Darcus - POV Henry had announced to the dragon court that the former King had returned home safely but had passed out from exhaustion while traveling through the forest. The reports from Henry indicated that some aristocrats accepted this explanation while others remained skeptical. I found myself sitting in my father's room after the doctors had administered medication to him. They explained that my father's health was deteriorating due to losing his mate bond, and his dragon essence was slowly fading. Many nobles visited my father, and knights heavily guarded the room. My mother paid a visit, putting on a sobbing and acting display. Meanwhile, my father remained unconscious. I left and headed to my office to attend to the pile of unfinished work. "Darcus," my father called out as I turned away from the papers. "Why are you awake when you should be resting? Our knights are here to watch over you," I replied, concerned for his well-being. My father appeared weak and on the verge of
Ella - POV I enjoyed three days of working in peace, without seeing Darcus's face. I made Sofia work extra hours to compensate for my indulgence, and I noticed the dark circles under her eyes from the excessive workload. But I knew Sofia wouldn't stop bullying me, so I had to remain on guard. Today is the day I have to face Darcus. I consider asking him about what he said to James, hoping for a genuine response, but I can't trust his words. So, I decided to abandon the idea of questioning Darcus. As I reach the office and head to the rooftop venue where Avery's farewell function will take place this evening, I realize much work is needed. I need to oversee the preparations, ensure the decorations are up to par, and arrange for all the employees from different branches to attend. Furthermore, I have received word from Darcus that his father will also be at the function today. I have never met Darcus's parents since our relationship never progressed to that point. "Sofia, we need an
James - POV When Dave and I walked together, I held a glass of alcoholic beverage. It filled his eyes with concern as he heard my entire conversation about what had happened in New York. "You have a bigger issue, James. You must tell Ella the truth about yourself soon, or else Darcus will try his best to reveal it to her. Ella should hear it from you than from her ex-boyfriend about you being a warlock," Dave advised. "It's not as simple as you make it out to be. Ella didn't believe Darcus when he revealed Ella my real identity to her. What will happen if I tell her the truth and she doesn't believe me?" I whispered, feeling unsure. "The more you hide it, the more Ella will suffer. It's best if you just say it. Show her a demonstration of your power, James, and make her believe in it," Dave suggested. I looked at the sky, contemplating whether I should follow Dave's advice. Would Ella run away or stay? I reasoned that it would be better to tell her now rather than later, as she wou
Darcus - POV My thoughts were a tumultuous storm, all centered on Ella. Even though I knew there was a high chance she'd reject me, the idea of confessing my feelings consumed me. Dargo, my dragon, added to the pressure, insisting we confess our feelings to her. Yet, the connection between Ella's dragon and her was disrupted by her Warlock blood. I would only be able to officially mate once they connected. Ella's human body would reject any forceful mate bond, leading to potential harm. Nevertheless, the emotional pull we felt for each other was undeniable. "Darcus," Ella's voice cut through my thoughts like a silver blade through the night. I found us standing on a balcony, her hair flowing like an auburn river in the wind. Her intoxicating scent accelerated my heartbeat, and when she looked at me with those mesmerizing blue eyes, I couldn't resist the urge to touch her, to caress her soft cheeks. The pull of the mate bond was mirrored in her eyes. My gaze instinctively drifted to h
Ella - POV In a whirl of emotions, I hailed a cab and hurried home. I didn't want to disturb Hana, who was clearly enjoying her time with Drake. A man she mentioned was keen on dating her. I opted to text her that I was unwell and had decided to leave the party early. Upon arrival, I noticed Dad's absence, indicating he was still at his friend's place. My heart pounded relentlessly as I retreated to the solitude of my room, surrendering to sobs as I agonized over the undeniable attraction I felt toward Darcus. The fact that I'd kissed him back suggested lingering feelings for him. But what about James? How would I explain this to him? The truth would undoubtedly shatter him, but I couldn't proceed with our engagement under such circumstances. James deserved a loving, loyal woman, not a cheat like me. Changing into my pajamas, I made a cup of chamomile tea to calm my frayed nerves, but peace eluded me. Restless, I paced my room, thoughts a whirlwind in my mind. I spotted a message fr
Ella - POV Waking up to the familiar sight of my bedroom ceiling, I found myself in my bed, a dull ache pulsating in my head. I had reached out to Darcus, planning to go to the hospital. So why was I here, not in a sterile hospital room? The unsettling discomfort of last night had felt like the brink of death, and desperate for clarity, I checked the time on my phone. It was just 7:00 a.m. Perplexed, I scrolled through my call logs, wondering if my interaction with Darcus had been a figment of my imagination. To my surprise, there were no calls to Darcus recorded. Perhaps everything that had transpired last night was just a sinister dream, an imagination fuelled by my unwell state. But it had felt so real. After freshening up with a quick shower, I joined my dad and Hana at the breakfast table, where a spread was already laid out. "Ella, how are you feeling today?" Hana inquired, reminding me of the text I'd sent her last night about my ill health. Dad's gaze echoed her concern, awa
Ella - POV "We need to drive to the airport. Our meeting in Minnesota awaits us, and we'll take the private jet," Darcus informed me. I remembered the scheduled trip to Minnesota, realizing we wouldn't return until late evening. As I had promised, this dashed my hopes of visiting Hana early in the evening. "I apologize, Mr. Miller. I had forgotten about our crucial meeting," I confessed. He simply nodded, opening the car door for me to slide in. "Why did you need to pick me up, Mr. Miller? You could've sent the driver instead." "The driver has the day off, and your apartment is on the way to the airport," Darcus answered, his tone as emotionless as always. I'd grown accustomed to this colder side of Darcus, so it didn't phase me. Still, when I looked into his eyes, something stirred in me. I abruptly halted that train of thought, haunted by the previous night's memories. "Did I call you last night? Saying I was feeling unwell?" I blurted out the question without much thought. Sinc
Darcus - POV "Ms. Hart, it seems you put much effort into this strategy." Archer smiled at her, and she smiled back. Ella's smile caught my attention, and a pang of jealousy surged through me. She rarely smiled at me, but here she was, smiling at Archer. "So, Mr. Taylor, what do you think? Should we proceed with this strategy or not?" My words directed their attention to Archer's secretary, who looked at me with evident desire. "Hmmm... I think I'd like to proceed with this strategy. Ms. Hart, could you resend the agreement? I'll consult with the team to explore options for increasing the profit margins. Brenton had a great idea," Archer replied, his gaze lingering on Ella with an amused expression. Ella nodded and averted her eyes, focusing on her work behind the laptop. "If we're done, we should take our leave." Ella looked up from her laptop and nodded in agreement. "Mr. Miller and Ms. Hart, why don't you join me in celebrating our company's 50th anniversary? It would be an off
Lavina –POVSix Month LaterDressed in a pink gown and wearing my best jewelry, I checked my makeup and hair one last time. Archer's mom entered, looking stunning in a beautiful light green gown, while Gunther, in his little tux, cooed and clapped his hands with a smile upon seeing me. "Gunther, you look so handsome," I said, lifting him into my arms and kissing his cheeks."Ready for Leo's wedding?" Archer asked, pausing to take in my appearance from head to toe. "Wow, Lavina, you look radiant," he whispered. At that moment, Archer's mom coughed, reminding us of her presence."Mom, you look beautiful too," Archer quickly added. She offered a smile in return."There's no need for fake compliments, Archer. I'm just happy to see you two lovebirds so happy," Archer's mom said, her voice filled with warmth. "I'll take Gunther to the party. Lavina, could you check on Leena? She was calling for you." I nodded in agreement.As Archer's mom left with Gunther, Archer moved closer to me, his ga
Lavina – POVLeo was anxious. "Ms. Leena isn't getting better with our treatments. If she doesn't recover, it's going to be bad for her health," the doctor explained."Why isn't she improving?" Leo asked, clearly upset. "You're supposed to be good at healing." In his frustration, Leo grabbed the doctor by the collar."Leo, give me a chance to heal her," I said, stepping forward. Leo looked at me with a mixture of anger and hope, then released the doctor.I approached Leena, noticing her injuries and the paleness of her skin. "Ryu, I need your strength," I whispered, connecting with my dragon. As Ryu shared his energy with me, my hands began to glow with a powerful light.Leena's wolf form was weak, but because of my unique bond with an archer, I was able to share my strength with her. This bond is special because it allows me to heal and understand wolves, something I could usually only do with dragons. With my hands glowing and filled with Ryu's power, I focused on transferring energ
Lavina – POVArcher and I couldn't go on a honeymoon because we had to deal with Natalie, who was causing trouble. We hurried back to the Wolf realm and pretended that we were still preparing for the wedding. We even hid our mate marks to make it seem like we weren't married yet, and I didn't tell anyone that I was already the queen of wolves."I never imagined Natalie would come up with such plans," Archer's mom said, joining me after she had looked over the wedding venue. "To everyone, she seemed like a sweet girl, always acting as if she wouldn't hurt a fly. But she was good at pretending."Feeling a bit awkward, I asked, "I'm sorry to bring this up, but why did Brandon become so evil?" The question made Archer's mom look sad."Brandon always wanted to be the best; he couldn't stand coming in second. He was very competitive. Archer, on the other hand, wanted freedom. He never had any interest in being the Alpha. He dreamed of traveling the world, exploring new places, and had no de
Lavina–POVA week laterJust finished putting Gunther to sleep and tucked him in with a blanket. Archer came up beside me, and we both admired our son sleeping peacefully. Sharing a content smile, we left the room together. I felt a wave of relief—it's quite a task to get a little one to bed.Back in our room, Archer suggested, "Lavi, put your feet on my lap.""Why?" I asked, laying down while Archer took my feet into his lap, starting to massage my sore legs gently. I couldn't help but moan, feeling the tension release."I love hearing you moan," Archer teased with a chuckle, adding a flirtatious hint. "Especially when I'm close to you."Something seemed off, so I asked, "Archer, what's on your mind?" I withdrew my feet from his lap, meeting his eyes directly."Leo and I have beefed up security," he shared, concern evident in his voice."Are you worried about an attack?" I probed. He nodded. Sitting up, I pondered how to alleviate his fears."Let's use our new abilities to scout for
Leo- POVIt's been three months since Leena and I started our smooth-sailing relationship. During this time, I successfully dismantled a gang that was deceiving she-wolves under the guise of a dating site. These criminals would lure the she-wolves, drug their food, and then use them as blood banks for vampires or as playthings. Together with Archer, we tracked down this nefarious group and eliminated everyone involved, ensuring they could no longer harm anyone.I was eagerly awaiting Leena's arrival at my house; she had expressed her desire to move in with me, following the traditional practice of she-wolves living with their mates once they found each other. I had taken great care to prepare her room according to her preferences, as I wanted her to feel comfortable and at home, not just a guest sharing my space. Before her arrival, movers and packers had already delivered and arranged Leena's belongings in her new room.When there was a knock at the door, I quickly opened it, greeted
Lavina–POVThree months laterArcher presented me with my favourite lasagna, catering to my late-night cravings. He had just come from the kitchen, ready to serve me this delicious meal."You can cook?" I asked, surprised."I've been taking cooking classes with my mom. I wanted to make delicious food for you and take care of you," Archer replied, smiling. I gazed at him with affection, feeling fortunate. Archer had always been there for me, addressing my whims, insecurities, and pain from my past relationship with Keenan, which still troubled me.After we finished eating, Archer placed his hand on my belly, and the baby kicked in response to his voice. "Daddy can't wait to meet you," he said.Archer's mom, waking up early at dawn, inquired, "How are the wedding preparations coming along?""I'm working on it with Alice and Ella's help," I replied. "Juggling work too, it's quite hectic."Archer chimed in, "I suggested letting the new secretary handle your work.""She's still learning ho
Leo–POVI saw photos of Archer proposing to Lavina and felt happy seeing them together because they both deserve joy and are perfect for each other. I waited for Leena to get ready, making sure the team had set up the date in Leena's spacious backyard. I found out Leena's parents weren't home from their servant, who informed me. They wanted to give Leena and me some privacy. I was glad that Leena's parents liked me and didn't object to me dating Leena before we considered taking our relationship to the next level.A voice interrupted my thoughts. "Nervous?" I looked up to see Leena wearing a beautiful, elegant dress, looking stunning."Are you nervous?" I echoed her question."Yes," she whispered."Me too," I admitted honestly, and she smiled beautifully at my confession. I pulled out a chair for her, and she sat down at the beautifully set table, illuminated and adorned with white shimmering cloth, creating an elegant atmosphere arranged by the team."It's a beautiful setup you've do
Lavina–POVThe baby is healthy, and we have a new doctor who is taking care of both my health and Alice's. Ella, who was watching over us, felt worried. It was after we learned that Dr. Yasmin, our previous doctor, was involved with the KCA. However, I reassured her by saying, "Ella, don't worry. The KCA isn't a concern anymore."Ella insisted, "It's better to be safe and take precautions."The doctor confirmed, "Both of you and the baby are healthy." He then advised us to continue taking our medicine and monitoring our vitals to maintain our health. After receiving a positive update from the doctor, we left the clinic.Once we were outside, Alice remarked, "It's been so long since the three of us had a girls' night out.""You know how protective our partners can be. They hardly let us go anywhere without them." Alice said. I recalled a recent incident where my Archer wanted to accompany me everywhere, even after I insisted he didn't have to. "He kept pestering me all night," I shared
Leo – POVStanding at the given address, my heart raced as the familiar scent of lilies surrounded me. The door opened to reveal a middle-aged woman. "I'm Leo Taylor," I introduced myself. "I'm here for Leena.""What business do you have with my daughter?" she asked cautiously."She's my mate," I explained. She looked surprised but stepped aside to let me into my relief."Leena is resting in her room," her mother informed me. "I can't wake her; she needs her rest."While talking, a man approached and asked, "Who was at the door, Mina?" He fell silent as Leena's mother explained who I was and introduced me to her husband."Why didn't you let Leena stay in the infirmary?" I couldn't help but ask, curious about their decision. Her parents exchanged a look, suggesting there was more to the story."After we found out Leena had been found, we requested the doctors to allow us to bring her home for treatment. We wanted our daughter to be with us, at home, not far away. We've been without her