LEO'S POVSilence stretched among us like a guillotine waiting to drop. With each moment that ticked by, it was as if my heart was on the verge of coming out of my mouth. I could barely contain it."Rachael, sometimes I blame Leo's actions on you. You fail to discipline him when appropriate but would rather allow sentiment to cloud your judgment. You're a Luna for crying out loud and you should understand that there are situations that need your logical judgement." My father said finally.My mother worked her jaw as she mindlessly tugged at her dress. "And Leo, you need to learn discipline. See what just happened! If I hadn't been here on time, who knows what could have happened to Ivan! He is an elder of the Blood Moon Pack and you disrespected him! What if another elder had caught you? Thank goodness he will be okay. I will make sure he doesn't say a word about this to anyone. Whatever happened here remains here."My heart slumped in guilt. Perhaps my father was only doing that to
CRYSTAL'S POVIt has been a week since I have been staying at the royal palace and life has never been better. I was well-fed and catered for by the royal maids and even my laundry was done by them. I didn't have anything to worry about. All I did was saunter around the palace and sleep when I felt like.Gosh! The food here was quite delicious! Like the ones, I saw in my dreams when I suffered in the slums but never got the chance to taste them! It was the most mouth-watering food I've ever tasted. In fact, a gourmet would best describe the happiness I derive from eating here. I was sure I must have added about five pounds already!Wow! So this was how it felt like to actually live in the royal palace... It was the seventh day and I woke up with a slight headache. Outside the open bedroom window, birds were chirping, and a nice air tickled my feet as it blew in. I must have kicked them out of my duvet somewhere during the night. I gradually opened each eye, groggily scanning
CRYSTAL'S POV"Crystal?" He called out to me as if I was far away from him until I realised I wasn't even paying attention to the present.My eyes were locked on his eyes as those captivating pair of dark brown orbs were staring right into my soul. I was mesmerized and I didn't want him to break the gaze even though I was melting underneath his unrelenting gaze that had me on lockdown.Good Lord! What have I gotten myself into? I was already falling for an alpha even before I realized?!I slowly breathed in and breathed out."Yes?" I asked shakily. I didn't realize what the conversation was all about but all I could remember was his hand placed on my forehead that ignited every fiber of my being.I gulped.He chuckled."Did the fever give you amnesia?" He ribbed."Oh.... Of course not. I just woke up with a migraine. Maybe it was because of the ice cream I had last night. But it's nothing. I'm good."I will be fine. It was just a slight headache after all.He shook his head."No than
CRYSTAL'S POVI bit my bottom lip and nodded slowly forcing a smile."I'm fine, Xavier. It must have been the migraine." I laughed it off.But my chest was still burning at the fact that my best friend, Emily had ignored me like I never existed.He arched his brows while sweeping his gaze over my face and then slowly nodded."Then come let's have breakfast so you can take some medications." He said as he extended his hand to me.I gulped and nodded, maintaining the fake smile plastered on my face. I gingerly took his outstretched hand and he gripped mine gently as he pushed me to my feet and led me to the mini dining room where Emily was waiting patiently with her head bowed.I glanced at her but she didn't even look at me, she kept her head lowered as she clutched the empty tray.I took my seat and Xavier sat at the opposite side of the circular table.I finally focused my attention on the table. Sumptuous toast, bacon, scrambled eggs and a cup of lemon and ginger tea.My stomach c
CRYSTAL'S POVMy heart pounded in my chest at an alarming rate of excitement as I read the note. It read:"Crystal, if you can, let's meet underneath our favourite tree tonight."At once I knew who it was from.Emily!!!!! My heart swelled with relief and I heaved out a deep breath.Thank goodness! We can finally meet. I was already planning how to meet her in my head when the note flew out as if on cue.When did she have the time to write this and place it under my plate? How did she know the breakfast was for me?Either way, I was overwhelmed that my feelings had reached her. She wasn't angry like I thought she was!I thanked the moon goddess for bringing us together! Life back then at the miserable camp where the slave training took place, was hell on earth. According to our superiors, the training was mandatory if we ever wanted to get hired by the royal palace. Most of the slaves at the training camp were orphans just like us, their parents passed away at war or due to poverty
XAVIER'S POVI made my way to the elders's chambers in the royal palace. My thoughts were clouded by a lot of things; the throne as the coronation drew near, my wicked step-mother and step-brother who would stop at nothing to get their hands on the throne and.. Crystal Thorne... That young lady intrigued me. She was like a gift box that needed to be unwrapped carefully. I couldn't tell what to expect next and the anticipation and thrill brewed inside of me as I waited to unfold the next layer of the wrapped box. Crystal Thorne was really that girl. The fact that she was an omega and once a slave, made me even more curious. Although, prior to our encounter, I had carried out my own personal investigation but it was not enough. We had stayed together for a week and I've been blown away by her. Which made me think that maybe I didn't really know her as I thought I did. She was somewhat of a mystery to me. The fact that my wolf had called out to her, a mere omega like her c
XAVIER'S POVThe day Mary Fernandez passed away was a day of utter grief and gloom. It was as if the whole palace was suddenly shrouded in darkness. The clouds swallowed the sun, making the whole day bleak and dark and the air was stale. It was as if I was hugging death too. For weeks I hadn't been myself and I locked myself in my room, refusing to eat. My father had checked up on me severally but I wouldn't listen to him. I wept throughout the day. Then one day, a gentle knock on my door woke me from my slumber. I wasn't having it because I didn't want any disturbances from the maid forcing me to eat and all. Or was it my father? Or Leo perhaps? I didn't want to see anyone at this moment! The knock continued. With a loud groan, I slowly dragged myself out of bed and headed to the door. With my hand hovering over the door handle, I paused and asked: "Who is it? " "It's me, Xavier. Open up. " The familiar voice whispered fiercely. It's Uncle Ivan! To me, he wasn't
XAVIER'S POV: "Xavier! You are late! " Uncle Ivan whispered fiercely as he poked his head out from the door, his eyes scanning the surroundings suspiciously for any hidden movements and ensuring I wasn't being followed.It was our makeshift hideout and we didn't want anyone finding out we were meeting. We couldn't trust anyone at such a critical time. As Uncle Ivan would always say: "Keep your eyes peeled open always."Giving him an apoplectic smile I said: "I'm very sorry Uncle Ivan. I got here as fast as I could. " Yeah right, Xavier. You were busy daydreaming about the past. I chided myself mentally. "No worries. Get in! " He said quickly as he urged me with his hands frantically gesturing towards the ajar door leading inside the secluded apartment. Looking outside for the last time, I entered the apartment hurriedly. He clicked the door shut and turning to face me, he huffed out a deep sigh. "I hope you weren't followed. " He inquired with arched brows. I shook my h
LEO'S POVOh shit! This wasn't good! Crystal was going to be kidnapped. What if I was already too late. I didn't exactly hear everything that they said. But I knew something was off, and I was already too late by the time I got to Xavier's chambers. I came just in time to see two men clad in black clothes and a mask covering their faces, carrying Crystal after drugging her. They put her in a horse-drawn carriage.I tried to follow the carriage as discreetly as I could until they stopped at a cavern beneath a high mountain.Damn it, but even if I wanted to rescue her , I was outnumbered.There was no way I could make it at this rare. I would just end up getting myself killed.Then what do I do at this rate? This was a matter of life and death. Crystal was in dire danger. My mother and crazy girlfriend had completely gone bonkers! I needed to get Crystal out of there as fast as possible before things got out of hand.I had no idea what exactly the two women wanted to do to Crystal. H
CRYSTAL'S POV It's has been a lonely evening....a lonely day, in fact. Xavier was hardly around. He had been very busy with having ceaseless meetings with his uncle, and tonight, he had mentioned earlier that he won't be available until later in the night or early in the morning so I shouldn't wait up for him.I puffed out a deep sigh. He had been very busy these past few weeks. I heard the coronation was drawing to a close. No wonder the discreet meetings with his uncle have risen. He had been working so hard with little time to rest. I hoped he was doing okay? I had insisted earlier that he took today's off, but he wouldn't listen.I slid out of bed and headed to the balcony for the view and to get some fresh air. Maybe that would help me relax and sleep better. Lately, I've been finding it somewhat hard to fall asleep easier.I also wonder if Martin was doing alright ever since he went exiled. At any rate, it was way better than remaining here. Alicia would have made life a livi
ALICIA'S POV Shit! Shit! Shit! As if things couldn't get any worse than it already was!Three days had passed, and I didn't hear a single word from Martin anymore. I had instructed Lucas to check on him in his quarters, but he was nowhere to be found. He didn't even report to work the following morning. So I had Lucas go to his bakcksmith shop discreetly to find out if he was there. But he wasn't....infact, until now we had no idea where he would have run off to.It's been a week and not a single word. What could have happened? If he had exposed my plans to Crystal or Xavier, I would have known by now. But something was strange. What did Martin do? He probably ran off somewhere. He was a spy, after all. It was easier for him to adapt.But damn it! I didn't expect my plans to be ruined. I invested so much into this, and yet I have nothing to show for it! What the hell was happening?! Did Crystal do or say to him? What really went down? I wouldn't be able to know when she tells me
CRYSTAL'S POVI was such a fool! How come I didn't realise that Alicia had been playing a trick on me all these while?! Xavier and Emily, my best friend, warned me, and yet I didn't listen because I wanted to give Alicia the benefit of the doubt for once. I had hoped that something good was going to come out of our friendship after she supposedly rescued me that day. Rescued? But come to think of it though...now that Martin had exposed the truth, what if Emily had been right that the whole idea about Alicia randomly showing up that day and most especially in the nick of time to save me, sounded so thought out and planned. What if Alicia also had a hand in that as well? She had insisted that Xavier get me a new bodyguard because she had been plotting to bring one here herself, which was Martin. How come I didn't see that coming?! I was so blinded to the fact that Alicia was turning a new leaf and wanted the best for me. What a fool I had been! Now, thanks to the moon goddess for swa
MARTIN'S POV A video?! Why does this sound so familiar. "What?! What did Leo do to you if you don't mind my asking? Did he-""No!" She blurted out before I could finish. I didn't want to complete that statement in the first place, silently hoping it wasn't true ."No, he didn't! I'm glad he didn't." She said shakily, and I couldn't help but feel the pain seared through my chest, watching how hurt she looked.She must have been through a lot. I wondered what really went down that day...Thankfully, Leo didn't rape her as I thought. She paused and sucked in several deep breaths before she continued:"He tried to have sex with me but I'm glad it didn't go through....so a video was made and I was threatened that the video would go public if I didn't do as I was told. I had no choice. Before I could gather my thoughts together, I ran out. I was mortified, broken, and scared to death. "She paused as she bit her bottom lip frantically before she continued again."I wanted to run away an
MARTIN'S POV I resumed work the following day as usual, but this time, it was different. The emotions writhing inside of me were relentless. What do I do? I was restless, and I couldn't even concentrate on my job.I think the moment of truth was finally here, and for the first time, I was going to follow my heart to hell with the consequences. I would rather voice out the truth that will set me free than bottling up all these lies and guilt nibbling at me steadily.As usual, we met for her morning run, and when we slowed down for a break, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to tell her the truth. At this rate, what was even the point of hiding the truth?! It was utterly useless because I quit! I wouldn't stand by, fold my hands, and watch as an innocent, young lady's life was torn apart, and I had a hand in her destruction. No! I wouldn't be able to live with myself after that. I would blame myself for as long as i lived! So instead, why didn't I try to make things right?G
MARTIN'S POV I sucked in a deep breath as I swallowed.She arched her brows diametrically at me as she peered up at me, eyeing me closely.I cleared my throat."What brings you to this crappy side of the royal palace. It was rare seeing you here at this hour. This place doesn't suit your fancy, my lady." I said, with a sly smile curling up at the corner of my lips with an intent to taut her.She rolled her eyes as she moaned in exasperation."Oh for fuck's sake, Xavier drop the stupid formalities and step aside!" My eyes widened slightly as curiosity creased my brows.Don't tell me she was planning to step inside my shithole of a room!"Um...what on earth are you planning to do, Alicia?" I dipped lower as I whispered fiercely, looking both ways to ensure that no one was within earshot and in sight.She waved me off and pushed past me as she entered my tiny room. But the good part was that she didn't have to duck her head like me.I puffed out a deep sigh of resignation. There was
MARTIN'S POV Days passed by like a blur and then weeks and before I realised what was happening, two months had gone by. And in all of those times, a day didn't pass without my mind being preoccupied by the thoughts of Crystal Thorne, the lady whom I served under. The lady I had sworn to protect with my life. And you know what? I would gladly lay down my life for her. No one deserved that, but Crystal Thorne! Where on earth has she been all these while?! If only I had been a little earlier, we could have ended up together. Hopefully..... Well, at least, she wouldn't have had the opportunity of even crossing paths with Alpha Xavier Fernández. If only I had come into her life earlier. Maybe she didn't have to suffer. We could have run off somewhere and started a new life as a couple who shared a somewhat similar past. But was it too late?Maybe it wasn't too late after all.... how else could the both of us have met anyway?! Crystal Thorne had been locked up within the four walls of t
MARTIN'S POV"I'm sorry once again, Crystal," I said again when we were outside alone and after we had jogged around the open fields of the royal palace.She shook her head frantically."It alright, Martin. It is fine. I understand that you're still trying to find your feet," she paused as she shot me a rueful smile."You know, I used to be like you when I first started my job. I was confused and scared. I wasn't sure about what to do. I was so clueless like a fawn parted from its mother."I smiled warmly at her as I listened to her.I couldn't help but admire her beauty. She was indeed breathtaking. On top of that, she was a strong young lady who had survived a lot. I owe her some respect for that!"Thank you for understanding, Crystal," I said gently, shooting her a wide grin.She was not only empathetic to my plight, she was gentle and nice towards me.I wish to know more about her, and it had been eating deep at me. The curiosity to know what lies in the deepest recess of her he