I spend the day at Eric’s house, immersed in laughter and enjoying myself. When it's time to leave, Eric kindly offers to walk me back to the castle, but I politely decline. Instead, I choose to make the journey on my own.
Walking into the castle, I notice Nickolas immediately, his demeanor radiating anger as he strides purposefully towards me. Panic grips me as I realize his fury is directed at me. What could I have possibly done to incur his wrath? I'm still reeling from my recent injuries, and the last thing I need is for him to unleash his temper on me. He grabs my arms forcefully, backing me against the nearest wall. His body trembles with pent-up rage as he looms over me.
"Where the fuck were you?" he demands, his words laced with fury. I'm taken aback by the intensity of his anger, my mind racing to come up with a plausible explanation for hi
"Amelia," Nickolas calls out, his hand gently waving in front of my face to recapture my attention.I blink, my mind snapping back to the present. "Sorry, what did you just say?" I ask, my voice trembling slightly as I stare at him."I was..." he begins, but I can't bear to let him finish. The raw vulnerability in his eyes is too much."Don't repeat it," I interrupt quickly, my heart aching for him. I can only imagine the courage it took for him to reveal to me the first time."Amelia," he continues, his voice barely above a whisper, "I know it's a lot to take in, and I would understand if being with someone like me isn't appealing anymore. But please, still be in my life. It wouldn't be complete without you."His words wash over me, and my heart swells to the point of bursting. Tears well up in my eyes as I take in the man before me—so strong, yet so afraid of losing me. I never imagined that Nickolas, being the enemy, would utter such a heartfelt plea."Please say something,"
NICKOLASI stare at my mate, lying prone on the ground of my best friend's porch, confusion and concern flood my mind.. What the fuck is going on? My mind races with questions, but I push them aside for the moment, choosing to focus on helping her first.Rushing over to her side, I quickly lift her up into my arms, a surge of adrenaline coursing through me as I take in her scent. It hits me like a wave, overwhelming my senses and leaving me momentarily disoriented. Why does she smell so fucking good? I stumble back a bit, her body clinging to mine as she sweats profusely."What's going on?" I demand, my voice laced with worry as I gaze down at her, searching for any signs of distress or injury. Despite the chaos of the moment, her proximity sends a jolt of unexpected arousal
AMELIAMy heart pounds with every step Nickolas takes back to the castle. Thoughts race through my mind, consumed by the uncertainty of what awaits us upon our return. Will he truly take me tonight? And more importantly, do I want him to?Yes, there's an undeniable craving and desire for my mate's touch coursing through every fiber of my being. But I can't say I'm entirely ready to fulfill that desire. The burning heat in my bones has lessened merely by having him close to me, his presence alone enough to soothe the heat.Snuggled against his chest, I find solace in the familiar scent that emanates from him, the scent that both calms the raging fire within me and sets my heart racing with anticipation. With each steady beat of his heart beneath my ear, I find myself to
Nickolas's hand rests gently on my waist. A shiver runs down my spine as he presses kisses to my neck and shoulders. My eyes, already blinded by the blindfold, instinctively close as a soft moan escapes my lips, betraying the pleasure his touch elicits.With each tender kiss, he explores every inch of my skin, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. My hands ache to reach out, to tangle in his hair and pull him closer, but the cuffs restrain me, keeping me tethered to the bed.As his lips continue their tantalizing journey, I can't help but wonder if that's why he cuffed my hands—to deny me the ability to touch him, to leave me at the mercy of his every whim. The thought sends a thrill through me, heightening the intensity of the moment.Nickolas's hand
I wake up, my hands ache, a silent reminder of the events of the previous night. Nickolas has removed the blindfold, but my hands remain bound to the headboard above me. I turn my head to the other side of the bed, searching for any sign of him, but it's empty.A pang of emptiness washes over me, though I can't say I'm entirely surprised. I knew deep down that waking up to an empty bed was inevitable after last night. Part of me longs for his presence, even as I remind myself that his touch was born out of duty rather than desire. Tears well up in my eyes as I grapple with the harsh reality of my situation.I sniffle softly, a single tear escaping as I come to terms with the fact that this is now my life—a life filled with longing and unfulfilled desires. I wish things could be different, but I know deep down that t
I step out of the shower and clad myself in a sundress in my closet. It struck me then that I have been wearing these a lot. I head to Nickolas's main room door, not our adjourning one. I knock but no answer and knock again. Each knock reverberates through the silence, the sound echoing in the empty hallway. Seconds stretch into eternity as I wait for a response, but none comes. With a hesitant hand, I reach for the doorknob and push the door open, the creaking hinges breaking the quiet of the room. He made it very clear about wanting me to come over once I was done. "Your Majesty?" I call out softly, stepping into the room and closing the door behind me with a gentle click. The room is bathed in a soft, golden light filtering through the pulled-back curtains, but there's no sign of Nickolas. I also didn’t make the mistake of calling him by his name as I did last night and this morning. Perhaps he pardoned my slip-up, considering the whi
I walk to the dinner table with Lily holding a bowl of salad. She has just finished making dinner, and we are about to sit down and eat. Luckily for me, Nickolas didn't tear into me earlier, as I feared he might. Instead, he simply glared at me for a few seconds before leaving with Eric to go somewhere. Lily assures me they should be arriving back any minute, and I'm surprised to hear her mention that Nickolas will also be joining us for dinner. Speaking of the devils, I hear them enter the house and catch a whiff of their scent as they approach Lily and me. Despite my relief, a sense of uncertainty still lingers as I wonder what Nickolas's mood will be like during dinner. Eric walks over to Lily and pulls her into a deep kiss upon reaching the dinner table. I can't help but smile as I watch them; they are so happy and in love. My cousin wasn't unlucky like me. Despite having a lycan for a mate, her fate seems much brighter than mine.
We step into the castle's grand foyer, and the imposing figure of Lord Easterlin emerges from the shadows. What is he doing here so late? "Your majesty, you finally return," Lord Easterlin's voice resonates through the cavernous space, a mixture of relief and urgency coloring his words as he strides purposefully toward Nickolas. "Callum, what brings you here at this late hour?" Nickolas inquires, his tone measured yet tinged with a hint of curiosity. "I have news of my daughter's whereabouts, Your Majesty, and I couldn't wait until morning to share it with you," Lord Easterlin's words send a jolt of shock through me. Why were they looking for Ember? Did something happen that I didn’t know about? “Really?” Nickolas asks, excitement in his voice from Lord Easterlin’s news. A sense of betrayal claws at my insides, cutting deeper than any wound I've ever known. He expresses an emotion I never thought I would see him show, yet
Ten Years Later“Aidan, please stop pulling your sister’s hair,” I plead, my voice strained as I descend the stairs. Aidan, my firstborn, attempts to rip raven locks from his twin sister Aliyah’s scalp.For nine-year-olds, Aidan’s death glare is already perfected as his black hair falls over his face and emerald eyes shoot daggers at Aliyah. “She called me ugly, Mummy!” he huffs. I turn my gaze to my daughter, pushing her dark hair behind her ears. “And why do you do that, Aliyah? You know better than to do that.” Her own green eyes narrow at her brother. “He called me fat!”“I did not—” Aidan begins to argue, and I close my eyes, rubbing my temples as a familiar headache threatens to take hold. I adore my children, but sometimes...The pattering of tiny feet makes my eyes shoot open. “Liam, Lily, be careful!” I rush after my second set of seven-year-old twins, who have inherited their father’s striking features just like their older siblings.“And you too,” a deep, British voice mur
AMELIA Ember's fist connects with my ribs in a blindsiding blow, the impact sending shockwaves of pain through my body as I crumple to the ground. Gritting my teeth, I force myself onto all fours, circling her warily, my wolf form bristling with fury."Pathetic. You couldn't even fight me in your real form," she spits, her words dripping with disdain, baiting me to shift back and risk further injury. I bare my fangs in a feral grin, lunging at her, my jaws snapping for her throat. She reacts instantly, grasping my muzzle in her hands, struggling to keep my razor-sharp teeth from her flesh. Seizing the opening, I rake my claws across her chest, shoving her to the ground with a powerful kick. Pinning her beneath me, I tear at her face, my claws seeking to blind her, to rob her of her sight, and leave her vulnerable.Ember's screams of agony pierce the air as I gouge at her eyes, blood welling beneath my claws. But before I can finish the job, an invisible force seizes my heart, squeez
NICKOLAS I take off sprinting in the direction I'm picking up Callum's scent, my heart pounding with a mixture of rage and anticipation. The bastard knew he stood no chance against me, so he fled, but there's nowhere for him to hide today. I will hunt him down and make him pay for everything he's done.I risk a glance over my shoulder at Amelia, my chest tightening as I watch her shift into her wolf form mid-leap, ready to face Ember in battle. Every instinct screams at me to turn back, to fight by her side and protect her, but I force myself to keep running. This is her fight, and as much as it tears me apart, I know she needs to do this on her own. She wouldn't want me to interfere, no matter how much I longed to keep her safe.Gritting my teeth, I push myself harder, Callum's scent growing stronger with each stride. Before, I wanted to kill the bastard for driving Amelia to the brink of suicide, but now, with the deaths of Uncle Leo and Ava weighing on my soul, my thirst for venge
We burst out of the castle, our suspicions confirmed as an arrow whizzes through the air, aimed directly at Nickolas. He snatches it out of the air before it can pierce his flesh, but the contact burns his skin, the telltale sign of Oak Tree venom. Lord Easterlin is really here, and the battle has begun.Nickolas tosses the arrow aside, his eyes flashing with rage as he moves toward the lycan who fired it, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. With a snarl, he plunges his hand into the attacker’s chest, ripping out his still-beating heart. Blood drips from Nickolas’s fingers as he watches the light fade from the lycan’s eyes, a grim smile playing on his lips. In an instant, he’s back at my side, his hand grasping mine tightly.“Let’s get you to safety,” he urges, his voice laced with concern.Despite allowing me to train, Nickolas is still reluctant to let me fight. I understand his worries, but he needs to realize that this battle is as much mine as it is his.“I want to fight
I rush downstairs, my heart pounding with anticipation, not just for breakfast but for the chance to see Nickolas. Being in the same house but sleeping in separate rooms has been torture, especially with Mom still not trusting him, even though a month has passed since our arrival. She also discovered my pregnancy, thanks to my growing bump and unexplainable morning sickness. Despite her reservations about Nickolas, she's thrilled to be a grandmother again and can't wait for the new addition to our family.The past month has been eerily quiet, with no word from Lord Easterlin, which troubles us all. But we've been using this time to prepare diligently for the impending war. Nickolas is adamant about me staying out of the fight, even though I've assured him I'm fit enough. His men have been training relentlessly alongside our werewolf warriors. Today, we plan to discuss taking the fight directly to Lord Easterlin.As I approach Nickolas' room, a smile spreads across my face the moment I
I tap my feet against the floor, my nerves fraying with each passing second as I wait for Dad to say something. We arrived back in the werewolf kingdom an hour ago. Nickolas just finished pouring his heart out to Dad, explaining everything that happened. He apologized profusely for nearly killing him on his birthday. He declared his unwavering love for me and his desire to build a life together. But Dad remains silent, his expression unreadable as he stares at Nickolas, who stands rigid with tension, his shoulders taut as he awaits Dad’s judgment.When Dad finally rises from the couch, Nickolas and I follow suit, the room so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I interlock my fingers with Nickolas’, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. “Everything is going to be alright,” I whisper into his mind. Since we have completed the mating process, we can send messages down our bond.“Welcome to the family, son,” Dad says, his voice warm as he pulls Nickolas in for a hug. Relief washes over me, a
“What the fuck did you just say?” A familiar voice booms from the bottom of the stairs, startling me. I spin around, my heart leaping into my throat, to find Caleb standing there, his eyes wide with shock. Oh, heavens above! How could I have forgotten about Caleb? He must have been worried sick about me. I wonder how he found me here, of all places.“King Nickolas!” Caleb adds, his brows furrowing in confusion as he takes in Nickolas standing by my side. Panic grips me, and I quickly move to stand before Nickolas, shielding him with my body. I can only imagine what Caleb must be thinking - that Nickolas survived somehow, and now he needs to finish the job.“He’s real?” Caleb asks incredulously, pointing at Nickolas after noticing my protective stance. “Yes, and before you try to do anything, please hear me out,” I plead, my voice trembling slightly.Caleb closes his eyes, shaking his head in disbelief before crossing his arms over his chest. “You have one minute,” he grits out, his j
The living room is as breathtakingly beautiful as the rest of the house, all plush fabrics and gleaming surfaces that speak of wealth and taste. I make my way to the nearest couch, ready to sink into its inviting cushions, but before I can even sit down, Nickolas sweeps me up into his arms and deposits me on his lap.“Whenever we’re together, this is where you sit,” he murmurs, adjusting me on his thighs, his arm wrapping securely around my waist, his hand splaying possessively over my belly.A soft smile tugs at my lips, warmth blooming in my chest at his casual display of affection. If someone had told me even a few short months ago that Nickolas would be this clingy, this openly demonstrative with his love, I would have laughed in their face. But now, feeling the solid strength of his body beneath me, the tender way he holds me close, I can’t imagine anything feeling more right.“Let’s hear it,” Eric prompts, settling into the armchair across from us, his eyes alight with curiosity
“Can I see them again?” I ask, my voice breathless with anticipation, a giddy smile stretching across my face as I wait for Nickolas to reveal his back once more, to show me the tattoo of my lips adorning his scars. Even now, the reality of it steals the air from my lungs, making my heart flutter wildly in my chest.His answering smile is soft and indulgent, his eyes glowing with warmth as he slowly turns, baring his back to me. I suck in a sharp breath at the sight, my fingers itching to trace the delicate lines of ink, to map the ridges and valleys of his scars. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to seeing this tangible proof of his love, this permanent declaration etched into his very skin.“Can I touch them?” I whisper, my voice hushed with reverence, knowing how sensitive he is about anyone laying hands on his scars, even me.Nickolas turns to face me, his gaze locking with mine, the intensity in his eyes stealing the bre