ANNORA I ran like never before, even though I knew I had become far away from Alpha Fennic and his wicked pack. Who knew? Maybe Kairel was not safe. But at the moment, I didn't care one dime about him. Not with the many things I had on my list, of which one of them was arriving back at the pack. What was I going to say to Aegon? What would I tell him as soon as I got there? Where would I tell him I have gone to? A sigh ran out of my mouth. Automatically, I stopped running. One, because of the many thoughts running around in my head and again, the fact that I needed to put something in my mouth before I could move again. There was no time to waste. Relaxing under a tree, I realized the danger I was. A pregnant woman in a wild place like this. Where did such courage come from? I could not worry less, maybe because of the many others that needed to be done. Taking the backpack from behind me where it hung all this while, I placed it on my lap—wondering at the same
AEGON My eyes opened in a room I could barely recognize. Something went on inside of me but even at that, it was hard to lay my hands on it and tell what went on exactly. Where was I? Looking around the chamber, I met the gaze of men I could also barely recognize. “Aegon?” My eyes opened the more. That voice. The voice of a woman I surely could recognize. Even if I forgot the other things I should not forget, I was ever going to recognize the voice of Annora which sounded in my head. “Annora—?” “What has happened?” Someone mumbled. “Tell me. What has happened?” The person asked me who could not and would not provide an answer to the question. If not because of anything but because I didn't know the answer. How could I open my eyes in the space of a chamber I didn't recognize, with men I also could not recognize but the voice of a woman I could recognize? Someone barged into the chamber. “What is this that I hear?” The old Healer who I now recognized, walked towa
AEGON “Wh—what did you just say?” “Yes, Alpha Aegon. I saw Kairel at The Stormbringers Pack. That's where I am coming from. I got back there and there were so many people in the Pack. I didn't expect that. One part of me thought the members were dead long ago. They are all alive including the Alpha Fennic.” I watched her closely, listening, waiting for more. “And what happened next?” I could not wait to hear it all and then deal with her in my way. How could she poison me? And why did she tell it to my face that she did? “Speak up already, Annora. I don't have all day.” I cried, taking a spoonful of the meal and putting it in my mouth. “He was there. Apparently, I was locked up in a prison for more than two days when I refused Alpha Fennic my consent to go on a war with him.” More confusion ran around in my head. What was this woman talking about? “What war?” I looked around the chamber, at the men who moped at her while some had their mouths open. “What war are you ta
KAIREL What to expect from this war was unknown to me. Even though this was the case, one part of me didn't care. That part of me was ready and willing to go on this war—just to see the end of a man who did this to me. So far, I have become a beast. But was I to blame for it? No, there was no way I could be blamed for turning into who I had become even though one part of me did not believe myself also. But what could I do? Waking up this morning, these and many other thoughts ran around in my head. Deep inside of me, I hoped that Annora had reached the pack and given out messages to Aegon who should ask his armies to do the needful by now. A smile came on my countenance at the thought of how Fennic made his men go out to look for Annora who was long safe and I was certain because I could feel it. The man didn't have the slightest idea who did this. I could not let him know, either. Another smile came on my countenance and I caught up with the bathroom door, walking in s
AEGON I had become better, with Annora by my side all day. Night, even. The day—another day started. I woke up to see the woman I loved the most lying next to me on the bed with a smile on her face. What worried me more was that her eyes were shut. Why then was she laughing? I sat up and heaved a sigh, reaching for a part of my chest so that I could check and see if anything better had occurred with me. I felt better than yesterday. Although there were still pains in my chest but not as before when I had—I paused my thoughts and shook my head. The other day when I had—died. Sitting up, I got on my feet as well. As usual, I reached the closet so that I could get ready for the day and what it would come with. Many men from the Pack had gone to the war front to check and let us know when the war would begin. The thought of war alone made me scared—especially when there wasn't much strength in me and as a matter of fact, I was only recovering from what happened the las
KAIREL Here we were. A moment I have waited for all my life, although not in this way—there were other ways to arrive at this but what do I know? This was the conclusion we arrived at. “Aegon!” At the top of my voice, I shouted. “We meet again, don't we? How nice it is for me to meet with a man who took—” I looked at an end and there was Annora standing. “—my mate from me and got her pregnant even.” “You don't know what you're talking about, mm?” Aegon mouthed with a smile I did not like and would not like. “How about we sat down to talk about it? I miss you, Kairel. You released Annora to let me know about the war and this is one way to show your care for me.” A sigh ran out of my mouth. I thought about it, realizing a mistake I had made. Maybe I shouldn't have let Annora escape and let Aegon know about that fight. I looked behind me—the bodies of many men who had lost their lives to a war—including Alpha Fennic who I tried to warn about Aegon and his men. The old stu
KAIREL What did he just say to me? A smile threatened to appear on my countenance but I held it back from showing. This was a game and I was supposed to play it well. But did Aegon mean what he just said? I looked at him and shook my head and looked on. “Did you say I should kill you, Aegon?” “Yes,” he gave me a nod. “Take out a weapon from your bag and kill me with it. What do you say?” Did he really ask me that? I would love to! But I wasn't going to show him. “I cannot kill you, Aegon—” I muttered. “I would do that a long time ago if I could.” I let out with a smile I didn't mean. How could I smile genuinely at him when we both knew what he'd done? On the other side of the field was a woman I loved so much and more than anything. Did she think another man could have her while I was alive? A smile came on my countenance at the thought of the plot I came up with at this moment. Then, I looked at a man who was supposed to be my best friend. “I cannot kill you. You s
ANNORAWas he kidding me? How could he make such a decision without telling me about it? Or didn't he think that I deserved to know about it in the first place? Was it because I was a woman? A while ago, I walked out on Kairel and Aegon after mopping at him as though I knew what he was up to when I didn't. Not for a single moment. Something was off. I could not lay hands on what exactly was off, but I knew there was something off about Kairel coming back to the pack. What did he want to do? What was he up to? I arrived at my chamber and began to pace. Something was off. There was something off. The urge to shout at the top of my voice was more than overwhelming, but I held back myself from making a noise. One person I was angry at was the man I was having a baby for. Why would he do a thing like this? Did he think I didn't matter? Sighs ran out of my mouth. After locking the door, I fell on the bed and heaved yet another sigh. Aegon had better answer me as soon as he could.
AEGONEventually, I became a better man. How could I not be with the woman of my dreams next to me? Life was beautiful with Annora, and the seed she's given to me. My son. Our son. The prince of this Pack. I walked into the living room one morning, dressed for the occasion. It was the day when the name of our son will be given to him. With Annora by my side, I heaved a sigh. She was better. Better than the worst I saw that night in the Healer's abode. “Are you ready?” Her voice cut short my thoughts. In her arms was the baby, our new son. The name I would give him was known by myself and the woman I loved. Not just others. Except of course, Darius who I trusted so much, despite everything that happened long before now. He was the man I should have trusted long ago, not Kairel. “I'm ready,” I turned. “Where is Darius?” “On my way,” his voice sounded from behind. He reached the living room space in moments and together, we walked out of the living room. The pack was filled up w
AEGON It was exactly one month when I heard noises from the room, on the same bed where I lay. I opened my eyes and sat up, turned to look at the Luna who sat up with her hand on her waist. “Aegon, I think the baby is coming.” She announced and I was alert, jumping on my feet with fear that could be seen on my countenance. “What?” I asked even though I clearly heard. “Darius?” “My lord.” The man sounded from the door. Without permission, the man walked into the room and there was me who sat next to Annora who shouted at the top of her voice. “We must take her to the Healer's abode.” I tried to stand her up from the bed. She was quite heavy. I've never had a reason to do this until now. Together and with aid from Darius who was almost as strong as myself, we walked towards the door, out of the room, and were leading our way through the stairs, a hard task that scared me more than any other thing. “My lord. Hold her well.” He knew I was beginning to get tired. I gripped Annora
ANNORAOur arrival was a success. Instead of a wicked welcome, members of The Stormbringers Pack welcomed us more than well. At some point, I looked in the direction of Aegon to be certain we had not walked into a trap. “Welcome home,” the Luna said. She smiled as she was seated at the extreme end of the room. “We didn't know how to come to you after everything that happened between you and your father, Annora. One thing you must know is that I never was in support of what he did to you.”How would I know? I nodded, heaved a sigh, and watched her. “How have you been since his death?” I asked and looked around. “How about Lila? Isn't she supposed to be around? Did she leave the pack?” I didn't know what to think and so I asked. “She'll be here shortly.” Aegon nodded. I did the same. There was nothing more I knew I would say, so I leaned with my back on a chair I had grown up seeing. “There's a lot we have at hand before my wife puts to bed.” He began. “One of them is coming over
ANNORAA week later, after Sora was kept in the dungeon, I had gotten over her and everything that happened even though there still was a sting. There was a plan. It was taking over the Stormbringers Pack. Aegon had suggested it and on second thought, I was supposed to be the next Alpha and Luna since the late Alpha was no more. Today was the day. I woke up in my new bedroom, my new home and looked at the other side of the bed. Aegon had left the room, or maybe he was in the bathroom but I didn't know. There was a lot to do rather than sit and think so I jumped to my feet and walked to the entrance of the bathroom. There and then, I could hear sounds coming from inside. “My lord?” I walked back to the bed. “Are you in there?” I took a seat and looked at the time before looking at the closet when I recalled I had yet to select an outfit for this trip. “I'm here, my lady.” He was there. Getting ready. We didn't have much time on our side and I understood that. By the time Aegon
ANNORA “Wh—what?” The words that came out of her mouth shocked me more than anything. What did she say to me? Did the woman standing before me recall I was the same woman who should be her best friend? “You heard me right,” Sora chuckled. She walked closer and moved farther from me the next time. “You don't want to know how much hate I have for you, Annora. You don't want to know.” “What's going on?” “A lot. A lot you don't know about.” Now it dawned on me. It dawned on me that this woman could be guilty and that Wendeline was right about what she said. How could I not believe Wendeline at this point? I did before now but with doubts, if not because of anything but the trust I have for Sora. Looking up, I asked. “You did something with Kairel, didn't you? Wendeline was right about it, wasn't she? You wanted Kairel to kill Aegon. Did you know about his plans to create a war?”“Why not?” Sora laughed. She looked around the room before facing me again. “Why wouldn't I have known
ANNORAIt was three weeks since the wedding and then the coronation when Aegon announced to me that I would need to move into the royal quarters. Since the event, without moving into the royal chambers, there has been no sort of respect I didn't receive from the members who did not hesitate to show me their good side. Before the wedding, there was no such side from them, and I could not blame them. I wasn't married to the Alpha, at least not yet and there was no need to waste their time showing me a side I didn't know existed, not until now. What more could I ask for? This morning, I woke up in a room that won't be mine any longer; not when I was moving into the Luna chamber and from there, the chamber where myself and the Alpha will live, a chamber that's his. A chamber that's mine already. Someone knocking on the door woke me up from my thoughts. I looked up to notice it was Sora. She was the only one who knocked that way on the door of my room. Without any hesitation, I snappe
WENDELINE After a few days, I walked out of my room with a smile on my countenance. My legs walked through the hallway. I reached the living room in moments. Everyone who passed by me looked in my direction, greeted me, and walked away. I reached a couch and was seated in moments, relaxing my nerves as I let the feeling of home sink in. It was beautiful, beautiful to be here. But it didn't change the fact that I was going to leave. Yes, I was going to leave soon enough, before the end of the week and if not this week, next week. “Good morning, my lady.” “Good morning,” I looked up at the maid who was standing before me. “How are you today?” “I'm very well, my lady. I came to know what you would love to have this morning. The Alpha told me a while ago that you're awake so I am here. What will you love to eat, my lady?” I thought about it. What would I love to eat? “Anything will do.” I relaxed my back and sat up. “Anything will do,” I said again to the woman who bowed and tu
ANNORAThe good feeling that ran around inside my belly. Wendeline's return was good news to not just me, but the Alpha and everyone in the Pack. As soon as Aegon finished changing, he walked through the door that would lead him into the hall, a smile on his countenance. He caught up with me and we kissed even without the priest's permission. Why should we care? Tears did not fail to gather in my eyes. There were just so many thoughts that ran around in my head and one of them was what could have happened to the man I loved so much. If not for the intervention of the woman who made me poison him once at a stage of my life. Crazy. Very crazy. The world itself was a crazy place and I could not wait to be done with the wedding so that some time could be spent with Wendeline who needed to tell me what had happened so far since she left us in the Pack for wherever she went. “Does anyone have anything against the union between Annora and Alpha Aegon?” My heart started to beat. Anothe
WENDELINE “That was smooth.” I walked out of my hiding place. “Hello, brother.” The Alpha only moped at me as though he had seen a ghost and I could not blame him. “You're not going to stand there and act as though you've not seen your sister who has been away for long.” My words caused him to move closer. Tears gathered in his eyes. Whether it was the tears of seeing me or being the winner of a challenge between himself and a man who should be his friend, I didn't know. But I knew deep down inside of me that I was happy to step into the picture and save the man. “I am so happy to see you, Wendeline.” He hugged me. I hugged him back. Tears ran down my face as well and we let each other go moments later. “I'm glad you're okay, Aegon. I'm more than glad the man did not touch you.” And to think that he was ready to die. What did he mean by that thing he did? Why did he allow Kairel to take over? What did he mean by allowing Kairel to kill him? Why would he ever d