Court. He has no enemies. He—"
"He lost everything, Gwen." Mother's hands clenched the fabric of my sleeve. "A business deal went wrong. His funding chain collapsed, and… and he owes the Crown a fortune."
I felt like I had been punched.
"No," I whispered.
"He went bankrupt, and now the King's council has declared him a criminal." Her voice broke. "They said if he doesn't repay the debt, he'll be executed."
My vision blurred. The room tilted. This wasn't happening.
"Where is he?" My voice came out strangled.
"The royal prison," she choked out. "They took him an hour ago."
I turned sharply. "I'm going."
Mother grabbed my wrist. "Gwen, no! What can you do?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "But I won't let them take him without a fight."
I had never been inside the prison before. No noblewoman had.
The walls were dark, damp stone, torches flickering against iron bars. The scent of sweat, filth, and desperation clung to the air.
A guard escorted me down the hall, stopping before a heavy door. "Five minutes."
I nodded, stepping inside.
Father sat on the floor, his clothes disheveled, his eyes hollow.
"Father?" My heart splintered at the sight.
He looked up slowly. The moment recognition flickered in his gaze, his face crumpled. "Oh, my sweet girl."
I dropped to my knees beside him, grabbing his hands. "Tell me this isn't true. Tell me you're not guilty of treason."
He shook his head. "I made a mistake, Genevieve. A foolish business move. I trusted the wrong people, and now… I have nothing left."
I swallowed past the lump in my throat. "We'll fix this. I'll fix this."
"There's only one way." He squeezed my hands.
I stiffened. "What do you mean?"
He exhaled heavily, his gaze flickering with something… something like guilt.
"There was an offer, Gwen." His voice dropped. "One that could make this all disappear."
A chill crept down my spine. "What offer?"
His grip on my hands tightened.
"The King."
My breath caught.
"What?" I whispered.
"The Lycan King has made it clear that… that he can settle my debt," Father rasped. "If you agree to be his."
The air rushed from my lungs.
I pulled away as if burned. "No."
"He wants you, Genevieve," Father pleaded. "And if you refuse—"
I stood abruptly, my heartbeat slamming against my ribs. "No. He doesn't even know me. Why would he—?"
But I already knew.
The way Edric had looked at me. The way he had kissed me.
The mate bond.
He knew.
He didn't act like men in the books act when they first met their fated mate but he knew I was his mate.
I took a step back, my pulse thundering. "I won't bargain."
"Then I will die."
The words stabbed straight through me.
My vision blurred. My chest felt like it was caving in.
Trapped. Cornered. Claimed.
My father's life hung in the balance.
And only one man could decide his fate.
The same man who had kissed me hours ago.
The same man who now owned my future.
King Edric Ravenshire.