Chapter 22: Sonaya's Pov...I screamed in excitement, and swam around the entire size of the pond.I examined all the plants, even put some in my hair. The water Lilies and the lotus were my favorites here, even though there were others that kept the peace beneath the ice-covered pond and made sure the bottom had a beautiful green and deep brown covering.But I couldn't stay, I had to get back to the real world.Even though this is my world.But reality meant facing what they had tried to do to me.Grandmother's wise words flashed through me, just as my anger swelled, taking over my joy and elation. "Do you know why Lockhart queens are almost always mated to the kings of Lygion?" Mama had asked me one day."Because the moon goddess made it so." I responded.“Technically you're right.But then it only makes sense for the most powerful women to be mated to the most powerful men.After the miserable
Sonaya. I stared at her as she moved around in my room, she set out a different outfit for me. It looked similar to the one she was wearing. "Ziva, are we off today or do we have a party to attend?" I enquired. "Yes, we have a party to attend as servants. That's why they needed you awake, we need all hands on deck for today. But don't worry, you won't be given too much to do, okay." I nodded at her as I finally got out of bed and slowly made my way to the tiny bath to shower. Some minutes later, we were dressed and ready. We looked like hostesses from those very expensive restaurants, where only noble born citizens eat. It was a gown, with a deep mauve colored knee length skirt. The top of the dress, was shiny white with a round neck, a mauve cinch at the waist and a mauve ribbon on the left breast. It was neat and fancy. "So what's the party about?" I asked Ziva in a whisper as we left my room. "The king is presenting his intended mate and queen to the kingdom. It's a
Stefan's pov... I stared at my image in the mirror. I looked like myself, confident, cool, unapproachable, aloof, etc. But I am not myself at all. I feel like I’m a fraud. It's the first time ever in my life, that I'll have this type of feeling. The last few days have been hot hell, especially the last two. I developed a serious itch on my left lower back, almost reaching the start of my b*tt. I'd thought it was an infection or something I had picked up somewhere. But yesterday, the itching almost drove me mad, I had scratched it so much, my claws breaking the skin, causing the area to bleed from the unfair irritation. By evening it had looked like a bad sore, all blotchy red with some swelling, blood and pus from my incessant scratching. But when I woke up this morning it was all gone, the sores, the itching, the bleeding gone, replaced by a siren mate mark. It would have been beautiful, if it wasn't forced. It looked like a scaly black tattoo, in the mirror, but it was v
Naya's pov ..."Please please I'm sorry, let me clean it up, please. I'll do better i promise, please. Please give me another chance." I beggedBut my mate wouldn't listen.I have angered him.Why was i so clumsy? I was in serious trouble with my mate and no one can help me now.No one made a sound, his aura was so dark. No one dared breath in the wrong direction.I should have known Mel would kick me. I should have known, but what choice did I have? She specifically asked me to serve her table.I had to go past her if I was to achieve my aim.I could feel his hatred now, as he grabbed my hair and pulled me forcefully.The sound of my hair pulling out of my roots mixed with the pain in my scalp.But it was nothing compared to the pain in some parts of my body, I could smell my blood.I had fallen on the glass shards.They had pierced my skin and no one asked, if I was fine.Bec
Naya's pov ...."Rayna?" "Hmnn" I shivered slightly from her instant response, the feathery feeling of her in my head was still strange. It would take me a while to get accustomed to having a Lycan in my head. "This morning you said our mate was responsible for the blinding pain, how is he responsible ?" "That's the pain we feel when our mate takes pleasure from another woman, that isn't us. And it gets worse with time, our siren side makes the pain worse than it should be." "The other pain we feel that starts slowly, like a heartburn before spreading through to our chest, causing severe chest pain, and making it extremely painful to breathe, it happens when he is too far away from us. It's not one-sided, He feels it as well. But he ignores it, his pain threshold is very impressive. He is the king afterall. She finished. "Oh” I sighed as a disheartening feeling washed over me. “Thanks for the explanation Rayna, but we need to get to work." Ziva and Asaf were both waiting fo
Royal Beta Nathan. ‘To The King’ "Your majesty, the ground isn't fertile. It's a mirage, the plants begin to grow, they look healthy at first but then they wither and die in forty eight hours. The women all miscarry their pregnancy. It's a complete hoax your majesty. Our situation hasn't improved. I dare say our people are more angry now than ever before." I stared unseeing at the letter in my hands. It was from the Alpha of the Eastern region. Alpha Zeus of the north and his beta were seated across from me. I sighed as I stared at the letter Archer had read to me in mindlink. Arnold accompanied the king for an urgent matter in the east. While Archer and I were left behind to hold the fort till he returned. "I know what the letter says." It's worse in my region, that why I needed a face to face. Nathan.” Zeus said in his loud baritone. Eli was seated to my left, Archer to my right, the minister in charge of commercial affairs was further to my left. "This situation
Stefan's pov ....I tossed and turned almost feverishly."Lygion you have to stop this nonsense, right now!" I growled angrily at my Lycan."Oh really, show me one soul who was able to successfully turn off their bond. So they can tell us exactly what to do.Not that I want to give up my mate for any reason." He scoffed at me."You need to calm down, so we can get some sleep " I ordered and huffed, but they were all in vain.The heavy pounding in my head was relentless, the fever in my veins wouldn't abate.I looked a little pale and those closest to me have begun to notice.They are beginning to think that all might not be well with me.But it's the mate bond, every second, every minute, every hour, of everyday I stay away from her makes me sick.But instead of cowering to the pull, the whole thing just makes me angrier, it makes me hate her all the more. After the throwing her in the dungeo
Stefan's pov ... "Your majesty!" Brie's father and guards greeted. "Ethos." I said coldly in response to their greeting. That was me being enthusiastic about seeing him. Lygion growled angrily in the back of my mind, goddess it was so hard to keep him in check sometimes. Making him behave, can sometimes be the highlight of my day. He huffed stubbornly at me and plopped down in my mind. Lygion dislikes Ethos and I understand his reasons. Ethos is Brie's father and the commander of all our troops. These two should ordinarily not mix, but it's not Ethos's fault that I chose his daughter amongst all the women falling over themselves to have me in the kingdom. Brie might not always speak her mind, and she might sometimes cower too much to me, but there are times when she wouldn't budge, when she'll call me out on something. Like now, it's not like I haven't tried to mind link her or call her. She has just refused to speak to me. I would have dinner with her family and drag her
EpilogueStefan's pov...Its been a few months after that dreaded war with the dark witch.We'd realised when we came to, that they had tried to attack us in the hall where we slept.They had created distractions, started a war at the palace and sent more men to attack us at the western region.But we prevailed and the second Sonaya killed the witch.Her control over the minds of the warriors abd other citizens of the kingdom, instantly dissipated.I hold my mate and watch her as she sleeps.It feels like decades ago when I was determined to harm her, fir something she had no control over.The women have finally began to conceive.The grounds are gradually becoming fertile again. These occurrences are making me wonder if Eli and his mother had, bern involved in this as well.I have had yo double check and reconsider everything Eli Ragnar ever told me.Sometimes, i just cant wrap my head around the millions of opportunities theybmust have had to kill me.But they didn't because they
Sonaya's pov ...My eyes suddenly felt hot, a scream left my lips as I found that we were suddenly elevated from the ground.I could feel the elements like I could feel my hands.I could wield them as I wished.But the craziest thing was the bracelet.It sprung out of my hand in blaze of rainbow like light.It was almost blinding, it came out a shield first, then a sword.Watching through Rayna's eyes I was completely awed by the show.Rayna was totally unmoved she handled everything like a pro.My siren beast is a crazy bitch warrior.Our clothes changed to some ancient like female warrior attire.The best way to describe it is skin tight leggings made if animal skin, but it was a full body armor, with something like bikini panties and a halfway top. Almost like a crop top.It had sharp looking edged sleeves.There was something on my forearms, it thick and padded. But not heavy.I didn't know the bracelet was almost like a fighting suit.All this happened in the blink of an eye and
Naya's pov ....Confusion was clear on his face, hurt and betrayal, flitted through his eyes for a brief moment, before Lygion took complete control.I heard the sound of a sword whooshing through the air, I knew it was coming for me.The whooshing was too close for it not to have been aimed for me.But Lygion pushed me down so suddenly to protect me. But the painful howl of a Lycan immediately caught my attention.I wanted to turn and see who had gotten hurt, but the howl was followed by a scream I would recognise anywhere.It was from Zaya, it was a scream of pain.Nathan has been hurt."I need you to trust me, please I beg you my love."I said as tears poured down my cheeks.It was more for Stefan than Lygion.Stefan's beast would protect me no matter what. He would protect me first and ask questions later.I felt the pain he was feeling.It was double tragedy for us both, but the pain was too much and so intense that Rayna roared angrily as she slammed right back into me. It felt
Sonaya's pov ...." My king, the healer said not to tell her, she was quite specific about it."An alarmed Zaya said chastising Stefan." Yes she did but I'm not the king because I follow instructions, I rely mostly on my gut feeling, my instinct and my beast." He said to Zaya.I was struggling to come to terms with their words. I couldn't wrap my head around the possibility of my reality."Rayna, what's the color of the sky right now?"I asked out of the blue, hoping she'll hear me.She always does despite the fact that I can't feel her.She scoffed at me and said "It's bright ofcourse, the morning sun is mild." And I knew for sure that this, whatever or wherever this is, isn't real.Thunder clapped loudly in the sky, lightening searing through the sky creating bolts of bright light. It was like the sky was being slashed by several swords."They know she knows." Lars said " Good." Stefan said just before a deafening roar rang through the forest." You can come out now with your f
Sonaya's pov ...I woke up again and this time there was no Zaya, just Stefan in the room with me." Morning my love." He said, I smiled and pulled me in for kiss before laying back on the bed.He stared at me like he couldn't get enough of me.But something felt off, my heart wasn't pounding at the sight off him.The kiss we shared didn't make my toes curl and this all felt slightly superficial.He smiled like my mate would, his scent is exactly the same, he chuckles like Stefan would, he even growls like the king.His touch makes tingles erupt all over my skin, but there are no goose bumps.That's always a given especially when he's really needy or when he's aroused and in desperate for me.That should have happened just now with his morning glory all high and mighty, and the kiss we just shared.But that didn't happen, I wondered if this was part of the issues I had with my beast Rayna.I can hear her, we communicate nicely as we should, but I can't feel her. Right now I can't fee
Stefan's pov ....This feeling of helplessness is very foreign to me.I just want to know who to kill, who to to destroy limb from limbBut this isn't a problem that can be solved with rage and brutal power.I made me feel useless, all my powers currently useless to her.What have I ever done for her? I wondered.Why do I keep failing her?I watched every move Adele made.She put some water in a deep wide bowl from the bathroom and put some oil in it.From the smell I knew what they were, she looked at me for permission.And I granted it with a nod of my head.She used Patchouli oil, Neroli oil and frankincense oil, with a measurement of ground mandrake root.The water swelled almost to the top before it settled again. It looked dirty at some point, but changed color to a very light translucent pink.Then the woman began to undress my mate.When she was completely naked, she began to sprinkle the water on her with her hands.She turned her back and sprinkled the water eve
Stefan's pov ...I stared out the window of the old healer's house.It wasn't some tiny bungalow, It was a big house, a one-story house.What was it about the west and the snow, I wondered as the snow continued to rain down on the earth.My mind wasn't at rest at all.My entire soul is in turmoil.My mate is sick and we have arrived here to seek the healer.We never ever fall ill, but that's not the only thing that's strange about her illness.She seems to have an ever present fever, it turns to chills sometimes, and then she has this horrible nightmares.Since the morning after we arrived at the southern region, we haven't been able to wake her.Her scent is gradually, but steadily changing, And we have begun to lose touch with her beast.Rayna feels so far away, almost like we can't reach her. Who will do this to my mate?why would someone do this? I wondered in deep thought.I had teleported everyone here by early evening the next day when she didn't wake up.Archer had said there w
Sonaya's pov ...We were shown to our quarters after a brief meeting, alpha Derrick explained their plans for the election, the next day.His mate tried to strike up a conversation with me, but I couldn't stand them at all. They are hypocrites, pretenders.I stared intently at Derrick as he spoke with false confidence and pride .The real people of the south are suffering and struggling to get by everyday in the rejects, yet he sits in his pack house mansion and visits judgement upon them daily." Where's Alphonso?" I asked out of the blue, anger and spite leaving a hot trail in my blood stream." Who's that?" Stefan asked turning to look at me, a smile plastered to his face.Derrick instantly looked nervous, it was a tiny chink in his armour but I was just glad I'd made him shake and almost shit his pants."That's his delta." I said replying my mate."He is in charge of the rejects, I used to live there." I explained further to Stefan in mind link. He sighed and asked "You wanna visi
Sonaya's pov ...The meetings went on for days, on and off so people could get back to their families.But it's been almost two months now and they have been gruesome for me.Stefan, Nathan, Zeus and some Lygion warriors, train me daily for hours.It is the most difficult time of my days.But it's better now, I used to nurse recurring injuries.Broken bones, ribs discoloration all over my body, plus the unending pain.Rayna heals me as fast as she can but when I'm up against almost two dozen well groomed Lycan warriors who train you daily, Pain is bound to be the result.I drag myself off the training area, nowadays I barely get a scratch.I smirk at them as I walk past."Thanks again everyone." I say as I rush into the palace for breakfast. I could eat a horse right now.Just as I'm about to get into the breakfast room.Archer called me." My queen." " Whatt?" I asked completely irritated to be called away from my breakfast.My stomach growled in protest.He chuckled loudly." Vikt