VonI was angry—no, furious—and that feeling burned through my veins like wildfire. I hated myself for what I had done. I was becoming like him.Calister’s voice echoed in my head.“You’re nothing like him!”“You’re Von! You’re different.” Her words continued to echo.Calister’s words seemed to do nothing. I was a ruthless person. Or in Rae’s words, I was a monster.The weight of my actions sat heavily on my chest, suffocating me. I couldn’t bear the feeling within me, so I turned to the one thing that could quiet it, if only for a while: a bottle of alcohol.I poured drink after drink, drowning in my thoughts. The liquor burned as it went down, but it wasn’t enough to numb the feeling. I kept drinking until the world blurred around me, and my legs felt like they couldn’t hold me up any longer.“I guess it’s time to call it a night,” I said, standing on my feet.I almost fell, but one of my guards who was standing close to me rushed to my side.“Your majesty.” He said, holding me up.
RaeWhen I saw Von, my chest tightened, and every nerve in my body screamed at me to run.Without thinking, I turned to flee, but his strides were longer and faster, and in no time, he caught up to me.His hand gripped my arm tightly, and I froze, too angry and too afraid to fight.“You had me worried.” He said in a firm voice. “I don’t want you wandering off ever again. Do you not understand that you’re mine now? My breeder.”His words ignited a fire in me, and I laughed bitterly, shaking my head.“I will never be what you want, Von,” I said. “Never.”His eyes darkened, and a cold smile played on his lips. “After what happened yesterday,” he said, in a stern voice, “you already are.”My breath hitched. The audacity of his words made my blood boil.“How can you talk about yesterday so casually?” I hissed, glaring at him. “After what you did to me?”For a moment, just a fleeting second, I see something flicker across his face—regret? Pain? But it vanished as quickly as it appeared, rep
VonThe minute my eyes landed on Rae my expression changed.“What are you going here?” I yelled. “I thought I told you to stay in the car.”“I didn’t feel like.” She snapped. “I have the right to do whatever I want don’t I?”My brows furrowed as I matched in her direction. Without hesitation, I roughly grabbed her in my hands, leading her towards the door.My face twisted in my friend’s direction mouthing to him that I would be back soon.The minute we were out of the building I came across my driver who was heading in my direction, “I told you to watch her. What were you doing?”The driver’s face paled as he stammered, “My lord, I tried. She ignored my warnings. I did everything I could.”“Clearly, it wasn’t enough,” I snapped, before facing Rae, my fury barely contained. “Why don’t you ever listen?”Rae lifted her chin and met my glare with one of her own. “I don’t take orders from you,” she said in a thick tone. “And if you must know, I was going to expose you. I planned to tell an
RaeThe next morning, I woke up feeling a bit lighter. I wasn’t sure if it was the sleep or the temporary sense of peace I felt being away from Von. I found myself in the kitchen with Anna, and for the first time in a while, I felt like I could breathe.We were laughing, joking about old stories we’d heard about Queen Calister.“I heard she once made a servant scrub the floor with their shirt because they missed a spot,” I said, grinning.Anna frowned. “I remember when that happened. It was a horrific moment.”“I could only imagine what that poor servant went through,” I replied.“It was a sad experience, but not as sad as when she made the chef cry because he undercooked her meat. The poor man couldn’t show his face for weeks!”“That’s terrible!” I exclaimed. “Sometimes I wondered what made her so cold.”“She married a cold man what did you expect? The king ruined her.”I muttered. “Just like he wants to ruin my life.”My voice wasn’t as low as I thought it would be, and Anna happene
Rae The hallway stretched out in front of me as I increased my steps, only to stop when I felt a slight pull on my left arm. “Not so fast.” Kayla’s voice rang out behind me. I couldn’t believe she followed me. Why wouldn’t she let me be? I turned to meet Kayla’s eyes which were blazing with anger. Her presence immediately set me on edge. “What do you want, Kayla?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, though I could feel my pulse quicken. She stepped closer. “What do I want? After all the damage you’ve done, you have the audacity to ask me that?” “I haven’t done anything to you,” I said defensively, though I knew my words would do little to calm her rage. “You ruined Damien’s life!” she spat. “You killed my best friend and ended the Alpha’s legacy.” Her accusation hit me like a slap, but I didn’t let her see the effect it had on me. “I didn’t ruin Damien’s life, Kayla. The rogues killed him. I lost him too.” Her expression twisted into something cruel. “If Damien
VonThe driver slammed on the brakes, jolting me from my thoughts. I frowned, turning to him. “Why did you stop?”He looked nervous, his eyes darting to the road ahead. “There’s a body on the ground, my lord.”A cold chill ran down my spine. “A body?”Without waiting for a reply, I opened the car door and stepped out. The night air was heavy, and as I walked toward the figure lying motionless on the road, dread began to claw at me. My steps quickened, and when I finally saw who was on the floor, my breath caught in my throat.It was Rae. How did she get here?I dropped to my knees, carefully scooping her up into my arms. “Rae…” I murmured, her body limp and bruised.Anger took over, replacing the shock I felt within. I was sure she was trying to escape when she ran into trouble.I pushed my anger away. Right now, she needed help.“Get us to the nearest hospital,” I barked at the driver.“Yes, my lord,” he stammered, hurrying to comply.As we sped toward the hospital, I couldn’t tear m
RaeAs Von stormed out of the throne room, I hurried to catch up with him.“Von, wait!” I called out, my voice echoing through the long corridor.He didn’t stop, his shoulders were stiff and his pace quickened. I jogged to match his strides, feeling a sharp pain at the side of my ribs.I ignored the pain, increasing my steps. The minute I got closer, I reached out to grab his arm.“I don’t need you to search for Kayla,” I said.He finally stopped, turning to face me. “Don’t tell me what to do,” he snapped, and his voice had a drop of frustration.“She’s not worth it,” I pressed. “You’ve done enough. Just let her go.”Von leaned slightly, his towering presence casting a shadow over me. “She nearly killed you,” he said through gritted teeth. “You think I’m going to let that slide? I’m not doing this for her. I’m doing it for you.”His words startled me, leaving me momentarily speechless. Von—the man who seemed to enjoy tormenting me, who thrived on control and chaos—was standing here, d
RaeKayla’s lifeless body crumpled to the ground, her blood pooling beneath her.“What have you done?” I questioned my voice trembling with both shock and anger.The expression on my face was similar to that of the Alpha King’s. For a moment, I expected him to act, to shout, to command his guards to seize Von and punish him for his reckless brutality. But to my astonishment, he didn’t.Instead, the king’s lips pressed into a tight line as he pointed to one of the guards. “Dispose of the body,” he said coldly, his tone devoid of emotion.My stomach churned as the guard stepped forward, dragging Kayla’s lifeless form out of the room. The sound of her body scraping against the floor made bile rise in my throat.The king then turned to Von. “We’ll finalize the rest of the plans on your next visit,”“Of course,” Von replied smoothly, his tone sounded so calm as if he hadn’t just murdered someone in cold blood.He turned to me, gesturing with a slight tilt of his head. “Let’s go.”I hesitat
Rae I stared at Anna in disbelief, my lips parted but no words coming out. I couldn’t believe what I just heard. I felt like I was in a nightmare. I managed to pull myself out of the haze staring back at Anna. “You’re saying… I have to die to save the kingdom?” My voice cracked as I spoke, and my legs felt unsteady beneath me.Anna gave a slow nod, her eyes filled with sadness.“I don’t understand,” I said, forcing myself to stand. “Why me? How am I the reason for the curse?”“I don’t know, Rae,” she replied gently. “But Von might. He’s been keeping everything to himself. I think he knows more than he’s saying.”I shook my head. “This can’t be real. I refuse to believe it.”My heart pounded in my chest. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The walls were closing in. A thousand thoughts ran through my mind, crashing into each other. I didn’t want to cry, but tears burned behind my eyes anyway.Anna stepped closer. “Please calm down. Landon’s looking for a witch. He believes there might b
RaeThe dim light crept into view, it was blurry and soft at first, like a distant memory trying to settle into focus. My head felt heavy, and my body… foreign. I blinked a few times, trying to ground myself in the space around me. Everything was unfamiliar. I was disoriented. My arms ached, and when I looked down, I noticed wires—tubes—stripped across my body. I couldn’t tell if they were for healing or restraint.Then suddenly I heard soft sobs which broke through my haze.I turned my head, and my eyes landed on Anna. She was hunched over in a chair across the room, her shoulders trembling. Her voice cracked as she muttered to herself, “I think I’ve made a mistake… I shouldn’t have let him go…”What was she talking about? And why was she crying?“Anna…” My voice came out hoarse, it was low and if she wasn’t sitting close by. I was sure she wouldn’t have heard it.Anna’s head jerked up after those words left my lips. Her eyes widened like she’d seen a ghost. “Rae?” she gasped. T
VonThe moment, I saw Landon move I halted my steps, trying to figure out where he was heading. He directed his horse towards the side of the river while he rested on one of the stones. He was facing me now, but because of the trees I was well hidden and I couldn’t be easily detected. I kept watching, waiting for the opportunity when he would finally turn his back. Eventually, he did, and just as I was about to launch myself at him, my horse let out a sharp, loud snort.Landon jerked his head up and during that moment his eyes found mine. I wondered if he had seen me, but the moment I saw him reach for his horse I got the answer to my question.Landon pulled his horse out of the river in one fast move, climbed onto the saddle, and kicked hard. The animal responded instantly, racing through the shallow water, splashing and tearing through the trees.“Landon!” I growled, then yanked my reins.I mounted quickly and dug my heels in. My horse moved forward, its hooves digging into the t
VonI stared at Anna with a coldness that could freeze fire. My eyes locked onto hers, searching for answers, for some kind of remorse, but all I saw was silence. Her lips stayed pressed together, and it was clear she wasn’t planning on explaining anything anytime soon.My anger ignited. It roared up from my chest like a beast unchained. I hit her against the cage once again.“You dare remain silent?” I growled through clenched teeth. “You set him free and you stand here with your mouth shut like it means nothing?”Her gaze flicked to mine, and finally, she spoke in a soft tone. “Even if I explain things to you… you’ll never understand.”I scoffed, tightening my grip. “Did he promise you something? Huh? Is that it? Did Landon feed you some sweet little story?”“No,” she snapped back. “He didn’t promise me anything.”I let out a humorless laugh. “Then why? What in the hell made you think this was a good idea?”She yanked her arm out of my grasp. “Because he said he wants to help this c
Von The night had arrived.I sat in my chambers, wide awake. My sword rested beside me on the table, a sharp glint catching the flicker of torchlight from the wall. I hadn't slept, not even for a second. My instincts told me tonight would be the night they'd try it—the traitors among my guards. Anna’s warning had been clear, and my men were ready. My loyal guards were stationed throughout the palace, hiding in shadows, crouched in corners, armed to the teeth.I paced slowly across the room, boots echoing faintly against the stone floor. Then—just as I paused—came the sound. A low grunt. Then another. It started outside my door. The fight had begun.I moved quickly into the shadows, pressing my back against the cold wall. I could hear the scuffle grow louder. Then came footsteps rushing toward my chamber. Someone was coming for me.I didn’t move.I waited.The door creaked open. I saw the silhouette step in, sword drawn. He didn’t see me. He thought I’d be asleep.He took three step
Von The room was quiet except for the steady ticking of the clock on the wall. I had taken my position at the edge of the bed, my hands resting on my knees, the weight of everything pulling at my chest. Anna stood by the door, her brows furrowed, her lips pressed in a tight line. “Are you going to speak or not ?” I asked, my voice hoarse from lack of rest.She stepped closer, looking over her shoulder like she was afraid someone might be listening. “I don’t know if you are ready to hear this.”I sighed. Nothing else would surprise me, for the past few weeks I had watched my life go for bad to worse to wise. I knew nothing she would say would make a difference in my life.“Just say it, Anna!” I tried to keep my voice neutral trying not to lose my cool.“They’re plotting to kill you, Your Majesty.” Anna finally said.My eyes narrowed. “What do you mean by that?”“I overheard the guards talking with a few locals,” she said, her voice low. “They’re working together. They want to overt
Von The deaths in the kingdom had not stopped. Every day brought another body, another cry for help. And in the middle of all that, the truth I had learned clung to me like a second skin. Rae—no, Rose—was my sister. That revelation shattered something in me. It was like a rope had snapped. The very bond that once tethered me to her had been sliced clean through.I no longer looked at Rae the same. Her smile, her voice, the warmth in her eyes—it all haunted me now. I dared not to think of our memories, the feeling of me thrusting into her, the sound of her calling out my name. It felt like a nightmare. I forced myself to think of something. It wasn’t easy and to make things worse I started having dreams. Horrible, violent dreams. In them, I killed her over and over. Sometimes with my hands. Sometimes with a blade. Sometimes I just watched her die, unable to stop it. Every time I closed my eyes, those dreams returned, more vivid and terrifying than the last. Sleep no longer gave m
Von “Shall we leave now, Your Majesty?” one of the guards asked. His words felt distance it was like I was in another world and I was disconnected from my body. I couldn’t bring myself to reply I just stood staring at world around which had suddenly lost its light.“Your majesty!” A voice called out and this time I realized that the voice belonged to Roy. He was moving closer to me. I could hear his steps but I couldn’t see him. I was lost in my mind.“Are you fine your majesty?” He asked. “Do you want us to attack?”I was sure he must have thought the seer did something horrible to me, little did he know that she had no hand to place in this. I was just shocked by the truth.“Your majesty!” His voice returned and I knew it I didn’t reply they are going to be hovering around her and they might end up going in to attack the seer.“I’m fine Roy!” I finally said. “Don’t attack.”He didn’t look fully convinced but he nodded.“Shall we leave?” He repeated and I nodded. We got into the
Von The night air was cool and still, as we set out on our journey to see the seer. The drive through the forest was smooth, quiet, almost too quiet. Trees blurred past us like silent watchers, and inside the car, my thoughts raced. I kept staring out the window, pretending to be calm, but my mind was anything but that. My stomach churned as I thought about the fact that I was closer to the truth.What if the seer tells me something I can’t handle? What if there’s no going back after tonight?For a second, I considered turning back. Doubt crept in, whispering its poison. But I clenched my fists and shook the thoughts away. This wasn’t the time for fear. I had made it this far. Rae—no, everything—depended on this.When we arrived at the seer’s place, the guards approached first. The hut was small, isolated deep within the woods, lit only by the dull glow of moonlight and a single flickering lantern hanging from a crooked pole.The lead guard stepped up and knocked twice on the wood