~Storme~“Why am I suddenly having so many unfortunate incidents in my life lately?” I muttered as I made my way to my room, clutching the book to my chest like a baby.Getting to my room, I brought up the book, my heart aching at the roughened edges and the bent spine.“Who was that crazy girl by the way?” I fumed, trying my best to smoothen the cover. “She’s so lucky that I’m trying to avoid any more attention this week. I could have dragged her all over that library by her hair. Stupid bitch!”I had barely finished straightening it to my taste when someone rapped on my door. It sounded urgent so I quickly went over to see who it could be.Theo stood at the door, his charming personality on display. I turned just as he shut the door behind him, his piercing gaze locking onto mine. He looked breathless, his broad shoulders rising and falling as he flashed me a dangerous smile.A rush of warmth spread through my chest, wicked, and intoxicating at the same time. The anger that I felt
~Storme~The next day, Grace prepared me for the introductory dinner which the king had called for Theo’s fated mate.Even as Grace helped me with my clothes, hair, and makeup, I still felt uneasy. There was this tightness in my chest, almost as if my windpipe had been blocked. Air could hardly penetrate, and before I knew it, I couldn’t take it anymore.I clutched my chest, bending over and gasping for breath. A shaky breath left my lips, and I began to feel the beginning of a sob bubbling in my throat.“Your Highness,” Grace asked, concern etched on her forehead, “are you alright? You suddenly look pale.”What was this feeling?Why did I feel like I was about to lose something extremely dear to me?‘You know you could always let him know that you don’t want to see him with any other girl instead of letting us suffer like this.’ Sunny whispered in my head. ‘Just tell Theo. He’d do anything for you.’‘This isn’t about Theo, Sunny,” I mind-linked, “I just feel sick.”‘The very moment y
~Storme~“You haven’t said a word to your fiancée since she arrived, son,” Marcellus grunted, popping a forkful of steak in his mouth, “Isn’t that rude?”Theo’s jaw tightened, and his fingers drummed against the table in agitation. But before he could speak, Karen turned to him with a radiant smile.“I think he’s just overwhelmed to see me, Your Majesty.” she purred, resting a hand on Theo’s arm as if she had every right to. “It’s been far too long, Theo. Didn’t you miss me even a little bit?”Theo didn’t respond immediately, his body tense beneath her touch.“And you seem to have been working out more these days. You’re all so bulky more than you used to be. And you look even more sexy.”Oh, now she’s feeling him up like dough. And what does she even know about his muscles? I slid a aside glance towards her all snuggled up in Theo’s arm.And why wasn’t he trying to get out of her grasp? Was he enjoying her touch that much?Hmph! So much for telling me how much he wanted to imprint
~Storme~As Theo and I walked side by side into the palace’s private garden, I couldn’t stop the thoughts that kept on warring inside of me. I couldn’t hold off the jealousy that I’d felt seeing another woman trying to lay claim on my mate.My heart was beating an unsteady rhythm, but my face remained composed.The moon goddess must be having such a fun time, seeing how she had managed to turn such sensitive matters into a game. Maybe this was part of the cruel fate that she had prepared for me.Get married to the father, and be the son’s mate.I must really applaud her for her twisted sense of humor.Theo had barely spoken since he followed me out of the dinner. I could feel his emotions crackling in the air between us; anger, frustration, perhaps a little bit of desire.His fists were clenched at his sides, his jaw tight. I thought that I could have apologized for the way I acted, but I didn’t think that I did anything wrong. He was the one who had allowed her talk about his sexine
~Theo~The moment we stepped back into the hall, I felt the shift in the air, and the change in Karen’s body language.She had recovered quickly from her shock, too quickly for my liking.I kept my expression neutral, but my body remained tense, every nerve on high alert.Karen sat gracefully in her seat, her lips curling into a knowing smile as she swirled the wine in her glass. “This is interesting,” she mused, her gaze flicking between me and Storme.Storme didn’t react. She was always careful, always guarded. But I could feel the way her pulse had quickened, how she had subtly shifted, and how her body turned stiff.Karen knew something, but she wasn’t going to expose us. At least not yet. She wanted to play the long game.I clenched my jaw, my mind already working through the possibilities. If she had wanted to ruin us immediately, she would have screamed the truth the moment she saw us together. But instead, she was choosing to bide her time, to weave a web of manipulation bef
~Theo~Days after, I avoided Storme as much as I could. Her rejection had hurt me tremendously, more than I ever imagined that I could. Choosing to stay with my father rather than building a new life with me? I could never understand that. What was she so afraid of, anyway? I’d told her countless times that I was going to protect her.A sigh of defeat left my lungs as I covered my face with my hands. My body has felt weak ever since, unable to do most of the things that it used to. Maybe a run would do me some good right now. Yes, I should do a bit of sprinting.Willing my body to move with me, I stood and went to the little door hidden in the deep crevices of my closet. It was a door that led to a very private and secret place where the royal family could go for a run and get back into their rooms without worrying about their nakedness.The moment I transformed into my wolf and began to sprint through the woods, the wind hitting my fur, my paws hitting the soil, trying to drain my
~Storme~I never had a good feeling about King Marcellus’s sudden convergence today. According to what I’ve learnt since I came to the Castillo Tribe, there were only two reasons why the alpha king would call for an emergency convergence such as this.It was either to elevate, or to punish. And I greatly feared that it would be the latter.I’d been suspicious of that ever since Karen caught Theo and I in a compromised situation. It had been like a pending doom, and now, it was finally about to happen; that which I’d been scared of.I could feel the weight of every gaze, the anticipation thick in the air as we all awaited the Alpha King’s decree. My nails bit into my palms as I fought to maintain my composure on my seat.“In seven days, we will celebrate the union of my son, Theo, and his mate, Karen. Preparations have started, and there’s no doubt that my son is eager for the mating ceremony to approach.”The room erupted into cheer, some of approval, others of quiet surprise. But all
~Storme~“Theo!”A wave of panic jolted through me as I watched his body fall with a thud to the ground. I quickly knelt beside him, bringing his head up to my lap.“Theo, open your eyes. Look at me.”His body was burning beneath my hands. His eyes, hazy with pain, flickered open and struggled to focus on me. His breaths were shallow, his skin clammy, and the wounds across his chest and arms bled freely, soaking into the dirt beneath him.He was dying.“No. No, no, no.” I whimpered, shaking him, “I’m here Theo. Look at me, please.”He wasn’t responding. It almost looked like he was dead. His pulse was almost unnoticeable, and his breathing had almost seized.Panic clawed up my throat. “No, please, I will not let you die,” I cried, “You cannot die now, not when I’m here.”I pressed my hands over the gash on his side, desperate to stop the bleeding, but the moment I touched his skin, I felt something shift. A current, warm and powerful, pulsed beneath my fingertips, like a heartbeat sep
~Storme~I didn’t know how long I’d been here. The dungeon didn’t offer much in the way of timekeeping, but I’d counted the times sunlight filtered through the tiny grate high up on the wall. Two days. Maybe three. I couldn’t keep counts anymore.My throat burned. My lips were cracked. My stomach had stopped growling. Now, it just hurt. They hadn’t given me food. No water. Nothing but the cold floor and the stink of dirt and rot for comfort.Theo’s visit had given me a little bit of hope. Seeing him gave me a strength that I’d lacked these past days. And knowing that he was okay made me happy. But now that he was gone, I was back to my old helpless self.I curled tighter into myself, trying to fight the dizziness. But it was no use. That was when it happened again.I stood in a wide open field that looked oddly familiar like the field I used to run to for comfort in the Normadic Wolves. In front of me was the same woman I’d seen before in these visions that I’ve had.This time, there
~Theo~Pain greeted me before my consciousness stepped in. It was sharp, seated in the back of my head like a hammer was trying to split my bone in two. I groaned, and dragged a hand across my face, a skull-cracking headache romancing the entirety of my head. As my eyes opened, everything came back to me in blinding flashes: Storme’s broken expression, her being dragged away, my father’s voice accusing her of treason and condemning her to death.I shot upright immediately, the migraines suddenly forgotten. Theo and Grace watched with puzzled expression as they tried to hold me still. But that wasn’t the plan for me.“Theo, wait—!”Fred’s voice was too late. I was already yanking off the sheets and throwing my legs over the side of the bed. Before I could leave my room, he blocked my path, concern written all over his face. “You can’t just jump out of bed and leave, Theo. You need to rest. You’ve been unconscious since last night.”“Where is she?” I rasped.Fred lowered his eyes, atte
~Storme~The cold was worse tonight. Not the kind that seeped through bones, but the kind that makes you think about the vicissitudes of life. The uneven floor pressed against my spine like cracked, jagged teeth, and each breath I took was filled with the stale, damp air. My wrists ached where the silver chains had rubbed my skin raw, and my lips were dry, cracked. Grace hadn’t been allowed to visit. I hadn’t seen another face all day. Only rats. And silence. And shadows.“Is this really how I’m going to die? Without seeing people that I love?”A choked sob escaped my throat. I was weak. I was too weak to fight. My back was still aching with the strokes of canes that the guards had lashed out on me after the trial, which I learned was the alpha king’s command.That devil in disguise.What kind of man was he anyway? Even if he was furious with y actions, could he not even spare his own son? He had stood there, watching as Karen injected his son with a substance that could be dangerous
~Storme~After a torturous night and a nightmare that didn’t seem to end, it was past dawn. I could hear footsteps coming towards me. They were fast and hurried. I crawled out from the corner of the cell where I’d gone to avoid getting wet from the faulty ceiling, and blind-patted my way to the door.The cell door creaked open, and the torchlight stung my eyes. I blinked fast, adjusting to the sudden brightness. Before I could move, rough hands yanked me up by the arm. I winced.“Get up, slut,” a voice sneered.It was a voice that I would recognize even in death. Karen, my biggest antagonist yet.“The alpha king, in his great mercy, has decided to give you a fair trial. Even if we both know that it’s useless, he wants to give you a fighting chance.”The public trial. It was the nightmare of every accused wolf in Castillo Tribe. I wouldn’t call that a trial, because it was just an avenue to let the Tribe people do whatever they deem fit with you before you’re finally sentenced. It was
~Storme~This was almost like a second home to me. For someone who had spent the better parts of her growing up life in a dungeon, I guess I could call it just that. I’ve communed with mice and geckos more probably more than any so-called alpha’s daughter, or queen.The dungeon was pitch-black now. The little bit of light from the moon had disappeared, leaving only the sound of water dripping from the faulty ceiling, and the occasional scurrying rat to remind me that I was still alive.I curled tighter into myself, shivering on the cold, rough floor. My skin ached. My lip had split open again. The cramps on my lower belly was starting to act up again, and the nausea was starting to come back in torrents. The smell of everything in the dungeon irritated me.I closed my eyes, and concentrated on counting from 1-100 backwards. It was something that helped me whenever I felt anxious, or agitated. Somehow it brought me a little bit of peace. I felt myself becoming more relaxed, and my body
~Storme~The words hung in the air like a stubborn fog that has refused to clear away. For a moment, no one moved. Not even the guards.Theo snapped out of the shock first. “Don’t you dare!”Marcellus, whose eyes were now red, swallowed by rage, growled at the guards who were hesitant and confused on whose orders to obey. “Seize the traitor now!”I stumbled back as two armored guards lunged toward me. Theo struggled in the grip of the warriors still holding him, thrashing, snarling like a beast as the veins in his neck bulged. “Let me go! Storme—!”I tried to run away instinctively, even though I had no idea why I thought that it was a great idea, but one of them caught me by the waist and slammed me against the cold pillar. My cheekbone cracked against the cold stone, and I tasted blood again.“Stop!” Theo roared. “You can’t do this—”“I can do whatever I want with her!” Marcellus bellowed. “The sooner you understand and accept that fact, the better for you in this kingdom.”I fought
~Storme~It felt like I’d just signed my second death sentence when I noticed Marcellus and the guards behind him. He was breathing heavily, and his eyes had turned red. There was no denying what had happened between his son and me. there was no way I could deny it. Not with my dress almost off my body, and Theo’s shirt thrown away in a corner. The truth was just too glaring.“I can explain—” I started, trying to adjust my dress as decently as possible, my voice trembling as I stared at Marcellus’s wide, enraged eyes.But he didn’t let me finish. What happened next felt like it was edited in an extremely forward motion. I barely saw his fist before it slammed into Theo’s jaw with a crack that echoed throughout the room. I let out a gasp as Theo staggered backward, blood spraying from his lips.“No!” I rushed forward, but Theo caught himself before he fell. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then looked up at his father.“Don’t,” I whispered to him, begging with my eyes. “Pl
~Karen~The thanksgiving feast was an utter disaster in my eyes. From the moment Storme walked into the hall, basking in the attention of the alphas and dignitaries, to the Alpha King’s half-hearted speech thanking the Moon Goddess for sparing his queen’s life, every single second grated on my nerves.I’d kept my expression neutral, but inside, I was seething. I could tell that the Alpha King’s words were nothing but a formality, lacking any real emotion. His tone was dry, detached, as if he were merely checking off a duty on a long list of royal obligations. I almost rolled my eyes as he finished the dry speech.Favor? From the Moon Goddess? What a joke. If Storme had truly died, I would have personally made an offering to thank the heavens.But Theo had to push things further, of course, forcing me to say a prayer for my sworn enemy, someone that I would have snapped her neck as she sat pretty on that table if I had the opportunity.The prayers tasted like bile to me as I spoke, but
~Storme~{A WEEK LATER}Karen walked into the sitting room like she owned the place. She moved with an air of entitlement, her expression rigid as she sat across from me, smoothing her gown as if she were settling in for a long chat. I didn’t trust her presence, but I forced a polite smile expected from a queen."How are you doing?" she asked, her voice falsely sweet."I’m okay," I replied evenly.I knew better than to let my guard down around her. The event of the past days had made me know that Karen and I were sworn enemies who do not have a chance at coming together for peace. For someone who was willing to incinerate me even when it was obvious that I was alive, I wouldn’t put anything past her anymore.She offered a slow smile, tilting her head. "I must say, congratulations. You have quite the talent for cheating death. I’m almost envious."I gave a small, meaningless smile, but said nothing. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of a reaction."Are you ready for the feast this e