Karen's POVAll I wanted was to let Nora know that the kingdom was slowly becoming mine, not like I pitied her or anything. Tapping my foot against the floor, I placed my back against the cold wall as I reviewed everything I had wanted to do. It was finally time to pull another string, to hasten my coronation as Nora's replacement. For now, I had to convince Nora’s father that Carlos was a threat and the reason Nora had disappeared. Queen Dione was already under my wrap, luckily Elder Callum had gone back to his kingdom after I sent poisoned rogues to attack them.The blue Lycans might be powerful but it would take a while to defeat hundreds of thousands of poisonous Lycan rogues. So, with that perfect plan, Elder Callum was off my case.Although I haven't had the chance to check if the rogues did a clean job on Carlos, I was convinced he was likely dead.Or else, he would have surely made his way to the Kingdom. Since the king was finding it impossible to believe, I had to come up
Third POVNora kept staring at Karen as a thousand and one thought spiraled through her head. She was trying hard to believe his tale about Carlos. Nora's eyes narrowed, her expression skeptical. "I don't believe you, Karen. Carlos would never harm me or our kingdom. He's changed, I know him."Karen sneered, feigning offense. "You doubt my words? I'm trying to save you, Nora, and this is the thanks I get? You question my efforts?"Nora's voice was firm. "I don't see any effort, Karen. You're just spewing accusations. What have you done to try and save me? I have been locked up in this room with my connection cut off, all with the excuse of keeping me safe? Am I truly safe with you, Karen?"At Nora's words, Karen's expression turned cold, his voice rising. "How dare you! I'm sacrificing everything to protect you, and you have the audacity to question my dedication? I'm the only one who truly cares about your well-being, Nora."Nora shook her head, her eyes flashing with anger. "You're
Third POV “You have to stay back.” Justin snapped, blocking Carlos' path. “What are you talking about?” Carlos retorted, trying to bypass him but Justin wouldn't let him. After coming to a conclusion in their plan, Carlos was eager to set out to achieve his aim immediately but Justin wasn't having it. His reason was Carlos had just woken up from a coma and so he needed some rest but he wouldn't hear of it. “I can't stay back and expose you and the others to danger. There's no point reminding you of Karen's personality.” “I know that and that is why you have to stay back and recover fully before you think of getting involved in all of this.” Justin replied. Frustrated, Carlos turned around and with his hands tucked in his hair, he began to pace around. His blood was boiling and the only way in which he could calm down was laying his hands on Karen and exposing all of his evil deeds. “Justin we don't have time on our side anymore, you have to understand that.” He stresse
THIRD POV Karen's eyes glazed over as he let the darkness of his past eat him up. The memories he thought were long buried began to resurface, like a ghostly whisper in his mind. His breathing quickened, and his heart raced with the familiar sense of dread.The nightmares. They had haunted him for as long as he could remember. Vivid, terrifying, and all too real. The destruction of his kingdom, the screams of his people, the feeling of utter helplessness.In his dreams, he was always drenched in blood as his gaze lingered all over the burning kingdom. His mind’s eyes had witnessed the horrors of that fateful night. The flames engulfing the castle, the stench of smoke and blood, the sound of King Salvador's maniacal laughter.Howls. Growls. Stampede. Blood. Cries. Fire everywhere as sounds of wolf cries filled the air. It was a bloody war. Dead bodies lingered everywhere. Karen's fists clenched as his mind replayed the scenes. He could feel the heat of the flames, the weight of the
THIRD POVTurning around, Vina let the tears streamed down her face. He was her mate but he was busy with another woman and even promised her forever. Her heart hurts like hell and she was devastated about what to do next.She had been uneasy for the past days as she fought with their contradicting decisions in her head. Vina's heart felt like it had been torn into a million pieces. She had always known that Karen was her mate, but she had never expected him to fall in love with someone else.The pain was almost too much to bear.As she lay on the tree trunk, her wolf trembling with sorrow within, Vina couldn't help but think of all the memories she and Karen had shared. She had always been there for him, supporting him, loving him, and yet, he had never seen her as more than a friend.Even when he knew she was his mate…rather he wanted a chosen mate!Tears streamed down her face as she remembered the way Karen used to smile at h
Carlos' POV Justin and I were at still strategizing on how to topple Karen's plot when I received a mindlink from one of the guards stationed by the border. “ Alpha, we have detected an intruder. A Lycan enemy. Should we dispose of her or wait for your command?" I paused, squinting at his words. It was unlikely any Lycan would want to visit our pack except a messenger from the King or Nora. That was also impossible because Nora was missing and the king was already bought over by Karen. Which means the guards were right. It was an enemy Lycan and probably sent by Karen. “ If it's a threat, dispose of it!" I ordered, not wanting to involve myself with these people. “ Wait…is it a male or female?” Justin asked, joining the link." A female,” The guard affirmed.I wondered why Justin wanted to know the sex. Does it matter if it's a male or female? Then he quickly stated, urging me to stand up." Hold
Nora's POV For the first time since the whole saga began, Karen had a masked guard who was following him by the tail. I gaze out of my cell, my heart heavy with despair. Karen was still hellbent on letting me stay in the guarded room, refusing to let me go. I was still trapped, with no escape in sight.As I pace back and forth in my cell, I notice a masked guard standing outside my door. Something about him seems familiar, but I can't quite place it. His scent, although masked, draws me in, reminding me of Carlos.No, it can't be, I tell myself. Carlos isn't here, lost to me forever. I must be losing my mind.But as I look into the guard's eyes, I sense a glimmer of recognition. My wolf howls in my head, calling out Carlos' name. I feel a surge of hope, mixed with confusion and fear."Carlos?" I whisper, my voice barely audible.The guard's expression doesn't change, but I sense a flicker of surprise in his eyes. Karen appears, his eyes narrowing in suspicion."Nora, what are you d
Flashback…The Ancient Blood Clan was plunged by the King of the White Lycan Kingdom, Salvador. Not showing anyone mercy, he wiped out the whole clan making sure not to leave any trace of a living thing in the clan.The only reason why Aragon and his nanny were spared was because before Karen, the sister to Aragon was killed, she concealed his scent and that of the maid for their safety. She was determined to make sure they were well hidden knowing fully well that their life was at stake and if she didn't do anything, the whole clan would be wiped out. The sound of a baby crying rented the air again.“ Take her away, Freya! Make sure she stays alive and safe… away from this world… promise me!" Princess Karen said, handling a basket to another woman."Princess…""You have to keep him safe! Guide him with your life!"" I promise…"" Go and stay in the hidden chamber till everyone is dead! Don't come out till then! Go now!" Princess Karen shouted before running out of her room.With e
CARLOS' POVBlood dripped from my split lip, and my ribs ached where Griffin landed a solid punch. But physical pain was nothing compared to the rage burning inside me."What have you done to Nora's memories?" I demanded.Griffin's smile was wolfish. "I simply helped her remember what you really are."Something changed in the air suddenly. A shift in energy that raised the hair on the back of my neck. Griffin rolled his shoulders, and I recognized the telltale signs of what was coming."You!" I accused. His only response was a low chuckle as his body began to change.The change took him quickly—bones cracking and reforming, skin stretching over growing muscle, human cries morphing into bestial growls. Where Griffin had stood moments ago, a massive wolf now crouched, teeth bared in challenge.I had no choice. I let my own transformation take me, embracing the pain as my body shifted forms. Within seconds, I sto
CARLOS POVI stared at Nora across the room. Her eyes, once warm and trusting, now held nothing but suspicion and anger. She had been questioning me for hours now without stopping. "The pendant," she said, her voice steady despite the emotion in her eyes. "The pendant I gave you. You rejected it, right?"I swallowed hard, choosing my words carefully. "The pendant? The same pendant you gave me? Come on Nora. None of those matters right now.""That's not what I asked." Her fingers tightened around the glass of water she held. "In my vision, I saw you reject it. I saw the look on your face. The look of disgust abd disdain. Why?"I remembered how I rejected Nora and her pendant. But telling her that now would only lead to more questions, questions that would inevitably reveal the worst of my past actions. It would only make her hate me even more. "I never rejected the pendant," I lied, forcing myself to meet her gaze. "You're remem
CARLOS POVI felt it without warning—a sudden rush of power surging through the walls of our home, the unmistakable energy signature of the pendant. It was the same overwhelming sensation I'd experienced during the war when the pendant's power had first manifested. My heart raced as I bolted upright from my desk, papers scattering to the floor unnoticed."Nora," I whispered, already running.I sprinted down the corridor towards the room. When I flung the door open, the room was empty, windows closed. I cursed under my breath. There was only one place she could be."The secret room," I muttered, increasing my steps. I feared for what was happening. I hoped that it was not what I was thinking, even though I was trying to prevent myself from thinking about it. I avoidedthe thoughts because it would only make me panic even more. As I raced through the winding passages of the house Elder Silvarum's warning echoed in my mind... "Keep
NORAI heard a voice calling my name, pulling me out of the swirling vortex of memories. The sound seemed to come from very far away at first, then gradually grew closer."Nora! Nora, can you hear me? Wake up!"My eyes fluttered open, struggling to regain focus. The room seemed dark at first, but gradually my eyes began to adjust. Not the secret chamber where I had passed, but our bedroom—familiar walls. I was lying in our bed. Carlos sat beside me, his face filled with worry and concern. "Thank god. You're finally awake Nora." Finally, relieve displayed on his features and he sighed deeply. I stared at him, trying to reconcile the man before me with the one in my memories—the one who had rejected me, sent wolves to push me off a cliff, the one who had nearly ended my life because I wasn't the right kind of wolf he wanted. I wondered if that was another dream? Waking up in the bedroom meant that I was dreaming
THIRD POV (Memories 2)The flood of memories continued filling Nora's unconscious form, each revelation more shocking than the last.A new face emerged from the swirling memories. The same face she had seen countless times in her dreams. The man she had always called Karen in her dreams stood before her in the palace training grounds, wooden practice sword in hand."Again," Karen commanded, circling Nora on the packed dirt of the training arena. "Your enemies won't give you time to catch your breath, Princess."Nora's younger self lunged forward, sweat dripping down her face as she executed a complex series of moves with her own practice sword. Though her muscles trembled with exhaustion, determination blazed in her eyes."Better," Karen said with a slight nod. "But your left side is still vulnerable. You have to put in more effort if you want to get it right."Nora thought that she had put in all the effort she could access and
THIRD POV (Memories 1)As Nora lay unconscious on the bare floor of the hidden chamber, her mind was floating in a sea of recovered memories. The first memory came in vivid detail. A warm summer evening, stars scattered across the sky like diamonds. A younger Nora stood before Carlos in an opening, her heart pounding with anticipation and filled with love. In her outstretched hands lay the pendant, its opal gleaming in the moonlight.Nora was smiling sheepishly. Although, she was shy... she still managed to do what she wanted to do. "I want you to have this," she told him, her voice trembling slightly. "I brought it for you. It's to show how deeply I love you." Carlos's face— younger, but with the same features, looked down at the pendant with an expression Nora couldn't quite read. She slightly lowered her eyes, suddenly feeling shy. "The moon goddess sees all true connections," Nora continued, hope evident in her voice. "Wi
NORA'S POV The world seemed sharper somehow, colours more vivid, scents more distinct. And there was something else— a pull, like an invisible thread tugging at my consciousness. I shut my eyes, thinking I could ignore it at that point. While my eyes was closed,I saw myself in another world. I was surrounded with books. I opened my eyes quickly, hoping to have been teleported, but found myself still standing at the same spot. Nothing had returned to normal yet. Leaves rustled loudly, and the sound of distant voices came with the air that kept sweeping across me. Voices that I could not male anything out of. I could hear, but I could not even understand. Something suddenly began to pull me forward against my wish. My legs moved even when I didn't put in any effort to lift my legs or carry myself. I stood shakily, my hand instinctively clutching my head. The pull strengthened, drawing me toward the library."What is this?" I whispered, but
NORA'S POV "I can't just leave," I told Griffin, my voice steadier than I felt. "Carlos is my not just my mate. We are married with kids, Griffin. With kids." Griffin moved closer to me. He did it like a reflex, and each time he got close enough, he pause before getting too close for comfort. "Nora, think about it. If Carlos truly cared for you as a mate should, why keep so much from you? Why let you stumble blindly through life, never knowing who or what you truly are?"I knew that Carlos would not just lie to me. He must have his reasons for doing so. I could not just leave him because of that. I hoped to be able to convince Griffin, even though his offer was tempting. "Maybe he was afraid," I countered, though doubt was beginning to creep in. "Afraid of losing me if I knew the truth. Afraid of something else. Perhaps, just trying to protect me." Griffin shook his head. "It goes deeper than that. Carlos has been actively w
NORA'S POV I paced nervously around my living room, waiting for Griffin to arrive. My heart raced. No matter hoe hard I tried to focus on something else, my mind kept going back to the thoughts I was running away from. The doorbell rang, bringing me back to reality. I sighed as I headed towards the door and opened it. Griffin was standing out there, noth hands in his pocket. "May I come in?" he asked, his voice low.I stepped aside. "Sure." "We can talk in the kitchen."Griffin followed behind as I led him into the kitchen. He grabbed a stool and sat on it. "Where's Carlos?" He asked as he looked around the kitchen. "Out," I replied simply. "Do you think this place is quiet enough?" "You think someone could be listening?" I asked, suddenly chilled."I think we can't be too careful." Griffin leaned forward. "Have you found anything else since we last spoke?""Just more