Vera"I have unfinished business with my brother. I need to go back to him…" My mate began but I cut in, "I am not leaving you alone with him, I'm going with you…" I barked.Without responding, he shot a wild look at me and continued to pull up his pants.After the crazy sex in the woods, we walked down to our cozy nuptial castle. We had just had a warm bath, it helped with the cold."Your brother must have left…it's past midnight already," I said randomly while picking a fluffy cloth to wear."Silas wouldn't leave until he gets what he wants." My mate responded. "I don't want you to get involved in this. If I tell you to stay back, will you?" I felt his breath on my neck and I wondered how he got so close."No.""No." We responded at the same time and the next thing he did caught me off guard.I had worn my gown and was pulling my hair into a rough bun when he tapped my chest suddenly and knocked me against the wall. He drew his fist and aimed a punch at my face. My instinct as a w
Alpha Joash "It seemed like you left something behind," Silas smirked, walking back into the thatched house. Just like I had predicted, I met him parading the front of the thatched house, despite the cold. He was waiting for me.I was standing before him with my back against the door. Seeing his gaze fixed on the door and the big smirk on his face, I knew that Vera was just right behind me.My muscles tensed up and I fought down the urge to look over my shoulders."I was disappointed when you came alone. I was waiting to have you back with your little warrior beside you… Good, she's got herself a befitting sword," Silas said, still looking outside."Shut up! You bastard!" I roared and he chuckled.I was foolish to think Vera would back down after such a rash outburst. I wanted her out of all of these. I wanted her to be safe, I wanted to give her a good life that she deserved. But can I?I heard her footsteps approaching and I turned around slowly, my gaze harsh and grime."Why are
VeraI stood frozen, watching the interplay between the two brothers. Did I just overdo it? Did I just pass my boundaries? Are there supposed to be boundaries?I saw it earlier. My mate's bewildered looks and his menacing strides as he prowled towards me. I couldn't imagine what he would have done if his brother didn't intervene.I saw it too, Silas' subtle interference. He brought up the discussion about some gift to stop my mate. Although I was also curious about the gift he was talking about, all I felt back then was fear and right now, I felt like a piece of shit!I should have let my mate leave, after all, it was his business, and it was obvious that he didn't want me to pry.I did it because I knew that my mate was blinded by hate and distrust. I wanted to stay out of trouble, but I could see what my mate couldn't see— His brother's brokenness and his thirst to make things right.I saw right through him and I didn't want the opportunity to slip past us. We could get rid of Sila
Alpha Joash"Your Highness? Silly! I told her to call me Joash." I muttered in my head as I watched her turmoil. I was mad earlier and now, but seeing her troubled state watered down the tension inside of me. I didn't like to see her vulnerable, but I still like her remorse and fear. This meant she wouldn't take me for granted in the future.I stared at her and feasted on her fear. But not only that, she drew me in in a way that I couldn't resist. Every ounce of me ached for her body couldn't help it. Despite my residual anger, being close to her in this way evoked different evasive and erotic ways of making her pay for standing against me."Why did you want me to work with Silas?" I asked, sounding colder than I wanted."I'm sorry… I will back out if you don't want me to get involved." She said, shaking horribly.Wait, did she even hear me? This was getting out of hand and I became alarmed."Vera!!!" I yelled and her eyes burst open. "I am sorry! I will back down!" She insisted, no
Alpha Joash.The envelope that contained Silas' message rested in the crest of my plans and I squeezed it up. That bastard! He should have told me that he was leaving.I stared down at the envelope and wanted to read it as quickly as possible but I restrained myself. I should read it alone, not in the presence of Vera. Who knows what the shady bastard wrote there?Slowly, I turned around to look at Vera. I didn't want to hide from her. I didn't want to hurt her, I didn't want any barrier in our relationship, but given the situation, I had no choice.Like she knew what was going on in my head, she remained aloof. Her eyes pierced into mine, gauging and waiting for my next move."I have to get down to my chambers and resume office. They've got me a miniature Alpha's office," I said, shifting my gaze from her."That is great!" She nodded, still staring at me. Swallowing hard, I realized that I couldn't just walk away. I walked back to her and kissed her wholly and softly on the lips."I
Alpha JoashUnlike my chambers back at the pack mansion, my place here was just two rooms. The outermost room and an inner room where I would be sharing with Vera.I had lived in hell. I had enjoyed wealth, power, and fame and my conclusion is… Either hell or heaven, none of it matters without peace.I ordered Derrick to wait outside whilst two of my attendants dressed me up.Pete... This was Pete's assignment. Gosh, I wondered if I would ever get over her painful demise… and Jenny…The eerie feeling I had when I visited Jenny's grave came back to me. I pictured her grave back at the moonlight pack and a bittersweet feeling erupted from my soul. I was indebted to those two, Pete and Jenny. I had to live up to their faith in me and… live a good life with my mate.My eyes settled on my regalia as I found a diversion from my troubles.Instead of the three pieces that I used to wear. It was just one piece and it was made from cheap fabric."Leave," I said to the attendants who were stil
Alpha JoashI had anticipated Targon's safe return since the day I sent him away. I sent him off to make crucial findings that would largely determine my next move. Then, I didn't expect Silas's visit or proposal.My eyes dazzled over him as he walked in.One of his feet landed on the floor while his other knee kissed the ground. "Long live your Highness!" He hailed, bowing his head."Speak!" I commanded, looking straight into his eyes."Your Highness. I investigated just like you ordered and here are my findings. The path outside the hideout is rough. The moonlight pack house is in ruins. Despite the King's men guarding it, it has become a den of thieves. Our enemies sabotaged our spoils, leaving us desolate. The King's men let them be. They were only there to sniff out any traces of us, not to protect the remains.""Not only the Alpha King, but most of your rivalries are also out seeking for you. Especially Alpha Woods. They believe you are god and wouldn't die of a poisoned arrow.
Vera"Good job, Targon. You can take some rest for now. I will summon you later," My mate said to Targon who rose to his feet and left immediately.Just as he left, Telah and Tirah were led in. Although they looked terrified, I didn't bat an eyelid. Seeing my reaction, they became more tense."Your Highness! Your Ladyship!" They chorused and fell on their knees, quivering. Did they know why they were summoned? Were they expecting this already? My mate remained calmly in his seat watching how I dealt with the situation."Why are you two jiltering?" I asked."The … the summon seemed urgent and unusual," Telah stuttered while Tirah remained quiet and continued to shiver."Alpha Blake Simpson of the Shifter's pack, what is your relationship with him?" I asked in my coldest voice."Nothing!" Both chorused with trepidation."Nothing?" I asked again with a deadly calm. But remained silent and continued to stare at the floor. "Speak!!" I commanded and Tehla started speaking."We worked as h
JoashAt first, when I perceived Vera's scent in my subconscious, I was happy. I had been hanging on, wondering why she hadn't shown up since I ended up in thus state. I thought she had left me again. But all my fears melted away when she suddenly showed up, crying her eyes out.Her regrets, confessions and profession of love were sweet. They transcended into my subconscious mind and kept me going. All I wanted was to return to her, hold her in my arms, tell her that I had forgiven her naughtiness, clean up her tears and make her know that all that matters was that she wanted me now.In my unconscious state, I couldn't keep a record of time and my subconscious floated in space.At some point something changed, affecting my subconscious existence. I began to fade away. All that I thought that I was holding onto, thinned out and I was all alone in a dark abyss. At that point, I had given up. I couldn't hold on anymore and I knew death was around the corner. I couldn't see nor feel my
It was a long day and the sun was almost setting. I hadn't gone to check on Alpha Joash since I left his room in the morning.After speaking with Fred, a glimpse of my past flicked through my eyes and I was taken down memory lane. I was just a maid until the mating ceremony between I and His Highness. I guess that was why I was treated like a Queen when I returned. What if the mating ceremony didn't take place? I would have returned to continue my life as a maid.Power and luxury is intoxicating. Despite the aftermath of the ruins, I enjoyed the privileges of a queen. Everyone treated me with respect, my words had effects and they were prioritized.My emotions were high and I just kept a low profile all day. Now that it was evening, I was planning to go see His Highness when I heard a soft knock."Your Highness! Targon seeks to be in your presence," a guard announced."Oh! Targon, let him come in," I responded and signalled to the maids to leave.The door opened and Targon walked in
Vera"Where the heck is this place? Am I a prisoner here?" I charged at the guard who now stood rigidly against Blake's door. The guard remained unfazed and ignored me. Seeing that my ranting wouldn't yield any result, I let him be and retired to my bed. I should conserve my strength."Think, Vera," I muttered to myself. I needed to escape from this hell hole, but how? I didn't even know where we were and how to navigate.I remembered the dangerous steep wall and the tunnel. How do I get to safety? I tried to mind-link my mate but all I felt was blankness. I must be far away from him.Blake then came to my mind again. Hatred surged up within me immediately. But I had to convince myself, I needed him now. If we escaped together, he might know how to navigate…But as sweet as the idea was it was still dangerous! Escaping with Blake with his level of injury was almost impossible. Moreover, who knows where he would lead me after getting him out of here?"Argh! Where are those bastards w
JoashSwords clanked, arrows danced and gunshots rocked the air as the combat peaked. The few soldiers who escaped the explosion battled hard with my men, but they couldn't beat us.Either way, they were going to die. They either die at my hands or die at my father's hands for losing me. Their fate was decided since they were assigned to this battle.Derrick and I pounced out of our hiding places alongside our subordinates. We charged along the open space making us visible to the enemies.Seeing me, they went mad! Yes, I was their target and it was their chance. Their strength doubled and they attacked without mercy.While they battled with my men to get through to me, I dodged every shot, dart, dagger, and arrow that came my way. Simultaneously, I fired my muskets, taking some of them down while Derrick and the two men who were with us covered me on every side. Speed was an essential tool, our enemies were well-trained but we outshone them with our incredible speed.In a brief moment
SilasMy heart bled as I peeked at the ex-lovers. Having them together was more intense and heated than I had thought. I felt sorry for them, they were caught in a web of conspiracies and were victims of circumstances.What if the adults did their job? What if they weren't greedy? Those two might have been together and their love would have blossomed.When Vera accepted Blake's rejection, I saw him quake and my heart bled. The tiny bit of humanity that bound them together was shed off. In that instance, the anger in Vera's eyes turned murderous. Blake became nothing but one of the bastards that she wanted to kill to avenge her parents' death. But with a brave restraint, she stopped herself and walked out on him."Vera!!!" He yelled her name but she was done.Love has always been complicated. As for me, I had seared my emotions and love was out of the picture. No love, no fated mate, just the throne!Heaving a sigh, I lifted the lid to the dungeon to return to my bedroom. I wanted to d
JoashMy assertion was right. My father's men hadn't shown up and it was almost sunset.It was our gain and his loss this time. It afforded my men and me enough time to bond. Apart from the bond, Derrick and I discovered each man's expertise.We paired them into groups. We also formed our rules and different combat strategies and hacks that we needed to win the battle.Normally, I would have expected that my father would send just a few of his men since he knew that I was a small fry and had lost everything. But I didn't want to take chances. Since it was about me, Father wouldn't hesitate to empty his entire army to come after me.One of our strategies was to maintain different positions. We also had potent leaves stuck to our bodies as camouflage and also to conceal our scents. By Twilight, we were already set. We had assumed strategic locations. Each man with the weapons he knew how to use best.I and Derrick were stationed at the entrance, but he wasn't with me. We were stationed
SilasI knew when Vera and my men arrived. I was well informed about the journey from the beginning till they entered my underground chambers through the tunnel. The path through the tunnel was an alternative route known to me and a few of my men.After I left the palace in the morning, I tried the link up with Joash all through the day but he wasn't responsive. The bastard was ignoring me whilst I wanted to know what the hell was going on in his head.I was up till past midnight and I heard Vera when she entered the room where Blake was locked up. I had not seen him since I visited him and broke his nose.I was sentimental at first and I wanted to stop my plan of making the ex-lovers meet but I changed my mind. Their meeting could be pivotal to my backup plan.I wanted to watch what was about to go down to pick my cues. So softly and gently, without alarming anyone I climbed down through the stairs and stood at the vantage position from where I watched.As I looked at Vera, all I saw
SilasI sat on the ground in father's yard with Kepler all night until the rising of the sun. It was about time that my father resumed his office. I thought Kepler would go in to fix his duty but he didn't leave. He stayed with me until I heard my father walking out and fully ready to resume the day's assignment."Long live, oh King! Long live,Your Highness!" The palace workers greeted and I turned around. Father was fully dressed in his kingly regalia and was strolling out of his chambers. The first set of assignment everyday was his morning patrol."Your Highness," I greeted with my forehead kissing the floor."Take him to the courtroom," he ordered without looking my way.Kepler left with my father while two other guards carried out my father's instructions. They dragged me down to the court room like I were a criminal.They threw me in but I landed on my feet. Father's seat was empty as he hadn't returned from his patrol. Why is father doing this to me? What has he found out abou
VeraI was led into a clean room where an array of maids were waiting for me. My guards had disappeared and there were a new set of guards waiting for me.I threw myself towards the bed, but before I hit the bed two maids rushed towards me. Skillfully, they dragged me away from the bed and began to unclad me.My clothes were full of filth and grime, they were stinking. I wondered why I didn't notice this earlier, but now that I noticed, I was too tired to clean up. "Get your hands off me!" I yelled at them and threw one of them on the floor."Enough!" One of the guards commanded as the other maids rushed at me. He walked towards me, lifted me up and helped me back to the bed. "She is tired. Let her get a first round of sleep before working on her," the guard commanded.Some of the maids were dispersed and I flung my tired body on the bed.I shut my eyes and sleep carried me into the dream land.When I woke up I felt a little disappointed, the sleep didn't last as long as I had expe