I sit with Rowan, and we read through the briefing for this next event. It's more than just cooking small canapés."Can you actually cook?" She looks at me, and I roll my eyes. "Sorry, I had to make sure as I can't." She laughs slightly."Well, I'm sure you know about fashion and colour matching, right?" She nods at my words."Okay, so we can discuss the food together. We have one hour daily in the kitchen, so I can show you today. Then you can try and teach me about fashion." We laugh."It says here that we both need to match but not to be the same, and we have to compliment each other and the table?" She sighs. "What colours do you like?" She looks at me."How about we forget what colours we like, choose the style of dresses, what food, then choose the colours based on that?" She nods and continues to read."So, hot or cold canapes?" I don't know which will be better."Cold, it's outside; if we make something hot that needs to be eaten hot, it could go cold and then taste bad." She
I'm ready for tonight's dinner. Afterwards, I will meet Rowan in the kitchen, and we're going to be cooking.As I open the door Kellan is stood smiling."I was coming. The king could have given me a chance not to show up." I laugh and step out."Neither of us will be there for tonight's dinner.""Then why are you here?" His hand goes to his heart."Ouch, heartless."I laugh at his words and step around him. "Seriously, why are you here?""To invite you to a date." I stop and look at him. He stands and smirks."The catch?""A mouse?""What?"He laughs. "There's no catch. So, how about after you eat?" He walks, and I follow."I'm with Rowan after. We've got our hour slot in the kitchen.""Fine, after that?""Okay." I feel like it's a trap."I swear, it's not a set-up. I have to invite everyone on one and planned to ask you anyway." He nudges me and walks into the room."I should leave. I'm not meant to be eating you ladies." Smiling, he turns and walks out. Rushing over, I sit between S
Kellan: I walk into the room and sit down. Darius raises his head and glares at me. Well, I'm in trouble again. I bite back the laugh."What were you doing yesterday evening?""That depends? Specify the time, and I can tell you." I did a lot of things. I had the secret date with Elara, took copies of his files about the missing wolves, and did my own research."While I was on the date with Lyra."I smirk and watch him stand and grab the laptop. He turns it, and I stare."Well, that is interesting. I was so sure the cameras found us at the end." The mini clips put together do show a lot. So, had they really been filming the whole thing in secret? "In my defence, I told him to delete it.""Kellan!" I glance at him."I invited Elara on a date, isn't that what I'm meant to do? Invite them all on dates?""You're meant to let me know, and William, you're meant to set up something appropriate, not a fucking food fight.""Barely a fight brother. More teasing." I followed the rules, kind of.
I step into the room quietly, seeing Darius being interviewed. Walking closer to them but avoiding the cameras."I can't answer that. We decided to do things differently going forward." Darius speaks."How so?" The producer leans in closer."The dates will be picked at random. A name will be picked out, and that is who will go on the next date." Darius explains."Will that be the same for Kellan, or have his dates stopped?""It will be the same for Kellan. He will be seeing this through, regardless of what people think. That includes going on dates with each woman.""What are your thoughts on his and Elara's secret date?"I think that's clear to everyone. He hates it. My eyes roll. It's a wasted question."It wasn't a secret date. I knew about it and agreed." I stare at him."Yet you didn't tell the cameras?" The producer looks at him, confused."Because it wasn't a real date. It was to ensure Elara was relaxed and used as a cover. As you know, we're investigating where the missing wo
My day is spent hiding away, except for the one hour I spent with Rowan and finalising our plans for tomorrow. Things are looking good. We get nearly three hours tomorrow to cook. The multiple kitchens help.It means everything we make will be made tomorrow. I don't put it past Aurora to plan an attack by making my food terrible. So she won't get a chance as nothing we have stored in the fridge will be used.Fastening my dress for tonight's dinner, I get ready and walk out. Sage walks over and wraps her arm through mine."Everyone is talking about your interview!" She smiles at me."How? They can't see it. No TV, radio or phones."She laughs. "The maids watched it on their break while eating." She nudges me. "They particularly liked Kellan's lots of practice about the kiss."Laughing, I nod. "He wasn't lying." Everyone has said Kellan was a player, leaving a string of women with broken hearts at his back. I'm set to be one of them.Walking into the room, I see Darius and Kellan. So th
After sitting with Kellan and talking, Beta Yori guided me back to my room, and I fell asleep instantly as soon as my head hit the pillow.I'm tired. Having no wolf is a disadvantage; the other contestants don't seem to tire quickly; I do.Waking, I had breakfast like I do every morning with the contestants. Then, I went into the kitchen and began to cook with Rowan. I say with, but the most she has done is mix or measure the ingredients.When she tried making the casings for the mini pies, they were odd and misshaped, and some were inedible because of their size.Still, she is helping; her fashion knowledge has been vital to this event.Sage, Aurora, Astrid, and Selene are with us in the kitchen. We also have guards and maids stationed around the kitchen. I feel that it is more to protect the king.They are watching our every movement, so do they fear one of the contestants might purposely poison him? Then again, the way he's acted kind of makes him deserve it. I push the thought awa
KellanI stand with Darius, but not really paying any attention. So far, the food has been bad or okay. We've only done two tables, so nothing can get worse. I hope.I'm sure Elara should be out by now."Find her." Darius looks at Beta William. "If she isn't here soon, she gets no points. That sabotages Rowan.""I'll help." I go to walk away, and he stops me. "What? I will still taste them all, give me five minutes, and I will be back. Enjoy your conversation." Turning, I rush through, going to her room. It's empty. She's got her dress on.So she got ready to leave? Turning, I walk out and look into the other contestant's rooms. I glance outside to check, but she still isn't there. Darius is still at the same table, talking with the guests.Moving, we go through the corridors."Elara!" Fuck sake, did she honestly get lost? I laugh at the thought. I hear banging and turn. Walking towards it, stopping at the door, I see the key in the lock.Unlocking the door, I opened it and saw her. S
I haven't seen Kellan. Then again, May explained that he is ensuring all traces of nuts have gone. It's clear he cares for Darius, as none of the guests had realised there were nuts on the food.As I go to step into the room, a hand stops me."I need to know what happened." Kellan looks at me."Someone called Beta Nova told me I was late and meant to meet in that room. He pushed me in and locked the door."Nova? Are you sure you heard them right?""Yes, Kellan, he said his name was Nova.""Then how did your dress get ripped and your hair a mess?" I open my mouth to reply, and the producer appears next to us. He smiles and walks around and into the room."I'm confused as to why he is still here?""Better the devil, you know." I glance at him, confused. "He's worked with the family for over twenty years. To replace him now means taking a risk. We have no idea if the person who replaces him will be any better. We can at least control what he releases, or Darius can anyway."That makes se
Asher POVI look down at Katla. She's only a few days old. After speaking with Zyra, she decided that the space in the mountains would be a retreat—a place for us to escape to, somewhere Katla could get used to what it is like to live in the Dragon Kingdom.We have spent a few days there, but not many. Apparently, she wants to be in the palace close to the others. Part of me feels like that's because they were her support while I was hiding away.It's shown her what having a family around can do. We're close, minus Aurelia. She seems to be thriving with the Bears and keeping her distance. Other than returning that day when I was going crazy and needed help, she rarely came back. We've adjusted and got used to that, however.She wants her life away from here; she wants her own life, not one that is connected to us. She should have that if she wants it."Hey."Turning, I see Elijah walk to me.He laughs slightly and takes Katla from my arms. "You look exhausted; fun night?"It's only 4
Asher POVI walk out of the room and go to where I know they will be. As I step into the office, they turn to face me.Darius shakes his head. "You should be with Zyra.""I was, but considering this is brought on by the Dragons, I should be helping." I walk further in and look at the papers."Nothing to help with," my dad shrugs. "His son is clean, Seraphine can tell. Things were explained to him. He had no idea about the arranged marriage and, to be honest, was shocked, as he apparently had a mate."So the son won't be an issue. Is that what he's saying?"Look, both Eliphas and Durnalin are in the cells, away from each other. The son has gone. Apparently, he has a whole life with his mate. His dad told him the dragons had requested their presence at events." Darius explains.It makes no sense, though. "Why? Why would the dragons want the warlocks there?" How didn't his son question it?"Apparently, because Eliphas and his son are the strongest warlocks, they invited them to make a un
Asher POVI wait and watch."Prince Asher, soon to be King, tell me something." He walks to the bars and leans against them. "Where do Warlocks belong?"My head tilts; they belong wherever they want to. I don't understand his question."See, there is no answer as we don't belong anywhere. There is the werewolf kingdom, fae, dragons and everything else. Witches and warlocks are forced to live in one of those kingdoms, with no real power."So this was all about getting power? My body is pushed back, and my eyes widen as I see King Drakon reach through the bars—his hand clamps around Eliphas' neck.I guess he's fixed, and his curse is gone. My dad and Darius drag him away, and I watch Eliphas drop to the floor, clutching his neck. The blood runs down from where King Drakon's nails dug in."We need answers; killing him won't get them." My dad turns and faces Eliphas."Apparently, this was all for power." Which still makes no sense."It wasn't just for power. We wanted our own kingdom, our
Asher POVI'm anxious. It's been two days since the curse was lifted, and I'm glad to be back to normal. All that is at risk, though. Tonight, I have to be close to whoever is pretending to be King Drakon. That then risks it happening again, and if it does, will it start slow again or begin where it was removed?I've noticed Elijah, Storm, and Aurelia are quiet. Whatever was done has worn them out, which I didn't want."Are you ready?" Zyra hugs me, and I nod. I'm not. We need answers and to figure out who it is."Be careful, okay?" I don't like that I'm not going to be there."It's you who needs to be careful. You will be in a confined space with him. If anything goes wrong." She looks at me worriedly.Wrapping my arms around her, I smile. "I'll be fine; once he's in the cell, he can't do anything." I kissed her and gave her a final hug before walking away.Getting to the cells, I sit in one and wait. I'm hoping the plan works. If we can get him in the cell, then his magic and power
Asher POVI can see Zyra is struggling, and I don’t blame her either. She just found out her brother is missing.“Look, when Seraphine checked trying to find out the issue with him, she saw King Drakon, but it wasn’t him. Whoever it was is who we believe Cursed Asher.” My mum grasps her hands and smiles. “We’ve got people tracking down where your brother really is. There’s a reason for this, and it’s you, Zyra. Seraphine could sense the curses were put on Asher and Elijah to try and push you to return home.”Zyra looks around the room and seems increasingly worried. “What about Ryker? Is he okay? Does he know?” She waits, and I don’t know the answer to that.“I’m sorry, we don’t know. You need to stay here, Zyra. We have a plan, and we’re hoping Seraphine can uncover more when the person comes here.”She nods and sits, looking lost.“We are expecting Seraphine to return late tonight or early tomorrow. If they can’t fix the issue, then we will keep working to.” My mum smiles and hugs h
Asher POVAfter about an hour of sitting in the cell with Zyra, I ordered her to leave. I wanted to spend time with her, but she shouldn't have been sitting in the cells with me.So, I've been alone for hours, waiting to find out their plan. They hadn't thought this through. I need to leave the cell to go to the room. As soon as I step out of this cell, it will come back. Then what?I'm willing to agree to anything right now if it gets me out of this cell and back with Zyra. The footsteps have me standing, and I watch my dad and Darius walk towards me."What's your plan? How am I to do this?" They haven't thought it through."You need to shift." Darius looks at me.I laugh at him. Is that some kind of joke? "You want me to shift, so that what? I can kill people easier?"My dad sighs and steps forward. "Please do as you're told. You won't understand why we're saying you can shift, but shift. Into your wolf, not dragon."Of course, I won't understand; they haven't explained it to me. If
Elijah POVI sit in the office; Seraphine has left. She's meeting her family halfway in the hopes they have something that can help. Merfolk are powerful creatures with extraordinary abilities.Curses and such are something they specialise in."We're going to request that King Drakon attend a celebration for Zyra's pregnancy. It means we can get what we need and figure out who it is and what their aim is." My dad looks at me, and he makes it sound so simple. This isn't simple."He's going to ask why Asher isn't present, then what?" We can't lie and hide him. "It will look suspicious.""Not if Zyra invites him, she won't know, remember. She can invite him, and whoever is portraying King Drakon won't suspect anything. We're going to be honest and explain something is wrong with Asher, and he's not well."So we're not hiding the issue."He could be in the cell for weeks, so we've had things moved down there for him. The plan is later to test how he is with someone in the cell with him. T
Asher POVI watch as Elijah glares at everyone and backs up more."Elijah, we need to know." My mum steps towards him."I saw him once, just once! You all need to focus on Asher, not me! He's the one that is cursed, not me!" He shouts and steps back. He backs into my dad, and he grabs Elijah as Seraphine steps forward and grips his head.His screams echo around the cells, and it's all over just as quickly as it starts. His body falls to the floor, and he cradles his head."Well?" Darius looks at Seraphine."You're going to need a warlock, or I'll need to contact my family and see if they have something to clear the curses." Her words make me look towards Elijah. So, he is also cursed."Asher's curse is to make him push everyone out and make him think he has a mad wolf so that Zyra leaves. Elijah's was to hate Asher, likely to intensify it." Seraphine smiles slightly. "There's no mate, Elijah. The curse is what's stopping us from having a baby. There's no third mate." Her words have hi
Asher POVNo one speaks, likely because they know what I said is the truth. I need to die; there is nothing they can do to change that."Explain the process, what happened, how it started, when it happens." Darius pulls a chair over and sits outside the cell.I laugh. "Why do I need to talk? Why do I need to explain? You're proving you believe me by keeping me locked in here and being too afraid to come near your own son."Nothing I say can change that."Asher, I'm not opening the cell because I don't trust you to try and run. So explain it to me, tell me how it's progressed, and let's be sure that is what is happening." He waits, and I watch my mum, Elijah, and dad sit with him."It began with whispers. The words were barely audible, but I heard whispers in my ear. They got louder and began to sound like words. Whispers were one thing, but then I began to see people dead and my wolf above them." It was a warning to me to hide, to push them away, and not let them close to me."When do