Novels by Deeni

MALIK POVI have been sitting beside my mother's bed for six hours now, watching her chest rise and fall as an oxygen mask helped her breath.The healers had managed to stabilize her, but she hadn't woken up yet. The healer said we were lucky because if we had delayed for another hour, she might have slipped into a coma she would never wake from.I held her hand, and felt the tears burning my eyes again."I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so sorry, Mother. I should have listened. I am so sorry I put you through this." I sobbed softly.I didn't bother to look when the door opened softly."Your Majesty," one of the healers said gently. "You should rest, we'll watch over her.""No," I said. "I'm staying.""You haven't eaten nor slept in the past...""I said I'm staying," I snapped and I watched him scurry away.I sat there, holding my mother's hand, while replaying everything in my mind. I was deep in thoughts when the door opened for the second time and Cyrus walked in. "Your Majesty," he

AMARIS POVI finally made my decision. After thinking for three days straight because I wanted to be sure I was doing the right thing. I stood outside Queen Lilith's private study, my hands shaking as I raised them to knock."Come in,"She sat at her desk, reviewing documents. She looked up and smiled when she saw me. "Amaris, dear, I wasn't expecting you. Is everything alright?"I shook my head and her smile faded. "Sit down, what's wrong?"I wanted to sit but felt what I was about to say was too serious for me to sit."I'm rejecting the marriage," I said.She paused. "I'm sorry?""I won't marry Malik," I raised my voice. "I won't trap him in a loveless marriage just to legitimize my child. I would rather raise the baby alone.""Amaris...""I know what you're going to say," I interrupted. "But it's not right. Not for him or me or anyone.""You don't understand the implications...""I understand perfectly," I replied "My baby will be born a bastard ineligible for the throne and I'll b

AMARIS POVI made it back to my room before the tears came.He loved her, who was i even kidding? They were perfect together, meant for each other and I was just the obstacle, the inconvenience ruining their happiness."Miss Amaris?" Petra one of my maid appeared in the doorway. "Are you alright?""I'm fine," I lied."You don't look fine to me""I said I'm fine!" I snapped, then immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry. I just...I need to be alone."Petra left quietly, and I collapsed on the bed.I had heard everything. Every word she said, every plea and desperate attempt to convince Malik to choose her and I couldn't even blame her.If I were in her position, if the man I loved was being forced to marry someone else because of a child, I would fight down to my last breath too. But that didn't stop the pain in my chest. It really hurt to know I was unwanted. It hurt to know that everyone would be happier if I just disappeared.It hurt to know that even if Malik married me, he would hate

CHAPTER 26MALIK POVThree days into the week from hell, and I still had no solution.After Maya had gone looking for Amaris, I slipped into my study, searching for any loophole that would let me keep my throne without marrying Amaris.There was nothing.Cyrus stood by the window, watching me with thinly veiled concern."You need to sleep," he said."I need answers," I shot back, flipping through another useless text. "There has to be something, I can't marry her.""There isn't," he replied. "You know there isn't. Your mother made the law clear...""My mother is being unreasonable," I interrupted. "Forcing me to marry a woman I don't know, or want, just because of one mistake...""It's not about the mistake," he said quietly. "It's about the child.""I can acknowledge the heir without marrying its mother," I said. "Kings have done it for centuries.""Not Lycan Kings," Cyrus reminded me. "Not in your bloodline. The legitimacy laws are absolute."I threw the book across the room. It hit

Malik POV"You can't be serious...""I'm completely serious," she said. "And Malik? If you as much as try to contact Maya during this week, if you try to make plans behind my back, I will know and there will be consequences."She walked out from the throne room, leaving me standing there in shock. Sera followed her, but not before shooting Amaris one final hostile glare.I stood there, my whole body shaking with rage.This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be real.I looked at Amaris. She was still crying silently, her hand pressed to her stomach."This is your fault," I said.She looked up at me, her eyes red and swollen."I didn't ask for this," she whispered. "I didn't ask for any of this.""Neither did I," I shot back. "But here we are and now I have to choose between marrying you and losing everything I've worked for.""Then choose," she said, her voice stronger now. "Lose the throne, I don't want to marry you either. I don't want to be trapped in another loveless bond with an

MALIK'S POVI stood outside the throne room, dreading what was about to happen.My mother had arrived at dawn and I barely had time to wash and change before she summoned me and Amaris to a formal audience."This is a disaster," I muttered to Cyrus."It's not that bad," he chuckled."She's going to love her," I said. "You know how my mother is. She'll see a pregnant omega and immediately adopt her like a stray puppy.""Would that be so terrible?""Yes," I snapped. "Because the more my mother likes her, the harder it will be to send her away after the baby is born.""Maybe you're not supposed to send her away," Cyrus suggested.I glared at him. "I'm marrying Maya as soon as this mess is resolved, that's the plan.""If you say so, Your Majesty."The doors opened and a servant called us inside.The throne room was full, not literally I mean. My mother sat on her throne, regal and elegant as always beside her stood my sister, Sera, her arms crossed and her expression already suspicious.