KylanOnly one thing ran through my mind as I walked the halls, heading to deal with the issue that had brought me to this point.Chrystal…She had crossed the line this time.I didn’t know exactly what Puppy had seen in her vision, but if it matched what the beast inside me was urging me to do, then it had to be close to the truth.I wanted to kill her for all she had done.Yes, giving Puppy the ring had been my decision, but tying her to me with the most precious piece of Lyperian stone was something I never wanted to do, not like this. Protecting her wasn’t a choice—it was an instinct.I felt bad for admitting it, but when she had offered to give back the ring after finding out how to deal with her eyes—I felt relieved.I cared for her, more than I wanted to admit—but the ring wasn’t given out of love.It was given because Chrystal had pushed me to it. Puppy needed that ring to protect her eyes, and I needed her by my side for now—because the feeling of hopelessness I felt when I
KylanChrystal looked at me in disbelief, her lips parting slightly as if she couldn’t process what she had just heard.Her chest rose with each breath. She shook her head, her hair swaying side to side. “No,” she said, her eyes shifting between me and Nate, looking for someone to deny it—but no one did.Certainly not Nate, since this was just as new to him.“No,” she said again, her voice filled with desperation.I knew she would react this way, and that’s why I didn’t want Puppy in the room. Chrystal was reckless, and had Puppy been here, she would’ve finished the job she failed to do last night.That’s why I had to tell her what the future would look like—so she would understand never to cross me again.I took a step closer. “Yes,” I stated. “Starting today, she is officially protected by the law of Lyperia—and you won’t bother her anymore.”She drew in a sharp breath but didn’t say anything.“She’s my mate,” I continued. “Your future queen. And you will treat her with respect.”Th
Kylan“Chrystal—” Nate tried again, and I lost count of how many times he had said her name. I held up a hand to stop him.“That’s all I have to say,” I replied, coldly.A sad chuckle escaped from her lips. “Wow,” her eyes lifted slightly. “Do you hate me that much? That you would choose a werewolf over me?”Hate?“No,” I said, staring her down. “The word hate isn’t strong enough. I despise you beyond words—always have.”Her face fell at those last words, and so did Nate’s, his gaze dropping to the floor.The truth was, I didn’t always hate her. We had some good times, once. But she needed to hear it, needed to understand that there was no going back, no room for her in my life—not now, not ever.Seeing her break, just like she had broken Puppy satisfied me. I wanted her to feel it, the weight of the consequences of hurting the one I cared about.Still satisfied, I left her dorm. As soon as I opened the door, a few girls in the hallway scrambled away, trying to make it seem like they
VioletHours had passed since this morning as I sat on Kylan’s bed, scrolling through my phone. He sat across from me, his gaze fixed on every small movement.He wasn’t even trying to hide it and was doing exactly what he had said he would do—keeping watch over my eyes.After yesterday, I understood perfectly fine that he wanted to make sure they didn’t start glowing again, but…“Can I ask you a question?” he asked after hours of silence.Eager, I put my phone down and looked at him. “Yes?”“Those eyes of yours,” he nudged his head. “How did you know you had to sleep it off again?”“I had a vision,” I admitted, the strange images from yesterday flooding back to me. “It was of Adelaide and a woman she called ‘Mom.’ Her eyes were glowing, and the woman told her she had done it to protect herself and needed to sleep it off.”Kylan tilted his head. “Possibly your grandmother?”The thought made my stomach twist, and I shifted uncomfortably. I hadn’t thought about it like that, but if it wa
Violet“Do you even know what we’re looking for?” I whispered, following Kylan through the library. It was early in the morning, and just like he insisted—we were at the library which was completely empty.“Section 4A, row 2,” he replied, not missing a beat. “I thought you were supposed to be the geek,” he looked back at me.Noticing my lack of reaction, he turned around again and let his hand trail along the shelves before pulling out several books.I rolled my eyes, a smile tugging at my lips. “Your words, not mine.”Even though I had just found out I was a witch, I would’ve preferred to stay in bed a little longer. It was the weekend, after all, and all I wanted was to make the most of it before I had to return to the place I couldn’t avoid all my life.The dorm…and Chrystal.Staying at Kylan’s had been great, but if I stretched it out any longer, I was afraid I wouldn’t want to go back at all.“Come on,” Kylan nudged, leading us toward the table. Curious, I leaned over his shoulde
VioletA portal?“While Chrystal was drowning me, before I went blind—Adelaide told me not to open the portal,” I admitted, the thought coming to mind.“She instructed you to turn off your eyes,” Kylan concluded, his sharp eyes locked on mine. “That time in the car after you…did you notice anything? Voices? Dark forces?”I shrugged helplessly. “Not that I know of.”That was the unfortunate truth. Usually, I had an answer for everything—but this time, I didn’t. Yes, I was the ‘geek,’ but this feeling was new. I felt lost, clueless, and stupid because of my lack of knowledge.How could I have lived my whole life and never once questioned why I grew up so isolated or why it had been drilled into my mind to keep those glasses on my face?Why had I never asked why they wanted me to forget about the voices and the visions, as if they weren’t a part of me?Kylan closed the book with a thud. “You said you can’t ask anyone for help—”“Because they’ll just pretend like nothing’s wrong,” I inter
VioletI pushed down the lump in my throat, looking down at Kylan’s hand in mine as we walked through the academy, making our official debut as mates.The halls of Starlight were filled with whispers, curious and shocked gazes—but mostly judgmental.There wasn’t a single person who didn’t stare, and it almost felt as if the entire school had been waiting for this very moment.If it wasn’t obvious by the stares, it was obvious by the clear path they had instantly created for us.Kylan, however, didn’t seem fazed at all. His expression was calm and collected, as if this was just another ordinary day—while I could barely breathe.I hated attention.“You look like you’re about to shit yourself,” he whispered, his voice low enough that only I could hear.A nervous chuckle escaped from my lips. “It’s probably because I am,” I sang softly, not knowing where to look.Kylan smirked faintly. “Maybe try looking a bit more natural, and a bit less like I’m holding you at gunpoint.”His words remin
VioletMy gaze was fixed on the ground as Dad and…Fergus, walked in silence. After stealing me away from the king, he suggested we take a walk instead—while Kylan remained with his dad.Now we were walking through the woods, neither of us saying a word. I knew he would eventually speak because otherwise, he wouldn’t be here—but the only question was when.My thoughts went to Kylan, and not knowing where the king’s head was at the moment was driving me insane. Would he be forcing Kylan to take the ring back? To reject me immediately?Fergus finally cleared his throat, signaling he was about to speak. I raised my head to look at him as he stared straight ahead. “Who would’ve thought,” he said, his tone sounding awfully sarcastic. “The heir to Lyperia, your mate.”I noticed the deep lines on his forehead. He suddenly looked older than he was, and I knew it wasn’t age—it was stress. Fergus had always been tense, but today, it was different.“I guess so,” I said, forcing a small smile.Cou
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