VeraEveryone in the secret place assembled with heads bowed and embittered hearts. We were all decked in black outfits, a colour that signifies honour to the dead.I was standing in the front line with my mate waiting for the final moment. Earlier, my mate had left to see Pete's body. He must have had all the time he wanted with it.He wrung his hands against each other as those who carried the coffin emerged. He shifted uneasily from one foot to the other and I could tell that he was restless. Quietly and without warning, I held his hand gently. He was slightly startled. He jerked my hand away suddenly and looked at me."Oh I'm sorry," he apologised quickly and held my hand. I squeezed his hand gently and he smiled before looking away. His attention was on the men who were approaching.Everyone maintained silence until the casket was dropped. After making the usual chants to the moon goddess, everyone in the gathering moved out in an orderly manner. One after the other, we wished t
VeraWhen the maids were done with me, they helped me out of the bathtub and patted my skin dry with a fluffy towel. "I'm sorry, Your Highness, this is all we have at our disposal… we hope they suit your skin," the lead maid said and began to apply different odorous oils on my body.The oils felt soft on my body and they gave off a sweet fragrance. My eyes caught the different sets of oils and I looked at them. I could tell they were all made right here in the jungle. What a great effort!I was still admiring the oils when my body suddenly tingled. The air felt heavy and I caught a whiff of a distinct aura in the air. The aura overshadowed the fragrance oozing from the herbs and flowers. The maids felt it too, I saw their knees buckle slightly.Viola jumped up and down in my head and instantly, I knew our mate was around.My heart beat faster and I felt butterflies dancing in the hollow of my belly. From that point onwards, the maids worked faster on me. In a twinkle of an eye, they
VeraWhen I stirred awake, I felt a soft cushioning under my body and without opening my eyes, I knew that I was on the bed. I could feel the shimmering rays of sun streaming into the room. I needed no one to tell me that I had slept in.Slowly, I opened my eyes and blinked repeatedly, adjusting to the light.I felt a darkness hovering over me and I turned to its direction. Alpha Joash was perched beside me. His elbow was hinged on the bed and he was staring down at me."Good morning, beautiful," he said huskily. His baritone voice vibrated through my ears and his blue eyes twinkled.I smiled and he caught my lips in his, kissing me heartily. I drew the cover up my face but he dragged it down exposing my bust. He teased my sore nipple with his tongue and I giggled.He rose up, pinned my hands above my head and straddled his knee on either side of my body. He lowered himself and stuck out his tongue, licking my breasts. "I love them," he muttered like a teenager while I continued t
VeraEveryone in the secret place assembled with heads bowed and embittered hearts. We were all decked in black outfits, a colour that signified sorrow and honour to the dead.I was standing in the front line with my mate waiting for the final moment. Earlier, my mate had left to see Pete's body. He must have had all the time he wanted with it.He wrung his hands nervously against each other as those who carried the coffin emerged. He shifted uneasily from one foot to the other and I could tell that he was in distress.Quietly and without warning, I held his hand gently. He was slightly startled. He jerked my hand away and turned sharply to look at me."Oh, I'm sorry," he apologised quickly and held my hand. I squeezed his hand gently and he smiled before looking away. His attention was on the undertakers who were approaching with the casket.Everyone maintained silence until the casket was dropped. After making the usual chants to the Moon goddess, everyone in the gathering moved out
Alpha JoashI felt the aura even before Silas emerged, but somehow, I knew whoever was approaching was coming in peace. My kinds are highly skilled and rarely missed a shot— If the shooter wanted to kill, the arrow would have done the deed. Who the heck is it? Definitely not my father. Silas? Even if he found me, I didn't expect him to come visit. Virtually, we ain't on good terms. We have been wary of each other over the years.As the familiar stranger approached, it turned out that I was right. Why is he here? My blood boiled and I almost commanded my guards to shoot him down.He halted in front of us and dismounted from the horse.The reunion didn't go down well with me, but when he mentioned Pete, I simmered down. Just like I did, he was also fond of Pete. She was our only sister and we doted on her. But again my anger spiked up. He must have known the murky path that Pete was threading on and he didn't stop her.She should have sided wholly with Alpha Jason… so that I could hate
Vera"Where is My Alpha?" I asked Beta Derrick, seeing him emerge from afar. I left earlier because I realized that My Alpha needed some space. But to my surprise, I couldn't get a hold of him after everyone had dispersed."... Your Highness…" Derrick bowed, hesitantly."Speak!""...Your Highness… I think…""It's not about what you think. If you left him with that stranger, you're wrong! Where are they!?" I demanded."Come with me," Beta Derrick said resignedly and led the way. When we turned into a corner a thatched house showed up ahead and I knew that was where we were headed."I have got it. You can leave," I said to Beta Derrick and quickened my steps.I met two guards on the way, they seemed to be guarding the thatch house from a distance. When they saw me, they didn't stop me They bowed and paved the way for me.A few steps away from the guards, my wolf's ears caught a heated argument between the two brothers…"Lies! Well, I get it! Pete was your sister from another mother. Y
VeraThe enormous greyish wolf pranced towards me and I was paralysed by fear. My lips felt like a piece of block and I couldn't plead for my life. With my eyes shut and knuckles tight I remained frozen to a spot.He was getting closer and I could feel it. His aura was all over me."Swoosh!" A great wind blew past me, throwing me off my feet. My eyes flung open as I landed on the floor. Did he just miss me? No way! He must have deliberately avoided me. Panting hard, I remained on the floor with my hands stretched out in front of me. I couldn't believe what just happened."I'm sorry … I…" Silas said from behind. He hovered over my smaller frame and held my shoulders, trying to pull me up."Don't you touch me!" I yelled and pushed him away. Breathing hard, I shoved myself off the dirt and looked straight at him nervously— I was playing with the tiger's teeth and I knew it, but I didn't give a damn."Why did you show up!" I charged at Silas angrily.He seemed mortified by my action.
Vera"I am sorry about earlier… I lost control and I, I almost…" his voice thinned and there was silence. "...I am sorry," he rasped again, breathing unevenly as he pulled me tighter…"You almost, but you didn't and that was all you needed to win me," I responded and heard him heave a sigh as he nuzzled his chin on my neck. I still didn't know what I did wrong and why he turned on me, but his restraint meant a lot to me."I don't deserve you. Unlike you who stood your ground to prove your parents' innocence, my roots are dirty. Without a mother but a father who hunted me through the woods, I was broken from a young age. I rose to power from shambles… And now you have heard the vilest secret about me…" he rumbled."I am not Alpha Jason's son… My mother… She was worse than a whore. She committed sacrilege… and I am her son, the product of that sacrilege. What do you think about me now? Do you still want to be my mate?" His voice wavered and his strong arms shivered around my waist.Oh,
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