Prologue

1000+ Years Ago

Toffe

I was around five when I started hanging out with my older brother and his best friends, I loved all of them and they loved me. We would play and I would ride their wolves whenever I got the chance. I would sneak out at random intervals just to be with my brother, I would always get scolded by my brother for sneaking out and he would get scolded by my mother for allowing me to be with him. My father loved us more than anything and when I was around nine, he was killed in the war that killed Aidan, Drax, and Roman's fathers. My family was heartbroken and my mother kept a watchful eye on me at all times, my brother became more ruthless once he took over our father's role and Aidan loved that he took his job seriously. It took a while for the Kingdom to heal from the loss of their former King, and his direct hierarchy but Aidan filled his father's shoes well and the kingdom respected him, I respected him.

As time went on, I barely understood mates but had an idea about mates, Drax was mated and was rejected by his mate before he met his second chance mate. Rumors went around that Roman was rejected by his mate because of his womanizing lifestyle and my brother never met his mate but he always had Judi around, I met her a few times and she always spoiled me with candy. One night, I sneaked out just before the ball and was caught by my brothers following them, they were having a boy's night but I wanted to go, they were my brothers and I wanted to be just like them. I covered for them so many times when they would sneak into town and well, play games with the ladies. Ty was furious because it was too far away for me to go back but Roman smiled and said, "We will take him with us," and he changed into his wolf and I was on my way with them, I admit, I like riding with them, it was so exciting.

However, when we got to our destination, Uncle Cadyden hugged me and Uncle Michael smiled before I was asleep, I woke up curled into Roman's wolf. He was keeping me warm and I hugged him as his wolf, Troy, licked my face before we headed back to the palace. Aidan met his mate at his birthday ball and everyone was excited, I was there but I had to go to bed early because I was still young and it was an adult ball. Roman did come to my room and stayed with me, telling me about this girl he met and that he was going to make her his mate soon but she was shy and not ready to be revealed. I could smell a she-wolf on him and alcohol, It seemed like he had been playing games like he always told me. He asked me to keep his secret and he told me a story about one of his adventures, I loved Roman, he was like my big brother and always protected me.

He kissed my forehead and said, "Sleep, little Toff, I love you," and I said, "I love you too, Roman," before I drifted off to dreamland as the fireworks went off in the background, signifying the King had found his mate. I woke up the next day and ran off to find Ty who was not in the room, he usually had me sleep in his room when I was in the castle but I slept alone. I ran down the hall and bumped into Aidan and I bowed saying, "Sorry," and Aidan picked me up spun me around, and said, "Let's go for a run, little one," and he changed into a wolf and I jumped on his back and we were out the Palace walls in no time. We ended up running into Drax, Roman, and my brother waiting by the waterfall and we spent most of the morning there. These were precious memories I always kept with them and not even our mother could keep me from hanging around them, Ty was my only brother and I loved him and always promised to be loyal to King Aidan and the others.

******

The Coup

I had met Lily, she was going to be queen and she was an amazing she-wolf, my mother even liked her and the Kingdom had warmed up to her and couldn't wait for the Coronation. My mother was helping Lady Addison with Lily's wedding dress and I couldn't wait for the food, there was going to be lots of food. My brother has been staying at our house avoiding the castle as much as possible and I heard Mother say something was up with Ty but he was not saying, he took his frustrations out on the warriors, and some even got hurt. Addison showed up and asked for something special from Ty and I figured to give her our father's medallion, she said, "I will return it after the ball, I promised," before she hugged me, and since Ty wouldn't miss it until after the ball anyway, I gave it to her. Roman had pulled away from the others and even stopped visiting me so often but he was busy as he last told me and we respected that.

On the day of the Coronation, I started feeling weak, I was burning up and no one knew why, my mother couldn't go to the Coronation anymore, she had to stay with me. Ty hadn't visited for two days but my mother understood, he was busy and sent word to him. He visited me when I was between sleep and wake but he kissed my forehead and said, "I will see you tomorrow." Roman visited as well, he gave me my favorite candy, and told my mother, "Whatever you hear tonight, keep your door locked and take care of little Toffe." He sat next to me taking my hair out of my face, I still had a fever and he said, "Toffe remember that I love and I am sorry," I was confused, he left and I never saw him again that night, I drifted off to unconsciousness.

******

The Next Morning

I woke up with a slight pain in my chest and the sun peeped through the window on me, I was still weak but the fever had broken. My mother was leaning over me crying and I heard slight murmurs and screams outside, the cries and the stench, I didn't realize were the result of dead bodies burning until later. My mother looked at me and said, "He was gone, Toffe," and I was confused and asked, "Who was gone, Mother?" She looked at me touching my face as I saw her tears, she said, "They killed him," I was feeling scared now and said, "Kill who, mother?" She said, "They killed Tyrell, they killed my baby," and started bawling again and I was shocked, I tried linking him but nothing, I linked Aidan and Drax, nothing.

I linked Roman, and he said, "I am okay, little Toffe but yes, they are gone, so get well soon and I will tell you everything later." I hugged my mother crying and fell asleep in her arms again, I woke up and she was still sitting protecting me, this time, there were guards outside the door and Roman was inside sitting drinking a hot beverage, and smiling at me. My mother's face was neutral, his aura was different, and he felt stronger but I was weaker, "So that was probably it," I thought. Roman got up and sat next to me telling me a story describing how my brothers died.

He was King now and I was in shock, I froze in disbelief, he sat there telling me how he betrayed my brothers and wanted me to be his adopted son, he would take care of me and my mother. My mother bowed and said, "Thank you for taking us in, Your Majesty," and he said, "Yes, of course, you were like a mother to me and since I love Toffe so much, he will be part of my court, I will raise him among great men, you will move into the Palace tomorrow, so pack your things and be ready, there will be fine doctors to take care of Toffe to make sure he gets better," and he then left, I was speechless.

******

Roman

I had a rough night but we were able to pull it off and now I have accomplished my dream, and I am now the Alpha King. Lily has been marked, she is my Queen, and although she does not want me to touch her, she will fall in line eventually. I loved her too much to let her mate with that former friend of mine, I slept alone giving her the space she needed and now it is time to clean up the mess and let the ones who are still loyal to Aidan bend a knee or join him in the afterlife. I do hate that I had to kill Drax and Ty with him but they were loyal to a tee and I would not have been able to change their minds. I will, however, raise Toffe as my son and he will eventually forget them, I love that kid and I never would have killed him. Plus, once his power unlocks, he will be a very powerful warlock and a very powerful asset to the crown, I wasn't stupid, if I couldn't have Ty, then little Toffe would do my bidding.

I knew about his powerful bloodline and how his power was bound at birth, I had his room prepared and I was willing to sign the documents adopting Toffe and crowning him as the Crown Prince of Darkmonth Kingdom. He would not succeed me though after I stepped down as King, I had plans of starting a family with Lily, and when she eventually gave me a son, he would take my place. I decided to go and give Lady Stella Cloudwater the good news, I know losing Ty must have broken her but she will be treated nicely and have riches at her feet, after all, she is the mother of my son, Toffe. I reached the little cottage and this was not where I wanted my son to live, I had guards placed at her door since last night so they wouldn't have been harmed in all the chaos.

I waited until Toffe was up and gave Lady Stella the news, she was shocked but bowed her head and accepted this was her fate if she wanted to survive all of this. Toffe was speechless but he would eventually get over it, once he saw what I had in store for him and then I left to go visit my Queen. Lily was still refusing to speak to me or let me touch her and I decided to give her time to grieve but it was hurting me to stay away. I wanted her badly, I wanted to be buried deep between her legs, thinking about it had me so turned on, so I summoned one of my ladies in waiting to give me the release I needed until it was time to mate Lily. Lily needs to get over Aidan, he is her past and I am her future, and she will mate me even if I have to force it.