I sighed deeply, trying to ignore the infuriatingly smug expression on Noah's face. It wasn't the first time he had insulted me with his so-called compliments. I knew he didn't really mean them, but that didn't make them any less irritating. "I wish you wouldn't call me that," I replied, keeping my tone as neutral as possible. "You know I don't like it." Noah chuckled, a sound that grated on my nerves. "What, 'your highness'?" he said. "But you are my mate, my queen. Don't you think you deserve a little respect?" I rolled my eyes. He was mocking me and it was very intent. I hated it when he was all smug. He was too arrogant, and oh goddess, i hated him so much. I hated seeing his handsome face, As I looked at him, I couldn't help but notice the way his dark hair was slicked back, revealing the sharp angles of his face. His skin was bronzed and seemed to glow in the light, as if he had just returned from a tropical vacation. His tall frame towered over me, and I couldn't help but
The sudden darkness that ruled the night had cleared off but my mind was still very stormy. A cold breeze whipped through the night, sending a shiver down my spine. I was by my window in my room, that overlooked a fair share of the kingdom, one of the many places that reminded me of my current predicament. I couldn't help but wonder how I had ended up in this situation, mated to someone I didn't even like. And then, like a bad omen, I heard the sound of footsteps coming towards my room. I already knew who it was, and my heart sank as the door opened to reveal him standing there. "Bailey," he said with a hint of annoyance in his voice, "You always manage to be in my space.” That voice that i hated so much. That same voice that brought sparks to my chest. As much as i hated it. I turned to face him, taking in his appearance once again. His dark hair was still slicked back, and his tan skin looked even more pronounced in the moonlight. He looked as arrogant as ever, and I could fee
As I walked over to my vanity, I caught my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were red and puffy from crying, but I refused to let my sadness show on the outside. I straightened my posture and looked at myself with determination. I knew that I needed to start taking action if I wanted to change my situation. I needed to find a way to break the bond between Noah and me, to be free from this loveless marriage. But how? the sky, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of sadness wash over me. Being mated to Noah was not what I wanted for myself. I missed my family, my friends, and the life I had before this forced union. My mind drifted to Nita, my best friend since childhood. She would always be there for me, no matter what. I wished she was here with me now, to offer some comfort and support. But I knew that wasn't possible. I was alone in this, with no one to turn to but myself. As I thought about my situation, a wave of determination swept over me. I couldn't just accept my fate a
As I walked down the hallway, I noticed a group of ladies huddled together, whispering and giggling. They fell silent as I approached, and I could feel their eyes on me as I passed by. I tried to ignore them, but their hushed tones made me curious. What were they talking about? Was it about me? I quickened my pace, eager to get away from their stares and their whispered gossip. But as I turned a corner, I heard one of them say, "Did you hear about Bailey? She's been forced to marry Noah. Can you imagine? Next time, she would learn to keep her mouth shut.” My heart sank. I knew I was the subject of their gossip. I felt like I was on display, like I was some sort of circus freak for them to gawk at. I could hear their laughter and their snickers as I walked away, and it made me feel small and insignificant. I was just another pawn in the game of the palace, another piece to be moved around and talked about. I longed to be back home with my family and friends, where I was accepted f
The red liquid swirled around in my crystal clear glass as I stared into the horizon from my spot at the window. The red hue of my drink caught my eye and I chuckled lightly. From here, it looked just like blood,but blood wasn't as tasty as this was. Although there were a few creatures that would blatantly disagree. Why would a werewolf or vampire even drink blood?. I actually chuckled as I sipped on my drink. I couldn't remember the last time I stood to gaze out the window. Even while growing up, it only ever happened on rare occasions, after the incident. The incident that changed everything. But in the span of three days, the window sill had become my close companion. I'd pondered on issues, well just one major issue and somehow, I always got clarity after everything. If I wasn't careful, he'd be next in line to replace Eric. My ears twitched, cutting my monologue short. I whirled around immediately, my back against the window. The dining area was shrouded in darkness, but I co
But I didn't back down. Instead, I glared at him, feeling a sense of satisfaction in seeing his calm facade break. "I'm tired of you threatening me, Noah. I won't stand for it anymore. I may have been forced to marry you, but that doesn't give you the right to treat me like this." Noah stood up, his eyes blazing with anger. I could feel the tension in the air, like a storm waiting to break. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, Bailey. You have no idea what kind of power I hold." Noah's expression twisted with anger. "What do you think you're doing, Bailey? You can't just barge in here and make demands. You're nothing but a pawn in this game, and you'd do well to remember that." His words stung, but I refused to back down. "I won't be treated like this, Noah. I'm your mate, not your servant. I demand to be treated with respect." Noah snorted, his eyes flashing with contempt. "Respect? You don't deserve respect. You're lucky to even be here. If it were up to me, I
I couldn't stop thinking about her. Her fiery spirit, her stubbornness. I had always prided myself on being in control, on being the one to call the shots. But Bailey had thrown me off balance, and I didn't know how to regain my footing. As I sat at my desk, trying to focus on the task at hand, all I could see was her face, her eyes filled with anger and defiance. And yet, there was something else there, something that made my heart skip a beat. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. This was not the time to be distracted. I had a kingdom to run, and I couldn't let my feelings for one woman cloud my judgment. But even as I tried to push her out of my mind, I couldn't deny the attraction I felt for her. Her curves, her scent, the way she moved - it all drew me in, like a moth to a flame. It was a dangerous game I was playing, one that could cost me everything. But as I sat there, lost in thought, I couldn't help but wonder - was it worth it? I knew the answer, deep down. N
FLAHBACK (Before The Ceremony) The low hum of the fan swirling around filled the room. The bright bulb from up the ceiling hurt my eyes but I was too tired to switch it off. Tired? I didn't think that was the word. All I knew was I didn't like the way I was feeling and this bright light wasn't helping matters. Tapping around my bed lighly, my hand found a rubber ball. Lisa's ball. Channeling some part of my frustration to the ball, I threw it and it bounced right on the socket, shredding the room into total darkness. I guess playing catch with Lisa had it's advantages. "Who is it?" I groaned. That knock on my door was the last thing I needed right now. " Just go away." "Bailey, it's me." Nita's soft voice came from the other side. " Please open up." "I'm sleeping." I pressed my face on a pillow, muffling my voice in the process. "Just go away." The door creaking open let me know Nita in fact did not take my advise. Before I could yell Jack Robinson the lights came back on and
"Attention everyone." I smiled giddily as Noah knocked on a champagne glass continuously with a spoon. " I would like to make a toast."Amidst the chatter of people that had died down, my hand found Noah's and the reassuring squeeze he gave made me smile all the more. " After the defeat of the rogues and my cousin that tried to invade the kingdom, my wife and I have good news to share with you, we're expecting a baby."The cheer that erupted from the crowd was massive. From the corner of my eyes at the buffet table, I watched dad wipe off a tear from his eyes. Mum on the other hand couldn't stop mouthing I'm going to be a grandma soon. "On this note, eat, drink and make merry. " Another round of applause followed Noah as he settled back down into his seat next to me. An upbeat tune filled the air as the musicians just at the corner of the stage began to play. What was a wedding with some music, right?"I know I'm not the only one who's been dying to ask this." Mother chipped in. "Wh
I was stunned, stuck in between anger and frustration at his tone. How could he even mutter that, like he didn't just snap my cousin's neck into half."You bastard!" I couldn't stop the tears from falling at this point. " How dare you ..""I told you. " His smile was smug. "She's nothing to me, nothing but a pawn that has served its purpose and she had to go. You're the one I'm doing this for. Join me, be my rogue queen and let's rule this kingdom together."" I…" whatever insults I was about to rain on Eric were cut short by the sound of a horn blaring loudly. It was ear deafening and for a moment after it had passed I could still hear my ears ring. I glanced at Eric and the fury on his face could only mean two things, either he was still mad at me or the horn signified the start of something else. Something neither Eric and I were ready to face. Before I could get any more words out,the sound of stomping feet reached my ears. It didn't take any more time for the owner to come; a rog
The last thing I wanted was to listen to this fool ramble on, but at this point I liked to think the urge to satisfy my curiosity was way more important than anything else."It was a fine cold night." He started in something I only assumed to be his imitation of a poetic voice. To be honest, he actually sounded like a croaking frog on a broken record. " I was pondering on ….""Would you get to the point?" I cut him off. "The faster we talk, the quicker I don't get to hear your annoying voice anymore.""Well someone's in a bad mood." Eric smiled, his huge grin giving him a creepy look. " I wouldn't say I blame you though, Given the pathetic position you're in …""Just get to it!" I snapped, cutting him off. His smile melted into a look of annoyance qnf it was my turn to smile now. " We don't have all day.""Fine." He was less enthusiastic than in the beginning. " I've always had one goal in my life, for a long time and that has been to bring dear Noah down. But you see, my plan had alw
The plink plink sound of water leaking out from somewhere was the first sound I registered when I regained consciousness. Slowly, I peeled my eyes open and it was weird; I felt not an ounce of pain as I wearily stared at my surroundings. Usually, the mere thought of even opening my eyes came with an intense amount of pain. So why then didn't I……"Arghhhhh." I had no idea about how long I was passed out for, but the fact that I could yell so loudly was strange, given that I was supposed to be weak and we'll honestly, dead or halfway dead. " What the hell? What's going on?"It was no surprise that no one else could answer the many questions I had so I decided to take matters into my own hands by taking a quick survey of my surroundings, not like I had so much of a choice anyway. High grey walls stared back at me. From the corner of my eyes I could make out a tiny hole in the ceiling, that's where the leak was coming from. Green moss lined the floors and a pungent smell hit my nose. I wa
I wasn't quite sure what exactly had triggered the excruciating pain in my head, if it was seeing Noah struggling and all tangled up in a net trap or perhaps Eric walking in like he owned the forest alongside the kingdom. I never liked Eric and always thought he was up to some kind of shady business and now he'd proved it. Or perhaps it was even Nita who had shockingly appeared beside this monster or maybe I was just hallucinating after being tortured and unconscious for a good amount of time in this forest. Either way the pain in my head wasn't relieving for one bit and the way the new pair of people droned on, seemed to amplify the hurt in my head."That's Queen Nita to you now." She smirked. " Right Alpha Eric?"I hadn't heard right. There was no way I'd just heard what Nita had just said, or maybe the pain in my head was jugging up my ability to understand sentences now. Yeah, that had to be it."Yes, my Queen." I fought the urge to barf at Eric's words. Underneath that will to vo
NOAH'S POV The atmosphere was tense, the air in the room stuffy. The temperature was humid too and the feel of the damp slimy liquid snaking down my back only worsened my mood. I spun to the large window in the room and realized it was open. It was, so why was I feeling like I'd been dropped right in the middle of a volcano that was just about to erupt. I tore my gaze away from the window and onto the men that stood with me in the throne room, each one a good difference from the others. They were all at alert, each one ready and avoiding my gaze but I couldn't see a trace of the humidity I was feeling. "Was I the only one suffering this predicament?"Any news yet?" The question slid past my lips immediately but I didn't regret it. "Have you found anything else?""Asides the reports that were brought in earlier." The guard who spoke up paused after that. If it was for suspense or he was simply reading the room, I wasn't quite sure. There was one thing I was sure about though, if h
I stood rooted to my spot, the height of the doors towering over me. I'd been here lots of times but somehow, and strangely today and at this moment, I didn't want to go in. I didn't even want to be anywhere near here in the first place. But was it necessary? Yes, highly important even. Did I have another alternative? Obviously yes. Did I really have to inform Noah this time? Not really, but I wasn't too keen on doing this all wrong. I shook my head of the many thoughts and questions that were trying to creep in. It wouldn't take long before they would all swarm me and keep me disoriented for the rest of the day. It was a surprise why Noah hadn't called me out for loitering about his front door for a while now because I was very sure he could feel and hear me, thanks to his heightened werewolf senses. Why he was quiet about it though, I had no idea."I thought you didn't want to come in." He let out immediately the door creaked open. His back was turned to me but I couldn't help but f
I didn't see that coming. I knew yelling and pushing all of his buttons would definitely get a reaction out of him but I wasn't expecting what he just did in a million years. And you know what was worse, I actually let him go further with it. The moment his lips brushed with mine, I should have kicked against it. I should have hit him square in the jaw and given him a kick in the groin. Even biting down hard on his lips wouldn't have been bad. Instead I let him in, and shamelessly let my eyelids flutter shut while I was at it too. He definitely wasn't expecting it, the soft gasp he let out was proof enough. I knew that I knew so little about Noah, but never in a million universes did my mind going to him being a good kisser. Scratch that, an excellent one.The way his lips seemed to move over mine definitely needed to be studied. It was smooth and silky and I found myself aching for even more pleasure his tongue seemed to be giving. With each time our lips collided, something shifted
NOAH'S POV "I have done all you've asked of me, my King." I was barely listening to the man in front of me. I knew he was speaking, hell, I could see his lips work up and down but for the life of me, I just couldn't register one word he was saying. " The borders have been checked and are all under twenty four hours surveillance.""I don't need to listen to you. Any of this." Bailey. Her words buzzed in my ear. It'd been ringing for so long that if I wasn't careful, I was sure I wouldn't be able to recognize my own voice or my wolf's either."Are you listening to me, Sire?" He caught my attention for a while. I nodded and gave a wave of my hand, an obvious gesture that he should go on with whatever it was he was rambling about." There's no way anyone would be able to sneak in. An army of rogues invading, is highly unlikely at this point. Impossible, even."That amount of security and still Bailey escaped, to only the goddess knows where. Where the hell was she? She had been gone f