Elara's POV "Hmm…" At the mention of my name, Rufus' face turned pensive and to be honest, a little bit scary. I scooted back a little, putting a protective arm around my belly. It was then that I remembered that I basically had no idea where I was. I could clearly remember running into the forest to get away from Alpha Rayel's pack, but after losing consciousness, I had no idea how Rufus had found me and the route that might have led to his abode. “What’s wrong?” I asked him, feeling a bit offended with the way he looked at me. “Nothing, El….” he seemed to have forgotten my name and then I reminded him that it was Elara. He smiled at me and then promised not to forget my name. After taking the bitter potion, I returned the cup to him and then thanked him properly for saving me and my baby. “It’s my pleasure, Elara,” he said. Just when I was about to stand up to leave his place, he pulled me back, explaining to me that I still needed some rest. “When you have rested well
Rayel's POV "Hazel…" I was lost for words at Hazel's sudden change in behavior. Just a few minutes ago, she was crying and sobbing about what had happened to Elara. And now, she was saying words that I found hard to understand. "Hazel, she died. Elara died today and it was all our fault." There was a hitch in my voice that prevented me from being able to continue. "It was not our fault, Rayel," she replied softly, looking up at me through her lashes. Before Elara, I would have melted the very moment she looked at me that way. But this time around, I was enraged. I felt like I was dying inside, but no one felt the same way, which made me want to scream and shout and throw things. My hands curled into fists, coaching tightly as Hazel continued, oblivious to the intense emotions raging within me. "She left. No one forced her to. She was taken well care of here…" "She was in a literal prison!!!" I could not stop myself from yelling out those words. It had been eating at me ever si
~ Hazel’s POVI mulled over the events of the past few hours. I could not believe that Elara had actually summoned up the courage to try and escape. I would have never thought she would have the guts to do something like that. That stupid girl nearly ruined my plans with the stunt she just pulled. I pondered over it and remembering the blood soaked piece of cloth, I wondered if she was truly dead. The thought sobered me a little bit, but I had to shake it off. I was so pained when Rayel asked me when I was going to go through the pain of getting pregnant. After instructing Beta Boris to get me a new breeder as soon as possible, I tried talking to Rayel but he wasn’t ready to talk to me and then I exited his room and returned back to my room.I laid back on my bed lazily and wondered why Rayel got so worked up over Elara’s death. I was a bit sad when I heard the news about her death but then she ran away from home and her death doesn’t have anything to do with anyone. I brought out
Elara's POVRufus stared at me with a bewildered expression on his face, one that seemed so funny yet adorable at the same time that I could not stop myself from bursting into laughter. “Are you okay, Elara?” He asked again.“I’m fine, Rufus,” I replied to him as I wiped off some tears off my face.“You know you can confide in me, Elara,” he said, sounding like an elder brother I never had. I nodded my head and then he asked me to continue eating my food. I glanced at him occasionally and saw that his attention was on me. He watched what I was eating, telling me the food to eat and not to eat.I stuffed everything he gave me into my mouth and then I told him to eat as well.“I will stop eating if you keep staring at me, Rufus,” I said.He smiled at me and told me that he wanted to be sure that I was fine.“I’m fine, Rufus,” I said curtly and then motioned for him to eat. I watched as he dug into his food and continued eating his food as well. I stopped eating when I was full and then
Elara's POV"No… I don't, but…" I trailed off, not knowing what else to say. My stomach lurched. No family. The warmth I felt next to Rufus started to feel tinged with a new worry. Was I burdening him? He'd saved me, taken me in, fed me, and now... this baby. Was it all too much?"Elara," Rufus said, his voice gentle, "look at me."I hesitantly turned my head towards him. His eyes were soft, the harsh edges I'd seen before completely gone. "You don't have to rush anything," he continued. "Think about it. This place can be your home for as long as you need it. We can figure things out together."Together. The word echoed in my mind. Together meant not being alone. Together meant having someone to face the unknown with. It was a terrifying and exhilarating prospect at the same time."But what about the baby?" I whispered, the fear creeping back in. "What kind of life will it have here, with no father?"My voice trembled as the question left my lips. The fear that had been simmering ben
~ Elara's POVA flicker of concern crossed Rufus's face. "A job? You don't look well enough to be working right now.""I know," I admitted, "but I'll get better… I hope."He sighed heavily, not saying anything else and we resumed walking back to the house. I looked around the house and there was only one bed. I wondered how our sleeping arrangement would be. I thought to myself that Rufus should be the one to sleep on the bed since he was the owner of the place. I quickly took a bedspread on the bed and laid it down before sleeping on it.“What are you doing?” Rufus asked, staring at me with the same adorable, confused expression that had been on his face when I had been sobbing while eating. "Um… sleeping," I replied, looking down at the sheets on the floor and then back at him. "What does it look like I'm doing, old man?" I teased him. He rolled his eyes at me and huffed out an exasperated breath. "I know that. But why are you putting blankets on the floor?" He asked. "Did you
~ Rayel’s POV I waited for a couple of seconds, hoping Hazel would leave. But she didn't, instead, she was staring at me expectantly and had a hopeful grin on her face. I realized that she was waiting for me to start and most likely wanted to stay with me as I ate. As much as I loved Hazel, I didn't want to be around her at the moment. I was still torn between mourning for Elara, anger at Hazel for her nonchalant attitude towards Elara's death and knowing that Hazel loved me, which was the only reason she was desperate to give me an heir. The thought of Elara and how she had died, brought a lump to my throat. I hurriedly swallowed it and moved closer to Hazel and the food she had laid out for me. I thanked her again for the food, feeling guilty for the way I had treated her as she beamed at me and then I started eating. She sat beside me and watched as I ate and then she started telling me how she woke up early and headed to the kitchen to cook the food.“I made the food alone with
~ Rayel’s POvA part of me wanted to roar in frustration, to lash out at the unfairness of it all. Elara was gone, ripped from this world in a way that I still could not wrap my head around. And now, Hazel, the reminder of our desperate situation, of the weight of expectation that threatened to crush me. It all felt too much for me to deal with. "Hazel," I mumbled, my voice thick with emotion, "You're not to blame for any of this."Her words echoed in my mind - a laughing stock. Shame burned in my gut. Could I truly be so callous, so consumed by my own grief that I wouldn't consider Hazel's feelings? She had been by my side for years, a pillar of strength, enduring whispers and sideways glances with a quiet dignity.I held her tighter, the warmth of her body a grounding presence in the chaos of my emotions. "Look at me, Hazel," I said gently, cupping her face in my hands. Her red-rimmed eyes met mine, filled with a vulnerability and pain I hadn't seen before.She must have been feeli
~ Rayel’s POVPanic clawed at me as Elara’s mental link flickered, replaced by a terrifying image,a dark cave.“She is in danger!” I yelled out. Every ounce of self-preservation melted away, replaced by an urge to protect her.The fragmented images Elara had sent were enough. Mountains, a cave entrance. It wasn't much, but it was all I had. Barking orders to Boris, I rallied my most trusted warriors. We rode with a desperate urgency, the rising sun painting the sky a bloody red that mirrored the turmoil within me.Hours bled into one another as we traversed treacherous terrain. Doubt gnawed at the edges of my determination. Had I reached in time? Then, a flicker of hope. A plume of smoke rising from a clearing in the distance.I felt energetic, so I urged my men forward. The scene that greeted me was a tableau of chaos. Elara, battered and bruised, was surrounded by Darach's men. Her defiance, even in her weakened state, ignited a fury within me hotter than any fire.Before I coul
~ Elara’s POVThe trek with Rufus towards my father's supposed location had been arduous. Days blurred into nights, the dense canopy offering scant sunlight. Rufus remained by my side, my keen senses constantly on alert. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the trees thinned, revealing a desolate mountain range.A shiver ran down my spine as I spotted a dark, gaping maw nestled at the base of the highest peak. It couldn't be. The cave. The one from my connection with my father.Fear warred with desperation. Taking a deep breath, I linked with my father once more. This time, raw, agonizing screams reached me.“ My father, It was him,” I told Rufus.Heart pounding a frantic tattoo against my ribs, I scrambled down the rocky slope, Rufus hot on my heels. The stench of damp earth and something metallic filled the air as we reached the cave entrance. A low growl rumbled from within, sending shivers down my spine.Ignoring the fear, I pushed past the ragged curtain concealing the entra
~ Rayel’s POV"What?!" The scream ripped from my throat, a guttural roar of fury. Ignoring the guards and the stunned look on Hazel's face, I lunged at Dolph. He may have been chained, but that wouldn't stop me. My fist connected with his jaw again, a satisfying blow that carried the weight of my wrath."How dare you!" My voice was a low growl, laced with a dangerous edge. "They're not pawns in your twisted games! You lay a single finger on them, and you'll regret the day you were born!""Rayel!" Hazel cried, her voice thick with hurt and betrayal. Clearly, the sight of me attacking her lover had shaken her.But before I could even process her reaction, she did something that sent a fresh wave of shock through me. Hazel, the woman I thought I knew, knelt beside the now-wincing Dolph and began to help him up. Her touch, gentle and concerned, was a stark contrast to the coldness she had shown me earlier. "Is Elara still alive?" Her voice, laced with a desperate urgency, was directed at
~ Rayel’s POVPushing myself off the bed, a newfound determination coursed through me. The anger might still simmer beneath the surface, but it was overshadowed by a fierce longing for Elara and my son. I wouldn't give up. I would find Elara and my son, no matter what it took.Just then, the door creaked open. It was Boris. Relief washed over me, maybe he had news about the retrieval team."Your Majesty," he announced, his voice a welcome sound in the tense silence. "I've done as you ordered. The guards are heading towards Alpha Dolph’s pack as we speak."I nodded curtly, a flicker of appreciation for his swiftness. But before Boris could launch into whatever he was about to say, I cut him off. Hazel's name was a raw nerve, and I couldn't bear to hear it right now. "Don't mention her," I rasped, my voice tight. "Just find Elara's stepfather. I need to talk to him."Boris's brow furrowed in confusion. "Elara's stepfather? What about him?" It was clear he didn't understand my plan, but
~ Rayel’s POVMy heart shattered into a million pieces. Years of love, devotion, poured down the drain. The woman I thought I knew, the woman I had built a future with was a stranger. The truth, a bitter pill coated in sugar, sat heavy in my gut."You... love someone else and have never loved me?" My voice barely rose above a whisper, the words scraping against my raw throat.Hazel scoffed, a sound that sent shivers down my spine. "Loved? Please, Rayel. It was never love. It was convenient. A way to pass the time." The coldness in her voice sent a fresh wave of nausea crashing over me."And now you want out?" I managed, the question laced with a desperate hope that maybe, just maybe, this was all a twisted joke.Hazel's smile returned, but this time it was devoid of warmth, a predatory glint flashing in her eyes. "Exactly. And wouldn't it be a grand gesture of your love to let me go quietly? A final act of selflessness before I return to the arms of someone who actually deserves me."
~ Rayel’s POV I was speechless, staring at Hazel. She wasn't making things easier. Hazel got up and walked closer to me, clearly frustrated."You're being such a jerk, Rayel! Why are you acting so mad? I told you I was pregnant, and you believed it even though you knew I can't have kids. Why are you getting mad at me now?” Hazel demanded, her voice laced with anger.Frustration bubbled over. "Seriously, Hazel? You can't even apologize?" I exclaimed.Hazel scoffed. "Why would I? I bent over backwards for you, remember? You should be thanking me, not throwing a tantrum."Her lack of regret made my blood boil. "That's unbelievable, Hazel! You don't get to play innocent here. Taking responsibility is grown-up stuff, and you're failing miserably! I hate it when people don’t take responsibility for their actions!” I said. The air hung heavy with accusation after Hazel's scoff. "Take responsibility for my actions!" she spat, her words dripping with misplaced blame. I managed a smile, thin
~ Rayel’s POVMy jaw clenched as I spotted the woman. She was heavily pregnant, her face pale with exhaustion. As soon as she saw me, her eyes widened and she immediately dropped to her knees."Who are you?!" I demanded, my voice firm but not angry.Her voice trembled as she stammered, "Y-Your Majesty... I'm..." Sweat beaded on her forehead despite the cool air.She took a shaky breath, finally calming down a bit. "My name is Ares," she revealed in a small voice."Ares," I repeated, trying to place the name. It didn't ring a bell. My gaze swept across the room again, taking in the changes. Gone was the bare and dusty space I remembered. Now, comfortable furniture filled the space, along with a surprising amount of good food stocked in a nearby cupboard. My eyebrows furrowed. "And why are you here, Ares?!”My tone was accusatory and it was clear I wanted answers.“Ares! Who exactly are you and what are you doing here?!” I asked again.“Luna Hazel… can explain… that,” she stammered.“Wh
~ Rayel’s POV A memory surfaced. My father had once mentioned a room that belonged to his grandfather. They hadn't gotten along, and after my grandfather's passing, my father had ordered the room sealed and untouched. This, I realized, was the very same room.The room's pristine condition was a stark contrast to the dust and neglect I had expected. Curiosity gnawed at me. I crept closer, reaching out to push on the doorknob. It wouldn't budge, it was locked. But from the inside!Confused, I rapped on the door. "Hello? Is anyone there?"A woman's voice, laced with surprise, echoed back. "Who is it? Are you Luna Hazel?"I heard her footsteps approaching the door, but it remained firmly shut. When I didn't answer, the footsteps stopped.Something wasn't right. I pushed against the door with all my strength. It creaked open a sliver, revealing a glimpse of a cluttered room and... a woman.The sight that greeted me was a shock. A heavily pregnant woman stood there, her eyes wide with alar
~ Elara’s POV Rufus knelt down, and a moment later I heard the happy gurgling of my son. Rufus had brought him out, a tiny scrap of peaceful normalcy in the midst of the chaos. Dolph munched on his food with a single-minded focus that mirrored my own training sessions. It was almost comical, the way he would get so engrossed in eating he'd fall asleep right after, as if sensing the importance of the task at hand.A surge of fierce love washed over me. I would find my father. Not just for myself, but for Dolph, to create a safe and secure future for both of us. Fueled by this newfound determination, I devoured my food, ready to tackle another grueling training session. The road ahead was long, but with each passing day, I felt myself getting closer, not just to unlocking my powers, but to reuniting with my father.Days bled into weeks as I trained relentlessly. Rufus pushed me hard, but I never faltered. Then, one day, it happened. With a final, grueling exercise, Rufus finally manage