Flashback- Night of the accident The dungeons. Raven’s meeting time was up. She should have left, but she was feeling strange. She didn't want to leave Eirene alone here. She couldn't trust the men here. Especially Willson. Pacing the empty hallway, her thoughts come to seize when she sees Wilson returning from the dungeons. She hides behind the wall, to breathe heavily. The door slams shut and Raven sneaks out to peek in. " Y...yes Sir. Th..the child in her womb is the next heir of our Kingdom." Wilson was talking to someone on the phone. Could it be Zach? Raven wondered. Intrigued by their conversation. " Sir? There?" " What do you want me to do next?" " Understood Sir. No one will doubt you. " He puts the receiver down and cracks his neck. Lighting a lighter, he stares at the flames to whisper. " The fire I light tonight is going to burn you down to ashes, Phoenix. " " And this time? You will not be rising back from it. " " I promise." Raven’s he
He looks down to find Eirene’s fingers gripping it. Those Brown eyes struggle to stay open. “ Eirene! What have you done? It's the only proof of your child's identity-” “ No… I will gi…ve him m..y identity…” “ Zach is his father! What are you saying? Rowan, just take her-” “ I said No!” Eirene’s tone was enough to end all negotiations. The authority in her voice made Raven drop her head while Rowan looked down at the girl in his arms with a strange emotion. She was strong. Very strong. He thought she must be broken till now, considering what all she has endured but the woman Phoenix was indeed what everyone said. Undefeatable. “ Zach ordered Wil…son to kill me… I can't..” “ Wilson could be lying Eirene. Don’t tell me you believe him!” “ I trust… no one now Raven… not even him.” “ I just want… to go away from… all this… far far away…Raven…” Raven sighs to look down at the stubborn woman. Eirene won't agree. But somewhere in her heart, Raven could understand
Aiden's pov " Left arm up, block and then clench your fist to root an upper jab." " Like this." " Okay now you do it." I follow your highnesses instructions. Keeping my fist clenched and as soon as my fist touch his jaw, he blocks again to whisper. " Faster Aiden. It's all about the reflexes." I nod to try again and we continue for the next few hours. We were in-between the training when suddenly your highness enters into a series of coughs. He pulls back and rushes to turn his back on me. Reaching a tree bark, he starts vomiting. My heart drops. He was fine just now, what happened all of a sudden. I rush forward to help when he shows me his hand. My steps freeze. I am feeling strange suddenly. There is this grawning in my chest. His aura, it has suddenly turned very weak and vulnerable. What's with this strange thing I am feeling? First that woman, the Luna. I don't think I have ever despised a person by feeling their aura alone. It was all evil, sugar coate
The carriage drives through the deserted forest road and Rowan looked lost in his thoughts.Raven looks out of the window, her petite hands wringle in anxiousness. “ I just hope Aiden is fine. If something happens to him I am never going to forgive Eirene.” “ Does she have no care about her son? A week passed since Aiden went missing. And all she did was wait. I no longer recognise her anymore. How can a person be so cold hearted? Does she have no feelings left in her? Not even for her son?” “ Aiden doesn't deserve this Rowan. Have you seen the kid? He is too scared to share how he feels with her. Train. Train. Combat. That's all she teaches him. Hell I haven’t seen that mother son duo share a hug in the lat 8 years!” “ He sleeps in a separate room since he was 4! She never smiles! Not even with him! What do I make of this!” “ Eirene is raising a warrior, not a son!” Silence stretches and then Rowan sighs to speak. “ She hides them. Isn't it obvious?” “ Hides? From wh
Zachary's pov " This is not done Zach, not eating food will not help." I look up at Emerald literally pleading me but I wasn't feeling like eating. Sighing I just close my eyes and rest my arm on my eyes. " Persistence never works on me Em. Just let me sleep." " You haven't eaten anything since the last two days. Do you want to starve to death?" Maybe I do. It's surprising but having not eaten anything, I feel a little better. Either way, how does it matter. Whatever I eat ends up getting rejected by my stomach anyways. At least I don't have to rush to the washroom every hour to vomit out. My silence made her sigh. Her warm fingers brush my freezing face and she crouched down to settle beside me. " I am with you through all thick and thin Zach. You know it right?" I lower my hand to find her face inches away from mine. Those blue eyes look at me in concern. " Yet you refuse to accept Aiden." Something flashes in her eyes. And all the concern is replaced by irri
I get up to run my fingers through my hair. My body protests but I ignore it. Gulping the glass of water kept on the bedside, I make my way towards my office. The two figures get up as soon as I enter. The woman turned and extends her hand. “ It’s a pleasure, your highness. I am Doctor Raven and this is my brother in law, Alpha Rowan of Ric-“ “ Richmond pack. I know.” I shake her hand and look up at the man. He looked surprised. He wasn’t expecting me to know who he was. There are around 153433 packs in our world. Out of which 99 percent are small sized packs with less than 2000 members. Out of the remaining 1 percent 0.99 are middle sized with population size between 50k and 100k, and the left 0.01 are the big sized ones with population of more than 100k. In short there are just 15 big size packs and mine is one of them. Richmond pack is a middle size pack. But I know it because of its non involvement policy. Whenever a war has happened in the past, Alpha Rowans has n
Raven’s pov “ Maital will never agree to this. Mark my words your Highness.” With that being said, Rowan turns around to leave and all I do is stare at his retreating back. Dammit! He told me to behave and look at him. I look up at Zachary , to find indifference plastered on her face. He didn’t care what Rowan thought. Getting up, I rubs my palms on my thighs in anxiousness. “ Don’t mind him. He is just really protective of Aiden.” He looks at me to nod and then goes back to signing the papers on his table. Damn. His presence is still scary. From one look, no one can tell that he is suffering so much and doesn’t have much time to live. “ You may leave.” He dismisses me but I was reluctant to. I have gathered the courage to come here after so many years, I can’t just leave like this. “ Umm Your Highness. There is something really important I want to tell you.” He looks up at me with furrowed brows. He didn’t want to talk. But I was going to say, no matter he l
Aiden's pov I slam my bedroom door shut and lock it from the inside.Tears begged to spill from my eyes and I take deep breaths. " Mumchkin open up! Listen to me!" Uncle Rowan bangs on the door and I do my best to muffle my cries. I wasn't a cry baby. Mom has taught me to never let my emotions get the best of me. But it hurts mama. You didn't even came yourself to get me? Weren't you concerned of how I was living? Or if even I was dead or alive? I know you rarely show your emotions, a hug is the most I could get from you or rather a tap on my head. But I haven't seen you in a week. I was here living with strangers and you couldn't bother to come. You are always busy. Is your work more important than me? Each thought churned something inside me and the tears continue to dribble down my cheeks. " Aiden! Your momma loves you Mumchkin." I am starting to doubt that uncle Rowan. All of you are here, except for her. Why? What is so important. " Not now Rowa
Zachary's POV Flashback " Your Highness, the wound on your arm is deep. Why don't you stitch it up first?" I dismiss Ron to remove my armour. We just returned from a war in the neighbouring pack, those rogues managed to tear my arm and I could feel blood dripping down my forearm. But I didn't have time to tend to it. This can wait. I need to see my dewdrop first. Its been 3 fuc*ing days since I have seen her beautiful eyes and heard her voice. This is the longest I have stayed away from her in the last 4 freaking months. " I am alright. Where is your Luna?" " She must be in her room. But first-" " I am fine, Beta." Dismissing his comment, I walk up the long staircase. Excitement bubbles inside me at the thought of seeing her. All the fatigue and pains will be gone once I have her in my embrace. I wonder what she will be doing? Waiting for me? I chuckle. Of course not. My dewdrop can't sit idle. She must be helping someone or rather playing with the maids kids
It stirred something dead to life inside Zach. He wasn't afraid to die. All his fear vanishes in thin air. He was finally going to meet his dewdrop. Even if it meant after death. “ She… she saved me from those looters. She was a thief herself.. So I got this idea. I gave her an opportunity to visit the ball pretending to be me.” “ I gave her my scent bottle. My name. My clothes.” “ She could loot there all that she wanted for a day.” “ And that's where you both met.” Things were making sense now. Why Zach thought Eirene was his mate when she wasn't. Why she smelt like her. “ I returned to Caleb. We were happy but… we lacked the basics. We had no pace to stay, no food. Nothing.” “ And then I we got the news of your marriage.” “ You married Eirene thinking her to be me. Your mate.” Caleb smirks to speak next. His head stays dipped in Emerald ‘s neck. “ And then we made a plan. Em here was to return and you would know that your dearest Eirene had been nothing bu
The most beautiful and prosperous kingdom of all, the Royal lands was on the verge of getting turned into ruins. Fires had been lit, soldiers have intruded and treasures were ready to be looted.With eight enemy packs striking together, bordering the kingdom from all direction. Escaping was no longer an option. And maybe that's why the ruler has materialised walls of trees and depths of trenches to surround it. To protect his people till he could. Yet, the question remained. How long will the King protect them when he himself was surving on counted breaths. How long can one man fight against millions? And especially now, when his soul had been shattered by the betrayal of that one person he loved more than anyone? “ Em?” Her name left Zachary’s trembling bloody lips but no emotion becomes evident on her face. Lowering the barrel, she steps over his body to walk towards Caleb’s coughing frame. “ Baby? Are you alright?” She cups Celeb’s face and helps him get up. “ I
Zachary’s POV ‘I threw her to my men to be broken and tamed. They took their turns.’ ‘A toy first needs to be broken to be made according to your choice and taste.’ Each word the bastard spoke plunged a knife into my heart and the words Eirene told me suddenly started making sense. ‘I slept with another man. I am not a virgin.’ ‘I don't deserve you.’ ‘What if you get bored of me someday?’ It has all happened with her before. Her fears were not baseless.That bastard, her very mate pretended to love her and when he got bored of her? He tossed her to his men to be abused? Why didn't I realise it? Fuck! The way she flinched when I first touched her. That constant fear and lost look in her eyes. How her hands always trembled when they touched me. How she was always weary and on high alert. How it took months for her to finally relax and feel comfortable in my arms. Ex mate. Caleb. Rape? “ Villains and heroes are not born, Zachary. They are made. Never judge a pe
Aiden was waiting for that moment when a searing pain tears him and he takes his last breath. When his tender neck gets ripped under the beasts canines and his blood gets spilled along with thousands of others. He waited. Seconds pass. No sound was audible. And Aiden opens his palms to suddenly feel an aura of fear and vulnerability hit him in full intensity. It wasn't his aura. Saph's aura was out of question. Then.. It could only belong to... He snaps open his eyes and what he saw made his fearful eyes widen in shock. The shadow, the beast was still hovering over him. But he couldn't move. Not even an inch. Unknown tree branches have uprooted from under the ground and were tightly wrapped around Caleb's frame like a snake swathing around its prey. One thick branch was coiled around his neck, another around his hind legs and one around his chest. The branches were moving... coiling tighter with every passing second and Aiden could see saliva dripping from the Caleb'
Their footsteps were coming closer while our breathing was turning heavy. Closer… closer. “ Aghhhh!” Saph stumbles on a branch to fall and that was all it took. We stop and within seconds we were surrounded. The wolves surround us from all the directions and one of them shifts to look at me. “ Well, well, well. If it isn't the future Prince of this Kingdoms.” “ Did we got lucky boys? Boss would be so delighted.” His eyes cloud. He was sending a mindlink and my fists clench. Standing in front of Saph, shielding her from their disgusting gaze I seethe at the man. “ You are nothing more than cowards. If you think you can defeat your Highness like this? You are mistaken!” The men only look at each other to chuckle. Their huge frames tower over my 4’2 one. “ We don't think pup, we know. Your dear your Highness is going down today. Its just a matter of time.” “ Its impossible! He is an elemental! You all are of no match to him!” Saph speaks from behind me and I see det
Aiden's Pov Adults don't understand and see a lot of things that we as children do. The longer a person stays on this planet, the more he or she gets tainted by this worlds dark colours of greed, selfishness and mercilessness. We as children stay immune to this and maybe that's why all I could see right now was that my new family needed me, while all Rowan and Raven cared about was this kingdoms heirs safety, my life. They couldn't understand that I can't live like this. The kings title, the power, the responsibility. I needed none. I just needed my new family safe. I just needed the people who took care of me and loved me in this unknown place when everyone turned their back on me, breathing and taken care of! I was pinned under Uncle Rowan, restrained to not go back. Tears dripped my eyes at my vulnerable stare as I imagined my new family getting slaughtered to death. Saph... Grandma. And most importantly, Zach. The man who gave me what no one else could ever
Three pairs of thudding footsteps run through the deserted forest as screams and cries echo behind. Their breathes were laboured but none could afford to catch their breath, even for a second. " Aunt Raven. We need to stop. I am not going to flee like this." " Father, Saph and grandma need me! They are there all alone!" One pair stops to be only dragged ahead by Raven's grip on his petite wrist. He thrashes, begrudgingly moving ahead. " Don't be stupid Aiden! This is a war! They are going to kill you mercilessly if they reach us!" " We need to reach safety! Your mom is waiting for you!" Raven's blunt authoritative voice did nothing to alter the kids resolute. Determination shone in the kids eyes as he tugs to withraw Raven's grip from his wrist. Everyone stops to stare at the resilient boy. " Mom never taught me to abandon my people and run away like a coward. I am going back-" Aiden turns around to go back when Rowan steps in front of him to block his way. Softly
Zachary stood on the barrister, his emotionless eyes look down at the enemies army approaching his castle from all sides. Small forest fires lit the forest and he could hear distant screams. Clenching the barister tightly, he whispers in a low voice. " How many, Ron?" " In hundred thousands, Your Highness! We were attacked together from all borders! My estimate is that there are way more than 5 packs. And if I am not wrong it…it…” Zachary sighs to complete it for Ron. “ It's a coup.” Deadly silence followed. No one said anything and Zach breaks into a series of coughs. Unable to keep them in. Catching his breath, he gave his next order. “ Escort the elder and woman out. Take Aiden-” “ We are taking him along.” Zachary’s eyes shift to Rowan and Raven standing on the threshold. He could see the determination in Rowan’s eyes and this time he had nothing to argue about. In times such as this, the kid will be more safe with his family. Nodding Zach sighs to lean a