JAKE'S POVThere was silence in the room as the unknown figure walked in. All eyes fell on him. Who could that be? I thought and why would the guards let him in without informing me first? I think they no longer cherish their jobs. I moved closer to make out what or who he was but he wore a ninja mask across his face.“One more step and you wouldn’t use those legs anymore,” I thundered.He uttered no word, making me more nervous. Who is this with so much audacity walking into my house like he owned it?He halted and slowly reached for the mask across his face. I instinctively held the edge of my silver-coated dagger just in case he made a threatening move. “What?” My expression darkened as he pulled off the mask across his face. “Braun! How dare you?” My fingers folded into a fist causing my vision to blur with anger. I moved before I could think. Lucio growled in my head, and in a split second, I was already on him. The first punch landed on his nose causing blood to trickle from hi
LYRA’S POVWhat just happened? Who was that and why would Jake be so furious at him? My mind reeled with some many questions as I stood there trying to process what just happened while staring at what was once a beautiful scene now in total disarray; shattered wine glasses, chairs flipped over, and the well-decorated cake now a smear all over the floor.“Maids!” Queen mother Tessa called out. I watched as the maids scrambled, rushing towards the scene. “Get this mess cleaned up!” She ordered, her tone Sharp and commanding.“Yes ma’am!” They responded with a slight bow.As they scrambled to tidy up the scene, I walked away, headed for the only place I could find solace at this point; My room. I waltzed through the passage a bit disappointed. I had spent quite an amount of energy planning this moment and it ended up in ruins. I grunted in frustration. Why do things keep falling apart the moment I feel like we are headed somewhere? I didn’t know who the stranger was or why Jake was so f
LYRA’S POVThe vibration from his voice sent shivers down my spine. I thought he would still be up in his room. I wanted to be long gone before he'd realize. I stood still, my back still turned at him. Should I respond or should I just walk out on him? My thoughts clashed inside of me as I gripped hard on my luggage.“Where do you think you are going by this time of the night?” He asked again. At this point, I was not sure what his tone was. Was it Concern, Remorse, or Anger? I swallowed hard before slowly turning around, my eyes locked onto his. “Somewhere away from your sickening secrets!” I lashed out at him. I felt my stomach drop after that statement; I had stepped beyond the boundaries of words I could say to him. What was going to be his reaction? My body shivered yet I remained composed.He stood, speechless. I had expected him to say something, perhaps plead with me not to leave or at least explain to me why he was building a wall between us, but no word came forth. I turn
LYRA’S POV“What do you think about my outfit?” I asked Jake, halfway down the stairs grinning. My maid Abigail had selected a long, black flowing sequin dress that hugged my stature, for my outing with my mate. It glittered under the soft light from the chandelier. My makeover was light yet flawless and my hair wrapped up in a bun with free strands falling on either side of my face.Jake, who was adjusting his collar in front of the full-length mirror immediately caught a glimpse of my reflection in it. He immediately spun around in awe. His lips parted as if struggling to push out the right words to say. His well-tailored Black tuxedo perfectly hugged his body and his lustrous black hair was styled to perfection. How can I forget his eyes; they were one part of him that never ceased to charm me.“My goodness, Lyra,” Jake teased. His voice was barely audible, almost like a whisper.I felt butterflies in my tummy, my cheeks were red with blush as I tried to hide my smile but it foun
JAKE’S POVI woke up next to one of the most beautiful views any man would wish for. Lyra’s body curled up beside me, perfectly outlining her contours, her messy hair from last night slightly falling over her face. The morning light fell on her face, radiating her beauty. Her lips slightly parted, and her chest rising and falling in sync with her breathing as she lay peacefully, fast asleep.The scar on my chest had begun to tingle. A ticking time bomb wrapped around my soul. And with the full-blood moon fast approaching, I was running out of time. I wish she could understand why I’m distant from her. But how could she? I still haven't found the right words to explain to her. To make her understand the real reason isn't because of Alisha or out of hatred or dislike for her like she felt it was. “This is for your own safety, Lyra,” I whispered, slowly pushing off the strands of hair off her face, placing a kiss on her forehead. She grunted in her sleep rolling over to her other side
LYRA'S POV The first punch came fast, crashing into my ribs and knocking the air out of my lungs. I held my side, tripping backward, gasping, but Cloe didn’t give me a second to recover. She was tall and intimidating. Her hits came as quick as lightning. This time, it landed on my jaw, jolting my head to the side. I had felt my neck would snap. I staggered backward, hitting the floor, instinctively lifting my arm to protect my face from the next hit. “Damn!” I cursed under my breath. “You have to focus, Lyra. Focus!” I geared myself. I spat blood on the ground, slowly standing to my feet. The cheer from the crowd was deafening. Amidst the grinning face was Jake who sat at the podium. His eyes were locked on me while gripping tight on his seat, his expression hard. “Fight back, Lyra! Get the hell up! You've trained hard for this day.” I could hear his thoughts yelling at me through my mind link. Cloe stood right in front of me, flexing her muscles with a dark smirk on her fa
JAKE’S POVThe door pushed open, jerking me up from the chair I laid my head on. "Damn! How long was I gone?" I muttered to myself, adjusting my sitting position.My neck hurt badly and my eyes felt heavy, slowly adjusting to the brightness of the room. I watched in silence as the nurse adjusted the infusion giving set before injecting a few more medications into the infusion. The continuous beeping of the heart monitor beside her filled the room. Each beep struck my heart. I could have done something to stop this. I shouldn't have pushed her that far. Cloe was no match for Lyra but how she managed to pin Cloe was something that still struck me.“How is she doing? How long would it take for her to regain consciousness?” I asked my voice, husky due to lack of sleep. The nurse looked up from Lyra’s medical records she held in her hand, her expression grim but professional.“I can't tell how long before she wakes up but she’s stable,” the nurse responded. “Though she suffered some inte
JAKE'S POV “Jake? Alpha Jake! Are you okay?” Selene had been calling out my name but all I heard was muffled echoes until she snapped her fingers in my face. “Huh?” I blinked myself back to reality. I turned, refocusing my gaze on Selene whose brows were furrowed with concern.“Are you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost” She asked. Her tone was etched with concern before crashing back into her seat.“Tell me, there is a mistake somewhere. Lyra cannot be pregnant. How is that possible?” I asked, fear gripping me tight like a bear hug.I'm sure that was the most stupid question to ask, but somehow I wanted to hear ‘it was a Joke’. “What do you mean by, How?” Selene shot back at me with a side-eye look. “Don't be ridiculous, Jake. This is not rocket science, You both are adults.” She retorted. Her voice was laced with humor.“You don't have to rub it in. I know but why does it have to be now?” I felt a knot in my stomach.I still have a clear memory of the fateful day Alisha's
AEMOND'S POV“Finally, it is gradually coming through! You think of me as a fool! A sheep destined to be led all through life. I have worked my ass off, my sweat, my blood, yet you keep taking credit for all! No acknowledgement! Wait till I take everything from you and have you stripped on the street,” I spat venom at Leo in my head, still maintaining a submissive look. I nodded with my gaze fixed on him, with a forced smile, while I tightened my fist away from his view.“I am happy you're beginning to see reasons with me, your Grace. I'd reach out immediately to Zephyr. I am certain he would be able to give me more insight about the pendant,” my voice rang with so much excitement as I stood up to exit the bar.My phone buzzed in my pocket, I reached out to see it was Ella. I took a sharp glance at Leo. Luckily his face was buried in his phone. Clicking on the message icon, I realized it was Ella.I AM YET TO GET AN UPDATE ON THAT BITCH. WHY IS SHE STILL BREATHING? JAKE ALMOST BUMPED
LEO’ S POVWhy are younger siblings so difficult to handle? I thought, tearing through rogues coming at me from the front gate. I had no idea who they were and why they were attacking. All that mattered to me at this point was to hurry off and get Lyra out of this before she got hurt or worst of all, taken.I disabled the last rogue coming at me before racing off to find Lyra. “Lyra!” I called out, darting through the woods with branches and leaves, slapping and tearing my chest as I ran. All I heard was the sound of dry leaves crushing under my feet as I raced till I heard a scream, my heart stopped. “Lyra!” I whispered, my eyes popped out in fear. “No no no,” I growled, changing my direction towards the east wing.What my eyes saw made me halt in my tracks. I lost my breath for a minute. Bodies littered all over the place. “What the hell happened?” I whispered to myself, my eyes darting from left to right when I spotted Tara, standing on a hill.Her thick white fur was stained with
LYRA’S POV“Tara! Tara! Stop!” I yelled, my heart racing. I couldn’t control her, all she wanted to do was to tear out of me and attack. As the protector of the pendant and the bearer, Tara would never take any chances with anyone who posed a threat to me, even if it was my brother.YOU NEED TO STAY BACK AND LEARN HOW TO CONTROL YOUR WOLF AND YOUR ABILITIESMy mind reeled back to what Selene had told me back in ShadowClaw. Maybe I should have listened. Ever since Tara returned, she was no longer the sweet little pup I used to know. Though she was still sweet, but, a lot of chances had taken place. Changes I couldn’t control.“What are you doing, Lyra?” Leo asked, his voice trembling as his gaze faltered. “I don’t know Leo, just drop the damn pendant!” I yelled again, this time I felt Tara connecting to the Pendant. “Wha…What are you doing?” I muttered inaudibly. Tara’s body began to heat up inside of me. I knew what she was doing. “Arrh! Leo’s voice echoed into the night with a loud
LEO'S POV“Easy!” I winced in pain as the nurse gently wrapped medicated gauze around my palm.“Sorry sir,” the nurse responded to my reaction.I hadn't spoken to nor seen Lyra since the incident last night. “How bad is the burn?” I asked.“It is just a first-degree burn sir, you should be fine in a couple of weeks, with proper dressing, some analgesic, and antibiotics,” she responded, clipping the loose edge of the bandage.“Good morning sir,” Aemond greeted, walking in on me and the nurse. His gaze shifted to my hand in shock. “What the hell happened to you, sir?” He queried, examining my wrapped arm.“It’s nothing, I got burnt but it's just a mild scratch,” I responded casually, hoping it would stop him from asking further questions but Aemond was one inquisitive individual. “You may leave us now, Nurse Zoey,” I shifted my gaze to the nurse, who nodded, packing up her first aid box. Aemond and I just stared at each other for the period she was putting her things in order.“These a
JAKE'S POVI pushed through the entrance of the jewelry store, racing outside. “She couldn't have run that far!” I heaved deep breaths as I looked from left to right and right to left. “ Fucking hell!” I screamed, my nerves pushing against my skin around my neck.“Jake! Stop! You are embarrassing yourself! You are embarrassing me!” Ella scolded as she ran towards me, struggling to keep herself balanced on her heels.I spun around, my face contoured into a non friendly form. I stormed towards her as though I was going to take out my frustration on her. “Don't fucking tell me to stop! I knew what I saw!” I yelled at her face, saliva spreading into the air. “She was right there! I saw her! And thanks to your bullshit, I'm sure she saw me too! Gosh!” I clawed my finger into my head, holding it tightly. “If you hadn't insisted I accompany you to get some jewelry, I wouldn't be in this compromising situation.“I’m sure she'd be thinking we are likely getting married. You've always wanted h
LEO’S POVMy thoughts had constantly been haunted by Aemond's words. Just last night, I could barely sleep. What if he was right? Would giving in or somehow considering his proposal make me evil? This is what every Alpha yearned for! To be in charge, to be the controller of vast nations.“No!” I subconsciously barked out loud. “Do not turn yourself into a villain! Let this slide! Get a hold on yourself, Leo!” I spoke to myself, walking up and down the room with a glass of red wine in my hand.“What if Aemond was lying? On the contrary, what does he stand to gain from all of this? It's not like he is a power-thirsty individual. If he wanted this ability for himself, he wouldn't have informed me,” I gave voice to my thoughts. “I don't know about you, but I can't imagine possessing double the strength I have now! Double of my size and bite force,” Zeus, my wolf snarled in my mind. “I don't think you understand how powerful the legendary white wolf is! It is the raw energy of the moon g
LYRA'S POVI hurried up to my feet, swerving through the display glasses stationed at different points.“Hey, ma'am! Watch your steps! The angry sales attendant spat at me, as she picked up her merchandise from the floor, though I didn't stand to apologize. “I'm so sorry,” I whispered almost inaudibly in between my heavy gasps as I ran towards Caspian. “Sorry, excuse me!” I said, pushing through onlookers and those purchasing some items.What the hell was he doing here? He didn't even have the dignity to search for me. How long has it been since I disappeared? Here he is, splashing luxury on a traitor! How demeaning can this get? Jake will always remain Jake! A manipulator!“Lyra? Lyra, is that you?” Jake's voice came behind me.“Jake, where are you going? You can't be running after someone just like that! Stop embarrassing yourself! You are creating a scene!” A second voice came through. It was Ella. She also joined the chase but not to find out if it was truly me, instead, she tri
LYRA'S POVIt has been a rough couple of days for me since Caspian walked out on me at the hospital, not saying a word after overhearing the doctor mention my pregnancy. The cold look on my face, the disbelief, the disappointment etched on it was soul-shattering for me. No questions, no accusations, no goodbye—just silence and distance. That silence now filled every corner of my mind.I guess I should’ve told him. Maybe I should’ve been honest from the beginning, but everything was happening so fast. I was completely swept off by his charm, so deep I didn't pay attention to my head.I sighed, looking at my phone screen for the umpteenth time today before sliding into my pocket, straightening my shoulder, and stepping outside of the house.The wind gradually became cooler by the minute with dark clouds beginning to form in the sky. "I think it's going to rain today," I whispered to myself, taking a look at my phone again, hissing in disappointment. I blew into my hands, rubbing them
LEO'S POVI stood under the shade of the stone arch that framed the training grounds, the midday sun casting broken light through the dense canopy above. I was lost, totally torn between anger and confusion. What is he even saying? Lyra? How is that even possible? My mind was a jumble of thought that I didn't notice the condensed liquid of the energy drink in my hand, dripping down my wrist. "She was the vessel. The Moon’s Chosen. If you don’t take the power, someone else will. You deserve it. You’re their legacy. She’s just the bearer."The words he said somehow kept echoing in my head twisting inside my gut like a knife."How did you get to know?" I had asked him, curiosity etching in my tone. "How come my better now knows more than I do?"He'd smiled that sly, venom-laced grin of his and said, "When the men we had sent to abduct Jake's Luna brought her in, Zephyr had to take her with an enchanted collar. I'm sure you know what that means?" Aemond asked, raising his brows slightl