StefanI stay still, watching as Wayne carries out Harlyn with the pups following.“Your guards didn’t even try to defend you against that pack of animals!” The Earl steps towards me.“Because they were told to stay out of it, Earl Harold.” My Mother walks forward. “The pups are not to be hurt.” She looks away from him.“I need to go get her.” My body moves, and she steps in front of me.“You need a plan. Everyone leave now.” She looks around. “Samuel, you stay.”“As your leading man, I believe that I should stay Your Grace; after all, it is myself who will plan the retaliation.” The Earl steps forward.“There will be no retaliation towards Harlyn or the pups. Leave now.” I stare at him and watch him leave with his wife and Colton.“Seen as it’s clear she doesn’t want you, I will agree to still marry you.” I hear Diandra’s words and groan.“The wedding is off. I suggest you leave.” I watch as my father steps towards her and her father. “I apologise for my son’s behaviour, but right no
StefanThe room falls silent when Thorin steps into the room. He looks between us all, and his eyes stop on me. I feel like he is going to attack me again.Only this time, I feel like it will be due to his own hate, not Wayne’s order.He runs to me, and I watch everyone tense, his arms wrap around my body in an embrace. I stare down at him and see the tears.“Leave.” I look around and watch everyone walk out. “Thorin, it’s okay.” I move and kneel in front of him.“I hurt Mummy.” His head falls, and he cries, my arms wrapping around him.“No, you didn’t. Your Mummy wasn’t hurt,” I argue. It was me who hurt her. I opened my mind up and pushed the pain through to her.“I’m not stupid. She felt it through the bond.” He looks at me. Well, there goes my argument. I open my mouth and close it again. Had it been Isaac, I have no doubt it would have been easier to convince him it wasn’t him.Thorin seems too smart for that.“He’s a bad man.” His words are quiet, and I stare at him.“Thorin, ho
StefanI feel her pulling me away from the room. My body is shaking as she pushes me through a door.“How could you possibly make things worse, son?” My father looks at me.“He didn’t. Harlyn accepted his rejection, and Wayne claimed her.”Checkmate. He had everything planned from the start.Turning, I look at Samuel.“Why did you tell her to come back!” If he didn’t call, she wouldn’t have come back. Wayne wouldn’t have claimed her, and he wouldn’t know his plan to use the pups would work.“Don’t blame him! If you hadn’t rejected Harlyn, she would never have been exiled!” Lucy screams at me.“Whereabouts is the guy?” I look at my father. “I’ll go collect him.” I’ll get him here quicker.“Son, he’s coming as quick as possible. There won’t be a change in time if you get him. Right now you need to calm down, your eyes are flashing between colours.” He stares at me, and my mother grips my chin, looking at me.“Well, that’s new.”My eyes roll at her words. “My eyes don’t matter. We need a
HarlynI haven’t moved since King Stefan left. I just sat and watched as everyone packed and considered things. I spoke to Wayne after he found the bite and agreed that as soon as I accepted Stefan’s rejection, he would claim me.That has stopped the risk of Stefan just trying to bite and claim me again. When I accepted his rejection, the entire mark felt different. That burning sensation that seemed to worsen the longer I was away from Stefan suddenly stopped.Something feels different, though. When I compare how I feel now to how Stefan claimed me, it’s like two entirely different worlds.It’s a feeling I can’t shake, and now I’m wondering if I’m Wayne’s mate or not. Surely, if I was, it would feel the same.“My love, you’re biting your lip.” I glance up, hearing Wayne, and see him sitting, playing with the pups. “What’s wrong? We have some time until the ship is ready to leave.” He smiles at me.“It feels different.” My hands stroke along the new mark, and I’m unable to ignore how
StefanI pace the halls, waiting to hear from the Earl.“You’re going to burn a hole through the floor if you continue with your obsessive pacing back and forth!” My mother looks at me from her throne.“How far away is he?” I look at my father.“An hour closer than when you last asked, stop.” He stares at me. “You’re the king. Remember that. This behaviour has to stop.”I laugh slightly. “I will just pretend I don’t care then, right? Then I won’t care if she leaves, and he takes the pups with him.” Why did he have to claim her?“You know, this is awkward to say, but I’m just going to say it.” Lucy looks at me.“Well, spit it out then.” I continue to pace the hall and wait for her to talk.“From my conversations with Harlyn, she and Wayne haven’t slept together or mated.” My body stops when I hear her words. “She said she didn’t feel ready, and Wayne, the lovely gentleman, said he is happy to wait until she is ready.”So, the bond won’t be strong.“We need to keep them apart.” I turn a
StefanI watch Thorin, and he seems to be in his element training, especially having Carlton here. While Isaac and Lotta are training, Thorin seems to take it more seriously.“Did you ever lose against something?” Thorin looks at Carlton, and he nods. “Did you have a weakness they used?” Thorin questions him, and Carlton stops.“No, weaknesses have nothing to do with why people lose,” Carlton explains and goes back to training with Thorin, but I can see now Thorin has more questions.“So, was it because you felt something and had emotions?”Carlton stops again and looks at him. “No, emotions are good when it comes to battles,” Carlton explains.“No, emotions are weaknesses, and we can’t have weaknesses.” My body runs cold as I hear Thorin.“Emotions are good,” Carlton looks at him. “Imagine someone hurting the person you love; you would feel angry, right? Using that anger in a battle is good,” Carlton explains.“No, anger makes you act and not think. No emotion is better.” Thorin argu
HarlynIt has been weird this morning. Wayne left with the pups to spend time with my Father and for some reason, Lucy hasn’t left the room.I’m not sure why she is here, but she isn’t willing to leave. We’ve spoken a lot about her and Samuel; it is nice to hear about how they started and have grown to love each other.Mates sometimes have no feelings for each other. Some even hate each other, like Stefan and me. Sighing, I consider it. I remember now that before he became cruel and heartless, we were close.I felt like I loved him even at that young age, but he didn’t love me, or did he?“You and Wayne.” I glance up, hearing Lucy speak. “Why haven’t you mated or slept together? You said you don’t even share a bed at home?” She looks at me, confused.“When I got to Wayne’s pack, I was a mess; I was heavily pregnant and not mentally right. I was weak, more because I had faced like six months of rejection over and over from pack after pack. I felt like I couldn’t trust anyone enough to
StefanSomething made me want to find Harlyn; I know the pups are safe, but after seeing Lucy, I know Harlyn is alone. As I walk down the hall, I hear the raised voices.“You used some kind of spell, right? What did you do to the king to make you think he loves you so much that he threw away a perfectly good future queen for nothing more than a whore!” The Earl’s words echo around the hall, and I move more quickly to her room. Stepping in, I see them, his body almost pinning hers against the wall.“Do you think we’re blind? No one is, so whatever spell you used, you can just undo it and disappear forever and never return!” Moving, I drag him back, my hand throwing him against the wall.“Do not raise your voice at her again!” Moving, I push him out of the room and close the door.“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but she wouldn’t listen to reason!”“Neither would I if you spoke to me in that way! I am not under a spell. What will it take for you to finally realise that everything I said is the
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