Ares’s POV“Valeria!” I keep screaming into the forest, my throat raw. “Valeria, come back….”At last, my voice cracks. Whether from emotion or exhaustion, I don’t know, but I know that it’s time to stop. I take a deep breath, casting one look at the forest and taking a deep breath. This time, I can
“But King Ares….” She lets out an impatient sigh. “It’s already two in the afternoon. You’ve been sleeping for fifteen hours. This is not healthy anymore.”“Who cares?” I mutter. “Leave me alone. Leave me here.”This has been my attitude since that night. Am I proud of it? No. Am I capable of doing
Ares's POVNikolai and the Elders all look at me. I stare back at them, keeping my sneer on my face. "Well, what do you think?""Brother," Nikolai starts. "Don't be so irrational. I never asked for your throne--""We all know that's what you're after," I state flatly. "So take it." I turn to the Eld
But then, I hear a meek knock on the door. "Your Majesty?""Come in," I say, immediately recognizing Heather's voice. "What do you want? I already talked to the Elders."She ignores my comments and just sits next to me on the couch. "Well... I heard what you told the Elders.""Right." I let out a de
Valeria’s POV“One month and we’ve worked together… and you’re still embarrassed to receive any kind of care from me?” Josie asks incredulously, helping me sit on the couch in her office. She hands me a tissue and I use it to wipe my mouth. “You better start getting used to it now.”I smile at her,
I sigh, drinking more water and looking at the door. After a while, it opens and Josie comes in with two mugs of hot tea. She sets one down on my side of the table.“Drink up, you might feel better once you have something to warm you up,” she says, coaxing me to have a drink. She watches me take a s
Ares’s POVIt’s been decided. I am going to the Human world.There are no questions to be asked about this decision. The moment Nikolai told me, I immediately knew what I should do.I want Valeria back. I want to see her. I want to at least talk to her, and if she doesn’t wish to come back with me a
She snorts. “Okay, your Majesty. But you have to understand why that’s a bit hard to believe on my part.”“I understand that.” I stare at Heather, watching her stop in her tracks and mumble curses. “Well, don’t tell me you’re changing your mind about coming with me.”Heather looks at me. She hesitat
“We’ll see,” is all I manage to say, then I promptly end the mind-link with Heather.Before I can even tell Frank to go, he already takes initiative. He starts to drive into the neighborhood, stopping in front of the lab and getting out of the car at the same time that I climb out. His fists are cle
“You don’t have to come forward and be public about your existence like we are,” I declare. I have to admit, I had no idea about that clause in the treaty. But then again, Nikolai and Ares should have known. If we were indeed doing something we shouldn’t then they should have spoken up about it. “We
Valeria’s POVI’m rooted in my spot, staring at the man in front of me. But at this point I suppose I should stop calling him a man, because he’s so far from that.Everything about him screams something else. Even though my heart rate has slowed down I still feel like I can’t move. I just watch as h
“No, mommy.” Edith shakes her head. “He just looked at me. And when I stopped playing, he left. I’m just scared that he’s there watching me again. I really want to play but I’m worried about him. What if I go out there and he’s watching me again? What do I do?”I can’t stand to see her this scared w
Valeria’s POV“Mommy, can I stay with you for a while?” Edith asks as I drop her and Emmett back to school. She holds my hand as we approach the building, and even though I hold her back reassuringly, I have to admit that I’m curious about this sudden shy behavior.“What’s going on?” Emmett asks. “D
My vice mayor has conducted some meetings with the delegates of important groups in the city while I was gone, and he compiled everything into papers. I read the papers all morning and finally come up with laws that bind the Lycan and Human world together.The new laws are similar to the initial one
Ares’s POV“I don't know what happened,” Vincent says as soon as we're gathered in my study, including Heather and Valeria. “I don't know how he managed to do it. But his hearing is next week and I heard that the judge is considering setting him free on a bail.”I stare at the back wall, still tryin
“It’s not like that, Ares,” I say, but he just turns away from me. I feel guilty for shooting down his feelings but I have no choice. It just feels too absurd for me. I recognize that I might be in denial, but I don’t think Gianna has enough power to sway the Vampire Kingdom into doing her bidding.
Valeria’s POVI whip around to face Lavinia. But of course, she just rolls her eyes like this is some senseless babble. “You better keep your mate in check. I can’t have him wreaking havoc like this.”“What did you do?” I demand at her, but she just waves her hand airily.“You should ask him what he