Alana“Alana?” Francine woke me up from my deep thoughts a few hours into our journey.“Yes?”“We have to stop by at a hotel for the night to rest. The bridge is under construction so we have to find another route. We cannot afford you to travel without proper rest. Is it okay with you?”I nodded and looked out the bright moon outside. There is a nagging heavy feeling that is settling inside me and I know better the reason for it. I am far away from my mate now. I crave for his presence but I cannot just go back again.My heart aches and there is no second in this trip where my tears did not fill my eyes.“Alright, Francine. You guys need to sleep too. Let’s stop at the nearest one.”We stopped by at a five-star hotel to rest for the night but the guards are still outside guarding us. The second the hotel staff learned that we are the official representatives from the castle, they did not charge anything to us at all and upgraded our room into a presidential suite.I just took the com
ALANA“Why? The alpha prince needs to know about this, Alana. This is an emergency,” she answered confused about why would I hide something so important from William.I took Francine’s hand and squeezed them, relishing in the warmth from her palms. “If you told him about what happened, he would have more reasons to take me back to the castle. I don’t want him to be worried about me when I have you with me. Please Francine, let me be the one to tell William. I just don’t want him to be distracted by his duties.”The woman is still not convinced about my reasoning but good thing Lucas quickly jumped to take my side.“Let her be, Francine. Alana is right. It would cause so much ruckus to William if he ever learns of it now. Let’s wait a few days to let Alana tell him. if something goes wrong, I will take full responsibility.”In the end, we managed to persuade her. It took one long look between them before Francine finally nodded.“Alright,” she surrendered.I sighed out of relief and fa
AlanaMy hands are cold and there is a growing pit in my stomach that threatens to snarl me at any moment but I am trying my hardest to fight it off.But then, looking at how my own family who abused me since I was a child bowing before me made me feel something.Is it satisfaction I am feeling? Dread for what’s to come or just simply an anticipation?I don’t know. All I know is that with each step I take towards the gated mansion that used to hold the most traumatic years of my life, the urge to run has never gotten this stronger.“Stand straight! The new ambassadress from the capital is here for a visit!” One of the royal guards with me shouted as my father slowly lifted his head towards me.“Welcome to our humble village, ambassad-”The smile on his face faded and shock washed all over his face.“A-Alana…”Sophia immediately raised her head at me and gasped. “What?! Alana?!”My stepmother did the same thing and has the gall to look disgusted at me.“Alana, what are you doing here?”
AlanaA long silent battle ensued between my father and Minerva before the alpha growled at her.“Shut up, Minerva. Do not embarrass me in front of the ambassadress.”Taken aback, she can only lean towards Sophia who is as shocked as her mother. Even me is surprised to hear my father say that when I spent all of my life witnessing how he always bent into her words when it comes to hurting me over Sophia.“Honey…” she can only gasp in shock.“Daddy! How could you take Alana’s side over me?! Her slave slapped me!” Sophia bellowed but was met by Alpha Killian’s warning stare.“Do not say anything anymore!” he yelled at her for the first time. “Do not embarrass me too in front of the ambassadress!”He turned towards the guards who were waiting for his command.“Open the gates and let the party of the ambassadress in! Prepare the banquet too.”“Yes, alpha.”Alpha Killian bowed to me and gestured at the gate. “Ambassadress, please let us in now.”But to their surprise, I did not move. I loo
WilliamI tried my very best to perform my duties as the alpha prince in the dominion but each second and hour that passed by felt like eternity. I quickly hurried to the cabin house when the clock struck lunchtime carrying food only for me to end up eating it all alone.I found myself staring into the emptiness imagining what Alana is doing and then smiling bitterly when my room greeted me back silently.It hasn’t been a day since Alana left back to her village but it already felt like she’s gone for decades.It sucks feeling this way. It felt like I had just tasted death in each moment that I did not see her.Finally, when dusk came, I went into the security team in charge of the ambassadorship to check up on my mate.“Can I ask you about the update on Alana? I tried calling them but no one is answering me,” I said pertaining to Francine not answering her phone when I called her. I just thought she did not have a signal or maybe she’s attending to Alana. I also cannot reach Lucas so
Alana“Francine, did William call? Did he ask for me?”The woman looked up from what she’s doing on the computer and removed her glasses. “Yes, our lady. He asked if you are alright and I said yes.”“Really?” I took the seat in front of her in the room that Alpha Killian gave to my staff. “Did you tell him about what happened? With the assassins?”“No, I did not, Alana. I believed you when you said that it should be you who should tell him.”I breathed a sigh of relief. I don’t want him to worry about me. Knowing about him, I will not be shocked if he comes knocking on the gates of the mansion to bring me back to the castle. “Thank you very much, Francine. How is he? Is he good?”I miss him so much. I miss his scent, his face, his hugs and kisses. I miss everything about him.She rounded up the table to sit next to me, her face bright with anticipation. “Do you want to speak to him? I can call him for you since you refused to have a phone.”I was silent for a moment before I slowly sh
Alana“Why Alana? Are the memories back? Did you finally remember who you really are?” Sophia squeezed my chin and grinned at the fear that is slowly creeping at my body. “You are not by the side of the alpha prince anymore. You are back here in your prison, little mutt. Have you forgotten how you begged daddy to stop whipping you or how you licked the floor just for me to give you a piece of bread?”Her smile turned into laughter when tears fell from my eyes. “That’s right, Alana. Cry! Cry some more! Remember who you are in this family! You are just nothing but a rag mat in this family!”My whole body trembled as more tears flowed down my eyes. My nightmares are materialized again. The years of abuse right in the hands of my own family came back to me that not even the kind of love and care William showed me can erase.Sophia let out another hearty laugh seeing my reaction. “I think by now, you have returned to your senses. So now, you should return the funds for my house. I need tha
SOPHIA“Daddy! Daddy!” I opened the door to my father’s office in a rush. “Daddy!”But instead of him, it was my mother sitting on his chair reading some documents in her hand who stood up swiftly upon seeing me covered in both dirt and ash.“Sophia, what’s wrong?” She held my shoulders and gasped when she saw how helpless I looked. “What happened to you, my princess?”“Mommy, where is daddy?” I sobbed out loud. “Mommy, I want to see daddy! I want my daddy!”“Tell me what happened first. Why do you look so horrible?! What happened to you?!”My cries got louder than ever out of rage for that woman who just came back. How dare she do this to the heir of the alpha?! How dare she burn my precious house?! “That bitch Alana! She burned my house down! My precious house is instantly gone because of her!”Minerva’s eyes widened. “What?!”I bent my knees before her and cried my heart out. “Mommy, please help me tell daddy to put that bitch back into her cage! Mommy, she’s ruining my dreams to b
ALANAI am tightly clutching the hem of my white wedding dress in front of the mirror staring at my own reflection.A woman of substance full of happiness and fulfillment stared right back.Lifting a finger, I caressed the reflection and smiled at myself. “You have come a really long way, Alana. Tonight, your dream will happen. William is really going to make true of his promise.Before his proposal, we had traveled the world together seeing things and places that he wanted to let me witness. Every word that he told me he would, he did for me.“Mother, father, I just wish you were here with me to see how happy I am,” I wished and hugged myself. “I wish you were here with me to walk me down the aisle to be married into the most wonderful man in the state.”As if on cue, a gust of wind blew and hugged me right then and there.I closed my eyes and savored the sensation. The wind whispered love and sadness but the love overrode the other.“We are so proud of you, our daughter,” said the co
WILLIAMThe moon is high above the clouds in the night sky bursting into the clearest lights as if it’s also getting married to the sun illuminating the palace down where a great wedding is happening.I kept on wiping off the sweat on my brow and clearing my mouth because it’s as dry as the desert.I was full of nerves and I can’t think straight anymore. I kept on asking the staff if Alana is still in her room just to make sure that she will be really marrying me. I’ve been here in the venue which is the beautiful garden in front of the great statue of the moon goddess three hours earlier just to make sure.“William, what the hell are you doing here this early?” My mother asked in confusion, still in her robe.She just got down here to oversee the whole preparation, to make sure everything is perfect.“The ceremony will start three hours from now. Please go back to your room now, William.”But I firmly shook my head at her. Being in my room only made me more nervous that is why I came
WILLIAMMy nerves are killing me but I am more determined than ever to pop her the question. Wiping the glistening off my brows, I looked at the mirror practicing what I am going to say.This is the most nerve-wracking moment of my lifetime. Not even those battles and wars I have been to could be compared.“Alpha prince, Ms. Alana is already awake. And the cake is ready too.”Swallowing the lump in my throat, I glanced at myself in the mirror before heading out to the kitchen to take the cake that I baked last night and asked the soldiers to guard all night so no one would be able to compromise its safety.“Okay, William. You can do it. You can do it! No!”I tripped on the cable and stone on the ground and before I knew it, the cake flew to the air and ended up on the ground.Smashed. The dirt eating up the white filling and the words on top of them being buried into non-existence.“No!” I growled, my eyes wide in bitterness and sadness.The cake suffered the same fate as the balloons
ALANAWarm arms enveloped me from the back as his scent embraced me.“What are you thinking? Hmm?” William asked, nuzzling his nose against my bare shoulder.I was on the balcony, enjoying the fresh breeze on a full moon night, my mind wandering towards Francine.After William came back to life, the alpha king and the queen luna threw a feast which was still ongoing in the entire palace while William chose to pull me into his room to have his own sweet wicked ways on me.Not that I am complaining though. This is what I want. To be with him and to savor each second of our lives together.I intertwined our fingers on my stomach and tilted my head to my side, leaning into his chest on my back to give his mouth a better access to my neck.Love making is not painful anymore and the remnant of the monster inside me is almost gone, especially when I am in William’s arms. Controlling anger seems to be easier now. The feeling of seeing red in my eyes is also gone now.Everything seemed to be f
ALANA“Alana…” he called my name with his raspy low voice as if trying to figure out if I am real or not.I just stood there, in so much awe at the truth that he is finally back to me. William is alive! William has come back to life. He is back to me! William has come back from the dead for me.With trembling hands, I placed a hand on his cheek relishing the warmth in it. I am trying to convince myself to believe that this heat is going to be there for years while trying to forget that for once, I held his cold body in my arms.“You are back to me, William,” I said in a trance, my mouth breaking up into a smile of relief. “William, you have really come back for me!”In a split of a second, I pulled him ever gently in my arms, careful with his limbs, scared that once I blink, I would just wake up from this dream. “Alana?” he called for my name but I did not respond.Burying my face on his neck, I inhaled his scent. It’s warm and intoxicating just like all the moments that we have been
ALANAI gazed at Francine and felt shiver run down my spine. Why does she look so happy as if she’s been anticipating death all her life? Sure, there is pain but the happiness in her face is remarkable.“Come on, Alana,” she urged me again and put my hand on top of William’s. “Child, you are going to do me so much favor if you are just going to listen to me and do what I will be telling you. Call for William’s name over and over again. He already heard you. You already took his attention and now it’s time for him to go back to you. Do it, Alana. Please, this old maid is begging you.”My mouth downturned because of emotions pouring in as I clenched William’s hand.“But if I am going to do that, then I am going to lose you, Francine,” I said as my voice crackled.She just laughed it off and wiped the tears on my face. “But you are going to gain back, William. He is going to be alive again, Alana. He is going to fulfill his promise to you. You are going to get married and have lost of ki
ALANAI clenched my hands around William’s when I realized what was happening.My tears fell but I did not open my eyes and continued calling for William’s name.“My love… William, it’s me, Alana. Please, come back to me, my love. Please, fulfill your promise to me.”The stench of more fresh blood coming from Francine assaulted my senses but I continued shutting my eyes even when all I wanted to do is to stop it all.“Alana, do not stop calling for his name. William needs you now. Please, I can almost sense him. I can see him now. Please, call for his name again.”I let out a sigh and called his name over and over again. The hand for which I am holding ever so tightly started to have life again.My heart leaped, rejoicing because maybe, he is finally going to be alive again but all of that happiness went away when I heard the grunt of pain in Francine’s voice.It took all of strength in me and mental fortitude to let go of William’s hand and opened my eyes at her.Truly enough, I coul
ALANA“But your William is different. Way way different from all of them, Alana. He is the single person I met who can easily surrender his precious life for someone he loves. Back when he was a child, I doubted if he could ever do something for you because he tended to be selfish but I was wrong. He magically changed for the better when he began yearning for his mate.”She slowly rose up from the floor and offered me her hand with a bright smile on her face. “Alana, that’s the precise reason why I was here in this world. That is my purpose for living. I could live on and on for hundreds of years looking for someone like you and William and now is the perfect time. Child, you both did not disappoint me.”I accepted her hand while staring at her face, disenchanted by the happiness in her voice.She slowly led me to William and held the white cloth to remove it.“Francine!” I stopped her from doing what she intended to do. “What are you doing?”But she just smiled at me and assured me w
ALANA“Ahh!” I let out a growl as my tears and pain drowned me again.“Tell me, Francine,” my voice croaked as I tightly held her hand. “Am I really worth it? Does someone like me, an abandoned person who was hated by everyone I know, deserve someone like the alpha prince who’s loved by everyone? I should have been the one who died! It should be my body lying cold there because my existence in this world is abominable! It should have been me! Why does he have to save me when I am the monster that should have not been born in the first place!”Gentle hands wrapped around my face, wiping my tears slowly. “Alana, you are not a monster. You are asking me if you are worthy enough to be saved by the alpha prince, then it’s a yes, Alana. William did not hesitate to save you because he loved you. Sacrifice is the most noble thing a man can do to his woman.”She smiled at me and cupped my face again. “It’s a life worth living for him because he has met and loved you and you loved him back. He