~Gemma~The day to leave for Lucland had finally come, and the throbbing in my chest made me uneasy. Lilly and Eleanor weren't happy that I turned Lucas down, but honestly, I wasn't lying when I said I needed time. I hoped we might still have a chance, and if not, then he wasn't meant for me. I packed my bags fully, knowing I might not be returning. My options weren't really much; it was either I left home or told my folks the truth, but I also knew that my father would not see reason and claim that Lucas did it deliberately. I knew my father would destroy him for it, and I couldn't have that. Seeing the way Lucas backed down when I said no, I knew it wasn't deliberate on his part, and he only wanted to right a wrong out of duty. I didn't want him to end his engagement and commit to me simply because he felt obligated because we accidentally had sex, and he popped my cherry. If I had accepted his offer, I would forever feel like a charity case, and that wasn't a great place to begin
~Gemma~ We finally arrived at the estate, and I was surprised to see my mother was the one outside to receive us. It was really unnecessary, but Aunty Tamia made it a duty to always be outside when either of us was coming home, and it sort of became a culture, something even the women in my generation had embraced. Sometimes, it would be Josephine, Elaine, Layla, Sarah, Lilly, Eleanor, and me, and other times, it would be our mothers or whoever was around.The bus came to a halt, and we were all alighted. My mother had a broad smile on her face but gave me a look of disapproval.She was surprised to see Brandon with us. She looked at Uncle Theodore, and he seemed to look like he was okay with it. Ushering us into the house, my mother pulled me aside."Why would you go to Hayland without telling us? Your father is livid," she asked."At twenty-five, I believe I do not owe anyone an explanation for what I do. I am old, you know," I said, and she sighed and stopped walking."I know Gemm
~Noah~ I was up and ready, eager to get the hearing over with. Winter could tell my eagerness, but no matter how eager I was, I wasn't in so much of a hurry to miss the opportunity to bury myself inside my mate. I took her in the shower in our room at the estate. Winter matched my appetite well, and she was always ready for me. I doubt I would ever get enough of her. We dressed up and headed out, knowing that everyone would be ready by now. When I got outside, I noticed Lilly and Brandon weren't with us. "Where are the Knights?" I asked, and Liam chuckled. He was wearing his prince attire and likewise Adrain, too. Liam's attire was more adorned than Adrian's, and I felt a tinge of envy. I know I would wear something similar when I become a lord. "They had to go ahead of us. Brandon is still an outcast Alpha, and we can't blatantly defy orders and ride with him," Liam said, and I understood his reasons. "So, who are we waiting for?" I asked, and Adrian sighed. "Harper and Ge
~Noah~ Uncle Sylvester ensured that the proceedings would be broadcast throughout the continent. I noticed Justin, Sophia, Marvin, Layla, Oliver, Elaine, Miles, Sarah, Logan, Henry, Keith Joseph and Caleb, who was Aunty Claudia and Uncle Vino's biological son, were sitting in the booth Dedicated to the North. Uncle Vino's youngest daughter, Irene, was in school, so I didn't expect to see her. Caleb should be in school, too. He was naughty, so maybe he had been suspended. I wouldn't put it past him. Liam's younger brothers, Joseph and Keith, never attended the meetings, so they were absent. They all looked eager to get things over with. The other lodges dedicated to the West and South Lords were empty, something I knew would be filled up eventually. The pledge was recited, and the king decided to speed things up. Bryce Golebev and Kappa William were the ones who ushered in the accused. The founder and chief executive officer of Chronicle Press, David Baxter, the managing directo
~Noah~ While the Council congratulated the new lords, the projector screen came on again. I looked at Liam, who looked confused. The confusion in his eyes indicated that that wasn't supposed to happen. The chatter in the Hall quieted down gradually as people began to pay attention to what was on the screen. It was a party, and it was in a place I remembered so well. Sebastien and I spent most of our Friday nights there until recently because we have been busy and unable to do much. It was Denis's house, and Sebastien and I were on the couch. Seeing the amount of drinks at the table with the girls that accompanied us, I was a bit ashamed. We looked irresponsible, and maybe we were back then. I studied the camera angle, and I saw the red fabric and smooth laps. A woman was filming us, and I couldn't tell who, but it was Denis's house nonetheless. I felt Winter squeeze my hand a bit, and I knew the scene got to her. It wasn't like I knew who the girls were, but they were keeping u
~Gemma~ The turn of events wasn't quite what we anticipated, but the King was still able to enforce the law we hoped for. I honestly wondered why Noah and Sebastine's friends would betray them like that. One thing was certain: they were definitely not going to get away with it, and I was interested in seeing the turn of events. It was time to leave the Hall since the hearing was over. I wasn't feeling too well, so I chose to walk quickly to get on the bus away from the crowd. The moment I stepped outside, Lucas approached me, and honestly, I didn't want to speak to him, seeing that he voted against us on the Council. I was finding it hard to believe he had no hand in the matter. "Gemma," he said, and I turned to look at him, trying to control my temper so I didn't give people something to talk about. "Councilman Rivers, how may I help you?" I asked, being as formal as possible. He furrowed his brow, seeming confused, and then composed himself. "I want to speak to you in private
~Gemma~ "Rivers, what is this, and what have you dragged my daughter into," my father asked Lucas, and Lucas exhaled. I could see he was gathering momentum for something, and I hoped it wouldn't be something he would regret. "Lord Lawrence, I am in love with your daughter. I asked her to marry me, but she said no. She said I was a social climber, and her family would be unhappy if she associated herself with the likes of me," he said and looked at my father. "I would like you to reconsider your opinion on the matter, sir. I really love Gemma, and I do not plan to take anything from the royals. I am content with where I am. I have no intentions of gaining from this," he said, bracing himself for a punch. "And what of this woman? I know a hurt lover when I see one," Uncle Dominic asked, looking very pissed. "An arranged union by my folks. A union I have rejected time and time again, but they refuse to relent. I never touched her, I never kissed her, we never went on dates, we wer
~Noah~ The ride to the Volkov estate was silent. Sebastien and I were still in shock at what Denis had done to us, and I began to wonder how many of our friends were in on this shit and what their true intentions might have been. "No, one took what you said seriously," Josephine said to us, but we knew it wasn't about our family. The issue was about the crowd. The alphas and everyone had no sentiment about the matter. Was it possible that this was their intention all along, and we had fallen into the trap? "I doubt we were the target for that video," Marvin said, hitting the nail on the head. Oliver agreed and looked at Liam. 'Who was controlling the projector?" he asked, and Liam sighed. "It was connected to a computer. The evidence I tendered was online. Someone hacked into the system to play the video. I checked it. It was an Adware," He said, and Sebastien cursed. I could see he was livid. I, too, was angry. We knew our friends who were hackers, and it was time to start picki
I want to start by saying I'm truly sorry for the short chapters. It seems there are now "ideal word count limits" to adhere to. I deeply regret the prolonged silence, but I've been grappling with severe health issues lately, and I'm still in the throes of recovery. I couldn't bear to leave this book neglected for too long, so I pushed through to the end so you all could move on. I do hope to return with a new story soon, and hope you will all be there, but for now, I must concede and focus on recuperating. The silence weighs heavy on me, and I truly hope you enjoyed the story and its conclusion. This marks the final instalment in the DSOF series. Perhaps one day, I'll pen Eleanor's tale, but I'm hesitant to make any promises I may not be able to fulfil. Please bear with me, dear readers and co-writers, and know that I cherish each and every one of you dearly. I will miss you all immensely. I love you all.❤️❤️❤️🙏🏾🙏🏾🤗🤗
~Winter~ A year passed, and all the struggles were a distant memory. Now, we were hosting the gathering in the East, and Summer, Chelsea and I had gone over time. Chelsea was a new mother now. She and Ethan had wasted no time. They claimed each other and got married the next month. Normally, we all thought they would wait, but two months later, she was pregnant, and a lovely girl named Evangeline was the product. Evangeline was a beautiful blonde baby, and we all loved her. We were new moms ourselves, and Summer and I couldn't carry Evangeline as much as we would like. I had twins, and they were adorable. Both of them looked like Stepanovs, and I wondered if my genes ever stood a chance. My daughter's name was Michelle, and My son's name was Frederick. They were adorable, and I loved them so much. Summer had a son, and she and Sebastien named Him Leonardo after Sebasteins's father. He was cute and looked a lot like his grandfather, but he had green eyes like Summer. She w
Ethan I was nervous about seeing Chelsea. Although we said it wouldn't matter if we weren't fated, I didn't know why I was suddenly nervous. I had never cared for anyone the way I cared for her, and I knew it was the same for her. So I wondered why I was unwilling to see her tonight. Her eighteenth birthday was in a few hours, and I had promised to be the first person to see her, but my heart was beating fast. I had stayed away from the house all evening, avoiding her. She said she would spend the time with me, and Noah had confirmed that she was in our home. Though not showing, we found out after the wedding that Summer and Winter were pregnant, and they were very peckish, so Chelsea always brought them snacks. Although Summer and Winter had planned a party for her, it wasn't going to take place until the evening of her birthday. It had been torture waiting these months, and now it was finally time for me to make her mine. I never planned to be with anyone except for her, so
~Gemma~ It had finally come to this, and after the crowd and everyone had left, Lucas and I drove home from the estate. Although our wedding took place at the estate, I was now at Rivers, and my man was taking me home. How could I have tried to make it difficult for him? He was genuinely in love with me. Our union was embraced by both families, and Katalina was a thing of the past. The fact that nothing had ever transpired between her and Lucas made me relax. I didn't feel guilty one bit. Lucas had had some girlfriends, but he was mine now. He pulled me to his body in the back seat of the limo that was taking us home. Lucas crashed his lips on mine, drinking me in. Our wolves had claimed each other in the eyes of all and the moon. He was mine through and through. The moment the bond formed, I knew I had found my forever love. I kissed him. Every fibre of my being was burning with desire. I wanted him. My body craved him. He had made love to me severally since we returne
~Winter~ The day of the blue moon had finally arrived, and I was consumed with nerves like never before. I'd been down this road once, and it hadn't ended well. As I veiled my face, my eyes met Summer's, resplendent in her wedding attire. Her touch on my hand offered reassurance. "It won't be like last time, Winter. This is real," she whispered, her words calming my racing heart. I nodded, believing this time would be different. Noah's love was steadfast. Lady Amelia entered the tent, her eyes alight with happiness. In her hands were two ornate jewellery boxes, undoubtedly meant for us. "You both look stunning tonight," she beamed, her words touching my soul. Lady Amelia loved us as a mother would her child; she cherished us as much as her own sons, a rare bond that set her apart. Approaching me, she unveiled the contents of the box meant for my adornment. A breathtaking gold necklace adorned with sapphire stones and dazzling diamonds lay nestled within. It was a masterpiece. "I
~Noah~ Three weeks passed, and the dust finally settled when the fugitives were apprehended by an angry mob of people eager to prove to their monarch that they were sorry for allowing themselves to be used and deceived into hindering progress. They had killed Kane and Ramos, leaving Gavin and Moses. I could bet that the only reason why they left Gavin and Moses, judging by the state they were in when they brought them, was because they wanted to deliver them to the authorities. They were battered, and silver was clamped on their wrist. I wished I had witnessed the mog action. Some parts of it were in the news. With the way the people surrounded them. They had no choice. It was a battle lost before it started. They had sprayed them silver dust to incapacitate them and then beat Kane and Ramos to death while they chained Gavin and Moses for judgment. I guess the King's words, coupled with my father's words and show of disappointment, got to them. Indeed, they had unknowingly helped
~Anthony~ My wolf was urging me to bridge the gap and assert our claim, but I remained dumbfounded. Frankly, I never imagined it would happen, especially not with Aspen. Here I was, enamoured with Chelsea, even competing with Ethan for her attention, when all along, it was Aspen who held my heart. Was Aspen the catalyst for my feelings for Chelsea? I realised I often encountered her before seeing Chelsea, yet I was too preoccupied with Chelsea to consider Aspen. I remember my first time at the orphanage; she was the one at the door greeting us, and she was particularly nice to me. On the second occasion, I went there, I ended up spending time with her. She opened up to me, telling me what she wouldn't dare tell anyone. The bond had been rearing its head, and I was too stubborn to realise it. She was the one who came to celebrate the victory with me when I was feeling lonely. It was her all along. Fate threw me her way severally and put her in my face, but my desires did not allo
~Anthony~ I waited for Aspen to pack her belongings in the evening so we could leave. I was going to leave the next day, as I had told Ethan, but my father had urged me to leave immediately. Everyone had gone back home, so waiting was pointless. Luis was around, though, and he planned to leave the next day. I was the only one still in Mountain, so I could understand when my parents asked me to go home. I escorted Aspen to her father's house so she could pack her belongings, and I went there with warriors just in case the man was being funny. I knew this was the right thing for her. If she stayed there any longer, she would end up dead. One day, he would take it too far and leave the silver on her a little too long for her body to recover. I had no obligations towards her, but I could not ignore her cry for help. Kirill was outside, and he looked at me, angry and powerless. He knew it was over. I was a lord so there was nothing he could do but just stew in his anger. "You c
~Leo~ As we made our way there, Ethan and Sebastian, accompanied by Summer and another girl who seemed to share the same origins as Summer and Winter, clung to Ethan. The girl wore a t-shirt with the words "Victory: because Adulthood is overrated" printed on it. Seeing how the girl and Ethan clung to each other, I knew they were together. They walked to me quickly, and Summer let go of Sebastian and hugged Amelia tightly. "We missed you; we were worried and scared," She confessed, and Amelia rubbed her back lovingly as a mother would hug her child. "I heard you fought well, Luna," she teased Summer, and Summer broke the hug with tears in her eyes. She was overjoyed to see us. She hugged me, too, but she didn't say anything. I looked at Ethan, and he had a straight face, but I could tell he was hiding his emotions. Amelia pulled him to a hug. "I am so proud of you, son," She said, and he held on to her; his hands shook, and I could tell he had feared the worst. Breaking the hug,