Ryker’s POVMichael’s intentions were bad, I didn’t need a soothsayer to tell it to me. After he dragged me out of the dungeon, his men took me to a strange room in the palace that I hadn’t seen before. It was dimly lit, and I could barely make out what was in it until they opened another door. It was then I saw the small window at the top, illuminating the place.It was a bathroom.My brows raised and I turned to them, expecting a sort of explanation from them but they scoffed and led me to the opened door; “Scrub yourself clean, you are going to be the star tonight,” one of them said.I understood that they were mocking me. They were trying to make a fool of me, but I didn’t even blame them. It was their time to act as fools.I walked into the bathroom and let the shower run. I wanted to skip the bath, but the cold water was too inviting after being denied water for such a long time. I scrubbed myself clean and when I stepped out, the room was empty, safe for a white singlet that s
Ella’s POV ♤ Twenty minutes before the Party ♤When I left my room, I had just one plan in mind, to end Michael and his silly antics once and for all.So I walked down to the guards' quarters, ignoring the looks they were all giving to me. I went straight to the captain's door and knocked.There was no response, so I tried the door knob but it was locked as well.Damn it.My hands balled into fists as I realized that the door was locked and Jason wasn’t there. I checked the time on my small silver wristwatch, and I saw that I was running out of time to play around. It was almost time for the private party, and if I didn't find Jason, things were not going to be under my control.My heart tightened as frustration started getting into me, I had to think of another way to handle this. I had to find another way before the party started."Princess Ella," a voice called behind me, and my wolf jumped in excitement.It was Jason."Oh, Captain," I called with a smile. "I have been looking f
Michael’s POVRyker’s voice echoed in the room sending the girls I had paid for the show to get on their feet instantly. The situation was rapidly getting out of hand, and I realized that Ella was right.I was stupid.I didn’t think it through properly. I should have never removed the chains from Ryker. Now he was free, and I didn’t even possess the Alpha’s cry to command him into doing my will. But there was no way I would get this far and just give up now. Never.“Take him away! What are you waiting for?” I screamed, hoping to get the men to action.For the good part, Ryker was still very much outnumbered. The very way we got him the first time, I could use that. Though the number of men wasn’t as much as the first time, it was worth a trial. I wasn’t about to give up now.“Get him! Now!” I insisted, taking a step back to urge the men even more.But none of them made a move. They just stood there, watching, too scared to make a move. There was just one of him and about twelve of the
Ryker’s POVThe guards surrounding us became still as Ella’s order echoed around the room. None of them dared to counter her words.She had used her authority and position, no one dared to respond contradict, or challenge it. Their heads lowered as if an invisible power was controlling them. They could not speak, as if the goddess herself had placed a spell on them.I felt pride grow within me as I watched the scene unfold before me. The same Ella, who was once a nobody, now stood her ground and took her fate in her hands.Who would have thought that a girl I got as a replacement for my supposed Luna, would take the place and turn out to be the true heir to the powerful crystal pack —just who would have thought?My wolf was excitedly twisting as I watched Ella stand her ground and defend her territory. It felt like a pride of watching a child grow till they were bold and confident. In that instance, my legs developed a mind of their own and I walked to her side and held her hands to o
Ella’s POVAs soon as Ryker left the palace grounds and I was certain that he was safely away, I turned back to the palace, but I didn’t head to the main building. I took the path that led to the back of the main structure to the cabin where Selena and her father had been abandoned.My mind was made up and I was going to make sure I put an end to this all once and for all.“Selena?” I called as I got closer to the front porch.As I took the first steps, the door opened, and Selena’s face appeared behind it. As she saw that it was me, she got out completely and wiped her hands behind her dress.“Ella… what are you doing here?” she asked.“I am here to end this.” I got closer and took her hands. “How is your father doing?”She looked surprised and I couldn’t tell if it was my question or my presence that caused the most surprise. She turned her head to the door and back at me before she shook, her head.“He is fine… but what is going on?”“We need to speak to the guards and put an end t
Michael’s POVAfter the conversation with my mother, my head was hurting from too much thinking. We couldn’t come up with a perfect solution, so the only thing left to do was to return to my chambers, get a good sleep, and by morning, I would see the damage my actions had caused and find a lasting solution.The goddess must have truly loved Ella. My plans were so easy, yet she found a way to make it complicated. Now trying to fix it was making it harder and close to impossible. But I was certain that after tonight, I would solve it.My hands ran into my hair for the millionth time as I left my mother’s room and proceeded to my room where Sarah was waiting for me.“My sweet King,” she whispered the moment I opened the door. “What took you so long?”Her voice alone helped to calm my nerves. It was like cooling water on my burning skin.“Just a long day… which I had already guessed that was why I asked you to come,” I lied.I didn’t think my plan would even fail. I had called her here be
Ella’s POV“You think I am scared of you!?” Michael spat out with his ears burning red in anger.It was sad that he still didn’t realize how fucked up he was. I walked to the bed and lowered myself gently, watching him continue to embarrass himself.“I order you all to stay away from me. I am your alpha! I rule over you!” he yelled but even the men scoffed and rolled their eyes at him.Slowly, he started comprehending his awful situation. He turned around facing each of us as if he was losing his mind, and then he screamed, coming at me. Before he could reach anywhere, Myles stopped him, and he was immediately placed into chains.“I command you all to stop this! Let me go! Release me instantly!” he screamed repeatedly.And that was when I got up and walked close to him, my eyes burning with the pain he and his supposed mother had made me go through before I lost my baby.“No one would listen to you, Michael. You had your time and you messed it up. Do not expect anyone to help you now.
Ella’s POVMy heart stopped beating and I thought I was in a dream. Esther couldn’t be hurt. She was fine just a second ago. We were hugging each other and crying and then —the blood spreading over her back.My head was blank. Nothing worked. All I saw was Esther’s body getting soaked with blood as I helplessly held onto her.“Esther, what is happening?” I whimpered unable to raise my voice as my trembling hands moved all over her trying to find out what was going on. Where did the blood even come from?“Esther… speak to me…” I insisted but Esther could only let out gasps as she struggled to keep her eyes open.The world created a bubble around us, and time became slow as everything happened slowly around us. The blood continued spreading over her and I slowly began to realize that I would lose her if nothing was done. No one could lose this much blood and remain alive, not even a werewolf.Panic spread through me at a faster rate and my eyes became blurry with my tears. My heart st
Ella’s POVThe long wait was finally over. Esther was out of danger.“Words cannot express how grateful I am that you fought so hard for me,” she whispered with my hands held tightly in hers.Her sister, Freya, was sitting by her side while Anna and Selena stood behind us. We were all excited about the outcome of her treatment and more than anything, it assured me that my father’s treatment was also going to be successful. After all, it all followed the same pattern, all that was left was for me to convince Selena so that I could hand everything to her. Then they could use my blood.“I couldn’t have been alive today,” she added, pulling me out of my thoughts.“You are welcome, Esther. You know I love you and I will do anything to keep you safe,” I whispered, placing a kiss on her forehead. Then I started walking away, I aimed to reach Selena and pull her away for a quick conversation on the matter. The earlier she accepted to take the crown, the better it was going to be.But Esther’
Ella’s POVDavid didn’t make it.His death wasn’t something that directly affected me but the pain in Selena’s eyes made me sad. She had truly been reformed. She saw the world in a different light, and her biggest wish, had been for her father to see this light too but now it was too late for him.After the burial ceremony was completed, I sat by her side, hoping to comfort her as much as possible. Aside from my father, who was still on the sick bed, she was the only family I had left. I couldn’t leave her.We stayed this way, letting Ryker and Anna take care of the rest of the affairs.I didn’t even want to begin thinking about Esther. Aunt Emily had refused to give out the antidote till her death, but Esther was still fighting. I told Myles to find any of her family members, maybe if we could drain her blood too, she might stand a chance.And as for my father, I was planning something, but it wasn’t the right time to speak of it yet.“You should go save him,” Selena mumbled, and my
Ryker’s POV“I will come back for you! You think this is the end, you are wrong!” Emily yelled as they dragged her out of the throne room to the chamber where she would be killed.Her voice continued to resonate, even while they exited the room, but my attention had returned to Ella. I was so proud of her and how much she had grown.When she called for this meeting, I thought she was going to let her emotions mess with her again, but she didn’t. She acted like a true leader and made the right choices.My eyes remained on her as she held on to a crying Selena while Michael was escorted out of the palace. The plan was to go after the men who must have been done prepping Emily for her final sentencing. Dealing with a criminal like her, one could never be so sure that she could find a way to survive.But as we all made our way to the door, David started coughing painfully loud. Selena broke away from Ella’s hold and ran to his side in panic.“Someone, get the healers and doctors,” Ella al
Ella’s POVAs the words left my mouth, I turned around and began heading out. I finally understood everything and there was no time to waste anymore.“Stupid girl! I will still get you!” Aunt Emily screamed in her cell, but I didn’t bother sparing her even a single glance as I walked out.It was clear that she had been the mastermind all along and for the first time, I saw what Ryker was trying to say. They weren’t all killers. Some of them were accomplices at some point, but mostly they were all being manipulated all along. Now I understood why she had truly tolerated Selena’s bad attitude those times, it was because she wanted everyone to hate Selena, so that when the time came for her to be exposed, no one would stand by her, and Aunt Emily would ultimately get the throne. But I came and she had to come up with another plan.But all of that was over now. I was going to put everyone in their respective places.My hands fisted as I continued to march in the direction of the throne r
Michael’s POV“Mother, why did you try such a silly move? and much more in front of everyone! What were you thinking?” I growled in my cell.We were all bundled into the dungeon like common criminals. My cell was joined to the right side with my mother’s while Selena and David were in a single cell at my left. But I wasn’t interested in them but my mother. She sat calmly in her cell, hugging herself while I was losing my mind.She had just ruined every chance we had.“I mean, even if there was any chance that we could get back that throne, you just destroyed it by showing everyone that you are a murderer! Why would you attempt to kill her in front of everyone?”“Shut up!” she yelled, turning her reddened eyes to me for the first time since we had been thrown in here. “I have heard enough of your rants! If you weren’t so useless, we would be in this situation in the first place. You fool!”My heart thinned as if life was being sucked out of me. “Mother!” Her tone was not something I th
Ella’s POVMy eyes moved to my hands and then back to the healer. “I have more than enough blood. What is the problem now?”The man turned pale and dropped his head to the ground. My eyes narrowed, as confusion and irritation merged into me creating an emotion I couldn’t even define.Seconds passed and the man still couldn’t give me an explanation as the silence went on I started losing my mind. My father was dying in there and he was here unable to even make up his mind.Suddenly, I moved past him and went into the room. The healers and doctors still working, paused as they saw me walking up to them. When I reached them, I pulled the sleeves of my dress and stretched my arm to them.“Here, take the blood and heal him,” I hissed.The men exchanged confused looks before Ryker and the healer rushed in after me. “Ella, they can’t use your blood to change the whole of his blood. The process could kill you and—”“Then I’d prefer it kills me, rather than staying alive without both of my par
Ella’s POVRyker’s words were heavy on my chest as I moved out of the office with Myles following behind me. Maybe he was right. Maybe I was becoming like the monsters I wanted to rid the world of, maybe I was becoming something worse, I couldn’t tell.But what I could tell, was the fact that they had brought it upon me and themselves.Rather than return to my seat, I walked to the front of the table and spread my arms, gaining the attention of the audience and the soldiers holding them in place.“The defense was nulled. We shall proceed with the punishment for their crimes.” The room fell silent as everyone held their breaths, waiting for me to relay what was to befall the royal family —my supposed family.My eyes moved to them. Emily fiercely glared at me like it was going to change anything. Then there was Michael, who looked more lost than before. David was lifeless as usual, and Selena was crying. Her face was red as she held onto her father’s wheelchair. My heart cracked when it
Ryker’s POV“Willow is right. There is something wrong with her…” Anna whispered beside me. “This isn’t our Ella…”My heart tightened. Anna was right. The pain had consumed Ella. This wasn’t her.“What are we going to do now? She will kill an innocent man who has done nothing but love his daughter.”My thoughts moved around in my head for a few seconds before it came crashing back. I never liked women. I didn’t even think they could be sensible ones out there aside from Willow who I thought was above mistakes. But Ella and her friends had shown me that there was more to being a woman and there were smart ones out there. I realized that the one I thought was perfect, wasn’t at all. Willow was a pretender.But in all of that, I learned one thing.“No one is beyond redemption,” I said with conviction. “We will get our Ella back. She is in there somewhere. We will find her.” “But how?” Anna asked her hands pointing in the direction had gone to. “How do you convince someone who is already
Ryker’s POV“Why would she want to stay back? Why? Has she lost her mind?” Anna screeched when I told them the news. “Michael is crazy. Don’t even get me started on David. That man is sick, and he would do anything. Even with the Alpha’s ability activated in her wolf, they can still hurt her!”I sat on the edge of my seat with my hands joined together. I also didn’t feel good about leaving her behind, but I didn’t want it to seem like I was being clingy. Ella wanted to take care of her people, and she had every right. All I could do was support her as much as I could.“Calm yourself, Anna. I am sure that she will call if she needs anything,” I assured her.Anna’s eyes flared wide and she shook her head, coming closer to me. “You don’t know Ella. She has become very stubborn. She will never call for help because she doesn’t want anyone else to die. She would rather do it all on her own.”I shrugged. The solution to that was very simple. “Well, Esther can tell us. She will call. I am ce