Ember's POV:I was thrashing on his shoulder, screaming maniacally, punching him anywhere my fists could reach but he remained unscathed and seemed unbothered as he effortlessly carried me back to the dungeons.As soon as he stepped inside, guards rushed to close the gates, and only then did he unhauled me from his fucking shoulder.As my feet landed on the ground, I coiled my hands into tight fists and started yelling, "You caveman, freaking Neanderthal, how dare you..."Ignoring me like I was invisible, he turned around to face the guards, "Explain to me how she managed to leave even after such tight security?"Blood left their faces as they gawked at me with wide eyes and stammered in fear, "Alpha, we've been on high alert just as you've ordered us. We don't know how she..."Before the poor, frightened guard even finished his sentence, my very uncivilized and cruel mate lunged forward and wrapped his hands around the necks of both guards.Moving with the speed of light, he took the
Ember’s POV:Once again, silence prevailed all around us as we both stared at each other with intensity. None of us averted our gazes as millions of thoughts whirled around in our minds.I waited for him to thrash out in anger, mock me for not being a purebred, alpha-born, and insult me for having mixed blood in my veins.More than anything, I desperately waited for him to reject me right then and there. A new hope fluttered inside me. I was a hybrid, everything opposite to what he was expecting in his fated mate.The wisest thing for him to do as a King was to reject me and find a Chosen Mate with strong connections and pure, alpha blood coursing through her veins.But a long time passed and he kept standing there, gawking at me, thinking God knew what.His blank stare had started to affect me more than I liked to admit. I wondered what was going on in his mind.I squirmed under his hard stare and finally sputtered, “Say something.”I regretted that instantly. Why did I sound so vulne
Ember’s POV:I dug my nails into his hand wrapping around my wrist while rasping, “Where the hell are you taking me?”Initially, I had expected him to put me back in the cell but soon, I realized that the devil had some other plans for his prey.Fear crept under my skin as he dashed deeper into the dungeons, leaving all the cells behind. As we walked through the dark corridor, I felt the air becoming thick and stagnant.I winced at the foul smell of rotting flesh whirling in the air. I tried desperately to wriggle myself out of his tight hold and croaked through the clogged throat, “Just leave me. Let me go.”At the end of the corridor, he took a sharp turn to the right and started bolting down the staircase. My free hand flew out in a failed attempt to hold anything, to fight him but all was in vain as he sped down.A shiver ran down my spine as the temperature here felt even colder than it was in the cells. Only a few dim lights were illuminating the otherwise dark hallway.There wer
Ember’s POV:Turning toward Darius, Nicholus assessed him with a vengeful gaze, “Really, Beta? Were my orders about her not clear enough to you?”Darius’s shoulders slouched as he exhaled, “They were, Alpha.”“And you still decided to go against me and defy my orders?” growled my mate angrily.Darius stared at the ground, “I thought…”Alpha cut him off mid-sentence, “I wonder why you have a soft corner for her, Darius. She is the one who betrayed your Alpha and still your loyalty lies with her.”At that, Darius lifted his head and looked at his Alpha, “That’s not true, Nicholus. I…”Once again, my mate didn’t let him finish as he spat bitterly, “I feel betrayed, Darius.” He shook his head slowly and grumbled in a low voice, “And you were never supposed to betray me.”Before poor Darius could explain his point, Alpha Nicholus turned his attention to the guards standing on either side of Darius and ordered them, “Hang him to the chains.”My eyes widened at his words, “What?”I saw in ho
Ember’s POV:I watched in astonishment as a tall lady stormed into the dungeon hall with two guards behind her. They were nothing like the dungeon guards. Both had heavy build with intimidating looks permanently etched into their features. They were more like warriors.But all of my attention was focused on the lady who was lethal but equally charismatic. Immense power radiated off her.Her eyes were fearless which quickly turned ferocious as soon as they landed on Darius hanging from the ceiling.“For God’s sake, Nicholus. He is your Beta and you cannot do this to him,” her cold gaze slashed to my mate who was still gripping my cheeks.The lady’s eyes widened as she screeched in disbelief, “And who is she? And why are you clutching her like that?”“Mom…” my mate said tightly and that was enough to draw a complete picture for me.The charismatic lady who had just appeared out of nowhere was no one but the Luna of this pack. Well, that justified the way she dared to interrupt Alpha’s b
Ember’s POV:Turning her blazing gaze toward his son, Luna said curtly, “Capturing women in the name of war trophies?”Disgust was written all over her face as she scoffed, “Couldn’t resist walking in your father’s footsteps for long, huh?”His death-like grip around my arm loosened instantly before he blurted out, “No, it’s not…”Luna cut him off mid-sentence, “I’ve never seen you do that before.” She shook her head in disappointment, “The son I’ve raised would never do such a hideous thing to any woman," she said in distress.Alpha’s body went rigid behind me at his mother’s words. He released an exasperated breath and said agitatedly, “You challenged my authority when it came to Darius, mom. But as the Luna of this pack, I let that go and gave in to your demand because I respect you.”His voice turned harsher as he bit out, “But she…she is not a member of our pack. So, you do not need to protect her.”He looked straight into Luna's eyes and uttered with finality, “Let me handle thi
Nicholus’s POV:Exiting the dungeons, I started walking toward my private chambers. The night was so fucking mind-exhausting that I wanted to spend the rest of it alone before I caused any more destruction.Passing through the Luna’s quarter, I spotted her guards standing outside. Coming to a halt, I inquired, “What are you two doing here? Didn't Luna order you to take Darius to the castle clinic?”One of them nodded before answering, “We were on our way, Alpha. But then Beta asked us to take him to his chamber instead.”Turning on my heels. I started walking in the opposite direction. The castle had various chambers, quarters, and wings. The biggest of them was known as the Great Chamber which had always been reserved for the King. It was located above all the other chambers. It was so huge that I could see half of my empire from its terrace. After that was the Luna’s Quarters. Then, there were smaller chambers for Beta and Gamma.With quick strides, I crossed the hallways until I re
Nicholus’s POV:Darius had downed over two bottles of BloodMoon Merlot and was completely drunk now whereas I stopped drinking after three shots because I didn’t want to get drunk and lose control.He popped open yet another bottle of sparkling liquid when I couldn't resist asking him, “Will you tell me?”He looked at me with hooded eyes, “Tell you what?”Pressing my lips into a thin line, I mumbled under my breath, “About what you two have been discussing in the cell?”A foolish grin split on his stupid face which made me roll my eyes. I reprimanded myself for inquiring about such a thing even after telling myself repeatedly that I didn’t care about anything related to her.He wiggled his eyebrows and drawled, “Someone is desperate to know about his mate, huh?”I huffed out, “Not at all. I’m just a little bit curious, that’s all.”He dismissed me with a wave of his hand, “Yeah, yeah, no need to tell me that you’re dying to talk about her.”“Darius,” I exerted warning in my voice.It w
Nicholus's POV:My eyes snapped open sharp at 5 am. After decades of this routine, I no longer needed an alarm to wake me up.My hand moved to my neck to scratch it. Even though I was shirtless I was still feeling hot and itchy due to the heater producing blazing heat at full speed.I rolled over with a heavy groan and suddenly went still as soon as my eyes landed on the most beautiful woman lying beside me on the bed. And just like that, I no longer complained about the heat and sweat beads lining my forehead as I watched her sleeping soundly. She was warm and content, I couldn't ask for more.She was lying on her stomach with her face on the other side. The comforter was down to her waist, exposing the milky white back to me.Brown locks of her hair were draped around her body and some were on her back too. The memory of my fingers tangled around those thick hair flooded my mind. I loved tugging them backward to have more access to her irresistible body while making love to her.Lif
Ember's POV:His eyes glazed over with hunger as they roamed down my neck. The very next moment, my grip on the counter tightened as he dipped his head and his lips attacked my jaw.I sucked in a sharp breath as his tongue, warm and slippery, wiped over my skin, licking off the chocolate batter.My breathing grew heavier and my heartbeat turned erratic as his tongue trailed down to my neck. Heat pooled between my legs as he nibbled and sucked the sensitive skin there.His movements were nothing sweet and gentle as he ate me up like his favorite candy. Today, my mate was all about rough and passionate. And weirdly, I was all in it to see that side of his.I was panting heavily as he moved to the spot where his mate mark was supposed to be. A shiver ran down my spine and I clamped my eyes shut. I let him be because I knew I'd accept the bond if he were to mark me right then and there.He stayed there for a while and grazed the spot with his teeth. A low growl reverberated deep in his ch
Ember’s POV:I was stunned into silence after hearing those words from him. What was happening to me?My body should have jerked into motion, jumped with excitement, do a happy little dance but what was happening to me was beyond my understanding.My body felt numb, my eyes were opened widely, my stomach was coiled into a tight knot, blood whooshed in my ears, my mind was processing a million thoughts all at once, and my heart…my heart was pulsating so thunderously that I feared it might burst out of my chest any moment now.Nicholus kept staring at me with nervous eyes for a few moments, waiting for my reaction. When a few minutes passed and I kept standing there cluelessly, I saw hurt flashing in his for a brief moment.A sad smile appeared on his lips and he moved his hand to the back of my head. Nudging my head forward, he pressed my forehead against his chest.Rubbing the back of my head gently, he whispered in my ear, “It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything if you don’t feel
Ember’s POV:Nicholus stayed in the closet room, breathing down my neck, urging me to hurry up. He didn’t even tell me where we were going or what I should pack accordingly.Standing over the small suitcase, I tossed in sweatshirts, a cardigan, and jeans. Making a quick detour to the washroom, I grabbed a handful of toiletries, dumped them in the bag, and zipped it.As soon as I was done, Nicholus grabbed the bag and announced that it was time to get going.Jogging out of the castle, he handed the bag to the driver waiting outside the car. As the driver placed the bag in the trunk, Nicholus asked him to give him the keys.Settling inside the car, I asked him out of curiosity, “Why didn’t you let the driver drive?”Revving up the engine, he stated firmly, “Because, from this moment, I don’t want any third person with us for the next two days.”As he raced the car out of the gates, I watched the castle receding in the side mirror. My stomach was knotted with anticipation for the next tw
Ember's POV:The next morning, I had just finished breakfast when I heard a light knock on the door.After a moment, it slid open and Nicholus walked inside. My heartbeat instantly turned erratic as soon as my eyes landed on him. He looked exquisitely handsome in a crisp white dress shirt and black coat on top of it.I held my breath while he took quick strides in my direction and stopped in front of me, "Hi, good morning," he greeted gently.The moments of last night flashed in my mind, making me go all giddy on the inside. My cheeks tinted at the memory of our passionate kiss.I had expected to be shy in front of him but I was only getting bolder as his eyes roamed all over my body, drinking me, taking me in."Good Morning," I smiled at him.He took a step closer to me and rushed out nervously, "Ok, so last night...""Hmm-mmm, what happened last night?" my smile turned flirtatious.All of a sudden, a shocking gasp escaped my throat as he lunged forward, snaked his hand around my wai
Ember’s POV:As soon as our lips connected, something awakened deep inside me. The type of desire I'd never felt before. So raw, so unrefined that it shook me to the core.Electricity zinged through my veins and tingles flared all over my skin. I was so shocked by the sensations I was feeling.Heat pooled between my legs as I deepened the kiss but then, all of a sudden, I realized that Nicholus was standing still.Panic swelled inside me. Was it one-sided? Did I misread his eyes? Was I moving too fast?Feeling like he wasn't really into it, I broke the kiss and pulled my head away.Nibbling my bottom lip nervously, I was just about to step away from him to compose myself when a sudden gasp escaped my throat.Before I could take any step away from him, his hand on my cheek swiftly slid to the back of my head. His touch was no longer gentle as he grabbed the back of my head tightly and held me firmly in place.Everything happened so fast that I didn't dare move as his other gripped the
Ember’s POV:Nicholus stepped forward and draped aside the curtain of vines hanging between the trees, making a narrow passage for us to pass through.His broad shoulders obscured my view as we stepped through the passage and it wasn’t until I was inside that I came to face the most picturesque view my eyes had ever beheld.My footsteps halted and so did my breathing. My eyes slowly widened as they swept around and took in the heavenly scenery unfolding in front of them.“What the…where are we…what..?” I stuttered in shock, utterly bewitched by the exquisite beauty all around me.Leaving my hand, Nicholus stepped in front of me and waved his arms in the air, “In between the stars, Belle Ame.”I turned around in a full circle. My hands flew to my mouth. He remembered. No, not only he remembered but he also somehow made my impossible wish come true. Happiness bloomed inside me at what he'd done for me.Feeling way above cloud nine, I screamed giddily and sprinted forward on the wooden b
Ember's POV:The door we exited from was actually at the left side of the castle whereas Nicholus was waiting at the front.Stepping out of the door, I and Darius rounded the castle to go to the front. Trusting Darius to navigate the way, I kept my eyes on the ground and held my gown as I took careful steps ahead.As we reached the corner, Darius halted suddenly and pulled me backward."Ouch," I yelped, "what are you doing?"His finger shot up to his lips as he urged me to stay quiet, "Ssshhhh."He moved his finger and pointed somewhere in the distance, "Look," he said while letting out a low, playful chuckle.Frowning slightly, I slid closer to the corner and turned my gaze to where he was pointing at the front of the castle.My heart did a quick flipflop as I saw Nicholus beside a black BMW. I took a moment to run my gaze down his body. He was wearing a three-piece suit in the same midnight blue shade as mine. His hair was neatly combed backward. He was looking so charismatic and ha
Ember's POV:Rubbing the sleep off my eyes, I rolled over to the edge of the queen-sized bed and heaved myself up into a sitting position. Spotting a large blue box on the bedside table, I stared at it cluelessly.Grabbing it with careful hands, I placed it on my lap and squinted at a dark blue ribbon tied around in a cute bow.In the center of the bow, I saw a note tucked in. Grabbing the corner of the note, I slid it out of the box and lifted the cream-colored folded paper in front of my eyes.Unfolding it, I read a note neatly written in my mate's handwriting:"Good Morning, my beautiful mate,Congratulations on your recovery. I'm truly proud of you. On this auspicious occasion, I'd love to take you somewhere. A place where you once wished to be.Along with this note, I'm sending you a small gift. Wear it only if you like it.I'll be waiting for you outside the castle at 8 pm."My lips split into a bright smile as I read the note again before placing it aside.Turning my attention