~Ivory~As I walked past the King and Aurora, I felt the weight of their gazes upon me, their intense stares slitting through the air like a palpable force. I resolved not to break my stride; I didn’t want to acknowledge their presence. The room had fallen into a frosty silence as soon as they saw me. But I didn't spare them a glance. “Maya, were you in a fight with a chimera this time?” Aurora’s voice cut through the silence, my name from her lips forcing me to stop in my tracks. Her words were obviously a subtle attempt to mock me, dampen my ego. My blood boiled. Did she even know what it takes to face a chimera? Talk more; engage in a fight with it. If she had any idea how much I didn't want to hear the sound of her voice, she would have bottled her words in and allowed the silence to mask our feelings. I turned to face them, feigning a small smile as I replied, “It's Luna, Aurora. Do you need a whisperer to remind you every time you want to address me that you have to address me
~Ivory~The head omega’s voice crackled through the speakeasy, interrupting the tense atmosphere that almost held us captive. “Regina has been waiting, Luna. She sends words,” she announced, her tone singsong. King Zeeb’s gaze, which had been intently fixed on me, finally flickered, his eyes turning to the direction of the door. I huffed softly before making my way to the speakeasy to respond. “I will be with her shortly, Mrs. Gary. In the meantime, please serve her some finger chocolate pancakes. She must be famished from our intense learning.”“Right away, Luna. Your words are well understood,” she acknowledged, her voice fading into the distance as she retreated to carry out my instructions. I heard the soft clicks of her footsteps getting fainter, indicating that she had withdrawn from the room. I had to be more careful considering the strange package I received. I turned my attention to the King and said, “I’m afraid I’ve got to hurry. I have a meeting with Professor Talisman
~Ivory~ I gulped hard, my vision spinning from the impact of the news I just heard. Flashes of my past came flooding back, trying to engulf my thoughts. “Whore! Cheat!” The cruel words once hurled at me all echoed in my mind, threatening to crash my perfect composure. The memories I thought I had buried surfaced. It lasted for a few seconds, but it felt like eternity. But this was the beginning of a perfect revenge. I will bring Alaric to his knees; his ego will come crashing. He dared give orders to kill me without so much as a whisper of justification? He killed one who loved him dearly. He must dance to the tune of the music he has played. And as for Valerie, her freaking guts to displace me! She shall feel the pain I felt, the turmoil that burned my heart to ashes and nearly ravaged my soul. With a deep breath, I regained my composure and cleared my throat softly. “Permission will only be granted for such if the Alpha is critically ill—most extreme circumstances. Not par
~Ivory~ “Maya!” I heard the name repeatedly; it came with urgency. The King’s voice was unmistakable, loud and clear. But something was off—the King was not close, not anywhere around me as I scanned the plane. I was certain that I wasn't hallucinating, but the voice was clear in my mind. “Riley is dying,” his voice boomed again. This time, the voice seemed to be echoing in my mind, coming from within, which was strange and unsettling. Again, my eyes scanned the space frantically in search of clues, but King Zeeb was nowhere around. He wasn't present after all, yet his voice was still resonating in my mind. As if with a disembodied ghost, his distress whisper came again, but this time, slowly, then into a loud telepathic hum, “Stay, Riley, stay with me.” It felt like my senses were in a taut line hitch, unable to untangle themselves. I couldn't decipher what was at play. But when my wolf began to stir, it occurred to me that it was a mind-link instead! A mind-link? But h
~Ivory~That would be a drastic measure—inviting the dark witch of Gar. Known for her dark rituals, she would not only eliminate the enemy who had wronged her summoner but also hunt down the bloodline of the enemy and extinguish their lineage. It hadn’t come to that. That would be calling for a total wipeout of the families of all those involved in Riley’s illness, both the innocent and guilty. Was this part of the king’s formidability? The very thought of erasing entire bloodlines was a chilling prospect. What if, in the worst-case scenario, the perpetrator was someone close to the King, his own blood? I couldn’t help but wonder if this was a testament to his strong commitment to justice or the darker formidability of his nature.As my eyes met his tired gaze, I glimpsed an undercurrent of vulnerability beneath his wary gaze. Indeed he was King of all Kings, but I sensed that deep down, he was struggling to conceal the anguish from Riley's illness. Even though he couldn't say it alo
~Aurora~ Zeeb disappointed me, shattering the dream life I had fantasized about with him. How would you feel if the only man you have always ever dreamt of left you to chase shadows? Terrible was how I felt. I thought I was the one for him, the one who held a special place in his heart. He had a way of making me feel seen, heard, and loved, just the way he did with his sister, Heather. I remember how he’d never give her sister gifts without gifting me; he’d return with two gifts in hand—one for her and one for me. A thoughtful gesture that made me feel as though I was just as important to him as Heather. As I grew older, my affection for him intensified, and being around him was something I always yearned for. Even before he was crowned king, I had nicknamed him ‘king’ because that was who he was to me. But everything changed after his eighteenth birthday. And when that witch came into his life, he never spared me a second glance. He chose Adeline, although he knew I yearned
~Aurora~Like a patient predator, I crouched in the shadows of the crowd, waiting for the right moment to strike. I clutched a glass of intoxicating tonic in my hand, waiting for the right time to make a careless trip and spill the content of the glass all over my unsuspecting target, Zeeb. Just a whiff of the tonic will disorient him and send him to his room. I had calculated every move, every step, and I knew the timing had to be precise. Any misstep, and the entire plan will flop. But I am the smart, fearless daughter of Alpha Alphonsus, and I barely miss when I dare to strike.I observed him from a distance, sitting amidst his friends, his mouth parting in laughter. Even from afar, his joy was infectious. He sure was a Greek god, a paragon of masculinity that seemed to mesmerize women around him. Soon, his friends began to disperse in search of their own conquests, she-wolves to seduce and enthrall; he stayed. He sat majestically, taking in the crowd that had gathered to celebra
~Alpha King Zeeb~Aurora stopped in her tracks when she heard my resolve. Her fingers danced happily beside her, a telltale movement that spoke of triumph. She turned to face me, her lips curling into a sly smile as she bit her lower lips, indicating she had won. “Hmmm, what a swift change of mind. You couldn’t have made a better choice. Now, everyone will be happy, see? And that’s because you are a wise man. You know I cannot deliberately do anything to jeopardize your reign. For the sake of Heather, at least.”My curiosity got the better of me, and I found myself asking in a thick tone, “What do you know about Logan’s visit? What are his plans?”Although I had heard from the horse’s mouth, I wanted to tickle Aurora’s mind and have a glimpse of where she was headed. But she smartly responded instead, beating me to it, “Come on, King Zeeb, not so fast. He’s just playing around but he will strike, he sure will strike. But I hope your mother’s visit will calm the tension and probably
~Ivory~"We've heard so much about you. We're so glad to finally meet the famous Maya in person." A regal couple, whom Dimitris introduced as the Alpha and Luna of moonpack, extended their hands for a handshake, which I gladly took, accepting their greetings."Thank you very much for your kind words," I replied, still feeling awkward to be put under the spot. The Luna then proceeded to gush about my beauty."Everyone spoke of your beauty, but seeing you in person surpasses all expectations. You are indeed a catch." I gave a nervous chuckle as she continued, remarking on my pale skin and we fell into an easy conversation, the tension I felt earlier long forgotten. There was something about them that I found comforting. Another couple approached. I recognized the man from the assessment as a board member. Though we exchanged pleasantries, I sensed a subtle hostility in the way their eyes burned, the scrutiny, and the way they exchanged knowing glances between themselves, but I couldn't
~Ivory~I leaned into Zeeb’s touch. For a moment, I almost lost myself in his arms, everything fading into a blur around us—and that was what scared me. I was scared of losing myself yet again. I wanted to open up, to tell him about Mrs Nora and the visions I got, but I didn't know how. I didn't know where to start. So instead, I bottled it all up. “Please leave before anyone sees you here.” Instead, I pushed him away, afraid of confronting whatever this was. No matter the bridges I created between us, Zeeb always found a way to fill in the gaps.He was reluctant at first. I knew he wanted to oppose me, to challenge me, to say he didn’t care about being seen. It was right there, at the tip of his tongue, but he sighed, his shoulders slumping briefly before he nodded and placed a lingering kiss on my forehead.I watched him walk away. My wolf snarled at the back of my mind, crossed with me for ruining the moment with her wolf, but I couldn’t afford to entertain her shenanigans. Instea
~Alpha King Zeeb~ “So…” I trailed off, clearing my throat to gain Father’s attention. His normally hard features softened slightly, and I knew this was the perfect moment to finalize the discussion. No matter how difficult he was trying to be, I reminded myself that I was doing this for Heather. “About the mating ceremony…” His shoulders tensed instantly, a clear sign that this was a sore topic for him. He shook his head in disapproval before I could even finish. “We’ve been over this,” he said in a low, firm voice. This time, he fully turned toward me, his gaze sharp. “As far as I am concerned, no lineage of mine will be tied to bad blood, soiling our perfect generation. Derrick and Heather happening is out of the question, and that is final.” I clenched my fists, swallowing the fury bubbling inside me. Once again, Father was doing the same thing—dictating our lives under the guise of protection. I knew he had our best interests at heart, but his love came at a cost. I could
~Alpha King Zeeb~“Look who we have here.” Father’s voice carried the same quiet authority it always did, though his eyes never left the checkers board in front of him. He cleared his throat, tapping a red piece absentmindedly. “If it isn’t the almighty King himself.” He added, mumbling under him breath. I playfully rolled my eyes and exhaled, pulling my hands from my pockets. “Good day to you too, Father,” I said in a monotone voice, settling into the seat across from him.A ghost of a smirk played on his lips before disappearing just as quickly. Without looking up, he nudged a piece forward. “Your turn.”I rolled my sleeves up to my elbows, already recognizing the challenge in his voice. He was being his usual self—dictating the pace before I even agreed to play.He’d already decided we were playing before I even sat down.“I don’t recall agreeing to a game.” I grazed a piece, considering my next move. “…You always take the center first.” I completed, moving the pieces. Father smi
~Ivory~ What in the world is going on? I swallowed down my saliva hard, confusion twisting in my gut as I watched Mrs. Nora unravel completely before my eyes. “Nooo!!” she screamed loudly this time, her voice hoarse from sheer anguish, she pulled and tugged at her hair with frantic desperation, one which was unsettling. Her wide, unblinking eyes shimmered with terror as she twitched. “Bunch of liars… they are all a bunch of liars!” Her sudden outburst sent a shiver through me. Her wild gaze darted around the room as if looking for an escape before snapping to mine. For a moment, I swore she was looking right into my soul, searching for something, as if I were a piece of a puzzle she had long been trying to fit together. Something in the way she looked at me—like she knew me, as if she was seeing something beyond my flesh and bone. It sent ice through my veins. It was something more than just recognition. Almost like…. desperation, as if she were trying to reach me, to pull me into
~Ivory~The cold air slapped me in the face, causing me to stir sluggishly. I lay half awake, body sprawled on the giant bed as my hands searched frantically for the soft, furred blanket.It was morning already, and my body felt held back by the remnants of sleep. I longed to crawl right back into my blanket, but I had to rise when I couldn’t get hold of it. I yawned lazily as I sat upright, trying to make sense of the environment I woke up in.As I scanned the room, my eyes landed on the spectacular antler chandelier. It was then that I realized I was still at the reserved home.Gradually, I recalled events of the night, and a growl escaped my throat. Zeeb left like a beaten cat after I pushed him away. Sad about that? I honestly wasn’t sure how I felt. I got down from the bed and stretched my arms, trying to shake off the lingering fatigue from sleep. That’s when I heard the thrashing from afar. It sounded like glass on hard metal. My heart raced. I rubbed my eyes vigorously as if
~Alpha King Zeeb~I watched her retreat, her scent lingering in my olfactory tracts. Maya… I couldn’t get her off my mind. She was becoming the calm to my storm, someone whose constant presence I never seemed to get tired of. She clicked the door closed, leaving me with the absurd silence in the bathroom. Her footsteps faded away, and soon, I sensed her hurried movement in the room. I let out a soft huff, walked over to the Italian tub meant solely for a relaxing soak, and slid into it gently. I pressed the automatic faucet, setting it to relaxation mode, and let the gentle trickle of water wash over me.My mind wandered back to why my mom had come to see Maya. I presumed it was because of the earlier scene in the dining room; she might be trying to clear the air or make Maya feel more welcome. I sighed. Mom would always be Mom. My gaze drifted to the faucet, fascinated by the mechanism of water flow. I watched as the water trickled down in creative whirls, the therapeutic ointment
~Ivory~Her question hung in the air, met by my silence. I had a lot of things going on in my mind, and her intentions were at the forefront.She turned her gaze to me, her eyes boring into mine without a blink. “I want to know how much you care about him,” she said, “because it's obvious he does care about you too. Alpha Zeeb would never choose a woman he has no interest in as a temporary Luna.” It was sort of frustrating that I couldn't read her mind. If she were like one of those betrayers from my past, then she had met her match. Trying my best to keep my emotions in check, I let out a small smile. “He’s the king… and everyone should care about the king. I care about him, of course, as the almighty King Zeeb. As the temporary Luna, I care.” I licked my lips with the tip of my tongue and shifted slightly on the bed, trying to appear nonchalant.“Gosh. Don’t sell me that crap,” she said, waving her hand dismissively as she walked back to the handcrafted sofa in the center of the r
~Ivory~My wolf paced frantically in my mind, threatening to break free and pull back Zeeb’s mom. But I knew I couldn't let it out. Muscles tensing, I struggled to keep it in check.I strained my ears, trying to hear what she had heard. My senses went on high alert as I picked up the sound of Zeeb’s movement instantly. This was definitely the same sound his mother had heard, although it sounded so faint and distant. But what the hell was he doing? He promised he would be still.“Did you hear that?” she whispered again, tilting her head slightly.A crawling sensation crept up my spine, making me swallow hard as my thoughts roamed for possible answers.As my gaze lingered on her, I noticed her brows raise sharply, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. My eyes drifted to her hands, and I could see her fingers twitching restlessly by her sides. I wondered whether this had to do with the scent of her son that she caught earlier. I thought, perhaps, she was guessing he was somewhere around. I