ELIZABETH MILKHARTMy hands were shaking as I zipped my small backpack shut, ignoring the brown-haired handmaiden who was stressing out beside me.“M’lady, this is a terrible idea, the dark woods, it's where those Dove pack monsters stay Miss, you mustn't,” Theresa choked out, gripping my bag before dropping it quickly when I narrowed my eyes at her.There was no doubt in my mind that she could stop me if it came down to it. I had only been in one fight in my entire life and got beat up so bad my eyes were swollen shut for days.With a wolf like Theresa, hell, I could tell from her tight arms under the soft black and white uniform she wore that she was more than just a maid.“I can’t stay here after what you told me about Cassandra fucking Blackwood, Theresa, I’ll take my chances with any beast over that witch!” I hissed, the Queen’s cold blonde face flashed in my mind’s eye before I shook my head.I knew now that I never should have trusted her with the King and my secret. Alpha Ezr
ELIZABETH MILKHARTIf my mother had told me two nights ago, that I would be traveling to the dreaded Backwood Castle in my only good dress and straw hat, I would have spit in her goddamned face.“No, no, no, this cannot be happening!” I gasped with widened eyes that scoured through the local paper I held in between shaky hands.There it was! My name, Elizabeth Milkhart, among the seven selected for the mating raffle, clear as day!“How could this be? Since when did those posh mighty werewolves want anything to do with us humans?” I wheezed, feeling my temples pulse painfully.I stared at the picture of the dashingly handsome Alpha beside the inked cursive with his bright gray eyes and wolf-cut black hair. He was just about the most drop-dead gorgeous man I had ever had the displeasure of seeing.I could feel something hot flare inside me when our eyes met, almost like he was staring back at me from the black and white print newspaper.I dropped it like it was hot shit.“For god’s sake
ELIZABETH MILKHARTIce-cold rain hammered into my head like nails as I dragged my old suitcase toward the string of guards outside our small front door.“Make it quick Miss Milkhart, we haven't got all night.” The rude, wide-chested guard huffed as I paused before the brilliant gold carriage parked outside our shabby house.It looked out of place on the run-down street the high wolves had given only to humans.The guard could have been seven foot tall! So big he was almost about the same size as the goddamned carriage!His bright orange eyes burned down on me with unfriendly intensity as I read his name off his golden chest plate. Rudolf.Was this what all the werewolves looked like?I felt the moisture dry from my mouth as I hurried to meet up, shivering when the rain soaked through my light cotton dress as the guard parted the curtains.“Inside please, try not to drag mud all over the place.” His stern face had contorted into a tight scowl that made my cheeks warm in embarrassment.
ALPHA EZRA BLACKWOODA splitting headache hammered between my eyes and a vein throbbed in my temples as the circle of elders continued their debate.“Our pack legacy is on the brink of extinction Alpha Blackwood! We simply cannot wait around for Luna Cassandra any longer!” One of the elders thundered loudly, pumping his fists in the air.It was enough that they expected me to dethrone Cassandra who had been by my side since forever, but to put my seed into any willing maid?What the hell did they think this was? Fucking Russian roulette?“Actions must be taken if we’re ever going to beat those bastards at the Doveclan pack!” Another of the big muscular wolves piped up, his eyes sliding away from mine when I turned my gaze to his red, blotchy face.“Enough! I’ve heard enough! You want an heir? Fine. I’ll see the maids, one. And not another word more if they fail too.” I deadpanned, and the silence in the hall was deafening.“Of course, Your Highness, nothing more will be required for n
ELIZABETH MILKHARTI slowly realized that my hands were shaking as I stood before the full-length mirror, trying to ignore the embarrassment that heated my face as the maidservants nicked and tucked at my dress.Every bone in my body hurt, and not just from the force of the guard’s blow when he knocked me out. It was something deeper, the fear that made my heart pound restlessly in my chest like a freight train.The room surrounding us was a mess of silk fabrics and pins and rich, beautiful embroidery as the surrogates got ready for the Alpha’s welcoming party.“Oh my god, I think I'm going to be sick,” I muttered to myself, glancing back at the woman in the mirror to see that I looked terrified, with wide green eyes and curly red hair that fell over bare shoulders in curly waves.“There we go Miss, you're all done up and ready.” One of the maids, Leila whispered. She was a soft mousy thing with brown hair and a small pleasant face, unlike the others who stared at me with open disgust
ELIZABETH MILKHART“Are you finding your meal agreeable darling?” Cassandra Blackwood’s sweet voice surprised me and I snapped my head up to see that she had been talking to Sarah Sossen.“Yes, thank you, Your Grace, it's wonderful cuisine,” The bitch whispered, giving me a sly smirk.The damned thing had won over the Luna before I could! But how? What the hell did she have that I didn't besides crippling good looks and the confidence of Johnny fucking Bravo.“I bet YOU’VE never tasted anything this good, say, do you even have food where you live or do you have to farm? Miss. Milkhart?” The Luna quipped coldly and the blood drained from my face as chuckles rose at the dinner table.I risked a glance at the Alpha to see that his thick black lashes were pointed downward, brushing his high cheekbones almost delicately as he picked at his food.He hadn't eaten anything either, same as me.“My mother has a small vegetable patch in our backyard, Your Grace, we make do as best as we can,” I
CASSANDRA BLACKWOOD“Come to bed, Your Highness, it's late already,” I purred, widening my legs for the dark-haired Alpha but his penetrating iron-grey eyes were noticeably turned away from me.I was wearing nothing underneath my pink night slip and I could already feel the tingle of arousal stirring in my sex where I had dipped my fingers, hoping to catch my husband’s attention.“Did you see that woman back at the welcoming dinner Sandra? What the hell were the elders thinking, summoning a human for the surrogate match? Why, I could kill her if I snapped my fingers hard enough,” Ezra murmured, and my heart skipped a beat in my chest. Why was he asking about her now, when he should have been in bed with me? Something painful hooked the back of my throat and I struggled to blink back the tears that had already pooled in my eyes.There was a part of every woman that knew when her man was drifting away and every alarm bell in my body went off as I slid my fingers slowly out of my pussy
ELIZABETH MILKHARTThe shrill sound of an alarm bell tearing through the quiet air of my room made me groan, throwing my hands painfully over my ears to shut out the awful noise.“Come on up girls! Today is the day you all learn how to be dutiful surrogates to this pack! Out of bed now!” The head maid’s manly voice bled through the corridor walls and my heart skipped a beat when I heard her heavy knuckles bash angrily against my door.Shit. I stumbled out of bed with bleary eyes, splashing water on my face and cursing the dark circles under my startling green eyes in the mirror.I hadn't been sleeping well since I came to Blackwood and I found myself longing for the small, rundown comfort of my old slum house instead. The wild curls of my red hair were braided into a ponytail by one of the quiet maids who never replied to anything I said and I was out of my quarters before I knew it.“Just this way, Miss.” The girl breathed, pointing me at an open courtyard where all the surrogates sa