KIARA A storm was coming. I could feel it. The wild look in Denzel's golden eyes was almost eery. Unable to do anything, I'd watched the shine in his eyes fade, and in its place was a cruel tempest. His rage was growing by the minute. It was overbearing, it was as though it had a life of its own. For the first time, I was afraid of him. And I hated it. His voice was icy when he spoke again."Why? Why did you keep it from me?" His trembling fingers tightened around the curve of my shoulders, to the point where it ached. I swallowed past the lump in my throat. In my head, I went through all the times I could've told him about Estella. The words "I should have" were all I could think about. There was no time to mull over my regrets. Darkness had fallen over my mate's handsome face. I needed to fix this. But what could I say?Truth was, the reason why I'd kept it from him was because there was a part of me that was skeptical. "I see..." Denzel muttered, his grip loosening. My eyes wid
KIARA "Denzel?" I whispered, tapping my mate's arm. When he didn't respond, my heart sank. The figure at the other end of the hallway was approaching us steadily. I had a feeling that this man was Denzel's father. My priority was to keep a good distance between father and son."Don't confront him," I heard Denzel say. His voice was so low, I had to listen closely."Can you stand?" I asked, and he let out a sigh."I don't think so," he breathed."That man is your father, isn't he?" I whispered. He inhaled sharply, his hands loosely resting on my waist."I don't know why...but there's something about him that's familiar. I feel like I've met him before," I told him, and he stiffened."W-what? That's not- ""Coward!" Denzel's father growled. The sunlight spewing from the windows reflected on him. I could see his sharp features. He had graying black hair, which was tied up in a ponytail. His moustache and menacing silver gaze made him look unapproachable. Even so, I could tell that
DENZEL That look in her eyes...It was sexy as fuck. Kiara had never struck me as someone who had a bit of crazy. But she had to be. There was no way she would gaze at me like that after my confession if she wasn't a little psycho. It was true after all. We all have our own darkness.Her tongue darted from her mouth and swiped across her lower lip, leaving a trail of moisture behind."Tell me more," she whispered, her gaze locked with mine.I raised a brow, studying her features intently. She wasn't afraid; I couldn't sense any fear from her. She appeared to be genuinely curious about me."What do you want to know?" I asked, reaching out to cup the side of her face. She leaned into my touch, her eyes fluttering close for a few seconds. When she opened those eyes, they shimmered in the light, drawing me in."Why do you think you're a monster?" She asked, the words a breathy whisper.There she goes, asking me such an amusing question.Dropping my hand from her face, I sat down on my bed
KIARA I'd probably lost my mind for a moment, because when I realized what I'd just blurted out, I desperately wished to vanish into thin air. The air in the room had grown both hotter and thicker. I could see it in Denzel's eyes. Those golden eyes were a shade darker, and they were filled with lust. He cocked his head, his gaze pinned on me. I swallowed, heat creeping onto my cheeks."You don't mean that, do you?" His voice rumbled from his chest, sending a shiver down my spine.I didn't know how to tell him that I'd blurted those words in the spur of the moment. Somehow, when I'd seen the wounded look in his eyes as he spoke about Deanna, a fierce wave of possessiveness had latched onto me. Denzel was mine now. Deanna had no right to taunt my mate."I see what you did."Denzel's lips curved into a sly smirk as he leaned closer to me until we were barely a hair's breadth apart. "W-what are you talking about?" I stuttered, my eyes darting from one corner of the room to the other
DENZEL Several years ago, Tied up to an iron beam with my arms spread far apart, I was in agony. My shoulders felt sore, and my legs were trembling, threatening to give out under me. Forcing my eyes open, I squinted through my right eye, where dried blood caked over my eyelid. My left eye was swollen shut, and my body was too hot for comfort. How long has it been since the ritual began? Six days? Seven? I'd lost count of it. One would think that being the eight-year-old son of a king would mean that I would be treated with care. But the reverse was the case. Father had always reprimanded me because of my weakness. But, the moment he noticed that I was no longer the son he used to know, he had me partake in this torturous ritual. According to the priest, my body had become impure, and my mind was constantly being scavenged by darkness. Resting my face against the cold iron beam, I groaned weakly, my eyelids drooping shut. My stomach felt as though it was goi
KIARA "Can you do it now?" I asked, squinting at him. Although I was desperate, I was a little skeptical about how easy he made it sound. Even if he could create a barrier that could keep Lucas out of my head, there was no way he could set it up while he was in a weakened state. However, I had a feeling that he wanted to set up the barrier as quickly as possible. Denzel cocked his head, his gaze intense."You don't think I can do it right now?"I gave him a small smile as I reached out and took hold of his hand. "I don't want you to push yourself too hard," I stressed, maintaining our eye contact. "Kiss me," he breathed, and my eyes widened. I was startled by his sudden statement. We'd gotten to the point where exchanging kisses shouldn't be surprising. Still, I couldn't help but feel flustered. "Right now?" I squeaked, feeling my blood rush to my cheeks.Denzel did not give me a response. Instead, he cupped the back of my head, pulled me closer to himself and kissed me deepl
KIARA "....to Kiara!"I glanced at Cassy, puzzled. I'd been lost in thought. Therefore, I hadn't been listening to her before now. Two days had passed since the knife incident. But everything seemed to have gone back to normal. Denzel was back on his feet, attending to the kingdom's affairs. Regardless of the fact that Cassy was yet to talk about her problems, I was hopeful that she wouldn't keep me waiting for too long. I hadn't encountered Wren since Keenan told me about her release.Despite all of this, there was a strong sense of foreboding resting on me. The hair on the back of my neck stood stiff, and I couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched by someone I couldn't see. Every few minutes, I found myself glancing back for any signs of my invisible stalker. The knots in my stomach just wouldn't ease up. It didn't help that I was feeling cranky and my back was starting to hurt. "Are you alright, Kiara?" Cassy asked. She was standing beside me in the kitchen. Althoug
KIARA Disoriented, I watched Keenan take hold of Cassy's arm and close his eyes. His hand began to glow a bright yellow. He leaned over her, pressing his forehead against hers. "I, Keenan Aleck Avory, choose you, Cassandra Rosario, as my bonded mate, may the moon goddess bear witness to this," he stated, his voice tinged with desperation. "What are you doing? You said she's..."He cut me off as he straightened, his gaze lingering on Cassy."My life force will sustain her for now. But, she needs your help. She didn't want to burden you, it's why she kept it to herself," he said.My chest tightened, my eyes brimming with fresh tears."She should have said something," I croaked. Keenan rose to his feet and turned to look at me, a blank look on his face. "You're pregnant. Besides, you already have Denzel's best interests at heart. You want to free him from Adam. Cassy wanted you to focus on that," He replied.I lowered myself onto the bed and buried my face in my hands. "Was sh
KIARA "Are you ready?" My mate asked me as I wrapped an arm around his waist and pressed a kiss to his bare back. We were both lying in bed on our first anniversary."I'm excited," I squeaked, and he chuckled. "You're finally getting to imprint on my mind. Of course, you should be excited," he replied, his voice laced with amusement. "Close your eyes. I'm gonna go in now," I whispered, delving into his mind. When I opened my eyes again, we were standing on top of a hill. There was a beautiful, clear waterfall directly opposite us, and there were bright red roses growing along the paths of the wide expanse of the mountains. The sky was a breathtaking pink, and the breeze was refreshingly cool. "Can I open my eyes now?" Denzel asked, and I chuckled, leaning into him from behind. "Yes."He glanced around, whistling under his breath. "Denzel?" I said, and he turned to look at me, his eyes wide with awe. Holding out a hand, I gave him a big smile."Let's go for a walk," I sugge
KIARA A scream tore through the air, and I narrowed my eyes, pulling the door open. Hurrying down the hallway, I reached out for Denzel through our bond. However, I got no response.More screams and cries filled the air, and my stomach churned. I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me what was happening. Lucas was here. The battle had officially begun. Maids scrambled in my direction, their dresses stained with blood. "Azalea," I breathed, worried about my daughter's safety. Just before I could get to the nursery, I saw Cassy running towards me with Azalea in her arms. Her eyes were wide with terror. "He's here. He's killing everyone," she panted. "Take her to the basement. Can you do that for me?" I asked, and she gulped. "Stay safe, Kiara. Please." She croaked. I nodded, patting her back. I watched her continue down the hallway. She suddenly vanished out of sight. Relieved to know that my daughter was in good hands, I crouched by the side of an unconscious guard and grabbed
KIARA Denzel and I sat in our bedroom with Azalea asleep in my arms. My mate had cleaned himself up and was now dressed in his robe. There was a blank expression on his face. It was obvious that we were worried about the fact that Lucas had stolen Ria's power. I still couldn't wrap my head around how he had managed to do that. With Ria's power in his possession, I was the only one who could truly put him down for good. But there was one problem. I was yet to remove the seal. Lucas could attack at any moment. However, we were not ready for him. I still didn't know what Lucas' plan was, and this was unnerving. "Don't worry too much about it," Denzel said to me, his gaze meeting mine. I knew he was trying to comfort me. But, at this point, it was the last thing I needed. I couldn't shake off the feeling that a much bigger war was coming. One which was capable of causing a much bigger catastrophe. If we weren't ready for it, we were bound to get destroyed. "What if he comes her
DENZEL "She was right here in her cot. I was standing by the window, preparing her food. When I turned around, she was gone," Kiara's maid said, her head lowered. We were in the nursery, and Kiara was pacing back and forth. I knew she was barely holding it together. "You didn't hear anybody walk in?" She asked, and the maid shook her head. "No one came in. I would've heard the door open."Kiara gripped several locks of her hair and tugged. I walked up to her, releasing her grip on her hair."Don't hurt yourself," I said, and she looked up at me, her eyes filled with both desperation and anguish."It's all my fault. I shouldn't have left her side. I should have stayed to protect her," she said, her voice trembling. "We will find her," I stated, and she shook her head feverishly."Lucas... what if he's the one who took her? What if he took her to get back at us? What do we do now? This can't be happening," she sobbed.My mate was slipping right into panic mode, and it hurt me t
KIARA I didn't think. I grabbed the woman's arm and pulled her off my mate's body. Denzel stumbled out of bed and hurried into the bathroom with unsteady movements. Grabbing the strange woman by the hair, I kicked her at the back of her legs, bringing her to her knees. She cackled, and I narrowed my eyes at her, bringing my claws to her throat. "Who are you?" I demanded, and she stopped laughing."Can't you tell? I'm you.""What?" I breathed. For a moment, she almost got me to believe her. However, the glint in her eyes reminded me of Ria in an unnerving way. "Stop hiding behind that illusion. Show yourself!" I snapped. "You're no fun," she hissed, transforming into her original form. It was Ria."You bitch," I spat, my claws digging into her skin. Pushing me away from her, she transformed into her signature animal and vanished. The sound of Denzel throwing up in the bathroom made me grimace. When he emerged out of it, his face was as white as sheets. "Care to explain how
KIARA Stepping out into the garden due to my sudden insomnia, I was surprised to find my mate in an odd position with Ria. He had his hand wrapped around her throat, his eyes darkening with menace. "There she is. The star of the occasion," Ria choked out, casting a sidelong glance at me. "Denzel, what's going on?" I asked, and he refused to look at me. "Go ahead, Denzel. Tell her how you hid the fact that Lucas showed up again," Ria stated, and I narrowed my eyes at them."What is she talking about, Denzel? Did Lucas really show up?" I asked, and a muscle ticked in his jaw. He still wouldn't look at me. "Come on, Denzel. Don't keep her waiting. She wants to know about your injury and the fact that Lucas kissed you," Ria said, and I froze.I was appalled by the thought of Denzel hiding all of that from me. But, I felt more hurt knowing that Ria was aware of the things I didn't know."He's such a terrible mate, isn't he? He made you believe that you were his partner amidst all of th
DENZEL "Your majesty, do you realize what you've just said?" Keenan said, stepping away from the door, his eyes squinted at me."I know. It sounds crazy. I don't understand why he did that. The more I think about it, the more I feel disgusted," I said, and he chuckled."Now what? He finds you attractive? Or he wants to get back at Kiara by stealing you from her?" He stated, clearly amused.I scoffed at him, increasing the pressure on my wound. "Maybe he was just messing with you. Maybe he was trying to get a reaction out of you. However, if he's into men, he might be head over heels for you," Keenan continued, and I glared at him. "That's bullshit.""I know, right? This is crazy. Will you tell Kiara about that? No, wait...if you tell her about that, she's bound to find out about your injury," he said."What injury?"We both stiffened as the door opened and Ria walked in. She narrowed her eyes at me. "What happened to you?" She asked, and I shut my eyes, annoyed. "It is none o
DENZEL "There are no signs of injury on his body, your Highness. We suspect that this is a psychological issue," a member of the royal healers said to Kiara, who was perched by my side, holding my hand. I kept my eyes closed. Therefore, no one knew that I'd regained consciousness. "He coughed up blood, you know that. How can it be psychological?" Kiara asked."I'm afraid we do not have the answer to that yet.""You can leave now. I'll stay with him," Kiara said. The moment we were all alone, Kiara kissed my knuckles and stroked my hair. "Will you tell me what happened without lying to me?" She suddenly said, startling me. I opened my eyes to look at her."You knew that I've been awake?" I said, and she nodded. "Please tell me you know exactly what happened to you," she said, and I heaved a sigh, closing my eyes."It was Lucas. He was in my dream, except...it didn't feel like a dream. He stabbed me," I told her, and she stared at me like I'd gone crazy. "Lucas entered your
KIARA A week later, it was confirmed that Estella had indeed taken her own life. She'd left a will behind. Apparently, she had been overcome with a sense of emptiness. Although Estella and I didn't have a solid relationship, I felt bad for her. Denzel was hurt by her decision. He'd done everything to protect her, after all. With the royal family of the northern states down to one member, I had a feeling that it wouldn't be long before Denzel became their king. I knew that my mate was going through a lot. However, I could not comfort him the way I wanted to. Since I had to make sure that Ria believed that my relationship with Denzel was in shambles, I couldn't get affectionate with my mate. Ria was everywhere. She was making it clear that she was there to stake her claims. If I wanted to defeat her, I needed to unlock the fullness of my potential. I stared at the cloudy night sky with mixed feelings. The cool breeze caressed my hair and made me relax. Taking a deep breath, I cl