~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~“Where were you? I kept looking everywhere for you. Did you forget that we had to train the other werewolves for the hunting competition?” I glanced at Fred who kept on looking at me funny. I raised my assaulted finger and placed it at the bridge of my nose before sniffing deeply. “I was very thirsty. So, I decided to hunt for some kind of rare juice.”The expression on his face was that of uninterest, as if he was waiting for me to tell the truth. This was my problem with people knowing everything about me. Having been my best friend for the better part of my years, even before becoming my beta, Fred knew me more than necessary.He began to unsheathe the swords that we would use for the training session. We had to train harder since we would be competing with other kingdoms on a hunting spree. It had been a tradition since my father became king, and that silly tradition had stuck. I don’t understand the need to run around in forests with a damn sword in this modern time.A gu
~Storme~A week in the palace, and it feels like I’ve been living a dream. A bad dream. King Marcellus has been insistent on his needs, leaving me to wonder how such an old man could have such primal needs. It was such a pity that I wasn’t into older men, or worse still, an older man who looked like him. That was besides almost dragging me everywhere he went and boasting to whoever cared to listen that I was the virgin bride whom he paid for.Now, as I lay on his bed after another three seconds of him penetrating me this evening, I started to wonder what my life would have been like if I hadn’t been sold by Alpha Morgan. Perhaps by now, my mate would have found me, and we would be living happily.I glanced at his fat hand draped across my breast and drew the cover up my chest, slightly shifting and pushing his hand away in the process. It earned me a glare, but I was past the boundaries of caring right now.My mission at this point was to get the king under my thumb and make him fall
~Theo~I stalked around my room, waiting for the signal from Fred. My eyes went to my wristwatch for the umpteenth time. It was already late at night. Why wasn’t she here yet?Fred’s move was supposed to make her jealous, and perhaps evoke that feeling that she’s been trying to suppress. Knowing her impatient nature, I half-expected her to storm through my door and bark at me for leading her on and then turning around to make plans with someone else. That was the reason I’d left my door open. For easy access.“Baby, come to bed already. Let’s get started while the night’s still young.”I glanced at the lady on my bed and cursed silently. Of all the girls in the kingdom to get me, Fred decided that my ex, Mimi, was the perfect one. His reason was that she wouldn’t be too uptight and our act would be more believable, making Storme fall quicker.Looking at her right now, she was totally standing on more than business. She looked every bit beautiful with the red lingerie that barely cover
~Theo~“Fred! You fucker!”Without restraining myself or my wolf, I landed a blow on Fred’s face. The big smile which had been on his face when he saw me, died immediately. First blood spill from his broken nose and I wasn’t satisfied.“You know how crazy Mimi can be. How could you put me in that precarious position with her? Why the hell did you tell her that I wanted to get back together with her?”Another heavy punch from me sent Fred reeling and flopping to the ground. I was beyond pissed at him for putting me in such a situation with my ex, especially since he knew what I was after.He picked himself up and cradled his stomach. The tortured look on his face wasn’t nearly enough for me. I couldn’t tell if this was just about Mimi or if it was about someone else. In all, I needed him to feel a lot of pain.“T-Theo,” he gasped, holding a hand out, “hear me out, please.”I curled a wave from my hair and raised an eyebrow. “Sure. After I’m satisfied knowing that you need a new set of
~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