~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
~Alpha King Zeeb~ My brows furrowed in concern, “Father’s absence? What do you mean by that, Heather? I thought you talked to Mom about this already and said she is on it.” I had heard of our father’s grumbling about her mate’s family in the past. But I thought all that had been settled and we were all rooting for a perfect bond between her and Derrick. But now, it seemed there was more to the story. She brushed Force’s back with a curry comb gently as she responded, her voice calm and measured, “He still insists that he won’t be present because my Derrick’s father disrespected his reign back in the day. Remember, he was a strong opposing force, and Father says he can’t afford to see any of his pups mating with the son of who challenged his authority.” “You sure he said that?” “Yes, why would I say things I’m not sure of, Zeeb? In fact, we both know that father wants me to reject him. A recluse like me, reject a fated mate?” My lips curled into a knowing smile. She was over
~Ivory~ King Zeeb flopped down on the handcrafted couch in the room, his tall frame sinking into the cushion as he crossed his long legs. He gave me a piercing gaze that sent sparks of connection through my body. I swallowed hard, trying to resist his charming pull. He ran his hand through his long hair as he spoke in the softest tone, momentarily husky, “You’re Maya; she’s Adeline,” he paused, his gaze never leaving mine as he added. “Come here, Maya. Come sit with me, my love.” Like a maid answering the call of her master, I walked slowly to the couch and slid into the furry surface. I was heating up within. He moved closer to me, his body almost touching mine. His words poured out more like a confession, “Adeline was dear to me, a big part of my life. The fact is that she can never be erased from my memory; she has her place in my heart, but I know that I must move on… It’s not even a question of if I should; I know I must. I must move on without her. He paused and sm
I heard the heavy sound of footsteps outside the room. It grew louder with each passing moment. Startled by the unexpected sound, my senses heightened. Immediately, I laid Riley down on the bed, trying not to disturb her slumber. I snapped my gaze to the door, my eyes steadying on the knob. I noticed the knob began to move, and suddenly, the door creaked open. Then came someone I hadn’t expected to see—Logan. He stood in the doorway with an air of unmistakable confidence, his eyes locking into mine intensely.My expression changed from neutral to alarmed as I took in the sight of him. What was he doing here? I swallowed hard, my voice coming out high-pitched as I called out, “Logan?”His scent filled the room as he stepped in, his tall frame moving gallantly towards me and Riley. My heart began to beat faster, an unnerving sensation about to consume me. He looked even more like Zeeb, his hair done in Zeeb’s favorite style. But the earlier attraction I had towards him had plummeted,
~Ivory~Zeeb’s eyes darted between Logan and me, his face twisting into a dark scowl as he entered the room. He growled at Logan, his voice low and menacing, “What the hell are you doing here, Logan?” He approached us briskly, his eyes blazing with a fierce light.Meanwhile, Logan seemed utterly unshaken by his entrance. “Well, well, well,” he drawled, his lips curling into a pretentious small smile as he turned to face Zeeb. “Look who we have here.” He laughed out mirthlessly. “The Alpha King himself. I came to check on my sweet Riley.”He moved in slow, deliberate strides towards Zeeb as he continued. “Good to see you again, brother. I have had such a wonderful time here. All thanks to you for hosting me.” His tone dripped with insincerity, his eyes gleaming with a mocking light. Through gritted teeth, Zeeb’s words spat out dangerously, “On whose permission are you here, Logan? You are the last person I’d want Riley to see.”“Tsk... brother!” Logan said with a wave. “Why such a f
~Alpha King Zeeb~ I’ve had moments as a King, moments of reflection, wishing I had done things more differently. Now I see the role Adeline played in my life, her shield as Luna. Call it support or whatever, it’s still a shield, a subtle protection to my reign. Even if I try to convince myself that there it was no shield, it still won't change the truth. Despite her own struggles and doubts, she persevered, always considering me. She shielded me until she lost herself in it. I remember times I'd wake up to find her visibly stressed, yet she would don a warm smile, reassuring me that everything was fine with this household and urging me not to worry about her. She carried the weight of hidden rivalry eating deep within, and now that she’s no more, I’m left with the glaring truth that I didn't try enough. She'd say, “You worry so much about what happens in here, Zeeb. Why am I here then? I'm here to support you; focus on the people you lead while I coordinate our servants in thi
~Ivory~~A few cycles later~“I've never seen anything like this before. This is breathtaking, Zeeb!” I gasped in awe while sitting in the passenger’s seat, amazed by the edifice that stood before us. The reserved home was an appetizing meal for the eye, satisfying to watch. It had been several cycles since the chaos surrounding Anna’s disappearance. Despite all of Alpha King’s attempts to track her down, she still was not found. The issue was later laid to rest afterwards, but Zeeb wasted no time to install CCTV within the house, an indication that he understood what was threatening to happen to his reign.For me, Anna’s disappearance was unexpected; it shocked me to the bones and was still resonating deep within me. It was a stark reminder and a pointer to how much rivalry may befall my stay in the packhouse. Tongues wagged secretly among the servants about how some undisclosed servants were unhappy with Adeline when she was alive, which only added to my unease. Although none of t
~Ivory~Trying to ease myself of the growing tension in the room, I reached out quietly for a glass of water and took a sip while Dimitris and Zeeb continued to go back and forth as they conversed. “This visit sure has nothing to do with Logan, Dad,” Zeeb revealed, working his cutlery slowly on his plate. I could tell that the mention of Logan stung his ears. Dimitris cleared his throat, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “So what is it about? I’m curious, son. It's so unusual of you, so I’m intrigued and anxious at the same time about your visit.” He paused, as though measuring his words. Then a small smile crept onto his face.“I remember how you made it clear that you wanted an independent reign, free of my influence, to be your own king without my input. And I’ve been doing my best to give you space, avoiding my own son like a plague. Isn't that what you wanted?"Swallowing hard, I processed his words. What an irony of life. It was crazy how life worked out. Zeeb didn't want his da
~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
~Ivory~“I lost my sense of reason with you around,” Zeeb teased nonchalantly, his voice barely above a whisper. I shot him a stern look, my expression unamused. “I don’t think this is funny, Zeeb…”But before I could say more, the knock sounded again, louder and more insistent. I gently pulled away from Zeeb, intending to get out of the freestanding tub and answer the door. But he gripped me gently on my wrist, making me stagger and lean back on him instead. His voice came soft and low as he whispered into my ears, “Where are you going?” He wrapped his hands around my waist. “Stay with me, Maya. They can knock all they want,” he added, his voice sounding like a subtle command.His touches sent signals through my body, his charm drawing me in. For a second, I almost gave in to his demands, but I thought better about it. I brushed his hands off, my voice low as I responded, “No, I’ll be quick. I’ll get the door. You’ll have to hide here for a couple of minutes, though. Should be on
~Ivory~I gasped, my whole body tingling with a heightened tactile sensation. We were both lost in our world of erotic encounter. Our bodies moved in perfect sync as we explored the moment.“Urghhh…” he slurred, his baddie tone dripping with ecstasy as he buried his whole length inside me, thrusting with calculated precision. And in a fleeting haze, I felt the wetness of his bodily fluid on my belly, his face contorting in response to his release. He crashed on the bed as he held onto his engorged length. “You’re one hell of a woman, Maya. I guess you will become my favorite meal henceforth.”I smiled satisfactorily as I rested my face against his toned abs, relishing the moment. “I don’t know what to say now; I’m not sure how to put my feelings into words…” but my words trailed off before I could let out all my thoughts, my mind wandering back to Aurora. Does he also say the same to her? No matter how hard I tried to push her off my thoughts, I couldn’t get myself to accept his ent
~Alpha King Zeeb~Clearly agitated by the topic, Father sprang up on his feet, his hand slamming furiously on the dining table, indicating that I had hit the wrong chord. “Dimitris, please, this is not the time. For the sake of the moon goddess, let’s eat,” Mom pleaded, her voice cracking worriedly.His face that had turned red in anger soon softened. Sighing deeply, he lowered himself onto his seat and sat right back. But I wasn’t moved by his stern reaction. That was typical of King Dimitris. My dad was sometimes a difficult man who would usually want things done his way, but my defiance of his superiority always flared him. He has been that father who constantly tried to tell what happens in his child’s life, but countless times I had to stand my ground and remind him that I was no longer a child. Perhaps I brought up the topic of the mating ceremony at the wrong time, too quickly, but I only wanted to give him a hint about my visit.Glancing at Maya’s face, I could see the dis
~Ivory~Trying to ease myself of the growing tension in the room, I reached out quietly for a glass of water and took a sip while Dimitris and Zeeb continued to go back and forth as they conversed. “This visit sure has nothing to do with Logan, Dad,” Zeeb revealed, working his cutlery slowly on his plate. I could tell that the mention of Logan stung his ears. Dimitris cleared his throat, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “So what is it about? I’m curious, son. It's so unusual of you, so I’m intrigued and anxious at the same time about your visit.” He paused, as though measuring his words. Then a small smile crept onto his face.“I remember how you made it clear that you wanted an independent reign, free of my influence, to be your own king without my input. And I’ve been doing my best to give you space, avoiding my own son like a plague. Isn't that what you wanted?"Swallowing hard, I processed his words. What an irony of life. It was crazy how life worked out. Zeeb didn't want his da
~Ivory~~A few cycles later~“I've never seen anything like this before. This is breathtaking, Zeeb!” I gasped in awe while sitting in the passenger’s seat, amazed by the edifice that stood before us. The reserved home was an appetizing meal for the eye, satisfying to watch. It had been several cycles since the chaos surrounding Anna’s disappearance. Despite all of Alpha King’s attempts to track her down, she still was not found. The issue was later laid to rest afterwards, but Zeeb wasted no time to install CCTV within the house, an indication that he understood what was threatening to happen to his reign.For me, Anna’s disappearance was unexpected; it shocked me to the bones and was still resonating deep within me. It was a stark reminder and a pointer to how much rivalry may befall my stay in the packhouse. Tongues wagged secretly among the servants about how some undisclosed servants were unhappy with Adeline when she was alive, which only added to my unease. Although none of t
~Alpha King Zeeb~ I’ve had moments as a King, moments of reflection, wishing I had done things more differently. Now I see the role Adeline played in my life, her shield as Luna. Call it support or whatever, it’s still a shield, a subtle protection to my reign. Even if I try to convince myself that there it was no shield, it still won't change the truth. Despite her own struggles and doubts, she persevered, always considering me. She shielded me until she lost herself in it. I remember times I'd wake up to find her visibly stressed, yet she would don a warm smile, reassuring me that everything was fine with this household and urging me not to worry about her. She carried the weight of hidden rivalry eating deep within, and now that she’s no more, I’m left with the glaring truth that I didn't try enough. She'd say, “You worry so much about what happens in here, Zeeb. Why am I here then? I'm here to support you; focus on the people you lead while I coordinate our servants in thi
~Ivory~Zeeb’s eyes darted between Logan and me, his face twisting into a dark scowl as he entered the room. He growled at Logan, his voice low and menacing, “What the hell are you doing here, Logan?” He approached us briskly, his eyes blazing with a fierce light.Meanwhile, Logan seemed utterly unshaken by his entrance. “Well, well, well,” he drawled, his lips curling into a pretentious small smile as he turned to face Zeeb. “Look who we have here.” He laughed out mirthlessly. “The Alpha King himself. I came to check on my sweet Riley.”He moved in slow, deliberate strides towards Zeeb as he continued. “Good to see you again, brother. I have had such a wonderful time here. All thanks to you for hosting me.” His tone dripped with insincerity, his eyes gleaming with a mocking light. Through gritted teeth, Zeeb’s words spat out dangerously, “On whose permission are you here, Logan? You are the last person I’d want Riley to see.”“Tsk... brother!” Logan said with a wave. “Why such a f