..........Paris..........We get to our feet after the council tells us we are to reconvene in an hour. For now, we are asked to head to the dining hall for dinner. I hope it truly is an hour because I’m sick of being here. We start heading toward the door but stop when Dimitris asks the council if he may add something. My father and I just re-entered the hall; he was here with the council. They tell him he may, and Father and I share a look, wondering what he’s trying to do. He probably wants to add more reasons why marrying Evaki will bring death to our species. "I understand the council’s traditions and concerns, but I implore you again to consider that the gods' ways are not always understood, as I’m sure you all know. By granting this union, you will not only be setting our Prince’s heart free, but you will be setting the kingdoms free. What we did all those years ago was wrong, and it’s only fair that we try to make amends because I fear what will happen if we don’t. The crim
.......Eva .......A noise that sounds like the bedroom door opening causes me to raise my head. I try to listen, but my head is too heavy with sleep, and it falls back on the pillow again. I turn to my side, drifting off to sleep, but just as I give in, I hear the sound again, and this time it’s louder, causing my eyes to flutter open. A figure suddenly walks up to the bed while I sit upright, trying to concentrate in the pitch-black room, and I scramble for the bedside lights on the verge of screaming. But just then, Paris says, "It's him," and I immediately feel a wave of comfort before my heartbeat picks back up with excitement.I spring out of bed and run to him as he places his jacket on the armchair, and I throw myself in his arms. It’s only been one day, but I’ve missed him so much already. "I missed you so much," he whispers, firmly cupping my face when we pull back from the hug, and I tell him I missed him too but don’t get to finish as he captures my lips in a fiery kiss
.........Evaki .........I slowly open my eyes, greeted by the warm glow of sunlight filtering through the curtains, and a smile spreads across my face as I snuggle deeper into the soft covers, feeling relaxed and content. But just then, memories of last night come flooding back. I abruptly sit up, realizing I’ve got my sleeping shirt on and that I don’t feel anything. Did he dress me? I wonder, peeking under the sheets to make sure, my face still in a frown, also realizing I'm not feeling any discomfort. Paris was too big for me. I expected to wake up sore this morning, but I'm not. My wetness and my panties that are off are the only reminders of what happened last night. "Oh, my God!" I whisper, clamping a hand over my mouth, as the magnitude of what we've done sinks in. Just then, a sweet smell wafts into the room, and I look up to be greeted with the heart-melting smile that always makes my heart skip several beats, no matter how anxious I feel. "Good morning, sleepyhead,"
.........Evaki ........."You’re not spending the night with me tonight?" I ask Paris on the phone. Despite being told we couldn’t spend nights together, we've done so every night when Paris is here. It's been nine months since I moved into the palace, and I'm finished with my training, or I at least know what's expected of me since the queen says we don't stop learning until we're dead. Sweat and tears were shared in these past nine months, but Paris’s parents, Tory, Antonis, and Stefania, have all been there for me. Stefania and I have gotten close as well. Two months after our lunch meeting, I was invited to my first event as a guest speaker. I was a nervous wreck, and Paris had other responsibilities he couldn’t neglect. So, when he wanted to cancel, I stopped him and said I had it under control, even though I didn’t. Tory was not here, and Anton was with Paris. It was the queen and I attending the event, and I couldn’t fall apart in front of her and look weak, not if I still
..........Evaki .........I open my eyes to the shrieking sounds of birds and the rustling of trees as they celebrate the dawn of a new day. A victory smile makes its way onto my face. It's morning, and I made it. But my back says not so fast. I groan in pain, clutching my stomach as I sit up. My bones hurt from sleeping on the floor, and the bed of leaves didn’t help much. I hear the sound of tree branches and leaves cracking, and I know someone is coming. And just then, the branches that were used to seal the hut are opened, and I know I have to get out. I get up and head towards the exit, and I find the two women waiting for me. They show me the way, and I start to walk, the older one walking in front while the younger one walks behind me, neither of us saying a word. We can’t talk; we are not allowed to. I’m mad at Paris right now. He and I spoke about the bonding ceremony, and he said it was like a wedding ceremony but a more traditional one. He said nothing about this medieval
..........Paris.........I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I look back to see Anton, my supporter, looking sleek in his uniform. Today is the day that my mate and I become one. The woman of my dreams is finally about to be my wife. All my life, I have avoided thinking about this day. I cared about Stefania, but she wasn’t my mate, and even though I was committed to making it work with her, I couldn’t pretend to be looking forward to this day. I consoled myself by reminding myself that I’ll be taking over from my father, who’s carried this burden since he was a boy. He is finally going to rest. He will still be available to advise and will later join the council, but it's not the same as ruling. But now, standing here today, it hits differently. The gods saw my heart and brought me my one true love, and in the past nine months, this day has been all I have thought of. Suddenly, even this load that had been so intimidating is not anymore. She makes everything easy and worth it."You
.........Evaki..........Everyone turns to me as I enter, making me feel like I’m wearing ten-inch heels, and I’m grateful for Tory’s dad’s firm arm on mine. The walkway is beautifully decorated with lit lanterns, candles, and a greenery lining. I feel like my knees could give way at any minute as we make our way down the aisle. But everything changes the moment I look up into the eyes of my soulmate, who looks breathtakingly beautiful in his silver uniform. He smiles as he takes a step down to meet me before taking my shaky hand in his. "You are beautiful," he says softly, and a tear falls from my eye as I compliment him in a voice that doesn't sound like mine.The priest begins with a greeting and a prayer before asking us to join hands. We take each other's hands, both trembling as Paris fails to hold back his tears. The priest tells everyone why they have gathered here, but I don’t hear anything after that as I start to get lost in my mate’s eyes. I’m snapped out of the trance
..........Evaki.........."Here, child. Drink this. Don’t be afraid; it’s going to be alright. You have nothing to fear," one of the women says, and I take the cup and drink. I immediately feel the need to pee the moment the last drop makes its way down my throat, and they tell me to go ahead and pee but add that I must ensure the toilet doesn't flush, so I turn off the automatic flush. I walk over to it and sit down, and it feels like I’m peeing five liters of water. They walk up to the toilet when I get up, and I lean on the bathroom cabinet, shaking with anxiety, but they look back at me and tell me I can go. I find myself repeating what they said, and they say yes, I can go wait with Paris. After nodding, I walk out, and I find Paris on his feet. He walks up to me and pulls me into a hug, and I wrap my arms around his waist. I don’t say anything, and he doesn’t either. I just lay my head against his chest and let the tears that have been threatening to fall silently roll down
.......Tory.......My heart skips a beat and my eyes widen before tears quickly fill my eyes, taking in the breathtaking sight that greets us as we arrive at Antonis' father’s kingdom. I look at him to see a surge of emotions overwhelm him as he looks at me, his eyes mirroring mine, reflecting a mixture of joy, relief, and gratitude. The people have come out in droves to welcome us. The king and council pardoned Antonis, but we weren’t sure how the people felt, especially since they had been under the rule of someone with ulterior motives for so long. Dimitris might not have been the official ruler, but he still ruled, and many were born under his rule.We step out of the car and onto a raised platform, where we can see the sea of faces in the crowd. There are men, women, and children of all ages smiling and waving enthusiastically. I can feel the love and admiration radiating from the crowd, and a tear slips from my eye at the genuine warmth and acceptance we are receiving.Overwh
........................Author's POV......................................................Two months later..............................As the sun sets over the picturesque landscape, Evaki and Paris stand in awe of the serene beauty that surrounds them. They are attending a private wedding ceremony as witnesses, a momentous occasion for the brides and grooms. The couples look radiant, their eyes filled with love and excitement for the future.Evaki is wearing a silver gown with a regal silhouette that exudes elegance and grace. Paris stands next to her in a silver tunic tailored to exude sophistication and prestige, his hand resting on her lower back as they stand side by side. They are honored to be part of this special day, supporting their friends and family as they embark on their journey as husband and wife. Maia looks like the queen that she is in an exquisite masterpiece crafted from the finest burgundy silk, the color of Antonis's house. Kyros stands next to her in a g
........................Author’s POV......................."What’s happening Paris, please? And don’t tell me it’s nothing. Why do you reek of blood? What’s all this?" Evaki bombards Paris with questions, and Paris cuts her off, saying it’s Stefania. Evaki’s heart immediately accelerates, her eyes widening as she asks him what’s wrong with Stefania, her voice trembling with fear. Ever since she arrived, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong, and after her mother-in-law told her she couldn't see Stefania, she became more alarmed. Her mind starts racing. Is Stefania dead? Did she die in childbirth? Did she not wake up from the Lycan process? She starts asking herself but her thoughts are cut short by Paris’s voice, telling her that Stefania was not who they thought, confusing her."What do you mean?""She lied, Eva. She manipulated me; she hurt you. She…" Paris chokes on the lump that quickly inflates in his throat, and Eva cups his face, but Paris quickly turns
.........Evaki.........Confusion clouds my thoughts as I struggle to comprehend what's happening. My brother is supposed to be dead, buried in the ground, and yet here he is, standing in the flesh before me. My thoughts spiral into a whirlwind of questions while my heart pounds in my chest, echoing loudly in my ears and causing my hands to start trembling. I stare into the eyes that mirror my late brother’s. The same unruly mop of blonde hair, the same sharp jawline, and the same mischievous smile that used to light up our childhood memories. It can’t be."Everett?" I whisper again, my voice barely above a whisper, and my eyes wide with confusion as he takes small, cautious steps towards me, his eyes fixed on mine. His hand reaches out slowly, tentatively, as if afraid I might disappear if he moves too quickly."Hello, sister," he says, his voice choking with tears as I lean into the familiar touch. "My name is Kyros. I never met our mother, and I just found out that she never tol
.........Evaki ........The grandeur of the palace looms before us as we step out of the car, and my eyes widen with a new sense of wonder. My transformation into a wolf has heightened my senses beyond anything I could have imagined, making me see the world with a clarity I have never experienced before. The colors are richer, the textures are more defined, and the scents are incredibly distinct. I can even identify the faint scent of humans, which surprises me as they are nothing like what I imagined. Wolves can always tell when a person is human before they even see them, and I thought that meant humans had the same scent, but it turns out they don't. Humans have different scents, with the only common denominator being the strength of their scents, which are very weak compared to those of wolves. Everyone smells good, but Paris smells divine and intoxicating. I even found myself sniffing him on the plane.I look at him as we make our way toward our quarters, and my brows furrow
........Tory .........I look back as we enter the forest, even though I know the house is sealed and the baby is safe. I also have a monitor and will be able to check on him if he wakes up. I didn't want to bring him out here, but I couldn't miss witnessing this very special moment as my friend joins me on the supernatural side. Paris sets her down, and the elders walk up to check on her. We are outside in a clearing in the forest at the back of our place. The gods need to witness her first change and release their blessing upon her, so she had to be brought out here and make her first shift under the moonlight that is shining brightly above us, as though also celebrating with us. It's also the only source of light.I take a deep breath, the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves filling my nostrils and creating a sense of contentment deep within me. I love the fresh and earthy smell of the forest. I was terrified when Paris arrived with the two elders since Eva began this journe
.......................Author’s POV .......................Dimtris is still standing by the window, his mind racing with thoughts of his elaborate plot to usurp Veseleios, when the room's door clicks open. He turns, quickly fixing his face as he does, ready to shower Veseleios with a fake compliment about something he saw in the fields, but his breath catches in his throat when his eyes lock with Maia's.He doesn’t even register the uncannily Evaki look-alike next to her until a second later. "Daughter," he mumbles, his body turning cold, the look on Maia’s face sending shivers down his spine as it screams his worst fears. He wasn't kind to her the last time he saw her, and he knows she killed Charon.He quickly composes himself while thinking of how to get out of this. Charon was supposed to mark her and tell her who she was. His eyes quickly trail down to her neck, and she doesn’t have a mark, which means he didn’t mark her, but what about the truth of who she is? He can see in he
...............Stefania...............My heart races in my chest as the elder leads me to the room, and I look at my father, who's being escorted by the king to another room. He nods at something the king says, carefree with no worry in the world, while I'm dead inside. My mind is a whirlwind of anxiety, fear, and pain—the pain of losing my brother and mother. They never wanted any of this, and now they are dead. I only asked my father what killed Charon because I didn't need to ask what killed my mother. I already knew that losing her son killed her. He said he didn't know; he's waiting for the guards he sent to Red Lake to get back to him. But I knew he was lying to me. He knows because he said we can't let their deaths be in vain, which means my brother was killed doing his dirty bidding for this stupid plan that has now ended our family."This way," the elder softly says, gesturing for me to go down the stairs, and I can feel my palms growing sweaty as I clutch onto my skirts,
..........Paris ..........Antonis's voice booms over the phone. His eyes are burning with urgency as he barks orders to the guards, telling them to close all exits and stop King Dimitris and Stefania from leaving. My father and I stand frozen in shock, listening to him."Antonis, what's going on?" Father demands again, walking up to him. "Why are you closing the airport? What madness is this?" Father grabs him by the shoulders, stilling him."He's a traitor. All this time, he's been planning to kill us all. He wants to become a Lycan," he says, shocking us and Father asks him what he's talking about."You are not making sense; what are you saying? Who told you this?" he asks, now cupping his face and Antonis says it's the maid's daughter, Stefania's adopted sister."How? When?" Father asks, and I ask if she was the one mind-linking him, since this is all happening after the mind-link. He says yes, confusing us even more. Father demands that he sit down, take a breath, and then tell