DawnI woke up alone in my room. The pain had disappeared. I jumped up and ran to find a mirror. After throwing off the suffocating gown I'd worn, I checked my back for scar marks. There was none. I sighed and stepped into the shower. The old alpha had warned me but it wasn't enough to prepare me for what I'd just experienced. Still weary, I threw on my normal clothes and headed out to find Princess. I wished I was connected to them in some way, so I could just mind-link them. As I walked down the corridors, I kept on receiving awkward stares. I thought I could get used to them, but it seemed impossible. Finally, I found Princess alone in one of the libraries.She was startled at the sight of me. “Have you eaten?” She asked.I shook my head. I didn't feel hungry, just tired. “You should eat,” she murmured and began replacing the books she was holding on the shelves.I nodded. “Where are the triplets?”“Rhys is back. He's maddeningly angry at something that he doesn't want to sha
RhysShe ignored me totally. She didn't even acknowledge me as she walked in nor even after I grunted to show dissatisfaction.I didn't know what bothered me more, the lack of acknowledgment or Nadia giving her my last name. I was fuming. Dawn exchanged looks with everyone in the room except me. A whole me! Now she was in the arms of Nadia who cradled her like a baby. I wanted to rip them apart and hold Dawn’s face so I could stare her in the eyeballs and ask what gave her the audacity to disregard me.It then occurred to me that I may have done something to warrant the treatment I was getting. But what? What happened? What had she heard? Was it because I wasn't there for her last episode? Why would she even be mad at that? I was off in Silver Moon, fighting for my life against a deranged Alpha. If Dawn could only stare at me, even for a brief moment, then I'd know what was going on in her pretty little head.When did you start wearing your heart on your sleeves, Alpha? Nadia’s voic
DawnI didn't know what to do with him. He followed me everywhere, carefully guiding me like he had an inbuilt map of the forest. It was exhilarating as well as suffocating. Within me, I stewed about the near kiss we had. What was it about Rhys Hallowvern that unraveled me so?My former mate’s presence never made me feel like this. I was always happy to see him and wanted to be close to him at all times. It was like floating on the clouds. With Rhys, it was a different matter altogether.We were not bound except by a scam marriage that our fates depended on. We had a one-night stand and that was it. Yet, I couldn't breathe properly when I was around him. His presence bore down on me, completely burning me up from inside. It was like I was addicted to the pressure. Only a whiff of his scent had my body on edge. There were no clouds with Rhys. It was pure unadulterated desire. A combination of Lust and what seemed like an obsession. I became something else.We didn't say much to each
DawnThe torment seemed never-ending. I was either standing on the tip of my toes and proclaiming something that I believed was utter nonsense or immersing myself in Ice. Nadia’s lessons got worse & weirder with each day. The worst part was that she didn’t seem to be interested in teaching me anything that actually made sense. Princess was worried. Kaden was confused and the triplets were yet to return from wherever they went. I was losing faith in Nadia at each second. It didn’t help that neither Princess nor Kaden could remember being trained in any of the things she’d taught me so far. My wolf was angrier than it had ever been. Recently, it had no tolerance for disrespect and deceit. I didn't even understand it. What was making it so bold? Did it have to do with what the old Alpha said about suppression or was I really drawing strength from Rhys? Sometimes when Nadia spoke I wanted to bark at her and instruct her to teach me properly. It took a lot of self-control to control an
RhysI sat in another meeting barely listening as the council yapped about current developments. A large group of rogues were on the way. We were yet to find the traitor amongst us. The triplets were yet to send word or return from the secret mission I sent them on. These were the things I should have been concentrating on. However, I could only think of one person. Dawn.Walking with her late at night was oddly calming. She was hiding something and maybe afraid but just being around her erased all my worries. I could only focus on her and nothing else.I wanted another opportunity to do the exact thing. We didn't need to talk, just walked together under the moon while she picked her precious herbs. I wanted to be only worried about something pricking her nimble fingers or her being too close to a shrub that could potentially kill her. And then I could pull her away and scold her properly about it.I didn't want to be anywhere but at the meeting. I wanted to be with her.“What's th
Dawn“I see you haven't learned much,” a voice I'd come to recognize said through the pitch-black darkness.I couldn't respond. My mouth was sealed as pain reverberated through my being. What I felt was worse than what I felt when I was conscious.“You thought you could escape it by coming here?” He asked.I whimpered. I didn't think I could escape anything. It was too much and I needed relief. I wanted it to stop.“I cannot help you,” the old Alpha sighed. “You're the only one that can help yourself. It's high time you realize that.”Most of what he said sounded like gibberish. I could hardly process anything. Not when it felt like my back was being pulverized.“Help,” I croaked. I felt weak. Like if my soul was slipping away from me.“You're killing yourself. Set your wolf free. Become one with it. The pain cannot be stopped but it'll be reduced,” He said softly.“Is there no other way?” I said through gritted teeth.I could feel him shake his head. “There is, but it's impossible fo
DawnWe moved to a clearing where the triplets waited. "You'll spar with each of them," she explained. "Non-lethal combat. Show me your strength and technique."I squared my shoulders and faced my first opponent. Tayla lunged, and I dodged, countering with a swift kick. We exchanged blows, my movements were not as fluid and precise as hers.“They will not spare you!” Nadia announced from the sidelines. “They are going to fight like you're their opponent.”“No kidding.” I cursed under my breath.There was no hint of familiarity in Tayla’s eyes. She came for me with deadly precision. It was too much for a non-lethal combat. She beat me and so did Kayla and Layla in quick succession.“Alpha would be disappointed,” Nadia said. “Your physical training is not paying off. You realize that war is knocking at our doorsteps right? You'll fight as Luna until you're set free. Like I said, you cannot become Rhys' weakness. Let's go again. You'll face them all at once.”My bones and joints hurt. A
RhysI'd almost kissed her. And If it wasn't for Lex’s signal, if our lips had met, I wouldn't have been able to stop myself from going further. I wouldn't have been able to detach myself from her.That was the only thing I could think of as I sped to the border. Immediately Marcus arrived, I had him placed in confinement until he said what I needed. Early this morning, he dropped some names. As expected, they were nobles who held considerable positions in the council. He also added their different routes of sneaking people in and out of Golden Crest. He promised that we'd get them at night but he wasn't sure of the route they'd use.I had questions for my uncle. Why and how did he have such information in the first place and was keeping it away from me? But we needed to catch them red-handed first.I wasn't supposed to meet Dawn. I’d told myself that the day before was the last time I'd get worked up over her. It didn't matter if I wanted a repetition of the night before. However, a