CHAPTER THIRTYKylian paced restlessly in his chambers, the situation at hand was getting more complicated than he had thought it would be. Precisely speaking, his brother’s obsession with Zena was getting out of hand, and he feared the repercussions it could have on the kingdom. Whatever this was was not just about them alone, but Knox would not see past his strong-headedness.He recalled his secret promise to himself to help Zena escape before he embarked on his journey up North, now seemed like the right time to fulfill that promise but he needed to be discreet about it. There should be no loopholes in his plan for Knox to connect the dots to him.As he considered his plan, he realized that involving Jane, who had shown genuine concern for Zena, could be key to executing the escape plan. Her loyalty to Zena might prove instrumental to a successful escape plan. However a doubt lingered in his mind, he had responded coldly toward her when she first approached him, he worried that she
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE“Did you enjoy your little nap, Zena?” Knox’s voice was laced with a cruel amusement that infuriated Zena. He strolled casually into the room, his gaze fixated on her with unsettling intensity. Zena refused to display any hint of fear. She glared back at him, her eyes filled with defiance.“I wouldn’t dare come close to me if I were you.” She sprung to her feet and retrieved the weapon she had hidden in her waistband, brandishing it at him. Knox chuckled, enjoying the exchange of hostility. “You underestimate me, Zena. I’ve got plans for you, grand plans that will make you regret ever crossing my path.”Zena knew beyond reasonable doubt that Knox was not one to make empty threats. The only way to be free from his wrath was by escaping or the death of either one of them. She observed as Knox’s expression darkened, his amusement replaced by anger. His eyes darted to the ruined portrait, and she knew what was coming next. Kylian’s call had intercepted whatever action h
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWOJane's attempt to break Zena's resolve on the plan was useless and it bothered her that she had no idea how Kylian would react to it. He had gone out of his way to devise such a brilliant plan to help a servant of low status as them, and Zena's insistent refusal just might make him furious and resolve not to help them ever again.Cathleen observed closely from a distance, trying to figure out what the two were up to. They had ventured far into the fields and any attempt of hers to go after them could get her caught. The grasses were dry and her steps would easily be detected.It infuriated her that she had no werewolf abilities of her own to tap into. Yes, she was born to a werewolf mother, but her father was human, the only human who had survived even after being exposed to the supernatural realm of werewolves.Apparently, relationships between werewolves and humans were a huge taboo in the kingdom, and anyone caught in such a web was punished by the people and the
They were marked for death. All five of them. All female. Dressed in black sackcloth with tight ropes bounding their legs and their hands. They were surrounded by ten heavily armed guards – one reckless move from any of them and one of the guards would be more than happy to slice their heads into halves. The Skull Rogues were a menace to the Blue Moon Pack, and after so much effort, Alpha Winston and his sons were able to capture five of them. They wouldn't want any of their 'precious catch' to suddenly wiggle out of their nets. After all, The Skull Rogues were known for surprise attacks; striking without warning and leaving a hard and brutal mark where they hit. However, there were no surprises in store from these ladies. There wasn't much you could do when death had reared its ugly head at you, staring at you eye–to–eye. Today, they were going to be executed, and Alpha Knox – one of Alpha Winston's twin sons, wore a proud smile on his face as he stared at the tied–up delinquent
"The plan is very straightforward. Nevertheless, let's review it once more." Zena stated, her hands clasped behind her back as she paced to and fro. "Understood, Commander." The army of her rogue soldiers responded in unison. She nodded in acknowledgement, then cleared her throat before proceeding."Once we pass this territory, we will be entering into Alpha Knox's private training grounds." She explained, "I've been observing their activities for weeks in secret and I've strategically planned out our operation."She paused, turning around to face them, her hands still clasped behind her back. "All of you here, you are to go East of the training ground. Knox would immediately detect the scent of intruders and he and the rest of his guards who are at the training grounds would instinctively go to attack." "His pregnant wife is always with him, watching him train. And she is our target tonight. However, I will be the one to handle her." Zena said. 'Of course, Alpha Knox won't leave hi
CHAPTER THREEZena watched as Knox and his soldiers shifted into their wolves and went on to go after her comrades. She chuckled to herself as her grin got even wider; though Knox was powerful, he and his thirteen guards were no match for her fifty rogue soldiers. And those backup soldiers would never make it to the battleground. Why? Because Zena was going to kill those two soldiers and Lydia before they even got to the palace. She would say it over and over again because even the mere thought of it filled her with immense delight. She wasted no time before shifting into her wolf form as well; a brown–furred wolf that matched with the colour of her hair and orange eyes with a tinge of black. It was time to unleash havoc. Her predatory eyes glimmered in the moonlight as she sprang into motion, her steps stomping against the forest' damp soil. She could see Lydia and the two guards in a distant blur, their forms barely visible against the backdrop of darkness. However, her eyed
CHAPTER FOURAll the members of the Skull Rogues were dying strange deaths.It was a mystery to decipher, but an unexplainable affliction had begun to sweep through the rogue pack, claiming numerous lives per day. The sounds of pains and sufferings filled the air and the sickly scent of death spread through the territory. Some of them would convulse uncontrollably to their deaths, others would have their bodies begin to rot while they were still alive, life ebbing out of them until they succumbed to death. Some would suddenly just drop dead without any prior symptoms. The rogue healers had never seen anything like this before. They were baffled by what had befallen them, and their attempt at remedies had proved futile. No one could understand what was happening neither could they phantom where the strange affliction had stemmed from. However, only one man knew the source of the plague as he had been the one to orchestrate the curse that befell the Skull Rogues. That man was the
Eli had succumbed to the illness and passed away the next day; just a few hours ago, just at the breaking of dawn. Following the traditions of the rogue pack, she was buried immediately. Women weren't allowed to attend the burial no matter what, unless it was the mother or sisters of the deceased. Aster's parents were no more and they had no other siblings, so the burial was facilitated by Water and a few other elders. Zena sat on a stool in the living area, gazing out of window as her thoughts roamed. It was midnight and she was unable to sleep. How could she sleep when the cheerful voice that gladdened her heart would never be heard again? She had loved Eli like she would love her own daughter and her passing had created an irreplaceable void in her heart. Her face scrunched into a scowl as her mind drifted to Alpha Knox and his family. They were the reason why Eli was no longer with her. Why were they hellbent on taking away everyone who was dear to her? She couldn't let
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWOJane's attempt to break Zena's resolve on the plan was useless and it bothered her that she had no idea how Kylian would react to it. He had gone out of his way to devise such a brilliant plan to help a servant of low status as them, and Zena's insistent refusal just might make him furious and resolve not to help them ever again.Cathleen observed closely from a distance, trying to figure out what the two were up to. They had ventured far into the fields and any attempt of hers to go after them could get her caught. The grasses were dry and her steps would easily be detected.It infuriated her that she had no werewolf abilities of her own to tap into. Yes, she was born to a werewolf mother, but her father was human, the only human who had survived even after being exposed to the supernatural realm of werewolves.Apparently, relationships between werewolves and humans were a huge taboo in the kingdom, and anyone caught in such a web was punished by the people and the
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE“Did you enjoy your little nap, Zena?” Knox’s voice was laced with a cruel amusement that infuriated Zena. He strolled casually into the room, his gaze fixated on her with unsettling intensity. Zena refused to display any hint of fear. She glared back at him, her eyes filled with defiance.“I wouldn’t dare come close to me if I were you.” She sprung to her feet and retrieved the weapon she had hidden in her waistband, brandishing it at him. Knox chuckled, enjoying the exchange of hostility. “You underestimate me, Zena. I’ve got plans for you, grand plans that will make you regret ever crossing my path.”Zena knew beyond reasonable doubt that Knox was not one to make empty threats. The only way to be free from his wrath was by escaping or the death of either one of them. She observed as Knox’s expression darkened, his amusement replaced by anger. His eyes darted to the ruined portrait, and she knew what was coming next. Kylian’s call had intercepted whatever action h
CHAPTER THIRTYKylian paced restlessly in his chambers, the situation at hand was getting more complicated than he had thought it would be. Precisely speaking, his brother’s obsession with Zena was getting out of hand, and he feared the repercussions it could have on the kingdom. Whatever this was was not just about them alone, but Knox would not see past his strong-headedness.He recalled his secret promise to himself to help Zena escape before he embarked on his journey up North, now seemed like the right time to fulfill that promise but he needed to be discreet about it. There should be no loopholes in his plan for Knox to connect the dots to him.As he considered his plan, he realized that involving Jane, who had shown genuine concern for Zena, could be key to executing the escape plan. Her loyalty to Zena might prove instrumental to a successful escape plan. However a doubt lingered in his mind, he had responded coldly toward her when she first approached him, he worried that she
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINEJane, unable to contain her fear any longer, rushed to Kylian for help. He had always helped Zena get out of trouble, it is possible that he would this time too. He was her only hope. Despite her low status, she slipped through the shadows, making her way to Kylian’s chamber with hopes of finding him there.She was halted by the men that stood guard at the entrance. She could not afford to tell them the purpose of her visit, but her appearance was a reflection of how worried and distraught she was. The guards immediately sent her away but she lurked in the premises, keeping watch at the door. For several hours, there was still no sign of Kylian. Jane could not help but imagine what troubles Zena must be faced with at the moment.As the night deepened, Kylian finally emerged from his chamber. Jane wasted no time to seize the opportunity. She approached him with an urgency that could not be ignored. The guards tried to stop her from getting too close but Kylian signa
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHTThe bellowing afternoon sun cast its warm glow over the Blue Moon Kingdom. Knox found himself nursing a nagging headache from the night’s excessive drinking. His eyes were heavy and his mind clouded with the haunting images of his deceased wife and child. The weight of grief and guilt pressed on him, and he struggled to overcome the emotional distress that gripped his soul.His mind was vague of anything else that had happened the morning of it; he had no recollection of his meltdown in the presence of his brother Kylian, but his oath of vengeance tarried in his mind. It was all he could think of. The festival preparations continued outside a stranger to the internal struggle that plagued the palace walls.Knox tried to pull himself together, but his limbs were still too weak to carry him, his vision blurred, and each step he tried to take was even harder than the last. Kylian walked in with a maid carrying a tray of silverware in her hands, her head lowered as sh
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN"Well, since we are in the middle of asking trivia, do you mind explaining to me why you had her released from the dungeon without my knowledge? Or why you concealed the identity of the one who had attacked you in the woods, that had sent you to the brink of death?" Knox asked, trying to contain his rising fury.Nothing prepared Knox for the response Kylian would disclose to his question. Never in a million years would he have thought the person behind his brothers' attack was a member of the Black Moon Kingdom.How were they able to penetrate through the defenses of the Blue Moon Kingdom? Why did he not pick up any unfamiliar scent in the woods where they had found Kylian's unconscious body? It was possible that the attacker had masked his scent, which was a well-known werewolf thing to do when advancing into enemy territory.Still, nothing about his claim made any sense and it bothered Knox greatly. Knox housed an eerie feeling that he couldn't quite place his f
CHAPTER TWENTY SIXJane kept all of Zena's instructions in mind. She tailed the woman closely like a leech that could not be gotten rid of but there was nothing suspicious she could find about her.It was almost evening and nothing new that could help Zena's case had been found. Worried lines plastered on her face as she observed the woman from behind the barrels of wine in the wine press. She bit her nails nervously, trying to think of something that would push the lady to move recklessly while under her watch but no idea formed in her head.On the brink of time, when all hope seemed to be lost, luck seemed to shine on her. A strange face that Jane had never before seen on the palace grounds appeared from the back door. He had a crooked look and limped as he walked, his clothes looked pretty decent but nothing about him gave her a good feeling.She observed closely the transaction that ensued between them. As he approached with an air of suspicion, the woman's discomfort deepened, fe
Zena did not know what to make of the revelation she had just heard. Her heart ached for Marilyn and her unborn child. She and her boyfriend only tried to do what any other parent would, something she totally resonated with. Not beacsue she is or was a parent but because watching over the Skull Rogues, she had kind of assumed that role to the point where she was more than ready to lay her life down for them. It wasn’t any much different from what Marilyn and her boyfriend were in.Her heart skipped as it dawned on her that she Marilyn and her boyfreund were in possible danger. Knox was still investigating the matter relentlessly and if he were to figure out that Marilyn and her boyfriend were also in the area and were attempting to flee, there was no telling what he would do to them and their unborn child. Her protective instincts kicked in and she felt the need to protcetd them at all costs from Knox’s fury.Zena’s steps were slow, at a deliberate pace, her mind obviously deep in tho
CHAPTER TWENTY FOURThe full moon festival was coming up in a week; it was a very big celebration for the Blue Moon Kingdom. Anticipation of the upcoming event hung in the air like the buzzing sound of bees. Everyone hummed with excitement as they busied themselves, eagerly preparing for the event. The work at the servant quarters tripled, each one joggling different tasks, as they could handle.Zena was in the middle of the whole thing. Her tasks were way more than that of the other servants if they were to be compared. She shuffled between going to the market to pick up groceries to pulling down, washing, and fixing up new draping on the palace grounds. Her countless attempts to shift some of the responsibilities to others who weren’t as busy as her proved futile. The only person willing to offer a hand was Jane but she had been moved to a different section of the palace for other work.She was halfway done with the draping when one of her superiors, a woman assumed to be in her thi