ALANAI woke up that morning with a freshly picked bouquet of flowers and a note from William saying he’s going back into patrolling the borders. With a satisfied smile on my face, I prepared myself and went to work with an infectious kind of vibe that Lucas and Francine cannot help but notice.When I arrived at the office, I called one of the maids assigned to me to inquire about Ana. I brought the girl with me when I chanced upon her selling fruits on the sidewalk.“Did you see Ana? I was told she’s here in the office already. Where is she?”There is an unmistakable concern in my face knowing that she is not used in the mansion. She must have been lost in the woods.The maid bowed before me. “I am sorry, ambassadress, but Madam Sophia called her to be in her quarters. She said she had something to make her do.”My brows arched. Sophia? Why would she specifically get the child that is under my care?“Sophia? And can you tell me what are the things she wanted an 11-year-old to do for
ALANA“Madam Sophia!” the maids screamed in horror upon seeing the face of their beloved mistress being whipped by me.“Ahhh! My face! My beautiful face!” Sophia yelled in both agony and excruciating pain. “What the fuck, Alana?!” She turned towards the maids who were still huddled to the wall in utter surprise. “What are you doing?! Run outside and call for help! This woman is going crazy already!”“Take one step forward and I will make sure to order Lucas to kill all of you,” I threatened them even though I will never do it.“But ambassadress, that is Madam Sophia, the daughter of the alpha and his luna!” the maid who was feeding Sophia earlier answered. “We cannot let their one and only heir be lashed out like this.”“Heir?” I asked sarcastically. “Do you even know who you are talking to? I am the first and legitimate daughter of the alpha! If there is going to be someone who is going to inherit the throne, it is me and not Sophia who does not even have a drop of blood from my own
SOPHIA“D-Dad! D-Daddy!” I howled and began crying again when I saw my father emerging inside the door in the hospital where I am confined.He left the post a few hundred miles from the north just to see me.His face was marred with utmost fury especially when he saw the bandages on my face and body.“Sophia!” He hugged me so tightly and kissed my head. “Hush now, my princess. Daddy is here. Do not worry anymore.”“Daddy, it’s Alana who did this to me! She whipped me hundreds of times even though I begged her to stop! Daddy, I can’t believe she can do this to me! I am her sister and I love her so much!” I told him everything.Ever since I was young, I know I can rely on him. He has been very vocal in telling me that he loves me as his real daughter so I know that he will stand by my side again just like what he always does even way before.What Alana did to me is very unacceptable but I know daddy will exact revenge against her because I am his one and only princess.“I know,” he said
WILLIAM“William…” Alana gasped and clung on to my shirt and buried her face into my chest.I put an arm around her and pulled her cold body into me.She is shaking and sweating all over proving that she has been triggered by the presence of her angry father.I clenched my jaws and calmed myself because I would really love to cut off Killian’s head right now. How dare he terrorize my mate?! How dare he do this to my Alana?!“It’s okay, Alana. I am here now.”I gently looked into her eyes and smiled, comforting her in the process. “I will take care of it now. You go with Francine, okay?”She glanced worriedly at her father and shook her head. “I can’t leave you here alone with him. He is very angry right now and he might do anything to you.”I wiped the tears off her face and assured her by just laughing it off. “He cannot do anything to me, Alana. It’s not like I will allow it. Remember who I am, okay? I am your alpha prince. I am yours.”She nodded after a while and bit her lower lip
ALANAI kept on walking back and forth inside my room worriedly waiting for William.“Francine, will William be really okay? Will he be able to handle my father?” I broke into a sob when I remembered the look my father gave him. It was the same look he always gives me before he’s going to beat me up. “You saw how the alpha is looking at him. What if he’ll do something to him? Francine, I cannot let him hurt my mate! I should go to him now!”“Our lady, please.” She was able to hold me close to prevent me from going to the door. “Get a hold of yourself. Do you think the alpha prince will let the alpha hurt him? Please, trust him, our lady. William is not made out of cotton. That kid is a tough man and I know he will win it against the alpha for you.”“I have my full trust in him but I do not trust my father. Once, he tricked me into going outside only to capture me to parade me into the village people. I am afraid that he’s going to do the same thing to William.”Francine cupped my face
ALANAA soldier guarding Sophia’s room in the mansion stopped me from opening the door when I visited her to check up on her. “Ambassadress, you can’t be here. You are not allowed to be here. The alpha and the luna specifically ordered you to keep you from approaching their daughter.”I showed him William’s badge with his blood soaked in it. “I have the blessing of the alpha prince. Do you dare to go against his wishes?”He sniffed it and when it was confirmed that it was indeed the alpha prince’s blood, he bowed before me and opened the door for me. “I am sorry, ambassadress.”“Thank you.”I entered the room to a laughing Sophia watching television and chatting with someone on her phone. Her bandages are on the floor and her whole skin is already healed from the whip marks.That doctor and healer must have cost so high for the results to be this fast that I can’t help but feel some faint scars on my arms that are still there no matter how many times William’s doctor treats me.She sa
ALANAThe next day, I went into the stacks of expenses of the village to cut off some unnecessary costs when I noticed excessive spending the last few years. Millions of dollars are being cashed out to purchase these particular things.Getting up from my seat, I asked some guards and workers in the mansion to help me do the task for today.In the lavish living room of the mansion hung many many expensive paintings that one can think the whole place to be a museum.“Get all of the hung paintings here, please.”“Yes, ambassadress.”So for the next few hours, they carefully took the paintings from the walls one by one.As someone who loves painting and had been educated under the best art gurus in the capital, I know these costs more than what was declared in the papers. I planned on selling those to add up to the other programs for the kids in the rural areas.“Hey, what is happening?! What are you all doing?! Stop it!” Minerva yelled at the workers. “My paintings! My lovely paintings! H
ALANA“Ambassadress, Alpha Killian is here again. Do you want me to take care of him this time? The alpha prince told me I will act based on your decision.”I clenched my hands together and looked up at Lucas who’s waiting for my decision. I know why he’s here again. It’s about what I did to Sophia and Minerva again. I am sure he is seething with anger again at me because I dare to hurt her own family.But I am his family too. I am his daughter but why is it too easy for him to hurt me? I asked in my head but did not get any answer.“Let him in,” I said and finally decided to face him this time.Sooner or later. I know we are still going to see each other. I just cannot continue avoiding him forever especially when I am trying to take my justice.My father, the alpha, should pay the biggest price for tormenting me for years.I have to face him. I cannot just hide in William’s back forever. I just can't let him endanger his life for me.“Are you sure, Alana?” Lucas asked, surprised tha
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