Upon hearing that, Angela and Casa zipped their mouths. Lei felt like the world crashed on her— as if her ability to make the first two potential friends suddenly vanished the moment those words escaped her lips. She kept her eyes on the picnic blanket and pursed her lips, unable to say anything more. She closed her eyes hoping that the ground would eat her alive. ‘I messed it up.’ She whispered.There was silence, a haunting one. And she knew that to be able to bring back the melody in the room, she had to raise her head and look at them in the eye— and speak. She breathed once, and then shifted her viridescent eyes to the two women before her. At first, she thought she would be met by judging stares— but she was wrong. They looked at her with a concerned frown, one that said they wanted to know more about why it happened. “You must have a reason for doing it, right?” Casa took her hand in her palm. Cateleia’s throat was dry and her stomach was tightening. She was not used to tha
Cataleia woke up the next day and found out it was noon. Something heavy was on top of her and when she opened her eyes, she realized that stacks of blankets were used to cover her. She pushed the heavy fabrics aside and stretched her limbs before grabbing her jacket and went outside. She made her way down the stairs and greeted Ade from the reception table. The blob creature merely waved its hand as a sign of replying.“Sorry… uhm, would you happen to know where Casa and Angela is?” she asked Ade even if she knew she wouldn't be able to talk back.Ade pointed her gelatinous limb to the left where a door led to the rest of the canteen. “Thanks, Ade.” The girl told her, and then entered the path to her left. Upon coming inside, she realized it was just a small dining hall, but with three huge tables. And just like in the tavern, everyone turned their heads to her when she entered. Weres, faes, and other unusual creatures who were compiled by the Auctioneer, stopped eating and looked
“Axel!”The poor boy was in the Auctioneer’s inn, taken care of. Bandages were wrapped all around his feeble limbs, trying to conceal the cuts and bruises he had collected from the thugs. A man enters the inn, and the door flies open. He immediately approached the young child and inspected his damaged physique.Cataleia and the Auctioneer were beside the child, arms crossed against their chests. The Auctioneer shook his head terribly as another headache had been made for him.“My Lord, you should not have snuck away.” He sermoned.“What happened?” the male who came to fetch the boy pulled him gently behind, a protective stance that any family would do. “Who are these miscreants that tried to kill him?“Calm down, Ares. They did not try to kill me.” Axel, the youngest of the Alpha’s sons, replied. “They just beat me up, that’s all.”“They are lucky Father is away.” Ares crouched and turned his brother’s body around to check his wounds. “But Ajax isn’t.”“Please, don’t tell brother!” th
The Were stared at the girl’s challenging emerald eyes. He pursed his lips and his eyes glowered in vain. The human girl merely stared back, frowning and refusing his offer. Did she really hate him that much after their first meeting? Cataleia was petrified in her place, her legs were shaking under the three layers of skirts and she’d never been thankful to wear such thick articles of clothing. When the silence grew on her remark, Lei averted her eyes and moved her head to the side.Ajax, however, thirsted for those irises to gaze at him again. He took a cluster of her shining, silver hair in his fingers and brought it close to his lips. The human girl’s eyes widened as she felt electricity run in her veins. Ajax stared at her rosy, small lips which twitched as he stared at her intensely. The girl wanted to open her mouth to protest, but Ajax’s miraculous touch impeded her senses. Cataleia couldn’t move, the male’s cold but charming stature slowly seduced her heart, but she refused
“Lei! Lei! Wake up! You have a visitor.” The human girl shut her eyes deeper and rotated her body to ignore her waker’s convincing. She tightened her embrace against the blankets and rolled around. “Mmm…”The giant and the elf looked at each other’s faces and shook their heads with a smile. They sat on the edge of her bed and then shook her again. “Wakey, wakey, Lei. You do not want this visitor of yours to be left waiting.”Lei snuggled on her blankets more. “What is a visitor even doing so early… in the morning?” she replied, half-asleep. “Perhaps to see you, Lei.” Angela beamed a smile at Casa as if teasing. “Come down now. The Auctioneer has been keeping this visitor of yours occupied since an hour ago. You won’t want to keep him waiting any longer.”“Ugh…” the human girl opened her eyes and rubbed them with the back of her hand before scratching her nape. “…I don’t recall being acquainted with someone so dearly that he visits me.”“He is a fine young lad,” Casa whispered to her
Ares radiates over the human girl as she slowly took bites from her meal. She ordered three dishes only— ones that she had not tried in her life. Cataleia would glance at the male and she would witness how graceful he was in eating his own meals. One might even say he was raised in a castle. All that nobles ate that way— at least that’s what she had observed. The human girl thought she was staring too much and focused her eyes on her meal as her face turned embarrassed. By the time twenty minutes was over, Ares was finished with his food, but the woman hasn’t. To think that the male ordered five dishes and ate them slowly like a princess— but finished first. That thought somehow made her shy of her performance.She accelerated, but Ares told her to eat slowly. “Shall we order more?” he asked as he wiped the stain off his rosy lips. She peeked for a little bit and meekly shook her head. “There’s no need, m’lord. I dont think my small stomach can handle them. If I had your appetite, I
“Ajax.” His crimson eyes crawled from her head to her toes before he mustered a chuckle of disbelief. Ajax’s huge figure almost covered the entire doorway to the counter. Cataleia took a step back and held onto the knob as she tried to escape the gunsmith’s shop. She pulled the heavy door, but it shuts close as a hand is plastered across the glass, locking the human in place. There was a wall behind her and Ajax had slammed his hand onto the door, so she couldn't get away from being alone with him again. A smirk tugged on the edges of his unmerciful lips. He leaned close and Lei averted her face, pretending to look at the counter.“What brings you to the gunsmith, Miss Reiss?”“The same purpose you have, sir. To buy weapons.”“For whom?” he curiously asked. “For my competition.” Ajax loosened his grip on her when he felt her shivering. He stepped away, but did not take his gaze away from her. “Are we invited to this competition?”“That depends on the Auctioneer, Sir.” She replied.
“Oh? Is it you, Lord Ajax.” The Auctioneer greeted the Alpha as he leaves the gunshop with a frown on his face. The Alpha always had a frown on his face, but this time— it was a little bit worrisome.“Is my sweet little Cataleia, inside?” Ajax ignored his question and lit a cigar before turning his attention to him. In such a cold weather, a spark of cigarette was enough to warm you from the inside. “How much would you sell the human girl for, Auctioneer?”“Interested in her?” the Auctioneer also took a cigar from his pockets and smiled at him. “May I?” Ajax lit his cigar and they both leaned against the wall while focusing their gazes at the girl inside the gunshop who was curiously trying out different models of guns with the smithy. “She is not for sale.” The Auctioneer broke it to him. “Didn’t you refer her to the competition for the black auction?” “Yes, I did.” He nods in agreement. “However, the girl does not see herself as a slave. You see, she is quite special in her ow
“You’ve really lost your mind,” Cataleia clenched her jaw so hard that her face ached. “With five brothers competing for your hand, you must feel overwhelmed now that a king has joined the roster, yes?”She shook her head, her thoughts bitter. *This asshole is making me feel like a toy.*“What have I done so wrong to deserve this treatment? I killed the governor, yes, but what have I done to you? If anything, you should be indebted to me for taking my uncle’s life!”“Indebted? A king is never indebted to anyone,” Kai replied. “Come with me, and I’ll repay everything.”Suddenly, the door behind Cataleia slammed shut, leaving her alone in the room with Kai.She rushed to the door, trying to pry it open, but it wouldn’t budge. Kai approached her slowly, his golden eyes shifting into something venomous—like those of a snake. “Do you not wish to become Askavan’s Queen, Cataleia Reiss?” He drew nearer until his breath was just inches from her cheek. “Do you not wish to become the most pow
“A war?! Seriously?!”Ajax continued walking in the halls while Cataleia’s small figure tailed after him. She nearly sprinted to match his big paces. “Ajax, wait!”Cataleia grabbed the alpha’s wrist, and he quickly stopped. She was startled initially, not expecting her gesture to halt him. She had thought he would have shrugged her hand away as soon as their skin touched.“A warning, woman. You ought not to touch me so suddenly, especially when we’re alone.”Fumbling, she quickly releases her light grip on his wrist.“I’m sorry, it’s just that— you’re walking so fast. I can’t keep up.”“The matter with war has nothing to do with you. I will make my own decisions as the Lycan King.”“You have to think this through,” she implored him. “Many innocent humans will die if you wage war.”“So, you admit the Lycans will win?”“I do not admit it,” she replied with furrowed brows, disagreeing. “I simply say that many will die for a bad cause.”“You call it a bad cause because you think you won’
"Ugh. What foul stench."King Kai, the ruler of humans, covered his nose with his gloved hands as his carriage passed by the streets of the Black City. The weres scowled with their bare fangs as they noticed the insignia of Askavan on the carriages."Don't make such statements," his retainer reminded him. "The weres can hear you.""I intend for them to hear," Kai shrugged. "Such a gloomy greeting. Where is their Alpha?""He is already there." Kai's eyes wandered into the entrance of the Nyth Manor— a huge fortress made of obsidian and basalt which glowed only in the moonlight. The fortress rose high into the sky like a castle."This architecture is splendid," his retainer comments out of awe. "It is much bigger than your manor before you moved into the palace, Your Majesty""The Palace is much more beautiful than this unthought structure," Kai replied out of spite."Well, let us not keep the Alpha waiting."They descended the vehicle. Kai looked at the front of the gates where Ajax's
Today was the day that the Nyth brothers parted ways to reign their assigned areas in the Wolf Territories. Gaining their special packs of their own, they are to rule a specific area on behalf of their father. As the title of Alphas was given to them in a final moon ceremony attended by the people of the Midnight Legion, they assumed reign over their subjects.Six carriages were prepared in the gates while the townweres peeked over the commotion. Today was the day the Nyths let go of their vices and grandeur for the betterment of the Wolf Territory.Of course, there will still be rebellious rogues that may try to attack each of their packs; and they must be prepared for it.What’s important is that the Midnight Legion rules the entirety of the Wolf Territory— consuming even more rebellious rogues as they expand to the ends of the continent. “So this is it,” Arthur frowned while staring at the home he had lived for twenty-four years. “We finally leave home.”“I thought mom was joking
Five alphas, one possession. This was the concept that doomed the mind of Lei as she dashed into the halls of the Nyth Manor, leaving the brothers behind. Tears streamed down her eyes, realizing that instead of freedom, she had only enslaved herself even more. The dream of going home… it has been almost five years since she had ever seen her family. She didn’t even know whether they were still alive. Or if they cared if she went home.Cataleia found herself outside, finally. She rushed into the streams and crossed the boulders until she was not out of reach by the palace. She felt like the vicinity itself was choking her.She grabbed a handful of her hair and walked in circles, frustrated.“They were only resisting themselves because their father was there to apprehend them if they did something to me,” she told herself. “Fuck… what did I get myself into?!”Lei spent her night in the stream, all afternoon until it was dusk. And she had no choice but to go back home.At least, at du
The Midnight City was eerily silent.Only the slow, loud sound of the bells could be heard. The streets were barren, and only a few stores were open. Every single Were was in their homes, holding candles as they gazed at the empty streets through their windows. “The Alpha is dead. “ A gruelling thought.What would become of them now that their Alpha has left them? Lord Aron was the best leader they could ever have. Alphas are immortal in nature. However when injured severely— their lives could deplete in an instant with no chance of regeneration. In the back of their minds, they thought: ‘Who was clever enough to have slain the Alpha?’Meanwhile, in the manor of the Nyth brothers, the maids welcomed a lawyer to the living room. Cataleia and the five brothers sat in the room. She still couldn’t forget what Ajax had told her the last time. Today was the day Lord Aron’s will would be read to them. The lawyer brought a scroll containing Aron’s neat handwriting and his promises to hi
YEARS LATER “Lei? When do you think will Father come home?”Axel, now the age of sixteen, asked Cataleia while they were in the stage to get his certificate of complete education. Axel had just graduated from schooling and had gotten his diploma. Since the entire family was busy for a reason, Lei served as the boy’s guardian to receive his awards.Seeing the illustrious Axel Nyth walk in the isle, his schoolmates gave him a round of applause— yet their cheers never pierced the boy’s anxiety.“I’m not sure when Axel.” Lei told him. “But we need to hope that he’d come sooner.” “I know.” Axel nodded.When they returned to their tables at the event, she inspected the boy with a caring smile— like that of a mother. Axel had grown so much over the past years. Now the boy who was once the size of her— was now the size of his brothers. His voice had gotten deeper, yet his choice of words still remained a child’s. Axel will always be the baby boy they adore. “Why are you looking at me like
Upon returning back to the Black City, their carriage earned the silence of the streets when they passed. They arrived at noon, and the bustling environment was frozen upon their dreadful aura. As the Weres stood over to the sides to give them a path, the others paused their business to pay a welcoming homage to their governs. “It’s quiet,” Cataleia spoke as they eyed the people in the streets who couldn’t even bear to look at them. “What’s wrong with them?”“Leave them be.” Lord Aron told her with a smile, his wrinkles appearing on his retired face. “They’ve always been like this.”“Ever since when you were the one ruling?” “Well, not entirely.” He replied and then smiled at the people outside. “Though I suppose I may have cruel times to myself that earn this silence whenever I come home, it had become frequent lately when I announced Ajax’s upraising to the seat of Alpha.” ‘Ah, so it was Ajax.’ The girl thought in her mind. “ “How soon is it? Ajax’s ascension?”“Perhaps a few ye
Cataleia was stunned at the Alpha’s words.As she stared deeply into his devilishly red hues, she found the flames that raged within. For some reason, as she gazed endlessly to find the intention in his eyes— she unexpectedly felt her heart beating so fast she almost wanted to vomit.That striking sensation— that tightening pressure in her abdomen grew more as the Alpha’s finger slowly tucked a strand of fallen hair behind her ear. Her lips were agape, and she couldn’t blink a bit.Cataleia quickly grabbed his wrist to stop him from going any further. Her mind was flooding with thoughts that she almost deemed inappropriate. What kind of human girl would fantasize a wolf?“Stop.” She cried between huffed breaths. She was breathing heavily. So heavily- she didn’t understand as to why either. “If this is another one of your jokes, Ajax— I do not like it.”“Was I ever the type to make jokes?” he lowered his hand into the pockets of his draping coat whilst answering in that same deep, dark