Beau had always been a coward at heart.
He feared Gaius’s wrath more than anything — the Alpha’s possessive rage was legendary now, especially when it came to his broken little pet. But fear has limits when desire and cruelty mix. And Beau’s desire to hurt Maisie had never faded. If anything, watching her crumble day after day only fed it.
Gaius had grown busier since the ceremony. Meetings with elders, border patrols, endless diplomatic games to prove he was worthy of the title. There were hours when he left Maisie chained in his chambers — sometimes to the wall ring, sometimes to the foot of the bed — with strict orders for servants not to enter.
Beau began testing the gaps.
The first time after the public whipping, he slipped in while Gaius was in a long council session. Maisie was
