~Cassandra~ While still concealed behind the tree, I eavesdropped on Damian engaging in a conversation with Becky. The sun was rising, illuminating everything around me. "I'm waiting for Cassandra. She hasn't returned yet. We'll go back to the palace together," he said. I peeked out from behind the tree and noticed that he was still unclothed."While you wait, can't I keep you company?" Becky asked, her gaze fixated on his lower body with desire and lust.She approached him, but he stepped back and shook his head firmly. "I'll see you at the palace, Becky," he replied, causing Becky to pause. Disappointment was evident on her face as she nodded slowly. "Okay. See you later," she uttered, stealing one last glance at his private area before walking away. As soon as she was out of sight, I let out a heavy sigh and cautiously emerged from my hiding spot. Damian turned to face me and flashed a wide smile."She's gone," he stated, moving closer to me. I shook my head and extended my han
~Cassandra~ Upon waking up, I extended my arm across the bed, hoping to find Lucian's presence, only to realize he was not there. . I sat up, running my hand through my hair before getting out of bed. Making my way to the bathroom, I splashed water on my face, attempting to clear my mind and avoid any troubling thoughts. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, maintaining a vacant stare, determined not to let anything disrupt my peaceful slumber.Leaving the bathroom, I grabbed a shirt and pants, dressing myself before venturing towards Lucian's room. To my disappointment, he was absent. Letting out a sigh, I proceeded down the hallway, deliberately avoiding Damian's chamber and any thoughts associated with him. Reflecting on my past actions, I regretted the choices I had made and sought to distance myself from him. Upon reaching the living room, I furrowed my brow as I noticed Zoe sitting alongside Damian. Their silence and lack of interaction caught my attention.They held sm
~Damian~ I entered my room and closed the door behind me, feeling my heart race uncontrollably in my chest. I clutched at my chest, hoping to calm myself down.Sitting on my bed, I zoned out and absentmindedly touched the tattoo on my arm. The memory of Cassie's passionate kiss and the way she looked at me drove me to the brink of madness. Just the thought of it caused me to become aroused.As much as I wanted to take her against the wall and make love to her right then and there, I needed to be certain that she wouldn't come back, apologizing for what had happened.I went back to my closet and rummaged through my bag, searching for a cigar and lighter to help calm my nerves and erase thoughts of being intimate with my brother's wife.I retrieved a cigar and lit it with the lighter. Taking a deep puff, I exhaled the smoke into the air. Letting out a heavy sigh, I returned to my bed, waiting for my arousal to subside when I heard a knock on my door.Getting up from the bed once again,
~Cassandra~ "Haaa..." I sighed softly, feeling a pleasurable sensation course through my body. My spine arched in response to his skilled touch, his fingers delicately entering the tender depths of my longing. Grasping the sheets tightly, I felt my eyes roll back beneath closed lids. The rhythmic motion of his finger, curving with such grace to reach my very core, drove me to the edge of sanity. Releasing my grip on the sheets, I fervently clutched his broad back, my fingers digging into his flesh. His lips found mine once again, consuming them with a voracious hunger. Breaking the kiss, his intense gaze upon my face compelled me to open my eyes halfway. "Can I proceed?" he asked eagerly, his tongue lightly grazing my lips. "No, just your fingers," I replied, reciprocating by licking his lips. "I want to hear you moan my name, Cassie," he whispered, fixating on my mouth as if longing to witness the utterance. "Moan my name!" he groaned, thrusting his fingers deeper inside me,
~Damian~ In frustration, I found myself seated before the cookies Becky had brought me, and I selected a piece. I promptly placed it in my mouth and savored the satisfying crunch.A sense of pleasant surprise washed over me as I discovered the delectable taste. The cookie had achieved the perfect balance of flavors and boasted a delightful crispness.Driven by the sheer enjoyment, I continued to devour one piece after another, eagerly munching away until every last cookie had vanished.Given the recent events with Cassie, I longed for a mental escape. Although I understood she would never reciprocate my feelings, the pain still lingered."I suppose I need some time away from her. It's important for me to grasp her true feelings toward me," I murmured to myself, carefully packing Becky's bag and departing from the room.While on the route to Becky's residence at the pack house, my attention was drawn to Zoe, sitting alone in a secluded corner of the palace. Her countenance revealed pr
~Cassandra~ Upon awakening, I noticed that Lucian was still asleep, his arms resting on my chest and his face turned away. I let out a sigh and gently moved his hand from my chest. Rising from the bed, I made my way to the bathroom to freshen up.After finishing, I emerged from the bathroom and observed Lucian, who was starting to wake up. He turned towards me, opening his eyes and giving me a soft smile."Darling," he called out, and I responded with a smile, walking towards the bed."Hello, love. You're awake," I replied, and he nodded."Yes, I must have slept for quite a while. I was quite stressed when I returned. I apologize, baby," he said, and I shook my head."No need to apologize. The responsibilities at headquarters can be frustrating at times," I said, taking a seat in front of him on the bed."At times?" he scoffed. "More like all the time, my love. But I can't back out now. It's the craziest thing, my love. I just have to endure," he said sadly."And you will, alright? Y
~Damian~ Lucian summoned everyone for a pack meeting, prompting me to leave my room and join them in the living room."Let the preparations commence, everyone! I want the news to spread throughout the kingdom and even the neighboring realms. Everyone is welcome," Lucian proclaimed, eliciting cheers from the group.After concluding the meeting, Lucian turned to me with a smile as we settled on the couch. "Are you excited?" he asked.I chuckled and shook my head. "What is there to be excited about?" I sarcastically questioned."Oh, there are plenty of things! You might meet your mate at the party and even get married," he retorted, to which I scoffed."You're so determined to get me married. Why? I don't feel ready for that at the moment. And if I do find a mate, it doesn't have to be at the party. Can't I find one here in the palace?" I further inquired, causing him to furrow his brows and look at me."Are you hinting at something?" he asked eagerly, and I shook my head."No, why?""Y
~Cassandra~ "Or perhaps we could do it right here?" He groaned, burying his face in my neck, kissing and murmuring against it as though he drew his very breath from that spot.A soft moan escaped my lips as I leaned my head back, gripping onto his back to maintain my balance."But we're outdoors. Anyone could see us," I whispered, pressing his head closer against my neck.He lifted his head from my neck and locked his gaze with mine. "We are on the highest part of the palace, it's late and dark. No one would know if you remain silent," he whispered hungrily, reaching for my underwear and sliding it down my legs.He lifted me off the ground, and I wrapped my legs around his body. He pushed me against the wall, pinning my back to it as he kissed me.His mouth opened wide as he passionately devoured my lips, exploring them with his tongue as if on a treasure hunt.I surrendered myself to whatever he did, my senses overwhelmed with pleasure.While we kissed, he discarded his pants and gu
~Cassandra~ ~After A Year~ “Good morning!” I heard Zoe’s loud voice from my slumber, causing me to tighten my eyes in discomfort.“Wake up! I have good news!” She continued talking in a loud voice and even jumped on my bed, forcing my eyes open. “Shhh! You’ll wake Darian up!” I mumbled, hastily throwing a glance at the baby bed that was placed not so far from my bed. He was the first person I was concerned about. “Relax, Cassie. Damian and Lucian are playing with him already. He woke up and began to cry so they took him away before he could wake you up.” Zoe further explained, and I raised my eyebrows. “Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize he wasn’t here. I was up all through the night because he kept wanting to eat.” I grumbled, lifting my body off the bed and sitting up. “Well, for the tenth time in three months, welcome to motherhood,” Zoe answered, causing me to smile. Three months ago, I conceived and gave birth to Darian. Everyone in the kingdom was happy. We finally have such
~ Lucian ~ When we got closer to the palace, I realized that the people who had left before had arrived again. Bernard must have sent some of his people to summon them. Deep down, I wanted to break free and teach him a lesson, but somehow, I felt extremely weak. I was a Lycan, why wouldn’t I summon the wolf in me? While tied to the church, I tried too hard to reach that locked-up power inside of me, but it was so hard, I couldn’t even brush the surface. It wasn’t really surprising because I never really used that part of me. I never found any reason to, and now it seemed like it was gone. Like my Lycan power was dead completely. I also couldn’t believe I chose to trade my throne for Cassandra’s life. At the point of death, I realized I still loved her and saw her as my wife, regardless of everything that had happened between us. The soldiers that went with us were armed and more in number compared to the guards at the palace. I knew they had no chance right from when I set my ey
~Sara~ “I hired Sara and Agatha to act like my family so that we could execute our plans better. The fact is, I am single, but I won’t mind having your wife as my queen when I inherit the throne.” Bernard uttered with a smirk. “Go f**k yourself.” Lucian spat angrily. I couldn’t look them in the eyes because I knew they were disappointed, and they hated me already. I kept my head lowered as I let my guilt taunt me. “I think I’ve done enough talking. We need to get down to business.” Bernard uttered. “Now to you…” He added, making his way back to the bed where Cassandra lay. “Your life is tied to whatever Lucian wants.” He uttered, raising his hand to touch her hair. “Don’t you dare touch her!” Lucian growled, causing Bernard’s hand to hang in the air. “I hate you,” Cassandra mumbled, staring at him in a disgusted manner. “Well, I never liked you. So here is what we are going to do. We are going to match down to the kingdom right now, call everyone together, and then you’ll anno
~Damian~ Getting to the house where Sara told me to hide in the meantime, I wasn’t at rest. Something felt so wrong, but I found it so hard to figure it out. I couldn’t stop thinking about Cassie and the palace as a whole. What was going on? Was it a good idea to run off in such a heated moment? Shouldn’t I have taken Cassie along with me? That guilty thought and part of me kept resurfacing. And I couldn’t help but feel bad. It was like I ran away from the problem that was looming around those I love. I felt like a coward. Heaving out a deep sigh, I raised my head and stared at the ceiling, thinking about what I was going to do next. ‘If Cassie doesn’t get here in the next forty-eight hours, then I have to return to the palace. Hopefully, Lucian won’t ask for my head on a platter of gold.’ While I was lost in thoughts, trying to cook up my next big plan, a knock came on the door. Surprised and excited, I sprang to my feet and ran to the door. “Cassie?” I called, opening the d
~Cassandra~ I felt disgusted as Bernard exposed his tobacco-damaged teeth when he smiled. I should have always suspected him. I should have always known that something was so fishy about them. How they came into our lives was pretty suspicious. But who could have imagined it would turn out like this? Damian came into our lives the same way, and he’s one of the reasons I’m still fighting to stay alive. “What do you mean by that? What games are you trying to play, Uncle…” “I told you I’m not your uncle! Call me Bernard! And I’m playing no games. This is reality. The earlier you realize that the better for you.” He disrespectfully cut Lucian’s short, letting him choke on his own words. In awe, Lucian turned to look at me, and I shook my head, feeling so bad for us. “Fine. If you’re not my uncle, then can you please tell me who you are?” Lucian retorted, trying to keep on that bold, masculine look, but I could perceive that this layer was pretty thin. He was going to lose it any m
~Bernard~ I headed back to the palace after Cassandra opened her eyes. Before I fetch Lucian, I need to do one more thing. I needed to convince the people that I was the right king for them. After that, I need him to come in front of the people and renounce his throne to the people. Hopefully, he was going to cherish his life and that of his wife so that that would happen. Getting back to the palace, I saw the people were beginning to exit the building. They still murmured things to each other nonstop. When some of them saw me, they diverted their attention to me. “Where were you, Mr. Bernard? We expected you to be in the hall too so that you can support our claims. You were the one that told us everything that has been happening. Why didn’t you show up?” One of the elderly men spoke up. “Yes, that is true. You should have been there to call him a liar to his face. How do you prove to me that you’re the one we want when you were absent?” Another woman added. “Relax, everyone. I
~Sara~ After making sure we were very far from the kingdom, I stopped running. Damian also stopped and turned to look at me. “What’s wrong? Why did you stop?” He asked, our chests rising and falling due to our intense breathing. “I need to go back. No one can know I snuck out with you. But I need you to keep going. Don’t look back.” I warned him, and he nodded. “Remember your promise, Sara. You promised me you’d help Cassie too.” He retorted, and I gulped hard and nodded slowly. “Yes, I will.” I lied. How was I supposed to help her? My father got her already and there was no going back this time. Only the gods could shift the death lurking around her. “Okay. Thank you, Sara. I’ll be in the house you prepared. Bye.” He uttered as he took to his heels again. Watching him leave, a relieved sigh escaped my lips. I was so glad I could save him from my parents. He had been so nice to me and I wasn’t going to take it for granted. I had described the path to our former kingdom to him,
~Lucian~ “We want another king! Give us another king!” The persistent voices of the people pierced the door of the hall where they were, hitting my earbuds mercilessly. Shaking off the fear that began to rise in me, I occupied my mind with the words that I had planned to say to them. I kept repeating the words in my head as I walked into the hall. The voices of the people multiplied greatly when they saw me, and it seemed like if I wasn’t very careful, they were going to pounce on me. Even though guards surrounded me, it didn’t seem like enough protection. I raised my hand, hoping to see if they still had little regard for me, and I wasn’t disappointed. The roaring and murmurings stopped instantly. “Thank you,” I uttered in a loud voice before I proceeded to what exactly I wanted to say. “Good evening, people of this kingdom! Your complaints have reached my ears, and I think it’s only fair that you let me share my own side of the story too, don’t you think?” I asked, and I got a
~Cassandra~ I headed to Lucian’s chamber with so many thoughts running through my head. How were we supposed to handle the situation on ground? I knew Lucian wasn’t his best self, but I still needed to talk to him about Damian too. I hated that Damian was locked up in a cell for no reason. Getting to his chamber, I walked in and met him pacing at the cover of his study. “Lucian,” I called, but he ignored me and kept pacing. I heaved a sigh and moved closer to him. “Can you stop pacing? You’re making me dizzy.” I retorted, causing him to abruptly stop. “What do you want?” He asked in a cold manner, keeping his gaze off me. “What are we going to do now? I don’t understand what has come over these people anymore. Are we not going to do something?” I asked worriedly, and he scoffed, finally looking at me. “What do you want me to do, huh? I know you all are happy with how everything is going. You don’t have to pretend like you are worried.” He responded and continued his pacing aga