THE LYCAN CITY. LUKKAR CASTLEVALERIEWhen Ariel dropped the tray on the cabinet she did not leave. She stood there, looking at me nervously and I could sense that there was something wrong, the chills that ran down her spine and the way she avoided Lukkar’s eyes was not because she didn’t want him to suspect her, no, there was something worst, something else and it made me shiver.“Any problem?” I asked slowly, adjusting so I sat and faced her.“Okay… okay…” she sighed, trying to calm herself and that only made me more and more tensed.“Who are you, your grace?” She sounded like she had been dying to ask that question, looking for the best possible ways to put it so it didn’t sound like treason.I kept my voice calm, her fright did make me scared as well. “I’m Ariel, noble from the Emeral Kingdom— I had confined in you to keep it a secret, you didn’t tell anyone did you?” I eyed her with suspicion.“Okay! Okay…” she sighed cutting me and she looked. At me nervously but I could tell t
THE EMERAL KINGDOMDERONMost of my days were boring but today was different. I got home from the Hunting grounds carrying a sleeping Myla in my arms. Alone she hadn’t done much in her wolf form and easily tired herself out but not going feral on the get go. After a few more tries she had managed to catch and happily devour a small rabbit.I walked slowly, she wasn’t particularly heavy but I didn’t want her to wake up cause she might want to return to the hunting grounds and it was already getting late. Father had returned from work quite early today and looked forward to the time we were going to spend together tomorrow. Just thinking about it made me happy with a strong wave of Nostalgia.I reached home, my mother sighting my junior in my arms. “Feel limp in the middle of your hunt?” I nodded, Myla was still too young to handle herself in her wolf form for long periods of time. I walked upstairs, getting to her room and gently opening the door. Setting her on her bed, she adjusted l
THE LYCAN CITY. LUKKAR CASTLELUKKARThe audacity the Elders had to request my Luna’s presence without consulting me made my blood boil with anger. He was speaking to Amin, not even considering my presence.I had had enough, ready to rip him apart and I stepped forward. He was still talking, like I wasn’t standing right there and he should be talking to the Alpha himself.“SHUT UP! DO NOT YOU RECOGNISE MY PRESENCE?!” I said firmly but stopped as I felt Amin’s hand on my shoulder. I glared at my personal body guard, transferring the anger to him in an instant and he averted his eyes from mine.“My lord, the Betas would like to witness the presence of our Luna to be… and I’m sure the maids would be glad about it as well.” Amin smiled warmly and I realised that all the maids had paused on their tracks, surreptitiously glancing at me. I realised my aura was all over the place and I adjusted myself, if I couldn’t keep my anger in check then I indeeed was no Alpha.“Forgive me if my err act
THE LYCAN CITY. LUKKAR CASTLEVALERIE“You mean the most ruthless and brutal Alpha?”I nodded, Ariel was making me to see the actual severity of it all. This was a a predicament.Her fear shifted from being a mere aura to an almost tangible feeling.“Oh my gawd, you mens to say that you were betrothed to the Alpha Lukkar’s brother?”I nodded, knowing they I had told someone the greatest secret of my life, though I knew I could trust her.“But it’s impossible to be mated when you have been betrothed, it’s against the law….” She whispered to herself. I didn’t care about the law, the Alpha Emeral was a bad man who was going to use me a for slave, the least I could do was find my own freedom. Then he put a bounty on my head and is continuously trying to have me head, that was not a life I was ever thinking of returning to.“The Alpha Emeral was a bad man! He was going to use me as his slave, he never respected me nor did he view me as a person with rights. Staying with him was as good as
THE EMERAL KINGDOM.DERONMy fathers aura flowed easily into my mind and I could teller her too did not trust the wolves that had apprehended us, or more like, he did not trusts where they were coming which was the Alpha Emeral. It was common knowledge that the Betas and the other wolves in power were twisted and crooked and the fact that the Alpha had taken a special interest in me could not be right.‘Very well then—’‘No!’ My father cut in, ‘the boy goes under one condition, I go along with him!’ He raised his snout, a show of strength. I could feel that the red wolf was sceptic to deny my father but immediately toughened up as his grey companion stiffened his face and stepped forward.‘I respect you for your dedication to this kingdom, marshal, that’s why I will only say it once again; the boy goes alone!’My father took a step forward as well. ‘I am sure you would ‘not’ want to stand in my way!’ He said, his voice daring.The wolf knew it was a foolish idea to brawl against my fa
THE LYCAN CITY. LUKKAR CASTLEVALERIE“Why yes… Lukkar…” I walked past Amin, keeping my steps quick until I got to the Alpha’s room. Knocking once I opened the door and stepped in, Lukkar was peering out the open window. I walked up to him, drowning in his alluring scent.“Ahh, you’re back…” he turned and I smiled warmly. “Did you manage to conspire with your friend?” His tone changed, suspicion in his eyes and my heart skipped a beat.“I-I—”He burst into a laugh, his friendly aura returning and I chuckled as well, my heart doing somersaults in my chests and my blood hot and cold at the same time.“Well, I did tell you about teaching you our kingdoms laws and customs so I got someone who would be handling you from now…” he motioned behind me and I noticed the third person that had entered the room.My mouth fell open.“Meet Reila.” Lukkar said.Her eyes bore into mine with a knowing stare, one that I tried not to return. My mate stood oblivious to the deeper secrets we both were hidin
1 CHAPTER FOURTY THREE - SISTER SISTERTHE LYCAN CITY. LUKKAR CASTLEVALERIEReila may have been the craziest person I had ever met but oddly I had started to like that. She told me about how her life was in the Emeral kingdom and how she had lived a rather nice life and quiet life, something I wished I had.Sooner I was feeling a stronger bond with her than ever and I wondered if she could really be a threat to me, or better, she could be a companion. We had gone through similar and traumatic events, there was no other person that could understand us better than we our selves. The only thing we didn’t have in common was the extra ‘ve’ I had in my name and I could say the same for Ariel.“I wanna help you Valerie… with your permission I could help you shift.”A nerve line fired across my chest, I winced. The thought of ever being able to shift was something I had abandoned quite a long time ago, it just never seemed possible and I wondered what my wolf might look like. Blonde hair lik
THE EMERAL KINGDOM.DERONHow was the night so cold? My mothers usual heavy tasty onion soup did little to warm me up. I ate knowing quite well that the Alpha was gaining on me and Jacks plan, this was not how it was supposed to go.We had been given a ride home just as we were brought to the Alphas castle and my father was insulated quiet through out the ride, all his defensive aura had completely disappeared and he was now more calm and still, his head low in thought.“Father?”He snapped his head up at the sound of my voice, and out on a fake smile which even made me more suspicious.“What was that about?” I asked nonchalantly, maybe I’d u didn’t show too much interest in it he would feel more confident to open up to me and tell me what I needed to hear instead of him to fumble and obviously lie to my face as he had done.“Argh, it was just a political proposal son nothing is too much importance!” He said with a dry smile.‘Then why were the wolves only wanting to bring ‘me’ to the
THE LYCAN CITY. LUKKAR CASTLE.VALERIEThe Tracker seemed to move through shadows, I had a strange feeling in my stomach and I wondered if that was because I was almost raped again or the Trackers magic just gave me a bad feeling.When we stop I'm looking down at two rows of armies, towering wolves that growled softly and foot- soldiers that wielded sharp blades. My insides twisted and I fought back the strong nausea that came over me when I saw the Alpha Emeral.He was cladded in polished armour that gleamed under the soft moonlight."You have something that belongs to me!" He bellowed. My mate wore an identical pair of armour, it was no mistakening that Amin was the giant black wolf that loomed behind him.I easily spotted Sylria, the end of her staff twinkled under the moonlight."If you mean my mate then you are mistaken!""She was given to me long before you found her, she belongs to me!"I spotted My father, hia hard gaze swept over where I watched from the dark and I jerked on
THE LYCAN CITY. LUKKAR CASTLE.VALERIEMost occupants of the castle that were not going to battle had relocated to Rosalies’ mansion at the edge of the kingdom which was farthest away from the possible damage of the war.I watched Sylria kiss her little sister on the forehead a she waved her off with moist eyes. I hoped she would be reunited with the little cute angel, but the possibility of death was still something that frightened me. What frightened me worst was when I learnt the wolf that Hunted me was fighting at Lukkars side.I sat on my bed, Ariel was about departing with the other maids when I told her to follow me.Ariel’s eyes brightened like stars when I told her she was no longer obligated to bring me meals or clean the cabinets.“You can go home Ariel, I’ve owed your parents a lot, this is the least I could do. From today you a free woman and of course your family would still be supported by the Alpha.”But the light in her eyes dropped, she looked at the ground and I won
THE LYCAN CITY. LUKKAR CASTLE.ALPHA LUKKARThe Warriors growled at the strangers, I and Amin walked to the front of the line. The men that stood at the castles gate both looked as nonchalant as ever but when I locked eyes with the taller one I immediately recognised his aura.“YOU!” My instincts were feral, I had waited for the day I would get to rip him apart, the day I would get to complete our fight without him backing out.“Forgive my err, intrusion your majesty but I would not have dared step foot on the royal grounds if I did not bring urgent news.”“The war is coming, we know, all you’ve done it submit yourself for me to tear you limb from limb!” I stepped froward, my wolf angry and ready to come out for the brawl. The other wolf standing beside him took a step back, cowering in fear.“If you would err, just allow me speak.”“You Hunted my luna, almost killed her, I have nothing to hear from you!” i closed the second between I and the Hunter in a second, the power of my wolf f
THE LYCAN CITY. LUKKAR CASTLE. HIDDEN WOODSFUGITIVE DERONMaybe I would have been more at peace if Sylria had never shown up, maybe. But now not only did her presence make me feel slightly giddy inside, but she had also delivered the horrifying news concerning Emeral soldiers matching up the the boarders of the City.I had had to lie on the ground until Nelma had come to help me up, the two females cared less about if I would be able to see again or not. My face was still swollen all over and I could barely see five feet in front of me as the horse galloped on. I held tight to Sylria, she rode the horse and Valerie held tight to me, Nelma giggling excitedly.The certificate was in my hands, my head still ached from the aggressive way Sylria had let out her anger in beating my face flat against the ground. My healing was slower than usual but I could feel my lips repair themselves and lost teeth start to stalactite from my upper jaw.The horse neighed, throwing its legs into the air
THE LYCAN CITY. LUKKAR CASTLE. CASTL E CELLARSFUGITIVE DERONThe cold from heavy shackles weighed my hands down, this was not the kind of fate I was expecting to have. So far no one had said a word to me except for the Warrior that had plotted all this out with Jharad and by his gloating expression he had achieved whatever it was he had wanted to accomplish.A cold bowl of what I thought was supposed to be dark porridge sat beside me in this dirt cellar, I knew it would only taste twice as bad as it looked.Why hadn’t I jumped with her? I still had the ankh on when I saw the glint of the fired arrow but somehow at that only moment I had forgotten about the dark magic that I had in form of a cross hanging from my neck and instead took the poison arrow. Foolish.Still, one question me, who had tried to kill Valerie and why? I was still not clear on what her status was in this kingdom but from the looks of things she indeed was the Queen, the Alphas mate, his Luna. I still remembered h
THE LYCAN CITY. LUKKAR CASTLE. THE GREAT THRONE ROOM. VALERIES INTRODCUTION CEREMONYFUGITIVE DERONJust saying it was hard to breath was more like a revised way to explain it all, not only were my lungs frozen but my entire body had stiffened to stone. I saw her paused too, her arm halfway through a wave and her lips parted. It was like we had gone to sleep and woke up in the same dream, but it was her and this moment was more real than reality. She had evaded one Alpha only to be forced to marry another? I would not all this!I Slung the ankh over my neck, allowing my wolf to take over and I felt the deep cut on my arm heal up before the power of my inner beast took over my being. I towered over the cheering nobles who were probably too drunk to notice the black wolf that loomed within them.‘VALERIE!’ I linked my scream to her before taking the largest leap, she did not move, she stayed still like a statue her eyes shaky as she looked into the orbs of my giant wolf. I pounced on he
THE LYCAN CITY. UNKNOWNFUGITIVE DERONCertain memories flood back into my mind as I stared into Sylrias’ brown eyes. Her body was just highlighted by the moon perfectly but what concerned me most was the imposing staff she held tightly in her left hand. She did not wear any smile, just a nasty look and I could easily spot her ankh so black it would make a shadow seem bright. Why would she bring an ankh and a staff? This was a friendly meet but the glare on her face made me think otherwise.It hadn’t been too long I saw her, but seeing her like this made me question if she still saw me the same way or if she looked at me and all she saw was a stranger.For a moment we both said nothing, I waited for her to make the first words but she seemed to be waiting for me to speak up first too.“Sylria…”“Deron!”We said each others names at the same time.x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xThe streets were more busy than they had ever, everyone in the kingdom spoke about the Queen to be and the fea
THE LYCAN CITY. LUKKAR CASTLEVALERIENever had so many people stared at me like this, stared at me with happy and warm smiles. I had had stares in my life, a lot of stares that usually came with an equal lot of scorn. But today I was the star of the kingdom, nobles flocked around me like I was some rare gem they all wanted to get a glimpse, for the first time I had seen peasants walk the castle halls. I greeted a small peasant family, the man looked a bit scruffy and took only about a second to recognise me before he threw his head down and literally screamed the words, “It’s an honour to be in your presence your grace!”I laughed heartily, waving him off and I saw the surprise on his wife’s face when I said, “The pleasure is all mine.” I gave their daughter a flower from one of the many Ariel had stocked like decorations in my hair, and my heart rose when I saw the long smile that brightened the girls face.Since I told Lukkar the truth about me I had felt freer, lighter and more re
THE LYCAN CITY. LUKKAR CASTLEVALERIEMaids flocked around me like termites around a candle light and their happy faces were a complete opposite of the glum face that stared back at me from the mirror. It was my day, I would finally get to be one with Lukkar, why wasn’t I happy?The air in the room held the fragrance of several different perfumes and face powders, all of which blended together to give a rather pungent smell. When the chattering and occasional dabbing on my face with make- up brushes started to bug me I stood up. They all went silent, most of them were younger than me anyway.“Excuse me I… I think I need some air.” I walked out of my room, my face half painted with power and I proceeded to the garden. I instantly spot Reila, she was with a watering can attending to a small bush of roses.She spoke once I got close to her, “I knew you’d come to find me here…”I shrugged my shoulders. “I’m just not really feeling it…”She turned to face me. “You? Or Valerie?”There was n