Caspian had come to town solely to speak with Ezekiel. The latter had started posing as a simple waiter in hopes that his brother would come find him. Rooted him out and charged in to rescue their desperate pack. Men were dying every day and there was nothing Ezekiel could do to stop it. After my mother had informed my father of Caspian's standing, his pack was the main target for my father's fury. The pack saw Caspian as a new beam of hope in the dying light. Someone who might save them all, with the Killer Queen by his side.
Since word had gotten out, plenty of soldiers had revolted against my father, losing their lives in the process. The only reason Caspian had ever agreed to do my father's dirty work was because his pack was at stake. Losing even one life weighed heavily on his shoulders and I could see that now. Deep frown lines had taken hold of his face. Sorrow had clouded his eyes the moment Ezekiel spoke of how many women were now widows. He was a true and just Alp
Somehow it felt easy to speak to Caspian in his wolf form. There was nothing stopping him from turning back, of course, but I think he knew I needed to talk. Needed to let everything I had been holding on to out in the open. There were no signs within his face to show me that he was displeased, nor worried. His ears would perk up at certain times, the only sign he was still listening to me. For once I didn't want advice. I had the Valkyrie for that. I needed someone that would just listen. So my entire life story bled into being. Every trouble I had, every worry. I voiced it all to him. Julian and I had barely shared such a bond. He knew of my history and all I had endured, but I so rarely spoke to him about any of it. He had his own problems, as king, and I didn't want to increase the weight upon his shoulders. Instead, Julian had turned towards Mikaela. I knew of their late night conversations and all the emotions they held between each other. When I had left for war, they
Sophie's Point of View After Luciana and Caspian had left us, I had insisted we head back to the palace. None of the Valkyrie objected to my plea, although they weren't keen on staying with us either. Ezekiel was more than happy to stay with me. Although I had an inkling it had more to do with the palace than with my presence. The Valkyrie had headed off to some or other bar for the day, leaving the two of us to find some or other form of entertainment. But I didn't mind. Zeke fascinated me for some reason, although I didn't see his necklace on him. Even a glimpse of the pendant could tell me exactly why the two of us gravitated towards each other. Ezekiel had lavished in the Palace's appearance, often staring dumbstruck at this thing or that. where he came from, such wealth was absurd. Not that they were down in poverty, more like Caspian managed the books so that most of their money went into savings. Ezekiel had ranted about the palace for long en
Julian's Point of View Flashes of despair throbbed through me the entire way down that mountain. Images of Luciana splayed on the forest floor, blood soaking into the ground. It was all I could muster not to rip out Ezekiel's throat when he and Sophie had run to me. My baby girl. Sophie was on the verge of tears as they told me to go with them. That something had happened with Luciana whilst she was out. I barely had time to think, let alone ask why Caspian was with her. Why they were frolicking in the woods when our enemies could be anywhere. Gripping the steering wheel even tighter, I put my foot down, increasing my speed faster than Sophie could keep up behind me. We had called Sonja to inform her. The Valkyrie was on their way. You could practically feel all of their guilt for leaving her. For being drunk whilst she might be losing her life. Sonja would never forgive herself for easing up her protection over Luciana. The woman would blame herself
Mikaela's Point of View Katharine hadn't taken well to her grandfather. Partly due to Luciana speaking so ill of him and little girls overhear everything. Mainly due to him being an utter monster. He had no sense of humanity. Treating us worse than animals. In another life, they wouldn't have needed to lace everything surrounding me with wolfsbane. I would have gladly complied, simply due to my submissive nature. Yet motherly instincts took over the moment they involved Katharine. Wolfsbane didn't harm her in any way, thanks to her beautiful genes. But after my hissy fits the first three days, I'm surprised they hadn't just put the plant in whatever I ate. Or simply inject me with the substance. Katharine shouldn't be treated the way her mother was, yet I knew Adriaan was leading up to it. He wanted to hurt Luciana more than anything, even more than converting her to his side. Adriaan also knew that hurting me was one thing, but hurting Luciana's pro
Mikaela's Point of View Katharine woke before me, her fingers gripping my bicep with considerable strength. Worried blue eyes came into crystal view and I panicked, shooting up in my bed. What else could have gone wrong in the short amount of time I had been asleep? Katharine seemed in one piece, no bruises on her small body. Loosening a breath, I raised my eyebrows at her. "What's wrong?" I asked urgently and gave her another once over. She had tied back her own hair into a messy ponytail. Curls fell into her eyes, but that didn't stop her from staring into my soul. Last night's events flashed in my mind. Katharine was more than likely a witch. Shoving away that thought as well, I listened. "We need to leave. Adriaan wants to move on mommy and them. He wants to keep us here. He was never planning on exchanging us for her." She whispered harshly and stepped towards the window. The usual smell of fresh wolfsbane had died down considerably. It
Mikaela's Point of View Pain shot up my right leg in flames. Blood dripped onto the forest floor as Jasper remained standing over me. His smile grew more poisonous than ever before. To think once upon a time I had thought him a good man. A friend. He was now just as cruel as Adriaan was. I prayed Katharine had kept running even after the shot. Her little legs had to keep going until she reached her father. Jasper crouched in front of me, looking at my bleeding leg. The gun in his hand looked foreign, strange. Not the normal type of fire arms I was no so utterly used to by now. Spitting in his face, I hissed at the motion. Black dots swam in and out of my vision as the pain increased with each gush of my blood. Jasper smiled at me again, pleasure written on his face. All I had to do was entertain him long enough for Katharine to slip away. "Thought you could pull a fast one on us, didn't you?" Jasper mused and slid the gun over my leg towards
Caspian's Point of View Julian had laid Luciana down in her old bedroom. Maids had prepared it extensively, only choosing the finest sheets and best clothing to put her in. I hadn't stayed long after that, not whilst everyone else was saying their goodbyes. Staff members were tearful as they said their goodbyes and I understood why. She had given them the luxury of choosing where they wanted to be. Who they wanted to serve. They had chosen her time and time again. Now the girl who had promised freedom was no longer free herself. Bound to the next world for all eternity. There would be funeral preparations to come in due time. Julian was too out of it to plan anything just yet. He needed time and so did I. Father had asked me to head back to my pack. To govern and rule my people again, but I had declined his offer. For now, all I wanted was to be as close to her as I still could. We had spent barely any time together, started a bond that now crumbled
Sophie's Point of ViewI had sent Ezekiel home. His pack needed him there more than I needed him here. I had the Valkyrie to bare witness to my pain. Yet no tears came. None. Even in their company, I felt hollow. As if Luciana had left a hole in my chest. My sister. The one person who had always found a way to make me smile, even when I was annoying her in some or other way. She never knew how much I had admired her. How much it hurt when she had left and left me there, along with every single monster prowling the night. Suddenly, I was in the hands of a beast. The same beast she had been protecting me from her entire life.***The house was filled with the sweet scent of mother's milk tartand roast. Fire crackled to my right, Jasper splayed before it. June was a cruel month where we stayed. Some elders even predicted some snow fall later in the month. Snow was breath taking and fun to play in. But most importantly, my birthday was a w
Caspian's Point of View People spoke in hushed whispers before me, waiting with bated breath for the new queen to arrive. They were our new court. Noble houses we had formed in order to keep the peace and prosperity. Wolves, humans and vampires alike. Julian had insisted we make houses for the humans as well, equality being his main concern. Luciana had insisted that if those houses were to be made, they had to come from war heroes, instead of old and greedy politicians. I chosen her side. Everyone was dressed to the maximum, with jewels flashing in the well lit hall. They all anticipated the arrival of their new queen, finally made public in an orderly fashion. Yet the queen wasn't here yet. Mikaela stood to my right. Julian sat in his throne beside her. The throne beside me stood empty and waiting. This was where history would be made. We were on the cusp of a new age and everyone knew it. Finally, the monsters from their dreams had come to light,
Three years laterRoyals from all across the world had started settling into the palace. Flowers dripped from every surface around me as we welcomed the stuffy nobles. Staff members had prepared over a hundred rooms for this occasion. A hundred rooms all occupied by several members of our court. Several villas were also prepared deeper into the property for larger families.The war had finally come to and end. Brought about by my own hands and the hands of the ones closest to me. No one was more overjoyed than Sophie at the prospect of finally being able to settle down. We had finally gotten the incredible news last year that Ezekiel was indeed Sophie's mate, but they couldn't complete the ritual, as we were constantly away on missions. So we were finally granted a repieve from all the blood shed.A new treaty was signed a few months ago, declaring peace amongst all who had lost so much in this war. Peace. A powerful word that felt so fragile at
One Year Later Rain pelted the sides of the palace. December rain had come in full swing this year, leaving no stone dry. South African weather was unpredictable in that way. One moment there would be sweltering heat, the next, a flood could be washing away your trampoline in the back yard. We wouldn't have it any other way. To be back in our home was a blissful experience, but to know the next Valentine was on his way was even better. Mikaela was at the end of her pregnancy and we expected her to give birth any day now. Her belly stretched far out in front of her. Julian and Caspian couldn't keep their hands off of the growing bump the entire pregnancy long. Mikaela had resorted to swatting their hands away in an effort to maintain her personal space. Alas, that still wasn't enough. The Valkyrie had gone back to the battlefield only a few weeks ago, their vacations cut short by the growing threat of the humans. Sonja endured persistent peste
Adrian was in the middle of the clearing, scowl deeply imbedded on his face. Everyone else was coated in blood by now, their weapons flying through the air, but he just watched in amazement. I caught the look of madness within his eyes when our eyes met. Trust him to be vain, even in battle. Too self-righteous to even fight his own battles. As if he was a god. The insanity of it all finally settled into my bones. We had sent thousands to their death. Thousands more would follow if I let him walk away from this. This needed to end here. End now. We couldn't call this a battlefield, it was more a massacre. His last resting place. "I wondered how long it would take you to kill Jasper." My father murmured and turned to face me. No remorse was evident. He couldn't see how mad he was. How insane all of this was. This had started off as a simple act of defiance on my part and had ended with both sides losing more than was necessary. Prophecy or not, I knew this was how it was all s
The trodding of feet soon turned to an echo as I sped up. Since the transition, my powers throbbed beneath my skin. Pulsing like a live wire. They couldn't keep up, even if they wanted to. Nothing would stand in the way of what I had to do, not even my mates. All was fair in love and war. Claiming my father's life was something only I was able to do. Something that needed to be done since the first day he had splayed me open. The direction was clear within my mind. A field filled with ant nests slowly came to view. Just within the opposite tree line, an army of men stood. No more than fifty people in total, but still more than I could handle all at once. A few had guns. The other held knives and bows in hand. They wouldn't know what hit them if I caught them off guard. Upon my approach, a scout yelled out to my father, standing at the lead of his group. Lines littered his face that weren't once there. Mother stood a ways back, her eyes never finding mine. The woman w
Caspian's Point of ViewLuciana had stormed off, leaving a bitter taste in the air. You could cut the tension with a sword and still struggle to push the blade through. Sophie hadn't taken well to the outburst, cusses flying from her lips. Claire had wanted nothing more than to chase Luciana as she went, but I had stopped her, my hand clamping down around her arm.Luciana needed to be alone at the moment. Too many demons flew about within her mind and someone trying to pry them from her now would do more damage than just leaving her be. Facing her father had always been her end goal. The one monster she had to overcome before she was able to truly be free."What the fuck is her problem all of a sudden?" Reverie growled from next to Emory. All eyes had turned to face me. Some pierced my soul and I found myself unable to look them all head on. Only Sonja looked somewhat remorseful. She, too, understood what was eating at Luciana. From what I had g
The day before I faced my father felt like any day other day. Julian had asked for all the staff back. Even the Valkyrie had obeyed his orders and returned without a silent complaint. No questions were asked about my sudden reappearance from the staff. But the Valkyrie was another question entirely. Julian had given them a run down of the situation as best he could, without revealing our daughter. We hadn't yet told them of Katharine. Didn't intend to until it was absolutely necessary. No one liked witches and I would do anything to protect my daughter. Her state of mind was extremely important to me, and witches deteriorated much faster, mentally, than any other species on the planet. Staff members dove through the house, cleaning away the last remnants of my second birth. One as a hybrid. Buckets of red were being thrown down drains, the last time I had noticed them cleaning. The Valkyrie had decided to train for the day and I had decided that I was desperately out
I didn't know where I was going, only that I had to get out of the house as fast as possible. The air inside had suffocated me for far too long. Katharine's hopeful face kept popping into my mind's eye and I couldn't ignore it for much longer. The burning in my chest. The fear of losing everything and everyone around me. Walls of iron wrapped around my heart and squeezed. Knees buckled as I saw the smile on my daughter's face. I had never feared death before. never needed to, until I had died. Until I had left behind everyone I had ever loved. Katharine had brought me back, but would she be able to when my entrails were outside of my body. Or my head was metres away from my body? Death had never felt as close as it had only a few hours ago. But I was to face it again in two days. Two days I could be spending with my family, happy and safely. The only thing was, part of my family was missing until I faced death again. Mikaela would be a stranger to me once we reunited, but sh
"Mommy!" Katharine squealed as she dashed towards me. Chestnut hair trailed behind her in waves. The girl had dressed herself and it was evident. Sneakers closed around her feet whilst she donned a bright green dress. Yet the smile on her face was contagious, leaking onto my own lips as she drew closer. Somehow she had grown tremendously since I had last seen her. Even her eyes held a certain intelligence within them. As if she was more aware of the world than even I was. That was what it meant to be a witch. Intune with the world, whether she wanted to be or not. "Baby girl!" I squealed and bent down a little to grab her in my arms. Her tiny body was fragile beneath my new found strength. Every muscle beneath her dress tensed within my arms, then melted into nothingness. The feeling of having her in my arms kicked in, sending tears rolling down my face. Thick and hot. When was the last time I had held her like this? When was the last time I had bathed in her presence? My li