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
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 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
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 POVI could feel them. They were coming.I ran as fast as I could desperate to get out of the woods but the further I ran, the deeper I found myself amongst the trees.My heart was thumping hard as panic and fear seeped into me. The fear of what those rogues would do to me if they got me, increased by every pace I took.I tried to reach deep within me for my wolf. I tried to call out to her, but as always there was no response."I am going to die. I am going to die." I sang like a madman's mantra as I moved through the trees hoping to see the village ahead of me but I could only find more trees."You can't keep running from us, Ella. We are going to find you and we will get what we want..." I heard their leader's voice behind me and my heart sank.His voice was too close and I knew it would only be a matter of time before his wishes and that of his friends came true.Tears brimmed in my eyes as I searched for a place to hide. I refused to give up. If my wolf was never going to
Ella's POVI could not believe my ears as my wolf's growl resonated within me. She had really spoken and not just any word, she had found our mate."Mine..." The man growled and my insides melted. He was really my mate.Tingles spread through me as I felt like the luckiest female in the kingdom. I had finally found my mate.I tried to see the man through the darkness in the room but I could merely make out his huge frame as he held me close and continued sniffing my body."Who are you? What's your name?" I asked, trying to get him to speak to me at least. "Do you live here? Is this your house?"But his wolf let out another growl and he stopped sniffing me. I was about to resume my questions but I felt his hands begin to move around my skin. He started from my arms and slowly found my stomach. I thought he was going to stop there, but they dangerously moved to my chest.My heart started thumping again but this time it wasn't for fear —but from desire. My hormones were charged and as mu
Ella's POVI struggled, desperate to get away but the familiar scent of sandalwood filled my nostrils and my body stopped fighting at once. I raised my head to see who it was and my body froze.Fear suddenly grasped at my soul as I realized that I had run back into the same hands I should have been running from. I didn't know how he found my house. Did he follow me?I looked up to his handsome face and my silent wolf purred in my head. In the seconds that followed, I became lost in his stormy eyes. The world came to a stop and it was just the two of us. He looked gentle, harmless even.But the bubble my mind had built got shattered as Anna yanked me roughly away from him and then she replaced me by his side."What are you doing here, handsome?" Her voice had taken on a pitch that was so irritating I couldn't help but growl at her."Are you here to see me?" She cooed, shamelessly leaning into him.Ryker pushed her away and she stumbled close to me in shock."I am not here for you. I am
Ella's POVThe words were staring back at me but I refused to believe it. This had to be a mistake.Ryker had just accepted that he was my mate in front of my stepmother and everyone.He said he wanted to make me his Luna, yet he was giving me a contract... As hard as I thought about it, it made no sense at all.But as I raised my eyes from the piece of paper in my hands, I met the real Ryker.And then it dawned on me. He was a cruel man. This was probably just his way of punishing me and ruining my life for what we did.Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes and I tried to reason with him. Maybe he would understand and let me go."But you have a lover. Why do you need me to go into a marriage contract with you?" I cried out.Ryker adjusted his coat and looked straight into my eyes without a single drop of emotion, he said; "You are right. I do have a lover and her name is indeed Willow but she is in a coma now. So, I need someone to be Luna temporarily."His explanation made no sens
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