~Storme~
I had lost track of the days I spent in the dungeon. My body ached from the cold, and my stomach was hollow from the little food they gave me. I had fallen from an alpha’s daughter to a prisoner in a place that was more a grave than a room. My body trembled, both from the cold and the horror that had become my life. King Marcellus had thrown me down here like I was nothing, his punishment for my unwillingness to submit on that first terrible night. I had been naïve to hope that he might show mercy. But mercy was not something men like Marcellus possessed. He had taken from me, broken me, and now he had left me here to rot. When the guards finally came to release me, my first instinct was disbelief. I was released with orders, barked at with as little care as if I were a dog. “Wash up,” the guard said with a sneer. “The alpha wants you to prepare his food, and it better be perfect.” My throat was so dry that I couldn’t respond even if I had the strength. They left me in a small, dim room with a basin of water and a ragged towel, my clothing clinging to my bruised skin. I scrubbed the filth from my body as best I could, but the feeling of filth lingered. My reflection in the cracked mirror didn’t even look like me. Pale skin, hollow cheeks, and haunted eyes. I didn’t recognize the girl staring back at me. After washing, I dressed in the plain, rough clothes that had been left for me and searched for the kitchen. It was bustling, but the servants didn’t meet my eyes as I moved about, gathering what I needed to prepare King Marcellus’s meal. I worked in a trance, my hands moving mechanically as I chopped, stirred, and seasoned. Every movement was calculated and careful, ensuring that nothing would be out of place. I couldn’t afford any mistakes. When the food was ready, I arranged it neatly on a tray and lifted it. My steps were very cautious, as I made my way down the long corridor toward King Marcellus’s chambers. But then, just as I turned the corner, it happened. I didn’t see him coming. I didn’t notice the figure until it was too late. I collided with someone; a solid, warm, rocky body that sent the tray tumbling from my hands. The sound of the plates crashing to the floor was deafening, and I gasped, stumbling backward. “No!” I cried, dropping to my knees to pick up the mess, my hands shaking. King Marcellus would kill me for this. “I’m so sorry!” I blurted out, my voice trembling as I scrambled to gather the broken plates and spilled food. “I should be the one apologizing,” a deep voice replied, smooth as velvet. I froze, my hand hovering over a broken plate, as the man knelt beside me. I looked up, and the breath caught in my throat. He was the most handsome man I had ever seen. Dangerously and sinfully handsome. His dirty blonde hair fell in long waves around his shoulders, and his deep golden eyes seemed to burn with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. His skin was tanned, his lips full, and as we knelt there, our hands reached for the same plate at the same time. Our fingers touched. It was like a jolt of electricity shot through my body. My heart hammered in my chest, my skin tingling where his fingers had brushed mine. I looked up at him, and he was already staring at me, his gaze locked onto mine. Time seemed to slow as we knelt there, neither of us moving, neither of us able to tear our eyes away from the other. I didn’t understand what was happening. I couldn’t think. I could barely breathe. The air between us crackled with something that I couldn’t explain, something that made my skin flush and my heart race. Just like the feelings I get whenever I hump my pillow. “Are you alright?” he asked softly, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine. I nodded, but the words wouldn’t come. I couldn’t explain why, but for the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn’t afraid. I wasn’t thinking about King Marcellus, or the dungeon, or the pain. All I could think about was the man in front of me, the warmth of his hand as it lingered on mine, the way his eyes seemed to see right through me, the way I suddenly wanted to feel how good his weight on me would feel. But then, reality crashed back in, and I remembered where I was. Who I was. I was a prisoner in King Marcellus’s home, and I couldn’t afford to be distracted, not now. My cheeks burned as I pulled my hand away, breaking the spell. I couldn’t believe I had allowed myself to forget, even for a moment, the danger I was in. “I—I’m sorry,” I stammered as I hurried to gather the ruined food. “I have to— I have to make it again. I—” “Wait,” he said, his voice gentle but firm. “There’s no need to rush.” I shook my head, my heart still racing, but this time it wasn’t from the touch of his hand. It was from fear. “I can’t. King Marcellus is waiting. He’ll be furious if I don’t bring it quickly.” Something flickered in his eyes at the mention of Marcellus’s name. His expression darkened, just for a moment, before softening again. “Let me help you,” he said, reaching for one of the broken plates. “No,” I said quickly, standing up and stepping back. “It’s my fault. I’ll fix it.” He stood as well, towering over me, his presence commanding and yet not threatening. His eyes softened as he looked at me, and for a moment, I could almost believe he cared. I don’t know how or when, but our faces were suddenly so close…so close that it would only take a slight movement for our lips to touch. And I desperately wanted to find out how those lips tasted. I couldn’t meet his eyes. I couldn’t stand there any longer, feeling the weight of his gaze, the strange pull between us. It was too much. Too confusing. My mind was already a mess, and now this? I didn’t know how to handle it. “I have to go,” I muttered, backing away. “I have to... prepare the food again.” Without waiting for a response, I turned and hurried back down the hallway, my heart pounding. I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. As I rushed to the kitchen to start over, I couldn’t shake the memory of his touch, the warmth of his skin against mine. My heart still raced, not from fear, but from something else. Who was he? It didn’t matter. I couldn’t allow myself to think about him. I had more pressing matters to deal with. I had to survive King Marcellus first. But even as I tried to push the memory of him aside, I couldn’t ignore the electrical jolts I'd felt, no matter how hard I tried. This was scarier than King Marcellus. This feeling stirring inside of me… feelings I had no right to feel. But there was one thing that I was sure of though – I really wanted to dabble very close and play with this fire.~Theo~I watched her as she hurried away, her head down, clutching the tray as if it were a lifeline. My eyes followed her, unable to tear themselves away. The girl, whoever she was, had just collided with me moments ago, sending everything flying to the ground, yet all I could think about was the jolt that shot through my body when our lips had almost touched.It wasn’t just a simple accident. There was something more, something different in that brief contact. My wolf stirred inside me, more alert than it had been in a long time, pacing in the back of my mind, restless and excited. I couldn’t understand why. Her scent lingered in the air; soft, delicate, and something else. My heart still hadn’t settled, thudding against my ribcage with an intensity I hadn’t felt in ages. I caught myself longing to feel her touch again, the warmth of her skin against mine.“Who is she?” I muttered under my breath, still staring down the corridor where she’d disappeared.“What’s that, Theo?” my beta
~Storme~Nothing had prepared me for the sight before me. It was perhaps the most deliciously forbidden thing that I’d ever laid my eyes on. The glorious naked body of the perfect stranger that I’d barged into on my way to king Marcellus’s room this afternoon.My eyes moved before my brain. Slowly trailing my hungry eyes down his chest, I couldn’t believe how someone could be so physically perfect. It was so glaring that the moon goddess certainly has her favorites.He had the chest of a bodybuilder, hard, as I already knew from when I bumped into him, wide and solid. A large wolf tattoo ran from his left chest down to his bulging biceps. It was beautiful, and one of the most unique tattoos that I’d ever seen. Little traces of hair formed on the hollow between his chest and ran down to his torso, making me desperately want to run my hands on them.Still unable to stop my eyes from trespassing, I followed the trail of hair down to the region where it stopped. And when I saw it, the sal
~Theo~I cursed softly under my breath and pulled her to the back of the door before blocking my father’s entrance. If this wasn’t the worst timing ever in the history of my father’s interruptions.“Father,” I greeted unenthusiastically, “Is there something you need?”In his usual fashion, he glanced around my room, taking in as many details as he could before answering. It was a habit that he had picked up over the years during his early ages of conquest. Little wonder he was able to restrategize and wipe out his enemies mercilessly. He had a knack for sniffing out even the tiniest details.This time, however, he wouldn’t be able to sniff out his bride hiding behind my door.“I was passing by and I realized that you haven’t gotten to meet my new bride yet.” He said.I feigned surprise, my lips widening pleasantly. “You took another bride?”He nodded. “I got fed up with the blonde from the Crescent Pack so I had to get myself a younger one from the Normadic Wolves.”“Aren’t you a bit
~Storme~The moment I escaped from the clutches of this stranger, who I now knew as King Marcellus’s son, I hurriedly found my way to the king’s room. Waiting was a virtue that I’d come to know that the king didn’t possess, and I wasn’t in the state of mind to let him use my body as a way to release pent-up frustration.Immediately I opened the door, I saw him seated on his bed, his face scrunched up and his countenance broody. He was already vexed, no doubt.“Where were you?” he questioned without sparing me a glance.My heart jumped into my stomach at the dread that coated his words. There was no way he could have noticed that I’d been in his son’s room, right?I tried to use my wolf’s discernment to read his body language and facial expressions, but I came up with nothing. Who was I kidding? It wasn’t as if my wolf had miraculously started functioning the way a normal alpha wolf would.“Erm…I was…I was in the kitchen” I blurted out before I could even think about what I’d said.Tha
~Storme~The grand dining hall was so luxurious and Magnificent. One look at it, and there would be no doubt that this was indeed a royal diner. Servants filed in and out of the hall, carrying with them trays of food and setting them down on the massive mahogany table before us. Massive chandeliers adorned with crystals glittered above us, casting a beautiful shadow on the long mahogany table lined with dishes fit for a royal feast. The scent of roasted meats, fresh herbs, and spiced wine filled the air, yet my appetite was nonexistent. My heart pounded against my ribcage as I sat stiffly near the king, painfully aware of the glare of the man seated on the other side of the table.Theo.His gaze was unflinching, almost burning a hole through my forehead. It wasn’t gentle, or flirty. It was pissed. Annoyed. Vengeful. Almost as if he was planning some kind of devious plan that he couldn’t wait to execute.His presence was magnetic. Every movement he made, every glance he threw my way,
~Storme~I wanted to disappear into the floor. Theo, however, appeared unfazed. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze never leaving mine. “She’s… captivating,” he said, his voice thick with meaning. “More than I expected.”My cheeks burned, and I risked a glance at the king, who seemed pleased with the response. He had no idea that the tension in the room had nothing to do with polite conversation.“That’s good to hear,” Marcellus said, raising his glass in a toast. “I trust you’ll make her feel welcome.”Theo’s grin deepened, and he shook his head. “Of course, Father. In fact, I’d be happy to give her a tour of the Palace after dinner.”The king nodded approvingly, oblivious to the undercurrent of Theo’s offer. I, on the other hand, felt a wave of panic. Spending more time alone with Theo was the last thing I needed, but there was no polite way to refuse.Soon, we were done with dinner. True to his promise, Theo stood and offered me his hand. “Shall we?”I hesitated, my mind racing f
~Theo~My fingers thrummed softly on the desk, creating a nice distraction for me as I waited for my father to say something. He continued perusing his long line of conquest awards, touching each one reverently as if they were sacred objects.Over the years as a young king, I’ve heard and also witnessed the viciousness of my father. Both in battle and when it comes to matters of the kingdom. King Marcellus wouldn’t waste time in having the head of whoever flaunted his order, alphas and Pack members alike.When he got older, he had looked up to me to carry on with his legacy, but I was a far cry from what he is. I preferred not to see the heads of innocent people severed from their spasming bodies. If there was anything I loved more, it was women.And no, I never want them in that forever bond type of way. I preferred to hit and ghost. Maybe that was why the moon goddess had decided that I wasn’t fit to have a mate. It’s been twenty-five years of being on earth, and yet all efforts, wh
~Storme~The minute I got into the kitchen, I released an exasperated breath. Why did he have to be in the king’s study at the time that I was supposed to serve tea? Couldn’t he have waited until I was done serving the king before inserting himself into a situation that didn’t need him?That self-conceited handsome devil. Always trying to make me nervous around him. The most annoying part was that he was always successful. I always find myself weak in the knees after every encounter with him.“How can one person be so handsome and annoying at the same time?” I half-yelled.“Didn’t know you thought that I was so handsome. Could have told me sooner so that I can make you mine.”I spun around to see the handsome devil entering the kitchen. A silly smile played on his lips as he walked towards me, hands in his pockets.“Is that why you’re stalking me?” I retorted, “Because you can’t seem to get your head over me?”“On the contrary, baby doll, I hate you. I hate you so much that all I want
~Theo~The world stopped. The air in the room turned suffocating. I heard nothing. Felt nothing. It was as if my body had shut down completely. I couldn't process what I had just heard. My mind rejected the words, my body refused to accept them.My breathing turned ragged as I turned to the doctor, my voice dangerously low. "Check again."The doctor swallowed hard, his face pale. "My Prince.. I've checked multiple times. There is no pulse. She has stopped breathing."Something inside me snapped."NO!" I bellowed, grabbing him by the lapel of his coat and shaking him violently. "She’s not dead! She’s not dead, you hear me? You’re lying! Do something!" My voice cracked as I shook him harder. "Bring her back! Bring her back right now!""Theo!" Fred grabbed my arms, trying to pull me off the doctor. "Theo, stop!""She’s not gone! She can’t be gone!" My vision blurred. My chest ached with unbearable pain. "Storme! Storme, wake up! Wake up!"I fell to my knees beside her bed, clutching her
~Theo~Despite being threatened by my father to stay away from Storme, I still found my way to her bedside that afternoon. There was no obvious improvement even after all the injections that the doctor had administered to her. She still looked pale and deathly.I knelt by the edge of her bed, putting her cold hand in between mine, trying to warm her up at least. But nothing was working.“Please, Moon goddess, please don’t take her away from me,” I prayed, “Take every other thing in my life, but please, return my mate to me. I can’t live without her.”I brought her hand up to my face, my heart breaking over and over again at what she had been reduced to. My once vibrant Storme, reduced to this figure who couldn’t do anything to help herself.She couldn’t scold me for doing things that she had warned me not to do, or for wanting to mark her even when she had made it clear that it was dangerous. I would give anything right now to hear her nagging at me. I would give every single thing.I
~Theo~I burst through the doors of Storme’s room, my heart pounding with unregistered fear. I pushed my body against the door, throwing it open. The moment my boots hit the floor, I froze. Droplets of blood littered the floor like scattered rubies, leading toward the place where she should have been.My wolf howled in rage at the gruesome sight. A cold, unnatural chill crawled up my spine, suffocating me in dread."Theo, calm down—""Storme!" Her name left my lips before I could even think. My voice was rough, desperate. But the room was silent. She wasn’t there.Fred stepped in behind me, gripping my shoulder. "Theo, you need to calm down."Calm down?I turned on him with a glare. "Who did this? Who the hell dared to poison the queen?"He opened his mouth, but before he could answer, "Where is she?" I grabbed the nearest guard by his collar, my grip tight enough to choke the breath from him. "Where the hell is she?""Th-The pack hospital!" The guard stammered, his eyes wide with fea
~Theo~“Tell me the truth, Fred. You can either tell me, or I’ll summon her and ask her myself. You know that she would never lie to the crowned prince of this Tribe.”Fred’s eyes darted everywhere around us, and he tried desperately to avoid my eyes. After our sparring session this morning, I’d tried to make him spill the relationship between him and Grace. But it looked like he would rather chew leather than say anything to me.The moment I mentioned summoning her however, his stance had changed. I guess he didn’t want his beloved lover to be held in my clutches after all.“She’s my mate, Theo.” He looked like a man who had been fighting a war inside his own head and finally lost. His shoulders were tense, his jaw locked as if he expected me to lash out.My jaw almost dropped. “What?”He nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "I tried, Theo. I tried to fight it, to pretend that it wasn’t real. But it’s too much. I can’t take it anymore. I need her." His voice cracked slightly, and I
~Storme~“What the hell!”I quickly scampered to a sitting position and flung the cover around my body. The girl who had barged into my room had her eyes down, and her hands clasped together in a beseeching manner.“I’m so sorry, Your Highness. I thought you’d be with the alpha king now, so I decided to come and arrange some things for tomorrow.”Hugging the cover tightly to my body, I glared at the girl. She looked unfamiliar, and I was so sure that she wasn’t a member of this Tribe because her scent was a bit different. Almost identical to Karen’s.“Who the hell are you, and who gave you the permission to barge into my room?”She looked up then, and I was able to see her features properly. Her eyes were sharp and eager, a round face that screamed innocence, and an attitude that I couldn’t decipher yet.“My name is Mona. I’m the new maid that has been assigned to you.”That explained the scent. Karen had really gone ahead to make do on her plans, and the king had indulged her. Things
~Storme~“You shouldn’t think so much about this, baby. Grace will be fine.”No, she won't. And I couldn’t stop thinking about the possibilities of what could happen to her while in Karen’s care. This whole palace was starting to feel even more suffocating than it used to be.Absent-mindedly, I swiveled on the chair in Theo’s personal study. There has to be something that I can at least do about this. There had to be something…“It’s strange that she decided to pull this card immediately after the mourning ritual. Do you think Grace refused to do something that she ordered her to do and now she’s trying to punish her?”“That might be possible,” Theo agreed, stopping the swiveling with a block of his hand. “Can you stop turning? You’re beginning to make me dizzy.”“And now she’s trying so hard to make one of her Pack girls my personal maid. Is she trying to get some kind of information or what?” I leaned back on the chair and grabbed both sides of my head. “This is driving me crazy.”T
~Storme~“Your Highness!”I glanced up to find an omega hesitantly peeking inside as she creaked the door open. I was surprised to see that she had managed to find me when I’d tried to hide myself in this place. I’d felt suffocated for some time, and decided that the best place for me to breathe would be in the library, sheltered from the world, tucked away between shelves lined with books that I loved more than anything. It gave me a sense of escape.“Is there a problem?” I asked, giving a reassuring smile when she lingered at the door without stepping in.She looked nervous, casting quick glances behind her before finally coming in. She bowed low and leaned in. Her voice was shaky as she murmured something in my ear.I froze. My grip on the book tightened.“What?” I mouthed, not understanding anything that she had said.She nodded in confirmation, and I didn’t wait a second longer. Abandoning the novel on the table, I pushed to my feet and stormed out of the library, my pulse racing
~Theo~The discussion between my father and me was dragging longer than necessary. Matters of the Tribe had a way of doing that. It was always endless disputes, trade agreements, and border tensions. My patience was wearing thin, but I kept my composure, responding when necessary, even though my mind was elsewhere.The forces against Storme and I were getting stronger, and it was only a matter of time before we were publicly called out in the Tribe. My refusal to marry Karen wasn’t helping issues at all. She was already threatening Storme’s life, and knowing the kind of personality that Karen had, it wouldn’t take her a blink to eliminate whoever she saw as a foe.The whole matter was driving me insane.A sharp knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. Before my father could answer, the door swung open, and in walked Karen, dressed in her usual arrogance, a sly smile playing on her lips. But what caught my attention wasn’t her.It was the girl trailing behind her. I recognized he
~Karen~“I’m so sorry, My Lady, please forgive me.”I glared down at the shivering mess in front of me, my fists clenched so hard that my nails dug into my palms.The back and forth was becoming tiring. How difficult was it supposed to be to carry out a simple task? My patience was already slice thin, and would snap at any time now.It’s already been two days since my encounter with that slimy, pretentious, unfaithful bitch. She was supposed to be dead by now. At the very least, she should have been on the floor, writhing in agony, gasping for breath as the poison works through her veins. But she was still here, alive. Untouched. Walking around the palace like nothing had happened.And Grace… Grace stood before me with her head bowed, her body trembling like a pathetic leaf caught in the wind. Was she such a loyal dog who can’t bear to bring harm to her owner?“And why should I forgive you?” I asked, slamming my hand on the desk, the thud sound echoing throughout the silence of my ro