EPILOGUE(Three years later)"Stop spilling that all over my painting!" Arielle cried for the third time. She turned to Olivia and commanded. "Tell him!" And just like that she began to cry.Olivia looked up wearily. "Nate, would you be kind enough to leave Arielle's paintings alone please, don't you have yours?"Nate, a cherubic, vibrant bubbly kid with dark hair and his father's gray eyes piped up. "It's fun mom!""There's nothing funny about destroying your cousin's painting Nathaniel. You're ruining her hardwork." Olivia reprimanded."What's with all the noise?" Maya asked as she walked in. "Oh thank goodness!" Olivia said with relief throwing her eyes towards the heavens. "These kids are driving me insane!"Maya smiled. "Well, they are kids it's their job,""Mom, please tell Nate to back off my painting," Arielle reported. Nathaniel who had gone to sit in front of the television, was now studiously staring at the cartoonish figures with intense concentration when Maya glanced a
Something in the air made spring look more exquisite this morning. Perhaps Moon Goddess had decided to bless the weather in favor of Titan and Charlotte's anticipated new life.But even the Moon Goddess would run out of patience in terms of waiting, and Charlotte had a reputation for keeping the world waiting as long as she enhanced her beauty to perfection."Charlotte!" Olivia called. "You are already so late! It doesn't pay to be tardy today of all days. The Lycan king might not tolerate such!"There was no response, so after waiting for a few minutes, Olivia began her ascent upstairs. This was a marriage to the Lycan King and Alpha of the Silver Crest pack, Titan Black. Lateness was inevitably going to look like a bad impression, no matter what anyone else thought. A stain on their reputation.Olivia raced upstairs as fast as she could in her usual frock and apron she wore for all her cooking and cleaning chores. Her padded feet echoed on the hard floors and she hoped Charlotte cou
Her descent was with deliberate slowness.Life had always been monotonous and hopeless for Olivia Carter. Sometimes she felt in her spirit that she had lived a truly exciting life in another place and time. That life sometimes appeared in glimpses and a series of fast-moving kaleidoscopic flashes but whenever she tried to catch the memories, to hold them and relish them, they inadvertently disappeared and she was left with the blankness and darkness she had no choice but to adapt to. And now a life that had been characterized by monotony and nothingness was going to transform this morning, as she unwillingly took the place of Charlotte. Olivia felt in the depths of her soul that the change was going to be for the worse. The second her feet touched the last step of the stairs, she felt the dark tension that had enveloped the atmosphere. And the minute she was face to face with him, Olivia knew her life had changed in a way she would never truly recover from. There was strength and au
"I already told you," Olivia said, doing everything to rein in her anger at being treated so condescendingly. "Madam Penelope ordered it,""Why exactly?" Titan barked."Because she ran away with a man she believes to be her mate," Olivia responded. "So if you will kindly let me go because your grip hurts."Instead of releasing her, Titan's grip hardened. "I will let you go when I deem fit. Don't ever think you can play smart with me," he snarled. "As a slave girl, I can bet your life meant absolutely nothing to Penelope, how much more do you think it will mean to me? I can destroy you. I can take you to the depths of hell and beyond. And that is exactly what I will do if you try to act smart with me. Get it?"Olivia attempted to shift away from this man, who she now considered a monster. In one quick fluid motion, Titan swept her back to him. She was no match for his wolfish strength. "Get it?" he asked again."I…y….yes," Olivia managed to respond. The edges of Titan's lips lifted in
Hours later, Olivia watched helplessly as the maids transformed her from a slave into a vision.It was the first time in her life that foreign hands would touch her hair, hold a dress for her to step into, or do things to her face using lipsticks, brushes, blushes, and colors. Since it was all foreign and alien to her, she felt totally uncomfortable. But now as the wife of the Lycan King, these were things she was required to get accustomed to. Just an hour ago, the maids had arrived and awoken her from sleep. The incessant knocking had reached into her dreams.Olivia had awoken with a start. It had taken a while for her brain to once again process her new surroundings. She had looked at the massive windows and saw that dusk had fallen. A crescent moon lay benignly in the sky, casting shadows into her bedroom. She sat up as her mind had processed the events of the last hours - taking Charlotte’s place, the car journey with the Lycan King, the young lady who had come to inspect her o
Titan pushed his chest deeper and felt his groin harden. An erection was close, he could undoubtedly feel it. It was unnerving that this girl who had just become his wife hours ago, had this immense effect on him. Yet it was not completely shocking. Perhaps he had gone too long without a woman. And this one was his wife. He was permitted to do anything he wanted to do with her. Aggressively, he pulled her close. "Please," she begged. Titan could see he was hurting her but he didn't care. The manly need in him to dominate took over completely and the only thing he wanted to do was ravage all of her until she screamed for more. Soon, she would know the feeling of pleasure and pain simultaneously. He started his sexual torture by sucking on her earlobe. The girl sighed, and then a moan that whetted his own appetite for more. He moved to her neck, and she clutched him harder, eager not to let go. Titan was hurting her with his tight grip, but she enjoyed what he was doing to her so m
Olivia's mouth watered and her lips parted. She wasn't imagining it. Titan's use of the word punish was underpinned by something strongly suggestive. She wondered how he would 'punish' her. Of course, it would be wildly exciting. It was a struggle to keep the words "Punish me, Titan," within her. But of course, her fear for Titan outweighed anything else, and kept her mouth firmly shut. Titan ate his toast and redirected all of his attention back to his phone. She was back to being non-existent in his thoughts and invincible in his presence. Olivia snorted. All the man needed was a trophy wife, and it was no wonder he did not concern himself with her. She watched him abandon the toast again because his phone had once again fully captured all of his attention. What exactly was the point of coming down here, every day, well-dressed and seated in front of abundant food if you were not going to eat anything? Or if you were not even going to do anything but press your phone? He might
Olivia had never seen tousled hair look so beautiful on a man. Titan was a direct molding from the Goddess. An intricate creation defined by them. "You're not deaf, are you?" Titan asked rudely, eyes appraising her from head to toe. "I asked where you are going." Olivia cleared her throat. "I just wanted to check whether there are any ongoing dinner preparations." "It's not dinner time yet," Titan responded blankly. Olivia blinked and then kept quiet, unsure about what to say. Coming downstairs had been a waste of time perhaps she should make her way back… "Follow me," Titan ordered, interrupting her thoughts. Olivia stood rooted to the spot, not out of disobedience but because she was slightly apprehensive and angry. Follow him for what? To where? And why? Did he think that just because she was his wife he could order her around? Titan had walked away but his sixth sense had detected that she wasn't following. He looked back at her and needed no words. Olivia's feet responded an
EPILOGUE(Three years later)"Stop spilling that all over my painting!" Arielle cried for the third time. She turned to Olivia and commanded. "Tell him!" And just like that she began to cry.Olivia looked up wearily. "Nate, would you be kind enough to leave Arielle's paintings alone please, don't you have yours?"Nate, a cherubic, vibrant bubbly kid with dark hair and his father's gray eyes piped up. "It's fun mom!""There's nothing funny about destroying your cousin's painting Nathaniel. You're ruining her hardwork." Olivia reprimanded."What's with all the noise?" Maya asked as she walked in. "Oh thank goodness!" Olivia said with relief throwing her eyes towards the heavens. "These kids are driving me insane!"Maya smiled. "Well, they are kids it's their job,""Mom, please tell Nate to back off my painting," Arielle reported. Nathaniel who had gone to sit in front of the television, was now studiously staring at the cartoonish figures with intense concentration when Maya glanced a
Rumours were rife throughout the house that Titan and Miriel were both talking privately in his home office. The omega maid he'd directed to go and fetch her had told all the others in the kitchen, and when Asher had gone to help himself to some snacks, he heard them talking about it with so much excitement that he had to inform Maya. Maya had suggested they keep it away from Olivia, but Olivia had found out anyway. She had retreated to the orchard, where there was a swing meant for kids, but she sat down on it, thinking of Miriel and Titan all alone in the office. Logically she knew they had to talk and iron out the intricate issues of the past. Emotionally, this logic was hard to swallow. Like the brain explaining endlessly to the heart. "There you are," Asher said out of the blue.She looked up. "I was hoping not to be found,""It's a big ginormous house but there is only a number of places you can hide,""So what are you hiding from?" she asked."Me? Nothing, you?""I'm not hidi
Asher led Olivia away. Miriel watched them from the foyer noting the bulge of the other woman's stomach. She'd heard rumors about her and about how smitten Titan was with her. Back in her bedroom, Olivia sat down on the couch in her balcony. Her Olive eyes stared up the ceiling looking at nothing. Asher watched her for a while. "Are you okay?""My husband's ex-girlfriend just made an appearance from the grave and you're asking me if I'm okay?""It's a lot to take in," he agreed. "But I don't think she's a threat,""Why not?" "Because she called me herself, told me she wanted to see Titan and talk to him.""I'm not sure I can agree she's not a threat Asher. Why appear now? If she's been in the Kingdom, she heard of our wedding. Of my coronation. Why is she just coming now when she has been alive all this time if she doesn't have ulterior motives?""I don't want you to worry your head about this Olivia, mental anxiety is one of the things Harley warned us about. Just take your mind of
"Better leave here to go check on my wife. Does anyone know how she's feeling by the way?" He asked, eyes darting between both of them.Titan and Olivia tried to talk at once, but only ended up stuttering. "You haven't checked on her have you?" Leo asked accusingly."Hey she's asleep, and Harley gave explicit instructions not to disturb her," Olivia said."Yeah, what she said," Titan added unnecessarily. "More like you have both been too busy playing sex games to check on her,""Hey don't act all moralistic pretending you and Maya don't schedule booty calls in weird parts of the house. Did you think my chief guard didn't see you when you guys were doing it at the back of the dungeons? I'm surprised you guys didn't even care about the captives." Titan said.Olivia turned to Leo looking pleasantly surprised. "Wow brother, you're into kinks like that?"Leo glared at both of them before stomping out. Olivia and Titan fell over each other in fits of laughter."Hey bro don't worry you can
Summer was converging at it's end. The skies were no longer encumbered with the beautiful western sunrise, and propitious rainfall meant to usher in the winter had been falling continuously. Titan Black was lost in thought as his chauffeured Rolls Royce cruised on the highway.Troubled thunderheads had sprung up and were already erasing the early sun from the skies, but he barely noticed. He was just coming back from his final meeting with the other packs who had been pressuring him to release the captives and give the members of the golden truce pack back their lives. Finally, after months of tension, back and forth accusations and counter accusations, coaxing, and cajoling, the captives and his opposers were finally on the same page. The Golden truce pack and Silver Crest pack would be merged into one, under Titan's hegemonic control as their sole leader. There was equally signed documentation by each party that gave him the authority to not just annex their territory, but to pres
"Olivia!"His hysterical shouts caused Maya, Celine and Ryan to rush into the room at breakneck speed. "What's going on?" someone asked. Titan didn't turn to see who it was. "S…She's not waking up," He managed to respond."Someone get Harley!" Ryan shouted."Harley is out," Maya said."Out? Out to where?" Titan demanded roughly. "She's getting some things for me from the market,""Goddamnit!" Titan swore."Titan, why not take a deep breath and check if she still has a pulse?" Celine suggested.In his paranoia and destability, Titan had forgotten completely. He checked her pulse and heartbeat. "It's all there but it's weak," he announced."Oh no," "Maya I need you to get Harley on the phone right now," Titan ordered. "Tell her to rush down here at once. It's an emergency,""Sure, of course," Maya said, scurrying out of the room.Ten minutes later, Harley came in. Yet for Titan, the waiting had felt like an age. And he had not been able to stay calm. Fear constricted his chest. What i
Leo slept beside Maya on the bed where she had birthed their child. Olivia sat in the far corner, rocking the child silently. The doctors had all gone to sleep in freshly prepared quarters. Olivia sat alone with the baby rocking her gently."Arielle, Crystal Black, welcome," she said gently. "And just like your name connotes, you are as bright as the moon."The following morning, Olivia called Titan while everyone else was having breakfast. "You'll never guess who came into the world last night," she said with a smile."I can't believe I missed her birth because of partisan politics," Titan said with a tone of regret. "How are they?""Mother and baby are just fine. Oh, you should see her Titan, her features are unbelievable. She's going to grow up to be such a beauty.""Well, she's got good genes," Titan said."Hold up, is that an indirect compliment towards my brother?" He chuckled. "I don't know what you are talking about but I'll be home tomorrow sweetheart,""You better be," she c
One week later, Titan was still not back. But Olivia had made sure she spoke with him on the phone each day, ending each call with how much she loved and missed him. She told him about her lessons with Mellor, animating her stories with everything she had and not skipping out on any anecdotes. Titan felt the meetings were getting more protracted, but he did his best to hide his displeasure. He was on the opposing side and he needed to prove his point and himself. The captives as free men were a threat to his kingdom.Surely they had to see that. But the other packs did not see it. They insisted that if any attacks were launched at him after he freed the captives, they would come together as one and fight by his side. A great suggestion, except that Titan Black didn't get where he was by putting his fate in the hands of others. And that was his main argument. Everyday, he discussed this with Olivia and Asher, who was in the heart of Gaza fighting alongside the Israelis. "You all hav
The party stayed on till dawn. But Olivia and Titan sneaked out early, simply to have their first intimate copulation as royals. It was still surreal and still hard for her to believe and accept that in the space of a year, she had gone from the depths of slavery to the heights of royalty. The lovemaking between them was orgasmic and heated as always. So intense that it was hard to tell when time passed and how much time had passed. The following morning when she opened her eyes, Titan was gone, and she kept her hands on his side of the bed for awhile to savour his warmth, before getting out of the bed to prepare for the day. No doubt, Mellor would eagerly make an appearance today to start his lessons and she had to appear as a sharp, incisive and inquisitive student with the most brilliant of minds. Downstairs, she found Harley and Maya seated behind the massive kitchen counter, drinking fresh orange juice from the pitcher between them."No breakfast?" Olivia asked pouring herself