Hi, dearests. I apologize for the inconsistent update frequency.I have been feeling blue, and that has affected my motivation. I will really appreciate a few words of encouragement in the comments. Also, thanks for the amazing ten reviews and the countless votes and comments. You are the reason I pick up my laptop every day, despite my mood. Thank you. Love, Kik.
HAYLEE~~“Haylee?” The woman with Jose called out with disbelief, or should I say confusion? Because she looked like she was trying to understand why I was there, and as much as I wanted to tell her that I was asking myself the same question, I was numb because a big part of me already knew why she was there. Hell! They both exuded the undeniable scent of sex.I breathed, “I'm sorry to have interrupted you. I better go—”“No, wait a second!” I have come to know that voice and maybe loved it. But right now, I couldn't even look her in the eyes because she reeked of my best friend's scent and of the man who confessed his feelings to me less than a month ago. They both reeked of sex.If it was someone else, I wouldn't have cared, even though it proved that Jose could be just as bad as Sylas was trying to tell me. But this was someone who had vowed to be my friend even when I wasn't ready to be hers. This was Benita for goddess’ sake! I couldn't stand seeing her half-naked and dis
Alpha Prince Roy’s POV~~I saw her walking—or more appropriately, dragging her feet—over to where I was standing. She was far from the palace, where I knew she spent most of her time. I wasn’t expecting to see her in this part of the pack because I had observed her routine and knew she rarely ventured beyond the palace grounds.And as much as I had been watching her, I didn’t come here for her. I was here because this place reminded me of Laura.“I love sitting by this forest. It’s peaceful.” I remember those words, and Laura’s voice echoed in my mind even though it had been many years since she said them to me.I also recalled telling her, "It's beautiful."But my eyes weren’t on the forest Laura was talking about. They were on her, and even though I couldn’t sense our mate bond back then, I knew she was mine. I could feel it in my gut and my wolf—I cleared my throat, cutting my thoughts short. Even though I came here to fuel my anger and remind myself of the most important thing
ALPHA KING XALEN~~It wasn’t my intention to stay away from Haylee and my kids. I have been working tirelessly to make sure the territory keeps running smoothly. As much as Evan and Wyatt were helpful, they were still not able to fill my position in my absence, which is why I have been spending a lot of time in my pack office.I have also been having numerous meetings with the Elders and a few other people who have important matters to discuss. Plus, I have been speaking to Wyatt about how to deal with Allison’s case and how to cripple Alpha Richard’s plan.As of today, I have just forty days left to prove that Alpha Richard killed Laura so he could take the throne or make something up, and I have trusted Evan and Wyatt with this. They have been helping me.Spies have been sent to Richard's pack, and I have eyes on Allison as well. She has been spending most of her time with Jose, according to the report I got from Evan earlier today, and that reminded me of the fact that I need to
HAYLEE~~If the trunk of Alpha Jett’s car counts as a ride in the car, I would say this was my second time in a car. Many wolves don’t see the need for vehicles because it’s a luxury that comes from the human world, and as much as we are cool with humans, we try to limit interaction with them to avoid stirring trouble. But of course, most Alpha King Xalen had a few cars that I had seen many times in the palace’s garage. Also, most Alphas, Elders, Chiefs, and other influential wolves collect this luxury—“So we are thinking about cars to ignore the weird energy looming in this car?” Liya said into my mind, calling me out of my delusion.I mean, I didn’t know what to say to Alpha King Xalen. I could tell he was angry to see me with Alpha Prince Roy, who seemed sweet from what I had observed, but I do have a thing for trusting people easily.What do I say to him? I can’t even tell him how and why I ended up on the other side of the pack and found Roy. He doesn’t know that I went to fi
ALPHA KING XALEN~~“I see you, Haylee, not as a replacement but as you.”I meant these words with every fiber of my being. However, I wasn’t sure that would be enough for Haylee. I could tell she wanted me to wipe Laura out of my heart and mind, but that would take time, even if it was possible.Haylee's eyes twinkled with shock, and they darted around the hallway as if she were scared that someone would hear us, but I wouldn’t put her in danger. I mean, before walking up to her and saying those words, I had made sure no one was within earshot.Regardless, Haylee whispered, “Can we do this in Jodie’s room?”I nodded and walked behind her with shopping bags she didn't seem to notice in one hand. A thought crossed my mind as we drew closer to Jodie’s room, and I shared it with Theo, “She calls Jodie with affection and familiarity. Am I the only one she refers to with fear and formality?”“Huh? I bet it’s you and Allison, so you have nothing to worry about,” Theo chimed, and for a sec
HAYLEE~~I was speechless. His words, his expression, his tone, and the softness of his scent as he spoke to the damaged little girl within me—all of this stunned me into speechlessness and drove me to tears. He wrapped his arms around me so delicately, holding me against his chest. I shouldn’t be thinking about Leo right now, but he was the first male that held me and made me feel safe. However, Alpha King Xalen was the first man who held me, made me feel safe, and made my heart race. Even Alpha Jett couldn’t come close. What was I saying? He never held me or spoke to me softly.“Seriously?” Liya’s voice broke into my mind. “A normal female would be over the moon right now. You are being held by the Alpha King of the territory, Hay. Stop thinking about the lies of Leo and Alpha Jett.” “I have never been happier,” I confessed to my wolf, sniffling back happy tears as I rested my head on Alpha King Xalen’s chest, listening to his heartbeat, which sounded like a melodious rhythm.
ALPHA KING XALEN~~That was cute… And I liked it. Hell, I found myself smiling even brighter after she ran out of Jodie’s room with all the shopping bags. “Imagine her face when she realized she shouldn't have gone with all the bags.” Theo let out a wolfy chuckle. The smile on my face widened not just because I was staring down at my daughter, whom I was beginning to bond with on a deeper level, but also because I believed life was about to get better. Henceforth, I would be making conscious efforts to choose Haylee and put her first. May the goddess help me, and this time, not take my mate from me. “I'm proud of you, Xalen. Thank you for doing this for us. Theo muttered those words to me, causing my heart to skip a beat. I nodded my head, barely keeping my emotions in check as I began to walk over to Sophia’s room, where I sensed Asher would be.“Daddy!” Asher exclaimed as soon as I stepped into Sophia’s room. Sophia also jumped off her bed, racing over to give me a hug. My
ALPHA KING XALEN~~Having worked on pack affairs side by side with Laura, I would recognize that handwritten any day. As soon as I saw the first word on the first letter that I opened, I knew Laura had written them. At that moment, a part of me that I didn’t know was dead came back to life as excitement swelled within me.I thought to myself as I grabbed as many letters as I could, moving to sit on the bed that used to be ours, “This could be it. This could be the closure I have been looking for. Laura must have written these letters secretly for me when she was alive.” I was happy to read it. Heck, I was eager to read.Despite the presence of my kids, I let my eyes run over the first few lines of the letter, my heart racing even though I was sitting down. “I didn't mean for this to happen. I know you are mad, but I couldn't control the urges or stop him. The mate nark and the bond between us make it hard. I'm currently carrying his child, but the good news is, it's a girl. I kno
ALPHA KING XALEN~~I knew I should resist her because I had meetings scheduled but I could hear my wolf saying, “Fuck the meeting and the elders,” in my mind. I knew I should fight the urge to slam into her this minute and at least get her to the bedroom, but I couldn't.She was irritable.And even though she acted innocent, she knew I couldn't resist her. The best part of having a bond with Haylee was that I felt the same. Every feeling was mutual—Gosh, I shouldn't call her Haylee anymore. That name seemed to bring nothing but pain, trauma, and disappointment. Hearing her father and sister refer to her as Haylee and Hay made me realize that each time I called her by that name, I was reminding her of everything she should forget.I didn't want that for her. And since everyone seemed to call her Hay—even though she was the Hay to my Xay—I knew I had to come up with a better pet name for her—one that would be special to us.“Time is ticking, King Xalen,” Haylee moaned, trembling wi
HAYLEE~~For the next two days, I didn't see Kaylee and Alfred. I believed Flavia had something to do with that, as she won't stop grumbling about how I was too kind, even though I explained why I had to let them stay.I have also stopped hiding out in different rooms just to avoid Allison, the servant of the pack members. I have come to realize that I wasn't doing myself any good by hiding.Within these two days, I have been training physically with Xalen, training spiritually with Gladys, and sometimes with Flavia when she takes a break from making Kaylee's life hell. I have also informed Gladys and Flavia about the paragraph that stood out to me, and they both promised to reach out to healers in other packs and find out what they knew about the prophecy.It's been two days of improvement, and even Xalen confirmed it when I delivered another solid punch to his jaw. His groan resonated through the private training room where we had been for hours.“Someone is getting better and fe
HAYLEE~~Have you ever been hurt by the same people who should love you? Betrayed by a family member or abused? If you have, then you will understand all that came with my dad tendering a heartfelt apology to me after almost twenty years of torture and trauma.It was a bittersweet moment.My world flipped, and the harsh foundation shifted, leaving me confused for a moment. After all, this wasn’t normal. The man who had broken my bones more than I could count on both hands was standing right in front of me, staring at me with eyes that pierced through my mask, going straight for my wounded soul.“I really am sorry, Haylee. This won’t change what I have done, but I want you to know that I was wrong and you didn’t deserve a scumbag like me,” he uttered, adding more salt to the open wound his apology had placed right in the center of my soul.Now, how do I respond to this? I couldn’t accept the apology because I wasn’t ready to forgive him, but I also couldn’t reject it because my dama
ALPHA KING XALEN~~If I could hear the commotion from my office, then it was a big one.I swiftly dismissed the ten elders who had reached out privately, their loyalty hanging in the air like fragile glass. I motioned for Wyatt to take them out through the secret tunnels—quietly and unseen. Roy and I exchanged a quick glance, then moved to leave my office.At first, I thought Allison was causing trouble again—her name already forming in my mind. Or maybe one of my furious pack members. My fists clenched, and my eyes burned with rage. I was ready—the urge to rip whoever disrespected Haylee apart simmering just beneath my skin.Upon stepping into the living room, I noticed the unfamiliar scents. Those scents stood out to me because they didn’t carry the musk of the royal pack, yet they were still recognizable somehow. By the time I made it to where Haylee was standing with a rageful Flavia, I realized that the strange scents belonged to two members of Alpha Jett’s pack.In fact, the
HAYLEE~~“They claim to be your family.”Those words continued to echo in my mind even though my body had frozen. My chest felt heavier, and time seemed to stop existing, even though I could hear the clocks in my head ticking rapidly.I shouldn’t be surprised, yeah?I mean, Aradia already told me that I would get guests from my past, and what other past do I have apart from the one I shared with Kaylee, our dad, Alpha Jett, and members of my supposed birth pack?“What do you want me to do?” Flavia’s voice pierced through my flooded mind.Blinking rapidly, I looked at her, realizing her eyes were filled with worry for the first time since she stepped into the bedroom. I cleared my throat as I whispered, “How many of them?”“Two,” Flavia answered.It was no secret that I had been given into slavery by my own family. The entire pack witnessed that during the funeral that brought Xalen and me together. Flavia had to know that, too.I sat on the bed for a few minutes, weighing my option
HAYLEE~~Two days after the meeting with the elders, I still didn’t understand why Xalen wanted me at the meeting, and I also didn't understand why he would threaten the lives of the elders' loved ones right after he said he was about to make them a better offer.Goddess, the political game was complicated, and I might never understand it.That was why I didn’t go with him to the private meeting he was having with the elders who had reached out to him after the public meeting. He tried to get me out of our bedroom earlier today, but I refused, telling him that I had more research to do.Xalen left me in the bedroom, but his presence remained in the back of my mind. I smiled to myself as memories of the previous day flashed through my mind. Despite the toxic tension in the pack, Xalen and I spent the previous day in bed, strengthening our bond and just being there for each other—“You mean fucking each other like horndogs?” Liya let out a woofy snort, causing my lips to stretch even
ALPHA KING XALEN~~ Nothing kills a man faster than having to watch the woman he loves suffer, and I was no different from any other man.In fact, because I was the Alpha King, seeing Haylee, my mate and the woman I loved, suffering because of the lapse in my judgment and my failure to protect her name was killing me faster yet so slowly.It was torture.Of course, I didn’t regret killing Benita, even though her death had led to protests and more suffering for Haylee. However, I have come to realize that I could have kept her alive until she told the truth and cleared my mate’s name.Killing Benita after she soiled Haylee’s name and person was a wrong move, and we were all paying for that mistake. Haylee is paying more than the rest of us.“Does she have to attend the meeting with us? She could just stay at home where she would be safe,” Theo complained as we both watched Haylee prepare for the meeting through my worried eyes.“Be safe?” I exhaled. “We both know she is safer when s
HAYLEE~~“What has gotten into you?” Jose snapped at me, his voice low but still loud enough for the few servants who had gathered in the living room to hear him. “Will you ever stop? She is a helpless woman and—”“Jose!” I cried out, wondering if the kind soul that used to be my best friend was still in there. I was breaking underneath all the weight and attacks, and even though Xalen was with me, it would be nice to have the man I used to know by my side.It would be nice to have my Leo.The one I used to have before all this craziness. Before he became Kaylee’s mate and got into trouble because of me. The one I used to trust. The one I would be able to trust in this kind of situation.“When do you plan to stop all of this? You are breaking the realm apart, and you aren't even Queen yet!” Jose snapped at me, ignoring my cry for help. Rather than be the friend I needed, he joined the army of people who wouldn’t hesitate to stone me to death.What was I expecting? Stupid, stupid Ha
HAYLEE~~It’s been a week since my mate angrily defended me and shut Benita up permanently. It’s been a week since Benita died, but it still feels like yesterday, not just because I still see her face each time I close my eyes, but because her death has brought about a huge protest.The tension in the Pack has grown larger and more intense over this week, but so has the protest against what the Pack members call the dark witch and her tyrant mate. In other words, they have been protesting to have me exiled and against Xalen’s actions—or lack of action—towards Allison’s supposed predicament.Aside from the protest, the servants have also been avoiding me. If they weren’t staying clear of me, the dark witch, they would be rude to me openly. In fact, they chose the perfect time to do that. Usually, when I am alone, they are in groups.My family—Xalen, Roy, Flavia, the kids, and Gladys—has been my source of strength during this chaotic time, but whenever they couldn’t be with me, I wou