From the unbuttoned part of his shirt, she could see the zig zag lines on his chest, up to his neck. For a spilt second, she wondered if it had taken over his whole body. "And the wolf is not your mate. His mark is already gone! Vanished." He said with emphasis but it had come across as a threat with his physical look at the moment and Zezi found herself, despite knowing that he wouldn't hurt her, taking a step back while her claws replaced her fingernails. "What more hold does he have on you? What more ties do I have to break for us to be? Make me understand why the unworthy wolves must stand in our way. Why? Tell me.""I love them!" Zezi snapped, overwhelmed by her tiredness and anger. She drove her fingers through her hair, holding a fistful, while she looked around the room, a pained smile plastered on her face. "Yes, I love that unworthy adopted pup and I love that wolf I married very much."Hurt flashed in those eyes and somehow, she felt it hit her heart as he stared back at
The gentle smashing sound of a pair of boots on the broken pieces of glass that littered the floor, made Zezi spring up, her claws at ready against the neck of the intruder."It is I, Akeem." The whisper made a lot of difference and she stood straight, retracting her claws, while she looked around at the damage made in her rage. Her heart was racing and she felt hurt, sick in a kind of way she couldn't describe.Even sleep had not taken her troubles away. "What are you doing here?" She was angry. Angry at everyone at this point. Even Gwen had betrayed her, Akeem wasn't on much of a high pendestal to be given a different treatment."I have been trying to reach to you, Zezi, but the King's presence has been much of an obstacle."As if she needed any more reminder of her predicament. "Okay?"She didn't have time to waste, could he not sense that already?"Please come with me to meet the White Circle."As pleased as she should be with that news, her anger still was an obstacle to her ot
That didn't make sense.If she was part of the White Circle, why then would she try to expose them? Why would she report her to the King? Why would she put them at such a risk? Did they know what she had done or was she just in the White circle as a spy that reported back to the King? Was she one of them? Or was she a rat? What was she?That explained one thing though?That was why she could read the letter. Because she was an High Pillar. So, maybe Gwen had not betrayed her?"Bring her to me."Zezi looked right at where the voice had come from. The vapour of smoke. What was that?If this was a dream, she had better wake up now. Something told her things were about to even become worse."Please." Lady Delice said, leading the way. They got there and Lady Delice bowed slightly while Akeem fell on one knee. What was going on? Where they worshipping this ball of smoke?"You must bow, Lady Zezi."Zezi folded her hands, a smile tugging up her lips. Fear was for someone who was scared
One by one, they welcomed her as they introduced themselves. But all that wasn't important to Zezi, in fact, she wished they would just tell her what they had planned already so that they can tell her the role to play. Soon enough, the welcoming was over and a tiny bottle was handed to her. "Feed it to the King." Laura's words pushed through her teeth.That was it?Just for her to feed the content of a tiny bottle to him. Why hadn't Laura done that a long time ago. He believed her and saw her as his sister, it would have been easy. What was this? "What is this?""A slow killing poison." Laura answered, irritated by her questions already but Zezi remained unbothered as usual. Although, from the corner of her eyes, she observed how Lady Delice shifted uncomfortably from one foot to another. Her heart that was in love with the King must be feeling a little sad. Understandable.Zezi rolled the small bottle in-between her fingers.Poison. What kind of poison was this? If it could
"Where have you been?"The question definitely did not pass through her brain for proper processing and thinking before she blurted it right out of her mouth.It felt too embarrassing to acknowledge that she had indeed said that without thinking, so she refuse to turn and look at him, scared that she might find a contented look on his face. It wasn't like she cared about him. She just wanted to confirm what Gwen had said. It was relevant to her mission that she knew his whereabouts. It would certainly help her in finding out how to feed the content of the tiny bottle to him.How?Well, that wasn't necessary right now. She would figure it out along the way. What she knew was that it was important that his whereabouts were known to her and that was that."Why? Did you miss me?""No." She answered way too quickly.It was the bond. It was the influence of that thing that was making her stupid. He didn't matter to her. He never would.He hummed slightly before he spoke again. "I see the pa
"Valerick." She said, letting the name roll off her tongue. "What does that mean?""It means brave. My mother named me that because I stayed."Zezi turned the thoughts over in her mind, his mother must have struggled with childbirth. A struggle she herself could relate to. During her years with George she had tried to have a child of her own but it had unsuccessful. She wondered if that had been somehow related to their lack of fated bond.His mother must have been really glad when she had eventually had him. "You like it?""I do." She answered almost immediately.No. She didn't, she absolutely didn't.His smile broadened, "I like that you like it." With a sense of urgency, he added, "I really must leave now, but I will be back soon, as soon as I can make it. I promise." With that, he finally turned away.As she watched him leave, against her thundering heart, her stomach that was fluttering with butterflies and the goosebumps that laced her skin, she reminded herself over and over a
"Gwen?""My Lady." Gwen said as she tried to searched the wardrobe for the gown that was suitable for tonight ceremony on her Lady. Her Lady had seemed too occupied these days that she had not even made any preparations towards the ceremony at all, but lucky for her, she had a maid like Gwen, and a person with Gwen was a person with no problems, because she would take care of everything.With her right measurements, Gwen had gone to see the Royal Seamstress and stocked her Mistress's wardrobe with different dresses made in varieties of colors, except white.The Official mates for tonight would be wearing that."Do you know if the King is back?"Gwen fought a smile. Her mate was right. A couple of days ago, she had been so worried about her Mistress's absentminded behaviour and discussed the matter with her husband, who had easily suggested that their future Queen might have finally fallen in love with their King, and was just being worried about him. Claiming that her Mistress was mo
Despite the fact that Delice had closed the door, Zezi could still hear the mumblings of the people as they spoke in worried tones.She wondered what must be going through their minds right now. If some of them were actually worried right now or just pretending. After all, some of the people were part of those that made up the White Circle and their little dens. She even wondered if someone in that hall right now was responsible for Valerick's sudden and mysterious disappearance.What if some part of the den were already going against the O big White Circle and had done something, feeling that the White Circle was too slow and unprogressive in their so called aim. By the Moon, they had better not. If not she would...They just, better not.Laura was pacing back and forth. They were no longer at the entrance of the hall, but the Bride's waiting room."Where is he?"Laura looked good. Her dress managed to have more slits. Two slits at either sides that started further up her thighs. D