Chapter 40 - Innocence
The forest around us was full of life, just like I remembered. The trees all holding golden flowers that smelt of citrus. The sky was the brightest blue. All the colours in my home were vibrant. Something I slowly forgot while I was away. The sound of birds chirping filled the air giving everything a calming element.
"Why do you hurt people?" The little girl asked, pulling my attention back to her.
"That's a bold question for someone your age," I said, avoiding the answer.
"I'm more mature than I look. I have to be. My family is preparing me to be a leader, and leaders ask bold questions and make hard decisions. At least that's what I've been told." I frowned a little at the statement. Why would a child no more than nine be forced to
Chapter 41 - GoodbyesImelda's POV"I don't want you anymore," Balthazar shouted at me."You're no use to me like this. You can't even give me a child. Let alone how pathetic you look trying to rule the underworld. You don't belong here, by my side." He continued to belittle me—each word slicing deeper. I knelt in front of him. My head hung low. I was too ashamed to look up at him. My eyes were swollen from crying. My throat was dry and sore."You had one job, and you couldn't even do that right. I knew you were weak, but I didn't think you were this weak." Oren hissed. I shook my head."I'm sorry." My voice was a mere whisper."I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry!
Chapter 42 - GodricI hugged Balor goodbye as I left his room. He refused to see me off. He was too upset with what I had given up. I made him swear never to utter a word of it to our family. I would tell them when I was ready, he reluctantly agreed. He said he also had to build up the nerve to tell our parents that he was leaving Gardania and heading back to the packhouse in the human realm."Still refused to come to dinner?" Nesrin asked as I shut the door behind me."Of course he did. But he will get over it. Did you know he was talking about going to live with Aunt Cass and Uncle Ty?" She nodded."Yeah, he mentioned it to me a while back, but mother and father shut him down. Saying he would make a great blacksmith. That he didn't need to worry about it
Chapter 43 - I Love YouWe sheered into what I could only assume to be his bedroom. A huge king bed sat in the middle of the room. A white fur carpet laid beneath his bed. A perfect contrast to the black marbled floor and black bedding. The whole room smelled of him, and it made my head spin and my heart race. The walls of the room were red. The one wall was made entirely of glass facing the city. The northern lights were dancing with the twinkling stars. As much as I wanted to appreciate the beautiful scenery, I wanted to enjoy Balthazar more.Garren warned me about how the bond would drive us crazy with lust. But I wasn't sure how I had ignored such an urge before now. Maybe it was the distraction of the mission or the fact that we hadn't entirely accepted each other until now. But now, all I craved was his touch, his lips on mine. I craved the throaty laugh he gave when he was teasing, temp
Chapter 45 -Queen of the underworldTwo weeks had gone by since Balthazar, and I came home. There hasn't been a moment that's gone by where I am not being taught the ways of the underworld, from learning the laws of a deal to the reasons behind a specific sentence. I didn't know there were so many forms of torture available. What is even more unnerving is that the demons assigned to deliver said torture have been doing it their whole lives. Jade told me a few stories of her encounters with the beasts of the torture cells and had warned me never to cross one. Balthazar laughed at her warnings and reminded her who I was. Even with his faith in the hierarchy, Oren and I still vowed never to go there alone.Between us, not being able to keep our hands to ourselves and learning everything I had to before I was officially crowned Queen. Balthazar expl
Epilogue *Five years later.* "Deep breath in and let it go through your nose with each hit. Stay steady on your feet." I shouted at Kai as he moved to make his next swing at his target. He did a quick sidestep before spinning and slicing the demon's head clear off. "Better?" He panted as he approached the bench for water. "Much better. Next, we will work on hand-to-hand combat. Then I think you'll be ready for your first collection. I think this time we will have you face Jade. These illusions aren't cutting it." He nodded before taking a swig of his drink. He let out a loud breath before running his hands through his short brown hair. "It would be easier if I could fight you. Besides Jade and Balt, you're the only other person here who knows what they're doing." He mused as he adjusted the blades sheathed to his bicep. "I know, but until I'm fully in control of my powers, I don't want to risk hurting you," I explained. He rolled his eyes before sitting down on the bench with
Prologue Breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth. Strike harder, faster, no hesitations. A simple slip-up is the only difference between life and death. I grunted as I stepped forward, thrusting all my weight into my next blow. The sound of metal on metal filled the air. Sweat dripped down my brow; I ground my teeth as I pushed forward. You have to be better than your opponent. Anticipate every movement, and keep your mind focused and clear. Even on the brim of exhaustion, you must give it your all, and never show your weakness. Never show your opponent what cards you hold in your hand. Fighting is both a game of strategy and preservation. You fight to protect your people, who count on you. Whoever comes out on top is stronger; they’re the ones to be feared. You hold that title until you fall. To be the best and remain at the top, you must always believe you can improve. You must believe that you don’t deserve the title constantly proving yourself to others daily, that yo
Chapter 1 - Wishes “Better luck next time.” I grin down at Cedric as I offer him my hand. He ignored my out-reached hand, getting up on his own, dusting himself off. Without another word or look in my direction, he joined the other trainees. My father, and grandfather, are the current leaders of the Royal Guards. The Royal Guards are a level of warriors tasked with protecting all entrances from each realm. They have a direct link to the moon goddess, Selene. From all the stories that are written in texts and told by my parents. My grandfather is one of the original Royal Guards. My father's pack only became a part of them, the guards twenty-three years ago, after defeating a great evil and claiming their rights to the throne. My parents had been through hell and back, almost losing one another along the way. There are
Chapter 2 - The Beast I walked out of my grandfather's house, deciding to head to the forest instead of the palace. I needed some time for myself; maybe I would even let my wolf run for a bit. Something about having the air blowing through our fur was so freeing. I had extra time with my wolf than most, but what I gained in perfecting my shifting, I lost in bonding emotionally. When most werewolves shifted at eighteen, I shifted at sixteen. Something not completely unheard of, it mostly happened in Alpha families. We figured that it was because of the Fae side of me. It had sped up the wolf bond and allowed us to shift early. Damon got his wolf at eighteen, and so did Nesrin. Balor was early too, getting his wolf this year, on his seventeenth birthday. All of our wolves were unique in personal
Epilogue *Five years later.* "Deep breath in and let it go through your nose with each hit. Stay steady on your feet." I shouted at Kai as he moved to make his next swing at his target. He did a quick sidestep before spinning and slicing the demon's head clear off. "Better?" He panted as he approached the bench for water. "Much better. Next, we will work on hand-to-hand combat. Then I think you'll be ready for your first collection. I think this time we will have you face Jade. These illusions aren't cutting it." He nodded before taking a swig of his drink. He let out a loud breath before running his hands through his short brown hair. "It would be easier if I could fight you. Besides Jade and Balt, you're the only other person here who knows what they're doing." He mused as he adjusted the blades sheathed to his bicep. "I know, but until I'm fully in control of my powers, I don't want to risk hurting you," I explained. He rolled his eyes before sitting down on the bench with
Chapter 45 -Queen of the underworldTwo weeks had gone by since Balthazar, and I came home. There hasn't been a moment that's gone by where I am not being taught the ways of the underworld, from learning the laws of a deal to the reasons behind a specific sentence. I didn't know there were so many forms of torture available. What is even more unnerving is that the demons assigned to deliver said torture have been doing it their whole lives. Jade told me a few stories of her encounters with the beasts of the torture cells and had warned me never to cross one. Balthazar laughed at her warnings and reminded her who I was. Even with his faith in the hierarchy, Oren and I still vowed never to go there alone.Between us, not being able to keep our hands to ourselves and learning everything I had to before I was officially crowned Queen. Balthazar expl
Chapter 43 - I Love YouWe sheered into what I could only assume to be his bedroom. A huge king bed sat in the middle of the room. A white fur carpet laid beneath his bed. A perfect contrast to the black marbled floor and black bedding. The whole room smelled of him, and it made my head spin and my heart race. The walls of the room were red. The one wall was made entirely of glass facing the city. The northern lights were dancing with the twinkling stars. As much as I wanted to appreciate the beautiful scenery, I wanted to enjoy Balthazar more.Garren warned me about how the bond would drive us crazy with lust. But I wasn't sure how I had ignored such an urge before now. Maybe it was the distraction of the mission or the fact that we hadn't entirely accepted each other until now. But now, all I craved was his touch, his lips on mine. I craved the throaty laugh he gave when he was teasing, temp
Chapter 42 - GodricI hugged Balor goodbye as I left his room. He refused to see me off. He was too upset with what I had given up. I made him swear never to utter a word of it to our family. I would tell them when I was ready, he reluctantly agreed. He said he also had to build up the nerve to tell our parents that he was leaving Gardania and heading back to the packhouse in the human realm."Still refused to come to dinner?" Nesrin asked as I shut the door behind me."Of course he did. But he will get over it. Did you know he was talking about going to live with Aunt Cass and Uncle Ty?" She nodded."Yeah, he mentioned it to me a while back, but mother and father shut him down. Saying he would make a great blacksmith. That he didn't need to worry about it
Chapter 41 - GoodbyesImelda's POV"I don't want you anymore," Balthazar shouted at me."You're no use to me like this. You can't even give me a child. Let alone how pathetic you look trying to rule the underworld. You don't belong here, by my side." He continued to belittle me—each word slicing deeper. I knelt in front of him. My head hung low. I was too ashamed to look up at him. My eyes were swollen from crying. My throat was dry and sore."You had one job, and you couldn't even do that right. I knew you were weak, but I didn't think you were this weak." Oren hissed. I shook my head."I'm sorry." My voice was a mere whisper."I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry!
Chapter 40 - InnocenceThe forest around us was full of life, just like I remembered. The trees all holding golden flowers that smelt of citrus. The sky was the brightest blue. All the colours in my home were vibrant. Something I slowly forgot while I was away. The sound of birds chirping filled the air giving everything a calming element."Why do you hurt people?" The little girl asked, pulling my attention back to her."That's a bold question for someone your age," I said, avoiding the answer."I'm more mature than I look. I have to be. My family is preparing me to be a leader, and leaders ask bold questions and make hard decisions. At least that's what I've been told." I frowned a little at the statement. Why would a child no more than nine be forced to
Chapter 39 - ChoicesThe pathwas exactly how it looked, dark and cold. It was as if I was caught in another realm entirely. The trees were dead, the sound of crows echoed throughout the dead forest. A thin layer of fog coated the ground, and the air smelt stale. Not even a twinkling star shined above my head. My footsteps crunching against the gravel and dirt echoing in beat with my heart. I swallowed hard as I pushed back the nerves that kept prickling at my skin.I held my head high as I kept moving forward, subconsciously counting my footsteps as I went. A harsh, cold wind blew my hair around. It was then I realized I was still only in a light tunic and pants. I fought the shiver that tried to take hold of me. No matter what I was going to face, I would face it all to ensure a future for all wo
Chapter 38 - PricesEmpress Sorin stared at us all. I swore I could see the stars twinkle in her golden eyes now and then. Then, aswift smile graced her lips as she took a sip of her tea. She placed her dainty teacup, littered with purple and blue flowers. The rim dipped in gold. No one else made a move to drink their tea. It was almost humorous picturing any of the men holding such tiny cups in their big hands.“This is awkward. Should we speak first?” Oren mused. I bit the inside of my cheek, clearing my throat.“You said you would like to discuss the future-“ Sorin held up her finger, cutting me off. I glanced over to see the corner of Balthazar’s lip tipping up slightly.I gave him a subtle glare as I turned my attention back to the Empress of d
Chapter 37 - Dragon Spirit Imelda’s POV “How did you get here?” I asked, my voice mixed with both relief and fear. “I go where you go. Nothing could stop me from reaching you.” He turned his gaze to Ryuu. “Not even you, you pathetic excuse for a female.” He sneered. I stared in disbelief. If there were ever a time not to insult someone, it would be now. But Balthazar never played by the rules. He was a king. After all, he made them. Ryuu scoffed. “Oh Balt, I love when you talk dirty to me.” She said, her tone salty. I cringed at the mention of his nickname. I had to remember that she did once mean something to him. Before she hated him, she had loved him.