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
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 “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
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
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 I thought I was dreaming, lost in the maze thoughts and images which had come to haunt me, but then it wasn't. I was simply in Djurek's bed, unclad, when the morning sunrise landed on my face baptizing me with heat and warmness. I squeezed my face and move to my face away from the window as I tried to sit on my back. The sheets fell off my chest immediately, revealing my bare breasts. Memories of what had occurred the previous day flooded my mind. I came into this room to defend my calls and prepare for the next move to make in regards to my life, but what a shame, I got swayed. Djurek's flowery language got to me, disarming me and weakening my resolve. I remember them limping of the bed and walking towards me with that predatory expression on his face. A knew what he was doing, or rather he knew the way around me and my insistence. The words to utter and the seductory moves to make. I am reminded of the whores on in the brothels, of which Djurek actually frequente
Aurelia's POV “Yes,” I said, turning to the door. “I'll be down in a minute.” Melissa's eyes went wide in their sockets, but before I could ask her what was wrong, she turned around and turned to the window. I could feel her fear now, even the fright of the dreadful images her mind was conjuring. She would be facing Dante, the monster of both our nightmares and the secrets of our past. I pushed to open the door immediately and rested on it closing my eyes to ease the tension in my heart and the pain spiralling through my body. The chest was still in the room and from the way it was looking from afar, one could tell that it had not been touched. It was still in the same position I had left it. And that was a relief. I knelt in front of the chest, my legs trembling underneath me. I leaned towards it and was trying to open it when I suddenly felt a strange presence behind me. “You seem eager to leave the castle, Aurelia; I heard you want to change the jewellery for money.” I
Dante's POV Lunar Gladys grows even more stubborn by the day. She refused to budge; despite every torture system I had applied, she remained obstinate and ever-defiant. “I don't think this woman will live to see the end of the month.”I chose not to look at Griselda or give her a response. It had become really hard to cope with her mocking and discouraging behaviour. Most of the time, I found it hard to believe that we were working on the same side. She would sometimes throw words at my face, make sarcastic comments or outrightly call me names. It was becoming unbearable, and to think that I had no choice but to continue putting up with this disgusting behaviour. “I am speaking to you Dante,” she said again. “This is becoming…”“Keep your mouth shut Griselda!” I cut in. My voice came out louder than I intended it to. “You have nothing good to say and no useful advice to give. I am not asking to speak. You don't need to say something to contribute to whatever I am going through. Jus
“Happy married life Melissa!”I reached for the flower bouquet but she snatched it out of my grasp. “You don't need to shout like I'm a lovesick teenager.”“But Aaron thinks you are a baby,”“No, he doesn't.” She lowered her gaze, but I had already seen the redness crawling onto her cheeks. The wedding was over, and a crowd of guests had begun to file out of the temple. We had just finished saying prayers and were now waiting for the carriage that would take us home. “Aaron thinks you're tender baby Melissa, that is why he is going to make a good husband.”Melissande blushed again, but I could see the affection in her eyes. It felt good to love and be loved back. To have someone who knows you more than you know yourself. Melissa had to suffer in her life and the moon goddess rewarded her with a second chance mate, a good and prudent man. Aaron and Melissa became close after the war with the shamanists, and after 4 months, they became official and now they are happily wedded.“I'm
Aurelia's POV “You seem to like spending time in the library, I have never seen you anywhere else. Do you mind telling me what exactly you gain from here?” I didn't turn around to look, there was no need for me to. Djurek could busy his mouth all he wants, I will not make him head of the council. “You seem to be engrossed in the book you are reading.” He said again, walking closer to my reading table. “What is the title and who wrote it?” His exuded an unnameable aura not to mention how irritated his lavender perfume made me. “I don't think I want to discuss books.” I finally turned to look at him. “there's a lot of things going on kind of and it is up to me to shoulder them.” “And I thought the nurses told you to relax. You have received your due date and you cannot afford to be stressed. The council is going to hold their return tomorrow; let me address them. Give me the list of issues you have been trying to solve. Take a breathe and relax. It is not going to hurt.”
Unknown POV “How sure are you that our plan will work out?”Elio stood on the top of the tower gazing down at the werewolf land from its insurmountable height. The land was oddly still, but it was all for one reason, the Alpha king of the south had gotten into trouble in the land of the Andals. This thought brought a small smile to his face and he nodded satisfactorily. “I like that Djurek has finally gotten the perfect reward for his desperation and theft." He said again. "He went about conquering and making Dante look like the idiot who knew that he had been blind all this while. Oh, I can't wait for Dante to emerge victorious and wipe out these disgusting moon servers.” He squeezed his face in disgust as if these people were nothing but trash. “I hate the fact that that bitch was able to plan a counter action to the move Dante and Romeo had planned.” Gareth said, spreading a scroll map on the table. “I have always known that she was the unknown Queen, I sensed it the instant m
Unknown POV The southern lands broke into an uproar the instant they learned about the misoccurrence which shook Djurek in the land of the Andals. They were particularly agitated about the Darnish’s treachery and their decision to play on the king's intelligence. The Danish were never friends with the king. Every attempt they made to get closer to him was to be able to access the throne of the Southern lands which they saw as their inheritance. Two days after news of the war in the land of the Andals broke out, people of the Southern lands gathered in front of the palace and decided to hold a meeting. The meeting was headed by one of Djurek's soldiers. It consisted of the villagers, as well as the nuns from the moon temple. “Alisson Darnish is in there,” The head of the soldiers, Jackson, said raising a hand and pointing a finger at the magnificent building. “She declared asylum and has doubled the guards in her chambers.” “But which foolish guard will remain loyal to her after
Djurek’s POV The weight of the battle pressed against me like an unforgiving tide. The rain fell heavier, washing away the blood on the ground but not the memories of those who had fallen tonight. Dante’s body lay broken at my feet, his eyes wide and lifeless. My muscles burned, my wounds seared, but I had survived. I had won. Around me, the tide of the battle had turned. Aaron’s soldiers cut through Romeo’s and Dante’s remaining men like blades through rotted wood. Victory was at hand, but I couldn’t celebrate. The air still crackled with dark energy, a presence that sent a shiver down my spine. I turned toward the castle, my claws sinking into the sodden ground as I sprinted back inside. I passed the bodies of the fallen, both allies and enemies, their lifeless forms haunting me as I made my way toward the main hall. The sounds of battle echoed from within—clashing steel, cries of rage, and the roar of wolves. Then I saw him. Romeo. He was retreating down the corridor, his ste
Djurek’s POV The hall was magnificent, but to me, it felt like a tawdry. The gold chandeliers above sparkled like false stars, their light catching on crimson banners and ivory curtains draped along the walls. Roses—too many roses—perfumed the air, their cloying sweetness suffocating rather than soothing. Rows of knights lined the edges of the room, their polished armor reflecting the flicker of candlelight, their expressions impassive. The sound of murmured conversation and the occasional clink of goblets filled the space, but I heard it all like distant echoes. The unknown queen stood beside me, her delicate frame hidden beneath an intricate white gown, her face concealed behind a thick lace veil. She held herself with an air of fragility, her hands clasped in front of her as if to hide nervous tremors. But something about her stance was off—too stiff, too deliberate. Romeo stood nearby, his sharp features twisted into a mask of feigned pride. His eyes glinted as he glanced at me
Aurelia's POV Every day of my life now seemed like a novel or puppet movie one would normally sit and watch at the rowdy village square. I began my life as a slave, tending to people and getting punished for crimes I knew nothing about. I endured starvation, emotional abuse, domestic violence, and even sexual harassment. But I was standing on the land's citadel now, gazing down at the realm in its infinite beauty and hidden ugliness. I am Aurelia Visenya Moonfrost. The unknown Queen of the Andals and Nine Wolves. The daughter of the Moon goddess, protector of the realm, ruler of the wolves and the image of the Moon goddess. I was no longer a slave, this was what the moon goddess had destined me for, and it was only appropriate that I lived up to the title. I would take revenge now, Nicholas, the Lerman brothers, Gareth, Nicholas's family, Dante, Allison and even Djurek. The goddess’s powers now flowed in my veins, and I could feel my bones replaced with irons and stones. This re
Djurek's POV My life's dream was finally coming true. It was all beginning to take shape. I would become king of the werewolf land in three days, after all these years of patience. Even though Romeo was not a worshiper of the moon goddess, he was not a bad person. I see diplomacy and intelligence in him, and after my bride and I have left the land of the irregular wolves, he is going to do a good job ruling in our absence. And my bride, the unknown Queen, was beautiful enough; I used the word ‘enough’ because she wears a veil to cover her face. She was a moon worshiper, who had lived mostly all the years in her life in the moon temple. She was tall, had white hair, and had a nice voice. She would remain in the veil until the wedding rites were completed. I was not exactly comfortable with not seeing the face of the woman I was to marry, but then I reminded myself that the wedding was not for love or any mutual attraction. It was a duty, a requirement I had to fulfil to get my d
Aurelia’s POV The sudden blast rippled across the atmosphere and shook the building to its roots. We staggered back and forth, holding onto whatever we could find for support. After a short while, the maddening noise subsided, only to be replaced by blood-curdling cries and chants. “Oh no!” Justin cried out, his voice trembling. “We are under attack!” “It’s the villagers,” his pregnant wife added, her face pale. “They’ve come to mob us!” “Is it because of me?” Lunar Gladys asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Before anyone could respond, the loud chanting grew louder, filling the air with menace. “We have found the unknown Queen! Release her to us this instant. We shall no longer be ruled by a demonic. Let us have the Queen!” My legs suddenly felt too weak to carry the weight of my body. I clutched the table for support, feeling my heart hammer in my chest. The announcement Justin made about my true identity was real—my whole life was being stripped away from me in an insta