SAGEWhy did I wake? The knock on the door made me flinch.“No—” mouthing, I realized it was time to meet the ugly Lycan Prince, my husband to be. “No—” Once more, the word ran out of my mouth and I jumped to my feet. “Are you in there, my lady?” Unlocking the door, I walked back to the bed and took my seat. “You're disturbing my sleep.” “The door to your room shouldn't be locked, Lady Sage. We have to get you ready to meet the prince,” One of them said with a bow. The ugly prince, I thought dreadfully.“Good morning, Lady Sage. I'll be the one to bathe you this morning," the other maid said, stepping forward. “What? I can bathe myself the last time I checked.” “The Alpha has given his order,” she explained, shutting the door behind her while both of them walked closer. “Let's get to it already, Lady Sage.” Before the end of the next hour, I was seated on the dressing chair with a towel wrapped around my body. I didn't want to do this. I wasn't ready to. Not to an ugly man.
SAGEI gazed at Eleanor, perplexed, as I rose from my seat and met her gaze. She had a smile on her face which was totally odd considering the hostility she had always directed towards me. Seeing her smile at me now left me feeling even more baffled. What did she want now?“How can I help you, Eleanor? What do you want?” I raised a question, moping at the rest of my family members who were seated at the table. “We can’t talk about it here,” she said.“What's wrong with here?” I arched a brow, looking around me.“Come on, Sage,” Alistair muttered, looking in my direction. “Give our sister a few minutes of your time before the exchange of vows, at least. Who knows? She might have a wedding present to give you before the exchange of vows. You'll never know until you know.” That bastard. Our sister? Since when?At this point, I was starting to believe that he wasn't even really my brother. Neither were they family. Family didn't treat people like this. I was better off with strangers t
KNOXThat was it. I watched my nephew—the man I adored most in the world, take the woman I just realized was my mate, as his wife. It was sorta Ironic, wasn't it?Sage was now his wife—HISSomething about that didn't make me feel good even one bit. No matter how much I had held it together then, it hadn't been easy, watching them together.But what could I do? There was nothing to be done. Aegon needed a wife, and there, he got one. I heaved another long sigh. After all, this was my idea from the beginning and I did this because of my love for Aegon. How could I refuse at the dying minute? How could I even have felt the urge to? “The newlyweds may now take the dance floor.” Aegon, with all pleasure. I could see it in his eyes as he took his wife by the hand while she got on her feet. And together, they started dancing—smiles on their faces. A smile appeared on my face as well. Inasmuch as I felt bad about thisStarting from knowing she was my mate, down to punishing her by
SAGEThere was nothing new or a different feeling. Even though we shared the same night in the same room and on one bed. I turned to face the other side of the bed this morning, heaving a sigh of relief. Relief that I wasn't embarrassed at the end of the day. Unexpectedly, my mind drifted back to Eleanor. How she had wished for me to be disgraced and how it ended up being her. The thought of it alone brought a smile to my face, and I sat up on the bed, almost laughing at myself and alone. How was she? Crying? Hateful? Who could she even blame for her being unfortunate? Maybe if she had stayed back and let Knox take her, she would end up seeing that Aegon was a handsome man. But why were there rumors that he was ugly? I was still in my thoughts when a hand touched me. I flinched, looking at the other side of the bed where my husband lay. The sound of that was good in my ears, and I put on a smile especially for him. “Good morning. Did you have a good night's rest?” “How c
KNOX“Hello, Wolves,” I stopped in my tracks, organizing myself and walking again. “It is a pleasure to be in the midst of you all again on a morning like this.”“Long Live The Alpha,” they all got on their feet, bowing while I caught up with the last vacant seat. A seat that happened to be facing the woman I didn't want to see. But how could I have avoided this meeting? There was no way I could. Smiling, I looked around the table. “Where is your husband, Sage? Why isn't he here yet?” “Good morning, my Lord,” now was her turn to greet me. “It was said that the Prince left for the doctor's tent when I asked after him from the maid who brought me here.” What? No way. How could the maid have done that?! How many times was I supposed to explain to these people that our curse was meant to be a secret?Looking around the table, a deep sigh ran out of my mouth. “Why did he go to see the doctor? Did he say a word about it to you?” She shook her head, obviously confused. “I wasn't tol
KNOXBefore the end of the next hour, myself and the men were still seated in the dining hall. “Gentlemen,” I started. “There'll be no need for us to proceed to the meeting hall when we can just meet here. Don't you think the same?” No one talked and I continued. “Thank you. For honoring this meeting. It's a good thing to meet with you people once more. However, before we go ahead with what we want to do on this day, I need to speak with you all and it has to do with the curse.” A confused look greased the countenance of some of them, while some simply nodded. “The curse lingers amongst us in this pack, and no one outside this pack knows about it. Not even the family of Sage, the new wife in this Pack.” They nodded. I did the same, adjusting a little on the chair. “We must know that on no condition should this be mentioned when she is present,” I let out. “It's enough that we have to put her through all of these, and I also believe it's best if we don't speak about it.”“She'll
SAGEIn a very dark space, I ran for my life like it was my last moment on the face of the earth. Running faster, and faster than I could ever imagine, my legs stopped when my eyes sighted a safe place. “No—” the word ran out as I struggled to hold myself back from breathing hard. “Come out of your hiding place already!” Someone. A man, at the top of his voice, shouted. “Come out already. You don't deserve to live in case you don't know. Where are you, Silver?!” I could hear his footsteps closer to my spot, and I spent the next moment thinking of something. Anything at all.Anything I could do to run out of this. There was none. Unfortunately for me, the tree branch I held as support all this while, fell to the ground—giving whoever it was that chased after me, a signal of where I was. When he reached for me, my eyes opened. “My goodness—” sitting up, I held my chest. What was that about? Looking around the room, I realized I was safe and my husband was next to me on the be
SAGE“Good morning, Sage. How was your night?” I was still standing when he caught up with a couch in the space, smiling as he looked up at me. “Take a seat. Come on. I'm hoping that you had a good night's rest.” “Yes, my lord,” I sounded, settling on the couch again. “Aella, the maid said you sent for me.” Snapping his fingers, he looked in another direction. “Give me some time to be organized, Sage.” He mouthed, still looking in the other direction. “Get all the maids for me. And be fast about it.” Were his words to a guard who ran to his side at the snap of his fingers. “Yes, my lord,” the guard mouthed and walked away. Alpha Knox, once again, looked in my direction. Silence ruled the room while I tried so hard to ignore his face. It was a hard feat but I tried my best, holding my breath at some point as I waited for the maids to show up. But why? Did something happen? Did I do something? One by one, women in maid's uniforms walked into the space. With smiles on their fac
SAGEThe shocking look on the countenance of the Alpha told me everything I needed to know. I also was more than shocked by all that was happening, but what choice did they leave me with? Aegon had been on bedrest since the last time and there was no way I would watch him die. He was my husband the last time I checked. I could not watch him die, no matter what. These past few days, I have tried to have the heart I thought I had but there was no way it worked. No matter how hard I tried to have the wicked heart I wished I had so that it could be used against him, it was impossible to stand my ground. A sigh ran out of my mouth. I became deep in thoughts, forgetting what I said to the Alpha who sure was moping at me. I caught up with the couch and took a seat, holding back tears from falling from my face. What else was I supposed to do if I did not give blood to Aegon? He was going to die and I would be hurt for the rest of my life. Yet, another sigh ran out of my mouth. Or do
KNOXI waited at the gate of the pack mornings after that evening, waiting for Logan to make it. He had called to announce his coming a while ago, and I looked forward to having him around. There was not much time to waste, and I didn't have all day. Maybe I did, but I didn't have the patience he thought I had. Just about that time, a car was seen driving towards the gate—it was Logan's. “Guards! One of you should do the needful—” I commanded and moved from the gate. “Doctor Logan should not be kept waiting. I'm sure by now that you know the issue at hand.” The man who took over the order did as told. There was no need to run around but rather, I asked that a maid bring two chairs to the small veranda close to the garden. There, I was seated and waiting for Logan who was taking forever to make it to the spot. In a short while, he arrived. “My lord—” with a bow, he greeted, leading his way further. “Long live the Alpha. Forgive me for spending so much time, but you should underst
SAGE Why should I keep sulking? What good was it going to do for me? I wiped my face with both hands, reached for the bowl of fruit, and took out another, ready to bite into it when it struck me. The Alpha was in the chamber. What for?Why should it even bother me? The man must have come to check on his nephew who lay on the bed like a log of wood. There was no way he had come to see a woman who needed more than enough time to take in all the news. So much went about in my head. What was I going to do? What was there to do? The only thing I could do was take in this news and see it as my fate. Maybe I was also cursed, but not in that way. My curse was my fate—being married and bonded to other cursed people. What more could it be? Right from the beginning of my life, there had seldom been peace for me. Starting from being thrown away by my mother, according to what Eleanor said to me. Down to being brought back to the Pack but was treated like a stranger like I didn't matter in
KNOX“What have you done, Aegon?” When he kept mute for too long, I asked again. At this point, I no longer paced the space. My legs had become too weak and I needed to take a seat. “Uncle—” he cried. “I didn't have a choice. Didn't you say she would find out about it one way or the other? I just couldn't keep it from her any longer.” “Oh, no, Aegon!” I adjusted on the bed and opened my mouth to speak again, but there was nothing I had to say. My throat had dried up once again, and I lost my words. “I don't know what to say to you. Why and how did she find out? Did she point a gun to your head in the name of threats? How could you fall for such a thing?” “I didn't fall for anything—” he cried. “My wife wasn't going to give blood to me if I didn't tell her what exactly the issue was. Alpha Knox, this is the condition she gave me when I met her for some blood a while ago. I needed to take some because of how weak I felt, and she wasn't willing to give some to me.” I let out an
KNOXI had taken my bath and changed my clothes, ready to sleep when a hand knocked on the door of my chamber. Earlier today, I gave an order to Brian, asking him to not let anyone into my chamber because of how tired I was. This wasn't the usual isolation but I needed some time to myself and nothing more. This way, I could regain some strengths that were lost. But why did the young man knock at the door of my chamber after being told what to do? Perhaps. Just perhaps, it was something serious. “Come on in, Brian,” I snapped my fingers and the door opened. “What did I tell you earlier today? Or did I not pass a message to you before now? Do well to remind me, for I think I am losing my mind. Maybe I didn't tell you and I think I did. Did I tell you anything?” The young man bowed. “Forgive me, my lord.” “That doesn't answer my question, Brian. Did I pass a message across to you earlier this afternoon or not?” “You did, Alpha Knox,” again, he bowed. “You asked me to not disturb y
SAGEFor a moment, I thought I didn't hear him correctly. “What did you say, Aegon?” He moved farther from me. How did he know that at this point, I would be willing to drive a knife into his heart? “What did you say just now, Aegon?” “I—” the man stuttered. “I am a cursed man, Sage.” There was no way I would sit and take in this news. My legs, on their own and without a lead, pushed me to my feet. The next moment, I found myself pacing the space with a confused look that was plastered on my countenance. “I don't understand.” How could I understand? How could I understand what that statement had to do with sipping my blood now and then, and even on days that weren't the full moon? “What are you saying?!” I shouted at the top of my voice. The urge to hit the man was more than overwhelming, and I didn't know how I was supposed to deal with such a piece of news. “Talk to me, Aegon. I am listening to you. Can you get words out of your mouth?” “I'm sorry.” “What are you sorry f
SAGEThe fruit I was feasting on, fell to the ground. Or was it me who didn't hear him correctly? I wondered, a confused look on my countenance as I looked up to see the face of Aegon who moped at me as though he had seen a ghost. “I'm afraid I did not hear you correctly, my Prince. Would you like to repeat what you have just asked me?” The man coed. He nodded but shifted farther. How did he know I wouldn't mind driving a knife through his heart? No, that was extreme but with the anger boiling inside of me, I could do any and everything. “What did you ask me?” “Blood—” the man mouthed, shamelessly. “I'll need a cup of your blood, baby. That's what I said.” Of course, my ears were working perfectly. There was no way I heard the wrong thing because my ears did not have any fault. “Why?” I then asked, controlling my anger. Perhaps—just perhaps, there was a reason why he needed blood from me after taking so much from me just yesterday that was the full moon night. “Why should I g
SAGE*One Month LaterAbout a few days ago, I went to drop a sample of my blood for Doctor Logan, the man in charge of the Pack's medical activities. There was a need to check if I was pregnant because I felt sick, somehow these days. Perhaps it was me who thought about it a lot, and nothing was wrong with me. But how could I be so sure? My legs led me out of the chamber. Aella had bathed me a while ago, and I was ready to leave on my own—without her just as it should be. Maybe it shouldn't be so, but I wanted this meeting to be between myself and the man who took my blood sample a few days ago. “Shall I come with you, my lady?” I stopped walking and turned to look at the guard who stood at the door. “No, there'll be no need for that. My intention is to take a walk around the Pack's compound and I shall be back before you know it—” lies. Lies upon lies, but should I care? I didn't want to be followed and would do anything at all to have it that way. Again, I moved, humming a son
KNOX There was no way I would be mad at the woman for forgetting to speak to me as the Alpha that I was. For all that I knew and somehow, I deserved to be spoken to like that, and I won't for one moment, blame her. I had done a lot to her. A lot that she didn't know about. Starting from bringing her into a cursed family without her consent or knowledge of it. How could I be so—? I stopped to look at the door of my room—a door I caught up with, already. One push and it was opened. One step and I was inside the space, digging my way through the bedside. A part of me had wanted to speak. Perhaps the young woman had forgotten she was talking to me, hence the tone she used in speaking to me. Again, I could not blame her. I needed to take my bath before anything. Hunger was another word to describe me and the mood I was in, but I had to endure until after my bath, so I jerked a towel from a hanger where it relaxed before leading my way to the door of the bathroom. At that instant, a