HarlynThe room falls quiet, and Wayne looks at me. It’s clear he is thinking I’m joking, but I’m not. I want to do it tomorrow to prove to Stefan how little he owns me. Everyone is watching, in shock, clearly wondering if they heard me right. They did. I will marry Wayne tomorrow.“Say that again?” he asks, and I laugh slightly; his arms stay wrapped around my body as he peers into my eyes, waiting for confirmation.“Let’s get married tomorrow,” I say again, unable to contain the smile that spreads across my face. I see the shock flashing in his eyes. I don’t want to wait; what is the point in waiting anyway?“For real? I know you agreed, but I assumed you would wait. Only do this, my love, if you are completely sure.” He stands shocked. Even though I agreed to marry him here, I knew in his mind he thought it wouldn’t happen.He is still thinking I’m about to walk away from this, but I won’t. I will be marrying him tomorrow. Nothing and no one has the power to stop us.“Tomorrow? Are
StefanI followed Harlyn at a distance as she stormed away, or rather ran. I understand her running from me. I acted on impulse, and that made me make a huge mistake.She will forgive me, though, and when I can prove to her about Wayne, she will be grateful I stopped him from being able to claim her. I have almost walked through the entire palace and can’t see her anywhere.Where could she have gone? I step into the room where she stayed and stand by the door. The room is flooded with her scent, and it’s beautiful. I am sure I can keep her here.Now, if she tries to leave, it will cause her pain; the more distance she puts between us, the worse it will become. I was wrong to claim her without her approval; I felt like I had no choice.She wasn’t being rational. One moment, she was calm and looking at me like she remembered who I was, and then she was off the rails, swearing and screaming she hated me.I guess I did deserve some of it; I deserved it all for what I did to her in the pas
StefanI didn’t sleep last night—how could I? My mind was focused on Harlyn and her upcoming marriage to Wayne. Well, she could try. After getting ready for the wedding, I stepped out of the room, and my mother looked at me.“Are you sure it wise for you to go to this wedding?” She asks, and I laugh.“I’m not going to the wedding, Mother, because there won’t be one.” I will stop it before she even walks through that door.“Stefan, you can’t do anything crazy.” She looks at me, and I know she is worried, but I need to do something crazy.“I already did that, Mother; it apparently didn’t work, so I need to get up a level,” I say while smiling at her.“You already did? Stefan, what did you do?” She stands staring at me.“Stopped him from being able to claim her mother, like he tried that night. Which room is Harlyn in?” I ask as I walk around her.“Harlyn is in her wedding dress. You can’t enter that room, Stefan.” She follows behind me.“Oh, but I can. Which room, mother?” I stand waiti
HarlynI don’t blame him. I’m getting whiplash. Right now, he’s just stood staring at me, and I feel calm. I don’t feel hate for him. I’m confused over all this, and he seems to be trying to work this out.His mouth opens as if he is about to talk, but he stops and closes his mouth. It’s weird, having him close, having him touching me eases the itch in my neck.It’s weird; right now, I see him and I remember from before he pushed me out. Yet, thirty seconds ago, while he was speaking, it was like looking at an entirely different person. How is that even possible? It’s hard to think of anything or anyone else right now except for him.I don’t want to let him go, and I feel like I need to keep him close to me. Maybe I’m going crazy? I feel his finger stroke down my neck, and it only relaxes me more.Right now, I’m meant to be with Wayne, yet I’m not sure I want to. It’s weird; being here with Stefan makes me feel like I have no feelings for Wayne.Which isn’t possible, I agreed to marry
StefanI don’t know what to do; I walk out of the room and look for my mother. I find her with the guests.“There you are, you’re late.” Diandra looks at me, and I push her hand off me.“Not now!” I snap at her and turn to my mother. “I need you.” I walk out, and she follows me.“What is going on?” She stops me and looks at me, waiting for my answer.“I think Harlyn is under a spell.”She laughs at my words.“Don’t, Mother, I mean it. How do I stop it?” I need to know.“That would depend. What sort of spell?” She sits on the small sofa and waits for me to explain.“I don’t know. One where she hates me, especially if I talk, but if I get close to her, if I touch her, it breaks the spell, as long as I don’t speak.”She looks at me like I’m crazy.“I mean it, she is like a hurricane, screaming, hitting me, then if I grip her chin and make her focus on me, and I stay quiet, she’s calm and kisses me. Something isn’t right.” I just need to break it; then I can stop this.“A spell like that
StefanI look around the room, and I know I need to sort this out quickly.“You know what I think?” Diandra steps forward towards Harlyn. “I think she put a spell on the king, made him blind, turned him dumb,” she shouts.“I have to agree with the princess here. This disowned child of mine has caused this. Your Majesty, you need to seek help immediately.” The Earl steps closer.“Enough! Stop making out like my son is blinded by magic.” My mother calls out.“If this was caused by that, it started as I was a child. I already said, she is my mate and I knew as a child.” I call out, and Samuel stares at me.He has no idea, and as my best friend, he will hate me so much more when this is over and he finds out the truth. It’s worth it, though, if Harlyn stays here.“I think Harlyn, Stefan, myself and Harlyn’s mother need to sit together and sort this situation. It’s a private matter.” Mother looks between everyone, and I nod in agreement.“No!” King Fredric steps forward. “You want to hide
StefanEveryone is waiting for the confirmation, but I wanted to speak to Harlyn about it first. I wanted to explain the links to Wayne even if I have no proof.I nod, however, and give up. “It doesn’t matter how it happened; it is my fault, and I accept responsibility for it; please, Harlyn, let me speak to you.” I go to step towards her and feel someone push me back.“Think Stefan.” My mother looks at me.“I tried telling you! You laughed it off; you made out like I was joking and mocking you. I was never mocking you, Harlyn; I’m sorry I did it this way, but now everyone knows, so there is no more hiding it.” I shout and look at her, but she keeps her face pressed against Wayne’s chest.Samuel stares at me, shocked. “You rejected her. I think that speaks pretty clearly about how you feel about her. So leave her alone,” Samuel says.“No! It was a mistake to reject her; she knows that. I apologised.” I move forward, and Lucy pushes me back.“You already hurt her, Stefan. I heard you t
HarlynI thought it was a joke. Part of me thought Stefan was mocking me, even when I grabbed those papers.It wasn’t, and I hated it. I could barely stand or even understand anything that was going on around me. How could that night have been Stefan?Today, I told him the truth, that the person that night seemed to crave me, and despite me having no control, there was a feeling like they cared for me. I felt safe in their arms.How could that have been Stefan? He hated me, mocked me, and called me a wretch. I feel lost, like I'm standing between two versions of him: the one I remember when we were really young, the man that night, and then the one who was cruel and heartless.Hearing the former king’s words about how Stefan was obsessed with finding the woman from that night, which was me, just tore me apart even more.For two months, I was here. Did he hate me that much in the light he refused to even consider the possibility that it was me? A stranger I could have lived with, but S
StefanI look at Samuel, and he seems cheery, so things must have gone well on his trip. I can hope, anyway.“Come on, Earl Samuel, this is taking forever,” I complain, and he laughs.“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. The people are completely cleared of magic, and his sister is none the wiser. Magic was used and she didn’t know a thing, so she isn’t a risk,” he explains.“Their father?” I ask.“His body is there, so he was certainly dead, and it was all Wayne. The pack has a new alpha, one who isn’t connected to Wayne’s family and such. So it’s sorted,” he explains, and I relax more.We had thought we had sorted everything, but only two months someone attacked, and it turned out Wayne had yet another brother we didn’t know of. So now we know everything and are sure no one else is coming for Harlyn. I can relax.“How has Lucy been?” He looks at me.“Fine, she and Harlyn have spent most of their time together. Go see her. We can get a full breakdown in a few days,” I say and watch as he nods a
HarlynStefan currently has everyone’s attention. The pups are behind me, but the place is packed. People have moved closer to him to listen to what he is saying.He’s currently thanking everyone for coming, and the speculation over what this is about surrounds me.Some men think that he’s planned a date to marry Diandra, and others think that he is stepping down as king. Some of the women are speculating as well. Their speculation is around me, because people know that Stefan left to deal with an issue about me.“Maybe he has exiled her entirely, and this is him letting us know?” I hear the woman and ignore her.“The royal family took long enough. She barely had the right to be classed as a werewolf,” another laughs. Thorin glares towards them. Kneeling down, I smile at him.“Forget their words, this is about you,” I say and kiss his cheek. I listen as Stefan announces he recently found out he was a father. I watch as he calls up the pups, Princess Lotta, Prince Thorin and Prince Isa
HarlynMy last few hours were spent with Lucy and Lotta getting ready for this ball, where Stefan will announce the pups. Lotta is in her element. She has on a dress. One that has taken hours for her pick.I blamed Lucy for that. The ideal thing to do was bring a few dresses, no more than six, for Lotta to pick from. Instead, she had almost an entire room, and that meant she wanted to wear them all.In the end, she gave up on the giant princess dresses and went for a more simple one. It didn’t have the big petticoat skirt under it, either.Lucy helped me pick a dress, and it matched Lotta’s in a way; I didn’t see why I needed a dress. As I told her, no one noticed me yesterday; they pushed in front of me to get to Stefan.Apparently, however, once it’s announced the pups are Stefan’s, people might approach them while they are with me. I still think my dress is a bit too much, but I won’t argue with Lucy.I’m glad the boys have Stefan and Samuel to help them. While Thorin would be dres
HarlynWe spoke for a while and discussed the way forward. I don’t want to wait months before we move forward. Stefan agreed. Our first task is announcing that the pups are his.No one other than those close to us knows about it, but everyone in the kingdom will be made aware of the pups and who they are. Then, we can focus on moving forward. I’ll be moving into his room, but Lotta will have a room close to us for the days Lucy stays at the manor.I don’t want her on a wing all on her own. The boys have each other, but Lotta wouldn’t have anyone once I move into Stefan’s room if Lucy isn’t there.We arrived back at the palace in time for Lunch. The pups are laughing and talking, and even Thorin is relaxed and having fun—something I rarely see. I wonder if it was the magic that suppressed everything.“Okay, pups, lets go!” Lucy skips over, and I turn, confused.“Court, and they shouldn’t be there,” Stefan explains, and I watch as they walk off with Lucy. “Are you sure you want to be th
HarlynI wake up in bed, yet I can’t remember coming to bed last night. I was with Stefan outside, and that is my last memory, so I must have fallen asleep there.I’m still fully dressed. As I get up, I get cleaned and dressed. The knock has me opening the door, and I smile, seeing Lucy.“The pups are with my mother. Stefan and Samuel are ensuring everything is safe again at the walls, so I’m spending the morning with you,” she says as she walks in with a tray and food.“Did Wayne die then?” I ask, unsure of what actually happened.“From what Samuel said, all the brothers were there and are dead. Forget about that. Tell me about you and Stefan.” She smiles at me, but I don’t know what to say.I’m not sure there is a me and Stefan. “There’s not really much that I can say,” I explain.“I know, he’s stubborn,” she says while laughing, and I look at her confused. “Sorry, he’s got his weird little plan,” she laughs more.“Weird little plan?” What the hell does that even me? She laughs more
HarlynThe celebration has gone well. I spoke to Lucy for a bit, Colton, Samuel, and the queen.Now, the pups have gone to their rooms, much to Thorin’s disappointment, who wanted to stay with me and watch over me.The queen reassured him that the guards would be with me and keep me safe, so he and Isaac were given a room within the prince’s chamber—the same place Stefan used to stay.Lotta has been given a room in the princess’ chamber, so she is sharing the entire wing with Lucy. I have a room on the same wing as Lotta.I’ve not seen Stefan for a while. Grabbing a jacket, I walk outside and spot the maids, soldiers, and guards at their usual spot. Walking past them, I find Stefan sitting in the same spot we used to.Moving, I sit beside him, and he glances at me briefly before looking back down at his hands. We don’t speak for a while and just sit in silence. He is off, and I feel like he needs a break from everything.“I’m sorry,” he whispers.“You don’t need to apologise, Stefan;
HarlynI walk into the room and sit next to Stefan. I know I panicked too much with Thorin; it’s hard to remember that he is strong and a lycan. To me, I see him as the baby from when he was born, and he’s still a child.“How are you feeling?” Stefan glances at me. He seems off—not like before, but like he’s avoiding me.“I’m fine, honestly. Shouldn’t we go out there and celebrate, Your Majesty?” I ask.“I’d rather sit here with you and the pups,” he says while smiling.I know he would rather that, but he’s the king. Him avoiding a celebration after a battle isn’t right. “We will join you,” I say.“Your father will be there, Harlyn,” his words are barely a whisper. I know I didn’t want to see or speak to him, but it’s going to be impossible. I know they would have used my father to help with the battle, and it would be wrong to remove him from the celebration.I also don’t like that me insisting I avoid him will make it harder for everyone.“I’m fine with it, Your Majesty. At some poi
StefanI’m not sure how long we have been fighting, but the longer it lasts, the more strength he gains, and I realise his wolf wasn’t fully bound.Some of his men have run off in the direction of the distraction, so I know that they will have their wolves back soon. Not that it helps me now, I don’t have the strength against Wayne and his wolf.I fall to my knees and he laughs, but right now, my body hurts.“Hold him down,” Wayne speaks and I feel my arms get gripped and them holding me down to keep me kneeling. “You see, all I wanted to do was show everyone how it felt without a wolf.” His face leans into mine.“After all, Harlyn had no wolf, and many of the people here mocked her for it. They will now realise just how she felt.” His fist swings and hits me, and I groan. “Don’t worry. I will claim her again and use magic, so she stays.” He leans into my ear. “And well, your pups, I guess they become like the Cinderellas of the fairytale, just without the happy ending.”I see the kni
StefanMy eyes open, and I see my mother peering down at me. What happened? I feel someone next to me and turn to see Harlyn lying next to me. I’m in my room.“How did I get here?” I was on the ship.“You were drugged and didn’t wake, don’t worry. Focus on regaining your energy,” my mother smiles at me.“I’m fine. Just explain what happened,” I say, still unsure of what happened.“We believe Wayne injected you with Dragufic during your altercation,” she explains, and I look at Harlyn.“He did the same to Harlyn?” Why would he do that?“No, Harlyn used her wolf and the bond to connect with you and make you realise. What was your torment?” she asks, looking at me and waiting.“Me rejecting Harlyn. Now, thinking back, I can remember it was on replay. At the time, though, it felt so real, and I couldn’t remember it happening again and again.” I doubt I would have realised if Harlyn wasn’t there; I know for sure I wouldn’t have realised.“How long has she been asleep?” I ask.“We’ve been h