Amara's pov I woke up warm, with Mr grump's jacket wrapped around me. His scent being the first thing to greet me as my senses awakened. I knew that he must have woken up in the middle of the night to put his jacket on me cause I most definitely do not remember sleeping with it.We still faced each other with the blanket pulled on both of us, our faces merely inches apart just like the way our bodies were and just a little change in position from me will have me pressed against him.My gaze flickered in his direction, at the tiny space between us and I felt tiny thunderbolts erupt in my belly at my discovery. My cheeks grew warm and my heart swelled more than it should have.My left hand was held in his. His fingers entwined with mine resting near our heads. I don't remember falling asleep with our hands together it was actually with his wing around me and I wondered what possessed him to hold my hand later on.Seeing our hands entangled ignited a sudden realizatio
Amara's povI am never ever going to play temple run again.Temple-run survival instincts do not apply in reality. Why I thought they did, I don't know. But I learned my lesson the hard way and it sucks.You do not get the elation of running away from a monster, especially when it was grumpy Orian who could fly.You do not get to jump over huge rocks and duck under huge tree branches effortlessly. You do not get to collect coins to purchase weapons but I did find an old sword lying around and I picked it hoping it didn't belong to a wicked fairy who would curse me. You don't get to fly and most importantly, you do not get an extra life. A whine escaped me as I ran into another tree branch, bashing my head for the umpteenth time. Even with the day being bright and the sun spreading its rays across the forest, I was still clumsy as hell.I moved like I was feeling my way around in the dark. But to be fair, the light of the sun didn't penetrate this part of the forest t
Amara's povI have never been good at making reasonable decisions and marking Orian was one of those instances.Cora purred in my head as he caressed my neck, he placed his lips right where his mark was and what was a complacent sigh rose from him like he had been dying to make me his for a very long time, like he wanted to claim me from the very first moment.He hates you, remember.I couldn't help but wonder if he was marking me so I wouldn't run off and ruin his plans or if he was doing it solely because he wanted me.I settled with the former.He just held a knife to my throat a few moments ago, however immersing the act had been to me, it was for elimination to him and I shouldn't forget that ever.He had his hand around my waist, curling on it softly while he held me against him, his other hand caressed my neck trying to calm any pain that might be there from the marking as he inhaled my scent.I should tell him. I should tell him that we are soulmates and his marking me wouldn'
To whoever is saddled with the responsibility of understanding men, I wish you good luck and a thousand kisses, cheers! Understanding men is like Rocket science and I had neither the time for both. These past few weeks have been tumultuous and enraging. From thinking I found the perfect guy, planning on telling my parents about us and thinking about a future with him to being betrayed with my fiancé's head thrown at my feet, then I was marked and now I was getting married. I just couldn't catch a break. I needed air, a breather, a relief, anything. I wanted to climb up valleys look down at the world and scream for all to hear just how pained and frustrated I was. But most of all, I needed to think. I needed to find a way to get myself out of this mess which was impossible with my back pressed against Orian and his hips rocking against my derriêre, amusing word. This position hindered my thinking abilities. The sparks ignited on my skin as our bodies pressed together, rubbing ag
Amara's pov A million things could have happened at the moment but this was not what I expected and I should have foresaw it anyway.Of course, it was Orian.The same man who I was deeply attracted to but he had no interest in bedding me, and the tent in his pants might as well be caused by thoughts that had nothing to do with me or his dagger again, maybe he switched the position this time.So why was I surprised when he went towards the bed with his hands searching for my towel and then he picked it up and gave it to me?As a princess, I had to attend a lot of classes. There were art, dance, and Spanish classes which I adored.Maths and physics classes which I despised and I was taught anything that would make up for what I was missing out in day school but I feel like the most important class was missed.It was the what to do when standing naked before a hot man while he's offering you a towel class.I wish I had taken this class if it was offered. If it even exi
Amara's pov."Pick a safe word." Grump finally spoke after a while. He wasn't breathing heavily like he did earlier. He looked more composed and relaxed but the dark look in his steel orbs that were filled with lust still remained as he gazed at my naked body.A safe word?I wiggled my brows at him in confusion and his facial expression morphed into a frown with his lips slightly curled, probably thinking about how best to explain it to me."What's a safe word grump?" I had to word my question, curiosity filling me and something about the idea of a safe word made my toes curl in anticipation."It's a word you say when you feel like, uhm- you want me to stop or stay away." He scratched the back of his neck while talking, "No! Not stay away." He looked horrified at the words stay away and was quick to refute them, "You use it when you want me to stop touching you.""Oh."So when he tries to kill me, he would be touching me and I would use the safe word for him to stop, nice thought.Dad
Amara's pov Orian had a lot of sides to him and they were too much for a normal person to keep up with.There was grumpy Orian, forest Orian, and daddy Orian. I loved when he was daddy Orian but there could be a new side that I would cherish, drunk Orian.Drunk Orian worried about me leaving him and he could creep under beds with me. He made jokes about my forehead and kissed my stomach like he needed it to breathe. Drunk Orian turned me over in the middle of the night still heavy on the booze he had consumed. He pulled my dress up and massaged my ass with the same oil he had used when we were stranded in the forest with apologies coming from him repeatedly, being sorry for not doing it earlier, I think he called it aftercare.And when he was done massaging and laying kisses on my ass cheeks, he turned us back to our previous position, nuzzling his face in my stomach and murmuring something about how our babies should look like me. He made the statement of how ug
Amara's povI hurt his feelings hard.I could tell from how his shoulders were slumped as he walked away, and it was pretty evident for a remarkably tall man.The urge to get up, chase after him and explain the situation surged within me as guilt rose in my heart, but then I remembered all he had done with no apology offered.He hadn't even taken time to explain the situation to me.Is he still married to Imelda? Is he still going to kill me? What were we? Does he share the same mutual feelings, and is there any future for the both of us? Why did he let Imelda hug him, and why did he call her name in his sleep severally? My head ached as I came up with all these questions and the guilt I felt turned into hurt. I am the one who has been used, kidnapped, and betrayed. Each day when I look at the necklaces on my neck, I remember my past life and how much I want it back, but it isn't possible. He took everything away from me and plans to kill me in the end.This sounds pathe
Orian's pov"Your majesty." A hand shook my shoulder with much force as the voice called out and I jerked raising my head to see Emery standing before me with a look of worry in her eyes, "Ah, I was worried when you weren't replying for a while...""Emery." I got up from the floor and brushed my hands on my pants, "Is Amara well? Is she alright?"She gave me a sad look and took in a deep sigh before taking the seat next to us. Her hands cradled her head as she looked like she was in deep thought, "You should never have brought her here, your majesty.""You think I do not know that ma?" I whispered sitting next to her expecting the worst with the emotions she relayed, "Please tell me my wife is well?"She turned her head looking at me with her eyes glossy with tears and I blinked keeping mine back bracing myself for what was to come, "It worked." As I heard those two words, relief that I had never known washed through me and I let out a great sigh Falling back agai
Orian's pov There was an unwavering eerie feeling that settled within me the moment I entered Avalon, this hunch was something I could say emanated from the air of gloom settling above the kingdom ridding it of its light just as it had rid me of the glee I felt when I was on my way here.Something was wrong.I just knew it.And I had begun to imagine that the message Nexus had passed across about me returning home soon had very little thing to do with Amara and my family missing me and everything to do with a tragedy that I couldn't quite figure out what it could be. I didn't give much thought to it, I clutched onto my bag, and my other hand held another package that bore gifts for Amara.I couldn't go on a journey without picking up everything that I saw would fit her and as I walked my way towards the castle, I focused on the glee of my journey being successful and not on the in-depth feeling of dread settling in my belly. The journey had
Amara's pov I remember everything.These words rang through my brain as I snapped my eyes open, willing myself to pull away from the terrifying nightmare that had me in its claws pining me away from reality.I lifted myself from the bed, sitting upright with my fingers holding at my throat as I tried to steady my breathing and I instantly noticed that I was alone.Orian wasn't beside me.I tried to call out his name but my voice felt hoarse and I was too weakened from the aftermath of the dream to muster the strength to call out for him knowing that he'd be around somewhere.I instinctively reached for the bottle of water by the bedside and grabbed at it, popping open the cover before turning it over and taking big terrifying gulps to soothe the thirst in my throat after that, I got to the strawberries, eating them greedily with my heart warming at how thoughtful Orian was to place them there for me and as I sat there eating, I remembered it all, my dream, my forgotten reality.
Orian's povI had the loveliest of dreams.One in which Amara loved me and I let her love me.I didn't want to force my eyes open as I was enwrapped in the blissful reverie of the dream, the state in which I was presently was one of unattained bliss as the images of what had happened tainted my memories.I moved against the bed, my hand reaching out instinctively to draw the person next to me closer, and as bare skin met soft bare skin igniting a fire of remembrance against us, I noticed that I was naked, we were naked with what felt like a single blanket covering us up.I opened my eyes to look down so as I confirm what I felt and it was true.We were bare, entangled together within the sheets and the most beautiful and most noticeable contrast that I had ever seen came to play before my eyes. Amara's skin, so translucent and ever appealing was illuminated by the glow of the moonlight reminding me of why I had picked her nickname for her, lunny svet.moy malen'kiy
Amara's pov Growing up, I had often wondered how my first kiss would be. My imagination ran wild at creating the perfect scenarios. Would it be when my partner and I were running in the rain and he would turn to sneak a quick one leaving me in pleasurable surprise or would it be at a park? Running in the fields gasping with exhaustion and he seals his lips to mine while laying me against the soft grass?All these scenarios filled my daydreams and even when I met Grump and confirmed we were soulmates, his face filled my dreams leaving me wondering what our first kiss would be like and when it would be.I have had many imaginations but nothing beats what was going on right now and nothing ever will. What transpired at the moment had fulfilled my fairy tale need for a perfect first kiss and it had me curling my toes with my eyes shut and my fingers gripping at the fabric of his coat when I wanted badly to slip them around his neck and pull him closer to deepen the kis
Orian's povDear Diary, I am 30 today.30 years of my miserable existence.What's the essence of birthdays if my mother always cursed the day I was born and the people around me perceived me as insufferable?I feel as gloomy as ever, it isn't any different from the rest as I am reminded of all the tragic incidents that happened after my 5th birthday which started with losing snow and I still blame myself no matter how much Amara tells me that it was never my fault.I wonder what will happen today? What tragic thing fate has in store for me. Would I finally die or I would lose the woman that I hold close to my heart?I didn't tell her that it was my birthday today.She would get excited not knowing how much I hated birthdays and then she would get disappointed when she found out that this was the unluckiest day in my life and I feared that she might be affected.I might understand why my mother cursed the day I was born frequently, even if Amara has told me a lot that none of it that
Amara's pov There was happiness before me because of the festival but only terror filled my heart as I rubbed my fingers against my chest trying to be rid of the terrible feeling lodged in me which was caused by the nightmares I had recently.Orian's PTSD had gotten worse these days, after finding him on the day he had sneaked off claiming he was alright. He had frequent nightmares and flashbacks that had him ending up in terrible states which resulted in him shying away from me most of the time.I felt like a failure in these moments, At first mating with him hadn't improved his scars or health which he badly wanted gone. The curse was still somewhat effective and my doing my best in trying to help him in matters related to trauma hadn't done much.I reached my hand up to my neck, my fingers clutching at the necklace I wore now which was a gift from Penelope, Akanther's widow and just then, she just then she looked in my direction smiling at me and waving for
Orian's pov A groan passed my lips as I bent over a seat to rest on it. My hand instinctively went to my face cradling my dressed wound which had begun to ache immediately after I sat.We had started the preparations for the festival and my gaze went to where Amara stood with the rest of the team as she discussed with them with her hands tucked in her pockets and her loose ponytail falling down her back. I didn't have the chance to fix it properly after our raunchy explorations in the library moments ago and just then she looked behind her, her green eyes meeting mine and cheeks reddening, no doubt she had remembered exactly the scenes I was replaying in my head with her back pressed against the shelves and legs hooked around my waist while I drove into her warm heat.I swallowed shaking my head and willing the thoughts away before I got a hard-on in public which would lead to me stealing her away again despite the ache in my wound and the many things we had to
Amara’s pov"How did you meet Akanther?""At a club." He replied threading his fingers in mine, "I used to go there to clean the shoes of the men, they paid pretty well and he was impressed by me the first time I cleaned his. He got me food and was perplexed when I ran home with it instead of eating it right there as he saw I looked famished. I had to share it with my sister and she told me about how we shouldn't trust him thinking he could be like our parents.""She cared about you Orian. I am glad you both had each other during those times.""I never saw Akanther again after that year but I met him a few times before he traveled back and the next time I saw him again was when I turned thirteen and Imelda was sick then. I talked to him and he mentioned taking me along with him back to his kingdom because he had taken a liking to me, it was an offer I gladly accepted on the condition that I bring Imelda along and he agreed. We were to leave that same night and I got home quickly to ge