Edward POV.I stood watching my father speak to a few elders present at the banquet while I drank the grape wine in my goblet. Kailani was mad at me. I could tell it even though she tried to control her outburst. I couldn’t explain it to her without hurting her, and hurting her was the last thing I wanted to do. She was the woman of my dreams and she was everything to me. Yet, I had hesitated when I had stood face to face with my father earlier. I wouldn’t have if I didn’t already know his plans set out for me and it wasn’t something I wanted. Being royal meant you had no control over your destiny. You would always have to put the kingdom first. I understood that, but things were not as easy as they seemed. I wanted Kailani for many reasons, but none of them were selfish reasons. No one would understand my reasons, because I’ve somehow appeared spotless and noble since I could remember.Sure, I could compare what I had with Kailani to what Xavier had with Zara, but they were not the sa
I returned to our chambers and found her things untouched, which meant she had not been here to take any of them. She had run away just like she did eight years ago, only this time, I made her leave.I lied to her, avoided the truth and broke her heart in the end.I had sent out guards to search for her also and I went ahead with a carriage, but we couldn’t find her. After many hours of searching for her, I returned to the Palace. I felt Kailani must have returned to Lurds, but I couldn’t guarantee that was true. I needed a guarantee. That something bad hadn’t happened to her. This was all my fault. She could be in danger for all I know, and I pushed her into that danger.The voices in my head were surging higher and driving me crazier with their nagging and guilt. I needed Kailani; I needed the peace she brought me.I stepped back into the hall, and this time found Xavier with queen Mia waiting for me. I wondered if they had gotten rest after the party or if I had also stolen their p
Xavier’s words were comforting. Knowing he’d be on my side and root for my decision made me feel happy, yet I couldn’t sleep as I went to bed. I couldn’t stop thinking about Kailani or where she could be. I hoped and prayed she was safe and, though my guilt lingered, I knew I wouldn’t be able to find her. I missed her. It had been less than a day, but I missed her. Her laughter, her silly and witty remarks, her voice. I missed staring at her and getting lost in her eyes. I missed the smile and the way she said my name. I missed everything about her. The ray of sun flickered over my face and my eyes opened to see the dawning of the day. I needed to start my day with a clear head and after my meditation; I started getting ready. I marched downstairs and found Xavier and Mia at the dining table, about to have breakfast. Their heads lifted to acknowledge my presence. “You look like shit. Did you even get any sleep last night?” Xavier raised a brow. “A few hours. Thanks for caring.
Kailani’s POV I stayed curled up in the ball on the bed and I’ve remained this way for the last three days of my return from the capital. It did not surprise me that the prince didn’t come after me, or send words. I took it as his way of moving on with lady Shewa, whom he referred to as his childhood friend. It hurt because that wasn’t the Edward I knew, or maybe this was the real Edward and the one I knew was a lie. They would have much in common and she’d be a much better mate than I’ll ever be. She had the name, the grace and confidence, and I could tell she didn’t have a tainted past as I did. I would settle for my life as it was and make the most of it. It would take time to get over him, that was for sure, but I would get over him in time. My door cracked open as Jane stepped in. “Should I bring you dinner in bed?” “I’m not hungry,” I mumbled and sniffed. “You have said that in the last three days. You’re going to break down without meat in your system, Ani.” That was the
I stayed silent, wanting him to continue, and he did. “Over a year ago, my brother sent me to the north with a message for Alpha Koz, the alpha of truth and knowledge, and on my way back from the North, I saw you. It had been five years since my encounter with you then and a lot had changed since then in my life, yet I recognized you and I felt something I never felt in a long while.”I remember visiting the north because I received word about a child I had searched for a few years earlier. She was being held as a prisoner and I negotiated a release. I could not help her because she was sold to the slave traders before my arrival. I returned to Lurds sad, knowing what awaited her. I didn’t know Edward had seen me then. “There I made it my mission to find you and when I did, I knew I had to have you. My whole being yearned for you despite my better judgement. You felt real and gave peace to my never-ending chaotic mind and silenced the voice in my head. No one had ever done that.”“Y
“Take off your clothes, Edward,” I said with a very firm voice, despite how nervous I felt. He obeys, grabbing his coat and shrugging it off his shoulder. He yanked his shirt off and tossed it and the floor, leaving him naked from the waist up. My eyes followed every movement, anticipating and not wanting to miss anything, and it became an uncontainable desire. I undressed as well, getting rid of the dress I had on. His hand quickly undid his trousers, and they dropped off, leaving him naked before me, hard and delicious. I closed the space between us and my lips locked on his, my body pressed against his, feeling him throb against my stomach from need. This fuelled my want for him and knowing I could do whatever I wanted to do to him felt oddly empowering. I place my hands on his shoulders and trailed my touch over his inked arms. He has spoken about how he got his many scars. He had pushed boundaries past the point that he should. He had never let me touch them and had always caug
Third POV Kailani lay in bed with her eyes fixed on the ceiling, thinking about everything that had happened in the last few hours. Edward came back to her because he wanted to be with her. He was hers and she was his and there was no running or changing that now. She loved him more than anything else in the world, and she knew he loved her. She saw it in his eyes a few times and, hearing him admit it last night, confirmed it. She felt a little proud that he wanted to be with her, but also selfish because if he told the truth last night, it meant there was a war coming and the prince was choosing her over doing what was necessary for the survival of the people. Being a royal came at a high cost, putting the needs and safety of the people before yours. She had never known the prince to be selfish. Last night, she became his selfish choice. Many questions lingered. His father, the Alpha of alphas, did not want her for his son. He had a better choice of a mate for Edward. A noble-born
Kailani wasn’t one to go to the temple on a good day, but she felt the urge to. She wanted to pray for the safekeeping of the prince and the man that owned her heart. Rue told her praying at the temple worked and she took her word for it. The full moon was a week days ago, and it was the happiest she had ever been while shifting. Edward saw it too, and he told her it made him happy as well. She was happy with him, happier than she had ever been, and that scared her. It’s been two months since Edward returned to her and it had been a happy tale since then. She knew he would never do a thing to hurt her, but she could feel hurt and pain lay ahead. His departure for the capital a few days ago gave her the time and space to think about what she wanted and he was what she wanted. She didn’t ignore the many reasons that served as barriers to their union and despite Edward stubbornly ignoring them; they existed. She didn’t want to ruin his reputation or relationship with his family, especial
With the parlour gone, Kailani spent most of her time travelling. Nothing was keeping her anymore, Rue had Oliver and Jane had Glen and all was well and she gave her time to travelling. It was her way of escaping the memories the city brought into her mind. Some of those memories were the ones she made with Prince Edward, her one true love. It was harder spending time here when every corner of her home and city reminded her of him. She knew she wouldn’t survive if she stayed, so she moved to Soule in the north, the place she was born only coming to visit Lurds once in a while. Today was one of those days. Rue and Oliver welcomed their babies a week ago, and as soon as she received words, she set out to visit. Rue had told her she would be their children’s godmother, and she had to be present and celebrate with the family, her family, for this wonderful news. They held a feast to celebrate, and she was just right on time. She hadn’t stayed in Lurds for more than a day for the past co
“He’s miserable without her,” Xavier, the alpha king, said, coming to stand where Robb stood watching Edward from far away deliberating with the counsel of learners at the scholar’s institute. “As anyone would be without their true mate.” Edward had been back in the capital for the past six months, living and obeying every command of the alpha of alphas without questions. It was his oath, and so far he had done his job of keeping it. The trial found lady Shewa guilty of murder and malicious conspiracy and also the death of Kemi and Romeo at the parlour. She was then demoted to an omega in the capital. After losing her rank as a beta and title as a noble, the house Black disowned her and disconnected their ties with her. With Shewa’s rank gone, Robb could no longer force his hand into marrying her. But he was back at the capital, attending to royal duties and going along to all Robb’s outreach to unite the kingdom, as well as the neighbouring ones in the war, which he believed was clos
A week later The king’s guards returned with news of the capture of Cynthia. She was about to cross the border of the north into the kingdom of Jade. It had been three weeks since the attack on the parlour and this was good news for not just Kailani but for every worker at the parlour. When she heard the news of Cynthia’s capture, she wanted to confront her about the truth; but she feared her anger might make her do something drastic, like snapping the backstabber's neck. She deserved that and even more for what she did, but her time was coming. Edward took the lead and after thorough questioning and torture, Cynthia confessed to not working alone like she initially claimed. She called a few names, and Kailani knew them in Lurds. These were men who were kicked out of the parlour because of their recklessness and lack of self-control in the past. Cynthia also called the instigator of the attack on the parlour as Lady Shewa of the house black. Kailani initially thought Robb Ainsworth
The door to the room opened, and they pulled apart to see Jane and a few other workers from the parlour standing there. A big smile spread over her face on seeing them present at the temple, alive and well. They moved and gathered around her bedside, all having looks of relief on their faces as they beheld her. It warmed her heart up and made her grateful to be alive. “Thank you all for coming to see me,” she said, her eyes looking through the crowd around her bed.“It’s the least we can do for everything you did,” Jane smiled cheerfully at her. “And thank you for not abandoning us in the blazing house,” Kyra said with a grateful smile on her face.“I would never do that. You’re all my family and I’m happy we made it. I believe whatever comes our way, we will overcome.” The workers stayed around for a few more hours before most took their leave, leaving only a few behind. As the crowd in the room reduced, her eyes searched for the few notable faces she longed to see, but didn’t see
Edward stepped through the portal and into the city of Lurds at the location where the parlour was. Just like he feared something terrible had happened, the parlour was on fire and those around were fleeing from it. The choking smoke of the flames that oozed out of the parlour travelled through the nose and burnt the lungs. The amount of wolfsbane present in the smoke was enough to kill even the strongest werewolf, if trapped in it for too long. This was an attack on the parlour and whoever was behind it had their plans thought through and executed. Knowing that someone would do this angered Edward, and knowing Kailani was still inside terrified him. He couldn’t lose her too, he wouldn’t make it. The few that came out of the parlour were running as far as they could to safety, but she wasn’t one of them. He caught a maiden running by the arm and made her stop. “Prince Edward!” Kyra acknowledged him and bowed her head despite her fear. “Where’s lady Kailani?” he demanded and fear re
“The earlier I start my journey, the faster I will get back to Lurds,” Edward told Xavier whom he had woken up in the early hours of the morning. “If anyone had told me, we will have this conversation about you ever finding a maiden and getting married. I wouldn’t have believed them,” Xavier spoke with a grin on his face as they walked towards the study. They would spend the next hours to come deliberating on the proceeding of the wedding at Lurds before Edward would leave. Edward had put in motion the plan for the wedding. The last task he had to do was meet the dressmaker for the robes the king and queen would wear at their wedding. He had done all he needed to do and was ready to return to Lurds, where his mate and lover waited for him. He missed her. He missed her laughter, her smile, her naughtiness, her wildness. He missed the feel of her skin when pressed against his. He missed the touch of her hands on all parts of him. Her soft kisses fondled and caresses. He missed her sur
The way all parts of her body burnt as if set on fire and how she couldn’t turn it out felt like a strange dream but also so much like reality. The longer her eyes stayed shut, trying to figure out what was happening, the more the pain in her skin grew and became unbearable. Her breathing also became restricted, as if the air was cut out and every intake became a battle and she choked. Her eyes snapped open to see thick, blinding smoke covering up her chambers. The smoke had cut out her vision, so she didn’t see anything a few feet away even if she tried. It wasn’t a dream, she soon realised, and she felt trapped. Confusion and question filled her head as she wondered what could have started this great choking smoke. It wasn’t an ordinary smoke. She wouldn’t feel so weak and tired if it was. The smell and the pain it caused when breathing told her this was wolfsbane. This wasn’t just a random happening, this was an attack on the parlour. She got up and race to the bathroom and threw
Edward travelled to the capital a week ago to relate the plans he had made to his brother, the king. The wedding, according to plans, should hold next week and this was Edward’s last visit to the capital before his union with his love. When Kailani asked if he wanted her to come along, he smiled and told her to stay back and make sure all their plans for the day were perfect. This was the only task she had and she had to do justice to it. She could do that. It felt like a dream, but the day she would unite with Edward as one drew closer with every hour that passed. He had proposed them moving to the capital after marriage and though she’d gone along with every single thing he’d said happily, that made her a little sad. Yes, she wanted to step aside from the parlour, but moving to the capital would mean farewell completely. Saying good bye to everything and everyone she had grown to love. She knew moving to the capital was inevitable because the capital was called La Ville De Roy
Kailani got down from her carriage and approached the parlour when she noticed Jane standing at the entrance with a scroll in her hand and a worried look on her face. Her eyes narrowed at her as she approached, but Jane didn’t notice her presence yet and kept looking around instead. She got to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, making her jump on her stand. She twirled around and found Kailani, and the fear faded away. Ever since Kailani took a step back from the parlour, she had stopped coming as early as she used to. She took a step back because Edward had asked for her hand and when she said yes; he moved to propose a wedding ceremony and that had taken her time and focus. They were sceptical about the venue because they wanted to avoid the alpha of alphas whom Edward refused to invite, but also wanted the king's presence. Kailani voiced her insecurities about the capital and so they decided to have a small wedding in Lurds. She was happy with the turnout of things, but stil