[Diana’s POV] “Were there any witnesses to your marriage?” An elder asked. I stood on the same landing of the courtroom once again from where I had witnessed the massacre. The only difference was Zephyr wasn’t standing behind me. He was sitting on the alpha’s throne right before my eyes as I gave the proof of our marriage to the court. “Yes, my father. Alpha Urza,” I said. “He couldn’t be here himself. This is the letter from him.” I gave it to the soldier who took the letter to the panel of elders. “Did Alpha Urza see Alpha Zephyr sign the marriage contract?” Janus asked, and I looked at him. I didn’t even feel betrayed now. I knew Janus was speaking, but they were all Zephyr’s words. He didn’t want me there. “No,” I said, trying to keep a poker face. “Then how can the court attest that these are Alpha Zephyr’s signature?” Janus asked. I seriously couldn’t believe Janus, my best friend, was doing this to me. If anything, he was one of the witnesses of our marriage as well, but
[Zephyr’s POV]It happened so fast I didn’t even blink, and Diana had the situation under her control.I thought she was shot, but I had forgotten for a moment that Diana was now a messiah and her demonic powers were second only to God.This was the second time I had seen her use her powers, but I could feel the gravity of her darkness that could even stop the wheels of time.The bullet shot at Diana was levitating several inches away from her stretched out palm. While the bullets Diana had shot at the assassin had fatally injured the assassin. The assassin’s invisibility flickered as she crashed on the ground from the ceiling. Dead.Dense black flames erupted from Diana’s palm, turning the bullet into dust in no time.I looked at Janus and Vera, who looked agape from what they were witnessing.If this was the starting power of her demonisation, I can’t even imagine the strength Diana will possess when the process ends.Diana lowered her hand and stood impassively, peering at the ass
[Zephyr’s POV] I turned to see Vera tense up her body and Janus looking at her with a strained expression. I walked near Vera and picked up the file before her. ‘So, it was you?’ I glared at her. ‘I am sorry, alpha. She casually asked about your schedule. I never thought she’d actually come here.’ I exhaled, putting the file back on the shelf. She hadn’t even established herself as the luna yet and she was already turning my people against me. Vera had been guilty about hiding the truth from Diana, and I am sure Diana used her guilt to get the private information out of her. I made Vera her lady-in-waiting because Vera was strong and could protect Diana. Above all, I thought Diana would be comfortable around her since they have been together for years, but maybe I shouldn’t have done that. ‘She is here to stop me. Nothing she says or does is for emotional reasons and even if it is, you are not allowed to give my schedule or personal details like these to her. Do you understand
[Diana’s POV]When I asked Vera for a way to enter and leave the palace, she said that Zephyr had already designed the barriers in such a way that I could enter and exit them without needing the key spells or his permission.Perhaps that amenity was only available to me because even Vera and Janus needed Zephyr’s permission to leave the palace.It was strange because the barriers were put up months ago. Could it be that Zephyr expected that I’d come to the Pretis palace?I don’t know why he allowed me the luxury of not making the palace a cage for me, but I could use that.Like I wished, Zephyr and I were staying in one room. We slept in the same bed, but it seemed like I was invisible to him. After our conversation in his study, I didn’t know what to feel, so I avoided starting a conversation with him as well. A part of me wanted to trust him while the other stopped me from doing so.And no matter how much I tried to stop him, he kept on speeding the preparations for the war. I told
[Diana’s POV] Archer became invisible the moment we teleported to the Wenos pack. He was probably around us. I walked onto the Juliet balcony attached to the room. The rock garden’s still the same. Devon liked collecting rocks and crystals. So the plants in his garden were also the ones that grew only on rocky terrains. This garden had rocks and crystals found all over the world. We often strolled in this garden in the evening. He often showed me how the rocks and crystals changed their colors in various phases of the day. He used to say that when something as solid as rock changes in various phases of a day, how could we remain the same in the various phases of our lives? He found his inspiration to live from rocks which were most probably the most lifeless things. I often wondered in the past if that was the reason Devon had a stony face all the time. I smiled faintly at the nostalgia liberating in my chest. But even the most lifeless rocks could come alive when they were put
[Diana’s POV]“Did you kiss Alpha Zephyr on the night of the private party?” Janus asked Darya.Janus had called Darya to his office, putting an invisibility spell on me. Hiding my overall presence, I watched them. He had asked me to listen to their conversation silently.Darya made a face.“Why are you asking that? I thought you called me here for something important. And why am I standing in this magic circle? What is its purpose?”Darya looked at the magic circle beneath her feet.“This is important because of all the rumors going around the Alpha. As his beta, it’s my duty to keep my alpha’s image clean and I can’t let anyone tarnish it, no one. Not even his close comrades. Especially when having an affair with a colleague is frowned upon in this society. Answer my question, Darya. Did you kiss Alpha Zephyr?”Darya rolled her eyes, folding her hand under her breasts.“Yes, I did. So what — AHH!”Darya cried as visible electric currents passed through her body from the magic circle
[Diana’s POV](Trigger warning: Reader’s discretion advised. Mention of rape, abuse and torture.)*****My eyes brimmed with tears as I peered at the blank stone walls of the cells and the empty chains attached to it.A sharp throb ran across my chest.I could hear the clanking of the chains and the muffled groans. I could see Zephyr trapped and entangled among those chains. The chains pierced his skin all over his body.The darkness eclipsed his face, but the entire picture was so clear, as if it was happening right in that moment before my eyes.I stepped away from the walls, breathing heavily through my mouth.One year.They tortured him in such inhumane conditions for one year.“Physically, mentally, emotionally, sexually. They tortured him right here in all the worst ways possible. All of them. Especially Vidar, Kyros, Verena and Kalyn.” Janus’ voice tangled with rage as he glared at the empty chains. “The tortures and sexual abuse came from his own father, his own siblings.
[Zephyr’s POV]Diana peered at the mint chocolate cake before her on the dining table.She took the first bite and then the second. But stopped at the third. I sat across the dining table. We had dinner together in silence, like every day. I had instructed Julius to not cook anything that wasn’t to her taste, but everything on the dining table today was of my taste.Diana lowered her head, shadow eclipsing her eyes as she took the third and the fourth bite. I could tell just by looking that she was forcing herself to eat it.‘Julius, why did you prepare this menu today?’ I finally mindlinked him.‘Pardon me, alpha, but today’s menu was personalized by luna herself,’ Julius said and it took me a few seconds to realize my heart had skipped a beat.Why would she prepare my favorite food and then force herself to eat things that she doesn’t like?What is this? A new way of showing her rebel?It would have been a sweet revenge, but for whatever reasons I didn’t want her to be uncomfortabl