I slowly made my way down the stairs, each step feeling like a hammer to my head. The pounding in my temples was relentless.As I reached the bottom of the staircase, Victor appeared before me, his face etched with concern. "Are you okay?" he asked, his brow furrowed with worry.I forced a weak smile and nodded. "Just a headache," I muttered, rubbing my temples in an attempt to ease the pain. "They seem to be getting worse and lasting longer than normal.”Victor's expression softened as he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about anything today," he said gently. "Just go rest in your room and rest. I'll send the doctor in to check on you."Before I could respond, Alexander approached us with Lidia by his side. As he drew nearer, something strange happened - my headache began to go away as if his presence had some soothing effect on me."Are you alright?" Alexander asked, his eyes filled with genuine concern.I stood there dumbfounded, unable to tear my gaze away fro
My heart started to race in my chest as I looked up at Alexander's eyes boring into me. I gasped in surprise at his sudden appearance. He studied me intently, his expression unreadable."Fay," he said softly, his voice sending shivers down my spine. "What are you doing here all alone?"I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. "I could ask you the same thing," I replied. "Are you following me?"Alexander's lips quirked up into a small smile. "Following you? No, Fay. I just happened to be in the area."I narrowed my eyes at him. "And what about Lidia? Shouldn't you be out at the lake with her right now?"He chuckled softly, taking a step closer to me. My heart skipped a beat as he did. I could never forgive him for what he did to me, but it was hard not to feel something when he was around for so many reasons, the main one being that he was my mate. "Why are you so concerned about where I should be, Fay?" he asked teasingly.I swallowed hard, feeling my cheeks flush with em
We met with the maid’s family. My heart ached for them as they mourned their daughter's death. I decided that I wasn't going to bring up that we thought she was involved with the attempted poisoning at the palace. They were hurting enough without me adding to that. I left Alexander in the village and made my way back to the palace, knowing that I would have to face Allen. Walking into the palace, my heart raced. I don't know why I was worried about talking to Allen. I hadn't done anything wrong.As I walked through the main doors, I could feel Allen's intense gaze on me before I even saw him. He was standing by the stairs, waiting for me. "Fay," Allen's voice was cold and stern as he approached me. "What were you doing with Alexander?"“I went to the village to talk to the maid's family, and while I was there, I ran into him.”His jaw tensed as he glared at me. "You know how dangerous he is. You can't be associating yourself with someone like him.""I have to go talk to Victor," I s
Alexander pov I was in the middle of reading when Lidia burst into my room, her eyes wide with panic. "Alexander, we have a problem," she said frantically.I set my book down and looked at her, concern etched on my face. "What's wrong?" I asked.She took a deep breath before speaking. "Fay caught me with Ethan," she confessed, her voice trembling. "If she tells Victor, everything could be ruined."I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "You need to be more careful," I scolded gently.Lidia let out a frustrated growl before glaring at me. "I don't know what you see in her," she muttered bitterly. "If you saw what she was hiding under her mask, you would be running for the hills."I didn't care what Fay was hiding under her mask. There was something about her that drew me in like a moth to a flame, and it was more than just our mated bond. "She reminds me of someone," I admitted quietly.”And when I'm around her, a part of me that has been missing feels complete."Lidia rolled her ey
As the doctor rushed Fay off to the emergency room, Allen turned to me with rage burning in his eyes. He grabbed me by the collar and slammed me against the wall, growling, "You did this."I felt a surge of rage coursing through me as I pushed him off and held him by the throat. "You should have been a better husband," I spat out, my own fury matching his. "She deserves someone so much better than you. And if she dies, I'll make you wish you were never born."“Enough!” Victor yelled, making us both turn to look at him. “My sister is in there fighting for her life. If you want to kill each other, go do it somewhere else.”Allen's hands clenched into fists, his eyes still burning with anger. "She wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for you," he seethed. He tried to push me off him, but I was much stronger than him.“I said that's enough, Allen”, victor yelled again. I let Allen go, stepping away from him taking a deep breath to try and calm myself but keeping my glare on him. “If y
Olivia's povI slowly opened my eyes, the room spinning as I tried to focus. My head was pounding, and my vision was blurry. As my surroundings started to come into view, I saw Victor sitting next to my bed, his expression filled with worry."Victor," I croaked out, my voice raspy from sleep or maybe something more sinister.He jumped up at the sound of my voice, relief flooding his features. "Thank God you're awake. You scared me."Confusion clouded my mind as I tried to piece together what had happened. Why was I in this state? And why did Victor look so terrified?"What happened?" I managed to whisper, fear creeping into my heart as I tried to work out what had happened.Victor leant forward, taking my hand in his, his grasp tight and comforting. "You were attacked, Olivia. Do you remember anything?" he asked.I furrowed my brow, trying to recall the events that led me here, but my mind was blank. I shook my head slowly, feeling a sense of dread wash over me as I realised I couldn'
Alexanders povThe library was quiet, and the only sound was the soft rustling of pages as Ethan flipped through a book. I sat across from him, trying to focus on the words in front of me, but my mind kept drifting. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through me, causing me to double over in agony."Alpha? What's wrong?" Ethen asked, rushing around to me.Before I could answer, a scream pierced through my head, echoing loudly and making me wince in pain. My wolf growled, urgent and insistent. “Mate!” It whispered urgently inside my head. “She needs you.”I pushed myself up from the table, ignoring the protest of my muscles as I rushed towards the door. Fay's screams taking over every inch of the palace, each one sending shivers down my spine. I needed to get to her to make sure she was okay.But as I reached the door where her cries were coming from, two guards stopped me from going inside. They stood in my way, their expressions stoic and unwavering."Let me through," I growled, my voice lac
Victor's face softened slightly, a hint of sympathy flickering in his eyes. "She is alive," he said finally. "But she is not in a good way."I let out the breath I was holding, relief flooding through me at Victor's words. "Can I see her?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Victor's expression hardened once again as he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Alexander," he replied. "But I can't allow that. Fay will have no visitors until we know what is wrong with her and we find the person who attacked her.""What can I do to help?" I asked, desperation creeping into my tone.Victor's gaze bore into mine, his eyes cold and calculating. "Find the person responsible for this," he said firmly. "Bring them to me so they can be punished accordingly."I nodded, determination coursing through me as I stood up straighter. "Consider it done," I declared.I turned to Ethan, who was already at my side. "Find them," I instructed him. "And bring them to me."Ethan nodded in understanding before rushin
I decided to let Victor rummage through his thoughts alone. I knew what I had told him sounded crazy and didn't really make any sense, but I couldn't keep it from him. He was a part of this, whether he wanted to believe it or not. I made my way through the palace to see the twins, hoping that being around them would clear my mind. "Olivia," Saphira's voice sliced through the silence of my mind, startling me to a halt. "Before you see the twins, there’s something you should know.""Not now, Saphira. I’ve told Victor everything, and I can't handle any more surprises right now." I whispered."No, Olivia. This is important. Head to the North Tower of the palace. Your mother hid her diary there. It holds the answers to many of your questions."My pulse quickened. A diary? Perhaps it contained the missing pieces to this puzzle. I glanced down the hallway leading to the twins' rooms before making the choice to head to the north tower. The sooner I got answers, the better, not only for me bu
The next morning, I woke up. I expected my mind to be a mess, but instead, everything seemed to just fall into place. So many things that didn't make sense before now did. Last night felt like a dream, but I knew that it wasn't because I could feel my dragon Saphira inside my head.Swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, I got ready for the day before going to find Victor, needing to share the revelations from the blood moon night with him.As I reached the door to Victor's room, I hesitated. How would I explain that our world had just expanded in ways we never could have imagined? Taking a deep breath, I knocked."Vic, we need to talk."Victor opened the door, his expression one of mild curiosity. "What's up, Olivia? You look like you've seen a ghost.""More like a dragon," I muttered under my breath as I pushed past him into the room.He followed, half-amused, half-concerned. "A dragon? Seriously?"I turned to face him, locking eyes with all the seriousness I could muster. "I'm n
The day passed, and night started to fall. The palace was buzzing. Tonight was a blood moon. The blood-red glow of the moon seeped through my window. I tried to focus on my breathing, willing my mind to calm down. My head was pounding worse than it ever had before. I collapsed onto my bed, gripping the sheets, my teeth gritted against the pain, which came from somewhere deep within."Olivia, get a grip," I whispered to myself, but the pain was ruthless, unforgiving. Worse than anything I have ever felt before. I felt Aura stir, but her calming presence was drowned out by a new, fierce energy. "Olivia," it thundered, "I am Saphira, your dragon."The headache vanished as swiftly as it had come, replaced by a sensation I couldn't quite describe. I felt an overwhelming sense of power—raw, untamed, and ancient coursing through every inch of my body. I bolted upright, my breath ragged, trying to comprehend the impossible."Saphira?" I whispered into the dimly lit room, though I knew the wo
Olivia’s povMy mind was still racing from everything Victor had told me last night. I always knew that my mother was strong, but there was something about the way Victor talked about her that made it clearer. Our stories weren't so different. We had both been betrayed and run away from our homes while pregnant, and somehow, knowing these things made me feel closer to her than ever. As I made my way to the front of the palace, the thought of Alexander finally leaving today filled me with a small, guilty sense of relief. I wanted to see it with my own eyes, to make sure he was gone for good.The courtyard buzzed like it always did this time of morning. I spotted Alexander standing at the gates with his beta, Ethan. His face was unreadable, but as if he knew I was there, he lifted his head, and our eyes locked. "Olivia," his voice was quiet, almost like he was scared. It was the last time he would ever say my name again."Alexander," I replied evenly, blinking away the morning mist th
Alexander pov Standing at the palace gates, my heart was heavy. The last thing I wanted was to leave Olivia, but I knew that I had to. If I stayed, it would only make things worse. I should have left hours ago, but I couldn't leave without seeing her, so I've just been standing here waiting in hopes that she will come to say goodbye. Ethan had chosen to leave last night. He didn't see the point in staying any longer since Victor wouldn't let him ever see Lidia again. Guilt has been eating away at me from bringing him into this and maybe wrecking his chance at love and happiness. “Alpha Alexander, we really should get going.” the coach driver called to me, snapping me out of my head. “Soon, “I said, holding up my hand as I scanned the courtyard one more time for her. Just as I was about to give up and turn around to get into the carriage, I spotted her out of the corner of my eye, walking towards me. My heart began to pound in my chest with excitement. “Olivia,” I couldn't bri
"Victor, do you know anything more about Mother?" I asked, trying to keep my tone casual, even though my heart pounded in anticipation. He looked at me thoughtfully, his gaze seeming to pierce through memories long locked away. "Not much that would make sense without further context. Father was always protective of her mysteries. But there was something... something about the day they met." "Tell me," I prompted, urging him gently but firmly. I needed to know. Victor stood there silent for a second as if he was trying to remember every part of the story. "Father met Mother in the forest. She was... different, mysterious. Her origins were somewhat unclear, but he recognised something in her, something that made him realise she was his mate. That's what he told me." I nodded, encouraging him to continue, the tension between us thickening. "They fell in love quickly," Victor said, a wistful look crossing his face that contrasted sharply with the pain I suspected he was hiding. "But
I tossed and turned in bed, my mind racing from everything that had happened. The room seemed unbearably hot, even with the cool night air drifting through the open window. Lydia's venomous words echoed relentlessly in my head, painting devastating images of Alexander with her. I couldn't shake the sour taste of betrayal that clung to my thoughts. Tomorrow, he would be gone forever if Victor had his way. And to make things even worse, the doctor had no answers on what could be wrong with the twins. When he came to see them, the scale-like marks were no longer there. With a frustrated sigh, I threw off the covers and sat up, running a hand through my tangled hair. The moonlight filtering through the window cast silvery shadows across the room. I glanced over at the silent form of my children, sleeping peacefully in my bed next to me. I hated letting them out of my site these days.Leaning over, I gently place a kiss on both of their heads. Liam stirred a little, his eyes fluttering op
Olivia's povEverything that was going on made my mind go crazy. I knew that Lidia had some feelings for Alexander, but I did not realise they went as deep as they did. I never expected to catch her coming out of his room. But the thing that played on my mind the most was why she was with Alexander if she was saying she was in love with Ethan. I made my way to the twins' playroom, wanting to be with them so they could calm my chaotic mind. Liam greeted me at the door with a warm smile, throwing his arms around my leg. “Mummy, I missed you so much.”“I missed you,” I said as I picked him up and walked further into the room. Where's your sister?” I scanned the room, trying to see if I could see her hiding somewhere. “We're playing a game. She's the princess, and I'm the knight who comes to save her.” he wiggled, signalling for me to put him down before he rushed off into the other room. A few seconds later, he came back and dragged his sister in by the hand. “Mummy!” Sarah yelled, ru
Alexander pov"Alexander!" Lidia's frantic voice echoed through the grand hall, her footsteps hurrying towards me. Panic was clear in her movements and voice. "Victor knows. He knows everything, and he is removing you and Ethan from the kingdom!"My breath caught in my throat. "What do you mean, Lidia? What have you done?""There’s no time for explanations!" Her hands gripped my arms tightly, her fingers digging into my skin. "I need to tell you something."I took a deep breath and met Lidia’s desperate gaze. Her wide eyes were filled with a terror that made me shiver. "Tell me, Lidia. What do I need to know?"She hesitated for a moment, her lips quivering as she tried to form the words. "It's about Olivia's c—-"Before she could continue, the sound of heavy footsteps reverberated through the hallway. We both turned to see Victor striding towards us with an air of authority that made the walls seem to narrow around him. His dark eyes pierced through Lidia. "Lidia, go to your room. I w