(Ariel's POV)The postponement of the contest also gave me ample time to recuperate. I had been worried about how I would perform in casts or with limps. It did not help that I had overheard some people talking and they said the next round would be shooting practice.I hoped my leg would be properly healed before the next contest. Shooting was my forte, my knowledge of weapons gave me an advantage and so I was looking forward to this section. I did not want anything to jeopardize my winning chances.25 days later, my leg was fully healed. I could stretch it, walk without limping, run, and put the whole pressure on that foot without wincing or hissing in pain. My leg was completely healed.“I am damn excited that my leg is completely healed now,” I told Raven, flexing my ankle, my cheeks turned up very high in a smile.“I am happy for you, mi lady.” She handed me a branch of the rose flower she had plucked and curtsied while at it, we laughed together.The echoes of our laughter resoun
(Elijah's POV)It's been a few weeks since I saw Ariel. I missed her so much. Dealing with the whole assassination thing was taking up my time. Each day I had lots of work on my desk and I hadn't been able to go see her.I missed her smile, I missed her body, I missed sex with her. I was craving her touch. Tomorrow was the day of her match but I needed to see her today.So I cleared up my desk early, pushing aside the rest of the work. The Moonstone file glared at me, calling for me to attend to it but I closed it right back and left to go see her.Thoughts of her riddled me as I walked down the hallway, my wolf was excited to see her, he whistled a happy tune in my head, and my body was excited to finally see her and have a proper conversation with her. Well, I hoped I would have a proper conversation with her.Every time we attempted to have a decent conversation, we always ended up with one of us angry. I knew it was bound to happen but I hoped it would be different. A man can hope
(Ariel's POV)I woke up to Elijah cleaning me up tenderly, my hands were no longer bound. He was drawing soothing lines over the rope mark, washing it with soap, and willing the marks to disappear.I sighed contentedly and leaned into him as he washed me. His hands massaged my shoulders gently, I was really sore and I let out a moan.“If you keep moaning like that, I would be tempted to take you here and now,” Elijah's husky voice whispered in my ear.I stiffened, I had enjoyed the sex, allowing myself to indulge in the passion and enjoy it but I was not ready for another one. I was too sore. So I tried to contain the moan that threatened to break out of my lips. Elijah was too gentle in washing me and it was making me feel so good.I relaxed and enjoyed his care. I felt helpless against Elijah’s childish attitude towards anger. The moment he was jealous or angry he showed it by trying to mark me and dominate me with sex. I was helpless against his behavior.But I wouldn't deny that t
(Ariel's POV)I hummed a tune as I got dressed for the day. I was excited to show my marksmanship, especially to the people who had not seen me in action ever but underestimated me. The look of shock and awe on their faces would make my day.I whistled and moved my hips to the tune I was humming while I brushed looking at myself in the mirror. I felt giddy.I spat out the spittle in my mouth and gazed at myself in the mirror. “You are amazing,” I hailed myself.“You are beautiful. You are smart. You are the brightest. See the adoration in their eyes because of your awesome talent. You are powerful.” I continued to hail myself looking directly at myself through the mirror.My cheeks high, my head straight, my face stoic, and my words firm.Truly, I felt powerful. Today was my day, it felt good to do something you excelled effortlessly at. I was looking forward to the shooting round. I may not know a lot of things but I understood weapons.I knew each gun just by looking at them, I iden
Ariel's POV ❤In the year 2200, it was an era where werewolves ruled over humans. Fifty years ago, overnight, humans became slaves to the werewolves.My name is Ariel, a human, and we became the lowest class in society within our designated areas - even lower than the Omegas, treated as slaves and playthings. If we showed even a hint of defiance, we would be taken away for punishment. When I was ten years old, I witnessed a human who merely touched a werewolf's clothing get dragged into the town square, where a werewolf impaled his heart with their claws.Father tightly hugged me and Alice, who were terrified. He told us not to make a sound, that we must endure, and one day, we would escape this hell.We soon forgot the shadow of that day because my parents loved each other dearly and treated us well, despite our poor living conditions. When father looked at Alice and me, his face only had smiles. "You two are the best treasures I've ever received." My father often said.Although Alice
(Ariel's POV)Time: 2200, six days until the new round of genetic testing."Ugh…" I groaned as something scratched against my skin. Frustrated, I rubbed my face and turned to the other side, but then I felt the scratching again, this time on my neck. "Ah!" I screamed, sitting up suddenly, confused and frowning. "What the hell?" I yelled as I rubbed against the tickling sensation."Ariel." I flinched at the sound of Ron's voice and looked around, realizing I was in the town's hospital. Ron was frowning, his expression tense. "Did you hit your head? Did you forget what happened?"I sighed, rolling my eyes as I accepted the water bottle Ron handed me. "I thought I was going to die.""You were." Ron scoffed, his tone mocking. "You've been unconscious all night. You have only woken up just now. I thought you were dead, so, I decided to check whether you would wake up or not."I shook my head, frowning as I muttered, "Thanks…" Hesitating, I rubbed the cool surface of the water bottle with m
(Ariel's POV)Time: Year 2200, five days until the next round of genetic testing.I glared at him with the corner of my eyes as I fumed with anger, and a gush of disgust ran down my body.Mark smiled and pulled up my chin, "What do you think about my proposal?"I gritted my teeth and tried to shake him away but his grip only tightened. "You're the perfect candidate to be my surrogate."I looked away, scoffing. "Let me go; otherwise I'll report you for cheating."Mark laughed aloud when I flinched, and he approached me closer. "Do you think anyone would believe you? You're the slave, and I'm the owner."I bit my lips while clenching my fist as I glanced down. It hurt me, but this was true. There was no one who would believe me over him. He was the rightful owner, mated to the Beta."Don't you feel ashamed to cheat on your mate?" I gritted when he pulled me closer."She's barren, and fret not, you'll be nothing more than a surrogate to me to bear my child. You're the perfect candidate f
(Ariel's POV)My face turned pale as I turned to look at the door. My palms were slick with sweat, and my thoughts raced. I glanced at the clock on the wall; it wasn't even 8:00 p.m. yet.Ron, standing beside me, shifted nervously, his eyes flickering between me, the strange man and the door, a bit panicked."Go hide now," I looked around and pointed towards a dark corner of the room, telling the stranger to hide. When he hid in the corner, I threw a large blanket over him, concealing him. Then I turned to look at Ron, nodding at him.Ron swallowed hard and went toward the door. As he rushed to open, my breath caught in my throat as a thousand worst-case scenarios played through my mind.The door swung open.The Alpha's guards stepped in immediately, looking around the room."Good day, Misters. What do you require?" Ron stepped back, allowing them in. Ron lingered his eyes around the room, trying to check if he was hidden perfectly when I nodded at him, reassuring him.My heart throbb
(Ariel's POV)I hummed a tune as I got dressed for the day. I was excited to show my marksmanship, especially to the people who had not seen me in action ever but underestimated me. The look of shock and awe on their faces would make my day.I whistled and moved my hips to the tune I was humming while I brushed looking at myself in the mirror. I felt giddy.I spat out the spittle in my mouth and gazed at myself in the mirror. “You are amazing,” I hailed myself.“You are beautiful. You are smart. You are the brightest. See the adoration in their eyes because of your awesome talent. You are powerful.” I continued to hail myself looking directly at myself through the mirror.My cheeks high, my head straight, my face stoic, and my words firm.Truly, I felt powerful. Today was my day, it felt good to do something you excelled effortlessly at. I was looking forward to the shooting round. I may not know a lot of things but I understood weapons.I knew each gun just by looking at them, I iden
(Ariel's POV)I woke up to Elijah cleaning me up tenderly, my hands were no longer bound. He was drawing soothing lines over the rope mark, washing it with soap, and willing the marks to disappear.I sighed contentedly and leaned into him as he washed me. His hands massaged my shoulders gently, I was really sore and I let out a moan.“If you keep moaning like that, I would be tempted to take you here and now,” Elijah's husky voice whispered in my ear.I stiffened, I had enjoyed the sex, allowing myself to indulge in the passion and enjoy it but I was not ready for another one. I was too sore. So I tried to contain the moan that threatened to break out of my lips. Elijah was too gentle in washing me and it was making me feel so good.I relaxed and enjoyed his care. I felt helpless against Elijah’s childish attitude towards anger. The moment he was jealous or angry he showed it by trying to mark me and dominate me with sex. I was helpless against his behavior.But I wouldn't deny that t
(Elijah's POV)It's been a few weeks since I saw Ariel. I missed her so much. Dealing with the whole assassination thing was taking up my time. Each day I had lots of work on my desk and I hadn't been able to go see her.I missed her smile, I missed her body, I missed sex with her. I was craving her touch. Tomorrow was the day of her match but I needed to see her today.So I cleared up my desk early, pushing aside the rest of the work. The Moonstone file glared at me, calling for me to attend to it but I closed it right back and left to go see her.Thoughts of her riddled me as I walked down the hallway, my wolf was excited to see her, he whistled a happy tune in my head, and my body was excited to finally see her and have a proper conversation with her. Well, I hoped I would have a proper conversation with her.Every time we attempted to have a decent conversation, we always ended up with one of us angry. I knew it was bound to happen but I hoped it would be different. A man can hope
(Ariel's POV)The postponement of the contest also gave me ample time to recuperate. I had been worried about how I would perform in casts or with limps. It did not help that I had overheard some people talking and they said the next round would be shooting practice.I hoped my leg would be properly healed before the next contest. Shooting was my forte, my knowledge of weapons gave me an advantage and so I was looking forward to this section. I did not want anything to jeopardize my winning chances.25 days later, my leg was fully healed. I could stretch it, walk without limping, run, and put the whole pressure on that foot without wincing or hissing in pain. My leg was completely healed.“I am damn excited that my leg is completely healed now,” I told Raven, flexing my ankle, my cheeks turned up very high in a smile.“I am happy for you, mi lady.” She handed me a branch of the rose flower she had plucked and curtsied while at it, we laughed together.The echoes of our laughter resoun
(Vincent's POV)“I am here to escort Ariel back to her room,” I announced the moment I entered the office. Although my gaze was intent on Ron, I could feel Ariel roll her eyes. Her antics amused me.“Your eyes would soon fall off with the amount of time you roll them,” I told her. She muttered incoherent words under her breath and I chuckled.I did not mind riling her up every once in a while, I did not get the opportunity often.I had rushed here the moment my investigation had clicked that Ron was part of the resistance. He was connected in more ways than one with the resistance.It did not surprise me, I was wary and hesitant when Elijah suggested that he bring him in as Ariel's personal physician. I did not dissuade him but I did share my reluctance with him.But Elijah wanted someone he knew and someone that Ariel could be safe with after the near-assassination experience. I believed that nobody was worth trusting or was even safe to be with at the moment. Everybody was a damn su
“What did you say you are doing here?” I asked Ron again when the initial shock wore off.He sighed. “Elijah arranged for me to be here,” he dropped another bombshell.“Elijah arranged for you to be here?” I asked in confusion, almost shrieking. That thought felt absurd, what was Elijah thinking?“Yes, due to your injury. He said he wanted you to recuperate in a quiet and comfortable environment.” He replied.The wheels of my mind began to turn, so that was why Elijah did not let me stay back in my room or go to the infirmary for this treatment. No wonder he had insisted that I get a new primary care physician.It still did not make sense to me that he chose Ron to be my primary physician. Wasn't he always jealous of Ron? What happened? What changed?Something felt suspicious and not knowing what it was kept me agitated.“Come and sit down, so I can examine the wound.” Ron patted the small bed in his office.I hesitantly climbed the bed with difficulty refusing his help, my movement a
(Ariel's POV)Ten minutes after I'd woken up, I still lay in bed with my eyes open, I was still tired. I allowed my mind wander to the conversation I had with Vincent the night before. My eyes followed every object I could see in the room but I did not sit up.Another ten minutes later and I stretched my body finally ready to step out of the bed. I sat up and looked around, adjusting my body to the new day. I was a little disoriented.My ankle throbbed and I hissed in pain, rubbing soothing circles around it. Gently, I dragged myself off the bed and into the bathroom. I took my bath, making sure water did not touch my wound and then I gently re-dressed my wound. I popped a few pain killers to get rid of the pain I woke up with.When I was done, I headed towards Raven's room to check on her. I had been in severe pain yesterday plus Vincent and Elijah did not leave my room so I was not able to check on her.I felt bad that I had not checked on her and her wound until now so I hastened m
(Ariel's POV)As soon as Vincent walked out with a heavy face, Elijah entered his face wary, glancing between me and Vincent's back curiously.“Am I missing something?” Elijah asked, looking curious.I shook my head, “Nothing.”“Why did he leave with that expression then?”“I don't know. It's nothing.”Elijah stared at me warily and then shrugged, “It did not look like nothing to me.” He muttered very lowly, I almost did not catch on.“We found your assassin's,” Elijah informed me.I perked up, “Really, did you find out who sent them?” I asked genuinely interested in knowing who must have wanted me out of the way. I was certain the killers came for me and Raven was just unfortunate to be with me at that time.Elijah frowned, “No. I was still in the process when they killed themselves,” My face scrunched up in confusion.Elijah stared into space, his face bristled with unleashed anger, “I was interrogating them when they just began to bleed to death. Turns out, they had a pill in their
(Ariel's POV)I sat frozen and unmoving, my hand trembled lightly as I pondered on Vincent's question.“I want to know about your father.”The statement kept running in my mind even in my immobile state. I refused to acknowledge the question, what did he want with my father?I was not expecting the question, what had my near death had to do with my father? I had barely survived from the ruckus earlier and here he was questioning me about a man who had since died.It kept me on edge. Why did he ask about him all of a sudden? I thought about what we had been discussing.‘Yes, we were just discussing his reasons for appearing in the palace today.’ I thought. So how did the conversation include my father?I paid him no attention, my mouth shut, as I looked around the room instead, my eyes falling everywhere but in Vincent. I felt his gaze sharply piercing, waiting for an answer.And when I could not stand it anymore, I bent under his gaze.“What do you want with him?” I managed to ask.“I