“So, it’s already decided? You made this decision without me here?” Darren was frustrated but he managed to control his temper. I looked over at the three men in front of us. “You had no right to make that call without consulting me first,” Darren growled, his fists clenched at his sides. I watched Darren’s shoulders tense, the muscles in his back coiling like a spring about to snap. My heart ached, seeing him struggle against the curse that amplified his temper.I felt his darkness pooling inside of me, and I sent my calming energy back to him. I watched as his green eyes glanced at me gratefully before he returned his focus back to the man in front of us.“We have extensive military training. Trust me, this is the best move. I made a tactical decision based on the intelligence we had.” A man with blond hair and brown eyes looked over at Ivan, his brother. “You agree with this strategy, don’t you?”“Anton, it isn’t that I don’t agree with it, but I do think you should have discussed i
My heart thundered in my chest as I stood in front of the second wave army. I felt my muscles coil with anticipation. My feral nature demanded that I jump into the fight and be by my mate’s side. It was all I could do to force myself to remain calm. I dug my nails into my palms, trying to distract myself.“Easy,” Ivan’s deep voice rumbled beside me. I glanced over at him. He looked calm despite the chaos unfolding in front of us. I might not be afraid of fighting, but I didn’t have any experience with war. Ivan’s composure proved that this was not something new to him.I growled low in my throat, the lycan inside me snarling to be released. “I can’t stand this. I need to be fighting near Darren’s side.” It was a blur of bodies in the village and I couldn’t see him anymore. “You’re taller than I am … can you see him?”Ivan’s gaze returned to the distant battle. “I lost sight of him. The vampires are pressing hard on the eastern flank. But our centaurs are holding the line, giving the fa
My silver fur bristled as I crouched low, muscles coiled and ready to spring. I bared my fangs as the approaching vampire army but something suddenly flashed over them. A bright blue aura surrounded them, pulsing with otherworldly energy.What the hell?My confusion lasted only a moment before their battle cry rang out:“For the King!”Realization hit me like a bolt of lightning. These weren’t enemies––they were Finn’s allies! The blue glow must be some kind of magical marker to distinguish them from other vampires.Well, I’ll be damned. Looks like the exiled king still had a few tricks up his sleeve.As the blue-wreathed vampires charged past me to engage our foes, I couldn’t help but think of Darren. There was no time for celebration. I needed to get to him. My ears twitched at the sound of the battle in all directions. It was impossible to detect my mate.With a fierce howl, I leapt back into the fray, silver claws extended and ready to tear into any enemy that dared cross my path.
For a moment, my heart stopped, as the feral beast came into view. My mate’s white fur was stained red. His eyes were wild and aggressive as they scanned through the flames. His head snapped in my direction, and I was relieved to see that he was okay. He was wounded, but nothing looked serious. He raced toward me, but then Ivan’s enormous beast let out a roar.It was chaos. I’m not even sure what happened. It was a frenzy of movement and sound that left me disoriented. In the blink of an eye, the two massive creatures, their pure white fur stained with blood, were locked in a vicious battle. Teeth gnashed and claws slashed as they tore at each other, the ground trembling beneath their weight. It was a brutal dance, the violence escalating. The world seemed to slow down as I took in every detail of the epic clash before me, my heart racing as I tried to understand what was happening.Ivan threw the monstrous lycan into a burning building. I watched in horror as Darren’s lycan disappeare
DarrenI had Allissa taken to the fairy infirmary just to be safe. A petite fairy with iridescent wings, a healer, tested her blood. Her hand glowed with a soft white light as she waved it over Ally’s body. She confirmed there was mistletoe in her blood but that her blood was attacking it. Little by little, it was removing it from her body. The healer also did a special check on our pup.I didn’t know much about fairies before, but they’re amazing. She was able to see our pup. She said the pup was strong, very healthy, and growing rapidly. Our pups tended to do that. Our gestation was anywhere from four to six months, depending on the pup and mother.“You already have a little bump starting to show,” the fairy healer said, motioning over Ally’s stomach. I watched as Ally flashed her beautiful smile up at me. Gods, was it like this for everyone? My heart beat faster just because she smiled at me. I remembered the mistletoe in her system then. “Remarkably advanced for the short time ...
AllissaThe thick canvas of the white tent muffled the sounds from the outside. I stood behind the gathered leaders, my eyes fixed on the map spread across the makeshift war table. Darren was right in front of me, and I watched as his fingers moved over the parchment. The centaur prince to his left growled low in his throat, shaking his head. “That leaves the eastern villages exposed. We can’t risk it.”“And if we pull back to defend them, we lose our advantage in the mountains,” countered the harpy queen, her wings rustling with agitation.I bit my lip, my mind racing as I considered the implications of each strategy. The complexity of inter-species politics had never felt more daunting. One wrong move could shatter fragile alliances, doom innocent lives.My gaze drifted across the tent, taking in the assembled leaders. Battle-worn and weary, they bore the marks of our recent struggles. A bandaged arm here, a haunted look there. When my eyes landed on Asta, standing quiet and watchfu
I turned over in the tangled sheets, my body instinctively searching for Darren’s familiar warmth, but as my hand reached out, I was met with an empty space and a cool spot on the bed. My eyes snapped open. “Darren?” I called softly, scanning the dark interior of the tent. The faint glow of the dull morning light filtered through the fabric walls, casting shadows on the ground below. Darren was gone, and judging by the coolness of the blanket, he had been gone for quite some time.With a sigh, I swung my legs over the edge of the cot and stood, wrapping myself in a thick robe. The soft fur lining tickled my skin as I cinched it tight around my waist.I pushed aside the canvas and stepped out into the crisp morning air. A shiver ran through me as the cool breeze caressed my face. The camp was already stirring to life around me.My eyes scanned the misty field, searching for that familiar, broad-shouldered silhouette. Nothing. Just tents and trees and the soft glow of dawn. My stomach tw
My heart pounded like a war drum as I burst into the infirmary. I saw Ivan standing near a bed as fairy healers frantically went to work.“You fool. You dumb fool. Why did you take the hit for me?!” Ivan’s voice was shaky and angry. I watched as he gripped the edge of the bed.“Step back. We need the room.” A fairy crowded in front of him as he took a small, retreating step away from the bed. Gods, if Ivan was here, then it had to be either Darren or Finn. And by the looks of the healers, it was serious.“Darren? Finn?” I choked out, fear clawing at my throat.Ivan turned, his golden eyes filled with anguish, and stepped aside. The world tilted as I saw Anton’s pale face, his chest barely moving. It was Ivan’s brother. He was the future king, but close enough to be called one.“What happened?” I breathed out, moving closer.“Energy blast,” Ivan growled, his fists clenched at his sides. “The idiot jumped in front of it to protect me.”A fairy with shimmering wings hovered over Anton’s p
Darren“Who sent these?!” I clenched my fist around the photographs, a chill of shock rippling through my veins before it burned away. For a split second, my stomach turned as I glanced at the pictures of my mate and brother. But only for a second. Then, I realized there was no way. Those were the two people I trusted the most, and I wasn’t going to stop now. However, these pictures were a problem. Who had taken them in the castle? And who had access to the royal hallway?! This was a problem I was not comfortable with. I needed to call Ally and let her know. This was a security issue, not a mate issue.“It was left outside your tent,” Ivan said, as Dayanara plucked one of the pictures out of Darren’s hands.“No trace of anything. The photos are real, but the messenger made sure they blocked their scent and any traces of their aura.” She studied the picture for a moment before giving it back. “Allissa doesn’t seem like the type to—”“She wouldn’t. And neither would my brother. These pi
It had been days, and I hadn’t heard anything more about Darren. I was completely focused on solving the brainwashing in the kingdom. We now had some suspects and detailed descriptions of methods that were used. Lyle and I were going over the evidence when Milo burst into the room.“Is it true?!” he growled, putting Lyle immediately on the defensive.“Is what true?” Lyle glanced at me and I gave him a small shrug. I had no idea what he was talking about either.“You’re sleeping with your brother’s mate!”Milo yelled, and I spit the tea I was sipping all over the place. Lyle quickly moved behind me and began patting my back.“What the hell, dad?!” Lyle growled as he looked at my face. “Are you okay?”“Not really.” I looked at Milo. “Lyle has fallen asleep on the couch a few times, but I would hardly call it sleeping in my room. But you didn’t mean just sleeping, did you?”“Are you cheating on Darren?”Someone hold my crown, because I’m about to explode. Me?! Cheating on him? That wasn’
I sat on the couch in the dark with my feet tucked underneath me. My growing stomach was making getting comfortable a challenge. Lyle had stayed with me all day working. I caught him looking up at me with worried eyes a few times, but I pretended not to notice. I know he was trying to gauge how I was doing. It wasn’t until it was time for bed that he finally left my side.Now that I was alone, I realized that, at the time, I didn’t want to think about it at all. However, now that I had a moment to myself, I was in deep reflection.It wasn’t right for me to doubt Darren because of the pictures. For one, they were pictures and didn’t explain the scene fully. Maybe Darren was getting medical treatment? Maybe the woman was giving him support? Yes, the pictures looked intimate, but maybe this person was now a close friend of his. There were many unknowns.There are also enchantresses that could have bewitched him, and I couldn’t forget the changeling I fought against. It looked and smelled
I wandered down the dimly lit halls, my footsteps echoing softly as I searched for Lyle. I knew he wouldn’t have gone far, but I thought it was odd he wasn’t in plain sight. My gaze caught on a room to the right, partially hidden by a lush red velvet curtain. There was no door, and the curtain was elegantly pinned back, suggesting that Lyle might have ventured inside.I stepped closer and peeked inside, my eyes instantly landing on Lyle. He stood on a narrow balcony, silhouetted against the soft glow of the setting sun, gazing contemplatively into the distance with a gentle breeze ruffling his hair.“There you are.” I walked up to him as he continued to keep his gaze at the sky. “Darren is okay but … well, it doesn’t seem like he will be coming home anytime soon. I—I don’t know if he will even make it home for the birth of our child. As long as he eventually makes it home in one piece, I guess—” I looked up at Lyle’s taut face and stopped talking. “Lyle, are you okay?”“I was so relie
I stared at the desk, looking at the blizzard of papers that needed my attention. The past week had been a blur of ‘Your Majesty’ and ‘My Queen’ and ‘These require your attention.’ Demanding and exhausting.“Your Majesty.” Damnit, here comes another one. I look up from the evil papers to the messenger coming in. “These require your review and royal seal.”“Thank you.” Those were the flat tones words that came out of my mouth, but my mind was saying, ‘Fuck you.’Lyle walked in just as the messenger left, carrying two cups of steaming goodness. Hot chocolate!“I have our fuel. Let’s dive into the sea of paperwork before we drown in it.” He smirked, setting my cup in front of me before he pulled up a chair.I scooted over, making room for him. “Where do we start?” I asked, motioning over the stack of papers.“We start at the top and work our way through to the bottom.” He made a spot in front of us. “I’ll read and you stamp? Or do you want to read and I’ll stamp?”“You read. I’ll stamp.”
“The watch is hot, but it was cold when it was first given to me. The heat from the watch is a type of energy, but what does it mean?!” Fury was trying to help me. She was giving me tiny hints the best way she could. I needed to think about everything she had told me. Every word could be a tip.“Gujin is a messenger. Was that his way of telling you the watch is a message?”It made sense. Maybe even Gujin was trying to leave me a clue. I guess neither one was able to tell me anything, which was frustrating, especially when they may have been involved. That would mean that Gujin knew what happened to my father. I know I’m meant to figure it out on my own, because it seems like this is the type of game the gods enjoy.“You know what? One mystery at a time.” I sighed and brushed my hair behind my ear. “So the guards have found some evidence of brainwashing?”“Evidence of ... manipulation. Mind games. Enough that it has convinced my father. He’s with mom now. He decided to talk with her an
AllissaI thought that becoming the queen would make me feel different. But I was still just me. Lyle followed me everywhere and was always helping me. There were a lot of boring things I had to read and sign. I wonder how Darren managed to stay awake. I honestly felt myself dozing several times. Luckily for me, I could blame the pregnancy.“Issy, look, this just arrived from Darren!” Lyle ran to me with childlike excitement.My fingers moved so fast as I dove into the letter. It had been days since I’d heard from him. I felt my eyes watering up. His words reflected exactly how I felt. I wish I could see him … I wish I could hold him. I wonder if he knew I was the queen now? At least I knew he was okay, but it did little to heal the aching pain in my chest.“He’s okay.” I smiled, glancing up at Lyle’s relieved eyes. “Sounds like the battles have been steady. I’ve been so worried—” The tears welled up in my eyes as I held his letter to my chest. I had barely been hanging on. My mate was
DarrenI dragged another fallen enemy across the blood-soaked earth, my body screaming in protest.“Another one,” I grunted to myself, tossing the limp form atop the pile with a dull thud. I wiped the sweat from my brow as I looked over the battlefield. It had been a non-stop onslaught for days. I haven’t even had time to send a message to Ally. I can imagine her blue eyes as she sits in our bedroom. She was probably worried and each day without contact would make it worse. I have been fighting to the brink of exhaustion. Collapsing for an hour or two of sleep and then right back at it.There were so many vampires … many were new. When they took over these towns, those who lived there either became food or new vampires. They were building their army. If that wasn’t enough, the demons who have joined them were also well prepared.I was barely able to catch my breath and another battle would arrive. I surveyed the chaos around me, that had become a frequent sight. In all honesty, we nee
I had no clue who or what I was looking at. A small, delicate person? Or something more like a fairy? The figure was small, no taller than a child, but it radiated an otherworldly power that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Delicate, translucent wings fluttered behind her, her skin as white as ivory. She wore a white, shimmering gown that flowed around her. Her face was impossibly beautiful, with high cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes that seemed to glow with an inner fire. But it was her expression that truly captivated me. A fierce determination and cold detachment that sent a shiver down my spine.The way she was staring at me almost looked aggressive, which made me defensive.“Who are you? What do you want with me?” I demanded, injecting as much authority into my voice as I could muster.“I haven’t decided yet.” Her voice was cold as her eyes fixated on mine.“You haven’t decided who you are, or you haven’t decided what you want with me? I asked you two questions