MALIA’S POV I felt a lot better after eating and suggested that we go to the training grounds or any other location of his choice for our training sessions. He advised that it was better I just get enough rest for the day and take a walk within the palace if I got bored. “Do I need a bodyguard to do that within the palace? I'd prefer to walk alone. I don't think that there are any dangers within this place,” I said and got up from the bed to help him with his tie. He had yet another meeting and was going to be driving down to another Pack. All the Alphas were going to be there for the meeting. I didn't like the fact that he was always so busy but I couldn't complain. I knew exactly what I was getting myself into when I said yes to him. Perhaps, when I became crowned as Luna, I’d also be pretty busy and not feel his absence as much. “It’s true that there are no dangers within the palace but you know that I'm going out of town. I wouldn't be able to concentrate on the meeting k
MALIA’S POV I sat upright and rubbed my eyes feeling disoriented. Then after stretching, I somehow didn't remember what Ryder had said to me so I lay back down and closed my eyes in sleep. I heard his deep chuckle and this time, he pulled me into a sitting position and held me in place. I moaned in protest. I wasn't done sleeping yet and I just wanted him to go away. “You’ve had enough sleep for now, my love. Besides, it's time for dinner already and guess who has come to join us?” he asked. I tried rubbing my eyes again but he stopped me. “You’re going to hurt your eyes if you're not careful,” he said. “And I'm going to heal almost immediately because I am a werewolf,” I replied groggily. “You and your smart mouth,” he chortled. “Anyway, since you're not interested in playing the guessing game, I am just going to tell you.” After a dramatic pause, he spoke. “My sister is here and she's joining us for dinner.” I instantly became wide awake, remembering that Ryder and I were
MALIA’S POV I blinked uncomprehendingly at first, not quite sure I had heard her correctly. She put her hand over her naked belly and I gasped in surprise. “But how’s that possible? You two just started having sex,” I said. “I know right? But I’m quite sure of it. I can feel it. I know I'm going to miss my next period. And please stop looking at me like I've gone crazy.” “I don't think you are crazy. I'm just really surprised. It wasn't something I was expecting,” I replied. She gave me a small smile as she got dressed. “Try to be happy for me at least.” I quickly plastered a wide smile on my face. “I’m happy for you of course. I can not wait to be a godmother to her. Have you told Damien?” I queried. “Not yet. I don't want him to think I'm crazy. But I’ll let him know eventually, anyway. I want it to be after I miss my period so that if he asks me how I know it I'm not just going to tell him that it is a mere feeling,” she replied. I was silent for a full minute because I di
MALIA’S POV The first few months of our marriage were everything any woman could have wished for. Ryder was an excellent husband, lover and teacher. After the coronation ceremony, we had a week's rest from everything in order to enjoy our honeymoon. Ryder had allowed his Beta to take charge of his duties while he spent time bonding with me. I was indeed, the most loved woman. I tried to ignore my wolf’s yearning for our mate and I succeeded for the most part. Zade was in the past and I deserved far better than him. He was the one who took our union for granted and threw my love for him in my face. I would have been dead if not for Ryder. He even made sure my curse was broken. Something Zade could never do. I owed it to Ryder to be loyal and faithful to him. He was my knight in shining armour. We got back to work after a week. He resumed his duties fully and dedicated about two hours every day to my training. At first, he trained me in the forest. There, he taught me how to fully
MALIA’S POV “Don't take this the wrong way but this outfit doesn't look right on you,” Ryder said. We were in our closet and getting dressed for Damien and Penelope’s wedding. I didn't know why they hadn’t just made their union official before the baby. It's not like they were having second thoughts or something. Little Damien was already a year old and a month old and even though she hadn't told me yet, I suspected that she was pregnant again. I frowned at what my husband had said to me and took another look at my reflection in the mirror. In my own opinion, there was nothing wrong with the dress that I was wearing. It looked perfect on me. “What exactly isn't right about it?” I queried. “I think it's a little too revealing,” he replied, buttoning his shirt. I scoffed. “You’re kidding, right?” I quizzed. The dress was an off-the-shoulder knee-length pencil dress that revealed just a little bit of my cleavage. “No, I'm not. The other day when you wore something similar to
MALIA’S POV It wasn't every day one saw a pregnant woman on the training field, so it came as no surprise when several of the soldiers stopped to stare. I giggled and Penelope scowled when some of the teenage boys tried to mimic her waddle. “Luna Malia, you need to have them locked up for at least a week,” she said and I laughed harder. “They are just kids, Pen. They do not know any better,” I replied. “Oh, they do. I caught that blonde-haired one with one of the kitchen maids necking the other day. They would have had sex right there in the library if I hadn't shown up.” I smiled when I remembered how Lila and Derek had also used the library as a make-out stop. “I think we need to write a warning on the library door against sex and other related practices,” she suggested. “And other related practices,” I chortled, finding her choice of words quite funny. Lucien walked up to us. He regarded Penelope with an arched eyebrow. “We do not train pregnant women,” he stated. “And w
MALIA’S POV She sighed deeply. “Please promise me you won't get mad because of what I'm about to say,” she said. I nodded. “I promise I won't get mad. So please spill,” I replied. She took in a deep breath before speaking in a whisper. “I think it was the Alpha who killed Ronan.” I rolled my eyes. “Ryder might be manipulative and controlling but I don't think he's capable of murder. Besides, he loved his brother so much. If he didn't, he would have executed him for treason instead of just imprisoning him,” I replied. “Come on, Malia. Aren't you the least bit suspicious that it was just after the Alpha told you that cock and bull story about the connection he had with Zade that Ronan died? You yourself told me how you thought the story didn't add up and decided to go ask Ronan about it. I bet the Alpha must have sensed that you didn't believe him and must have reasoned that the person you'd go to for questions was Ronan, so he had him killed,” she reasoned. I was deep in thought
MALIA’S POV “Ryder,” I breathed out, clearly nervous at how angry he looked. He folded his arms over his chest. His expression remained angry. “First of all, tell me why my wife has been away from this palace without her bodyguard, might I add, for hours?” I coughed and nervously cleared my throat. “It wasn't the bodyguard’s fault and I desperately needed some air that was why I went for a run. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't realise how late it was.” He scoffed. “You’re forgetting to add that you went with Penelope and you two came back together, but your friend has been upstairs in her chambers for quite a while, but you, my dear, seem to have some trouble in returning to her chambers.” “Is it that you suddenly developed some sort of selective amnesia that made you forget the way to your chambers or is it that there's something interesting keeping you down here?” “Please, I’d really love to know. So, enlighten me.” I tried not to cower in fear even though his eye
MALIA’S POV Zade came to see me a week later. I had tried not to look excited at all when Penelope had come to tell me that he was waiting for me in the conference room. “Or should I ask him to come up to your chambers?” she queried and I gave her a withering look. “Oooh. How scary. I just hope he is not scared of you at all,” she said. She frowned when I didn't immediately get up from my bed but returned to the book that I had been reading before she came to inform me about my mate’s presence. After the incident, I had taken to reading books. I had gone to the library to check for any book that had to do with the witches of the Alfea tribe. I wanted to learn how to use my powers at will and I think that I was already getting a hang of it. The other day, I had managed to make Penelope’s dress wet when she had dared to make fun of my voice. We had decided to join a music class just for the fun of it and I realized that it was best I left singing alone. I also learned that pl
MALIA’S POV After making both Ryder and Victoria as weak as I could with extra help from Tommy(thank the Goddess the paralysis spell was temporary), I had to render them even more helpless by taking away Ryder’s wolf with the same spell that Victoria had used. I didn't even have to do any spells to take away her magic, she protested weakly when I lay my hand on her chest as though she already knew what was going to happen. I felt her power leave her body and go into mine with such force that I nearly lost consciousness. When it was over, I hurried to Zade’s side as fast as my weak body could carry me. Tommy was already by his side performing CPR to keep him awake. “This isn't going to work,” he said with fear in his eyes. “He needs his wolf right now or else, he is going to die. You can return his wolf to him, right?” I shook my head. I didn't know how but I was going to try everything in my power. He wasn't going to die on my watch. I bent my head close to his face and swipe
MALIA’S POV I must have fallen asleep again even though I had desperately tried to stay awake. Victoria had been forcing some sort of liquid down my throat for reasons best known to her and it had been making me fall asleep. I had vaguely overheard Ryder speaking to Zade. I prayed to the Moon Goddess that he should not fall for their trap but I knew that even if the Moon Goddess wanted to save him and prevent him from taking the bait, he was still going to find a way to come and save me. For the first time, my wolf hoped he wouldn't come. We were well aware that Ryder just wanted to kill him and claim his pack for himself. I lost count of the number of times I had wept because of Ryder’s betrayal. Never in my life have I felt so used and totally stupid. I wondered if Penelope had noticed my suspicious disappearance. And even if she did and discovered that Ryder was behind it, I doubted she would be able to do anything about it. He could easily threaten her with the lives of her ki
ZADE’S POV There was no way Victoria could have broken out of that house and killed about five of the highly trained guards I had placed there to prevent her from leaving and any person other than me and our son from going in. It wasn't just possible. I knew she was strong but she wasn't trained and didn't even stand a chance against one of the guards. So how had she been able to kill all five? I had immediately sent some of my soldiers to go after her when I discovered what had happened and was still waiting for them to return. “I think we should keep an eye on your son at all times. She loves him so much and might want to come pick him up. We can catch her that way,” Tommy was saying. I still couldn't get past the deaths of those guards. It wasn't just about the fact that they were killed but how they were killed too. It must have taken someone with a lot more physical strength and bigger size than Victoria. “There is no way she could have done it all alone. She had help,”
MALIA’S POV After skimming through the pages of about five books, we were able to learn a few things about the witches of the Alfea tribe. Like Alice had told us, there could only be one Alfea witch in a lineage and I was the chosen one in mine. The age at which the witch may discover her powers is different for everyone. But this discovery would be at a period in her life when she was going to need it. We were the most powerful of all the witches and were never supposed to act in rage because it could lead to the loss of many lives. Penelope and I had read open-mouthed, the story of an Alfea witch who had set a whole village on fire with her mind just because she had thought the King had something to do with the death of her only child. But she found out at the end of the day that her child had been killed by her best friend. “Well, now we have to get you to an anger management class,” Penelope said. I rolled my eyes. “I do not need it. I know how to control my emotions,”
MALIA’S POV While we were on our way back to the palace, Lucien warned us not to talk about my newly discovered identity as a witch. Penelope was not even supposed to tell Damien and he was not even going to tell Margaret. “If so many people know about it, it might cause them to be hostile towards you and some may even exploit you to their own advantage,” he had explained. I had so much to learn. I didn’t know the first thing about being a witch. I was just even getting used to being a proper werewolf. “You are not going to keep on wearing that hat forever are you?” Penelope queried. “I don’t know,” I replied, looking at Lucien for guidance. He shrugged. “Well, people are going to wonder why their Luna is suddenly covering her hair all of the time. It is going to make them more curious and when they discover that your hair colour has changed, they are going to be even more curious about why you had chosen to hide it. And trust me, they are going to find out.” “So I guess I
MALIA’S POV Penelope took off my hat without my permission as soon as we entered her chambers and Lucien gasped. “It is pretty, right?” she asked her father-in-law with a smile and I rolled my eyes. “That is not the point here, Penelope,” I said. She giggled. “I am so sorry but I can not just help but say it,” she replied. “Do you know if you have any witches in your ancestry?” Lucien asked. My eyes narrowed in suspicion. I had a feeling where this was leading and I was not sure I liked it. “I do not know. My mother never made mention of it. Neither did my father,” I replied. He was thoughtful for a moment. “It is better that we confirm what I have in mind. I think we should go to the witch that the Alpha took you to, to have your curse lifted,” he suggested. Penelope bounced in excitement. “Do you think she is a witch? Oh, I have always wanted to have a witch as a friend.” Lucien and I both rolled our eyes. “Are you not supposed to be taking care of my grandkids instea
MALIA’S POV There was nothing as sweet as your own independence and freedom. This I realized in the first few days of being alone in my room without Ryder in my space. He was sorely mistaken if he felt that giving me space was going to strengthen whatever attraction I had left for him. The more I stayed away from him, the more the attraction died and my wolf was beside herself with happiness. She was still insisting that I leave the palace and reunite with our mate. But I just didn't want any man in my space. I was dreading the day Ryder would ask me to return to his chambers. Maybe that was when I was eventually going to decide to leave him, go somewhere else and start afresh. The first time I heard him sneak out of his chambers, I thought perhaps, that he was going to his study to work overnight. He had done it a couple of times when I was still sleeping in his chambers. The same thing happened the next day and then the next and I began to get curious. I decided to ask him a
ZADE’S POV I returned to my Pack with mixed feelings. When I had decided to go meet my step-brother for help, I had known that there was a very high possibility that he wasn't going to help me but I just had to give it a shot for the sake of my Pack. What I had not been expecting, was to see my mate there. And the worst of all was that she was already married to that monster. I banged my desk hard in anger just as my Beta came in. He looked somewhat pissed that I hadn't allowed him to accompany me to my step-brother’s Pack but I didn't care at that moment. His expression changed to one of concern when he saw how pissed I was. “I take it things didn't go well at your brother’s Pack,” he said as he took his seat in front of the desk. “He is no brother of mine,” I spat out. “Woah! Okay, please just calm down and tell me what happened.” His mouth hung open as I told him how I had seen Malia and how she was already married to him. It took him a while to recover. “Then why d