Ember's POV:A little bit of excitement zinged through me as I looked at the perfect solution I'd crafted for myself.Amusement flickered in my eyes as I looked at Sophie, "Do you remember what Deborah said? That my witch-side is getting stronger and it's suppressing Aria who has already gone weak since I denied her her mate?"She groaned in frustration, "I clearly remember what Deborah told us. Now stop beating around the bush and tell me what the hell is this?" She pointed a finger at my secret vault."The solution, Sophie. It's a solution to all my problems." I chuckled excitedly.She stared at me long and hard like I had gone insane before spitting, "This? This is your solution?"Slowly shaking her head, she inserted her hand in the space below the floorboard and grabbed both vials I stole from the castle clinic last night.She looked at me in disbelief, "I can't even believe that you can even think to do such a thing."She paused and then screeched, "Like seriously, Ember?" She w
Ember’s POV:After breakfast, I sauntered out to the castle lawns to interact with nature. The sky was clear, and the sun was shining brightly. It was a pleasant day.My eyes swept around the greenery I was surrounded by and I inhaled a deep breath of fresh air. Slipping out of my shoes, I planted my bare feet on the soft grass and relished the feel of it.Fishing the phone out of my jeans pocket, I opened the chat with Sophie and sent her a quick text: “Hey, if you are free, then find me on the lawn.”She had been ignoring me since our little argument yesterday. She was upset with me and I didn’t like that at all.My eyes were on the screen as the little bubble appeared indicating that she was typing. A moment later, her reply came, “Can’t. I’m busy.”My fingers tapped on the screen, “Doing what?”This time, the typing bubble hovered on the screen for the whole minute which was enough to tell me that whatever she was typing would be long and not to my liking.Her message came and I i
Ember's POV:I flung around and hissed, “What did you just say?”Damon cocked his head to the side with amusement dancing in his eyes. He sure was enjoying it. Slowly nodding his head, he said, “Well, your reaction just confirmed my suspicion.”There was no use lying to him now because doing that would only make me seem more pathetic. He wouldn't even have said such a thing if he wasn't 100% sure of it. But how? How did he even get to know?I wanted to resist the urge to ask him but I just couldn't do that. So yeah, glaring at him, I inquired in a blank tone, “How did you know?”He thought about it momentarily before saying, “Yesterday, when I threatened Anna, I was sure as hell that it wouldn’t work on you. I only did that because I was actually expecting you to fight me. I was even looking forward to seeing your feral side. I kept waiting for your raging, alpha wolf to show up and challenge me,” his eyebrow piqued higher, “but when you just surrendered without any fight, I got suspi
Ember’s POV:“So, are you going to this…dinner?” Sophie asked me while flopping on the mattress.“Do you think I have a choice?” I shot her while munching on the cookie.Sophie turned to her side, “Well, after knowing what a crazy psycho bastard he is, I would suggest you not provoke him any further.”That's the plan. Brushing the crumbs from my mouth I groaned heavily, “Ugh, I hate how he is controlling me, Sophie.”She heaved up on her elbow, “I despise him for it too but still, I don’t want you to risk anything.” She looked at me with concern and enunciated her words, “No one can know about the weakening or disappearance of Aria when you are this close to finally becoming a Queen. People will only see it as a sign of weakness and will never accept you as their Queen and ruler.”Sadness filled me up and I stayed silent. Sophie’s voice turned softer as she tried to make me feel better, “People of the South love you, Ember. There is no doubt in that but when it comes to their safety an
Ember's POV:I stared out of the window at the night lights as the car dashed through the city.After about 20 minutes of driving, the car screeched to a halt in front of Fable & Fork, a renowned five-star restaurant located in the heart of the city. I've been here dozens of times to attend meetings and events.As the driver opened the car door, I grabbed my purse and stepped out of the car. As soon as I was out, a man clad in a black suit accompanied me. Bowing slightly, he introduced himself, "I am Brian Wade, the manager at Fabel & Fork. It's an absolute pleasure to serve you this evening, Your Highness."I pulled a small smile and acknowledged him with a nod. Waving his hand forward, he requested, "Please."Lifting my chin, I started walking toward the entrance. As I stepped inside, two other waiters bowed and accompanied us. As we reached the dining area, I looked around to find a familiar, brooding face of a psychotic bastard.Brian cleared his throat beside me, "Not here, Your
Ember’s POV:The food was brought and served by the Head Chef himself. Seeing the mouth-watering food made my stomach growl, which fetched a chuckle out of Damon.I squinted my eyes at him, “Let the girl devour the finger-licking food, you demonic soul.”A burst of laughter escaped him as he filled me a glass of wine.Rolling the pasta around my fork, I slid it into my mouth. Closing my eyes, I relished the feel of my taste buds exploding with a rich creamy taste.I opened my eyes to find Damon staring at me with a small smile and amusement in his eyes. I raised my eyebrow at him to which he slightly shook his head and grinned widely, “Who could have thought that the Princess of the South has a severe food fetish.”I winked at him playfully, "At least, better than a foot fetish." Taking another bite, I pointed at the untouched plate of food in front of him.Sliding the plate of sizzling hot steak closer to him, he picked up a fork and knife and took his time to slash the piece of meat
Nicholus’s POV: “So yeah, I have tightened the security around the borders and made all the arrangements in case we’re attacked again,” Ethan informed me of the military situation. I nodded my head curtly and said tightly, "Very well. I want us to be fully prepared for any future attack." Ethan assured me that he had taken matters into his own hands and I needed not to worry. Nodding at him, I reached over the piled-up files on my desk and plucked out the blue one. It was a full-fledged plan and proposal by Alpha Maddox, King of the East, about to convince me to hand over the rights to manufacture BloodMoon Merlot to them. As I read the contents of the file, Ethan leaned back in his chair and assessed me with careful eyes. I was fully aware of his stare at me and even knew what was going on in his head. I waited for a few more minutes before grunting, "Say it, Ethan." He straightened up, "Nothing to say, Alpha. I just have a question I'm really curious about." "Ask away," I mum
Ember's POV:I woke up to someone shaking my body vigorously. As soon as I peeked open an eye, a severe wave of headache split my skull into two.I winced in pain as I forced my eyes open and blinked several times to focus. Sophie was hovering over me with a deep frown on her face, "Oh, thank God you opened your damn eyes," her hand flew to her chest, "I thought that you went into a comma."I groaned while rubbing my forehead, "What happened?"She widened her eyes, "12 pm happened, Your Highness."All the grogginess vanished from my body as I abruptly sat up on the bed and screeched, "What? 12 pm? And I slept in?""Again," Sophie groaned.And then her eyes roamed all over my face and her frown deepened, "Are you okay, Ember?"She sat on the mattress beside me and said with worry, "You don't seem fine to me. You have gone so week in just a matter of few days. You sleep in every other day, don't have the energy to train, and I've noticed that you've even lost your appetite."I pinched m
Ember's POV: The next morning, I woke up with Nicholus's arm wrapped around me. As I tried to wriggle out of his hold, he squirmed in his sleep and tightened his hold, "Mmhmm, where are you going?" I glanced over my shoulder at his adorable, groggy eyes he was squinting at me with. "I have to go," I replied. He groaned, unhappy with the answer, "No, don't go anywhere. Just stay here and give me morning cuddles."At that, I burst out laughing loudly, "People would call me crazy if I'd ever tell them that the ruthless alpha of the North just said those cheesy words to me."Moving his hand to my bottom, he spanked my ass playfully, "You naughty, little princess, why would you tell anyone about what happens in our bedroom?"I giggled under my breath, "Good thing that the room is soundproof or otherwise I wouldn't need to 'tell' them about what exactly happens in our bedroom."Snuggling closer, he licked my earlobe and whispered roughly, "Yeah, because your loud screams and hot moans wou
Ember's POV:Knowing that I had a long day ahead, I hit the bed earlier than usual. I just wanted to restore my energy to appear fresh and energetic while making my first public appearance.But despite everything from lighting the candles with soothing aromas to drinking the herbal tea, I was unable to find sleep. Hours passed and I still found myself tossing and turning on the bed as restlessness zinged inside me.There was a ball of nervousness inflating inside my belly as I thought about tomorrow. Even though after careful consideration, we've shortlisted the smallest and most welcoming pack for our first visit I just couldn't help thinking about the worst outcome.I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard the door creaking open. I glanced over my shoulder to find Nicholus closing the door behind him.As he turned around, a slight frown appeared between his brows, "Why are you still up? Is everything okay?" I caught a hint of worry in his voice as his eyes roamed over all over
Ember's POV:The next day after breakfast, we all gathered in the conference room to discuss the plan and schedule of coming days.I was sitting on a chair next to Nicholus's head chair with a file of pack names and descriptions opened in front of me.Darius, who was sitting accross from me, inquired curiously, "So, what pack are we going to visit first?"My eyes scanned the contents of the file while my mind was busy making a strategy.Just when I opened my mouth to answer him, a breath got stuck in my lungs. I felt electricity rushing through my veins as Nicholus sprawled his hand over my thigh.Slowly, I clamped my mouth shut and swallowed hard as his thumb stroked my thigh. Why a mere movement felt so damn sensual was beyond my understanding.Darius who was still waiting for an answer raised his eyebrow, "Well?"I swallowed again and huffed out a huge breath, "First, we'll..."Once again, my mouth clamped shut as Nicholus's hand started moving up my thigh, letting tingles break al
Ember's POV:Tears were already brimming my eyes when I reached the door. My insides were swelling with so much rage that I had no idea how to keep them inside anymore. Without sparing a glance over my shoulder at my sobbing mother, I threw the door open and stormed outside only to come to a sudden halt when I spotted Nicholus leaning against the wall.As soon as he saw me, he straightened abruptly. His eyes roamed all over my red, angry face before settling on my eyes crested with tears.I was on the verge of crying but I didn't want to do that in front of him. I didn't want him to perceive his mate as weak and vulnerable who didn't know how to handle a situation or navigate her feelings.His jaw clenched tightly at seeing me in that state. I jerked my face to the other side, unsure of when these traitors of tears would decide to betray me.Nicholus took a quick step toward me but before he could take another, I raised my palm in the air and choked through the lump in my throat, "Don
Ember's POV: Unable to look at her being hurt by my words, I averted my gaze, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude." I took a deep breath and willed myself to calm down and think rationally. Pulling her hand away from my face, she fumbled her fingers together, "Never apologize for speaking your mind." That coming from her made so much sense. That actually made me realize that my mother wasn't some weak woman, indeed. For years, she faced Father's oppression and finally, did find a way out of his clutches. Father had often reprimanded me for having too many opinions or always speaking my mind. He perceived my fierce personality as a sign of arrogance. But hearing these words from my mother made me wonder whether I got this fierceness from her. Moving my gaze to the couch, I waved at it, "Let's have a seat." I waited for her to start moving and then followed her to the couch. As she sat down, I followed the suit and sat on the couch adjacent to hers. She was still fumbling with
Ember's POV:With my heart stuck in my throat and gaze on the floor, I stepped inside the Guest Hall where she awaited me.She? Who? Even in my mind, I couldn’t bring myself to give her any title. And that got me wondering what was I actually supposed to call her. Mom? Mummy? That would sound so weird. It wasn't like we had some deep bond of love between us. Alas, it would have been if she hadn't left me.Mother, maybe? Like Father. I never called him dad or daddy because I never felt like that. Pain shot through me as I suddenly realized this lady standing in front of me was even more of a stranger than I considered my Father to be.At least, he stayed with me despite everything. Even though deep in his heart, there was hatred for me but still, he never left me. I don’t care whether that was because I was his only heir or what, he did remain with me, and brought me up. Even though he couldn’t give me his love, he did give me all the facilities one could ask for. And still, despite al
Ember’s POV:Today was the D-Day. And that fact was hanging over my head since the moment my body recovered from the hard-core orgasms my mate had bestowed me with all morning.Nicholus had offered to stay with me but I didn't want him to stop everything and babysit me while I fretted over meeting my mother for the very first time.To calm my jittery nerves, I decided to go for a long and hot shower. The maid even lit up some candles with soothing aroma but unfortunately, even after half an hour of leisuring in the bathtub, my mind was still stuck on my mother.With a ball of anxiety rotating in my stomach, I let out a loud sigh and hopped out of the bathtub. Wrapping the bathrobe around me, I strode out of the bathroom.While making my way toward the closet, I heard a knock on the door. Halting, I turned toward it and hollered at whoever was on the other side to come in.I watched as the door slid open and a maid stepped inside. Bowing at her waist, she started speaking politely, "Go
Ember's POV: The next morning, I woke up to find myself spooned in Nicholus's embrace. One of his arms was under my head while the other one was wrapped around my belly. I fucking loved mornings like these. Waking up to the warmth of my mate was worth every difficulty I'd survived till now. Oh, what I wouldn't give to have his body tightly pressed against mine every morning. I shifted slightly and froze as something poked in my ass. His morning wood. Did I fail to mention that while counting the morning blessings? Something hot exploded in my lower belly as heat pooled between my legs. My heart started racing excitingly as I shifted slightly to have the perfect angle to rub my ass on his hard dick. As I slid my ass up and down his hard-on, I felt slick wetness leaking out of my pussy. Fuck, it felt so amazing that I could do that all day without a pause. And suddenly, my heartbeat turned erratic as I heard a deep, morning voice, "You again?" It was so sensual that a new wave of
Ember's POV: The next day while we were all gathered around the dining table during lunch, Nicholus's phone started ringing. One glance at the screen and my breath got stuck in my lungs as the name 'Mabel' flashed as the caller ID. Mother. Quickly grabbing the phone off the table, Nicholus excused himself and hurried outside. For a long minute, I stayed stuck in that moment. A ball of nervousness inflated inside me. Yesterday, I asked Nicholus to contact her and tell her I wanna meet her. As much as I was curious, I was also dreading the moment he would walk back inside and explode the bomb on me. I couldn't believe I was actually sitting there, with a stomach tightly coiled in a knot of fear, wondering whether my own mother would agree to meet her only daughter after abandoning her all those years ago. For the first time ever, I was questioning my worth. Would she see me worthy enough to meet me? Or was I going to be shunned once again? My stomach churned. The taste of my mouth