Serana POV.Waking it is still dark, I use my phoenix eyes to see around the darkness of the room. Turning my gaze to Vilkas as he tightens his hold on me, I scoff internally at him as I remove his heavy arm from him and slip from under the quilt. How did I end up in his bed?Walking towards where my discarded clothes are, I put them on. I tiptoe to the door and I can taste freedom.“Where are you going?” Fuckity fuck, fuck, shit balls.“I have work to do, Your Majesty.” I bow my head at him when I hear him move from the bed and he stands in front of me in all his naked glory and I gulp.“Come back to bed. You can have a day off.” I roll my eyes. Why is he being nice to me? I think I preferred when he was a cunt, at least then I knew what I was dealing with.“Play nice. He saved us last night.” Bedelia reminds me.“Unfortunately, I can’t take a take off. I have chores to do. Please, Your Majesty, I don’t want to upset any of the staff.” I say, but that’s not true. If anything, since h
Serana POV.I stand rooted to the spot as I watch Joel, who I thought was my friend, looking at me with a panicked expression. Well, I’m so fucking glad I never told him who I am. The fucking traitor!“Rana, what are you doing here?” he looks behind him and I smile as I point to the cart behind me.“Was just about to start cleaning. Why? Are you hiding something? Oh my god, is it a unicorn? Let me see.” I say with a chuckle, and he gulps and looks nervous as fuck. Good, I will keep an eye on him.“A unicorn. No, it’s not. Anyway, I thought you cleaned here yesterday?” he asks as the dark fae walks in the opposite direction, and I watch them leave before I turn my gaze to him.“Oh, did I?” I roll my eyes and hit my forehead with the heel of my palm.“You’re right. I did. I’m losing my mind. All the hallways look the same.” I say with a chuckle as I turn and scowl with my back turned.“Rana, are you ok?” He steps loser to me and I stiffen.“Yeah, I’m ok. Are you?” I turn to face him and
Serana POV.Sitting in my bed. I look at the bundle wrapped in the sheet in front of me. Chewing my bottom lip, I contemplate what I may find. What if it isn’t relevant information? What if I find something I don’t want to see? I wring my hands nervously.“We won’t know until you open them. I’m right here with you. Come on Serana. We have nothing to lose.” I look up at the ceiling and take a breath.Fuck it!I pull the bundle towards me and begin to unwrap it. Where do I start?“How about we start with one of journals? Or maybe a scroll? Oh, I know we can ip dip for it.” I shake my head in disbelief at what she has just suggested. Ip dip. I chuckle as I reach for the journal on the top of the pile.Running my fingers over it gently, it opens on its own and I drop it from my hands up. What the hell? I watch as the pages turn rapidly, then stop.“Well, I guess it has a mind of its own.” Bedelia grumbles, and I roll my eyes. Reaching for my glass of water, I take a gulp as I pick up the
Vilkas POV.The time I was away, my mind kept going back to Serana. I can’t believe I nearly raped her. If Queen Marcia were here, she would have killed me for that. After all, she was the one who placed me as guardian to humanity and the protector of the Bastian royal bloodline. However, the Bastian blood line died out.“Or so we think.” I sigh as I look out of the window of the office. I know he is right, but still they are gone and I failed them.Queen Marcia tried to save me and so I will be forever grateful to her for doing what she did. What I don’t understand is how she died. A phoenix can’t be killed easily, they hold more power and magic than any other.I never met her mate, and that is my fault for not listening to her warnings about the bitch, Starci. If I did, then humanity wouldn’t have fallen and Queen Marcia and King Ronan would be alive and well, no doubt with plenty of children, and I would have loved and protected them like they were my own.My chest aches and I rub
Vilkas POV.I make my way to the West Wing and come to a door that is closed. I sniff the air and no-one has been here. I reach for the handle and stop. Do I really need to do this? This was Queen Marcia’s personal space.“We need answers, and they lie behind that door. I know it Vil. I can feel it.” With a silent breath, I push the handle down, but the door doesn’t budge. I groan as I add pressure to the handle and shove it with my shoulder. The door bursts open and the smell of dust hits me, making me sneeze.We walk in and a shiver runs through me as I move further along the hallway. I stop by a door and open it and stop in my tracks.“No, it can’t be.” I look at the little girl’s bedroom and move toward the bed. The floor creaks under my weight as I reach for the dragon plush toy on the bed and smile at it.“Queen Marcia had a daughter.” My heart aches even more as tears sting my eyes as I hug the little plush dragon to my chest at the thought that I failed them. I failed her chil
Serana POV.The pain in my chest makes it difficult to breathe. He has just claimed someone else in front of me. How? Who the fuck is she? She, she. Oh my God. That is her, the one that Joel was speaking to.The witch, Starci.“Serana, wait.” I run towards the bedroom and grab the bundle and place it in a trash bag and leave the room to head to god only knows where. I need to get away. She will kill me if she finds out who I am.“Rana, stop.” I stop in my tracks as Wesley grabs my arm and pushes me into a vacant room.“He has claimed her. She isn’t his mate. She is the witch, the storm that is coming. She is here, and she has just claimed him.” I sob as my chest hurts more as I drop to the floor in a heap. I hyperventilate as my vision tunnels when Wesley lifts me and takes the bag.“Breathe, Serana. Slow breaths. I need to get you out of here.” He runs from the room as I jiggle about in his hold. Tears leave my eyes. I didn’t fucking survive for sixteen years to be killed by some fuc
Vilkas POV.I never thought this would be possible. That I would find my fated mate, ok fine, she found us, but still I can’t believe it. But something is off.“She is not our mate, Vil.” I roll my eyes at him. He has been saying this since this morning.“She is. You just don’t want to admit it.” I huff back when he growls at me. Stacey, my beautiful Stacey, is getting settled in her bedroom.“She is no more our mate than I am a fucking fairy. I will not allow this to happen Vilkas. Did you learn nothing from the past? Serana is …”“Don’t you ever speak that whore’s name to me again, Jaka. She is lucky I kept her alive …”“Who the fuck even are you? Does it not seem fishy that this bitch turned up out of the blue looking like she has just stepped out of a goddamn palace? I thought she was supposed to be a victim of the Lycans seeking refuge. She is a liar and I don’t fucking trust her. You are making a huge mistake and I won’t be a part of it. Did you not feel it when you so merciless
Serana POV.“Ahhh, make it stop.” I scream as I clutch my stomach. My skin heats as I feel like I’m being stabbed in my stomach. My heart is burning too when it stops and I lay back down. Sweating trickling down my face.“It’s over, it’s ok. You are OK,” Pascha says as she wipes the sweat with a wet washcloth.“My … heart …” I gasp as she rips my top open, and she gasps, looking at me and back to my chest.“Lara,” I pant like I’ve run a marathon when Lara squats at my side.“It’s the heart scale. The betrayal will be stronger because of it.” I whimper as I feel it happen again. Why won’t he stop? It has been days, or maybe hours I can’t tell. I had to tell Lara and Pascha who I was when the shot hit the fan. They have promised like before to keep it secret.“Give her something.” Lara looks at me with worry in her eyes.“Do it.” I groan as my back arches off the makeshift bed as I pull at my hair. My nails scrape down my face to my neck as I claw at my heart to make it stop.“She will
Serana POV.“Will you three just stop and get ready?” I call out from the kitchen into the living room, as the twins and Cyra are all fighting. Gods have mercy.The twins are now six, and Cyra is eight. Whoever said it is easy raising hybrids is a full of shit. These three are always arguing or fighting, and it is draining.“Mom, we were just playing.” Cyra says as she walks into the kitchen with the two trouble makers behind her. They smirk at me and I glare at them.“Well, I have been calling you to get ready for the past thirty minutes. Now move your butts or you will all be late.” I say as I usher them out and wait patiently for them to finish getting ready when Wesley and Shane enter with Penny.Wesley found himself a beautiful mate. She is great with Shane and he loves her like she is his mother. At first I didn’t like the idea but then I got to know her and she makes my boys happy so I didn’t burn her to a crisp.“Hey, momma.” I say to her as she waddles closer to me. She is du
Vilkas POV.Standing on the balcony as I look down on the Dragon Realm and I can feel the tension in the air. In a few hours, both the Dragon Realm and the Phoenix Kingdom will be merged.I smile before I look down and see Cyra standing beside me as she looks at the realm beside me. She is beautiful, it hard to believe that we created her and her brothers. All three of our hatchlings are beautiful. The twins are now crawling and are always following Cyra wherever she goes. She doesn’t mind; she is brilliant with them.“Daddy, everything will be ok.” She takes my hand in her small one and I squeeze it gently as she looks up at me with her green eyes.“Yes, sweetie, everything will be ok.” I pick her up and she sits on my hip in her pretty dress and her long black hair with her fiery streaks has been left down. I place my forehead against hers and she closes her eyes.“Are you excited?” I ask her and she looks at me and bites her lip and I feel the anxiety coming off her.“Yes, and no.”
Serana POV.“Ok, ok, I’m coming.” The screaming wails of the twins echo around the room as I step out from the bathroom. I move towards their cribs and, as soon as they see me, they both stop. Pouting, I raise an eyebrow at them. Yup, these two are little players. Now they are all smiles.“Your sister used to do this. I’m not falling for it.” I coo as I lean down to pick up Aero when I move to pick up Ajax. Moving with them both in my arms towards the rocking chair, I get comfortable.Placing Aero on my shoulder and Ajax across my lap, I unbutton my top to feed them. I have given up with a bra because they are always and I mean always hungry.Vilkas even latches them on when I’m sleeping or at least trying to. However, we have the routine down. The first week or two was difficult juggling the two of them, but we got there in the end.Cyra is absolutely in love with them and is always helping with them. I know that novelty will wear off soon, though, especially when they start moving.
Serana POV.We have been back at the Phoenix Kingdom now for a few days and it’s become more difficult to move to the point I want to cry.I grunt as I move to sit up against the headboard of the bed. Vilkas has been helping Hyperion finalise the details for the pack. I smile to myself that Wesley will finally get the title he deserves. He has been there with me from the beginning and he deserves the world at his feet and so does little Shane. We have the room in the territory to accommodate more wolves and their mates if need be, so it’s a win-win.Gods, I need to move; I feel stiff and yucky. I shuffle towards the edge of the bed and brace myself to stand up. As I do, my back crunches and I sigh. So good. I waddle, holding my bump to get to the bathroom.These two are pressed against my bladder and I constantly feel the need to pee. It’s not ideal. I was contemplating just living in the bathroom at one point this week. Between toilet breaks and napping. That is all I do. Bedelia is
Serana POV.Today we are making the trip back to the Phoenix Kingdom to prepare for the birth. I can’t wait to get home. It is hard being between the two places. Besides, I need to check on something that I have been working on secretly. Only Vilkas knows about my secret plan.We decided that after the birth we would return to the Dragon Realm for a short while and travel between as we finalise the merger between both.Wesley left two days ago to prepare the nursery at the palace in my kingdom. I trust him and I know he will watch over the kingdom while I’m running back and forth between realms.So the transition will be easier for all involved when we open the borders between the realms.Vilkas is leaving his father in charge until we return. We have a week before the birth and I’m shitting myself. I spoke to Lara and Valeria at great length about what will happen. We discussed the probability of a lava birth. Similar to a water birth, but in the lava pool. So that way, our hatchling
Serana POV.Twins! Twins! I can’t believe this. Vilkas came back around and still looks pale. Neither one of us knows what to say or do. It is still a shock.“Twins!” he says as he puffs his cheeks out as he huffs. His elbows are braced on his knees as he looks at the wall in complete disbelief.“Yes, Vilkas. Twins! But hey look, it will be fine. We have so much support. Besides, you are great with Cyra and yes, we only expected one, but we have two. One more won’t make a difference. We will be fine.” Yeah, we will be fine. I’m starting to freak the fuck out.“Yeah, we will be fine.” He turns to look at me with a grimace and I sigh as I push myself to stand up.“No point in worrying about it. It has happened, so we just have to prepare extra, that’s all.” I say more to myself than to him right now. I don’t know why he is grumbling it’s not him that has to push them out.Oh gods, I’m going to be torn apart by bringing our sons into the world. I stagger and sit back down.“Well, I see y
Serana POV.The past few days since I regained the memories have been hard. It is hard to forget, but Vilkas has been true to his word and whenever I drift off into space, he brings me back and we do something that replaces the reason why I drifted in the first place.Today we have an appointment to see our son and I’m excited to see him. Vilkas has been totally different from when I was pregnant with Cyra. Ok well that is a lie, he is behind me everywhere I go and in a way it is cute. He is always kissing and touching my bump.When we told the family, yes family, that I remembered certain things they understood but didn’t press for what I remembered and for that I am grateful. The only ones who know the truth are Vilkas and Lara. After all, Lara was there when my memories came back but she has said she won’t say anything and I appreciate that about her. She understands why.I’m sure the others would too, but the fewer people who know, the better. We went for a walk yesterday in the m
Vilkas POV.I pick Serana up in my arms and run with her towards the palace. Cyra is crying, but Joel takes her and follows behind me.“What happened?” Lara asks as I enter with a limp and unconscious Serana in my arms.“She remembered Pascha and Samara. Her memories must be coming back.” Lara’s eyes widen as I place Serana on the sofa and Lara looks at me.“Everyone but Vilkas, out.” She commands and everyone leaves. She drops to her knees and chants something I watch as her hands glow light blue and white. He presses her hands on either side of Serana’s head and I look up and see the memories look jumbled when I watch as each one evaporates and Lara gasps.“What is it?” I ask and she looks at me, her eyes white.“Serana is rejecting the memories. She doesn’t want them.” How can she do that? Is that even possible?“How?” I ask and she looks at me before looking back at the memories that are fading. But not all the memories are fading, only the ones she doesn’t want to remember. I wat
Serana POV.Entering the kitchen, the chatter dies down and I begin to feel nervous as all eyes turn to us. Sensing my distress, king Vilkas squeezes my hand in reassurance and nods his head as we enter the kitchen, Cyra bouncing around as she shows everyone her hair and points at me.“My mommy did them. I love them like I love my mommy and daddy.” She nods her head, letting everyone know her true feelings, and I smile gently at her.“Serana, what would you like to eat?” A woman with blue snake-like eyes asks me and I look at Cyra, who comes closer to me and takes my hand and draws my attention to her.“Mommy, that is Nanny. Nanny is daddy’s mommy. Like you are mine. Nanny makes the best pancakes. You should try them.” Her green eyes shining and I chuckle at her and nod my head at her.“I think I will. Thank you, Cyra, my sweet little girl.” I say as I caress her cheek and she giggles before she pulls me towards the island and helps me sit down. The tension in the room is something el