Wolf of Oberhame

On the first day she met her match. Then she killed sixteen men. Tossed into the gladiator arena, the delicate girl in the fancy pink dress should have been the first to die. Leyli had other plans. Surviving was at the top of her list. Revenge was a close second. Having grown up behind the sheltered walls of the Oberhame Palace, she knew what the crowd wanted. She'd just become a pawn in the games of men. But why was she still alive? They'd killed her brother, the heir to the throne. Had they gotten to her father? Was the king dead? In the cell beside her, the Lion of Lenlochlien was impressed. When he offered advice, she took it. When she kept coming back after each round, he dared to hope that she'd survive. He had no idea that he was about to become her best weapon. Leyli didn't just want to live through the games, she wanted to protect her father's throne, but to do that, she had to become someone else. The Lion had to make her a Wolf. Chained side by side, he'll show her how to be a killer. She'll give him a reason to keep fighting. Together, they'll learn that it takes a friend to survive.

They called her the Gladiator Queen, the first female heir to the throne of Norihame. Leyli never wanted this. But her cousin's scheming left no other option. He'd killed her brother, trying to claim the throne for himself, and sold her off to be a gladiator, hoping to get rid of her. It didn't work. Now, she'll do whatever it takes to make sure he can't destroy the country her family fought so hard to keep safe. Even a queen's number one job-she has to marry a noble and produce an heir. On the sands of the arena, death was honest. Men fought for their lives and nothing else. In the palace, everything is different. The threats are veiled in fancy clothes and whispered rumors. Spies lie in wait around every corner, bribed with promises of power and wealth. Once, she thought this was normal. But no longer can she care about petty scandals, not when her citizens - her friends - are dying because of laws her family made. To win this game, she has to keep her cousin far from succession. The best way is an heir of her own. She needs a noble husband who won't kill her in her sleep and-hopefully-one who will ignore the hulking shadow of her best friend turned bodyguard. She never expected Tristan to become a weapon that could be used against her. How much of her own happiness will she give up for Norihame?

With the crown safely on Leyli's head, her problems should've been over. Her country is safe. Her family is together. What more could a new Queen ask for? Unfortunately, spending her mornings purging her stomach isn't it. Evidently, not even the Queen of Norihame is immune to morning sickness. Even worse, women in her country were expected to produce the next generation, not rule it. As soon as the men in court realize she's pregnant with the heir, they'll try to take away all the power she fought so hard to gain. If that was all she had to worry about, things would be great. But Rhia is closing in. The expansionist nation to the west has been seeking a trade alliance in violation of her father's peace treaty. Is this merely a misunderstanding between politicians, or is it the first hint of things to come. And why is one of the Senators saying the exact same thing her cousin cited as his reason for rebellion? When all the pieces come together, Leyli realizes it's worse than she feared. Only one thing can save her country now, but that means putting herself-and her unborn child-in harm's way. Thankfully, she's got one thing going for her that Rhia will never expect.