My heart quickened its pace, pounding in my chest as if trying to escape the confines of my ribcage. Each breath felt shallow, and a lump formed in my throat, making it difficult to find my voice.The sudden arrival of the person filled the room with an aura of mystery, their intentions hidden behind the mask of a closed door. My mind raced with questions, and the fear of the unknown gripped me tightly. I felt like a vulnerable prey, aware that any wrong move could invite danger."You could at least show yourself! Hiding in the shadows wouldn't make you any scarier than you already are," I said, getting fed up with the fear eating me up.At that moment, the door became a barrier—a thin veil that separated me from whoever was at the other end and yet, it felt like a barricade protecting me.As the seconds turned into minutes, the tension in the air grew thicker, almost palpable. I felt like a deer caught in headlights, unable to move, speak, or discern the person's true intentions.In
Zelda's pov Yes, I needed to see him to clarify the issue in my heart. Sometimes, I wonder if there was a meaning to what the moon goddess was doing to me.Why would I have three mates? How can I know who my heart actually beat for? By the way, my heart beats for them all but then I feel there would be someone who should be the 'actual one'. As I walked down the corridor, my heart was beating fast, again. I wasn’t sure if it was right to go inside his room but I had no choice. I needed to meet him and confront him in my way. Not just him but also, confront my heart's feeling for him. The walk through the hall was gloomy and the light was dimmed which made the path dark, I finally made it to the front of his door and I sighed audibly. I could feel my legs wobbling in... fear? I don't think so.It wasn't Alaric. Alone him can make me afraid yet yearn for him too. "This is it, Zee" I encouraged myself.The decision to enter this room had been made with a certain spontaneity, a willin
Aiden's POVWas she joking with me? Or did she think she has a choice? I wanted nothing than to mould those luscious lips so they could shut the fuck up. The moment hung in the air like a suspended breath, a profound stillness that belied the seismic shift that was about to unfold. For so long, I had held the belief that I could shape her destiny and that my decisions would be the guiding force in her life. But now, as her gaze met mine with unwavering resolve, I felt the ground beneath me tremble, and the certainty I once clung to began to unravel.A rush of emotions surged within me, a tidal wave of surprise, disbelief, and a hint of admiration. It was as if I had encountered a force of nature, an unexpected tempest that threatened to upend the carefully laid plans I had constructed."Feisty, right?" I asked, smirking as I walked closer to her. I wanted to shut that mouth up, seriously."I love feisty, Zel..." I added, licking my lips. I watched her gulping and I smelled her arous
Zelda's POVI can't believe Aiden would think he can actually force me into what I don't want to do. How could he be so selfish?As he held me close to himself, I could feel my treacherous body reacting to his touch. I knew he could smell the arousal. Even my wolf couldn't hide her excitement at the touch of my mate.Or rather one of my mates. In that heart-pounding moment, my instincts kicked into overdrive as I struggled against the unyielding grip of Aiden's hand around my wrist. Panic surged through my veins like an electric shock, sending my heart into a frenzied rhythm that matched the rapid pace of my thoughts."I want him, Zelda..." That was my wolf, unable to control the urge coursing through us. But Aiden wasn't my priority right now. I was still trying to wrap my head on the fact that I was mated to three hot dudes, although one was... evil. "Not now! Don't even start with me," I told her, shutting her off.Every fiber of my being screamed for escape, my body tensing as
Zelda’s POV As the first rays of dawn crept into the room, I awoke with a heaviness that seemed to permeate every fiber of my being. The weight of the night's emotions still clung to me like a shroud, casting a shadow over me. The period from slumber to being awake was followed by a sense of reluctance, as if part of me longed to remain tied in the comfort of sleep, shielded from the worries of the world.As I stirred, the feeling of heaviness persisted—an invisible anchor that seemed to push me to the bed. The act of pushing aside the covers and rising from the bed required an effort, as if I were lifting the weight of my emotions along with my body.I sluggishly stood up and moved to the window, pulling the curtain aside. The air felt still, almost as if it couldn't let out it's breath. I sighed as I got ready to wash up. I stepped into the bathroom, bracing myself as the cool water splashed onto my face. I looked up at the mirror and saw the reflection of a determined, resilient
Alaric POVThe meeting had not gone the way I had hoped. It felt as if the council members were against me, their faces stony and their questions pointed. I had come prepared, with all of my arguments and data in order, but it didn't seem to make a difference. It was as if they had already made up their minds, and nothing I said or did could change their opinion. But I knew I couldn't give up. I had to find a way to turn this around, to convince them that my proposal was worth their consideration.I found myself lingering outside the door of the meeting hall, finding it hard for me to go back to my room. I had thought that when I was leaving this room I would be the happiest person, but right now, I'm so sad and not just sad, I had to redo the project again.I took a deep breath as I sluggishly began to work back to my room, as I moved back I saw Zelda, though it was her back view I knew she was the one, and it added to my anger.At the moments I just stole glances at her, my heart
Zelda's povThe moment my eyes locked onto the gleam of the blade, a primal instinct stirred within me—an instinct that recognized the danger in its most visceral form. The metallic glint, sharp and unforgiving, seemed to cast a malevolent shadow over the scene, its presence a chilling harbinger of the impending threat.Fear, like an icy current, surged through my veins, sending a shiver down my spine that seemed to resonate with the very essence of my being. It was as if time itself had slowed, every heartbeat amplified, every breath a measured intake of the charged atmosphere that enveloped us.His movements, deliberate and calculated, set my heart pounding like a drum—a frantic rhythm that echoed the urgency of my thoughts. With each step I took back, the gap between us widened, a desperate attempt to create distance between myself and the threat he embodied. The room seemed to shrink, the walls closing in as my mind grappled with the realization that there was no easy escape.The
In the quiet sanctuary of my room, I lowered myself onto the edge of my bed, the softness of the fabric offering a contrast to the persistent ache in my injured wrist. The room, a familiar haven that had witnessed my triumphs and trials, seemed to hold a comforting familiarity, a refuge where I could gather my thoughts amidst the storm of emotions that raged within me.The subdued lighting cast a gentle glow across the space, creating pockets of shadow and illumination that danced in harmony with the ebb and flow of my thoughts. The air held a sense of containment, a reminder that this room was a place of solace, in which I could retreat. As I sat there, the events that had transpired last night seemed to replay in my mind like a silent film.The injured wrist, a reminder of the physical toll of the encounter, served as a point for my thoughts. The pain shooting through my arm act as a reminder that the events were not confined to the realm of emotions alone—they had left their mark
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