Thank y’all for the comments in the previous chapter. I understand the expectations a bit better even though I had it in mind (without giving out too much details of the remainder of the plot) that Emma representing evil would have the perception that it’s prevailing but we know good would always triumph evil ;)
Aurelia's POVMy head throbbed as I woke up. I squeezed my eyes shut the minute I opened them. The bright light from my room threatened to blind my eyes. I turned in my sleep-"Ah!"My body crashed onto the hard floor and my eye flew open in that instant. How did I get to the edge of the bed-This wasn't my room.This wasn't any room at all.This was... Oh no! No no! I spent the night in Alpha Adrian's study room last night!I sat up quickly, looking around for any sign of him. There was no one here. I turned back to the couch I had been sleeping on. There was a thick blanket hanging at one side of the couch-"I heard a crash!" Alpha Adrian rushed in looking worried. When his eyes landed on me on the floor, his brows jerked in surprise and a wide smile spread across his face.He found the situation funny and he even tried hard to hold his laughter. He cleared his throat over and over again, "Good morning, Aurelia."I jumped to my feet, "A-Alpha Adrian," what happened last night? The l
Aurelia's POVTelling the truth was not part of the options. She looked like she had already concluded in her head and was ready to rip me apart if I uttered the wrong words.But I started to wonder if there was anything right to say?The fact that I didn't sleep in my room last night was already a crime in her books."Aria!" Alpha Adrian called in a voice filled with amusement. "Darling," he walked over to her and took her hand in his own, raising it to his lips and pressing a kiss. Only then did her gaze falter from me and I took the leisure to breathe."Why look so serious so early this morning?" Adrian asked as he pinched her cheeks softly."It's almost 10a.m." she gruffed."Careful," He warned softly, "You'll have wrinkles.""You'll marry me either way," she concluded and it sounded like a matter of 'whether he liked it or not'."I'm not too sure about that," he leaned on one foot. Aria growled, stepping closer and he moved away as if he was frightened like he didn't have her gro
Aurelia's POV"Is it true?" Casey barged into my room after Adrian left over thirty minutes ago.I jerked with a fast beating heart, thinking Aria had come for me so soon. I relaxed a bit when I saw it was just Casey and Glenn with worried looks on their faces."What?" I was sitting on my dresser, brushing my hair. They walked in with a tray and I figured they were here with the hangover soup and food."Is it true that you slept with the Alpha?" Casey asked with a smile-"What the- No!" I denied immediately. "Slept with? Where did you happen to hear that information from?""It's all over the place," Glenn replied. She couldn't meet my gaze, maybe it was because she still wasn't talking to me.Who would spread that kind of a rumour? My goodness! Someone had got it all wrong. Whoever it was, definitely had plans to put me in trouble.I rose to my feet, devastated at such news that would only incur Aria's hate. The way she glared at me in Adrian's study was something I didn't want to rem
Aurelia's POVI could still see Aria’s glare in my dreams. Even in the shower when I closed my eyes. She was out to get me and it was no surprise when my workload increased.There was no use asking Casey and Glenn. The sorry look on their faces told me all I needed to know. I didn’t take her punishment to heart. She was just a woman who was doing what she could to ward off what she perceived to be a threat.It felt as if she was daring me to report to the Alpha family. I couldn’t even do that in my wildest dream. I didn’t think of myself as being that important to anyone here. While Luna Maria was very nice, she still had to treat Aria with respect.I was a stranger here and so I knew my place. Aria had just refused to understand that.Worst part of it all was that Adrian and I still played chess whenever he wanted. It was impossible to say no to him and sometimes he would even trick me into it.I tapped my head with the back of my hand, sighing as I looked over my finished work once
Aurelia's POVIt was a scary sight to see. The way they glared at each other, I could feel my limbs weakening and the thick tension in the air.Adrian was still being lenient. He would have had her on her knees by now. When he straightened and stepped back, I released a breath I didn't know I was holding.The thought of these two having any form of disagreement because of me was something I never wanted to happen."This has nothing to do with Aurelia," he said as if reading my mind. "Your warriors are brainless bunch that have no manners whatsoever-""Men will be men, Adrian," she interrupted him with a scoff. "Or do I have to remind you that just yesterday, you had Aurelia in your study room, overnight-""That's what this is about?" He arched his brow as he confirmed his suspicion. "At this point, if you tell me you made that happen, I will believe you into next Monday!""What difference does it make?" She was adamant. "Don't think I do not see how you look at her.""Oh, do tell, you
Liam's POVI was wearing the Royal robe that was meant for a mating ceremony. The same one I had ordered when the thought of mating with Aurelia crossed my mind. The ceremony was today only that, the bride was…different.I turned away from the mirror as if turning my back to my thoughts and I looked around my room, thinking of something else to do while I waited for the auspicious time.The City was bubbling with great joy. They were pleased that their King had found his Queen. I doubted if they would wear the same smile if they knew that the Queen wasn't my mate and my mate had rejected me by running away.It still hurt to think about but at least, it wasn't as bad as it used to be.I headed to my shelf and picked up my bottle of wine, taking a sip to just clear my mind and get on with the event planned out for today.Despite how calm my thoughts were, I was unable to sit still. I paced, touched everything that caught my fancy and I muttered some of the City rules to myself just to ke
Aurelia's POV"Aurelia, stay away from Alpha Adrian for your own good."I halted in my steps as the voice came from behind me. I turned to see three maids at a corner, staring at me with worry in their eyes."We heard Miss Aria lost her temper today," another one said as she stared at the floor in panic. "It's not good for you if she's angry at you, Aurelia. We've seen this before.""How?" I was curious to know what else Aria must've done to anyone she had suspected to be a threat. "Has this happened before?"As if on cue, all three of them nodded. "She's not to be spoken about. She was Miss Aria's personal maid who came with her from her own pack. She got along quite well with the Alpha but Miss Aria," she trailed off, afraid to speak the words that were already sending a chill down my spine."Miss Aria married her off to someone from another Pack without her consent," she said. "She just doesn't like anyone who gets along with the Alpha.""We're worried about you, Aurelia. Aria's an
Liam's POVAndre slammed his back against the wall across the room. He groaned weakly as he sagged to the floor, coughing and spitting out blood… again. He wiped his mouth, looking up at me with a lazy yet daring smile.He spat a thick coat of blood to a corner and he started to rise to his feet again. It didn't look like he was going to give up anytime soon. We've been at it for close to an hour now.He winced in pain as he got up and I knew he would need to rest for days once this was over…if he survived because each time he opened his mouth-"Seeing how I'm still alive, I must say, you've grown soft. This is Aurelia's doing, isn't it?"My beast growled and I was filled with instant rage. He kept running his mouth like a little brat yet he took every hit without dodging or trying to counter it."For the first time in a long time, she made you feel," he continued. I was holding back my wolf as best as I could yet the control slipped every now and then."You think marrying someone els
Aurelia's POV How long has it been? "Your highness," I smiled at the guards as I walked past, feeling a bit self conscious at their greetings. I thought I would've gotten used to it now… well I was trying but the thought that everyone in the Pack knew my name and my title, was a bit terrifying. The Castle had been rebuilt as well as the properties that had been destroyed in the war. "Your highness!" Mia called in a sing-song voice. She rushed over to me with Glenn and Olivia by her side. It was nice to see them again. After the mating ceremony two weeks ago, I had sent a few guards to search for them and luckily, they were alive and well. I wish I could say the same for Casey. She fell alongside the Wild Rose Pack. "I've set everything already," I paused. "Well, the maids did. Let's go?" they nodded eagerly and we headed straight to the tunnels where everything came to an end. With the breeze in my hair and the laughter of my friends, I felt relieved. I never thought I could be
Aurelia's POV"Stay back!""Let go of her, Emma!""If you take one step closer, I'll kill her!" her voice was breaking like she was in tears but there was still a hint of fear and panic in her tone."You've done enough already! Do you really want to add this to your sins?" This voice belonged to Emma. She was probably grinding her teeth in anger. She sounded like she would explode any minute.I was slowly regaining consciousness and strength over my body but I kept my eyes closed. The chain was no longer around my neck but her arm instead and she held me so close to her chest."I did everything for you!" Emma screamed. That meant that Liam was close by. "Everything! I gave my whole life to you. Everything you did, I did it too just so you wouldn't feel left out and alone-""You assumed all of that," Liam was sounding surprisingly calm. I didn't expect that. I wish I could see the expression on his face; would it be blank like a sheet or worried like a true lover?"Ha," she gushed out
Aurelia's POVThere was no more than needed to be said. Emma had chosen her own path a long time ago. What was I thinking trying to show her pity? After all she had done, the only thing she deserved was death."I'm sick of this," Mia said beside me and started to walk towards them. "I'm going to beat her to a pulp and make sure she's hanging from a tree." She increased her pace and charged towards Emma.Just then, a few rogues in wolf form jumped out, attacking Hunter and Mia dodged quickly and surrounded me, keeping their eyes at the rogues that continued to increase.We were surrounded and from the look of things, it would take a miracle for us to get out of here alive."They killed the boss," Emma said, pointing in our direction. "I couldn't do anything because of this," she tugged at her chains. "Where is the key? Release me at once-""The key is with the Prince," someone answered her."What? Where is he? I can't wait that long? What if they kill everyone and come after me too?" S
Aurelia's POVIt wasn't even up to thirty minutes and one group had been annihilated. How did they-"Are you the real Aurelia or are you actually a fake?" they sneered and I recoiled to my corner while Mia shielded their evil eyes from me. I could feel their murderous intent and the hard pressure of their gaze."Sorry," the smile in Mia's voice gave off a psychotic vibe that made me shiver. She was having a good time. I had almost forgotten that Mia had a thing for trouble."They are increasing!" one of the guards yelled from behind. "We can't stay here any longer. We'll be trapped-""Idiot! We're already trapped here. We either go back to the Castle or we go out there but either way, we're gonna have to fight and some of us are going to die and it's not gonna be me because his highness told me to live!" She grabbed my arm and pulled me towards them."Keep your face down!" she yelled as she pulled me further into the tunnel. I could only stare at the floor as the guards fought their w
Aurelia's POV"How serious is it?" I asked for the umpteenth time but every time I did, something strange happened."Should I braid your hair?" Mia asked with a cheerful smile- more like a forced one. "I learnt how to braid when you were away."Whenever I asked about the war, someone would change the subject. It was too obvious they were avoiding having to answer, especially when they answered with something completely unrelated."I know what you guys are doing," I leaned back on my pillows, staring at all three of them. "You don't have to do that. Just say you can't tell me or that it's confidential."They glanced at each other before Carlos spoke up, "Wouldn't it be strange to tell the future Queen that a war is happening in her own land and she can't be informed about it.""Really?" I rolled my eyes. "Yet, no one is telling me anything.""We don't want you to worry," Hunter said as he stood by the door with his arms folded and his eyes closed. He was probably paying attention to so
Liam's POVMia closed the door behind her, leaving me and Aurelia in our bedroom. I didn’t think she would have still been awake. It was a shock to hear her giggling from the hallway with Hunter, Carlos and Mia.Now she was swinging her legs while she sat on our bed in a silky thin strap night dress that covered her knees."I have never wanted to make eunuchs out of my warriors so bad," she gasped at my words with a smile on her face. "Tell, my dear, am I wrong to think such things? You're practically naked.""I'm wearing something," she said in her defence."Yes. I see your point," I folded my arms and kept my gaze on her boobs. It took a while but when she understood that, she threw a hand over her breasts."It wasn't like that a few minutes ago" she looked away. "My body only ever malfunctions when you’re close by." she blushed."So you’re saying even when you're next to my grave, you're ready to-""Liam!" She covered her face. "My goodness!" she shook her head aggressively with a
Liam's POV"You gave them twenty four hours?" Andre repeated."That's 16 hours left," I pointed out. I had spent a great deal of time with Aurelia, exploring her body like it would be the last and enjoying our mate bond. The minute I stepped into the room filled with my commanders, everyone could smell the mate mark on me.Their faces lifted up and they were all in high spirits. They couldn't wait to get the war over and done with so they could hold a feast and celebrate that their king had finally been mated."We should ready the warriors soon," Commander Rhys said, staring at the map. "I'll lead my team to the southern part. We should have all four entrances blocked and have them surrounded. I have heard some pretty dark rumours about Norton.""Me too," Commander Denice replied absentmindedly with a hand stroking his chin. "The number of rogues he controls are," he trailed off. "If they all defend Red Valley, we may have a hard time penetrating.""But it's not impossible," Commander
Liam's POVWe arrived with my beast in no time. Even the guards by the border didn't see us when we passed. They only felt the gush of wind and I saw how they all panicked, calling for backup immediately and some chasing after us. They alerted the Castle through the mindlink and once we arrived, I heard the footsteps of a hundred men, rushing to protect the land.I set Aurelia on her feet who clutched my hand like she would lose balance. She smiled up at me and despite the fear on her face, she had been thrilled by the ride. Her heart was beating loudly and I placed my hand on her stomach, hoping that wasn't too rough on our child."We're fine," she said, putting her hand over mine."We have you surrounded!" Andre yelled and stepped forward. "Surrender now or-" his words disappeared when he came a little closer and he recognized who was before him. His eyes moved between Aurelia and I with tears in his eyes.I saw the burden lift up on his shoulders and he turned to the others, "Someo
Liam's POV"What do you mean by that?""The Beta families suffered an unfortunate fate! It is a sensitive topic-- how dare you bring it up so casually!""Unfortunate fate?" I repeated the word and glared at the woman who had said that, ''how disgraceful!''She flinched at my gaze but refused to back down. Her eyes were bloodlust and I saw through her boiling anger-- thanks to the file of course. She had lost a dear friend too but the case was swept under the rug for very obvious reasons that were oblivious to them."We will not allow you to speak about our dead-""What investigation was carried out?" I asked them. "Were the perpetrators even brought to justice? You tell me you honour your dead yet you all failed to produce the killer.""Your visit here is about my son," Alpha Hector chipped in. "I have promised to scold him so refrain from-""I have evidence," I took out the papers from my robe. "Evidence that Norton is behind what you termed an 'unfortunate event'.""Such wild accusa