Kathryn's POV Crap. My hands shook as I climbed to my feet and slowly stepped on to the podium where he stood waiting for me. His Beta, and the two other guards directed side glances at me, letting me know they had their guard up. I glanced around the room, seeing that everyone had gone and I swallowed nervously.“Leave us,” My eyes widened as Marcus commanded his guards. The guards hesitated for a moment, their eyes flickering between Marcus and me, before bowing their heads slightly and exiting the room. The Beta gave me one last hard look, his gaze heavy with suspicion, before following suit. Now, it was just the two of us. Marcus stood tall, his imposing figure dominating the room. His piercing eyes pinned me in place, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. “What's your name?," he asked, his voice low but filled with authority. "I…I…my name?," I stammered, clutching my trembling hands together to stop them from shaking. He raised his brows with a slight smirk playin
Marcus's POVI smirked, staring at her perfectly hidden disguise. It would have been hard to recognise her if I hadn't seen her like this in my previous life. She had dressed up as a servant boy to get close to me. My heart clenched painfully as I remembered how many things she did to get my attention. From becoming my concubine, to enduring my torture and getting pregnant for me. She had done everything. Her love, her loyalty, her body, and even her dignity….only for me to repay her with cruelty. I hadn’t just rejected her; I had shattered her. And why? Because I was too blind to see the truth. Manipulated by the whispers of those who claimed to have my best interests at heart, I had believed she wasn’t worthy of me. That she was beneath me. That she was nothing but a stepping stone to greater power.How wrong I had been. And it had taken an entire lifetime to realise how much I loved her. I still had nightmares from when she jumped off the cliff.I had recognised her fiery spirit
Chapter TwelveMara's POVI don't think I've ever been as fast as I was at that moment. I lurched into the bathroom, slamming the door quickly and in the next moment, I heard the sound of my room door creaking open.His quiet footsteps resounded in the room as he walked around, his scent overpowering even as I stood in the bathroom. The hairs at the back of my neck stood as I heard him chuckling. I pressed my back against the bathroom door, trying to steady my breath. My heart pounded nonstop, that I felt scared that he would hear how loud it was. I had missed being caught by a thin chance. I quietly swabbed at my makeup, trying to be effective in the shortest time possible. Oh goddess, what could I use as a replacement for this costume? I thought, looking around desperately. The bathroom was a stark contrast to the grandeur of the manor it belonged to. It was a blend of function and sparse luxury.A large, freestanding clawfoot tub was in the room with the porcelain finish slightl
Kathryn's POVI sat there, my back pressed against the bathroom door, my breath coming in ragged gasps as my mind replayed Marcus’s words. *I see more than you think.* What the hell did he mean by that? My wolf stirred uneasily, torn between the magnetic pull she felt toward him and the scars of what he’d done to us before. My fingers dug into the fabric of my gown as I tried to steady myself. But the reprieve was short-lived. A loud, guttural growl echoed through the hallway, sharp and unmistakable. My wolf immediately perked up, her ears twitching imaginarily. I scrambled to my feet, pressing my ear to the door. Another growl, followed by what sounded like a struggle between people. With curiosity mixed with fear, and before I could think better of it, I cracked the door open and went out of the room. The sounds of a struggle were coming from the direction of the main staircase. “Kathryn,” Marcus’s voice boomed from down the hall, making me flinch. He wasn’t in view, but the
Kathryn's POV"You must do the things you think you cannot do” I once heard this quote from somewhere but now I seemed to understand what they meant by the statement. What had happened earlier was a shock and I still could not believe it. Marcus had stared at me, his dark eyes wide with a mixture of fear and something else…something like reverence. His chest heaved with the effort of the tussle, blood streaking his body from the fight. “You don’t know?” he had pressed, his tone hard, but his hands trembled as he reached for me. I stumbled back, the lingering warmth of whatever had just surged through me still radiating under my skin. My mind was spinning, my breaths coming out in frantic gasps. “I... I swear, I don’t!” Marcus’s jaw clenched, and he turned to glance down the hallway where the fight had taken place. The man, no, the creature was gone. Only the faint scent of blood and the metallic tang of fear lingered in the air. “You’re hurt,” he said suddenly. His expressio
Kathryn’s pov My heart thundered in my chest as I stood on the cliff’s edge, the cold wind tearing at my hair and dress. The valley below blurred through the haze of unshed tears. The storm brewing on the horizon mirrored the chaos within me, reminding me of my failures, betrayal, and loss. I felt him before I saw him- the electrifying aura of my mate and Alpha approaching from behind.“Kathlyn!” His voice was a raw growl, strained and hoarse from the hours he had spent looking for me. “Please don't do this. Move away from the edge! I…I love you.”I felt strangely detached, as though my body were nothing more than a vessel carrying the remnants of a shattered soul. “Kathlyn!” His raw desperation struck a chord deep within me, but it wasn’t enough. Nothing was enough anymore. The memories clawed their way to the surface, each one more painful than the last. My sister’s laughter ringing out as she leaned against him, her hand protectively cradling the child growing within her…his
Kathryn POVEverything in the room seemed to freeze as her name slipped from my lips. I was trembling with disbelief. My mother was right in front of alive, radiant, and every bit the beautiful healthy woman I remembered from my childhood. She stood in the doorway, her svelte body swaying as if she could not believe her eyes. As I gazed at my mother's astonished face, a mix of emotions swirled inside me. Joy, relief, and fear fought for dominance.This was another life, yet the memories of my past still felt like open wounds. The pain of Marcus's betrayal, and the loss of my child was something I could not overcome.But I had been given a second chance.My mind reeled with questions. What if nothing changed? I didn't want to relive my past mistakes.How could I trust anyone again?My mother's unsure smile broke through my thoughts."Kathryn, is that really you?" she asked, her voice trembling.I nodded, tears welling up.This reunion should bring happiness, but anxiety gripped me.M
As the sound of the approaching carriages drew closer, my mind travelled back to the day I first met Marcus. The memory was as vivid as if it had happened yesterday.I had encountered him on the outskirts of the city, deep in the forest where I often went to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the Keller household. It was there that I found him laying unconscious and bleeding profusely from a stab wound. He had barely survived a war, his once-mighty form had been reduced to a shadow of itself. I didn’t know who he was then, only that he needed help. Driven by a strange pull, a feeling I couldn’t explain at the time, I had dragged him to a nearby cave. For days, I nursed him back to health, feeding him, cleaning his wounds, and staying by his side as he fought to recover. I kept it hidden from everyone but my faithful maid.When he finally woke up, his piercing eyes had locked onto mine, and a single word had escaped his lips. “Mate.” The bond between us was undeniable. But when
Kathryn's POV"You must do the things you think you cannot do” I once heard this quote from somewhere but now I seemed to understand what they meant by the statement. What had happened earlier was a shock and I still could not believe it. Marcus had stared at me, his dark eyes wide with a mixture of fear and something else…something like reverence. His chest heaved with the effort of the tussle, blood streaking his body from the fight. “You don’t know?” he had pressed, his tone hard, but his hands trembled as he reached for me. I stumbled back, the lingering warmth of whatever had just surged through me still radiating under my skin. My mind was spinning, my breaths coming out in frantic gasps. “I... I swear, I don’t!” Marcus’s jaw clenched, and he turned to glance down the hallway where the fight had taken place. The man, no, the creature was gone. Only the faint scent of blood and the metallic tang of fear lingered in the air. “You’re hurt,” he said suddenly. His expressio
Kathryn's POVI sat there, my back pressed against the bathroom door, my breath coming in ragged gasps as my mind replayed Marcus’s words. *I see more than you think.* What the hell did he mean by that? My wolf stirred uneasily, torn between the magnetic pull she felt toward him and the scars of what he’d done to us before. My fingers dug into the fabric of my gown as I tried to steady myself. But the reprieve was short-lived. A loud, guttural growl echoed through the hallway, sharp and unmistakable. My wolf immediately perked up, her ears twitching imaginarily. I scrambled to my feet, pressing my ear to the door. Another growl, followed by what sounded like a struggle between people. With curiosity mixed with fear, and before I could think better of it, I cracked the door open and went out of the room. The sounds of a struggle were coming from the direction of the main staircase. “Kathryn,” Marcus’s voice boomed from down the hall, making me flinch. He wasn’t in view, but the
Chapter TwelveMara's POVI don't think I've ever been as fast as I was at that moment. I lurched into the bathroom, slamming the door quickly and in the next moment, I heard the sound of my room door creaking open.His quiet footsteps resounded in the room as he walked around, his scent overpowering even as I stood in the bathroom. The hairs at the back of my neck stood as I heard him chuckling. I pressed my back against the bathroom door, trying to steady my breath. My heart pounded nonstop, that I felt scared that he would hear how loud it was. I had missed being caught by a thin chance. I quietly swabbed at my makeup, trying to be effective in the shortest time possible. Oh goddess, what could I use as a replacement for this costume? I thought, looking around desperately. The bathroom was a stark contrast to the grandeur of the manor it belonged to. It was a blend of function and sparse luxury.A large, freestanding clawfoot tub was in the room with the porcelain finish slightl
Marcus's POVI smirked, staring at her perfectly hidden disguise. It would have been hard to recognise her if I hadn't seen her like this in my previous life. She had dressed up as a servant boy to get close to me. My heart clenched painfully as I remembered how many things she did to get my attention. From becoming my concubine, to enduring my torture and getting pregnant for me. She had done everything. Her love, her loyalty, her body, and even her dignity….only for me to repay her with cruelty. I hadn’t just rejected her; I had shattered her. And why? Because I was too blind to see the truth. Manipulated by the whispers of those who claimed to have my best interests at heart, I had believed she wasn’t worthy of me. That she was beneath me. That she was nothing but a stepping stone to greater power.How wrong I had been. And it had taken an entire lifetime to realise how much I loved her. I still had nightmares from when she jumped off the cliff.I had recognised her fiery spirit
Kathryn's POV Crap. My hands shook as I climbed to my feet and slowly stepped on to the podium where he stood waiting for me. His Beta, and the two other guards directed side glances at me, letting me know they had their guard up. I glanced around the room, seeing that everyone had gone and I swallowed nervously.“Leave us,” My eyes widened as Marcus commanded his guards. The guards hesitated for a moment, their eyes flickering between Marcus and me, before bowing their heads slightly and exiting the room. The Beta gave me one last hard look, his gaze heavy with suspicion, before following suit. Now, it was just the two of us. Marcus stood tall, his imposing figure dominating the room. His piercing eyes pinned me in place, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. “What's your name?," he asked, his voice low but filled with authority. "I…I…my name?," I stammered, clutching my trembling hands together to stop them from shaking. He raised his brows with a slight smirk playin
Kathryn's POVI was basically dragged through the town back to the place I had escaped from. Talk about fate making jokes.“He was caught stealing.” They forced me to kneel as I looked up at the figure sitting on a makeshift throne at the top of a podium. The Hall of Judgment in the Keller mansion was as grand as it was suffocating, its walls a testament to the wealth and power of my family. My family members of course had to be present to show off their wealth and look down on the commoners while trying to butter up and curry favor with the Alpha King. But from his expression, I knew he didn't care. I couldn't help but hide a smirk as I thought about their reaction if they knew I was the one kneeling before them.My family would probably be ecstatic to see me dragged through the whole place as a criminal then killed or something. But I wondered what Marcus would do settling a fickle case such as this.“Stealing?” His clear voice rang through the hall clear and commanding as he stare
Kathryn's POVAfter a full day attempting a job that was still well beyond me, every part of my body ached. I glared at the wooden exterior of the hidden compartment and debated going back to my room to suck. Only there was nothing back in the room that would improve my mood.I brushed my hands against my now dusty gown, cringing as the palm of my hand came off looking browner and dustier. There was no way in hell I would be caught going out like this.Talking about being caught, I had found this hidden compartment during one of my plays. It led to a path that had now been covered by bulrushes and crawling vines. As I stood there, trying to decide whether to risk sneaking out, memories of my previous life crept in like shadows. Back then, I had to learn the art of makeup out of necessity. Bruises didn’t heal quickly, and scars didn’t fade overnight. At least not for me, a weak wolf. I labeled the self healing properties that most possessed. I was weak, even for an Omega.For years, m
Kathryn's POVI had to look for a way to get out of the house. Although my end game was revenge , I had to build momentum slowly. And I needed the help of people. Powerful people who I had missed in my past life due to my position as a concubine. They had overlooked me and most had gotten acquainted with Cassandra.A few had remained neutral, choosing to be spectators of our royal family drama. I remembered how Cassandra's connection had her in making my life hell and aiding the loss of my child while I was unjustly imprisoned. It had been a power tussle and we had both gotten pregnant at almost the same time. Why not eliminate your opponent instead of waiting for the worst to happen?The worst that could happen was that I would give birth first, it would turn out to be a boy and equally the heir of the Alpha's throne. She had feared this happening and had smartly acted, killing my poor child. My eyes were turning red from my thoughts when I heard a familiar voice I could never forg
Kathryn's POVIf he thought he was just going to waddle back into my life like nothing had happened then he had it coming.I had been a damn weakling, losing everything and everyone I loved because of a man. In this life, I was going to become strong and powerful to choose the trajectory of my life. I would prepare a life worth living for my unborn child.Even if I were to give him a chance, I couldn't ever forget how I had lost my child. Tears shone on my eyes and I absentmindedly caressed my belly as I remembered the cruel torment I had faced. After losing my child, he had called the doctors to attend to me, but it was too late. That too, I was not going to be able to give birth after. My womb had gone through so much damage.I sighed long and hard as I thought about it. Reborn or not, Marcus Night was just wasting his time here. I had a choice over who I would marry and in this life, it won't be him.A knock on the door brought me out of my soliloquy, “Milady, we're here to prepare