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#Chapter 51: Influx
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56
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His Secret Princess #Chapter 52: Grounded
Celeste The hollow echo of my sobs filled the otherwise silent room. The dim light of the moon filtering through the curtains did little to illuminate the dark, bleak space that reflected the turmoil in my heart. I'd barely managed to wipe away the tears when I heard the familiar, almost sinister creak of my bedroom door opening.“You’ve been acting out of character.” Jack’s voice was cold, filled with suspicion. “What's going on with you, Celes
His Secret Princess #Chapter 53: The Big Game
CelesteMatt’s nod was almost imperceptible. “I couldn’t stand seeing you treated that way. I just wanted to help.”A complex mix of gratitude and fear gripped me. What if she told him about ‘Rose’? What if that was why he hadn’t responded to my texts?“Matt, she’s… she’s dangerous. You shouldn’t have—”He shrugged, brushing away some dirt from his shirt, no indication of knowing about ‘Rose’ on his face. “It was worth a shot.”There was an undeniable bravery in his actions, something I wished I had in me. “Thank you,” I whispered, the weight of those words bearing so much more than just gratitude.He gave me a half-smile, that dimpled charm of his shining through the worry. “Stay safe, Celeste.”“Thanks, Matt,” I said.Matt turned to leave. But then, suddenly, he turned back to look at me, running a hand through his dark hair. “Hey, there’s a hockey game tonight,” he said. “You should come. Maybe it’ll help you relax.”My eyes widened in surprise. Was Matt inviting me to one of his h
His Secret Princess #Chapter 54: Double Trouble
Celeste The crowd was roaring, a cacophony of cheers and jeers that made the entire arena vibrate with energy. I watched with bated breath as Matt’s team battled fiercely against their opponents. Every time the puck danced dangerously close to their net, I felt a pang of anxiety tighten in my chest. The scoreboard glared with 2-2, and there were only a couple minutes left. The pressure was palpable, every person in the stands waiting for that tiebreaker. I heard Fiona muttering a string of curses every time the other team threatened to take the lead. “I think they might lose,” I murmured, watching as the other team managed to wrestle the puck from one of Matt’s teammates. “Don’t jinx it,” Fiona whispered back, gripping my arm tightly. Suddenly, there was a turnover in the rink. The opposing team’s main player was breaking away with the puck, sprinting towards Matt’s team’s goal with blazing speed. But just when it seemed he was in the clear, Matt appeared seemingly out o
His Secret Princess #Chapter 55: Web of Lies
Celeste The cool weight of the mask settled in my hands, and the mirror inside the bathroom reflected a young woman struggling with her identity. Fiona’s words still rang in my ears. Was I really becoming too attached to my ‘Rose’ persona? Was I using it as a crutch instead of facing the real world with its judgments and challenges?
His Secret Princess #Chapter 56: Moonlit Roses
Celeste The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silver sheen over the athletic fields. The grass seemed to shimmer in response, every blade reflecting the gentle glow of the night.Matt and I halted in our tracks, both captivated by the serenity of the moment.The moon, our only companion, was slowly inch
His Secret Princess #Chapter 57: Brother’s Protection
CelesteI sprinted the last few meters towards home, my chest heaving and my breaths short.Up ahead, the warm lights of home beckoned to me; but instead of being inviting, they felt like claws extending toward me. Jack was waiting inside, waiting to berate me for sneaking out. My trick hadn’t worked after all.
His Secret Princess #Chapter 58: Hard Decisions
Celeste The next morning, the cold light of day accentuated the throbbing in my temples.My night had been restless, filled with tangled sheets and even more tangled thoughts. I had half a mind to bury myself under the blanket and shut out the world, but the jingling of my phone snapped me back to reality.
His Secret Princess #Chapter 59: Sleeping Pills & Strange Words
Celeste Sneaking out was becoming a treacherous endeavor, but the meeting with Matt was paramount.Jack had always had this uncanny knack for knowing when I had tried to bend the rules or escape from the house’s suffocating grip. This time, I needed a full-proof plan, and my meeting with Matt was encroaching. I had to figure something out, and quickly.
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His Secret Princess #Chapter 200: The Mask
EpilogueThe sounds of plates clinking together, and the low hum of chit-chat, merged into the background as I listened to Fiona describe her latest assignment. She was stuck in a geography class that she needed for distribution, and it was driving her nuts. Her professor was a mean, curmudgeonly old man, and a notoriously difficult marker.“He gave me a C–. A C–! That was not a C worthy paper.”Jack nodded. “I read it. It was pretty good.”She rounded on him. “Pretty good?”He put his hands up, a small smile on his lips. “Really pretty good?”She huffed but turned back to me. “Your brother is a pain in the ass.”I smiled. “You’re telling me.” They’d only been together for a few years, but they already bickered like an old married couple. Matt and I were actually married, but we didn’t even bicker like that. It was as endearing as it was exhausting.Matt sank into his seat beside me and slid me a cup of coffee. I threw him a grateful look. Our peacekeeping duties had kept us late the
His Secret Princess #Chapter 199: Ever After
MattThe nerves made me jittery, and I bounced my knee so hard it rattled the bench. Seth gave me a knowing look before bending over to finish tying his skates. I focused on taping my stick, letting muscle memory take over. All the guys knew what I planned to do tonight, and they kept throwing me knowing looks as I tried to stay calm.It was the last home game before playoffs started. A part of me kept thinking that I should wait, but an even greater part of me didn’t want to wait one more second. If life had taught me anything, it was that we didn’t know how much time we might have. I didn’t want to waste another second of it. I especially didn’t want to waste time just because I was afraid.“Dude, stop vibrating the bench,” our goalie James called. “I’m trying to focus.”“Sorry,” I answered. If there was one rule in hockey, it was to not mess with the goalie, especially right before a game. If he needed to focus, then I just needed to find a way to chill the fuck out.Enzo gave me a
His Secret Princess #Chapter 198: The Score
The arena was buzzing with energy as Matt got the puck and darted forward to take advantage of the breakaway. He sent the puck into the corner of the net, and I jumped to my feet. Beside me Fiona screamed so loud, heads turned in our direction. Jack cringed slightly, throwing her a bemused look.It was the first home game of the year, and Matt was giving everything he had to make sure the team got a win. Around us, the school cheered as he skated by, knocking fists with his teammates. It was his second goal of the night, his first a tricky tip in after Seth’s initial shot rebounded. It was 3-1 with only four minutes left in the third period.“He’s playing great,” Nina said from my other side as the cheering died down, and we took our seats again.“He is.” Over on the bench, Enzo stood in a dark suit, his head bent as he talked to one of his players.He and Nina were staying one more year. Even though Nina graduated in the spring, her father was giving her the year to clean up the town
His Secret Princess #Chapter 197: Family Reunion
“Are you ready for this?” Jack asked, his eyes trailing over my face, looking for any signs of fear or hesitation. I schooled my features into a blank mask. Sure, I was nervous, but he didn’t need to see that. He already hated that he’d gotten me involved. Too bad I was the only one that could do this, and I’d do anything to get the Schreibers out of our town.I took a deep breath and gazed up at the towering mansion. It was on the outskirts of town, far enough away that I’d never seen it, but still close enough for the Schreibers to cause havoc. The house seemed quiet, but I knew our grandfather lurked inside. Him and whoever survived the fight.“I’m ready,” I said, keeping my voice steady. Matt and the rest of the Peacekeepers had already surrounded the house. They were keeping their distance but staying close enough just in case we needed them. It made me feel better knowing he was out there. I knew, without a doubt, that Matt would do anything to keep me safe. Just like I’d do any
His Secret Princess #Chapter 196: Looking Forward
Jack“Hey!” Jack called, running to catch up with Fiona. She stopped walking and turned to give him a curious look. “I’ll walk you home,” he said when he reached her side.She gave him a bemused look. Technically, her place was only five minutes from campus, but that didn’t mean she should walk alone at night. Plus, he hadn’t seen her since she moved back in with her roommate, and he wanted a moment alone with her.“Alright,” she said with a shrug. “If you insist.”He smiled. “Better safe than sorry.”“Bye,” Celeste called, waving at them. She gave him a knowing smile, and he glowered at her. She clearly knew something was going on, but it wasn’t her business. They needed to figure this out for themselves.She and Matt were headed in the opposite direction, back toward the house. Matt was still haunting the halls. Everywhere Jack went, there he was. In the bathroom, when he needed to piss. In the kitchen, when he was hungry. Even in the living room at night, making out with his sister
His Secret Princess #Chapter 195: The Oath
“I promise to protect this town,” Jack said, his hand over his heart. “I promise to fight for peace, and to not rest until it is achieved. I promise to treat all life as equal. I devote myself to this cause from now until my last breath.”Nina dipped her head in acknowledgement, and Jack let his hand drop to his side. I stepped forward next and repeated the oath. It was the same words every person in this room had recited when they agreed to become a Peacekeeper. It wasn’t something to take lightly, and I didn’t plan to.“I devote myself to this cause from now until my last breath,” I said, stepping back beside my brother. Fiona stood at his other side. She took the oath first, saying the words with the utmost confidence.I locked eyes with Matt, and he gave me a proud smile, his eyes gleaming. Our friends sat around the room, and, as if given some invisible cue, they all began to hoot and clap. They stood up and slapped the three of us on the back. I got pulled into hugs, one after t
His Secret Princess #Chapter 194: Lovers
Matt closed my bedroom door behind us and leaned his crutches against the wall. He hobbled over to the bed and sank down onto the mattress with a soft groan. “Just as I remember it,” he said, jumping a little. “So soft.”Downstairs, Fiona, and Jack were rifling around in the kitchen. They offered to make us something, but neither of us were very hungry.Matt lay back and stretched his arms over his head, his shirt riding up just enough to reveal the smooth skin along his waistline. His hip bones dipped down into his cargo pants and I bit my lip, desperate to get my hands on him, but still worried about his wounds. Sure, he was up and moving around, but that didn’t mean he should be doing physical activity. I didn’t know a lot about werewolf healing, but I wasn’t willing to risk him.“I missed this room,” he continued, turning to look at me through hooded eyes.The purple bedspread brought back a flood of memories. I’d spent so much of my life in this room. I had so many memories, and
His Secret Princess #Chapter 193: Home
MattI held onto Celeste’s hand, leaning heavily on the two crutches I had propped under my opposite arm. A feeling of intense déjà vu swept through me as I watched Seth step forward and light the pyre. Around us, others did the same until dark smoke rose into the blue spring sky. I hoped this was the last funeral I ever had to go to, at least for a long while.Celeste had a blank expression on her face that worried me more than anything. Beside her, Jack and Fiona stood holding hands. Fiona was crying, and Jack had a stricken look on his face. As one, he and Celeste let go of our hands and stepped forward. They lit the last pyre.“Goodbye dad,” Celeste said, just loud enough for me to hear. My heart squeezed.Jack didn’t speak, he just lowered his gaze and stepped back beside Fiona. She immediately took his hand, but he didn’t look up from his shoes. I understood the warring emotions he was feeling. He hated his father for abandoning him, and he felt guilty that he got killed right i
His Secret Princess #Chapter 192: Shell Shock
Those of us still on our feet spent the rest of the day tending to the wounded. God, there were so many of them. Every wound I saw, every cry of pain I heard, felt like a knife to the gut. Everywhere I went, I saw pain, death, and gore.It was all too much.“Hey,” Jack said, giving me a concerned look. “Take a break if you need to.”He was still covered in blood, and I could barely stand to look at him. He’d taken a few minutes to wipe most of it off his face, but he hadn’t stopped to change his clothes. None of us had. There hadn’t been time.“I can’t.”I couldn’t get my father’s face out of my mind. Jack took me to his body shortly after the fight ended, tears in his eyes. I allowed myself to cry only for a minute before I helped him move the body to the small grassy area behind the church. That was where we were laying out the dead before we’d give them all proper funerals.There were already too many bodies out there. Seth had collapsed beside Jenna’s bloody form and hadn’t moved
