Fire cracker 🔥🔥🔥“I thought you might be hungry,” he said, placing the tray on the table beside me. His gaze softened when he saw Luke, who was still sitting beside me, wide-eyed and confused. Lucas knelt down beside him, brushing a hand through his hair.“Hey, buddy,” he said gently. “Are you hungry?”Luke looked up at me, unsure, and I nodded slightly, letting him know it was okay. He hesitated for a moment, then nodded at Lucas, who smiled and handed him a small plate of fruit and bread.I watched the interaction, my heart sinking. Lucas and Simon weren’t monsters. As much as I hated to admit it, they weren’t wrong about everything. The boys *were* part of their world, whether I liked it or not. But that didn’t change the fact that I didn’t trust them to do what was best for my children. They were ruthless, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that they would use the boys as pawns in their political game.Lucas stood up and faced me, his expression more serious now. “We’re not askin
In the blood....Simon, who had been watching silently all along, said nothing. His expression remained stern, offering no comfort to her growing panic.I smirked, enjoying the sight of her unraveling before me. “Aww, it seems your husbands didn’t think you needed to know about this, did they? That’s just sad,” I teased, shaking my head in mock pity.Veronica’s face paled as she looked back at me. “Tell me what’s going on!” she demanded, her voice shaky but still filled with desperation.I took a step closer, leaning in as I spoke softly but clearly. “The so-called ‘unfortunate little things’ you referred to are Lucas and Simon’s children—*both* of them.”For a moment, Veronica looked as though she couldn’t breathe. She turned to Simon, who was still standing frozen by the door, his expression nonchalant.“Is this true?” she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper now, trembling with shock and betrayal.Simon still didn't say anything, but I was already growing very tired of the dr
Queen of infertility...### **Veronica's POV**Ever since the unfortunate return of Ashley to the mansion, I have not known peace, as the past keeps haunting me. I remember the first day I realized she was back. I was walking past her room when I heard the sound of giggles. At first, I thought it was just my imagination, since Simon and Lucas never allowed anyone to enter the room after she left. They only permitted two maids to clean it every two weeks. No one else was allowed inside. Hearing noise from there piqued my curiosity, as it made no sense that someone would be in the room.Seeing her again was terrifying, and I could feel my wolf threatening to leave me on the spot. However, this was not the end of the traumatic experience, as the worst possible outcome now stood before me: both her return and the presence of her children. They constantly avoided me at every opportunity.It’s been almost a week now, and Ashley is still in the house, which is beginning to wear on me. Honest
Agree to disagree...As I walked towards the courtroom, the grandeur of the space seemed to loom over me, making me feel smaller with every step. The high arches and the echo of my footsteps amplified the tension inside me. I kept wondering what could possibly be going on and why Lucas and Simon had decided to summon me there instead of their study or, at the very least, the living room. The choice of location was unsettling. By the time I finally reached the courtroom, I walked in with a façade of confidence, only for it to quickly dissolve as I was met with the piercing gazes of the elders, as well as both Lucas and Simon.Standing there, seeing each and every one of them present, I froze. My anxiety surged like a tidal wave, crashing over my once-confident exterior. How could I have forgotten the conversation I overheard between Lucas and Damien a while ago? I distinctly remembered Damien telling Lucas that the elders had requested a meeting. How could I forget something so crucial
Crazy options!!!I paced faster, my mind already racing with possibilities. “You’re right. If I can turn the packs against her, the elders might reconsider, or at least hesitate.”“That’s right. And as for Lucas and Simon… keep a close eye on them. They may seem indifferent, but if they truly loved you, they wouldn’t let this happen so easily. Don’t trust them blindly.”Her words were a painful reminder of my vulnerability. Lucas and Simon had been the center of my world for so long, but now it seemed like that world was crumbling. Could I really trust them? Or had they already made their decision to side with Ashley?“I understand,” I whispered, my voice hardening. “I’ll handle this.”“And Veronica,” my mother added, her tone softening slightly, “remember this: power is not given, it’s taken. You’ve fought too hard for your place to let it slip through your fingers now. Do what you must.”With that, the line went dead. I stood there for a moment, staring blankly at the phone in my ha
Alone....I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat and forced myself to speak, though my voice trembled. "If you go through with this... if you allow them to take everything from me, then I will never forgive you. Any of you."Elder Baron sighed, as though exhausted by my resistance. "We are not taking everything from you, Queen Veronica. You will still hold a place in the royal court, albeit one more suited to the circumstances.""I won't be sidelined!" I spat, rising from my chair. "You think you can just push me aside, that I’ll quietly fade into the background? No. I’ve fought too hard to be where I am. If you believe I’ll accept this without a fight, then you’ve grossly underestimated me."For a moment, a flicker of uncertainty passed through the room. Even the elders, so self-assured moments ago, hesitated. But it was Daniel, the elder who had confronted me earlier, who stepped forward."Queen Veronica," he said, his voice cold and calculating. "You speak of fighting, but
An old friend...As I hung up the phone, a plan began to form in my mind. I couldn’t fight this battle head-on, not yet. Daniel, Elder Baron, the entire council—they were too powerful. But there were others out there, those who had not yet chosen sides, those who still remembered my rule and believed in my vision for the kingdom.I needed allies. I needed to remind them who I was, what I had built, and why I would not simply vanish.The first name that came to mind was Fabian. Although he might have been a pain in the ass a while back, the little warning I gave him by getting Lucas and Simon to look into him should be enough to get him on my side this time. I had been loyal to him, and now it was time for him to return the favor. After all, we had mutual goals and aspirations.I had heard whispers that he had gone into hiding after Lucas and Simon’s thorough investigation. And if I'm being completely honest, I can't really judge him for doing that. It might seem like they’re approacha
Strange...**ASHLEY'S POV**It had been almost a month since we were brought into the house. As soon as I got my phone, I instantly tried to reach George, who weirdly seemed a bit too calm and somewhat unbothered about what was happening.Every time I asked when he was going to come to get us out, he would initially give a specific day, and I would spend the whole time waiting for him. Since I didn’t want Lucas and Simon to suspect my plans for escape, I always packed my things and my children's very discreetly so that when George came to get us, we would be ready to leave on time without being noticed.However, George would end up not coming all day, and to make matters even worse, his phone would be unavailable the entire time, so I couldn’t even reach him to ask why he hadn’t arrived. It would be after a day or two that he’d call to say something came up, before scheduling another day for his visit. This went on for weeks until it finally became a month since we had been brought to