-Dante- This was what I wanted and my plan worked perfectly well. Let's see how they are going to get out of this. I could see the jealousy and disappointment on Adonai's face."Aria what is this?" He turned to her and asked."Adonai, I got a message from Zafa saying he wanted to see me for something important, only for me to come here and discover he got the same message from me. I did not write him any and he did not write to me," she said."I think you should try cooking something different," I stepped in. "Because this does not sound plausible enough.""It is the truth," Zafa defended and I snorted."What you are trying to tell us is you both got a message from each other which was not written by you? Perhaps there are spirits around then who did it.""I have no reason to lie," Aria said confidently. She snatched the paper Zafa was holding and walked to me. She shoved it to my face. "It was the thing we were both wondering about.""You don't expect me to believe it.""Well, I'm s
-Aria- After the incident, Zafa became distant, and it was quite a relief to me, even though I worried about what might be going through his head. He became reserved and quiet, especially around me, as if he did not know me. All that was to keep away from the rumours and suspects, and I appreciated it. When he did, Prisca began to come around and it seemed everything was getting better. "You know, I feared that I might have loosed you to a man," I told Prisca playfully when we were sorting out some clothes in my room. "Well, I realised there was no need to beat myself over a man who doesn't care about me," she replied with a shrug. "Perhaps you should give it some time; who knows if there'd be a connection sometime later?" I suggested and she shook her head. "Forget it. And I am not interested anymore. I want to hold on to the fact that I can get my own man without having to stress about it," she said, and I smiled at her. "I am so happy for you." A moment of silence p
-Adonai-I was in a serious state of distress and waited impatiently for the doctor to say something."Well?" I could not wait any longer. He was taking forever to examine her."Alpha please calm down," he said. "Everything will be fine.'"That is not what I want to hear for now. What the hell happened to my wife?" I wanted to know. Dan sighed before he replied."From what I can see here, it seems she was poisoned," he told me, and my heart stopped working for a second or two."What did you just say?" I asked."She was poisoned," he repeated, slowly this time."How, when, where? By who?" I asked questions the doctor had no answer to. I turned to Prisca who looked back at me frightened."Did you hear that?" I asked sternly."I did and I am surprised as well. I don't know anything about this," she began to shake even before I asked if she knew anything about it."You have been with my wife all day, so you had better know something before I take your head," I yelled, and she trembled."P
-Dante- Mission successful. I have finally been able to put Zafa in a fix, and with this, I can get him out of the way and out of this pack. I had planned to take two birds with one stone and that was getting at it perfectly.It's been three days now, and Aria was still in coma and not responding to treatment, just what I wanted. I loved Adonai's agitation while I pretended to worry and care, offering my comfort as well."What are you going to do now?" I had asked once in his room while he was pacing around restlessly."If Aria does not get better by sunset tomorrow, I am going to have no choice but to have the head of that bastard who put her in this condition," he swore."Well," I cleared my throat. "I warned you about him but you did not listen. Trusted him a bit early and now this."Adonai did not reply. I had said that intentionally to prick him more. He should have listened to me. Wait until Aria dies; perhaps he will learn to listen to his brother more and not trust a total st
-Zafa- My days in the prison were uneventful, with thoughts of how Aria was faring and what would happen to me eventually. I had no news of her and except for the whisperings of the guards and maids around, I had no idea what was happening outside the four corners of the room I was kept in. From the look of things, I suspected Aria was not getting any better.I tried to get some information off the guards securing my door."Heiss," I hissed silently but did not get any response from them, even though I was sure they heard me."Hey," I tried again."Shut the fuck up fool," one of them finally said. "Who are you trying to talk to? You're a prisoner condemned to death."I waited for my chance. I could see the other guard was not as grumpy so when he was alone, I called out to him."Look, I just want to know about the status of the princess, nothing more," I coaxed, and he looked around to be sure no one was watching."I shouldn't be telling you this nor talking to you," he said. "The pr
-Adonai- Ungrateful set of werewolves, fools. They have the nerve to tell me I am being affected by the same woman who was able to break the curse I have lived with for years. The only woman who has been able to win my heart.They don't even care about me, and despite everything I have done for them, they do not care to show a little concern for everything I am going through now.Aria is my life and everything. I cannot let anything happen to her. Fuck the council of elders, fuck the pack. If I cannot save my Aria then I don't care about any other thing.I looked at myself in the mirror, and it was a contrast to everything I used to be proud of. I did not see the almighty Alpha I was able to make out of myself. Ever since I met Aria, my perspective about a lot of things changed. I was not satisfied with power anymore, all I wanted was her."Aargh!" I exclaimed and my fist went flying to the mirror before I could help it. Someone gasped and I turned round to see Maria. She has walked
-Dan-Adonai walked towards me, his eyes not leaving me for a second and I could read suspicion in them."Why are you just standing there and unable to tell me anything?" He asked. "Did something happen to Aria?""N...no," I stuttered and shook my head. "Nothing happened to her. I was just about to give her the drug before you came in.""Then go ahead and do it," he stretched his hands forward. "What are you waiting for?""Oh yeah, sure," I breathed out in relief as I hurried to the bedside to inject her. Good gracious, I thought I had been caught. Surely, this would be the end of me.I watched from the corners of my eyes as Adonai looked while I worked. I could see the passion, the worry, and love through him. How this lady had managed to win over his heart was something worth studying but I wouldn't have the time for that now until I was able to first get myself out of this mess.When I was done, I stepped back and Adonai went to sit beside her silently, taking her cold hands delica
-Zafa- Dan jumped in fright and we both turned round to see the guard in our faces."Good gracious heavens. I thought it was Dante," Dan muttered, breathing hard and placing his hand on his chest."Dante?" I repeat with a raised brow. "You are working for him, right? Why am I surprised?""Did someone hear me?" The guard shook his head at us. "I've got not much time for this. I cannot get into trouble because of the two of you.""Right," Dan turned to him. "Just give us a few minutes and we'll be done, I promise."The guard eyed us, and when he said we were waiting for him to leave so we could continue talking, he snorted before walking back to the door."So you were working for Dante?" I asked immediately, and he said he did. Dan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, he let out a breath."I was stupid, Zafa. And I only did it in the first place because I was jealous of you," he said."Wait, really?" "You were so skilled that I was scared you would take my plac
-Adonai- I took in a deep breath to steady myself when Maria approached me, her face strained with worry and told me Aria was nowhere to be found.I had asked her to go get her since the ceremony was about to start."What do you mean by she is nowhere to be found," I asked, my voice in a low whisper so the people at my table would not hear."Even I don't understand myself," Maria said. "But she is not in her room and no one seems to have seen her."No, this cannot be happening now. I braced myself and tried to remain calm."Uhm, gentlemen, I will be right back," I addressed the men at my table."Is everything fine?" Dominick asked as I excused myself and I told him all was well. All was not well at all. A few minutes to the start of my wedding the bride is nowhere to be found.I walked with long strides towards Aria's room with Maria following steadily behind me."I was wondering if she had to quickly do something outside the palace because it doesn't seem like she..." Maria trailed
-Aria- I groaned in pain as I opened my eyes. I tried to move but discovered I couldn't, I was tied firmly to something I could not see, a pole or something.What's going on? I tried to think. The last thing I remembered was being prepared for my wedding and then strange faces appeared in my room.I looked up sharply when I realised what had happened. I was in an empty room that was void of anything normal in a location I could not fathom.I recognised the faces in the room as the ones who had walked in on me."Who are you and why did you kidnap me?" My throat was dry, as well as my voice. None of them bothered to give me an answer."Hey, say something. Who sent you?" I pushed."Keep it down Aria," a very familiar voice said. "This is not the palace where you speak anyhow you like and everyone is answerable to you.""Prisca?" I muttered under my breath but she heard."Tis me, yes," she stretched her hands out in a show of dignity. "Flesh and blood."I looked on in shock. Is this a dr
-Aria- I was being dressed by the maids for the wedding when Adonai walked in, and they all trooped out to give us a moment."Is anything the matter?" I asked, searching his face."Not really," he replied with a small smile on his face. "I just wanted to see you."I rolled my eyes at him."You see me every day," I pointed out."Yeah," he replied with a sigh as he walked to a stool and sat in front of me, his eyes watched me tenderly."What?" I shook my head with a chuckle."You know, there is this old story we heard while growing up," he said."Okay?""That you become too excited and overwhelmed about someone or something because you are about to lose it.""Hmm." I breathed out. "Never heard about that before. But why are you talking about that? Are you thinking I might leave you?""No. I am relating it to how excited I am about getting married to you," he said and took my hand in his. "Are you ready to become Mrs. Adonai and Luna of this pack?""You think I am ready?" I threw back a
-Adonai- Today is the day I officially get married to Aria. I was sure my face radiated the joy I felt within. I could not hide it.I walked around the building, watching as the maids and guards ran around to put things in order. It is going to be a very big ceremony. Invites have been sent far and near, and all the provinces and clans, big and small packs, would be gathered for the wedding.Werewolves coming from far distances had arrived the night before. Dante approached me with a grimace on his face."So you are finally getting married to Aria," he commented."So am I," I said with the same energy."Well, how does that make you feel?" He wanted to know and I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to discern his reason for asking."Complete, I guess. A man with a family.""Mmm," Dante hummed and nodded. "True.""And after this, you also have to settle down as well. You have a fiancé already, so that wouldn't be hard, I guess?"He chuckled."Well then, after you."While we spoke, alpha Do
-Aria- My heart skipped a beat when I lifted my eyes to the door and saw Adonai. He walked in with a blank expression on his face, approaching us slowly."Adonai, Zafa here was just telling me that he was leaving the pack. It was what we were discussing before you walked in," I jumped in to explain hurriedly when he had not asked me anything.Adonai did not respond. I tried to read his expression, but he hid it well. He stood beside me and faced Zafa, who looked back boldly as if Adonai had not walked in on us almost about to kiss."Is that so?" Adonai finally spoke, addressing Zafa."It is indeed so," Zafa confirmed, unshaken."But you did not tell me," Adonai said dryly. "You came to my wife to tell her but I am not aware of what is going on.""She was the one that sent for me first," Zafa replied. "And I did plan to tell you, though, she is the reason why I came to this pack. Either way, you would have known anyway."I was worried about the way the two were going. I wouldn't want
-Aria-I moved away from the view of the window and sucked in a deep breath. I was getting better already, but health came with its problems. I was not on good terms with both Zafa and Adonai, and the two avoided me.I had thought Zafa was acting up because of his feelings for me, but when I found out what happened, it was already too late.I confronted Adonai, too, and now he was upset with me even though he had taken off the sentence on Zafa and he was a free man again. That did not solve anything.And it is funny to think that the wedding ceremony was just in two days and the couple were not talking to each other. Adonai might as well as just call off the wedding for now, or postpone it. I loved him and can not wait to get married to him but at least, not like this."Never have I seen a bride looking like this a few days before her wedding, except, of course, she doesn't love the groom, which is not the case for you," Prisca commented."A lot of things are going on in my head," I t
-Adonai- I couldn't help the joy that radiated all over me, happy because both Aria and my baby were safe and in good condition. I quickly took my bath so I would return to Aria and spend some time with her. She was all that mattered to me and not this ungrateful pack I led.I would take a break from everything and create a special date for me and her. I have put plans for all the wedding preparations to kick start with immediate effect. I am wasting no time in making her my wife, whether the pack likes it or not.I walked into the room to meet her talking with Prisca, who excused us immediately after I walked in."Hey love," I greeted Aria brightly as I dragged a stool and sat close to her."Hi," her voice was less enthusiastic than before but I decided not to dwell on it."So how are my babies doing," I asked as I rubbed my hands against each other."Good," she answered shortly."Okay..." At this point, I was sure something was wrong. "Is everything alright? Why are you sounding th
-Adonai- I paused and turned round to behold Aria's questioningly eyes on me and Zafa."Aria?" I called under my breath, unable to believe my eyes even though it was a thing I wanted so badly. I let go of Zafa and he staggered, hitting a table. I care less about him as I hurried to Aria and held her hands. "Aria you are alive.""What happened?" She asked as she tried to sit up."Please don't stress it," I held her back gently. "You have been in a coma for days now.""Coma?" Her eyes widened a bit."Yes," I replied as I explained. "You were poisoned." I turned towards Zafa's direction as I spoke and she followed my eyes."What?...what about my baby?" She suddenly panicked."Hey calm down...""My baby, did....did something happen to it?""Calm down now," I said slowly as I sat beside her on the bed. "Look at me. That is something we don't know for now but the most important thing is you are alive.""No," she shook her head vigorously. "Nothing must happen to my baby.""Come on, we can
-Dante- If only I had known that killing Dan would make Adonai think of the option of using Zafa, I would have thought of something better. But Dan was a fool and the reason for my hasty decision. I was livid. He dared go behind my back to seek Zafa's help.He must have told him I forced him into it and I cannot have such foolishness go free. My only consolation was that the poison would have done severe damage to Aria by now that there would be no help for her.Let Zafa try all he can, and Adonai try to get all the medicine men he can far and wide, there's nothing that can be done.I have made all my strategies and they are ready now. I have strong support within and outside the pack. This is only but a distraction before I pounce on Adonai finally. He wouldn't be able to fight back because his hold on the pack is weak.Almost all the elders and men in the pack are by my side. I have penetrated them and talked them into believing Adonai was no good anymore. Aria made it even easier