*Poppy*
While once I wouldn't even dream of letting someone look at me in my underwear, now I can't imagine not having Anastasia with me when I almost have to crawl to the shower.
King Alexander's words were prophetic, too. Not only did Gemma become so close to them, but so did I. For over two months, I have been with the King and Queen on a first-name basis, treating them like family. They pamper my daughter as if she were an actual princess. Apart from the moments when I saw Lex or Anastasia get angry and cause fear among people, I discovered that they were cheerful, regular, and accommodating people.
Our acquaintance became a friendship almost immediately, leaving only one problem between us. Prince Logan. Although I finally managed to say his name without the title after his many corrections, I still don't know why I can't bring myself to relax around him.
*Poppy*The dinner was awkward, at least to me. I couldn't look at Logan, and Iris couldn't stop reminding me of his words before he stormed off, leaving me stunned. Additionally, Gemma decided to have her worst day today and refused to eat, sitting with arms crossed over her chest, unsatisfied with the King's refusal to allow her to ride on his lycan. Although he promised her to do it one day, I convinced him to change his mind, explaining that it wasn't good for Gemma. Not because it was dangerous, or I didn't trust him, but because lately Gemma was acting more like a spoiled brat than ever, and that wasn't my intention to raise her as such."So, how's it going with the training, Poppy? I heard from many that you have improved tremendously, and the duel would be a cake for you or Iris." Lex asked, breaking the awkward silence."Well, thank you, but I wouldn't be so confident. The fir
*Poppy*My heart pounded in my chest, not because of his words but because of how he said them. It felt almost like he screamed his frustration out at me for not noticing his feelings towards me, but I was not his mate. Iris sat quietly, not commenting or joking about rushing to console the frustrated little lycan prince. She understood him better than anyone. Despite his flaws, Ezra was her everything, and not even his flaws were able to stop her from loving him. She would choose him every time over someone better."Mommy. Why is Logan angry?" Gemma asked, a little scared.I rushed to her and hugged her immediately. I knew she was sensitive to similar situations, as if my fear of being disposed of by Seamus had been projected onto her and instilled in her a fear of angry alphas. I kissed her head before smiling at her."Honey, you know Logan would neve
*Logan*I hit the punching bag with great force, but even that didn't bring any relief. Furious, I let out a roar and allowed Gunnar to come out momentarily. With his sharp claws, I tore the hard leather material into shreds, scattering all the sand on the floor."Great, that's the fifth one. I hope Your Assholeness will buy them all for me." Andrew, the owner of the gym in vampire territory, clapped as he approached cautiously."Don't piss me off too. Or I'll count your bones instead of that miserable bag. What happened to those strong dragon skins you were so proud of recently?" I hissed, breathing deeply, trying to control my anger and Gunnar's desire to kill.Andrew snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, showing off his tattooed forearms. The contrast of the black ink on his pale, almost snow-white skin always attracted my attention. I have a few tattoos, but none look as great as his. Maybe it's because of my sun-kissed skin; the tattoo doesn't stand out as much as it does
*Logan*When I entered the training field, I had a clearly defined goal. Still, after just a few seconds spent surrounded by this most beautiful smell, tantalizing my senses, I had to double my effort not to throw myself at her and tear off her tight training outfit, emphasizing her tempting curves.Gunnar was no better; if it weren't for the fact that I was the dominant part, he would have long ago assumed his intimidating Lycan form and forced the shift on Poppy and would have copulated day and night with Iris, marking her as ours in more than one way.But today, something changed. Not only the time of our training, which I may have forced Poppy too coldly and rudely, but her attitude, definitely her attitude towards me and, to my surprise, her training outfit. I stopped beside the sparring ring, set down my towel and water bottle, and watched my mate hit the heavy training dummy in the middle.Her focus was absolute, and her strokes were precise and calculated, precisely as I had t
*Tanner (Poppy's Previous Gamma)*I glanced into the rearview mirror, feeling like someone was following me despite having been alone on the road for at least twenty miles. I hadn't seen anyone, and this road is usually well-traveled, although perhaps not at night. It was just past one o'clock. I looked again and slowed down to make sure that no one was following me, whether in a car or on all fours, lurking in the darkness of the forest."I must have gone crazy," I whispered, shaking my head, but my wolf Otis was growling a warning in my head.'Hurry up. Something is wrong.' He warned me, and I immediately accelerated towards the human city.His senses have never failed me yet, and if Otis feels something is wrong, it is. The first time this happened was when, a few days after making the oath to my Luna, Otis started acting strange when Seamus began to send me on resupply missions to the human city. I didn't understand why he needed such large amounts of opioids, but I didn't questio
*Poppy*I had a dream last night that started with me running through a field of wildflowers, the sun shining, and the wind in my hair. I was chasing after love, and it felt exhilarating like I was on the brink of something unique. But as I ran, the scenery around me began to change. The once vibrant field turned into a desolate wasteland, the sun disappeared behind dark clouds, and the wind turned into a bitter, cold gale.Suddenly, I was alone in this barren landscape, with no one in sight. The love I had been chasing after had vanished, leaving me stranded in a lonely, loveless world. The feeling of loneliness and heartache was overwhelming, and I felt like I was drowning in an ocean of despair.In my dream, I realized that sometimes, the pursuit of love can lead to a nightmare of loneliness. It was a haunting reminder that love is not always guaranteed, and the fear of ending alone can turn a beautiful dream into a chilling nightmare. It was a jarring and sobering experience that
*Poppy*Gemma jumped on the bed, squealing delightfully and eating her favorite jelly beans. I tried one too many times to remind her of good manners, but every time she flashed me with her big, shining, and pleading eyes, I gave up and let her jump one more time."Mommy, can I sleep at Trevor's? Aunt Nastya said our apartment is closed. Some kind of revelation or something." Gemma asked, plopping in the middle of the bed, spilling the remains of the jelly beans from the package."Not revelation, but renovation. And Aunt Nastya has some old news. Everything is already fixed, and we can spend a few days in our beautiful little apartment again." I closed my suitcase, leaned over it, and grabbed the last strawberry jelly beside my daughter's little feet."Hey. This is my favorite." Gemma pouted and quickly picked up the remaining jelly beans, stuffing them into her mouth."And try saying Anastasia. Aunt Anastasia." I corrected her, although I know she won't be able to say the full versio
*Poppy*I looked out the window and watched the beautiful autumn slowly ending, preparing for the incoming winter. My favorite red, brown, and gold leaves had already begun to fall to the ground, leaving the branches bare and slightly off-putting. The sky had already started to turn dark blue, and in less than an hour, it would undoubtedly turn into a completely black surface covered with a trillion stars."You've been so quiet since Gemma fell asleep. I hope you don't mind me asking you to change your seat." Logan chatted, keeping his eyes on the empty road shrouded in blowing leaves, distracting me from what was undoubtedly my escape from my nervous situation."No. Not. I'm just deep in thought; I didn't think that the closer I get to the goal, I'll have more and more problems, doubts, and fears." I answered honestly, although that wasn't really on my mind then."You'll see; everything will work out, and you'll win." Logan placed a warm hand on my thigh, and I cringed."Just forty-f
*Poppy*I stood at the helm of the Larch Groove Pack, the warmth of the sun streaming through the expansive glass window of what had once been the grand hall and now was my makeshift command post. The air was thick with tension as I surveyed the faces of my pack members, their expressions a mixture of uncertainty and expectation. This wasn't just a new chapter but a complete rewrite of the history that had plagued them for far too long.Clearing my throat, I took a deep breath, channeling the strength of my daughter Gemma's memories, my mentor Gamma Tanner's wisdom, and the resolve hinted at in the dungeons. "We have a priority," I declared, my voice steady and unwavering. "The water supply—our lives depend on it. I'm demanding an immediate change of the w
*Poppy*The sun dipped below the horizon, casting an amber glow that filtered through the trees of Larch Grove Pack. I gazed over Easton's shoulder and saw Prince Nanyou standing solemnly among the gathered members of the pack, his princely demeanor calm yet authoritative. I finally learned his name after mistakenly calling him Nintendo once, and I almost burned with shame for misspelling it. Luckily, he was understanding, but Princes Dante and Easton made fun of me every time they could.Given the recent events that have deeply affected everyone, it was evident that the pack required a leader, a guiding voice amid the turmoil following Seamus's death. Today’s meeting was specifically held to reveal the verdict reached by the three royals."Thank you all for coming," Nanyou began, his voice resonating through the clearing where they had co
*Poppy*I took a deep breath as I settled into the worn leather chair beneath the dim light of the small room. The weight of the past days felt as heavy as the bars that kept me locked in the dungeons—the unrelenting reminder of the turmoil that had engulfed my life. Today, however, I had the chance to reach out to the most important people in the world—my daughter, Gemma, and my trusted friend, ex-Gamma Tanner.I set my phone on the table, the screen flickered to life with a steady pulse, and I dialed Tanner's number. The signals went one after another as I watched my reflection on the screen, waiting for the call to connect. As it did, anticipation filled the air. Just hearing Gemma's voice would be worth my treacherous journey."Mom?" Gemma's bright voice broke through the static, and I felt relief. Seeing her smiling face, with its blue eyes and blond pigtails, made me choke on my sobs, and I clapped my hand over my mouth."Sweetheart!" My voice blended warmth and care, and my hea
*Poppy*For the past thirty minutes, three handsome princes have been discussing my situation fervently, even though I'm sitting right next to them, hearing every word they say and wondering why no one has let me out and allowed me to contact my daughter. I have some rights, don't I? We may not be subject to the human justice system, but for God's sake, I have the right to a lawyer, to remain silent, and to make one phone call. Unfortunately, I've been denied that for the past three days. I'm not going to sit here idly wondering when and if I'll be able to hear my daughter's voice and see her sweet, smiling face. I got up from the small bed, walked toward the silver bars, and cleared my throat loudly. Unfortunately, my attempt to get the attention of the three powerful Lycans failed, and each of them began to discuss various matters, interjecting words whose meaning was a mystery to me. Well, yes, I have not learned to speak Italian or Mandarin. Spanish is the only language I have lea
*Poppy*“ How did I end up here? “ I wondered as I sat in the barred cell, pulling at my hair. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. This wasn't how my case was supposed to end. This wasn't how my life was supposed to unfold, for fuck's sake. What the hell had gone wrong?! I shouted these questions like a catapult, creating an even bigger mess. I lifted my head and stared at Easton, pacing back and forth, tearing at his hair as I did, questioning our situation. His footsteps could already make a path the size of the Great Wall of China. Chairman Pullman glared at me as if I'd killed his cat with a hammer. Where had he even come from? And how on earth did he manage to convene some extraordinary council that was supposed to decide my fate? When did my life turn into a series of endless disasters?"What will happen to me? I mean, what could be a punishment for this?" I asked quietly, pondering how to escape this impasse. Easton paused and glanced my way. His eyes were eerily stormy as i
*Dante de Gallo*My head is pounding, and I feel like I have a subscription to a jackhammer. My skull feels like it’s splitting. I groaned when I tried to move just enough to grab a mug of steaming tea. The clatter of dishes, the layers of conversations, and, above all, the mingling of smells were not helping me at all. I found myself breathing through my mouth and praying for mercy after yesterday's foolishness."I told you to stop at scotch; you insisted on that damn moonshine. Now suffer." Nanyou, my best friend and partner in crime, chirped, delighting in my misery. I looked at him through slightly swollen eyelids, and although I tried to give him a murderous glare, I suspected from his amused expression that I appeared as if I had suffered a stroke."Why didn't you stop me?" I asked, even as my breath still carried a stench of booze. I had overdone it. Yesterday, or rather this morning, I had gone too far. My father would scold me if he found out that his pride and joy had failed
*Dante de Gallo*"Listen to me, Allegra, and listen closely." I turned to my sister as our jet landed at the small airport, making our way toward the VIP hangar. Our relationship has always been complicated, filled with both protectiveness and frustration. "I’m here to investigate some ridiculous case and plan to do it as quickly as possible. Don't interfere, don't step in my way, and most importantly, don't go after that insufferable royal jerk. I don't have time to babysit you, and I have no intention of instigating a conflict with the Brantfords. Keep your hands to yourself, and don't think I don't know why you're here." I threatened her with my finger, even though Allegra looked at me as if I was unjustly accusing her. "You're still obsessed with him," I confronted her, and she momentarily widened her eyes. "You better stop this because once your lycan detects your mate, you don't want to break her heart by choosing an unworthy jerk over the blessed love sent to you by the Goddes
*Dante de Gallo*"You have to be kidding me, Dad," I growled, hearing his latest request. I turned suddenly, checking if the joke on his lips matched his equally smiling face, but it didn’t. Unfortunately, his sincere expression suggested I was not dealing with a joking father but a king giving an order."You want me to go to the States as a European royal representative because the Supreme Council called a meeting for a frivolous reason?" I asked, making sure that my reasoning included the entire situation. "Yes. And as the future King Dante, you must learn to keep your grudges tucked away and perform your duties respectfully and passionately." He scolded me, recalling my quarrel with one of the Brantford brothers. I narrowed my eyes at the old man but kept quiet and nodded before he dismissed me from the damn office. How the hell does he expect me to fulfill my duties with this jerk taunting me every chance he gets?'Fuck that princeling. Let's make our father proud and resolve the
*Logan*My eyes flew open, and the bright light of the fluorescent lamps made me wince. I quickly closed them again, but the groan that escaped my lips drew people's attention in the room. I heard footsteps, gasps, and murmurs of concern, but none sounded familiar."Let's dim the lights. Our prince appears to be sensitive to brightness." I heard a man chuckle, and irritation washed over me. My gut suggested I recognized the owner of the voice, but my mind felt blank."Logan, try again. It's almost dark in here, " the same voice said. I pried my eyes open slowly, and I saw a face that stirred something inside me. I wasn't sure if it was a positive or negative feeling."How are you feeling, Prince Logan? We’re glad to see you back," the face said, concern etched on it. I contemplated his words and focused on my body's reaction. There was no pain, burning, soreness, or anything alarming—just my weak Lycan, which seems to take a while to recuperate."I'm fine," I replied, attempting to si