Trick or Trick? Even I don't know what Aegon's got up his sleeves. And Kairel, sheessh, loveee him.
ANNORALiving was about to become torture— the first word in my head as I stirred awake on this hard ground. I didn’t know where I was.It looked like a cellar. Dark and moist, with the sun's reflection from the little window lining the walls. Sitting up almost knocked me back into a state of unconsciousness. My head ached so hard, throbbing like it was about to fall off my shoulders.“Where am I?” I said loudly, confirming that I was, in fact, still capable of speaking. Soon, the memories of last night started to push their way back into my head with full force.I remembered everything. Stabbing the Beta and almost dying for it. A gasp ripped out of my mouth when the last clause also sank in. In his irritating voice, I heard it again. A personal maid for the Alpha.Shit! A maid for that son of a bitch?! I groaned and stood to my feet, trying to navigate and find a way to get out of there. Again.The door opened with a creek, and all the light in the world was let in. I raised my head
KAIREL“This is quite the deep cut, Beta Kairel,” Agnes mentioned as she dressed my wound. That was the fourth time she’d mentioned it in just fifteen minutes.It was my shoulder that got stabbed, doesn’t she think I know that? “Why did you come instead of Banes?” I asked, ignoring her remark like I had the first three times. Banes was the healer, while Agnes was the head of maids within the facility. I was just as surprised to see her show up this morning. “Banes had to run errands for his pregnant wife. He asked me to fill it out for him. Alpha Aegon would be furious if he found out.”Of course, he would. Yet she found it comfortable to tell this to me despite being his Beta because she knew I wouldn’t say a thing. They all knew this. I bobbed my head slightly as the burn of the antiseptic bit into my skin. “I see.”She wiped the surface of the injury with cotton wool. It was only a matter of seconds before she asked another question. “What will be the slave's fate? She was not ki
ANNORAThe Beta. Wait, what? Why’d he have to come out half-naked? That was the first thing I could register about his appearance. He’d come out with bandages wrapped around his neck and shoulders— maybe he mistook that for a shirt. I watched him help Lady Wendeline up. He seemed so concerned that it was a little bothersome. It looked like they were friends. I didn’t know an Alpha who let his Beta and brother become so intimate with his bride. Then again, that was no concern of mine. I was dead meat.Lady Wendeline confirmed that she was okay, but the Beta seemed to need help with the injury I'd caused. Watching him momentarily scrunch his face in pain made me admit that I felt a little bit of guilt for stabbing him.All he’d tried to do was help me, and I took advantage of that. I shrank deeper into my uniform. “It’s you, isn’t it? The slave girl,” Lady Wendeline mentioned, and my soul almost snatched out of my body.How the hell did she know that? Doing my best not to look at th
ANNORA“Please! Anyone, let me out…” Life had started to wither from my voice, and my muscles wouldn’t longer move. Sitting was impossible because my head would be underwater, if not close.My eyes had adjusted to the darkness, but my mind continued to spiral. I didn’t take this punishment to end up dying in a well. My family hadn’t died for no reason! “Let me out!” I cried one last time.Climbing was impossible. Despite being tired, I’d tried twice and failed. A slippery slope slid me right back to the bottom of the well. I couldn’t even cry anymore; I kept screaming despite the bile that rose at the bottom of my throat.“Who’s there?” A male voice called out, concerned. Thank god. Thank god! “Please help me!” I cried. Desperation filled my every word, and I almost started to tear up. Was I supposed to be hopeful? It could be another guard who’d just watch me scream till I die.The rock was rolled off, and soon, the lid was cast open; I looked up to the silhouette of a figure lookin
AEGONWaddling behind me like a lost child, Sin wrapped her hands around herself, shivering from the blistering cold. It only made her look more pathetic than she already did in those unfortunate clothes.And she appeared meeker than usual, as though that defiant side of her had drowned in the well. Who locked her in and why? I couldn’t care less. Every near-death experience she incurred only made her fear me more.That was exactly what I wanted. There was clamoring within the maids as I slipped by— they all looked at her like she shouldn’t be alive. If anything, she shouldn’t have messed with Kairel, not when every single maid and slave he had helped pledged his life to him.Leading her inside my chamber, I pointed to a spot for her to stay. I couldn’t have a wet trail lining my entire rug. She looked up at me with sad, puppy eyes, though she stank everywhere. No one would know how much of a clown and menace she was with that piteous look on her face.“Strip,” I said as I took my sea
AEGON Did I sleep with her? Don’t give me ideas, Kairel. I leaned back against the chair and watched Kairel contemplate for a response. “What do you think?”“Just answer the question, Aegon!” He snapped. “Did you sleep with my mate?”“Your mate?” I repeated, tasting the disbelief lace heavily on my tongue. “That child is a slave! A product of my conquest. In what world do you acknowledge that the spawn of the devil who’d ruined our entire life is your mate, Kairel? Have you completely lost sight of what really matters here? Have you forgotten our goal?!”“You mean your goal?” He ran his fingers through his hair, prancing. “Because the last time I checked, neither of us agreed to your unorthodox ways. Not me, not Wendeline. We do not—”“That unorthodox way is what has kept you alive through years of existence, Kairel!” My voice boomed across the top, and I tightened my fist. “That savage way is what keeps the pack afloat. Do you think smiling and flirting with a few maids is what cut
ANNORA“Are you okay?” Beta Kairel asked me as he walked down the hallway, past the festering sight of the guards and maids.I still got goosebumps from walking within them, knowing they’d willingly set up my death and no one would know. Getting locked up in the well shrunk the size of Alpha Aegon as a threat. I had a lot more to worry about, and it was all sinking in that I’d have to worry about my life every day like thisTrying not to tear up as I did, I nodded, keeping my lips tightly pursed and tasting the bitter bile that sat at the bottom of my throat.There were concrete chairs just outside Alpha Aegon’s chamber, and Beta Kairel ushered me to sit. My thoughts were crashing very wickedly. “What happened?” he asked, seeming concerned. Was I even supposed to trust him?He lied that he would get a ladder and didn’t return. I was in that position anyway because of him and his incorrigible fanbase.“I got stuck.”“You were trapped in there. You didn’t put yourself in there, and some
ANNORAHis hands were like claw markings all over my body, pumping me full of disgust with every second waltzing by. I tried to shout.I screamed for help at the top of my lungs, but none came until the guard placed his huge hand over my mouth and muffled my cries.I heard a gasp from the direction of the entrance, and it was a maid, just like me, who’d come to deliver their food. “Help me! Please!” I pleaded, though my voice was muffled. A blubbering mess.But she could see what was happening, right? Her eyes were full of fear, and I watched her entire body quiver. Unbelievably still, she stood, taking in my unfortunate situation,“You saw nothing. Now, get the hell out of here. You know what happens when you snitch!” He growled, still groping me.Her face fell, and I recognized instantly that she wouldn’t help me. None of the maids would. The fragile lady hastily dropped the tray and sprinted like she had seen nothing. “No one is coming for you, princess!” With his other hand, he
KAIREL The morning of a new week arrived. I was supposed to be better than last week, but it looked like I had become worse than the previous week and this was why I chose to spend time alone in my chamber until I had a reason to be out. Opening my eyes on the bed this morning, I wondered what to do when I was ready for the morning. I let my eyes shut and sleep took hold of me, while I spent the rest of my time in a world that existed only when the eyes were shut. Opening them the next time, it was the sound of someone hitting the door of my chamber. Why? What for? “My lord?” The womanly voice called. I sat up on the bed, thoughts of how I got here in the first place running around in my head. Then, I heaved a sigh and managed to stand on my feet, after which I reached the door so that I could unlock it and when I did, it was a maid. Not just any type of maid. It was Sora. The woman with the keys to achieving something. “Good morning, Sora—” I opened the door w
ANNORAHow did I not think about this from the onset? Sora moped at me but she wasn't my problem in the meantime even though it was her assistance I needed in order to achieve this. “My lady?” “Yes, Sora?” I looked up after some time. “You don't want to know what I have come up with. I'll let you know what it is about in a moment.” I adjusted on the bed where I sat. “You like Lord Kairel, don't you?”“My lady—” she cried. “What sort of a question is that?” She adjusted on the couch and looked around the chamber. “I'm not supposed to hate the man, should I?” “That's not what I mean, and you know.” A chuckle escaped my mouth and I was standing on my feet, walking to the couch so that we could stay closer to each other for this conversation. “Do you like Lord Kairel in a way of sex? Even marriage.” I took a seat on the couch next to her. “I like the former Beta.” She admitted. “But I cannot have anything to do with a man who took my best friend to prison even though it wasn't
ANNORA “You rejected him?” “Yes, Aegon.” Alpha Aegon heaved a sigh. “He must be so heartbroken. The poor man who should understand.” “Why should you care if he's heartbroken or not, Aegon? You should be happy he's no longer linked with me. Do you need me to accept him back?” What the fuck was wrong with this man? I heaved a sigh and looked around the room even though there was no one there with us. “It's funny but I thought you wanted me to not have a thing to do with Kairel any longer. I have put an end to that and you have an issue with it.” “I don't want you to have a thing to do with Kairel. I'm just saying I feel bad for him.” “I see.” “Is it that hard that you cannot understand?” A sigh ran out of his mouth as he walked away from the window, taking a seat on the bed next to me. What to say, I didn't know. Maybe I did, but not anymore. “Thank you, baby—” he took my hand in his for a moment so that he could kiss it. “Do you want to know why I feel for him? I
KAIREL “What?” Forced to look around so that I could be certain that no one was watching, I looked at Annora. “What do you mean?” The smile on her face faded completely. “I'm rejecting you as my mate, Kairel. Can't you see? I don't have anything to do with you any longer and I am sure you're certain of this.” “No, I am not certain.” “What do you mean, Annora?” “Make me understand why you've rejected me as your mate when you're not supposed to.” A sigh ran out of my mouth and I held myself from shouting so much at the woman who moped at me, a wicked smile on her countenance. It looked like this was a moment of hers she spent all her years waiting for. And I wasn't going to let her have power over me. Not now or ever. “Lord Kairel?” I looked at her, walked back to the stone, and took a seat on it. “Of course, Annora.” “I am happy with the Alpha, Lord Kairel,” she announced and it made me more angered than I already was. “Myself and the Alpha are happy with each othe
ANNORA Weeks passed since the feast was thrown for Kairel and we had yet to come across each other. I walked through the compound of the Pack with Sora who walked behind me. She mouthed words I did not correctly hear and no one needed to let me know she wasn't speaking to me. “Sora, will you go to play with the kids?” She chuckled. “No, lady Annora. What do you think Alpha Aegon will say about me not watching over you when he sees it?” I stopped smiling when I saw somebody. Kairel. What was he doing in my face? A sigh ran out of my mouth and I stopped walking so that Sora could meet up with me. “There he is—” “Who?” Acting as though I didn't know what she was talking about, I asked, my gaze fixed on Kairel who walked in my direction. “Do you mean—” “Lord Kairel—” she chuckled. “Such a handsome fine man who doesn't look in the way of other women. Don't you think it's not fair?” What was she talking about? Did she—I looked in Kairel's direction and turned to look
KAIREL When did she hate me so much? And why? Seated on the special chair meant for me, my gaze met Annora's for a moment. Not a smile was on her countenance. I didn't need to ask anyone before understanding that I was hated so much. But what did I do? Did I not set her free and give her a chance to run back to Aegon so that she could be safe and alive? Didn't I ask her to let Aegon know about the war? What did I not do for the woman? I sighed and looked away, recalling also that if it were not for me, Aegon and the rest of the men would not know about what was coming for them. They would not know about the war because Annora will be in The Stormbringers Pack, and she could not let anyone know about the plans. What an ingrate. I looked away from her side because I had been staring a while ago. Now, I channeled my thoughts on the young man who held the local microphone, my name in his mouth as he praised the outfit I wore for the feast. “Kairel happens to be the f
AEGON Seven days passed. The day we've waited for had finally come. More than ready for the feast, I woke up with a smile on my countenance. I looked at each side of the bed for the woman I loved, and then I recalled we didn't share a chamber in the first place. I got on my feet and caught up with the bathroom, and then the closet before the bathroom door once again. After my bath, the next moment was spent admiring the outfit I would wear for this feast. I had asked the pack designer to make something new and that was what I wanted to use. “My lord.” Darius sounded. “Darius—” I called from inside. “What can I do for you on a day as beautiful as this?” “Have you forgotten?” He asked. “It's the day when I get you ready, or do you plan to do that on your own? I thought you might need—” I opened the door and he stopped talking. “Come on in, Darius. I need all the help I can get.” The door shut and he walked further into the space of my chamber, giving a nod at the si
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.
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