..........Maia.........."What?" I whisper, looking at him as he continues shaking. Why would he be calling my mother’s name in his sleep? I told him I was adopted, but I didn’t tell him her name. "Kyros!" I call him again, and this time his eyes snap open. He sits up with a start, panting and wide-eyed, before looking around the room, looking confused and disoriented."It’s okay. It’s just a dream. It’s okay," I say softly, trying to hold him while he trembles, drenched in sweat, but he flinches when I try to touch him, looking at me like he’s never seen me before in his life. "It’s just a dream; you’re alright," I try to reassure him, but my bedside clock cuts me off, and when I turn around after turning it off, I find him off the bed and rushing towards his clothes. He puts them on while I get off the bed, holding the sheets tighter against my chest and walking up to him. But before I can say anything, he picks up his car keys and bolts out of the door, leaving me standing there
.........Evaki.........I sigh as I stand in front of my closet and look at all the clothes I could wear to Stefania’s party tonight. I’m not a very social person and have been dreading it for days, and even though I was given a choice, I know it’s not really a choice. Stefania would be disappointed if I didn’t attend, and it would give others the impression that we are divided, and I can’t have that. We must always show a united front, even if we are still trying to figure out how to unite. That is one of my responsibilities as the first queen. After several minutes of deliberation, I finally decide on a knee-length, green dress with a plunging neckline and strappy black heels that are comfortable.I catch a glimpse of myself in the full-length mirror as I walk away, and I notice that my hair is still damp from the shower, so I quickly run a brush through it and pull it back into a loose ponytail. I don’t want to blow-dry it. I want to do a braided crown and leave the rest of the
.........Maia ........."I-I’m going back to the party," I stutter, my heart beating faster and faster, and there’s silence for a moment, his expression still in a frown before it slowly turns into a smile."Okay, but can I have a moment first? I have something to show you," he says, his eyes glancing at my bare feet, and I open my mouth to tell him I really have to go now, but he speaks again before I can. "I’ll ask Stefania not to proceed without you," he adds, and I scream no, turning his expression into a suspicious one, but I quickly add that the queen is there and I don’t want to seem disrespectful. I say it's okay; I have a moment, even though I’m screaming inside. He proceeds inside the room, and I head to the bed and sit down, wondering what this is about as his eyes start to make me feel weird, like they have been doing lately. He sits next to me, his gaze never leaving mine. "You know I care so much about you, right? You know I would never hurt you," he softly says, rea
..........Evaki ........."Oh, my God!" I gasp, clamping a hand over my mouth, and I follow Stefania, who’s now screaming to her feet before running towards the door, not even knowing what to do. It rips open just as I get to it, and the maid enters, her expression immediately turning into a frown when she takes in mine. But she also gasps, her eyes widening when she sees what's happening, and just then, Stefania collapses to the ground, causing me to run back to her. I take a pillow and place it under her head, my hands shaking as tears start coming out of my eyes, and the maid locks the door, saying no one must enter and see her like this. She is right, and I’m supposed to know that, but I’m so shocked and scared that my mind is not working. She checks her pulse while taking out her phone and calling the royal medical staff, and I take Stefania’s hand, who’s now unconscious, and hold it. I tell her she’s going to be okay, my tears falling on her face, and it’s not long before so
..........Evaki .........."Yes," I reply, getting to my feet, and he steps back. "If you could come with me, please," the man adds, gesturing down the passage, and I open my mouth to respond, but Paris’s voice cuts me off, and I turn my head to see him taking long strides toward me."She’s not going anywhere with you," he says, his expression grave, and I tell him it’s okay, but he cuts me off again, saying it’s not."What makes you think you can question my wife?" he asks, and the guy bows, stammering, and says it’s King Dimitris’s orders, but Paris tells him to leave. He scurries off while Paris pulls me into a hug. "I’m sorry," he says in the hug, and I pull back and tell him it’s okay. What happened here tonight is bad, and I know King Dimitris is just trying to get to the bottom of what happened to his daughter. She just lost his granddaughter, and it could have gone even worse. She could have lost her life, too. They deserve to know the answers. It’s not like they think I di
.............Charon............."What’s wrong?" I ask, finding my father pacing up and down, and he orders Julius, the man in charge of the investigation, out of the room. "Father, what happened?" I ask again as he leans on his desk, noticing he’s boiling with anger. He says Julius couldn’t question Evaki. Paris wouldn’t let it happen. "Somebody poisoned my daughter. Someone almost killed her, and that human was the only one in the room with her," he roars, and I understand his frustration; I am frustrated too, but that human is the queen. I warned him about having her questioned without going through Paris first."He’s the king, Father. I’m sure if you speak-""-I don’t care! Stefania is my daughter. She’s my daughter, and some filthy piece of shit dared to poison her! And what does he do?! Instead of being angry, he’s busy nesting that human!" He says, but we both freeze before quickly turning around when there’s a knock on the door."What?" I ask the guard, and he says the king
.............Charon ............."Hey! What is going on?" I ask one of the guards, seeing them running down the corridor, just as I take my phone out so I can find out if Maia was found. He says something is happening down by the Rose Walk. The Rose Walk is the passage leading to the palace’s secret entrance. I run after the guards, heading down to the dimly lit corridor, and I can hear the growls as I turn the corner, but my eyes widen at the scene in front of me. I see Dyson fall on his knees absent his head, and I take a pistol from one of the guards and fire three shots at the man who just decapitated him, sending him tumbling to his back. "Seize him!" I roar, horrified, looking at the blood splatters and my mem lying dead on the floor, some missing their heads like Dyson, some their hearts. But my heart stops when I look at the person lying just a little further from them."Oh, no," I scream a the guards, who are crawling on the floor, still alive. How the hell do they just l
.......... Maia.........."I don’t-I don’t know I was going to the party when he showed up and started dragging me outside. It all happened so fast, and I don’t know." I stutter, tears flooding my cheeks as I try to make up what happened, shaking, and Mother tells me it’s okay and holds me. She says I don’t have to talk about it, taking in my trembling state, not knowing I’m trembling out of desperation, not fear. I pull back from the hug and beg her to please tell Father not to hurt Kyros. I tell her he saved my life, and she says she will, but I see something change in her eyes, causing me to ask her what the matter is. She says she would have never expected something like this from Dyson and that it scares her because it’s making her question everything. "Dyson has been part of the family for so long, and now for him to have done something like this, it makes me wonder if we can trust any of the people surrounding us every day," she says, getting to her feet while my heart clen
.......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