Ashly's POVWhen I sat up, he was gone and a hefty portion of the treasury was gone with him. My wrist burned from the contact with the cuffs and I cursed myself once more for believing my father. I was going to be here until someone noticed my absence and raised an alarm and Dorian's mother told them where I was. Or they would just assume that I was hiding again. Goddess, I should never have allowed him to follow me here. This was all Kiara's fault. If she had just minded her business with her mate and never returned here, none of this would have happened. Suddenly I heard a familiar grunt that made me perk up. It was Dad. He must not have gotten as far as I assumed if I could hear him. He seemed to be in a squabble with some persons or people. Good. I had no idea who it was or what their motive was but I preferred then taking the loot over him. He had betrayed his own daughter who had practically dedicated her life to saving his miserable life. He deserved whatever he got.T
Kiara's POVWhen I opened my eyes, I was in a strangely familiar room. I had been drugged and taken captive. I'd Danien could see this I did not doubt that he would take one look at my situation and give an I told you so that would put all other I told you so out of business. He had warned me about taking off on my own but I had felt that I was safe in our gardens. Turned out that I was wrong. Again.Maybe it was about time that I started listening to him.The door opened and I looked up to see my abductor. In hindsight, I should have expected this. "Ashly?"Ashley walked into the room with an almost pleasant expression on her face. Unlike at the execution and almost every other time I had seen her here, she wasn't decked out in an expensive dress. "Hello, Kiara." She said amiably like we had gathered here for tea or something.I blinked in surprise before glaring at her angrily struggling against my restraints that weren't silver but a well-tied knot that seemed to dig in deeper
Kiara's POV"I had no idea that you were missing me so much." I drawled as I walked in through the massive entrance doors. I was glad that I had made it back in time or else heads would have rolled.Damien's eyes narrowed at me suspiciously looking at the door and then back to me as though I might have performed a disappearing trick or two. "Where are you coming from?"I shrugged as innocently as I could, which was not very well at all. "I took a stroll."His tone was right and still disbelieving. "I didn't find you in the gardens."I perked up at his words. Had he really come looking for me after the argument?"You came to find me?"Damien averted his gaze as though not looking at me would make things less embarrassing for him. "Of course I did. I care about you."His words warmed me all the way to my toes as well as the embarrassment in his voice. I don't know why it was as though he had lit a bonfire of sensation within me with the way he spoke, at least until I remembered tha
Damien's POVI could hear Kiara's screams of disbelief and anger from behind the locked door as I walked away. Replacing her door with a metal one that she wouldn't be able to get open easily had to have been one of my worthwhile investments. For a few hours at least I would have some respite from her flair to throw herself at the nearest volatile situation. Why did I suspect that her stroll in the garden had been more than a stroll and she was hiding something from me again?I was sick and tired of these arguments, these fights. I was only trying to keep her safe so why was she fighting me so hard on this matter? Everything I ever did was for her sake and her sake alone. She had to know this surely. She had mentioned me doing this for jealousy when it was so far from the case that it was baffling. True jealousy had once propped up between us but that was only when the priestess had given us the prophecy and she didn't immediately choose me. I had thought the choice to be obvious b
I laughed heartily then my smile died as swiftly as it started, my gaze on him sharpening. "You should act more respectfully to the person who has your life in their hands or have you forgotten our sessions so quickly?"I saw the shiver that ran through him and he immediately became more subdued. I had tortured him so much that a lesser man would have broken into. I ascertained the fact beyond reasonable doubt that while he had given the orders for Kiara to be killed, he hadn't been of a sound mind. I wondered what Ashly had used to induce such an effect in an Alpha. Perhaps there would be time for me to find that out. I looked at him subdued. He would never be a competition for me."Good." I nodded before going into the real reason that I was here. "Your pack is on the verge of collapse because of the stupid decisions of your mate."I didn't see the need to mince words with him. The situation was too dire for that. The words seemed to hit him like a blow and he blinked rapidly be
Kiara's POVWhen I woke up, it was to warmth at my back. A warmth that was no doubt Damien. The urge to ignore his touch and continue to act like I was asleep so that I could enjoy his touch was so much that I almost gave in. At least until I remembered that this was the man who had made a liar out of me in his so-called bud to protect me. "Don't touch me." I growled rolling out of his touch and instantly missed his warmth as I sat to glare at him. Damien didn't say anything. He merely closed the distance between us and slanted his lips over mine and my traitorous body began to react to his touch.My lips parted without my invitation and I buried my fingers in his hair without any conscious thought. My body wanted and I just... I just gave in. Damien pushed me down into the bed and his hand reached under my skirt between my thighs and I parted for him, my tongue moving against his. His fingers worked between my legs and his lips left mine allowing me to gasp in much-needed breath
Damien's POVOne could never understand or satisfy women completely because what on earth did she mean that I shouldn't leave when she had been on my neck trying to make me help Dorian out?"What do you mean by you don't want me to go?"She frowned at me, her mouth rested in a fine line. "You will go there to cause a fight."I frowned. Why did it seem like she wasn't saying what she meant? Giving up on understanding her changing mood, I just settled for explaining what was going on."The situation has expanded. Dorian cannot fix it alone."This seemed to have the opposite reaction of what I had intended because Kiara flipped at my words, her eyes flashing with anger and fear?"I don't care! You can't go."I took a step towards her, my hand outstretched to placate her. "Kiara."She shrugged off my touch, wiping at her cheeks, making me even more confused. Was she crying?"You idiot." She swore then she looked away. "Just let him go alone. I'll take your advice. I'll stay in, I won't
Kiara's POVIt took more effort than I imagined to not become emotional as I stood outside with Damien just before he departed. I don't know if I had my big mouth to blame for him leaving in the first place but it didn't feel good. It felt bad and I was so scared even if I knew he would be fine. I was a monster for not feeling scared about Dirian leaving- it was his own lack after all. He would be fine. More than fine, he would be perfect finally reunited with his own people. Why did my mate have to join this rescue mission?Damien kissed away my frown or at least he attempted to because the moment his mouth was off mine, the frown was back. I held on to him giving him another hug. "Please stay safe for me."I was being a little over the top but I couldn't help it. I expected him to laugh or at least fight back a smile but he remained absolutely solemn as he turned my hug burying his head in my nape and sending shivers running through me."I will."We pulled away from each other b
Kiara's POVYEARS LATER"You need to let me up." I told my mate that was looking way too comfortable pinning me down. With the training I had now and my Lycan strength, I could easily flip him and keep him that way but he didn't seem bothered. In fact, he seemed amused. "Do I?"I wriggled beneath him but his legs were stable beside me and I feared that he was enjoying this position too much to remember we had an event to get to. An important one. "We need to get going. We can't be late."Damien ignored me of course as he pushed his fingers up my dressing robe leaving me sucking in a harsh breath.Sensing my reluctance to stop things before they got too far, he spread my legs wide exposing me to him. Fuck. How was this so hot? Any thought that I had of going anywhere evaporated as my thoughts condensed to Damien and his unbelievably erotic touch. He pressed his fingers against my slick arousal making me to shiver. I was so turned.I could hear the smirk in his voice as he respo
Kiara's POVI hoped that I was just freaking out prematurely.I hoped that whatever he had to say wouldn't be something that could break us. Hule seemed almost as hesitant to speak as I was to hear what had to say. "I am used to being the smartest, strongest and most important person in the room. I forgot that I am not presiding over a set of people but in a relationship where I can't just make decisions for you."Oh Goddess, was I hearing wrong or was Damien actually apologising? Today was trully full of unending surprises. "Damien."He held my hands in his much larger ones and traced distracting circles across my skin with his thumb."I'm sorry. I shouldn't have agreed to change you without your permission. I'm sorry about that, sorry for hurting you, sorry for waiting this long to come for you.My heart was a gooey mess at this point and I didn't know what he said as tears of happiness traced down my face as he kissed the back of my hands. But he wasn't nearly done turning my h
Kiara's POVThe moment that she pulled me to herself and I met Damien's eyes, I knew that I wasn't going to be the reason she got away this time. That I wasnt going to get kidnapped this time and force Damien to make an impossible agreement to get me out of a situation that I put myself in. I moved and the knife sunk into me like my skin was butter and a scream escaped me as I went down. The pain was complete and it held me trussed up tight until I couldn't tell where was up and where was down. I clutched my belly putting pressure on the wound but the knife had gotten too deep and all I could do was feel my blood seep through staining my hand. Dorian was at my side in seconds while I watched Damien go after Ashly with a heavy heart. I would have preferred him next to me but with my blood pouring out of me and the she pain cutting through me, I could gave cared less who was saving me. Dorian lifted me as delicate as he could but it still sent pain tearing through me and as he sa
Damien's POVI was angry but then these days, I was angry all the time. I was angry at the fact that a werewolf that I should have had killed had me by the balls literally and that it had been one of my people that had spearheaded this. It was so fucking annoying that it pissed me off.My anger had almost blinded in me in those early days that I was grateful for Dorian being around. Despite him being the pain in the ass that I had considered him to be, he had a surprising amount of insights to give as regards how to properly manage my affairs. That first day, I had wanted nothing more than to go charging in to rescue Kiara but Dorian stayed my hand. He warned me that no matter how much stronger lycans were compared to wolves, one thing remained the same, a man couldn't go off to fight his enemies when his own home was in disarray. I was glad I took his advice because shortly after, some Lycan communities began wearing with each other when the information that Keturah had been be
Kiara's POVThe more time that passed the least likely it seemed that this was all an elaborate hoax by Damien to get Ashly distracted. I noticed the buzz in the pack and I had no idea the lie Ashly had spun to make the pack members okay with the fact that she was cheating on their Alpha but it must have been a really good one because they seemed completely fine with it. It wasn't until I overheard two of the guards' conversation about how brave she was for agreeing to get mated to Damien to make up for their Alpha that had absconded from a death duel. So that was how she had spun it. Despite the fact that it was because if her that he had been unable to get to the fuel, she was using it to her advantage. Days were counting down to Ashly's mating with Damien but it was as though I was in some cocoon that was outside of time. I was losing my mind. There was no actual news that could interest me apart from knowing the truth if what was going on. I didn't know what day it was only
Kiara's POVI was more than surprised when Kiara summoned me to her office. Surprised and disturbed. The last time I had seen her was three days ago when she killed Keturah and hunted me down as I ran away. I had no doubts that whatever this meeting was for, it wasn't for anything good. The guard escorting me stayed outside while I entered the office and Ashly looked surprisingly calmer than the last time I had seen her. I didn't know if it was just in my head though. She looked at me from head to toe and looked satisfied with what she saw. "How do you feel now?"How did I feel about my injury that had just finished reading on it's own without any attention from the healer which could have led to silver poisoning?Wonderful. I was feeling absolutely wonderful. But I didn't say that of course. I wasn't half as strong as Keturah had been and I rather liked my head where it was. Ashly's friendly tone died a quick death. "I understand that you are nervous. You should be," Her ruth
Kiara's POVShaun was dead and I didn't know a thing I could have done to prevent it. Keturah had come for me and I was ashamed to admit that I had been scared. Scared after she smiled at me maliciously and had me held down while she took my blood and a section of my hair was noticeably smaller than the rest if it. She wanted to use me to bait Damien but I.saw that she had gotten way too much satisfaction from what she did.She would hurt me just for the fun of it. She wanted to hurt me just for the fun of it if I would but give her the excuse. Hearing her approaching footsteps along side a shuffling one awoke fear inside me and told me that it was possible she was back for more.She unlocked the door gesturing for me to come out of the cell with that same mocking smile that said she was just waiting for me to resist her so that she would break me. I stepped out unwilling to give her that chance only for me to see Shaun barely on his feet as he bled from what had to be at least a
Keturah's POVI was suspicious. Before recruiting Ashly, I knew of her predilection to be a traitor and it didn't bother me not when I planned to use her and dispose of her as soon as possible. But now that she had gone out of her way to help me when I was.certain she was like me only counting the hours until our alliance fell apart. Leaving the dungeons after acquiring the blood and lock of hair that had somehow quelled my blog odlust with regards to Kiara, I had gotten a whiff of Ashly. I had felt doubly suspicious. I was certain that she would go into the dungeons to sabotage me in some way so I left and doubled back after dropping off my possessions. That was when I overheard her telling that wolf that always hung around Dorian to warn Damien.. Smart. So that was what she planned. Selling me out to Damien to keep her hide. It was a good idea. If I had not gotten to overhear this it might have even worked. But now…I heard the wolf speak again, his voice intense with a quie
Ashly's POVMy chest hurt. Maybe it was because Shaun had betrayed me. It maybe it was because I knew I was deserving of such a betrayal since I had betrayed him first. The guards hauled him away and I turned to leave only for Kiara's sharp judgemental voice to pull me to a stop. "What are you doing, Ashly?"What did she think I was doing? Playing? Kiara always asked the wrong and dumbest questions.I continued walking and she raised her voice so high that the guards escorting Shaun away would no doubt catch a hint of her hefty words on the air. "You care about him yet you would do this?"Do what? I found to face her as she finally hit me where it hurt. Where I had already been sensitive about to begin with. She was no one to judge me. She had grown up surrounded by the best of everything. She got chosen to be the most of Dorian out of all the other eligible she wolves because of the incidence of her birth. The only unlucky stint she had was when Dorian had rejected her and once