ALPHA KING XALEN~~If anger were a body of water, then it would be safe to say that I had been completely submerged beneath its surface, unable to break through the surface until she cried out in pain.“Aah!” Her cry hit the surface of my flooring rage, and I was plunged out of its depth.Allison was still yelling in my face like she had some kind of death wish, which I initially planned to grant, but my mind forgot about her as my focus shifted to Haylee, whose cry still bounced off the walls of my mind.“What is she doing here?” Theo gasped within me, his anger shifting into worry as my eyes found Haylee. I felt conflicted. I felt torn.Should I show Allison that I was the Alpha King even though I had been lenient with her, or should I give in to the urge to run over to Haylee, whose pain was still evident as she groaned, struggling to regain balance?“You threw the damn box at her! Go to her dammit!” Theo gritted his canines in anger, despite the fact that the anger I was expre
HAYLEE~~He really can’t be the man for me.Heck! I doubt any man is for me at this point. Like, what the actual fuck just happened? At first, I thought he would do something after he nearly snapped my backbone into two with the damn box. I thought he would at least be nice, but apparently, he only acted nice when he got his way. Last night with his daughter was a good example.I just couldn’t shake the feeling of hopelessness. Even my wolf lost hope when she saw the way our supposed mate reacted after what he did to us. Intentional or not, I received an apology. Yes, he was the King and I was merely a slave but–“This is how Sslavesget treated. We should get used to it by now.” Liya whimpered within me, her heart just as heavy as mine.“We have to find a way to end this,” I seethed, dragging myself far away from the palace even though I knew that I couldn’t escape the Alpha King. I just needed a few minutes to myself. A few minutes to breathe and focus on myself. I was lost in my
HAYLEE~~Jose—scratch that! At the moment, he was Leo, but the Leo I knew wouldn’t cut me off with a kiss that lasted longer than a minute. Leo tilted my head, and his hand supported my aching back as he deepened the kiss, pouring his passion into me.My eyes were wide open as shock zapped through me. My body was tense and rigid in Leo's—damn, Jose. My body was rigid in his arms as my arin tried so hard to process the situation. My best friend was kissing me. He was kissing me tenderly, and if I was being honest, this kiss could be my first kiss. Alpha Jett had never kissed me on the lips, yet as Jose kissed me, I couldn’t bear the thought of having my first kiss this way. I pushed against his chest with my palms, struggling to break free as soon as it clicked in my head that this wasn’t what I wanted. Or was it the way my body reacted against Jose’s touch? I couldn’t be sure, but thankfully, Jose didn’t try to resist my will to push him away. He pulled back, taking his hands off
ALPHA KING XALEN~~It was hard for Theo to decide if he wanted to be mad at me for referring to Haylee as a slave after many hours of looking everywhere in my home for her or kicking someone in the gut for putting his hands on his mate. But eventually, my wolf decided and seethed within me, “He can’t have his paws on her. Hell, she reeks of him.” And Theo was right. Aside from the fact that the warrior I now recognize to be Allison’s guard had taken a protective stance before Haylee, his scent was also oozing out of Haylee’s body. I would be dumb if I didn’t understand that the duo had been intimate in some way–“He wouldn’t dare!” Theo seethed within me, pumping anger but mostly jealousy into my veins, and my body accepted it, reacting to those emotions.I growled, “I believe I asked you a question.” Haylee tried to speak. At least that was my assumption as I heard her murmurs, but Allison’s guard beat her to it, saying, “She was at the clinic, Alpha King.” I have been the kin
HAYLEE~~“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Haylee. I’m sorry.” Alpha King Xalen said to me in a tone that sounded almost unrecognizable because it was too soft to be his, and for a minute there, the world as I knew it ceased to exist. I couldn’t believe my ears and neither could I get my tongue to function as his eyes locked with mine.“He didn’t say that. Has to be the bugs in your ears, Hay,” Liya said to me, unable to wrap her mind around Alpha King Xalen’s supposed apology as well. Liya’s statement was believable until Alpha King Xalen stepped closer to me, staring at me intensely and mumbling, “I was mad but not at you. Seeing another woman in the same bed I have shared with Laura for many years drove me off the edge, and I just needed to let Allison understand that I wasn’t okay with that.” He was explaining himself to me. Oh, dear goddess. Could I be losing my mind? “It’s no excuse for how I behaved, so I apologize again, Haylee.” Alpha King Xalen concluded, but I was still s
Princess Allison’s POV ~~My mission in the royal pack was simple—make his life a living hell, frustrate him until he abandoned the throne, give my family the chance to take over the rulership of this realm, or, even better, make him marry me in the next three months.If I were being honest, I wouldn’t want to marry a man who was still stuck on his late wife and mate. However, this was politics, and as my father’s oldest daughter, it was my duty to bring the crown home.“He either marries you or dies, Allie.” My wolf, Nala, seethed into my mind as I descended the stairs, heading over to the kitchen. “I mean, what’s the point if he leaves the throne or gets dethroned by the Elders? He has a son, for goddess’s sake.”Nala was one who never took chances. My wolf is the reason I’m so confident, even when Alpha King Xalen is yelling in my face. Nala was a hothead. Fuck that—she was a volcano that looks peaceful but can erupt at any fucking time.My wolf was the reason my dad trusted me t
ALPHA KING XALEN~~I still haven't gotten over the emotions from yesterday. The anger Allison called out of me. The worry and guilt Haylee poured into me. Plus the hunger I had to resist during the moment Haylee and I shared last night. Although she didn’t seem to notice, controlling my hunger around her was becoming harder. This explains the jealousy I felt when I saw her walk in with Jose, Allison’s guard—that reminds me! I need to tell Wyatt to find out who Jose was and how he got to know Haylee. I quickly sent a message to my Gamma, asking him to see me at my main office, where I would be going today, to avoid anymore drama from Allison and unwanted feelings from Haylee. Despite these demanding feelings, I got out of bed and joined my kids in the dining hall. As soon as I entered the hall, Sophia grumbled, “Why is breakfast not here yet? I’m starving."Haylee’s voice hit my eardrums, and I was this close to letting out a deep possessive growl, “I can make something for you,
HAYLEE~~As I rushed after Princess Sophia and Prince Asher with their little sister in my arms, I asked myself why anyone in their right mind would be hellbent on making kids as young as five and three years old sad. What is she driving at?What point is she trying to make? “The same point Dad and Kaylee had been trying to make all our lives,” Liya said to me. My wolf’s response made me realize that people like my dad, Kaylee, and Princess Allison really have reasons to be who they are. My dad claimed he was harsh with me because I was a replica of my mom, but that wasn't enough to abuse any child. Kaylee claimed the reason she hated me was because I stole her life, her mate, and everything from her, but I never did, and even if I did, it wasn’t enough reason for her to give me into slavery and wish me death. After all, she took everything from me, and I still don’t wish her death. In Princess Allison’s case, the desire to be Queen has blinded her enough to kill any sense of h
ALPHA KING XALEN~~I didn’t expect to find Sophia’s nanny, who hasn’t been doing much nannying since Haylee got here and the kids showed their preference for her, in Haylee’s room. In fact, I didn’t wait another second after I knocked once before I pushed her bedroom door open.Benita, who had worked closely with my family over the years, froze on the spot as her eyes cut to my frame. She was shocked, but her eyes weren’t as wide as Haylee’s.“My King…” Benita voiced, bowing her head within a twinkle of an eye. Haylee facepalmed behind Benita, and before I knew it, her voice broke into my mind. “What are you doing here so late? They will get suspicious.” As soon as she said that to me, she also bowed and breathed, “Good evening, Alpha King Xalen. Do you need me to do something for you, or is this about Jodie?” “She’s such a drama queen.” Theo chortled within me as we both understood what Haylee was playing at.I played along, playing my part even more than Haylee expected, even
HAYLEE~~Benita and I have been sitting in my room in silence. She came to me to talk, but all she had done was breathe and avoid eye contact. Although I couldn't blame her for running off after Jose spoke rudely to her, I was vexed that she would let a man come between us. She even turned Maeve and Orla against me, even though I did nothing wrong. “What a friend.” Liya snarled within me, and I would have said those same words to Benita if I didn't feel the need to squash this before it grew to become a huge thorn. “We don't have to talk now, Benita. It's been a long day so we can do this tomorrow—”“Were you sleeping with him too?”She chose that second to blurt, her eyes trained on the floor even though she was sitting close to me on my bed. That was a question she should have asked me instead of ignoring me like I was a filthy pest.“No, I had never. I didn't even know he had become a gigolo.” I replied without thinking twice. “Then what were you doing there that day?” Benita
HAYLEE~~I have been smart enough to be careful around Princess Allison after she almost caught me in the same room with Alpha King Xalen this morning. Although it’s been many hours since then, I feared that she might just realize she perceived my scent in the master’s bedroom if I stayed around her for too long.This explained why I didn’t bother to go to the dining hall after getting the kids ready. As luck would have it, the kids didn’t want to be in the dining hall either because Sophia was still upset with her dad, and Asher was simply following Sophia’s path.The kids and I had breakfast in the kitchen, far away from Princess Allison, who lost her temper on all the servants that were in the dining hall with her after she discovered that Alpha King Xalen had left the palace without eating with her as she had proposed.Despite staying away, the kids and I could still feel the tension in the palace.Sophia was brooding, complaining about how her dad didn’t try to make up with he
ALPHA KING XALEN~~That was me taking a recipe from Haylee's cookbook or her kindness manual if that suited the context better. She advised me to open up, and I was doing that now with Roy. The mistake we made seven years ago with Laura was shutting each other out. To win this fight, I need allies, and who better supports me than my own blood? “I'm sorry for cutting off communication. I'm sorry for mating and marking your destined mate.” I had to apologize for that as well because, despite Laura's tactics, I could have done better. “I'm sorry for all the pain I caused you, Roy. I really hope we can put all of these behind us and move past the pain.”“Well done, Xay,” Theo muttered with a feminine voice that I knew was supposed to sound like Haylee, but seriously, that was a failed attempt. “Haylee would be proud.”My brain and mind got a quick reset after Theo's statement. I mean, before it used to be “Laura would be proud.”Damn! How I loved that woman. I was trying my best to
ALPHA PRINCE ROY~~I lost everything. Heck! I would have lost myself as well if my wolf hadn’t sacrificed his existence for me.Honestly, it was easier to blame Xalen. I just couldn’t bring myself to blame Laura, even though the truth was staring back at me as I looked at the familiar penmanship. I was trying to wrap my head around why Laura would do this. I have known her since I was a teenager. Laura was one of the orphans who came to the Royal Pack to seek refuge, and we became friends immediately. She was the perfect person to fill the void my dad and Xalen had created within me as they focused on politics.But she turned out to be a liar.She lied about the bond, claiming she didn’t feel it, and I stupidly believed her. She used to ask me to come home each time I did. She made me believe that Xalen had changed his mind.I also believed that the reason she kept writing to me was that she was kind-hearted. However, the truth was out. Laura wrote to me because she felt the strai
ALPHA KING XALEN~~I allowed it.I allowed Roy to pour the coal of his anger all over me until I perceived that he was getting tired, and before he could stop himself and feel ashamed, I grabbed his wrists, holding them in the air.“I think that’s enough, Roy,” I stated without any sign of pain. Even though he had managed to break a few of my ribs, the pain wasn’t unbearable.Roy yanked his wrists out of my grasp, and once again, I allowed it. He wouldn’t have been able to land a blow if I didn’t want him to, nor would he have succeeded in freeing himself if I wanted to hold him captive.He was a strong male. Or at least I knew him to be a strong male, yet he was no match for me.“Enough?” He seethed in my face, his eyes red, a hot flame of fury burning within them. “You took everything from me. You ruined me, and it took you this long to admit it? Heck! You made everyone believe I was crazy, and I started believing it too because I can’t seem to understand why you would claim a wo
ALPHA PRINCE ROY (3)~~It's been tough.Being a werewolf without a wolf has been tough, but it's nothing compared to being a Royal werewolf without a wolf. It sounds the same, but it is absolutely different.I have had to train twice as hard to command respect from other wolves. Did I say twice? Let's try four times as hard.Sometimes, I find myself thanking Xalen for constantly kicking me out of the realm. I am grateful that I got to live among the humans because it's easier there. Humans can be a bit oblivious, but at least they aren't as stuck-up as werewolves.I threw a few punches in the air, hoping that would clear my mind and I would be able to focus on training. I have been out here, in the open field behind my childhood home, training my ass off.I was covered in sweat, but I couldn't bring myself to stop even though I was training alone like the lone wolf I had become in my own home pack. Plus, if I wanted to get back at Xalen, I would need all the training I could get.“
ALPHA KING XALEN~~Yes, I slept on the floor for the last four hours, but it was a perfect night. I got to sleep with Haylee in the room that would have haunted me for the rest of my life if she hadn't created new memories with me within its four walls.Yes, last night and the early hours of today were used to create new memories.Haylee had helped me conquer my fears, and with the help of my wolf, I have realized the next steps to take to get answers.That was perfection to me, and it would have been an impeccable morning if I had been allowed to wake up on my own, gaze at Haylee’s face while she still sleeps in my arms that I might have wrapped around her after she fell asleep four hours ago, and see her shock when she wakes up and sees my face close to hers.But Allison just had to ruin what could have been a perfect morning.Of course, my heart was still aching because of the wound Laura’s betrayal had inflicted on it, but before I fell asleep with Haylee in my arms, I made up
HAYLEE~~“I think it's high time I listened to him.”I couldn’t believe my ears. Although Alpha King Xalen hasn't said much about what happened between him and Roy, he has made it clear that there was bad blood between the two of them.“Can you tell me what happened between you both?” I asked because I could perceive some love there, even though their hatred for each other had overshadowed that.Xalen and I were still sitting on the floor of his matrimonial bedroom. At first, I felt weird being in here, but we had spent hours on that floor, and I was getting comfortable.The small smile on his face faded, and in that instant, I was certain he didn't want to talk about that topic. His silence was enough to—“Roy was my best friend.” To my surprise, Alpha King Xalen began, opening up to me for the millionth time that night. “He was my brother, and I knew how much he loved me until my parents died and his dad had to take care of me. Roy didn't want to share his dad’s attention, and be