“Neither of you were in pain, feeling your mate be intimate with someone else?”
Mother smiles slightly. “In the beginning, yes. Goddess, it was excruciating! But Dermot and I went to see a witch, not May, who sold us a spell that would mask the pain, leaving us free to be with those we loved. We stayed with our lovers for a while, but the mate bond kept pulling Dermot and me together. We were never physical, though it was hard not to give in when the bond was strong.
“Then, one day, Dermot grabbed me and kissed me be
“I can’t believe I’m actually going to witness this,” I chuckle at Tracey and how excited she is right now. It’s my first time seeing something like this also, but I’m not practically bouncing on my heels. I can’t be mad at her; she’s embracing this whole thing with an open heart. I’ve seen bears transform before. But Tracey hasn’t, and the entire thing is impressive to her. Orrin gathered the whole Dalgaard family – Well, not all of them; there are too many across the world. But those who live in England were summoned for Aurora’s first transformation. I was introduced to Orrin’s aunts and uncles from his father’s and mother’s sides. Larentia has two sisters and two brothers, all older than she is. Dermot had ten brothers and four sisters, and I almost d
The pack finally joined my family. Everyone is in wolf form, all running with their youngest princess for the first time. The pack weren’t permitted to join the ceremony, but it was their right to join the hunt. Wolves of all colours and sizes rush to Kera, Adore’s wolf, with offerings of various woodland animals. It’s tradition for the pack to gift Royal wolves with food upon their first transformation. Kera is a beautiful white and tan wolf, and her coat is stunning. Alarick stands to the side, watching Kera in her element at being the centre of attention. ‘Mate is unhappy,’ Alarick mumbles. He turns his head towards Asha, and I sigh. She’s standing off to the side, alone, looking anywhere but at us. This is all my fault; I’ve neglected Anja for the past few days. It wasn’t intentional, but I had so much on my mind that I drifted for a while. It was wrong of me. As Alpha and King, I know that I need my Queen; it’s the only way to get through the hard times. I swore at our mating
“Everything I ever knew was a lie, Anja, and I don’t know how to deal with it.”With her hand on my face, Anja draws my eyes to her. “My sweet King,” She smiles. “I understand how hard this has been for you. But you’re an idiot for keeping it from me.” I nod because she’s right. “But this isn’t about me; it’s about you and how you’re feeling.“I learned something the day I met you, Orrin. I knew that everything in this life happens for a reason and by design. You and I were meant to find each other, just as your mother was meant to find Liam again.“I know it hurts knowing she kept the truth from you all these years. But think how she must have felt, Orrin. Larentia was in love with Liam her whole life, and Dermot was in love with someone else. The Moon Goddess
At first, I was angry. I tried to find all sorts of excuses as to why I hated the man, but nothing came to mind. I spoke to the elders about Liam, and I heard nothing but praise. According to Elder Mason, Liam was the clown, always making people laugh. Everyone was drawn to him because he just had that kind of personality.Dermot was the more serious of the two, always following in his father’s footsteps. He never defied his parents, apart from when it came to Annabelle. Grandfather couldn’t stand Liam for whatever reason and made his son’s life hell any chance he got.Elder Cane said that Liam put on a mask for those around him. He didn’t want anyone to see the truth; that’s why he acted like a fool all of the time. Liam’s only true happiness was my mother. When that was taken from him, he had no choice but to go.
“Do you think they’re all going to be okay?” Tracey asks while moving closer to me. We’re sitting on the stone bench in the rose garden. We both needed some air, and we needed to leave Orrin and his family to talk. It was hard witnessing Orrin telling his siblings everything he found out. Then having to hear Larentia’s version of things was heart-wrenching. Fawna and Allure told their mother that they understood and nothing would change. She hugged them, and then they both walked into Orrin’s arms. He clung to them for a moment before kissing their heads and letting go. Adore didn’t say anything; she merely clung to Larentia for an age. Larentia rocked her from side to side, telling Adore that she loved her. It was only then that Adore ran to Orrin, telling him that he would always be her hero. Adrian, on the other hand, clammed up. He wouldn’t say anything to his mother or Orrin, even when Orrin asked him to say something. Adrian couldn’t get his head around what he’d been told.
“Orrin, calm down,” Anja’s hand on my face has me looking at her. My heart skipped a beat when Anja walked into my office, wearing black trousers and a matching long blazer, hair in a French twist. I can’t believe how lucky I am sometimes. She climbed into my lap and wrapped her arms around me. Just feeling Anja against me calmed my nerves a little. I shouldn’t be nervous; I’m King. But the truth is that I am terrified of meeting Liam. He may be my biological father, but I don’t know him as such, and I’ve had mere days to get used to this. I can’t hide away from the man because he’s my mother’s mate, and they deserve my blessing. I could deny their bond and have Liam sent away, as is my right. But I would lose my mother and sisters because they’d all go w
I couldn’t put my finger on what was wrong when Liam first walked into the room. He seemed perfectly fine, tall, handsome, built like Orrin, and had a smile that would melt any woman’s panties.However, something was nagging at me, something off about him. I didn’t get any ill-feeling from Liam, just a whole heap of hidden sadness. The man was keeping something big from Larentia, and it drove me crazy trying to work it out. Then the voice was back, and I spaced out while Orrin and Liam spoke.‘There are many things in this world one cannot explain,’ The voice told me. ‘Phenomenons, some would say.’
“Anja? What are you talking about?”Anja doesn’t look at me; her now red eyes stare straight at Liam. I narrow my eyes while looking between the two, both stare at each other.“Liam?” Mother touches his arm. I’ve never heard her sound so afraid before. “What is she talking about?” Liam doesn’t answer; he seems to be in shock. “Liam?”“Somebody better answer!” I use my Alpha tone, causing all three to bow slightly. At least, it seems to have snapped Anja out of the trance she seemed to be in.“Orrin,” Anja leans into the touch of my hand on her face.“What happened? Why would you say something like that?”‘Remember the bad feeling we
Twenty-Five years later “Dad? You okay?” I turn away from my bedroom window and face my daughter with a smile. “Something I can help you with?” Lilly says nothing, just walks into my open arms. My daughter will one day take over the throne. My sons are strong Romarians, but Lillian is an Omerian, much more powerful than anyone predicted. It’s been many years since there was a crowned Queen of Zidiah. My daughter will be the first in two hundred years. My children have struggled with having Lorcan’s spirit share Luther’s body all their lives. The witch who stole him from us did the unthinkable. Killing the child as we thought was bad enough, but what she’d, in fact, done was force Luther and Lorcan to share one body. It took twenty-five years and Luther’s little mate to separate Luther and Lorcan. But Jenna did it, and Lorcan is now here in the physical. I love Lorcan, none could ever say that I don’t, but the boy is insane. All those years living inside his brother have left Lo
I gasp and stumble as blood falls from my mouth. The power of the Firsts rips from my body, flowing back into them.What the fuck just happened?I fall to my knees, gasping for air and clutching my chest. I feel as though I’m in another dimension, but, strangely, I feel like my old self once again.Thank the Goddess!However, I remember every vile thing I’ve done over the past weeks, and my heart is breaking.Tears fall from my eyes, and I sob. I’m a monster! There is no other word for it: I’m a monster and will never be anything more.“Anja?” I look at the man crouching in front of me. “My child,” Mythius cups my cheek. “You are free.”“I don’t know what happened,” I admit.“The blood of the Firsts corrupted your heart and mind. It almost stole your life force, but your mate saved you. How did he do this? No one knows.”“Orrin,” My eyes widen. “Where is he?”Mythius smiles sadly. “I’m sorry, young one.”“No,” I shake my head while clambering to my feet. “He’s not gone; I would feel i
“Are you sure this is the way?”“Yes, Freddy,” I mumble.Today is the day. I have but moments to save Anja, and I cannot fail. It’s taken days to find her hiding place, yet it shouldn’t have – not when we’ve followed the bodies along the way.So many shifters have been killed, too many to count. It seemed that no one was safe from my mate. Anja cared not for who she killed nor the land she destroyed.What has become of my mate?If I do manage to save her, will she ever be the same?Will she be my Anja or someone I don’t recognise?I feel sick with nerves as I approach the cave in which Anja is hiding. Liam, Adrian, and Freddy all insisted on coming with me. It didn’t matter how many times I protested; they wouldn’t listen. I also know the Firsts are following, hiding out of sight, but they’re there.They’ve come to the end of their tether, and no amount of me protesting would stop them from ending Anja. Onyx, the first dragon, almost angrily set fire to my pack!I’ll never know how th
“You need to sort this, Orrin!” I roll my eyes at Mythius. Fucking vampire prick is driving me nuts! I know that I need to sort things, but I’m at a loss for what to do here. “Your mate is out of control, and the Firsts have been talking. They want Anja neutralised before the week is out.” I know what that means; they want Anja put down. It won’t happen, but I don’t know how much longer I can hold them off. After what happened in the woods the other day, things have been slowly getting worse. Anja has killed more people than even I can count. Goddess knows I understand where Mythius and others are coming from. But I cannot stand back and allow anyone to hurt my mate. Our cubs need her; I need her! Four days ago, I was called to the forest, where I found my mate torturing rogues. Adrain, Liam, and I ran as fast as we could when Mythius called. Bodies were littering the ground, decapitated, deformed, and bent in unnatural ways. Dozens upon dozens of rogues were dead as the Firsts,
It’s dark, always so dark.My life was once filled with love and light, but that’s all gone now. All that is left behind is rage and darkness.I don’t want to be this way; it’s lonely where I am right now – locked inside my head. But I can’t deal with the pain of losing my son.Lorcan was cruelly snatched from me by a madwoman for no other reason than she could. I am one of if not the strongest person in our world. One witch should not have been able to curse me; I should have been able to take her voice and stop her.Why then couldn’t I?Why was I frozen and unable to speak?But I couldn’t speak, and I couldn’t stop that woman from taking my son from me. I still don’t understand her words, and I don’t even care to try. That bitch took something from me that I will never be able to get back.No one will ever understand what that witch did to me that day. I knew that I was out of control, hurting my own people because I couldn’t stop myself.But did I really deserve to lose my son beca
Some Months Later. . .Time is getting closer. I have around a week to save Anja, and I still haven’t worked out how to do that. She’s so out of control that the whole city is coming down around me.The Elders are on my case to contain Anja, while my people are terrified of what their Queen will do next. My pack will end in rack and ruin at this rate, and it won’t be long before my enemies swarm in.I have dozens wanting to take Anja from me. Many of whom would use her powers for their own ends, just as my cubs informed me.I am doing everything in my power to keep Anja safe, but it’s not easy. Anja fights me on everything, and just one person disagrees with her, and she ends their lives as if they were nothing.I feel as though I’m being pulled in ten different directions. The Elders, though they stay in hiding away from Anja, have been on my case to put her down. Like she’s a fucking dog!I know Anja is bringing around the destruction of our pack. But I can’t bring myself to hurt he
On the other hand, Amanda and Leopold felt the mate bond the moment they laid eyes on each other. They sparked in a way no other Kulumi bear ever has, and their love story is one that will last the ages. A woman out of her timeline with the face of another ended up being the King’s, destined mate. Nothing could have been more perfect.“Amanda,” Leopold wraps Amanda in his big arms, lifting her slightly because she’s a foot and half shorter than he is. “My love.”Though I knew Leopold loved Amanda, I never realised how much until this moment. The pale blue and lilac auras swimming around their heads as they kiss tenderly only provides more evidence that they belong together. They’re deeply in love, and nothing could take that away from them, not even death.I understand now why Leopold would never take another wife. He wasn’t and never would be over his true mate.Is it wrong to keep from the King his wife’s true identity?I don’t believe so.Why cause more pain when it won’t change an
I hadn’t heard Brody come into the room, but he’s certainly made his presence known since. “What have you done to my father?”“Brody, stand down,” Leopold waves his hand at his son.“Stand down? She was banished from Kulumi and ended up the damn Queen of Zidiah.”Leopold narrows his eyes, confused by what Brody just said about me being banished from Kulumi. But of course, he would be.“Does the King know she’s here? Or should we be expecting Orrin Dalgaard to bring war down on us?”I get to my feet.Brody is no threat to me, but I won’t have him stand over me, trying to intimidate me.“Orrin knows that I’m here, Brody. No, he wasn’t happy about it, but when I explained why I needed to come, he took a step back.”“Why are you here?” The man who used to be my best friend grinds between his teeth.I take a deep breath before using my vampiric ability to wipe Brody’s memories of who I was to him, just as I did with Leopold.I then explain everything to Brody. Every little thing I told Leo
“It is true, Leopold. But there’s more.” “What more could there be, Anja?” I know this is a lot for Leopold to take in, but he needs to know everything. So, I explain his sister-in-law’s plans to kill his child due to Amanda’s death. Leopold’s eyes widen in shock, and I see the bear within trying to break out. Not once did Leopold blame Dania for what happened. “I’ll kill her!” Leopold roars. ‘Why did you tell him that?!’ Asha screams inside my head. ‘You didn’t need to say anything. You planned to glamour the clan into forgetting who you were here and believing Amanda hadn’t even died. ‘Everything would have been as it always was, but you had to go and spill this shit to the King. Once you’d glamoured everyone, nobody would have wanted to kill Dania. What the hell is wrong with you?’ Crap! Asha is correct, but I wasn’t thinking. I am so overly tired, and I’ve used so much power today that I’m starting to slow down. ‘Wipe the memory, Anja! Amanda’s sister was acting due to gri