Harlyn It was late but people were still walking around. The only place I had a little fear about was the alley I passed when I was looking for a place to eat. Because of that, I retraced my steps and started walking back to the hotel. “Hey, beautiful, want to spend your night in my arms? I promise that I will treat you right,”A drunk-looking man said, stopping me on my track. I tried to avoid him and moved to the other side of the road but he followed me. “Don’t look so scared, I don’t want to hurt you I just want to pleasure you, I know you would love it,”He tried, I looked around and there were few people walking around and the man didn’t really look like he could harm me, he just looked drunk and out of his mind. Plus, he was human. I could tell because I couldn’t feel any kind of divinity in him that I would usually feel to distinguish between humans and shifters. I don’t know how I could tell but I just could. “Why? Don’t you want me to give you pleasure? I promise I will
Bernardo “Fool,”My wolf called out for the hundredth time that day, about one thousand times since I sent our mate away. I agreed that I was a fool. I hadn’t been thinking straight when I told her that I rejected her. how could I be thinking straight and say something like that? I regretted it almost immediately but still, I watched her leave my room in tears. I was an asshole who rejected the one woman that was made for him. “You are more than an asshole, find her,”My wolf growled. “You are not the boss of me,”I argued. I control my animal side because if I don’t, he would take over and do some shits that I would never approve of even though sometimes, he tries to fight me for control like right now. It was a war between the both of us and I wasn’t winning as it stands. I should have gone to see her. I shouldn’t have let her leave my room in tears. Grandma would roll over in her grave if she ever found out what I did to her goddaughter. Yes, before she died, Grandma had told m
Bernardo“But my king,”“Take me to Harlyn,”I let out. but fucker just stood there fidgeting. “What’s going on? Where is her room?”I asked impatiently. I tried to make out her scent but couldn't, which got me worried. “My kingdom, the young maiden hasn’t been in the palace since yesterday,”I stared at him in confusion. What was he talking about, why would she not be in the palace? For as long as I remember, everyone who works in the palace lives within the palace. “Yes, Your Majesty, the princess sent her away according to your command, yesterday, and I was told to find a replacing for her,”He was crazy. He had to be because what nonsense was he even talking about? I never gave any command. “What are you on about? What command? Why would I give a command to the princess?”I asked. “My king, the princess said you asked her to send the maiden away and she left yesterday, she didn’t even get to pack her stuff. No one could say anything because the princess said they were your wo
Harlyn It felt like my head was going to split in two, not just that, I felt like I had been floating and now I was starting to sink. I tried to open my eyes but I couldn’t because I felt like if I did, I would actually die. Also, I felt like if I kept my eyes closed, I could die. It was a war deciding what to do and my headache didn’t help the situation. I tried to remember what happened to me that my head was aching this much. But I couldn’t recall anything and slowly, I let the darkness swallow me again and when I got myself back, I was back in Bernaldo’s room. I looked around, wondering how I ended up in the alpha king’s room and on his bed. I was naked, I sat up just as he walked in. “Bernaldo,”I called out. It was the first time I would ever say his name out loud. I didn’t know what gave me the mind to call out the name of the alpha king and he didn’t look pleased about it. “What are you doing in my bed and why are you still naked?”He yelled at me. I quickly got up and out
Harlyn“Your brother saved me? The Panthers?”I breathed. Unless he was super strong, there was no way he would have faced eight panthers on his own and won but then again, he was an alpha, and alphas were known to be very strong and mostly unbeatable. “He did and I think I should let him explain what had happened because he didn’t really tell me much. He doesn’t speak that much. What’s your name?”She asked. “Harlyn,”I managed to say. She smiled and nodded. “While you speak with Hillan, I will have the chef make something for you. What do you like?”She asked. I didn’t really have anything that I liked, not that I had much choice in what I ate back in Crimson Moon. We always eat whatever the chefs make for the day. I didn’t have any allergies or dislikes. “Anything would do,”I said and looked down at my clothes, I was wearing a robe which meant someone had helped me out of the clothes that I had been wearing last night. Now I wasn’t even sure if everything happened last night.
Harlyn I cried in his arms, feeling sorry for myself as my mind went over everything I went through in the last few days. my life has never been great but it wasn’t as bad as it got the past few days. cried for what I had thought would happen once Bernaldo marked me but didn’t happen. I cried for the only home I knew that I might not be able to go back to. And the kind alpha who saved me and gave me a second chance to live patted my back softly while I cried. “I am sorry, I shouldn’t be crying on you.”I said and pulled away from his arms. “It’s okay, I figured what happened to you must have been bad for you to start crying because I asked. If you don’t want to tell me then you don’t have to. You haven’t eaten for two days, I think you need food,”He said and put some distance between us. I didn’t know him all that much but he was the first person to treat me like a normal person for the longest time. “Thank you, for saving me and for letting me stay with you. I promise, I will be
Harlyn“Thank you,”I whispered and took the spoon he held to me. My stomach rumbled for the lack of food. I took a spoonful of the rice and also took from the soup. I was so hungry that I didn’t stop eating until I finished the full bowl of rice that was given to me. “Do you want more?”Hillan asked when I finished eating. He watched me eat. I don’t know how I was even able to swallow with him watching me. I guess I was too hungry to think about that. “No, I am full, thank you for the food and for letting me stay here. For saving me. Heck, I have a lot of things to thank you for,”I said. “We are cool. Now, we need to go say hi to my mom and dad, especially my mom,”Hillan said and I nodded. I knew it was rude of me not to acknowledge her greetings and friendliness earlier. “Thank you for the food,”I called out to the chef who waved at me before Hillan reached for my hand again and we both exited the kitchen. “Mom, Dad? Helen? She wants to say hi,”Hillan called out when we got
Harlyn “Stop making things up, all I said was I am going to send the helicopter to the healer’s house if she doesn’t wake up,”He said. The fact that he thought of doing something like that for me even though he didn’t know anything about me just showed me how much of a kind alpha he was. The only kind of wolf that she should be an alpha. Someone who cares about everyone whether they can shift or not. “You didn’t trust me,”Helen chirped. “Well, do you blame me? You have a medical license to handle humans, not shifters. “I don’t shift,”I said in a low voice but they heard me anyway and all eyes turned in my direction. “That doesn’t make you any less of a shifter, darling,”It was their Dad that spoke. “In our pack, every shifter is welcome. It doesn’t matter if you shift or not. You are one of us and you will be treated as one of us. I don’t know what happened to you but know that you have a place here in Orange Moon.”He told me. “Thank you, sir,”I said. “Would you look at
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