/-Aria-/The cry of the baby sounded like a melody to my ears. I did it! I gave my mate a child! The curse was broken! Happy tears streamed down my cheeks. I was not the useless omega after all. Finally, my mate would be able to present me to the Elders with pride. No one would look down on my tiny weak wolf anymore. Most importantly, I would stop being Alpha's dirty secret. “You did it, Aria. It’s a beautiful girl. She has her father’s eyes and your smile,” Mary, the nurse told me. Tears of joy streamed down my cheeks. All those months of humiliation had been worth it. When I became pregnant with the baby, Asher pleaded I keep it a secret. That his father would never let him take over the pack if he discovered he’d impregnated a cursed omega.I tried not to be hurt by that. Everyone called me cursed because no one knew my parents or where I had come from. I was a stray who stumbled into their pack years ago and since then, I have been doing my best to serve them so they don’t s
/-Aria-/My eyes fluttered opened. An excruciating pain shot up my sides and I hissed in pain. My mind was foggy and a terrible migraine shot through the sides of my head. What is happening? The last thing I remembered was the anguish of burning to death. My chest tightened as I remembered the shrill cries of my baby. I glanced around but all I noticed was the surprisingly large bedroom with a strange girl sleeping by my side. This didn't seem anything like the afterlife. I looked down at my body, expecting to see a burned skin but I was taken aback by the flawlessness of the pale milky skin. “W…what is happening…” I croaked. My throat hurt from extreme dryness. The girl by my side raised her head and yawned tiredly. When her eyes connected with mine, she let out a scream, startling me. “Jasmine?!” She was already off the bed, at a reasonable distance. Her green eyes were wide in shock and slight panic.“You're awake?” She mumbled skeptically. Who is Jasmine?“Aria…” I drawled
/-Aria-/My entire being froze. “Excuse us,” he ordered and everyone left the room without questioning him. They were even more afraid of him than I was. He took a sit by my bedside and his cinnamon scent messed with senses. I shook my head, refusing to give in to that sweet temptation. The last time I gave into a sweet scent, I was ultimately disgraced, accused and incinerated. The thought of the innocent life I brought into the world, only to be cruelly snatched, made my heart ache. I would never forgive them for that. One way or the other, I will make them pay for what they put me through. They will suffer and cry for help but no one will listen to their pleas. “Jasmine,” my attention was drawn back to the scary gorgeous man before me. “What you did yesterday was over the top…”I was startled by the hardness in his voice. “Your family proposed this treaty and I agreed despite the protest from my people. I didn't come to your doorstep to declare a marriage or buy you from you
/-Aria-/I didn't know what to say to him or how to respond. Dammit, I didn't even know who he was!“We can leave now, Jasmine. We don't need to wait for the…” I pulled away from him and he looked up in surprise. “I am not running away…” I was going to say his name but I realized I didn't know it. “I am engaged to Adonai as you know and he is already furious enough about the incident.”I didn't know how deep his relationship with Jasmine ran but I was trying to be cautious to avoid attracting problems and doubts. “But you have never cared about what my brother thought. Why now?” He asked. I blinked. Jasmine was sleeping with her fiance's brother? Could this day get more complicated? Before I could answer the door opened and Ariel walked in.Her eyes darted between the man and me and I could swear I caught a glare. She walked to him and draped herself around him. “Darling, where have you been? I've been searching all over for you. I wanted to inform you about the good news but it s
/-Aria-/Join the line of mistresses? That line didn't make sense until three days later. I was currently surrounded by maids, dolling me up to grace the King's bed.Frankly, I was not looking forward to it. This was not how I planned it out. It felt like my bad luck was messing with my plans once again. Either that or the goddess was using me as entertainment. “You look beautiful, my lady. With a face like this, you will quickly become the king's favorite,” one of the maids said. I didn't want to become his mistress. I wanted to be Luna! But I couldn't tell her that. If only the goddess sent me back a day before the wedding. Things would have been easier.“How many mistresses does the King have?” I inquired. I needed to know my competitors before venturing in. “Just three. Agatha, Vera and Lara. Vera is his favourite and from what the rumors say, she's the only one that can satisfy his sexual urge,” she answered.“And why is that?” I was piqued now. She looked at me in surpris
/-Aria-/At the first trust I discovered my mistake. Jasmine might have been cheating on him but she was a virgin. The pain cut through me like a double-edged sword, with a cry erupting from my throat. I didn't sign up for this. Another thrust and I felt like I was dying. Worse, his arms trapped my waist securely in place as he slammed into me. “Please stop…” I sobbed, but almost as the words left my lips, another thrust followed.It was then the servant’s words replayed in my head. Once he starts, he will never stop. I am doomed! I barely had the time to dwell in regrets as the thrusts came faster and deeper. I screamed, struggled and pleaded but nothing could stop this man. He continued thrusting without mercy, allowing occasional curses slip off his lips. In no time, my legs were trembling and my core throbbing from how hard he pounded me but he didn't seem anywhere near done. My breathing became laboured and soon enough, my lungs began closing up on me from the impact of
/-Aria-/No.The word was at the tip of my mouth how do I deliver it without being suspicious?“Dante…”“Are you going to refuse me again?” He dropped my hand. “You know, sometimes I don't understand you. You act like you're in love with me but in reality you are just using me to spite my brother.”He walked out of the room in anger and I didn't bother to stop him. It was good riddance!Prisca walked back into the room almost immediately and I was confident she heard everything we discussed. I expected her to ask me about it but instead, she returned to our earlier conversation.“So what happened last night?* “You're not going to ask about Dante?” I raised a brow and she sighed. “Is there any point? You won't listen to what I have to say anyway. You prefer chasing a man who is cheating on his mate when you can easily have a fresh relationship with the King,” Prisca said. I immediately added her to the list of people to keep around me. “I know I should ask you to follow your heart
-Vera-I sat with the other mistresses, Lara and Agatha as I recounted the account of the previous night to them.“As it seems, the new mistress, or should have been Luna,” I expressed visibly, extending my hand and allowing a moment to sink in her titled description. The other ladies snickered at it and I continued satisfied. “Happens to be a weakling who is no match for the alpha. So he had to send for me when she passed out.”“Oh poor Lady,” Agatha said without any sympathy in her voice. “You mean she could not take it that she passed out.”“Yes of course,” I nodded the affirmation. “And the alpha had left her unconscious there while we were at it. When I left his room, she was still there.”Another round of laughter echoed within us.“But seriously,” Agatha said when the laugh subsided. “You cannot blame her. We two have not been able to handle the alpha as well.”“Speak for yourself,” Lara quickly snapped as if the statement had pricked her like a needle on the bare skin. “You ar
- Zafa -I could not take it anymore, waiting for Loveth to finish whatever game it was she was playing, hide and seek or whatever. Ever since the day I had her, she kept running away. I did not know for how long she was going to keep doing that, so I approached her, bruising my ego in the process, but I did not mind.I waited for her in the lobby, and not long after, she came passing. Immediately she saw me, she turned around and went the other way."Loveth," I called, running after her. "Loveth please wait."I caught up with her and held her hand but she brushed me away."For how long are you going to keep running away from me?" I asked."For as long as I must remain alive," She said coldly."Why are you sounding this way? Even after what we had?""After what?" She feigned ignorance. "We never had anything. There's never been anything between us and even if there has been and you cared, you wouldn't have acted like a bitch to me.""But that was before now, Loveth. I thought that by
- Aria -Someone walked into my room and I thought it was Loveth."You should knock on doors before walking into a room so you wouldn't see what the mouth will not be able to speak," I said playfully without looking up from the clothes I was knitting."I'm so sorry about that, Luna," Diane answered, and I shot my head up to look at her."What are you doing here?" I scowled at her and she moved back as if she was scared though I could see from her eyes that she was not shaken a bit by me"I am sorry, I just wanted to see you," she said with the innocence that she was devious of."And what for? How can you not knock before coming in?"Didn't your mother teach you any manners? I was at the brim of asking that but thankfully held it back."I'm so sorry, Luna; I did not mean to upset you."The incessant apologies were getting on my nerves already. Worse because I knew she did not mean any one of it.I took in a deep breath to steady myself."What do you want?" I spoke the words slowly as i
- Adonai -Aria stopped dead at the door and I quickly pushed Diane off me. She looked surprised for a while that I did then followed my eyes and turned round to the door.She had no expression on her face when she saw Aria. Aria walked away quietly and I ran after her."Aria wait..."But she was too fast and I did not want to create a scene outside where the maids and guards were parading."Shit, shit, shit," I muttered under my breath as I returned to the room. "Why did you do that?"I turned to Diane and she looked confused."Do what?" She asked."Hug me!" I half yelled. "Why did you do it?""Why? I thought you said we were family?" She looked at me and her eyes were getting teary."Yes I did, but..." I did not know what to say anymore. How the hell do I convince Aria that what she saw was not what it looked like?"It's just a hug, right?" Diane said but I was not listening to her. I was thinking of Aria.- Aria -I closed the door behind me and breathed out heavily. It can't be wh
Dante -How can I escape this? The guilt came washing down on me all over again and now Adonai wants that lady to remain in the palace. It was her knowing eyes and strong resolve about her mother's death that gnawed me the most. She seems to know more than we think she does.I couldn't even sleep well, filled with the fear that she might creep in on me. Those ceaseless dreams I had sponsored my worry. There has to be a connection but only I knew and felt it.I strolled out of the palace to clear my head but even while I walked, the same thoughts clouded my mind. I did not know how long I had walked till I began to see trees and realised I was approaching the border.I stopped and sat on a big stone to rest. Not long after, an arrow flew past me, missing my skin with just an inch. I jumped up, and a werewolf pinned me down, scratching my face. I winced and struggled to get it off me but it was quite strong.It stopped fighting and transformed into a beautiful young lady. We remained s
- Adonai -"I don't think this is a good idea, Adonai," Aria said. "I understand you want to console Diane as much as you can but having her in the palace is not a good idea.""And why is that?" I wanted to know."I just don't feel comfortable with it," she crossed her arms over her chest"You were the one who accepted her as a cook here in the first place. You did not see that as a problem until now that we know she is the daughter of a woman who was like family to me. Come on Aria.""You don't understand. It's not about her being Maria's daughter. It's her sneaky behaviour I am concerned about," she stated."She must have acted that way because of the intentions she came with, to find out about her mother's death," I explained, and when I did, I realised that it was no solid reason."She believed we killed her mother!" Aria stressed. " I wonder what gave her the belief but her resolve seems strong. All the words in that meeting did not make any sense to her. I am worried that she st
- Dante -I took two steps backwards instinctively when Diane revealed who she was."I need an explanation as to how my mother died," she said amidst tears, and I looked at Adonai."I have no explanation for that, Diane. I am so sorry for the death of your mother but you must know that we all felt the same," he consoled."You leave me with no choice than to think you killed her then," she said."Why would I kill your mother? She was like a mother to me too. Hell, she took care of me from childhood. She has served this household since my parents were alive. You think I would want to eliminate her?""Everyone knows you, alpha Adonai. You don't have feelings and you don't care about my mother. Stop acting like you do. Because if you did, you would have tried finding those that killed her. But ever since I stepped into the palace, I never heard of you trying to. The only thing you've got are stories. I demand to know how my mother died and why she had to die."My heart ached within me. I
- Zafa -It was such a dramatic evening. I couldn't help admiring Adonai for how well he solved everything. Ken walked away shamefully with the family he almost lost from the fire he created. Those innocent kids would have died because of his foolishness. I hope this teaches him the lesson he has refused to learn all these years.Everyone began to disperse, and I lost track of Loveth in the crowd. My eyes had been on her until she suddenly disappeared. I had wanted to have a word with her after everything had quieted down, but she was just out of my sight the moment I blinked my eyes.Was she avoiding me? Not after the hot night we had, right? Perhaps, she was just shy, or was it the moral guilt? I could not tell which it was. You can never tell with women.I might have to wait till she was done with the running and hiding games. One thing was certain, she wouldn't run forever.- Dianne -I dismissed the rest of the maids after dinner and finished the rest of the clean-up, humming a s
- Zafa -I woke up with a hangover and rolled off the bed. I walked straight to the bathroom to have a bath and felt much better afterward.I returned to find only a heap on the bed. Loveth was nowhere to be found. Now I couldn't remember if she was here when I had gotten off the bed or if she had left earlier.The memories from the previous night came rushing in and I felt a wave of excitement run through my veins. She had come to me.I knew she wouldn't be able to stay away for so long. That's my girl. Which makes things easier for me. I had thought it would take more to get her back but apparently, she was not as hard as she imagined herself to be. Leaving the army to stress me when all she wanted was a good fuck.I would have to let her know though, that doing what we did doesn't mean I had feelings for her. Sex wasn't love. After all, she was the one who came to me. Secondly, I was drunk so it wasn't me taking advantage of her.I knew how women can get when it comes to having sex
- Zafa -What the hell is wrong with me? Why have I allowed my emotions to get to me and make me treat Loveth the way I did?I did not mean to hurt her, even though I was upset with the way she was always with Dante. Now she has withdrawn from the army, and not only do I need her there, but that would mean she would be away from me.I can't have Loveth out. She is one of the best warriors I have."You can't resign...please," I instinctively added the last part. This is not the time to let my ego control my decisions, so I dropped it off and pleaded. But not even that could persuade her. She was rigid, so I decided to meet Aria instead. Perhaps she would listen to me.Aria had a blank look on her face when I spoke to her."Well, what do you want me to do?" She finally said when I was done."You could help me talk to her," I told her."I'm sorry but I can't. Loveth has made her choice and I respect her decision," she said."Luna please," I pleaded. "You know Loveth is one of the best w