NIKOLAI It’s day three of training my warriors and recruiting every other single able-bodied men I find. I’m not exactly desperate, I trust my men to finish the job but better prepared than sorry. Winter and I are still an unresolved issue, she avoids me as much as she can and it freaking hurts. I’m still yet to figure out what I did so wrong but I’m not sure how long I can take this silent treatment for before I go crazy. She doesn’t even speak to me, I mean she does, but not in the same way she used to. She talks to me like she’s my subject, even some of the maids are not as respectful as she is when she speaks to me. I say her name and she goes; yes your highness, then she bows. I get so mad and I can’t even yell about it. Aunt Hyacinth tells me it’s my fault but she won’t tell me what I did or how to fix it. I’m sorry, I’m really sorry. I’ll do whatever it takes for her to stop treating me like this. I’ve been transferring all the aggression and anger I feel into this war an
NIKOLAI “Nikolai, wait, stop. I can’t breathe.” She complains and I let her go. I don’t know how it got to this. I left the training ground for a second because I had to gran something in my office, when I saw her in front of the door, I knew it was my chance to talk, to iron our all the tangled up feelings between us. I talked to her and then when we responded, he words hit me right in the chest but the way her lips moved healed up the wound right away. I wanted to hold back but I couldn’t, the urge was too strong, it’s like anytime I’m away from her too long, I miss her so much that I can’t control myself. I loose control over my brain and basically every other part of my body. The beast in me is unlocked and it wants to tear her up but the royalty in me wants to he gentle and touch her ever so delicately like the treasure that she is but I guess the beast won this time because I kissed her so hard, it felt like she was going to die. Her face is as red as a tomato and her eyes
HUNTER I didn’t think I’d like someone else after Winter but Daphne makes it so easy to like her. Sure she’s a pain in the ass sometimes but it's the beauty of it. I don’t want to take this little thing blooming between us to the next level but I also don’t want to take it for granted. Daphne is a really good person behind all that false bravado and it will be a big shame if I love her with half heart and I can’t boldly say that I’m over Winter, I also can’t boldly say that I don’t have any feelings for Daphne. The only thing that I’m sure of is that I don’t love the two of them at once, so all I have to do now is figure out what I truly want. Daphne and I have started to discuss things we intend to use the land to do. I’m not including her in my plans because I like her, I’m including her because she’s brilliant and she’ll make a really good business partner as long as we don’t try to kill each other. We started by taking a walk around the entire pack. She kept taking notes as
ELDER DONOVAN.I have no idea what is going on inside the tall walls of Nikolai's building. Is he preparing? Is he not?Does he care?Does he not?The man is a closed book, I can’t get a read on him. Which is why I sent spies and neither of them have brought back results, I don’t even know if they’re dead or alive. The first girl I sent was promising, I could see the hatred in her eyes, she looked like she would kill Nikolai if she got the chance to. I knew it would be hard to penetrate the palace security so we waited until we got the perfect opportunity. Who will suspect a slave in a gathering of slaves? Seeing as I’ve not heard from her since then, I guess Nikolai did.Everything is going according to plan, other packs are starting to join my army and it’s growing even stronger than Nikolai would ever imagine.I don’t know what he has under his sleeves but I’m sure it can’t be as big as what I have planned for him. Even so, I can’t get my mind off it. I’m sincerely curious, so
WINTER When I awake, I see a dark figure towering over me and fear grips my chest. He's back.I thought Nikolai killed him. Why is he here again? Where am I? Where is Nikolai? I try to stand up but my ribs hurt like I was stomped on by a horse. Everywhere hurts, not just my ribs. Even my vision is teary and the inside of my head sounds like a gong.“You’re awake.” The figure says excitedly and I nod slowly, the voice sounds so far away even though its coming from right above me. I’m still scared but so far there’s no sign of danger. The fog covering my vision begins to clear up little by little and a familiar face comes into view. “Hunter?”“Yes, yes it’s me. Are you okay? Does it still hurt? Do you need anything?”I have a lot of questions, one of them being; what is he doing here? In the same room? With me! But that’s not what I want to ask first. What I want to ask is how he knows that I’m in pain when even I didn’t find out until a few seconds ago?“What happened?” I managed
ALPHA JACOB. “Scrub between the toes!.” I yell at the maid and she obeys. I’ve been trying to get myself to relax but nothing is working even this shitty massage that this maid is giving me. “It’s enough.” I tell her and she stops. Her hands and dry and bony like she doesn’t eat enough food. It makes me even more restless. I’m overly generous when it comes to food and every of my staff eat more than they should so it’s either she's physically incapable of growing more flesh or she’s physically incapable of growing more flesh, I see no other reason for her to be so skinny, literally. A certain set of people are planning a coup against Nikolai and his pack and it has gotten to my attention that it’s more serious than it sounds. I don’t mean to downplay my army but they don’t stand a chance against these people and neither does Nikolai because as far as I know, Nikolai's army doesn’t hold a candle to mine. We’ve been winning battles for years and even though they’ve won more bat
NIKOLAI.There is no much sense to the advise Hunter had for me but there was some truth to his words. I need help. This is not a battle I can fight on my own but who will I call? I have nothing but enemies, my father made sure of that. I’m completely alone on this battle field and for the first time it actually bothers me. The so called chief priest thinks he’s on vacation. He’s done nothing since I freed the slaves. No prophecy, nothing. I didn’t put my trust in him but it’s still nice to know that there’s someone on your side. I go back upstairs and tell the guards that I stationed in front of the room to leave. Winter is sound asleep, I’m glad she didn’t loose too much blood. She’s so much braver than I give her credit for. If anything happened to her, it might be the end of me. I want to protect her, I don’t want to hurt her. I want to keep every part of her safe, even the smallest strand of her hair. She’s all I have left. Sometimes, I just want to take her with me and go
ELDER DONOVAN Nikolai has called for a pack meeting, meaning he received my little surprise. It’s only just the tip of the iceberg, there is so much more where that came from and seeing as he’s already calling pack meetings on just the first attack, he won’t be able to survive the next, because I’m bringing it to him in full force.I take one last look at myself in the mirror, I’ve been paying more attention to how I look these days, I’m not seeing anyone and I don’t have a crush ok anyone. I’m just enjoying how good it feels to be seen and heard.People greet me now when I walk past them on the street. The elders finally recognize me as one of their own and even though it’s too late for that now, I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts. I spit in my hand, slick back my hair and walk out of my house. ~“Is everyone here?” Nikolai asks, his voice filling the room. There was a buzz of electricity as he spoke, his voice was charged. “I have an announcement!” he called out and the whole
EPILOGUE 2018 A Maybach gears up after the traffic lights turn green. There's a man in a suit in the back seat. He's looking out the window and staring at the billboard of an author and popular model. She's beautiful. He thinks, and he continues staring until his phone rings. "Hello?" "Liam, will you still make it for the meeting?" "Yes, Zach. I'm on my way. There's no traffic, so I'll be there in about five—" The car comes to an abrupt halt. He hears the sound of crash and mutters a curse under his breath. He will not be getting out of this one easily. He looks up and sees the angry driver of the other vehicle already slamming their door closed. He turns to his driver. "What happened?" "I don't know. She just stopped abruptly. I have no idea why. This woman is obviously crazy." He pinches his forehead and comes down from the car after his driver does. She is furious and crazy because the way she's already raving about her bashed car has him taking cautious steps forward.
NIKOLAI Winter's giving birth. I'm as anxious as a live wire. I'm pacing the halls of the house while the midwives and the pack physician deliver our son. Hunter is with me. He's carrying his daughters and feeding them breakfast on the dining table. The house has been gloomy for months since Tara died. This is the first thing that has brought joy to all of us. Our son. I can't wait to meet him. I wonder who he would look like. Deep down, I want him to look like his mother. I smile to myself, and Hunter calls me out. "Pull yourself together. You are embarrassing me." I clasp my sweaty palms together. "I guess this was how you felt when the twins were born." Hunter smiles genuinely. He doesn't do that anymore. There's no reason for joy in his life, and I truly feel sorry for him and for everything he's been through. He lost Daphne and lost Tara, and to think he will always have the memories lodged in his head is pure torture, even for me. "Yes. I'm pretty damn sure I felt much wors
WINTERSix Months Later...It's been six months since Daphne and her father tried to destroy us. Six months since we've heard anything about her whereabouts. Life seemed to go on in contast paranoia that they would be back, especially for Nikolai. I'm almost due. My bump is large, like someone trapped a volleyball inside there. The pack doctor examines me. He says I keep getting weaker and weaker. I've told no one about the conversation Isador and I had the night of Hunter and Tara's big escape. But I know why I'm being diagnosed as weak. I have little time left with my son and mate. It's breaking my heart.I know Elkan didn't survive his brothers wrath. Killian killed him and his triplets before Hunter could make do with his promise. It's beating him up, but he doesn't show it. The fact that he failed those innocent children. It only means one thing, though. Killian owes use all a life, and he will pay up when the time comes.The pack doctor shakes his head. "Your temperature and bl
HUNTER They had beaten me to a pulp, but they were going to need more than that to end me. I just need to know if Tara is alright. Since Daphne carried her into that separate room, I have seen nothing and heard nothing. My wolf is terribly weak. I struggle against the chains. I've been doing that for hours. Killian came and asked Daphne when she was going to kill me. She may hate me now, but I know she can never do something as horrendous as that. Daphne still loved me. I couldn't kill her as well if given the chance. There was just something holding us back. She stalled my execution date until two days from now. Meaning, Nikolai has 48 hours to rescue me successfully, or I have just that amount of time to break free before they sell her off to Ander. I need to save her, or else I won't forgive myself. I struggle against the chains bound to the ceiling above. It hung me up. I pull with all of my might, but nothing can save me from the weakness freezing my wolf out. I feel helpl
NIKOLAITheir weapons are laced with wolf's bane and poisons of various calibres. We are outnumbered, and it's also impossible for us to win this war against Ander. My wolves are perishing all around me, and I feel helpless. Ander is on his horse wrecking havoc with the mighty scythe in his hand.I run for him, growling as my fangs gleam under the afternoon sun. He's about to hit one of my closest wolves from behind. I dive on his horse and throw him to the ground, cartwheeling and dodging the scythe's blade by a narrow miss.Ander roars, getting on his feet. It's between the both of us. I'm not armed, and I know I've got to be careful while going against that blade. Winter warned me about that, and I promised myself I would make it out alive.I charge at him, and he comes for me as well. We clash, baring our teeth. Our wolves around us are still going at each other. Still, it is clear that Ander is winning. He shoves me to the ground. I bring out my leg and swipe it across, making him
DAPHNE Tears burn my throat. It didn't occur to me that he would actually find my replacement. I still loved him deeply, but I couldn't disobey my father. If he chose me now, I would have abandoned everything and saved him from this hell. But the man I love is interested in another woman. This must be my karma. I walk into the barren room where Tara has been kept inside. I know she's scared, but I'm so livid that I could pluck out her entire hair. How dare she steal what is mine? "Ander would love to hear you survived his trap. He would take your sorry ass back and punish you for life because that is what you deserve." Tara starts begging. She knows what it's like to be slaved under Alpha Ander. Not to mention being punished eternity by him. It's pure hell, and I want to laugh at the terrified look on her face. I do laugh. "What? Scared, are we? This is what you get for taking what's not yours." "I didn't know you and Hunter were an item. I met him by chance and he said nothin
HUNTER I told her not to go. I told her I had to stay put right here inside the damned pack house, but she just won't listen. One thing I've learnt about Tara is that she's as pig headed as they come and can't take no for an answer. She literally dragged me out from the house to come and pick herbs in the woods. Her argument is that it's close by and we won't be gone for more than half an hour. It takes only a second for things to go epically wrong, but I don't know why I can't resist her anymore. When she speaks, she always finds a way to get to me, and she doesn't even do much. She only just has to say the word. I don't what to make of it, but I'm trying to school myself into making this the only time such would repeat itself again. Sure, she can pick her herbs for now, but next time, I won't consent to something as careless as this, leaving the pack house unguarded. She's in front of me, skipping happily into the woods. I'm always happy to see her smile. The sight of it just m
WINTER I dread waking up to this morning because I know what it means for us. Nikolai wants us to do this. He wants us to pay Jacob a visit, but I don't think I'm ready. Jacob was the man who hurt me. Although he seems repentant, I still can't tell what his heart would be like. I'm stepping out of the bathroom when he meets me halfway. Nikolai hugs me. Last night brought us a lot closer intimately. I was so darn sure I would have his babies after that. He made sure of it. But then, would the curse of Rose find me now that I am Winter. Will I still not be able to have kids of my own? "Hey, babe." Nikolai calls me, resting his forehead against mine. "You look stressed. Don't be stressed." "You know why I'm stressed." "I'll be right there with you. You don't have to be scared because you have me protecting you always." He has a point. I know he will never abandon me. Nikolai loves me so much. He proved that last night, and I'm certain he will always have my back in everything. I do
HUNTER I walk ahead as soon as I walk towards my room in the Alpha's home. She's right behind me in the next minute. I saw her hold back her words before Nikolai was out of respect. I knew the second she was in the clear, she was going to come at me with everything she's got. Funny enough, I'm anticipating it. I'm also anticipating seeing more of her in those pretty clothes. It's new for Tara. "Ever heard of give people their flowers, Hunter?" She crosses her arms as she falls in step with me. Nikolai and Winter have occupied the main stairs, so we are going all around to get to my room. Tara is just following me without a clue about where she's going. "That's the most senseless thing I've ever heard." She blocks my path, walking with her back when I don't stop coming forward. "Take that back." Tara slaps my chest. Coming from a werewolf, her hit does justice, and I almost break a wince. "I won't take it back, Tara. Because it's my opinion." "I found you empathetic at first