Chapter 52GradelMy head felt like it was being compressed and my ears tingled yet I maintained composure while anticipating the remaining explanation.I'd so murder Devin if I set eyes on him."From what he told me, your brother asked him to accuse me of taking the bracelet so that you wouldn't trace it back to me. According to Larry, the bracelet was sold the same day to his who just came from a different pack and that was why you couldn't find the bracelet after sending people to search for it. I'm so sorry for not telling you earlier. I just wanted to surprise you." She spoke lightly, inclining her head.I couldn't be mad at her for any reason. If anything, I thought her to be brave for finding the bracelet even when I'd asked her not to bother.Seeing the bracelet on the man's wrist again caused my chest to clench with pain, but I ignored it. Since he was here already, I'd do everything possible to get it back from him as that was the only thing that connected me to my late moth
Chapter 53Gradel"Happy birthday, Father," I wished him with a curt tone and inclined my head.Iris did the same and smiled at him, but her eyes held fear and her body brimmed with anxiety. I wondered what made her so uncomfortable to want to stay away from my father.I knew that he didn't have a good history of being warm to her, but she could at least pretend, except something else had happened in my absence."I hope you continue to live long for the pack," She spoke, quietly.As expected he snubbed her but I did not comment as I didn't intend to stand all night behind him. Iris and I had a tutorial session and I couldn't wait for another lesson.My body went taut with anticipation as a bulge slowly formed between my legs."You seem happier than before, what's the secret?" He observed, his eyes scanning my face meticulously.Oh, that? I didn't want to be reminded about it because I was on the verge of beating my twin for what he had done, but my eyes met Iris's and she batted her l
Chapter 54IrisMy knees knocked against each other as I scurried out of the hall with shame enveloping me. I could hear heavy footsteps behind me and at that point, I wished that the ground could open so I'd fall right in and avoid confronting him.I could hardly breathe as my chest tightened painfully. How would I explain the truth to him without sounding like a traitor?"Why did you run away?" His voice was light but I could tell that he was trying to hold back his emotions. "Was my father saying the truth?"A stabbing pain seared through my stomach as I slid down to the ground, not minding that my beautiful dress could get dirty.His question remained in the air as I suddenly lost my voice or the will to speak."Talk to me, Iris!" He commanded, causing me to shudder.Seeing how angry he was, I knew that I had to do something, no— say something "I... He... Your father is telling the truth," My body quaked with sobs. "I'm so sorry..."He gasped and moved backward, unbuttoning his ja
Chapter 55IrisHis words of assurance assuaged my fear but when another gunshot rang out, my body became taut with terror. His form which had towered over me, jerked away abruptly."You have to leave this place. It's not safe for you," He said with a note of urgency. I shook my head angrily and sat up. "I can't leave you all alone in the face of battle. Anything can go wrong and I want to be able to do something." I protested."Don't bother, Iris," He cut in curtly. There's nothing you can do for me aside from being a burden. Your wolf hasn't appeared yet and we haven't had any fighting lessons in a while. What makes you think that you can go up against those people without some skills?" He chided me, his voice blaring with irritation.He was right but I felt like a failure. This was one of the reasons I wanted to learn how to fight but my emotions got in the way and I stopped attending the session."You're right," I accepted in defeat. "So where do you suggest I stay?""Find a way
Chapter 56GradelThe pangs of hatred I'd been harboring against my father for all the atrocities he had committed suddenly disappeared when I saw blood spurt out from his lips while he groaned in pain.I shifted to my human form, dashed towards him and helped him into a sitting position. The man I called my father was on the verge of dying and here I was, looking helpless. Silas was probably on one end fighting for his life and for that of others, and while I didn't want him to lose his life, I wasn't sure I could watch my father die like a coward as well. Besides, he had a lot of explanations to give to me. "Just wait here for me, Father. I'll get Silas," Fear radiated from my tone but I didn't care. The pain that came with losing another parent was one I wasn't willing to bear even though we weren't on good terms. I'd taken a step to leave when he grabbed my slacks."Don't go anywhere, son. I deserve whatever is happening to me." He croaked, his face turning pale. The poison w
Chapter 57Gradel"You'll have to fulfill our late Alpha's wishes and become his successor." She simply said.I burst into a peal of laughter— a hearty, throaty one that made my body ache after I managed to calm down. But when I stared at her, her expression had turned into an impassive mask that I could barely interpret."That's the joke of the century, female. You don't get to come into my pack where my father presides and dish out ridiculous orders. I hope you know that," I said authoritatively as anger rose within me.She smirked and kicked Iris's knee, causing her to stumble on the ground. "I have your mate with me and before you can think of making any funny move, I'd have killed her. My sentinels have defeated your people and your father is on the verge of dying. Do you think that you're in the position to make demands?"I clenched and unclenched my fists, suppressing the urge to attack her, but she was holding my mate to ransom and I couldn't afford to act thoughtlessly. "I c
Chapter 58Gradel"So how can I make things right?" I questioned.Devin reached for my hands, gripping them firmly. "There's nothing you can do because whatever is going on isn't your fault. You didn't force anyone to like you and that's why I'm taking this offer to rule the Red Sea pack as an escape."My eyes squinted in confusion, my heart tearing apart. "How?" My voice was breathy and I was close to breaking down in tears. "We haven't even bonded yet and you want to leave already. Why can't we team up and fight them?"He giggled darkly. "You and I know that it would be a very wrong move. Besides, I'll lose my mind if I keep staying here. Father will never give me the same level of respect and love he has for you and over there, I get the liberty to rule them as I want. This pack would have been ruled by our late mother, but our father took away that chance from her and killed her. Please, don't allow him to get away with this." His eyes turned cold and hard lines appeared on his fa
Chapter 59IrisA knock on the door riled me up from my not-so-peaceful sleep. I yawned and leaned on the bedrest, irritated by the knock. It had better not be Hazel because even though I loved her more than my sister, I needed time to process my present predicament."Come in, please," I answered groggily and reached for the jar of water on the bed stand.The door was pushed open and Hegar came in, already dressed up for the day. "Greetings, My lady. Did you have a good sleep?"I pinched my forehead in a bid to relieve myself of the banging headache that grew in my head. It had been like that since the debacle with Zera and then it worsened after the nightmare.I didn't know what was going wrong with me but I didn't want to fall sick as this was the worst time for that to happen."No, I didn't," I replied flatly. "What do you want?""Prince Gradel informed me this morning that I'd be in charge of your training session so I came to take you on it." He informed me and I scoffed, sliding
Chapter 107IrisONE YEAR LATER"Maria, are the sweets ready?" I shouted, standing before the edge of the baluster.Gradel and I had planned a family reunion and I couldn't wait for everyone we considered family to start trooping in. Devin had gotten a mate about three months back and I kept wondering how he got her pregnant in less than two months. I'd so tease him about it once he comes around. Hazel and Hegar had been on sabbatical leave for a while so I had to plead with Hegar to release her since I was nearing at the time of delivery. I was both excited and filled with panic and I honestly couldn't understand how I managed both extreme emotions. Gradel kept reassuring me that I wouldn't encounter any issues, but after hearing stories of women who faced several complications, his words would just fall on deaf ears."Watch it, princess," A firm grip stopped me from tripping over when I swirled around without looking.I smiled and fiddled with his stubble. "Thank you for always be
Chapter 106IrisONE MONTH LATERThe sky was quite gloomy, the dark clouds threatening to turn the day into a rainy one. We should have stayed back in the house and cuddled all day, but there was something important to be done, and that was visiting the late Alpha Cronus's grave.I stood beside Gradel, whose shoulders were squared, taut, showing how uneasy it was for him to be present here. If it was possible, I'd have suggested that we return home and come back when he was more comfortable, but he was as stubborn as a mule so I let him. We stood in silence for a while and then he cleared his throat. I touched his shoulder lightly and some of the tension dissipated. "I guess I'll have to leave you alone with him. Call on me when you're done," I informed him and turned around to leave. But he grabbed my wrist swiftly and tenderly, prohibiting me from taking any other step. With a low tone, he said. "Stay with me. I want you to be here with me while I reconcile with my father," He s
Chapter 105HazelMy heart throbbed in pain as I hugged my pillow tightly, genuinely wishing that it could be exchanged with the competent arms of Hegar. I was beginning to get offended. Why hadn't he checked on me, yet? What could have kept him so busy that he didn't bother to ask after me to know if I was doing well or not? Iris kept assuring me that he still loved me and he'd come for me soon, but was it too early to lose hope?A knock sounded on the door, jolting me from my reverie and an irritated sigh exited my lips. Hunger pangs gnawed in my stomach and the last thing I wanted was for anyone to drag me out of the room unnecessarily.Sluggishly, I twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open and immediately, I froze. My breathing paused for a moment and I could tell that the world had stopped rotating.Hegar stood before gracefully me, smelling like an edible flower. His lips spread into a wide grin and he splayed his arms, urging me to come closer to him. Several emotions ra
Chapter 104 Gradel Inhaling the floral fragrance of my mate and enjoying the warmth of being in her arms was very tempting, but until I took my pound of flesh and ensured that the monster Elda wouldn't be a threat to anyone in the pack again, I wouldn't be at rest. Gently, I slithered from her embrace, feeling cold almost immediately and then I pushed the covers over her body and gazed lovingly at her beautiful lips that were pouted as if she was aware of my plans to be absent for a while. My heart skipped a beat when she stirred and calmed when she turned to the other side. I giggled lightly and put on a black vest and a pair of black sweatpants. After ascertaining that she was still deep asleep, I crept out of the room and shut the door quietly behind me, veering toward the same pack cell he had locked me in. He grinned cynically the moment I stepped in though I could see the faint marks of the strokes he had received from Hegar. After the fiasco last night, I'd asked the sent
Chapter 103Iris"Not today," I murmured through gritted teeth.Tonight, I didn't need saving; not from Gradel whom I knew was seconds away from bursting through that door to fight for me or Hegar who I guessed was around.My wolf was around growling, desiring to be freed from the cage it was in and right now, I'd have to do as she wanted."Tell him to let her go right now," Gradel demanded authoritatively.Elda snorted and spat some blood on the ground. "Sure, but we have to do some trade by barter kind of business before that. First, you'll let me out of here without unharmed. Secondly, I stink and I can't walk around, oozing animal blood so your dear mate will have to clean me up,""That isn't going to happen," Gradel disagreed in the shadows.He laughed briefly and glanced at the man behind me. "Alright then. Watch her die,""Wait—"My claws had already stretched out and before Gradel could complete his statement, I'd dug them into his skin. The knife fell off his hands and I quic
Chapter 102IrisFear took a strong hold over me after he muttered those words and I instinctively clutched onto my neck, intentionally avoiding his gaze.I drew in a very deep breath and exhaled. "That's a huge accusation to lay on me tonight, Elda. We are supposed to be celebrating," I replied with a surprisingly calm tone.That was a good thing because I planned to deny every claim he'd lay against me until I found a way to reach Eliana."I thought the same until I removed the mask from that girl's face and realized that you weren't the one who seduced me. So what did you promise her? That she and her family will be safe? Come on, Iris, what power do you have without me?" He asked with a derisive tone.A deep feeling of dread stirred in my stomach, my knees weakening. No matter what happened, I couldn't allow her family to be caught up in this plan."You can't hurt her family, Elda. What fun do you have in hurting innocent people?" I asked through gritted teeth.He chuckled lightly
Chapter 101Author's POVHer eyes widened, nearly falling out of their sockets and she clamped her lips shut, her heart pounding hard against her chest in trepidation while he violently snatched the knife from her and got up. She gasped, wondering how she messed it up just at the point of achieving her goal and a tear slid down her cheek because she knew she wouldn't be getting out of this alive.Elda burst into a heavy peal of laughter that was filled with intense mockery and threw her effortlessly over him. Then he rose, zipping his slacks and turning on the light."You aren't Iris, are you?" He asked but she didn't respond.Enraged, he crossed over to her and yanked the mask off her face, her hair falling out of the messy bun she packed it in. A deep scowl formed on Elda's face and he clenched his jaw, balling his fingers into a tight fist."Eliana, you're that girl I banged a few weeks ago, right?" He barked."I wish I was fast enough in killing you," She retorted spitefully. "At
Chapter 100Author's POV She lay on the bed, still and scared, her heart racing faster than sports cars in a race but she had made her choice and that was to end the man who had wrecked her life with her hands, even if her life was on the line.Iris had told her to disarm him but she had other plans as she didn't want him to continue creating havoc in the pack.Her mask was still on her face and she wore a wig that was exactly like Iris' hair to confuse him, and the turned-off light was to her advantage. The door was pushed open and the light from the hallway shone into the room, showing Elda's drunk figure. The feast wasn't in full session yet and he had already filled his system with alcohol. It would make things easier for her, she thought. Elda squinted his eyes and his lips stretched into a cynical smirk when he caught the sight of a seductively dressed woman whom he thought to be Iris lying on the bed. "Hey, woman. I thought you wanted to tear me into pieces several hours a
Chapter 99GradelWe wandered into the forest, my body smeared with blood. Thankfully, I sustained no injuries from convincing Elda's men to defect to my camp.Along the line, my eyes caught the sight of a figure walking toward us and I paused to make out who the person was. Though I had no direction, I wasn't expecting anyone else to be there.As the person drew close, I realized that it was a man and he looked familiar."Hold your horses," I said to them and they halted behind me.I squinted my eyes, waiting patiently for him to get closer and happiness coursed through me when I noticed that it was no one else but Hegar."Hegar?" I called out his name and he peered at me, his eyes widening in surprise.He also froze on his steps and after a brief scrutiny, he broke into a run and bumped into me for a hug. We stayed glued to each other until I remembered that weren't alone."Gradel, is this really you? How were you able to leave that cell without risking your life?" He questioned wit