Arnold’s POVAt lunch, I was finally enjoying a semblance of peace after the hectic day I’d had that included me drafting and binning different plots to reclaim my throne. However, I was momentarily free of those worries as I sat beside Layla and we enjoyed our meal in the grand dining room.My favorite part of my meals wasn’t even the food but the fact that Layla was present during all of those meals and her company made all my worries seem small and meaningless. I watched how she took small bites of her food and flashed me an adorable smile each time our eyes met when she looked up and those little things had a way of filling my heart to the brim and bringing me an unusual peace despite the chaos.All of a sudden, I noticed that everywhere had become eerily quiet, and the maids and guards that had been moving around freely while chattering were frozen in place and the stench of fear clouded the entire place like a plague.I was fucking confused and I couldn't imagine what the cause
Layla’s POVI hated it so much.I hated that I even had to endure such a humiliating experience where the man that was responsible for all I could dare to be grateful for was treated with disrespect and disdain in front of the maids and guards.Still, I couldn't help but feel more wary and scared of Ethan than I’d been before I witnessed the manner in which he treated Alpha Arnold. I couldn't even believe that I’d even been slightly intrigued by a man that was so cruel to a blood relation of his, what was I thinking? Well, it’d definitely all gone to dust now.I dragged in a deep breath as I made a vow that I should've made the minute I came in contact with Ethan, a vow to do whatever it would take to ensure that Alpha Arnold retained his position as the rightful heir of the thrown no matter what vile things Ethan would haul at us in the process.I mean, Alpha Arnold had been unbelievably kind to me since the minute we first met, he’d nursed me to recovery after the loss of my foster
Ethan’s POVAs I watched my mate walk out of my chambers triumphantly, my rage imploded within me and I couldn't believe that I was the person she had just addressed in that manner. I was initially under the impression that she was a shy and timid she-wolf after the few encounters we’d had but it turns out that I was completely wrong about that after what has just ensued between us.What was worse was the feeling of my heart being ripped from its roots that had suddenly hit me when she said that death was a far more merciful sentence than having anything to do with someone like me.Why had it felt like my entire being was being set ablaze with the pain of rejection when I heard that? I was dumbfounded that she could even spark those kinds of feelings within me when she was so puny and powerless in comparison to me.Fuck, there was also the unbearable pang of jealousy that had struck me when she mentioned that she belonged to Arnold. I didn't care that she thought I wasn't worthy of he
Ethan’s POVArrows were raining from countless directions like hail from the sky and while a number of them grazed my skin, none of them did any real harm to me and I healed almost as quickly as the scars from the hits appeared such that I looked unaffected.I walked through the arrows being shot at me and used my enhanced sight to map out the locations of all the shooters. A couple of them were hidden behind trees, or on top of the trees right behind the branches, and the rest of them were located under camouflaged disguises to blend in with the forest.As my wolf grew excited within me at the prospect of bloodshed, I promised him that chance to give all the shooters a gruesome and entertaining death.With glee, I let my wolf take the reigns, and using his enhanced speed I attacked the shooters behind the trees first and I chose to snap their necks while making eye contact with every one of them as they took their last breath of air and dropped lifelessly on the ground.Next, I used
Ethan’s POVAs usual, my blood worked like magic to heal wounds as it had just done with this guard’s injury.Within a few minutes of applying it to his own wound, I could see that the color that was once drained from his skin was gradually returning, the wound was slowly closing up and he had started to look much better. He still laid on the floor for a while and I allowed it because I needed him to be in good shape for the long ride back home.A few more minutes passed by and I noticed that the wound had fully closed up and his skin looked like there had never been a wound there in the first place. He also noticed that he was fully healed and he got off the floor and dusted his body.For some reason, he was running his hand over where his wound was a few minutes ago and I realized that he must be in awe of how my blood was able to heal him faster than his wolf would have and it’d also gotten rid of a poison that should only be curable by its designated antidote.“How?” His eyes trav
Ethan’s POVWe were finally in the carriage since I decided to cut the trip short and ordered him to take me back to the palace instead of around town as I’d planned earlier.While I nursed the guard’s wound I didn't have time to dwell on the fact that I’d been attacked by an entire army of archers, but as I sat in silence on the trio back to the palace, it all came rushing back like a wicked flash flood.I was aware that I had gathered a ton of enemies from the second I parted their king’s neck from his body in a blood bath, but I believed that they would steer clear of me for that reason to avoid losing their worthless lives in the same fashion.But apparently, I was wrong to have thought so.We finally arrived at the palace and my wolf’s rage knew no bounds and the longer I dwelt on how angry I was at the foolish morons that had tried to kill me, the more he craved a rampage as an outlet. I was restless and agitated as I exited the carriage and for some reason my wolf led me in mea
Layla’s POVI watched Ethan leave calmly after giving me a mind shattering orgasm and I felt like I was in a trance and everything I’d just experienced wasn’t real, but from the pool of juices between my legs and the mild tremble that was an aftereffect of my release, it was certain that everything was indeed real.No one had ever touched me as Ethan did, and yet all I wanted to do was to wash off his scent that had mixed with my arousal so that I’d not be reeking with undeniable evidence of what had just happened.Even though I knew that our encounter would be etched in my memory forever, how could anyone let go of such an insanely pleasurable moment?With guilt and shame flooding my insides, I held my towel tightly against my chest and walked back to the bathroom with every intention to scrub myself clean. As soon as I entered, my eyes locked with my reflection in the mirror and I noticed how disheveled my hair looked and how flushed my entire skin was– even my lips looked more plum
Arnold’s POVFor days, I still hadn't made any progress on my plans to reclaim crescent valley from Ethan and my frustration knew no bounds. I felt like everything was suddenly working against me and I had no idea how to turn things around for the better. Everything that I’d labored for just to become the next king seemed to have blown up in my face and I hated it so damn much.It angered me beyond words to think that I’d suffered through years of my father’s insults and turmoil just for Ethan to come and whisk it all away in the blink of an eye because there was a fucking curse empowering him to do so.I was torn from the inside out with a beastly rage, a wicked rage that had become my companion for days, and the more I thought of my present predicament, the more I felt an overwhelming urge to release that rage that had bottled up within me.“Fuck!” I roared as I threw a punch at the bathroom wall without thinking.My knuckles felt incredibly sore and my anger hadn't cooled down one
Layla’s POV“If you stare at that dress any longer, you’ll burn it to the ground with your gaze” Nadia nagged me as I took one last glance at my wedding dress while I stood at the bathroom door, I was obsessed with it.Beyond obsessed, It’s beauty had become an extra body part of mine.“At least we’d die watching its beautiful flames ascend to the heavens,” I smiled dreamily while still staring at it with lost eyes.“Be fucking for real?” She laughed before she grabbed a button off the dresser and threw it me, luckily I was able to dodge it and if I hadn't it’d have hit my eyes.“You’d explain to Ethan in detail why his bride is walking down the aisle with just one eye” I picked the button up and threw it at her, and it landed on her feet.“If you're not ready in the next hour, there’ll be no bride to scrutinize while she walks down the aisle, I promise you” She shot me a glare just before she took a seat on my bed, pulling her own dress in her lap to admire it.“What? An hour? Why hav
He moved away from me I’d just pushed a dagger through his heart again, there was disbelief, confusion, and pain in his eyes but he only had those emotions because he didn't understand why I’d declined his proposal.After almost spending my life with the wrong man because of guilt, I couldn't say Yes to Ethan while guilt kept eating me up for the great of our lives. I’d be as much of a monster as Arnold was if I take advantage of his feelings for me and jump into marriage when guilt had been plaguing me like it was my second shadow since the day I watched him fall to his death.He stared at me again, long and hard before he walked toward the bed and covered himself in the duvet, an air of uncertainty hovering over him as he delved into thoughts of his own. However, it was as he covered up tag I realized that I was still naked and I slowly walked toward the floor where he’d dropped my dress and picked up. I quietly pulled it over my head and held my arms around my body tightly as thou
Layla’s POVI’d known Joy several times in my life, but the joy I felt as I confirmed that Ethan was real and he’d returned to me was boundless, it felt like an unreal wave of happiness had been injected into my bloodstream and life finally felt worth living again.Like the war was over, and the battle line had been erased, it was surreal.“Are you going to keep staring at me like I'm a ghost?” Ethan laughed as he continued to massage my sore joints.“You might as well be” I reached out and cupped his cheek, yearning to remain in contact with him so he wouldn't disappear into thin air.“Well, I'm real and I'm here, forever this time around” He suddenly pulled me off the bed and onto his laps and I laughed as a yelp left my lips in surprise.“So you can stop staring at me with those alluring orbs of yours” He pulled my face toward him and kissed my forehead, not the quick kind that would pass as a peck, this one lingered like he was trying to touch my soul through physical touch.God,
Layla’s POVNo, no fucking way.It was him all along? Arnold killed my foster parents? He’d watched me mourn them knowing that he’d orchestrated everything because they rejected his advances toward me?“They were all I had, and you knew that! How dare you speak of their deaths so lightly, you monster!” I screamed my lungs out in anger not caring what he’d do to me.Much to my surprise, a smile covered his face showing that he was pleased that I was in so much pain because of what he’d done, my heart was being torn into countless shreds as I recalled that there was a time when I loved him and I considered marrying him not knowing what a sick and twisted bastard he was deep down.“You watched me grieve them, you watched me turn into a shell of myself, you watched me be bitter that I’d lost the last links to learning of my heritage,” My chest heaved like bomb was ticking within it as I spoke.“You watched me almost lose myself and you promised me that you’d find the beast that killed the
Arnold’s POVThe day had come.The night hour had just struck, and I was about to recover all I’d lost and much more.“Are you ready?” I asked Hera who’d been seated in front of her crystal spell casting bowl and brr spell book for the past hour.“Never been more ready” She smiled at me so brightly it could’ve illuminated the underground hideout if we switched off all the other lights, her motivation was endearing to say the least.“Go ahead and cast the spell then” I flashed her a smile as well but mine was subtle and filled with anticipation.She nodded eagerly before she crossed her legs before her and held her hands out over the bowl, from where I was I could see that a visual of crescent valley had appeared in the water that filled the bowl like a reflection and I watched her mouth move as she muttered words in an unknown ancient language.I wasn't very close to her and yet I could feel the enormous amount of power radiating from her as she rolled her head from side to side and t
Arnold’s POVHera looked like she was about to offload the heaviest weight that had ever been on her shoulders and I just stared at her wishing that I could look through her and draw it out of her myself, still Hera was the only person of worth I had on my side so I decided to be patient with her as opposed to the thought in my mind where I was half considering yelling at her and shaking it out of her forcefully.“How long before you actually use your words?” I finally asked impatiently after about six minutes of deafening and irritating silence had passed by.She looked as though my words had just jolted her out of her train of thoughts and she replaced the lost look on her face with her usual demeanor that oozed confidence, raw and undiluted confidence.“You’re a beast, Arnold” She said while her eyed bored into mine searching for a befitting reaction to her revelation.Unknown to her, her words would've hurt and surprised me a few months ago, but as I heard them it only felt like a
Hera’s POVWeeks had gone by and each day I felt crazier than the last being holed up in a disgusting dungeon that wasn't fit for royalty such as myself.Layla had replaced all the guards that were loyal to me during her reign with guards from Ethan’s rogue army and they all hated me so my seductive tricks didn't work on them. I was hoping that I’d be able to seduce one of them into setting me free but they looked at me with disdain each time they came to fling plates of food at me every morning and evening so I eventually gave up on that plan.Life seemed hopeless and it felt like the moon goddess had finally abandoned me and shut her ears to my prayers, nothing was working out and it seemed like I’d suffered so much to reach the peak of my dreams just to have it shattered by a teenage whore.Still, I tried to pull through.It was night now and I was trying to fall asleep by replaying my happiest memories in my mind, the beautiful and wholesome moments that I’d spent as Queen before
Layla’s POVThe entire palace was still buzzing with life in the early hours of the morning as preparations from my impromptu coronation were in full swing. I could hear the clustering and swooshing all around as I woke up in the master bedroom that I’d taken over seeing as I was about to be made the official queen of Crescent Valley.As I stretched out my arms, I heard a soft rap on the door.“Who’s there?” I called out in a sleepy voice.“It's me, Nadia” Her soothing voice responded from behind the door.“Come on in” I yawned in between the words and drew my silk pink robe tightly around my waist as she opened the doors.“Hello your highness! How does it feel to be mere hours away from a coronation at eighteen?” Nadia swayed from side to side with some dresses held tightly to her chest and I guessed that there were the selections for the event.“Uh, nervous?” I told her truthfully as I made my way toward the bathroom to freshen up.“You’ll do amazing while making waves in the ancien
Layla’s POVHera’s eyes were blazing with a deadly anger, a type of anger that the old me would've been terrified of if she saw how it radiated off of her, but it was a good thing that I’d buried the timid me in the wilderness before I returned for the throne.“You can either leave peacefully or meet a disgraceful end that whores like you should be accorded” Hera’s eyes held a venomous look that didn't scare me one bit as she threw her empty and ridiculous threats at me.“That crown, that throne, this kingdom…” I punched toward her as I spoke and I could see a hint of surprise flash through her eyes on seeing how much nerves I’d gathered.“All of it belongs to me and I’d love to watch you come at me so we’d see whose blood would end up tainting these floors” My orbs changed from golden brown to the piercing red shade I took when I transformed into a witch.“How dare you!? You! A worthless rat that should’ve been left in the gutters where you belonged! How fucking dare you address me t