Von I didn’t sleep in the room last night. I just couldn’t. I spent the entire night roaming through the hallway like some ghost with an unfinished business.“Alpha!” It was the sound of a voice that jolted me awake. I didn’t know that I had fallen asleep on one of the benches outside.I turned to see one of the guards. I was grateful it was a guard that found me and not one of the Alphas.“Are you fine your majesty?” He asked, and I nodded.“Just enjoying the early morning fresh air.” He scanned me for a while before speaking up.“Alpha Edgar said I should inform you that there would be a meeting held at his study after breakfast.”I nodded and immediately the guard walked away. He was all armored up for some reason. It was like he was going to fight a war. Did something happen?I didn’t bother to dwell on that thought. I stood on my feet, heading to the room.The moment I stepped into the room, Rae stood before the mirror, tying the last ribbon on the back of her dress. My eyes
Von I didn’t stop walking until we were far enough away from prying eyes and by prying eyes I mean— Malcom.I turned to Rae, staring down at her with a firm gaze."You defied me."Her chin lifted slightly. "I—“I cut her short. "I warned you, Rae."She scoffed. "Warned me? Or threatened me?"I took a step closer. She didn’t back down."It’s the same thing," I said, my voice low.“Do you want him dead?” I questioned.“You wouldn’t do it, Von.” She said boldly, and I was about to speak when I noticed she had picked up her step.“I’m not done speaking to you!” I said.“But I am done listening.”“You seem to have forgotten your place here,” I called out to her. “You’re a maid. You listen to my orders.”She stopped, smirked at me, then kept moving.I watched as she positioned herself close to Malcolm. He rested his hands on her chin whispering some words to her. I couldn’t stand it.I just couldn’t. "Get away from her."The words left my mouth before I could stop them. Malcolm turned
Rae The next morning, I found Malcolm exactly where I expected—sitting alone at the back of the palace, away from the noise and commotion of the departing Alphas. He didn’t look up when I approached, but his lips curled into a smirk. "I knew you’d find me here.""I guess you’re beginning to know a lot about you," Malcom said.I smirked. "Of course I am. We are friends aren’t we?”I rolled my eyes playfully, and he turned to face me fully. "Did you just friendzone me, Rae?"I grinned. "You did that yourself when you told me your type was the new Alpha."Malcolm let out an exaggerated sigh, shaking his head. "I say one thing, and you never let it go."“But on a serious note, isn’t Edgar hot?” He added.I furrowed my brow. “He’s! You know you should tell him how you feel. You never know he might be—““I’m not doing that.” He said sharply. “It’s a taboo for a Royal to be in love with another man. I would be cursed.”“Love isn’t about gender. It’s about the heart.”He stepped closer, hi
Rae The second the guards unlatched the palace gates, I threw my arms around Malcolm, pulling him into a tight hug. "You came," I said, stepping back with a smile. He grinned down at me, his familiar mischievous glint in his eyes. "Of course, I did. I still have a plan to finish." I rolled my eyes. "You know Von is going to kill you, right?” Malcolm chuckled. "Speaking of Von, where is he?" I sighed. "In his study. You should probably avoid him if you value your life." His smirk widened. "I can't wait to see the look on his face when he sees me." I shook my head. "You really love trouble.” "Trouble is my second name." Before I could argue, he gestured toward the entrance. "Well? Are you going to show me in, or should I find my way?" I sighed, knowing there was no stopping him, and led him through the palace doors. The moment we stepped inside, Jace appeared from the hallway, looking between us with a mixture of relief and mild frustration. "Rae," he said, directing h
RaeMalcolm leaned against the window of his room, with his arms crossed, and a smirk playing on his lips. "So, you've been living in this palace all this time, and you’ve never explored the rest of the pack?" “Rae!” Malcolm called out and I peered at him. “Answer me.”I shrugged. "Not really. I went out once and when I did it was with Von. He took me to this secret garden." His brows lifted in surprise. "Secret garden? Sounds romantic." I scoffed. "It wasn’t like that." Malcolm narrowed his eyes. "Wait—was the Queen there when Von took you?" I hesitated, then spoke seconds after. “No, she wasn’t!”“So you and Von went on a solo date while his wife was away?” Malcolm looked at me. “You know I haven’t even seen her around since I arrived.”“You have been here for a day!”“That doesn’t change the fact that something weird is going on!”I furrowed my brows. “Stop overthinking things, Malcom. ““Everything seems suspicious why wouldn’t I overthink.” He said."I have told you
Von I shoved Rae inside the room and locked the door behind us. My chest heaved with anger as I turned to her. "How dare you?" I roared, my voice echoing off the walls. "You just told Malcolm everything! Are you insane?" Rae giggled. "Say it again," she murmured, swaying slightly. "And again." I exhaled sharply, my fists clenched at my sides. There was no point scolding her—she was drunk. Nothing I said would get through to her in this state. Frustration boiled inside me. I slammed my hand down on the table, the impact shaking the room. What was I thinking? I should have just thrown Malcolm out. I should have never let him stay. I was losing my mind. I hit the table again, harder this time, but before I could do more damage, Rae rushed toward me. "Don't hurt yourself, Von." Her voice was softer now. She grabbed my hand, and the simple gesture sent an unfamiliar, rippling sensation through me. I swallowed hard, my body tensing as her small fingers traced over the soren
VonAs I stepped out into the courtyard, I saw a lone messenger standing at the entrance. He bowed slightly when he noticed me approaching. “Is this the visitor?” I asked Jace and he nodded.I stared at the messenger closely. I hadn’t seen him before. Who did he work for? Without wasting anymore time dwelling on my thoughts, I spoke up."Who sent you?" I asked in an irritated tone. The fact that he had disrupted me and Rae’s moment just made me a bit mad."The councilmen, Your Majesty," he replied, in a cautious tone. “Why did they send you?” My anger grew as I heard him mention the councilmen. They always found a way to disrupt my life.I turned back to the messenger after I didn’t hear him speak. I watched as he went through his sack then he extended a neatly folded letter toward me. I took it but didn’t open it immediately. My mind drifted back to Rae. I needed to return to her. Whatever this letter contained, it could wait. "Do you know what’s in it?" I asked, flipping the
RaeI woke up to the sound of the door creaking open. My head pounded, and as I stirred, I felt the cool sheets against my bare skin. A slow, creeping realization hit me—I was naked. My eyes flew open, and I took in my surroundings. I was in Von’s room. What was I doing here naked?I sat up quickly, clutching the blankets against my chest. My breath caught in my throat. What the hell happened last night?The door fully opened, and Anna stepped inside, carrying a steaming cup of tea. “Morning,” she said, her voice calm, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. I stared at her closely until she acknowledged my presence.“What happened?” I demanded. “Why am I naked? Why am I in Von’s room?” Anna walked over and handed me the tea. “You were drunk last night,” she explained. “Your friend told me to brew this for you and he is also the one who told me you were pretty drunk.”I hesitated before taking the cup. My fingers curled around the warmth, but my mind raced too fast to focus o
Rae I turned and my eyes landed on Jace. He was breathing heavily, his grip still tight around my arms. “Von—” My voice broke. “He’s here. I can feel him.” Jace’s eyes darkened. “Rae…Von isn’t here.” “He is!” I responded sharply. Jace’s hands tightened on me. “No, he’s not. Rae, you were about to walk into the sea! Do you even realize what you were doing?” His words hit me like a slap. So did the cold and the darkness. I suddenly became aware of my surroundings and at that moment Reality crashed into me. “How did I get here?” My voice was hoarse and my eyes flickered to Jace. “You were sleepwalking,” Anna said before he could respond. She stood beside him. I didn’t even realize she was here until she spoke. “Sleep waking?” I repeated in shock. Anna nodded. “This is the second time you’ve done it, Rae.” I shook my head, confusion clouding my thoughts. “I wasn’t sleepwalking.” “You were!” Anna’s voice rose in frustration. “If I hadn’t realized you weren’t by my si
Rae“Come along, men!” Luigi’s voice echoed through the halls. “We need to start making preparations.” Luigi turned away from me, and he headed towards the gate with Jace by his side, the other councilmen walked closely behind them with happy looks on their faces.I didn’t expect Luigi to leave without saying something cruel, or reminding me that my place in the palace was about to come to an end.I guess he was so eager to start planning out for the ceremony that he didn’t have time for his usual taunts.I pushed my thoughts about Luigi away the moment Jace returned.Anna and I exchanged a brief look before she pulled me along. “Come on.” “So… you agreed?” Those were the first words to leave Anna’s mouth the moment we got closer to Jace.Jace exhaled, nodding. “The council didn’t give me a choice.” He spoke in a low voice. Then, almost as if reminding himself, he added, “But… like you said, this is a chance to redeem myself.” Something in his voice made me study him carefull
RaeThe minute I turned to the other side I realized that the bed was empty.Anna was gone. The sheets beside me were cold, meaning she had left a while ago. I blinked against the dull ache in my head, my body feeling heavy as if I hadn’t moved in days. When I sat up, my eyes caught my reflection in the mirror across the room. I barely recognized myself. My eyes were swollen and rimmed with dark circles from endless crying. My hair was tangled from the restless nights of tossing and turning. I looked empty and Lost. I forced myself to look away so I didn’t end up being reminded of my misery not that I cared. I hadn’t showered in two days. Hadn’t eaten. I was living life like I was on the edge of it.With slow movements, I pulled myself out of bed, dragging my feet across the cold floor. My body protested with every step, but I kept moving. I left my room, my mind numb as I made my way downstairs. The palace was quiet, the kind of silence that made grief feel heavier. As
Rae The next day arrived, and my heart felt heavier than it did yesterday. Luigi arrived at the palace quite early.I had sighted him from the courtyard and paid him no attention. He had stopped me from attending my own husband’s funeral and I saw him as an enemy.“Luna!” He called my attention. I was surprised he addressed me with that title but I didn’t let him know I was.I even acted like I didn’t exist and I didn’t hear him speak.“I know you heard me!” He said boldly and I remained as I was until he walked in my direction.“I don’t know why you are acting this way.” He said and I kept my head tilted. “I just wanted to let you know that the ceremonial procession for a new king needs to begin right away.”His last words caught my attention and I turned to look at him.“A new king?” I scoffed. “Von just died, at least give the people time to mourn.”“That’s not possible.““Why?” I asked.“An empty throne gives the enemy chances to attack.” He replied. “That’s why it is very import
Rae“Luna!” The guards had called out to me as I paraded the throne room the next day.I had come to the throne room the minute I woke up.I was hoping the words that Jace told me were all a lie and that I would find Von sitting on his throne, but when I got here I realized that Jace words weren’t some fantasy.It was true.My von was no more.I had broken out in sobs just like did yesterday, clutching my chest as the weight of the truth fell on me. “Luna!” The guards called out again.I turned and I saw one of them step forward, holding something in his hands. It was a piece of Von’s cloak and his sword. I stared at the torn fabric, my heart hammering against my ribs. The morning air felt heavier, pressing against me, and stealing my breath. “We could not find his body, Luna.” The guard said in a firm voice. “It seemed the rogues got rid of it.” I met his gaze, sorrow filling my eyes. A bitter part of me already knew what he would say before he did. “Keep it in the bed
Von “Rogues,” I muttered to myself, as I walked out to the palace. The word sent a chill through my veins. I had known this was coming. For days now, something in my gut had been warning me. I hadn’t had a vision in a while, but I could feel the uneasy feeling creeping inside even after Rae’s attack.The minute I saw Jace, I spoke up.“I need you to bring the guards at the courtyard to the border, rouges have been sighted beyond.”“Is there an attack?” He asked.“There will be” I responded. “So come prepared.”Jace nodded and I walked towards my car.“Where to your majesty?” The driver asked stepping right in front of me.“Don’t worry,” I responded. “I will be driving myself.”He nodded and then he walked away.I got into the car quickly, and before I shut the door I remembered I didn’t take my sword.I sent one of the guards close by to get it for me and once he did I zoomed off.My hands gripped the wheel tightly as I sped toward the border. I pressed harder on the accelera
RaeWhen we returned to the palace, the sky was cloaked in darkness, the moon was visible behind thick clouds. Von and I barely made it through the hallways before our lips found each other again. His hands gripped my waist, pulling me against him as we stumbled toward our chambers, lost in the heat of the moment. But just as we neared the door, a sharp voice stopped us. “My King,” one of the guards called, his expression grave. Von sighed, pulling away from me reluctantly. “What is it?” “Rogues have been spotted beyond the border.” Von’s expression changed, his golden eyes darkened, and the relaxed man who had just been kissing me disappeared in an instant. “I have to go.” He said pulling away from me.I swallowed hard. “Von, be careful.” He cupped my face, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead. “I’ll be right back,” he promised before turning to the guard. “Gather the others. Tell them to come to the courtyard.” I watched him disappear down the hallway, my stomach t
RaeThe ride back to the palace was tense. Von hadn’t said a word since we left the town square. I could feel the frustration radiating off him in waves. He wanted to finish Luigi. I knew that, but I had stopped him once again and that hurt his ego.When we arrived at the palace, the silence continued. I wanted to address the matter quickly but Von had called the attention of the guards immediately we stepped into the palace and told them to meet him in the study.“Give me three minutes.” He told me before heading to the study.As I made my way to the room, Anna approached me and she did not look happy.“How dare you run off like that?” She questioned.“I’m so sorry but I was worried about Von.”She rolled her eyes at me, and I knew she wouldn’t stay mad at me. It was typical Anna.“You want me to keep getting on the king’s naughty list.” His words pulled me out of my thoughts.“That’s not going to happen,” I told her. “Von wouldn’t do anything to you he’s actually angry at me.“I s
RaeAs the car neared town, I could hear the shouts echoing through the streets. People were yelling, their voices filled with anger and fear. The town felt like a battlefield, with pack members pushing against the guards who stood like an impenetrable wall around the center of the commotion. "Pull over," I ordered the driver, in a firm voice.He hesitated for a moment, glancing at me as if second-guessing whether he should obey. But one look at my determined expression, and he gave in, slowing the vehicle until it came to a stop. I stepped out and immediately felt the heat of the situation but what caught my attention first was Von. He was standing in the middle of the street, flashing the people one of his cold gazes, and beside him—on his knees was Luigi whose hands were tied behind his back.There was also blood dripping out of his nose and his face looked like it had received thousands of blows.I was a bit confused. Why was Luigi in that position? I thought all Von want