Xenra "Keep your mouth shut!" One of them yelled in response as they enclosed me in a circle. "What? Are you scared now,huh? Weren't you so proud and haughty? Have you suddenly thrown away your ability?" The second in command said, her tone dripping with mockery as she stared at me with her brows raised quizzically. If only they knew I was considering them, "Who do you think you are? You must think you're one mighty one that should be respected or reverenced. You're just new here, and you're already creating enemies for yourself." One of them quickly added, "Did you really think we would let you go after you did that to Isabella?" One of them asked, As soon as I heard their words, I couldn't stop myself from laughing—a loud, rich chuckle that bore the weight in my heart. No, I wasn't amused a bit; it was only a warning for them to back off. There was only much insult I could accept, and they were clearly hitting on my fraying wrath. "I don't want trouble," I an
AsherAs I walked straight to my office that day, my sister's words kept popping up in my head. My steps quickened as I made haste to get myself busy with the task piled up for that day, a subtle distraction from the words that wouldn't let me be.I had just settled in my armchair and was about to get busy when the knock on the door came. I needed no one to tell me who it was."Enter," I answered, and almost immediately, the door opened, revealing Royce, who had come to discuss the outcome of his scouting of the borders."Greetings, Alpha," Royce said with a light bow. Without waiting for another word, he settled in the armchair opposite me in a relaxed and comfortable manner, causing my brows to furrow and twitch, and before I could react to the perceived disrespect, his words came again."You wouldn't believe what I just heard, Alpha," he began, his tone dripping with enticement, but then I needed to address something.Royce seemed to have forgotten his boundaries again. As my Beta,
Asher "Alpha, what do you think?" Royce's voice broke into my thoughts. Despite the perceived audacity, the fact that he was now stuttering calmed me down. Besides, I needed to consider his words to ascertain for myself what was true about the news. "It's not true," I answered after about ten seconds had passed. "It's a rumour," I added, my gaze fixed intently in space as lines began to connect in my head. Royce's brows furrowed upon hearing my words, his confusion evident on his face. I knew he was confused about why I was so certain about it being not true. Maybe he had forgotten she was my ex, and if anyone should know much about her, that should be me. All through the years, we were together, I got to know about who she was, her schemes and preferences, and I've learnt to see beneath the seeming cloud of clarity, beneath which lay deceit and lies. Although Royce couldn't get himself to say another word, I could see the struggle written all over him. I could fe
XenraFinally, after a busy day, my first day as a maid to Akira came to an end. I followed the rest of the maids to the room allocated to us. While the rest of them remained outside, I went straight to the room assigned to me.I screwed my eyes and puffed out a long breath as I realised it was finally rest time.As I opened my eyes, the sight of the room allocated to me left my mouth open."What is this?" I asked no one exactly as my eyes travelled around the worst room I had ever seen in my life—or maybe one I had never imagined existed.The tiny room held two tiny beds that consumed half of the space. The walls stood bare with cracks and holes in them, a testament to the decades of its existence.I lifted my eyes to the ceiling to find larger cracks and holes, and my jaw dropped further. Right then, it dawned on me that places like that did exist.The only white curtain in the room that hung down the window had worn out as well, and I began to wonder how a place like that still exi
XenraMy heart skipped a beat as those words met my ears. I was shocked to find Zara standing by the door with her hands folded in front of her, and before she could say another word to me, I asked her, "How long have you been standing there?" My words tumbled out in a rush as I stared at her with my eyes wide open. I couldn't afford to be heard, not when I had spoken about my days as the vampire queen."Well, not so long," she answered calmly with a small shoulder shrug, "but long enough to know that you've been crying and talking to the moon goddess," she added, and as soon as I heard her words, my heart began to race as a great pang of uneasiness dropped in my heart. 'Does it mean she just heard everything I said?' I reasoned within me, causing my eyes to bulge as I rolled them in thought.No, that wouldn't do. After about five seconds, I snapped out of the thoughts that had gotten me busy: "Did you hear what I was telling the moon goddess?" My question tumbled out in a rush, bea
XenraUpon hearing her words, my curled-up lips gradually spread into a wide, empty smile, and I slowly nodded my head twice."Of course!" I exclaimed with my eyes popping open in a feigned excitement, "I'm your friend." My smile grew as I attempted to make it as real as possible.At my words, she reciprocated my gesture, grinning widely this time around. I could tell she was so excited about it, but if only she knew who I was, she'd have understood why I couldn't be friends with her.Although I wasn't a proud person, how could I, Xenra—the most dreaded, respected, and beautiful vampire queen—be friends with a lowly Omega—a lowly slave at that?I snorted at the absurdity of it. 'I could be in a lowly, despicable skin, but that doesn't mean I had forgotten who I was and am, and for someone like Zara, ewww! That's not possible,' I affirmed within me.Although I treat everyone right, that is the least I wanted for myself."When I was coming, I heard the maids talking about the fat, proud
RoyceWith a fierce determination, I left Asher's office that evening. Spending the whole day with him wasn't just torturing but degrading as well, yet I had to put up with his insults and humiliation. "You're back already." My mother's voice broke into my head as I stepped into the living room that evening. I turned towards the kitchen where she had emerged from to find her staring at me with a warm smile on her face. Finally, I could rip off the mask I had been wearing for a whole day and be myself. I could be who I was without having to pretend to be so submissive and address him with the honorifics he never deserved. "Mother, how long am I going to put up with this nonsense?" I asked my voice a rough growl that echoed the anger brewing inside of me as I allowed the words to flow from my heart. I had been keeping it in all through the day, but being right in my own space, I had no reason to do that anymore. "Royce, what is going on?" My mother asked, her brows furrow
Royce"You should still be careful, Royce; apart from Asher, you also have the pack to worry about." My mother's words broke into my thoughts, snapping me back to the present. I turned towards her, my brows furrowing as I began to wonder what she meant by that, and before I could say a word, her voice came again. "The pack might not support you," she said calmly.Her words had hit on my fraying nerves even as the weight of their betrayal settled on my shoulders, but my mother wasn't done speaking."Every one of them believes that your father was evil and sentimental for trying to overthrow his brother," she said, her voice edged with worry. Her eyes glinting with concern.Her words ignited the anger that had been swirling within me, and my hands shot out with a fierce intensity, pointing towards the palace again."Evil?" I asked, my lips and chins quivering with restrained fury, "Then they are all dumb for thinking that way. Maybe they were bribed by Asher's evil father, which was wh
XenraI watched with a heavy heart as the guards carried their belongings to the horses. Although I had arranged my belongings and had taken them outside, I couldn't find the courage to take them to the horses that were already prepared for departure.While they went about their businesses, I found myself walking towards the entrance of the palace hall, where I stood a few feet away.As I fixed my gaze on the inscription above the door of the palace hall, where "Maltos' castle" was boldly written,A great sense of nostalgia washed over me, evoking memories of my reign as the vampire queen, dressed in my regalia and escorted by Marcus during my official duties.As the memories lingered, I felt greatly reluctant to leave. A great pang of sadness settled in my heart, and longing tugged along, especially since I knew I had to leave, and as I gave in to those feelings within me, I swore,"I promise you, I'll come back home as who I really am and not as a stranger in my home." My gaze fix
XenraAs I resolved within myself, the soft rattling on the door snapped me out of the thoughts that had kept me busy.In that instant, I jolted and began to walk towards the door, but after two steps, I halted in my tracks."Wait, what has gotten over you?" I mused, my brows deeply furrowed as I pondered why I was behaving frantically.But I didn't even have the time to ponder it, as the rattle on the door snapped me back to action.In that instant, I snapped back to the present, took a deep breath, and straightened my spine, even as I prepared myself for whatever was coming.I had thought it was Lena or one of those people I didn't want to see, like Asher or the impersonator, so I prepared myself for any upcoming confrontation.As I walked gently this time around to the door, I heard the unmistakable voice of Marcus, "It's me, my lady." He said, with a small, hushed tone.As soon as I heard his voice, I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding and doubled my steps to the door.
XenraMy steps were fast as I dashed through the part that led to my room. With a loud bang, I slammed the door shut, feeling my heart banging hard against my chest."What was I looking at?" I muttered beneath my breath, wondering why I had stood still like an idiot, watching Asher and Lena have their intimate moment.No matter how I thought about it, I just couldn't understand what got me so entranced that I forgot my senses.But as my thoughts lingered, I felt a looming anger within me, gradually coursing through my veins, until I was completely absorbed in it.I was angry that I had seen them kissing; I was angry about the fact that I had bumped into them at that very moment; I was angry that I was affected by it; and I was more angry that I was angry about it."What is really wrong with me?" I asked and paced back and forth, sighing in frustration with a loud puff of breath.Ever since that night with Asher, I haven't been myself. I just couldn't understand why it felt so difficul
Asher"What are you still doing? Get out!" Lena ordered, the anger laced in her voice unmistakable."How dare you stare at us that way?" She glared at Xenra, who was standing with her head lowered."See how you were looking at us as if you wanted my man to yourself," Lena spat, her voice heavy with menace. "Just because you were able to help alleviate his symptoms, you think you have the right to be where we are?" Lena threw her question to Xenra, who clearly couldn't get herself to say a word to her.I opened my mouth to speak, but after about two seconds, I closed it and pushed back the words that had formed in my throat back to the pit of my stomach.I wanted to tell Lena that it was enough; I wanted to tell her she was being too harsh on Xenra, but then, I knew I shouldn't.I didn't want Lena to get suspicious of anything or even have an opinion. So I had to refrain from intervening in it.Yet, Lena wasn't satisfied with what she had just said, as she continued talking down on Xe
AsherWith my mind deeply engrossed in thought, I found myself walking towards the patio. As I settled into the couch in the middle, my gaze fell on the peace lilies beside the screen wall. Although the sight of the blooming lilies was calming, my mind drifted yet again, back to the scene of that night—the night I had with Xenra.No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't stop the flashbacks that had continuously plagued my mind like flies, buzzing around me at the faintest opportunity.Although the sex I had with her was purely out of impulse, I just couldn't understand why I was unable to move on from that night; I couldn't understand why I was so affected by what had happened between us.As I gave myself fully to it all, the unmistakable voice of my wolf, Aanon, resonated within me."I think she's familiar," Aanon's voice rumbled within me, snapping me out of her looming presence."What do you mean?" I asked him, curious about what he was talking about."She feels like someone w
AsherWith my mind deeply engrossed in thought, I found myself walking towards the patio. As I settled into the couch in the middle, my gaze fell on the peace lilies beside the screen wall. Although the sight of the blooming lilies was calming, my mind drifted yet again, back to the scene of that night—the night I had with Xenra.No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't stop the flashbacks that had continuously plagued my mind like flies, buzzing around me at the faintest opportunity.Although the sex I had with her was purely out of impulse, I just couldn't understand why I was unable to move on from that night; I couldn't understand why I was so affected by what had happened between us.As I gave myself fully to it all, the unmistakable voice of my wolf, Aanon, resonated within me."I think she's familiar," Aanon's voice rumbled within me, snapping me out of her looming presence."What do you mean?" I asked him, curious about what he was talking about."She feels like someone w
LeoThe Seer's furrowed brows slackened as he gradually returned from his trance-like state, and his long white eyebrows dangled as he heaved a sigh.Having spent ten minutes already in my office, as still as a rock, looking as though he was having a mind talk with his ancestors, I felt like he had spent almost forever."Speak! What did you see?" I ordered, my words laced with impatience.I couldn't wait to hear what he had to say about what really happened that night. Deep within me, I was hoping for a different story from what the other Seers had told me,A story that would prove my suspicion and all that I had always believed to be true."Asher wasn't the one that killed your father," his calm and gentle voice rumbled in the atmosphere like a gentle waterfall. "...but the person who killed your father is taking refuge in Asher's pack," he said.My lips twisted and twitched as a great sense of anger surged within me. My fists, which were resting on my mahogany desk, clenched into f
XenraMy eyes screwed shut, and I puffed out a deep sigh as soon as the door closed behind me.My heart ached, and a mix of emotions gushed through me.The scenes from last night kept swerving around me like a torrent, intensity all I was feeling inside.A profound sadness, deeply rooted in my heart, collided with a looming disappointment, leaving me shattered, broken, and utterly overwhelmed. I felt miserable.I felt as though I had lost touch with myself. I felt like a total stranger in the skin that embodied me; I felt like a complete loser.Although I wasn't mad at Asher, I was even surprised at how calmly he reacted to it; I just couldn't help feeling sad and angry about how I had become a total stranger to myself.My eyes welled up with tears as my present reality settled in me, and I couldn't stop the sob that threatened to break forth from my lips.My hands flew to my mouth as I tried to stifle the sob, but my tears rolled down my cheeks like a broken dam, gushing forth with r
AsherSlowly, my eyes fluttered open. The overwhelming sunlight streaming through the window felt too intense for me to handle, and my brows drew together as a sharp, piercing pain hit my head.I tried to lift my hand to soothe my head, but I felt too weak to even lift my arm. It felt as though logs of wood were pressing down on me, and as though all my strength had jerked out of my body during my shivering.After much effort, I finally managed to touch my head, which throbbed painfully against my hand, and as I brought it down, I felt something beside me—definitely the soft skin of a woman.At that instant, my head whipped towards my right to see the fat maid lying half-naked beside me.The sight of her made my eyes bulge and caused my brows to scrunch up in a mix of surprise and confusion.Scenes strolled past me, and as I struggled to recall what had really happened and why she was lying beside me like that, her eyes snapped open, meeting my gaze. Quickly, she grabbed the blanket