I gulped the last wine in my cup and slammed the cup on the table. I looked around me, and I saw more people from outside the packhouse. It’s unbelievable how news spreads. All my Betas and a few of the elders were seated around the table where I sat. Volker leaned closer to me and said, “Alpha Everett, you should give us a speech, don’t you think? I bet some people are yet to know why you called for this party.” I looked around and smiled. “That is true,” I responded and stood up. Volker raised his brass cup and hit it with a spoon to create awareness that I was about to speak. This call the attention of everyone, and they all went silent. I smiled and gave Volker a slight nod, telling him to stop hitting the cup. I started my speech afterward. “Good day, People of Jamba Kingdom! I’m so happy that some of you honored this impromptu celebration. Some of you may know why we are here, and some may not know. I’m here to tell you why I had called for this celebration.” I took a pause, ex
CLAUDIA I gazed at him in great hatred as he walked away. I regretted everything, the day I was told that Thorsten wasn’t my mate, the day I got married to him, the day I was born! I never saw any good thing for myself in his packhouse. I was there just to fulfill his desires, no one cared about my feelings. “Claudia!” I heard Clarence’s voice fill my ears. I looked up, and I saw him running toward me. “Clarence,” I mumbled. He got to where I stood and embraced me. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” He asked, looking at my face, and I shook my head. “I’m okay, Clarence. What are you doing out here?” I asked, cleaning the tears on my face with my palm. “I suspected something could go wrong when he walked out of the hall with you. I had to follow behind you to make sure you are okay,” He responded, and I heaved a sigh. “You heard everything, right?” I lowered my head, and he placed his hand under my jaw and lifted my head to meet his face. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Claudia. I hear
CLAUDIA “Shhh!” He placed his finger on his lips, and I bounced my head and clasped my lips. My heart kept racing as I stared at him in disbelief. ‘How am I able to see ghosts?’ “I need you to come with me. We have things to talk about.” He stretched his hand to me and my eyes widened. I wasn’t sure it was a good idea to take his hand. “Ermmm, I don’t think I want to go anywhere with you alone. I’m scared,” I mumbled, taking a step backward again. He heaved a sigh and bounced his head. “I understand you think I’m dead, but I’m not.” He bent down and picked up a stone. I expected it to fall off his hand but it didn’t. “Can you see now? I’m not dead. If you want to know about your father’s death. You’ll come with me,” He said, and I gulped hard. “Claudia!” I heard Clarence call from behind me. I looked back and saw him carrying a cup in his hand. His eyes were on Alpha Joachim. He had the same confused look I had on my face. I turned to look at Alpha Joachim again. “Can I go with him
CLAUDIA Getting to the packhouse, I stormed to Annette's chamber and threw a heavy kick on her door. “Open the bloody door, Annette!” I banged on her door with my hands. “Claudia, please take it easy,” Clarence said, but I didn’t listen to him. Only I knew how hurt and angry I was. I could feel the wild in me arise in great rage. “Annette, if you don’t…” I stopped yelling when her door finally gave way. She was about to talk when I grabbed her freely loosed her and pulled her out of her chamber. I dragged her out and let go of her with great force that she fell to the ground very hard. “What the bloody hell!” She barked and sprang to her feet. Before I could do anything, she threw a very hot slap on my face, and I staggered backward, holding my chin in pain. “How dare you lay your filthy hands on me!” She yelled again, and Clarence moved closer to us. “Can you two please calm down?” He asked, and I shook my head. “Not until I vent all my anger on her. She killed my father, Clarenc
CLAUDIAI walked down the dusty roads with Nellie, and some other female maids, following behind me closely. They carried big pots and drums that were filled with food for the Wagner Clan’s youths. The guards at the packhouse wanted to follow me but I refused. I could go anywhere without them because I’m not a bad person. They should keep their eyes on the evil king instead. My conversation with Thorsten last night didn’t go as I planned it would go. I thought he was going to carry me swiftly in his hands and run out of the packhouse. But instead, he told me to be patient and give birth to Alpha Everett’s baby before running off. I was headed to the site where the youths of the Wagner clan were forced to work. I needed to see things for myself. I knew Alpha Everett wasn’t going to do anything about my compliment. He could even make the work more tedious for them because I confronted him. We arrived at the site shortly, and I saw that everyone was very busy. Those that carried sand
CLAUDIAI held mother’s hand and pulled her back to the site nervously. ‘What could have gone wrong this time? Why are the king’s officials invading the place all of a sudden?’ As we got back to the site, I saw the men in uniform jump down their horses. All the youths were standing in front of the house, waiting to hear the news these man had brought. I slowed down and stopped walking, also waiting to hear what Alpha Everett was planning this time. “Who is Thorsten?!” One of the men on uniform asked, and my gaze narrowed at them almost immediately. ‘Thorsten? What do they want from Thorsten?’ I stared at Thorsten from where he stood among the other youths, and I watched him step out. I wanted to interfere, but I kept my cool. I needed to know the reason they were after him first. Immediately he got in front of the official that had called him out, the King’s official lifted his hand in the air and threw a large slap on his face. “Ahh.” I gasped in awe, and so did everyone that wa
EVERETTI got to the palace and headed right to Claudia’s chamber. I had gone on a business trip for a month, and I had not set my eyes on her since I left. After I banished Thorsten, she never talked to me. All she did was ignore me until I left. I missed her and couldn’t wait to see her and her protruding stomach. Getting to her chamber, I knocked on the door and waited for her response. “I’m coming.” I heard Nellie’s voice loud and clear. She opened the door and when she saw me, she immediately lowered her head. “King Everett,” She said and made way for me to go in. I looked at the bed, and I saw Claudia sitting on her bed, her back was on the backrest, and her legs extended under the bedspread. “Claudia.” I divulged a very elegant smile as I approached her. She had that same angry look she had on before I left. “You are back. Welcome.” Her voice was low and cold but I didn’t care. I sat next to her on the bed and reached for her hand. I held her slender hand in mine and looked
CLAUDIAAfter Everett walked out, Nellie walked into the chamber and locked the door. She looked at me with a bright smile. I furrowed my brows and watched her approach me. “Why are you smiling?” I asked, and she sat on the bed. “Didn’t you notice something is off about the King? I don’t mean off in a bad way, but a good way. He seems…” She paused to find the right word to use. “Nice?” I asked, and she hurriedly bounced her head. “Yes! That is it. He is nice, and he even smiles freely now,” She added, and I chuckled. “I noticed it too, and I am as shocked as you are, Nellie. I don’t know what they had fed him on the business trip he went. He must have eaten something strange,” I said, and she broke into laughter. “I wouldn’t mind eating something strange too. I love how happy he is now. He even brought you gifts.” Nellie looked at the bags in front of the closet, and I heaved a sigh. “I still find it hard to trust what he is doing. No matter how hard he tries to be nice, it doesn’t
~After eighteen years~Maximillian I gazed at the archery targets carefully, my left hand slowly lifted up, holding the heavy recurved bow firmly. My right hand reached for my quiver, and I pulled out one arrow. I positioned it in the bow and pointed it at the targets. I closed my left eye so that I could get the appropriate angle and degree to release my arrow. After being satisfied with my positioning, I dragged the bowstring and arrow real quick and let go of the arrow. The arrow travelled from where I stood to the archery target, and I nervously watched it move. The King, my father, was at the other end, and as soon as the arrow pierced the target, he ran to it to check. “Yes! You did it!” He yelled, and I jumped up and punched the air in excitement. “I told you I’d be able to do it!” I yelled back boastfully. *Since I turned ten, I grew a great passion for shooting arrows. No one in Jamba Kingdom was an arrow shooter, and I wanted to break that record. My mother, Que
CLAUDIA Everett and I sat in the living room with an awkward silence in the air. My head was full of many things. After witnessing Annette’s death, I wished I was never pushed to request her death. ‘What will my don think of me now?’ “Claudia, can you please tell me what is going on in your mind?” Everett asked, and I adjusted my eyes to look at him. “What will our son think of me now, Everett? I’m a murderer.” He shook his head and reached for my hand. He lifted my hand to his lips and planted a soft kiss on it. “You are no murderer, okay? I was the one that killed her, not you. She deserved to die, okay? Don’t feel so bad. You are a good person, Claudia, but sometimes, the good people are always pushed to the wall.” “About our son…” “Our son will be fine, Claudia. This would be written down, but you should know he would understand that she needed to be killed. She messed with the king, and the king killed her. You won’t be painted as evil because you aren’t. So be calm, okay
CLAUDIAI got to the front of the palace and threw Annette forward, making her fall to the ground. I could feel how fragile she had become because of the torture she went through in the dungeon, but she wasn’t ready to change, and I was done giving her chances to be a better person. “You are still alive till now, thanks to me!” I poked my chest and moved closer to her slowly. “It was so easy to tell Everett to get rid of you when you were in that dungeon, but I felt it would be so wicked of me, and I didn’t want anyone’s blood on my hands. But now, I don’t care if your filthy blood stains my hand.” “You think you can do whatever pleases you now, hun? You can order others around, but I’ll never let you order me around! I rather die than accept you as my queen!” She yelled back, and I scoffed. I wasn’t surprised she could still talk back at me like that. Everett had always said she is a fierce woman and won’t give up easily. “You rather die? Well, I’ll help you die.” I got to her
ANNETTE I stood in front of my full mirror and stared at myself. I looked so ugly and sick, and I hated everyone for that. No one cared when I was in that dungeon, and this made me see no reason why I should care for anyone too. If someone told me Everett would change drastically to the extent of throwing me into the dungeon, I’d argue with that person. This time, it was worse. He locked me in there for about nine months, and he didn’t bother to check up on me for once. He was busy with his wife. I rolled my eyes and tears dropped from them. I lowered my head and began to play with my finger. “Annette, you are not a woman they accept defeats. You can’t let this pass as if nothing happened. You are more powerful than that, baby girl.” I said to myself and looked in the mirror again. “Annette.” I heard Volker’s voice in front of my door. I looked at the door and saw him open it. He walked in with a tray in his hands. “There you are. I brought you some food.” He walked to the tab
~The next day~ CLAUDIA I woke up feeling much better, I slept all through the night, so I didn’t expect less. I dragged my body up and sat on the bed. My eyes ran through the chamber real quick and fell on my baby’s cradle. Beside the cradle was Nellie. She had her hand in the cradle, and she was smiling widely. “Nellie,” I called calmly, and she raised her head and looked at me. “My Queen, you are up.” Sue stood up and walked up to me. “Yes, I am,” I responded with a bright face. “I’m happy you look better, my queen. How are you feeling? Do you have aches?” She asked, and I shook my head. “I’m not feeling anyone. Am I supposed to feel any pain?” I asked, and she chuckled. “I have no idea. I haven’t given birth before,” She responded, and I giggled. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have asked that kind of question,” I said, and she shook her head. “It is fine, my queen. Your baby is still sleeping soundly. Have you found a name for him?” I shook my head and looked at the cradle again. “I
CLARENCE I sat amidst the pack members as they chatted and cheered. The other day, I wasn’t feeling so good. I couldn’t stop overthinking. Now that Claudia has given birth to the heir, what would happen to us? What if she is now in love with him too and wouldn’t want to leave? This has always been my fear, but what can I do when it happens that way? I would have to accept my fate and move on. She is a wife and a queen, I can’t ruin their marriage because of what I feel for her. I grabbed the jar of wine that was on the table and poured myself another cup. Jan looked at me and knitted his brows. “Hey, are you good? That is the seventh cup you are drinking. Do you want to talk?” He asked worriedly, and I shook my head and smiled. “I’m fine, Jan. The wine is just so good to put down,” I responded, making him chuckle. “It’s the best wine in the Jamba Kingdom, what do you expect? The king is in a very good mood and that makes us happy. You can drink up all you want. But if you want t
~After seven months~ EVERETT I covered my mouth with my hands and began to pace in front of Claudia’s chamber. It was her delivery day. I was with her when she started feeling weird, so I had to call the best midwife in the kingdom to take care of her. “Push!!!” I heard the midwife scream, and after her voice, a roar followed. It was Claudia’s. My pack members, the elders were all waiting in the living room, but I was too anxious to wait there with them. I wished I was in the chamber with her. “Push!!!” I heard the midwife scream again, and I heaved a loud sigh. I hit the door and yelled, “Can you please take it easy with her?” “I’m sorry, my king but I just need one more push from her and the baby will be out. One more hard push,” She responded In a loud tone, and I lowered my head. “Claudia baby, you can do it, okay? Just one push. I hate the way she keeps yelling at you,” I said and moved slightly away from the door. “Arrrrggghhhh!!” An extreme roar filled the air and my eyes
CLAUDIA “Are you going to do whatever I ask of you?” Alpha Joachim asked Everett, who sat next to me on the couch and never let go of my hand. “You are leaving me no choice. What do you want?” Everett kept his eyes on my hand as he spoke. “I want you to invite Thorsten back to the Jamba Kingdom.” Alpha Joachim smiled after talking, and Everett raised his head to look at him. “Why would I want to do that?” Everett asked, making Alpha Joachim shrug. “Because Thorsten is my friend, and I care about him. If you want to get your wife back, without me telling everyone the evil you have done, then you’ll do this little favor.” Everett gulped and heaved a loud sigh. He lifted his eyes and looked at Thorsten who stood behind Alpha Joachim. “I’ll let him into my kingdom on one condition. I must not see hun anywhere close to the palace. The day I see him anywhere around the gates, I’ll kill him.” I watched Thorsten’s face as Everett spoke, and I could see anger register on his face. He clen
EVERETTAfter Two Weeks I walked into a familiar building. I tried to remember where I had seen the building, but nothing was coming. My head was blank at the moment. I boldly opened the main door and walked into the living room. I had one thing in mind. I needed to find my wife. I looked around the living room and my eyes fell on someone. He sat on a chair but I couldn’t see his face because his back was turned to me. I started approaching hun and wanted to speak when all of a sudden, I heard footsteps approaching. I looked up, and I saw Claudia walking down the corridor. She heard where we were standing. “Claudia! My wife!” I called and began to approach her. She opened her arms with a large smile, but before I could get to her, a man stood in front of her, making me stop abruptly. I looked at this man, and I saw someone I wasn’t expecting. “Alpha Horst?” I called in surprise. I looked at the chair, and I saw that the man that was seated on it was gone. He could guess the man