KAIREL I was supposed to leave as soon as the next morning arrived. There was nothing I knew I could do—not when Aegon had proven to be nothing but the stubborn man that he is. Heading back from the garden where I had been all day—only in the name of taking some time to think and rethink my decisions, I stopped at the door of my chamber. “Did anyone come to come for me?” I threw my question at the guard who shook his head after a bow. “Good enough.” A part of me believed that Aegon would come to my chamber again. Maybe in the name of making peace. Maybe in the name of releasing the woman I love so much, but he didn't. And did he think he was doing these things to me? Did he think he would survive without me? Giving a nod, I walked into my chamber. There was a lot to do before the day ended. It was only in the afternoon, and I had yet to take my morning bath. Without any hesitation, I caught up with my closet and took out a towel—hence leading my way to the door of my
KAIREL Wh—what did I hear her say? Unknowingly, a chuckle ran out of my mouth. I had become fazed by the words that ran out of Wendeline's mouth but I also needed to be certain that she wasn't under the influence of strong alcohol. “Did I hear you correctly, Wendeline?” Even though she was blind, it seemed like she was staring at me but there was no way she could do that. The stick for support that rested in her hand stamped on the floor. “Do you even know who you're speaking with?” “Kairel?” She scoffed. “Is that not you?” She now asked. “I do not want to believe I have come into the wrong chamber.” Again, she sounded. And now, I was certain that she was certain of the chamber she was in. But what was she talking about? “Have you been drinking too much?” “No—” a loud scoff ran out of her mouth. The stick in her hand moved in the air. It looked like she was in search of me. “I'm sure of what I say, Kairel. I don't know but I've waited for you to see this on your own s
ANNORAIt was another morning. Another day to stay back in the chamber and show my face to the wolves. Waking up with a slight headache this morning, I looked forward to a moment with Sora who, every morning, made it to my chamber no matter what. I walked to the window corner and took a peep, staring down at the wolves of the Pack who went about with their usual morning duties. Where the hell was Sora? I looked around and spotted someone who looked exactly like her from behind. But then, when she made a move and I had access to the side of her face—it wasn't my maid. Just in time, someone knocked on the door. I let go of the window and faced the wooden door. “Sora. Is that you?” Settling on the bed, I relaxed my back on the strong wood and then watched the door push open. “Good morning, Annora—” Sora walked in. There was a tad bit of a smile on her face. The kind that expressed displeasure, shock and maybe disappointment. What was wrong with her? Maybe I was thinking too much.
ANNORA “I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean.” He got on his feet and paced the room. What did I do? What should I do? What was the right thing to say to him? There was an urge to pace my chamber also but I sat down and watched Kairel who looked like he had a lot to say. “What do you talk about, Kairel?” He stopped pacing and turned to face me. “Can't you see it?” He walked further and caught up with the bed where I took a seat. “Can't you see that I'm in love with you?” He asked and looked me directly in the eye. “I cannot let you go, Annora. I cannot let you go.” I was lost. Confusion greased my countenance. “You said you hated me.” “I was angry, Annora. I was angry and would you blame me? You're my mate and I love you very much. How can you expect me to not hate you at that very moment?” He started pacing the space again. “Do you expect me to not hate you at that very moment? Would you not say those same words to me if the tables happened to be turned?”
ANNORA Again, after a few days, Sora showed up in my chamber once again as usual, with a beautiful smile on her face. “Good morning, Annora—” she shut the door, startling me as she walked over to the couch. “I'm sorry if I disturb you but I thought I should make it early to your chamber before anything else. Would you like some food?” I thought about it. Would I like some food? “Yes, Sora. A cup of tea would do with meat. Can you do that after a bath, though?” She nodded and took a seat on the large couch, moping at me as though she had seen a ghost. “Of course—” she got up almost at the same time when a seat was taken. “I'll make a bath for you as soon as possible. Give me some time, Annora—” She promised and was out of my sight. My life, in a few days, had become so miserable. A lot went on with me, especially thoughts. Thoughts about how stupid I was. Thoughts about how I could not do anything other than sob about the situation I was in. What more or less coul
KAIREL It's been over one week since I made up my mind to stay back in the Pack, rather than running away like the coward I was not—and up till now, I had yet to come up with something to do in order to win Annora. Was it so hard? Did it have to be so hard? What was wrong with me? Anger running through my veins as blood, I paced the settings of my chamber as I tried to think about what to do. Maybe how to do it. But how was I supposed to think about how to do it when the thing to do was least known to me? A tired sigh ran out of my mouth and I looked at the wall, turning around before making up my mind to console myself. That was better than anything else at the moment. Heaving a sigh, I reached the window in moments. No one asked me what to do in this world that I had created for myself. There was nothing like an Alpha or a Beta in it, unlike what I went through about a month ago when I still pledged allegiance to Aegon—a man who didn't deserve it. I looked out
ANNORA Opening my door to meeting Beta Kairel with a tray of food in his hand shocked me more than anything else. “Good morning, my lord—” I mouthed with a bow, opening the door even wider so that he could walk in. “Wh—” My words began to fail me, but I was willing to try again. “Wh—what are you doing here?” “Good morning, Annora—” Kairel led his way to the bedside, dropping the tray on the table next to the bed. “I'm sorry if I disturbed your sleep, Annora,” he said with a bow and pointed at the meal. “But I thought I should bring breakfast to you. Do you mind?” “N—no, no, I don't mind, my lord. But I believe you know you don't have to—” I looked at the table where the meal was dropped, realizing the treat was one of my favorites. “You didn't have to, Beta Kairel. You know Sora? She brings my meals to me every morning.” An unpleasant look came on his countenance. Kairel shook his head. He then walked farther from me—leaving me with no other option but to be glad that
AEGON “One of these days, I'll join you in going to check on him.” She turned around and I added. “Or her.” A smile came on my countenance. Annora bowed and without a word from her, she turned to face the door again and was out of my sight, leaving me to the many thoughts running around in my head. There were just so many of these thoughts. A sigh ran out of my mouth over and over again - while I spent a while thinking about Annora and the moments we'd had in this same room. Did she think about them? Throwing a spoonful of food in my mouth, I reached for water - sipping some as well. It was a good meal, but I didn't feel like eating. Not when a woman I was attracted to was in my chamber a while ago - while I did nothing but feast on the beautiful beauty she possessed. How could a woman be so pretty? Sipping some more water, I dropped the mug back on the table and was on my feet. It was a good thing for me - especially when there wasn't so much to do on this da
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