Aiden's POV.Walking into Zelda's room and seeing her mood made me feel sad. I knew she was feeling sad, and I could tell that Alaric was in the middle of it all. I could never bring myself to understand what she sees in Alaric and Ajax that I don't have. She has always been more connected to him, quite literally and figuratively. There are times when we have moments, Zelda and I, though infinitesimal, but it was always worth the wait. She makes me feel things that I normally would not, and that made me want her for myself all the more.But I could not force myself on her without risking everything we have built so far turning sour. The moment we just had, I wished it had lasted for some hours, days even, but we can only do so much with so little time and so little a moment. Besides, our relationship is not really defined. We just know that we are mates, and that is a chain that links all of us together.On leaving her room, to my surprise, I almost collided with Alaric. He seemed gen
Connor's POV.I've always been someone who has never been shy to admit that I have the power and body to get whatever it was that I wanted. Right from birth, I knew I was going to be the main character and not some sideshow actor. The world was already placed at my feet in the form of my rich parents, and I was ready at a young age to take the world by storm.My confidence in myself, my abilities, and the endless possibilities that awaited me in the future knew no bounds. My parents adored me, never refusing me anything I remotely asked for. And this made me cocky, it made me feel like I could do anything at any time I wanted and get away with it unscathed.All was good for a very long time, until when I got bitten by a werewolf. I was asleep after I had secretly drank some liquor from the cellar, so I barely remember any of it. All I knew was that someone with the face of an animal and glowing eyes came rushing at me and the instance at which my body reacted to the impending doom, I
Zelda’s POV I was embarrassed as I looked at Alaric's resolved expression, I had hoped he was teasing me when he said we should stop. I wanted him to have me even if he didn’t want to, for some seconds I was grateful to the supermoon, but as he picked up his shirt and walked away I realized how pathetic I had become. Aiden will definitely jump at this chance, he would’ve done a lot more than just caress my body, if only he could make me feel things that Alaric makes me feel. Only my body reacts to Aiden’s touch, but with Alaric, I could feel my soul melting with joy any time his hands touched my body. I couldn’t help but remain attracted to his self-restraint, I sniffed the air around the room and I could still feel his strong scent around me. I slightly touched my body and closed my eyes as I replayed how Alaric moaned. I stood to open the window, I could feel the night breeze on my face, I was beginning to come to my senses as it felt as if I was intoxicated by Alaric’s presence
Jake’s POV “We have been waiting for you,” Sylvester said, immediately after we entered my house. “I had to meet with Corey,” I answered as I slumped down into the chair. “So? What did he say?” Josh asked eagerly. I knew they were as curious as I was about what happened to Aiden, the only difference was their curiosity was out of fear. After the conversation I had with Corey, I was beginning to feel that Sylvester and Josh’s company was one of the reasons I had to limit my ambitions. I was certain if I had grown up with someone like Corey, I wouldn’t be just a werewolf that has only anger and resentment. I had to always worry about how Josh and Sylvester would react to some of my actions, and that clearly became a setback for me. “He said he is fine, they managed to save him,” I replied with no plans of explaining further. “I don’t know whether that’s a good thing or not. You seemed rather calm about it.” Sylvester said as he looked at me to say something else. I was in no mo
Connor's POV.I looked at him and saw that he was just an ordinary guy on the road. Some stranger I had never seen before. His expression looked like he was deep in thought, and he seemed fragile.“But what was that I felt just now?”. I asked myself.I had felt an overwhelming aura, it was calm, but also threatening. It felt like cold water was running on my back. I wondered why I was so worried about him, and why I was so threatened. I felt embarrassed that I became so defensive about a nobody. So much so that I could not contain my anger and humiliation. I had to confront him.I thought he would just be another pushover like these three other guys I torment. But to my surprise, he seemed unfazed by my incessant persistence to get him ticked off. He kept going on about how he was having a bad day and just wanted to go home.It pissed me off, to see his audacity. It was like he was deliberately trying to insult me but in a subtle way. I do not like being belittled, especially not in
Zelda’s POV Simone and I got to the basement in no time, I was shocked at how they managed to get rid of everything that I once saw in there.“So, where do we start from?” I eagerly asked, looking around the room. Simone kept staring at me without a word.“What do you want me to do?” I asked her again. “Nothing!” She replied, and I could tell she was trying too hard to hold her laughter.I was baffled by her answer as well as her expression. “What do you mean nothing? Aiden and Alaric clearly gave me permission to supervise the whole thing.” I explained to her clearly. “I guess the princes tricked you into believing you had a major role.” She replied, this time without being able to hold her laughter. I had no idea why she was laughing, I didn’t notice I had cracked a joke. “There is nothing much to prepare and nothing much to supervise either.” She explained. I was dumbfounded
Ajax's POV. I spent the rest of the morning wondering why I had dreamt the way I did the previous night. It was not unusual to see Zelda in my dreams sometimes, as I still had a strong feeling towards her. What was unusual was seeing Stacy, and then the events that unfolded before my unconscious eye still baffled me. “Is that a sign of things to come?” I thought to myself, shuddering at the thought of it. I felt cold chills run down my spine, and so I decided I was not going to give it much thought but wave it off as a meaningless dream.Johnathan, Erwin, and Mikhail were now becoming more comfortable around me with each passing day, and I was with them. They are basically like the people in your life you never knew you needed until chance made it happen. I had begun to grow fond of them, and their presence just took my mind off wallowing in loneliness and silence.I had wanted to take them all out to at least make them feel more at home and make them feel comfortable. But I decided
Ajax PovConnor’s sudden visit took us by surprise.“Why do you think he is here?” Mikhail inquired, worry visibly written on his face. I gently shoved them off me and I made my way to answer the door. I felt someone hold my hand and I turned around to see it was Johnathan, shaking his head, trying to tell me not to answer the door. “You three should calm down. I just want to know why he is here at this time of the day. I promise you all, nothing will happen. You are perfectly safe here with me”. I assured them.I walked over to the door and after waiting for a few seconds to assess my environment, I could tell that he was not there with any ill intent. There was no bloodlust, at least none I could detect.I opened the door, looked around to see if there was anything I missed, and then I stood before him as I questioned… “Why are you here, Connor? Do you think this is safe? Coming here all alone after all the tricks you pu
Zelda’s POV Noel exited the room and I looked at Alaric, who was now looking me straight in the eye.“I will be in my room,” I said and slowly walked away, but he was following me and just when I held the door knob to enter my room, he held me back. “You just publicly chose me in front of everyone, you don’t think I’m just going to let you go into your room, right?” He asked as I turned around to look at him. Before I could say anything else, he pushed me inside the room and pushed me to the bed. He suddenly looked like a beast ready to devour me whole, and that excites me. He pulled down his trousers and I looked in between his legs with my eyes open, but I instantly pulled myself together. “You want me now after how badly you have treated me?” I said while sitting up, as I tried hard to stop myself from jumping on him that instant.“You don’t want me?” He asked seductively, and I smiled mischievously.I gestured for him to join me in bed, and he looked at me for a while before
Noel’s POV I opened my eyes and everything that had happened felt like a dream except for the pain that I felt as I watched my father lifeless on the floor. I took a deep breath and stood up to start the day, my dad had always said that dying at his age was no big deal, and I knew it was time I took his words seriously.But now I have no real family and I felt more lost than ever, I decided to go meet the people close enough to be called family. I met a guard on my way, and he handed me a letter that was meant for the princes. “There is a letter for you three,” I informed them as I sat beside Zelda. I handed it over to Alaric and he opened it. “What does it say?” I asked him, but he didn’t say a word and just handed the letter back to me. I cleared my throat after reading it. “Well, it seems like the king left his son one last gift.” I declared. “What do you mean?” Ajax asked. “A solution to the bizarre situation of sharing a mate. Turns out it was quite an easy one.” I expl
Alaric's POV.My body and head were definitely not ready for what has just been happening since. “How in the world is Zelda and missing? Noel too?” I thought to myself, completely dejected.Ajax suddenly sighed loudly and that caught my attention.“What is it?” I asked, red-eyed at this moment.“I know who took Zelda and Noel.” Ajax suddenly declared.With my head on my hands, and me being in deep thought, I had not been a part of the conversation that was going on.“Not when I finally told her my feelings. Not now.” I kept thinking.I felt it was my fault in a way, but I couldn't decipher how.I suddenly stood up from my seat and darted towards Ajax, ripping the letter away from his hand and reading its content. Apparently, our mother had known that the king was going to die, and she had a list of suspects mentioned in her letter. There were two critical pieces of information in her letter.
Ajax’s POV I couldn’t believe my eyes, I didn’t understand what was going through my mind as I watched Zelda and Alaric trying to put on their clothes. I exited the room unable to say a word, I had no idea what to do or where to go. I saw Alaric approaching me and a part of me wanted to walk away again, but I remained still. “I’m sorry, Ajax.” He said softly.“For what?” I snapped at him. “For everything.” He whispered. “No, Alaric. You are saying the wrong words. What I want from you is an explanation of what I just witnessed.” I replied angrily as I tried hard to stop myself from punching him.“I love Zelda.” He confessed. I was dumbfounded by his words.“Since when?” I questioned further. “From the very beginning.” He said gently. “You are nothing but a hypocrite.” I scoffed. He looked at me with his eyes full of sadness. “Aiden and I must’ve looked like
Alaric’s POV “Uncle Jamie?” I said to myself. I looked at Aiden and then Ajax, and they had the same horrifying look on their faces. “Uncle Jamie! We weren’t expecting you.” Aiden blurted out. “Well, I heard there was a problem within the council and as the only elder in the royal family I thought it was about time I stepped in.” He calmly explained as he sat on one of the empty chairs.“I’m glad you are here my lord, the young princes seem to be forgetting how things work, I think they require enlightenment.” Lord Thomas informed Uncle Jamie confidently. “None of you can sit on that throne without the approval of the council.” He stated clearly. “Not when their claims sound like an excuse to prevent any of us from being the king,” Aiden said with anger in his voice. “You will have no choice but to listen to them, unless you want to be a king with no subjects.” He threatened. It was cl
Ajax’s POV Coming out of Zelda’s room, I saw Aiden, I instantly concealed my sad expression as I wouldn’t want to give any privilege to tease me. I extended my hand for a handshake and just like I expected, he was taken aback by my gesture. “May the best man win.” I declared and walked away feeling a bit satisfied. The next morning…Jonathan, Connor, and I were already waiting for Zelda at the entrance of the palace. “You said you were going to show us around the town, but you somehow turned into a date with your mate.” Connor sarcastically complained. “Are we supposed to give you two some space when we are out?” Jonathan teased. “You two! Cut it out. She will be here any moment.” I cautioned them. “Was this your plan all along? To use us as an excuse?” Connor accused. I didn’t say anything, but instead, I was just smiling at his silly reaction. “I suddenly don’t fe
SIMONE'S POV.I must have wandered for days, just waiting for the earth to take me and put me out of my misery. I had run away from the only home I had ever known due to the incessant crisis in my community. I had lost my brother and my mother. And I got separated from my father, and now I am all alone.I wandered into this country with no hope and no property to my name. And since I knew no one, it was hard for me to plant my roots.Just as I was about to give up hope, I stumbled to a large gate. It looked like the owner of the building was very influential, and I was determined to plead my case before them.I knocked on the gate and I was immediately accosted by some men who looked like they were guarding the place. I got scared and cowered in fear, but I was determined.“Who are you and what are you doing here?” The plump and most gentle among them asked me.I was too tired and hungry to give him an answer. And so I
Aiden's POV.“Where are we heading to, Noel?” I asked as she kept walking ahead, sounding all giddy.“Don't you trust me, Aiden?” She asked, teasingly.“I do… but,” I said before she cut me short.“Don't be scared. I just want to show you something.” She declared, finally putting my fear to rest.“We are here!.” She exclaimed, shrieking as she spoke.I looked around and sure enough, it was a place in the palace no one had visited in a long time. The Queen's Garden.Being here brought about a flood of emotions and memories of my mother, the late queen. A cold chill of air suddenly ran down my spine as my hair stood on its end.“You can almost feel her presence, can't you?” Noel questioned, shuddering in between her questions.“Why'd you bring me here, Noel?” I inquired, a stern look on my face.Coming here was just too sad for any of us, and so we avoided it like a plague. Though, when
Corey’s POV “Did you get the book?” Lord Jamie asked immediately after I entered the room, I could sense his impatience and without further delay, I handed the book and the journal to him. “And the man?” He inquired as he dropped the book on the table. “You have nothing to worry about, my lord, he has been taken care of,” I assured him. “Good, make sure you deliver his reward to his family. I did make a promise after all.” He said and I nodded. “But make sure you are discreet about it.” He added. He picked the book up and flipped a few pages as he hummed to himself, I watched him carefully, waiting to be enlightened by his next move. He dropped the book and picked up the journal, he opened the journal and stared at the blank space for some seconds. “What do you intend to do with an empty journal?” I asked, unable to contain my curiosity. “I’m going to read it.” He replied with a misch