KylanI held Puppy tightly in my arms, feeling her limp body pressed against mine. Her chest rose with each breath, but her glowing eyes were closed. It had been a while now.The back of my fingers brushed her cheek. “Pup,” I whispered, worried. She hummed softly in response, but she didn’t open her eyes.The one responsible, that sick Soothsayer, just sat there and watched me without doing a single thing—like all of this was normal to him.Pissed, I met Aelius’s gaze. “What did you do to her?”Aelius took a breath, looking around the cage. His eyes, which had been white before, had already dimmed to their original color. “Let her be,” he spoke. “She’s fine. She’s dreaming.”“Dreaming?” I spat, narrowing my eyes at him. “You made her like this. She’s not dreaming—what did you do to her?”“She’s in the Veil,” Aelius raised his voice slightly, as if that explanation made things better.The Veil?What the hell was that supposed to mean?“What is that?” I snarled, glaring at him.“Time wi
AdelaideIt was early—too early for anyone to be up, but I didn’t care. I found myself knocking on Esther’s office door, waiting for her to open up.I hadn’t closed a single eye. How could I?All I could think about was that vision, and it played in my head over and over again.The way Alaric turned into that thing…I knew we were dark witches, but had Mom completely lost it? Was she actually attempting to bring back Lord Baelor, the same god of the underworld I had called a myth?The chaos that would cause would be impossible to fix, especially if he would have access to Alaric’s wolf on top of all.Even though she took her time, the door eventually creaked open, revealing Esther. She stood there with a calm smile. “Good morning, Adelaide,” she said. “You’re up bright and early.”I didn’t have time for her crap, not today. Just like last night, I forced myself into the office before taking an uninvited seat at her desk.Esther sighed softly, mumbling something under her breath as she
Adelaide“Smile!” the photographer called out.I wrapped my arms around Claire, pulling her closer, and gave my best smile for the camera. It was the best I could do. After all, this group picture would be hanging on the walls of Lunar Hall. The bright flash went off, and for a split second, his face appeared in my mind—Alaric.I blinked, trying to shake the thought away. His personality, his presence…there was something unique about him that I had never seen before in anyone. His glow, his kindness, his innocence—and Mom wanted me to destroy that.It had already been a few weeks since I’d last seen him, and I had been doing everything I could to avoid him. Honestly, it wasn’t that difficult. Alaric was mostly surrounded by guards, and even if he wasn’t—I was sure he’d respectfully just stay out of my way.Maybe I was insane, but I wanted to be around him—and at the same time, I knew I couldn’t because I had to protect him.Every time he was near, I could sense it somehow. It didn’t m
AdelaideJames had his arm wrapped around my waist as we entered the classroom for Elite training. He always held me close, like he was proud to show me off—but at times like this, I hated it.Times when Jane couldn’t stop glaring at me…She always had that same look on her face, like she wanted to burn a hole through me—and I couldn’t blame her for feeling the way she did. She believed in mates, and she believed he was hers. In her eyes, I took what belonged to hers.I glanced at James, who was too calm and didn’t seem to care or notice. At times, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was nothing more than an act.How was he not longing for her? Falling apart? Wasn’t that the way of their Moon Goddess?Before I could try to understand, Elyx appeared out of nowhere and stole me away from James, pulling me into a tight hug.“Addy!” he called out.“Lixie!” I said back, throwing my arms around him.When I pulled away, I kissed his cheek, and he smiled ear to ear. The longer I spent around him
Adelaide“I’m here to keep an eye on my mate,” Alaric whispered back, leaning back in his chair like he owned the place. “I need to protect you.”Protect me from what? He was the one who needed the protection.“If you hate me that much, just pretend like I’m not here,” he shot me a bold wink, and that’s when I knew this guy was going to be a big problem.~That night at the dorm, I paced back and forth in the kitchen—thinking about the boy who was messing with my head.What was he on about, talking about how he had to keep his eyes on his mate? He had completely lost it.I bit my nails, trying to come up with the best solution to get rid of my not-so-little problem—but I didn’t know what to do anymore. I was trying to protect him, to keep him safe from me—but he was like a plague. He was unavoidable, always came back.Yet, a part of me was happy to see him, happy to see that he was ready to fight for me.No one ever had.Not even Grandpa Aelius when Mom made me leave our home.A huff
AdelaideThe next day, I stood outside James’ door. I had decided not to wait any longer and was going to end things with him today. Even though I knew it was the right thing to do, it definitely didn’t make it any easier.I knocked, and within seconds, the door opened. James greeted me with the same big smile as always.“What’s up, Addy?” he said, closing the door behind him. For a moment, I felt bad again. James was always so positive and amazing. How could I do this to someone like him?He leaned in to kiss me, but I turned my head just in time, letting his lips land on my cheek instead.“Hey,” I greeted.“Hey?” He pulled back, furrowing his brow for a split second, but just as quickly, he brushed it off like it was nothing.He simply slung his arm over my shoulder as usual, and we began walking.“Take me to the woods,” I instructed.“Whatever you want,” James shrugged, not questioning my words whatsoever.If I was going to end things with him, I at least wanted to do it the proper
AdelaideAlaric stared at me with a calm smile on his face. “If this is the length I have to go to talk to you,” he said, “then no, I don’t get tired of myself, Addy.”I gasped in disbelief as his lips curled even more, and he kept staring at me like I was the only thing that mattered to him in that moment.“No guards—not even one?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as I quickly scanned my surroundings. He went from a dozen to two, to none. Quite the achievement.He shook his head. “I got my voice back because of you,” he said, tapping my thigh for a second. “Told the king enough is enough.”I fluttered my eyes, surprised by the confidence in his tone. Even though I had encouraged him to do it, he had done something I had struggled with my entire life—rebel against his overbearing parent.Every time I thought I could see right through the guy, there was something new to unpack.“Why did you follow me?” I asked, crossing my arms. The question came with attitude, but it was only because I did
Adelaide Weeks had passed since Alaric and I had decided to give this mate thing a try, and somehow—he kept surprising me day by day. Even now, as he made me tremble beneath him in his dorm room. The stuttering prince who had rocked my world in more ways than one. “Alaric…” a moan escaped my lips as I threw my head back. My arms wrapped tightly around him as he moved against me, occasionally letting out a grunt. He moved his lips to my jawline, brushing against the spot he had been paying the most attention to. “Let me mark you, Addy,” he murmured, almost pleading. “No,” I breathed. This wasn’t the first time he had asked, and I knew it wouldn’t be the last. He had a clear mission, and each time he whispered those words, it became harder to say no. He felt so good filling me up, and his touch had become an addiction to the point I feared one day I would lose control and say yes. But I couldn’t… I couldn’t allow myself to be too connected to him—not without knowing what the fut
VioletI stared down at the mat, sweat nearly dripping from my forehead as I did another push-up. One wouldn’t have guessed it, but Commander Jorn ran across the training hall, clapping his hands and yelling like always.Strangely enough, I could almost keep up with everyone today. Almost!If I wasn’t so sore and tired from yesterday, I probably could’ve given it my all. It was too bad my arms felt like jelly—and to make matters worse, my brain couldn’t focus with all his yelling.I know Adelaide would’ve pushed through, but I also knew that I definitely didn’t see the old Elite team do any of these exercises when I was in the Veil. The training days in the past were definitely easier than this.I changed the position of my hands, stumbling a bit—and then a soft fist suddenly connected with my back. It was Commander’s…of course.It was just a little touch, but it was enough to make me drop flat to the mat.“Ow!” I muttered, grabbing my nose as I managed to sit up. It hurt like crazy,
Violet“You tell me,” I answered. “You are the Lyperian.”Nate sighed and looked at a still-tense Dylan with a teasing look. “She’s getting smart now.”He tried to involve him, but other than a low hum, Dylan didn’t have much of a reaction.“Actually, I don’t know,” I responded in all honesty. “We should be receiving a message soon. Could be anytime now, I think.”Those were my hopes. I just wanted to get it over with—and quick.“If all goes well, I might have to address you as Your Highness!”“No—”“Do you want a water, Your Highness?” Nate offered, mocking a bow.“Your Highness?” I repeated, laughing. “I’m not…”My words faltered because technically, he was right. I was a princess, but…of what? The common lands? A place no one had ruled for ages?It’s not like anyone knew, for that matter. I couldn’t exactly shout it from the rooftop.“You know what,” I changed my mind, “maybe I do need that water.”“Great,” Nate placed his hands on my shoulders. He gave them a squeeze, but all I co
VioletKylan and I walked through the halls in the early morning, hand in hand, on the way to Elite training. What was supposed to be a regular walk had gathered even more attention than the initial mate reveal.We were still the center of attention, and all eyes were still on us. It even went as far as some students pulling out their phones to take pictures, while some whispered as we passed.I couldn’t even remember it ever being like this for just Kylan before. Sure, people respected him, followed him, stared at him—but this? This was different.I knew what they were thinking.What had a girl from the Bloodrose done in her past life to get mated to the heir of Lyperia? Or maybe not. Maybe they were making fun of me because he was literally dragging me with him as he walked, and I struggled to keep up.I let out an embarrassed chuckle, trying to let go of Kylan’s hand so we would at least look a little less stupid, but he wouldn’t let me.A frustrated growl came from his lips, and h
VioletI nudged his shoulder. “I don’t need you to hold my hand, Kylan.”He shrugged. “Oh, really?”He opened the gates, and we walked the dark and quiet campus ground. Being back on these grounds after experiencing Adelaide’s time was a big difference. Maybe I was insane, but I liked the old Starlight much better.The Starlight before the renovations, when the academy looked like it might collapse any second. The new Starlight was too modern, too elite…“Starlight is slacking these days,” I muttered.“How so?”“Well,” I looked around. “Did you know that back in Mom’s time, people didn’t even dare step out past curfew? The gates were always open, but everyone just followed the rules without even thinking about it…except for our parents of course. They were definitely something else.”“Mom?” Kylan lifted his brow.I rolled my eyes. “She’s my Mom, is she not?”He mumbled something under his breath. Something I couldn’t quite understand or cared for. It still felt strange to know that I
VioletThe car ride back to Starlight was full of stories. I had told Kylan everything I could remember, mostly about Adelaide, Alaric and the royal family, Gloria, Esther—and of course, Baelor.I even told him about the bond between Adelaide and the Elite Team, how much they loved and protected her—but most importantly, how King Elyx ended up betraying her.There were too many details, I could hardly remember. I was certain I might have forgotten something along the way, but for now, it was enough.Once I finished talking, I glanced at him, waiting for his reaction. He didn’t respond, his eyes were fixed on the road, and his expression was unreadable.For some reason, I had expected him to match my energy. I thought we could laugh together about Adelaide or even the king’s nickname, but there was nothing.“So what do you think?” I asked, attempting to get a reaction out of him. Kylan squinted his eyes. “So,” he finally spoke up. “We’ve met before and our parents exchanged names?”Th
Violet“And what does that mean?”I gritted my teeth, trying not to let out a yell. Aelius spoke in riddles, avoided answers, and now he was questioning whether I was worthy? I had just relived Adelaide’s pain, seen flashes of things I barely understood—and since they all came from his beloved granddaughter, having him doubt me was unfair.Kylan must have sensed my frustration because, in the very next moment, he moved. He got up from the cold ground, his eyes sharp as he headed straight for Aelius.“Kylan—“ I gasped, reaching for him, but he was already there.Aelius just sat there and let it happen as Kylan wrapped his tight fist around his cape, yanking him closer. “Listen, you old fuck,” he growled. “Violet said she wants you to teach her, so you will teach her. I don’t care what kind of cryptic bullshit you’re on, but I do know one thing.” He shoved him back, pointing at me. “You’ll do what she asks.”Silence fell over us. I held my breath, waiting for something—anything—to happe
VioletI gasped for air, my heart pounding in my chest. I’d been in the Veil all this time, but now I found myself back in the caves. Everything was blurry. It was just as dark as I remembered, the only source of light coming from the campfire.My mind was still spinning as I sat up straight. I couldn’t get far because a pair of hands steadied my waist. That familiar touch belonged to Kylan. By now, it had been imprinted in my memory—so much that I could bet my life on it.“Violet,” I heard him whisper in my ear, though my eyes were on Aelius, who didn’t seem the least bit surprised by all of this. “Breathe.”Focusing on Kylan’s voice, I quickly regained my vision, but my heart was nowhere near at ease.How could it be?“No!” I choked out, shaking my head. I turned halfway to look at Kylan, those deep brown eyes staring back at me as if I had just said the worst thing possible. “I have to go back—she was there!”No reaction.This time, I tried my luck with Aelius, looking at the man A
AdelaideI ran through the woods, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to get to Violet. Every few steps, my eyes glowed, lighting up the path Alaric had carved out ahead of me.My legs were so numb I could barely feel them, my head was spinning, but I couldn’t—wouldn’t—stop.I had to find her…I had to find my Violet…After failing to keep Claire safe and failing to lock Baelor away the first time, not failing Violet was the least I could do.A warmth spread through me as I finally reached the den I had seen through Alaric’s eyes.Right in front of it stood a rare white fox with bright eyes, guarding my daughter—the same one I had seen through Alaric’s eyes. I didn’t know what it was doing here, how it had gotten here—but I was grateful.“Violet!” I gasped, running toward the entrance. The white fox moved aside as I fell to my knees and crawled into the den.And there she was…My Violet.She was wrapped inside a blanket, her tiny hands reaching for the air as giggles filled the s
Adelaide“It’s okay,” I said, my breath hitching as I fought back tears. I turned the wolf’s head with my hands to take another look into those red eyes. Then, I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his snout.“I don’t regret anything,” I said softly. “You made me live again, and if I could’ve chosen any life, any path—I would’ve done it all over again just to be with you.”The wolf let out a low, broken whimper and nuzzled his head against my hands, as if trying to hold onto me one last time.“I love you.”Then, with every bit of strength I had, I sent him through the Veil, watching him disappear into the small gap of the portal. It flickered a few more times before closing…and just like that, he was gone.My glowing eyes faded.“Claire—please!”I focused on the voice beside me and turned to Greg, who was still holding Claire in his arms, crying as she slipped in and out of consciousness. She wouldn’t have long anymore.Defeated, I sank to my knees. I had to find Violet, Baelor, but