Arden's POVI woke up with a feeling of calmness and warmness. I haven't felt this way in years and it was because of her. The woman that has haunted my very being with her presence and her absence makes me crave her even more.The sunlight hits her face making it glow in the sun but she turns away from it and buried her face on my chest.I chuckled lightly with how adorable she looked after doing that. I kissed her on her forehead and watched as her eyes flutter open."Good morning my darling." I said."Good evening." She said and stretched."How did you sleep?"She smiled. "I slept well. Actually, better than I have in a few days.""It's good to know." I kissed her forehead again. "Darling, I have to go."She furrowed her brows and pouts. "Why?"I wanted to stay all day in bed with her doing nothing but admiring her in all her beauty but I couldn't. I have important things to attend to."I have to meet Gilly concerning the investigation of the corrupt wolf. She said believe she migh
Arden's POVWithin minutes of notifying the Kingdom of what Sylvia and her father plotted, other pack Alphas came for the trial. It was truly shocking to see such a quick response to this situation.I saw Zone walk in and I was surprised he would be here to witness the trial. A part of me believes Serena asked him to go just in case I might be attacked.I chuckled to myself at how funny yet adorable that is. She needs to understand that I am the King and I can also protect myself. But it's Serena, she never listens to reasons like that.I decided to pay attention to the trial but it was generally boring. With a lot of talks and back and forth. It took me everything not to yawn and walk out of here. That would be disrespectful but then again, do I care?"If I am going to be tried, His Majesty should be too." Those were the words from Sylvia's father that got my attention."He had a mistress and his wife to be, my daughter was on the same roof as him." He bellowed."That doesn't justify
Sylvia's POVI was alone and broken. I had no family, no friends and no allies. I was completely alone. I have never felt this way in my life. I, Princess Sylvia, who had a good number of guards and servants under my control had no one to turn to.I missed my father and I lost without him. He would always tell me what to do. He always said there's always a way out of a problem but I don't see any way out. He was a good father and he looked out for me the best way he knew now. He wasn't ruthless enough.If he had listened to me and launched an attack on Arden the moment he kicked me out, Arden would have been in shambles. He would be begging me to come back to him and I would have gone back to him because I love him. Unfortunately, he didn't feel the same.I had to steal food to get by and I had to hide in abandoned buildings to spend the night. This was an awful way to live my life. Not even the slaves in the palace lived like this. They had a bed to sleep in, a comfortable room and f
Sylvia's POVShe looked at me with a blank expression. She must wonder why it's taking me so long to decide on if I agree with her. To be honest, I want to agree with her."Do I know you can trust you?" I asked.She cackled loudly. "Trust me? You are really talking about trust? Says the wolf betraying her people. But no matter what, I know what you mean."She cleared her throat. "You wanted power to get back at the Lycan's King's Luna, right?" She asked."You know what I want. Stop playing games!" I yelled."May I remind you that you are the one who called me out for my help," something possessed me and I could feel my bones cracking. I screamed with the pain I felt. "So, don't test my patience."She stopped what possessed me and I fell to the ground. She tuts and walks around me."Oh dear, you are pathetic. Still pinned to a man who doesn't love you but you direct all your anger and hatred to his Luna." She said,"That's not true. His mate is the person who ruined things for me. I am
Serena’s POVZone didn’t let me watch the execution because he thought it wasn’t I should be watching which I hated. I didn’t want to do it out of spite though. I felt bad for Sylvia. I know she has wronged me in more ways then I can count but I just felt an execution was a little too much.I heard she even confronted Arden after the execution and guards admitted that she threatened him but Arden was unbothered for some reason.I don’t have a good feeling with Sylvia still being out there because who knows what she is up to and what or who she is scheming with.She’s truly desperate and she will reach out to anyone for help. She has nothing to lose after all. I just hope I am wrong but I am usually not wrong about these things.Also, I don’t want to bother anyone else with my thoughts. Everyone seems like they are finally breathing fresh air and I don’t want to be the person to dampen the mood. I will just sit back and watch the activities in the palace return back to normal.Arden go
ANOTHER DISASTERSerena's POVAfter spending some intimate time with Arden, I decided to meet my friend who gave Arden that ridiculous advice. I wanted to confront them and ask why they would think of such an idea but I had another plan in mind.I entered Rachel's room and both her and Gilly were seated there. They looked at me like they knew nothing about Arden's proposal and the public knowing about the proposal. They looked excited and they tried their best to hide that excitement."Hey, Arden was looking for you." Rachel said."Oh, I already saw him." I said and chuckled. "And he mentioned something very funny. Apparently, the whole kingdom knows I'm his Luna now which is strange because he hasn't asked me to marry him yet."They both looked scared and I was glad with the reactions I got. I need them to realize the gravity of what would happen if that plan did go wrong. Also, this was very fun to watch. I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they realize I am just messin
Serena’s POVThe news about Derek’s pack being attacked still lingered on in my mind. It was later confirmed that they were being attacked my rogues. What is unclear is why the rogues would attack his pack. Rogues usually terrorize the lonely parts of the woods but they have never entered the kingdom before.This news made me bothered all day and even now that it is night time, I still don’t feel comfortable.Arden has reassured me time and time again about how he will send tropes there to protect the people but there’s something that still calls out to me, making me increasingly worried.He slept soundly while I was wide awake wondering why I still feel an attachment to the place. I think of my time back but there are no fond memories. I tried to force myself to sleep but a particular memory lingered in my mind. The memory of my mother.Then it clicked. My mother’s relic. It was still there. No wonder I was uneasy. That was the last piece of me there and I have to go and get it. It i
Serena’s POVThe sun was down and it was time for the tropes to leave. Rachel and Zone already packed their backs and readied their armor. I didn’t have any but I wasn’t afraid. After all, I wasn’t fighting in the battle. I just needed my mother’s relic.I tried to sneak off without Arden suspecting anything. I know he will be furious about this but I have to do this. I took the sword and a few things for sustenance. We leave in the end of night but I need to be at the training so I would be easier to go without drawing too much attention to myself.As I walked swiftly through the hallway almost to the training ground, I couldn’t help but feel victorious that my plan had worked.When I got to the training ground no one was there. Good. I can hide there until everyone is ready to leave.“Going somewhere?” someone asked in the shadows.As much as I was frightened, I drew the sword and I was ready to attack. I don’t know that person is but trespassers are not allowed in this palace.He s
Sylvia found me in the dungeon with Ardan and Dominic. She lunged at me, wanting to hit me when I stepped back and she fell on her face.“Go back there, now!” She demanded but I refused to move. “Dominic, tell her to move!” Sylvia demanded but Dominic chuckled. He told Sylvia to get out.“Get out? Pardon me?” Sylvia asked confused.“Don’t make repeat myself, Sylvia.” Dominic threatened and with her head low, she walked out of the dungeon.I then stood behind Dominic, watching Ardan’s battered body writhing on the stretcher. His wounds festered with angry red streaks spreading over his skin. I heart broke by just merely staring at him.Dominic stood tall in front of me. He turned his head slightly, as he looked over Ardan with indifference. “He’ll survive—hopefully,” he muttered.I stopped myself from lashing out. Sally was furious. She hated the way I was still even in this circumstance. But I couldn’t risk it. Not yet.Ardan’s eyes landed on me. His voice was hoarse. “Serena… what ar
My wrists ached from the tightness of the chains binding me. Sylvia had dressed me up in a maids costume just so she could mock me even more.“This was exactly what Gloria talked about. Gilly, Zone. They all warned us but we were blinded by it all.” Sally snared furious at being subdued.Sylvia sat across from me, lounging on a plush chair with a cruel smirk playing at the corner of her lips.“You’ve grown weaker, Serena,” she said, tracing a finger along the armrest. “Pathetic, really. And to think this room once belonged to you.”I blinked, glancing around. This truly was once my room.Sylvia’s laughter broke the silence. “Ah, so you do remember. Don’t worry; I’ve made a few improvements since then.”“You’re delusional if you think this changes anything,” I snapped.Sylvia leaned forward with her eyes narrowing. “Why are you doing this?” I asked, keeping my tone steady.She tilted her head, feigning innocence. “Why?” she repeated. “Are you really asking me that, Serena?”“Humour me,
The camp had been unusually quiet that morning, but my thoughts were anything but still. Gilly was stronger now—more alert, more alive than she’d been since her rescue—but I couldn’t help noticing how Dominic avoided looking at her. His usual smirk was absent, and he kept his eyes away from from hers.Gilly seemed to notice, too. She stood a little apart from us, leaning against a tree with her arms crossed and her eyes fixed on Dominic as if she were trying to solve a puzzle.“Gilly,” I said softly, walking over to her. “How are you feeling?”“Better,” she said. “A lot better, actually.” She hesitated as her gaze flickered toward Dominic. “But something’s off with him. He keeps avoiding me.”I followed her eyes, watching Dominic as he checked his weapons with meticulous precision. “That’s just how he is,” I said, though I couldn’t deny the unease creeping into my chest.“Serena,” Gilly said quietly with her voice almost a whisper. “He feels… familiar. I don’t know how to explain it,
The next morning, Zone and Dominic’s bickering had started again before we even broke camp.“You’re leading us into another trap, aren’t you?” Zone growled with his arms crossed as he faced Dominic, who leaned lazily against a tree.Dominic smirked, completely unbothered. “You’ve got trust issues, big guy. Relax. If I wanted to betray you, I’d have done it already.”“You’d say that whether you planned to or not,” Zone shot back with a sharp tone.“Enough,” I snapped, stepping between them. My patience was wearing thin, and I couldn’t afford to let their constant tension derail us. “This isn’t helping. We’re all here for the same reason—to find Ardan. Keep that in mind, or we’re not going to make it.”“No, you, are here to find Ardan. I’m done. I am telling you, Dominic is leading us into some trap I cant trust him.” Zone cried.“I saved you, I saved Gilly and I saved Rachel. I didn’t ask you to come with me. This is my fight and my fight alone. Do you think I trust Dominic?” I asked s
The sun was up as we made our way to the canyon. Dominic led the way. Zone followed close behind with his hand resting on his sword. Rachel and Gilly were at my side. Gilly was leaning on Rachel for support as she regained her strength.The air felt heavier here, every sound was amplified and echoing off the rock.“Something’s not right,” Sally murmured in my mind.“I feel it too,” I replied with my senses sharpening as I scanned the cliffs above. The silence was unnerving.“We should move faster,” Zone said in a low but urgent tone.“Relax,” Dominic called over his shoulder, his tone infuriatingly casual. “This path is clear. I’ve used it dozens of times.”Zone’s growl was barely audible. “And how do we know you’re not leading us into a trap?”Dominic turned, walking backward with a grin. “Like I said, If I wanted you dead, you’d already be dead. Trust me, big guy.”I clenched my fists. “Keep moving. We’re too exposed here.”Dominic smirked but complied, turning forward again.Then a
The walk back to camp was filled with tension. Dominic’s easy smirk didn’t help; if anything, it made Zone’s temper simmer hotter. I could feel the heat of Zone’s eyes boring into Dominic’s back, but I kept my focus on the path ahead. We didn’t have time for petty arguments—not when Ardan was still out there.When we arrived, Rachel was sitting beside Gilly with her hands glowing faintly as she worked to stabilise our friend’s breathing. Gilly lay on a makeshift bed of leaves. Her face was pale but peaceful. Rachel glanced up as we approached. Her brows furrowed when she spotted Dominic.“Who’s this?” Rachel asked in a wary tone.Dominic gave her a lazy wave. “Dominic. Smuggler, information broker, occasional charmer. At your service.”Zone growled. “We don’t need your act. Just tell them why you’re here.”I stepped forward, cutting through the tension. “This is Dominic. He knows the rogue king’s network and might have information about Ardan’s whereabouts.”“Might,” Dominic echoed, l
Dominic’s smirk widened as he crossed his arms, leaning casually against one of the tent poles. He was tall, lean, and radiated this air of arrogance that set my teeth on edge. His sharp green eyes darted between Zone and me, sizing us up like the way predators size their prey.“Ardan,” I said firmly, cutting straight to the point. “You know where he is.”Dominic raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. “Oh, do I now? And what makes you think I’d share that information with you?”Zone stiffened beside me with his hand twitching toward his blade, but I placed a calming hand on his arm. This was my fight.“Because we both know you don’t work for free,” I replied. “You don’t owe the rogue king loyalty, and I can pay you better than he ever could.”Dominic chuckled, pushing off the post and circling me slowly. “Interesting theory. But what makes you think your cause is worth my time? I mean, look at you—tired, desperate, and woefully out of your depth. You’re chasing a ghost, sweetheart.”I
The forest had become our home and our prison. Days turned into nights without relief. The rogue king’s forces were everywhere, and we were forced to move like ghosts, never lingering in one place for long.Gilly’s condition had improved, but she still wasn’t strong enough to travel far, and Rachel rarely left her side. That left Zone and me to scout ahead, searching for any sign of Ardan or the rogue king’s plans.The frustration was beginning to pile up, and my wolf, Sally, understood my restlessness. “We’re wasting time,” she growled in my mind as we crept through an underbrush. “He’s out there, and we’re stuck chasing the wrong thing.”“You think I don’t know that?” I shot back. “I just don’t know how to prove it.” I continued. He was alive—I was sure of it—but every moment we spent running felt like another moment he slipped further from my reach.Zone crouched beside me with his sharp eyes scanning the road ahead. “Trail’s fresh,” he murmured, pointing to a set of boot prints in
We had finally gotten out of the dungeon and I helped Zone and Gilly to the hidden passage I’d used to enter. Every sound echoed in my ears—the clink of Zone’s chains that we had now gotten rid of, Gilly’s shallow, pained breaths, and my dragged footsteps against the stone floor. I was angry and confused. What I’d seen… it wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be.“That wasn’t Ardan,” I reminded myself, swallowing down the lump in my throat. My wolf, Sally, had already made it clear: this Ardan was an imposter, the rogue king in disguise. But knowing didn’t lessen the pain of seeing my mate’s face twisted into something cruel and unrecognisable.“Serena,” Zone growled behind me in a low tone but he was very much angry. “Are you going to explain now, or do I have to figure this out on my own?”I paused, staring back at him. He was cradling Gilly in his arms. She looked so small and so broken. The sight of her nearly brought me to my knees.“That wasn’t Ardan like I said,” I said softly and with