After days of trying to find answers to her bugging questions, Emma had come to a conclusion. She'd spent nights and days in her office without rest, studying every single one of Eleanor's potions and continuously reaching a dead end.Her frustration had reached its peak.She pushed herself off her office chair and strode outside for the first time in days, calling the attention of all student workers in the lobby.It wasn't top secret most of them didn't like Eleanor, though Emma could not say why. Her tired eyes scanned every one of their faces as if hoping to detect whoever was the guilty one. Whoever framed Eleanor.She cleared her throat to speak. "I'm just going to cut straight to the chase. As you all know, Eleanor has currently been locked up for poisoning the Queen." Tears welled up in her chest but she pushed them back down. "If anyone knows anything about this ongoing issue, or how Eleanor came in contact with poison, I ask of you to step forward."Everyone stayed mute, and
Drakken was already on his second bottle of alcohol that night when Emma burst into his study. He let out an exasperated sigh, wanting to just be left alone. He'd dismissed Duncan earlier than usual for that same reason.The disappointed look on her face gave him an idea of why his sister had come to see him. She most definitely heard about the fight with his father from those gossiping mongrels called omegas."I heard everything," Emma let out to confirm his suspicion. "Did you really have to fight with him?"He said nothing in return, his stare blank and unbothered."Avoid him for now. Let's focus only on honoring our mother."Drakken poured more alcohol into his glass, more invested in the way the liquid slushed into the cup than whatever reason Emma still stood there. Maybe she'd take the hint he wasn't in the mood to speak to anyone and leave."I found the poison that killed our mother." That got his attention now. His head shot up and his curious brows furrowed. "I'm currently w
Eleanor was feeling refreshed after taking a bath for the first time in days. Her muscles continued to ache when she stepped out of the tub. She wrapped a towel around her body and searched the cupboards for healing ointments Evie had previously stacked up for her.Finding none in the lower cupboards, she pushed herself up on her toes and flung open the cupboard over her head. Her eyes caught what it was looking for.Eleanor had Evie to thank for keeping her room clean even while she was away. To Eleanor, it seemed better than when she left it.Words couldn't have gotten to Evie yet about her release, or she'd have come running without a second's thought.Eleanor sat in front of her mirror and rubbed the healing ointment into her skin. She winced when it accidentally made contact with a bruise. Drakken did this to her. And he hadn't even bothered to check if she came back to the palace safe. How long could he be mad at her?She huffed out an angry breath at the same time her bedroom
The sun filtered through the curtains, illuminating the empty bed next to her. Eleanor rubbed her eyes and sat up, feeling a mix of disappointment and confusion. The memories from the previous night slowly started to filter in as she got out of bed, but she couldn't shake the feeling that it was all just a vivid dream.She remembered the feeling of Drakken’s strong arms wrapped around her, the way his hands explored her body, and the sounds of their passion echoing in the room. But as she looked around her bedroom, there was no sign that any of it had actually happened.She walked to the bathroom and splashed some water on her face, trying to clear her head. As she looked in the mirror, she noticed a bruise on her neck and a love bite on her shoulder. The evidence of the previous night's activities was right there in front of her.Last night, she had finally given in to her pent up desire for Drakken. They had shared an intense and passionate night, filled with the heat of their bodie
Eleanor stepped into the clinic and immediately, the buzz of whispers filled the room. People stopped what they were doing and turned to look at her, their eyes filled with disdain and anger. Word had spread fast, and everyone knew what she had done. They saw her as a traitor, a murderer who had killed their beloved Queen.Gossip spread like wildfire, and soon, the entire clinic was talking about Eleanor. People muttered to each other, casting hateful glances her way. She could feel their judgmental eyes on her like she was a pariah, an outcast among them. The once friendly faces of the clinic staff now looked at her with suspicion and hostility.Eleanor felt like a prisoner in her own skin, trapped in a world where she was hated and reviled for something she had no control over.As she walked through the clinic, she could feel the weight of everyone's disapproval bearing down on her. She tried to keep her head held high and her back straight, but inside she was breaking. She knew tha
Eleanor remained in her room for what felt like an eternity. The walls of her room seemed to close in on her, and the lack of human interaction was starting to take its toll.She tried to busy herself with reading, writing and practising her game of archery, but the emptiness of her days was starting to weigh on her. She missed the clinic tremendously. She recollected the first time she was sent there, she had thought her life had come to an end. However, with the days that passed and all the knowledge she had acquired there, including the wonderful people she met during treatments, the place had come to become special to her. Eleanor's only solace was the occasional visits from her maid, who would bring her food and supplies. But even those visits were brief and lacked the human connection she so desperately craved. The emptiness was starting to turn into depression, and Eleanor didn't know how much longer she could bear it.She longed for the freedom of the outdoors. She couldn't
Eleanor felt a rush of embarrassment even after leaving Drakken’s study. A large pool of heat rose to her cheeks at being seen with him in such a compromising position by his friends. Again. What must his friends think of her, sleeping in his study like that till morning?But she realized that she had stayed with him because she knew how much he needed her. He had been going through a tough time lately, and she wanted to be there for him, despite everything.It would not bring back the Queen, however, it might help quell the guilt she feels at being the cause of the Queen’s death. As she walked down the hallway of the palace, Eleanor couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.She tried to ignore it and continue on her way to her room, but the feeling only grew stronger. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and was met with the piercing gaze of the vampire princess, who was standing at the far end of the hall.Eleano
Eleanor gasped and stepped back from the door, holding her chest. Her heart was racing and her mind was filled with confusion as she tried to process what she had just witnessed. How and when did Benjamin and Merit develop an intimate relationship?They were a pair Eleanor never imagined together. How did they even get that close?The sound of footsteps came from her right and her heart skipped as she turned to face one of the clinic's newly stationed guards.He was a tall man, with a stern expression and a flashlight in his hand. "What are you doing here so late at night?" he asked, his voice deep and intimidating.Eleanor peered nervously at the door to the storage room, praying that Benjamin and Merit wouldn't emerge just yet.She tried to keep her voice low as she approached the guard, but he seemed not to understand the urgency of the situation."Please, sir, can you keep your voice down?" she whispered.The guard raised an eyebrow. "I'll have to ask you to leave."Benjamin stepp
EPILOGUE"Magdalene, come here this minute!" Eleanor screamed at the top of her lungs as she chased after her last child who seemed unaware of her mother's rage she giggled heartily, racing down the well-trimmed meadow at the back of the house where they went out to relax every day. "Magdalene!""Daddy!" The girl squealed, changing course from her favourite hiding spot at the back of a tall tree, towards her father who was smiling as he stretched his hand to catch her. "I am going to make sure you are sent off to a boarding school just like your older brother!" Threatened, Eleanor, tapping her forehead. She had been chasing the little foot from the house, refusing the help of the guards whom she knew her daughter feared greatly. Drakken had insisted his daughter was never to be left at the mercy of the brutes under any circumstances."Forgive us, Luna, we have sinned." Drakken made a face as they approached her, rephrasing the biblical words. "You spoil her, baby and then you leave
ONE MONTH LATER."I can't believe this is finally happening, dudes. Can y'all believe it?" George asked as he took a long swig from the glass in his hand, his face squeezing from the strong taste of the brown modern ale. "I can't believe it too," Duncan let out cheerily, his face a mask of smile. "So... I thought to ask Evie out today.""What!" George thundered, half sitting up from his seat in astonishment as his eyes widened in shock. "Eleanor's maid?" Duncan was nodding his head, his smile not breaking. "I haven't approached her yet, but I have been keeping tabs on her and know her real mate rejected her which somehow works to my advantage, you know.""What about your mate?"Duncan shrugged casually. "I have been crushing on Evie for as long as I can remember, Geroge. I am telling her tonight. If there's anything I'm certain of, is that I see the way she looks at me sometimes in a sneaky way.""That didn't answer my question, Duncan. Do you want to break her heart in the future?
Drakken threw himself at Benjamin at his words, already deciding within himself that if Benjamin wanted the throne then he had to win him for it. But one thing was for sure; he was done tolerating the bullshit called his stepbrother. As the situation was right now, someone's head had to roll for peace to reign.He delivered a clean punch to his guts and Benjamin toppled over, spewing out blood. When Drakken went to punch once more, Benjamin was very fast to move away, giving Drakkn a kick to the face. George rushed to carry Eleanor from the ground, getting Benjamin's attention who was on the verge of attacking Drakken and Drakken used the opportunity to clasp his big hands around his shoulders and crushed it over his knees. There was a painful growl and Benjamin started transforming into his hideous wolf.This was part of the reason Drakken had never been comfortable around Benjamin. When he was born, he overheard his father telling Benjamins's mother that he was never going to accep
Eleanor’s hands shook uncontrollably as tears streamed down her face. The world had stopped making sense to her. How could she have been so blind to the truth? The man she had trusted with her heart and her secrets had been the one responsible for the greatest tragedy of her life.She remembered the day when her family was murdered, the horror and pain etched into her memory forever. It had been Drakken who murdered them. And to think, she had trusted him all this time.But that wasn't the worst of it. The spy had gone ahead to reveal the thing that made Eleanor's heart sink to her stomach. Drakken was the one who had violated her, stolen her innocence and left her with scars that would never heal. And Nicky, the boy she had grown to love as her own, was the product of that brutal assault.Eleanor felt like her whole world was crumbling around her. She had lost everything, her family, her dignity, and her love. How could she face Nicky now? How could she tell him that the man he was s
Drakken charged through the palace, his eyes scanning every corner and room for any sign of Eleanor. His mind was in turmoil, his thoughts consumed by the fear that something terrible had happened to her. He could feel his wolf inside him, agitated and restless, struggling to break free in his anger.Every room he searched, every door he opened, brought him no closer to finding her."Drakken, you need to calm down," George said as he approached him. "Destroying the palace won't help us find Eleanor.""I can't just sit here and do nothing!" Drakken snapped, his voice rising in frustration. "Eleanor is out there somewhere, and make sure she is safe."Duncan stepped forward and placed a hand on Drakken's shoulder. "We understand how you feel, but we need to approach this logically. We'll cover more ground if we split up and search different areas of the palace."He took a deep breath and tried to reign in his anger, but it wasn't easy.Just then, Emma appeared at the end of the hall. She
Merit’s hands closed around a heavy object when Benjamin turned back to Eleanor. Before she could even raise the object to strike, Benjamin lunged at her with incredible speed. Merit tried to dodge, but he was too fast. He caught her by the throat and lifted her off the ground, squeezing with all his strength.Merit gasped for air as she struggled to break free, but Benjamin's grip was too strong. She could feel her vision starting to fade as the world around her turned black.Suddenly, Benjamin was thrown back by a force. Merit crashed to the ground, gasping for breath as she tried to regain her bearings. When she looked up, she saw that Eleanor had somehow managed to break free from her restraints.Eleanor was wielding a chair, her hands still bound tightly to it as she swung it at Benjamin. Merit watched in horror as Benjamin dodged the blow, and the chair hit her instead.Merit's head spun as she tried to shake off the blow. She could feel the blood rushing to her head as she stru
Eleanor slowly opened her eyes, her head throbbing with a dull ache. She blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the darkness that surrounded her. Panic rose within her as she realized that she had no memory of how she ended up here.As she tried to get up, she felt a sharp pain in her ankle and winced. Her heart was pounding now as she looked around the room, hoping to find some clue as to where she was. But the room was empty, except for a single chair in the corner.She tried to shout for help, but her voice was hoarse and barely audible. Suddenly, the lights came on, and she squinted, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness.To her horror, she saw two figures standing in front of her, smirking evilly. It was Merit and Benjamin.She attempted to get up, but her ankle throbbed with pain, and she collapsed back onto the ground."Merit!” She said in shock from seeing her. “What the hell is going on?" Eleanor demanded, her voice strained.Merit stepped forward and delivered a hot sl
Drakken sighed heavily as he stood up from his desk, shuffling papers into neat piles before grabbing his black leather jacket from the back of his chair. He had been looking forward to this meeting for days, hoping to persuade the Vampire King to leave the palace and take his daughter with him. He was also about to send word to Eleanor that he wouldn't be joining her tonight. But now, with the news that George had just delivered, his mind was elsewhere."You were right about Gwendolyn," George was saying. "I caught her...with one of the palace guards."Drakken shook his head disapprovingly. "I told you so. It's best to forget about Gwendolyn. She isn't good for you. You'll find your mate soon enough."George nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "And you deserve to be with yours.""I will be dismissing Gwendolyn and her father from the palace tonight. It's long overdue."As a slight frown appeared on George's face at the news, Drakken felt frustrated with his fri
Eleanor stirred in her bed and tried to shake off the remnants of sleep. She rubbed her bleary eyes and groaned, dragging herself out of bed as the carpeted floorboards protested beneath her weight as if voicing their own complaints about being disturbed so early in the morning. Eleanor stumbled into the bathroom, staring at her haggard reflection in the mirror and wondering how she would make it through the day.She was feeling restless that morning, and so she opted for a run. That was the only thing that could calm her, or at least she hoped.Eleanor put on her running shoes, tied her hair in a ponytail, and started to jog toward the forest at the back of the palace.As she entered the forest, she felt the cool breeze on her face, and her mind started to clear. She was running at a steady pace, but soon, she felt that same sensation that she always felt when she came here- like something was about to burst out of her.Eleanor stopped in her tracks and knelt down on the ground. She