Synopsis

Eliaisapooruniversitystudentuntilthenightshe’stakentotheworldoftheAnima—ruledbyhumanswhoseancientheartspulsewiththebloodofanimals.Thereshe’sforcedintoabattletothedeath.ButwhenEliasurvives,andrefusestokillherfinalopponent,theKingmusteitherkillEliahimself,ortakeherashismate.

Reth,thebrutalKingoftheBeastswiththebloodoflions,shockseveryonewhenhechoosestheweak,humanEliatobecomehisQueen.Hepromiseshereverycomfortofhiswealthandposition—butheisclear:Shewillnotwarmhisbed.HechosehertodefeatthosethatweretryingtocornerhimintoblendinghisLeoninelinewiththeWolves.

ElianeedsthehelpoftheAnimatobecomestrongerandrulethemwell.ButthevengefulWolvesseeonlyaweakhumanthatbroughtthemshame.AsEliaandRethgrowcloser,thewolvesaredeterminedtodestroyher.WillRethandEliaadmittheirfeelingsforeachintimetofightfortheKingdom—andtheirlives—againstthevillainouswolf-tribe?OrwillthewolveskillEliaandstealthethrone?

[Maturecontent-nosexualviolence]

Hestalkedtowardsher,chinlowsotheshadowcastbyhishardjawcutacrossthethickfurcollarofhisvest.Hishairhadfallenoverhiseyesinthescuffle,sohepeeredatherthroughitlikealioninthegrass.Witheachstep,hisgraceful,rollinggaitremindedherofapredatorstalkingitsprey.Despitetheforestfloorlitteredintwigsandleaves,hedidn’tmakeasound.

“Wh-whoareyou?”Eliastammered,backingaway,herhandsup.Hemetherstepforstepuntilshecameuphardagainstthetreebehindher—anddidn’tstopuntilheloomedoverher,sobroadhisshouldersandchestmadeawallinfrontofher.Shecouldfeeltheheatrisingoffhisskininthecool,nightair.

“IamtheLeonineKing.”Hisvoicewasadark,huskygravel.Behindhimachorusofwheezes,howls,andchirpsofagreementrosefromthepeoplewatching.“Andyouare?”

“Elia,”shebreathed.

“Elia,”hegrowled,leaningincloser,bringingwithhimthescentofpineandrainandthemuskofsomethingdistinctlymale.“IamReth.”Hesaidthenamewithastrange,gutturalrollinhisthroat.“IamKingofBeasts.IamClanLeader,andIamAlphaofWildWood.”Severalsnarlsrosefromthecrowdsbehindhimthen,butheignoredthem.

Eliaswallowedasheleanedinuntilthescruffonhisjawraspedhercheek.“IamtheKing,”hesaid,“Andyouwillbemymate.”

Theforestbehindhimerupted.