CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
STERLING
“You expected me to run off to another court while you were here, risking your life!” Sterling said, bringing her bow down to her side.
“I came back to stop you from doing this.” Terror filled her at the sight of Winter standing over the king’s corpse, knowing that Valco’s wolves could turn on him when they discovered what had happened.
Their pack leader, their alpha, murdered by his own son.
She’d never truly thought about what it would’ve meant for her if she’d succeeded in ending Winter’s life with her arrows, the repercussions that would’ve followed.
It would’ve been much worse than participating in a spectacle of games held by the Prince of Carnage.
His wolves wouldn’t have been as lenient to her.
Winter fastened his trousers and peered down at her. “You don’t know how to listen to anyone, do you?”
“Myself.” She shrugged, her gaze drifting to the king once more. Valco’s body lay perfectly still on the marble floor while a guard’s corpse was sprawled at an awkward angle in a pool of his blood outside the bathing chamber.
After leaving the mare in the castle forest, Sterling had snuck to the back of King Valco's home and slipped through a servant’s door.
She’d managed to avoid the guards, and the few servants she passed didn’t dare to question the new princess, even though she carried a bow.
The guard she’d been most worried about was the one who would be outside King Valco’s door, but when she’d gotten there, the hallway was empty.
And she’d known at once that something terrible had happened.
Winter dipped his fingers into the tub and washed away the blood lingering on his skin. His sapphire irises met hers, a new emotion shining within their depths. Relief?
He dried his hand on a fluffy ivory towel before prowling over to her and lifting her chin with a forefinger. His scent of clovers and embers snuffed out most of the metallic odor. “So,” he started, “you abandoned your freedom, your brother, your friend, and for what? Another chance at death?”
Sterling had left the only thing she’d wanted—having her brother back—for Winter’s sake.
Even as Red Riding Hood, she never worried about her own death, only Cyan’s.
Her brother and Nareth were both safe, and that was what mattered most of all.
But if she’d gone with them, she never would’ve forgiven herself because the Prince of Carnage mattered to her too.
She cocked her head and murmured, “I suppose so. A wife doesn’t abandon her husband now, does she? ”
“Mate.” He smirked. “That must mean you like me, at least a little.”
“Perhaps.”
“I need to show you something.” Winter didn’t wait for her to answer before leaving the bathing chamber to enter Valco’s bedroom.
Sterling followed the prince to the king’s desk, papers sprawled across its wooden surface.
He lifted a worn map that looked to have been folded too many times to count. One of the roads was traced in red.
“My father had a plan,” Winter continued.
“This valley is filled with rogue, banished wolves. When we traveled through to reach the town on the other side, the king was going to have you murdered. And they were going to make it look as if I did it. He was going to hang me for the crime in front of your village so they could see that justice for you was done and how serious he was about uniting wolves and humans. He would be a savior.”
Sterling gasped. She knew the king was heartless and could easily end her life, but to plot the murder of his own son… It should’ve been no surprise. The wolf royals always made certain they had a royal son or daughter to pass the crown to though. “But then he would have no heir.”
Winter crumpled the map in his fist. “The king didn’t only fuck countless women—he fathered a bastard son as most unfaithful males do.”
The door burst open before Winter could finish speaking, and Sterling whirled around, lifting her bow toward a tall man with broad shoulders. His gray hair was drawn into a topknot, and a golden crown pinned to his shirt. Valco’s general.
“I smell blood,” Rawling growled, razor-sharp claws piercing through his fingertips as he stepped toward her. “What happened in here?”
Winter let out a loud, exasperated sigh. “I killed him.” When Rawling simply stared at the prince, he went on, “It appears that my father fell in the bathing chamber, hit his head, and drowned. My wolf simply reacted and the guard was in the way. See for yourself.”
Rawling’s gaze narrowed on Sterling’s bow, his claws remaining extended. “Why is she in the king’s bedchamber with a bow?”
“Because I allowed it. Harm her, and I’ll tear out your throat,” Winter ground out, baring his fangs. “I’m your king now. Your only choice is to bow down to me and accept me as your king, or you’ll suffer the same fate as my father.”
Rawling’s nostrils flared, and he slipped into the bathing chamber, seeming to need to confirm for himself that the king was indeed dead.
He came out a moment later, his jaw clenched.
Sterling was prepared to lift her bow to release an arrow into his chest if General Rawling didn’t accept Winter as his king.
However, Rawling knelt before Winter and bowed his head. “You are my alpha.”
“Tell the pack the guard killed the king and that I slaughtered my father’s killer.” Winter grinned. “We wouldn’t want to shame my poor father with tales of how he died from clumsiness.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.” Rawling lifted his head and stood, then left the room.
“I don’t think he believes you. Do you trust that he won’t gather the pack and come after you?” Sterling asked, still gripping the bow.
“Trust is a strong word. He’ll be loyal—it’s his only choice.
The general loves his family and knows that is a weakness.
” Winter’s gaze held Sterling’s, his face softening.
“And now that I have one, I’m beginning to understand why.
” Her heart palpitated in a way it never had, and before she could say anything, he added, “Now, I’m sending you to Shaderain to be with your brother.
You must stay there until I call on you. My rule depends on this.”
Sterling dragged in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Fine, but don’t die, or I’ll locate a sorceress to hunt down your spirit before you can sail to the After.”
He smirked. “Mmm, and what would you do with my spirit?”
“Just hope you never have to find that out.” She smiled.
Sterling remained for two weeks at the manor in the Shaderain Court where Winter had sent her to wait for him to send word.
Cyan and Jasira had dusted the home while Lijah and Nareth repaired the window and chopped firewood.
Sterling hunted but didn’t stray too far from the manor in case things weren’t going well for Winter and the wolves decided to revolt against him instead of bowing down.
The land was flat with not a single mountain in sight, only a forest, fields, and a vegetable garden that Cyan was in awe of.
As her brother prepared a vegetable stew in the kitchen with Jasira and Nareth, Sterling sat outside with Lijah, sharpening her arrowheads against a stone.
She peered up at the sky, then toward the gravel path leading through the forest and back into Bloodstorm.
“What if the pack turns on him?” Sterling whispered, not meaning to utter the words aloud.
Lijah raked a hand through his thick hair and drank from a glass of water. “They could. But most aren’t as vicious as Valco was, and they fear Prince Winter. They’ll bow down to him. Bloodstorm’s future depends on it.”
Sterling studied Lijah, wondering if he would’ve torn into her grandmother eight years ago. Of course he would’ve at the prince’s request, and she would’ve hunted him down just as she had the other wolves. But she was glad she never had to.
“Do you fear Winter?” she asked.
He chuckled softly. “No, I’m on his good side and plan to keep it that way.”
Sterling smiled and peered toward the trees once more. The sun was beginning to make its descent, so she tucked the arrowheads away in her satchel to finish sharpening them tomorrow. Before she turned to take rest inside the manor, she caught sight of an ivory wolf running toward them.
Sterling stilled and snatched her bow from the ground.
“It’s only Amalli,” Lijah said, and Sterling released a breath. She’d never seen the woman in her wolf form, the animal’s coat beautiful, the color of a flawless snow.
When Amalli drew closer, she shifted, her body bare except for a large satchel tied around her curvy waist. Her chest heaved as she unfastened the leather strap. “That was a long journey, but it was worth it.”
Sterling bit her lip. “Where’s Winter?”
“That’s coming soon enough. I need some clothing first.”
Lijah tore his tunic over his head and tossed it to Amalli. Setting the satchel on the ground, she pulled the fabric on, and the hem fell to her thighs. She then opened her bag, riffling through its contents. “I better not have lost it on the way,” Amalli mumbled.
Sterling was losing patience, her heart thumping rapidly. “Lost what? Is Winter all right?”
“Of course. He’s settling in just fine at the castle, but he asked me to bring you this.” Amalli stood and handed Sterling a crinkled cream envelope with a green and brown wax seal.
With shaky fingers, she snapped the seal and drew out a folded letter. She scanned the handwriting, the elegant cursive, then started reading in earnest.
Sterling,
We were both forced to mate each other. I know you never would’ve chosen me otherwise, but now I’m choosing you.
I want you as my mate. If you feel the same way, if you want to be my queen, then come to my manor during the next full moon.
If you decide this life isn’t what you want, then I’ll let you go.
You can be free of me to do whatever you wish. But, if you do come, wear this.
Winter
“Wear what?” she breathed.
Amalli removed a large box from the satchel and handed it over.
Sterling bit her lip as she removed the lid.
Deep ruby red caught her gaze, and her hands trembled as she lifted the fabric.
A crimson cloak. But nothing like the cheap one she’d owned that had been ruined during the prince’s first game.
This fabric was lush, thick, soft to her fingertips, delicate and strong all at once, something made for a queen.
Curiosity and a warm feeling embraced her while wondering what Winter intended her to wear it for.
He’d chosen Sterling and was allowing her to decide her fate, and that made her heart nearly rip at the seams. She loved Winter.
A man who had taken everything from her.
A man who had given her everything in return.
The front door to the cottage burst open, and Cyan’s face beamed as he threw his arms around Amalli. “You’re here!”
“I told you I’d see you again.” She grinned and ruffled his hair.
As he stepped back, his stare drifted from Amalli to the red cloak, then to the letter in Sterling’s hand. “What’s going on?”
Sterling folded the letter and tucked it back into the envelope. “King Winter is giving me—us—a choice.”