Hi everyone, I hope you are enjoying the story. If yes, don't forget to leave a comment (or some gemsđ) Love you all <3 Author Hami
Nicholus's POV: I was running through the fields. There was yellow and green for as far as I could see. Amidst all those hues, someone in the white clothing was running in front of me. She was a petite woman with long brown hair dancing in the wind. All of a sudden, a bubble of laughter escaped from her. The voice was sweet like honey and addictive like a melody. I found myself drawn to that voice, craving to have more of that. I quickened my pace, trying hard to catch her. And then, all of a sudden, she turned around. I came to a sudden halt.My heart stopped beating for a full minute as I took in the stunning beauty before me. Big brown eyes. So deep that I could see the lakes of melted chocolate swirling in them. Pink and plump lips. A figure anyone could die for.My eyes took in all the right curves adorning her body. I wanted to reach over, graze my calloused fingers, and feel her softness. My heart rate turned erratic as her lips stretched into a full smile, brightening the wh
Nicholus's POV: "What's the matter?" I inquired impatiently as soon as I entered my office. Darius let out a tiring sigh, "It's not good." Keeping my pace fast, I reached my desk and sank down on the office chair, "I reckoned that much," I said under my breath and steeled myself for what was about to come. Planting his elbows on the table, Darius leaned forward. His nostrils flared and he gritted out bitterly, "She is the daughter of our centuries-old enemy." The world stopped around me. My heart thudded thunderously in my ribcage as his words penetrated deep within me. For some fucking insane reason, my heart wasn't ready to accept the naked truth that was right before my eyes. It seemed like I really did have some dwindling hope in my heart."Explain..." was all that I could utter. His eyebrows deepened into a frown as he took in my reaction. He obviously had no idea what was at stake. Not yet, at least. He huffed out venomously, "That girl who broke into our dungeons by usin
Ember's POV:My eyes peeked open as I heard the knock on my bedroom door. My eyelids felt heavy and it was an effort to fully open my eyes.I was staring at the door, trying to open my mouth to say something but I couldn't form any words. Shortly, I heard another knock, "You in there?"It was Sophie. Once again, I tried to communicate but my throat felt parched like a barren land. Something was wrong with me. But what exactly? I couldn't tell.I resigned to the mindlink to let her know to come in. A few moments later, the door flew open and Sophie barged in, "What the hell? Why are you still in bed, Em?"At that, my gaze shifted to the wall clock. 11 am. I frowned at the realization that I had actually slept in...something that I hadn't done in years."And you missed the training. Something must be seriously wrong with you to do that." She was still in the training gear. She must have come straight here after finding me missing.I took in a deep breath and tried to get up. I groaned a
Nicholus's POV:I opened my eyes to find a pair of chocolate brown eyes staring back at me. Confused and dizzy, I pinched my eyes and blinked several times to get hold of my senses.And then I groaned when the fragments of last night came rushing into my mind.I was in my studio and what I was now staring at was actually the painting I drew last night after getting drunk. Fuck, did that mean I was truly and brutally cooked? I mean, I got high to forget about her and it seemed like she was the only one roaming around in my mind.Sighing in disappointment, I got up from the couch and walked over to the painting. On its own accord, my hand lifted and my fingers grazed the swirls of caramel flowing in those eyes.I was astonished to look at the details. How was it possible that I remembered her eyes so vividly? My fingers traced the specs of the dark brown I painted in her irises.For a long time, I stared at the canvas with a mixture of chaotic thoughts. Why was fate playing a brutal gam
Emberâs POV: We were swift and silent while leaving the castle. After hypnotizing the guards at the main entrance, Sohpie led the way deeper into the forest and I silently followed her.We kept strolling into the forest and it was only when we reached far away from the castle that I dared to speak up, âWould you now like to confide me in about whatâs going on in your head?â Her footsteps slowed and she asked me, âRemember when you first started having these weird sensations a few years ago?â I huffed out, âLike I can ever forget that time.â She nodded curtly, âSomething was wrong with you. I mean, that wasnât normal, right? Gladly, we discovered your hypnotizing powers on our own and didnât need any external help butâŚâ She halted and I glanced at her worriedly and urged her to carry on, âButâŚ?â Her eyebrows pinched together, âDid you really think that it would be the end of it?â I shrugged my shoulder, âUmmâŚI had hoped so.â She looked at me sternly and said curtly, âWell, in th
Emberâs POV:Filling my lungs with the fresh air, I forced myself to release some tension and lightly rapped my knuckles on the ancient wooden door. I held my breath, making myself mentally prepared for whatever was about to be thrown my way.After a long stretch, I finally heard a husky voice from the other side, âCome in.âBlowing out a puff of air, I straightened my shoulders and slid the door. It creaked as it opened and revealed the cozy, ancient interior of the hut.My eyes swept around and I took in the small but spacious area. The floorboards creaked under my feet as I stepped inside. Even the walls were made of wood. They were bare except for the preserved heads of dead animals nailed to them.Other than a small light bulb hanging from the ceiling, the fireplace was the only other source of illumination. An oak table was place on the other end with the herbs, vials, and different bottles of coloured liquid scattered over it. A large wooden bookshelf was placed near the small
Ember's POV: With rage filling me, I exited the hut like a firebolt and didn't exhale until I had covered some distance between us. Suddenly, Sophia appeared in front of me, "Hey, you okay?" she inquired after witnessing me out of my wits. I halted and screeched, "Coming here was a mistake!" Her eyes shifted to the hut, then zeroed in on me again, "What happened? What did Deborah say?" My fists balled up tightly at my sides as I gritted through clenched teeth, "Deborah is fucking insane, Sophie."She was looking at me with confusion. "I...She..." I opened my mouth again to say something else but I was literally short on words about how to explain my inner turmoil to her. I shook my head whether in denial or disappointment...I don't know. As I started walking in the opposite direction, Sophie followed me silently. I knew she must have her own million questions but right now she was actually doing me the biggest favor by holding her tongue.I needed all the time left in the universe
Emberâs POV:She nodded her head, "I don't know how is that even possible since no one knows about it but yes, that seems to be true."She gripped my arm and looked into my eyes, "Listen, Ember, I think we can't tackle this whole situation unless we figure out the second part of the puzzle."I swallowed the lump in my throat, "But how?"She looked me dead in the eye before sharing her idea, "Maybe we should really try to look into your mother and find out who she really was...?"------------After dinner, both I and Sophie resigned to my private chambers to discuss things in private. We made our way to the den and settled on the couch in front of the fireplace.Sophie stared out the window, âItâs getting chilly day by day."I nodded in agreement, âThe winters are on their way.âA soft knock on the door interrupted our conversation. Getting up from the couch, Sophie walked over to the door and opened it. A maid was standing on the other side with a tray laden with two mugs of hot choco
Ember's POV:After Nicholus was gone, I slid down to the floor as the walls I had built around my heart cracked and the dam just broke apart. Uncontrollable tears rolled down my cheeks. My shoulders shook as my body rattled with ugly sobs.How could a mother be so cruel to her only child? What did I do so wrong to deserve that? All my life I craved for my parents' affection but what did I get in return? Their betrayal...?Father failed me miserably but I had my Mother's thoughts to keep me going. Even though I had no memories of her but I still thought that she must have loved me. I used to find comfort in the fact that the only reason she wasn't with me was because she just couldn't. It was better when I thought her to be dead. Because the thought that she had abandoned me was killing me bit by bit.Was I really that bad of a person? I've heard...heck, I've seen parents always loving their children no matter how bad of a monster their kids are. Was I even worse to be depraved of both
Nicholusâs POV:Watching her looking at me with nothing but hatred shattered my heart into so many pieces that I didnât know how to pick them all and make it whole again.I donât know how the hell Damon got his hands on the confidential inside information about military and state matters and I absolutely had no idea that heâd be twisting that information to sow a seed of doubt in Emberâs heart.But I couldn't really blame him. I should have been cautious. I should've foreseen it. I shouldn't have taken his long silence so lightly. I let my guard down and was witnessing the results now.But as far as the matter of the South was concerned, I had it under control. I had no bad intentions and I'd keep telling her even thousands of times if that would make her believe me.But the irreversible damage occurred when that fucker told Ember about her mother. He shouldn't have gone there. He had created a big mess which I had no idea how to come out of.I knew Iâd lost all fight when Ember yelle
Emberâs POV:Despite the turmoil raging inside me, I waited patiently as Nicholus wiped his hands through his hair before starting, âFirst of all, I want you to know that the army has nothing to do with marrying you, okay?âMy eyes widened horrifically, âSo it means you ARE planning to take over the SouthâŚ?âHe shook his head, âWhat? No.â He walked closer to me but I lifted my palm, making him stay wherever he was. I need a little distance between us to think rationally.âTell me about the army first,â I said in a sharp tone.Nodding slowly, he started speaking, âDo you remember when you were on bed rest, you heard Damon, Ethan, and I talking about the war looming over us?âI nodded curtly, thinking back to that night when they were all worried about Nicholusâs wolf weakening while the war was close.A slight frown appeared between my brows along with a relief. But I told myself not to grow any more hopes before going to the bottom of it.âSo, the army is for that war?â I couldnât kee
Emberâs POV:Grabbing my hand, Damon had just taken a step toward the door when an ear-piercing roar boomed in the air. âEnough!â Nicholus growled.My feet came to a sudden halt as I felt the sudden shift in the air. Damon pulled me forward, more urgently now. But before he could another step, the doors to my room flung open and dozens of warriors spilled into the room, blocking the exit.My head whipped around as I heard warriors jumping in through the balcony.In a few seconds, my room was brimming with warriors closing in on us, surrounding me and Damon. My gaze shifted from one to another as I blurted out in shock, âWhatâs happening?âDamon bared his teeth and pointed behind me, âItâs him, of course. He must have mindlinked his minions. That's why he was silent and still.âDamon shook his head and said amusingly, âReally, Nicholus? Are we really doing it?âNicholus shrugged nonchalantly, unbothered by everything happening around us, âWarned you time and time again to shut that fuc
Emberâs POV:I stole a glance at his fingers brushing over my necklace and heard his shocking whisper, "The Celestial Stone."My head whipped up to him and saw his pupils dilating as he looked at me, âYou areâŚwhat theâŚâI felt Nicholus going rigid behind me. His voice sounded menacing as he warned his brother, âDamon, no, not thisâŚnot now.âA deep frown appeared between my brows. Closing my fingers around the necklace, I stepped aside and watched the brothers exchanging heated glares.An eerie feeling of unrest settled in the pit of my stomach. My throat felt constricted as I sobbed, âWhatâŚwhat is it about my mother?âNicholus was slowly shaking his head in a threatening manner. At that, a wicked gleam twinkled in Damon's eyes as if he had stepped closer to his victory.My heart lurched to my throat as a devilish smirk tugged over Damon's lips before he chuckled coldly, âDark, dark secrets between the mates are crazy.âIt felt like my heart just dropped all the way to the floor. Fear
Ember's POV:With my pulse a ticking bomb waiting to explode, I stood there, waiting for him to deny all accusations, assuring me that whatever Damon was spewing out of his mouth was nothing but bullshit.But all hopes trembled to death as Nicholus stepped backward. All of a sudden, he seemed so tired as he rubbed the nape of his neck and sighed, âEmber, IâŚlistenâŚâMore tears streamed out of my eyes. Angrily wiping them away, I screamed at his face, âIs that true or not, Nicholus?âI already knew it was. But still, I waited pathetically for him to deny it all so that we can go back to our fairytale wedding we'd been so excited about.His gaze flickered to Damon standing behind me before shifting back to me. Slouching his shoulders, he breathed out, âJust a half truth.âA gut-wrenching sob escaped me as I took another step away from him only to walk closer to Damon.Nicholus took a quick step forward and grabbed me by the shoulders. His voice sounded urgent as he spoke, âAnd you need
Emberâs POV:I could feel the anger oozing out of Nicholus but on the outside, he appeared calm and composed as if he were almost expecting his arrival. Twitching his eyebrow higher, he asked in a blank voice, âWhat are you doing here?âStraightening his shoulders, Damon tightened his hold on my hand before uttering, âIâm here to take Ember with me.âHearing that, I again tried to twist my hand out of his, wincing as a sharp shot through my arm as his grip tightened defiantly.Thatâs when Nicholusâs eyes flickered down to our joined hands. His gaze narrowed viciously and his fists coiled tightly at his sides. Baring his teeth, he snarled menacingly, âLeave her hand right now, Damon.âDamon paid no heed to the warning ringing in Nicholusâs voice and took a step toward the door.Before he could take another, Nicholus lunged forward. His voice was a loud roar as he growled, âTouch her again and Iâll fucking rip you to pieces.âHis body thudded into Damonâs and they both stumbled backward
âDamonâŚ?â I whispered into the darkness, gawking at him with wide eyes.As soon as he heard me saying his name, his shoulders slouched and he took a breath of relief. He seemed like a traveler who had finally reached his destination after an eternity of traveling nowhere.Suddenly, he lunged forward. Sliding one of his hands around my waist and the other around the back of my head, he pulled me into a tight hug.Sticking his nose to my neck, he inhaled deeply and I could feel his body relaxing against mine. His hot breath washed over my ear as he whispered with a raw emotion I couldn't decipher, âGod, I missed you. I missed you so much, Ember.âMy mind was a jumbled mess of chaos and confusion as I tried to process what exactly was happening. Breaking the hug, I stared at him with frantic eyes, âDamon, what are you doing here?âPlacing his hands on my shoulders, he squeezed lightly and said with a hint of excitement, âI am here to take you with me. Away from here.âMy heart was thuddi
Ember's POV:Waking up, I rolled over to the other side of the bed and stretched my body. As I slowly opened my eyes, I spotted something on the bedside table through my blurry vision.Rubbing the sleep off my eyes, I blinked several times to focus. A big, goofy grin instantly split over my lips as I saw a large bouquet.I stared at the beautiful bouquet and a rush of emotions and memories flooded my mind. But unlike the black and white roses I used to wake up to in the past, all the roses in this bouquet were gray.While grazing my fingers over the soft petals, I spotted a little note tucked beneath the bouquet. Sliding it out, I unfolded the piece of paper and read a note scrawled in my mateâs handwriting:âGood Morning, gorgeous, I wish I could be there to kiss your morning face but I had some last-minute work to wind up before our reception.Get up, freshen up, and meet me in my bed chambers. I have something I wanted to show you but was waiting for the right moment. But today, I