LAYLA'S POVI wake up feeling dizzy and lightheaded. I did not sleep much last night .One reason being I couldn't stop thinking of what my awful life will end up like after this and two because of the painful sensation in my stomach that strikes every time my stomach rumbles in hunger. I also feel weaker than I did yesterday.I look at the bread Mia had thrown in my cell last night but it already look soiled. I frown with disgust.I want to ask Mia if they are going to give us any kind of breakfast but I also don't want to strike a conversation with her again. But it seems like I really didn't have to because I hear her voice clearly the minute I stand."Thought I would wake up to no neighbour. But seems they are not in a hurry." She says. Was she waiting for me to wake up just to remind me of what I'm going through? Should I remind her that we are both locked up in dirty filthy cells with no food awaiting our sentence? But that will strike an argument and since yesterday I have know
AVA'S POVThings couldn't get any better than they are now. It's only a matter of a few hours before my good-for-nothing step sister gets dragged out of the pack house and get executed.I will no longer feel uncertain of the future. I will be able to figure out ways to please my prince without worrying about his mate ever showing up.I have never liked my step-sister anyway. She was always quite a loser and very naive.At first I didn't like her being part of our family because all she did was taint our family reputation with her wolf less status. All I wanted was for her to just leave. I didn't want to be associated with her since I was to be crowned princess. She would have brought shame on my status. None of our family member wanted her around anyway, not even her own father.She was that one person who I have been seeking to get rid off since I realized that I am not Nate Rowan's true mate. She gave me no choice. I talked to my step father who the prince had granted mandate to d
LAYLA'S POVThe two guards drags me into the council room and holds me down on my knees in front of my father and alpha Henry. My father stares down at me with a contempt on his face. Alfa Henry Immediately leaves his seat and steps forward his . "You have caused nothing but trouble in my territory," he begins. "Your father has informed me that you will continue to do so unless we take decisive action."My heart sink as I turned my gaze to my father. How can he lie so easily?"You have been found guilty of an attempted murder." The alphas deep rough voice speaks up again.My mouth slack as I look.at the Alpha in shock. They must really hate my guts. I wasn't expecting to be declared guilty without even being given a chance to tell my side of the story. But who I'm I kidding, I am a disgrace to his park so this shouldn't shock me at all.According to our laws, you are to be enslaved for life.The slave buyers are waiting, take her away." He authorises motioning to the guards. What's
AVA'S POVNot everything has gone according to plan. But who knew things could get this better. I had planned to get rid of the little girl and get the doctor to inform the prince that she had succumbed to her injuries. But then the prince himself walked in the same time the little girl was breathing her last. Witnessed it himself.Now he tightly holds me on his chest as I wail and cry in pretense at the loss of my little sister. He doesn't look sympathetic and neither does he comfort me. He probably has watched too many people die on battle field to be. But I can see wrath building in his eyes as he tightens his arms around me and carries me out of the room, away from the bed where Talia's body lies unmoving.He carries me down the hallway and into my room where he gently places me on the bed without saying a word.The door suddenly flys open and my mother rushes in with a faked gloomy face."Are you okay dear?" She asks loudly coming to sit next to me. The prince regards her suspi
ROWAN'S POVFeelings are messy. They are responsible for the constant anger I have been feeling since my mate's little sister passed while I watched.I have watched too many people die, I have killed on battlefield myself.Yet none of that had prepared me to witness a unharmful little innocent kid succumbing to the pain of her injuries.People have always said I am too compassionate, but I have never and will never let compassion get in the way of justice. I hope they bring the girl back who was responsible for the attack. I'll make sure she knows exactly how it feels to die in pain.There is a sudden rasp on the door. I turn to find my servant Jason peeping in. I might have been really distracted to have not heard him coming considering my extraordinary sense of hearing. "I thought you should know that your parents have arrived and they asked that you and Ava join them for dinner." he announces, making a face.My parents have arrived? "They never mentioned they were coming,” I questi
LAYLA'S POVI sit upright, groaning in pain. I had hit the van's walls several times as it kept rocking like we were traveling on a mountain of gravel. I can tell it's morning not because I am outside but because of the rays of light penetrating through the slim spaces around the metal door. The carriage has stopped too.A sudden loud bang on the door signals that someone is opening it . The noise wakes everyone and they all sit up.Someone pulls the door open letting it smack against the wall while dangling on it's hinges."Everyone out!" The man barks startling all of us. No one dares move out of fear."Are you all deaf?" Another big bald man yells, coming to stand beside the first. He looks scarier, everyone quickly gets to their feet and start to exit the carriage. On wobbly legs I follow behind.A tide of shock runs through my body at the sight of the hell we have been brought to.When I got forced into the carriage to be brought here I didn't know what to expect, but certainl
AVA'S POV I can't help feeling elated as our motorcade passes the majestic and verdant landscape on the way to the royal palace. Yes, the palace! Finally I am going to be where I have always wanted and have everything I have ever craved.I wasn't brought up with a silver spoon in my mouth. Raised in a cramped little house by a single mother, who raised me alone after my father walked out on us the moment I was born , my life hadn't been easy, no one cared if we sank or swam. For years, my mother worked tirelessly in homes and on farms, doing whatever it took to put food on our table. Eventually, she found a better job as a waitress at a local pack club. It was there that she met the Beta of our pack, and soon after, they were engaged.Moving into the Beta’s large house was a relief. At first, he didn’t treat me like his own daughter, but I welcomed the change from our previous struggles. We no longer had to scrape by just to survive.I thought I had everything I needed, until my fri
Layla's POV"Yes, you murdered a little kid," The man with the mustache hisses, slamming his palm down on the desk. The sound reverberates through me, sending a chill down my spine. "I didn’t kill her! I just hurt her a little." I try to keep my voice steady, but it’s hard when he looks ready to explode."Who cares? She’s dead now, and now I’m the one who’s going to take the loss for it by giving you back." He kicks a nearby chair, and it crashes against the wall. His fists clench tightly, and I can see him struggling to keep his composure."Talia... is... dead?" My voice shakes. I can’t believe it."You knew her name? Pathetic." A whimper slips from my lips."No! If she was dead, I’d be dead too, They wouldn’t sell me," I shout, desperate for him to understand."You will be executed soon enough." Donald snaps stepping out of the shadows of the room. I hadn't realized he was in here too."She died yesterday morning, right after I bought you! The little idiot couldn’t even wait until
Prince Rowan's Pov“I don’t have to tell you I’m here just because you didn’t join your parents for breakfast and lunch, do I?” Jason shouts as he walks into the training field behind me and Wilson.Before I chose Ava, I managed to keep my parents' pressure to find a mate at bay. Now, I’m fed up with their predictable meddling in my personal life. They always want updates on how Ava and I are doing and when we’ll plan our wedding.“They are piss—”“You don’t have to repeat yourself, I ignored you just fine the first time,” I groan.“I wasn’t going to repeat what I said,” Jason argues, making a silly face.“Whatever. Just keep your mouth shut.” I step aside to let William take his shot.“A perfect place for a hideout from your future wife, huh?” Jason mutters, picking up a bow and arrow from the rack and joining me and Wilson.“You can’t hide forever, you know. It’s only a matter of time before your mom or Ava starts looking for you,” Jason teases with a smile.“Speaking of mates, it’s
LAYLA'S POV"Why am I having this feeling that this deal is not working in my favor at all?" We hear the boss' s voice complain as Donald opens the door to usher us into the office. He goes ahead of us to join his boss on the other side of the room.Jonathan leans against the wall looking pissed as hell. His eyes snap to me the moment the door clicks shut behind us and a fresh wave of panic hits me as I feel his gaze flit over my face. I really hope he will not recognize me."Why don't you just take all the healthy ones?" The boss bargains making Jonathan shift his attention from me of which I am very grateful. "Are you warry of doing business with me?" Donald leans and whispers something into his boss ear. His boss nods his glum expression easing."What about you take the others at that price. But you leave her with us." The boss says pointing his finger at me. I thought he and Donald wanted me gone as quickly as possible.Why change his mind all over a sudden. I am well aware non
AVA'S POVBile rises in my throat at Wilson's question.“Who is she?” I hear a chair scrape across the floor as he pushes it away to stand directly in front of me.I stand frozen, my feet and tongue immobilized, struggling to process his words.“Wha…t! Why would you wan…t…” I stammer, biting down on my tongue.“You mean, why would I want to know who she is?” His dark laugh bubbles up, sending a chill down my spine. “Yes, why would you?” I try to sound composed, but my voice comes out as a squeak.His question brings back memories of my stepsister. My mother believed she might be the one to phase into a golden-winged angel, perhaps Prince Rowan's true mate. As long as I don’t know Wilson’s intentions regarding this so-called true mate, I can’t risk revealing anything.“You already have her mate wrapped around your small finger. What I want from her is none of your business. Now tell me who she is,” he demands, his heated glare piercing through me.I fidget, scrambling for a convincing
AVA'S POV"What is it Jean?" I try to act more polite and not take my anger out on her. I don't want to scare her away yet when I still have no one else to depend on for information."You have a guest." She announces a bright smile lighting her old wrinkled face."A guest?" I ask confused. "I haven't made any friends here yet. So I have no idea who it could be."Prince Wilson is here to see you!" She says ethusistically like she is talking of a small god and I feel my heart skip a beat. The fucker followed me! What does he want? I thought I had made it clear that I don't like him back when we were in his room."Should I let him in my lady?" Jean questions confused at my not so happy expression.“Do I really have to ask for permission to.” Wilson interrupts, pushing the door open and striding in.“Leave us, Jean, and lock the door behind you,” I command, cutting him off. Rumors of him being my mate could ruin everything with Rowan and tarnish my reputation.“You don’t want them to kno
LAYLA'S POVThe carriages comes to a halt before the grand entrance and we walk slower to watch. The doors swing open and two men clad in guard uniforms leap down. They are followed by a towering figure draped in opulent garments that scream nobility. He appears young, perhaps in his early to mid-twenties, but his presence radiates authority and power. “He’s dressed too finely for a slave buyer. He must be royalty.” I whisper to MiaMia nods, her gaze fixed on the huge man. “Definitely a royal or someone close to one,” she murmurs.We watch as the man with the mustache approaches, his gait forced and exaggerated, with Donald coming from the field. A wide, strained smile stretches across his wrinkled face. “Sir Jonathan! What an honor it is to have you here unexpectedly,” The moustache man exclaims, his voice taut with tension as he extends a hand for a shake. It's funny how humble the inhumane idiot can be when faced by a more powerful person. "Where is Prince William? We haven’t
LAYLA'S POVThere is a sudden rumble and the door to the room cracks open. The Donald guy from yesterday strolls in, escorting two servants into the room.They are carrying bowls which I am sure are filled with the same soup from yesterday. It tasted horrible but again why would anyone waste their resources and their precious time making a decent meal for slaves."Everyone up!" Donald shouts. I detect a hint of anger in his voice. Is he still mad over what happened yesterday with his boss? Of course he must be and I am sure I am in his shit list for it. Those who were still asleep sits up from their sleeping positions.The servants starts handing over the bows filled with Little soup. I take mine and Mia's. It smells horrible just like the one they had fed us yesterday."You better get used to that princess. It's going to be your everyday meal." Donald smirks when one of the girls makes a face at the bow of the soup she has been given. I take a few spoons and hand the bow back. Ten m
AVA'S POVI have never thought that I will ever find myself in the middle of a situation that I will be incapable of coping with in my life.My shoulders slump, the excitement I had slowly trickles out of my heart. The sweet scent that had filled my heart with warmth and hope a few minutes ago now smells like something foul and disheartening.It is not just the realization that the sweet smell that is hitting my nose isn't emitting from the man I value the most and has planned my whole future with that has rendered me immobile at the center of the hallway. The realization that the new angel may be my real mate makes anger and distress settle deep into my bonesThe first thing I think of is turning and running out to find somewhere I can cry my heart out freely without a hundred of eyes watching me.But the prince is a few steps away from me and running out would be more than embarrassing. Probably the crowd will think I am running mad. I try to force a smile on my lips hopping it will
I need to see his wings for myself. He might be a golden-winged angel, just like Rowan.“Can you fix my hair?” I ask, carefully applying makeup to my face. After a few moments, Jean finishes pinning my hair up. I glance in the mirror and am pleasantly surprised by how elegant the dress looks. I take a moment to admire my reflection. I look stunning. I hope the prince notices too.“You look beautiful, my lady,” Jean says sincerely. I can’t help but smile at her compliment.I’ve started to like her already. She may be older, but unlike the other maid from yesterday, she treats me with respect. I can see her being useful for getting me information too.Feeling satisfied, I step out of the room and go down the stairs, pausing briefly to check on my mate’s quaters as I pass. I make my way toward the royal dining hall when I spot two maids walking in the opposite direction, carrying fabrics for decorations. They’re probably preparing for the party Jean mentioned, the one the king is hosting
AVA'S POVToday I wake up to another old maid drawing drapes away from my bedroom windows. The sun beams brightly through the window blurring my vision. I wonder how she got in here. I am so sure I locked the door before going to bed last night.Isn't she supposed to wait until I am awake? But since I arrived here yesterday I have noticed that servants here are being treated with too much respect such that they have the guts to answer back or advice a royal. I swear when I am the queen I'll suck any of them that dares disrespect or one that isn't submissive enough. I stifle a yawn, my eyelids heavy with sleep."Good morning, my lady," the maid mumbles nervously upon realizing I'm awake. She begins tidying up, folding the clothes I wore yesterday and returning scattered items to their rightful places."What's your name?" I ask sweetly, knowing that if I am to thrive in this place I have to pamper someone to be giving me information that I cannot get myself.Maids are often the best sou