~Karen~I limped down the corridor, my head held high despite the pain throbbing in my leg. The scent of blood clung to me, but I ignored the questioning glances from the passing servants. Let them look. Let them whisper. None of it mattered. I had won.The ragged cloth that Mona had managed to find for me reeked of dampness and was undeniably dirty, but it was better than walking through the palace halls completely naked.“Theo tried to kill me.” I muttered to myself incessantly, as if saying it over and over again would make it become a lie.I hadn’t believed that he would be able to do something like that to me, his childhood sweetheart. If I hadn’t escaped as quickly as I had, then I would have been the second body that would have been incinerated tonight alongside that witch’s body.His rage, his grief, him fighting me, it had all being for that wretched woman. Even in death, she clung to him like a curse. How else was I supposed to get rid of this darn disease that had infected
~Theo~The glass of alcohol in my hand was nearly empty, but the burn in my throat wasn’t enough to drown the rage consuming me. I paced up and down, my brain reeling of the sort of pain that I would mete out to the target that I had coming into the dungeon soon enough.She would taste exactly how it felt to die in the most painful manner. I would make sure of that.Keys jingled, and Fred and his men dragged in a figure covered from head to toe. They threw the body at my feet, and Fred yanked the leather bag off her face. The second she saw me, her eyes widened in horror, and she began to plead.“P-please, My Prince, spare my life, please!” Her voice was shrill and desperate. Her hands trembled as she reached for me, but Fred shoved her back down.“Shut your mouth!” he barked.He handed me a small leather bag. “We caught her trying to leave through the back of the palace. It looked like there were some unidentified guards trying to help her escape. We also found the bag on her.”I to
~Storme~“Per radicem et saxum, per ignem et mare, scutum lucia me circumdat clare. Nullum Malum transeat, nullum maneat, Haec custodia nocte dieque stet.”(By root and stone, by fire and sea, A shield of light encircles me. No harm may pass, no ill may stay. This ward shall hold both day and night)The murmurs surrounded me, rhythmic and steady, their cadence weaving through my half-conscious mind. The words felt familiar, yet distant, as if they were buried deep in my bones, waiting to be unearthed.I felt a hand on my chest as the chants continued, and it felt like someone was retracing the birthmark on the back of my wrist. A little pain permeated through my skin, but it stopped almost immediately. The chanting stopped as well.My eyes fluttered open. A dim, flickering glow illuminated the space around me. The scent of burning herbs and something earthy filled the air. A woman stood before me, stirring a bubbling pot over an open flame. Her face, lined with wrinkles that somehow m
~Theo~I wiped my hand clean on a white handkerchief, shaking off the last remnants of the blood clinging to me.“What’s going on?” I asked, turning to the guards.One of the guards who had gone to check out the alarm, stumbled forward. “The palace vault, My Prince. It’s on fire!”My body stiffened as I listened to the guard speak. The vault was close to where Storme’s body had been taken. If that was where she was, then there's a huge possibility that the fire might burn her body as well.Without another thought, I broke into a sprint.“Theo!” Fred’s voice rang out behind me. “It’s dangerous! Storme is already dead. The fire burning her body won’t matter now.”But it mattered to me. Even in death, she deserved peace. Not this.I shoved past the chaos, dodging the guards as they worked hard to put out the fire. The heat seared my skin, but I didn’t stop. When I reached the room, I heaved a sigh of relief.The fire hadn’t touched her yet.Storme lay on a tiny bed, draped in ceremonial
{NOTE: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS DUAL POV FROM BOTH THEO AND STORME. HAPPY READING.}~Theo~A collective gasp rippled through the room. My own breath caught in my throat. I rushed closer, my hands shaking as I reached for Storme. I pressed my fingers to her throat, feeling for the impossible.And then I felt it. The faintest, most fragile thump beneath my fingertips.She was alive.The room erupted into chaos. Karen shrieked in protest. The king’s eyes darkened with an unsatisfied emotion. The guards shifted uneasily, looking to him for orders.“This is a trick,” Karen spat. “A game. You saw her, Theo! She was dead.”I barely heard her. My heart was pounding, my mind racing. Storme had been cold. Still. Dead. And now…Geenie turned to my father. “My king, this is a great omen. She was taken by the spirits, but they have returned her.”My father’s expression hardened. “Then we must finish what we started.”My blood ran cold. “What?”“If she was meant to live, she would not have been declar
~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
~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~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
~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