Dante's POV The mention of Melissa's name brought different myriads of emotions flashing through my mind. I became reminded of those days she would send her ladies under disguises to my castle. I remembered even catching them trying to escape with Melissande at one time. On the day Melissa escaped from my castle with her swollen belly. It was one of Lunar Gladys women who assisted her. I also vividly remembered now, of how much I had actually hated this woman. I hated her. She was corruptive, and it would be needless to say she was partially responsible for some of the broken marriages in the land today. She advocated for gender equality, and the women who misconstrued thus negatively, picked fight with their husbands and strived to compete with them. Many betrothed Lunas, easily rejected their mates, and once their parent intervened, pacifying them or trying to force them back into their union, they would run to this blasted place and seek solace among useless women. Lu
Aurelia's POVDjurek insisted that I remained in the castle and discarded my plan of going to check on the dark skinned Luna. but I ignored his words and waited for him to go about his political business before sneaking out with his,Beta Aaron.A deep part of me against the idea of the disguise, but since it was the surest way to assure my safety, I opted for it. I added temporary dye to my hair to make it grey, and I switched my royal ball gowns to rags. “I still don't understand why you have refused to also go with me in a disguise,” I said to Beta Aaron an hour after we have begun our journey through the silence and cold forest.“Your words are very funny your Highness,” he said in response. “I don't think there is anything for me to hide, whoever recognizes me knows better than to attack me or attempt any silly move. You can be rest assured, you are totally safe with me.”His words were fleeting, but I chose to revel in the temporal warmth that came with it. He was a kind person,
Melissande's POV (9 months ago)I didn't know how long I was gone, but I didn't wake up in the hospital decorated fancily. Rather I woke up in what looked like a shabbily decorated bedroom with old paintings and dull walls. For someone who wasn't expecting to wake up at all, the whole image appeared surreal so I got off my back instantly to see if I wasn't inside my grave or in hell or any of those crazy places. To my relief, I wasn't dead and I wasn't in hell. But to my shock and awe, I recalled that I was supposed to be dead because my memories weren't clouded like when I had the car accident. I also remembered that Eloria's ladies had shot me not with an ordinary gun though but with a silver bullet! She was definitely going to kill me but why wasn't I dead and what was this place. I tried to stand up but a sharp pain spasmed through my shoulders pulled me down. I lifted my blouse and peered inside and there it was, the spot where the mad men had shot me. I put my hand into m
Aurelia's POV The next series of events happened so fast, so surreal that I thought I was dreaming. Everyone in the pub was now looking at us, the heat in their gazes piercing straight into my soul. Sensing my distraught, Aaron shifted closer to me and grabbed my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Don't give them the impression that you are scared.” He whispered into my ears as he slipped a dagger into my hand. “I'm going to try and deceive them. While I do so, pack every valuable you can and get ready to bolt. You understand?” I nodded absent-mindedly, the heat in his breath, adding to the prickly feelings under my skin.Aaron also nodded in response and walked to stand in the midst of the gathering crowd around us. “Listen up men, ”he began. “You are beginning to make a mistake, there is no way the lunar of this almighty land would be in this type of solid place. I know very well that you all recognize me, but the woman there.”They stopped, and pointed towards me, while I
Aurelia's POV I sensed an element of truth in Beta Aaron's words, the bounty hunters might truly be unto us, and there was no telling what they will do to us if they set their eyes on us. “Don't you think you should find a way to fix your torn clothes?” Aaron asked after we had cleared up the firewood site to confuse our trailers as to our location. “No, I'm fine. We have more pressing matters at hand.” “Are you sure about this?” “I'm very sure,” I bent down, grabbed the bag on the floor, and slung it over my shoulders. Aaron didn't look convinced. In fact, there was an incandescent glimmer of concern on his face, but I ignored it and walked past him, in the direction of the only pathway in the forest. “How long till we get to the coven?” “We should arrive in 5 hours from now,” he answered. “The women will be very glad to receive you or they might just be the opposite.”“What!” I stopped in my tracks, my eyes widening with shock. I spawn around immediately.“Do you mean they
Aurelia's POV “Save us,” Miss Claire uttered again, blood gushing out of her nose and dripping all over the floor.“I think you should slow down.” I took the box from her and placed it beside me. “Let us find a way to stop the bleeding and heal you.”“No, I don't have much time…”I ignored those words, and proceeded to lay the middle aged woman on the floor, but her eyes suddenly went wide in their sockets. And before I could do anything, she suddenly went stiff and fell back, still. “Miss Claire,” I called out, grabbing her arms and shaking her vigorously. “Please stay with me. I can't do any of this alone. I don't even understand anything you've said. Please…”But the woman only remained still, and lifeless. With my eye swollen with unshed tears, I rose to my feet, blood trickling from my hands.A myriad of emotions invaded my mind, leaving my heart pumping with an intensity that threatened to rip it apart. I felt guilt, grief, anger, and the worst of it all, fear. I could never
Dante's POVThe dungeon was cold, damp, and reeked of fear. A place fitting for traitors and those who dared to cross me. And there she was, Luna Gladys, shackled in chains, staring defiantly at the wall, her back to me. It would be amusing if it weren’t so pathetic.“You should have stayed hidden, Luna,” I said, stepping into the dark cell, the iron door clanging shut behind me. My voice echoed off the stone walls. “But we both knew your time would come.”Luna Gladys remained silent, her eyes fixed on the stone floor. She had seen better days—her once regal posture now slumped, her once immaculate robes now stained with dirt and blood. But the spark in her eyes remained; the defiance was still there, though dimming with every second.I paced slowly in front of her, my boots clapping against the cold floor. “You know why you’re here,” I said, circling her like a predator toying with its prey. “Tell me who the Queen of the Andals is.”She didn’t flinch. “I owe you nothing,” she said qu
Djurek's POV I knew starting a border issue would be the wisest thing for Allison's parents to attempt in order to disturb me and stir up rebellion among my people. The news came as soon as I warned Aurelia not to leave for Luna Gladys's women coven. “Your Highness,” the voice of the head of my king's guards called out. “There is trouble at the Red Keep.”“Oh no!” I jumped to my feet immediately and dashed towards the door, grabbing the knob and pulling it aside. “What did you just say?” I questioned again, my heart threatening to rip out of my throat. The tall huge man transferred his gaze to the floor and took a few steps backwards as if to avoid me spitting fire on him.“I am asking you a question! What did you say is going on at the Red Keep?” “I am sorry your Highness, “ he stuttered. “But Allison's parents have joined forces with Dante and they are trying to force all the wolves in their clan to declare for Dante.” My blood turned to ice in my veins as I struggled to ret
LAND OF THE ANDALS Justin's POV As I stared deeper at the piece of paper, the words written on it seemed to grow feint, causing me to furrow my brow, an attempt to suppress the confusion which clouded my mind. I didn't know anyone. But this message seemed to have been written by someone who knew the royal family well enough. The tone was personal, suggesting that the person might know me well. Heaving a deep sigh, I put the paper on the table and rose to my feet, the chair grazing the tiled floor. My gaze fell on Eliza immediately, the sound of her breathing becoming the only thing I could hear in the room. Her stomach which was now protruded, fell and down with life. She had had to go through an awful lot these twelve months. Sometimes I was forced to wonder if she would have been better off without me in her life. Perhaps she would have been well off, well protected and even happier. I took a few steps closer to the bed and dropped a kiss on her forehead, savouring the el
Aurelia's POV Nothing could have been more stupid than arguing with Alison at that moment, so I spun on my heels and headed straight to Djurek's bedroom. Melissa followed behind me, every breath she drew radiating fear and discomfort. The hallways had grown quieter now, bearing a sharp semblance to a graveyard when, in reality, ugly secrets breathed into the confines of these walls. I was not particularly excited or confident enough to want to meet with Djurek after what had occurred between the two of us earlier in the day but the items in the chest meant life to me. It was true that I no longer had the right to possess the jewellery even though I needed them, but I still have to find the chest because I had kept the messages I got from Luna Gladys in it. “Stay out of trouble, I mouthed to Melissa as I steeled myself and faced the door. Melissa merely nodded like an obedient cat and I flashed a small, shaky smile at her. I rapped gently on the door, reminding myself faintly
Aurelia's POV “I am sorry Melissa, but you are going to have to get off the bed. “ I walked towards the bed, grabbed her hand and tried pulling off the bed softly. I could sense that the sound of the name did a number on her emotions as I saw a flicker of fear flash across her face. I could see the horrible night I spent in the library replaying on Melissa's face but then we could not waste any more time. “Why do we have to go to Dante's place very suddenly?” She croaked. “I thought we were going to move to a place around the lake; I thought you said you already found a cottage we could manage.” “I understand that you are afraid, Melissa, but our journey and everything ascribed to our identity seems to be a big puzzle, but now that you have mentioned Jolene, I think we are about to make a big progress.” I stretched my hand, hoping to pull her off her back, but she flinched, her eyes growing wide with consternation. “I don't want to set my eyes on that dreadful monster.” Sh
Melissa’s POV “Did you truly assault your husband?” “Husband?” Aurelia spun around immediately, her brows creased in confusion as she faced me. “I was referring to the Alpha; I thought you people were engaged to be married, or am I mistaken?” Aurelia stormed into the room some minutes ago, reeking of sweat and dripping with blood. Her long gown had been ripped into shreds, bearing a sharp semblance of rags. She did not say anything to me for a long time, and I was not able to hear the news until my messenger came to deliver the news of the Alpha and his council. I had not known Aurelia for a long time, but one thing was obvious: she was stronger than me. She possessed qualities I would never have dreamed of having. If she had been married to Dante, she would not have ended up in this kind of horrible situation. “Djurek, I can't believe I used to be in love with him.” “You are still in love with him,” I said as slowly as I could, trying to placate her. “He is you
Aurelia's POV “Who?” I asked. "Who are you referring to?" “It's a woman,” Melissande answered slowly, eyes squinted in calculation. “We're quite familiar with ourselves, but she doesn't know a lot about me. Hmm wait, I'm trying to remember her name.” She placed her hand on her chin and started stroking it. “Who is it?” I waited as she kept trying to remember, but just as she opened her mouth to speak, the door was suddenly flung open. “The Alpha Regent has requested to see you.” A tall and burly guard announced. “The Alpha Regent? Who is that?” The guard's refusal to answer the question brought the realization to me then. “But when did Djurek become a regent? Wasn't he just an Alpha before?” “You are not allowed to speak the king's name.” The guards snapped, eyeing me contemptuously. “And yes, he will be crowned king of the kingdom very soon. The heir's mother has even begun to plan his coronation.” “Oh really?” “Of course” I squeezed my face and twitched
Aurelia's POV My heart turned to ice in my chest, sending waves of shock ripping through me. I stopped in my tracks, face contorted in disbelief as I slowly turned around. “Aurelia!” she called out again, attempting to raise her head off the bed. “Melisande” I muttered slowly, my voice betraying me in a whisper. “Yes.” She answered. “I have been looking for you.” “How come you know me?” I asked, feeling the weight of the question on my lips. “How come you recognize me?” “You're my sister,” the pale and sickly woman answered. “I have been looking for my whole life.” My ears still had issues believing in these words, and my brain struggled hard to process them and make meaning of them. Melissande, the comatose puppet I met at Dante's castle, was my sister, not only just a sister but also my twin sister. These realizations felt like a dream or the climax part of a movie where all the events just collide and hit themselves. My name is Aurelia; I knew that for sure but an
Aurelia's POV I Rose from the chair I sat on and leaned towards Melissa taking a closer look at the earrings. It was true, the earrings were the same. She is wearing the same earrings as mine. But how could this be? A part of me wanted to discard this question because it was possible for her to have also bought the earrings, but it was unusual since women fashion trend were usually common. In other words, you could buy a dress or a piece of jewellery and see the exact type of it with another person on the same day you bought it. Other times, you might even see that hearing or whatever you bought with more than seven women in one day. I have never seen my earrings with anybody in my life. And when I was growing up in Nicholas's castle, I was usually told him that my earrings were very valuable. There were occasions when I nearly lost them to thieves. During the times of my financial hardship, it never occurred to me to sell my earrings for food because they were the only items I
Aurelia's POV “Enough of that Aurelia!” Djurek said again as he started moving closer. “Don't ever open your mouth to say that again. You don't know anything that is going on in this castle, especially the political aspect.” My shoulders fell in disappointment as I slowly turned my head to look at Djurek. He was dressed regally which meant that he had not been home ever since I left his chambers, with his hair glittering and sparkling. “I and Alison's parents have made a truth to assist ourselves in achieving our goals.” The gods made their way as they arrived at the scene, while Alison went to throw her arms around his neck. “It is true that the Darnish rebelled against me and joined forces with my enemy, but they are still very much important to my pack and the growth of my coast.” He leaned in towards me, his eyes mirroring the tension and uncertainty in the atmosphere. “The Darnish are going to help me look for the unknown Queen. They are gifted with adventurers, a
Aurelia's POV After I had read this last sentence, I stopped for a second and tried to see if it was Luna Gladys who wrote it. But then it wasn't; the old papyrus was proof, as well as the comprehensive and fluid writing that Gladys’s letter had. I took a deep breath and continued reading. “I am writing this with my last strength and I will make sure I get this box and the remaining items to who will bring the truth to light. Because I have done this good deed, the moon goddess will forgive every one of my shortcomings and grant me a place in paradise. This lady told me her name was not Annette, but because the owner of the care home where I worked believed the person who brought her, I decided to forget her real name and just call her Annette. Annette was unusual, but she was of striking beauty, dark air, olive green eyes, and very beautiful skin. She talked about having powers and being someone who was troubled by her soul. I did not understand what she meant at all, but I