ANDREA."Uggh!" I growled, straining myself before throwing the last punch in his way, but Marcus effortlessly dodged my blows with a sly grin on his face. "Nice try, Princess." He chuckled, seemingly enjoying my frustration which was mounting with each passing moment. There was no doubt about it. I didn't feel as sharp as usual today and every single movement I made lacked the precision and speed and deadly grace that it usually came with. I wondered if it was because of the anticipation bubbling inside me or perhaps an omen. Tonight was the night I had been waiting for, the night I would finally get to seal the deal with my mate, and there was no doubt it was Jackson. Besides that, it was also my birthday, so it was a very special day. This training session was going to be my last with Marcus, and I was filled with nostalgia and the eagerness to make the most of it, to let him know that I had learnt the art pretty well. Marcus was a no-nonsense man and he had honed my fighting s
ANDREA."What is that supposed to mean?" I asked, stepping back in confusion. I looked over to my father but his face was filled with apprehension and terror, and he couldn't say anything. All he did was stare as the two men walked towards me, looming dangerously. "Adriana, wait." My father called, looking at me with eyes filled with pity. I shook my head and immediately started running towards the backdoor entrance of the ballroom. Thankfully, the door was wide open. But the men were faster than I was. I was about to burst through the door when a hand grabbed my legs. "Leave me alone!" I yelled, kicking and flailing my legs but the hands were as hard as steel. "Shut up, you stupid cunt!" He yelled, giving my leg a hard tug. Without another word, I immediately kicked him in the face, causing him to yell in pain before releasing his grip on my leg. Taking my chance, I immediately started through the door and began to run towards the woods, anywhere I could find some shelter. I tur
ANDREAI woke up with a groan, my eyes fluttering open as my feeble eyelids opened. "Ugh!" I groaned, feeling a bit sore as I weakly got up from the bed. The harsh artificial light of the room had me squinting as my hurt eyes got filled with tears. My head was throbbing and the feverish feeling was still there, only only it had reduced significantly. The last thing I remembered was the guard asking. "Who did this to you?" I was surprised he had asked me that despite the fact that I had proven to be a bane back then. Then I remembered their words, and it made me wonder if my step sister had been found. I groaned softly, leaning back on the pillow. I wasn't supposed to be here, I had to make sure that my father was OK. The three guards seemed to have a very bad intent and I knew they might have carried out their evil intentions if their plan to find Karen proved futile. I clearly didn't want that. "Princess Andrea, you're awake!" A feminine voice squealed beside me. I turned to see a
ANDREAThe next day was spent going through the medicals and getting me ready to leave the Pack in two days time. I couldn't ignore the tone of the Crescent Moon Warriors as they spoke to me from thereon. I was respected, and the guards followed me everywhere I went, but that didn't mean a damn thing to me now because I was the only one who understood what things were this way. It was a very bright and sunny day, unlike the dark and gloomy turmoil in my heart. I could hear the footsteps of the stylists as they walked around the room, chatting loudly and praising me. I sat in front of the vanity as they did their job. But despite the whole makeover, I was still gloomy from the way my destiny or perhaps the course of my life was headed. The stylist adjusted the veil I was wearing, her face spread into a smile. "You look stunning, your grace." She said, beaming as she found the perfect fit. I wore a flowing white gown of delicate lace and perfect silk. The stylist adjusted my veil onc
ALPHA RONINThe day had started like any other in the Crescent Moon Pack. The sun was rising from the horizon, and I was going about my duties as the Alpha, making decisions for the ensured safety and prosperity of my pack. It was a bright, unassuming day but little did I know that this day would take an unexpected turn that would change the course of my life.As I was overseeing some training exercises in the pack's training grounds, giving advice to young soldiers and monitoring the sharpness and effectiveness of the blows they delivered to the dummies, I received a sudden and urgent mindlink from one of my guards. The message was brief but filled with panic."Alpha Ronin, the carriage containing your mate and the guards has been attacked!"My wolf yelped at the news.Fury coursed through my veins as I received the message, accompanied by rage that surged through me like wildfire, causing me to abandon the training session without a second thought. “You,” I called to one of the be
ANDREA. I stare out the carriage window as the guards open the gates of the Dark Claw Kingdom pack. The view is majestic, to say the least, with towering trees and tall buildings stretching as far as my eyes can see. But, honestly, I couldn't care less about it. This is not the life I imagined for myself, but I have no choice but to accept it. My fate is sealed and my father will kill me if I refuse his orders. "We're here," the masked bodyguard says, his voice breaking through my thoughts. He opens the door for me, and I nod before stepping out. I stand before the imposing mansion, feeling alone and abandoned, this is supposed to be my new home from now onwards. The sheer size of the Dark Claw pack's territory is overwhelming. I stare at the strange faces present to welcome me, wondering which one of them I'm getting married to. There are eight men, all decked in black outfits, standing with an air of authority. I take a deep breath and steel myself for the introduction."Welcom
Ronin’s POVI watched the whole wedding, I see her stand there alone and I know for the most part of our marriage it will be that way; She’d have to get used to being alone fast.Andrea leaves the wedding and I know for certain she is pissed and embarrassed but I can’t be bothered to attend the wedding. This is how our marriage will be a marriage on paper that is what I want, that is what’s best. I walk down the hall to her room when I hear her hiss angrily. She's clearly upset. "How convenient for him to come back after the wedding. Only a useless man would come for his wedding night but not the wedding itself. They value the intimacy that would happen but not taking the sacred vows," she says and it stings my ears.I step inside and she turns to me "What did you just say?" I ask as I walk toward her, my heart pounding and my wolf jumping. She looks up at me, her eyes still clouded with anger."Well, I was wondering what sort of Alpha your pack has that can't show up to his own wed
Wife..Half my existence I had longed to be addressed with this word by a man who cherished me and whom I cherish in return, not some alpha who had married me because of certain unfortunate circumstances.As he walked away leaving me with the papers of the contract I felt myself fall deeper into the claws of the depression threatening to take me downwards into the world of sorrow.“Dear heavens,” I sighed looking at the papers in my hands again and up to the roof. “I hate how much of a mess my life has become.” I declaredI let my eyes fall shut and the tears that had been stinging my eyeballs fell freely as I had nothing else to do and no one else to run to for comfort.I felt another presence before the voice graced me.“Your highness,” her voice was soft and sounded very pitiful. I opened my eyes and looked down at her.Her expression slowly morphed into that of horror before she casted her gaze downwards immediately to the floor and began to struggle with her words.I could only im
-CHAPTER 39-VALERIE.The ripple of shock that ran through me when he had said that froze me for a moment. I couldn't understand what was happening. I was more than shocked as he deflected my plea and came up with the same old bullshit of making sure that he doubled the security and made sure that they guarded me at all times. What had the security he had employed to guard done when I had gone out there in the woods and faked it all without any of them seeing me or stopping me before I did it. I watched as he made his promise of going to look for whoever had done this time and tracking them down. He had no idea that he was being sent into a wild goose chase. I was happy that he would come back with no single proof or track as to who had done it. He would come back tired and frustrated. And that was exactly the same way he looked when he came back the next morning to talk to me and see how I was doing. He was tired and he looked quite frustrated like the whole thin
-CHAPTER 38-RONIN.Shocked was too weak a word to describe the way I felt the moment I laid my eyes on Valerie who was sprawled on the ground. Her form painted a clear picture of vulnerability and it hit me like a freight train. I was so confused and shocked as it began to sink in that she had been attacked. But how? By who? How was that even possible and what was she doing in this part of the woods away from the Packhouse? I guess she came around to have some fresh air and reconnect with nature. It wasn't far from the Packhouse so I shouldn't be so concerned. My protective instincts immediately surged to the forefront and I cared immediately while giving orders to the guards who were beside me now. I couldn't stand the sight of her lying down there, asking the guards to move away from her. "What happened to you?" I asked, moving close to her but I berated myself immediately for asking her the question. It was clear that she was hurt and wouldn't be able to answer the question.
-CHAPTER 37-VALERIE Anticipating his visit tomorrow made me so excited and I could not stop wondering how my planned spectacles would change basically everything about us. But first I had to make sure that I planned everything meticulously and there was not a single chance that anything fishy would be detected. I set up for many hours that night thinking about what I was going to do to make him know that the Threat was real and I could fall in danger even when it seemed impossible. Unfortunately I had to sleep off that night with nothing planned because I was so excited that I found it hard coming up with a very good plan that would help me facilitate my mission.I eagerly continued to await his arrival while consequencing what the impact of my carefully crafted performance would do between the both of us and also his relationship with that bitch. I simply could not wait. My maid had already taken care of everything when I got up the next morning, just as he had p
CHAPTER 36-RONIN.I started for her immediately, but I also had it in mind to keep my space and not approach her too much. I stood behind her, watching her every move as she began walking around. "I don't think i have all day, Valerie." I said to her, wanting to leave this place. I could no longer weather the way I felt right now. I just wanted to leave and have some moment of rest, away from the troubles that plagued me right now. I just wanted to go, but she was making sure that those feelings got more intense. As soon as I had said the word to her, she turned around immediately with a sly smile on her lips and began to approach me. She didn't say anything, which only made me more angry. Did she think I was here to make jokes with her or play games? I didn't want to voice out my anger at this moment because she would have enough reason to rant that I was not caring enough or that I was desperate to kick her out of my life, which wasn't what I wanted to hear. It was horrible when
RONINValerie's room felt a bit suffocating as I made my way through the door. I had no idea if it was because of the work I had been involved with all day or if it was because of the emotions that choked me the moment I remembered that I had made a terrible mistake and she was capitalising on it.I couldn't let her down, so I had to play by her rules now and see where this would take me. Her eyes brightened as she looked up at me, instantly acknowledging my presence. "Hey, you came!" She said excitedly with a radiant smile which was a sharp contrast to what I felt inside. I also knew that the way she presented herself now might not be the way she truly felt inside, sometimes I felt it was just one of her weak attempts to manipulate me into actually caring. I nodded before flashing her a very weak smile. "Yes." I said, releasing a weak sigh before walking to the bed where she was sitting. She got up from the bed and gave me a hug which I forcefully and awkwardly gave her back befo
CHAPTER 34-RONIN."Tell me you're going to do something about this." She said, looking me in the eye as she spoke to me. I returned her gaze, not wanting to lie to her that I was going to do something about it when it was clear that she wasn't saying what I wanted to hear. It might not be true what had happened, so I wasn't going to do anything unless I had found out if she was telling the truth or not. By the way, doing something about it didn't mean punishing Andrea to her taste. I nodded and flashed her a small smile before brushing back her hair behind her nape. She gave me a sweet smile before I said. "I will, you don't have to feel sorry for yourself about it. I want you to take care of the baby and visit the hospital often so they can update you on things you need to do. I'll be here to offer any sort of assistance if you need me to." I finished and watched as she nodded her head, smiling happily from my promise. The most important thing was that she was happy. It didn't l
CHAPTER 33-RONINI stood at the spot, rooted in shock for a moment or two before I turned back slowly, hoping that I had misheard her. I could hear my heart beginning to race a bit fast now, which was unlike me. I steaded my emotions immediately and kept my expression stoic, but it was a different story altogether deep down. I couldn't grapple with what she had just said, but just to confirm if that had been a cruel joke or something of that sort, I asked. "I don't understand what you mean? I think I misheard you." I said, unable to hide the worry in my voice. She rolled her eyes before giving me a knowing look. "You heard me right. I wasn't joking and neither did I have water in my mouth when I said that. But in incase you want me to repeat it again, here you go. "I am pregnant with our child." She said, rolling her eyes a second time as her words echoed, reverberating through my mind as I thought about it. How was that even possible? I asked myself, filled with shock and surpri
-CHAPTER 32-RONIN"You still haven't told me what I wanna hear, Valerie. I'd suggest you stop being cryptic and tell me what you mean. Or else you're just trying to cover up for the stupid mistake you just made. You think I am stupid? Is that what you think of me?" I asked, looking her deep in the eye. But it didn't seem to affect her at all, she instead seemed to be amused by the way i spoke to her. .I wished she would just stop with her attitude and tell me what I needed to hear. "I don't think you deserve to know anything about it now. Maybe you should wait, and when you find it out yourself, you will be happy that I kept it from you all this while." She said, before she walked up to me and began to trail her finger across my buttons. I was choking back the anger that was trying to eat me up right now. Did she take me for a child, or a serf that can be manipulated emotionally anyhow she wanted. And that had me wondering if what she wanted right now was for me to beg her to tell
-CHAPTER 31-RONIN"I am going to ask you for the second time, answer my question and stop changing the damn topic." At this point I was doing everything to get out of the shitty situation that I had just found myself in. But how was this even possible? How could she have known it? Had the guards said something to her, or was there a secret informant that could be feeding her with some information. Her maid? The thoughts kept running in and out of my mind as I desperately tried to go back to the other topic.There was no way I could lie now, and that was because Alphas never did, and it would hit my reputation like a ton of bricks, and that was something I didn't want. "I never knew you were this evil! I trusted you, but I never knew you were different. So you mean go tell me that you sleep well and you are not even bothered after what you have done to me? The promises that you made to me. They were all empty lies and empty promises that were meant to just keep me elated and happy