Sebastian’s POV
The entire day has been consumed by preparation, every moment spent ensuring tonight’s celebration is flawless. After the kingdom’s months of uncertainty—questions of survival, whispers of despair over the possibility of Nischola’s death—it feels imperative to give the people a reason to rejoice, to breathe freely again, even if just for a night. Tonight isn’t just about celebration; it’s about hope.
The weight of my press release earlier still lingers in my mind. I revealed just enough to the kingdom: the truth about the children being sold, the machinations of a powerful force from another kingdom. But I withheld specifics—names, locations—enough to keep the fire contained, at least for now. My focus is on reassurance, not panic. I made it clear that after a few days of respite, I will personally confront this growing threat. The people needed to know I was not turning a blin
Celine POVThe grand hall is a cacophony of low murmurs, flickering torchlight, and the faint metallic shimmer of dragons in their full forms. I stand with Dolton and Jonathan near the edge of the crowd, and I can’t shake the feeling of being out of place. Most of the attendees are in their dragon forms, their scales catching the light in dazzling displays. Their presence fills the space with an intimidating majesty, making our small, human-like forms stand out starkly. I feel their curious eyes on us, even as they whisper among themselves.Dolton’s arm wraps securely around my waist, his steady presence keeping me grounded. Beside me, Jonathan’s posture is rigid, his eyes scanning the room with the precision of a soldier. He is here to relax—but he’s assessing everyone, watching for potential threats.“It’s safe, Jonathan,” I whisper softly, hoping to ease the tension I see in his shoulders. &ldqu
Celine POVI slip past the crowd around them, my focus fixed on Sebastian. But as I draw closer, I stop abruptly. Standing before him is a tall dragon, his gold-plated neckpiece catching the light and marking him as someone of great importance. His posture is commanding, exuding the authority of someone who has held power for decades.The interaction between them pulls me to a halt. The older dragon smiles warmly at Tatsuya, pulling her into a hug. “You were as graceful as ever, darling,” he says, his voice deep and resonant. His affection for her is evident, and the kiss he places on her cheek is gentle, fatherly."Lord Arman," Sebastian nods to him.“Thank you, Dad,” she replies, her tone soft but filled with pride. Her gaze flicks between him and Sebastian before Lord Arman—the name echoes in my mind—turns to face Sebastian.“Can you give me a moment, please?” Lord Arman asks her, his voice kind bu
Jonathan POVThe room hums with the low murmur of conversations and the occasional laughter that ripples through the crowd, but I keep my focus sharp. My ears are trained for specific words, any hint of Celine, the Queen Goddess, or the Werewolf King. These gatherings are ripe with whispered secrets and subtle machinations—something I learned well during my years of service to the Fae Queen.I weave through the crowd, my Fae senses attuned to every tone and inflection. Snippets of conversations float past me, some mundane, others laced with intrigue. Yet, there’s no mention of Celine or her role as the Queen Goddess. There’s no chatter about the Werewolf King, either. What I do hear, though, is unsettling in a different way.“King Sebastian and Lady Tatsuya—what a pair they make.”“They’ve always been so perfect together, haven’t they? A shame they aren’t mates.”“They compleme
Sebastian POVThe realization that Celine blocked me hits hard. I hadn’t felt anything from her—not even a trace of her emotions. I assumed she was okay, that she was handling the evening as she said she would. But the absence of her presence through our bond, the quiet where there should be connection, tells me I’ve failed her tonight.Walking through the palace halls, my frustration grows. I’ve sent guards to search discreetly, hoping one might have seen where she went. This was precisely why I wanted to dance with her tonight. I knew asking her to witness me with another would hurt, even if she agreed. She insisted I follow tradition, and I did. But maybe I should have refused, broken the rules entirely, and risked the backlash for her sake.Stepping outside into the cool night air, I scan the gardens. The vast expanse is illuminated by soft golden lanterns, casting a warm glow over the cobblestone paths and lush greenery. The scent of
Sebastian POVI inhale sharply, preparing myself. “Before I left to save Joseph, I agreed to marry Tatsuya. At the time, I thought finding my mate was impossible. It was meant to solidify alliances, to do what was best for the kingdom. But that was before I knew you existed.”Her voice softens, but the words hit like daggers. “She would be the ideal queen, though, wouldn’t she?”“No,” I counter immediately. “You’re my mate, Celine. That’s all that matters now.”Her gaze sharpens, her next words deliberate, each one landing like a blow. “Not through choice, Sebastian. Answer me this honestly—if you’d had a choice before meeting me to make one of us your mate, if it was between her and me for your kingdom, who would you have chosen?”“That’s not fair,” I respond firmly, shaking my head. “You’re asking me to judge something
Sebastian POVI spot Dolton near the refreshments table, his arms crossed as he surveys the room. I land smoothly, folding my wings back, and make my way toward him.“She’s still outside,” I tell him quietly as I approach.Dolton’s eyes narrow. “Still upset?”I nod. “She’s calming herself. I think she’ll be fine, but this evening has hit her harder than I anticipated. She overheard some of the conversations.”“About you and Tatsuya,” Dolton says flatly, not even phrasing it as a question.“Yes,” I admit. “And Lord Arman didn’t help. She also saw... something when Tatsuya touched her. A vision of the past.”Dolton sighs heavily, rubbing a hand over his face. “She’s tough, Sebastian, but she’s new to all of this—new to your past, to this kingdom, and to the role she’s stepping into. This isn’t like de
Celine POVSebastian walks away with Lord Arman, his expression calm but his shoulders tight with tension. I know this announcement has rippled through the kingdom like a storm, leaving chaos in its wake. To most of the people here, it was a foregone conclusion that Sebastian would return and marry Tatsuya. She fits their vision of the perfect queen: poised, powerful, and singular. Now, everything they thought they knew has been upended.The weight of their stares presses against me as I move through the crowd. Some faces light up with smiles, their congratulations warm and genuine. But others—oh, the others—look at me like I’ve stolen something precious from them. The disdain is palpable, simmering just beneath the surface. It’s not just that I’m not Tatsuya; it’s the fact that I’m different, a queen goddess with three mates, a concept that challenges every tradition they hold dear.I finally understand
Celine POV“Well, thank you, but I do belong here,” I say, my voice firm and unyielding. “This conversation is over, Tatsuya. I’ll be sure to repeat every word of it to Sebastian.” I step back, hoping to disengage, but she moves closer, her presence oppressive.“You’re really willing to risk your other two mates just to keep one?” she sneers, her tone dripping with malice. “Your fae friend might survive the fall. He has wings, after all. They’re not as strong as a dragon’s, but…” She laughs, the sound sharp and bitter. “Your little wolfie friend? That’s another story entirely. Perhaps I’ll make sure he has an accident. And just for fun, I’ll make sure you’re there, powerless, as he falls to his death. You’ll watch, knowing you could have stopped it—but didn’t.”Her words send a cold chill racing through my body, but when her hands grip mine, the world shifts. A vision assaults me—a horrifying image of Dolton plummeting from the sky, his screams
Celine POVThe first creature turns just as I reach them, their red eyes gleaming in the moonlight, their body already beginning to grow, their limbs stretching, muscles thickening, their entire form warping into something even more monstrous.I don’t let them finish.My bear slams into them first, its massive paws crashing into their chest, sending them flying backward before they can fully shift. The moment they hit the ground, my fae magic surges, pinning them down with invisible force.The second one lunges for me, their claws elongated, too fast to stop. Sebastian intercepts, he shoves his bone dagger into their side, twisting it deep. The creature lets out a shriek, staggering back, its already growing form faltering as black ichor spills from the wound.But it isn’t dead, its body ripples, shifting more, getting bigger.“Celine!” Sebastian shouts, yanking his weapon free as he stumbles back.I don’t hesitate, my wolf form springs into action, slamming into the creature’s back,
Celine POVI push harder, ignoring the burning in my legs, just when I think I'm getting close, something shifts ahead of me.A figure steps into my path and I skid to a stop, breath catching in my throat as I take in the woman standing before me. Tall, elegant, and draped in flowing, scaled armor that shimmers like dragonhide. Golden eyes, sharp as a blade, lock onto me with cold amusement.My stomach twists. Tatsuya. The dragon who was supposed to marry Sebastian. The woman who had tried, over and over, to push me out of his life.I steel myself, straightening despite the pounding of my heart. “Move.”A smirk curves her lips. “Still so demanding.” She cocks her head, eyeing me like I’m something insignificant. “And still so out of place.”Anger coils inside me, hot and seething, but I shove it down. I don’t have time for this.Sebastian shouts again, his voice rough with strain, and I move to step around her, but she mirrors me, blocking my path effortlessly.I clench my fists. “I d
Celine POVI move through the dense forest, my steps light but quick, every sense sharpened as I search for my mates. The trees loom taller here, their thick canopies blocking out most of the moonlight, leaving only thin slivers to guide my way. I don’t stop. I can’t.Something shifts and the air thickens, pressing against my skin like unseen hands trying to hold me back. A pulse of something dark, something unnatural, ripples through the trees, making the leaves tremble though there’s no wind. I halt mid-step, my breath catching in my throat.No.I swallow hard, my pulse hammering in my ears as I stare into the unnatural blackness spreading ahead of me. It’s not just the absence of light. It’s something alive, something seething, something waiting.The darkness will consume you.The Fae Queen’s warning echoes through my mind, cold and unwavering.It’s already inside you.I clench my fists, my nails digging into my palms. I’ve felt it before, the whisper of something foreign crawling
Celine POVNo, this isn’t real. But my body doesn’t listen. The pain in my wrists is real. The exhaustion in my limbs is real. The sinking, bone-deep dread pooling in my stomach is real.I tremble, my body reacting before my mind can stop it. Because it remembers.His grip moves from my chin to my throat.“You always did look pretty like this,” he muses, amusement lacing his tone. “Helpless.”Rage coils inside me, but it’s buried under terror. I want to move, to shift, to fight, but I can’t. The fear keeps me frozen, suffocating me, keeping me exactly where I was back then.No! I am not this girl anymore, I'm not weak. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block it out, trying to force myself out of this. My wolf howls inside me, my vampire thrashes, my fae magic writhes against my skin—but I can’t reach them.I'm trapped.His fingers tighten around my throat. “Say it,” he murmurs, his lips inches from my ear. “Say what you are.”I squeeze my eyes shut, but the words press against my lips
Celine POVI move fast, following the trail, but the forest shifts around me, warping and twisting. The trees stretch impossibly high, their shadows lengthening across the ground, closing in. The faint glow of my path flickers, then vanishes.Stopping, my chest rises and falls as my pulse thrums against my ribs. The weight in the air changes, pressing down on me, thick and cloying, like something unseen is crawling beneath my skin. A slow, familiar dread seeps in, a darkness I haven’t felt in years—one I buried, one I thought I had escaped.The air turns frigid, and a voice I hoped to never hear again slips through the silence, curling around me like a noose.“Well, well. Look at you.”The sound sends ice through my veins, rooting me in place. Footsteps echo across the forest floor, slow and deliberate, each step crunching against dead leaves. The scent of him reaches me before I even turn, cologne masking something vile, something rotting beneath the surface.Richard.He steps into v
Celine’s POVI don’t land. I appear. One moment, I am standing before the elders, drinking from that cursed cup. The next, I am somewhere else entirely. My stomach lurches as my body is thrown into existence, my knees buckling as I hit the damp ground. The sharp scent of pine and earth floods my senses, and before I can even gather myself, a low, guttural sound rumbles from the darkness.I freeze.The forest around me is thick, the trees impossibly tall, their twisted branches woven so tightly together that only slivers of moonlight cut through the canopy. The air is dense, wrong, like the energy in this place doesn’t belong to the real world. Thick vines coil around the trees, pulsing faintly, as if the forest itself is breathing. Shadows shift between the trunks, moving too quickly, too deliberately to be nothing.Then I hear them. Growls. Deep, predatory and close.I force myself to stay still, my breathing controlled, my hands curled into fists at my sides. I can feel them circlin
Jonathan POVThe moment my foot touches the ground ahead of me, the maze shifts.The walls groan, twisting violently, stone grinding against stone. The mist thickens, rising like a living thing, curling around my legs. Whispers crawl up my spine, slithering through my skull, pressing into my thoughts.“You are not enough.”“You cannot protect her.”“She is already gone.”I clench my jaw, forcing the voices out. I do not believe them. I will not believe them. I have spent my life fighting, surviving. I have bled for the people I swore to protect. I will not break here.My hands curl into fists, my breath slow, controlled.Then, ahead of me, a figure steps from the mist. I stop, my heart hammering against my ribs, it’s me, but also not.This version of me is different. His stance is casual, his expression unreadable. His golden hair is neatly in place, his clothes
Jonathan POVI wake with the taste of blood in my mouth.The air is thick, humid, pressing down on my skin like a weight I can’t shake off. My body aches, my limbs sluggish as I push myself up from the damp, uneven ground beneath me. My head throbs, and for a moment, I can’t focus, my vision swims as I try to make sense of where I am.Something is wrong.I inhale deeply, expecting the rush of awareness, the sharpness of my fae senses snapping into place, but instead—nothing. No magic. No connection to the energy that has always been a part of me. The absence of it is suffocating, a hollow space where power should be. My fingers dig into the wet soil, frustration curling in my chest. No. This isn’t right.The last thing I remember is the trial. The elders. Being separated from Celine.Celine. The thought slams into me like a blade. I reach for the bond—expecting to feel even the faintest trace of
Sebastian POVI wake to the scent of fire and blood.The air is thick with it, hot against my skin, clinging to my clothes as I push myself up from the dry, cracked earth beneath me. My head throbs, a dull, pulsing ache that makes it hard to focus. I inhale deeply, expecting to feel the fire of my dragon’s breath in my lungs, the power of my shift just beneath the surface, waiting to be called upon.But there is nothing.The absence of my dragon is instant and suffocating. A hollow space where my power should be, where my instincts should guide me. I exhale slowly, reigning in the sharp spike of irritation that threatens to rise. Panic is for those who don't know how to command themselves.I force myself to my feet, brushing dust from my clothes as I scan my surroundings. The sky above is a vast black void, no stars, no moon, just emptiness stretching endlessly. The landscape around me is barren, littered with jagged bones that rise from the