Alyssa's POV
I recognised him immediately, those piercing blue eyes were difficult to forget. The illegitimate first prince of the kingdom, Kai. He couldn’t have looked more different to his brother if he tried, golden hair, blue eyes, tall and broad shoulders, the only imperfection was the deep, jagged scar running down the side of his face, almost clipping his eye. “Move,” Caspian growled, trying to stand tall to show his authority. Kai’s wolf just growled back, taking a threatening step forward and snapping his jaws in a challenge. “What’s wrong Cas?” Prince Kai asked mockingly as he looked at me with interest, “I’m just being friendly.” “I know what your version of ‘friendly’ means,” Caspian took a step backwards as if he’d run away with me on his back. “Relax pup, I need a favour from the beautiful lady on your back.” I tried to ignore that comment as I slid off of Caspian’s back and fumbled into a clumsy curtsey, knowing I didn’t look the part of an alpha’s daughter in the palace. “Alyssa,” Caspian whimpered nervously, his eyes darting between myself and the prince. “Your Royal Highness,” I formally greeted before standing back up straight. I didn’t want to insult him, especially when I was alone. Prince Kai moved around me like a vulture, looking me up and down and surveying me like I was an object to buy, “Long time no see Lyss,” He knew I hated that nickname, “I was worried five years of imprisonment would break you. It’s not often I’m glad I’m wrong. I tried to stay strong, but my injuries from earlier hadn’t started to heal and were getting worse by the second. I spluttered, trying to hide a cough and blood splattered near the prince’s feet. “Oops, spoke too soon.” I staggered and felt my knees buckle, sending me to the floor. Caspian called my name, moving to try to catch me but he was too slow. Instead, I felt large, warm arms wrap around my waist as Prince Kai caught me. There was no pity in his eyes, more curiosity as he picked me up in his arms, hooking an arm around my legs to lift me bridal style before sitting on his wolf. “Where are you taking her, you bastard!” Caspian growled, looking like he was two seconds away from lunging forward to fight for me. Prince Kai’s wolf growled back and the two stared at each other in a fight for dominance. “Call me that again, pup, and I’ll make sure you never see her again,” Prince Kai threatened, his eyes glaring dangerously.” “She’s got nothing to do with this.” Caspian protested, less aggressive now after Prince Kai’s threat. “She’s everything to do with this,” Prince Kai countered before tightening his grip on me, “Tell my brother I’ll look after his mate from now on.” Before Caspian could react, the prince’s wolf set off into a sprint, running through the palace like a golden blur. I didn’t stay awake too long to see the beautiful castle as my head lolled and my vision went black. *** I groaned as my eyes cracked open, a gentle breeze flowing over my body. You okay? Carys! You’re here? How? Look down. I sat up from where I had been lying, a large flat stone in a forest. I looked down at my wrist, the weight of the iron bracelet now gone. I touched the smooth skin where the bracelet had been and let out a shaky breath to know Carys wasn’t taken away from me anymore. “You’re welcome,” Prince Kai said, leaning against a tree not too far away from me, his wolf beside him as he twirled the iron bracelet around his finger. As I spotted it, he smirked at me before putting the bracelet in his palm and crushing it. He opened his palm and blew the dust away. It shocked me how easily he was able to take the bracelet off and how he’d crushed it with a single tightened grip. “Thank you,” I remembered my manners, standing up and offering a small head nod. Prince Kai humphed his approval, “I just reward loyalty. Things would’ve been a lot harder if you called for Caspian’s help. No way that bastard would’ve let me take you without a fight.” “But why did you want me?” I asked out of curiosity and distrust. The last time we had met it hadn’t been too pleasant. “I need a favour and you’re the perfect girl for the job.” I didn’t know what he expected from me, I had just been released from the prison camp and my father had arranged a marriage for me. I was useless and helpless. “Why me? I can’t-” “You can and you will,” His eyes flashed with impatience. I frowned at him, more confused than intimidated. Prince Kai sighed and moved to sit on the stone, tapping it for me to sit down close to him. I obliged but he moved closer until our hips were touching. I tried to move away but he gripped my face and I whimpered, he wouldn’t finish what Taylor started would he? “Relax would you? I’m not going to hurt you or force you. Look at the scar.” I did as he was told and couldn’t contain my shock. Werewolves could heal almost any wound in a matter of days. My broken ribs and cuts that Taylor had given me were already beginning to heal now that Carys was free again. The scars on my back would take longer to heal because of the repetitive nature of the beatings but they would get better gradually. But Prince Kai was a royal wolf, he should’ve had no problem healing a scar. The scar on his face was deep and jagged, looking fresh Prince Kai let go of my chin and I moved closer to him, still examining the scar with curiosity. “You can feel it.” My hand was already close to his face so I cupped his cheek and ran my thumb over the line staining his face. A tingle raced through my thumb and I pulled back before pressing it again, feeling the same sensation. “What happened?” I asked softly. But that was the wrong question to ask. Prince Kai caught my wrist, yanking it away from his face and squeezing it tightly, “That is none of your concern.” He hissed. “Then why am I here?” “When someone gave me this scar, there was poison coating the weapon. Royal healers can do nothing for it and the poison is spreading to the rest of my body.” I opened my mouth to give him an apology or some pity, but the glare in his eyes showed he didn’t need or want it. “I’m not a healer.” “I think you should stop asking questions,” He grumbled as he moved closer, whispering something in my ear as he still held my wrist, “I remember when you took a little vacation from your prison sentence.” My heart almost stopped beating and I moved my face to glare at him, only I didn’t realise how close we were and if either of us moved an inch we’d be kissing. He smirked at my shocked expression. But before anything else could happen, a roaring, “Don’t touch her” came from the distance as branches were torn and bushes were trampled. Alexander rode Caspian into the field with murder in his eyes.Alexander’s POVI thought I would be able to get over Alyssa easily, it wasn’t like I knew her anymore and I already committed myself to Freya. But my chest ached with a dullness that was hard to ignore. Maybe it was just the broken mating bond.I was in my palace, trying to regulate my emotions with servants scattered around tidying and making noise.“Everyone get out!” I grumbled, throwing my handout, not wanting to be around anyone at the moment.I heard ‘sorry’s and ‘excuse me’s but it wasn’t as if I was going to hurt any of my servants. Caspian was the hot-tempered ill-mannered one between the two of us.For once I was grateful he was not here. He’d tear down the walls of my room as punishment for what I did. And if any servants got in his way… I wouldn’t want to be them. I wondered where he had gone too but tried not to think of him too much.Quickly, I went to the cabinet where I kept my wine and took out a fresh bottle thinking that maybe the alcohol could calm the thudding in
Alyssa’s POVAlexander was looking at me with hurt and betrayal in his eyes and my stomach wracked with guilt. But what right did he have to look at me like that? He’d rejected me first. He was engaged to the step-sister who helped make my life a living hell.Besides, it’s not like I had much of a choice but to let Prince Kai pretend we were engaged. The punishment for escaping the Red Maple camp was death, even if I had returned in the end.I didn’t know when or how the first prince found out, but there was nothing I could do except play along with his game. A favour for a favour. He wouldn’t spill my secret if I managed to heal him. How I was going to do that was a completely different story.I looked between Prince Kai and Alexander as I shuffled closer to Prince Kai and nodded.“It’s true, Prince Kai has just proposed to me… I accepted.” I lied, feeling the tension growing between the two brothers. Alexander looked like he wanted to murder his brother, but Kai simply looked at hi
Alyssa’s POVKai rolled his eyes but he didn’t put up a fight. Carter lowered his head and Kai lifted me by my waist, causing me to gasp, as he placed me by Carter’s neck before sitting on his wolf behind me.“Kai!” Alexander objected to the touching.Prince Kai only offered his brother a small salute before Carter was off running. He ran so quickly that I was thrown against Prince Kai’s back and felt myself blush. Shaking my head, I tried to ignore whatever girlish feeling was churning in my stomach, now was not the time to be self-conscious. “When will we get there?” I asked, focusing on the path ahead. Hopefully we got there before Caspian could hurt too many people. Kai’s mouth was suddenly by my ear, making me stiffen up, “Don’t worry about it, we’ll get there when we get there.” I tried to swat him away from me and almost lost my balance. He grabbed me by the waist and kept me upright, looking at me like an idiot. Maybe I was, to get in the middle of this after everything I’d
Caspian’s POVMy vision was glazed with red and my mind was spinning fast so that one moment I was watching that bastard with his arm wrapped around my mate, the next I was ushered through The Colosseum, ready for blood.Alex was an idiot, an absolute, utter, fucking idiot. Ever since I saw Alyssa and her wolf Carys, I knew she was mine and not only did Alex chase her away, but now Kai had taken her as his own and there was nothing else I could do about it.The Colosseum was ancient and had been around as long as the kingdom itself. It was created as a way for Alphas to challenge one another or to resolve conflicts. It was still used for that, but it was also a way of entertainment now. Prisoners would be retrieved for competitions, sometimes allowing their freedom, other times for the royal family to vent their anger out on. Those ones would’ve stayed in the Red Maple Camp for the rest of their lives. This was a mercy.Members of the court had spotted me as I raced through the forest
Alyssa's POVIt was horrifying to see. I’d seen fights in the Red Maple camp before but this was different. This was brutal. Caspian was surrounded by prisoners and though lots of them had big builds and previous scars, they all looked tired and beaten down.They were like me, they hadn’t been fed properly during their time in the Red Maple Camp, and they would’ve been made to do so much labour that it would’ve hurt their joints. I pictured myself in that lineup with the rest of them. How many of them might have been innocent? How many had been in that camp for years, only to be released into a bloodbath?We’d just gotten to The Colosseum when I saw the scene. The sweet golden wolf who saved me and tried to look after me was now on a murderous rampage.“Caspian!” I called desperately, hoping he could hear me through the bloodlust.He looked up, noticing me but he was still on top of the prisoner, unaware of his claw digging into the man and drawing blood,“Caspian, please stop!” I did
Alexander's POVI hated seeing the two of them so close together. I hated the way my brother touched her in front of me and I hated him even more when I saw that she tried to move away and he pulled her back. I felt a growl erupt from my throat and Caspian was immediately at my side.“Get your hands off of her,” I ordered, taking a step towards Kai. Brother or not, I wouldn’t let him hurt her or force her to do anything.Kai smirked at my demand, almost laughing like a child trying to order his parents. But instead of doing what I told him, he pressed a kiss against her cheek, despite her obvious discomfort and the crowd wolf whistling at the display.Carter was standing in front of my brother and so close to Alyssa that she would be touching him if she took a step forward they would be touching. The only person that Carter was close to was Kai, he always kept a firm distance from anyone else and was only around people when necessary. Why was he so attached to Alyssa already?Carter a
Alyssa's POVI looked to the floor as my blood ran cold at the messenger's words. Of course I would be expected to see the Alpha King, not only was I ‘engaged’ to one son but I was rejected by the other. I felt so stupid that surprise had rocketed through me.What was I supposed to say? What was I supposed to do? I hadn't had any formal experience for the last five years considering where I'd been and the last time I had, I was a child. I would make a fool out of myself.Slowly, I lifted my head and saw Alexander looking back at me, worry coating his face and Caspian looked like he wanted to step forward and comfort me. But Kai’s arms were still wrapped around me and I doubted he would let go of me, especially with the announcement.“Wasn’t she in the Red Maple Prison?” Someone from the crowd called and both princes looked up to glare.“Ah, so she’s a whore and a criminal, wonder how many people she was with in prison?”I felt my cheeks burn and my eyes water at the insinuation. The R
Kai's POVShe was small. That was one of the things I noticed about Alyssa as we rode Carter to the royal palace. I didn’t mean small for her height, which was quite average, but small enough that it was clear she was practically starved at the Red Maple Camp.I avoided holding onto her for too long, opting to hold onto Carter’s fur. I wasn’t one for touch or affection, so the times I had touched her were either necessary or to piss Alex off. I preferred the latter, entitled prick. But I’d touched her enough to feel her bones poking through her skin and it made me wonder just how much she would’ve suffered in that camp.I knew of people being cruel and manipulative, I’d lived in the Royal Palace all my life, surrounded by vipers, so I believed Alyssa when rumours spread that she hadn’t hurt her stepmother. The girl couldn't have hurt someone even if she tried. It didn't seem her time at the Red Maple Camp had toughened her up either.Those rumours were quickly shut down by Alpha Henry
Alyssa's POVAwkward was the only way I could describe the encounter.I was sitting in a big armchair in what looked like an office, silent as I observed everything around me. The colours of the room were brown and green themed, like nature. There was a big window behind the Alpha's desk that allowed the light in in beautiful rainbows. Opposite me, standing behind his desk and looking out of the window as he poured himself a glass of whiskey, was Alpha Evan. He hadn’t spoken a word to me since he’d invited me inside and that’s what made things both awkward and unnerving.He hadn't looked at me since either. It made me feel like I was doing something wrong. I wondered if I should’ve said something, it was obvious he hadn’t forgotten I was there, but I wasn’t entirely sure what the game he seemed to be playing was.So I waited patiently, hands folded on my lap, looking at him looking out the window. Maybe it was a test to see how long I could go without talking to him or demanding som
Kai's POVI was never one to enjoy the parades that came with being a prince. Being on show with everyone staring at me and thinking I was up for grabs wasn’t my idea of fun. It helped that as I had gotten older my people began to fear me as a General rather than love me as a prince, the scar on my face definitely helped, but Alexander was the opposite. He bathed in the warmth of the attention and lapped it up like a dog.He smiled and waved to our people like he had all the time in the world. He had people crowded around him and was smiling at every word they said and shook hands with everyone we passed. I almost worried that he’d lose track of why we were there. “This is a beautiful pack, Beta, a credit to yourself and your Alpha,” My brother praised, side-eyeing me as if to tell me to play along.I didn’t need his direction, I'd been in more strategy meetings and diplomatic situations than he could imagine.The Beta smiled with pride and bowed deeply, “It is an honour, Your Highne
Alyssa's POVWe had a plan, even though Alexander begrugingly agreed to it, I wasn't taking no for an answer. We began heading towards the Sirius Pack to get some questions. It wasn't too far as the princes rode their golden wolves and Carys took over. We ran fast before stopping just outside of the pack.Carys allowed me to take over again but the golden wolves stayed still at their prince's side."Go through the plan, one more time," I stated, just wanting to be sure we all knew what was going on.Kai rolled his eyes but Alexander nodded, "We enter under the idea that we are on an 'engagement' tour," He started."It's not too suspicious as the Lunas aren't typically formally intodruced to the pack until after the marriage," Kai added."You two distract the pack and try to find some extra information and I'll go straight to Alpha Evan." I stated, feeling more confident with the plan. The boys had both volunteered to talk to Alpha Evan, but it was something I knew I had to do.I was
Alyssa’s POVWas it cruel to tell him that I didn’t know? Because it was the truth. I know it would’ve been easier to say “Yes, without a doubt, absolutely, I understand,” but those would’ve been lies.Even now I didn’t understand how he could discard me, his mate chosen by the Moon Goddess for his crown. I was tired of lies. Lies from other people and even my own to try to keep some semblance of peace in the farce my father called a family.Adding to that, Alexander hadn’t spared my feelings the day he rejected me, the day he used his powers on me to bend me to his will. Unfortunately, those wounds were still too open for me to forgive him, even with his apology and confession.But Alyssa, he loves us now, Carys tried to plead in my thoughts and I knew she was thinking of Caspian, the wolf who had protected us from the beginning. If Carys was an extension of me like Caspian was for Alexander I would be more than happy for her to accept her mate, but that wasn’t the case, was it?He
Alexander's POVI could see the way Kai was looking at Alyssa, my mate. Caspian growled inside of me as Kai lifted her off the ground and carried her body, but I wasn’t going to wrestle my brother to carry her, not when she was already injured. I could smell the burning from her body, the blood and hear the whimpers she made every time her arm moved too much.If we had arrived any later she might’ve been dead.I tried not to think about that. Because we hadn’t been late. I resented the fact that it was because of Kai we’d gotten there on time. Caleb might have never opened up to me about where she was, but Kai knew how to handle the kid. Kai had gotten ahold of her scent quicker than I had. Kai had raced off, hearing Taylor’s threats before I did.Why was Kai always first?Why was he always so much better than me?Why was I always one step behind him?But Kai had surprised me when he listened and hadn’t killed Taylor despite how much we’d both wanted to, but it was only a matter of ti
Alyssa's POVTaylor stood with a blaze behind him, grinning like a devil and I knew exactly what he wanted to do with me. I’d embarrassed him not only in public but also in front of the Royal Family and in a very public setting where he was expecting to win. Where everyone was expecting him to win.This was revenge.But how did he know I was here?As if reading my thoughts, Taylor purred sinisterly, “If you didn’t want me to find you, Alyssa, you shouldn’t have come so close to the Pack House. Your scent is one I wouldn’t forget for a long time.”I shivered at the thought. I had been careless, hadn’t I? I’d gone straight for the centre of the pack instead of using my head and asking around first. I should’ve known better, especially with how angry Taylor and his father had been. Of course they would kill me and try to cover it up in their own territory.Surprisingly, Evelyn stood in front of me, arms wide as if to defend me. This woman who hardly knew me, who was in danger because of
Kai's POVI managed to get to the Ice Heart Pack quite quickly and Carter had done his hardest to carry us both here. He was panting with shaking legs by the time we got to the territory so I let him rest inside of me as I continued on foot.I didn’t want to draw too much attention to myself because I didn’t know who was to be trusted in this pack or, worse, who was after Elise.I had a hood over my head to cover my blond hair and travelled as inconspicuously as I could throughout the pack. Gradually, I finally found the Pack House where I knew Alyssa lived. The place smelled of her even though she’d only been back here a short while. However, as I reached a backdoor which looked like it led to a kitchen, I felt a presence behind me.With one sudden and swift move I grabbed the knife attached to my belt and spun on the presence, the sharpened edge of my blade against his throat.“Why are you following me?” I growled, pressing hard enough that I drew the slightest droplets of blood to
Alyssa's POVShe had no tongue. The woman, Evelyn, who served my stepmother with such loyalty, had no tongue. I couldn’t stop myself from staring at her before she looked around hastily and dragged me inside the house.As quickly as she pulled me in, she locked her door and dragged me to a small living room with only two chairs and a small table. There were some knitting supplies on it and a piece of half-eaten toast on the side. Evelyn lived in squalor as if she didn’t even exist in the pack. It made me wonder if anyone even knew she was here.“What’s going on?” I asked gruffly, feeling uncomfortable being locked in the house with a stranger.She placed a finger in front of me to tell me to wait and shuffled around the room until she found a notebook and pen before gesturing me to sit down.Cautiously, I did as instructed and waited as she scribbled down something in the notebook.Sorry I can’t offer you any food or drink, I wasn’t prepared for visitors.I hadn’t expected that. As Ev
Alyssa's POVIt didn’t take me long to get to the Fire Bone Pack since it bordered on my own, but I took a lot of precautions necessary. I had a hood covering my hair and perfume scattered over my body to hide my true scent.I didn’t have much to go on other than my memory of the maid and the brief discussion about Evelyn that I had with Clara, but I had a plan to find out.Clutched in my hand was my father’s seal which signified he was an Alpha. Typically those seals were given only to family and trusted envoys of the pack if the Alpha was unavailable to deliver news or things himself. Luckily for me, my father hadn’t needed it.So with a deep breath, I followed the path that would lead me to the centre of the pack.The Fire Bone Pack was different to my own, whereas my father took care to ensure all people in our pack lived comfortably, the Alpha of the Fire Bone Pack seemed more concerned with his welfare than that of his pack.As I passed buildings many of them were derelict like