Richardson gritted his teeth as he sat in his courtroom again. It was really becoming monotonous, day after day he sat to receive a word lash where he was too timid to say a word in his defense.Funny thing was he had never really noticed just how outnumbered he was, but suddenly it was all he could see. And the elders had obviously smelt the new found weakness in him, and God forbid that they did not exploit it.And as usual they had started their pressure on getting him to marry Aspen, the mother of his unborn child to secure the throne, and it really caused a bitter taste to flood his mouth. Marry Aspen? Hell! He had sooner married a tree. It would be better even. A tree would at least be silent, which was more than he could say for his lady.He could feel Aspen fidgeting besides him, he had finally threatened her to attend the morning assembly, and she had, her face sullen beside him. Heavens! She was sulking next to the king! Richardson realized how bad this made him look in the
“Oh my God!” Aspen could only groan as she looked at the soldiers in armors walking around the castle with a grim face. And her heart shrank as she realized that she had caused this. The men were going to go to war, and she was going to leave her and Richardson's life endangered, not to talk of her baby! All because of one tiny rookie mistake.“When are they leaving?!” She asked as she burst into Richardson's office and he turned to give her an irritated glance, causing her to flinch. He never used to look at her like that.“Ok. I know I made a mistake. A rookie mistake. Are you really going to blame me for it?” Aspen asked, her eyes wide open as she tried to plead with Richardson to see her side of the story. But if anything, his glare only intensified.“Look. I am busy trying to prolong the departure, I don't need this from you.” He told her, and Aspen signed again. She did not wish to die. And definitely not with a baby in her belly. That would be one horribly bloated corpse. She
Richardson knew he had screwed up Royally. He only put the blame on Aspen because there was no one else to take it, and she was stupid enough really.It was not Aspen’s fault, it was his for not having enough backbone to stop the left state counselor from executing a plan that he knew could very well be the death of him and his family.He was trapped from all sides, and even the fae people were beginning to show him disrespect, and when that happened, it was imperative to realize that things were bad. Really bad.Turning to the still gasping Aspen on the floor, he could not bring himself to apologize for his actions. He probably was not even sorry he did what he did. He knew that she was innocent, but it didn't stop him laying his hands on her. And he couldn't help but shudder against the kind of man he was turning into. He could remember putting his hands on Megan too. Megan. Felt like she was light-years away, and the distance was killing him.But it was his fault, his fault he lost
Aspen scoffed as she crossed the hallways to her chambers. She was becoming more and more destabilized. And well no one could exactly blame her. She is being threatened, and now her life is in mortal danger. And not to talk of Duke Elric. Aspen sighed as she thought of the Duke with his extremely dubious personality.Sometimes she thought he was on her side, then she got him staring at her with what was definitely a mocking grin on his face, and suddenly she was not sure anymore.If he was on her side, then why did he constantly see the need to laugh? Why did he only show up when he wanted to without giving her a way to summon him. And what was that amused look he had given Richardson?Ugh! She didn't want to think anymore. It was too exhausting. She somehow ended up more confused than before she started. So it was better to stop.Quickly switching her steps to the kitchens, Aspen hurried over with her head held high despite knowing that she was not very favored amongst the staff. De
Aspen felt her world shifting. She had thought, for some reason, that he was only visible to her eyes on the unfortunate days he decided to grace her with his magnanimous presence: note the sarcasm. But she really had not thought that other people saw him. The idea came to her that morning, and despite the doubts, she had wanted to see if she was right at all, and it turned out that she was. Ah hell.“T_the camera! You know him!” She exclaimed triumphantly as she stared at the cook with a disturbing gleam in her eyes. She wanted to go to Richardson the next moment and demanded the head of the cook for being an accomplice in an elaborate conspiracy.“I don't know what you are thinking, young missy. But I do not know that man.” The cook quickly defended, as she stared at the grin on Aspen's face with maximum distrust. But Aspen could handle a little hate. She was not there to make friends after all.If the way to make this strange reporter silent was to silence this cook, then so be it.
Due to the recent announcement and the recent self-consciousness she had developed about her person, Megan did all she could to avoid Rhode, and for a while it was working.She ate with the servants in the kitchen with the excuse of bonding and they adored her for it, proclaiming her the perfect Luna. She memorized Rhode's routine and perfected the art of avoiding him. She was on a roll, really.But that all changed when she bounced out of her bedroom, cradling her heavy stomach still carefully concealed with her heavy brocaded gown, and was suddenly accosted along the forest path by her lovely future husband. And Megan could not help the flush that colored her cheeks as he held her hands and his eyes glowed in triumph.“W_what are you doing?” Megan stammered as she glared up at him. Or at least she wanted to glare but she was intimidated by the animated purple eyes that stared back at her.“Megan!” He exclaimed with a small teasing smile.*So you are still alive! I had no idea!” He l
For the umpteenth time, he imagined marching over to the kingdom of that weakling and stampeding on his throat, ripping out his teeth and claws, and breaking his legs..He was sure that if it ever came to it, he would take Richardson easily. The male had been timid when Rhode entered his Kingdom for the first time. When he had been introduced and stepped up to Richardson, he had realized his aura. He did it subtly, so that everyone in the room would not know what hit them, and for that brief moment where he studied Richardson, he could see the wolf king groan and bared his neck in a show of instant submission, and Rhode could not help the disdain that ran through him.But Megan had been perfect, she had stared straight at him beside her husband, her eyes flashing in warning, and even then he could understand them perfectly. Retreat. Her gaze told him, and he could not help the smile that covered his face after that. Lunas should not have the power to resist a fraction of an alpha's p
Aspen is famously known for her very special ability to make the worst of things. Now she did not do that on purpose, but for some reason it always happens. She was reckless, unthoughtful, and impulsive, and all those things in the worst ways.But as she backed away from these people with the strange eyes that gleamed with feral hunger, she knew that she had made the worst decision yet. Shrinking back, she tried to ignore the stares that Insisted on following her. The ones that cried that she did not belong there with her shiny and fancy clothes. She could see children, wild-eyed and hungry, baring their teeth at her as they let out growls made vicious by the fear of starvation. The public well to her left creaked as a small looking woman with darting eyes drew it open, before flexing a sympathetic yet annoyed gaze on Aspen, and she moved back, desperately searching for her carriage.It seemed her driver had slinked off and left Aspen to her fate, and the thought sent a bitter tast
Rhode had never been so glad to see the borders of the West before. He had never thought he would feel the pang of relief he was feeling now as he stared at the border sign half a mile away in clear distance. He was happy to know that he had delivered on his words. He was happy to know that he was finally claiming exclusive rights to the West's territorial seas. It was a piece of the West that was closely coveted by other packs, and now, by a stroke of luck and Richardson's gullibility, the seas were in the palm of his hands.It was something his grandfather had tried to attain even when the West was not at its peak and failed, his father the same thing, even down to his brother, he was just relieved that he could fulfill their dreams at last.He had also done it for Megan back home, the sea would be a gift to her as he finally takes her to the altar after his return. Ge briefly thought about what his council men would say, before swiftly shaking off the thought. He cared nothing for
“What in the moon above do you think you are doing, Lord Fuhler?!” Megan yelled in righteous fury as she rose up from her seat to descend upon Lord Fuhler in all her rage.He was such an imbecile, to strike a woman barely out of labor, and Megan was filled with a strange kind of disgust for him.“She called me a teller of tales!” Lord Fuhler yelled back, causing Megan to scoff as she turned her head to look at Marcel standing solidly behind her.“Restrain him!” Megan yelled again, her eyes burning with power. She was not usually this explosive generally, but striking a woman fresh out of the labor room was crossing the line.Marcel was quick to do as she commanded because In the next instant, he was next to Fuhler, and gripped his upper arm tightly, causing Fuhler's face to turn a furious purple.“Slow down, your majesty.” The cautious voice of Lord Rosebud roused Megan from her angry haze, and she turned around to glance in his direction, before giving him a subtle nod.“This lady is
“What is going on here?!” Megan yelled as she burst through the heavy doors that shielded the council room and was met with a horde of people as they pushed around and demanded justice.“Nice to finally have your attention, my queen.” Lord Fuhler grinned with a mocking bow, and Megan frowned. Everything about the statement and situation was wrong. He had never acknowledged her as queen before, and the entire court was in chaos when he finally did.When the crowd heard the word “queen” they turned their anger on her and demanded justice in garbled tones jumbled together. It was a disaster.Megan looked around her quickly for Lord Rosebud. He was the only council man she trusted after all, and the crowd were looking more than hostile as they threatened to lynch and destroy.With her head tucked forward with determination, Megan tried to use her eyes to locate Lord Rosebud quickly before Lord Fuhler found the time to launch his newest schemes that were undoubtedly designed to hurt her.“
The carcass of the dead beast was dragged in by a dozen wolves as they tried to reel it back to camp. The smell of blood was still heavy on the air, and Rhode was already back in his human form as he stood silently and watched the efforts made to thrust up their newest kill.Rhode could not help but smile. The kill was big enough to feed his men for the night, so it was a win. As he sat under the silver sky, he could not help but wonder how Megan was faring. His last decision to put her in power was born out of impulse, which shocked him, he was never a man of impulse after all, or maybe he was and just did not know it, but one thing was for sure, there would be consequences.William rushed over to stand beside him silently, but Rhode sighed in exhaustion, a sudden weariness creeping into his bones because he knew for a fact that if he continuously failed to get his affairs in order, then he would end up like his brother, leaving Megan widowed and abandoned in a foreign land. She ha
Rhode stared at the happy faces of his men under the moonlight. They were all at home right then, even if they were miles away from their families and loved ones. Being civilized was the price they all had to pay for the life they had, but at times they were all overcome by a deep and dark sense of nostalgia that urged them to throw everything away and become one with the moon and the untamed creature within.It was something every wolf experienced as they were often forced to suppress their primal nature in order to live as civilized men. But it was more prevalent in men, so he knew every man under the sound of his voice could feel what he felt.He turned to look at Brian and noticed the light finally coming back to his features after days and weeks of endless court intrigues.He could only hope that Megan was alright back in the palace. He felt selfish for enjoying such a feeling of freedom without her but knew that he shouldn't. It was not what she would want, he could tell.He had
Rhode was already exhausted as he could feel his thighs chapping with every move of the horse he was on. He was not a novice rider by any chance, in fact he had learned how to handle a saddle before he could even shift into the creature that resided inside of him, but even the most seasoned horse rider would have gotten sick of being on top of the beast by now.He knew that if he was feeling this tired, and yet shockingly restless, then his men must be having it worse. They had been on the saddle for three days and three nights with no breaks in between after all.“How are you holding up?” Rhode turned to ask the surprisingly young man that rode by his left hand side. The young man was responsible for holding on to his armor, and by rights should not be able to keep up with his men, but Rhode was shocked by the dogged determination the boy had been exhibiting.“I am alright, alpha.” The boy answered, his voice tight with strain, and Rhode had to smile at this. They could converse now
Richardson could not help but gloat at the sight of the left state counselor's triumphant face. The man believed he had won, believing that with a few well placed strikes he had managed to disarm Richardson, which almost caused the alpha to gloat at his beady face.“We are going to squash the Faes!” Right stare counselor yelled, his eyes alight with a fierce light, and Richardson could not help but grin at the sight before him.He knew why they were so happy, knew that it had nothing to do with submerging the Faes and everything to do with the planned coup they planned on carrying out against him, and he could not help but grin bitterly.“Alpha, this could only mean one thing.” His trusted advisor Roderick murmured in his ear. But Richardson was unmoved, Roderick was not telling him anything he did not already know, so it kind of dampened the whole dramatics.“It will be alright.” Richardson shrugged, his expression carefully blank, trying to give nothing away.He knew that any slight
It felt like Aspen had been travelling on the rocky roads for days. Some days they strayed towards civilization, but her scruffy companion for some reason insisted that they kept closer to the swamp. A fact that never failed to rouse Aspen’s ire. She was with child, and more filthy and disgusting than she had ever been, and what was worse? She was expected to be okay with it! She had once tried to voice her concerns, but her scruffy companion simply stared at her with beady unsympathetic eyes that were void of any true desire to make her life more comfortable.“Wait! Slow down you bumble head!” Aspen yelled out raspily. Her voice was gone from serious dehydration. At this point she was seriously beginning to fear for the health of her poor baby.“Look, you could dawdle here all you want and wait for our captors to catch up with you, but I'm not going to do that with you, so I think we should part ways here.” Rudolph said firmly, his eyes unwavering, and Aspen gulped. She had no idea
Megan watched as Rhode and his army of about five hundred soldiers mount their horses they were intending to ride to the west. A lot of petitions were made for him to increase the number of warriors going with him, especially from Megan herself, but he did not take heed. Megan knew he did not wish to leave her defenseless so he was going without the appropriate amount of protection, and her love for him grew.Be safe out there.She nodded as he turned to find her in the crowd, he heard her, and he showed her by returning her firm nod.I will.It was an exchange of trust, so Megan tried to bite down on her anxiety as she wished she was not pregnant at the moment. It rendered her vulnerable, and Vulnerability was not entertained in the East.“He is really leaving.” Brianna whispered from where she stood behind Megan, and Rosetta nodded, her face lacking its usual cheer and awash with somberity.Megan could not help but wonder what caused such expression to overcome someone like Rosetta