ARIES "Your Majesty? Are you alright?" At the sound of Cade's voice, I lifted my gaze and found him staring at me with a worried look on his face. Puzzled, I glanced around and found myself in the courtyard. I couldn't recall leaving my study. "What happened?" I asked, clearing my throat. "You've been sitting here since the meeting with the generals ended. It's been three hours," he pointed out, and I furrowed my brows in confusion. The meeting was supposed to take place in an hour. Was he insinuating that the meeting had already taken place?"Do you not remember attending the meeting, your Majesty?" Cade asked, and I heaved a sigh. "It's been happening a lot lately. It's getting worse," I said, rising to my feet. "We have to do something. Anything at all. If this keeps happening, rumours might spread. We can't let the werewolves learn about this," he continued. He was right. If the werewolves gained knowledge of this weakness of mine, they would take advantage of it right
RAVEN Several Hours Before, I still couldn't wrap my head around everything Hades had told me. If he had been married to me at one point in my past life, it didn't mean that I would belong to him in my present life. According to Hades, Aries was our mutual enemy in our previous lives. Even so, I was conflicted. Aries had only ever treated me well. He was married to me now. Unable to get some sleep, I left my assigned room and headed downstairs to get myself something to drink. However, before I could get to the bottom of the stairs, I heard Hades speaking with someone I couldn't see. "I plan to make her take part in the bonding ceremony. There's a high chance that she will remember her old memories," he said, and my heart sank. I had enough on my plate at the moment. The last thing I wanted was to put up with memories from my past life. "What about her unborn children? A pregnant woman isn't allowed to take part in the bonding ceremony," I heard the strang
RAVEN Without thinking it through, I crumpled the paper and slowly turned to look at Aries with a false smile on my face. His brows knitted into a frown as he reached out to cup my face. My stomach churned as the dreadful words that I'd read replayed themselves in my head. Questions surged within me. I had no answers for any of them, it only worsened my growing doubts. "Did you have a nightmare?" Aries asked, and I nodded, leaning into him to prevent him from noticing the knife on the nightstand. He held me close, stroking my hair slowly. I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling sick to my stomach. For the rest of the night, I couldn't sleep. When he left me alone in bed, I pretended to be deeply asleep. I felt him press a kiss on my forehead, and once I was sure that he was no longer in the room, I sat up in bed. I proceeded to freshen up and leave the room. I didn't know who to talk to about the strange note I'd received. Even worse, it was alarming to think that someone had snea
ARIES "Your majesty?" My eyes snapped open at the sound of Ariella's voice. She was standing right in front of my desk, watching me with concern in her eyes. The remnants of the haunting memories that had just flooded my mind faded away, leaving a dull, empty feeling in it's wake. I could barely remember what the memory was all about."Are you alright? You're sweating..." She said, and I ignored her statement. "What do you want?" I asked and she heaved a sigh."I miss you. I miss the old you," she stated, and I gave her a blank stare."You should leave if that's what you're here to talk about," I said, and she pouted."That's not why I'm here. I fainted two days ago," she said, and I furrowed my brows at her, puzzled."Of course, you didn't know. You were too busy concerned about Raven," she hissed."Stop whining about that. It's getting old," I retorted."I'm pregnant," she deadpanned, and I blinked at her.Did she really think I was gullible? "And?" I said, raising a brow
RAVEN A few hours before, I stared at the hooded figure standing by the door of the bedroom, my eyes narrowed in suspicion. Reaching out a hand to grab the intruder's hoodie, I pushed it off their head. My eyes widened as I registered the intruder's familiar face, my jaw dropping. She lowered her gaze, pushing her hair away from her pale face with trembling fingers."Lily?" I said, confused."It was you all along?" I breathed. She grimaced, keeping her gaze fixed on the floor in front of her. "We need to talk," she mumbled, and I frowned, my confusion soaring. I'd been so certain that she wasn't on my side. Was all of this a plot to turn me against my mate? Or did she know something I didn't?"I have to go now. I can't be seen by others," she said and started to turn away from me. I grabbed her by the wrist, stopping her from leaving."Do you really expect me to believe that you haven't been trying to deceive me?" I demanded, and she let out a throaty cough into h
ARIES Raven's expression slowly morphed into one of absolute terror, tears filling her eyes. Maybe it was for the best. I didn't want her to grow too attached to me. That way, she wouldn't be so heartbroken on learning that I was involved in her father's death. There was no evidence yet. But I wasn't confident that I was innocent. "How do you know that? By chance, do you recall--" Her voice trailed off when I lowered my gaze."You're not sure. You're only making assumptions," she said, her voice laced with hurt. I squeezed my eyes shut, my mind in turmoil. Even if I was indeed not her father's murderer, was it really okay for me to stay by her side?I was slowly wasting away. And no matter how much I yearned to be with her, wasn't it selfish to let her feel the pain of losing me? Perhaps, it would be better for her not to get attached to me. "Is it really okay for you to be with someone who might've killed your father? Wouldn't your father feel betrayed?" I said, and her ey
RAVEN I'd been waiting for this moment for the past few hours. Yet I was burdened by crippling anxiety. I'd spiked my mate's tea with the truth serum Lily had provided me with. A part of me was worried that there would be side effects. And the look of absolute terror on Aries face was not helping either. Did he recall something terrifying? I couldn't help but wonder. "Do you remember something, your Majesty?" I asked, and he pulled away from me, his face twisted into an expression of anguish. He was fighting the effect of the serum. "Do you remember seeing this necklace?" I asked, and he turned away from me, rubbing his temples. "Did you spike the tea?" He asked, and I froze. When I still didn't say anything, he nodded, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I guess I have my answers now. I understand that you're desperate, but you really didn't have to do that. Do you really wish to get rid of me that badly?" He said and stormed out of the room, leaving me to stare at the do
RAVEN It felt like something out of a nightmare. I wanted to believe that what I'd just heard and seen wasn't real. But, I was also painfully aware of the fact that I would only be lying to myself. "Why did you do that?" I asked when I finally found my voice. She chuckled, clearly amused by my question. "If you're talking about why I tried to attack the Lycan king, then I must tell you this. I hate him. Deep down you hate him too, don't you?" She said, and I brought my hands to my face, tears clouding my vision. "I don't understand. Why...why are you here? Why are you trying to take over my body?" I said, my voice trembling. "Don't you get it? I am you, and you are me. That monster is destined to die by our hands," she replied. I shook my head in disbelief, nausea creeping into me. "Why do you hate him so much? Isn't it enough that you cursed him?" I croaked, and her eyes darkened, her face contorted in rage. "He killed my people. He led them to their death! He has to suf
RAVEN“Selene?"Selene? Was that my name?My eyes snapped open, and I found myself sitting before an ornate mirror framed in gold, the polished glass reflecting a woman I barely recognized.I was dressed in a deep red ceremonial gown embroidered with golden thread, the fabric pooling around me like a sea of molten rubies. My skin shimmered under the dim candlelight, adorned with delicate gold chains draping across my wrists and collarbones. The weight of the jewellery felt unnatural, foreign—like shackles rather than ornaments.Somewhere beyond the heavy velvet curtains, the faint notes of a lute and a melancholic flute drifted in from the courtyard."Are you alright, Selene?" a feminine voice said from behind me, and I turned to see the petite young woman who stood behind me with a smile on her face.I didn't know who she was, but there was something about her that felt familiar and important—My train of thoughts came to a halt.I was forgetting something important. Something wasn't
ARIES Raven. Her name lingered at the tip of my tongue as I watched her. A part of me couldn't believe it. She was real. And most of all, she was alive. I'd sensed that she had told the truth about her amnesia, but she seemed to be hiding something. And whatever it was, it was somehow linked with the visitor at the door.“Hide, you idiot!" She snapped, and I cocked a brow at her, amused.“Why should I?" I teased, and her eyes darkened. Grabbing my arm, her fierce electric blue eyes met mine, and she angrily muttered a spell under her breath.My eyes widened when a strange warmth coursed through my body almost immediately. My knees weakened, and before I could process what was happening, I'd slumped forward. She caught me before I could hit the ground. Then she lowered me gently. I parted my lips to say something but found that I was unable to utter a word.Wide-eyed, I watched her as she headed to the door in a rush, still surprised by the fact that she knew spells now.“
Two Years Later,RAVEN The cold winter air hit me the instant I stepped out of my house. Snow had fallen overnight, leaving everything buried in white. I took a deep breath, ready to move—then froze.There was blood on the snow.A trail of blood led towards the corner of my house. My stomach clenched hard. For a long moment, I stood there, my pulse racing. Checking it out was a terrible idea. I knew this. Even so, I moved.Gripping my umbrella like a weapon, I followed the trail, each step quicker than the last. When I reached the backyard, my breath caught in my throat.I was greeted by the sight of a man huddled against the back door, unconscious. Snow clung to his silver jaw length hair and his black clothes were torn in multiple places. Blood soaked the fabric, seeping into the snow beneath him.Cautiously, I drew closer to him and dropped to my knees in front of him, my healer instincts kicking in. The metallic smell of blood lingered strongly on him and as I examined hi
ARIES Several minutes earlier, I gazed at my sleeping wife in silence, a heavy weight on my chest. Although I’d tried to alleviate her anxiety, my mental state was an absolute mess. I couldn’t stop thinking of the flashes of memories that had filled my head a few days before. Raven stirred, and I stroked her hair, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. I wanted to protect her. I was also selfish enough to want her all to myself. But what if my fate stands in the way? Letting out a sigh, I carefully got out of bed, making sure not to awaken my mate. Riddled by my heavy thoughts, I left the room and headed to my study. I’d just settled down on my seat when I sensed a familiar presence by the door. “Show yourself,” I ordered brusquely, and the door creaked open. Lily stood by the door with a timid expression on her face. Something was off about her, though. It seemed as if she was fighting with herself. “What brings you here?” I asked, watching her closely. S
RAVEN It felt like something out of a nightmare. I wanted to believe that what I'd just heard and seen wasn't real. But, I was also painfully aware of the fact that I would only be lying to myself. "Why did you do that?" I asked when I finally found my voice. She chuckled, clearly amused by my question. "If you're talking about why I tried to attack the Lycan king, then I must tell you this. I hate him. Deep down you hate him too, don't you?" She said, and I brought my hands to my face, tears clouding my vision. "I don't understand. Why...why are you here? Why are you trying to take over my body?" I said, my voice trembling. "Don't you get it? I am you, and you are me. That monster is destined to die by our hands," she replied. I shook my head in disbelief, nausea creeping into me. "Why do you hate him so much? Isn't it enough that you cursed him?" I croaked, and her eyes darkened, her face contorted in rage. "He killed my people. He led them to their death! He has to suf
RAVEN I'd been waiting for this moment for the past few hours. Yet I was burdened by crippling anxiety. I'd spiked my mate's tea with the truth serum Lily had provided me with. A part of me was worried that there would be side effects. And the look of absolute terror on Aries face was not helping either. Did he recall something terrifying? I couldn't help but wonder. "Do you remember something, your Majesty?" I asked, and he pulled away from me, his face twisted into an expression of anguish. He was fighting the effect of the serum. "Do you remember seeing this necklace?" I asked, and he turned away from me, rubbing his temples. "Did you spike the tea?" He asked, and I froze. When I still didn't say anything, he nodded, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I guess I have my answers now. I understand that you're desperate, but you really didn't have to do that. Do you really wish to get rid of me that badly?" He said and stormed out of the room, leaving me to stare at the do
ARIES Raven's expression slowly morphed into one of absolute terror, tears filling her eyes. Maybe it was for the best. I didn't want her to grow too attached to me. That way, she wouldn't be so heartbroken on learning that I was involved in her father's death. There was no evidence yet. But I wasn't confident that I was innocent. "How do you know that? By chance, do you recall--" Her voice trailed off when I lowered my gaze."You're not sure. You're only making assumptions," she said, her voice laced with hurt. I squeezed my eyes shut, my mind in turmoil. Even if I was indeed not her father's murderer, was it really okay for me to stay by her side?I was slowly wasting away. And no matter how much I yearned to be with her, wasn't it selfish to let her feel the pain of losing me? Perhaps, it would be better for her not to get attached to me. "Is it really okay for you to be with someone who might've killed your father? Wouldn't your father feel betrayed?" I said, and her ey
RAVEN A few hours before, I stared at the hooded figure standing by the door of the bedroom, my eyes narrowed in suspicion. Reaching out a hand to grab the intruder's hoodie, I pushed it off their head. My eyes widened as I registered the intruder's familiar face, my jaw dropping. She lowered her gaze, pushing her hair away from her pale face with trembling fingers."Lily?" I said, confused."It was you all along?" I breathed. She grimaced, keeping her gaze fixed on the floor in front of her. "We need to talk," she mumbled, and I frowned, my confusion soaring. I'd been so certain that she wasn't on my side. Was all of this a plot to turn me against my mate? Or did she know something I didn't?"I have to go now. I can't be seen by others," she said and started to turn away from me. I grabbed her by the wrist, stopping her from leaving."Do you really expect me to believe that you haven't been trying to deceive me?" I demanded, and she let out a throaty cough into h
ARIES "Your majesty?" My eyes snapped open at the sound of Ariella's voice. She was standing right in front of my desk, watching me with concern in her eyes. The remnants of the haunting memories that had just flooded my mind faded away, leaving a dull, empty feeling in it's wake. I could barely remember what the memory was all about."Are you alright? You're sweating..." She said, and I ignored her statement. "What do you want?" I asked and she heaved a sigh."I miss you. I miss the old you," she stated, and I gave her a blank stare."You should leave if that's what you're here to talk about," I said, and she pouted."That's not why I'm here. I fainted two days ago," she said, and I furrowed my brows at her, puzzled."Of course, you didn't know. You were too busy concerned about Raven," she hissed."Stop whining about that. It's getting old," I retorted."I'm pregnant," she deadpanned, and I blinked at her.Did she really think I was gullible? "And?" I said, raising a brow