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
Von Rae approached me with a firm look on her face. I could already tell she had something on her mind, but the moment my eyes swept over her, my thoughts drifted back to last night. The way she had clung to me, whispering my name, the heat of her skin under my touch—it was intoxicating. If it hadn’t been for that damned councilman and his letter, last night might have ended differently. “Earth to Von! Earth to Von!” Rae snapped her fingers in front of my face, her voice pulling me from my thoughts. I blinked, my jaw tightening. What the hell is wrong with me? I had more important matters to deal with, but here I was, lost in the memories of her. “Did you even hear what I just said?” she demanded, and I noticed there was an edge to her voice.I straightened my posture. “Yes.” It was all lies but she didn’t need to know that.Rae narrowed her eyes. “Then answer me.” I sighed. “I have important things to do. I can’t talk.” Her brows furrowed in frustration. “Why are you
RaeAfter the whole drunken incident, I refused to let Malcolm take me anywhere. Instead, we spent most of our time in the palace. Von, on the other hand, seemed distracted—his brooding nature more intense than usual. He had disappeared for a day, only to return and bury himself in work, barely acknowledging my presence. Not that I wanted him to be close to me after he referred to me as a whore.What made things even stranger was Jace. He was always nearby, hovering like a shadow, asking where I was going, what I was doing—like some overprotective bodyguard. “You don’t need to follow me around, Jace!” I snapped at him one evening when I caught him watching me from across the hall. He barely flinched. “I’m just doing my guard duties.” I narrowed my eyes. Something about the way he said it felt off, rehearsed. “Did Von put you up to this?” “No,” he said quickly, a little too quickly. I could smell the lie. But I wasn’t in the mood to push it. “I’d really appreciate it if you
Rae“Von!” I called out, my voice was filled with frustration. He was walking away, just like he always did, but I was not going to let him.“Why do you always keep walking away?” I spat. “You call yourself the hybrid king but you always end up acting like a coward and end up fleeing when things get intense.”“Stay and let’s finish this.” I added.He stopped mid-step but didn’t turn around. “There’s nothing to finish.”“You’re lying Von.” I declared. “I can see through your lies.”Von exhaled heavily, then turned slightly, just enough for me to catch the edge of his profile.“I mean every word I said.” “I also mean it, when I said that you aren’t going anywhere with Malcolm.”I took a step closer, my heart pounding. “Give me one valid reason why?”“I don’t owe you any more explanation. You know the reason why and if you haven’t told Malcom you better do.”“I feel there’s more to it. I know this isn’t about some deal you made with the Alpha in my pack. This is about what you said
Rae“This is the part where you tell me I was right,” Malcom said smugly, leaning back against the stone railing of the balcony. His arms were crossed over his chest, a self-satisfied smirk plastered across his face. The cool night air played with his hair, and the glow of the moon illuminated his sharp features. I sighed, rolling my eyes but unable to suppress a small smile. “Fine. You were right.” Malcom chuckled, tapping his temple. “Told you, Rae-Rae. I know these things. Call it instinct.” I shook my head, wrapping my arms around myself. After everything that had happened, the weight on my chest had finally started to lift. Malcolm had been there to push me toward a truth I had hoped for.“I guess that means your job here is done,” I said, trying to keep my tone light, though a part of me already felt the sting of his impending departure. He nodded, exhaling deeply. “Yeah. Time for me to go.” I frowned. “You don’t have to leave.” Malcom gave me a small smile. “I do,
VonThe sunlight filtered through the large windows.It was morning and I smiled enjoying the air filled with the scent of Rae’s skin, still warm from our shared night. She lay before me, and for a moment, the entire world seemed to be still. I moved my fingers along the lines of her back, but then my fingers halted when my eyes landed on a scar. I had noticed it weeks ago, but I had never asked. Rae shifted slightly, sensing my pause. She turned her head, eyes still heavy with sleep, and looked my way. “What happened?” she asked softly. “Nothing,” I murmured, attempting to wave it off, but I knew I had been caught. She propped herself up, watching me with curious eyes. “Is it the scar?” I nodded. Rae sat up fully, letting the blanket slip down her body. My eyes flickered away, suddenly aware of how vulnerable we both were. “I actually got it in the fire,” she admitted. “The fire that killed my parents.” I stilled, at the sound of her words, remembering how the wh
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