SERAFINAI blinked, a sense of shock coursing through me. Had I done something wrong? Had I crossed a boundary that I shouldn't have? Confusion swirled in my mind as I watched him stand up and step back. My lips tingled from the lingering taste of his kiss, and I gazed up at him, my heart racing. "What... what's wrong?" I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper."Serafina," his voice was rough and hsh chest heaved from the marathon we just engaged in n. "We can't let this go any further."My pulse quickened, my fingers tingling with the memory of his touch. "But why? Tell me, please."He exhaled heavily. "There's more to this than you understand."I reached out, my fingertips brushing against his arm. "I don't care about secrets. All I care about is what we have, how we feel when we're together."He averted his gaze, his fingers flexing. "You deserve more than this, Serafina. I'm not what you deserve."My heart ached at the conflict in his voice, at the sadness that lingered in hi
ZAHIR I stormed into my chambers, the rage within me burning like a relentless fire. My fists clenched at my sides, my heart pounding with a volatile mix of anger and frustration. How had everything gone so wrong? How had I allowed myself to be ensnared in a web of emotions that I had sworn to avoid?With a guttural growl, I swept a vase off a nearby table, the satisfying shatter of porcelain against stone rang in my ears. But it was only a feeble release for the fury that consumed me.Blood welled on my knuckles where the shards had grazed my skin, but it was nothing compared to what had scarred my heartt. I stalked across the room and without hesitation, I swung a punch, the impact vibrating through my arm and resonating with the explosive chaos that surged within.A fresh wave of blood joined the red stains on my hand as the wall cracked under the force of my blow. But it was still nothing compared to the turmoil that churned within me. Nothing at all compared to what Serafin
ZAHIRTHE PASTI could almost taste the bitterness of her sorrow in the air. I wanted to understand, to unravel the mystery behind the girl who stood before me. I was immediately interested in knowing who she was and why she was there. As my gaze remained fixed upon her, she seemed to sense my presence, her head turning slightly, her eyes scanning the surroundings. A tremor of fear rippled through her, like a frightened bird caught in a predator's gaze as she saw me. She quickly got on her feet and moved away from me. Her movements were cautious and uncertain, as if unsure whether to flee or to confront this unexpected intruder.Seeing her distress, I took a step back, raising my hands slightly in a gesture of non-threat. "I mean you no harm," I spoke softly, my voice carrying over the sound of the rain. "You needn't be afraid."Her eyes met mine, a mixture of curiosity and apprehension swirling within their depths. Her lips parted, but no words emerged, the downpour swallowing any
ZAHIRThe human princess and I spent time every single day. In her presence, my worries about my father's absence faded into the background. His absence no longer felt like an abyss in my life. I had found a friend who filled that void, a friend who listened without judgment and laughed with genuine joy. She accepted me for who I was, and for the first time, I felt truly seen.When my father had noticed the change in me. He questioned me one day, asking why I seemed "happier."I told him that I had made a new friend and her presence was refreshing. Since then, he let me see her whenever I wanted without any complaint. So, when the sun began its descent, I would slip away from the confines of my world. With a heart full of anticipation, I'd make my way to the hidden cave where our secret meetings took place. It had become a routine. One that I looked forward to all the time. She would often arrive shortly after, her eyes shining with excitement and a playful grin on her lips. I w
ZAHIR Stepping outside with my father, the reality of the situation hit me like a tidal wave. Acrid smoke and the anguished cries of my people filled the air. The massive chaos and destruction unfolded before my very eyes and my jaw dropped open as I took in the sight. The once–familiar streets were now a scene of devastation; blood, carcasses and bits of flesh littered everywhere. Houses and buildings that had stood for generations were reduced to smoldering ruins. It was the humans! Their flames devoured memories and lived without mercy. They held strange devices in their hands—i didn't know what they were, but they emitted flame and small metal that killed my people. My gaze turned to a group of lycans and wolves, they were held captive in cages and I could see the pain in their eyes as they howled in agony. It was as if I had zoned out the world, the cacophony of screams and the scenes of chaos around me seemed to slow and somehow move in a slow–motion. I could hear
HERA I was still basking in the afterglow of the king's attention. Weeks after, his touch still lingered on my skin. A contented smile graced my lips as I gazed at myself in the mirror and for the millionth time, I found myself relieving the thrill of when the King had summoned me to his chambers. I allowed myself to revel in the warmth that had blossomed within me. I traced my fingers over my own skin, the memory of his touch sending a pleasurable shiver down my spine. I closed my eyes, letting my thoughts drift. I imagined the king's gaze fixed solely upon me. The feeling of his hands upon my body resurrected and it made the smile on my face grow wider,Though he hadn't called on me again, the fact that he had done so that night meant a lot to me. And it meant that he would still do so again, very soon. He was most likely busy with work and Kingdom duties. King Zahir's willingness to meet with me had been long-awaited and as I had laid on his silken sheets that night, all my w
HERAThe moment Dahlia left his chambers, I couldn't hold back my fury any longer. I popped up from where I had hidden behind a tall vase and the king immediately sensed me. He swung around to face me with an angered scowl. I stepped forward, "Is it true?" My words were clipped, my gaze cold and accusatory as I locked eyes with him.He looked taken aback, his expression shifting from anger to surprise, and then back to furiousness. "Hera, what are you doing here?" His voice held a hint of annoyance, but I wasn't about to be deterred."I heard what you were discussing with Dahlia," I retorted, my voice sharp. "Are you really bringing her back into the palace? After everything she's done?" My anger was vivid, my words laced with venom."Did you forget your manners, Hera? Or is eavesdropping on the King suddenly an acceptable behavior?" He retorted. I met his gaze, my anger and frustration still bubbling "Oh, don't act so surprised." I scoffed. "You know I'm not one to stand by while
SERAFINA.I didn't sleep well last night. That was because the encounter with the Cloaked Lycan was still fresh in my mind. I tossed and turned on my thin mat, I had barely managed to close my eyes, let alone find any semblance of sleep. His words that day had felt like a sharp dagger to my heart and it was hard to forget such painful words. Especially when I couldn't even understand why he had suddenly flared up at me and said those things. However, I had to put my thoughts aside for a while and focus on the task before me. We were heading back to the palace today. As we gathered our belongings and prepared to leave, the girls didn't hesitate to voice out their concerns and worries. "I don't think I'm happy to return," one of the girls whispered.. "They're going to go back to treating us badly.""Yes, they will. I love how free we are here, it's a shame that we can't stay longer." Another added. "I'm worried about the king," a third girl chimed in, her brows furrowing. "What if
Yes, the book has come to and end! God, it fills me with so much joy to have finally give. This book a befitting ending☺️ I would like to say a big thank you to my readers for putting up with me and still sticking around to read my book. Special shout outs readers with the names Pab, Debra LeBaron Mixer and Chanlin Davies! Y’all are the real MVPs who also almost made me cry whenever I didn’t update and I read your comments, lol. Although I understand that it all came from a place of love for my book and I am so grateful! Thank you so much for coming on this journey with Zahir and Serafina! Now, I know some commonly asked questions. Will there be bonus chapters? Well, I’m thinking about but chances are…I won’t, lol because it will be a huge spoiler for the next book. Yes, the heard right, the next book!☺️In case you haven’t noticed, our dearest human and Lycan couple are having the first hybrid! You did not also forget the prophecy too, did you? Haha😅Well, writing the next book s
ZAHIR It was still dusk and the first morning light was yet to appear. The silence was deafening and I was sure that if I screamed, my voice was going to ring around the whole of Lycaronia. I was relieved. So relieved that everyone was able to escape. I had watched Serafina leave with King Zach and Dahlia in the carriage, not calming down until I got information that they were out of the boundaries. It was just me. Even Steven had left with the others. I had ridden him with the duty of taking care of everything until my return, if it ever happened. But I knew I had to end this once and for all so I stayed back and waited for the Prince to arrive. He was going to meet the shock of his life. I mounted my horse and rode to the eastern part of the boundary as King Zach instructed. According to him, he was going to be coming in through that direction. So I waited on my horse, rage boiling through me when I heard the sound of heavy hooves beating and drawing close to the b
ZAHIR. Several men were stationed in different parts of the border. In less than an hour, the human army had filled the whole place, coming with horses, chariots and carriages. They all helped in informing people. They went from house to house, warning the people about an impending attack while the others helped in the evacuation. Some families left with their vehicles while some were helped into carriages and transported to different Kingdoms. It was safer that way. This went on for several hours nonstop but this didn't eradicate the panic that filled my soul. I remained restless, making enquiries on how things were going on functional posts. I was assured not to worry by Steven. "Where are they being evacuated to though?" Steven asked when he returned from his inspector to give me details of what was happening. "They would have to stay in the Kingdoms for the main time. It's the only option we have because Aries is probably on his way here. We can't risk him finding
ZAHIR. It had to be a dream of some sorts because I didn't believe it was King Zach standing before us. A bigger dream that Serafina was carrying my child. If anyone told me two surprises couldn't coexist, I could easily debunk their statement with these scenarios happening before me. As soon as he set eyes on Serafina, his lips trembled as tears filled his eyes. He moved towards her, his arms spread out to wrap her in a hug but I stretched out my hand, stopping him as he made a move. "How dare you?" I asked, my voice in a low rumble. "What are you doing here? How did you get into my Kingdom?" My eyes narrowed on him. He raised both of his hands in surrender, his expression giving nothing away. "I mean no harm. I am here with good intentions." "Then state it." I gritted out, ignoring Serafina who stood beside me, moving from one side to the other. "I am here to warn you about something," He continued, then his eyes darted towards Serafina. "I am sure she know
SERAFINA. A gust of wind blew my hair forwards and I forced it back behind my ear before taking in my environment. I was standing on a pier. I recognised this immediately. Turning, I began to walk out of the pier towards the sandy beaches. I was finally back to my mother and this time, I wanted to remain here for good. I wanted to be with my mother. I was done going through all the pain and suffering and didn't want to go back anymore. Being here, right where my mother was, mattered the most to me and I was glad to finally make my way back here. I caught sight of her. She was still dressed in the same clothing. She was gathering sticks to make a fire and when she caught sight of me coming towards her, they dropped to the ground and she straightened. I stopped before her with a teary smile on my face and she pulled me into a hug. We remained in silence until she pulled away and wiped the tears off my cheek. "I want to remain here with you, mother. I don't want to go bac
ZAHIR. For days, I stayed locked up in my room, drinking my life away and inflicting pain on her when I had the chance to. It was equivalent to inflicting pain on myself but I was unable to stop myself, unable to stop this pain in my chest. Hell, I was far more miserable than she was, beating myself up each time I inflicted pain on her. But there was nothing I could do about it. I was long gone. Things had gone awry in a space of a few days since finding her rummaging my things. I had sent her out in anger and so much hurt. Hell, I had expected her to say something to pacify me at least. Something she really meant and not some stupid fucking apology. Then I thought she had escaped from the palace, unable to take more from me. It had put me through so much panic. I knew how I had searched for her while beating myself up for putting her through a lot only for her to coke running back to me herself. My anger had returned, only intensifying when I caught a whiff of an all too famili
HERA. Thunk! Sweat dropped from my brows as I kept cutting wood with a heavy ax. Well, it wasn't so heavy but with how I had moved from a position where maids were at my beck and call, this was a fucking downgrade. But that didn't really matter right now. Not even the splinter that pierced through the other surface of my skin. I pulled it out and continued to split wood, sweat pouring down my back. Once I was done, I gathered the wood in my arm and took it to the furnace where I usually cooked, dropping them all to the floor and looking down at my palm. With every passing day, it was a countdown to the tone Zahir would tire of Serafina and come back to me. Very soon, I was going to be out of this terrible place and in his arms once again. Hours ago, I'd been returning from the river after going to fetch water for my hut. It was really far away and I was so exhausted and had been on the verge of breaking down and bursting into tears. I had cursed Serafina in my mind, wish
SERAFINA. "Remain still and I'll let you go. I mean no harm." A distinct familiar voice said from behind me. I nodded and the hold was released. Turning, it was Prince Aries standing before me. My eyes widened in surprise and I blinked to be sure I wasn't seeing an apparition. I had seen a lot of that recently and I wasn't sure what to believe anymore. He smiled. "Yes, it's me. I know you don't believe but it's me, Sera, it’s Aries." "I know who you are," I blinked, taking a few steps back and wondering if I should be happy about this development or if I should feel uncomfortable. However, I couldn’t hide my shock. It’s the second time Aries has found his way into Lycaronia somehow. “How are you here?” In one move, he was standing before me, his eyes light with cheer. Then he pulled me into a tight hug, wrapping his arms around me and filling me with his warmth. I was just taking all of this in when he pulled slightly away and cupped my cheeks. His lips brushed mine in a so
SERAFINA. In a space of one day, things had fallen apart. So bad that I couldn't even pick up the pieces. I'd be thrown out of his chambers thereby, reducing me from the post of his mistress to a mere slave once again. I had returned to my room in a teary mess, trying not to think of how he had looked at me with utter disdain, like he couldn't stand me. How had he gone from being all over me to barely wanting me to be in his presence? As much as I tried not to think too much about it, I was greatly hurt by it. I couldn't stand the gossip from the maids either. Whenever I passed by a group, all they did was glance at each other, their gazes telling tales I didn't need to hear verbally. A few of them were bold enough to whisper when I passed by. I couldn't even snap at them to stop. That respect had been stripped off like it was never even there. I had lost favor in the sight of the king, they said. He must have gotten tired of me because I couldn't satisfy his needs, all