I swear I hear her sniffle before she looks away. Drusila stands abruptly and changes the subject. "Enough of the past. It's late and dinner's getting cold. We've travelled for so long that I really miss my pillow." I smile faintly at that, but it's on a line between a grimace and a wince. I can't forget the horrible image painted in my head, and I'm afraid I'll look at Zeke differently from now on. But I mentally smack myself in the cheek. Trust isn't blind. I can't let empathy go against my better judgement. I inform her. "I'm not hungry, but I'll like to be alone now." Drusila looks like she doesn't approve of my response, but she doesn't scold me. She leaves quietly and closes the door behind her. I'm alone in my room now and my eyes feel heavy. I yawn and stretch my hands over my head. The dresser is far away but I must change out of these clothes, even though I'm exhausted. I walk over to the table and pull down the front zip of the jumpsuit. It's down halfway, giving off a
Jai-Blynn walks ahead, leading me to the house of the pack's doctor, Taz. I figured out who he was, and after dinner, Zeke sent me to him to begin everything. The beta who's always on my watch does his job by following me. It's dark outside and I'm rubbing my palm over my arm with slightly clattering teeth. "If it helps, I'm glad you survived." He starts and I'm shocked to see he wants to speak to me. "Sorry to disappoint...again." I sigh and mutter as the wind blows away strands of fallen hair from my face. "Again?" He looks over his shoulder, and I nod, even though he's turned back already and can't see me. "The Alpha's choice was not a favourite, if I remember correctly. She didn't fit the beta's type." I spit and wrap my arms around myself as we continue down the cobblestone walkway. Jai-Blynn smirks for a moment. "I've had time to reconsider." "And what has changed your mind?" I loosen the bun on my hair and let it drape over my shoulders to ward off the cold. He appears se
Mist clears away from my eyes and I can see the bed ceiling clearly now. I turn my neck and find Jai-Blynn standing there with his arms crossed. I have memories in my head, but it's not of the beta. Zeke is carrying me bridal style and the look on his face is primal fear. There's chaos around me before it goes black again. Zeke was here. I can tell because the images in my head may seem distorted, but they actually happened. I feel it. Jai-Blynn notices I'm awake and breaks a small smile. He whispers. "Hey. How are you?" I nod, still scanning my gaze around the room. "Peachy." "You scared me for a second." He plants himself by my side on the bed, and I don't recoil. I am warming up to the beta. "Where is Zeke?" My question hangs unanswered for a minute and I see him clench his jaw and avert his gaze to the door. The aura I sense is weird. I can't grasp it. I repeat louder. "Is something wrong? Where's Zeke?" He snaps his neck back at me and smiles easily. "No, Mare. Nothing
It's been two days. I've not said a word to Zeke after that night, and it doesn't bother me. Jai-Blynn keeps me company whenever he can, but I usually hate the morning hours when everyone leaves and I'm all alone. It's that time of the day now and I'm looking for what to busy myself with. I've finished setting up the rubik's cube on the living room's glass table. I can go another round, but I'll leave that for tomorrow. My eyes scan the enormous house. The wheels in my head are turning. I pick the remote and turn on the flat screen. There's a woman in there forecasting the weather. She says it will rain a lot in the coming days with thunderstorms. I flip to the next channel and I find a rom-com showing. The female lead is being maltreated by her family and husband, but she will later rise again to have her revenge. It is catchy, but I eventually fall asleep on the living room couch. In my dreams, I am back in Carodia. My mother is with me and I see her smiling. I never want to wake
ZEKE: I change into gym shorts and a sleeveless black vest and I head to the basement, intending to clear my head. She was getting on my nerves and yet invading my thoughts. I can't work my way around it, but I fear Marelyn Everdeen and what she's doing to my sanity. I jog down the stairs and slip on the bag gloves hanging on the opposite wall as I cross the chain wall entrance. This child is a must. I'll lose a lot more than I already have if this does not work out. Marelyn will birth my child safely, no matter the cost. "Can I help you?" I say as I face the black heavy bag and punch repeatedly. Drusila steps into the room, making her presence known, but I do not turn to address her. My fists do not relent from the padded bag. In less than five minutes, sweat beads my forehead, dripping and mapping the under arms of my vest. "Kyra just arrived. We'll start preparations for the pack gathering when you're ready." She starts when I successfully ignore her. "You know what you have t
MARE: I'm staring at myself in the mirror with my heart beating hard in my chest. Kyra heard Jai-Blynn and I planning my escape yesterday. I know she doesn't like me and I'm waiting for Zeke to barge in and torture me for going against our agreement. But if I can survive today, then it will all be over. Drusila put me in a dark red ruched high-slit gown and a red veil for the occasion. Jai-Blynn told me all about today's event before Zeke took him off my watch last night. It's Moon Grove's annual pack gathering, and the alpha intends to introduce me to his wolves. "Are you ready?" I gasp and whip my head around. Kyra stands there in a black ankle-length slip dress. My heart skipped for a minute. I realize she's alone and not with a train of guards wanting to roust me. "I've been trapped in here against my will. Of course, I'm ready to see new faces." I toss the veil over my face again and rise to my feet. Kyra asked what my relationship with Jai-Blynn was when she found us in tha
I intend to only grab a glass of water from the kitchen, but my scattered brain makes me walk past it without noticing. I realize myself too late because when I turn around, a hand reaches out and pulls me into the door at my side. The door closes behind me and my eyes find a rock-hard chest levelled with my face. It's Jai-Blynn. I let out a sigh of relief, placing a hand over my heart to calm its racing beats. I thought I was in trouble. Maybe I am. "Hey," he says, smiling. I see myself smiling too, and maybe I was gone without even noticing, like Kyra said. "Hey." I breathe. "It's a whole crowd out there just for you." He brushes away a fallen strand of hair from my face and tucks it behind my ear. "I know, but it means nothing to me." I search his gaze as he does mine. His face is so close that his hot breath on my skin leaves tingles in its wake. His eyes flick to my lips before he asks. "Did you read my note?" I realize my slip up, and I look at my open palm, only to f
I changed out of the red dress hours later. Drusila dressed me up in a strapless silver tulle gown with layers for the full moon. I had a hard time hiding the thigh holster Jai had given me from her, but she didn't see it, eventually. I was lucky enough. When I return to our table, Zeke still asks that I socialize with the crowd, and I do so, but they are all treating me like a goddess who's visiting the earth. They are worshipping the ground I walk on and I don't want that because I don't think I deserve it. I'm also on edge. The thought of everything I have to do fills me with angst. I'm alone until I flee through the tunnel and find whoever Jai-Blynn says will wait for me on the other side. If I do not escape today while everyone is distracted and Zeke's patrol has their guard lowered, I will never have my chance again. The pack gathering happens only once a year. I excuse myself from the circle, hounding me with questions. Zeke's eyes are on me the entire time, but I do not retu
I'm standing at the window edge of a hallway in the fortress. Everyone that passes greets their Alpha with a bow. Today is the exertion of the verdict I passed over all those involved in my mother's death. I took her skull down from where it was hung and finally gave her a befitting burial. Chantria Van Acker, after being tried for my mother's death and King Nikolai's death, was sentenced to death. Her execution is today, and Zane doesn't try to stop it. I knew he went to see her one last time at the dungeons last night, but she's his mother. Will that ever be enough? Hours later, Aiden hands me a platter. I open it and find Chantrias head. The last thing I can do for my mother is to replace her skull with that of the person who put her there. I tell him where to leave the human head until it decomposes, and only a skull is left. My brother stops by to see me in my chambers that evening. He doesn't seem angry that I had given the order for her death. She had killed Father, too. It
ZEKE Again, fire and water will stand against each other. I don't know what the outcome of this fight will be. In my head, I know what I want, but I can't tell exactly what my brother is thinking. It was his idea to do this. I'm not so sure why I even agreed. Revenge doesn't matter anymore. Once I looked into my daughter's eyes, all the pain I felt melted away. I healed. Mare couldn't let go of me all through the night. She was stuck to me like glue because she feared this moment. She feared losing me. My life is finally coming together. I fear losing it, too. The arena roars wild. The entire wolf lands are watching King Nikolai's sons make history. I'm already a record breaker, and he's their king. This fight will have them all at the edge of their seats. The gong goes off and shirtless as we are, dressed in nothing but shorts we fight to the death. I cast an illusion of a cloud over his head, and constant rain falls on only him in the arena. Zane is furious that I'm drenching
KYRA I'm storming into his chambers in Moon Wood's fortress. I just learnt the news of a battle between legacies. There are only two legacies I know apart from evil Jai-Blynn. All of Carodia believes the king has gone mad for wanting to fight his brother, who took down an entire pack and turned them to dust. Zeke Van Acker has gained a name for himself in the city, but that is still far from my point. How could he do this to me? We talked the second our boat arrived at the harbour. Actually, we did less talking and more physical activities for the first few hours after meeting again. I was so sure Marelyn and I made the right choice after spending time with him again. My wolf couldn't stop pining for him, but it seems I'm the only one who felt that way. How could he do this us? Zane says after I barge in, "I know you are angry. Kyra, calm down—I can't believe they just let you walk through easily." "It's not news to anyone, including your other mates, that we are together, Zane.
"That child and I can't exist at the same time on this earth, Mare." "Why, Jai?" I frown, calculating the distance with my eyes. I make a jump for it and shield Kinna from his attack with my body. Summoning my powers, I struggle to get a hold of his mind, but the calibre of power coming out of him is not to be underestimated. Now I realise he wasn't kidding back then in that warehouse. "Your little bloodline powers won't work on me. But Mare, you are no longer my concern. Give me your champion, and you can walk away from this alive." I'm shocked that he's willing to bargain. There's something he knows that none of us do. Something that makes this moment more important to him than ever. I scream hard. "Never!" The force of my voice hits him, but he only staggers back by a step, and I had really mustered up strength with that move. How powerful is he really? "Angering me will only make the terms worse, Marelyn!" "You can kill me, but not my child, Jai. I will never let you touc
ZEKE A Day Earlier... I'm standing in front of the mirror, feeling for my now thick beards. It's a new look I've been sporting. Just yesterday, the action series I starred in aired, and the viewing ratings were through the roof. It's a hit. I've always had blockbusters where I starred as the villain, but never have I been portrayed from a protagonist's point of view in one of them. It's unreal. What's also unreal is what tomorrow is. I know Marelyn is due tomorrow. My chest tightens like every other time I've stared at the date or thought about it. I've been distant. I never showed up for our daughter, but it all got to a point where I considered myself unworthy of being in their lives. She may be happy in Carodia with her date from before. Maybe it fleshed into something more. I can't tell, but it's been bugging me at the back of my mind for months. Scarlett helped me understand what those random slip-ups meant over time. Everything is clear to me now. I stare at my reflection
I don't realise that the doorknob has come off. I stare at the piece in my hand. It broke off, but my mind is fixed on their conversation. She's dating now. It's been just two weeks, and she promised that wasn't goodbye. My jaw clenches impossibly in anger. Finding a new path. Bullshit! I block out their voices and lock myself in my study. I throw my head back over the headrest of the desk chair, blowing out my cheeks. So far, the day has been terrible. I'm nervous. I want to storm into Carodia the next second and restructure the idiot fling's face. She's mine. She's fucking mine! The broken doorknob sits on my desk because I don't know what to do with it yet. Suddenly, my mind is made up. I stand on my feet and head to my bedroom. I open my suitcase on my bed, swiping clothes off the rack in the walk-in closet and dropping them inside it. It's easy not to overthink it. But soon, there's a knock on the open door, calling my attention. Scarlett is holding the broken doorknob, eyein
I've been showing up for appointments with the pack doctor at Blue Silver for the past two weeks since I arrived. He's not who I used to know, and his name is Xavier Scythe. When Ava refused to take me in because of our last encounter, Xavier showed Kyra and I a roof over our head. He is also the next catch as Kyra put it. She wants me to take on his advances and use him to forget all about Zeke. I try. I actually put in effort. He knocks at my door and I open it with a bright smile on my face. "Xavier, how are you?" His hands are locked behind him as he says, "I'm good. How are you?" Xavier runs a nervous hand over his sleeked back long black hair. It's tied up because of how impressively long his hair is. Xavier is a real catch. He's tall and looks hard all over, like a man should, but I don't get that spark from looking at him or anyone else that's not Zeke. Maybe Kyra is right. My world does revolve around only him. "The Blue Silver carnival is coming up. Would you like a p
MARE I see how worried he is. I'm not saying he shouldn't be, but it's another cold truth. She's his forever. I'm the intruder, and I have no place here. We are at the hospital. Scarlett lost her wolf. She's like a human, so I guess that's why we are all concerned because she can't heal. Kyra says, "How can she do this? Overdosing because she wants attention. Jeez." "We don't know that." Drusila chips in from across the waiting room. We are the only ones here at the moment, but it's a hospital people can arrive at any time. Unfortunately, Kyra seems pissed about spending her night here. Zeke is with the doctor. "I'm going to grab a snack." I stand on my feet without glancing at any of them. They still remember how I just cried my eyes out because Zeke made his choice. Now I'm sitting here watching him care for someone else like I wish was only just for me. It's still pure torture. Kyra joins me at the vending machine. I get a chocolate bar while she gets a bag of cheetos. At
************************** My eyes crack open. Daylight shines into my room, but I'm still stuck in last night's pack gathering. Zeke wanted a son who would challenge Zane's throne. A female Alpha will never be accepted to lead Carodia. I'm sad for other reasons than Scarlett. My happy ending keeps drifting far and far away. I wonder if he's angry with me. If this will change everything. Maybe he will finally realise that he won't gain anything from me because I can't even give him a proper heir. I will love our daughter with everything in me because she's a product of our great love. I take a shower, anxious about joining the rest downstairs. Will they see me as a failure? I couldn't protect the first heir, and now I've given them a child they can't accept. A while later, I cross Kyra and Aiden in the hallway, just above the stairs. She spares a broad smile, looking over her shoulder at me. "Hey, Mare! I can't wait to meet our princess."