روايات بقلم Kiera Sky

**ELENA'S POV**I knew something was wrong the second the champagne hit my throat.It was too sweet—cloying, almost syrupy.The music around me started to sound distant, like I was underwater. The chandelier lights overhead blurred into long streaks of gold.Shit.I blinked hard, forcing a smile when Alessandro’s eyes flicked toward me. He was too busy talking to one of his men to notice the way my hand trembled against the glass.Okay, Elena. Stay calm.Panic later. Move now.“I’ll be right back,” I said, my voice coming out a little too breathy.He gave a distracted nod, and I turned, walking as steadily as I could toward the bathroom. My legs felt heavier than usual—each step a small battle against the fuzz creeping up my spine.Inside the marble bathroom, I gripped the counter and stared at my reflection. My pupils were dilated, my lips pale.Definitely drugged.But whoever did it underestimated one thing: I wasn’t some fragile mafia trophy.I’d been poisoned before. I could handl

**ELENA'S POV**I swear I wanted to reject him.However, I could feel many eyes on me, and the way Alessandro's hand on my waist tighten told me rejecting him wasn't a good idea.I caught sight of Onyx not far from where we stood. She was staring daggers at me.Suddenly, the idea of pissing her off felt like a brilliant pastime to get through the evening.I gave Alessandro a bright smile, not missing the flash of surprise and desire that flashed across his eyes as I did.“It would be my pleasure, darling.”I slipped my hand into his outstretched one and winked at Onyx as Alessandro led me to the centre of the dance floor.The music shifted, low and sultry, like honey sliding over silk. Alessandro’s warm palm settled possessively on the small of my back.I tried not to think about the way it burned through the thin fabric of the cream dress he’d made me wear.I lifted my chin instead, letting my smile linger tauntingly, perfectly calculated, for Onyx’s benefit.The little darling was w

**ALESSANDRO'S POV**“What?” I was confused.What in fuck’s name is this woman yapping about?“What did you do with my step-sister?” She repeated.Step–ohh. That girl.“I had my men return her,” I said slowly, still staring at her lips. “You hadn't decided what to do with her yet.”She gave a small nod and then pushed me away with a dirty look.“Control yourself,” she said with an unhappy look. “Someone will think you truly love me and get ridiculous ideas about kidnapping me. I'm not having any of it.”I frowned, without answering. Whoever had such ideas must already have his funeral arrangements in place.I straightened, tugged my cuffs into place, and gestured for her to follow. My men closed ranks around us as we left the smaller meeting room and stepped into the late noon sun.“Where are we going now?” Elena asked, her arms crossed as she matched my pace. Her tone was sharp, but her steps… reluctant. She always walked like she wanted to defy me, and yet she kept pace anyway.I sl

**ELENA'S POV**Morning came too fast.I woke to the sound of doors slamming, and the sound of Rio’s laughter spilling faintly from his room.Alessandro had brought me to his bed to sleep and did nothing but hold me to his chest. He had become more unpredictable. As I stretched under the covers of his large bed, Alessandro's unmistakable scent was everywhere.His cologne lingered everywhere, as if he’d marked the very walls. I shoved the covers off, hopped into the bathroom for a bath, and then dressed quickly.I was feeling a bit dressy so I picked a black, satin blouse and a pair of high waisted, cream dress pants, ignoring the dull pull in my side where the bullet wound still ached.It would be a shame to waste the clothes just sitting there in my walk-in closet.By the time I stepped into the hall, Alessandro was waiting. Leaning against the wall, black suit tailored like sin, watch glinting under the light.His expression was unreadable, but his eyes… his eyes were dark with mis

I looked up to see Alessandro standing right in front of me as I turned my phone to avoid his sharp gaze.“He's asleep?” I asked, despite how nervous I was feeling inside.“Yeah.” He replied curtly.Silence stretched between us.“You’re hiding something,” he said softly, too softly.I froze. “I’m hiding nothing.”His hand braced against the back of the arm chair behind my head, boxing me in. His breath was warm against my cheek.“Don’t lie to your husband, Elena. You’ve always been a terrible liar.”His proximity burned. The same Alessandro who had made my life hell now stood so close my heart raced for all the wrong reasons.“I’m your wife in name only,” I snapped, “Don't push it.”His lips curled, not quite a smile. “Oh, cara mia. Everything about you is mine.”The words sent a chill down my spine.And I knew, with every fiber of my being, that the real war was only just beginning.“Move.”“Make me.”“Alessandro—” He placed a finger on my lips. “Shhh,” he murmured, his voice low, d

**ELENA'S POV**“Rosario!” I called, leaning against the carved doorframe of the sitting room.Rosario was too busy sprinting through the hallways in his little socks, shrieking like a tiny banshee as Gael chased after him.The mansion hadn’t changed in the past years, but it felt smaller somehow—like the walls leaned in a little closer with every breath I took. Maybe it was me. Or maybe it was just the weight of knowing that this house was a cage, no matter how polished the marble floors were.Rosario didn’t notice the cage, thank God.Vitale trailed behind, his expression carved from stone as usual, though I swore I saw the corner of his mouth twitch every time my son squealed.My body still ached from the bullet wound—moving too fast felt like my stitches would split right open—but the sound of his laughter pulled me forward.He skidded across the rug with flushed cheeks and barreled toward me, clutching some ridiculous toy car Gael must have slipped him.“Mamma!” He threw himself

I don’t look back. I don’t slow down. I just keep walking without direction…My palm still tingles from where I hit him, and my chest feels too tight for air as I push through the corridor, barefoot against cold stone.“Unbelievable,” I mutter. “Absolutely unbelievable.”I slapped the king. I turn the corner hard, and slam straight into someone.“Watch where you’re going—!”The annoyed voice is sharp and refined.I look up, only to see that the person I bumped into is none other than Lady Araya.Of course. The Goddess isn't done messing with me today.Lady Araya looks at me like I tracked mud into her sitting room. Her gaze lingers on my faded clothes peeking through Rael's coat, my weathered boots, and my rough looking hair.Her mouth curls.“So,” she says coldly. “The rogue is wandering the halls now.”“Sorry,” I step back instinctively. “I really didn’t see you.”“No,” she replies. “Rogues rarely see beyond themselves.”I snort. “Is that in your job description? Or do you just wak

Everything hurts… badly. My eyelids feel like they've been glued shut. My legs feel extra heavy, like they are sinking in wet sand.Everything is dim… muffled… wrong.A groan escapes my lips before I can stop it, and the brightness of the room stings my eyes as I force them open.Everything is blurry at first, but as my vision sharpens, I see Aisling, and beside her, Ash.Both women look very worried. I open my mouth to speak but my throat feels so itchy and dry, I can't talk.Aisling leans forward immediately, her eyes wide with relief.“Rael? Rael—hey. You’re awake.” She squeezes my hand. “Gods, you scared us.”I try to nod, but the movement sends painful splinters through my skull. Ash stands a little behind her, and passes Aisling a cup of water before moving back a little with her arms folded, as if bracing herself.She isn’t looking at me, and for some reason, I feel irritated about that.I steal quick glances at her, as Aisling feeds me the water, noticing her damp hair, and fl

Elise walks ahead of me into the ward, her little boots tapping lightly against the tiles. She stops beside Rael’s bed and points.“He’s still asleep,” she announces, matter-of-fact.I swallow. “Yeah,” I breathe. “He is.”But the pulse in my chest hasn’t faded. If anything, seeing him again makes it thrum stronger, like I’ve stepped into the same air he’s breathing in some invisible place.Aisling appears from the hallway, sharp-eyed and alert, and for a moment I wonder if she feels it too. Her gaze shifts from Elise to me, narrowing just a little.“You’re back early,” she says carefully.Elise shrugs. “Ash said she wanted to check on Uncle Rael.” Then she pats his arm through the blanket. “But he’s still sleeping. Maybe he’s bored.”Aisling snorts softly, but something flickers across her face when she looks at me again. Elise suddenly gasps as if remembering something vital. “I want snacks.”Aisling lets out a long-suffering sigh. “Lady Araya,” she calls, “please take her to the kit

Elise pats the space beside her, though she doesn’t wait for me to sit before launching right in.“Ash, do you know how to ice skate?”I blink. “Uh… yes? I mean—sort of. It’s been years since I last did.”“You’ll remember once you hit the ice,” she says matter-of-factly, like muscle memory is guaranteed by royal decree.I pull the towel from my neck and narrow my eyes slightly. “Why do you need me to teach you?”Elise sighs dramatically, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Because my mother is drowning in kingdom work now that Uncle Rael is…” Her gaze flicks briefly to the unconscious king. “…sleeping. And Lady Araya is out running errands for her. So I’m alone. And bored. And I refuse to perform the Winter Waltz on ice looking like a dying flamingo.”I choke on a laugh. “The what?”She doesn’t answer. Instead, she reaches beside her and pulls a gleaming silver laptop onto her knees. The moment she opens it, the screen lights up.I stare at it like it’s an artifact from another life

The ward is painfully quiet now that Zarina and Aisling are gone. The healers rotate in and out with hushed footsteps, and for the first time since I woke up… I’m alone.Well, not completely alone.I turn my head toward the other bed, toward the steady rise and fall of the chest belonging to the Lycan King.Rael.Even unconscious, he looks powerful. Too powerful. His masculine features are sharp, carved, almost unfairly beautiful—strong jaw, thick lashes resting against his cheeks, dark hair a little messy on the pillow, lips slightly parted like he’s on the edge of waking.My throat tightens.“What would things look like… if I wasn’t a rogue?” I whisper to the room.If I weren’t cursed by my past, if Nikola was actually normal, and not a little bloodthirsty?I glance around the empty space again just to make sure no one can hear me humiliating myself.“Would he have still tried to reject me?” I ask the empty room Silence answers.I snort bitterly and drop my eyes.“No. Of course not

My throat feels like sandpaper when I blink awake. The room is dim, the air cool, and for a second everything feels… heavy… like a disaster is waiting to happen.I swallow painfully and croak, “Zarina?”Almost instantly, soft footsteps rush toward me. Zarina appears beside the bed with Aisling just behind her, both of them wearing the same expression: relief mixed with worry.“You’re awake,” Zarina breathes, already checking my pulse, my forehead, my breathing. “How do you feel? Lightheaded? Weak? Any pain?”I shake my head slowly. “Just thirsty. And… tired.”And empty. But I don’t say that yet. “How long was I out?”“Two days, not counting the other nine days.” Zarina says as she hands me a glass of water and Aisling steps closer, her eyes sharp. “Any dizziness? Chest pressure? Strange sensations?”“I’m better,” I say quietly, feeling a bit strange about their interest in me. “But… I can’t feel my wolf.”Their eyes meet over my head, obviously a mind link communication happening sile