ALPHA ZACHARY "Wake Up!" There was this strange sound in my head, wheezing like a queen bee or more appropriately, a low screeching sound that sent pain straight through my body. I felt heavy. I felt like my skull had cracked open at some point and it was healing rapidly but painfully. I gritted my teeth as the pain pierced my forehead in an anguishing manner. "Get up, Zachary!" I was too disoriented to recognize the voice calling out to me. I wanted to get rid of it because it was causing more pain as I could hear it in my head. It was weird. Strangely weird but familiar. "Zachary!" "Get the fuck out of my head, Serge!" I yelled right back at my wolf without having to think about it. It was Serge all this while but I couldn't realize that. I tried to open my eyes but the blinding light of the morning made me shut them tightly. It was morning? The last time I checked or that I was conscious, it wasn't this bright, and from the soreness of my body, I could tell I had spent hours in tha
ALPHA ZACHARY. Heara blinked back at me as if she'd been caught doing something really bad. At first, she seemed to be unfazed by what I found very alarming when I returned from my hunt for something to reduce the blood she was losing and also treat the open wound. I stared at her, questions running through my mind, confusion edged deep somewhere in the middle as I tried to make out an explanation for the situation myself. I stared back at her– shocked to silence and dumbfounded at the unusual, even impossible situation that was staring me back in the eyes, daring to find the matching explanation among the thousands roaming in my head. A few of them were ridiculous. They had to be and the impossibility of the whole situation only drove me crazy the more I thought of it and so I had to voice my thoughts before I became deranged from thinking about them. I stepped closer to Haera who shifted backward as I did. My gaze left her face because it's been staring at it for too long and it had
HAERA It was oddly warm and I was comfortable. I didn't open my eyes as I snuggled more into the source of the warmth. Nowhere had ever felt this relaxing. This felt like home. And even home wasn't as peaceful as this. Wasn't I stuck in a wilderness with the Alpha? Shouldn't I be cold? What was this satisfying feeling of being protected that was zapping through my body? Curiosity compelled me to open my ears despite the fact that I wanted to sleep more. The urge to know what was making me feel safe and this peaceful was far greater than that of somnolence. I squinted my eyes open slowly and cautiously with this particular fear of scaring whatever had encircled me away, slipping into my consciousness. Saying I was stunned would be a big understatement. A smile spread on my face when I saw the big wolf with beautiful and shiny furs beside me. Although my back had been resting on its stomach through the night, the wolf was big enough to engulf me completely. "He's My Mate..." Dezra exhib
ALPHA ZACHARY. We trudged along the path that the cave revealed; her on my back as I navigated our way through the opening. The relief swarming inside of me was one I couldn't even express with words because we were finally going home after spending three days in an unknown forest. Apart from the fact that she was the one who found the exit, being with someone else after the brutal attack I experienced was comforting. I might have scolded and lashed out at her for following me when she knew it was dangerous but deep down, I was grateful to her for caring about me. "Am I not heavy?" Her voice infiltrated my thoughts. It has been very quiet since we found the exit at the mouth of the cave and now taking a very familiar part that leads to the middle border that separates all three of the woodland packs. Except for the voices in my head and the sound of the early morning songs of birds, there has been no sound from the both of us. "Yes...yes you are." I teased. Compared to the things I've
HAERA I was expecting a commotion. And I had waited patiently for it just like my mate had advised.....I stayed hidden. My mind wasn't at peace because I was unable to tell Alpha Zachary about Princess Ilvira's conspiracy. Yet, I was expecting a commotion. But I wasn't expecting the cause of that commotion. I mean, I knew Tybalt was Princess Ilvira's destined mate but it was still shocking to see Alpha Zachary's fury. Beating Tybalt into a pulp and locking him and Princess Ilvira behind the silver cage was another thing I didn't foresee my mate doing. "It was Epic!" Dezra hinted as I stood outside the maid's quarters, watching some of the maids cleaning the damages of yesterday's uproar. My injured leg was almost completely healed but I used it as an excuse to escape performing all the chores Dina assigned to me. "The Alpha wants me to rest." Dina's eyes widened when she heard my statement. She had come to see if I was truly back to the pack this morning and she didn't waste any time
ALPHA ZACHARY The silence the room descended into at my command as the very one I expected and even relished because my insides burned so much and my head blew hot from all the noise, confusions and arguments going around the room. My anger has been consuming me since I returned and I haven't been able to quench it. Somehow, I knew it would take me setting my hands on someone and killing them in an instant for me to get the anger off me. Who it would be is the only matter of concern. My eyes swept across the room that had everyone waiting with baited breath for Alan to bring over the witch like I had commanded. Ilvira. Gennora. Who would it be? I took in the rest of the room. Ilvira's parents seemed like that had everything under control but I could smell their resolve slowly wavering. Their disappointment in their child and shame at their own selves was something that hid from their face with the bold looks of royalty. My eyes took in someone else. Haera. Her leg seemed to have heale
HAERA It was too much... It was like I had been pushed into an ocean that flowed strongly and I was overpowered by it. The current was stronger than I could swim through...I was drowning. It was overwhelming. Should I call it a revelation or a discovery? Should I say I had been blessed or was it a curse? As if that wasn't enough, I felt a sticky liquid splattered on my bare legs. It didn't faze me at first but the whimper and mourning howl from Ulric that followed made me look down at my legs to see what the liquid was. The sickening smell of it already told me what it was but still, my eyes fell to my legs. "He killed her. It's her blood, Haera." I could perceive it...I could tell but I couldn't bring myself to react. The odor was suffocating yet it pleased me although I could still hear Ulric cry in the background. I knew he wasn't crying because he would miss Gennora. It was simply a result of the pain all werewolves feel after the death of their mate. My eyes followed the tiny dro
ALPHA ZACHARY "Apologize to our mate when you see her today." Serge whimpered like he had been doing since the first daylight graced the morning sky. I wished I could taunt him about calling Haera our mate after using that term for Ilvira over the past few months but I couldn't because I was equally guilty. We ruined the bond before it had the chance to grow and after what I did yesterday, I'm not sure I still had the right to stand in her presence. "Don't make excuses for us when she comes for breakfast. Simply apologize." The seriousness in my wolf's voice could have been hilarious if I hadn't messed my fate up. Talking about breakfast made my heart ache painfully because I knew the food wouldn't be the same. Breakfast wouldn't taste the way it did when Haera prepared them. My fated mate wasn't an ordinary chef anymore. She was an Alpha born Princess and she had returned to where she truly belonged...with her parents. "We should have told her how sorry we were yesterday or better st
EPILOGUE. HAERA.(A year later)Where in the world is he?I paced the length of the room with frantic and erratic steps. Up...down.Up...down. Just like that. My covered feet made tapping sounds on the ground with how I took more than a step in a second out of worry and fear that something might be terribly wrong somewhere.Opaline was behind me and probably looking at me with more worry than I felt now. In her arms, was my days old baby boy whose traditional naming ceremony as a new pup born into the werewolf clan was today. My little son came as a bouncing little blessing to me and my mate. It was just what we needed to complete our perfect family and our perfect life. Life over the past year has been nothing short of that for the both of us and even the people of the pack at large–perfect. With Tybalt gone and the peace of the pack restored, all I and my mate had to focus on was our duties as the leaders of the pack. I was officially the Luna and I never imagined the acceptance
ALPHA ZACHARYThat kiss was different.To be candid, everything was different when I was doing it with my destined mate.The marking process, the ritual, the coronation ane every damn thing in between was special.But the kiss was different in a good way.Why wouldn't it be when it was our first kiss. The very first kiss we shared as destined mate.It was our first even though it wasn't my first.Saying I regretted every moment I spent with Ilvira would be an understatement and even though I was at fault too, I couldn't stop myself from hating her and her biological mother for coming in between Haera and I.They came into my life to ruin this.I should have been enjoying this bliss ever since I became Alpha but Gennora just had to ruin it.I decided it was time to stop thinking about my past and what I had missed with Haera when she moaned into my mouth during that heated kiss. A kiss that left me hungry for my mate.For my Amanisa.I loved her new names but it was Amanisa for me and
HAERAThis kind of news was great but at the same time unbelievable. Before the arrival of the news, Basil had been complaining and whining about how he felt useless by staying with me."I thought he was jealous of our relationship. Why entrust your safety with me?"Basil had complained as he termed "protecting me" as "babysitting me". I kept hitting him on his back to shut him up but what harm could my fragile hands do to him?"He doesn't like you but he trusts you to protect me."I had tried to clarify but Basil gave me a silly response regardless, earning himself another slap on his back."Will you feel safer when you kill me, your supposed protector?"Basil had barked at me and I was close to hitting him again but Alan's arrival saved him from me. I wasted no time showing my worry and also asked Alan about the situation."Everything is under control, Princess Haera."Alan responded without a hint of what actually happened. His face was void of emotions which made it difficult for
ALPHA ZACHARY. That feeling was clear and certain. I sat in front of the mirror, looking at myself and my features, the changes and the parts that didn't change as well in the past few days. I was reminded of this moment by that feeling that tells you you have been in a place before with only a few things being different in the situation of things. The last time I sat in front of a mirror like this; with that somber expression on my face, was the day of the duel months ago. The very day that changed my life and my fate. I recognized the look on my face that day as that of a man who wasn't willing to fight. I didn't need anyone to tell me and I didn't need my wolf to remind me even if he took it upon himself to do so. I remembered how the maids prepped me up and prepared me like I was attending some ball and not a battle that would determine my faith. I was simply like a ram that was being taken to the slaughter; fattened and all dressed up for my blood to be spilled. All the feel
HAERAWe were stuck in the wilderness and in time as well.This place is the perfect definition of timeless and unchanging. Except for the usual nightfall and daybreak, there was nothing that signifies the time of the day. It was morning again and to be honest, I have lost track of time.The first few days were traceable but I got tired of keeping tabs on the number of days and nights that we had spent in this strange place when there were other things to worry about.Perhaps it was the thought of how Alpha Zachary and I would escape this open prison that made me forget how many days we had spent walking, searching for a new way out, going around in circles, and being each other's strength.Or perhaps it was as a result of the growing bond between my mate and me. Either way, it was all Tybalt's fault.I must commend his quick thinking though. He found a way to make sure Alpha Zachary and I never get out of here alive if we manage to survive the fall like the other time.My mate had b
HAERAThe anger boiling inside of me as I yelled at Zachary was one whose reason was unknown to me;not entirely unknown but just strange because I was angry about a lot of things yet relieved at the same time. It was dangerous for him to have followed me and then try to save me by jumping in. It was stupid and even though it reminded me of my own self, it didn't make me less angry. He never listens to me and does things his own way, that's the only reason he could have tailed me all the way to the cliff. How the hell did he even do it? My relief was only from the fact that he was right there, in front of me, safe and looking confused as hell. I had thought of the worst after Tybalt drugged me and had me brought down here but seeing him out of danger and safe was what made me feel relieved. But I wasn't near done yet. His presence might bring me relief but still, it was dangerous for him to have followed me. "Why the hell did you come all the way here with me?huh? You never listen! You
ALPHA ZACHARY The light but severe weight on my head was crushing my skull painfully. I wasn't fully conscious of my environment but I could bitterly sense my discomfort in every part of my body. My eyes were clenched tight as I groaned out in pain due to everything that felt painfully out of place. Naturally, I tried to reach for my wolf as I rubbed my head but I couldn't feel Serge like I was supposed to. My mind was blank of every other emotion that wasn't pain and uncertainty. I wanted to keep my eyes closed and remain in the same position but I was uncomfortable due to the rocks that were pricking my back. I changed my position slowly but without gritting my teeth in pain. The process was slow but thankfully, I was able to control my arms which had been laying limply beside me. I used my hand to reposition myself into a sitting posture as I fluttered my eyelids with caution. All of my other senses as an Alpha seemed to be failing me because I was unable to sense the scent of my
HAERAI pried my eyes open but it was still dark all around me like I still had eyes tightly closed and like I was still back in that darkness that consumed me when I fell to the floor and the one I've been in for longer than I can remember. I knew I was knocked out for a long time because of how weak and rigid my body felt. I closed and opened my eyes a few times, trying to assure myself that I was really out of the blackout moment which time frame I had no idea about. It was all the same, no matter the number of times I opened and closed my eyes. Nothing changed and I was convinced that it had nothing to do with my eyes. It has to be where I was huddled at. The thought of it brought about my next question. Where was I? The memories of my last moments before now haunted me and echoed in my head, making a sharp pain that I had paid less attention to, sear through my head. It made me wince and try to sit back but I couldn't even move a muscle. Not because I was weak and tired but becau
HAERA Shouldn't it be a crime for news to affect living creatures' emotions? The annoying part is that the word "news" has been subdivided into good and bad which are usually out of our control. As much as I understand that some things just have to happen, I still didn't like the news I received a few seconds ago. Why couldn't we always get those things we wanted? Everyone knew that the best news that I wanted to hear at this moment was about my mate regaining his memories but that didn't happen. I was standing in front of my Papa, forcing myself not to show him how much his information affected me even though I wanted to act like a child...his child. "Are you with me?" My papa questioned when I didn't react to his announcement. He just told me that he has to return home because something urgent came up even though I still needed him here...with me. He was an Alpha after all and Alphas shouldn't stay away from their pack longer than necessary. "Yes, Papa but do you have to leave toda