*Yolanda's POV* My eyes couldn't leave the two empty chairs opposite me,I had sent out those invitations exclusively to high status residents of the pack,this was a prestigious event and being late to my birthday dinner–especially when your seats were on my table was very very insulting. I know for sure that I wasn't going to invite them to anything ever again,in fact, just to teach them a lesson,I will ensure they never get invited to anything important again. I took a small sip to calm my fuming nerves. It was my birthday,and I was celebrating it in grand style. There was room for negativity or worries. “Ladies and Gentlemen,”Silvia began,raising her glass in the air as she stood to her feet. “Today is a very special day for the Royal family,one of our very own”She turns to me ,her eyes glistening with unshed tears I know she didn't mean. “Today is our one and only Yolanda's fifty-second birthday,”she beamed,bringing her hands to a clap,and as expected,the guests at th
*Ares’s POV* “What is going on?”Noelle whined beside me. “What are they talking about?” I looked down at her annoyed,this was the second time she has asked those questions since Yolanda went to talk to Selene,as though I wasn't also here,several feet away,watching them whisper with gritted teeth. “I have no idea.”I obliged myself to tell her despite my obvious discontent. “Finally,”my mother said,keeping her tone discreet. “Someone to make the party alive.” I ignored her and took my seat,fixing my tie and trying not to look her way. The guests murmurs were already beginning to annoy my ears “Who even invited her?”Noelle asked me again, and I can already feel a migraine spiralling in my head at this point. I shot her a glare, and she retreated her hand from me and looked away. Her eyes caught my mother, and She turned her questionnaire skills to her instead. “Are we just going to sit here and act like nothing is happening?” “Your mother is a wise woman.”came the reply,a
*Selene's POV*“He finally graces me with his presence”I mocked,walking to the patio,where he stood. “I'm assuming I should bow and thank you now.” His dark broad shoulders kept facing the abyss,his face towards the sky as another perfect ring of smoke elevated in the air. My heart beat strangely at the sight of him, I felt annoyed that he had ignored me for so long,partly terrified because he was slipping out my hands and now here I was standing behind me,talking to him and yet he pretends like he doesn't hear me. I bit into my lower lip and marched towards him,setting my purse gently on the railing and trying to collect my thoughts properly. “I didn't know you smoked.”I said finally,turning to face him. He is still fucking looking into the vast night,barely acknowledging my presence,starving me of his attention. It feels like hell, how could we be so close and yet so distant. “Stress habit.”He replies roughly before sending the cigarette between his silver ringed adorned finge
*Yolanda's POV* “Mom,please !!! stop!”Noelle cried as I desperately pushed my finger in her throat. “What's happening to you!”Noelle screamed as her fingers scratched me, I swear on my own goddamn life,If Selene poisoned my daughter,I would kill her,right here and right now. I felt hot tears stream down my face when it wasn't working–why wasn't she vomiting? How deep did the damn cake go? Was it way too late? I grabbed her throat and started her deep in the eye. “Listen Noelle,”I say breathlessly. “You have to vomit—” I felt hands yank me off her and another line of tears rushed down my cheeks. I wasn't going to lose my daughter,at least not tonight. “She poisoned the cake!”I yelled,trying to free myself from their grasp. “Selene poisoned the cake! I heard her say it!” I looked around the room In hopes they would start accusing Selene but all their eyes were still glued on me,with pity,as if I was crazy. Noelle’s especially,staggering back as she took deep steady breaths
*Dominic's POV* “So."Caleb concluded,slapping his notebook shut. “That's all for today.” I glanced at where Selene sat,she had her hair pulled behind her ears as she pensively stared into the void. I stared out the window of my office,hoping to distract myself from the seething anger within me. Just when I thought I was getting somewhere,the son of a bitch appears again and she follows him like a lost puppy. No matter how rationally I try to think,there is nothing innocent about them meeting up in secret. And it's even more intriguing that she didn't care to clear up the air after it,or ask why I left without her. “Any questions?”Caleb asks,noticing both of us are in our own words. I raised my hand mid air. “When this sting is over,will Ares be in jail or just off the throne.” Selene's eyes shot up and froze on me, staring at me as though I had asked the inhuman question known to man. “Well.”Caleb shrugs,choosing to ignore the tension between Selene and I. “I am not sure.”
*Selene's POV*I am actually kissing Dominic.I leaned in closer, my lips hovering just above his, fighting to feel something—anything. Maybe it could be lust, desire, or even comfort, but I needed to feel something. His hands slid up to my waist, pulling me in as if I were the only thing grounding him. His lips moved against mine, soft yet desperate, like he was kissing me for the last time. There was a practiced rhythm to the way he responded, as though he’d been imagining this moment just as much as I had.For a second, I let myself be swept away by it. He was a great kisser—just as I had imagined. But my foolish heart had other ideas. Unbidden, thoughts of Ares crept in, reminding me of how raw, wild, and forbidden his kisses felt. It had been electric, uncontrollable. No matter how hard I tried to shut out the memory, it invaded this moment, and the comparison sank deep into my bones. I could feel my heart twist in frustration.I pulled away, almost embarrassed by the betrayal of
*Yolanda's POV*"You are late." I sneered, my voice just low enough to avoid turning heads, but sharp enough to cut through the noise of the crowded restaurant. My eyes darted around, scanning the dimly lit place—a dingy old Italian restaurant tucked away in a forgotten alley. The smell of burnt garlic and old wine clung to the air, and the stuffy, close atmosphere made my skin crawl. I hated it here. It reminded me too much of my childhood. A place that reeked of sweat and desperation, where people came to lose themselves or drown their miseries in cheap alcohol.Selene approached slowly, her eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. She looked out of place, too polished for a dump like this, but she moved with the confidence of someone who didn’t care. She placed her purse on the table and slid into the chair across from me, casually removing her glasses. Her lips curled into a mocking smile as she eyed me."You sound eager," she said in faux concern, her voice silky and cool. "Miss me al
*Noelle’s POV* The cold bit into my skin as I clutched the small package in my hand, trembling from a mixture of nerves and the biting chill of the evening. The maid stood before me, her eyes darting nervously around the dimly lit hallway in the maid's quarters. I couldn't help but feel a surge of anxiety with every glance she made over her shoulder. "Did anyone see you?" I whispered, my voice barely audible as I hid the small package within the folds of my dress, slipping it into my bra. “No,” she said quickly, still shifting on her feet as though someone might appear any second. “I was very careful, you don’t have to worry about it.” "Are you sure?" My heart pounded in my chest, the thrum of it so loud it echoed in my ears. Her constant fidgeting made my nerves spike. “Yes,” she whispered, her gaze finally meeting mine, her large brown eyes betraying something between pity and fear. “I have to go now.” My hand shot out and grabbed her wrist before she could escape, my fin
*Noelle's POV* The knife cut through the onion slice and another strand of tear streamed from my eye. My focus shifts to the boiling pot and smiles sadly.Even with very little practice,I love cooking and thus I've always wanted to cool for someone–that someone being Ares. But that had been a far fetched dream then yunno,I always knew that that was too big of a dream and I may never realize it,that way my happiness lied there-out of my reach,unattainable but at the soothing of some sort,it gave me something to fight for. And now I was in his house,doing exactly what I had dreamed of all this while,I had made it..I should be ecstatic right? No. I felt the opposite. I felt sad,frustrated and lost. Lost in the sense that I no longer understood myself,and it didn't even have to do with my pregnancy,I genuinely can't even understand what's wrong with me ever since Elais and I slept together,the guilt was eating me up but one question remained. Do I even love Elais? The doorbell r
*Selene's POV* I stared at the board blankly,I should be analysing the data on it to plan my next move, but instead, my mind is on the court case. Ares did everything to avoid specifying that we were together during the time of the murder,on one hand it could be him trying to protect me and on the other it could be him just being selfish and trying to protect his image now that he doesn't want me anymore. A sting reached my heart and spread like wildfire,my head began to feel heavy,when I was done with all this revenge was over with,what on earth will I do? My reputation is hanging by a fragile thread,my relationships with my partners are now severed,even Saint Locke doesn't talk to me anymore…and now Ares,not that I miss him, it just felt like I was losing so much of my life to this revenge–would it all be worth it? I replayed my last encounter with Yolanda and shut my eyes tight,that lying witch needed to pay,no matter what it costs,even if it was my happiness. “Have
*Yolanda's POV* “Crushed,bay leaf,turmeric and–” I squinted,what on earth did Victor write here? How am I supposed to complete the potion now without the name of the ingredients? I slapped the piece of paper on the table and frowned. With Selene now in full anger grating at my back,it is getting crystal clear that Im getting into a deeper hole than I had estimated,the assurance of an antidote to any poison spell was the only thing able to give me a good night's sleep,though I doubt she would want to kill me by poison,It's better to be safe. If only Victor had fixed that terrible handwriting of his so I could actually understand how to make this thing. I grunted and slammed the paper down.It's as though everyone and anyone desperately wants me to die. A knock on the door interrupted me from my mental assault against Victor,the maid walked into the room and glanced at the herbs on my table in part confusion. “Well?” I asked harshly. “Are you going to talk or are you just tryin
*Ares' POV*It's finally the day of the trails and my head is blazing hot. The only thing I'm grateful for is the fact that it is a private hearing but other than that,I hated the day already.The sunlight slicing through the grand windows of the courtroom is too harsh, too bright. It doesn't match the shadows creeping beneath the stone columns or the solemnity of the faces around me. The Council members are seated at their elevated sears, each expression a mixture of judgement, curiosity, and barely veiled contempt. Noelle hasn’t spoken a word since we arrived, which is odd, especially for her. She’s standing slightly behind me, her hands clasped in front of her, fingers fidgeting with the fabric of her coat. Her eyes, flickering nervously between the members of the Council, never quite meet mine. Her uneasiness was beginning to rub off on me and that's the last thing I needed today.“What's wrong with Noelle?”I hush to Elias as he walked to me.His face turned sour and he cleared h
*Noelle’s POV* The cold bit into my skin as I clutched the small package in my hand, trembling from a mixture of nerves and the biting chill of the evening. The maid stood before me, her eyes darting nervously around the dimly lit hallway in the maid's quarters. I couldn't help but feel a surge of anxiety with every glance she made over her shoulder. "Did anyone see you?" I whispered, my voice barely audible as I hid the small package within the folds of my dress, slipping it into my bra. “No,” she said quickly, still shifting on her feet as though someone might appear any second. “I was very careful, you don’t have to worry about it.” "Are you sure?" My heart pounded in my chest, the thrum of it so loud it echoed in my ears. Her constant fidgeting made my nerves spike. “Yes,” she whispered, her gaze finally meeting mine, her large brown eyes betraying something between pity and fear. “I have to go now.” My hand shot out and grabbed her wrist before she could escape, my fin
*Yolanda's POV*"You are late." I sneered, my voice just low enough to avoid turning heads, but sharp enough to cut through the noise of the crowded restaurant. My eyes darted around, scanning the dimly lit place—a dingy old Italian restaurant tucked away in a forgotten alley. The smell of burnt garlic and old wine clung to the air, and the stuffy, close atmosphere made my skin crawl. I hated it here. It reminded me too much of my childhood. A place that reeked of sweat and desperation, where people came to lose themselves or drown their miseries in cheap alcohol.Selene approached slowly, her eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. She looked out of place, too polished for a dump like this, but she moved with the confidence of someone who didn’t care. She placed her purse on the table and slid into the chair across from me, casually removing her glasses. Her lips curled into a mocking smile as she eyed me."You sound eager," she said in faux concern, her voice silky and cool. "Miss me al
*Selene's POV*I am actually kissing Dominic.I leaned in closer, my lips hovering just above his, fighting to feel something—anything. Maybe it could be lust, desire, or even comfort, but I needed to feel something. His hands slid up to my waist, pulling me in as if I were the only thing grounding him. His lips moved against mine, soft yet desperate, like he was kissing me for the last time. There was a practiced rhythm to the way he responded, as though he’d been imagining this moment just as much as I had.For a second, I let myself be swept away by it. He was a great kisser—just as I had imagined. But my foolish heart had other ideas. Unbidden, thoughts of Ares crept in, reminding me of how raw, wild, and forbidden his kisses felt. It had been electric, uncontrollable. No matter how hard I tried to shut out the memory, it invaded this moment, and the comparison sank deep into my bones. I could feel my heart twist in frustration.I pulled away, almost embarrassed by the betrayal of
*Dominic's POV* “So."Caleb concluded,slapping his notebook shut. “That's all for today.” I glanced at where Selene sat,she had her hair pulled behind her ears as she pensively stared into the void. I stared out the window of my office,hoping to distract myself from the seething anger within me. Just when I thought I was getting somewhere,the son of a bitch appears again and she follows him like a lost puppy. No matter how rationally I try to think,there is nothing innocent about them meeting up in secret. And it's even more intriguing that she didn't care to clear up the air after it,or ask why I left without her. “Any questions?”Caleb asks,noticing both of us are in our own words. I raised my hand mid air. “When this sting is over,will Ares be in jail or just off the throne.” Selene's eyes shot up and froze on me, staring at me as though I had asked the inhuman question known to man. “Well.”Caleb shrugs,choosing to ignore the tension between Selene and I. “I am not sure.”
*Yolanda's POV* “Mom,please !!! stop!”Noelle cried as I desperately pushed my finger in her throat. “What's happening to you!”Noelle screamed as her fingers scratched me, I swear on my own goddamn life,If Selene poisoned my daughter,I would kill her,right here and right now. I felt hot tears stream down my face when it wasn't working–why wasn't she vomiting? How deep did the damn cake go? Was it way too late? I grabbed her throat and started her deep in the eye. “Listen Noelle,”I say breathlessly. “You have to vomit—” I felt hands yank me off her and another line of tears rushed down my cheeks. I wasn't going to lose my daughter,at least not tonight. “She poisoned the cake!”I yelled,trying to free myself from their grasp. “Selene poisoned the cake! I heard her say it!” I looked around the room In hopes they would start accusing Selene but all their eyes were still glued on me,with pity,as if I was crazy. Noelle’s especially,staggering back as she took deep steady breaths