Roxanne summoned Arlen to her study one evening. "Here, mark these scripts." She gave him a spot at her right-hand side.Arlen was taken aback by the pile of sheets waiting on the desk while Roxanne scribbled something in a book. "Madam, I don't understand.""What don't you understand? Im telling you to mark these scripts. These are from your class." The senior frowned."Ca...Can I have the marking scheme?" Arlen was a little nervous."No, you should know all the answers off-head. Now keep quiet and be snappy about it. If you do a good job, you can mark the scripts of the senior hunters." Roxanne kept her eyes on her work. After much hesitance, the omega pulled back his sleeves and took the pen. Strangely the first script he picked was that of David's. It took Arlen a great deal to grade his friend's work. Right then, he understood that Roxanne was testing him. David made mistakes that he couldn't rectify up front. "Is there a problem?" Roxanne asked when she heard a faint sigh.The
Roxanne could not enter Grey Feather on the second day of Arlen’s heat. She surrounded the compound with betas and forbade any alpha from crossing her gates. In the meantime, she opted to stay in another building closer to the mansion; to protect the youngster.Arlen was not the only omega in the Castle, but he was the only omega living with her. Theoden was out of the kingdom for diplomatic trips. Thus, it was up to the rest of the family to deal with it.“He told me he was a late bloomer,” Luca informed them in the initial stage.“I’ve never seen a late bloomer emit this level of pheromones. All indications show that Master Julius is dominant. But if his heats are irregular and disruptive, it may be temporary. You’re his guardian. Get him paired up,” said the royal physician. Nothing they fed the omega worked.“Is there no other way?” Roxanne was not open to such discussions.“Drugs may harm him. Find him a mate, or you won’t have any sleep when he’s like this,” the doctor repeated.
Rumours about the Crown Prince's involvement with an omega in heat raced through the air like wildfire. Among those who were overrun with unease, Rufus felt the weight most keenly. His thoughts were consumed by worries for his cousin, Arlen. 'If Luca lays a finger on him, I swear, I will never let it slide.' He vowed silently. And as the details of the ear-tingling moans and lustful cries multiplied on the lips of servants living in Grey Feather, a brother's heart broke into many pieces. Arlen wasn't just family; he was Rufus's responsibility- a connection that tugged at his pride. After four days, the omega was seen walking within the gated compound of Grey Feather in the company of Roxanne Beaumont. The heat had passed, and Arlen could be himself again. Well, mostly. Roxanne decided to exempt him from academic and rigorous activities until she was sure there were no traces of Luca's pheromones. In the meantime, she made sure her ward was eating well and taking care of himself. D
Claude could no longer sit quietly. Many letters had been sent to his brother, yet not a single reply came back. At this point, he began to suspect that a huge mistake had been made somewhere. With Rufus' delay in Damaris, the King decided to seek out his brother on his own. Above all, he needed to see his nephew to confirm that he was alright. Although she had been sceptical at first, the Queen supported his decision and allowed him to go. But for Claude to be in Kellet, he needed an alibi to get closer to the Ingram borders. Basma provided him with the perfect idea to gain favour with King Agnor. "It's good to see you, old friend," Rollo welcomed him with open arms. Claude exchanged pleasantries and sat through dinner with the host. The following day, they began talking, and Claude seized the opportunity to accomplish two things at once. "Candor wishes to strengthen its bond with Kellet through marriage," he said. The idea filled Rollo with joy. Rufus was a promising future leader
While Arlen nursed Luca's words in his heart, Rufus focused on an escape plan. He traced Arlen to the library one evening after finding the perfect time to make a move."You're leaving on the day of the coming festival of the moon. I will single you out when it's time, and you will board my airship," Rufus shared the details, and Arlen had no say in this matter. As he reasoned before, Family often did things with good intentions. In the course of listening, Arlen raised his head. At the end of the aisle was an alpha, standing by himself. Luca's gaze instantly pierced his soul.Arlen parted his lips; as if to explain why he was in an obscure place with another alpha. But a memory of previous nights flashed in his head. It silenced him. Arlen could not pull his eyes away, and Luca failed to move. Something about it struck the omega; that maybe, just maybe, he needed to give Beaumont a little push to come clean about why he really wanted to end things."Are you listening?" Rufus snapped
DamarisAs if the temptation were not enough, Luca had to bear the burden of receiving more gifts at his doorstep every day. One day a bouquet arrived with a note neatly tucked to the side. Luca stared at the colourful envelope for a moment before crumpling it along with the message. Not long after, dark clouds slowly began to form in the sky. Within minutes, there was a heavy downpour that lasted past midday.Luca sat by the fireplace, keeping warm as he immersed himself in a solo game of chess. Soon he heard giggles coming through the corridors and saw shadows of a man and a woman spreading on the walls."Luca is here." Axel walked in. Though there were droplets of water in his hair, it was only from a drizzle that had caught him."Your Highness is playing a board game. I want in." Faye took off her hat and settled across Luca's seat. Luca was not surprised to find Axel's meddlesome fiancée by his side.They joined him, chatting about things he would never understand. The woman see
The Festival of the Moon took place across all the Kingdoms of Slora but during different seasons and times. This week-long ceremony honoured the concept of forming family ties.Throughout this period, the kingdom was immersed in a series of games and celebrations, as families united to establish agreements for the betterment of their realms.The highlights of the festivities included the Hunter Games and the Sacred Ball. It was believed that the full moon possessed a cosmic energy that drew fated bonds together. Young men and women who had come of age basked in its light, hoping to find an ideal mate at a special ballroom party organised in various parts of Damaris.Damaris celebrated its Moon Festival during the fall, once every three years. The ceremonies were often followed by an increase in newborns.***After a council meeting, Theoden retreated behind the curtains of his throne room. His sister followed, agreeing to chat for a while."I've noticed you've been less available la
"The King has spoken, and as a result, another chance has been given to anyone who wishes to compete for the King's Prize. Only one winner will emerge at the end of the tournament," announced the master of ceremonies after Theoden's speech.Roxanne couldn't hide her displeasure. Her brother's continued ignorance led her to slap the armrest of her seat. She stood in front of the King, consumed by a rage so great her height increased, and her hands grew a set of claws."You will talk to me, or I swear, Theoden, I will bring this building down!" Her teeth appeared as sharp spikes. Axel and Luca, recognizing the validity of her anger, did not attempt to calm her.Theoden looked at his sister, choosing his words carefully. The eyes of the entire Kingdom were on them, and any visible conflict within the royal family could damage his reputation. "Fine, let's talk."With the King's absence, the ceremony had to pause for other minor performances. Arlen couldn't muster the strength to shift dur
Axel barged into his father’s tent as the troops waited for orders to march. “Father, perhaps you should reconsider this war. I spoke to Lady Maren… It seems Luca is already in Ingram.” Theoden adjusted his outer robe. “And she knows this because?” “Luca came to her. He was with Rufus Loughty and David. We can’t proceed without considering their safety.” “You’re mistaken. This gives us even more reason to take down Ingram.” “Father, I beg you, let’s approach this with caution. What if my brother was right and the real culprit wasn’t Arlen? If the other kingdoms lose their heirs, all of this will have been for nothing.” “I forbid you from mentioning this to Zavian. Claude’s son has always been a rebel at heart-it’s not my concern if he gets caught in the fire.” “And Luca? Are you going to doom him as well?” “Think of the people who have died because King Caesar and his son are still alive! Your brother has been brainwashed, Axel. Once that family is dead, we’ll finally be
"Master David, your brother must be very proud of you," Zariah said, clearly impressed by David's wittiness. David chuckled. "Haha, thank you, General, but my brother thinks I’m a wimp." Zariah smiled at the alpha. "Clearly, he’s blind. Stick close to me for the time being. You might learn something new." Her eyes lingered on David for a moment before shifting to the couple in the room. "Arlen," she began, "You will help the citizens hide and use the dead to steer those armies as planned, but not away from the main city. Instead, toward it, closer to Kraken Mountain. If we can get through to the kings, we can offer them the real criminal who burned down their towns to appease them." Arlen’s heart clenched. "What?" Zariah continued as if she hadn’t noticed his distress. "Your father is meeting with the council as we speak. He’s waiting for me to give the final word because he trusts me, as you should. This is my decision. While your ghouls draw the armies towards the coastal
Arlen had summoned only Zariah to his quarters, but she arrived accompanied by Rufus, David, and Nathan. "They wanted to help," Zariah shrugged casually. Arlen glanced at the people now gathered around his table, silently calculating how to keep them safe when the time came. "This is insane, Arlen. You'll be outnumbered," Zariah said, shaking her head. Arlen met her gaze steadily. "The aim is to save as many lives as possible. By the time the clans reach the main city, I’ll have hidden our people. I need two-thirds of our men to make sure my father and uncle are well protected." "And then what?" Zariah asked sharply. "You’re setting us up to fail here." "With all due respect, General, let him finish," Luca interjected, squeezing Arlen's hand. The quiet gesture conveyed his unwavering support. Even if Luca didn’t fully agree with Arlen’s methods, he had no intention of abandoning him. Zariah exhaled silently, her arms folded as she studied the pair. With a slight nod, she
KelletTheoden sat among the circle of leaders, listening to their strategies for the upcoming war when the news arrived. Ingram's border was falling apart. The announcement shifted their battle plan entirely. Instead of laying siege to a fortified city, they would be strolling in with minimal resistance."I hear there are mortals within the walls. Do we evacuate them and deal with the undead?" someone asked.Theoden’s voice was firm. "No. Every man and creature within that place is no ally of ours. They are foes. We must wipe them out.""Are you certain about that?" Zavian interjected, raising a brow. "Wouldn’t it be wiser to focus on the main target - capture the nation as a whole, rather than burning it to the ground? Cut off the head, and the body will fall."Theoden’s gaze sharpened. "King Zavian, the first time we marched against Ingram, we underestimated its strength - its people. That misstep cost us dearly. And while we succeeded in bringing down Pandora, here we are again, c
"I didn’t do anything, Uncle. They left on their own," Arlen mumbled, pouting. Claude sighed heavily, the little one’s stubbornness wearing him thin. This wasn’t the first time Arlen had driven servants away - he had a habit of summoning ghouls to torment them. Just days ago, the previous batch of servants was found in a ditch full of rotting animals. Now, the castle staff lived in fear of the young prince, who acted as though every abandonment was their fault. Queen Basma was the only one capable of reining Arlen in. She had tried reasoning with him but her influence was fleeting; sooner or later, the next set of servants would meet unfortunate fates. One day, Claude returned home with a boy about a year older than Arlen. Julius had been rescued from a group of human traffickers. Julius was a broken soul. His body shrank away from the slightest touch. He spoke to no one and preferred hiding in corners to lying in a bed. It was clear he had endured unimaginable trauma. Claud
By the time Reed realized he had been used- again- it was too late. Julius gently set him on a shabby bed of hay, crouching beside him with an expression of childlike curiosity. "Are you feeling better?" he asked, patting Reed’s head."What happened? What time is it?" Reed groaned, pressing a hand to his throbbing temple. He tried to get up but found his legs numb and unwilling."Wait, don’t try to move. You're still recovering," Julius said, pressing him back down."How could I sleep so deeply? My men… the carriage…" Reed’s voice was dazed, his words scattered.Julius dismissed Reed’s fragmented concerns, believing him to be rambling. "It’s alright, Owen. This will be the last time I take your energy, I promise." He leaned in, brushing a gentle kiss across Reed’s lips.Reed’s brow furrowed as he pulled away. "What did you do, Julius?"Julius’ smile faded. "What are you implying?""What did you need my energy for?"Julius’ face hardened. "If you must know, I collapsed the fog at the b
"Did you miss me?" Arlen asked as Luca thrust into him for what felt like the hundredth time."Every hour, every minute… every second," Luca replied, voice thick with longing."Then kiss me harder. Show me the depth of your despair," Arlen cooed.Luca held Arlen close as if he could disappear at any moment. The memory felt lucid, almost unreal. It was harder for him not to bury himself deeper. It was in an alpha's nature to bite and knot his cherished omega, and Luca was nearly numb with excitement as Arlen wrapped around him like a vine, making desperate, teasing sounds that ignited every instinct within him."Arlen, if we keep going like this, I might fall into a rut.""That's not... fair," Arlen murmured between breaths.Luca lifted his gaze to meet Arlen’s. "Is this not to your liking?""No, that's not what I meant. I have to claim you, Luca.” Arlen averted his eyes, his voice dropping to a whisper. “What if you woke up and changed your mind?"With a steady rhythm, Luca pressed g
Arlen led David to the guest quarters, leaving him in the care of capable servants. He then continued along a different path, Luca close behind. Every now and then, Arlen glanced back with a smile, ensuring that Luca stayed close. As they neared a large compound, Luca presumed the inevitable meeting with his father-in-law was approaching. He braced himself. It was unlikely to be a pleasant encounter given their family history, but it had to happen. The structures of this place felt different from the cold, mechanical landscape of Damaris. The statues here were immense, fearsome, and far removed from the serene ones back home. Guards stood at every corner, their expressions stern and lacking any warmth. For Luca, walking side by side with ‘the’ Arlen Braddock still felt surreal, and yet his heart was overwhelmed with love. When they entered a large room, the doors shut behind them with a quiet snap. Luca turned at the sound, only to notice a faint blue hue glowing over the ex
For a moment, Arlen studied Luca’s face as if caught in a daydream, focusing on all the features he longed to touch- his eyes, ears, cheeks, lips. Luca, however, stood motionless, like an old tree rooted in place.But Arlen dropped to his knees. Luca clenched his fists as he struggled to find a way to redeem himself. The sight of Arlen touching his feet, as though a lowly servant, made Luca feel like the monster Rufus had always claimed he was. It was a sharp reminder of the blind hatred he’d harboured for over a decade before their paths had crossed. “I should’ve told you the truth. I tried, but…” Arlen’s voice was frail. Somehow he couldn’t shake the fear that Luca had come to end his life. His heart sank further when Luca hesitantly pulled his feet away. However, Luca had other other plans. Arlen watched, confused, as the alpha knelt, lowering himself until their eyes were level. His breath caught when Luca’s forehead dipped to touch the hem of his robe. “Forgive me, Your Highn