ELORAI sat in the carriage as it drove off. I stared back from time to time, looking at the brothel to see if I would see Olivia from the window of Madam Moira's room. I could see nothing.I sat back and closed my eyes and imagined what Mother would be feeling right now.Was Alma taking care of her?Was Alma even okay?Was Mother okay?And Bennett and Brian?I barely knew Lucy.Could I trust her with them? I stretched my legs in the carriage and looked out of the window to the side. The bushes were flying by quickly as we rode to the palace. I was going to be offered to the King's Father. I was going to be his mistress as part of a deal he had with Kain.I had cried myself to sleep last night, after the meeting with Kain. Olivia had lain beside me, weeping as well. The headaches had increased and my nose hurt badly from constantly blowing it.But now, I didn't look it. My face had been powdered and arranged for this morning. Kain had threatened to harm mother and make Olivia work in
ROMERome had been by the lake for about an hour and had no desire to leave just yet, not with the tranquillity the cool shade and fragrance of the lakes flora offered.Everything felt different there; the serenity, the birds, the view of the Castle, the grass, and the lake itself. He couldn’t imagine a place that held as many positive memories in the entirety of Hanaerum. He remembered coming down often to the lake with Mother and Skye on long picnics where she’d tell them stories of her childhood. It was where they came to be away from all the problems existing within the Castle and court.To Rome, it was the most beautiful part of the Castle as it was away from people and noise. The grass lining it marshy edges stayed green all year rounded sporting small red flowers that transported one into a land of fairies and rainbows with its almost hallucinating perfume.If one wanted to escape everything, Red River was the place. He lay back on the grass and closed his eyes, worry somehow
DARWIN PACK - ALKAROD"He's burning up again." The Alpha's personal physician, Pelto, stated touching the Alpha's sons head.He had been trying to treat him for days now but nothing had worked. Since Ethan had broken the link between him and Elora the day she bit him, he had been suffering from seizures and had never stopped being feverish."What do you mean, Pelto? You've been pumping him full of medicine and still haven’t made progress!" Rasmus yelled, hitting the drawer with a bang that had the smaller man jumping.His wife, Thalia and Luna of the Darwin Pack, rubbed circles on his shoulder trying to calm him. She somehow managed to stay strong even though their heir was dying."You have to stay calm, My Love." She cooed, “Yelling won’t do him any good.”"Alpha, I'm doing my best. I truly am." The physician tried to explain wringing his hands as beads of sweat formed on his forehead."Your best is not fucking good enough! Your best isn't getting my son healed, you fucker!!" Rasmus
ROMEThe king stood at the large window facing the royal gardens. One would think he was admiring the greenery but he couldn’t even see past the problems weighing him down. He was disturbed by the news he had heard but didn’t seem to have any solution forthcoming.Rome knew his father was evil, useless, and self-absorbed but he didn't imagine any of that would affect someone he’d know directly.The thought of Elora being violated by his father set a sick churning feeling in his gut.Rome ran a hand through his hair as images of a crying Elora in a ripped dress flooded his mind. If she hadn’t been a fighter perhaps she would be under his father now as he did despicable things to her.His jaw clenched tightly in frustration because even if he didn’t want to care about anything happening to her, the thought of the vulnerability he had seen in her eyes had the soft side of him wanting to prove her innocence. The only problem being he couldn’t see a way to save her and her family from the
ELORA"Oh, Elora. I never thought I'd see you again!" Lucy squealed engulfing me in a tight hug I welcomed after the terrible day I’d had.She smelled of the lavender soap I remembered using before I had been taken away bringing happy memories of the few days I had spent in the Castle. I wiped the tears rolling down her cheeks smiling at the woman that had come to mean a lot to me.The king had ordered the maids to bathe and dress me so I had been given a simple pink frock that was easily the most expensive and comfortable dress I had ever worn. The soft material clung to my skin without showing too much off and I felt like twirling just to see if the full skirts would move as prettily as I imagined. "I missed you too, Lucy." I smiled hugging her just as firmly.To think just that morning, I had been considering becoming the old King’s bed slave just to save my sister from the debauched men who frequented Lord Kain’s establishment.It was a miracle I had stumbled into the kind Lycan
ELORAGentle sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains framing my bedroom window alerting me that morning had come and I had been up all night. I had tossed and turned unable to ease my mind enough to sleep, anxiety a fearsome wind billowing in my gut as I thought of resuming my duties in the King’s library.He had been pretty cold to me after saving me from his father’s men but had been overly kind in sending his own Hand to save my sister from Lord Kain’s brothel even though we had been named traitors. It seemed even though he detested slavers, his kind heart wouldn’t let him look away from people being mistreated. The contradictory behaviour he displayed had me wondering how he would react if he were to encounter me in the library today.I stared at my reflection in the mirror above my vanity table wincing at the tired girl that looked back at me. My eyes had sunk in with a visible dark ring as if I hadn’t slept in over a fortnight and my mouth was set in a permanent scowl. I
EAST BALESomething was watching them.Something they could not see."We’re being watched!" Rasmus yelled this time, "Ready yourselves!"They were on their way to the Elven territory at the outskirts of Bale. Rasmus had to look for a cure for his child.His commands drew his guard to unsheathe their swords forming a circle around him and Alpha Rasmus. Even he drew out a small dagger he had strapped under his cloak as the air suddenly went silent.The air stilled and turned chilly, the shadows lining the floors where the dirt path met trees looming closer like creeping vines with an almost conscious quality to it.Pelto’s eyes shot form one point to another as if he could pin point where the attack could come from but before he could blink, a dark silhouette shot out of the nearest tree snatching one of the guards from atop his horses, pulling him into the shadowed forest.Chaos broke out as the now startled guards broke formation spinning around to locate the invisible enemy that had
ELORA"Hey!" A chirpy voice I recognized called behind me as I twisted the key to lock the general access doors to the library, turning around to see Lucy smiling and waving wildly as she skipped towards me. "Hello, there! The royal librarian herself." She stood before me now, panting from her exercise, curtsying and smiling even more. "May I have a word, Ma'am?" She said with a feigned accent."Yes. How may I help you, Miss?" I asked, taking on the role that she had so bestowed on me. She made Royal librarian sound like it was nobility. I took that, raising my head and shoulders a bit."Ma'am, I'm here to get your butt home." She laughed so hard that I couldn't help but join in and we fell to the carpet clutching our stomachs at her antics. After we had exhausted ourselves from laughing as hard as we had, we laid there for a second until someone made a noise clearing their throat.We immediately jumped to our feet, straightening our gowns. I half thought it was a nobleman that would
SKYE AND NAURU“You know. This is our wedding night.” Nauru complained, staring at his bride who was swinging a sharp blade in just her underclothes and corset, painting an erotic image that his body appreciated most ardently.The woman’s eyes flashed angrily at him but she sent him a smirk and flipped her hair behind her shoulders.”Are you scared I’m going to beat you?” She asked in a sing-song voice.“Oh I know you’re going to beat me.” He told her. “You’re a Lycan.”“You should have thought about that before challenging me.” He didn’t exactly challenge her but he didn’t want to point that out to his stubborn wife.A lesser man would be intimidated by her strength but he was only turned on by the thought that she could snap a man in two without breaking a sweat. It had been love at first sight for him when she’d come marching into his court with her brother, the King. She’d caught him staring at her and lifted a brow at him and when they’d met later that night, they’d fucked hard a
ROME & ELORATHREE YEARS LATER“Damian you come back here this instant!” Rome laughed as he watched a heavily pregnant Elora chase their two year old son who’d taken to running bottomless around the palace much to his mother’s dismay and his father’s immense amusement.Her glare turned on him and he raised his hands in surrender.“I did warn you that I was very uninhibited as a child.” He told his wife catching up to her and placing his hands around her waist, pulling her as close to him as her belly would allow.A soft thump from her belly told him that the twins they were expecting in a month were more than eager to be free of their confinement. He laughed as Elora slapped his shoulder.“You see what you’ve done to me?” She complained. “I’m surrounded and invaded by savages.”He laughed, kissing her forehead, then began a slow journey to her lips. She sighed and wrapped her hands around his neck, burying her fingers in the hair at his nape. Even after two years the passion between th
ELORAI stared at the large double doors leading to the training room, frowning down at the floor. The king had written me a letter that while it indeed gave me insight to his true feelings about me still made me feel afraid to see him again.How could I get over the fact that he had only slept with me because he wanted to rid himself of me?How could I move on from the thought that I had trusted him to be different from all the males that had only wanted to use my body and degrade me but at the end of the day, he was exactly like them?I turned, backing the door.Why had I even come?My body warmed as I remembered how passionate the kings declaration of love for me was but he hadn’t even said the words I so wished to hear.I find that I’m absolutely enthralled by the feelings you have managed to evoke in my wounded heart. I am sure that I want to spend the rest of my life wrapped in the beauty that is you. Even now, the words touched me softly.He had talked about things I hadn’t no
ELORAI stared shamelessly at the king as we sat in the aftermath of the laugh we shared while talking simultaneously. He still wore his travel clothes like he hadn’t had time to change since we arrived at the castle this afternoon. Dark circles were under his eyes and his hair were rough as if he’d been running his hands through them.He looked ethereally handsome now but ruggedly so, unlike the usual clean shaven well dressed king he usually was. His dark hair curled and fell over his forehead in an unruly mess that had me itching to run my hands through it recalling how soft his hair was. I pressed my thighs closer together as my body responded to the memory of the scenario that had had me running my hands through his hair.I felt a hot blush climb upwards from my neck. I truly hoped he didn’t notice.“Has Noel been to see you yet?” He asked suddenly breaking my train of indecent thoughts.I nodded, unable to speak for fear I’d say something to embarrass myself.“How…How are you?”
ROMEAs they crossed into the gates of Hanaerum, bells tolled in the lower city alerting their presence. As of their party was one to be ignored.Citizen’s stared open mouthed in shock as the large army rode through, some of them with scars and others, albeit healthy, with menacing expressions brought about by fatigue. Long had the thrill of their victory faded leaving behind exhaustion and muscle soreness.Rome was not immune to this phenomenon and wore his scowl even bolder than most because he’d not been given time with Elora at all during their trip.Skye worried he might scare her off with his intensity since his emotions were still high and besides the girl needed rest after the ordeal she’d been through.The doctor he’d ordered to look over her reported she was in excellent health and that the baby was doing fine but until he got to the castle and got Noel’s report, he didn’t think he could relax.Looking up at the grim castle walls, he couldn’t help but think that so much woul
ELORAI snarl as I stared down Alpha Rasmus' wife feeling stronger than I'd ever been. Whatever this remedy was that Gael had given me had not just helped with the pain but had somehow imbued me with more power than I'd had.I swiped my tongue on my snout still feeling the blood of that bastard on me. His death had been quicker than what he deserved but I was satisfied he'd no longer have the power to hurt me or my siblings again.His wife snarled at me as if to say: I'll kill you for murdering my husband. But even then I could see thee fear in her eyes.I felt the king's gaze on me but I didn't want to be distracted now.I'd been denied my revenge long enough.I spied Gael out of the corner of my eye, his look one of begging like he still wanted me to come with him.I felt sorry for the broken boy but my mind had been made up long ago and if he was wise he'd make sure the king didn't see him. Even though I understand that he didn't have much of a choice, I knew the king wouldn't be a
ROMEFeeling like he'd just woken up after a long night of drinking, Rome opened his eyes and took in his opulent surroundings which was a far cry from the dungeon he'd been in before he'd passed out.Speaking of the dungeon...He startled upright, struggling against the binds on his arms.Elora.He growled out his anger, straining even harder but the binds only seemed like they were getting tighter.What were these even made of?Those bastards had hit her. She looked nothing like the woman she had been in the castle but even if the bruises left her unrecognisable, his heart knew.He could smell her the moment he had been captured.It had taken all of his willpower to not kill those guards and grab her out of there.And that bastard...He had been standing right there.It was his fault that she had had to suffer like that.The second he freed his hands, the man would..."There's no point struggling against your restraints, boy king." The elven leader smiled walking into the broad cham
ELORAHelp! I wanted to yell out. Help me!There was black everywhere. I couldn't see anything.I tried to lift my hands but I couldn't. I couldn't feel my body.I was floating in a seemingly endless pool of black."You promised me they wouldn't hurt her!" A voice yelled at the edge of my consciousness.A small ray of light started at the edge of my vision becoming brighter and shocking me out of that empty plane."You promised me father!" The voice came again but this time I could recognize it.The bed beneath me felt harder than anything I'd ever felt but perhaps it was because I'd been floating for God knows how long.I tried to lift my hand but couldn't, they felt too heavy.I wanted to open my eyes but pain had me shutting my eyes again."Nggh." I groaned as pain raced through my system the further I regained consciousness.I groaned rolling to the side, looking for a position that would make it stop."Shhh. Stop Elora." Gael's voice came as a warm hand pressed softly on my shoul
ROMEThe ride to Alkarod flew by faster than anyone would have expected but Rome was grateful for the brevity of the journey as he didn't think he could bear to spend any more time away from Elora. It had been only a day and half since her capture but it felt like it had been ages.His beast had gone through a range of emotions and had settled on sadness now, whining constantly inside of him and setting him on edge. He had snapped more than once at the captain of his Elite but the Lycan, already used to his antics, showed no grief or frustration.Shouts went up at the Darwin pack gate tower as his riding party approached. He knew that the dust they kicked up must have made them look like bandits plus their lack of armour and his angry look wouldn't help matters."Stop!" A guard yelled just as they rode through the gates. "Who..."He didn't give the man the benefit of an answer as he plowed past him, nearly running him over with the horse. His eyes were on the pack house of Darwin Pack