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 POVMy cheeks turned bright red as I realized what I had just read out loud."What does this mean?" I asked, my lashes suddenly becoming too heavy to look at him.Ryker's cold voice broke the rise of the hormones within me. "That clause is just to make sure that you don't try and complicate things by getting pregnant. I don't want you thinking you can dominate Luna's position by luring me into sex so you can get a child," he said, his face pinched tight into a frown.A surge of anger suddenly flashed through me and I wish my eyes were lasers so I could cut through him."You don't have to worry about that. I am not going to lure you into anything. In fact, I will stay very far away from you when we are in private so you have nothing to worry about!" I retorted."Good. Now, I need you to sign," he said in a voice so calm it triggered my anger to a higher level.Who did he think he was? Some god that I couldn't resist or someone I would throw myself at?If he thought the clause me