AQUAI had no idea how it happened. As soon as the object fell, it struck my head with a sharp crack, and pain immediately exploded across my skull. I stumbled backwards from the impact, and then a fresh wave of dizziness washed over me, causing me to sway until I felt a large, solid chest behind me. “Don't worry, Aqua. I've got you,” River murmured, wrapping his arms around me. I knew he was trying to steady me, but a low growl suddenly rumbled in the room, making me freeze. Gunnar. The sound was low and menacing, vibrating like the warning snarl of a wolf before it pounces. He rose abruptly from his seat, his movements sharp and precise, and without hesitation, he hurled another wooden statue across the room.The female elder didn’t stand a chance. The statue struck her squarely, and she crumpled to the ground, motionless.Everyone in the room watched in shocked silence and then turned to Gunnar, who looked completely furious. Even the man with grey hair didn't dare speak as he
AQUA“What the hell, Gladys?” River snarled as he pulled me behind him. When Gladys tried to lunge at me again, he released a low growl rumbling through his chest. It was enough to stop her mid-way, so he continued. “Is that what Tristan told you? Because it's not true! He's one who tried to force himself on Aqua!”Gladys asked, her voice filled with disbelief. “And is there any witness to prove this claim? We both know that this bitch here has a knack for going after mated men!”Her words hit me like a blow, knocking the air out of me. Shame curled in my chest as I stood there, watching her attack me with the words that hurt me the most.Everyone was so quick to judge me for one stupid mistake, but they had all forgotten how young I was. I was barely 16 when Leon wooed me with his sweet words and actions. No one had any idea how much I regretted meeting that man, but I didn't want to regret the feelings I once had for him. “...you better watch your fucking mouth when you speak, Glad
AQUA“I accept!”My words echoed in the room, eliciting gasps of shock as people stared at me. At this time, Kianna and her friends had already reached the parking lot when they heard me. I noticed a lot of them were looking at me like I was crazy, but I wasn't. Maybe I was just getting desperate in forcing Gunnar to publicly recognize me as his mate. “You accept?” Gladys repeated, her eyes slightly narrowed. It was obvious that she simply wanted to intimidate me with her so-called challenge. But then, she never expected that we would be at the same level. If she knew the truth, I figured she would never have said such a thing, but it was too late. I wanted to fight her too. “Yes,” I said firmly, ignoring the weight of the crowd’s stares. My wolf stirred within me, sensing my determination. “Why don’t you choose a date and time so we can settle this once and for all?”“You really think you can beat me?” Gladys asked, her voice dripping with disdain. I guessed everyone thought the
AQUAAdmit defeat?!Never!“I can't,” I murmured, fear gripping my chest. I didn't want to. This was my chance to prove myself to Gunnar and the rest of the pack that I wasn't worthless, but she wanted me to embarrass myself in front of the pack?I was never going to let that happen. “What did you just say?” Hannah asked, taking a step towards me. I could sense her intimidating aura directed towards me, causing me to flinch. But Gunnar's secretary immediately shot to her feet and shielded herself with her body. Hannah's glare shifted to her as she spoke. “What the hell do you think you are doing, Violet?”“I'm sorry for the interruption, Miss Christensen, but His Majesty has repeatedly decreed that no one is allowed to harass a submissive wolf—” “Who told you such nonsense, Violet?” Hannah smiled, her voice sugary sweet. “Aqua and I are just having a small talk. Aren't we, Aqua?”I bit my lower lip to stop myself from playing along with her sick games. Her eyes clearly warned me no
GUNNARMy fists balled into fists as I walked out of the meeting hall. The image of Aqua's tear-streaked face, when she stood outside my office, was etched on my brain like an oil stain. It was so fucking difficult to get rid of it, especially when those pretty blue eyes which used to look at me with adoration suddenly held disappointment and pain in them.I was overwhelmed by the burden of her pain, the memory of her quivering lip, and the way her shoulders had slumped as if the weight of the world had pressed down upon them. In her eyes, I was the one who abandoned her when she needed me the most, and I knew she would never forgive me for it.“Damn it!” I cursed, my claws unsheathing from my skin as I paused mid-step. Hannah, who had been by my side, immediately flinched at my growl. Her wide eyes darted from me to my claws, her hands clutching her chest. When she spotted a few onlookers frozen in place, their curiosity piqued, she quickly pasted a practiced smile across her lips an
GUNNARAfter I dropped Hannah at her house, I decided to go home to keep my mind busy. For the first time in a long while, my best friend actually cried in the car after I told her off. My wolf was slightly irritated by her insistent sniffs because he thought she was only pretending to get my attention. But I couldn't help feeling like an ass. After all, it wasn't every day I made two women cry in the span of an hour. Both women wanted my attention and love, but the only thing I could think about was how to spend some time with my daughter. It wasn't that I didn't value them. The problem was that I just wanted to clear my mind a bit. So I returned home and met my daughter in her room, drawing on her bed. I wanted to surprise her, so I instantly slowed my speed. I dropped to my knees and crawled towards the bed, my knees scraping against the rug as I approached my prey. My daughter was happily humming to a song on her phone, her legs swinging as she painted on the bed. Once I was p
AQUAOh, dear moon goddess. The date set for the dueling challenge was only four days away, and I still had no idea how to defeat Gladys. When news of the duel spread throughout the entire pack, someone started a betting scheme to attract more spectators regarding who would win next weekend. According to Kianna, that person was definitely not me.At first, I was unfazed by the pack's opinions and speculations concerning the match. But when I heard that one of the pack elders, Tristan's grandmother, was helping her train, I started panicking about the entire situation.Eventually, I grew depressed about it.Eventually, I became overwhelmed with sadness. While nearly everyone was secretly rooting for Gladys and hoping she would put me in my place, my second-chance mate, Gunnar, was nowhere to be found. Since our argument in his office, he had only come home to tuck his daughter in at night. It was clear that he wanted nothing to do with my challenge, and I received the message loud and
AQUAAfter I said those words to Aqua, my heart burned with determination and desperation concerning the upcoming duel. Although I knew I had to be careful about exposing my new upgraded wolf to the pack, I still wanted to win the match at all costs.That's why I'd decided to meet up with River. In the past, I didn't want him to teach me because he was the healer of the pack, and such methods would undoubtedly be unsuited for him.But now, things have changed.I entered the grocery store and grabbed the things on the list. When I finally paid for them at the cashier's checkpoint, I had just walked out of the building and was going through the parking lot when I felt a hand wrap around my arm.Danger. That was the last thought I had in my mind before I attacked the unknown stranger with my claws."SHIT!" The man cursed as he dodged the attack without effort. A few seconds later, he'd managed to render me immobile and defenseless. I felt the air knocked out of my lungs as he pushed me f
AQUAWhen I opened my eyes again, I found myself in my room. The curtains were already closed, and the lights above my head were dim. I leaned against the headboard, trying to gather the scattered fragments of my memory. My lessons...the orange juice...me falling unconscious. My heart hammered in my chest when I remembered that I was poisoned. Now it all made sense why my throat felt dry and itchy; also, it must be the reason why my body ached all over. Just when I was about to reach for my phone to call someone in, the door suddenly swung open with a loud thud. Ella stood at the door, holding a tray in her hand. “Your Highness!” She gasped, clearly surprised to see me awake. “I'm so glad that you have finally regained consciousness. You have no idea how worried we all were about you.”I watched her place the tray on the bedside drawer, revealing a bowl of soup. “Have the guards caught Hannah like I instructed?” I asked. Ella nodded. “Yes, they did. They managed to apprehend her
AQUAWhen I vowed to myself that Hannah was going to pay for what she did, I truly meant it. That was why she was currently repeating a section of the rules, explaining it for the fourth time. I could tell she was about to lose her temper, but that was exactly what I wanted.I needed an excuse to make her pay for her actions. "That's enough," I interrupted her before she could repeat it for the seventh time. My ears were already aching, and the person I was waiting for had yet to arrive. "Why don't you go and fetch me some juice?"Hannah’s eyes blazed with indignation. "But you have maids waiting on you! Why the hell are you sending me?" She protested, her voice sharp and rising."Because serving the Luna Queen is an honor," I replied coolly. On a normal day, I took pleasure in reminding her that soon, I would become the most prestigious woman in the Wysteria continent. Today felt especially fitting for this reminder, as she appeared ready to explode.When she stubbornly refused to m
AQUAWhat the hell was going on?My eyes shifted from my daughter to Odin, who was perched in one corner, looking unfazed by the chaos surrounding him. His presence made me cautious in reacting since I knew he would never have appeared if the situation hadn't been dire. However, there was also a problem with Fawn's naughty behavior that I had to deal with.So, I decided to ask the third person in the room. "What did you do to my daughter, Mrs. Lambert?" I bent down to pick up a torn book near me before stepping inside the room. The maids behind me immediately spread out and started arranging the place while I approached the tutor lying on the floor. “I-I didn't do anything wrong, Your Highness,” she replied. Before she could utter another word, Odin released a warning growl that reverberated throughout the room, making both of us flinch. Many possibilities raced through my mind when I heard her words. My first instinct was to believe her because Fawn had already been displeased by
AQUAThey say to keep your friends close and keep your enemies even closer.At least, that was my belief until the moment Hannah arrived at my doorstep, her warm smile illuminating the dim hallway. As soon as Fawn learned that her beloved Aunt Hannah was back, she bolted down the stairs with excitement , rushing to greet her with open arms. A sharp pang of jealousy pierced my chest as I watched their affectionate reunion, the way Fawn’s face lit up with delight in Hannah’s presence. I felt a protective instinct surge within me, compelling me to step in."Fawn, it’s time for your lessons," I asserted, striving to maintain a steady and calm demeanor. My voice echoed through the foyer, firm yet measured. "You shouldn't keep your tutor waiting as you did last time."Fawn, her wide eyes filled with longing, turned to me, a protest bubbling on her lips. "But I want to speak to Aunt Hannah—""Fawn, don’t be stubborn now," I said, my tone sharpening as I placed my hands on my hips, unwavering
AQUAShit. I stared at the glowing tattoo on my wrist, my breath hitching as Bodhi’s revelation sank in. The energy seared into my skin like molten fire. A sharp hiss slipped past my clenched teeth, my entire body taut with the overwhelming sensation flooding my veins.“B-But this...” I struggled for the right words for some time before settling for one disbelieving question. “How?”Bodhi shrugged cluelessly as he got up from his seat. At first, my body grew tense as he closed the distance between us, but then he simply unlocked the door and raised the curtains. “Maybe your wolf got upgraded because of its sincere desire to protect its mate,” Bodhi cocked his head to the side as he spoke. “Isn't that what dominant wolves do?”Yeah, he was right. Most of my frustration had stemmed from my wolf's restlessness and fear. It was she who was sure that something bad would happen, so she needed to see her mate before she went crazy. I was so caught up in the storm raging within me that I b
AQUAI had only heard the news when I awoke from my sleep in the early hours of the morning. Gunnar was gone. I stared at my maids blankly, trying to digest the information I had just received on the bed. I was at the point where I didn't know if I should cry or just tear the entire place down in anger. So that was it? He just left without saying anything to me or his daughter? Not even a goodbye or a kiss?What the hell?Instead, I suppressed all my tumultuous feelings and asked. “Did he say when he was going to return?”The first maid shook her head before staring at the rest of her colleagues, silently asking if they knew anything other than the details she had just provided. When no one said anything, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other when she turned to me. “Well, he did say that you should meet Bodhi if you had any more questions,” she disclosed. “But he's not around right now. I heard he is in a meeting with the elders, and things are not looking good right n
GUNNARWhen I finally returned to the party, some people were already saying their goodbyes and leaving. My pack members were doing a good job directing them to the pack guesthouse, where they could stay for the night. I stopped by one or two people to say a few parting words before I headed straight towards the stairs to search for my mate.As soon as I got to the top floor, I discovered that her scent was all over the place. My heart thrummed loudly against my ribcage as I scoured through each room down the hallway. I found her on the third attempt, next to my daughter on the king-sized bed, her delicate features softened by sleep. She held Fawn so close to her bosom like she was trying to protect her from something or someone.The sight tugged at my heart, squeezing it in a mixture of overwhelming love and longing. This was the family I had yearned for over the years, a family I thought I might never have after the loss of Tia eight years ago. As I stood there, watching them, I fel
GUNNARI hurled Diane over my shoulder and bolted from the party, my boots pounding against the damp earth as I made my way toward the cemetery. At first, she kept struggling for her dear life, trying to escape, but my patience snapped when she drove her knees against my knees, so I knocked her out the next second.When we reached our destination, I dropped her on the cold earth with a dull thud. The rough impact jolted her awake. I folded my arms as I watched her struggle to regain clarity of the situation. "Rise and shine, Diane," I said.Diane looked left and right around her surroundings before she turned to me. "Where the hell am I?" she asked, trembling. "Why did you bring me to this place?"I folded my arms and replied. "Well, I thought since it's been a long time since you have been to the pack, you would want to meet your dear friend," I paused, letting my words sink in. "You guys must have a lot to talk about, right?"Diane screamed when she turned around and saw my wife's g
AQUAAs I continued to face the crowd, I could feel Fawn trying to yank her hand back, but I didn't let her go. Letting her go wasn’t an option after everything that had just happened. Truthfully, she had caused enough trouble right now, and the last thing I wanted was for someone to find out her true identity. Fortunately, the kid was smart and didn't even try to refute my claim over her. “So you had a child out of wedlock?” The Luna questioned. The curiosity in her voice was quite obvious, but there was something about her tone that rubbed me the same way.I lifted my chin defiantly. “Yes, I did. Is there something wrong with it?”The crowd started murmuring amongst themselves when they heard my words. I was a bit confused about why they were giving me strange looks, but I pretended not to care. “You must not have been informed properly, Aqua, but the requirements for a female wolf to ascend the throne as the Luna Queen are quite clear,” she said. “A female wolf must be a virgin