Elita“ I deny the accusations. There is no proof, Your Highness. ” Alpha Redley says, his voice clear and firm.The people gathered in the Throne room for the exciting trial fall silent at his denial. I click my tongue and keep my gaze lowered.If Dustin had just agreed or disagreed, I would have been confident in my plan. But he just got up and left after I demanded he take my side.Is it that hard to play along? I want to groan and roll around in annoyance. Dustin Landric will make me go bald with all this stress before I die.That will be highly embarassing.“ What do you have to say to this, Lady Lana? ” A man I recognize as the warrior who accompanied Dustin before stands beside the Throne and asks.I pick up my head and look at him. “ I will lead the way to the evidence. ”“ You need to drop this act, daughter! This is enough! ” Redley growls, losing his initial calm and letting his frustration spill out.“ If this is an act, you don’t need to worry, Father. Once everyone sees
DustinI won’t lie and say I didn’t go along with her plan because I was simply curious. I wanted to see what else she was capable of.Or maybe...I just couldn’t refuse her. It felt so foolish. I have never given into anyone’s demands, not until giving in leads to achieving my goals. But with her, I gave in, just like this.I was still annoyed at the way I was acting—without any conscious efforts, or deliberate actions when she pulled Redley to that cliff.It took me just a moment—a small moment to figure out what she was about to do. For others, she was calling for help, but for me, she was repeating her usual trick. She was playing a damsel who was getting murdered by her own father.I have met all sorts of people in life, but I have never come across someone like her. She is wicked—that’s nothing special. It’s her lack of any regard for herself and the absence of fear and remorse that sets her apart from others.‘ She is the woman you will love. She is Elita, your mate,
DustinI am clueless.I, Dustin Landric, the man who knows about everything that goes on inside the Four Kingdoms of Wolves, am clueless.One day has passed—one whole night and day—and she is nowhere to be found.Redley’s people didn’t take her. Maverick’s friends didn’t take her. Levian didn’t come anywhere near her.She has disappeared into thin air. Even the voices in the water refuse to tell me where she has gone.It’s the first time in my life—like all first times with her—that I find myself helpless. It’s like my power has reduced to nothing, like I have reduced to nothing but a desperate man who is looking for his lost mate.What loser thoughts!I will find that little trouble, and I am going to make her regret getting on my nerves this time. She has pushed me to my limits, and I am so done playing nice and staying low.“ The divers didn’t find anything but a floating piece of her dress, Your Highness. The body must have been carried away by the sea. ” Ronac enters the sitting a
ElitaI knew knowledge about the future was my power. Yet, I didn’t use it properly.When Maverick came to slander Lana, and Redley was hellbent on sending her—me to the vampires, I realized that staying as Lana in this world was a mistake.No matter how cautious I tried to be, Lana’s enemies, or so-called family, or the vampires would never let her be. She was too important to be overlooked.I knew that Lana needed to go—or precisely, her face and body needed to go so I could stay by Dustin’s side without anyone getting on my nerves every day.But how? I wondered at first. It was not like I could go back inside my body or wear a veil. I was thinking about it when Maverick ran his mouth in the Throne room.And then suddenly, Princess Avery’s words rang in my ears. She thought I was using a witch’s potion to take on Lana’s appearance. What sounded absurd to me before became my lifeline.That’s why I staged Lana’s death, turned Redley into a murderer, and then disappeared without saying
Elita“ Dustin…what are you…doing? ” I whisper in the space between us and realize how small it is.I am molded into him. I can lean up and kiss him. I tilt my head and meet his gaze, swallowing the rising tension in my chest. His eyes are locked on me, dark and intense, and I swear I see a flicker of something primal pass through them—a need that matches the one curling low in my stomach. It’s raw, barely controlled, and I know it’s not just anger I am dealing with anymore.He is dangerous right now, more dangerous than I have ever seen him.And I don’t understand why he is so angry. Is it because I did things without telling him? My heart hammers in my chest, both out of fear and a maddening, undeniable desire.I have lost my mind.“ Congratulations…” His voice is low, rough, sending a shiver through me. “ You have managed to push me right to the edge, and now, I don’t know if I want to punish you…or take you apart piece by piece. ”That's the same thing, I want to say to him...B
ElitaDustin pulls away as soon as our lips meet, as soon as my eyes flutter shut. My body turns cold while confusion takes hold of me.I open my eyes again, and he is still there. My breath catches in my throat. He is staring at me with an intensity that makes my heart tremble. His chest rises and falls heavily, his eyes flashing between black and that dangerous electric blue as if he is fighting to hold himself back.At this moment, I hate that he is trying to pull himself away. If he has already started this, why is he beginning to think about it now?“ Don’t you want to show me what you are like when you are really fuming, or are you too scared to do that, Dustin? ” I ask, trying to sound steady, but my voice trembles, betraying the storm brewing inside me.Anger, embarrassment, and that raging desire turn into one explosive emotion inside me. I want to run away and hide, or else I won’t be able to stop myself. Before I can do either, Dustin’s hands squeeze my waist, rough and d
ElitaOne moment, it feels like…I am about to be wrecked.But then, another moment, a harsh knock sounds on the door. The tense air between us thickens as Dustin keeps his eyes on me, just watching me, holding my breath from close.Annoyance surges through my head, but that knock brings me back to my senses. Suddenly, I can think again, and what I am thinking is not good at all.Were we going to end up having sex if no one knocked on the door? I swallow my saliva, my breath hitching in my throat.Another knock follows, louder and harder than before. It’s like whoever is on the other side of the door needs us to step out immediately.Dustin’s grip on my arms loosen. A frown etches between his brows, his haze losing its heat and turning unfocused.“ I didn’t…notice. ” He mumbles, more to himself than to me.My heartbeat picks its pace again. I exhale a sharp breath, scanning his conflicted expressions. That’s when my gaze lands on his ruffled hair and open collar. He looks so disheveled
ElitaShortly after Dustin leaves, Felicity comes to get me. Her eyes scream confusion at my disheveled state, but she doesn’t say a word. She leads me to Lana’s room—my old room and helps me change into a different dress.I stare at her as she zips up the plain, blue gown that falls to my ankles and is made of silk. She must be thinking that I am Dustin’s side piece or something. I want to tell her that it’s not like this, but…why do I even care? She can think of anything she wants. But…for some reason, my mind is unable to accept that rational thought. More annoyance fills my mind, and I pull away.“ I am tired. I want to rest so you should go. ” Felicity’s eyes lift to my gaze in the mirror for a second. I narrow my eyes, letting her know that I am dead serious.She nods and, without saying a word, rushes out of the room. When the sound of the door closing reaches my ears, my shoulders stiffen.She is acting so hostile. Did she like Lana so much already? I walk towards the win
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
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