The silence was deafening alongside the rattling of the insects of the night. The stranger's brown eyes were glimmering with golden underneath, trying to pin me down with his gaze. I would have been intimidated by his presence if it weren't for the purpose I was here for and the blood in my veins. There was no space for fear or submission in what I did and who I was."I can ask you the same question." I retaliated with firmness. "Why are you following me?" I asked. He changed his position and went to lean on a tree on the side. "I've never seen anyone here in this forest. I was curious as to why a female is roaming the woods in the dark, alone at that. Aren't you afraid of the danger lurking in the shadows?" He queried with an expressionless but still ruggedly handsome face and I went to a tree across him to copy his stance."I am not afraid of anything. Warriors do not fear, they conquer the danger." I responded with my arms crossed. His eyes raked up my body from the toes the head
The enchanted lake, as called, was truly enchanting. If you didn't know about its properties before, you definitely would have guessed after you saw the lake. The sun shone in the vast sky above the water and made it gleam blindingly but that was not the last thing forcing my eyes shut in every few moments. Something simmered beneath the water level, attracting the eye and rejecting the view of the mysterious glow, at the same time.Pausing my aching limbs, I closed my eyes for a short while. I'd been trying to reach the shore on the opposite side since before the sunrise but there was still a little more distance left. The work had exhausted me tremendously and the last time I ate was last night. If it was about crossing land, I would have gotten it done long before, but water was never my strongest pursuit. Water and I never had the best of relationship, except the time when I am not inside its currents.Pushing myself a little more harder, I finally reached the shore and sprawled
"This...is the Elf' castle?" I asked to no one inparticular but a humming of agreement replied to me from behind. The castle was something I could never have imagined in the wildest of my dreams. It looked so out of the time, like its structure came from a hundreds of years in future. Turquoise blue cones were adorning the multiple towers and balconies of the pink-ish building, making it look so extravagant. Different patterns and sculpture were designed upon the balconies beautifully."Enough drooling for now. We should get in, shouldn't we?" Irun mocked me and I rolled my eyes at her. The whole walk here she annoyed me with her stupid questions and accusations of me trying to invade their Kingdom despite Roe reminding her what Mydia had said, repeatedly. Apparently, Mydia was an Elf female who could see future sometimes, in glimpses, like the high priest.The both Elves led me here with them to the castle through the dense forest. In the middle of the path, thick mystic fog had sw
Dinner was served for me in the room I was staying in. So much for being a 'guest'. But I guessed I could not blame them, though. I came unannounced and unwanted. I was the bearer of the bad news for them, bringing war to their doorsteps and endangering the lives of their families. I was entitled to their hostility. Swallowing the bitter feeling I focused on the food on my plate.The plate was actually made of a big leaf symbolizing the way they were attached to nature and still ate in tree leaves like ancient people. Even each of the dishes were completely vegetarian. Nonetheless, the food tasted heavenly. Placing the used plate and the water beside the bed I got ready for bed. But before my eyes could get closed, a light knock on the door interrupted me.I stood up from the bed to open the door and saw Mydia standing there with another female. "Can I come in, Seraphina?" She politely asked."Yes, of course. Please come in." I said leaning sideways to give her space to enter. "You
I sheathed my sword, put my daggers in the holster at my thighs and hid an extra dagger at the backside of my belt and concealed it with the long hood I always wore. Today, I will either earn an ally or me coming this far from home would go in vain. Last night, Mydia assured me that Queen Sylva will agree for the alliance but I was still nervous.This was my first step at proving myself and if I lose on the first attempt I didn't know where to go, from here on. I just prayed to the moon goddess that I was on the right path and today goes in my favor. Taking one final self-assuring breath and putting a face of indifferent confidence, I opened the doors of my chambers and took in Irun standing in front of me. "Took you long enough." She commented and started walking right after. After a short while of silent walk, Irun spoke again. "So, what do you think will happen?" I thought about it for a bit chewing my inner cheeks. "I don't know. Anything can happen. What do you think?" I counte
After the successful agreement with the Elf Queen Sylva, the two royal siblings and other castle residents came outside the castle to bid me farewell. The humble people had insisted on packing me food for the long journey, even after I politely refused. Mydia reminded me for the second time to keep the emerald green magical stone safe with me. That reminded me of stopping at my grandma's coven on way back to the castle.Irun and Roe accompanied me to the enchanted lake, which was considered the border of the Elf's Kingdom. Apparently, there was a path that circled the lake, so I didn't have to cross the lake by swimming all the way. At the lake, I thought that when I've reached this far, it would be a waste if I don't get a little of the healing water with me. So, I dipped the pitcher I had to contain water, and filled it to the brim. Then, it was time to bid farewell to the elf females beside me."Now I must depart. I hope to meet you again." As annoying as it was, Irun's personalit
I visited grandma on the way back to the castle. She told me about the stone that Mydia had given me, that it was actually a part of a broken key. The key that locked the exiled creatures in the secluded part of the world, which no one knew where it really was.According to the legends and myths, the key was destroyed to avoid the possibilities of someone freeing the creatures, before their time. The broken parts of the key were three stones. First stone was the protector, which refused the creatures to cross the border and the second one, manipulated fire. The fire surrounded the border so no one would come near it.The final and the third stone was actually a source of power. It drew energy from non-living beings like stones, mountains, soil and water and used it as a physical owner to the other two stones. Which meant, the security was always active. It was meant to be like that until the creatures were free to return. Until the war.All the three stones were distributed by the god
"What are you doing in my room, Alpha King?" I asked quietly, eyes casted down, body frozen where it stood. "How was your trip?" He asked instead, tilting his head. "You didn't answer my question." I replied. "You didn't acknowledge my greeting." He countered. His infuriatingly cocky and smug expression dancing in his voice. I shook my head and stared at the ceiling above me. "What do you want, Alpha King?" I asked impatiently, tapping the door with my nails. Sheets rustled, indicating his movements and my eyes shut on their own accord.The next thing I knew, he was standing in front of me and not even an arm length's distance between us. His scent seeped in through the pores on my body, chasing any remnants of tiredness away, awakening every cell of my being. "You are a stubborn little thing, aren't you? But know this, I can do this the whole night with you. And about what I want," He leaned closer. His mouth just an inch away from my ear, his breath caressing my jaw. "I really w
"I'm going to miss you so much." Adel sobbed into my shoulder, her words barely coherent."I will miss you, too, Adel." I murmured, returning her hug that I had learned to accept over our time together.The horses were lined up at the main entrance, ready for the departure. Samuel was waiting patiently for his mate to deliver farewells. The princess and the twins have had their crying fest up in her Chambers early that morning. Genis was now standing on the side desperately trying to hold in her wails by clutching her mouth tightly and the princess had jer eyes red from continuously wiping them.She refused to cry like a small child in the front of others, saying it will disrupt jer image. And I… well let's say that ever since I matured, I had never cried on the outside."Adeline," my brother called, gently. "We have a long journey ahead. We must depart now." Sniffing loudly, Adel nodded and wiped her eyes and nose, pulling back from me."I must go now. Don't forget to write me letter
The crowd shifted to make space for us in the middle of the hall right under the gigantic crystal chandelier. My heart racing in the contrast of my nervous hesitant steps. The Alpha King had to have felt the shaking of my pale hand with nerves as he lightly squeezed it and looked down at me and smiled in his own charming way.And it was in that moment that I realised how much he affected my whole being even with a simple action. A single tender look from him and the world seemed to vanish behind us in a fog.He took my hand in his calloused one and bowed slightly to which I managed a socially acceptable curtsy that the princess had taught me.He gently pulled me in and guided my other hand on his shoulder and rested his on the small of my back and swayed us along the sweet and slow melody.Right then, he could have led me to fall off of a clifftop and I still would have followed his lead, looking into his deep and warm brown eyes.We moved a step back then forward, swaying left to rig
"Your left, Seraphina! Your left foot!" Princess shouted and I cringed in reply, stopping mid-step. "Who in the world ever called this stupidity a dance? And why in the hell do people still follow this idiocy?" I huffed and blew the strands of hair out of my face. Oh goddess, these hair.The twins had unnecessarily spent their time braiding numerous sections of my hair and tying it to the back but left a piece to fall sideways from my forehead to down my cheek. The gown was perfectly ready and was downed upon me in a vice grip. I was not very comfortable to admit it but I looked like all the other females who would be joining the festival tonight. Honestly, I looked beautiful. The blood red fabric was bound to gain the attention of hundreds of eyes and the gold patterns that simmered in the correct light even made me compelled to keep looking.In the defense of the seamstress, the corset wasn't as tight as it looked to be but the very, very short sleeves that were fallen down, showi
"So, now you are preparing to go to the dragons?" My brother asked shielding his eyes from the sun rays to watch me. I shook my head in denial, watching the garden keepers mow the grass on the far side."No. Not dragons. A dragon will never listen to us, no matter what we say but its master would've. I'm going to meet the dragon charmers." I said. Although, dragons were very smart, they didn't like to do anything for someone else, other than there master. So if we could convince them, the dragons would follow without a problem.He hummed. "I've heard many stories of how one of the former Kings befriended a charmer but something happened between them, a quarrel of sort and the dragon charmers broke off any relationship that they had with us wolves. Do your think they'll agree? I supposed they still—"I waited for him to complete his sentence but he never did. I turned to him and found the reason.In the midst of talking with me, his gaze had landed on his mate. Adel. She was sitting a
A knock sounded on my door and I hurried to hide the thick book away under the beddings. I rushed to open the doors and to say I was surprised would be an understatement. Alpha King was there with head held high, arms folded behind the back and a emotionless mask on his face. "Alpha King." I greeted, taking a step back."Seraphina. May I come in?" He asked. His voice blank like when he dealt with the cases in his throne room. I made the space for him to enter and my lips pursed in thoughts. What was he doing here at this late hour?The last few days, we had been keeping our necessary distance, although I wanted nothing more that to just sit in his company and get to know more about him like in the earlier days, but I restrained. He only asked for me to know about her sister's whereabouts and how she spent her day. We would engage in sparring a time or two and other than that, nothing.But I could sense his longing too, when he would stare after me to see if I looked back. Or when his
I watched as his face crumpled in shock, as the wetness pooled in his eyes and as the first drop slid down his cheeks. I watched as the first whimper escaped his lips without his permission to mourn for the mother he never got to meet. He—my brother that I never knew of.Watching him cry was like I was seeing myself when I cried for her for the first time. Not when I was just a newborn and needed my mother to feed me, I was regarding the time when I saw other children crying because their mothers were fussing over them. After gaining my senses and having faced my struggles, I never cried openly for her again. Not even in front of father.But in that room, where we both shared the same grief of not knowing the one who brought us into this world, I cried. I cried, I wailed, I sobbed, I broke. Maybe it was because now that he knew I was his sister, he wanted to protect me or maybe it was just because he knew how I felt. But either way, he crossed the room and took me in his embrace and s
The sun shone warmly as the whole castle buzzed with the energy of the people swarming in like the bees nowadays. Draperies and curtains of red and golden were hung strategically all over the castle, inside and out. Yesterday, I saw two giant wagons full of thick candles being unloaded outside the main entrance. No need to say, the preparations were being made in full force. This festival was indeed a huge occasion to celebrate. The Princess and the twins had been so excited and gloomy at the same time these past couple of weeks. On one hand, the ball was coming and they were looking forward to all the dressing up, heavy gowns and accessories and all the magnificent things that comes with it. But on the other hand, this festival will be the last time Adel will be with us. Soon after the festival she will return with her mate to her mew home and who knew when will we ever get to ever meet her again? Being her twin sister at that, Genis was taking it the hard of all of us.Alpha Samu
Paws thudded in the darkness crunching the soil beneath, snout up in the air trailing behind the scent he left in his wake. A crescent moon was hanging in the dark blue sky, providing its light on the ground.The route was familiar to me, maybe it was the trail that led to the small lake the princess came oftentimes.A howl pierced the otherwise silent night and I immediately knew who it come from. Was he really in that much pain that he couldn't suppress it physically? Did my rejection hurt him this much? But he shouldn't have been mulling over just some female's words. From an outsider's perspective I was just another female who the King admired, so what? He could find someone much better than me, someone much, much prettier and willing than me. Stepping out of the treeline, the lake came into my view and there he was, sitting at its shore now in his human form, stark naked. I wanted to retreat, now that I knew he was safe—not that he needed anyone to protect him if he encountere
Knocking on the cherry wood of the chamber that was given to Alpha Samuel, I tapped my foot impatiently on the floor. After a moment, the Alpha himself opened the door and ushered me in with a confused frown. "I know I have seen you with my female a lot of times but forgive me, I didn't get your name." He politely said sitting on the chair of the work desk pushed in the corner of the room."Adel forgot to mention it, I guess. My name is Seraphina." I informed standing across him. "Well then, Seraphina. Have a seat, please." He gestured to the chair in front of me. "It iss alright, Alpha. I shouldn't disrespect you like that. You are an Alpha.""An Alpha is only an Alpha in his own territory. Here, I'm just a mere guest of the Alpha King. I don't have any command over anyone here, except my men who came with me. Now, sit down please." He insisted again and I couldn't decline anymore. A small smile displayed itself on his face, making his features look even more familiar."So, is the