ROME"Slavers?" Teriel asked. It was no news to that some Alphas were slavers but he didn't expect to see victims. "From Alkarod, you say?" The king stood steady watching the older female shield the others behind her in fear or caution. Her hair was shiny and long and the cool night breeze blew the silky strands over her face. She seemed almost mystic, like one of the goddesses painted on the castle. Rome couldn't help but feel drawn to her in that moment. Her eyes were amber and they stood out even in the night as the lamps cast a glow on them. "Yes, Sir. From Alkarod," she replied.Her eyes seemed to glow and the king blinked.Had he imagined it?From behind her, the younger female spoke up."There were some Lyca…"And the older one hushed her by turning back and glaring at her. He could see them breathing raggedly and they had some leaves from the bushes sticking out of their hair.Rome walked towards her with his arms outstretched, hoping that would prove that I had no ill inten
ROMEThe convoy of carriages finally arrived the palace in Hanaerum and there was only one thing occupying the king's mind, the meeting which he had set to depose Erika. The pain he felt at her betrayal worsened as he stared at the stone walls that had housed the woman he had once thought loved him and was loyal to him. He had asked everyone to be present at the meeting with severe consequences for any defaulters. He’d also be deposing Chester from his position as 'King's Hand.' Skye could comfortably hold the office. As it should have always been.Rome sat in the carriage a bit longer even after the doors had been opened for him. He was hesitant and didn't want to face the people. It was a feeling deeper than shame. He was disappointed in himself.How could the Lycan King be a victim of infidelity?How could anyone trust him to hold a country together when he couldn’t even hold his home together."Your Majesty?" Teriel called, holding the door.He stepped down from the carriage steel
ELORA"Hello, Love?" A voice called, stirring me awake.I was given the comfiest bed I had lain on in a while and I didn’t want to get up just yet. The wounds on my body had been bandaged and already started healing but the stress of the process had drained most of my energy and had caused me to sleep for a couple hours. I opened my eyes for a bit and squinted to see lamps burning brightly in the room although the dark sky visible outside the windows let me know it was evening already..The King's Advisor had made sure we were comfortable in the palace. He'd specially gotten us a room in the worker's quarter for us to stay together."Hello, Love!" The voice said again and I turned to face its direction. Someone was peering down at me with curious expression although her face only held warmth. She had on a grey gown and white apron, and her round face was kind. I jumped to my feet from the bed I had been lying on as I realized that I had slept longer than I intended to. Teriel had sa
ELORALucy and her brother were born slaves. Her mother had died trying to flee during the slave era and the reign of King Nathan. Lucy had explained how horrible his reign had been. She'd grown up under his reign and the only protection she'd had from evil nobles that tried to exploit slaves was her brother. She'd told me that she was a twin. Her mother hadn't known who their father was but Lucy said she had told them that a noble had slept with her. They knew they had Lycan blood but her mother had never told her who the noble was. All she'd done was arrange for her to get a job at the palace. And somehow, she'd been very well treated in the palace.Her brother had hated the palace job. He'd said he detested working under people who were the very oppressors. Lucy said she knew he had taken the job so he could protect her and watch over her.But years later her twin brother had run off to the South during Nathan's reign and she had not heard a word from him since. He had become a Bl
ROMERome was slowly getting used to the effect he had on ladies, not only because of the god-like features his Lycan heritage gave him but also the authority he wielded apparently was a turn on to most women. When he stepped into a room, all eyes turned to him. It was his special gift."Your Majesty." The ladies chorused, bowing.They couldn't look directly at him and he understood. With long, calculated strides, he walked past the two shelves that separated them and stood directly before the squirming ladies. If one could tuck their head into the ground they would have. He smiled enjoying their discomfort."Get up, both of you," He said with mock seriousness wondering why he found it amusing to pull their legs, "What're you doing in here?""Um–I," Elora stuttered. "I…We…"He cocked his head. "Look at me when you speak."She whipped her head up face was flushed with beads of sweat glistening on her forehead."You said I was–"He took a step towards her, leaving just enough space for
ELORA"Great, Your Majesty." I answered feeling my heart calm a bit but before the words were out of my mouth, his hands were on my neck, one hand cupping my jaw and tilting my head to the side as the other pushed my hair back to reveal the healing flesh. My breath was positively stolen as the firm grip he had on my jaw let me feel the rough callouses of his palm and I wondered how those hands might feel on other parts of my body.Wait…What?It took everything in me to step back from the tantalizing hold the king had on me but I did remembering I was only here to work and take care of my siblings.That thought put a damper on the trail of indecent thoughts my mind was going wild showing me. It didn’t help that he was still staring at me with eyes that blazed with…desire?My hands absent mindedly returned to the scar he was looking at and I felt the thinning raised edge of the now covered scar. My wolf must have been returning and I was healing quicker than I would have with her suppre
ROMERome stepped out of the library with a frown dancing on his lips. He couldn't believe he had the heart to smile especially since he had previously been worried about the meeting he had to attend with Erika and Chester. It had felt wonderful to help someone in need and he genuinely hoped Elora and her siblings enjoyed their stay at the palace perhaps even come to see it as a safe haven from whatever they were running from.Perhaps that could explain what had caused him to act the way he did earlier. He blinked, in hopes of forcing the pretty image of her flushed skin out of his head but was only successful in reminding himself of the lush press of her body against his when he had caught her. He shook his head and walked on, all the while scolding himself. He had more important things to think about than how prettily a damsel in distress blushed.He stood for a second outside the courtroom, steadying his breathing as the anxiety that had lain dormant returned in waves that threat
ROMEFrom behind the curtains, he could see the room already filled with members of the court and members of the royal family. He peered through the purple curtain and watched them talk to one another. The courtroom was a large oval hall with seats that ran all the way up like steps. A large room where meetings with delegates from all around the continent could meet. Right now, all the seats weren't filled, but the noise in the room overwhelmed him.He leaned against the wall, just beside the curtain, watching every person. In his few years as King, one of the things he had learnt quickly about people was that he could learn a lot about them by studying them.As he looked from behind the curtain at the back entrance, he could see everyone fairly well as he observed their countenance and guessed what they were discussing.Jace, Kate, and Henry – his half-siblings – children of the whore, as he preferred to call them, were seated beside their mother. Their Mother, Monica, was his fathe
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