Iloria

And the Beast, Story Three

After three years at war, the First Warlord of the Forest alone faces the newly won peace with trepidation--a curse ensures the wolves of Farran’s family line are fit only for violence. Denied an enemy, he would prefer to return to his remote keep alone and turn that inevitable rage inward. Unfortunately, there’s the small matter of the bride he took in a moment of madness.

Iloria is a gently reared lady, trained from childhood to be the wife of the High Lord himself. Instead, she finds herself wed to his brutish commander, a man who offered kindness in her weakest moment. She’s more than willing to turn her dreams toward building a life with Farran, but her new husband seems reluctant to speak to her, much less bed her.

Farran’s isolated castle offers him little respite from the temptation of Iloria’s stubborn affections. Every encounter with her chips away at his self-control--a dangerous thing for a cursed man. If he takes her to his bed, he won’t stop until he’s mated his virgin bride...but if he fails to consummate their union, he risks losing the only person who’s ever made him feel like more than a beast.

Length: Novella (54 pages/18,500 words)