PRIESTESS MALIA'S POVDanger was looming in the Southern Paw pack. I could feel it, I could sense it. Ever since the peace treaty was signed between werewolves and witches. Something had felt wrong, terribly wrong. But last week the feeling was so strong, I could literally taste the bad omen in the air. It smelt of smoke and burning thatch.I knew there was a fire outbreak down north before the news spread, before anyone was aware that anything was amiss. As high priestess, a part of me was fused with the pack, so I was usually privy to most of the activities going on in the pack, also delicate or sensitive information. Some things that should never be heard from anyone's lips. Most of the ministers would gladly pay to assassinate me because of the information they feared I had of them. They were right to fear because I was aware. But their doings weren't mine to share unless I was directly instructed. Regardless, my execution was well above their ability. Even the alpha of the pack
CILLIAN'S POVThere wasn't really much I could do about the date Aunty Celia had set up for me. She was a mother to me, the least I could do was to take up her advice right?Oh well. Deep down, I knew exactly how this was going to end but it wouldn't hurt to do this even if it was just to please Aunty Celia.Every blind date I had ever gone on had the same pattern. The women tried way too hard. The dressing, the scents, the approach, the way they batted their eyes lids, thinking they would get a reaction from me or something.It was almost sad and usually frustrating. But I knew Aunty Celia. As far as she was concerned, I was the most eligible bachelor in the pack. A daughter of a noble had won the princess trials and was to be mated to me, but I had rejected her.I knew what she was trying to do.From the way she had suggested it, I knew she was beginning to have suspicions. She did raise me, so she was familiar with the way I behaved. If I flat out refused to go on this date, that
ROSALIND'S POVAunty Lily had a sour look on her face as she looked me straight in the eye without blinking. I don't know if it was possible, but I got even more uncomfortable. Had she seen me sneaking in? That would be very bad."Aunty Lily." I bowed in respect. That was literally all I could think of doing at the moment, my mind was racing for things to say or at least things to save myself if she asked a deep question, which I was positive she would.The sour look on her face seemed to get even more sour. If that was even bloody possible."I'm not your aunty, you peasant. I'm aunt to the princes and nobody else. You're just… a peasant. There are not so many ways to describe you." She spat.I felt my face redden at her words. She had no respect for those she saw beneath her, and I was well beneath, probably the lowest. I swallowed hard."You haven't answered my question. Where are you coming from?" Her voice was icy now."I just went for a little walk, Aunty. I needed a little fresh
ROSALIND'S POV I found myself on a bed when I woke up, with no idea how I got there. I rubbed my eyes trying to remember what happened, yawned heartily and stretched out on the bed.I almost shrieked when my hand touched someone's body. I turned to my side to see Killian's figure lying next to me. Shirtless and possibly even pantless and… What the fuck was wrong with me?I deleted the thoughts from my mind. And tried to close my eyes. Then it happened.The events of last night came swimming back into my head. The encounter with Adelyn, the questioning from Aunt Lily, seeing Cillian with someone else and…I gasped. And having wild sex with Killian. It was a lot. I wasn't sure how long we had gone at it but it must have been long enough to make me wake up wondering what had happened. I laid there wondering if I was supposed to feel guilty about it since I was in love with Cillian. I wasn't sorry and I definitely wasn't feeling guilty. It was just as I imagined, maybe even better. He
KILLIAN'S POVI had totally forgotten about Sonia. With the fast pace of everything. The news, royal matters and of course that impromptu night with Rosalind. Now here she was bubbling with joy after the news of the moon festival was announced.I walked to Aunt Lily. Who seemed very pleased today."Killian," she smiled."Aunty." I returned the favour with a smile. I knew how to put up appearances as well."What exactly is your plan with Sonia?" I decided that going straight to the point was the best approach, especially when it had to do with her."I don't know what you are talking about. All this is probably just a coincidence." She shrugged, no doubt enjoying herself.I nodded. "If you say so, then that's alright." I turned to move but she stretched her cane.Aunty Lily leaned forward to me and whispered, "She's here now. This could as well be a chance for you. Be smart about this, Killian." She said softly but firmly enough to tell me what I needed to know.She walked away after t
ROSALIND'S POVI had to find it this time. I couldn't afford to lose sight of it again. But I had linked for just a second and it was gone. I marched straight into the dark alley, determined to find what I had been so careless to lose. I searched every corner of the alley but found nothing. Absolutely nothing but scrambling rats.It was totally dark but I could see. I could see very clearly. I left the alley, disappointed. There was only one option.The forest.It was much wider and bigger than the disgusting alley. But it was also more dangerous. I didn't have much of a choice though. There was an ominous feeling seeping from the core of the forest. I felt it and I knew I would find what I was looking for. A mixture of dread and relief was mounting in me.The river looked very silky in the darkness. I was inexplicably drawn to it.I walked toward it and looked. What I saw made me gasp.My eyes were two bright blue stars shining in the darkness. They were so bright that they turned t
ROSALIND'S POVI waited patiently till it was dark, then headed to the spot to meet River. My mind was all over the place. I needed to be sure. I just couldn't believe what I had seen in the petition room.River showed up after a while, he didn't say anything. That was good. It took everything in me not to start interrogating him at the spot, but I had to be patient, this wasn't safe anymore. Soon, we were in the territory of witches.The teleportation still had the same dizzying effect on me but I ignored it.I glared at River. Even though I didn't want to believe it, I knew that he was well aware of what his people were doing. He was their commander after all."You cool?" He asked, cleaning some dust off his black trousers. When I didn't answer, he looked up at me.Before he could say anything else, I slapped him very hard across the face.As fast as his reflexes were, he didn't see that one coming. He might have seen it but not fast enough. My hand making impact with his rough fac
ROSALIND'S POV"Well don't just stand there. Pick the box up and move!"Aunt Lily stared at me from the door like I was daft.It took me a moment to regain my senses.One moment, I was in Cillian's arms, just in front of this same shelf. The next thing, the door swung open and here she was, scolding me. Cillian had disappeared without a trace.Just before she had opened the door, my whole body was enveloped in fear. I heard her before she came in but that wouldn't have helped. It was a small room, there wasn't much space to hide. There wasn't much room for anything, really. But Cillian was gone.I resisted the urge to frantically look around the place for him. Was I hallucinating or something?No. He touched me. I could still smell his scent. That strong redwood. He had moved, and he had moved with the speed of lightning. I said a silent prayer to the goddess that Aunt Lily was too stressed to notice anything was amiss.Cillian was so fast that I didn't even see him move. He really wa
ROSALIND'S POV"I will not stand by this." This is just not…Councilman Arthur was saying."This is not just what, Arthur? Spit it out." Killian dared. His eyes flashing menacingly at the older man.Arthur shook his head and sat back down. He glared at the high priestess who had her normal expressionless look on. He faced the elders.They too were short of words. "I love Rosalind, she is my mate and I will marry her." Cillian said unexpectedly and for a second, I thought I would scream out. My legs shook at those words. His sheer determination alone was so sexy.Cillian held my hand in his as a way of showing that no decision made there would stop him from doing what he wanted. I almost melted from his warm touch. It took everything in me to still keep my composure and just smile when he looked at me lovingly.Killian stepped forward as well.Dear Councilman, Rosalind is betrothed to me so there's not really much you can do. I intend to marry her and I will. Not just because she won
CILLIAN'S POV She looked at me with hatred in her eyes when I walked in but said nothing.Her chains rattled. She was muttering something under her breath, a spell. But the chains neutralized everything. "What do you want?" She asked.I looked at her, at the chains and then at her palm. Suspicions were correct. I had seen the same mark on Rosa's palm earlier. A mark that appeared after she was taken by the rogues.I bent and grabbed Estella's hand."What are you…?"I brought out the silver dagger and slashed at the black mark in her palm.She winced in pain and cursed me but she was still in chains. Nothing happened. There were drops of blue blood before red blood oozed from the wound.I gave her a towel to stop the bleeding "Your days are numbered." I said.And without another word, I left the dungeon.ESTELLA'S POVThe pain from that silver cut still stung even after he left. He had broken the magical bond I formed with Rosalind to siphon her powers. I was so angry. How did he k
CILLIAN'S POVAfter some time, the sapphire stopped glowing but it was already confirmed. Rosalind was one of them. I didn't know exactly how I was feeling. The elders were all looking at me, waiting for my input on what to do next.The law was clear. Wolves with magic were abominations, they were unstable, unpredictable and very dangerous. They always went rogue. They were threats. But this was Rosalind, my Rosalind. She couldn't hurt a fly. How the hell did she have magic and I didn't know all this time? I didn't sense it or anything. Was I that blind or did she just hide it so well?So many questions were floating in my mind. It was a mix of pain, betrayal, helplessness and anger. I did not know what to do. Rosalind stood before us with the now normal looking sapphire on the table, waiting for me to say something. The elders were still murmuring and having side talks.Councilman Arthur cleared his throat and decorum returned. I knew that whatever he was going to say would not be i
ESTELLA'S POVI was bound in silver chains, I couldn't save myself, couldn't defend myself against these pigs, I could do absolutely nothing as I stood before people eager for me to die. I had never been more powerless in my entire life.But I knew what to do. The key was the princess that they loved. The prophesied link. Irony and poetry mixed in one. It was so ironic that I didn't even know when I burst out laughing until I noticed that the noise had died down completely.My laughter usually had that effect on others. But to think of it, I was going to die but my niece whose magic I siphoned to do the things I did, gets to just watch and do nothing?That was insane. They needed to know how powerful she was. It was time for these pigs to know the real truth. It was time for them to hear it.I stole a glance at the prince. All the blood had disappeared from his face, his eyes were wide open, staring at me in disbelief. He would never believe me. I had to keep speaking. I was going to
KILLIAN'S POVI didn't remember much from what happened before I got to the hospital.I had felt someone by my side throughout the period when I was unconscious, taking care of me, humming to themselves. Always quiet and caring. It was all a bit weird, I knew I was unconscious, and I knew I had to wake up, I just didn't seem to have enough strength to do so. I could feel people around me and I could vaguely hear what was going on around, like conversations and monitor beeps and footsteps. My wolf could detect people's presence but it just couldn't jolt me up.I tried everyday for what seemed like eternity but I couldn't, so I did the only thing I could;Wait.The time spent waiting gave me an avenue to think, to go through everything that had happened over and over again, to spend time with myself and try to see something I hadn't been able to before.I had tried to replay the events of the fight in my head but most of the time, it was all blurry and unclear. My own thoughts and memo
CILLIAN'S POVI watched Killian fall face down. There was blood, and he wasn't moving.My chest caught fire and I went full primal again. The rage I felt was like none other. I combed through the enemies, crushing them in numbers. Estella was my target but she was surrounded by too many people.She opened a portal and disappeared into it. Oh no you don't. I leapt over the crowd and chased after her but the portal was already closing slowly. The witches swamped around me, attacking from all angles. Casting spells and poking me with weapons. My necklace glowed brighter and brighter.I couldn't take it anymore. I roared with everything in me and I felt a great surge of energy encapsulate me and then…Boom.There was a big blast. When I looked around, all the rogues were on the ground. Dead.I ran to that portal, it was almost closed but I could still get in.I turned and saw Killian, still in the same position and not moving. I looked at the portal again, and I jumped in. I grabbed the
KILLIAN’S POV“This is wrong, your highnesses, you cannot lead a war from the frontlines. It is never done. As the only offsprings of your father, you are the heirs to the throne. It is just too risky!”Councilman Gordon kept on whining like a baby.“And if we refuse to heed your advice, are any of you going to stop us from fighting for our pack?”The silent murmurs came to a stop. The councilmen in the Great Hall, devoured by their selfish interests, were looking for a way to stop Cillian and I from leading the battle. Typical fools.“My prince, you just need to understand,” Arthur began in his sweet tongue.“I know that both of you are seasoned warriors and your prowess remains a thing of awe in Southern Paw, your father made sure of that. But if anything should happen to the heirs of the throne while fighting, even for the right cause, it will pose an enormous problem for the pack. That is what my councilmen are looking to avoid. Unless maybe one of you has a child that we are not
CILLIAN’S POVI sat at the council meeting as we deliberated on the next step with the councilmen of the pack. It had been almost two days since Bast was taken and up till that point, there still had not been any development whatsoever on what to do. I wondered how Rosalind would be feeling. I started to fantasize but shook it off immediately. There were serious matters arising, I needed to focusAcross the long table from me was Killian. He just sat there with a straight face. Probably with his mind already made up for what he was going to do when the time was right. “...But they could harm the little boy, it's risky.” I heard Councilman Gabe say. Probably a reply to someone's comment. I was not paying full attention, my mind also was troubled with thoughts of what the high priestess had said before. Many things didn't make sense at this point.“That's true. Although it could just be a bluff, these creatures still have to be taken care of nonetheless.” Said Councilman Arthur.I coul
ESTELLA’S POVI was back in my chambers after going for a walk when a visitor was announced to. I told the guard to let them come in and shortly, to my surprise, Malia walked into the living room.The guard refused to let her come in with her staff at first, but she was adamant, classic Malia.I waved to him that it was okay and he reluctantly let her in and left us alone.“I've come to talk, Estella.” She said, without much expression on her face.“How long has it been since you last visited, old friend? Twenty five, twenty seven years.” “I believe it's been about thirty years. You have set up the place quite nicely.” She commented, looking around.“I see you still wear your bracelet all the same and…”“I have come to talk, Estella.” She said cutting me short.“Not small talk, but real talk.”“Oh Malia. Always so uptight. When was the last time.you did anything fun, like a party or even sex?”She stared at me with a strange expression and continued;“What happened in Southern Paw wa