Adelaide“No one?” he called out, looking around again. “That’s right!” He laughed loudly. “I’m Elyx, future king of Lyperia—no one can beat me!”I let out a chuckle, not being able to listen to his bullshit any longer. Then I stepped forward. “I can!”Elyx’s eyes snapped to me, his grin vanishing for just a second, but then it appeared again.“Addy?” James whispered as he leaned in closer. His tone sounded worried, but his expression was amused.“Too bad I don’t fight women,” Elyx dropped his shoulders.“Is it that?” I pouted, dipping my head to the side. “Or are you afraid of witches?”The way his jaw twitched made me remember the way Claire had described him. He was like the guys at the fountain, only worse.He laughed out loud, looking at his followers who forcefully joined him in the laughter. “I must admire your courage, witch,” Elyx pointed out. He turned his attention to James. “Is this your girl?”James opened his mouth, probably to answer, but Elyx cut him off with a dismiss
Adelaide I had expected him to look away, but he didn’t. The eye contact didn’t faze him. He smiled faintly, but something about that smile sent a shiver down my spine. The smile was meant for me—he was staring right at me. Someone like that…what did Mom want with him? Our eye contact was broken by one of the guards tapping his shoulder, and then he disappeared. “Your Highness, Prince Alaric is waiting,” one of what I assumed to be Elyx’s guards called out from the side. Elyx nodded and made his way toward me again. I quickly scanned the situation. If even the Lycan prince had to be told that Alaric was waiting for him, it meant getting close to Alaric wasn’t going to be easy. Not at all. “Hey!” Elyx stuck out his hand, and I took it. “I had a good laugh today, Adelaide.” What did he mean by that? James slammed his arm over my shoulder, pulling me closer. “Apparently, she’s been dying to meet you,” he said, his tone overly dramatic. Elyx raised a brow, his lips twitching int
AdelaideI had slept peacefully, knowing today was the day I would get a bit closer to my goal.By now, the feeling of James’ arm around my shoulder was already something I had gotten used to. We walked through the cafeteria toward the special room where Elyx would apparently have his lunch.The area was in the center of the cafeteria, surrounded by glass windows so everyone could see them. Even though I had only interacted with Elyx for a few minutes, I read him well enough to assume it was so he could make a point about being above the rest.Students’ eyes were glued to us as we stepped closer. I ignored the looks, but James glared at those around us.“We don’t have to do this,” he whispered beside me.“Why not?”“I went a few times, and these people aren’t your people,” he said quietly, like he was trying to save me from embarrassment. “This isn’t your thing.”“Says who?” I shot back with a smirk. “Calm your tits, Jimmy. We just met—you don’t even know me.”He responded with a low
Adelaide“Yes,” I glanced up, looking at him properly for the first time. I mean, I tried—but it was almost distracting. His sharp jawline, perfect cheekbones, and those incredible blue eyes that I bet could draw anyone in.The thing that struck me the most was the flustered look on his face, like he had never talked to a woman before. It was…cute.“The witch, right?” he asked hesitantly.My eyes widened at his blunt question.He quickly waved his hands, shaking his head. “N-Not that I’ve got any problem with it! I think witches are amazing. Y-You’re all so powerful, and the magic you do is…incredible. I just mean—”A giggle escaped my lips as he ranted, trying to save himself when he didn’t need to.This had to be a dream. The Alpha Prince, the son of one of the strongest shifters alive, the future king, a stuttering mess?“Do you think he’s funny?” James asked, listening in. All it took for him to pay attention to me again—attention I definitely didn’t needed—was one giggle. Could h
AdelaideIt was the day I was supposed to meet Alaric in the woods. The sun was starting to set, and I stood in front of the mirror in our dorm, getting ready for the night.This was all I had looked forward to. Classes at Starlight were so easy that I already knew I would fly through those four years without breaking a sweat, so that wasn’t any of my concern.My only focus was Alaric and getting closer to my goal for the good of our people.“Hey,” Claire greeted, shuffling out of her bedroom in a cozy onesie. Her blond hair was tied up in a bun, and her eyes looked tired as she plopped down on the couch.“Going somewhere?”I glanced at her through the mirror. “Sneaking out,” I said casually.“To see James?” she guessed, raising a brow.I just smiled, letting her think whatever she wanted. The less Claire knew, the better.We had grown close quickly, and if I wasn’t with James, I was with her. We shared most of the same classes and spent more time together than I had expected. She was
AdelaideIt was a simple yes, no—question. One I hoped she would answer.Esther’s lips curled into a small, smile. “What makes you say so?”“For starters, that ridiculous source of power I feel coming from you,” I said, crossing my arms. “That’s not normal for a shifter.”“Incredible,” her breath hitched in surprise. “You are the High Priestess daughter, and a child of blood indeed,” she said. “Not even your fellow witches could sense it, but you can.”She stood straight, opening the door to her office. “Get in,” she gestured with her hands.I waited for a moment. There was still some time left before I would meet Alaric—so why not?As soon as I entered Esther’s office, she closed the door behind me.“So you are a witch?” I tried again, needing a clear answer. “A dark witch I assume?”I scanned the clean and neat office with my eyes. The place one worked said a lot about a person, and I could tell this was a woman who liked control—hence her reaction when I called her out.“I guess th
AdelaideIt was already dark when I sat on the grass, leaning against the big oak tree in the woods. Cold shivers ran through my body as I thought about the words Esther had used to describe Alaric.The chosen one…the vessel.What did it mean, and why hadn’t Mom told me about it? The worst part was sticking to the plan and doing as I was told without knowing exactly what she was planning.I only knew one thing. It was for the good of the witches—my people.They were my priority, and all I had to do was follow Mom’s instructions. So what was I so worried about?After a while, I started to feel impatient, wondering if I had pushed things too far. Alaric was timid, careful—and maybe I had overestimated him, thinking he would really sneak out to meet a witch he barely knew.Maybe it was time to consider other options, like waiting out that Elite team that Principal Sterling was planning.At least, that’s what I thought—until I heard faint footsteps rustling through the leaves. I shot my h
AdelaideI followed Alaric with my eyes, watching as he walked away, disappearing behind the bush. Not long after, I caught a glimpse of his toned back as he removed his clothes.My cheeks turned red. His back was turned, but it was almost impossible not to notice how strong it looked—the muscles in his broad shoulders, his powerful arms.That guy with the killer smile and killer body could probably really kill someone if he really wanted to. After all, he was the Alpha Prince. I was sure Mom had a purpose for him, one that would make sense eventually.A low growl, followed by the sound of cracking bones, snapped me out of my thoughts. It wasn’t a sound I hadn’t heard before—but it never failed to amaze me.Alaric’s limbs twisted, his breathing deepened, and his body disappeared between the bushes. Then it went silent.My jaw dropped as I stepped forward, anticipating the shift.“Holy shit,” I managed between laughter.A massive black wolf appeared from behind that same bush. The blue
AdelaideMy eyes were closed, hands in my lap, as I sat in the temple, trying to concentrate. As always, I didn’t get very far with Violet giggling beside me, interrupting my peace.She was always like this, and it didn’t matter with who—even with my friends who she had only seen a few times. She was just a happy baby.A month had passed since the others started visiting Bloodstone Haven. Every Monday, around the same time, they would come and visit, just like I knew they would today. We would catch up, talk, and they even bonded with Violet. In some ways, it almost felt like old times—even with Elyx, though deep down, I knew better.I just knew he was up to something, and because of that, I lived every day in anxiety—not knowing when all of this happiness would end. One thing I did conclude was that it had something to do with Baelor. Otherwise, there would’ve been no point in Aelius teaching me about the Veil.Some things still did
AdelaideEverything stopped.My breath hitched as I turned to Elyx. Was he serious? My eyes shifted to everyone in the room, but no one dared to say a word—not even James.It had always been like that.Back in the day, he might’ve been the leader of the Elite Team—but even then, no one dared to go against Elyx.Mostly because he was too stubborn and too full of himself.“I don’t know why the two of you fled,” Elyx continued. “I assume it has something to do with your mother, who has been harassing us for years. But Alaric has a duty to his people, and they need him.”I took a small breath.Mom…so she had been looking for me.I wanted to ask about her, about Esther—but now was certainly not the time. Not when he was trying to take Alaric away from me.Alaric let out a soft chuckle. “Then you’ve wasted your years looking for me for nothing because I’m not going anywhere—”“Your father is sick, Alaric!” Elyx snapped.My stomach twisted, watching the shocked look on Alaric’s face. Whateve
AdelaideMy eyes were glued to Claire, my heart pounding in my chest. How could it not when this was the friend I had worried about the most? The one whose validation I had sought the most.Even though she was still breathtakingly beautiful with her golden hair and bright blue eyes—there was something in her gaze that I couldn’t quite place.What did Elyx mean when he said she was right?“Elyx…” Alaric breathed, stepping past me. I followed his movements as he immediately pulled his friend into a tight embrace, still holding Violet in one arm. Surprisingly enough, Elyx reacted instantly.“It’s really good to see you, Addy,” Greg sighed, stepping forward. It was good to see he hadn’t lost his bright smile. His stance was a bit awkward, like he didn’t know whether to hug me, shake my hand, or not do anything at all.From the corner of my eye, I caught Aelius sending the villagers on their way, and since they trusted his word—they all retreated, himself included. Since he had left, I kne
AdelaideLike every morning, I knelt by the creek in the woods, scrubbing the wooden bowls from the temple. It wasn’t because we had to, but because we wanted to.From giving us a place to stay to help me strengthen my powers—Grandpa Aelius had done so much for us, and I guess this was our way of repaying him.Usually, it was just me and Alaric, but for the past five months, it had changed into the three of us.A smile crossed my face, hearing Violet’s soft giggles behind me. I turned my head to see Alaric lying on the grass with Violet on his chest. He was tickling her belly as she squealed in delight.That was one of the best things about her—her laugh.It always brought smiles to many people’s faces as it rang through Bloodstone, and everyone knew it belonged to Violet—the brightest baby around.She rarely fussed, was always happy, babbled too much, always watching the world as if she already had things to say—but most of all, she was so, so loved by her daddy.I let the bowl slip
Adelaide I looked down at Violet, holding her in my arms while lying in bed. She was wide awake, releasing tiny breaths as her big blue eyes scanned the room full of curiosity. She was just a baby, but so observant—something she must have at least gotten from me. That little girl was my world, but each time I looked at her, I just could not stop worrying. Would she grow up safe? Would she have the chance to live a normal life and not feel bear of the consequences of the choices I would have to make? Usually, I had Alaric to break me out of these thoughts, but now it was just me. This was the first time in weeks that Alaric had left our side. He had been extremely attached to Violet since the second she was born, but as kindhearted as he could be, he was back to helping the villagers. Violet made a small sound, shifting slightly, and I immediately held her closer. “It’s okay, princess,” I murmured against her head, rocking her gently. “Mommy’s here.” “Indeed she is,” a voice sp
Two years in Bloodstone Haven…AdelaideIt had been two years since we fled to Bloodstone Haven, and in those years—everything had changed.My days were filled with learning the ways to master the Veil and training my eyes with the help of Aelius, just like we had done when I was younger.Bloodstone Haven had become our home, both mine and Alaric’s, who had adapted well—perhaps even quicker than expected. He no longer looked like the lost prince who had to give up his crown. He seemed like one of us, especially when he would hunt with the men or play with the children of blood like he had known them all his life.Even now, as I watched him carrying one of the children over his shoulder, a smile tugged at my lips. She kicked and screamed in protest while the other children ran after him, trying to save her.Alaric groaned, giving me a pleading look as soon as they started grabbing onto his legs in an attempt to bring him down.“Hey!” He shouted at one of the children tugging at his blo
Adelaide It felt as if the world around me had stopped. I softly clutched my chest, trying to steady my breathing. After sacrificing my position as the next High Priestess, I didn’t have a whole lot to sacrifice, so I didn’t like where this was headed. “The Veil has layers depending on each threat,” Aelius spoke. “The one who creates the Veil is expected to stay inside to keep watch on every layer within the realm.” My heart ached as I realized what he was saying. I would have to give up everything, my freedom, my life…all to keep Alaric, everyone, safe from Baelor. But it would be worth it, I know it would… “If that’s what it takes to keep Alaric safe,” I accept my faith, “then once again—I’ve already decided.” “That’s not all, Adelaide.” There was more? My chest tightened at the mere thought. “Then what is it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Aelius tilted his head. “Where do you think your strength comes from?” I frowned, trying to think. “From my eyes…from all t
AdelaideI fluttered my eyes open, feeling the bright morning sun stream through the small window. Nothing from yesterday was a blur—I remembered it all very clearly.Mom and Esther, Baelor, fleeing to the cave…A weak sigh escaped my lips. It was officially graduation day, and I couldn’t help but wonder what our friends were doing at the moment.Would they be searching for us?Would that old man, Principal Sterling, have forced them to focus on graduation instead?They must be so confused right now.We had all worked so hard for four years to get to this point—only for it to be ruined by some God of the Underworld, and none of them even knew.But I didn’t care…He was safe. Alaric was safe, and that was all that mattered—My breath hitched, and my head turned in less than a split second. “Alaric?”I patted the empty spot beside me, then sat up straight, scanning the room. My eyes landed on a small note on the nightstand.“No…” I reached for it with shaky hands, expecting to read some
Adelaide Hearing the sound of a loud gasp, my eyes immediately shot open. Alaric’s wide blue eyes locked on mine, his breathing heavy and uneven. Worried, I placed my hand on his chest as it rose and fell. “You’re okay!” Before I could stop myself, I threw my arms around him—not caring if he would return the affection, but he did. He pulled me into a tight embrace. My heart felt a bit more at ease, and tears pricked my eyes at the relief I felt. Alaric holding me in his arms was all I needed right now. His hand moved to the back of my head, rubbing it like I was the one who needed comforting more than he did. “You were never going to do it,” he whispered against my hair. “You were never going to feed me any darkness.” I drew in a sharp breath, realizing what he meant. He knew—he had seen everything through my eyes, just like I wanted him to. “Of course I wouldn’t,” I stated, pulling back to look at him. I wanted to meet his eyes so he could see how serious I was. “