Delilah's POV:Reaching the mansion, I fled inside where Dorian and other pack members were already waiting for me. Taking the bags from me, they started decorating the hall with balloons and other items. Leaving them to it, I moved to the kitchen with Isabella following me.She helped me gather all the ingredients and utensils that I needed and just like that, we were all set to make a birthday cake for my best friend. Honestly, I had never made a cake before but because the head chef was going to look over me, I was excited to give it a go.Isabella with other cooks set off to make lasagna, steaks, meatballs, and steamed lamb ribs whereas I readied the cake batter.After two hours and lots of mistakes and groaning, I had finally succeeded in making the chocolate fudge cake, Addy's favorite. Setting it in the fridge to cool, I exited the kitchen and moved to the hall.I halted at the entrance and took in the scene unfolding in front of me. Many of the pack members were busy decoratin
Two days later, it was time for Ragnor to bid us farewell. Adeline threw a heck of hell for him to stay but he patted her cheek gently, "I can't stay here anymore, Addy. I have left my people alone for so long and that's not good for security reasons."Addy engulfed him in a tight hug and said with watery eyes, "You have been with me in the toughest time and I'll forever be grateful for that. All bickering aside, you are the truest friend, warlock."He ruffled her hair playfully and grinned widely, "I promise to be here at your wedding tho."That was just another hot topic in our lives at the moment. Adeline and Luke were going to get married in the next three months. Luke was going to take her as his Chosen Mate and none of us knew how it would go but Adeline was all ready for the thrill ride.Before the day Luke returned to the mansion, he had finally found Daniel. Lifeless and rotting in the north mountains. Initially, Daniel had tried to run away but guilt must have been intolerab
Delilah's POV:Ragnor stared out the window for a long minute during which my breath was stuck in my lungs. Finally, straightening up, he started again, "Of course, her alpha, Max, didn't really care about Katherine or her well-being but only saw the golden opportunity which he wasn't going to miss that easily. Getting advantage of Rick's interest in Katherine, Max demanded a hefty amount in return for her. Rick, who was loaded with money, handed the amount without any hesitation and just like that, Katherine was sold by her own alpha to Rick."His words were making me sick. Alphas were supposed to protect their pack members at all costs but this Max was a psychotic shit of an alpha to not only trade his women but also sell them in exchange for benefits.I hissed out disgustingly, "What about the council? They didn't do anything about it?"I don't know what I was expecting in the answer because I should have known better what that fucking council members were capable of. Ragnor let ou
Delilah's POV:With my heart in my throat, I listened to every word leaving Ragnor's mouth, "After running away from Rick, Katherine knew that she might not have a chance at life but going back was the last thing on her mind. She wasn't ready to give up just like that."He heaved a long and tired breath, "Of course, she couldn't go to the council for help because his puppets would have sent her back to Rick and then he would make her life even more of a dreadful hell for running away from him."I hurled a curious question at him, "Was she a member of any pack?"His lips stretched into thin lines, "After selling her to Rick, Max cut off pack ties with Katherine. She would have gone rogue, so Rick forced her to join his pack. She didn't have much choice but to do as she was told. But after running away, Katherine cut off all ties with Rick's pack and rejected her as her Alpha."I nodded in understanding, "If she hadn't, then Rick would have found her by using the alpha command."Ragnor
Delilah's POV:As soon as the car screeched to a halt in front of the mansion, Adeline rushed toward us and hurled hundreds of questions at us. Ragnor opened the back door and carried Katherine in his arms.Eyeing her fragile body, Addy asked, "Who is she? And what happened to her?"I patter her cheek lightly, "I'll tell you everything soon but for now, let's go inside and settle her down."We walked to the guest's quarters and I opened the room next to Ragnor's. As he placed her on the bed, I covered her with a comforter, and asked Addy, "Where is Xander?" I wanted to inform him about bringing Katherine to the mansion as soon as possible.She looked from Katherine to me, "He and Luke have gone to the Council building to look into some matters."I remembered how some alphas were writing to him and pestering him about forming a new council and selecting the members. Every other alpha was eyeing a seat at the Council and at the power that was going to come with it. He must be dealing wi
Delilah's POV:A moment later, Adeline came beside me and slid her arms around my back. I hugged her tightly as tears flew freely out of my eyes. She patted my back gently and whispered, "It's okay. It's going to be alright. I know how you are feeling right now but don't jump to the conclusions yet."Well, she could say that because things worked out for her but I couldn't say the same for me. Unlike Luke, Xee's mate was alive and certainly not some psychotic villain who was going crazy to kill us.Adeline took me into the kitchen and was pouring the glass of water when Katherine's door flung open and out came a very angry-looking Xee. He was in a battle. With himself. I saw him shifting within a second and sprinting out of the mansion, toward the woods.Offering me the glass of water, Adeline commented, "He didn't even stay longer in there."I knew she said that to make me feel good but I didn't need anyone's pity on the matter. Things were going to get messy and I wasn't ready to dea
Delilah's POV:The next morning, I woke up with bulky hands around me. I snuggled deeper into the warm body behind it but before I could relish his warmth, it all clicked immediately in my mind. My heart sank deeper into my chest cavity as reality hit me hard in the face.I took a deep breath and inhaled his scent, locking it away in my memories. My heart twisted and before I could start my day with tears, I wriggled out of his embrace and padded into the washroom.Getting undressed, I stood under the hot stream of shower and hung my head between my shoulders. Never before in my life had I felt so unsure and lost. What exactly was I doing here? Waiting to be kicked out? Or waiting for some kind of miracle?Akira whimpered in my head, "What are we going to do now?"I heaved a deep sigh, "We'll see about that, Akira. I don't want you to be some weakling wolf at this moment. Buckle up and prepare yourself for the ride we are going to take ahead."Behind me, I heard a soft knock on the do
Delilah's POV:By the time Xee was back from his room in a fresh pair of clothing, I had tied my hair up in a bun. He slipped his hand in mine and I intertwined our fingers together. We left my room and padded down the stairs.Luke and Adeline were already settled on the table. As we made our way toward the dining table, I felt the air thickening with tension.Other than me and Xee, only Luke and Adeline knew that Katherine was Xee's fated mate and none of us had discussed the matter yet. I didn't want this weird elephant to remain in the room but I couldn't give any statement when I myself wasn't sure about anything.Just as we reached the table, Ragnor and Katherine entered behind us. I felt Xee sucking in a sharp breath as he turned away and pulled out a seat. There was no denying that she was affecting him. How small it was but it was there.Facing Katherine, I plastered a smile on my face and cheered, "Good Morning, Katherine. How are you doing now? Feeling better?"To my utter su
EPILOGUE AFTER 7 YEARS: Delilah's POV: "But Mommy, I asked for the chocolate cake. I do not like pineapple one." Elina stated with finality. "Why does it matter, Ellie? It's okay if mommy couldn't get a chocolate cake," responded Liam. At that, Elina narrowed her eyes menacingly at her brother and reprimanded the innocent soul, "Some of us do have tastes and standards, Lee. It's my birthday, I get to have all that I want today." "As if that doesn't happen every other day of the year," Adeline chuckled. Elina pretended to gasp and hooked her hands on her hips, "Aunt Addy, that's not fair. You ought to be on the girls' team." Liam reminded her as an afterthought, "By the way, it's my birthday too." Eline tried to roll her eyes, another thing she had learned from her beloved Aunt Addy, "Ugh, please don't keep reminding me that. I don't like the fact that I even have to share a birthday with you, Liam." I have no idea how I got to have two kids with completely different personali
Delilah's POV:A moment later, the whole lawn glowed in the soft, golden glow. The whole setup was looking even more beautiful at night, exceeding all of my expectations. His footsteps halted as Xee was taken aback by the arrangements. Tilting his head to the sides, he assessed the whole area twinkling in the fairy lights and fresh flower decor. And then, his eyes widened as they landed on me. He took his time to gawk at me from head to toe multiple times, reincarnating all the butterflies in my stomach. Resuming his steps, which were slower now, he walked over to me. Grabbing my hand in a gentle hold, he lifted it and placed a soft kiss on its back, "I am 100% sure that I am not forgetting any important date. It isn't your birthday today nor any important day for us." I let out a soft chuckle, "You are kinda right." Letting go of my hand, he wrapped his big palms around my waist and whispered in my ear, "Then to what do I owe the pleasure to behold such a glamorous beauty today?"
Delilah's POV:It was that time of the year.The Claiming Ball was to be held by the Lycan/ Werewolf Council so that all the unmated males and females come in proximity and have a chance to meet their fated mates.As a member of the council, I and Xee were invited to attend the Claiming Ball and we had a good chuckle at the remembrance of our bittersweet memories of the last Ball.I was standing at the side while unmated males and females indulged themselves in the dance as per ritual. My eyes spotted Xee busy in a conversation with the other members of the Council.I was just about to make my way over to him when a tall figure blocked my way. I lifted my head to find a young man whom I had never seen before.I tilted my head to the side, "Have we met before?"He kept staring at me and then finally shook his head, "I hate to say this but no, we haven't met before."My eyebrows creased together. He was probably from some other territory who was attending the annual ball in the hope of
Delilah's POV: The next morning, I woke up to the sound of commotion. My eyes peeked open and I yawned, already feeling the soreness in my body. I winced at the pain when I stood up and slowly walked to the window. My eyes widened with shock as I saw Ethan standing in front of the mansion, hollering at the top of his lungs, "I don't give a fuck. Let me go inside this instant or otherwise..." He clamped his mouth shut when a new guard stopped by the gate, "The King said to let him inside." The guards opened the gate and Ethan huffed angrily before making his way inside the mansion. What the hell was he doing here? Quicking donning my PJs, I made my way downstairs slowly, thanks to the soreness. I arrived in the hall just in time to see Ethan entering. Xee was sitting on the couch in a suit, sipping his black coffee whereas Ethan was looking all disheveled and upset. He stopped in front of Xee and yelled, "What the hell is wrong with you?" Xee kept his calm and only raised his eye
Delilah's POV: As a wedding present, Xee had gifted the Europe tour for Luke and Addy. Due to some issue with tickets, they had to leave the night of the wedding day. After the reception was over and the guests were gone, we returned to the mansion. Everything seemed to happen in a fast motion and none of us rested until after bidding farewell to the newlywed couple for their honeymoon. It was only once they were gone had I returned to my room. It was such a hectic day and I couldn't wait to don my comfortable PJs and hit the soft mattress. Standing in front of the vanity, I was removing my makeup when the door flung open. In came the Lycan King, looking heavenly gorgeous in the black tuxedo. Hot lava spilled inside me as I noticed his eyes traveling down my body. His hand curved around the nape of his neck and he smiled, "You were looking so beautiful today that it was practically impossible to peel my eyes off of you." I knew he was right. I had constantly felt a pair of eyes g
3 Months Later: Delilah's POV:"I am really getting concerned about you, Delilah," I heard Xee behind me.I looked over my shoulder and found him with a tray in his hands, "Why is that?"He placed the tray holding a glass of milk and cookies on the coffee table and walked over to my desk, "Because for the last 3 months, you've been working nonstop."I let out a soft chuckle, "Now you are exaggerating."His eyebrow quivered higher, "No, I am not. Can't remember the time when I've not seen you hunched up on the desk, sticking your nose in all those books, jotting down your notes, and whatnot."Well, he was kind of right about that. Lately, I have been having a really hectic routine. After waking up early in the morning, I'd go to training. After breakfast, I'd be in the clinic that Xee had recently built me in his territory. I have been working hard to polish my skills as a Healer.I have started treating patients and I loved interacting with all the people. Occasionally, I'd even go on
Delilah's POV:Once again, I became the target of everyone's attention but I didn't let the nervousness or panic get hold of me as they all turned their eyes toward me.Instead, I took a deep breath and got up from my seat. Addy rushed in my direction, "What happened, Dee? Why are you interrupting?"I made a mental note to have a proper talk with Addy after returning to the mansion but for now, I had something more important to take care of.Without responding to her, I turned around and jumped down the stage. Gasps chorused around me as I landed on the Duel Ground but I paid none of it any heed.I kept walking to where Xee was pinning Ryan to the ground. The frown between Xee's brows deepened. He opened the mindlink, "What are you doing here?"He didn't sound pleased at all. Well, we were on the same page then. Shutting the mindlink down, I reached him. I tried to keep my calm but my nostrils still flared when I ordered Xee, "Get off of him, Alpha."A flash of betrayal shone in Xee's
Delilah's POV:"What have you been doing all day?" Addy asked curiously.I closed the journal I was writing on and shrugged lightly, "Just working on a few important things."Her gaze shifted to my study table but she passed no comment. Nodding her head, she said, "I am waiting downstairs. Be quick."Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I turned toward my closet and took out a pair of black jeans and a black shirt. It took me no more than fifteen minutes to get ready.When I climbed down the stairs, I noticed that the mansion was eerily quiet and empty. My eyes swept the area, "Has everybody gone to the duel?"Addy raised her eyebrow and remarked, "Who exactly would want to miss the chance to experience such a duel?"At this point, I was confirmed that my best friend had gone crazy just by living among the lycans for a few months.The car was already waiting for us outside the mansion. As soon as we settled inside, the driver revved up the engine and started driving toward the Council
Delilah's POV:In the room, I kept pacing the floor restlessly with a thousand thoughts swirling in my mind. It was only when I heard a knock on the door I took a breath of relief.I rushed to open the door and inhaled sharply at the sight of Isabella standing on the other side with a cup of coffee.I ushered her inside and closed the door behind her. She smiled lightly and placed the cup on the coffee table. She was about to go back when I blocked her way to the door.She eyed me nervously. I wondered whether she was thinking the same thing that I was.My eyebrow quivered higher as I inquired, "What do you know about Ryan Hooper, Isabella?"Her eyes widened as she swallowed the lump in her throat, "We are not to talk about him in this mansion."I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to make her understand calmly, "I don't care about that, Isabella. Just know that it is very important for me to know all that you do."She fidgeted her fingers together nervously, weighing her options.