BernardoI watched Harlyn walking away after threatening to claw my eyes out if I did anything to Hillan. I felt like a fool. I felt stupid and I hated it. I just made a fool out of myself in front of my sisters, my best friend, Harry, and my mate. I felt stupid because I should have listened to Hillan first.I mean, I still don’t like him and still wanted to punch him in the face again but I realize now that I overreacted and fucking reacted too fast.I acted immediately when I saw him. I rushed to him and punched him in the face hard enough to burst his nose, I didn’t even give him time to speak and now, I feel like a fool because everyone including my youngest sister thinks I was wrong.“You guys go talk things out and you have to go speak to Luna after that, you made her mad.” My older sister said. I nodded and turned to Hillan. I let out a sigh and beckoned him to follow me to my temporary office. He followed behind me, obviously still alert after what I did to him. He admitted
Bernardo “I don’t get it.” “Yeah, I didn’t get it.”“But you met with him. how did you do it?” I asked him. “I have my ways. I am a businessman, remember? Plus, I just have to make up a beef with you and he believed me. I told you that he’s uneducated. Super dumb and gullible yet he acts like he knows it all.” I could tell by the way he looked when he spoke about Theo that he truly felt disgusted by him and that made what he was telling me more believable even though I still couldn’t understand why Theo would want any of that.“So, you are telling me that the reason he wants to take my kingdom is because he wants to send us back in time?” Hillan nodded. “Yes, he believes that as the ruler of the biggest pack in the world. He can influence the council and make them do whatever he wants.” I scoffed. “The council?” I questioned. council? Every pack existed on its own now. There was no council unless within the various packs.“Yeah, that’s what he said. I tried to explain to him
Bernardo “Are you going to relay everything I told you to that guy?” He asked, I knew he was referring to Damien and I nodded. “Yes, he is my best friend and my right-hand man.” I replied. He didn’t look convinced. “Why?” I asked him. “Do you trust him?” He asked and I laughed. I had to laugh. Why would he ask such a question? If I don’t trust Damien then who would I trust in the whole world? Damien is the last person who would ever turn against me. Damien is to me what the former Zeta had been to my father. He would give up everything including his life to protect him. “Yes, I trust him. He's my best friend and has been helping a lot.” I told Hillan. It made me angry to think that he doubted my best friend’s loyalty and then it dawned on me that that’s the same thing I did to Harlyn. I doubted Hillan who she considered a good friend. I realized how she must have felt and it made me sad. “I am sorry,” I blurted out. I know I said that an alpha king doesn’t apol
Harlyn“Luna, we can call it a day and try again another day when you are feeling better.” Leah said, bring me out of my thoughts. I bowed my head in apology because I hadn’t been listening to all she had been saying, I had been distracted. Ever since I walked away from Bernardo and the others, I haven’t felt right. Nothing felt right.I hated how I was feeling and the fact that I couldn’t control it was annoying. My wolf and I were in a conflict and that was making me hot inside and restless. I understand her need to put our mate first but what about me? He hurt me and hurt my friend. Why can’t I be mad at him? Why can’t my wolf agree with me when Bernardo did me wrong?She might not be loyal to Hillan but I am. If it wasn’t for him, I would have been torn apart by a pack of rogue panthers.Neither me nor my wolf would have had a chance to live if not for Hillan so why should I let the fact that Bernardo hurt the person who saved me go just because he is my mate? It didn’t feel rig
Harlyn “I support your decision. That man is horrible. I could tell from the moment that I met him that he was no good but it took a while for Bernardo to see through his bullshit and pretentious nature.” I told him. yeah, that’s why I was angrier at Bernardo. he gave his loser uncle so many chances. Gave him the benefit of the doubt and even told me off multiple times when I tried to make him see him for who he really was but he couldn’t do the same for Hillan. The fact that Hillan had been on his side, he had gone out of his way to meet with Theo for whatever reason and found things he so eagerly wanted to share with Bernardo that he didn’t even go over to his pack before he came down to the Crimson Moon only to be treated horribly by Bernardo. fucking grumpy alpha king. “Your mate has a lot to learn and unlearn.” Harry commented. “Yeah, he does. I hate the fact that he can’t tell who his real enemies are,” I let out. “I know you might not like him right now and I know
Harlyn“I wonder if he would have believed me if Sophie hadn’t come out to confirm what I told him. Would he have stood his ground?” I let out. The thought that he might not have listened to me if his sister had not spoken up made me angry. He could get me in my head. He could read my thoughts. What was the point of having the mating connection if we still can’t trust each other’s words? Why couldn’t he just look at me? look at my heart and know I wouldn’t lie. That Hillan wasn’t the bad man he made him out to be.“I think I know why your mate acts the way he does when he comes to that other alpha.” Harry said and I looked at him in confusion. “He’s jealous.” I couldn’t believe it. Jealous? I am mated to him, I stay with him, I sleep with him. I love him and I have told him that so why would he be jealous of Hillan when he got my heart, my body, and everything? It couldn’t be something that Hillan did because Hillan didn’t even do anything in the first place. He could have easil
Harlyn“What do you want?” I let out when I saw it was the person that I didn’t want to see. “Can we talk?” He asked, I looked away without responding. Now he wanted us to talk? No, I refuse to talk to him. I wanted and needed to hold on to my anger so that he would know not to mess with people that I care about just because he can. “Harlyn, can we talk, please?” He asked again. “I have nothing to say to you, Bernardo. you have pressing issues to deal with, don’t waste your time with me.” I let out and saw the hurt in his eyes but I refused to let it get to me. He didn’t think about my feelings when he pushed Hillan out of his office after hitting him hard enough for him to bleed. Harry tapped my back and I turned to him. I narrowed my eyes on him when he gave me a look that I didn’t like. He was still on Bernardo’s side. Both my twin brother and my wolf were against him but that won’t stop me from making Bernardo suffer for his sins.“Don’t you dare plead his case or I will p
BernardoI wasn’t getting through to her and it was driving me crazy. I had enough time to think about what I would say to her but when I finally stood before her, I could barely get any words out. I already offended her again and things weren’t looking good for me.Damien and I had a long talk earlier and he warned me that no matter what happens, I shouldn’t make Harlyn turn her back against me and that’s why when she walked away from the door, got on the bed with her back on me, I walked into the room even though she told me not to and now she was facing me and telling me her mind and she was right. I failed to identify who my real enemies were. I went so hard for Sean who turned out to be my enemy yet I doubted Hillan who turned out to be on my side even though he was doing it because he cared about my mate and his sister.“Harlyn, I am sorry.” I said again, that’s all I could. Every other thing felt wrong. I thought about words I wanted to say but couldn’t get them out because I
Harlyn “You guys can go if you want. I will wait here with the twins.” Leah told the ladies who took the chance to leave. “They are going to spread the news that I have an identical twin.” I told Leah and Helaine. “How do you know that?” I smiled knowingly. “I just know.” I said with a laugh. “You look really pretty.” Helaine complimented. “I look just like you.” I told her. “No, not right now. You look like an elegant version of us and it really suits you.” I smiled at the compliment. We didn’t even get the chance to talk much because my mate walked back into the dressing room. “Oh, the royal couple, coupling.” Helaine cheered when she saw Bernardo. We must have unknowingly teleported our dress code because he was wearing a similar color-coded attire. Navy blue and white. He looked very kingly with the crown on his head and the staff of office in his hand. I don’t know about others but I was completely smitten by him and if I wasn’t already so in love with him, I wou
Harlyn “It looks so good on you, oh my goodness!” I did a three-sixty turn for her and laughed when the women cheered. “I know a secret.” Patricia let out and the three of us stared at her curiously. “Tell us,” Leah told her when Patricia didn’t speak. She smiled. “I don’t know if you will believe me but the queen mother had the dresses remade for her.” She said and pointed at me. I stared at her in shock and confusion. There’s no way that’s true. “You are joking, right? Harlyn became Luna not too long ago and my grandma has been gone for over a year now. She died way before the alpha and Harlyn got together.” Leah said and I nodded in agreement. It just didn’t make any sense. “I am not joking or lying. The queen mother knew you would one day be queen. At least that’s what she kept telling us. If you don’t believe me then you can ask the other worker, though she has stopped working at the palace. She knows, everyone who worked close to the queen mother knew.” I didn’t know
Harlyn “I know and I am grateful for it. Only you can make him agree to something like that and I am truly happy that he found you now. The side of my baby brother I see every day these days even with everything going on pleases me and I have you to thank for bringing that side of him out.” There she goes again with all the thanks as if mating with Bernardo didn’t change my life more than it did his. “I am glad too.” I told her because I didn’t want to argue his importance and just what mating with him has done for me. I am sure Leah already knows that. “Okay, let’s get you dressed. Ladies, let’s see what you got.” Leah called out to the two women who quickly started pulling out things that they had come up with. Leah pushed me gently into one of the chairs in the huge room and made a stay-put gesture before walking over to the women. I glared at my reflection in the mirror in front of me. I have seen myself in mirrors lately but every time I see myself, I see a whole new perso
Harlyn “Why do you look so in shock? You are the queen now, that’s yours.” It felt surreal. Everything in that room screams luxury, expensive and some of them very vintage. Even the queen mother only used that room when it was really important that she show up as queen and now, that place will be mine. It felt too huge to be real. “I don’t know, Bern. It feels like I will be stepping into a place that isn’t mine. Can’t I just get dressed in our room?” I asked him. “Sure you can any other time but it’s important that you show up in traditional crimson moon royal attire as the queen.” “But I am not queen yet.” I pointed out. “Oh, but you are my dear. The day I found out that you were my mate was the day you became queen of the crimson moon. Coronation is just to make it ceremonial.” Now why do I suddenly have doubts when I was the one who insisted that I want to stand by his side? I let out a deep sigh and nodded. I didn’t want us to waste more time. “Call her.” I told him.
Harlyn“Baby? It’s time to go!”I opened my eyes when I heard Bernardo’s whispers and blinked to clear sleep off my eyes. I must have fallen asleep while waiting for him. I don’t even know how long I slept. The last thing I remembered was reading through the PDF that Hillan had sent to me.“What time is it?”I asked Bernardo as he helped me up.“Past four pm,”He told me and helped me fix my hair. He had a look on his face that I didn’t like.“Did something happen while I was sleeping?”I asked him with concern. He smiled and shook his head but I wasn’t convinced. I looked around his office and it was just the two of us.“But you don’t look okay.”I said and reached to caress his face. He touched my hand and held it against his face.“I know. I am just in my feelings. I guess even though I passed the judgment, I hate to see it happen but I have to be there.”I understood immediately and pulled him into a tight hug.“Oh baby, but you don’t have to be there. You already did your part, r
Harlyn“You finally showed up, I thought you were really going to take the whole day off.”Damien said when we walked into Bernardo's office.“Oh Luna, you came too?”I smiled and waved at him.I never said that I was taking the day off, I just said that I wouldn’t rush to the office. I deserve a break don’t I?”He asked Damien while walking me further into his office. I haven’t been here since the renovation after what happened with Sean. I can’t believe this was where it all really started. Thank Goddess that he called me into his office that day. Even if I hated meeting that uncle of his, the meeting still helped expose him.“Thank goodness that you are here because I was about to take over your office and make new laws for Crimson Moon. Your assistant has been looking at me funny all morning.”Damien said just as Bernardo’s assistant walked in. he bowed to the king and me.“Is that my schedule for today? Why does it look so fucking scary? I told you to use a tablet! I hate seeing
Harlyn “Let them, I mean, it’s not like I did anything wrong. It’s better than being an orgy king.” I burst out laughing. I couldn’t stop myself. Did he get a lot funnier or am I just too blinded by love to think straight? Either way, I love this side of us. Glad we can make jokes about everything. My eyes met the staff and I realized I laughed at something he said through our mind link which made me laugh awkwardly. “Are you really going to keep talking about that orgy thing?” I thought as he pulled me along with him out of the dining room. “Yes, for as long as I live it will haunt me and I will haunt you with it.” I shook my head at him. “Okay, you can do what you want but just know that they are still going to tell on you.” I reminded him. “And I said that I don’t mind. If not, I would have had them sent to the dungeon and threatened with being beheaded if what happened ever gets out.” I stopped walking and stared at him. “What?” He asked out loud as if he didn’t just
Harlyn “Good morning my beautiful Luna.” I smiled when I heard the familiar voice. For the first time in a long time, I woke up to my mate in bed with me. His morning voice was the first thing I heard in the morning and I can’t remember the last time it happened. It made me emotional. “You are still here.” I whispered and blinked to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Usually, he would be out of bed before I woke up and out doing his kingly duties. “Yes, I am still here. I have a lot to do today but I don’t feel like leaving our bed yet. There’s no need to rush. Did you sleep well?” He asked and kissed me on the forehead and that also made me emotional. Morning kisses. I get forehead kisses in the morning again. It felt refreshing in a lot of ways. “I slept better than I have in a while and it feels extra good to have you here with me. I can’t remember the last time I woke up to you in bed. One of the many cons of fucking the king.” He frowned at my choice of words. “Fucking?” He
Harlyn “I did? I don’t feel like I did anything, your sister did all the work. I only gave orders.” Here he goes again, downplaying what he has done. We were really made for each other since we are very good at downplaying what we do. I wasn’t about to let him get away with doing it this time. I placed a finger over his lips. “Don’t say that. You did well today and I am super proud of you.” I told him in a firm voice that left no room for disagreement. He smiled and nodded. Then he let out a sigh and finally set me down. He didn’t let me go completely. His arms remained wrapped around me while we both stared at each other. I reached and caressed his face. He looked so drained. “Have you eaten?” I asked him. he nodded. “I ate with Damien. He is very good at keeping me in check. Also, he said you might kill him if you find out about what he let me do. I told him that I would snitch.” Even tiredness didn’t take away the funny side of him. I love that for him and me. “What did he