(Katriona)“NEVER MIND. Don’t answer that. I think I know what you are going to say next,” Alexander said after a few seconds of silence between us. He withdrew his hands and started walking away. Wait. Was it tension and nerves that I detected in his voice?But I shook my head.Alexander McCain being nervous? That was like saying that the earth was square. A supreme alpha like him would never be anxious because of me.He was already at the door when he noticed that I was not following him. He stopped but he didn’t turn around.“What are you waiting for?” His voice was a shade rougher than usual. “A goddamn miracle?”I shrugged. “Sort of. I’m waiting for you to turn around for me.”“Enough. Just get the fuck in.”“Look at me, Alexander.”“Don’t push it, princess.”Instead of listening to him, I looked up at the sky, at the moon to be specific. Before this moody man came home, I was asking for a sign. But after seeing him, after I landed in his arms, I realized that there were no more
RELIEF washed over me upon seeing Mikael unscathed. After a few days of trying to convince Alexander through kisses, he finally granted me the permission to visit the warrior in his cell. He looked well-fed. His wounds from last time were all healed now.I caught him sitting on his bed with his hands fisting on his hair as if he was in a deep thought that despite hearing the footsteps, he didn’t raise his head. “Please stop!” I heard him say after a while, his voice was begging. And when I looked at him, he was crying. But then his eyes suddenly looked vicious as he screamed, “Get out of my head, you lying son of a bitch!”“Mikael,” I called out but he didn’t answer. “Mikael, look at me!”He kept spewing something like he was lost in his own world. No matter how loud my voice was, it was not getting through him.I turned to the warden; my forehead creased. “What’s wrong with him?”He shrugged. “He’s been like that since he was caught. The others who attacked the North with him ended
(Alexander)‘I’M about to do something I might regret but I’m doing it anyway.’I saw the wild anxiety rising in Katriona’s chest while I was absorbing what she said.‘I’m losing time. I need your help, Alexander.’That was seven days ago, after our first exchange of our secret code. During the past week, I witnessed her desperately try to morph herself into something. Katriona trained with my warriors. She had excellent fighting skills. She was a princess who didn’t need a knight. She was a knight herself.Katriona fights with natural grace which is hard to possess these days. I witnessed her take down three of my top-ranking men. The first one was via knife combat and the remaining two was a duel in the ring.Frankly, what Katriona truly needed to work on was her confidence, her belief that she could do anything she put her mind into but that might take a while since it was her own family who shaped her thoughts that way her whole life.We still have the usual conversation although
(Katriona)‘McCain got you good, didn’t he?’ Bernard laughed despite the blood dripping in his mouth. He had fallen on the marbled floor but that smug smile on his face was telling me that I didn’t exactly win against him. It’s as if it was the other way around.‘Well, newsflash, dear. The Northern Beast is only using you,’ he taunted.‘The same way you used my sister? The way you are being used by the Queen like a pathetic loser that you are? Alexander is nothing like you, Bernard! You’re a snake!’Every smell of a person was distinct. That was how wolves identify people even from a mile away. And if only I was not smelling Bernard’s blood scent right now, I would have a hard time believing that it was really him doing this to me.Bernard was there for every occasion in our family. The estate was strict with visitors but we welcomed him. We opened our gates for him.Dad didn’t like him at first for Chantal because he was a half-breed. Although his father was a pure-blooded werewolf,
“THEY cannot be disturbed. That is the Alpha’s order. Once the trio are together, no one is supposed to interrupt them. The last one who tried was sent flying out of the house, barely alive. I’m sorry, Katriona. I hope you understand,” Jace said apologetically after seeing Valerie and I in front of an old house. “Once they are done with their business inside, I will inform the Alpha that you paid a visit. For the meantime, please go back to his house.” The trio Jace was talking about were Clyde, Duke, and Alexander. They were called ‘the indestructible trio in the North’. “The one you are keeping hostage inside is related to me. There are still many important things I need to clear with him, things related to my life that your alpha doesn’t know about,” I reasoned out without plans of backing out. “This is about me, too, Jace. I have the right to be there and interrogate him myself. If I wait until later, knowing your alpha’s temper, he might kill Bernard before I get the answers.”
THE CONFIDENCE and strength Alexander had instilled in me last night all came crashing today. The very man who had built me up so high was the same man who dropped me down mercilessly.And just like how Chantal had pushed me off the stairs, I fell again with nothing to hold onto to save myself. The damage was bigger this time.It was like there were several invisible hands killing me through squeezing my heart.The laughter in Alexander’s voice as he talked about me, the cruel glimmer in his eyes as he compared me to Alison as if I was worth nothing compared to his mate, the savage words he just uttered, kept playing in my head along with Chantal’s voice and the look in her eyes when she talked about me to her lover.I didn’t know how I was able to crawl out of the basement.The next thing I knew, I was already at the gate. Valerie was still there and was chatting with Jace.“That was quick. Did the Alpha send you away?” Jace asked in a teasing tone.I wished it was as simple as sendi
MY HEARTBEAT thudded in my head. I would rather hear Katriona raise her voice at me just like before. I would rather see her lose control or at least, see her try to reveal those little claws to hurt me than see her this quiet.It was like I was looking at a ghost or at Katriona’s empty shell. Gone were the familiar warmth and glow in her eyes.She was not just shattered. She was… ruined.Did she unlock all of her memories while she was gone?“Baby…” I uttered in a pained voice.Heck, I had fought against the bravest and strongest wolves in the past. I always knew what to do. I had rebuilt the North into what it was now. I conquered the rogues. I conquered their demons. Now, they were on the hills, working for me.I had ruled and dealt with thousands of people with confidence and certainty.But tonight, I didn’t know what to do. For the first time after so many goddamn years, this helplessness snuck its way back to my heart, rendering me motionless.When Katriona saw me try to reach o
“A WEEK?” Every muscle in my body tensed up as pain burned through me. I couldn’t even last a day without seeing Katriona and here was my friend, casually telling me this bullshit? I stood up, pacing the living room back and forth. “No fucking way! There has to be another solution, Clyde. I can inject her with my blood. What do you think? A vampire’s blood is different. You are aware of that. Since we are mates, maybe it can help-““Only if Katriona wants it,” Clyde answered. “The main problem is her body has been rejecting any food and drinks. You said so yourself. She will certainly reject your blood too. I personally don’t recommend it. It’s too risky. It can make her situation worse. If she is a vampire or a human, it would work. No doubt about that. But she isn’t like that.”“Then what the hell am I supposed to do now?” I shook my head. “I can’t let her go, Clyde. I don’t know how!”That was suicide.Just the mere thought of it was already sucking the air out of me. I had lived w
IT WAS past eight in the evening when I received a call from Clyde informing me about Willow and Katriona’s location. I teleported right away; my chest was still pounding.And there, I found the loveliest pregnant woman in the world.Katriona was in a yellow dress that barely reached her knees.God, it felt so nice to see her wearing bright colors again.She was standing in front of our home… back in the North.When she saw me, concern crossed her eyes as she started explaining, “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to leave. I mean how could I? That’s still technically my house. I only wanted to visit this place with Willow for a moment. She teleported us here but we lost track of the time wandering around. I also met the other kids again. They requested me to play the guitar and before I knew it, we were having lunch and snacks together.“When I finally wanted to come back, Willow got dizzy and we had to stay longer. The omegas called the doctor and guess what? She’s pregnant!” Katriona’s eyes
(Alexander)“DID you see that, Xander? I won!”My smile widened when I saw Katriona’s eyes shone after beating a former warrior in chess. I loved to see her win and it was precisely because of this smile. Everyone in the room was just watching her as she stood up to greet me as if it was the most natural thing to do.I looked at the chessboard before smiling at her. I kissed her forehead. “You did great, love.”After Dane’s death more than a month ago, I thought I would see Katriona waver. She didn’t. She had only let herself mourn for a day and the next day; she started exploring knowing that her father wouldn’t like to see her wallow in misery.She drove around the city and in the nearby provinces all by herself. But of course, I was right there, following her secretly from afar. She had no problems still doing anything she wanted to do because she was naturally strong. It was just two weeks before she gave birth now but her little bump could pass as only five months.She traveled a
MY STEPS slowed down when I finally saw him again. Today, he was no longer in that custom-styled suit. His leather shoes had been replaced by sneakers and he looked untidy for the first time. Gone was his regal aura.He didn’t look like a king anymore.But a lost old man.He was rocking himself back and forth while holding his mate’s photo as he stared at the clear sky from the window.I had always doubted his wife. And I’d already rehearsed about what I would tell him after I was able to show him her true colors. But it turned out that there was no need for that anymore. Beatrice had shown him all her darkness and this man bravely and foolishly accepted that darkness.I no longer had to ask if his black heart was finally breaking at last and if he was feeling that same agony that he put me and my mother through.Because it was already showing. His eyes had become swollen with tears. And the photo he was holding was already soaked with those tears.Now that I think about it, maybe Aug
TO MY SURPRISE, there were more wolves who jumped down the gates and joined our pack. Half of them were the members of the Order. The others were the royal family’s warriors themselves. Alexander and I glanced at each other and nodded as we led the pack towards the mages.Clyde had blocked every spell thrown our way. The mages may possess strong powers but without them, their bodies were like those of humans. Compared to them, the shifters were still faster, especially me and my mate. And with Clyde blocking the attacks, we were able to charge forward.I sank my claws and teeth into the body of the first mage I saw and tore his arms apart before slamming him onto the wall before I proceeded to another mage.“Katriona!”I wouldn’t have stopped until I heard that voice.It was Rhodora.She stood a few meters away from me. But what caught my attention was the sword she was holding. Alexander had told me about it. It was the missing sword. The Legacy. The one from my ancestors.“No one hu
(Katriona)R HAD one mistake. She may have been successful in masking her scent from my wolf but she left a drop of her blood on the floor. She was injured when she came here to spy on me herself. Her latest victims must have tried fighting so hard for their lives before they died in her hands.When Alexander called Clyde over, the mage did not waste time to prove himself. He still felt guilty for failing to cure my father and he was too eager to offer help in any way possible that tracing the owner of the blood did not take him much time.He was also inspired more than ever now since Willow was back on his side. I heard that they got separated after Willow decided to marry the man her parents had chosen for her who was also a shifter. It happened years ago. She was so afraid that her parents would disown her that she chose them over her own heart. Unfortunately, her husband sold her to the high-ranking mages. Since then, her life had fallen apart.Now that they were back in each oth
Fifteen years ago…‘THAT’S ENOUGH, Johann! I’m begging you! Just hit me, okay? I would take it all! Please spare our son! Bradley is still too young for this!’ Beatrice screamed as she struggled to crawl on the floor to reach us.‘No, mom! I’ll be fine,’ I mouthed and tried to smile to reassure her despite the blood dripping in my head. ‘This will be over soon. Just please... look the other way for now. I can still take it.’Tears streamed down her cheeks. She could barely open her left eye after Johann made her his punching bag again last night. Her right cheek was swollen, she had cuts on her face, and bruises all over her body. Each time I would see her framed picture in the living room, the only picture she had before she married my father, I couldn’t believe that it was her.No one would be able to recognize her like this anymore.Beatrice looked thinner and smaller now. Her bright smile from the picture was replaced by sheer agony, by her tears that I see every waking day of my
(Alexander)I BREATHED sharply and braced myself for the worse. I could still remember how the King and the Order looked at me like I had gone insane when I rejected the crown. They must have been expecting some good news when they saw me in a flashy suit after a long time.They must have thought the suit was for them.Hell, no. It was exclusively for this interview.Duke, the oldest in my pack, happened to also be the only one among us who had a social media account. He saw the post, took a screenshot, and sent it to me last night. I shook my head. I could still imagine him grinning as he tried playing cupid for the first time.I never wanted to be a king. I only considered it when I thought Katriona wanted to be a queen.But she didn’t.Everyone has been failing to see it but she only wanted to be herself.She had lost herself for too long that there was no other role she wanted than to finally be the real Katriona Aldana. She was still in the middle of rediscovering herself, of re
I COULD not tell how long I had been running. I just knew I needed to escape for a while and calm myself because I didn’t want dad to see me have a meltdown in front of him once he woke up. I didn’t want him to worry again.I was sure he would already worry about breaking his promise to me again.I ran and stopped only when I was in the middle of the woods. I howled and howled until my throat burned, until the nearby wolves had awakened and howled with me.Clyde’s last words were still echoing in my head.‘We found two kinds of poison in your father’s body. I was only able to get rid of the one affecting his wolf. It was no doubt the poison your wolf had detected. The second poison, however, seemed like it had been in Dane’s system for years. It has already spread in different parts of his body. I’m sorry but you need to prepare yourself, Katriona.’‘How much time do you think we have left?’ I asked, my voice was shaking.Clyde sighed. ‘To be honest, I don’t think your father can make
HIS SHOULDERS shook.Dad had always been a proud man but tonight, he looked defeated, like somebody had taken all his hopes and dreams away. I clenched my hands.My expression hardened when I spoke, “What did I do this time, dad? Where did I go wrong again? I’ve manifested as the wolf you had always wanted me to become so why do you still look like that? Is it because of Chantal? Look at me and see who is here for you right now! See me for what I am! I am your only daughter! Chantal is never going to come back! I will not allow someone who tried to kill you to ever step foot into this estate again!”Dad looked at me and my stomach twisted at the agony in his eyes. “I had hurt you so much, didn’t I?”“Yes, you did.” My voice cracked. “And I want to hate you so much for it, dad.”He lowered his head. “I’m so sorry.”“I tried telling you about it, dad. You didn’t believe me. You lied to me. You said you would be my protector. You swore to be there to chase away the monsters under my bed.