~Anthony~ I was utterly taken aback. How could they conjure up such a slew of nonsense in such a short span? It was evident that this was a targeted assault on our reputation, executed with a level of finesse that was almost impressive. The article was devoid of any substance that warranted the journalist's arrest; it was simply crafted to sow discord within the Royal Council and instil doubt in the minds of our citizens. It was a wicked yet cunning tactic, and unfortunately, we found ourselves on the receiving end of it. The seamless manner in which they fabricated connections sounded alarmingly convincing; even as an outsider, I might have been swayed. Glancing at the writer's name, I noted it belonged to a small but reputable printing press. Strangely, in Lucland, printed news held a reputation for bold authenticity. Complicating matters, this Chronicle press was known for its investigative journalism, further lending credence to their claims. What baffled me was their motivati
~Leo~ We were in Devin's garden with our mates having brunch when Devin suddenly froze and ushered us to the living room to watch the news. I could not believe what I was seeing. On the screen was Mountain Airport, and my sons and their mates were the objects of discussion. I was also surprised to see Lillian by Brandon Knight's side as they tried to break through the aggressive press. It seemed impossible, and just as expected, Ethan, true to his character, dealt the first blow, allowing room for them to walk through. I couldn't miss the questions or the underlying accusations and smear by the press and the people present. The hostility was intense. How did things suddenly get out of hand? We heard of what happened in the North with the LTS interview, where the jealous acquaintances of my sons and their mates were given the opportunity to stylishly vent their grievances and start rumours. It was indeed a big issue, and we trusted our children would handle it, but it seemed it wa
~Leo~ David had searched for 'Winter Crayton, and an autobiography about her, recently uploaded, had come up. It had a recent picture and stated her age and breed. The publication stated she was an orphan of unknown origin and that she grew up in an orphanage in Brighton. It stated that she was allegedly involved in prostitution before starting an orphanage and moving to Hayland, where she met her lover and fated mate, Brandon Knight. It said even though Brandon made a public show of rejecting her at their bluemoon wedding, they believed it was a scheme by the two of them so he could get his hands on Lesley Adamson Armstrong's dirty money. The autobiography further stated that Winter was now with my son, Noah. There were snippets that insinuated that Brandon, Summer and Winter are con artists who are preying on the rich and powerful, making my sons unsuspecting victims. Although it does not say anything malicious about my boys, it only implies they are unfit to rule. If they can b
~Noah~ The entire ordeal had destabilised Winter. She was shaking when we returned from the airport. Although she maintained a strong facade in the van, I knew she was shaken. Who would have thought that the LTS interview would lead to something explosive? I was also worried for Lilly. We are all in deep shit. We arrived home in silence, and all headed to our bedrooms. The eerie silence spoke volumes. We knew this was a huge mess. Realising Winter's mood, I decided I needed to calm her down. I went close to her as she took off her clothes and sucked on her sweet spot. She moaned for me, unable to resist my touch, and it made me giddy. I quickly took off my clothes, leaving my shorts on, and then I undressed her gently and laid her on the bed. "You need not worry about the press, bunny," I teased her, nibbling and sucking on her skin with the desire to leave marks on the pale, flushed skin. I wanted everyone to see that she was mine and that I owned every inch of her. The red hicki
~Noah~ There was a brief silence as we tried to reason through the situation. I knew sitting idly wouldn't make the matter go away, and neither would hiding Winter and Summer from the world's work. We had to face this head-on, and we needed to act fast. The longer we remained silent, the more damage would be done. Letting the matter fester would cause more harm than good, but I was confused. I honestly did not know what to do, and looking at my brother and cousins, I knew they, too, were stuck with the dilemma. "This is serious," Luis stated plainly, breaking the silence and snapping us out of our thoughts. "Yes, but I am most worried about Brandon and Lilly. As for Winter and Summer, we could get them out of the shit eventually, but what will happen to Brandon and Lilly? Will Lilly follow him to Hayland and live with him there? She won't be under our protection there, and anything can happen. One thing is certain, we can't discuss the lifting of the embargo or else we would hav
~Noah~ After hashing out our plan of action, we all breathed a sigh of relief and decided to unwind. However, with limited space at my place, Anthony and Luis would have to crash at the Packhouse. Anthony was all for us bunking together under one roof, but I couldn't bring myself to agree, not with Brandon in tow. Sebastien and I shared a silent understanding that bringing Brandon home was risky business, but we kept our concerns to ourselves, hoping it would all blow over smoothly. As we mulled over our options, Anthony and Luis took it upon themselves to settle into the living room for the night. I didn't mind; the couch was pretty cosy. As long as the suggestion came from them, it was easier to accept. To unwind, we opted for some video games to pass the time until dinner was ready. We were well aware that dinner would be a tad delayed; the prep hadn't kicked off early enough. Plus, I wanted Winter to have ample time to recuperate. She'd been through a lot, and even though she tr
~Noah~ Brandon entered the living room a few moments later, just as Ethan excused himself to his room in search of his phone. I was pleased to see that both Anthony and Luis welcomed Brandon warmly as if the earlier tension had never occurred. It was a reassuring sign that they had fully accepted him into our circle, setting aside any previous misunderstandings or conflicts. "Want to join in?" Luis offered to extend the controller to Brandon. Brandon hesitated for a moment, a flicker of nervousness betraying his otherwise relaxed demeanour. "Lilly?" Sebastien inquired, prompting Brandon's response. "She's sleeping," Brandon replied, a hint of weariness evident in his voice, suggesting they might have had a busy day. It was unmistakable that he carried the scent of her on him. Finally, Brandon spoke up, his tone serious. "Could I have a word with you?" he requested, and I sensed the gravity of his request. "Of course," I replied, and we all set aside our controllers, pausing the ga
~Noah~ As dinner was finally served, albeit later than expected, Lilly, Winter, Summer, and Ethan joined us at the table. I couldn't help but notice the calm and rested demeanor of Winter, Summer, and Lilly. It was evident that each of them had reached some form of resolution on a personal level. I couldn't help but wonder about Winter's thoughts and plans. Was I part of her strategy moving forward? As we gathered around the table to enjoy the meal and each other's company, I couldn't shake the feeling of anticipation, curious to see how the events would unfold in the coming days. "So, what's on the agenda for tomorrow?" I inquired of Winter as she served herself some food. Her gaze met mine, her icy blue eyes sparkling with a newfound brightness that betrayed a sense of contentment and joy. I couldn't help but marvel at the transformation in her mood—it was as if she had undergone a complete turnaround. Winter exchanged a glance with Summer, a smile gracing her lips, and I couldn'