ValerieI never planned to fall for him.If anything, I had sworn I wouldn’t.Alpha Tristan was cold, distant, and impossibly frustrating. He had made it clear from the beginning that he hadn’t wanted me here, that I was not the one he had chosen. And yet, something had changed, slowly, subtly, in ways I hadn’t even noticed until it was too late.It was the way he looked at me when he thought I wasn’t paying attention. His gaze, sharp and piercing, softened at times, lingering on me just a moment longer than necessary. It was in the way his voice lost its usual edge when he spoke to me, quieter, almost hesitant.It was the way he touched me, small, fleeting moments that shouldn’t have meant anything but somehow did. The accidental brush of his fingers against mine when we passed each other in the halls. The warmth of his hand on my lower back when guiding me through a crowded room. The firm grip on my wrist whenever he stopped me from walking away too quickly.It was everything.And I
ValarieThe morning sun poured through the tall glass windows of the palace, spilling warmth across the floors. I hadn’t slept much. After the kiss in the garden, I had returned to my chamber, my heart still fluttering, my lips tingling from his touch.I touched my fingers to them now, replaying the moment in my mind again and again. It hadn’t been just a kiss. It had been a promise… or maybe the beginning of something I wasn’t sure either of us had the courage to name.But as I stared at my reflection in the mirror, brushing my hair slowly, reality began to creep in.Tristan was still Alpha. I was still his unwanted bride… at least in the eyes of others. No matter how warm his eyes had been last night, how gentle his hands had felt, it didn’t erase the tension that still existed between us or the whispers that floated through the palace corridors.I sighed and reached for the silk robe, wrapping it tightly around me before stepping out of the chamber.As I walked down the hallway to
Tristan I didn’t mean to fall for her. I fought it. I buried it. I ignored it. But now, it was all I could feel. Even as I rode back toward the palace, Vanessa beside me with her soft laughter still echoing in my ears, I realized that something had shifted not just between us, but within me. It was terrifying. Because Alpha Tristan, son of the great Alpha Theo who came from the lineage of warriors, heir to the bloodline of rulers didn’t fall. I didn’t lose control. I didn’t allow emotions to interfere with duty. Yet one look at her, one smile, and everything I’d spent years mastering crumbled like dust. She had started out as a stranger. A name on a scroll. A face I was forced to accept. But now, she was the only person who made my world feel… alive. I stole a glance at her while she was distracted by the trees ahead. Her hair whipped gently with the wind, her fingers gripped the reins delicately, and her lips were curved slightly as if the joy of the ride still
CarlI could sense it, the shift in the air, subtle but unmistakable. Tristan was changing, he smiles often now and does things he dare not do before and I knew the cause.Her.Vanessa .At first, I thought she’d be like every other pretty face sent into this palace , refined, mild, quiet. Someone molded by duty, too afraid to stand tall in the presence of Alphas. But Vanessa was different. She wasn’t just beautiful , she was unintentionally magnificent , the kind of woman whose presence lingered long after she left a room, charming and elegant And Tristan, as much as he pretended otherwise, was completely drowning in her without even realizing it.Or maybe he did.Maybe that was the real reason he’d been colder than usual, more easily irritated, and more reckless with his decisions. He was trying to bury what was obvious to everyone who dared to look closely enough .the Alpha and ruler had fallen and he was falling hard.And I was enjoying every second of it.It wasn’t about her, n
CarlThe palace walls had always been cold. Even as a boy, I remembered how the echo of my footsteps rang louder than laughter in these halls. Power, not love, fed the air here and no one understood that better than my mother.Lady Bianca sat by the wide window of her private parlor, bathed in soft sunlight, her posture perfect, her beauty sharp like a well forged blade. She looked like a queen even though she wore no crown. She never needed one. Her presence alone demanded attention.I stood by the fireplace, arms crossed, watching her pour herself a cup of rose tea as though she wasn’t about to orchestrate another storm.“You’ve been too quiet lately, Carl,” she said, not even glancing up. “That’s not like you.”“I’ve been observing,” I replied. “Sometimes silence tells more than words.”“Ah,” she said with a knowing smile. “But silence doesn’t win hearts. It doesn’t win legacies either.”I didn’t respond. I knew where this was going. She’d been patient long enough.Her teacup clink
CarlThe morning sun was shining beautifully as I stepped out of my room and headed towards the balcony.I could still hear my mother’s voice echoing from last night, “Win the people. Win Theo.”I’d spent most of my life hiding behind sharp wit and casual indifference, watching Tristan take center stage while I stayed in the wings. But this time, the stage was mine, and I was about to command it with a different kind of power, not force or Alpha authority, but charm. Presence. Influence.As I walked through the corridors, the palace staff seemed to stiffen slightly, unused to my early presence. Good. Let them get used to it.“Good morning, Clara,” I greeted the elderly maid tending to the vases near the hallway.Her eyes widened slightly. “Oh… good morning, Prince Carl.”“Those are tulips, yes?” I asked, pausing beside her. “My mother always said they brighten any room. You’ve arranged them beautifully.”A soft flush touched her cheeks. “Thank you, sir. I….i try my best.”“And it show
Alpha TristanThe hall was brighter than usual.Laughter danced across the walls, music echoed lightly in the background, and the scent of fine wine mixed with freshly cut roses clung to the air. The chandeliers above glistened like a thousand stars, as if Carl had summoned heaven itself just to dazzle the nobles who lined the floors.Typical Carl.A celebration masked in charm , something to win over the court, soften Alpha Theo’s expected return, and make the people question what kind of Alpha they’d prefer to see in the future. It was more than a party. It was a well crafted performance.And I hated every second of it.I didn’t care for parties. I didn’t care for the forced smiles and hushed gossip in the corners. But I’d come anyway, not because I wanted to, but because I had to.Because I couldn’t let Carl have the stage alone.I moved through the grand entrance, nodding briefly at a few nobles as I passed. I scanned the crowd, ignoring the murmurs and side glances that always se
Valarie The music behind us slowly faded as we walked down the grand corridor, away from the noise, away from the laughter and whispers. It was just the two of us now, and somehow, the silence felt louder than anything else.My fingers brushed against the smooth fabric of my dress as I walked beside him, feeling oddly aware of every step. The walls of the palace, adorned with golden sconces and elegant paintings, had never felt so intimate, so quiet. And yet, there was something in the air, something unspoken between us that made the silence hum with meaning.Tristan hadn’t said much since we left the party. He wasn’t cold, not exactly, just thoughtful. Still, I couldn’t help but glance sideways at him, trying to read what lingered behind his eyes.“You’re quiet,” I finally said, keeping my voice light. “Should I be worried?”His lips twitched with a faint smirk, eyes still forward. “You’re always trying to provoke a reaction.”“Only when you make it too easy.”That earned me a quiet
VANESSA I had spent the entire afternoon pacing around the house, unable to shake off the growing discomfort in my chest. My head still ached from the accident, but it wasn’t the physical pain that consumed me now. It was the questions. The confusion. The cold, heavy silence that surrounded everything about my life.Since waking up, everything had felt like a jigsaw puzzle missing pieces, fragments of my memory, faces that seemed unfamiliar, yet familiar at the same time. My mind swirled with images of a wedding dress, of vows being exchanged, of a man standing in front of me… but nothing was concrete. It was as if my mind had locked away all the important things, leaving me with nothing but shadows and half formed thoughts.I wandered through the house in a haze, my footsteps leading me to my parents’ study, where I often found them deep in work. It was there, among old books and papers, that I knew I could find something that might explain all the gaps in my memory.The room smelle
NICOThe night air was thick, heavy with the scent of rain and something else , tension, like the whole palace was holding its breath. It felt like the gods themselves were waiting for what was coming.I moved quickly through the servants’ corridors, keeping to the shadows. I knew these halls better than anyone else. Growing up in a house full of wolves, you learn early where to hide, where to eavesdrop, and how to disappear when the air turns sharp.Tristan’s orders replayed in my head.No mistakes. No leaks. No names left untouched.I made my way to the lower west wing, where the old guards kept their quarters. The newer generation of soldiers preferred the lavish chambers in the east, closer to the halls of power. But the men I was looking for didn’t care for polished floors and velvet curtains. They cared about loyalty. About blood and history.About family.I reached a heavy wooden door and gave the knock , one sharp, two soft, one more sharp. The same code we’d used as boys, sne
TRISTAN The palace was too damn quiet.It was always like this at night , servants tucked away, guards at their posts, the world pretending to sleep while the devils inside these walls plotted in the dark.And tonight, I was one of them.I sat alone in my study, the dying fire casting restless shadows on the walls. A glass of whiskey sat untouched at my elbow, my fingers drumming against the arm of my chair as my mind ran wild.They thought they had me.Carl. Lady Bianca. The damn council. They sat in that room today, looked me in the eye, and told me they were giving my crown to someone else. That the people wanted change. That tradition no longer mattered.Bullshit.This throne belongs to me.It always has.I bled for this land. Fought for these people. Buried my father, my grandfather, watched every damn threat that came for this family and dealt with it. And now they want to hand my legacy over to a snake in my own bloodline?No.Not happening.I leaned forward, resting my elbows
CARLShe ran.She didn’t even look back.I stood there in the fading light of the hallway , my pulse pounding in my ears and my jaw tight enough to crack. The taste of her still lingered, sweet and defiant, and it infuriated me how much it rattled me. I wasn’t supposed to feel this.Not for her.Not for Tristan’s woman.But damn it, something about her made me reckless. Reckless enough to cross a line I’d sworn I wouldn’t. And watching her tear away from me like she was running from a wildfire… it sparked something dark and possessive in me.Because I saw it in her eyes.She felt it too.No matter how fast she ran, she wouldn’t outrun this. Outrun me.I let out a breath, raking a hand through my hair as I forced myself to calm down. The last thing I needed was for someone to come stumbling into the garden and catch me looking like a man whose world was slipping through his fingers.I had bigger things to focus on.The council had made their move. The people’s choice. That’s what they
VALARIE I avoided him like my life depended on it.Every hallway, every corridor, every damn corner of the palace , I made sure I was nowhere near Carl Blackwood.The second my eyes caught a glimpse of his silhouette, I would turn around, take another path, duck behind the nearest column or slip through a different door. It was exhausting. And it made my pulse race for all the wrong reasons.Because I wasn’t afraid of Carl.I was afraid of myself.Afraid of what happened that day in the garden.That moment , that stupid, careless, dangerous moment where I let my guard down and kissed him back.It had been a mistake.A terrible, impulsive mistake I’d spent every minute since trying to forget.But the truth was… I couldn’t.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the look in his eyes when his lips touched mine. That soft, unspoken plea. That touch of vulnerability hidden beneath his usual arrogant smirk. The way his hand lingered a second too long against my skin.And it terrified me.I be
VANESSA My head throbbed.A deep, heavy ache that made it feel like my skull was splitting open. My eyelids were impossibly heavy, my vision a hazy blur of light and color. I could hear voices, distant and muffled, like I was underwater.Then a warmth, a hand wrapping around mine. A familiar touch. Another on my cheek. My name, soft, trembling.“Vanessa… baby, it’s mom… can you hear me?”I wanted to speak, but my throat felt like sandpaper, and my lips barely moved. I forced my eyes open, a step at a time, until shapes started to take form.Faces.Two of them.My parents.Tears glistened in my mother’s eyes, and my father , the man who rarely showed any emotion beyond stern disapproval looked like he was on the verge of breaking. I frowned, a deep crease forming on my forehead as I tried to piece together what was happening.Why did they look so scared?Why did I feel like I’d been asleep for years?“Vanessa,” my mother’s voice cracked, both hands now cupping my face. “Thank the moo
VALARIE I ran until my legs burned.Branches scratched my arms, and the cool wind tore through my hair, but I didn’t stop. I didn’t look back. I couldn’t.I didn’t know what scared me more, what had just happened or how it made me feel.When I finally reached the edge of the palace gardens, I slowed down, clutching a tree trunk for support, my breath coming in sharp gasps. My lips were still trembling. Not from the chill but from him.Carl.His name echoed like thunder in my head.What had I done?I slid down onto the damp grass, burying my face in my hands. My chest was tight, my mind spinning out of control. The warmth of his lips still lingered on mine. His touch had been so gentle, so unexpected, like a storm I didn’t see coming until it swallowed me whole.I hadn’t meant to kiss him.I hadn’t meant to lean in.But for a fleeting second, being with him made the pain stop. It made everything…….Frank, Lady Bianca, my sister, the lie I was living, fade into silence.And I hated that
CARLI knew how to wear charm like a second skin. The palace had become my stage these days, smiling at the right people, offering compliments that sounded sincere, laughing when I needed to, promising strength and peace for a kingdom that didn’t know it was being manipulated from the inside.They loved me for it. The nobles, the council, even the servants who whispered in corridors. Every smile I gave was calculated, every compliment a carefully placed piece in a game of strategy. But none of that mattered in the moment I saw her.Valarie.She was standing in the garden like she belonged to it. Like something tragic had rooted her there, still and quiet, her gaze far away. The wind played gently with her hair, and even though she didn’t notice me, I noticed everything about her.The way her shoulders were stiff, like she was trying to hold something in.The way her hands were clenched by her sides.The way pain clung to her silently, like an invisible fog she couldn’t shake.And some
VALARIE The call came just after sunset.I was alone in the chamber, brushing out my hair by the window letting the air flow in through the window. Tristan had been quiet lately, and though he hadn’t said a word, I felt the shift in him like we were dancing to a song that had changed tempo when I wasn’t looking.Then my phone rang.My heart stilled when I saw the name.Mother.We hadn’t spoken in weeks. Not because of bitterness, but because our silences were easier than our truths. My hand trembled slightly as I answered, pressing the phone to my ear, bracing myself.“Valarie,” my mother breathed on the other end.Her voice cracked. And just like that, my spine straightened. “What is it? What happened?”“She’s awake.”My heart dropped to the floor. For a second, I couldn’t find my voice.“She…….what?”“Your sister,” she said, sobbing now. “She opened her eyes, Valarie. She looked at me… she squeezed my hand. She’s awake. After all this time….”Her voice broke, and so did I.I pressed