VioletMy heart pounded with excitement and nerves as I walked across the campus of Starlight Academy with my suitcases in my hands.This had been my dream for as long as I could remember—to be among the best shifters. The academy was very hard to get into but somehow I had managed to do it.Today would be the start of a new chapter in my life, and absolutely nothing could ruin it."Move it, four eyes!"Almost nothing.I released a yelp as someone shove me down to the ground, and I fell down with my suitcases.My glasses slipped from my face and I panicked. “No, no!” I whispered, closing my eyes as I desperately looked for them.They needed to remain on my eyes at all times. I’d had them since I was eight years old, and all I knew was that it would be a cold and lonely night if I didn’t have them on at all times.The nightmares, the visions…“Yes!” I breathed, my fingers brushing against the familiar frame. Relieved, I quickly put them back on.I caught a glimpse of the back of the g
VioletI blinked, processing the information.Am I her? No, and I was certainly no ex of a Lycan Prince. I would rather take a swim in my own vomit than get myself involved with such a person.“Stop bothering her, Amy,” the other girl with the braids, Trinity, spoke up. She gave me a welcoming smile, her eyes much softer and kinder than Amy’s sharp, piercing gaze.“Chrystal has red hair, remember?”I touched my blonde locks self-consciously, noticing the pink-haired girl's face soften. Then I closed the door behind me.“I’m Violet, nice to meet you.”“Hi, Violet,” Trinity stepped forward, helping me with my suitcases. “Chrystal is a Lycan of noble blood, her Dad is the beta of the Lycan King of the kingdom of Lupyria, and she’s our roommate. I’m in here, Chrystal there, Amy in there—and this is your room," she said, pointing and leading the way.So our other roommate was of noble blood, living in the biggest of the three Lycan kingdoms, no big deal. Another blow to my confidence, just
VioletHis face shifted from an angry gaze to a smirk, then back to furious as he stood in front of me, the Lycan Prince.I felt as if I couldn’t breathe, unsure if it was from the complete embarrassment of walking into the male restroom or from his intimidating presence as he hovered over me.He was tall, with jet-black hair that framed his chiseled face perfectly. His eyes were almost as dark as his hair, beautiful and terrifying. My eyes wandered to his lips which were tightly pressed together, almost as if he were holding back a comment or perhaps a laugh."Lost, four-eyes?" he said, calling me by that same nickname he had called me before. His voice was low and deep.I was still frozen, staring up at him as no words were able to leave my mouth. This was humiliating.I stammered. "I-I think I made a mistake.”Kylan scoffed. "You think? Or you know? Because it seems pretty obvious to me.”That’s it. I was not going to argue with this guy.I rolled my eyes, trying to leave, but he b
Violet“Don’t just stand here. Let’s go!” Trinity grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the dance floor, where most of the students were.I tugged at the hem of my dress, nearly falling over. “Are you sure I look okay?” I spoke over the loud music.Trinity grabbed two drinks from a passing tray, handing me one. “Of course you do. You look hot,” she shouted.I let out a sigh, disagreeing as my eyes scanned the crowd. I didn’t feel hot—I felt stupid and out of place. All these girls looked good because they had the confidence to go with it.Trinity wrapped her arms around my neck and swayed from side to side, forcing me to move with her.“There you go!” she said, and I gave her a small smirk in return.A loud, exaggerated laugh pierced through the music. I looked to the side to see where it was coming from, and it was no one other than our roommate who was more so like a ghost—Chrystal.She was standing with Kylan, Nate and Amy. A weird feeling went through my body as my gaze fell on the
Kylan“Ky,” Chrystal moaned into my ears as she reached her peak. Her body trembled beneath me, nails dug into my back, hard enough to leave marks.I waited for a while before I rolled off her with a disappointed sigh. It didn’t feel satisfying, not in the way it should have—and it was all because of…her.Chrystal had the audacity to place her hand on my chest and started tracing circles with her fingers. “That was amazing,” she whispered.For you.She leaned closer to kiss my cheek, but I could avoid it just in time. I rolled my eyes, pushing her away as I got out of bed. Our business was done here, and so was any desire to stay here with her."Why can’t you just stay with me for once?" Chrystal asked, her voice a little frustrated. “Like you used to.”I ignored her, scanning my messy room. Only, it wasn’t my mess—it was Chrystal’s. Her clothes, her makeup were all scattered around the room and it made me think that perhaps I had made her too comfortable. We weren’t together anymore.
Violet“Somebody please kill me!” I groaned, burying my head in my pillow. Classes hadn’t even officially started yet—and I was already exhausted.How was I even supposed to focus after everything that happened last week?Many had said finding your mate would be magical, like something out of a fairytale. Your mate was supposed to be your soulmate—but mine? Mine was a mate from the lowest pit of hell.He was disgusting, scum—cold-hearted.First, he kissed me, then told me to stay away, and then he followed me back to my dorm. None of it made any sense.Each time I closed my eyes, all I could see were flashes of Kylan’s lip on mine and I hated it.As if things couldn’t get any worse, all the girls could talk about was how he had been sleeping with Chrystal, and that the two would be getting back together.I didn’t mind. Couldn’t give two shits actually—but Lumia was heartbroken.I hated him with every bone in my body, and when I saw him in the hall, I could see it in his eyes. He felt
Violet“Amazing,” Esther said, making me look up to meet her eyes. “This is a junior-level skill. We don’t expect freshmen to heal more than ten.”Unsure of how to answer, I managed to give her an appreciative smile. From the corner of my eye, I caught Chrystal’s eyes shooting daggers in my direction.If it wasn’t for Esther urging everyone to take a seat again, I had no idea what she might’ve done to me.“Violet,” the woman spoke as everyone sat back down. “Please come visit me after class. There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”The rest of the class was mostly theory, and after an hour the bell rang. Students began to gather their things, but I waited, just as Esther had told me to.Chrystal who had been glaring at me for well over an hour, now stood at my table with her minions. Knowing I wouldn’t be able to stop whatever she had planned for me, I looked up to meet her gaze.“Yes?” I asked.Chrystal chuckled, rolling her eyes. “I wasn’t even talking to her,” she said to t
Violet“I wasn’t ignoring you, I was just…” I stopped explaining myself to Nate as he raised a brow. He wasn’t stupid. Of course he knew I was ignoring him.“Why are you hiding over here?” he asked, eating a piece of vegetable from his plate.I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m not hiding.”“When you sit at a table by yourself in a corner, behind a giant plant,” he said, pointing to the ridiculously large pot, “you’re definitely hiding.”I laughed, staring into his curious, brown eyes. There was something about Nate that made him easy to talk to. He wasn’t scary, overconfident or judgmental like the other Lycans.He was just…normal.“So, how is your first day of school going?” Nate asked, popping another vegetable into his mouth. “Already thinking about running for the gates?”“If only they would open them,” I cracked a smile.Nate grinned. “Well, from what I’m hearing, you’re not doing too bad. First day, and you’re already scheduled for a trial day with the Elite Team?”I looked at hi
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