Jaselyn's POV
I ended up crying myself to sleep.
When I woke up, it was morning. The harsh sun rays washed over my face from the open window and I had to block some of it with my hand. I blinked repeatedly in an attempt to clear my vision and I realized that I was alone in our bedroom, the memories of last night— Him calling her name during his climax, our argument, his hurtful words— They all came flooding back and I felt my heart squeeze in my chest.
I took several deep breaths just so I wouldn't start crying. I sat up and realized that a blanket was covering me. I clearly recall sleeping without one last night, could this have been his doing?
A small shrivel of hope starts to light up in my heart. Perhaps he didn't mean the things he said, it was probably just a misunderstanding. We have a strong relationship, there's no way he's just been using me to replace her this whole time.
I assure myself of this as I stand up from the b
Jaselyn's POVI jolted awake due to the repeated knocking on my door. It takes a few minutes for me to calm my heart rate before directing my eyes to the door as the knocking persists.I'm too tired to answer it so I just tell the person to come in.I'm surprised to see Carol run into the room as soon as the door opens and even more shocked to see Larose following behind her, she closes the door softly.“Oh Larose, you're here.” Is all I can think to say, my mind a complete wreck.Carol runs over to me and has a bit of a struggle climbing onto the bed so I help her and she jumps on me. It takes the last of my strength to stop the both of us from falling over.“Did I wake you up? I'm sorry about that. I couldn't help but notice that you haven't left your room all morning and it's already 3 PM. You missed both breakfast and lunch.” Larose said as she took a seat beside my bed and my eyes quickly darted to the clock on t
Jaselyn's POV3 days have passed since Rion left me with nothing but a note after his blunt rejection. Three agonizing days.He hasn't called, he hasn't texted, not even a zing through our bond.Every time I was tempted to call him, Larose was there to talk some sense into me. She reminded me that if he needed space, then calling him would have the opposite effect. She thinks it's foolish to chase after a man, especially when he doesn't hold a shred of consideration for me.She's been in a similar situation so I know she's advising me from experience.In these last three days, I've thrown myself into activities with Carol. I'm like her second mother now and she's grown pretty attached. I honestly need the affection, as selfish as it may be.Our routine is pretty simple. I take Carol to play with the children at the orphanage, we do some gardening, help with anything the maids will let us do, which isn't very much (only Jinu lets us han
Jaselyn's POVCarol fussed in my arms, wanting to be put down so I set her down and she ran over to him. He picked her up, throwing her in the air while she giggled.She signed to him, asking where he went and his eyes darted to me but I looked away, refusing to meet his gaze.“I had to be gone for work, sorry I couldn't tell you. Did you miss me, kiddo?” He asked and it almost felt like he was talking to me.Carol nodded and he hugged her.“You don't have to worry. I'm here now and I won't go anywhere again, I promise.” He said and I couldn't handle the situation anymore so I steeled myself and walked right past him, wanting to soldier on to the kitchen.He grabbed my arm, stopping me before I could run away.“Jas, we need to talk.”How do I tell him that though I'm happy to see him, I've been dreading this conversation?“I have nothing to say to you. Let go of me.”
Jaselyn's POVThe rest of the evening with Carol is a blur of giggles and play. She’s my sanctuary, her innocent joy a soothing balm to my tortured heart. We draw together, the crayons creating colorful streaks on the large sheet of paper on the floor. Her laughter is the only sound in the room, and for a while, it helps me forget my pain.A knock on the door breaks our peace. A maid, with a polite but firm expression, announces that dinner is ready. My stomach churns at the thought of facing Rion, but I steel myself. I can’t let the maids see any cracks in our relationship. Gossip spreads like wildfire, and I don't want to give them any fuel.Carol takes my hand, and we make our way to the dining room.The dining room buzzes with activity as maids set the table and bring in dishes from the kitchen. The air is filled with the mouth-watering aroma of roasted meats and seasoned vegetables. Carol and I enter, and my heart skips a beat when
Jaselyn's POVRion speaks up before I can respond, his voice steady but with an undercurrent of tension. "We’re still adjusting to a lot of changes, Father. We need some time to think about it."Alpha Xyne’s brow furrows slightly, his playful nature giving way to a more serious expression. "The sooner you’re bound in the presence of the moon goddess, the better for everyone. The both of you are going to be the next Alpha and Luna of this Pack, your union will not only secure this Pack's future but bring in a new, brighter age."I shift uncomfortably in my seat, my eyes darting to Larose for support. She picks up on the tension and seamlessly shifts the conversation."Speaking of changes," Larose interjects, "the bridge construction project is a significant one for the pack. It’s not just about infrastructure; it’s about connecting communities, fostering trade, and ensuring the safety of our people. The design incorporat
Jaselyn's POVWe both stand there, breathing heavily, the sting of my slap hanging in the air between us. Rion's eyes are a storm of emotions—pain, regret, and something deeper, something raw. I turn away, my heart pounding in my chest."You must think so highly of yourself. You left suddenly after basically rejecting me and you think you can just waltz back in here and kiss me like nothing happened, touch me like you love me. You're so insufferable."Rion's face contorts with anguish. "Jas, I’m sorry. I left on official business, and I thought we both needed space to process everything, to figure out our feelings. I didn’t call because I didn’t want to make things harder for you. It wasn’t my intention to make you feel neglected or abandoned."His words sting, but they don’t change anything. "That doesn’t change the truth, Rion. Ziarre is still the one who holds your heart, and I can’t keep up with this cha
Rion's POVThe moment our lips meet, it’s like a dam breaks inside me. All the pent-up frustration, the longing, and the unspoken emotions flood out. Jaselyn’s mouth is hot and eager against mine, her body melting into me. I deepen the kiss, my tongue exploring hers with an intensity that makes my head spin.I press her harder against the wall, my hands roaming over her body. The feel of her curves beneath my palms ignites a fire within me. I grip her waist and slide my hands up, unclasping her bra with practiced ease. Her moan is music to my ears, and I pull back just enough to see her eyes dark with desire."Gods, I need you," I murmur against her lips before capturing them again in a searing kiss. My hands find her breasts, and I tease her nipples, drawing out more of those sweet sounds that drive me wild. I can feel her arching into my touch, her hands tangling in my hair as she pulls me closer.I kiss a trail down her neck, biting and suc
Rion's POV“You’re so perfect, Jas. And yet all mine.” I murmur, leaning down to capture her lips in a searing kiss. Our tongues tangle, the taste of her still on my lips, and it drives me wild. I pick up the pace, each thrust deeper, harder, the bed creaking beneath us.I break the kiss and move down her body, my mouth finding her breasts. I take one nipple into my mouth, sucking hard, then biting gently. Her back arches off the bed, a cry escaping her lips.“Rion, please….. don’t stop,” she begs, her hips bucking up to meet mine.I switch to her other breast, giving it the same attention, my hands gripping her hips to hold her steady. I can feel her getting closer, her body trembling beneath me. I release her nipple with a pop and move back up to kiss her again, my thrusts becoming more urgent.“Fuck, Jas, you feel amazing,” I groan, my voice rough with desire.Her hands find my
Celio's POV The wooden floor creaked under my knees as I scrubbed away at the dirt, pushing the rag back and forth with all the strength my small, 8 year old body could muster. The chill of the mountain wind seeped through the cracks in the old walls, biting at my skin. My hands were raw and red, the rough texture of the rag scraping against my knuckles. I didn’t mind. I didn’t mind the pain, the hunger gnawing at my stomach, or the loneliness that pressed on me like an iron weight. I was used to it.I glanced out the cracked window at the gray sky that mirrored my feelings. The little shack we lived in sat at the base of the mountain, far away from any Pack. Isla had always told me that it was better this way—away from the people who would look at me and know that I wasn’t wanted, that I was abandoned by the very woman who should have loved me most.“Your mother didn’t want you, Celio,” Isla would say, her voice sharp and filled with disdain. “She threw you away like you were nothing
Luka's POV The day started out like any other. Mika, Sawyer, and I were playing in the woods behind the palace, chasing each other through the trees, our laughter echoing in the air. At seven years old, we were pretending to be fierce wolves on a hunt, leaping over fallen logs and dodging branches. It was perfect, like it always was when we were together.But then everything changed in an instant.I heard the thud first—a sound so sharp and heavy that it made my heart skip a beat. I stopped and turned around, the world seeming to move in slow motion as I saw Mika crumple to the ground, his face twisted in pain.“Mika!” I shouted, racing back to him. The sight that met me made my stomach lurch. His leg was twisted at an odd angle, and there was blood—so much blood—pouring out of a long, deep gash along his shin. It covered the grass, bright and red, and kept coming. I couldn’t breathe.Sawyer came running up, her eyes huge and frightened as she saw the blood. “Luka, what happened?” sh
Jaselyn's POV I took his hand, and he pulled me close, holding me from behind as we swayed gently to the music. His lips brushed my ear as he whispered, “You’re beautiful, you know that? Even after everything, you’re still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. And I’m the luckiest man alive to have you.”Tears pricked my eyes, but they weren’t tears of sadness this time. They were tears of happiness, of gratitude. “Rion… you don’t know how much that means to me.”He kissed my neck softly. “You mean everything to me, Jas.”Suddenly, the music stopped, and a projector flickered on. I turned to see a slideshow of pictures—our memories together. Photos of us when we first arrived at the Pack, a few of the whole family, some from the day of our mating ceremony, which also doubled with the coronation, pictures of us as Alpha and Luna at a few events, including one of us at the Peace Ball. Pictures of me with the twins when they were born and finally, pictures of us with Luka and Mika. I
Jaselyn’s POVExhausted didn’t even begin to cover how I felt. I was beyond it. No, it was more like EXHAUSTED in capital letters, underlined and bold. It had been a few days since Luka and Mika were born, and though I’d prepared myself for the sleepless nights and constant feeding, nothing could have readied me for the complete overwhelm of being a new mother to two newborns at the same time. Rion helped as much as he could. He was always there, doing everything in his power to make things easier for me. But there was only so much even he could do. There were things I had to handle myself—breastfeeding, comforting them when they both decided to cry at the same time, managing the constant pain in my body that hadn’t fully recovered from the trauma of childbirth.Luka was a good feeder. He latched on almost immediately, eager to nurse, but Mika wasn’t doing as well. He struggled with breastfeeding, and that meant more time spent trying to get him to eat, more time stressing about whet
Jaselyn's POVFive years have passed since the birth of our twin boys.And in those years, Luka and Mika had grown into mischievous, spirited children who constantly kept me on my toes. They were inseparable, their bond unbreakable, and they moved through life with a shared sense of curiosity and adventure.Completely identical, they inherited the dominant Solstice genes with their ebony black hair, deep green eyes, and strikingly beautiful features. They were so similar in appearance that even their grandmother couldn’t tell them apart.Only Rion and I could tell which was Luka and which was Mika, and the boys often used this to their advantage, tricking everyone around them. But when they weren’t up to mischief, they were the sweetest children imaginable—kind, considerate, and always eager to bring a smile to my face.They were the best of friends, always looking out for each other. If one fell ill,
Rion's POV“That’s it, Luna,” the midwife encouraged. “The hardest part is over. Just one more push, and we’ll have him out.”Jaselyn nodded weakly, her face pale and slick with sweat. She gritted her teeth, her whole body trembling as she summoned the last of her strength. With a final, desperate scream, she pushed again, her body arching off the bed as she bore down with everything she had left.The baby slipped free with a gush of fluid and blood, his tiny body wriggling and slick in the midwife’s hands. “It’s a boy!” she announced, holding him up for us to see, his loud, piercing cries filling the room.My heart swelled with emotion as I gazed at our son, his tiny face scrunched up in a wail, his fists clenched and shaking. Tears blurred my vision as I looked at Jaselyn. “He’s beautiful,” I choked out, my voice thick with emotion. “Jas, you did it. You gave us a
Rion's POVI slammed my fist against the desk, sending papers flying. The frustration had been building for months, and now it was boiling over. "Dammit!" I cursed, pacing the room in a futile attempt to calm myself. We had conquered the Rain Forest Pack with ease, but it had been a hollow victory. Hadrian, that fool, had chosen to die rather than betray his cousin, Isla. He'd poisoned himself before we could get any information out of him. Another dead end.The Fishers were a twisted bunch. Part of me relished the thought of wiping them out for good, to rid the world of their poison. Isla had slipped through our fingers, and I was beginning to fear we’d never find her. If I could only get my hands on her, I would make her pay for taking Celio. She would wish she had never been born.Blade had been another disappointment, another dead end in our search for Celio. We had pushed him to his absolute limits, hoping that the pain and pressure would force
Jaselyn's POV“Maybe we could…shower together?” I suggested hesitantly. “It might help me relax.”Rion smiled softly, his eyes filled with understanding. “That sounds like a great idea. Come on, let’s get cleaned up.”We both undressed completely, and I followed him into the bathroom. He turned on the shower, adjusting the water temperature until it was just right, then we stepped under the warm spray together.The water cascaded over us, washing away the tension and the grime from the day. Rion wrapped his arms around me from behind, holding me close as the water streamed down our bodies. I leaned back against him, feeling the steady beat of his heart against my back. His touch was gentle, his hands moving over my skin with care, never lingering too long in one place.He washed my hair, his fingers massaging my scalp in slow, soothing circles. I closed my eyes, letting myself relax under
Jaselyn's POVI agreed to see Nae, but only because I needed to know if she could give me any information about where Isla might have taken Celio. It was my only lead, and I wasn’t about to let it slip through my fingers, no matter how much I despised Nae.Before heading to see her, I turned to Rion. His clothes were torn and stained with dirt and blood from the battle. He looked tired, and I could see the weariness in his eyes despite his usual confident stance. He needed rest, and he needed to be taken care of. After everything he had done for me, it was the least I could do for him.“Come with me,” I said softly, taking his hand. I led him back to our bedroom, feeling a mixture of nerves and determination. “Rion, I want our lives to go back to normal,” I began, my voice wavering slightly. “I want to feel close to you again.”He looked at me with a mix of surprise and concern. “Jas, you don’t h