P R O L O G U EThe leaves rustled as power washed through them stripping them completely bare, their vibrant green color now fading into a dull brown. Shivani sighed as she held one of the leaves in her hand and it crumbled. Her mother was going to be mad at her again.“Pervivo.” Shivani whispered softly to the leaves. Her mother always says Latin is the language of power but it wasn’t working. She cussed under her breath and stood up. Her tunic was now stained with mud. Her destructive powers didn’t only kill the leaves. It also changed the once extremely fertile soil into fast sinking mud. She will never be able to live this down with her mother.She made her way into the house slowly prepared to be scolded by her mum. Her mum, Achlys, sat down on her favorite woven chair. Shivani stopped in front of her mother and shut her eyes hoping to the ancestors that her mother doesn’t go into rage like she usually did when Shivani fails.“Sit, girl.” Her mother’s voice taking the usual calm
O N ERain.It fell ceaselessly until Shivani was sure it won’t let up anytime soon. This was the universe agreeing with her—she doesn’t want to meet or marry Lukov.She made a faux sound of pain as her maid pulled at her ginger colored locks hoping to secure it into a reasonable chignon but Shivani’s hair was anything but reasonable. She would have tried a spell but she was scared of turning it into yet another scandalous color.“Leave the hair.” Shivani told the maid tiredly. She probably won’t be meeting the infamous Lukov today anymore. “Just help me with my dress.” The black dress with the tight bodice and a corset so tight that Shivani feared will suffocate her and lead to her untimely death by the end of the night.She stood up and let the maid ease her into the dress that will deliver her death by the stroke of midnight. She lets her hair fall to her face in unruly curly locks. She looked at the back of her dress and surely her ass stuck out like a sore thumb just like she kn
T W OThe air was charged. It was electric, the heady feeling of magic in the air. Everyone was there. Lukov saw. Sirens, Fae, werewolves, witches, vampires, he even thought he saw a few Goblins. He knew what they were here for—definitely not the wedding. They were here to see if the treaty will hold, see if they can put their age long hatred aside. It was a bold move for Achlys to propose this treaty. He never really liked the woman, always thought that she was too powerful for her own good and she carries herself with a coldness that only she can pull off. Her daughter wasn’t the same though, she looks like the kind of person who will cry when a puppy dies.He looked down at his black tuxedo and brushed off non existent lint from it. He remembered the comment Shivani made about it and chuckled darkly. She was going to be here soon and they will ride off to his pack where he will make sure she learns that he can’t be addressed like that especially not by a nobody who gets her powers
T H R E ESmoke tendrils curled up around the cozy cottage and wafted into Lukov’s nostrils. He startled awake, something was burning. He stood up like it was his own behind that was on fire. The thought that maybe his new wife is trying to burn him alive occurred to him.He left his room, bursting through the other rooms until he came in front of Shivani’s. Her room was engulfed in bright orange flames. He pushed the door open and he saw Shivani sat at the corner of the room, her hands on her head as if to protect herself from the flames.“Shivani, can you come out?” He yelled. He will never be able to live it down if she dies before even spending an entire night with him.“Yes, but something is holding me.” A beam fell off and she screeched. Lukov squinted through the fire and saw nothing holding her and for a moment, one horrible thought occurred to him—she wanted to burn. She wanted to die.“Liquidum! Extinguo ignis! Put out the fire!” For a solid minute, the flames soared higher
F O U RThe daylight strewn through Lukov’s garish curtains and hit Shivani’s face. She groaned and turned her face to the other side. Lukov wondered if she will be this comfortable if she knew what she looked like. Her hair is a complete rat nest and there was drool on her face and what looks like a huge pimple was growing on her chin.“Non possum te audiunt.” Lukov’s eyebrows furrowed for a moment. She was casting a spell in her sleep? He didn’t like that he always had to wake her up and her sleeping was so restless.“Shivani.” He growled. He wanted to go out for a run, let his wolf out for a while but he can’t because his father warned him that he can’t scare his new bride. She moaned softly. Something that sounded like go away but Lukov could hardly make it out. Her voice was all muffled by the huge blankets. “You need to stand up.” She finally opened one eye and regarded him sleepily.“She was just about to talk.” She grunted with frustration evident in her voice. The wheels in L
F I V EShivani ended up slipping away into a dreamless slumber on her way to the pack house. Fabio woke her up when they got there. Still disoriented, she followed Fabio as he led her into the pack house. For a moment, she wondered if the pack members would think it was weird that she was with Fabio and not Lukov.“Ma’am,” Fabio started, his voice gentle. “He is already here. You might want to see him in his study before settling down.” Shivani didn’t need Fabio to tell her who the mysterious He was.“I just want to sleep. Show me to my room.” Shivani didn’t get to finish before Lukov showed up. He smiled at Fabio and took Shivani’s luggage from him.“That’s fine, I will take her to our room myself.” Fabio nodded leaving Shivani alone with Lukov.“Our room?”“Yes, Shivani. We are married, don’'t be a dummy.” He started walking down the dimly-lit arched corridor while Shivani followed gingerly, her heart skipping beats so frequently that she was scared she will get an heart attack and
S I X“I swear if you pace around one more time, I am going to stab you in the eye.” Lukov glared at his best friend.“You don’'t understand, you haven't met her.” Donovan chuckled at Lukov’s apprehension. All these for his little witch bride. Donovan had missed the wedding because he was nursing a battle wound.“We will change that tonight, I can come home with you. See why she's causing you so much worry.” “Yeah, if she doesn’t set you on fire.” Donovan’s eyes widened with glee. This was juicy gossip. Someone that bothered his high and mighty friend so much. “She tried to set you on fire?” Lukov’s silence was enough confirmation and Donovan cackled. Lukov thought about that incident more times than he cared to admit. She’d almost burnt his cabin to the ground and she stood in there too like she was prepared to die and there was her huge brown eyes that held so much sadness and pain. “Donovan, pack matters.” Lukov reminded him. It was his father’s choice to leave him with some res
F I V EShivani ended up slipping away into a dreamless slumber on her way to the pack house. Fabio woke her up when they got there. Still disoriented, she followed Fabio as he led her into the pack house. For a moment, she wondered if the pack members would think it was weird that she was with Fabio and not Lukov.“Ma’am,” Fabio started, his voice gentle. “He is already here. You might want to see him in his study before settling down.” Shivani didn’t need Fabio to tell her who the mysterious He was.“I just want to sleep. Show me to my room.” Shivani didn’t get to finish before Lukov showed up. He smiled at Fabio and took Shivani’s luggage from him.“That’s fine, I will take her to our room myself.” Fabio nodded leaving Shivani alone with Lukov.“Our room?”“Yes, Shivani. We are married, don’'t be a dummy.” He started walking down the dimly-lit arched corridor while Shivani followed gingerly, her heart skipping beats so frequently that she was scared she will get an heart attack and
F O U RThe daylight strewn through Lukov’s garish curtains and hit Shivani’s face. She groaned and turned her face to the other side. Lukov wondered if she will be this comfortable if she knew what she looked like. Her hair is a complete rat nest and there was drool on her face and what looks like a huge pimple was growing on her chin.“Non possum te audiunt.” Lukov’s eyebrows furrowed for a moment. She was casting a spell in her sleep? He didn’t like that he always had to wake her up and her sleeping was so restless.“Shivani.” He growled. He wanted to go out for a run, let his wolf out for a while but he can’t because his father warned him that he can’t scare his new bride. She moaned softly. Something that sounded like go away but Lukov could hardly make it out. Her voice was all muffled by the huge blankets. “You need to stand up.” She finally opened one eye and regarded him sleepily.“She was just about to talk.” She grunted with frustration evident in her voice. The wheels in L
T H R E ESmoke tendrils curled up around the cozy cottage and wafted into Lukov’s nostrils. He startled awake, something was burning. He stood up like it was his own behind that was on fire. The thought that maybe his new wife is trying to burn him alive occurred to him.He left his room, bursting through the other rooms until he came in front of Shivani’s. Her room was engulfed in bright orange flames. He pushed the door open and he saw Shivani sat at the corner of the room, her hands on her head as if to protect herself from the flames.“Shivani, can you come out?” He yelled. He will never be able to live it down if she dies before even spending an entire night with him.“Yes, but something is holding me.” A beam fell off and she screeched. Lukov squinted through the fire and saw nothing holding her and for a moment, one horrible thought occurred to him—she wanted to burn. She wanted to die.“Liquidum! Extinguo ignis! Put out the fire!” For a solid minute, the flames soared higher
T W OThe air was charged. It was electric, the heady feeling of magic in the air. Everyone was there. Lukov saw. Sirens, Fae, werewolves, witches, vampires, he even thought he saw a few Goblins. He knew what they were here for—definitely not the wedding. They were here to see if the treaty will hold, see if they can put their age long hatred aside. It was a bold move for Achlys to propose this treaty. He never really liked the woman, always thought that she was too powerful for her own good and she carries herself with a coldness that only she can pull off. Her daughter wasn’t the same though, she looks like the kind of person who will cry when a puppy dies.He looked down at his black tuxedo and brushed off non existent lint from it. He remembered the comment Shivani made about it and chuckled darkly. She was going to be here soon and they will ride off to his pack where he will make sure she learns that he can’t be addressed like that especially not by a nobody who gets her powers
O N ERain.It fell ceaselessly until Shivani was sure it won’t let up anytime soon. This was the universe agreeing with her—she doesn’t want to meet or marry Lukov.She made a faux sound of pain as her maid pulled at her ginger colored locks hoping to secure it into a reasonable chignon but Shivani’s hair was anything but reasonable. She would have tried a spell but she was scared of turning it into yet another scandalous color.“Leave the hair.” Shivani told the maid tiredly. She probably won’t be meeting the infamous Lukov today anymore. “Just help me with my dress.” The black dress with the tight bodice and a corset so tight that Shivani feared will suffocate her and lead to her untimely death by the end of the night.She stood up and let the maid ease her into the dress that will deliver her death by the stroke of midnight. She lets her hair fall to her face in unruly curly locks. She looked at the back of her dress and surely her ass stuck out like a sore thumb just like she kn
P R O L O G U EThe leaves rustled as power washed through them stripping them completely bare, their vibrant green color now fading into a dull brown. Shivani sighed as she held one of the leaves in her hand and it crumbled. Her mother was going to be mad at her again.“Pervivo.” Shivani whispered softly to the leaves. Her mother always says Latin is the language of power but it wasn’t working. She cussed under her breath and stood up. Her tunic was now stained with mud. Her destructive powers didn’t only kill the leaves. It also changed the once extremely fertile soil into fast sinking mud. She will never be able to live this down with her mother.She made her way into the house slowly prepared to be scolded by her mum. Her mum, Achlys, sat down on her favorite woven chair. Shivani stopped in front of her mother and shut her eyes hoping to the ancestors that her mother doesn’t go into rage like she usually did when Shivani fails.“Sit, girl.” Her mother’s voice taking the usual calm