Elita“ I— ” Brigitta attempts to say something, but her voice drowns behind her screams.As I sit here and watch, she drops from the chair and curls into herself, screaming her lungs out. What now?Is she going to act like I hit her? I rise to my feet and attempt to reach her, but Maximus stops me. “ let her be. It’s her disease acting up again. ”Disease? What disease? I frown, watching as she continues to scream and writhe on the floor.“ It’s a punishment from the Goddess, Brigitta. Every time you do something terrible, the pain starts. It must mean that Goddess doesn’t like your foul mouth and terrible actions. ” Maximus clicks his tongue, not even bothering to help her up.A moment passes, and two girls rush inside. They pick up the screaming Former Queen and drag her away.“ Like I said, sit down and continue eating, Lana. ” Maximus addresses me again, his voice now harsh.I nod, taking my seat. I have never heard of a Lycan or werewolf having a disease that can make them sc
Elita“ Don’t treat my body like this. It hurts to watch. ” A quiet voice sighs.I recognize it instantly and sit up in the cold water. My eyes land on the familiar girl sitting at some distance, her knees pulled to her chest.“ Why am I seeing you now? ” I wonder, mirroring her pose and resting my chin on my knee.“ Because I am trapped. ” She hums, watching me with her clear blue eyes.I tilt my head to the right, noticing the sadness in those eyes. “ trapped? ”“ Life is a gift from the Moon Goddess. They say…the werewolves and Lycans must protect it. ” She sighs. “ and I didn’t protect it, you know. I threw it away. ”“ Why? ” I wonder. “ why did you do something like that? ”“ Because… ” She trails off, her eyes losing focus on me.“ Because they hurt you? ” I suggest in a thoughtful tone. She is beautiful. Seeing her from my eyes is different than seeing her face in a mirror. There is something so vulnerable about her that it makes my heart ache.“ Not really. ” Lana whispers.
ElitaI stare at the big golden double doors in front of me. Before Felicity fled, she warned me again that no one was allowed to go inside the King’s room except for the one maid who cleaned the space.According to her, Dustin will have fun dismembering me. But…even if he does that…why does it matter to me? It’s not like this is my body. I grin, pushing the door open without knocking. The heavy door creaks, making a screechy noise.My lips form an O. I was planning on sneaking in. I guess that plan went down the drain with all that noise.After stepping inside the dark room, I close the door, and it creates another screech before it decides to give my poor heart a rest.Stupid door. Did Dustin do this on purpose to know if someone is sneaking in?I turn to the door and eye the sheer length of it. Good measure, Dustin!I give it a thumbs up before turning around in the dark to find him. The fact that Lana’s vision in the darkness is as good as a human’s vision doesn’t help my miss
ElitaDustin really gets on my nerves.After I offered to help him with that boner—that I was not going to do, of course—he said only two words.“ Get. Lost. ”He appeared so serious and angry that I thought disappearing was better. Not so surprisingly, the moment I left his room, my voice disappeared again.Now, I know. I am not suffering from a healing potion’s side effects. It has to be a witch’s spell. It’s scandalous. No werewolf or Lycan King is supposed to use witch spells or potions. This was the same rule that could have gotten Lana killed in the selection ceremony, but this King is so cool about doing the forbidden things. This thought brings me back to the present. Felicity informed me just a few minutes ago that Dustin wants me to go to the North wing of the Wolveshire Citadel. It’s the same wing where his room is. Apparently, that whole wing is his personal space, and now, he wants me in it.This reminds me…He did say that he needed me to risk my life today. I just ho
Elita“ Is this all you will do if someone tries to kill you? ” The pressure on my throat increases. The more I try to breathe or fight back the grip on my throat, the worse it hurts. This time, it feels like he will actually kill me before this episode of madness ends.That’s a scary thought. Especially when I can see my brother and sister hiding in the cupboard, watching our father choking me to death. No one should die in front of people that love you. That’s gruesome. With renewed energy, I try to fight and regain my strength, but it doesn’t work against the Alpha’s grip. He is stronger—he will always be. No matter how much I wriggle, or cry, or become desperate for air, he won’t let me breathe. Dad said this will make me stronger. If someone ever tries to strangle me in the future, I won’t die without putting up a fight if I am already used to getting choked to near death. When I can’t bear it anymore, I stop fighting. I let my body relax and close my blurred eyes. This is
Dustin“ What did you see? ” I repeat my question calmly. But I am so close to losing it. I don’t like how everyone keeps building suspense around things. “ I— ” Amelia sighs and steals another glance at Lana.The corner of my eyes twitch subtly. “ You what? ”“ I didn’t see anything, Dustin,” She reveals at last and looks shocked by this fact. People and their antics. I almost scoff. All that pause for nothing.I am not even surprised. Lana is a special case—I won’t figure her out so easily.I let go of Lana and withdraw from the sparks that were driving me insane. Every time I touch her, my cock decides it’s the best time to harden and throb. Without control, my mind drifts to all sorts of thoughts—thoughts I am not supposed to have about someone I believe is a cunning enemy. “ Why can’t you? ” Tyson comes up behind Amelia and leans closer to her.She turns to him, her brows smoothening instantly. “ I don’t know, Tyson. I just grabbed her hand and tried so hard to see her memor
ElitaI shouldn’t have mistaken his silence for lenience. He was only bidding his time until now, waiting for the right moment to strike. My heart pounds in my chest as I stare at the woman in front of me. She has honey eyes—something uncommon for any werewolf or Lycan.Judging from the color of her eyes, her oddly angled chin, and the cold smile on her lips, she is definitely a witch.I scan the underground room—more like a stone-walled dungeon from the corner of my eyes and swallow the unease in my throat. Dustin releases my arm with a jerk and goes to stand in the corner. The sparks retreat with his figure, leaving me cold and confused.“ She is all yours. ” He says, his voice low but harsh.One moment, the woman is standing two steps away, and the next, she is right in front of me. My hands shake, but I clench them into fists.What can I even do?I can’t scream and let everyone know that I am here. And I can’t fight someone when the Lycan King is right behind me. I can’t win ag
Elita Calm down. Calm down because anger blinds people to their choices, Elita. I hate that I am thinking about what Levian used to tell me.He used to say…My anger will blind me one day, and it will become the reason for my downfall. Anger will consume me. The need to hurt someone for the pain they caused me will haunt me until it becomes a ghost that chases me around.I agree with him.But the truth is that…I believe getting back at others is more important than caring about the consequences. Levian can bid his time, Dustin can show an extreme level of control over his urges, but I…I need instant satisfaction. I smile and grab Dustin’s collar. His brows lift as he waits for my next move.I lunge with precision, falling into his arms. As he reaches out to grab me, acting on an instinct forcefully instilled in him by the bond between us, I reach for his ear and bite down. He can heal super fast, but it doesn’t mean it won’t hurt like a bitch!I chomp on his earlobe and sense him s
Elita“ Where did that girl go? ” I hear King Tyson ask.The three Kings are sitting in Dustin’s office. The two that have little to do with me look so grim. But the one who should appear solemn has nothing on his face, not even a hint of distress or a sign that he regrets abandoning me like this.“ Dustin— ” Alpha King Striker starts, but Dustin interrupts, answering their previous question.“ That girl… ” He picks up his head and looks in their direction, his eyes undeniably dull. “ …is where she is supposed to be. ”“ And where is she supposed to be? ” Striker hisses, slamming his palm on the desk.Dustin doesn’t answer, just looks to his right, where the window is, where I am. For a moment, his eyes lift to mine, and my breath hitches.It’s as if he can see me.“ Did you send her to Levian? Is that how you got Ronac back? ” Tyson huffs and Dustin looks away.No, he can’t see me. “ She is his mate. If I had let go of her a long time ago, things wouldn’t be like this today. ” He sa
ElitaThe veil of darkness falls around me again. She is gone. She turned to dust right before my eyes, and even that dust disappeared.I…I don’t know what to think.So, I stare at the spot she was in. What just happened?Did her soul just…perish? Is this what people call finally leaving the world and moving to the afterlife? When I first entered this place in my dream, I thought this was it—the place I would end up in after dying. But it turns out I am wrong.There is more—something unpredictable, probably scarier awaiting me.For the first time since I have entered this strange state in which I am neither dead nor alive…I feel fear of the unknown, of what awaits me at the end of this journey.And I realize…I…I…really don’t…I…I can’t bring myself to even think of those words. If I think, someday, I might say them too.I don’t want that. Because this is my retribution. And I don’t deserve to voice out my fear for it.“ You are both stubborn. ” A familiar voice echoes through the e
Elita“ Soline. ” I mumble to myself.And my chest aches again. It’s like someone is gripping my heart, threatening to rip it apart if I dare say that name.What kind of joke is this now?I move towards the bed in the room and pause. I have been having a hard time convincing myself to sit.How long has it been?I stare at the clean black sheets. My muscles stiffen. And like before, I walk back to the window and stare out.This room feels too familiar, and it’s grating on my nerves. I can escape from seeing Levian’s face, but can I escape from the memories that haunt me? Everything about this place, about him, about this room… reminds me of things that seem to have happened ages ago.It’s like I am trying to see my life from a distance, with a detached view…but I am unable to do it. Levian used to say memories are a curse. I didn’t agree back then. No matter what, I wanted to remember my life, my siblings, the destruction I was a part of.But now…I agree with him.If people just forg
ElitaThe silence after my words feels like the sharp edge of a knife. It slices through the space between us, heavy and suffocating. I take my hand off his wrist and pull it back to my lap.Levian doesn’t move. Not a single muscle twitches as if my declaration left him frozen. But I know better. Levian never freezes. He calculates, measures, and waits until his opponent makes the wrong move. It’s always been like that with him. His eyes stay locked on me, and I can feel the weight of his gaze pressing against my skin, searching for a crack, a tell, anything to understand why I hate him so much.But he won’t find an answer. And until he doesn’t find an answer, he will remain distracted.That’s what I wanted, and he is playing right into my hands. “ Monster? ” He repeats, his voice deceptively soft, the kind of soft that feels like the calm before a storm.“ Yes. ” I reply, my tone steady even as my hands tremble in my lap. “ You destroy everything you touch, Levian. You are aimi
ElitaWho are you? Such a vague question.I couldn’t say I was Elita because he must have sensed foul play already.I couldn’t say Lana either…because that’s not who I am.And then…I didn’t know what his mate’s name was, so I couldn’t use that as an emotional trap to get out of this stupid situation.That's why, I kept my mouth shut and didn’t say a word to answer it.But Levian was lenient. That’s why now I am inside the small cottage, sitting on a chair while he stands close to the window in the distance, looking out at the woods.“ The little kid has learned how to use emotional traps to get what he wants. ” His deep voice echoes in the silence of the place.I flinch, gripping my dress harder. When he stays silent, I can pretend I am not even here and feel alienated…almost numb.But hearing his voice brings me back to the same spot. I am here, on this cold night, alone…With the man who hurt me more than anyone will ever do again.And the man I came to save has fled with someone el
TysonI have known Dustin since I was a naive little child, living in a colorful, bright world of my own. This makes me privileged—because I can tell when something is not right with him.But it’s not often. Dustin is like a block of ice that never cracks. He holds everything inside, pretends to be a jerk, and does everything in silence—plans in silence, suffers in silence, gets back on his feet in silence.I have never doubted that he will not stay down for a long time. Except for one time before and this time.A long time ago, he told me that if he dies, we all must not die with him. He said he would have to do something, sacrifice something that he holds dear to his heart. That time, he went ahead and offered his precious little sister to an enemy King. Everyone saw his action. How could a brother just trade his sister like this? He was criticized for a long time by Striker, Nora, and Amelia, and that also drove a permanent wedge between him and his sister. But I have never felt
ElitaLevian lets out a quiet laugh, the sound dripping with mockery. “ Your courage is almost amusing. I thought you were the clever one among the Kings, Dustin. But maybe you are pretending to be more cunning than you are. Sending someone important like him on missions when you know how dangerous it is. Purely reckless…foolish. ”I grip the bark harder, my nails biting into it. My breath feels too loud, too fast, like it’s betraying me. This is not good. My stomach clenches into knots. Dustin’s calm voice cuts through the rising tension. “ what can I say? I was distracted by a little bird. ”Levian tilts his head, his piercing gaze sharpening as it flicks to Dustin’s warriors. “ You must still be enchanted to think you can come here with a few of your warriors and get him back. ” The weight of his words feels suffocating, but Dustin doesn’t flinch. Instead, he glances at his men, a silent command passing between them. “ I know what I am doing. ” Dustin looks ahead.“ Do you?
ElitaThe fog wraps around me, curling like cold fingers against my skin. Every step I take feels muffled, swallowed by the eerie silence of the woods. It’s unsettling. No rustle of leaves, no crack of a branch. Just me, the fog, and this unbearable quiet. Something feels…wrong. I pause, my breath hitching. I should have encountered some vampires by now, or at least some sign of them. But the forest is empty—too empty. My senses tingle, my pulse hammering against my ribs. But then I glance up at the moon, shining bright and full.Right. Full moons are for their parties. The so-called “festival” where vampires and humans come together for deals, bargains, and blood. It seems Dustin knew this, too. But how does he always know the inside information?My feet move faster now, guided by an urgency I can’t explain. The trees thin out, and that’s when I see it. The cottage. It’s exactly how I remember it—small, tucked into the clearing like it’s hiding from the world. But I know
Elita“ Someone will know we are trespassing before we reach our destination. ” I blurt, panic bubbling in my throat.I can feel my body beginning to vibrate, my pupils dilating, and my mind racing with thoughts again.This is a bad idea. A very bad idea.So, to make this idea a not-so-bad idea, I want to believe he has a plan.I glance at his face from over my shoulder and unconsciously lean back into his chest.“ What is our plan? Why won’t you tell me? ” I hum, feeling his chest rumble against my back.I silently memorize every sensation he makes me feel when we are pressed together.“ Drink this, and when we reach there, hide. ” Dustin pushes his hand forth and offers me a small bottle filled with a colorless potion.I sigh. “ Dustin— ”“ And don’t ask any questions. ” He interrupts.I want to lash out and continue asking questions even when he said I shouldn’t. But…Given that we will be fighting with an enemy later, fighting with him right now doesn’t feel like a good idea to me