VALERIA "What would you do now?" Nickolas strode through the hallway. He pushed the door open and stormed into his office. He threw the paper on the table and smacked his head with his palm as he groaned. "We have no choice right now... otherwise, we would lose other clans. Sam said as he shut the door behind him. "There are just a few clans left, probably 16 left." Nickolas whirled around. "16 clans left out of 39?" What had he been doing all the while that gave Brutus the audacity to set twenty-three clans on fire? After all his hard work to uphold everything his father had left to him, Sam nodded his head as Magnus stormed into his office. His nose flared up. Nickolas whirled around and placed his palms on the table. He clenched his fists tightly around the edge of the table. "I have no idea what's flying around in your head, but I have to tell you that you must return that boy." Magnus declared his stance firm. "I can't believe the reason for all of this is because o
VALERIA A ripple of shock surged throughout the hall... my eyes were pinned on him as I waited for a response. The hall was drop-dead... they remained still, trying to process what I had just said. Emilia's nose flared up as she smacked her hands on the table and stood up. "What do you mean by that?" Nickolas bellowed, his voice echoing throughout the hall. The room was tense, and Emilia's face rippled with disaster. There was no fear in me. I’m ready to take what's mine. Emilia placed her hands on Nickolas and asked, "What's she talking about?" "This is blasphemy!" "What do you mean by that? Do you know the consequences of your allegations?" Nickolas growled, his face twisted into a sneer. My heart sank to my stomach as I lowered my head. I couldn't believe that Nickolas could say that, but what was I expecting? "What's the meaning of this, Valeria?" Sam's voice echoed throughout the hall as I swallowed
VALERIA "Mama... Can I sing for you?" Giselle stutters as she clutches her doll tightly to her ribs. She's scared and, at the same time, anxious to know what Emilia's reaction will be. She thought that if Emilia didn't want her to be seen outside, then maybe she could spend time with her... after all, Emilia's her mother. Emilia's expression darkened as she glared at Giselle over her shoulders, sitting the powder platelet on the vanity table. "What does that mean? Or would I say, What do you mean Giselle?" Emilia asked with scorn on her face. Giselle's voice was barely above a whisper. "I heard some kids singing in the field... I learned the song and was hoping that you'd love to hear me sing." "Why would I?" "Because you are my mother." Giselle stuttered, unsure of herself. Emilia gave a mirthless laugh, clutching her dress firmly as she glared at Giselle from her head to her toes. "What?" Emilia tugged h
NICKOLAS I stood with my arms crossed around my chest, watching the sunset. My expression hardened and my eyes gleamed as I staggered back a step, leaning on the pillar. My shoulders hunched as I shuffled my feet and my hands into my pockets. My head lowered, my gaze on the ground. Taking a deep breath, my hands slipped out of my pocket to my hair as I rubbed the back of my head. I couldn't believe Giselle shuddered whenever I touched her, but that was different for Xhafer. There were so many reasons why Xhafer needed to leave... he had become so close to Giselle that she listened to him more than me. I took a handful of my hair in my hands as I writhed in pain. "Ahhhh!" I was ashamed of myself that I couldn't relate to Giselle. This pain has been consuming me for days, making me wonder if I made a mistake that night. Everything I worked for all these years was crashing right in front of my eyes, under my rule, and I couldn't do a
"Mum, I told you already that Dad warned me not to treat Giselle badly!" Emilia rolled her eyes as she slumped on the sofa, gulping wine from the glass in her hands. She had always told Camilla, but Camilla never believed her. Emilia had no idea but felt like Camilla might have thought that she was lying to her when that wasn't the case. "Do you think he loves Giselle more than he loves you? Is that why you are scared?" Camilla flipped through the pages of a magazine on her hands as she adjusted her glasses. That was her fear. She only wanted Sam for herself. She wanted everyone around her only for herself. Camilla took a deep breath. "We shouldn't be talking about this, Emilia," she paused. "Valeria is still out there, and I'm sure she'll be out soon... you have no idea what she's plotting next." Camilla rolled her eyes. She had never liked Valeria from the start, and now she's instilling pure hate into Emilia. Emilia's shoulders s
NICKOLAS I held a glass of scotch in my hand as I tapped my finger continuously on the armrest. With a deep breath, I raised the glass to my lips and gulped down the entire content as I reminisced on my conversation with Valeria last night. The door creaked open, and I turned my gaze towards the door. My eyes met with Jaxon, and I followed his every move as he walked towards me, his face etched with worry. Jaxon's hands fell to his sides. He tightened his fist and cleared his throat... his lips quivered. "Why are you here?" I growled, my voice laced with impatience, as my eyes scanned him. "Alpha Nickolaus," he began, holding his breath. "The lady has escaped. The chef who was imprisoned has escaped." The glass on my hand fell to the floor as it shattered into pieces. My eyes narrowed, and a mixture of anger, rage, violence, and disbelief flashed across my face as my fingers curled into fists. I thundered. "How? Esc
Miss Sophie placed a hot, steaming bowl of cereal in front of Giselle, who was sitting at the table in the kitchen. "Come on, I made food for you. Eat alright." Miss Sophie said, her voice soft and soothing. Giselle remained still and didn't look up, her eyes fixed on the cereal. "I want Miss Valeria... where is she? She promised to come out and hug me. What happened that night? We saw her with my mama at the bridge." Miss Sophie stood straight and shut her eyes. She had no idea how to explain what happened and had no intention of explaining what happened. She just needed to make sure that Giselle ate so she didn't fall sick. Miss Sophie picked up a spoon and began to stir the cereal. "Come on baby girl, eat so it does get soggy. Valeria misses you, but she's hoping your papa lets her out of there," she said. Even though she lied, she had to at least tell her something so she would eat. "But trust me, you are going to see her. I promise you,
Brutus strolled past the dimly lit hallway towards the throne chamber... a gust of breeze followed behind him as it poured particles of dust on his coat. His eyes gleamed with rage as he scanned around the chamber. His beta, Lucian, walked in a few seconds later. The messenger, Khai, lowered his head as Brutus' glare sent shiver down his spine. Every step he took echoed against the gravelled floor, causing an eerie atmosphere. "What's going on? Why hasn’t Xhafer returned here?” Brutus' voice dripped with venom as it cut through the silence, causing Lucian and Khai to look up at him. Khai cleared his throat. “We are waiting patiently, just like you said we should." he paused. "But we haven’t heard from Nickolas yet.” His Brutus eyes flared up, revealing the sharp angle of his face. His sharp, piercing green eyes bored through Khai’s soul. His lip curled into a twisted smile. "And you are telling me that!” His voice was cold and menacing. “We
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y