CALLUMI was beyond grateful that I didn’t have to give a speech.Ava didn’t even expect us to stand behind her, she knew the four of us were really uncomfortable with the whole thing. As soon as Michael finished his speech and Ava stepped forwards to give hers, the faces of the crowd were… varied. A lot of people were looking forward to hearing what she had to say, but there were definitely a few that still weren’t best impressed that she would be taking the throne.And those faces that already weren’t happy looked like they’d been slapped when she announced some of the laws she was planning to revoke to better protect young girls who were in similar situations to the one she was in, but didn’t have the chance to get out of it.The younger audience
AVAThat moment I kicked off my heels when we got back to our suite was one of pure elation. I hadn’t realised just how uptight I was until I made it back to our happy place.I made a beeline straight for my dressing room, needing, more than anything, to get out of the dress and crown. They both seemed to have gotten really heavy over the last hour.Noah followed me in, standing behind me, my back against his chest whilst he teased what felt like hundreds of hair pins out of my hair, until finally, it tumbled down my back in much more defined curls than I would normally go for.I let my head fall back against his ch
OSCARWhen I woke up the next morning, the five of us tangled together in a pile of sated limbs, I felt content. Yes, things were a bit crazy, and yes, in five weeks time, someone would be putting a crown on my head… but I was happy. The five of us were happy.Even my dad and Alpha Jacob pulling knowing faces at us over breakfast because of the noise last night couldn’t put a dampener on my mood. I didn’t think anything could.Right up until something did.Ava’s eyes glazed over as someone linked her, her expression moving through various degrees of shock before settling on anger. When she met our eyes again, Artemis was staring back at us.“We were right,” she hissed, voice low. Fortunately we were in our priv
AVAThe next week dragged by in a mess of patrols, problems, and absolutely no solutions for anything at all. No one found anything useful that would point us in remotely the right direction, or even just a direction that wasn’t wrong. We had no idea where Matthew was hiding. No idea where Elijah was hiding. We hadn't even found any of Elijah's rogues in a while, and we had absolutely no idea if Matthew was working on his own or if he had an army behind him.We had nothing.We were trying to make an effort to carry on like normal, at least as much as possible. We had to try because today was Callum and Oscar’s eighteenth birthday.Normally, today would be the day that their wolves would identify their mate for the first time. Of course, we’d known for much longer. Desp
AVAWe all needed to unwind with the party, but of course, we were still caught up in the middle of an absolute shitfest, so the happiness and chill-vibes were never going to last forever.I sat at the desk in my office, staring at the map of the Kingdom I had pinned to my whiteboard. My Kings, Jacob, Alex and Jeremiah were all with me, and we had extra guards on both my office and the packhouse door. I refused to get caught short again.Jeremiah and Alex between them were marking all the locations where there had been known rogue attacks and where there had been encounters with either Matthew or Elijah over the last few months so we could try to work out where either of them would be hiding. Was it going well? No.
AVAThe next morning, I made a point of distracting myself from as many problems as I could. I went for a run with Alex, swam in the lake with my Kings, and made cookies with Paula.I needed to clear my mind of nonsense to give myself a chance to solve some of the pressing questions that were floating around my mind. What better way to solve a problem than to not think about the problem?It was shortly after the cookies went in the oven that I realised something. Something… big.Why wasn’t I pregnant?I had been having a lot of sex, unprotected sex, with four men for months. I had my usual monthly cycles, and everything seemed normal. But sure
CALLUM“Paula. Paula let Matthew out,” I growled. “Ava trusts her.”“I know,” dad replied, his voice pained as he winced under the weight of my aura. Realising that… I forced Ares to tone it back, but he was not calm, and he really wanted me to know that.“We need to talk to Ava’s parents.” Noah sounded just as pissed as I felt.I nodded. “You’re right. They’re close to Paula too.” I linked Jeremiah and then Ava’s parents, bringing them all to Jacob’s office as quickly as possible.
AVAProblems are like buses.For a while, everything is all hunky dory and there are no problems for anyone to worry about (apart from Paula being MIA, which she now had been for a week). But they are like buses. So after a period of calm… three come at once.We were woken up in the middle of the night by an emergency alert across the pack. Rogues.“Ava, you need to get to the safe room,” Jacob insisted. “They’re here for you, you know that.”“I’m not hiding, Jacob,” I replied as I ran around pulling shorts and a t-shirt on, before sprinting out of the room with my Kings behind me, the six members of my Queen’s Guard who were on duty quickly catching up. The other six were out look
AVAI sank into the plush armchair, my body feeling like lead. The room was dimly lit, shadows dancing on the walls as the fireplace crackles softly. Oscar lay on the chaise lounge nearby, his chest rising and falling steadily. Relief washed over me, but it was tinged with a lingering anxiety that refused to dissipate."How are you feeling, love?" Theo's voice broke through my thoughts.I met his concerned gaze, and I knew my eyes were full of pain. "Like I've been hit by a truck, then run over by a train for good measure."A weak chuckle escaped Oscar's lips. "That's my girl, always with the colourful descriptions."My heart clenched. He nearly died saving me, and there he was, still trying to make me smile. I reached out, grasping his hand tightly. "We need to talk about what happened," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.Callum leaned against the mantle, his jaw clenched. "Agreed. We can't let something like this happen again."I could feel the weight of their worry, their lov
AVAI couldn't bear it anymore. The pain of feeling Oscar slipping away was too much. With a surge of desperate strength, I pushed against Theo's chest. "Let me go," I choked out, my voice barely above a whisper.Theo's arms loosened, surprise flashing across his face. I took advantage of his momentary hesitation and scrambled away, my legs giving out as I reached Oscar's side. I collapsed to my knees, my hand finding his."Oscar," I whispered, squeezing his fingers. They felt so cold. Too cold. "Don't you dare leave me."I could feel our bond stretching, thinning like a gossamer thread about to snap. Panic clawed at my throat. This couldn't be happening. Not after everything we'd been through."Ava," Callum's deep voice c
CALLUMI could feel Theo's anger radiating off him in waves as we strode down the dimly lit corridor toward Sera's cell. My own fury simmered just beneath the surface, barely contained."Remember, we need information," I said, my voice low and tight. "Don't let her provoke you."Theo's jaw clenched. "I'll try."As we approached the heavy iron door, I took a deep breath, steeling myself. The guard unlocked it with a harsh clang that echoed off the stone walls.Sera sat on a narrow cot, her raven hair tumbling over her shoulders. Those unnerving violet eyes locked onto us as we entered."Well, well," she purred. "To what do I owe the pleasure of a royal visit?"
OSCARI couldn’t tear my eyes away from Ava's lifeless gaze as the healers swarmed around us like agitated bees. The scent of herbs and magic hung thick in the air, mingling with the acrid tang of fear emanating from my brothers and me. My fingers tightened around Ava's limp hand, desperately seeking some flicker of response."Damn it, why isn't anything working?" I growled, frustration boiling over as another potion fails to elicit even a twitch from our mate.Noah placed a steadying hand on my shoulder. "They're doing everything they can, Oscar. We have to be patient."Patient? How could I be patient when the love of my life is lying there like an empty shell? The urge to lash out, to find that witch and tear her apart with my bare hands, was nearly overwhelming.
AVAThe moon's absence cast an eerie darkness over the ritual circle, the air thick with anticipation and the scent of herbs. I took a deep breath, steadying myself as I stepped into the silver-etched boundary of the circle, my heart pounding against my ribs like a caged bird. Sera's violet eyes gleamed in the flickering candlelight, her raven hair seeming to absorb the shadows around us. I could feel the tension radiating from my Kings through our bond, their worry and love intertwining with my own determination."Are you ready to begin, Your Majesty?" Sera's melodic voice carried an undercurrent of excitement that set my nerves on edge.I swallowed hard, casting a glance at my mates. Callum's jaw was clenched, his blue eyes stormy with concern. Theo's hands were balled into fists at his sides, while Noah's gaze was fix
AVAI bolted upright, a scream tearing from my throat. The room spun, shadows dancing in the dim light of dawn. My heart pounded, sweat plastering my nightgown to my skin."Ava!" Noah's voice, thick with sleep, cut through my panic. His strong arms encircled me, pulling me against his chest. "It's okay, love. You're safe."I couldn’t stop shaking, the nightmare's grip still tight around my mind. The empty crib, the hollow ache in my arms - it felt so real."The nightmare again?" Theo asked softly, his hand finding mine in the tangle of blankets.I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. Oscar shifted closer, his warmth a comforting presence at my back. Callum's fingers brushed my cheek, wiping away tears I hadn't realised I'd shed."Talk to us, Ava," Callum urged gently.I took a shuddering breath. "It was... worse this time. I could hear a baby crying, but no matter
AVAThe library door crept open, and Theo stepped in, his blue eyes immediately finding mine. My heart rate picked up as he approached, his muscular frame taut with tension."Ava," he breathed, sinking into the chair beside me. His large hand engulfed mine, calloused fingers tracing soothing circles on my skin.I swallowed hard, bracing myself. "Theo, I—""Wait," he interrupted gently. "Let me speak first, please."I nodded, biting my lip.Theo took a deep breath. "I understand how much you want this. Truly, I do. The thought of having a child with you... it's something I've dreamed about." His voice broke slightly. "But Ava, the risks..."
AVADays passed, and the tension in the castle grew as thick as the snow piling outside. I could feel it in every glance, every touch from my Kings. They were worried, and I couldn’t blame them. But I couldn’t let this go, either.I was poring over ancient tomes in the library when Sera glided in, her presence as ethereal as ever. "Any luck, Your Majesty?" she asked.I shook my head, frustration bubbling up inside me. "Nothing. Not a single mention of the Fertility Invocation outside of what you've told us."Sera's lips curved into a sympathetic smile. "It's an ancient and rare ritual, My Queen. Few have the knowledge or power to attempt it."Her words sent a chill down my spine, both thrilling and terrifying. I closed the book before me, dust motes dancing in the air. "Tell me more," I whispered, my heart racing.Sera leaned in, her voice low and intense. "Think of it, Avelina. A chi
AVAThe howling wind outside the castle walls mirrored the turmoil in my mind as I stared out the frost-covered window. Days have passed, and the relentless snowstorm showed no signs of abating. I pressed my palm against the icy glass, feeling the chill seep into my bones."My Queen," a guard's voice cut through my thoughts. "There's someone at the gates seeking refuge."I turned, eyebrows raised. "In this weather? Who would be mad enough to travel?"As if in answer, the doors to the great hall burst open, a gust of snow and a cloaked figure blowing straight into the castle. The hood fell back, revealing a woman with raven-black hair and piercing violet eyes."Greetings, Your Majesty," she said, her voice as smooth as silk