ADESSA.
“The Alpha woke up!” Dexter, Kael’s Beta, yelled from the living room.
My body went rigid as the words slowly sank in. I immediately left the housemaid I was speaking to in the kitchen and rushed to our bedroom.
Kael, my mate, had a car accident a month ago and went into a coma. His condition was getting better, and recently, he began falling in and out of consciousness. He would wake up for a few minutes and stare blankly. He wouldn’t speak, or he wouldn’t even look at anyone. And then he would fall into a deep sleep again.
I continued with my routine to keep the household going while his Beta and Delta were doing their best to run the pack. But since I was the Luna, all the final decisions were up to me.
I kept a brave face to everyone, but in the silence of our room at night, I would cry myself to sleep. I missed him and the security of his presence.
I wanted him back.
I haven’t given up hope that one day he will wake up and everything will be back to normal.
It seemed that day was today. He finally woke up and began talking.
But returning to normal didn’t happen. At least the way I wanted it to be.
“Don’t touch me. Who are you?” He asked. His voice was as cold as the winter night. He was staring at me with furrowed brows as if I had committed a heinous crime against him.
I rushed to our bed, and I couldn’t stop myself from holding him. I was about to hug him when he growled at me.
Kael hated being touched and was never affectionate with anyone except me. He was a fair and good Alpha, but he kept his distance. But never with me. I was allowed to hold him or hug him in public, putting on a show that we were in love. His smiles would always just be reserved for me.
It seemed he had forgotten that.
“I’m... I’m Adessa.” I answered as I forced a smile despite the tears stinging my eyes. I was so happy to hear him talk.
“Are you my nurse? I don’t think I allowed anyone to just grab me like that...”
“I’m your Luna...” I said, trying to meet his gaze.
The room fell silent, and I felt it closing in on me as his eyes dilated before a scowl covered his whole face.
“What the fuck?” He growled once more, and his eyes went to his Beta, who was standing behind me. “Where is Desiree?”
“Alpha, calm down. I will answer all your questions, but let’s wait for your physician. He’ll be here in a couple of minutes.” Dexter told him.
“Call Desiree and tell her to come here. Or take me to her!” His words cut deep into my soul.
My jaw tightened as I blinked back the tears pooling in my eyes. I tilted my head up as I met his gaze again. “You placed an order not to allow Desiree inside this house.”
“Am I asking for your opinion?” His nose flared as he glared at me, but before any hateful words could leave his mouth, the door opened, and his stepmother came in.
Kael’s father died when he turned twenty-four, and he immediately took the position of the Alpha. His stepmother, Miranda, stepped down as Luna but had never stopped acting as one, even after my marriage with Kael.
She would always be the first one to complain about anything about me or things I’d decided on. She only stopped when Kael requested for her not to meddle with my decisions. He also gave her a home so she could move out.
Kael’s act only fueled her hatred for me.
And yes, she never stopped letting me know that Desiree was a far better choice than me.
“They said the Alpha woke up?” She asked as she walked in without even throwing me a glance.
She was followed by her Omega, who rolled her eyes upon seeing me. She hated me for being an Omega like her and a Luna.
“Miranda, where is Desiree? And why is the woman here claiming to be my Luna?” Kael asked her, and it was getting harder to fight my tears.
The former Luna’s eyes widened as her eyes darted to Beta Dexter.
“He can’t remember the Luna, but his physician…” Dexter was not able to finish his words because Miranda had already cut him off.
“Desiree is on her way here. She just went to check the flower shop that delivers flowers here every three days to decorate your room, but she’ll be here soon.” She said sweetly as she stood beside his bed, a wide smile playing on her face.
That was a lie. I was the one organizing the flowers around this room because I wanted him to wake up to a beautiful view and for him to know, I was always longing for him.
“I don’t think it’s fair to give credit to someone who has never stepped foot in this house for a whole year. “
“What do you mean?” Kael asked.
“As I said earlier, you ordered not to let her inside the house. The flowers you see around here are my…”
“Take the Omega away from here, and she’s not allowed to enter this room until Kael orders so,” Miranda said firmly, looking at the Beta.
“You can’t do that. I’m the Luna of this pack and the mistress of this house.” I spoke as my chest heaved.
My eyes went to Kael, who still had a dark expression on his face. He was just looking at me.
“Beta Dexter, I said take her away from here. It is not good if Desiree sees her when she comes.” Miranda kept talking, motioning with her hand while glaring at Dexter.
“I said I’m not going,” I said firmly before looking at Kael again. “Kael, please tell Miranda…”
“Alpha Kael…” He cut me off before I could finish, and his deep, cold voice sent shivers down my spine. “Leave…”
My jaw tightened at his order, and my heart shattered to pieces.
“You don’t remember me, and yet you’re not going to ask me anything about how I ended up here?”
“I said leave!” He was almost growling.
A hand snaked on my arm, and I tilted my head slowly to look at the Beta. I waited for Kael to growl or reprimand Dexter for holding me as he would on occasions that the Beta accidentally held me. He would never let any male touch me. But he did nothing this time.
“Let’s go, Adessa,” Dexter said.
He dropped the title Luna from my name. It was then that I knew I was losing this battle.
I took one last look at Kael as I pivoted my body to follow Dexter’s guide, and my heart just broke again. He wasn’t even looking at me. He was already in conversation with his stepmother as if I were just a waste of space, not worthy of being looked at as I exited his room—our room.
I slowly pulled my arm away from Dexter as we walked the corridor. “You will tell him about me, right?”
“Yes, I will. But I cannot force him to believe anything.”
“I want to be there when his doctor arrives. I want to hear what he has to say about his condition.”
“That decision lies with Kael.”
“But he can’t remember me! So, of course, he will not let me be there!” I snapped at him.
“There’s nothing I can do, Adessa.”
“Luna Adessa!” I gritted my teeth, trying to suppress my anger.
“Just Adessa…” He replied. “Until the Alpha asks me to address you as Luna again.” He gave me a smug smirk before turning his back to me.
ADESSA. The whole day went by in a blur. People came and went. Everyone was fussing over Kael. I had attempted to reach out to him, but Miranda blocked me all the time. There was a time when I screamed at her out of frustration, and it was the scene Kael accidentally witnessed. Of course, he didn’t like it. So, instead of letting me speak with him, he took his stepmother, who kept pretending I was the mean one, and they left the house. I had no idea where they went, and no matter who I asked around, no one could tell me. So I didn’t get any sleep at all. I watched the clock tick, and the moment it hit six in the morning, I was already up and began managing the housemaids in the kitchen, hoping Kael would be back for breakfast.Breakfast came and went, and there was still no sign of him. After eating, I went to my office and called the central hall to check if he went there, as he would usually do during work days. But he didn’t. They were actually surprised to find out he had woke
ADESSA.“So, you want a divorce,” I stated. I was trying my best to keep my voice from breaking.“Adessa, I have a fiancée.” He said in a calm tone.“You had a fiancée a year ago, but you have a wife now.” “I can’t remember anything about you, and I am sure it is Desiree that I want, not anyone else.”“Did you forget what she did to you?” I asked. Instead of answering my question, he threw one back to me. “Tell me, did I love you? Are we together because we are in love?”I swallowed. I could lie and tell him we were, but lying was not part of our relationship. We had always been honest with each other. “No,” I answered, keeping my head high. “Thank you for your honesty. So are we together for convenience? Or what? But it doesn’t matter anymore. Whatever reason brought us into this marriage, let’s forget about it. I want a divorce, Adessa. I never wanted to marry anyone I didn’t love. It was not how I grew up. I had always envisioned Desiree as my Luna.”His words were too painful
ADESSA.I went to my office after I signed our divorce paper. I knew I should go, but I had many things in my hand that I didn’t want to leave without giving instructions about them.I took my time to write the next step and the necessary confirmations for each matter I personally handled while he was in a coma. I knew I could tell him directly, but I didn’t want to see him anymore. I spent my whole day in my office, just waiting for someone to kick me out of the house, but it never came. So I also took the chance to make some calls to find a small apartment where I could go after I left this house.Kael didn’t say anything about when I should go, but I was planning to stay at least until tonight and leave before dawn. I didn’t want anyone to see me leaving. Fortunately, no one disturbed me in my office. It was already nine o’clock in the evening when I finished all of the things I had prepared for him and his pack. I didn’t have lunch and dinner, and by the time I was already in b
ADESSA.I was staring at the ceiling, even if I couldn’t see anything in the darkness. Kael was snoring beside me. It was louder than usual, probably because he was too drunk.I knew I should get up and leave his bed because he might not like it if he saw me beside him. However, a part of me wanted to stay because what happened between us gave me hope.He couldn’t remember me, but his body surely knew how to move against mine.Kael would always start slowly and carefully in our lovemaking. Then, he would amp up his pace and take me wildly. He knew all the right places to touch me, and he knew all the right words to say to make me whimper in ecstasy. And he did all of that tonight. I think I should stay and sleep beside him. I couldn’t wipe the smile on my face even after I closed my eyes and hugged him tightly. He purred softly before he turned to his side, facing me and wrapping his arms around me, tucking my head under his chin as he would usually do. It had been too long since he
ADESSA.After I was pulled inside the van, I ended up in a very awkward position. I was seated but lying down on my side and with my hands tied behind me. It was harder to move. I struggled to break free for a while, but it was useless, so I slowed my breathing and did my best to calm down. I didn’t want to freak out. I didn’t want to give them any reason to hit me and make me unconscious. And I guess it worked. The man beside me pulled me up and helped me sit straight before tugging away the cloth around my mouth. “Sign this.” He said. My eyes roamed around. There were only three males with me, and they didn’t even hide their faces. But it was so dark that I couldn’t see them fully, and I doubted I had met them before. They looked and felt unfamiliar to me. “What’s that?” I asked. “Don’t ask. Just do it.” The man seated in the passenger seat turned around and pointed a gun at me. I swallowed and kept my eyes on his finger. I had no idea if I could dodge once I saw him press it
ADESSA. “Take her.” The driver told Markus, the man beside me. They both came out of the car, and I was pulled out. The driver lit a cigarette and rested his back against the car, which I was grateful for. I needed him outside.Markus held my arm and led me behind the bushes. I kept brushing my arm against his body before I smiled at him when I finally faced him. His eyes swirled with lust as he licked his lips. He was good-looking. A boy next door type that you wouldn’t even think he was a pervert. “My hands…” I mumbled.“I can break your neck if you try to run away.” He warned me.I nodded. He untied me, and I rubbed my hands together, my eyes darting to his pockets. “Can you turn around?” “Of course not. I’ll watch you…”I playfully rolled my eyes at him, flashing a seductive smile — the one I would use if I wanted to be playful with Kael. My heart was thundering in my chest because I was playing with fire. But I had no choice. I needed to get out of here alive. I had no idea
KAEL. After the rejection, I didn’t see Adessa the whole day. I heard she was in her office. I didn’t even bother to check what she was doing there. I had no idea what to do with her.I knew she couldn’t stay here, especially since Desiree was planning to move in, but I was also concerned for her safety. Everyone knew she was my Luna and could be the target of any danger or maltreatment. I didn’t want her hurt. My people might love me, but I was sure I didn’t have a good reputation with other packs. I lived in the solitude of my own territory. We thrived well both in industrial and agricultural businesses, so I had no need for other packs. I ruled as I pleased, and if I failed, I learned from it and started all over again. Since I was indifferent to other packs, I was sure if they found out about her, they might take advantage. Of what? I could only imagine what terrible things they could come up with. But then, I was sure Adessa was aware of this. So, surely she would not leave th
KAEL.I went to the shower, and when I came out, my clothes were already in bed, but Desiree was nowhere in sight. So I put my clothes on and went down to the main floor of the house.It was already nine in the morning, so everyone was already up and running except me. My stomach was already complaining, but instead of going to the kitchen, I headed toward the area where the offices were. I wanted a word with Adessa so we could discuss her setup and where she should stay.I chuckled at my own thoughts. I didn’t want to admit it, but the truth was, the idea of seeing her was something I was looking forward to more than the discussion. However, given what happened yesterday and the rejection that came between us, I doubt she would be up for a conversation. But I had to try. I turned to the corner and immediately halted in my spot. Desiree and Miranda were in the middle of the hallway between my and Adessa’s offices, and it looked like they were having an argument based on how crumpled
ADESSA. I had no idea what to feel once the result of my pregnancy came out. Negative. A part of me was grieving because Kael and I wanted to have a child, and another part was relieved that no other person I loved would be pushed into this messy life I had. But aside from that, nothing had changed.I threw all my doubts about Kael. Danielle was right. There are people worth taking risks for, and I would risk it all for Kael.If he turned out to be the bad man in the end, at least I had no one to blame but myself. Rather than turning my back on him and finding out they were all wrong about him.He might not be my husband anymore, but I remembered the vows I made to him in that car—for richer and for poorer, in sickness and health—I promised to honor and cherish him. I planned to keep the end of my vow, even if I didn’t have the ring anymore that we had that day, as I had taken it off and left it in the car when we attended the Moonlight Ball. I’d been longing to see Kael. The days
ADESSA. I whimpered softly before fluttering my lashes. The bright lights blinded me for a millisecond before I was able to open my eyes completely and found everyone staring at me—as if I were a subject on a petri dish. “Am I dead?” I asked. “Adessa!” The king hissed, and I closed my eyes immediately.“I’m sorry, Father. I just…”“Enough. We will talk about that in private. You need to be checked first.”I just nodded my head before opening my eyes. They assisted me into a sitting position before they checked my vitals. After a while, the physician said nothing was wrong, and it could only be pointed to exhaustion. He then asked the King if he wanted him to do sets of tests to check further.Even before he could answer, I had already blurted out my own question. “Can you check if I’m pregnant?”I knew I was being bold, but the earlier I could find out, the earlier I could plead to stop the Royal Games. “Do you think you are?” The King’s jaw tightened as he asked.“I’m already del
DANIELLE. Prince Esriel was approaching. As much as I wanted to walk away and pretend I didn’t see him, I couldn’t. I had my responsibilities as Princess Adessa’s handmaid and as a palace worker. So, I turned my body around and bowed my head in his direction. “What’s happening here?” he asked once he stopped before me and the guard outside the room. I tilted my head up and met his piercing gaze before replying. “The princess fainted your Royal Highness. I already requested for the family physician to come here.” He didn’t say anything and opened the door, stepping inside the princess’s suite, so I had no choice but to follow him.I walked faster than him, leading him to her bedroom. “She still hasn’t woken up.” I immediately checked her pulse and if she was breathing. “Do you mind helping me to position her correctly, sir? I can try carrying her, but I don’t want to hurt…”“Cut with the Sir crap, Dani.” He interrupted me, and then he chuckled. He walked toward the bed, and I cou
ADESSA.I made it back to my chamber and found Danielle there. She ushered me in and locked the main bedroom before guiding me to sit on the bed. “Are you okay, my lady?” She asked, and I could tell she was worrying about me, even if she knew she was in a greater mess than I was. “No,” I replied, letting out a big sigh. “I’m sorry that you don’t feel good, but I have to say this first because they can take me away from you any moment now.”“I won’t let that happen.”“Don’t worry about me, but listen, Princess Adessa. Under this mattress is my phone. It is safer here than in mine if they ever search my room for anything.”I nodded before I threw my arms to hug her. “I’m sorry I put you in trouble.”She rubbed my back and pulled away from my hug. “It’s okay. I want to help as much as I can.”“Did he message already?”“Not yet, when I placed it there a few minutes ago.” She replied. “He must not have the chance to do it yet.”“Do you think he loves me and not just because I’m a princes
ADESSA.“Did the accident really happen? Did he lose his memory, or was that an act to force divorce on you because he no longer wanted you?” Father asked all this in one breath. “But he changed his mind when he found out you could be of Royal blood.”“He had an accident! If you researched him, then it should be here!” My voice was higher, and my hand slammed on the folder as I fought my tears—everything he said kept piercing my heart. I could take anything. I could take the divorce talk. I could take looking at photos of him and Desiree embracing and laughing. But my heart couldn’t accept that he didn’t love me as he said. “It is here.” The King took out documents and pushed them in front of me. My eyes watered as I looked at the papers—some of them I was familiar with as they were handed to me while he was in a coma.All these documents were signed by Dr. Carlitos, the one who attended to him because Dr. Gideon was not around. “The doctor who saw and attended to him was not a leg
ADESSA.“Your brothers will be the ones screening all the applicants for the Royal Games. They should know who your ex-husband is.” Father’s words kept resonating in my head, and I was losing my focus. Father talked about not wanting to meddle with whoever would be joining the games, as he was the one to determine who would take the crown after him. So he needed not to give any favor to any of my possible husbands. I still couldn’t understand anything. So, instead, I looked at all the men around the table. Esmaeel, Eston, and Esriel, the three oldest, listened intently while Esaias, the youngest, looked bored and kept yawning, although he was trying to be discreet about it. Esegar was playing with a Rubik’s cube and seemed to be in his own world. But he did ask a few questions while Father was reminding all of them when the screening would start, so I knew he was listening. I did wonder, though, who among them wanted the crown. Maybe I could plead to him or them to let Kael part
ADESSA.“There she is.” I heard a voice, and my head snapped to look where the sound came from. I found myself face-to-face with four men around a conference table. Even though they were sitting, they all looked tall. They must be taller than Esriel, who was already six feet and two inches in height. “One would have thought she was tall. Did we have a midget for a sister?”My eyes widened. Midget? I was around five feet and four inches. I wasn’t short. They were just giants. I thought they were seriously judging me when I realized they were all smiling. “I would rather have a midget than a giant for a sister,” Esriel said as he stood beside me. They all chuckled, and if these four men, who must be aging from their late twenties to late thirties, were the princes, they didn’t look like one except for the formal vests they were wearing. The way they were snickering reminded me of the boys of the little rascals. “Hi…” That was all I could say as my eyes shifted between them.They imme
ADESSA. “Do you think I will just get my details from another’s mouth without any proof? Don’t you think I’m not capable of getting credible information?” The King asked, and his voice was back to being cold again. “I’m not challenging your resources, Father, but I know my husband. I know what we went through and why we ended up here.”“Do you really know your ex-husband, Adessa?”I was confident when I started talking about Kael, but the way he was delivering his words made me question whether I really knew Kael. Was one year enough to know him? But even if there was doubt in me, I did my best not to let it show. “Nothing anyone can say can make me see him in a different light.”“You are blinded by what you feel about him.”I swallowed hard, but I kept my gaze on him. I was torn between challenging him more and allowing him to speak his mind. “Let’s move to my office. Your other brothers are waiting for us there.” He stood up from his chair, and I immediately moved to block his w
ADESSA.Danielle helped take my clothes off, but I told her I wanted to shower alone. I wished I didn’t. I wished I had let her help me with my bath because she was gone the moment I stepped out of my bathroom. Another handmaid was waiting for me. Aileen informed me that she would be assisting me moving forward. I knew right then and there that Danielle was in trouble. I might get away from the King’s anger, but not her, and it was all my fault. I maintained my composure while Aileen assisted me in putting on a new gown, even if I was worried. She offered to braid my hair, but I refused and let it down. And even if she wasn’t in agreement, I left the room in a hurry. I wanted to find Danielle to make sure she was okay. My feet led me to one of the Palace Salons, where I was told the King was. Either he left the banquet early, or the breakfast had been concluded. But it didn’t matter anymore, as Kael was no longer there, and I had to make sure Danielle would not be punished.Aile