Some days later one good chilly morning, someone graced Eleanor's room, and it wasn't Evie.Eleanor cracked open her eyes and stretched out on the bed, not noticing the other person in the room until he cleared his throat. Shocked by the sound, Eleanor jolted up on the bed seeing Beta Duncan standing at her door, arms folded across his chest broodingly. Why was he here instead of Evie? She pondered in a panic. She had already been used to Evie coming to her room every morning and felt his very presence was unusual."Where is Evie?" Eleanor inquired, looking behind him to see if Evie was there. There wasn't any trace of any other body."Good morning to you too. I thought you would never wake up," He drawled in almost the same voice as Drakken. What did they say about birds of the same feather again? "What?" Eleanor blinked in surprise. "How long have you been standing there?""Does not matter." He took a step in with his left hand in his black suit trousers, the sophistication oozing
Breakfast in the castle was a family affair, one in which everyone was usually present, and pack matters are discussed by the family. Today, Drakken is of the mind to bring to his father's notice, the recent activities going on in the Kingdom, forged by his so-called friends, the Vampires. Once, the vampires and werewolves lived in harmony without posing as threats to each other. But recent activities have proved otherwise. It hasn't been announced to the whole werewolf clan so that there would not be any cause for panic. Drakken planned to deal with the issue in a civilized way unless, of course, the vampires acted stubbornly.His wolf hummed in agreement and he smiled. They were on the same page for once.An omega knocked on his bedroom door and poked his head in when there was no response. "Your father awaits you at the dining table, your majesty. He is developing a temper because you are not in time for breakfast.""I was just on my way," Drakken responded starkly, finishing with
Eleanor groggily got out of bed, feeling tired out before the day even started. She was to join the farmers in the field today and she was not looking forward to it. A knock came on her bedroom door and Evie walked in, amazed to see Eleanor already out of bed by that time of the morning. From what she could gather in the past few days, Eleanor was not in any way a morning person."Rise and shine, Miss," she greeted, laying out the rumpled sheets. "Are you looking forward to meeting the rest of the palace’s workers, this one you are awake already?"Eleanor knew what Evie was trying to do, making her look at the bright side of working outside. She would get to meet other people and if she was lucky, fit in one way or the other.Eleanor had no purpose fitting in with some bunch of wolves. The human kingdom and werewolf kingdom were separated for a reason. They had no business with each other."Do not mock me," she responded wryly. "I do not even wish to be here in the first place.""Deve
"Is it true? Do you really intend to take in a Vampire as your chosen mate?" The number of times Drakken had heard that question was sickening. It had been whispered in the palace halls by Omega maids, spoken in every corner by members of the pack. The way rumors flew around the pack without a solid verification was alarming at this point.Everywhere he turned was the excitement of pack members thinking he was finally getting a lunaqueen. He would disappoint them by debunking the news, but he wanted their unnecessary excitement to go on for a bit longer.Duncan stared at him expectantly, waiting for the Alpha to say something in regard to his question."Since when did you concern yourself with rumors like that?" Drakken asked, targeting the board on his bedroom walls with the dart in his hands. "You should not believe everything you hear.""But…"He struck the dart board with a simple flick of his hand. "My father only proposed the idea. I never agreed on taking the vampire king’s da
Eleanors sucked in a ragged breath, suddenly feeling emotionally tormented.Tormented was putting it mildly. What was she thinking barging into his room like that? The result was getting tongue-tied by the simplest touch of his finger on her. The effect he had on her was spiraling out of control at this rate.Drakken’s face broke out in a smirk and he stepped back. He had gotten her just where he needed. Speechless. Mission accomplished."You can leave if you have nothing more to say," he spoke. "I believe I got my point across. You are never leaving the palace, and that is final."Eleanor drew in her lower lip and bit on it, an action his eyes followed. Pivoting on her heels, Eleanor walked out without another word.She pondered while walking. It was pointless trying to get him to change his mind. She had fought, threw tantrums, pleaded, but Drakken still remained adamant in keeping her. What else could be done?Eleanor was running out of options.She returned to her chamber and flung
A few days later, Drakken was in his study with George when he watched Eleanor through the back window, taking out dead flowers under the hot sun. The palace’s garden was just below his study and he liked the view whenever he wanted a break from work. Today’s view came with his human mate, who for some reason, he couldn't get his eyes off from. She was dressed in a stifling overall black dress with an apron around her neck and a hoe on her right hand without any bonnet on. Then she scrubbed at her face fervently perhaps to wipe sweat, then she mumbled something to herself, presumably muttering obscenities in his name. He could not blame her."Are you listening to me?" he heard George say, his eyes still unmoving."I wish I was not," Drakken replied. "You are talking gibberish.""How then, pray tell, do you intend to handle this situation if you do not announce Eleanor as your rightful mate?"Drakken was tired of hearing the same thing over and over again. But he would remind them ev
Sleep evaded Eleanor as she returned for the night. She tossed and turned, eyes wide open and staring into the darkness. She had been tired from working the entire day and could not understand why she had a hard time sleeping.Instinctively, Eleanor’s head turned towards her window, half expecting to see Gregory there. The wee thing had begun to grow on her. She even had the urge to sneak out to the stables like he always did and visit the horses.Tossing her sheets to the side, Eleanor climbed out of bed and gently creaked open her door, gazed at both sides of the hallway, and found it empty. Good timing. She did not want the palace guards questioning why she was always outside in the late night.She let herself outside the palace doors, navigating her way to the stables until she heard the familiar neighing of horses.She released the latch holding the doors together and walked in, eyes peeled out for Gregory’s favorite horse. It was asleep when she saw it, so she moved to the next
Eleanor’s eyes cracked open at the break of dawn and was alarmed when she slowly grasped she was in her bedroom and could not remember how she got back upstairs last night. The last memory she had was of Drakken doing heavenly things to her body with such intent adoration. The man surely had skills. Then, she frowned at the memory.She regretted allowing him touch her that way. She had been too lost in the moment to form a complete sentence, let alone think straight. And the worst part was that she wanted him to do it again. Touch her in the places that awoke things in her she did not know existed.She sighed ruefully. These feelings would eventually be the end of her.She left the bed to prepare and resume work in the garden, showered, and was combing her hair when Evie made an entrance."I bring news," the maid announced as Eleanor tore her gaze away from the mirror to glance at her."Is it good or bad?""It depends on how you look at it," she said with a genuine smile. "The King
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