SERAFINA A sharp jolt buzzed past my mind space and I suddenly jerked up, springing back into consciousness. My eyes opened and it took a moment for my vision to steady, I saw a blurred image of someone sitting beside me. My brows crinkled in confusion as I wondered who it might be and then eventually, my vision cleared up and I saw that it was Dahlia. She sat beside me, a small basin filled with steaming hot water beside her and a cloth dipped in it. I realized that I was on a mat, laid at her feet and I was bare–backed. She took out the cloth dipped in the hot water and squeezed the liquid out of it, proceeding to place it on my back. I flinched as it came in contact with the wounds I was now aware I had—as I had previously forgotten—and I let out a wince. "Oh? You're awake." Dahlia said as she moved the cloth around my back, patting and pressing on various areas of my injuries. My eyes still felt a bit weak to remain open and I decided to shut and rest them for a whil
HERA I was hidden behind the fence of Lord Timothee's training fields again. I was dressed in my overall cloak with a hood that covered my face, hiding my identity. I had to meet Lord Timothee again due to the last set of occurrences at the palace, each and every one of them making me terribly mad. It got to my knowledge that King Zahir had asked for that slave girl to be returned back to the palace. A young slave was requested for by a reputable nobleman and I had personally ordered the girl to be taken to him, her slave master gave me a report that she was stubborn so I deemed it fit to punish her by sending her off. I decided what slave gets sold off and Zahir stayed out of it, never concerning himself with it. This time however, he had gone ahead to bring back a slave and the procedure to retrieve an already bought slave from their owner was a rigorous one. I had wondered why the King would go through all of that. Earlier today, I had gone to his chambers to ask him about i
ZAHIRThat nightmare has begun again. Almost immediately I slept off, I felt myself being transported to an all too familiar state of subconsciousness. In that realm that I had become far too accustomed to. I saw myself where I always did in this dream, it was at where it all started. Where everything began. That fateful night. "Zahir, please don't cry. As long as we stay hidden in this cave, they won't find us." My father said to me as I cried into his chest. The fabric of his cloth against my mouth did a good help muffling my cries, or else the humans would've found us a long time ago. Who hears the sounds of death and remains silent? The sounds of war outside remained persistent, its volume increasing as they drew nearer to where we hid. It was only a matter of time before they got to us. I could hear it all clearly, the outcries of my people being slaughtered by the humans that invaded our territory and attacked. It was a nightmare. The human population had suddenly attacked
SERAFINAAs I stumbled towards the fields that day, I could barely move and stand straight due to the excruciating pain from the bruises all over my back. However, the slave masters didn't seem to care about my condition, and Dahlia had mandated me to go back to the fields. The only thing that seemed to matter to them was to get my quota of work done, regardless of the pain I was experiencing.As I approached the fields, I couldn't help but notice something different about the way the slaves were looking at me that day. Instead of the usual disdain and exclusion that I had received before, I was now being greeted with warm smiles and kind words. It was as if they had finally accepted me as one of their own, and the feeling of acceptance lifted a heavy burden off my shoulders.I'm glad the news of Vallie's return had reached their ears, and hopefully all misunderstanding they haboured for me have been cleared. As I made my way through the rows of crops, I came across a young girl strug
ZAHIR.I paced back and forth in my study, my eyes fixed on the wall in front of me. My mind was a chaotic mess, my thoughts jumbled and scrambled. It raced with all the possible scenarios that might take place during the meeting. I could feel Steven's unwavering gaze on me, but I remained silent. I didn't trust myself to speak. The weight of my responsibility as King was crushing, and it was almost suffocating. The council of high–ranking werewolves had always doubted my reign, questioning my authority at every turn, and it irked me to no end. I could feel the anger brewing inside me, threatening to spill over. I glanced at Steven, who remained motionless in his bowed position. He had been my right-hand man for years, and yet, even he hadn't been able to quell the unrest amongst the wolves. It only served to add fuel to my already simmering anger. The meeting was just a day away and I had no idea how to handle the situation. My mind was a battlefield, a warzone of conflicting tho
SERAFINAI found myself perched on the edge of my stool, surveying the scene unfolding before me with a mixture of trepidation and despair. The room was filled with the sorrowful cries and hushed whispers of the other slave girls, similarly dressed in stark white linen that so mercilessly exposed much of our skin, in sharp contrast to our usual attire of black sackcloth we usually wore. Our mode of dressing alone depicted that today wasn't just an ordinary day – it was the day where the High Ranking Werewolves council were coming to the Kingdom for the meeting with Zahir. It was as if we were naked, stripped of our identities, anything that could provide even the slightest bit of comfort or protection in this dehumanizing we were about to be subjected to. I watched as the girls huddled together, their arms tightly wrapped around each other in a desperate attempt to find solace in one another's shared misery.As the silence stretched on, punctuated only by the occasional sniffl
ZAHIRI walked into the meeting hall, my eyes scanning the room as I took in the twelve high-ranking wolves seated around the long table. My gaze settled on Lord Timotee, the head of the council, who sat at the head of the table with an air of superiority that made my stomach turn.To his right sat Lord Adalwolf , the chief strategist of the kingdom. I had always found him aloof and arrogant, believing himself to be the only one with a brain in the entire council. Beside him was Sir Reginald, the captain of the kingdom's army. I had never trusted him, believing him to be far too eager to go to war and shed blood.On the opposite side of the table sat Lord Tadius, the master of the kingdom's treasury. I had always found him greedy and self-serving, hoarding wealth for himself and his own interests. Beside him was Sir Percival, the master of ceremonies. I had never seen the point of his role, finding him to be little more than a glorified party planner. There were hardly any reasons f
ZAHIRSerafina stepped into the hall with us, both her hands latched by the guards that escorted her into the hall. The princess could deceive others with the air of royalty that followed her every step but she couldn’t deceive me or hide the fear in her eyes. Not even the slight tremble of fear as soon as her eyes counted the men in the room. Serafina was dressed just like every of the slaves in the past who have been to this room to satisfy the desires of these men in the most carnal and perverted ways. If I had it my way, she shouldn’t be dressed that way—in a silk linen that showed way too much. As I expected from the men of my court, they howled and jeered, making crude comments about her body. I could see the lecherous gazes of the wolves as they looked at Serafina. It made my blood boil – how dare they gawk blatantly at my personal slave in that manner? It made my fists itch to connect to all of their faces and bruise them badly. However, I knew I had to stay calm and compo
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