Edward: Negotiations had been dragging for days, and I was no closer to an agreement with the Vampire King than when we started. Every proposal I presented was met with polite refusals, thinly veiled insults, or counteroffers so ludicrous they might as well have been jokes. Resources, territory, military alliances—I’d put everything on the table, carefully sidestepping the topic of marriage between my brother, Ethan, and the Vampire Princess. It wasn’t that I thought it was a bad idea in principle. Politically, it made sense. But Ethan wouldn’t go along with it willingly, and the thought of forcing his hand didn’t sit right with me. So I focused on other options, trying to find a way to satisfy the King without binding my brother to a loveless union. The idea that things were going to go bad weighed heavily on me as I returned to the Palace. The sun was dipping low in the sky, casting long shadows over the gardens where Lianna’s tea party was in full swing. My thoughts drifte
Edward: After the wedding, I would have loved to spend time with Lianna. Catch on with our past and get to know each other better as it was really important if we were going to continue with this pretend thing. But there was so much to do. Ethan had left a lot of things in a mess, from finances to infrastructure to legal issues and hell, even the state of things in general. A cleansing snr routine ritual hadn't been held in a long time and I realised that the hunting days were insignificant now with no one commemorating the beginning of a new moon. "When was a hunt last held?" I asked Ethan's beta, Rian, whom he had abandoned after his position was taken. Rian was really eager to give me replies as it was obvious that he was extremely upset by how easily he had been discarded. He never got any compensation of the sort and I totally understood why he would be really upset. But that wasn't so much of my business as I was concerned about the affairs of the Pack. He sigh
Lianna: "You look really glowy this afternoon," Ingrid said as she took off my dress. "Based on what you said about the women being rude to you, you don't even look that offended, or like your day was ruined." I sighed. "Well, uhm, I'm not going to let them get to me. I'll have to get used to it until they eventually decide that it is time for them to stop talking about me." She nodded. "That's really impressive. I'm glad you're starting to grow a tough skin for real. I hate how they dampen your spirits because honestly, you don't deserve that." She pressed a kiss on my cheek and dumped my dress into a laundry basket. "What I am glad for is that the tea party went absolutely well. The decorations and meals were on point. If anyone starts to spread rumours about anything negative, they would have the media team to answer to." I turned and looked at her with raised brows. "Why the media team though? What have they got to do with this?" She patted my arm, chuckling as she pull
Ethan: The moment the door slammed shut behind me, I let out a guttural groan. It echoed off the walls of my quarters, reverberating back to me and making me feel even worse. I was filled with regret. I'd made a mistake by signing those papers after letting Edward threaten me. How could I have been so stupid? So weak? My fist collided with the edge of the table, causing a sharp pain to shoot up my arm, but it was far better than the humiliation. I gritted my teeth as I pushed the papers from my desk off, the documents scattering across the floor like fallen leaves. The ornate vase perched at the center went next, shattering into a thousand pieces. This wasn’t me. This wasn’t how I was supposed to be. Edward’s words still stung. His smug, calculated tone still rang in my head, further enraging me. "Sign it, Ethan. Do it for the Pack. Do it for yourself." He knew exactly how to manipulate me, how to push all the right buttons. I hated him for it. But more than that, I
Edward’s POV Relief coursed through me as I strode into the council hall, the blood contract in my hand. For the first time in years, I felt like things were finally falling into place. My brother—my stubborn, insufferable brother—had done what was necessary. The alliance with the vampires was secured, and with it, the survival of our kind. The elders were already seated, their weathered faces etched with curiosity. They’d been waiting for this moment as much as I had. I walked to the center of the room, the thud of my boots against the stone floor echoing with purpose. “Gentlemen,” I began, my voice steady and commanding, “I have called this meeting to announce a significant victory for the Pack.” With deliberate movements, I slapped the signed contract onto the long oak table in front of them. The crisp parchment unfurled, the blood-red seal catching the candlelight. A murmur rippled through the room, approval clear in their expressions. “It is done,” I said, stepping
*CHAPTER 36* Lianna’s POV As soon as the door slammed shut behind Freya, the room fell into a suffocating silence. I tried to hold myself together, but the weight of her words pressed against my chest, relentless and cruel. My legs gave out, and I sank to the floor, my back against the edge of the bed. Tears burned my eyes, but I didn’t fight them. What was the point? “What did I ever do to deserve this?” I whispered to no one in particular, my voice cracking under the strain of suppressed sobs. Ingrid crouched beside me, her warm hand resting on my shoulder. “Lianna, don’t let her get into your head,” she said, her tone firm but gentle. “Freya is nothing but a bitch. She thrives on making people feel small because she has nothing of her own.” I looked up at her, my vision blurred by tears. “But what if she’s right, Ingrid? What if this is all my fault?” My voice trembled, and I could feel the words tumbling out before I could stop them. “If I hadn’t been with Ethan… If I had
Lianna: Dinner with Edward. The thought alone was unnerving. The man had the uncanny ability to make me feel small and significant at the same time. As I adjusted the loose curls framing my face, I couldn't help but wonder what had prompted this outing. Dinner at the palace was routine, predictable even. But tonight? Tonight was different. Edward waited for me at the bottom of the grand staircase, his posture effortlessly regal. He had a small smile on his face. "You look beautiful," he said as his eyes swept over me, lingering for a moment longer than I was comfortable with. "Thank you," I replied, my voice quieter than I intended. "So, where exactly are we going?" He smirked, the corners of his lips tilting in that maddeningly smug way of his. "A restaurant in the heart of the Pack's village. Thought we could use a change of scenery." I frowned slightly. "Why not just have dinner here in the palace? It's more private, less… complicated." Edward chuckled, the sound
Imogen: The room was suffocating. Ornate drapes danced across the walls as the wind blew, but they couldn't hide the rage being poured out beyond the door. My father's voice boomed, deep and sharp, startling me. "Insult after insult! HOW DARE THEY?" I paced from one end of my chambers to the other, fingers gripping the folds of my velvet gown. Each outburst of his fury made my heart race, not from fear of him, but of what his rage would lead to. The letter from the werewolf Pack was, in his eyes, nothing more than a slap in the face. And truthfully, I understood. But some part of me… some selfish, foolish part of me felt they deserved it. The disrespect they had shown my father couldn't be ignored. Still, my head was filled with other thoughts. Ethan. His name was like a bitter taste on my tongue. He had rejected me. Rejected my hand, rejected the union that could have mended this ever-growing rift between our kind. I stopped pacing and sank into the plush chair by the window.
Lianna: Breakfast settled into an almost eerie quiet after Edward put Mariel in her place. A perfect, beautiful silence. I could sense Mariel’s wounded pride and Ethan’s resentment. Across the table, Mariel kept her head down, chewing mechanically and likely plotting new ways to make my life miserable. I didn’t care. She had bigger problems now. Like figuring out how to exist in a world where Edward no longer catered to her whims. I, on the other hand, looked positively radiant, cutting into my fruit with a pleased little smile. I didn’t say it, but I was reveling in the fact that Edward was the one who had humiliated Mariel instead of me. Not because I couldn’t have done it herself, but because Edward’s words had an impact that mine never would. Mariel could handle my hatred, but Edward’s indifference? That was a death sentence. Ethan was the only one not enjoying the moment. He was practically vibrating with anger, stabbing his food like it had personally offended h
Lianna: I had never felt this regal in my entire life. Every step I took down the long, gilded hallway was a declaration of self confidence. The maids paused in their duties, their gazes trailing after me with open admiration. The guards, usually stoic and detached, offered subtle nods of acknowledgment, their respect barely hidden behind their trained expressions. A smirk tugged at my lips. I was reveling in it, and why shouldn’t I? After the hell I had endured, the bruises I had earned, the blood I had shed, this moment, twas mine. Even with the dull ache threading through my joints, the soreness reminded me of my victory. I felt good. No, better than good. I felt untouchable. And if the gods were feeling particularly generous, Mariel would be waiting in the dining hall, seething, and barely keeping her composure as she drowned in the bitter taste of her own defeat. The thought alone nearly made me hum in delight. I pushed the grand doors open and stepped inside,
Lianna: Blood crusted against my skin, dried and flaking, but I walked through the halls like a queen. Warriors, maids, even the high-ranking guards who rarely acknowledged anything outside their turned to watch me pass. Some wore looks of shock, others admiration. A few dared to speak, their voices hushed but awed. "You fought like a beast, Luna." "I didn’t think anyone could beat that woman." "I knew she was strong, but this? This was something else." I smirked, head held high, spine straight despite the ache creeping into my muscles. Even with bruises blooming across my skin and blood drying on my lip, I felt untouchable. Behind me, Ingrid sighed heavily. "You are absolutely impossible, do you know that?" I chuckled, not slowing my pace. "I do, actually." She groaned in exasperation, quickening her steps to match mine. "Why, Lianna? Why did you do that?" I tilted my head, pretending to think about it. "Hmm... the thrill of battle? The sa
Edward: I'd woken to an empty bed. I stretched my arm across the mattress, my fingers meeting nothing but the lingering warmth Lianna had left behind. A slow smile tugged at my lips. She’d been up early. Again. It wasn’t surprising anymore. For weeks, she’d thrown herself into combat training, each session more intense than the last. I’d heard the whispers—about her skill, her sheer strength, how she was no longer just a woman learning to fight but a warrior in her own right. It amused me. It pleased me. She was taking this seriously, proving herself to everyone who thought she couldn’t. I leaned back against the pillows, stretching my arms over my head, allowing the quiet of the room to settle over me. Today was a court meeting day, which meant a long morning of listening to people complain about things I barely cared about. But at least breakfast would be worth it. I’d see her then. Maybe tease her a little. Chuckling to myself, I swung my legs o
Lianna: Pain. Sharp, searing and unrelenting moved through me as Mariel targeted my solar plexus. My body was screaming, every inch bruised. Blood spilled from my nose, staining my lips with its metallic taste. But I didn’t care. I had felt worse. The blows Mariel landed on me were nothing compared to the fire burning in my chest, the sheer fury fueling my every breath. She thought she was winning. She thought she had me down. Fool. I could hear the gasps, the shifting of feet, the numerous worried eyes on me, but they were background noise. Even Ingrid’s worried face barely registered in my mind. Edward stood at the sidelines, arms crossed, his jaw locked so tight I thought his teeth might snap. But he wasn’t stopping this. He couldn’t. Mariel smirked, her lips split at the corner, blood smeared along her cheek. “Look at you,” she sneered, rolling her shoulders, preparing for another round. “Flat on your back. You should be used to that by now.” I tasted i
Lianna: I woke tangled in Edward’s arms, and if it were another day, I would have gone back to sleep and enjoyed the comfort of his arms. But I’d had enough of lying still, enough of waiting for someone else to make the first move. I wasn’t going to be the woman who watched things happen to her anymore. Not today. Careful not to wake him, I eased out of his grasp. His hand slid down my side before falling away completely. I held my breath, pausing to be sure he stayed asleep. For a man who carried entire kingdoms on his shoulders, he looked annoyingly peaceful. I slipped out of bed, feet silent on the cold floor. The chill bit at my skin as I pulled on my training clothes—black leggings, a snug sleeveless top, and bandages wound tight around my wrists and knuckles. My boots were next, worn leather creaking softly as I laced them. I dragged my hair into a braid, tying it off with a sharp tug, and then slid out of the room without a sound. The hallway was empty. Eve
Lianna: I woke up to silence, the kind that draped over everything like a heavy wool blanket. Imogen’s soft snores were gone. She must have retreated to her room a while ago. Good for her. She had the sense to sleep through this misery. I, on the other hand, had the misfortune of being conscious. And thirsty. So damn thirsty. I swiped my palm across my face, grimacing at the stickiness on my skin from dried tears. No glass of water on the nightstand. Of course. No maid hovering about with one either. Why would they? I was supposed to be the Luna. Supposed to be cared for, respected. But it sure as hell didn’t feel like that tonight. With a muttered curse, I swung my legs over the bed, my bare feet hitting the cold marble floor. The chill bit into my skin, but I welcomed it. Pain was better than… this hollow ache inside. Wrapping my arms around myself, I padded toward the door. It creaked slightly as I eased it open and slipped out into the dim corridor. The palace
Edward: The moment Lianna’s breathing evened out, I rose from the edge of the bed and straightened. Her back was to me, her shoulders tight even in sleep, like she was bracing for another blow that wouldn’t come. Carefully, I pulled the covers higher over her bare shoulder. I stood there for a long minute, watching the gentle rise and fall of her back. My jaw clenched tight. None of this should’ve happened. Mariel never should’ve stepped foot in this house. And now, because I hadn’t dealt with her the moment she crossed my gates, Lianna was in this bed trying to convince herself I wasn’t another mistake. That wasn’t going to happen again. I shoved my hand through my hair, flexing my fingers to shake off the restless itch under my skin. I walked out, shutting the door behind me with a controlled click. Ingrid straightened from where she stood outside, but I waved her off before she could speak. “Stay here,” I ordered, and she nodded without protest. The cor
Ethan: The moment Edward stormed out of the room, I exhaled slowly and leaned back in my chair. My fingers tapped lazily on the stem of my wine glass as I watched Mariel standing there like she’d just been gutted. Honestly, I’d never loved a moment more. She blinked fast, like she was fighting tears but too damn proud to let them fall. That alone made me sit up straighter, lifting my glass to my lips as if I were toasting the disaster that had just unfolded. Mariel’s gaze slid to me, burning with something between frustration and grief. “Don’t say anything, Ethan,” she bit out, her voice tight, like it scraped her throat just getting the words out. “I swear, I can’t take it from you right now.” I smiled slowly. “Relax. I’ve got absolutely nothing to say.” I tilted my head, studying her with an idle curiosity I didn’t bother masking. “Just… wondering why it ended the way it did. Edward’s never exactly been chatty about you. Or anything, really. Guy’s tighter-lipped