Suddenly warning bells started to ring in my mind. This could not be going right. Something was definitely fishy.Celia’s eyes furrowed as she stared at Keltia, “why would you do me a favor?”Keltia reached the stone altar placed in the center of the hall and leaned back, her long fingers drumming against its edge.“Living a long and boring life makes you want to have friends…to have things others get easily such as friends, love, passion, etc. You see, I seek happiness by giving it to others. It is not such a bad thing, is it?”Celia gave me a worried look but I stepped forward, “We do not have time to waste, Keltia. And, I believe neither do you. So please be straightforward.”“Oh, but I am being straightforward. I was merely stating the bonus she would receive if she agrees to do something I want…”She took a long pause and trailed off as she clapped again. My gaze flicked to the hidden area of the cave and I heard the faint rustling of cloth.“...or rather what she wants.”Keltia
Jasper It was none other than Vasil. Celia’s eyes brimmed with tears upon seeing him and for a second they only kept staring at each other. And the way they did made me feel increasingly hopeless. I felt the need to either kill someone or just lay waste to this cave. Meanwhile, Keltia drummed her fingers again, “Spoiled for choice are you little girl?” So this was what Kelltia had really been after. To make me feel happy yet make Celia disgusted by the act. “A little birdie had told me that you were on the search of this particular young man whom I happened to come across while he roamed around blindly in the forest searching for you.” Keltia clapped her hands in excitement, “How fortunate that he passed out just outside my door and spoke a name the entire kingdom was aware of. Miss Celia” She giggled and I had the murderous urge to simply climb up the stairs and make Keltia drown in her own fire rising from the depths of her body. Vasil looked pale and tired but he was not gr
JasperI thundered at her line, “Just keep that fucking ink with you. I am leaving this wretched place and I don’t care if I die right now, I do not want that ink.”Keltia tilted her head and replied darkly, “Do as you please”I was shaking with fury and jealousy at what she had just proposed. If I thought my family and the way I had been brought up was cruel, then Keltia seemed like the epitome of cruelty to me.She had somehow known what Celia meant to me and was making me die a thousand deaths with every passing minute.But why did she hate me so much? I had not even met her before in my life and she had been giving ink to Nymeria all this time.While I tried to figure out Keltia’s motives behind this, Vasil’s face brightened.“Yes, yes. Celia, please come to me. You are mine. I feel the mate bond. I...I am sorry I pounced at you back at the Vampire Castle. I was a newborn and hungry.”I grit my teeth and could not stop myself from blurting out, “So you try to suck the life out of
Jasper My cock was throbbing wildly in my pants, wanting to take this further, wanting to not just stop at a kiss. My head kept telling me, I should have claimed her the rough and hard way when I had the chance to. She would have been marked by me and nobody would ever dare to lay a claim on her. That thought reminded me of her soft flesh and I ran my hands over her thigh, letting it rest on her buttcheek before giving it a squeeze. The fabric of her dress was flimsy and I could feel her skin beneath it just as she could feel my touch. But I was foolish enough to not claim her all this time and simply play this game of need and want with her. It had come to bite me back in the ass now. I was kissing her as if my life depended on it, wanting to just merge our bodies into one. She whimpered but did not push me away and my tongue explored her mouth. She arched her head back, her soft mounds pushing into my chest as I felt her nipples strain through the fabric. She wanted me, she
Jasper The bottle smashed into the ground, the small shards of glass flying everywhere. The ink was spreading in a small puddle on the stone cold floor. I clenched my fists and looked at Vasil who was giving me a smirk. I looked to the side and saw Keltia smirking as well. Vasil flicked his tongue over his fangs and got up from the ground. “Oops” He smiled and before I could open my mouth, I heard a scream from behind me. It was Celia who was staring at the smashed pool of inkpot with an aghast face. “Vasil, what did you just do?” She asked in despair and he only grit his teeth. “I should be asking you the same question. How could you do that to me? How could you kiss someone else when your mate is standing in front of you? Do you have no decency?” His tone was accusatory and he was livid. “Why did you not stop her then instead of watching it as if you were enjoying it?” He turned his attention to me, “I am not talking to you, you filthy cursed lycan. You are the living embo
Celia Keltia took a deliberate pause and she kept looking at Jasper intently. I could see the cogs of his brain working and trying to piece everything together. The visit to Keltia was turning into a surprising event, one that I had not been ready for. But more than me, Jasper seemed to be shocked a lot. When Jasper did not say a word for a while, Keltia’s gaze flicked to me. I whispered in a low voice, “Matron Arwen” I whispered the name and Jasper turned on his heels so fast that I could swear I heard a bone or two crack. Vasil had gone incredibly quiet and did not speak a word but was merely hearing us out as we discussed things he knew nothing about. However, I was glad that he had atleast stopped hurting Jasper. We could sort our mess later because this was an even bigger one. I looked at Keltia and the expressions on her face told me I was right. Jasper however was not buying it. “Now you are just spewing nonsense, Keltia” He spoke and she muttered, “your girl took her
CeliaJasper was a strong man, an honorable one and the way he had lived his life so far had made him impervious to shocks or surprising revelations.But, he was not taking this one easily. And, I had to give him credit that he had not simply closed his hands upon her throat and killed her for speaking ill of his beloved Matron.“My father…he is many things but I would not believe that he is a womanizer. If he had her all these years around him yet he never took her as his queen, what do you think that makes him?”Keltia gave him a side-eye and corrected him,“I never said your father was that. He only got easily swayed by those around him because, after this witch cursed him….he suddenly became alone.”“Power is a fickle thing, Jasper. It makes people change alliances and switch their motives in the blink of an eye. So does fear. And your father had lost the former and gained the latter. He wanted someone to replace me. His kingdom and his throne were about to crumble, everything he
Celia We all looked at Vasil and I suddenly remembered he was still here. But he was neither growling at Jasper threateningly nor was he glaring at me for having kissed someone who was not my mate. In fact, he was listening to the conversation intently and even tried to show active participation. It was as if he had just forgotten he was lunging at Jasper a moment ago and was now suddenly a part of our team. Even Jasper was taken aback by his sudden change of behaviour but only threw him a confused look before returning his attention back to Keltia. Time was of the essence and we were running out of it. “Hmm, there might be a chance for us to save Jasper but I repeat, I cannot guarantee its safety. It is risky” She said furrowing her brows as she thought of her plan. Meanwhile, Jasper tried to pull me away and interjected, “Can I talk to you Celia for a moment please?” He asked me pointedly and I shrugged. We stepped to the side and he muttered, “Celia, I am not sure what is wr
To all my lovely readers, I cannot thank you enough for staying with me on this wild roller coaster of emotions until the end. You cannot pick a favorite child but writing this book was magical, simply because, I got so many of you who were invested to read. I sincerely hope I've improved as a writer when compared to my old books and continue to write stories that touch your hearts. Last year was especially tough for me with fighting depression and a few other issues that I do not want to make public. Some of you loved the story, others not so much. But I want to thank every single one of you for giving this story and this author a chance. If my story managed to provide a temporary escape from reality or simply added a sprinkle of joy to your day, then my mission as a writer is complete. And to those who patiently endured the plot twists – I promise, I only did it because I love you all. Okay, maybe that is not the complete truth. Perhaps there was a hint of mischief in the twis
Jasper I turned my head to look at her from a distance. I could see the nervousness in her gaze, in her body language. My gaze flicked to the guests, all of whom were looking at her. She cleared her throat, “Today is going to be a big day of my life. But before I take that step…I…I wanted to tell you all something.” Her gaze found mine and I only smiled at her. Before she could speak another word, one of the many people in the crowd placed a hand on his chest and bowed down to her. Celia was stunned and watched him In surprise. Behind her, Nymeria, Xenos, and Vasil were slowly descending the stairs too. Following the first person, a few more did the same- place a hand on their chest, their heart to be precise, and bowed to her, going down on one knee. “What is going on?” She asked In a low voice. Soon, everybody followed suit. In a matter of minutes, the entire crowd was on its knees, bowing to her. Her eyes flicked to me and I too did the same gesture. Placing my hand on my
JasperI cleared my throat and looked down at the crowd of people who had come to witness the wedding. There had been no happy event or celebration in the palace after my birth.That day had been a day of celebration but Isadora had turned it into a nightmare. And after all those years, finally, we were having a moment to rejoice.But as I watched the hopeful eyes of the people surrounding me, I could not shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at me.I had to get rid of it. And the only way to do that was to be honest.For a confused moment, I stood on the stairs, looking at the excited faces of the people around me.My gaze flicked to my father and brothers, all of whom were smiling proudly at me.“Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention please?” I asked in a loud voice, turning even those heads that had been momentarily distracted while looking at the grandeur of the palace.“First of all, I would like to thank you all for being present today. Frankly, I did not expect so many of
JasperThe huge room suddenly felt too small and the air in the world did not seem enough to fill my lungs.Celia had spoken something, but I was too busy staring at her.My heartbeat was roaring in my ears as I took in her beauty that shone radiantly, nothing short of a thousand lanterns.Her face looked distraught and her eyes were red, her cheeks puffed up. Her makeup had smeared a little too.But despite that, she looked like an angel. A Goddess.I had only seen her in her usual gowns and training clothes, but this marvel…this was just for me.For a minute, I simply stood in front of her, drinking her features. How could she be so blissfully ignorant of what she was doing to me by just standing there in that beautiful dress?I took a step forward, and I saw a tear trickle down her eye.“Shh, don’t cry,” I said softly, reaching for her face and cupping it. And when I did, a surge of electricity rippled through me.My Lycan roared in my head, feeling exhilarated to see her all dolle
CeliaDread settled in my heart when Xenos and Nymeria revealed my life’s biggest secret. My whole life had been a lie?But then what about the people I grew up with thinking they were my parents?Nothing made sense anymore, and I only stared blankly at Xenos.“Is…is that true?”I asked, and he nodded. “There is a reason I never found the courage to tell you all of this earlier. And to be sure that I was not guessing it all wrong, I asked Nymeria to allow me to show her that memory, too. I touched her and with her permission, I looked through her memories…childhood memories, to be specific. There was no trace of me or Isadora in it.”My heart felt like it would break into a million pieces.“But then, how could I never do magic? I never sensed it and…and then why was I not able to fight her when she…she killed me?”I was sobbing hysterically and Nymeria’s face looked like she was cursing herself for ruining my day.She apologized over a thousand times that she did not want me to learn
Celia "Are you going to tell her, or should I?" Nymeria's question hung in the air like a storm cloud, casting a palpable tension in the room. I looked from Nymeria to Xenos, confusion and a growing sense of foreboding twisting in my chest. Their solemn expressions conveyed that something grave was afoot. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, my heart beginning to race. "Tell me what?" I pressed, my voice laced with unease. Xenos, usually a man of few words, hesitated for a moment. His eyes held mine for a second longer than I expected, and I could see a mix of guilt and apprehension in them. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again, the weight of his unspoken words lingering in the room. Nymeria, her expression torn between sympathy and responsibility, finally broke the silence. "Celia, there's something you need to know." I felt a shiver crawl down my spine. The room, once filled with warmth and camaraderie, had now become suffocating with uncertainty. My thoughts raced as
CeliaThe grand lycan palace was alive with anticipation, every corner adorned with flowers and delicate decorations in celebration of our wedding day. Two weeks had passed in a blur since the night Jasper had proposed to me in front of my pack.And every day after that seemed like a dream to me. I would wake up and pinch myself, wondering if it was all my imagination.But it was true, every single moment of it…just like today.The air was thick with the sweet scent of blooming roses, and the palace echoed with laughter and the sound of joyous conversations.In my room, the one I used to live in before I moved in with Jasper, a sense of nervous excitement filled the room as I sat before a beautifully crafted vanity mirror, surrounded by my maids and my dear friend, Nymeria. Their skilled hands moved with grace, tending to every detail to transform me into the radiant bride I aspired to be.The maids began to braid my long, dark hair, weaving flowers and jewels into it.As their nimble
"Are you guys ever coming out?" Jasper called with a good-natured grin, standing a few paces away from the porch.He had his hands placed on the doorframe and looked at us with his eyes furrowed as he saw Vasil holding my hand which I gave a gentle squeeze.“Don’t forget what I told you. Think about it,” I added, looking at Vasil while getting up from the chair.Jasper folded his hands over his chest and asked, “What secret are you guys discussing?”Vasil too got up from his chair and gave my arm a light squeeze.“Of course. And just so you know, if he ever hurts you or makes you sad, you know where to find me.”“Ha ha ha, very funny, bloodsucker,” Jasper replied humorlessly and looked at me to indicate that he wanted me to come out of the room.Vasil outstretched his hand as if to say, “After you” and I looked at him with my eyes wide, “Why are you always mean to him?”Jasper grinned, “He tried to take you from me. Am I not great for letting him live?”Vasil, who was just behind me,
CeliaAs Jasper walked beside me, his very presence filled my being with warmth and comfort. His scent, a heady mixture of earthy woods and his own unique, intoxicating fragrance, enveloped me like a protective embrace. I observed him, my heart overflowing with gratitude for the incredible man who had become not just my love but my lifeline, my mate.Isadora had tricked me into believing Vasil was my mate but the true pull of the mate bond was poles apart from the confusion she had tried to insert in my head.It was as if whenever I saw Jasper, my heart filled with hope and the promise that if he was around, nothing would ever go wrong.Every time I recalled the way he had jumped up and down the floor when I called him my mate and the way he ran through the palace telling everyone excitedly that I was his mate, my eyes would grow moist.What had I ever done to deserve him? I barely tried to fight Isadora but he literally fought both the devil and the Goddess, just like he had promised