ADIRA"Tie her up," the chief guard orders the guards holding onto me tightly to prevent my escape, forcefully dragging me towards the center of the bonfire with the crowd gathered all around us, doing exactly as they were instructed. I look around, feeling disoriented and utterly confused.One moment, I was in the Alpha's room, busily tidying up in anticipation of the Alpha king's arrival. And the next, they barged in and forcefully dragged me out here against my will. I had no time to feel self-conscious or ask what crime I had committed. Their hardened faces tell me they wouldn’t listen to me even if I asked."Kill her!" Someone yells from the crowd."She doesn’t deserve to live. She’s a thief and a traitor to this pack!" Another shouts."Burn her alive!" And then another, until the whole crowd chants the same thing over and over again, causing a huge uproar that doesn’t seem like it will die down anytime soon.The chaos makes me feel terrified, confused, and at a loss for words. T
ADIRA"Throw her inside!" The chief guard orders his men when we got closer to the cell. From where I am standing outside, I can see the angry faces of my fellow inmates staring at me as though they wanted nothing more but to pounce on me one after the other."Please don't put me in there again." I plead, just like I do every single day but none of them are interested in listening to me. My knees buckle and my legs almost give way but they catch me on time before shoving me inside and in a split second, the other inmates gang up in a circle around me."Welcome back little thief." One of them spits angrily and grabs me by the hair while the others throw punches at me one after the other till I almost pass out. When they are done roughening me up, they throw me across the room where I curl up in a fetal ball and weep bitterly.It's been three days since I was forcefully accused of a crime I didn't commit and locked in here. Three days since I was almost murdered because my friend chose
ADIRARichard's words play over and over in my head like a broken record on repeat. I want so much to believe that this is nothing but a dream but sadly it wasn't. It is really happening.I swallow when I realize that the man standing in front of me is not my Richard anymore. He is not the same man that I fell in love with. He is now a shadow of the man who I once loved. Richard has never truly loved me because if he did, he would never have willingly arranged for me to be sold as a sex slave to a man like Alpha Conan.All these years, I thought that he was the best thing that had ever happened to me but I was wrong. He couldn't even defend me from all those people when I was accused of stealing neither did he believe my words. Instead, he joined them to point fingers at me and as if it wasn't enough, he is here to send me away.Staring at him, the tears that I have been holding in for so long eventually fall from my eyes. I must’ve been so stupid to have thought that a worthless, orp
ADIRA"Please help me!" I choke out a plea. My eyes waters as tears slide down the corner of my cheeks when his hands on my neck only tightens. I'm not sure if asking for help from the dangerous man in front of me is a good idea. But I have no other choice."They're trying to kill me. Please let me go before they get here, please." I grab his hands in an attempt to free myself and lessen the pressure of his hold around my neck but it doesn’t budge.“If they’re coming for you then it only means you’ve done something bad haven’t you?” He eyes me suspiciously. “Why else would you be running away? Or do you maybe have another target that you want to finish off.”He doesn’t believe me so there’s no point in telling him anything otherwise he might just hand me over to them to kill me. "P-Please." I whisper softly instead, “I’m not a killer and I don’t have any target.” I add, and he slowly loosens his grip around my neck until I was completely free from his hold. I crash to the ground in
ADIRACullen didn't let go of my hands. If anything, he holds on even tighter as he guides me through the huge hallway that leads towards the pack's courthouse till we arrive at a closed door which I assume is his room. He gently opens the door and ushers me inside.I am skeptical at first but left with no other option, I cave and make my way inside. He shuts the door behind me and I almost jump right out of my skin. I am quite uncomfortable being alone with him and I can tell that he noticed it too. Even though he helped me, it still doesn’t change the fact that he tried to kill me the first time we met so I don’t trust him, not even one bit. "Relax." He muses. "I'm not going to hurt you so you don't have to be afraid of me." Well, can he blame me for acting like this? He is a freaking Alpha king and a respectable leader but I can’t bring myself to believe him. I have heard a lot of stories about him and none of them are pleasant to say the least. He is known to be a ruthless tyr
ADIRA"What!?"That was the exact word that flew out of my mouth the minute Cullen told me the reason why he rescued me from Richard's clutches.I stare at him shocked, stunned, surprised, confused and utterly speechless. My eyes are fixed on him but I can’t bring myself to say anything more. It feels like my whole body has frozen under one breath.Married to the Alpha king? Even for a year? How can that be? I know what people say about him. Is this some new game he's playing?My legs falter, causing me to take a step backwards. Petrified, I pinch the bridge of my nose before looking at him again. "This is not happening. You're joking right? You don't really mean any of this nonsense you just said, do you?""Do you think I'd help you if I wanted to make a joke about something as serious as this?" He asks with his head tilted slightly as he studies me closely."Are you drunk right now?" I ask in disbelief. "I am nobody. I don't have a status in this pack. I can't fight, I'm wolfless a
CULLEN“Can you please prepare the guest room for her? And make sure to prepare her for the ball this evening.” I order a maid and walk away before giving Adira a chance to reject my offer.I had come here to this pack because Richard’s father had requested to see me. My father was friends with Richard's father when he was alive. So when Richard had invited me for a meeting at his pack, I couldn't refuse even though I already knew what he wanted to tell me even before I arrived. His pack is about to fail. He needed my help.But what I didn’t expect was to find my mate here. Just some days ago, the council held a meeting concerning this matter and had requested that I get married to a woman they chose for me. I had refused and it ended badly. I can't help but remember how that meeting went as my mind trails off to that day. "Permit me to begin my Lord." Someone speaks up from the crowd. It was Adelel, the head sentinel of the royal clan.I gesture to him with a nod, urging him to cont
ADIRA"This way my lady." The maid whom I had come to know as Moira says to me as she leads the way, leaving me to trail after her. Cullen has handed me over to her to get me ready for an event this evening.She is an unfamiliar face, someone I have never seen before. I assume she is part of the Alpha king's entourage.Moira pushes open a door to a guest room and lets me wait a little bit. "I ran a bath for you and I also mixed some herbs and flowers that would help to relieve stress and keep you relaxed." She informs me as soon as she steps out of the bathroom after running me a bath. She treats me like I've become Luna.I have insisted on doing it myself but she blatantly refuses to let me do it so I have no choice but to let her.I wasn't used to people serving me. It feels strange to have someone, especially an older lady, do things for me, since I've always done everything myself. But I guess it's one of the perks that comes along with being in a fake relationship with the Alpha
ADIRA"Richard, W-What did you do to her? What have you done!" I scream at him, my voice breaking. "She's not breathing. We have to help her or she'll die. We have to do something.""And what makes you think that I'm interested in helping her or anyone for that matter?" He growls angrily at me without mincing words.I push myself away from her body and slowly start to pull myself away when he stalks towards me steadily."Stay away from me Richard. Don't come any closer." I warn him sternly. "If you don't stay away then I'm going to scream at the top of my voice.""Go ahead Adira. Go ahead and scream, I dare you." He encourages me, a smirk playing on his lips. "Do you think anyone in this pack will come to your rescue if you scream? They all hate you and want nothing more but to see you dead so none of them will help you.""Or what did you think? That your new man will hear your voice and try to save you like he did last time? Well I'm sorry to disappoint you but he can't and he won't
ADIRAI run as fast as my legs can carry me without stopping. I ignore the daunting stares and glares from the passersby that watch me run past them as I make my way towards Cullen's chambers. I have to see and talk to him as soon as possible. I can't waste any more time on this matter. It was urgent and has to be addressed as quickly as possible.If Richard can't do the needful then I'll make sure to handle it myself. I arrive at his chambers but just as I am about to enter, the guards at the entrance seal the door with their spears as they refuse to let me in."What is this? Let me in...NOW!" I yell in a high pitched voice when the guards positioned at the entrance of the throne room denies me access from venturing inside to see Cullen."I'm afraid that we cannot do that my lady." One of the guards speaks up, "The alpha king is busy and has strictly asked us to keep any uninvited visitors outside because he does not want to be disturbed.""Uninvited?" I ask, my ears not believing wh
ADIRAThe ball comes to an end that night and everyone slowly begins to disperse one after the other. Cullen on the other hand is talking to the elders of the pack as they try to engage him in different conversations while I have to wait for him cause I can't leave without telling him.It is at that moment that I spot Richard leaving the banquet hall with Diane followed by most of the elders. I have no idea why they are leaving early and honestly, I can't bring myself to care. Maybe, they are probably trying to devise a strategy to bring me down and ruin my life. Who knows?Just as he tries to walk out the door, our eyes meet and he gives me a gloomy look.I look back at him bravely, my lips stretching in a confident and provocative smile. Just then, he rolls his eyes at me and storms off.As soon as he leaves, a lot of people slowly begin to lose interest in the party. The chattering and whispering dies down a bit as they begin to leave while the rest that stayed, shifted their atten
RICHARDI storm out of the banquet hall angrily and make my way to my chambers. The thought of seeing Adira smiling, laughing and being genuinely happy with Cullen just doesn't sit right with me. They were both joined at the hip throughout the entire party and it felt like an eyesore watching them have a great time.Adira was not supposed to be happy. She owes me her life and if anything, she should be miserable. She belongs to me and only I should be able to control her as I please and not the other way round.My heart is filled with rage and confusion. How dare she do this to me? How dare she try to seduce the Alpha king and try to get comfortable with him? I really want to demand an explanation from her but I can't.Cullen is always by her side ever since he took her from me and to make matters worse, he's very protective of her. I can't get close to her without going through him. I wonder what his deal is and why he is so keen with her. I wish I could figure out the reason behind
ADIRA"Is that that you don't want to dance with me or you can't dance with me?" Cullen asks and I rub my hands together nervously not knowing how to answer that question. It's not like I don't want to dance with him but I can't bring myself to. It's a secret that I have sworn to carry to my grave."Both." I say after a while. "I just can't dance with you and if it makes you feel any better then I also don't want to dance with you too."He looks at me surprised. "And why is that?""It's nothing important I promise you so you don't have to worry. You can find someone else to dance with you instead. I really don't mind." Why can't he just let it go? Why is he so persistent?He folds his arms across his chest. "Now, I'm worried and I won't stop asking until you tell me because I don't want to dance with anyone that's not you so you better spill."I swallow hard, my eyes lowered to the ground. "I don't want to dance because I can't. I don't know how to. That's it so you can go on and laug
ADIRA"Adira?" Cullen calls my name and I feel a flutter in my stomach. I love the way my name rolls out of his tongue. So sensual, so exotic, like a silent prayer waiting to be answered.His guards are surrounding him on both sides like a strong barricade that can't be broken even by a strong wolf. One of them steps forward to pull me away from him but she signals him to remain in his position and he readily agrees.Seeing this, I try to pull myself away from him in panic but his hands only tightens around my waist, caging me in. I gasp, a small moan escapes my lips at the contact between us.The tension between us is rigid just like the last time he touched me. His breath fans my face and a rush of electricity pulses through my bloodstream in a million shock waves.Why does he look so calm and coordinated while I am practically fighting for my life here. Am I the only one feeling this or was he just good at hiding his true feelings from everyone around him?"What's wrong?" He brings
ADIRA"How could he do this to me?" I mutter to myself as the whispers around me grow even louder around me. The attention that I have been struggling to avoid comes back to me when everyone shifts their focus to me.Some of them accuse me of stealing, some cuss at me for being an orphan while others suggest that my punishment be increased. What makes it even sadder is the fact that he wasn't feeling remorseful at all.He was the one who didn't believe me when I told him that I am innocent. He was also the one who wanted to give me to Alpha Conan as a sex slave. If Cullen hadn't stepped in to help me when he did then I can't even begin to imagine what would've happened to me. Wasn't that enough punishment for a crime that I never even committed in the first place?The incessant whispers make me even weaker. I feel humiliated and overly betrayed. And after everything that I have been through, he tossed me aside like garbage and didn't think twice before replacing me with Diane.Cullen
ADIRAThe maid scampers out of the bedroom leaving me to myself as I try to gather my thoughts collectively. On one hand, I'm afraid to see Cullen but on the other hand, I badly want to. I am curious about what he will say if he sees me and just thinking about it warms up my insides."Are you ready to go, my lady?" I heard the maid's voice from outside my bedroom and immediately put myself together."Yes, I'm coming." I respond and glance at the full length mirror for the last night. The maid escorts me as I walk out of my bedroom and make my way towards Cullen's bedroom where I will be meeting him.I arrive minutes after and nervously knock on his door. I am about to knock for the second time when a voice comes from inside."Come in." He orders. I suck in a deep breath before pushing the door open and making my way inside the dimly lit up room. His room is a delight and everything looks well put together. I can really tell that Richard put in a lot of effort to please him and make it
ADIRA"This way my lady." The maid whom I had come to know as Moira says to me as she leads the way, leaving me to trail after her. Cullen has handed me over to her to get me ready for an event this evening.She is an unfamiliar face, someone I have never seen before. I assume she is part of the Alpha king's entourage.Moira pushes open a door to a guest room and lets me wait a little bit. "I ran a bath for you and I also mixed some herbs and flowers that would help to relieve stress and keep you relaxed." She informs me as soon as she steps out of the bathroom after running me a bath. She treats me like I've become Luna.I have insisted on doing it myself but she blatantly refuses to let me do it so I have no choice but to let her.I wasn't used to people serving me. It feels strange to have someone, especially an older lady, do things for me, since I've always done everything myself. But I guess it's one of the perks that comes along with being in a fake relationship with the Alpha