ElitaWhen I thought he would deal with me later, this is not what I had in my mind at all.I refrain from glancing over my shoulder and try to shrink in myself as his front presses into my back with every breath, every move forward.My throat feels drier than the desert, and my heart is lodged into my throat, claiming that spot as if it is always supposed to be here.“ Why do I have to ride on the same horse? ” I mutter under my breath, my back shuddering as his arms stretch around me.I feel cornered. Not in a bad sense. But sitting so close to his parted thighs and caged in his arms feels like a tight space. I can’t breathe or think or move away. Because, of course, there is no freaking space between us.Distance is important.It’s the key. It is what—“ I have to keep an eye on the trouble. ” He drawls, sending a heated shudder down my back once more.“ Who? ” I roll my eyes. “ Me? ”My ears perk up, waiting for a sassy reply. But he doesn’t say anything.Note to myself. When he
ElitaBy the time we reach the Wolveshire Citadel, it’s already dawn. The sun rises in the distance, and the clouds surround it, hindering the sunlight. I feel dead. My legs and back hurt like a cart ran over me and broke my bones. I want nothing more than to rush to the closest room and drop dead for a whole day.But, thoughts are still racing through my mind. I have limited time and a lot of things to do.“ What happens to your father now? I assume you didn’t punish him because of some hidden agenda you have in mind, even when I offered him to you on a silver platter. ” I ask before yawning tiredly.“ The enemies you know are better than those you don’t. I know Redley. If I get rid of him and the Former King, I won’t know the next man Levian chooses to be his spy and ally. ” Dustin explains, to my surprise.I take my hand off his wrist and fold my arms across my chest. “ but if you let them be, they will eventually cause a bigger problem. If you know them, Levian knows you, Dustin.
Elita“ I know you are angry. But you need to understand, Lana. I had no choice, my Love. Your father held my mother hostage, and he threatened to kill her if I didn’t leave you. ” He wipes his cheeks with the back of his hand, but more tears rush out and slide down immediately.My lips press in a thin line as I stare at him. I hate men who cry over stupid things. He can tell me his side of the story without shedding tears, too. It’s not like I am amputating his arms or something like that.“ Alpha said you took money. ” I blink calmly. “ No! ” He shouts, making me grimace. “ Your father is lying. I would never do that to you. I—I really had no choice but to leave you until he released my mother. ”“ The Alpha Redley you are talking about doesn’t seem like the person who would release someone he kidnapped once. ” I hum thoughtfully and tilt my head.Maverick’s tears stop. His mouth opens, then closes as if he is searching for words.I am about to roll my eyes and get up, but he stops
DustinI watch him, standing there with that smug look on his face, claiming Lana like she belongs to him. Maverick. He talks like he has every right to be here, like I am just some obstacle in his way. He borrowed that nerve from his master, Redley, and thinks he can keep provoking me if has a strong backing. I poke the inside of my cheek with my tongue. It’s a good chance for me to send Elita away from here.I know what I need to do…but my mind is somewhere else. An hour ago, I saw them. Lana—no, Elita—kissing him. Right in front of me. The image has been stuck in my head ever since, like some sick nightmare I can’t wake up from. His hands on her, her lips on his. It twists my gut every time I think about it, like something’s tightening, squeezing inside me. It’s a feeling I can’t shake or ignore no matter how hard I try.It’s because of her.She complicated everything. Everyone in this Hall recognizes her as Lana Redley. Once Maverick opens that gutter of a mouth, Lana’s reputa
Dustin“ Have mercy, Your Highness. ” Maverick whimpers again.I take my eyes off Redley and direct my gaze towards him. The sight of him makes my guts churn once more. The ugly feeling in the pit of my stomach makes my eyes twitch.“ So, according to you both, I should forgive you all for trying to deceive the King? ” I tilt my head, and unconsciously, my gaze flickers towards the right corner where she stands, her face red with fury and restraint. “ As the Alpha of the strongest Pack in the North and the man loyal to the throne, I would accept whatever punishment you deem fit, Your Highness. Take my life, or the life of my daughter if that’s what— ” “ Wait a moment! ” She speaks up at last, her loud voice echoing through the walls of the throne room.The silent people turn to her, surprised to see her marching to the middle as if she is unfazed by their gossip and the hate in their eyes.I feel something pricking my heart, like a soft brush of a feather. Her blue eyes, as deep as
Elita“ Throw Lana Redley in the dungeons. ” Dustin’s heavy voice echoes through the Hall. Several gasps sound around me. I turn to him, my eyes narrowing into slits.But inside, I am gloating. He sure has the best timing.That’s what I wanted him to do. But how did he get it so easily? I thought I might have to send him a few hidden signals before he decided to lock me up.“ Your Highness, please let me prove the truth. ” I cry out, getting giddy about the way the air tinges with curious streaks.The people of the North have always loved seeing powerful people fall. On the outside, they act like they are united under a cause, but once you step into this mud, you realize…they love gossip, backstabbing, and helping to pull others down from cloud nine.Now that Alpha Redley, one of the strongest Alpha in the North, seems to have a flaw…they want to know more about it.“ Your Highness, I am grateful for your trust in me. I would never— ”“ Alpha Redley, Lady Lana will stay in the dungeon
Elita“ Didn’t you get what you wanted? ” I sigh, lying in the cold, dark water. “ you said you wanted me to teach Maverick and your Father the lesson of a lifetime, and I feel it’s important for me to do that now. So…why are you still sad? ”She is sitting in the same spot. I don’t know how I can even tell that it’s the same spot, given that every corner in this dream looks the same. It’s like we both are inside a pitch-dark room swarmed with cold water. The only thing I can see clearly here is her figure as if a bright light is shining only over her.Her small sobs echo in the utter silence, making me sigh once more. Judging from the amount of sighs I exhale these days, I can simply say goodbye to my lungs.Oh. It’s not like they are living and well anyway, so it doesn’t matter, I guess.“ Say something, Lana. If I am stuck in this nightmare with you, I would like for you to not make it too unbearable. ” I sit up and lean back, my eyes fixed on her curled-up form.She is always lik
Elita“ What? ” Lana’s eyes sparkle mischievously. For the first time since I have started seeing her in these strange dreams, I find myself tongue-tied.My head goes blank and before I can get an answer, I jolt awake.I blink my eyes open, only to greet the sight of the dirty dungeon walls. A breath whooshes out of my lungs.“ Why do I have...such a bad feeling about this?” I wonder to myself, my heart racing in my chest.“ I would have considered you mad if you still didn’t have a bad feeling about the mess you have created. ” A deep voice comments from the side.Startled, I gasp and look to my left. Dustin is sitting beside me, his back against the cold wall. The sight of his side profile highlighted by the dim light sends a shudder down my back.“ Dustin! What are you...doing here? ” I breathe, and flex my numbing fingers.He rests his arm over his bent knee and leans back, stealing a glance at me from the corner of his eyes. My heart misses a beat as he looks away and s
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
Elita“ You should have told me sooner, Ms. Folke. It’s far better than pretending to want you and playing house with you. ” Dustin says, without hesitation, without even a hint of any insincerity in his eyes.“ Oh. ” My lips form an O. “ So you were pretending? ”I feel like laughing. It’s nothing new, anyway. Many people have pretended to be something else just to use me. By now…I am used to it.Because how can anyone want someone like me? A girl is supposed to be sweet, innocent, and naive. I am anything but that. I am filled with darkness inside out, and perhaps people can spot that darkness when they look at me. That’s when they decide—she is not worth it.Or maybe it’s not about how I am unladylike. It must be the desperation to be wanted by someone. It must be leaking from every pore of my body and surrounding me like a visible layer. She is desperate. Let’s use her. That must be what always goes through everyone’s mind.He starts again, just on the verge of saying more hurt
ElitaHow can I forget who he is?I sigh, as the wine hangs in the air, so close to his face. Slowly, it freezes, and the red crystals rain down to the table and floor.Dustin’s face comes into view again. The corners of his eyes twitch and darken. I swallow, sensing the looming danger. It’s like the air thickens with a silent threat, and pricks my skin with every second.“ Are you sure nothing is going on between you two? ” Avery’s smug voice shatters the eerie silence.Lenora chimes. “ She threw wine in his face. Of course, something is going on. ”A few giggles follow. I swallow again, unease gnawing at my throat.He deserved it. He knows that. Yet, he looks at me like he is going to smother me with his gaze. Heat slithers down my skin, as his eyes lower to my still chest.“ Step out. ” Dustin says, silencing the commotion.“ Are you talking to us? ” Tyson asks with a hint of playfulness in his voice.“ We will discuss this later. Go now. ” He nods in reply, so stiffly that my bac