~. .~"Ah, Finally, you've arrived at last,"Kaerlia, her thoughts a tempestuous sea, responded with a soft inquiry, "Were you expecting me?""Something akin to that," Mayan-Odette replied, her grip firm on her staff. She extended a reassuring smile to the young, white-haired Aryik.Although Kaerlia couldn't muster a smile in return, Mayan-Odette harbored no offense. She sensed the girl's turmoil and hoped to bring her solace."Here, lend a hand in stirring this concoction," Mayan-Odette invited, nodding towards the bubbling cauldron, its contents a swirling enigma of ingredients.Curious, Kaerlia leaned in, her senses drawn to the mystical brew. "Is this for her?""Paranoid much? It's for you. The rate at which your thoughts churn, it's as if a storm rages within your mind," Mayan-Odette replied, her lips curling into a knowing smile as she continued to stir."What do you wish to know, child?" Mayan-Odette inquired, feeling the powdery substance in her hand, which she sprinkled into t
~. .~The room was quiet, tension thick in the air as Farah and Mobali locked eyes.She bit her lip, unsure of where to begin. "We can talk about it later, you've been standing here for a while."Mobali dragged a chair from the corner and sat down, his intense gaze never leaving Farah's face. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me why you're still alive."Farah scoffed, her frustration evident. "Don't you want me to be alive? Why are you acting like my return is a bad thing?"Mobali's eyes darkened, his wolf instincts close to the surface. "Don't change the subject, Farah."Taking a deep breath, she began, "During the war, some of the rival warriors attacked me brutally. I had no choice but to flee for my life, but I was cornered. It was either die at their hands or risk drowning. Fate had other plans, though, because an arrow struck my chest, sending me plummeting off a cliff and into the water.""What about your necklace? How did our warriors find it?""It must have s
~. .~Laurel, Kaerlia's elder sister, rushed to help Nova sit down as she arrived at the Lady Lorraine's House of Fashion store. Nova came with her maid Yolanda, who stood beside her, helping arrange her dress that looked too tight on her."Wow, how many months, and you're already this big!" Laurel commented, making Nova chuckle. Her skin glowed, and she looked more beautiful with her swollen belly protruding through her grey dress."Aunt May says royal pregnancies are a lot different. The baby's only eight weeks old, and I'm this big. I am due to give birth in twelve weeks anyway.""You don't look too comfortable in your outfit," Laurel observed.Nova sipped from her water glass that she had Yolanda carry around. "That's exactly why I'm here. I came to get some maternity dresses and outfits."Laurel nodded and said, "Wait here, I have some inside." With that, she went inside the store to retrieve maternity clothes for Nova.Laurel returned a few minutes later, holding a selec
~. .~"I couldn't believe it when I heard of your return, welcome back, Your Highness," a council member said to Farah as she gave him a small smile."Thank you.""Now back to the meeting agenda," another council member continued, attempting to steer the discussion away from the tension that had arisen earlier. The council members focused on the matters at hand, discussing various issues related to the pack and the kingdom."Congrats, Supreme Beta Dwayne on your mate's pregnancy," one council member announced, and applause followed as Dwayne acknowledged their well-wishes.Then, the proposal regarding Farah's role was raised. "And, now that Farah is back, it is only fair to give her her rightful position as the Luna and Supreme Luna Queen," a council member stated.Immediately, Velia voiced her objection, her anger growing. She knew she didn't have the authority to influence the council's decision, but she couldn't remain silent in the face of what she considered an injust
~.MOBALI.~"I graciously accept the verdict," Kaerlia said, her head bowed as she received the scroll that decreed her new title.My fists clenched involuntarily as I watched her exit the hall. This wasn't the outcome I had wished for, and a sense of frustration swelled within me. I couldn't shake the feeling that this situation had spiraled out of control, leaving everyone hurt and divided.With a sigh, I decided to retire to my chambers, hoping to find solace in the solitude of the night.But before I could take more than a few steps, a voice called out to me, cutting through the sea of emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. "Mo!"I turned to see Farah, her eyes earnest and filled with concern. Her presence was a stark contrast to the turmoil that had unfolded during the council meeting."Mobali!" she called out again, this time with more urgency, her steps quickening as she approached me."Mobali!" Farah's voice held a mix of relief and longing as she approached me.I turned to
~.NOVA.~"The baby is doing fine, you have less than four weeks to go, Your Highness." "That's wonderful news! We're eagerly anticipating the arrival of our little one." Dwayne gushed, placing his hand on Nova's stomach.The healer smiled warmly at us, "I'm glad to hear that you're both excited. Remember to take good care of yourself in these final weeks. I nodded, my hand gently resting on my baby bump. "Thank you, Healer. I'll make sure to follow your advice."Dwayne and I walked out of the infirmary as Yolanda ran to me, beads of sweat trickling down her forehead."Calm down,""I'm sorry Your Highnesses," she heaved in and out, trying to catch her breath. "A letter came in from Tamasrei for you." My eyes lit up in happiness taking the letter from her hands. "I'll see you later, babe, Yolanda, take care of her for me."Dwayne's words were filled with affection as he kissed me on the cheek before heading off. I watched him go with a fond smile, feeling fortunate to have such a car
~.KAERLIA.~"Raise your sword higher!" Visanyos yelled as our training session intensified. He kept pressing me toward the wall, and it became clear that I wasn't going to gain the upper hand through conventional means.In a daring move, I tossed my sword into the air, creating a momentary distraction. While he tracked the airborne weapon, I channeled my powers into my palm, slamming it against Visanyos' chest with precision. He was sent flying across the training area, crashing into the opposite wall."That's cheating!" Visanyos protested, his voice filled with both frustration and amusement.I couldn't help but chuckle. "You're the one who said there were no rules in this training, Visanyos. Can't blame me for being a good student." I grinned and high-fived Venus, who had been honing her skills with Donovan in hand-to-hand combat.After dealing with Visanyos, I rushed to help him up. "You're quite the mother, Kaerlia. It's a wise decision to start training Venus this early," he comme
~.FARAH.~The grand doors swung open, and she made her entrance. White hair cascaded gracefully down her shoulders, and her piercing blue eyes sparkled with an air of regality. By her side, her guard and maid accompanied her, and all of them bowed their heads in respect."Greetings, Your Highness," they spoke in unison.I found myself staring at them, taking in their deference. With a nod, I granted them permission to rise."Your Highness, I deeply apologize for not being prepared for your visit. I never received any prior notice, or I would have made suitable arrangements," she expressed sincerely.My initial response was a scoff. "Am I not allowed to come here?" I challenged, feeling a hint of irritation.She quickly shook her head, her tone apologetic. "Your Highness, that's not what I meant. I only meant that we could have made proper preparations had we known in advance."My frustration grew, and I clenched my fists. The way she addressed me as 'Your Highness' seemed almost mocki