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Chapter 24HopeBreathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. It'd be fine, Hope. Though I knew that wasn't the case. It has been over a week since I had resumed training with the Commander and horrible wasn't the right word to cover how I felt during and after the long mornings and sometimes late evenings.Yes, I've been on a very tight schedule. Early mornings were for exercises, to strengthen my muscles, while late afternoon and evenings were for actual training. Like dummy sparring and weapon play. I had no skill whatsoever in any of the aforementioned sections. I always felt like dying while running around the field or undergoing torturous exercises.I felt like crawling into a small space and hiding when it came to handling the rods. No one ever told me that a common long stick would be so heavy and hard to wield.I felt like crying when the soldiers around would brazenly sneer at me while the commander pushed me around like a little lost sheep. It was all so infuriating. M
Chapter 25HopeWhy was he mad at me? His onyx eyes were so dark and his nose was flared up. Veins popped on his forehead. "I'm sorry," I looked away from him, only for two fingers to connect with my chin and pull my face back to his view."Why are you apologizing to me?" he asked in an awfully serious tone."Annalise—""Ugh," he cut me off as he made a frustrated sound with his mouth. "Sometimes I don't know if you're pretending to be clueless or if you're just dense inside that round head of yours." He spoke through his teeth and I parted my lips.He just insulted me. I ground my teeth, swallowing down the violent thoughts that crept up my mind."I don't understand." I said.He let go of my chin and took a step back from me. "I don't even know why I try sometimes," he said to himself, then he looked back at me. "You were a princess before you got married to me, act like one, and not some maid." He spoke in an agitated tone with a mix of disinterest in it.What was that supposed to
Chapter 26HopeDarius was here. And he had a deep frown on his face. Much deeper than his usual one. Kyle immediately jumped away, putting a distance between the two of us, then bowed with respect towards Darius. I, on the other hand, stood up from the bench and bent my head a little."Good morning," I said to Darius. He grunted in response to both mine and Kyle's greeting."What are you two doing here?" he asked, his eyes darting around the garden. "Alone." He added with a hint of irritation in his word. "Pardon?" I said, confused by his unexplained irritation."Aren't your maids supposed to be with you every time you step out of your room? Why did you send them away? Why are you alone with him in such a place?" Darius grew angrier with each word he spoke.I flinched along the line since he stood directly in front of me. I clenched my fists at either side as I registered his questions in my head. What maids? When did he ever assign maids to me? And what was wrong with me being with
Chapter 27DariusMy eyes drew into narrow slits as I predicted Orion's next words. "Not here," I told him, shifting my gaze toward my sleeping wife. He nodded, then took a step back. I took a step forward and we both marched down the hall to get to my personal study.Once we were inside the soundproof room, I trotted to my desk and sat behind it on my leather chair. Orion took the seat across my desk. I cleared my throat. "It's her, isn't it?" I asked for confirmation."Your former fiancée has been busy," was what Orion said with a sigh.I pinched the bridge of my nose. "How did the spies come across this information? And do we know where she is?" I asked.Orion shook his head. "She slipped through their fingers. But I have better news," Orion changed the pitch of his voice into a low one. I raised a brow, leaning closer."Thaddeus is here," he said. I frowned, immediately relaxing back into my chair.Everyone in Moratia knew how I felt about him. There was this subtle rivalry betwe
Chapter 28Hope"Wh-what are you doing?" My voice trembled as I spoke quietly, not wanting to move my throat too much which would cause the tip of the sword to slice my skin a little bit. "You Vitalis' are the bane of all Lycans' existences. Once you all die, everything will go back to the way it was." Thaddeus said remotely, like he had practiced that line a lot before saying it. "I d-don't understand," a stray tear slid down from my eyes, ran down my cheek and splattered down on the sword."Fake tears will not fool me," he said, then raised the blade above my head in an attempt to slice my head off.I squinted my eyes closed, awaiting my death in fear. One second, two seconds, three seconds, I heard a clang, sounding like two blades clashing. I slowly peeled my eyes open to see a blade holding Thaddeus' own back.I looked at the owner of the new sword and saw Darius. The veins on his neck were throbbing, as well as the ones on his forehead. He shot Thaddeus a look and the councilm
Chapter 29HopeCommander stood with her hands behind her back, while I stood with mine in front of me, fidgeting. It took only looking at her face for me to remember what happened earlier today.I should never have said those words to her. I even called her bully. I should've kept my words to myself. Maybe then, she wouldn't have barged into my room with a bloodthirsty look in her eyes. Telling her all those things just increased the damage."What is there to talk about?" I asked, disentangling my fingers and letting my hands fall to my sides."This morning..." Commander started. My heart flew out from my chest. "You were right." She continued.My eyes widened, the same time my brows furrowed with confusion. "Pardon?" I said.Commander sighed heavily, her features relaxing as she dropped down on my bed, the cushion bouncing underneath her."Everything you said this morning was right. I shouldn't have treated you the way I have all these while. I've been a real bully to you and with no
Chapter 30Darius"Everything belonged to Light." My wife said out loud in a state of delirium. I furrowed my brows and called for her again. "Princess?" She was looking at me but I doubted that she could actually hear what I was saying. I stared at her strangely. Was this a human thing?All the servants around had halted from their duties and were now focused on my wife who was acting like a crazy person in the middle of the floor. I tsked, then reached for her, wrapping my palm around her small forearm. I pulled her up to her feet and she staggered, clearly having no strength on her legs.I sighed in annoyance through my teeth. "What is wrong with you? Behave yourself." I seethed through my teeth but she just stared at me. More like stared right through me. What was happening? I shook her, hoping some sense would come to her she began muttering something under her breath that I couldn't decipher. The murmurs and the whispers of the servants grew."Get me a glass of water!" I ordere
Chapter 31HopeI woke up to a headache. My entire body ached. I sat up on my bed with a sigh. I turned to look through the window and saw that it was already dawn. I suddenly became alert. What time was it? Why didn't Kyle wake me up for training?As I was about to stand up from the bed, I noticed that my shoulders were heavy. I threw my head down to check and saw that I was wearing a jacket. A heavy one that did not belong to me.Darius.I pulled the jacket off of me in an instant as memories of what happened last night replayed inside my head. I facepalmed myself at the thought. "I can't believe that I did all of that." I said to myself with a shameful tone.I wondered what he was going to do to me today. I called him out so ruthlessly. Was he going to finally send me away or maybe even kill me me? I shook the thought from my head. If he wanted to do either of the two, he would have done them already.What was he waiting for? What did he even want? I stopped to think. Did it even ma
Kyle "S-Shut your mouth." I said with a stutter."Why should I? Everyone knows about your unrequited love for her. It's honestly pathetic, but to think that you would go against the kingdom for her. You've become so soft and stupid-"I tightened my grip on Thomas's hands and forced him to shut up."I've said what I wanted to say. Stop making a fool of yourself and keep quiet. This has absolutely nothing to do with you." I spoke with a deep and threatening voice.Thomas didn't say anything again, but it looked like he had something to say."And if you think about telling anyone about tonight, remember that you were also in that shop." I added.It meant that Thomas also wanted to purchase something that was not appropriate. His eyes widened as he understood what I was talking about. Then they narrowed into slits."Fine. Whatever." He finally relented with a reluctant tone.I slowly let go of him and backed away. "What were you there for?" I asked him.Thomas glared at me shamelessly a
KyleMy hands were trembling. Ever since I left the castle, my entire body has been shaking.Would I really be able to do this? Betray my kingdom... Betray everything I serve, everything I believe in. All for the very person that I serve, the person I believe in, the person I love. Could I really do that?What was I thinking? I was already doing it. I was already close to a hidden tonic shop. There was no time to regret my actions or turn back.I had already promised my lady that I would do everything for her. Including this. And I very well knew why she wouldn't want to give birth to the next heir.She was human, damn it!And she wanted to remain human. She didn't want to turn into us... me... It was still clear that she held resentment for the Lycan kind. Abortion tonics were not exactly illegal. From time to time, people would come to order them. Not everyone had to bear the heir to the throne who was important and ending their life in a womb was a sin.And also, this particular
Hope Back in my room, I folded myself into a ball on my bed. It seemed like everyone else was happy about my pregnancy except for me. Why did that make me feel bad? That they were all placing their hope on me and that I was going to destroy it?Maybe that was why.I didn't know how long I was curled up for before I heard the subtle sounds of knocking on my door."Your Majesty, it's me. I've brought you food." I heard a voice similar to Kyle's own coming from the outside of the room.I sighed and forced myself to say, "Come in." Not even a second later, the door to my room opened up and Kyle walked in with a food tray. Thankfully, it was only Kyle, and not another person whom I did not want to see or talk to.Kyle walked over to my bed to set the food tray next to me, but I directed him to put the food away and shut the door. There was a complex look on Kyle's face after receiving those orders, however he still obeyed them."Come closer." I said to Kyle, who was still standing by the
Hope I had hoped things wouldn't turn out this way, but they still did. After Darius left, I sunk into deep thoughts. Darius wanted me to keep this child, but the heavens knew that I couldn't.I wouldn't be able to even if I could.I looked down at my stomach. My hand led itself to touch it. It wasn't the child's fault. I just didn't want to become a Lycan. I didn't want to lose my humanity.The Blood Moon would occur in less than a week. This was the absolute worst time to even be thinking about bringing a child into the world.I had no clue why Darius would want a child at this time. Suddenly, I remembered something. He had once told me that he wanted to get me pregnant so that I wouldn't leave him.How foolish of him.If I truly wanted to leave him now, being pregnant would be the least thing that I would be bothered about in our relationship.*****Later in the day, I got out of bed and decided to actually do queenly activities. But as soon as I stepped out of my chambers, Kyle w
Hope"This is the greatest news ever!" Darius exclaimed joyfully, standing up to his feet to rejoice."Congratulations, your majesties," the physician said to me and Darius with a proud smile. "The queen is about two to three months pregnant. We should quickly begin the transformation process in order to ensure a safe delivery and a stable health for her Majesty." "Transformation process...?" I said slowly, then looked at Darius.There was a bright smile on his face as he said, "Yes. The transformation process. You know you can't give birth to a royal Lycan child with a human bodily constitution. There is a ninety percent chance of dying. It is better to transform into a Lycan to give birth."It is not a very difficult process. Painful, yes. But I will be there for you and help you-" "Are you listening yourself, Darius Moratis?" I cut him off with a sharp tone. The tension in the room surged."Ah... Your majesties, I will take my leave now." The physician said with a hint of discomf
Hope It was annoying how I was always waking up to Darius sitting by my bed. However, today, he was not the only person by my bed. There was a physician standing over the bed. I easily recognized him as he had attended to me once before.I sat up on my bed defensively and said, "What is it? What's going on?" "Calm down. Everything is going to be alright." Darius said in a soothing voice, then reached to touch my face.I slapped his hand away from my face. "Don't. Why's he here? What's happening?" Seeing that I wasn't going to relent until I got answers, Darius exhaled through his mouth and decided to explain things to me."He is here to perform a full body check up on-""I don't need one," I quickly said, cutting Darius off.A full body check up? That was equivalent to executing me with a stake! I glanced at the physician and glared at him. If he touched me and sensed my pulse, he would immediately be able to tell that I was pregnant.And since he appeared to be deathly loyal to Da
HopeThe next day, Darius was in my room when I woke up. I was momentarily startled, causing me to sit up on my bed and say, "What are you doing here?" Darius smiled gently before saying, "I came to check up on you. It's almost noon and you're still in bed." I frowned, then turned to look at my window. The afternoon sun was much too bright and I got the urge to close my eyes once again and continue sleeping. "Well, I'm fine as you can see. I was just resting. You've checked up on me. You can leave now. You've done enough." I didn't hide the irritation and annoyance in my tone, causing Darius to flinch at the sudden hostility he was receiving from me.I wanted to take back my words but it was already too late and I was still much uncomfortable in Darius' presence. He made me pregnant for hell's sake! I didn't want to even look at his face right now."Oh, okay then. I'll leave you to rest." Darius' tone sounded awfully pitiful in that moment as he stood up from the bed and dismissed
Chapter 78Hope Kyle was quick. It didn't take up to two days and he had already set up a meeting with the witch for me. According to him, she wanted to keep her name and location a secret.So, instead of leaving the castle to meet her, she would be the one to come over. I had no problems with this, as all I wanted to do was get this phase of my life over and done with.She arrived at midnight. Earlier today, I had told Darius not to come to my room since I wanted to rest well and him being around would only disturb and irritate me.Though he had been against it because of his recent overprotective behavior, I still managed to wear him down at the end of the day.By the time the witch arrived, I was seated by the window in my room. She and Kyle entered so quietly that I didn't even notice them until they had gotten close to the window.The moon was incredible bright this night and my room was brightened with lamps and lit candles. The witch was dressed as a castle worker to avoid sus
Chapter 77 Hope When I regained consciousness, I saw that Darius was sitting on the side of my bed with a worried look on his face. I let out a soft sigh, and he jerked into action, noticing that I was finally awake. "How are you? How do you feel? Hope, are you alright?" he questioned. I rolled my eyes and stretched to take a sitting position on the bed. "I'm fine, just a little tired and thirsty." Darius quickly took the cue to stand up from the bed and pour in a glass of water from a jug and gave it to me. I emptied the glass and handed it back to him. "Hope, I was so worried. It's all my fault. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have kept you up working all night. I should've—" "It's not your fault, quit acting so pitiful," I chided him. "It was just a sunstroke. And I'm not the first person in the world to get dizzy under the sun. Stop worrying unnecessarily." "You say that so easily, but I wouldn't be able to bear it if something bad happened to you. You've been so moody these da