AURELIA ~~ I left the room I shared with my kids and Hazel because I was overwhelmed by raw emotions that threatened to tear me open even though my kids were sleeping peacefully in between Hazel and me. I came deep into the forest because I needed to be alone not so I could run into a jackass who had grown nosy with the years. “Stay back!” I repeated those words when Raiden took another step closer to me. I’d have taken a thousand steps away from him if there wasn’t a body of water behind me. He was closing in on me and had me cornered. I wiped my face angrily, refusing to appear weak before someone like him. “Stay the hell back, Raiden. I’m warning you.” I barked at him, tears threatening to spill out of my swollen eyes once again. “How do you expect me to stay back when you have obviously been crying, Aurelia?” Raiden asked like he actually had a heart. “What’s wrong?” I chuckled, unable to believe his audacity. He must think I was still dumb. “The same way you stayed
AURELIA~~I was this close to forgetting how to breathe when I stared into the silver-gray eyes that I used to love… those eyes that used to make me come undone, shattering underneath him while he overpowered my fragile body like–“Focus, Relia.” Inara snapped at me, bringing me back to my senses.“What the hell was that?” I asked my wolf, breaking eye contact with Raiden.There was something. Something seized me and took control of my mind for a moment. There has to be an explanation because I didn’t want to believe I was just admiring the same man who made me understand the real meaning of emotional torture… I didn’t just feel an intense sense of sexual hunger for him. “Please tell me there was something, Ina.” I pleaded with my wolf, staggering away from Raiden.Inara replied, “He carries a bond you broke, Relia, and what you feel now is the effect of getting close to the mate bond. You broke it but your body is designed to want it.”Fuck. I’ve to stay away from him. He had me
ALPHA RAIDEN~~I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel my jaw shift out of place as Aurelia’s unbelievably strong fist connected with it. I could feel the ache but it wasn’t something I had never felt before. The pain wasn’t new to me. What was new to me was getting punched in the face by a woman.And not just any woman. It was Aurelia. The same woman who couldn’t look me in the eyes back then just hit me in the face without flinching and she looked like she was ready to do it again. I was too stunned to speak while Aurelia stared at me with nothing but hate and anger in her orbs. If I had been blind, I’d have been able to smell her scorching anger from miles away. Goddess! How do I go about this? What words would sound right to her? I knew how I felt and In my mind, I knew the right words but each time I opened my mouth to speak to her, I ended up saying the wrong words. Heck! She unraveled me. “Don’t mess this up, Raiden. Please. I need her back.” Lex pleaded with me. Even my wo
ALPHA TRISTAN’S POV~~“You left and rejected me, Aurelia. How could–”Raiden’s words echoed in my mind as I strolled back to the apartment he made available for reasons I didn’t know back then. I’d asked myself why he was acting nice and suspicious but it wasn’t until now that I got my answers. I heard every word, starting with Raiden’s claim… starting with how he called her Aurelia instead of Lia as she told me that day in my special hospital room where she delivered her babies… Raiden’s babies, I supposed. I might not have heard every word because I just happened to stumble into the duo but I heard enough to justify the roaring flame of anger underneath my skin. I heard enough to make me understand that I’d been a fool for almost six years.She lied to me. She deceived me. She played me for a fool. Despite the grace I showed her and her kids? Hell! I provided her with a place to stay, a home, a pack, a family, and a new life because I thought she was from a dead place. That dea
AURELIA~~A yelp escaped my mouth when a cold hand wrapped itself around my leg, yanking me off the bed in one swift movement. I hit the cold floor of the room with a thud. I was genuinely terrified until I perceived and came face to face with Hazel’s amused face. “For goddess’s sake, Hazel. You just killed me.” I yelled not finding her stunt funny. However, Hazel laughed, “If I did, you wouldn’t be yelping, girl.” My best friend shrugged, the sound of her laughter echoing in the bedroom while I rolled my eyes and pushed myself off the floor. Hazel threw herself on the bed and supported her head with her hand so she could look at me as I struggled to get back in bed. “You look like shit, Lia.” She pointed out, her tone neutral but her hazel eyes flickered with the genuine concern that I knew her heart carried. I rolled my eyes again, settling into bed with Hazel. “Tell me something I don’t already know.” I tried to sound unaffected but deep down, I was barely holding back tear
AURELIA~~My daughter wailed out loud, failing to hide her feelings like she would have done on any other day. Seeing Katie like that broke me even more. My heart tightened as I forgot how to breathe and soon enough, Kyle broke into tears as well. “Shush, babies. Shush.” I said amidst tears. I crouched to the level, pulling Kyle and a muddy Katie into my arms. “Enough of the tears, babies.” Kyle spoke up, his voice shaky and muffled, “Yo-you and Katie s-st-tarted it.” Katie countered, pulling away from my hug and wiping her muddy face, “Mom s-started it. I came in and s-saw her c-crying in Auntie Hazel’s a-arms.” My heart tightened even more as I watched them both argue about me instead of telling me what the hell happened to Katie. Her lower lip was busted for crying out loud. I cried bitterly, realizing how bad of a mother I’ve been these past few days. What has gotten into me!Hazel came to my rescue when she asked, sniffing back her own share of tears, “What happened to yo
ALPHA RAIDEN~~My efforts to keep Aurelia in my pack were proving to be futile. Despite shifting the final rounds of the games so I could have more days with her and also figure out how to make sure she never returned to the Black Fur pack with Tristan, I have failed. In three days, the final round of this year’s pack games will come to an end and the next day, Tristan will take Aurelia away forever. Fuck! “You’re giving up? So soon?” Lex snorted within me. I retorted sharply, “What else would you have me do? It's not like I can tie her down when it's time for her to leave.” “I don’t expect that but you could at least try to find out who tried to kill her after she escaped the pack. You know she isn’t lying and finding the culprit might help to lessen the hatred she bore for you.” Lex said, forgetting that I had just three days left. There was no way I could trace down the assassins from six years ago in three days. Especially not when I had to oversee my warriors and other re
LARISA’S POV (2)~~I knew he was coming home to ask me questions. Although I didn’t know why he was coming home to question me after he had spent the last four nights and days away from me, treating me like I was one of his home servants. However, I was told he was on his way to me and I laid out a trap for him. Yes, my body. Raiden has always been weak to his bones when it comes to my body and even though he hasn’t touched me or made love to me in years, I knew just how to make him crumble… how to make him say, “Stay with me, Larisa. Please.” Raiden stepped closer to the bed and I smiled, stretching my hand out to pull in flat over my body. I just knew he would make love to me today and maybe mark me. The dinner with my parent failed to push him to take the final step but this would.“I’ve missed the feeling of your hands on me, Raid. Please–” I started, staring at him with lust in my eyes. But rather than take my hand, Raiden picked up the thick black duvet I had kicked off
DAVIEN~~At first, I thought nothing was happening because, despite how much the white wolves Gamma, Susanna, and a famous mind reader tried to instruct Katie, I felt nothing.Katie felt nothing as well.Until it happened.An electrifying sensation crackled between Katie and me, and before I knew it, my mind transitioned into a space that was completely out of the ordinary.It felt strange. I was both confused and curious, looking around for answers that seemed to be slipping out of my grasp. In fact, nothing felt familiar until my voice sliced through the thick, foggy air, invading my ears.“Mom, please,” I cried.I cried, but at the same time, the cry wasn't mine. I mean, I don't sound like that anymore. Over the years, my voice had thickened, but the voice that I heard at that point was soft.Soft yet recognizable because it was the younger version of me.“Please let me attend the party with you and Damien. I won't try to make friends. I won't disgrace you and Dad,” my younger s
Princess Katie Anne~~"Open your damn eyes, Katie Anne." Zoe’s vicious voice snapped through my mind in a way that made me groan even though I was trying to pretend to be asleep.Even though I have been awake for the past ten minutes.I just didn't want to open my eyes—“That's because you can feel our mate waiting for you, Katie. He even went downstairs to get breakfast for you,” Zuri muttered so softly.She was such a lover girl, the opposite of Zoe, of course.“Whatever. Just get your ass up and get it to the purifying, but where we have to be to channel enough to go into Dolf’s memory,” Zoe chimed emotionlessly.Although she didn't say it, I knew she believed that Davien went to get breakfast for me because he was hoping I would change my mind about taking the trip down memory lane with him. She didn't have to say it. I have come to know that she would read meaning into every action, including the meaningless and harmless.“You should get up, Katie. I agree with Zoe on this one,
ALPHA PRINCE KYLE~~As soon as dinner ended that day, my Ma and Pa chose to walk me to my bedroom even though they had a nighttime ritual they performed with Elora, Ronald, and Kennedy. My younger siblings weren't pleased they wouldn't have the attention tonight, but I wasn't delighted to be getting it either. I wanted to be left alone, but in this house, it seemed like I was asking for too much. “You can leave now, Ma, and you too, Pa,” I said to my parents as soon as I got to the front of my bedroom door. The walk from the dining hall was silent, and I knew they had many questions to ask me, but I wasn't in the mood to entertain them tonight. “You know I am not leaving, young man.” My Ma chimed, countering and walking past me to enter my bedroom.I looked towards my Pa for help, but he raised his hand and shrugged, saying, “I can't leave now, can I?” With that said, he also stepped into my room. I began to panic because I knew my Ma would make me break down before her in a
DAVIEN~~After Katie decided to read Dolf’s memory the next day because she was tired and also had to join the family for dinner, I also decided to tell her about my father’s text tomorrow. It would be if she could read my memories too and find out that I wasn’t involved in whatever conspiracy my family was cooking.I would do that tomorrow. I promised myself, walking side by side with Katie into the dining hall, where I was welcomed with warmth and smiles.Elora asked me to sit by her side, and to my surprise, Ronald and Kennedy began to talk about having a date with me, individually and also together.It was a wholesome time until Luna Queen Aurelia exhaled, her eyes on Katie, who seemed to be focusing on her meal. “Your brother isn’t here again tonight, Katie. What is it you aren't telling us?”Katie tensed for a minute before she looked back at her mom and stated, “You worry too much, Mom. Kyle is fine, and I already told you I have nothing to share with you. You can ask Kyle y
Princess Katie Anne~~“Go down memory lane with me, Katie, and if you can, let’s peek at the future while at it.”Dolf’s voice echoed in my mind, instantly resulting in a drop of my jaw, as I didn’t expect this conversation to lead us here. I thought he would be hurt, and Davien too. I knew I would be hurt if he were to tell me that he didn’t trust me, even though I had done nothing to earn his distrust.Hurt and anger were what I expected, but Davien was staring at me with those warm honey-brown eyes, and Dolf's voice was soothing in my mind.Dolf’s offer was tempting, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to do that.“And why on earth would you not?” Zoe’s voice resonated in my mind, leaving Dolf out of the conversation even though his consciousness was stirring within my mind as well.Before I could respond, Zuri chimed in, “Because if he is offering to do that, then he has nothing to hide, Zoe. We can’t keep hurting them just because of what someone in the past did to us. It’s not fair to
DAVIEN~~“Experiencing the war so close and having two parents actively fighting a war that could have been avoided broke me. My mom returned bloody and in tears. She was wounded, but she didn’t care about herself because my dad was unconscious,” Katie said.Although this was not how the conversation started, we got to this point where she opened her heart and bore her soul to me. I moved to sit beside her on the bed, and I held her hands when I noticed how difficult it was for her to continue.I didn’t want to speak or interrupt her, but I still wanted her to know that I was listening and would always listen to her.“My dad’s condition almost tore us apart. Mom lost herself and could barely look at us. Kyle and I had to manage our feelings. I’m not blaming my mom for not paying attention to us then because I know how difficult it was for her. What I am saying is that although the entire realm felt the scorching wildfire of the war, my family and I were the closest to the flame.”My
Princess Katie Anne~~The conversation with Auntie Susanna didn't end with her telling me I was sabotaging my connection with Davien because of my fears.After she let that sink in, she added softly, holding my hand, “I'm not invalidating your fears, Katie. It's okay to be afraid, and this is bound to happen after you had your trust broken as a kid. However, I'm invalidating your doubts about Davien. Although doubts are part of life, you can't let them stop you from living your life like you should.”I nodded but still asked, “How do I trust him? Zoe could be right. He might be bad for me, and I don't want to get hurt again, Auntie Suzy. I can't bear to be hurt again.”Auntie Susanna sighed while I looked at her expectantly. She seemed lost in thought, but before I could ask her to say anything to my racing heart, she voiced, “Sweetie, I wish I could promise you that you won't get hurt. Life has a way of testing us, and during those challenging days, we might get hurt, but we usual
Princess Katie Anne~~Davien’s peaceful face was the first thing I saw as my eyes fluttered open that morning. I stayed in bed even though I knew I had to be on the training ground early today. I train young girls twice a week, and today was one of those days, but all I could do was stare at Davien. Of course, Zoe’s words were still echoing in my mind, but they no longer controlled my mind. I felt better after sleeping all through the night. I felt better because I woke up to Davien. “I don't like how we felt last night, Katie. You have to speak to someone about the trauma you have been holding on to. We have to find a way to heal, or it will affect our relationship with Davien, and I don't want that to happen.” Zuri said into my mind, disturbing the peace I woke up to.Sighing, I rolled out of bed and said to Zuri, “I know, Zuri, but I don't know who to speak to. My parents have tried to help Kyle and I get over the trauma. They have done everything, so why am I still holding on
DAVIEN~~“Katie…” I called out again, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.How did I fall asleep?Sleep should be the last thing on my mind after the texts I read, like, what? Hours ago? I noticed that I was still holding my cell phone as I got off the bed, standing before Katie, who seemed to be staring into space.I pushed my worries about my dad’s texts and ambitions to the side, concentrating on Katie. “Are you alright?”Obviously, she wasn't okay.However, Katie nodded, blinking rapidly as her gaze shifted around the room. “Just a little tired from training.”My heart tightened when she wouldn't meet my gaze. I tucked my cell phone into my pocket, hiding my family issues away. I muttered to her, “You should be in bed.”“I couldn't go to bed without you,” Katie whispered, her voice as soft as the blue in her eyes. “Why are you here? You didn't show up for dinner either. Do you want to have a room to yourself?”Although she asked calmly, I could tell she was holding back pain beyon