Elita“ Are you sure you want to go out wearing full sleeves, Lady Lana? ” Felicity asks for the nth time. “ it’s too hot outside. You might get sick or faint because of the heat. ”“ Don’t worry about it. ” I sigh, walking ahead of her. “ I am your personal maid. I am supposed to be worried about you. ” She mentions as she follows me into the stables. The keepers there do shoot me and my long-sleeved, blue gown sneaky glances, but they don’t say anything to me.While Felicity continues to pester me about the heat and my long sleeves, I choose a brown horse and mount it.“ Now, if your King asks, let him know that Lady Lana is visiting her Dad. ” I tell Felicity before I set out toward Alpha Redley’s Pack.It’s been three days since Dustin left me inside that dungeon, with my ear and my throat very much bleeding. All this time, I waited for him to reach out, but he didn’t.But that’s not the problem. The problem is that Alpha Redley is not reaching out to me either.I am sure he kno
Elita“ I am delighted. ” The breeze sways my hair, and with it comes back a voice from my memory. “ They chose me to make you regret your choice, and I will love every moment of it. ”What did I say to Akuji back then? Oh right.“ Where is Levian? ”“ Call Levian here. ”“ Levian will believe me. ”But Levian was gone. It was a testament that he didn’t believe me like I thought. He thought I killed them, making it impossible for Levian to achieve what he always wanted.As I near the gates of the Wolveshire Citadel, my throat clogs, and my gaze flickers towards my hand. I flex my fingers. Lana’s fingers, I tell myself. She was so lucky. She has no scar on her body, no injury that remains unhealed. Yet, she took her life like an ungrateful bitch. And I? Even after Akuji chopped my fingers and waited for the injuries to heal so he could move to another part of me, I yearned to live. I ran, even when blood dripped from my hands and I couldn’t grasp anything. I was so desperate to s
Dustin“ Your Highness, we are being— ”“ Followed. ” I tell Ronac, who is trying to tell me about the little problem on our tail. “ Don’t worry about it. Go inspect that part of the wall and come back to tell me if they are here yet. ”Lana is like a leech. She refuses to stop attaching herself to my side since she saw me at the selection ceremony.I should have known she would follow me all the way to the South to do…What exactly?I press my lips in a thin line. For the first time in my life, I have no idea what someone wants or is planning. I can’t read her face like I do with others. I can’t even wrap my head around any possible reasons to explain why she is acting like this.She has become more of a mystery than I like. Even Ciena can’t figure her out. But this is not what’s annoying me. The real problem is that the Moon Goddess has stopped visiting me like an uninvited guest in my life after Lana came my way.I know that Selene knows everything, and I need to ask her, but she
ELITAI groan, shifting to my back. I thought a royal horse would be brave, but this one is like a scaredy cat. Did he have to throw me down in front of everyone? I want to whine. My back hurts. I won’t be surprised if Lana’s fragile bones are all broken now.“ Lady Lana? ” I hear a familiar voice and sit up.My eyes land on Dustin, who is watching me, his face unreadable. Then, I look at the man who recognizes me.Akuji. Bile rises to my throat. He tilts his head to the side, a malicious glint flashing across his eyes as he meets my gaze.“ Take care of her. ” Akuji says to his vampires.I jump to my feet, ignoring the pain that shoots through my tailbone and reaches my toes. Acting on his command, two vampires break off the group and rush my way.I narrow my eyes, my heartbeat escalating. I can’t see them moving when I am inside this weak body, and Lana’s eyesight is as good as shit!What now? If I can’t see them, how am I supposed to do what I came here to do? I gasp as one of
ELITA“ How do you— ” He doesn’t get to finish.Dustin grabs his hair with the other hand and pulls. But Akuji is not as easy as others. He grips Dustin’s arm and twists. A sick crack sounds in the air, sending shivers down my spine.“ Dustin! ” I scream, beginning to run towards them.“ Stay there. ” Dustin hisses, shaking his arm, his eyes fixed on Akuji’s face.My feet halt, but fear grips my heart, squeezing it tightly. Akuji tilts his head and smirks as if he knows why Dustin is not killing him like the rest of the vampires.“ You know I am important. ” His smirk widens, his eyes glinting with smugness. “ Go back and tell Levian to stay down like he promised, or else your territory is not far from the North. Come after us, and we will come after you. ” Dustin drops him on the ground with a thud and steps back. “ Threatening won’t get you anywhere, Your Highness. ” Akuji snickers, slowly rising to his height. “ You are weak. So you stay down. ”My heartbeat thrums in my head. I
DustinThe stony doors open with a creaky noise. My jaw locks, and my eyes meet the smug face of my sister’s mate.He smirks, his gaze lowering to the bleeding girl I am carrying in my arms. I feel like throwing her down and leaving her here. She is so annoying.But I can’t really do anything to her because for some unknown reason—still, her life is connected to Elita’s life and I care about keeping my mate alive for now. Elita must serve her purpose. She can only die after that.Aleister’s grey eyes glint with mischief. “ What an unpleasant surprise. When the warriors informed me about someone’s arrival to this door, and for this person to have a similar name to the King of the North, I couldn’t believe it. Why would you come all the way here? ” “ I need a— ” The corners of my eyes twitch as I struggle to get the word out.The Kingdom of North and South have always been enemies. Now, my sister is the mate of the King of the South but it’s still not easy to acknowledge him as
ElitaSomeone clicks their tongue, mocking the condition I am in. I sigh and open my eyes, only to see the vast darkness surrounding me.It’s so cold here. If I was alive, I would have died just trying to endure the drop in temperature.“ What do you want now, Lana? ” I ask, shifting to my side, to rest the side of my face on my arm.Lana’s familiar face is peeking back at me. She is still wearing a white dress, and it makes her blonde hair appear so shiny and golden.She snorts, folding her arms across her chest sassily. “ You are one big failure. Instead of protecting Dustin or letting him do what he thought was best, you lost your control and decided to get revenge. ”“ Revenge? ” I roll my eyes and drop on my back again. “ Akuji would have been a problem in the future. I just got rid of him. It was not for revenge. ”The satisfaction I felt after getting rid of that smug-faced jerk is starting to disappear.What do I feel now? I wonder.I lift my hands and stare at my pale fingers
ElitaNothing comes out of the dramatics. I always knew that.But never understood it until this moment.“ I told you…you are not dying. ” Dustin says, his eyes drilling holes in the side of my head.I eye the bowl of soup in the tray placed on my lap and pretend that it’s the most important thing in the world. What else can be important right now, anyway?Without saying anything, I grab the spoon in my trembling hand, scoop the soup, and shove it in my mouth.“ So, Elita Folke, its’ time. Why don’t you start talking? ” He leans back in the chair he is sitting on, right beside my bed, to make me feel how close he is.I choke on the soup, coughing wildly. The spoon slips from my fingers and drops into the bowl.My heart is about to explode. It’s better this way. It should explode, and I should die. “ Are you dying again? ” Dustin blinks, his face still blank.I stop coughing. Apparently, this choking act doesn’t work on him. “ What are you— ” I swallow, daring to steal a glance his w
ElitaI forgot to take the witch’s potion for some time.I was being careless. And the first sign of that should have been a crack in my appearance.But it’s not. I look down at my hands and notice the black veins that have spread everywhere, leaving no spot untouched. It feels…strange. Perhaps I became delusional. I thought the healing ability I borrowed from Dustin could fight off the curse on me. But that was just…wishful thinking.The truth is…He is not saving me. He is dying with me. I shake my head and down the potion in the vial. It’s not the time to dwell on it yet. Just a little more time—that’s all I need. Just some time. I clench the empty bottle in my fist and start walking towards the throne room. The witches have started teleporting the ancient wolf tribe to the North with the help of King Aleister and Prince Declan. Levian must have realized this by now. And he will not delay the war anymore.Just as I turn the corner, goosebumps rise on my arms. I pause beside
ElitaI wake up with a yawn and rub the side of my face against the hard surface I am resting it over.The familiar masculine scent fills my senses, making me smile to myself.“ It’s so comfortable. ” I mumble.“ Of course, it is comfortable for you. You only find comfort after you force me out of it. ” A sarcastic voice says.My eyes snap open and land on the empty lounge. The dim lights are turned on, and the Kings and Queens are not here anymore.“ Ha? Did I fall asleep here? ” I wonder, leaning away from the surface.When I turn to look where I was lying, I see a sturdy shoulder and then a narrowed pair of eyes.Automatically, my lips curl into a wide smile. “ Dustin. ”“ Elita. ” His eyes nearly turn into slits.My nose scrunches as I glance at the position he is sitting in. I remember I saw him in the same spot before I fell asleep.It was daytime when I blacked out, and now it’s night. How many hours has it been?Did he stay in the same position for so long? My body fills with
DustinI grit my jaw. I did say that. But that was when I had full control over my abilities. Now, I am not that same Dustin.I can’t protect them the way I could before. And I don’t want any of them to die on my watch. “ Times have changed and— ” I start, but Elita cuts me off.“ If you don’t understand that he wants to protect you by risking his life, his Kingdom, and everything he holds dear, then you all need to revisit your understanding of him. ” She approaches me and takes a seat beside me. “ he wants you to go back home because you can die here, and Dustin can not bear to let that happen. He is not being stubborn or stupid. He just wants…you to live and stay out of danger. ”A hand curls around my heart and squeezes it tightly. I look at the side of her face, watching as she narrows her eyes on Striker and admiring the way she looks—so fierce, so strong.“ Dustin, I know you want to protect us. But we want to do that for you too. Just like how you don’t want any of us to get
Dustin‘ He was waiting. ’ A voice whispers inside my head, becoming clearer than the other screeches that make me wince.‘ For what? ’ I tilt my head, staring the endless sea.‘ For your return. ’ Another voice shrieks. Something has made the voices restless. I take a sip of the wine and let the taste linger on my tongue.The screeches intensify, a buzz that is impossible to ignore. The pressure on my head increases, as I grit my jaw, trying to drown out the sounds.Just when I know it’s impossible, two tiny arms wrap around my waist and a soft forehead presses on my back. A switch flips, and everything goes silent.I look down at the arms around me. My lips twitch, a warmth I am not used to spreading inside my chest.She doesn’t know what she really does to me, for me. “ I am dead… ” She mumbles in a dramatic voice.“ I know that. ” My lips curl in a smile before I can realize it.“ I have been taking care of everything for you! Do you know how hectic it is?! I couldn’t even slee
ElitaDustin steps inside, his presence filling the room. He leans against the wall like he owns the place, his smirk lazy, daring me to react.He does own the place. It’s his favorite throne room—with a round table where he can manipulate his friends and other important guests—an alternative to the traditional one. But he has no right to smirk at me and look this good after he tricked me into leaving him behind.My blood burns in my veins. My breath comes too fast, and my hands curl into fists by my sides.“ What’s wrong? ” Dustin muses, his gaze raking over me as if he already knows that I am going to lash out. “ You tricked me into leaving… ” I snap, my voice loud with fury. “ You asked him to grab me and send me here. You forced me. I don’t like being forced.”Dustin’s smirk widens, dark amusement flickering in his gaze. He folds his arms over his chest, completely unfazed. “ I know. You can…make me pay for it. I will allow that. ”A violent shudder rolls down my back. I move tow
ElitaI was not wrong.After Tyson, Striker appeared the next day. Their return made it easier for me to get people to listen, but it didn’t ease my worry.I was relieved that Lenora and Amelia had their mates back. But where was mine? Why did he have to send me before everyone else?I would have been fine if he had sent Tyson, then Striker, then Aleister…I wouldn’t have complained even if he had chosen to go before me.But he thought…Oh! I should let Elita suffer instead of letting her spend her days in peace.I huff as I stare out the window. Six days have passed now. The warriors are stationed in their positions. They have Vitora flower, training to fight vampires, and even the will to keep guard all the time.I have already worked with some Alphas to develop a few things they will need in the war.The Kings have gathered their men, readying the Army needed for support.Princess Avery has somehow handled her parents and made sure they don’t come out of their rooms. I don’t know
ElitaOnce again in life, I am forced to realize that waiting is the hardest thing to do.Waiting for someone is like dragging your body over a bed of nails. It is slow. It is painful. It does not kill, but it leaves me writhing. Time stretches, moving too slow, making every breath feel heavy, every heartbeat feel too slow.The worst part of it?Not knowing if they are even coming back, or if I am waiting for nothing, or if I should do something instead of just…sitting around and waiting. I pace around in the throne room, occasionally watching the vacant throne, then turning to the window that overlooks the sea. The water has been too calm, for too long. It’s unnatural. It’s been…four days now. Four days since Dustin Landric forced me into returning to the North! And he is not back!I keep thinking…If I could get ahold of him right now...I would curse at him. I would strangle him. I would kiss him. And tell him if he ever did this again, I would hate him forever. It might be a l
LevianSometimes, I do wonder. What’s the point of everything they do to fight back? The pride they hold onto, the dignity they so cherish, the trust they have in their Goddess…It’s childish. So naive, as if holding onto those ideals will protect them from the harsh truths of the world. They fight and fight, convinced that their strength and their loyalty to some higher cause will save them, but all I see is a cycle of failure repeating itself. They believe in their righteousness, their purity, their connections to forces they cannot fully understand. But it is all an illusion.The Gods or the world does not care about pride. It does not care about dignity. It does not recognize the strength they claim to possess. No, the world and the Gods respect only power—the kind that bends others to your will, the kind that ensures survival by any means. They are too wrapped up in their fantasies to see the reality. Survival is not about pride. It is about doing what they must, without in
DustinI stare back as Aleister glares at me. “ the distance was— ”“ Bigger than you expected? ” I shrug and turn to walk towards my horse.“ You already knew, didn’t you? ” He masks his anger behind a cold smirk.“ What? That you wouldn’t be able to teleport all of us? ” I look towards Striker, then Tyson. They are glaring at me just like Aleister. “ You knew. ” Aleister lets out a breath, his voice tinged with disbelief.“ This teleportation? It’s not the power of the South. It’s just some added perk from your submissive witch blood. Of course, I knew you could only teleport one or perhaps two of us before it stopped working for some time. ” I tell him honestly, not wanting to drag this out longer than needed. “ But I was hoping…you could send two back. Tyson would have been a good option. He knows Levian better than us. ”“ You knew he could only send one or two of us back, and you still chose her? ” Striker lifts his brows.“ You would have done the same if it was Lenora. She is