After Kira's blissful release, Bryan leaned his forehead against hers as they both caught their breath. His chest rose and fell, his lips parted, a soft, satisfied smile curving them. His warm breath mingled with hers as their hearts slowly returned to their normal, steady rhythm.Kira's fingers lightly grazed his jaw. "I love you too," she whispered, her voice filled with warmth despite its shakiness.Then she pecked his cheek after whispering her love. Bryan returned the gesture, leaning in to press a soft kiss to her temple before beginning to shift away.He was careful and gentle, shifting his weight slightly and moving to pull out of her slowly as he was quite aware of her sensitivity.Kira's body instinctively tensed for a moment, and she let out a soft, involuntary wince, which was followed right after by a soft moan.Bryan's brow furrowed with concern as he whispered, "Sorry, love," his hand brushing soothingly along her side. "I must have gone too hard on her," he thought, s
A low chuckle rumbled from Bryan's chest, his shoulders shaking slightly as he reached the bathroom. "This woman…" he muttered to himself, shaking his head with a smirk. "Easy to compliment, huh? I'll show her who's easy," he murmured under his breath, grabbing a clean towel.In the bathroom, he found a small towel as expected, wet it with warm water, and then wrung it out before taking a moment to clean himself. Once he was done, he leaned over the sink, the warm water running over his hands as he rinsed the towel thoroughly.Satisfied, Bryan wrung out the towel one last time and turned off the tap, glancing at himself briefly in the mirror."That will do," he muttered to himself before heading back to the room where Kira waited.As Bryan stepped back into the room, his powerful stride brought him closer to Kira, who could not help but stare.Her eyes roamed over his bare, muscular frame, lingering on the hard ridges of his abs and the broad, powerful curve of his shoulders. Kira h
Bryan had just stepped into the bathroom when Kira's loud voice echoed through the room. He paused, gripping the edge of the sink, her voice loud and teasing as he let out a deep chuckle. "Oh, you're asking for it now," he muttered under his breath, a plan forming in his head as amusement danced in his black eyes.After rinsing the towel and keeping it properly, he rinsed his hands quickly; his mind already set. Kira didn't know what she had just started, but he was going to show her, and he will definitely not let her go away with it. "I did warn her," he thought, turning to leave the bathroom.Meanwhile, Kira was relaxed so elegantly on the bed—maybe not much elegance with how disheveled she looked, but she looked disheveled in a good way. She had adjusted her position on the bed, still clutching the pillow to her chest, but this time, her head was titled as she stared up at the ceiling."He's probably rolling his eyes right now and laughing," she whispered to herself, giggling af
Bryan sighed after their laughs had subsided, looking around the room for his clothes. "You were supposed to leave, Aiden," he said, although he was just joking despite his words."Oh, please," Aiden shot back. "You were joking, obviously, and I'm sure you didn't believe I really left. Plus, when do you ever want me gone?"Ignoring Aiden's question, Bryan shook his head, chuckling softly as he pulled his boxers off the floor. He and Kira's clothes were scattered around, and thinking about it made him smile widely as he slipped into his boxers before grabbing his trousers and shirt to start dressing.Aiden, who was still half-in and half-out of the room, finally stepped inside, shutting the door, although he remained near it. He crossed his arms, leaning lazily against the door, as he quietly watched Kira and Bryan.Meanwhile, Kira had dropped the pillow she was holding onto earlier and had now wrapped herself in the sheets. She had not been feeling so self-conscious earlier, but bei
Five months had passed, and the pack was thriving. Everything was going so well—great victories and a sense of camaraderie. Though there had been occasional rogue reports and a few tense discussions over business alliances, the pack had managed to keep peace, and the Leader of Reykholt had accepted Bryan and Aiden's proposal. So far, businesses were doing great as well.Day-to-day life was vibrant; markets bustled with activity, warriors and their families laughing, and exchanging cheerful banter. Training grounds filled with sounds of sparring, laughter, talks, and encouragement. The members of the pack seemed happier than ever.Kira often found herself smiling at the sight of pups running through the fields, carefree and safe. She also thought of what it would be like if she were to have a pup of her own. She would smile at the idea and had even had the conversation with Bryan and Aiden, who also loved and enjoyed talking about it. They never pressured her about giving them a child
As the night settled in, warriors moved swiftly to prepare the arena for the final event of the day. They already knew what was to come, and long wooden poles were carried into the makeshift battlefield, each topped with a torch soaked in oil.Though these were modern days, tradition was never forgotten. They secured the poles into the ground, spacing them evenly around the circular arena. Sparks flew as one of the warriors lit the first torch, and soon, the entire circle was ablaze.With the preparations complete, the warriors went back to where each of them stood or sat earlier, leaving the stage set for the battle everyone had been waiting for. It was not news that Kira was going to be fighting today, the rumors had somehow spread so fast within the pack. Nothing to hide anymore. Kira herself was already dressed for a fight from the beginning, knowing fully well how it would go, so she doesn't have to change. Plus, she was quite comfortable in what she was putting on.Once the to
Kira lay on the ground, her chest pressed against the dirt. She tried taking deep breaths, and each breath she took was a struggle that sent sharp pain through her ribs."F*ck," she said to herself but inwardly. She was even surprised she was able to still think. Blood dripped slowly from her split lip, pooling at the corner of her mouth and staining the ground beneath her. She remained on the ground, arms sprawled out beside her and unmoving, except for her chest rising. This was definitely not what she had envisioned. Kira squeezed her eyes shut, and tightened her lips as if trying to hold back from crying out in pain. She already felt embarrassed and defeated, that would just make her feel much worse.She let out a soft groan, her voice low and filled with hurt. Her fingers twitched slightly as she tried to see if she could get up on her hand at least, but she didn't have much strength to push herself up. She didn't have any strength at all, and she hated how weak she felt.Wo
Elara, seated near her sons, was already worried about Kira, her concern showing all over her face. She shifted in her seat, leaning in slightly as her gaze moved from the battlefield to her sons.Leaning closer to Bryan, she lowered her voice to a whisper, not wanting others to overhear. "Will you intervene and call off the fight? It is not looking good for Kira," she said, her tone filled with worry.She looked back at the field, seeing how Kira was held like a rag doll by that hair and her hands tightened slightly in her lap, "It really is not looking good, Bryan."Without turning his head, Bryan answered in a low voice, that was very much calm. "It is not supposed to look good. It is a fair fight, Mother. No one leaves until one has submitted or been knocked out. And from the looks of things, neither has happened yet.""But Kira is down," Elara pressed, her voice dropping even lower and sounding more urgent. "This would save her from much more embarrassment or pain," she added, he
Kira turned her head toward the bathroom door, wondering who could be knocking."Who could that be?" She thought and sniffed, quickly wiping her eyes with wet hands. "I am not expecting anyon- oh, the tailor."Then the knock came again, more insistent this time."I'm coming!" she called out, her voice slightly hoarse from the emotions she had just been lost in. "I didn't think he would be here so fast," Kira muttered to herself. "Or is it…me?""How long have I been in here?" She asked herself as she realized the water was already cold.Hurriedly, she reached for the soap and washed herself."Just a minute, please!" she added, splashing water over her face and rinsing her body, before standing up. "I'll be right there."With rushed movements, Kira stepped out of the tub, grabbed a towel, dried her body, and wrapped it around herself.She had gotten her hair wet but didn't mind it as she padded to the bedroom, and started getting dressed. The undergarment was not too fitted. It was in
Kira, shocked, stood frozen, her eyes locked on Lythari in disbelief. She watched as Lythari raised the key of the house in the air, holding it out to her, and that was when she realized it wasn't a joke… "But was it?" Kira asked herself inwardly, as she couldn't quite process it."Belongs to me?" She asked Lythari, feeling confused, or like she was missing something. "I don't understand," she muttered and glanced at the key, then back at Lythari. "I thought this was probably your house or a new house you wanted to move into, and you needed someone to tell you if it was good enough. I—""You thought wrong," Lythari interrupted her, and let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head. "You are an interesting one. This house belongs to you now, Kira. It is your new home.""But—" Kira muttered, still struggling to believe it. The truth was, she had actually fallen in love with the house, and now it's actually hers?"Take the key, Kira," Lythari said, holding out the key, her eyebrow raised a
After Queen Elyria had officially welcomed Kira, Kira bowed respectfully and thanked her."You are both dismissed," Queen Elyria said afterward, and on hearing that, Kira and Lythari exited the throne room and left the castle.Now as they stood outside the castle, Kira took a deep breath and looked around once again as she was beginning to feel more at ease."Kira?" She heard Lythari call, bringing her out of her quiet moment with her thoughts."Yes?" She answered."There is a place I would like to show you," Lythari said and then turned to her, her expression unreadable yet inviting. "I want to know what you think of this place.""Okay," Kira agreed with no hesitation. "Sure."Glad about Kira's response, Lythari started walking ahead, and Kira followed right behind her, her eyes wandering over the landscape as she followed Lythari.The next path they took was surrounded by tall trees, and the deeper they walked, the more beautiful trees Kira saw. And as they walked some more, she saw
As soon as the guards opened the immense double doors, Kira and Lythari stepped inside and afterward, the doors closed behind them with a slow, resonant boom.Instinctively, Kira turned to glance back, exhaling softly before she then turned forward again, following Lythari deeper into the castle.The inside of the castle was just as breathtaking as its exterior. The halls were stretched high and vast, with towering golden arches that curved so beautifully and elegantly towards the ceiling. It was expected for the inside to be just as magical as everywhere she had seen, especially with the soft golden light that now filtered in through a massive stained-glass window, casting patterns onto the polished marble floors.The interior design was magnificent. It wasn't too much or too little; it was just the right amount of perfect. As they walked, Kira could not help but admire the beauty around her. Every step they took showed her how grand and ancient the place was, but despite this awe
Kira blinked, her eyes still on the woman before her as the word echoed in her mind. Elves.It wasn't shock she felt or surprise; it was something else entirely. Something like a sense of awe, as if she was now inside one of those many stories she had heard as a child. It was a reality she had never thought would exist, and she had never thought she would ever witness."Elves?" Kira repeated, her eyes running over the woman's features, as if she had not gotten enough of that earlier."Yes, Elves," Lythari answered with a small, knowing smile and then lifted her hand to tuck a strand of her long silver hair behind her ear. It was at that moment that Kira saw them—the pointed ears, sharp and elegant. They were longer than human ears and curved gracefully, just like how she had seen in storybooks. It was…"Wow," Kira muttered, her lips parting slightly before she cleared her throat and pulled herself back. "I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised that elves exist, considering that my ki
Kira had been running for a while, her breaths steady but deep, until she found a quiet clearing deep in the woods and decided to settle there for the time being.All of a sudden, she started feeling hungry, and when she spotted a small animal, instinct took over and well… a fire was made, and the result was a roasted meat.It wasn't perfect, but it was quite edible.Now, Kira was seated on a log she had found in the woods while tearing into the roasted meat. The juices dripped onto her fingers, but she had that under control and wiped her fingers on her pants before sighing and staring into the flames, thinking about her life."I am a mess," she thought, feeling like she was the most complicated, confused and disheveled person in the world.After she was done with her little feast, she reached for the small black bag she had kept beside her and opened it.She was expecting a letter or something handwritten, but instead she found a small glass vial, and it did not look ordinary at all
Far from where Kira was running, a name was whispered in New Orleans —a tentative whisper filled with sadness. "Bryan…?" Elara called out while standing in front of his bedroom door, her hands clasped together."Bryan?" She whispered again, but no answer. It was just the second day since the bond had been severed, but it felt like a lifetime, and no one had heard a word from him or Aiden since their cries had died down. She had even sent all the workers away when they had broken down, not wanting any other person to witness it, but now that the crying had stopped, the workers had returned.Sighing, Elara's heart clenched painfully, and she exhaled shakily, turning away to pace down the hall until eventually she ended up in front of the study, where Aiden was.Raising her hands, she knocked and called out. "Aiden, honey, are you in there?" But no response. "Are you both not hungry?" She asked gently, her hands on the door as if she could feel him. "I cooked. Very delicious, I tell
Kira didn't move after Baba Razz disappeared. She simply remained there, kneeling on the ground as her legs grew numb beneath her. Her hands were now rested on her lap, stained with Baba Razz's blood, her mind scattered and overloaded. Flashes of everything that had just happened kept replaying in her mind, and for that moment, she knew she needed to stay put, at least just for a little while before she would get up.There was too much to do, too much to understand, and too much to process. She felt that if she tried to figure everything all at once, she might be a danger to her own mind.She lowered her head, staring at her blood stained hands and where Baba Razz had been. He was gone now, completely gone, and she was all alone again.Kira sat there for what felt like an eternity, that even blinking her eyes seemed to have stopped. It was like her brain was trying to arrange everything into their given folders, process it all and then bring out to her what she had to do next, even
Everything was still except for the soft rustling of leaves settling back to the ground as Kira's chest rose and fell heavily.Her hands trembled, and her brown eyes, which had glowed, returned to normal.She had no idea what had just happened, and she had no time to think.Because—Baba Razz.Quickly, she turned back to him, his body feeling limp in her arms."Baba Razz," Kira whispered, her voice cracking as she pressed harder against his throat, desperate. "Can you hold on? I want to go get some help," she asked him, even though she knew he didn't have much time.Baba Razz's eyelids fluttered open, and he weakly reached up, touching her hands with his."No, no, no," Kira begged, tears already dripping from her eyes and onto his shirt. "I can find help in time. Baba Razz, please, you can't. You still owe me, you—you promised to listen to me, remember? I am not done bullying you." She tried to force a smile, assuring him that he would be fine, but her voice kept breaking.Baba Razz's