Chapter 1 – The Meeting of the LeadersSilently, I sat at a round table while waiting for the rest of the leaders to claim their seats. Queen Adna was already with me, sitting at my right while the King of Sattus at my left. They were the two leaders that could vouch for me. The third one, Lady Yllana, who now showed her older skin, tossed me a look across the table and nodded, telling me it was time.Time for what?Well, time for all the leaders to know what happened in the Baltic Meadows a month after the great battle between the Kingdoms Phanteon and Ehnrelil.All of the leaders were present and this included Governor Marius dela Forte of Earth. We exchanged brief introductory stares before I redirected my attention to the High Witch."Everyone, thank you for your presence here today," Lady Yllana started. "Agotta, the realm of the witches, warmly accepts you and wishes you to enjoy your two-day stay here. As a neutral faction ever since the realms were created, I decided t
Chapter 2 - Renovations with the TwinsReturning to Rexhus Tower where most of my training as priestess felt surreal to me. The last time I was here was when Geraden brought me to Ehnrelil to be judged. Of course, I was made to stay in the bedroom, so I hadn’t witnessed the changes in the tower’s interior, which basically consisted of...none.The black-tiled rooms, gray-colored brick walls, dull furniture, and even the training set-up and equipment were all the same. One would think that in a fae kingdom, everything would be glimmering and fanciful. This wasn’t entirely true, at least not in this place.The tower was designed solely to enclose a would-be priestess, which technically was me. In the history of Ehnrelil, they had been always strict with training priestesses, but this was a first for them to actually build a tower for one person. I reckoned this probably stemmed from the fact that my mother had an illegal affair with my father. They didn’t want that to happen to
Chapter 3 – Welcoming the QueenAt last, the meeting ended, but it wasn’t smooth-sailing for me the entire time. Twice or thrice I had to stifle a groan so as not to catch the King of Sattus, or Queen Adna, or anybody else’s attention. I had to also force myself to sit still on my chair despite my wolf wanting to surface and jump space to Ehnrelil where Serena was currently. I was trembling with the need to leave the table, but I reprimanded my ass against such foolishness; told myself I was a well-respected alpha king with a duty to the kingdom and not to my cock.Well, at least not during the meeting.But just thinking about Serena: where she was at the fae kingdom and who she was with, made my mind run wild. It didn’t help my case when she tuned off our mate connection either. This brought me to believe she was deliberately doing it so that I’d focus more on the meeting. Well, it was successful but certainly with difficulty.When I arrived in Phanteon by nightfall, I sought
Chapter 4 – Surprising the AlphaSerenaHonestly, I wanted to join the leader’s meeting in Agotta on the second day. I wanted to mingle with the rulers of each realm and establish a good working relationship with them. The last time the leaders and I met was at Phanteon’s masquerade ball. That was close to two months ago. Like Aero, Queen Adna advised me to join too and I would have if not for my plan today.I purposely blocked Aero’s mind from reading part of my thoughts as I didn’t want him to learn about the special surprise I’m putting up. I was pretty sure though he had sensed I had been secretive. He’d probably even interrogate me about it when he returns to the castle later, but by then, he’d see the many things I prepared for him.Damn, I’m so excited to break the news to him. He’d surely flip out!While I was inside the receiving room of our chamber, I heard a knock on the door. With a smile, I dropped the powder blue and light pink flaglets on the coffee table, stood up, and
Chapter 5 – The Best Damn NewsAeroThroughout the meeting, I felt uneasy. Something just wasn’t right. Though Serena and I parted with hugs and kisses, still my beasts and I could sense something amiss. We couldn’t pinpoint if this was negative or positive though so that all the more lead me to worry.Once the meeting adjourned, I hastily left Agotta by coach. William, my beta, was with me this time, doing the paperwork for me. At one point, he mentioned Serena requesting two ladders in our chamber but didn’t explain what it was for. I had to mind-link her to ask about it, but she tuned me off once again.This and the uncomfortable feeling I had since yesterday made me transform into my werewolf form and jump out of the coach. I promised Serena I wouldn’t carelessly use my teleportation ability and I was keeping it. So, as an alternativ
Chapter 6 – Visiting EarthSerenaAfter the great howling, Aero and I decided to go to Mount Thersa—to the place where he finally conceded to me. I always teased him about how I won this moment of our lives and yes, he didn't mind at all. He even told me he was glad to lose to a challenge if it was me.How sweet.
Chapter 7 - Princess of PromiseSerenaMy family was ecstatic to find out I was pregnant. Mother, who had the biggest smile on her face, immediately called her gyne doctor friend and set up an appointment with us. The clinic was conveniently located around the corner of the house so we headed there after lunch.En route, Aero remained silent and moody. Apparently, he still disliked the idea of his name being used by my sister’s cat, but it wasn’t a cat really, it was still a kitten with little whiskers and deep blue eyes and fluffy orange fur. It was the cutest thing in my parents’ house and I understood Jessica why she decided to keep it aside from the fact that it was given by a special friend.Aero the Kitten and Aero the Alpha King’s fateful meeting was comical at best. It was at lunch when this happened. They had a staring contest for an intense three minutes when the former climbed up and sat at my husband’s side of the dining table.If looks could kill, the kitten would have bee
Chapter 8 – Hyenas OnboardAeroA cruise ship.Ugh.I never liked going to such mainly because it’s an unnecessary extravagance and it deals with water. I had always considered myself a grounded man and thus I preferred the ground under my boots than a big slab of metal with a buoyancy that was questionable for me. I never saw any advantage of being surrounded by that much body of water for a week but anything for my queen, I would agree, so I accompanied her without complaining.Our first night inside the ship, I admit, wasn’t bad at all. It was sublime. Making love to Serena on the balcony with the sea view and underneath Earth’s moon made me appreciate the place we were in. Not only was it romantic, it was also the closest to nature inside the ship. This would definitely be something I would enjoy doing again and again
EpilogueSerena“Ryland! Raziel! Rule! Be ready!” Aero roared as he paced in front of them, acting as game master in this friendly competition of brothers. He was dressed in nothing but trousers while the triplets, as usual, copied their father, acting as if their pre-pubescent muscles could contend to Aero’s bulging ones. The three were lined up within the yellow line, ready and waiting for the red flag to be released.I sat on the stone bench outside the mini arena of Alchidna just observing them. On my lap was Scarlett, trying to shake her baby maracas to the best of her ability. She just turned two five days ago while my triplets reached their teenage status a month before that.Scarlett was a heaven-sent to Aero and I. We were never sure what gender we would be blessed in my second pregnancy, but luckily, it was a female. A princess. Aero let me name her, and I used the Earth name of t
Chapter 57 – Baby StepsSerenaAero broke our kiss when we arrived in our favorite spot in the hot spring.“Welcome back,” he greeted and gave me a wink.I chuckled at this and turned to face the area where we made lots of cherished memories together—well, mostly hot ones.“Don’t just stare. Go and dip. You need to rest. I’ll massage you.”Hearing this, I tossed him a disbelieving look. “What? The great alpha king wants to massage me?”He pulled down his pants and straightened before me with pride in his eyes. “Yes, but you should know I only do this to the woman I love.”“Well then, massage away, my dear alpha king,” I answered before I bit my lower lip.My heart fluttered when he touched me again, first to caress my shoulder and next to trace the mate mark on my neck and the crescent moon mark on my wri
Chapter 56 – The BeginningAeroI didn’t doubt Serena when she said she wanted to deliver our children in a cave and with me assisting her. She trusted me with our sons’ lives. She didn’t second-guess me, so it was only right I shouldn’t second-guess myself too.Obviously, this wasn’t what we planned at all, but considering the circumstances, this was the best we could get. Serena seemed contented, so I was contented.Seeing her in pain, it sliced me to pieces. I wished I could fight this battle with her. I wished I could feel the same pain as what she was feeling, but I knew this was an obstacle reserved only for her.When our firstborn arrived, my happiness was over the moon.A father. The word echoed in my head repeatedly.I couldn’t believe I am a father now.I wanted to celebrate, but I knew it was best to do so later. Serena was due to deliv
Chapter 54 – Precious SoulsSerenaA sound of a cry and a huff escaped my mouth when I realized who just materialized inside the cave. My husband, who looked so good, so handsome, but also so worried, stood before me. My heart instantly leaped in joy.Finally, he came and right on time.“You never called me,” he said as he stepped forward toward me.“I was about to,” I answered, half wincing, half smiling.His warm hand contacted my cheek, and I reveled in the feel that it brought.“How are you feeling?” His gentle eyes landed on mine. His other hand touched my contracting belly and moved it up and down the roundness.“Tired,” I replied. “I’m in labor, Aero.”“I know,” he simply answered. He looked so calm on the exterior, but I knew deep inside his many emotions were swirling
Chapter 53 –The Scent of the QueenAeroI must say, Calaheim did me a favor. The area where the portal ended brought me inside a house that sickeningly smelled like Sofia. I was in a foyer in what I could reckon as the second floor, judging from the nearby stairs I spotted and the grand chandelier hanging on a beam just leveled with my line of sight. Below me, I could hear a woman talking—or more like complaining—together with a man groaning in pain.I instantly recognized their voices. One was Dr. Rutherford or Hilda with a rougher tone now than before, and the second was from Viscount Daniel.Slowly, I inched closer to the stone balustrade to spy on the situation. The viscount’s rough state made me clench my hands instantly.He was shirtless and bloody, with his arms and chest wounded with a slicing cut of a blade. This blade was visible on Hilda’s hand. The edge was pointed to
Chapter 53 –ForgivenessAeroHadon was sneaky, but I was sneakier. What I did was to only use my enhanced sense of smell to locate him everywhere he went in Ehnrelil. I observed enough distance between us; hid under the shadows or behind the walls and watched his every move.First, Hadon went to the Council of Elders’ tower. Did some paperwork there until he left two hours later and went to the Rexhus Tower. There were priestesses in training there. He observed them with a disappointed face and demanded more from them. Like a boastful man, he showed his spells—cheap magic tricks that even a fae child could do. But there was one that caught my eye. It was the cloaking spell he used when he kidnapped Serena.I gritted my teeth while I watched him show it off to the priestesses. I wanted to rip his throat apart, but I knew I had to be mor
Chapter 52 –Tailing the FaeAeroQueen Adna looked morose when I teleported to her throne room. Gone was her beauty. Gone was her radiance. She sat on the throne, slumped, silent and without life. It was ironic to watch her like this because I knew, if I was a female version worrying about Serena’s welfare, I would look the same.When she noticed my entrance, she perked up and her expression lightened a bit.“Have you found her?” She stood and asked without delay.I shook my head and maintained my neutral face. My anger remained on the surface just waiting to explode; waiting for me to unleash it to the right person. I just needed to find this person first.“No, I still haven’t, but I found out who took her,” I answered.Queen Adna’s worried ex
Chapter 51 – The Luna EscapesSerenaLike what Viscount Daniel said, I ran—or more like plodded—as far away as possible from Sofia’s house.The house was impressive—that was my first impression when I first glimpsed it en route to my escape path. The walls were made of white bricks and it was covered in vines almost deliberately to camouflage it with its surroundings. It had a landscaped garden and toadstool pathways—a standard in every fae house, but hers was a weird dark violet. The house was surrounded by autumn-colored trees and lavender-green grass; quite picturesque if not for the owner and the people living in it.The bluish color of the barrier was visible around the house, yet I couldn’t quite figure out the depth of its coverage: how many kilometers it stretched or how high it reached the sky.D
Chapter 50 – Her Majesty’s SaviorSerena“What does it feel to be hopeless now, luna? It’s fun, right?” Hilda stated as she continued to stare down at me. Her mocking voice was dripping with confidence, so similar like her daughter’s. I wanted to lash out, give her a witty reply, but the state I was in reduced me into a moaning mess.I embraced my contracting belly and ignored her instead.“Your husband will never find you. You are doomed,” she continued, still with the viscount by her side, just looking at me with no emotion in his eyes. “My daughter’s house is imbued with her magic—from the surrounding landscape to this very building we stand, and with Hadon’s help, this place is forever hidden. No one can enter unless I will it so.”“Mhhhh!” A whimper of