~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
~Liam~ The day had been hectic, and I would lie if I said I wasn't caught by surprise when the projector played the damning video. I was glad that Noah and Sebastian knew that I would never do anything to sabotage them, or else it would have sowed discord between us. What I didn't understand was why the culprits felt the need to try to cause issues between the East and the North. Whatever it was, they were aiming to create problems between the North and East, and I suspect that something was about to go down. What better way to take down the Alberts and take over the East than to alienate them from their family in the North. To make them enemies with my family and cause issues. The truth was, the Albetrs were both Stepanovs and Volkovs; should there be discord with them, there would be a divide in power, and the stepanovs were most likely to side with them and the Volkovs with the North. We would be back to square one all over again, and all the progress our parents made and we ma
~Liam~ There was a sudden bang on my door, and when I woke up I looked at the clock, it was two in the morning. Wondering what might have happened, I looked at Josephine and saw she was fast asleep. I got out of bed and wore my shorts and t-shirt, ready to head out. I opened the door, and it was Logan, and he did not seem settled. "What is the matter," I said, realising he must have woken up from sleep, too. "Our parents are calling us to the Alpha's lounge. Something has happened," Logan said, and my heart skipped. I guess the respite was only for a short period. I looked at Josephine, where she lay peacefully and hoped for our sake that it wasn't something that would force us to fight. Because she wasn't in any condition to shift, neither was she in the condition for stress right now. Heading out, we walked quickly towards the Alpha lounge, I arrived there along with my cousins, and all of us looked like we were dragged out of bed. The fatigue and sleep lingered in some
~Sebastien~ Summer woke me up, and honestly, I was tired. We had had a rough night, arresting our ex-friends, and we were yet to start the questioning. I was just hoping for some shut-eye, and even that was taken away from me. I couldn't be mad because it was Summer and I was sure it was for a good reason. I managed to sit up so my vision could be a bit clearer and see her. Her tear-streaked face and puffy eyes said it all. A newfound energy surged through me; Cage was unsettled and worried about our mate. "What is the matter, Butterfly?" I asked, but she couldn't speak. I looked at the clock, and it was seven in the morning. Her tears kept falling, and she handed me her phone. A video was playing. I couldn't believe what I had just witnessed. The video was about my parent's attack and how they had been kidnapped by strange people. The comments on the video also did not sit well with me, and seeing how everything unfolded with that damn video that was played at the hearing yes
~Sebastein~ Alpha Gabriel took out his phone to place a call to our uncle, and we waited patiently. The phone was on speaker for us to hear. It rang a bit, and soon Uncle Andrew answered he was sounding unstable. I believed something had happened to him. "Lord Stepanov, where are you? With Lord Albert missing and his children set up as the suspects, the reins should be temporarily yours," he said. "I am sending Moses to represent me. Kevin was kidnapped yesterday, and I need to find my son. Moses will be there to represent me. But my nephews remain in charge. I do not think they have a hand in this, and I do not want to learn that the alpahs turned against them or the wrath of the stepanovs will fall on the East. Those are Amelia's boys and the heirs to the Stapanov bloodline. You all better watch it!" he said and hung up. The man seemed irritated and unbalanced, but he had sounded a warning. Indeed, if they attacked us or went against us, they would have Lord Alexei, Lord Clay a
~Noah~ Events were unfolding rapidly, and it appeared that this time, we wouldn't receive assistance from the others. Any aid rendered might be perceived as tyranny or, perhaps even worse, as rogue behaviour. The correct course of action would be to apprehend suspects, yet in our situation, they were aware of our innocence, and arresting us would hinder the investigation. It posed a grave dilemma, and I doubted whether we could weather it alone. Nevertheless, we were resolved to persevere until the very end. During our journey home, we were captivated by Uncle David's speech emanating from the radio. "Considering all that has transpired from yesterday until this morning, it's evident that the eastern region is under siege. Rest assured, both the royal family and the authorities are diligently working to unravel this situation," he assured, prompting a question from a reporter. "Will the Albert brothers be apprehended for questioning?" inquired the reporter. "The royal family is n
~Adrian~ Laying in bed beside Harper, I couldn't shake off all that had happened between yesterday and this morning. When the footage came on on the project, I knew it was geared towards something sinister, even though Harper and I seemed far from it. I felt like we were all part of the entire ordeal. I wondered what Noah, Sebastien and Ethan were going through. They never did well showing their emotions, but they were great guys. They gave me a chance when no one would. We all knew they had no hand in all of this, and it was best we found a way to solve their problem. Harper kissed my shoulder where I sat on the side of the bed, and I touched her hand for comfort. She was heavy now, and I knew this wasn't the time to leave her side, but I also knew that the East was going to be a hot place, and the Alberts would need a lot of help. I struggled to convey the gravity of the situation to her, hoping that if the need arose, she would allow me to depart and provide assistance. "A
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,