UNKNOWN POVWith each step she took, the flowers beneath her feet withered away from the blackness of her aura, at least that is what they would have done if they felt it, but even the animals of the earth cowered before her, not wanting to be the recipient of her wrath next- they all saw what happened to the ones who did.As brutal as death, maybe even more, she stood proud. Beautiful but just as cold. If she was a weather, she would be that one day that rarely happens in the winter, where brutal hail rained just as it snowed. Even death dreaded her. She was the chess master, and she was so close to victory, she could feel it in her fingertips.Afterall, the king was hers for the taking, and she was preparing to move her final piece.Checkmate.*** AXEL’S POVIt was a joyous moment for all that the surgery was successful but I couldn’t bring myself to celebrate. Not when something continuously nagged at the back of my mind, reminding me of the things I struggled with moving on from.
Isla"Dante, listen–""You can't really tell me to listen, Isla. It's been a month. I miss my family." Dante's agitated voice came from the other side of the line as I stood in the lobby, trying to explain why plans changed and why we wouldn't be able to come as early as we planned.Funny how that was the major problem for him and .ot the fact that Axel risked his life for Tessa's or how Tessa almost didn't make it.Or how Tessa was kidnapped.No, the problem was us staying back just a little longer, to ensure the man who saved our baby girl was okay.That wasn't the only reason. Even the doctors need a few days to ensure they are no complications.But fiancé of the year doesn't want to see that.I doubt if— ah, no maybe its my lack of sleep and adrenaline causing me to think like this. Dante is a sweet person normally. He wasn't the selfish guy I was currently talking to."This feels so wrong. Are you even sure that man actually has issues from the treatment he did, or all that is a
IslaStephanie spoke about her cousin Amelia and how she was the only family she had left. Her family was killed in a storm, and we bonded over the struggles of growing up alone.The kids warmed up to her, and even let her touch their sacred toys.I know a part of them was excited to meet a new person.It tends to get boring when it was just mummy, daddy and Cindy, and Mrs Hill, who was still in the clinic.And a part of me was excited too. I also could use a new friend. And a distraction. And she was perfectly both.I hardly had any back in the city, and the people here hated me.But Stephanie seemed genuinely happy to be here, and I wasn't going to chase her away."Ugh, I really do need new clothes." I huffed as I stared at my reflection in my wall mirror. My clothes were getting old, that was what wear and tear could do to someone's clothes. I never anticipated staying here for a month and more, and all our clothes were becoming old.Stephanie was on my bed, playing with her phone.
AxelThe smell of fresh blood hit me as soon as we walked, well Ray walked and I wheeled after him into the hallway where Lana's room was located. I wasn't fazed by the stench, my system already accustomed to the smell of fresh blood having spilled some a couple of times, but my mind kept replaying the fact that I knew this woman.Nothing prepared me for the sight I was met with as Ray opened the door to her room. He was right. I couldn't see this shit on a full stomach.Hanging from her leg tied at the ceiling, Lana was completely naked, her wrists amputated and shoved into her mouth.Her eyes, that was a different story. They were dislodged from the sockets, nowhere to be found on her body.Her body was torn with thorns, and the wounds were purplish and swollen..But the worst part was her neck. Her head was barely holding on to the rest of her body.The whole bed was filled with blood, her blood.Only one person could do this."Goddess," Ray clutched his stomach as he grimaced at t
ISLA'S POV"Where the fuck do you think you are taking my kids?" Axel demanded, his eyes flashing with anger, yet betraying something else as well."Your hand..." I gasped, our attention collectively drawn to the blood trail his swinging hand was creating. As he flexed his hands, the blood flow intensified.Instinctively, I pulled my kids behind me, protectively standing in front."Why don't you tell me what's going on, Axel? What's happening?" I asked, trying to hide how shaken I was.For hours now, I’ve been trying to reach Axel, to let him know of my decision to return to the human society - my company needed me. However, it had been close to impossible because Axel had given strict instructions not to be disturbed. It had taken lots of swearing and threats to have the guards let me in.I wouldn’t want to leave the pack without Axel ever saying good-bye to the kids - or saying good-bye too.But this sight is the last thing I’d expected to see.Never in my wildest dreams h
Axel pov“Fuck!!” Isla’s scream rang out, piercing my ears as I stood just outside the door.This wasn’t the way to go, but Goddess knew I would do whatever it took to protect my kids.To protect her.My mind brought in more memories of Lana bent at odd positions, and my eyes widened. There was no way I was ever going to get used to that.“Sire...”“Sire?”I heard a distinct voice call out to me, and I snapped back to reality.The purple regalia and the stones that shone on the collar of this guard made me realize who had sent him - the council - and a frown came upon me swiftly.“What is it?” I asked, my voice absorbing the coldness that spread from my heart.Why were they sending their messenger?“Sire, the council extends their greetings,” he said and bowed, the stones shining even more as the sunlight hit them at different angles.I knew all the tricks of the council, and falter was a salty way to start it.“State your business or be gone from my sight,” I spat, and he quickly rai
AXEL'S POV.It had been a week.A week of trying to make things right and trying to make the kids understand that I needed to do what I did without too much explanation.As I stood before the double doors of my previous bed chamber, my mind replayed a particular memory that haunted me greatly.Another reason why I was standing there and why a part of me was skeptical about what Isla would do."Daddy? Why didn't you tell mummy that we were playing a game? Why did she yell at you so much? And is mummy bad?" Tessa asked, and Tristan's big eyes centered on me as I tried to tuck them in.I forced myself to smile at them and kissed them on their foreheads before replying."It's a secret. She was trying to get into character. And no, mummy isn't bad. We were acting.""What's getting into character?" Tristan asked, and I gave a small laugh."That's enough, come on," I said persuadingly.They grumbled, but after a while, I had gotten them to sleep, and I was seated at a study table writing yet
ISLA'S POV.I didn't want to do this anymore than I had to.I didn't want to go out there, blessing the marriages of soon-to-be couples, but my children and my career were at stake, and I had no other option but to do what was asked of me.I looked at myself one last time in the vanity mirror before sighing as I turned around and walked outside, where an escort was waiting to take me to the throne room."The lady, her highness!" The announcer shouted, and the hall went silent.They all watched me walk towards the high table where Axel was seated, and then he, too, stood up to welcome me to his table, after which everyone dismissed my presence and continued to chatter.I sat down and avoided all eye contact with him. He wanted someone to sit in this chair, and here I was. Anything else was beyond me."Ladies and gentlemen! Let the ceremony begin," Axel said, and immediately, people started to dance and whisper.Drinks flowed like a river, and I kept quiet, the event reminding me of the
ISLA'S POVDante was back once again.It was like he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.“I’m back, my love,” he slurred, moving close to Axel and me. “Did you miss me?”I inhaled a stench coming out of his mouth. He was drunk.“Guards!” Axel called out. “Take this man out of my palace.”“Axel, he’s in a poor state. I don’t think -"“- He needs to go!” Axel interrupted in a firm voice and then turned to face his guards. “Seize him.”They bowed their head before turning to apprehend Dante forcefully, and then they dragged him out of the palace.“I’m going to be back, and I’m not going to stop until I prove to you that I’m worthy of your forgiveness.”“This is madness!” Axel said once Dante had left our sight, “Pure madness.”“If you say so!” I said calmly.“It seems his little act is beginning to soften you!” He arched a brow.“It’s not. I want him to be as far away from me as possible. But it’s dark, and he’s in a vulnerable state. We can’t just leave him out there like that.”“Whe
ISLA'S POVI was glad that Dante obeyed my words and left, and my only concern was if he would truly stick to his words.“I will see that he lets you be.”Axel's voice drew me out of my thoughts, and I faced him with a smile.“Thanks.”I closed the door behind me, and I was finally able to take the nap I desperately needed.The next time I woke up, the sun had gone down, and I was confused about how long I had fallen asleep.I was still trying to figure it out when I heard a knock on the door, so I drew my dress tightly around my body and proceeded to the door. When I opened it, my anger resurfaced.“Dante! I made it very clear that you should leave.”“I know you did, but then I realized that you haven’t rested after everything that happened. That’s why you acted that way,” he said, looking me straight in the eyes. “We are adults, Isla, and matters like this can be handled with any fuss, and I got you this.”I didn’t realize that his hand had tucked behind his back until I saw him str
ISLA'S POVThe scene in front of me was devastating.I might have hated Stephanie for betraying me and pretending to be who she wasn’t, but I couldn't shake off the thought that she was once a friend as I turned to look at her.She had changed and didn’t look like the person I had known. Her features were different.“Throw her into the woods,” Axel instructed his guards, “And make sure you don’t leave until she’s eaten by some animal.”The guards nodded, carrying Stephanie away, and then Axel turned to face me. He moved closer, wrapping me into an embrace.“I’m so glad that you’re safe,” He murmured before placing a kiss on my head.It was the sweetest thing I had seen Axel do. Maybe the fact that he had almost lost me made him realize a lot of things.“How did you even find me?”“I used the mate haunt. I discovered you were missing after I sent Ray to inform you about the kids.”“The kids? What happened to the kids?”“Stephanie had tried to drown them,” he deadpanned.My face fell. “W
AXEL'S POVI didn’t want Isla to find out that I was going in search of the children. I told her I had important things to do, and she seemed to have bought it because she didn’t question me.I was glad I didn’t tell her they were missing, as I could only imagine how she would have felt seeing her daughter in that state.As I pulled myself out of my thoughts, my eyes landed on my daughter’s body, which appeared so lifeless, and my heart ached so badly.I wrapped her in my hands, heading to the nearest hospital with my men and Tristian by my side.“Drive faster!” I shouted at the driver, and my hands, which were wrapped around my daughter, were quivering.He didn’t respond, but he increased the car's speed, and I kept staring at my daughter, pushing her hair backward.“You’re going to be fine!” I said as I continued to caress her hair. “Hang in there for me.”“Is she going to be okay, Daddy?” Tristan’s voice met my ears. He sounded afraid.“She’s going to be alright. You don’t have to
TRISTIAN'S POVTristian watched as Stephanie grabbed his sister’s hair. He was frightened, but he knew his sister would get hurt if he didn’t intervene.“Let my sister go!” Tristan stood up from where he was and moved in Stephanie’s direction.As he got closer, his eyes reflected sternness, but the next thing that happened took him by surprise. He didn’t expect it and knew he couldn’t stop it.Stephanie grabbed him by the hair, and her fingers, or rather claws in Tristian’s description, dug into his skull. He felt pain radiate through his body at that point and yelled above his lungs.He wasn’t the only one yelling. His sister was also shouting and fussing, trying her best to free herself from Stephanie’s clutches.Tristian didn’t have it in him to kick, so he just kept yelling, increasing his tone every second, and he hoped someone would come to save them - probably his dad, mom, or some guard.In his six-year-old mind, he was hoping for a miracle. Actually, he was wishing for someth
STEPHANIE’S POVMy plans were working.The euphoric feeling pumping through my blood couldn’t go unnoticed, as every step I took away from Isla was rhythmic. The sad look on Isla’s face caught my eyes, and I felt very satisfied. I couldn’t wait for the final plan. The pain Isla was feeling couldn’t be compared to the pain she would feel once she discovered that her kids had been drowned.As for Axel, little did he know that his life had crumbled. The kids are gone, and Isla is about to have the shock of her life and die from a heart attack when she finds out about the death of her kids. Gosh! How much I loved how everything was playing out. I was having a good day, and it was only going to get better. I was going to see Axel, and I planned to visit him looking like Isla.Before heading out, I went to see Isla again. Her head was hung low when I entered, but she seemed to have heard my footsteps because she looked up, gnawing at me. “Hey! Hey!” I said, moving closer to her. “You do
STEPHANIE’S POVI heard a knock on the door and stood up quickly, hoping it wasn’t Isla. My cheeks hurt from fake smiling all day and pretending I cared about her.I couldn’t wait for the hour when the sun would set so I could execute my plans, and I smirked just thinking about it, but the smirk left my lips the second I heard the knocking sound.I walked to the door and opened it gently, and the pissed look on my face faded after my eyes landed on Isla.As I questioned her, my cheeks were hurting from smiling, but I had to keep up the act.“Yes, how do I look?”I gave her a reply, and I watched her giggle like a happy little kid as she walked away. I couldn’t wait to wipe that smile off her face and watch her beg for mercy and the kids. How could I forget how I would make those little angels suffer?Isla and Axel would never know what hit them. It would be like a storm crashed into their life and wrecked it all.I laughed and shut the door behind me as I moved close to my bed and dro
ISLA’S POVI headed to my room with joy spiraling in my heart. The fact that Axel had apologized made me so happy. I didn’t expect him to make that move, but I was glad he did, and the minute my eyes landed on my room door, a smile caressed my lips.I pulled it open quickly, walking in the direction of my wardrobe right away. I didn’t have any idea of what I was going to wear, and as I pulled open the wardrobe, I realized deciding what to wear would be a very difficult task.I took a deep breath before digging into the pile of clothes in my wardrobe, and I started with a black dress with a cute slit, but it didn’t look appealing when I tried it on, so I decided to try on another cloth with a similar design but a different color.When I stood in front of the mirror, I wasn’t very pleased with my appearance, so I removed the gown and sat on the bed.I hated this.I wondered why I was dressing up for Axel. I wanted to just try on something simple, but this was the first time Axel and I w
AXEL’S POV“I feel like a bad mother,” Isla said, and the sadness in her eyes caused my heart to churn. The stern demeanor I had on dropped that instant.“The kids hate me. That’s why they are mad at me and why they’re not talking to me and rejecting my food. And things feel so weird.”“I think you’re overthinking it.” My voice sounded a bit edgy.“I’m not, Axel. I could feel that distance between us, and Stephanie also communicated their feelings to me.”“I understand,” I said, feeling her pain. “But you don’t need to let that bother you. I’m sure they would come around.”“How can I not? My own children hate me,” she continued speaking. “A mother is meant to be a role model to her kids, but I’m nothing of that much.”“You’re Isla. You have always been a role model to your kids.”“Well, I don’t think they feel so, and you’re only saying these words to make me feel better.” She sighed sadly, a sign I wasn’t doing an excellent job of helping her feel better.I wasn’t really good at coax