Calix’s POV. The plan was simple— to invade the hamlet, eliminate as many of Alpha Thane’s men as possible, kidnap the princess, and be gone within the blink of eye. It was that simple but as I emerged from the forest and stared into her beautiful blue eyes, I almost canceled that plan. That brings me back to yesterday evening. I watched as my beta and the men trained in the tiltyard from the rooftop. Footsteps echoed behind me and it was Leia. “Hey.” She smiled as strolled to meet me behind the parapet. “Hello.” I replied and glanced at her, she was wearing a purple satin dress and a white muffler. Exhaling, I brought back my gaze to the men below. “So, you’re still going on with the invasion plan?” “Look, Leia!” I cut her off. “I do not want to listen to any of your pity stories or anything about forgiveness.” I growled, glaring at her. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “So what are you going to do
Calix’s POV. I plummeted into the water and missed a large rock by an inch. Expelling rings of bubbles, I searched the deep and saw her drifting away unconsciously toward the bottom. A few anxious strokes, I got to her, and realized she was bleeding from her head. Cursing under my breath, I propelled us to the top and broke out from the water. Taking a deep breath, I saw my men running down the cliff all shifted into their lycan forms and I glanced at the woman in my arms; I lifted her from the water and howled. I swam to the shore and tried to perform some resuscitation on her like I did the last time under the probing gaze of my men, but none of that seemed to work. My thoughts were all jumbled up even as I collected my cloak from Han, shredded out a part and used it as a bandage around her head. “My lord?.. My lord?” Han interrupted via the mind-link. “We need to get her to a physician in Tyr before it's too late.” He was right. I guess he figured out how much I wasn't
Leia’s POV. “...I won’t let history repeat itself. You’re not coming with us!” Calix’s words cut through my heart like a two-edged sword. I watched him take the men with him, and they left for the hamlet of Cathena, leaving me behind. Crying has never been my thing, but as soon as they left, I hurried to my room, screamed my heart out and lashed out on a few furniture. And then panting, I realized I can actually take up matters in my hands. My cousin, Calix, had instructed the few men left behind to keep an eye on me– but it is I who had my eyes on them few minutes later as I sneaked out of my room and tiptoed toward the underground of the castle. Unlike Calix who was only five years old when this castle and Tyr were attacked by Alpha Thane’s men and we were relocated to Nirian, I was ten years old. I know this castle better than him and the lycans he has assigned to keep watch over me. Panting, I glanced at the long passage at the two
Leia’s POV. Ripping out a large chunk of my cloak, I darted to the river and soaked it in the water. I ran back to him, dropped to my knees beside him and with trembling hands pressed the clothe against the gash on his chest. A raspy groan escaped his lips. His eyes fluttered open, those pools of liquid brown– they locked on mine and then they fluttered and he closed them again. I ran back to the river, washed the clothe and headed back to the forest. This time around, I cleaned up the wound on his shoulder but the wound which was obviously a bite wouldn’t stop bleeding. I applied pressure just as my searching eyes found some marigold plants. I hurried to them, plucked some and began to chew them and applied the poultice on his wounds, holding them up with strips of cloth from my cloak. And then my gaze fell on his member. Good grief! I didn't realize he was naked until now. I peeled off my cloak and covered him up. His skin was burning, and yet he shivered beneath my touch.
Leia’s POV. The speed at which he let go of me and jerked to his feet made my heart jitter. Of course, he was ‘the Randolph,’ Alpha Thane’s gamma, charged with the duty of protecting the Azalean princess. Jealousy coursed through my veins and I sucked it up in a breath as I watched him pick the cloak and wore it. “Princess Emily! Who’s she?” I pretended not knowing who that was. I watched as my mate inspected the bandage on his chest, and he settled his gaze on me. “She’s my alpha’s daughter, the next heir of Azalea,” he said. I gulped. “Is there anything going on between you two?” He gasped and what I’ll call a grimace flitted on his face. “No. She’s my alpha’s daughter. I was there the night she was born, already in my twenties. I watched her grow up. That will be the last thing to ever cross my mind.” Relief flooded through me and I sighed. He lowered himself to a squat in-front of me and smiled. “Was that jealousy you just exp
Calix’s POV. First of all, I am grateful she’s safe and back to the castle in one piece, but fury crashed through me at the thought of her disobeying me. She dared to wave it off and act as though she did nothing. “Calix!” she dipped in a curtsey. More than anything, I wanted to grab her and hurl across the room for her act of insubordination, but I was exhausted after hours of staying awake and watching after my unconscious mate. “I– I was worried about you and the men,” she defended, her voice incredibly low. “I’m sorry.” Jerking to my feet, I was about to pronounce her punishment when the door flung open and Han walked into the room “My lord, there’s something I must show you,” he said. Tension pirouetted in the air, every nerve in my body wrung from curiosity as my gaze traveled from my cousin to my beta. “After you,” I said. With one last glare at my cousin, I moved and strode after my beta, footsteps echoed behind me and I knew it
Emily’s POV. In an endless, boundless, thick veil of darkness, I soared. Time didn't exist here, everything stood at a standstill. I floated, weightless, thoughtless, with no idea of where I was– Am I dead? And then my lashes fluttered open and I welcomed the sharp rays of an afternoon sun. A groan seeped out of my lips. Where am I? What happened to me? My throat was as dry as the desert and my vision was blurry. I shut my eyes again and when I reopened them, the room I was in blurred into focus. High stoned walls, a massive arched window, inset with diamond-shaped panes of leaded glass from which rays of the sunlight oozed, a wooden polished shelf on which stood vases of dried flowers, a mortar and pestle, forceps, scalpel, bone saw, hooks, and needles. There was a side stool just close to the small bed I’d woken in, and there were two other empty beds. The room had the faint scents of beeswax, herbs, and the lingering smoke from the hearth. Slowly, I tried to sit up an
Calix’s POV. The desire to rip off my clothes and shift into my lycanthrope rippled through me as I strode out of the sick bay and shut the door after me. Gnashing my teeth, I leaned on the door and growled. I can’t believe I just kissed my enemy’s daughter, the one person I’d vowed to destroy. Dragging a breath, I signaled at the guards stationed at the door and while they locked it, I strode out of the hallway, hurried down the stairs, and soon hit the foyer. Proceeding to the terrace, I took a deep breath wishing I could flush out the intoxicating scent of her which seemed to follow me wherever I went. Sulking under my breath, I proceeded to the royal garden, to one of the white wooden benches, and sat. Fvck! How did I get to this point? All I wanted was to come back to Tyr, spend some time with my people, take revenge on the alpha who destroyed my home, and then go back to Nirian. Never did I see this coming, that I’d end up desiring; not in the littlest bit; the daug
Calix’s POV. After letting go of Thane, we released the Azaleans we held prisoners, and then retreated to our vessels. “Weigh anchors!” Han’s voice clamored, resounding in the night breeze. The lead vessel lurched forward as we set out for Tyr. Inside the Great Cabin, I carefully cleaned my mate with warm water. She whimpered and flinched at my touch, shrinking away as if expecting pain. My jaw clenched. Weeks of torture had made her fear even the gentlest of hands. She believed everyone who came near only meant to hurt her. Sighing, I reached for the bowl of soup on the table, scooped a spoonful, and brought it to her lips. “Here, have something to eat.” She hesitated, and then finally parting her lips, she took a sip and chewed slowly. “The stars.” She giggled. “There are stars in the soup.” “What?” She pointed at the vegetables in the soup. “I like the stars. Do you like them too?” I wavered for a second. “Y-yes. I like them too.” To prove it, I took a scoop of the
Calix’s POV. “Land Ho!” the lookout man hollered. I was in the Great Cabin with my officers, finalizing battle strategies should Alpha Thane try to prove stubborn, when suddenly the cry echoed through the ship. We finished and I pushed back my chair. I strode to the deck of the ship, my officers falling into steps behind me. Behind the wheel of the lead vessel, stood Han, steering the ship and dishing out instructions. “Prepare for docking. We make landfall, and we move in formation!” he bellowed. A radioman passed the information to the captains of the other ships. I stretched forth my hand and an officer handed me a spyglass. Stepping toward the bow of the ship, I glimpsed the island called Azalea. Azaleans were already running helter-skelter towards their city gates, mothers clutching their children, merchants abandoning their stalls. Guards rushed out to man the fortress walls. The city bell tolled in frantic warning in a distance as soldiers poured onto the ramp
Calix’s POV. I hated the slight tremor in my hands as I stepped away and read the letter. The first paragraph spoke of how he missed her. The next confirmed they had arrived safely in Azalea—and that my mate was truly sick. A growl rumbled in my chest as I read about my mate’s suffering at the hands of the same people who were supposed to protect her. Unbridled fury crashed through me and I closed the letter. “No! That's not possible!” I raked my fingers through my hair and paced the room. “If she’s really going through this suffering, how come I am not feeling it too through our mate bond? At least, we’ve marked and still remain fully mated to each other.” “Randolph cannot lie to me,” Leia defended, cradling her stomach. “He might have kept a truth from me, once, the letter Princess Emily wrote to him while they were still here. But he would never lie to me!” she stressed. “I never said he was lying.” “Then what are you trying to say?” she asked. Sighing, I stoppe
Randolph’s POV.“Land Ho!” the lookout man hollered.I took out my spyglass and glimpsed at the island ahead.It's been hours since we left the shores of Tyr, hours since I left Princess Emily in the Great Cabin, having watched over her until she slept off, and joined the crew on the main deck.The captain had inquired about our my destination, and I told him Azalea. Now, at last, there she stood. Above us, silhouettes of birds flitted across the sky as first stars twinkled into existence. “Prepare the lines!” the captain’s voice rang out. “Ease the sails and slow her down!” The crew sprang into action, uncoiling the thick ropes and securing the sails. Soon, the ship glided forward, hauled by the gentle current.The salty breeze thickened with the scent of damp wood and seaweed as we neared Azalea’s harbor.“Drop anchor!” the captain called.A heavy splash followed as the heavy metal plunged into the depths of the sea, sending ripples across the water’s surface. The ship ro
Calix’s POV. I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the half-empty bottle in my hand. I had been drinking for hours, pouring glass after glass, hoping the burn of the wine would drown out the ache in my chest. But it only dulled it—never erased it. The sun had long since set, replaced by a moon that peeked through the narrow window, casting a pale glow over the room. The bottle tilted as I brought it to my lips again, the last remnants of wine sliding down my throat. “I love you.” Her words echoed in my head. A bitter laugh rumbled in my chest. Love? Was this what love felt like? A twisting knife in the gut? A slow, suffocating betrayal? I had spent nights blaming myself, thinking I had failed her as a mate, as her alpha. I had torn myself apart searching for answers, wondering what went wrong. And all this time… she had been lying. Pretending. Manipulating me into letting her go. Snarling, I rose to my feet and hurled the bottle against the wall. The impact echoed th
Emily’s POV. “Princess Emily!” “Princess Emily, where are you?” Leia’s voice echoed in the distance. A raspy groan escaped my lips as I rolled on my back. My eyes fluttered open, and I welcomed nothing but the blurry scenery of the forest. It slowly blurred to focus and a sharp pain, seared through my chest, settling triumphantly in my head. I whimpered from the pain. “Leia?” My voice was so tiny I could barely hear myself. “Leia?” Footsteps rushed toward me, and suddenly, Leia emerged from the trees, a handful of warriors behind her. A gasp slipped from her lips and her eyes widened with shock. “Your Highness?” Leia darted to my side and plummeted to the floor. “Your Highness, what happened to you?” “Thank goodness you’re here,” I panted, struggling to push myself up. “She took a strand of my hair.” “Who?” Leia grasped my arm and helped me to my feet. “A witch. She had a dagger—she tried to hurt me. When I overpowered her, she turned to dark magic instead.” Lei
Emily’s POV. The forest quickly enveloped me as I followed the narrow path, forging towards the unknown. The whisperings continued, growing louder with each step that I took. And there was a distant laughter growing closer with every passing second. An eerie feeling washed over me and my heart began to thump in my ears. Wait. What am I doing here? I shouldn't be this far away from the training grounds. I turned to leave, when suddenly, the whisperings and laughter stopped, and another sound reached my ears. Footsteps within the trees. “Who’s there?” I asked. A sudden breeze rustled the branches and leaves of the trees, and suddenly, a shadow flickered past. “Show yourself!” I commanded. “Hello, Emily Blakesley.” A feminine voice said within the trees. “I said, show yourself!” I repeated. “Then you’ll be afraid,” the voice said. Suddenly, a woman emerged from the trees, not so old, not young either. She was draped in a black dress and cloak, the tattered hem of her r
Emily’s POV. The room fell into utter silence at the question. My heart pounded against my ribs as all eyes turned to me. I glanced at Calix from the corner of my eye. He was perfectly still, his gaze locked on me. I could feel the tension in the way his fingers brushed mine. Taking another deep breath, I nodded. “Yes, I love him,” I answered with all sincerity. A few chuckles echoed around the room and Calix exhaled slowly, lifting my hand to his lips. He pressed a kiss against my knuckles. “I love you too, my Luna,” he whispered. The others purred, Leia leaning into Randolph for a kiss, while Han rolled his eyes. As for me, guilt gnawed at my chest. I had hurt him in a way no lover should. Randolph and I exchanged knowing glances and a thought occurred in my head. “What about you, Han? What about your mate?” I suddenly asked. “Yes, that’s true,” Calix chipped in. “What happened to the red-haired you danced with the first night we arrived here? For a moment, I w
Emily’s POV. It was supposed to be simple. I was supposed to pretend to be sick until he got irritated and sent me away. It was supposed to be that simple. But instead of loathing me, the mate the Moon Goddess gave me cared for me. He stayed with me. He made sure I lacked nothing while I unraveled in the false world of madness I had created. The harder I tried, the more determined he became—his care unwavering, his protectiveness suffocating me in its sincerity. Even to the point of losing himself. This morning, watching him reveal his deepest family secret, and his declarations to our bond crumbled the walls of my defense. Guilt clawed at my chest, squeezing so tightly at my lungs that I could barely breathe. But why? Why did he hide the truth about Randolph from me? Why did he make me feel like a pawn in his game? Made me feel like whatever that we had was a lie? Tears burned my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. One slipped away anyway, and he wiped it with his t