Zara's POV"Heat? I am in heat...?"I could not believe what Nic was saying. I was shocked by what I heard.Why would I go into heat now? Have I done something wrong?I knew I would eventually go into heat, but what caused it? I was fairly certain that we only went into heat when we were marked... or...Slowly, my eyes shifted to Kaya. She appeared rather guilty."Is this your doing?" I asked.She shook her head hastily."So why do you look so guilty?" I asked."It was bound to happen," Kaya said, as if it were nothing. "You two have been taunting the bond for a while now. The fact that it did not occur sooner shocked me.""Really, Kaya?" I lost my temper. "You were aware that this would occur, yet you remained silent about it! Why didn't you just tell me? Now look at us!""I only figured it out this morning," she whispered in defense."You what!? You knew! And you failed to warn me!" I snarled. "If someone had scented my heat, what would you have done?""Well, no one did," she said w
Zara's POV"Isn't it magnificent?" Beta John's low voice surprised me, causing me to gasp in fear. I turned around to see him standing a short distance behind us."Only a true royal can light up a temple like that!" Drawing nearer, he went on."I do not understand," I murmured, cocking my head to the side and staring at him in confusion as he halted.Is he completely insane?I am not a member of the royal family.Beta John's behavior was increasingly deviating from my expectations, which alarmed me. I didn't know what to do while I was in his presence.My heart skipped a beat and then raced in my chest as Beta John smiled at me tenderly but honestly.His smile was completely new to me. Despite his affection, I saw anguish in his eyes. It was unique, and it frightened the crap out of me, too.Why was he acting this way?Instead of responding, Beta John brushed his fingers on the wall, causing the symbols beneath them to illuminate and come to life.Unbelievable, I let out a gasp and st
Nicolas POV"Make yourself comfortable," Beta John motioned for us to take seats inside. "Celia will show you what happened. It will be as if you are dreaming.""You will be able to ask questions while you watch," Celia added. "We will gladly answer all your questions.""Why?" Zara inquired, hesitant to proceed further. She appeared to be concerned, perhaps even scared. I noticed that her heart was pounding intensely in her chest."You need to know the truth," Beta John responded. This is the least I can do.""I can't find anything suspicious about him," Ray told me. "He is telling the truth.""Are you sure?" I asked."I am," he answered. "His wolf is peaceful inside him, as if he loves Zara like a father. He means no harm to her."I could always trust Ray's instincts, and this time would be no exception."I think it would be okay," I told Zara, grasping her hand in mine. "I trust Beta John. Ray does as well. Let us hear what he has to say."Zara looked into my eyes for a split second
Zara's POVAs the goddess let forth a wrenching cry, a surge of agony coursed through my entire being.I let out a gasp as the agony spread throughout my body.As the goddess grieved for her mate, I could sense every feeling she was experiencing, listen to her inner monologue, and see him through her eyes.
Nicolas POV"What will happen if we don't mate?" My voice was filled with worry as I posed the question."Your future Luna will endure constant agony, and eventually..." Assessing Zara's vitals, Celia's voice betrayed her concern.Beta John signaled for me to follow; I did so grudgingly. I hated to leave Zara's side while she was so weak.
Nicolas POV"Where are we going, Nicolas?" As I led Zara down the empty corridor, she giggled at my side.Her heat was intermittent, but I was able to find a technique to keep it from becoming too painful.I spun around and jokingly pushed Zara against the wall, enclosing her and leaving wet kisses on the side of her jaw.
Zara's POV"Go ahead," Nic urged, motioning for me to take the lead. "Open it. Let's see what awaits us on the other side."Nic was acting in a really odd way; I had never seen him that animated and carefree before."Are you sure you want me to go first?" I asked and hesitated.
Nicolas POVI was both endearing and saddened by Zara's trust issues; her expressions of confusion were priceless."Take our mate's hand," Ray ordered. "And do it together. Keep your promise.""Fine," I gave in.The idea that Zara would feel awkward around me was unsettling. My purpose in being here was to fortify the connection and foster trust, not to fracture it."We will do it together," I said, taking her hand in mine, and I curled my fingers around her and the door handle.As she turned to face me again, Zara cocked her head back. The palpable tension in her body told me that she was anxious.Goddess, I hope that whatever is behind that door is as beneficial as what Beta John had promised."Ready?" I asked.I kissed the side of Zara's cheek as she nodded. I pushed the door open after mentally counting to three with my eyes closed.There was a brief hush as our hearts raced in our ch
Zara's POVHuge green trees stretched far and wide around me, and a sense of calmness had formed around my heart.The forest has always been my happy place.I closed my eyes, and I inhaled deeply, taking in the earthy scent.A sad smile formed on my lips; I felt the wind softly tug on my hair, and the sunrays lightly kissed my face. I haven't been in the woods for some time, and maybe it will help me clear my head.I opened my eyes and scanned my surroundings."Where are we?" I muttered to myself as I scanned for any kind of clue. I wasn't sure where I was, but I felt kind of excited and scared at the same time.Kaya quietly observed me. Her eyes were dull, and her ears were hanging. She seems to be a bit depressed about leaving Nicolas like that, and I had a suspicious feeling that she wanted me to go back and confront him about the photo.But even she knew I wasn't emotionally strong enough to do tha
Nicolas POV"You better get dressed," my father ordered when he entered my quarters. With his gray hair combed back and already dressed in a black penguin suit and blue bow tie, he looked dashing."The opening of the carnival starts in less than an hour!" He continued, closing the door behind him.I rolled my eyes at him and released a breath I didn't know I was holding.I have locked myself in my quarters after our search. Zara was nowhere in sight. I have been moping and drinking here for most of the day. I couldn't believe that Zara could just disappear like that."She didn't just disappear," Ray growled. "She ran away from you!""How?" I snapped. "She can't just disappear in thin air! Someone must have taken her.""I refuse to believe that!" he hissed. "She must have discovered Isabella's photo and embraced the worst! She must have run away! She could have used her magic….""You can't be so
Zara's POVBig, blue-green eyes kept staring back at me; they looked so full of life and love that it was hard for me to turn my gaze away.Who is she?Why did Nic keep a photo of her in his pocket?Is his heart longing for her?Am I just a destraction?My mind kept reminding me of the girl's features in the photo. Her long, flawless golden hair looked so soft and beautiful. Her full pink lips would mold around Nic's easily, and her perfect straight nose and high cheekbones made her look like a sun goddess compared to me. Everyone she met must have loved her.Love her.A sob escaped my lips.Nic must love her if he kept a photo in his pocket of her.I gasped as if all the air was knocked out of my lungs and stumbled backward as the realization hit me.Nic must be in love with her.How else could I explain the photo?My whole world crumbled around me. Was our relations
Nicolas POV"Morning, Alpha," Mariana called from the kitchen as I entered the dining room. "Did you sleep well?""You should rather ask if he slept at all," Ronan chirped teasingly. He was casually sitting at the breakfast table reading the daily newspaper.Ronan's words left me stunned. There was no way that Ronan could have heard us this morning, or did he?Ronan slid the newspaper aside, a wide grin painted on his lips as he slowly raised a taunting eyebrow at me, waiting for my response."I slept fine," I quickly said. "Thanks for asking."Ronan rolled his eyes, chuckled, and straightened the newspaper to continue reading.I took my seat at the table, and Mariana's granddaughter, Amelia, quickly came closer with a pot of coffee."Did Luna enjoy the outing to the waterfall yesterday?" Mariana made small talk as she entered the dining room with our breakfast."She did," I replied, taking a sip of my c
Zara's POVI woke up with the sound of the shower door closing and the shower tap opening, and I lazily stretched my body over the bed.The bed was still warm where Nic lay moments ago, and my gaze shifted to the empty pillow next to me. I could still smell his intoxicating scent on them.A lazy smile crept onto my lips.Last night will be one of the most memorable nights of my life.As anticipated, Nic and I found ourselves engulfed in the midst of the storm. We arrived home completely drenched.My mind strayed, recalling how I trailed Nic during the storm."That was the last thing I hoped would happen," Nic muttered as we reached the porch. "I hate it when we get these unexpected storms."I didn't say anything; I couldn't; my teeth were chattering together, and I was shivering from the cold. My hands were tingling and turning blue, and the rest of my body had lost most of its sensation."Oh, G
Zara's POVAfter spending all day in the gardens, Nic and I headed to the waterfall.At first Nicolas seemed to be a bit tense, but later on he started to relax.I guess he was now certain that the dark figure had disappeared, and I wasn't in danger anymore."Did you enjoy the gardens?" Ronan asked as we stopped on the porch to pick up our lunch. "Not many had the privilege to wander the Alpha's personal garden.""Yes, thank you," I chirped happily. "The garden is spectacular. I especially loved the rose garden. The roses smell so heavenly."Ronan nodded, a grin forming on his lips."Ronan helped me lay out the gardens," Nic interrupted. "He planted most of the rose bushes.""Oh? That's interesting," I replied. "Do you love gardening?""Only for special reasons," Ronan stated, his face turning sad.His statement surprised me, but Ronan quickly recovered."Will you be showing Luna t
Nicolas POVThe soft kiss of the early morning sun on my cheek woke me up."Urgh," I moaned, feeling my back hurt. I must have fallen asleep during the early morning of the night, laying my head on top of the bed.I blinked a couple of times against the bright light, rubbing the spit from my mouth as I tried to get my eyes focused."Morning, Alpha," Ronan said, his lips twisted in a mocking smile. "Did you sleep well?""As well as any other," I lied, compressing a yawn as I shifted my attention to where Zara was lying.I quickly furrowed my brows—she was not there.Did he manage to take her while I was sleeping?I jump to my feet, adrenaline pumping through my veins."Slow down, Alpha," Ronan said, his hands in a defensive motion. "Luna is in the bathroom. She didn't want to wake you."Zara wasn't taken?I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and sank back into the chair.
Zara's POVA deep and lengthy breath escaped Nic's lips, and my attention quickly shifted toward him.If he couldn't see me, how could I possibly calm him down? He was ready to obliterate everything in his path like a hurricane.Nicolas's body suddenly relaxed a bit, and the wind abruptly calmed down a bit.My gaze fixed on the window—the storm was still there, but it seemed to be preparing to destroy.How was Nicolas controlling the weather?Was it because of me—or was it because he knew there was danger roaming around?I placed my hand on top of Nic's, hoping he would be able to feel me, or just maybe he would sense that I was next to him.That's when the strangest thing I have ever seen happened.While Nicolas held my hand, a soft glow appeared between our hands, and I could feel how a warm current—his magic—moved between us.Nicolas stiffened next to me, yet he didn't l
Zara's POV"It's nothing to be too concerned about," the now-familiar husky voice chimed in my ears. The voice belonged to the infirmary doctor, and he was explaining to Nicolas what was wrong with me.I was having some kind of out-of-body experience, standing next to Nicolas, and I wasn't sure how. I was able to observe everything that was going on around me and still feel, smell, and hear everything—as if I were awake. I scrunched my nose in disgust; the distinctive smell of hospital chemicals was burning my sensitive nose, making Kaya whimper.Kaya sounded in distress; it must be because we were inside the infirmary—she hated hospitals."Alpha, I can assure you that Luna Zara will wake up soon," the nurse chirped next to my bed. Her soft flower scent was all over me; she had checked my vitals earlier, and her soft, warm hands were skillful and precise. Now she was fiddling with the annoying beeping heart monitor ne