- Adriah’s POV - I paced back and forth in my room, my heart beating like a drum that wouldn’t stop. I couldn’t take this anymore. Every second here felt like poison crawling under my skin. This place was hell... it would kill me alive, swallow me whole until nothing was left of me but a broken shell.I had to escape.No one was going to save me. Not even King Jester, not unless I made him believe me, not unless he saw that I was his real mate. He couldn’t keep believing the lie, the deception, the illusion that Jaira had spun around him.I clenched my fists tightly. It was better to die doing something than to die here doing nothing.But as I walked, my hand brushed against a glass of water on the table. It fell to the floor and shattered into pieces.The sound echoed loudly, making me jump. My chest tightened as if something inside me stirred... something strange, unexplainable. A flicker of power crawled through my veins, faint but real. But just as quickly as it came, it vanished
- Adriah’s POV - I woke up with my eyes heavy and swollen from all the crying last night. My cheeks felt stiff, and my head hurt like I had been hit with all the pain in my chest. I didn’t even remember when I fell asleep—somewhere between crying on the floor and wishing the pain would stop.Slowly, I pushed myself up, sat on the bed, and stared at the empty room. My body felt weak, but my heart felt worse. It was empty, hurting, yet it kept beating like it didn’t care about my pain.What was left for me now? To marry someone I didn’t love, someone I didn’t even know? That wasn’t a life.Escape.The word filled my head. I wanted to escape this place, this life. I hadn’t even healed from learning I was adopted. I hadn’t recovered from the betrayal of the man I loved. And now, the Moon Goddess tied me to another nightmare... watching my mate love my sister.How much more did I have to take?I wanted space. A place to breathe. A place to live. Somewhere far away, where no one could find
- King Jester’s POV -I buried myself in papers, trying to track every case of rogues gone mad beyond the border. They weren’t just losing their minds anymore. They were tearing through villages like monsters. No reason, no control.My head ached from staring at the words when suddenly, my chest burned. A sharp pull gripped my heart, strong enough to knock the breath out of me. My wolf stirred violently inside, growling.I froze.That feeling… it wasn’t mine. It was hers.“Oh, shit.” I shot up from the chair so fast it rolled back and hit the wall. My hands shook, and fear slammed into me. Not fear of war. Not fear of rogues. But fear for her. My mate.“Jairah,” I whispered, already rushing out. My chest hurt, my heart pounding like a drum. Something was wrong with her.But then… another name cut through my mind.Adriah.The sound of it made my stomach twist. Why? Why did I think of her now? Why did her name make my wolf growl louder?No. No, it didn’t make sense. It had to be her Ste
Jairah's POV -Everything is working under my hands. I didn't know that the Alpha King is so easy to fool. Oh my gosh, I really want to laugh, but I just stop the urge to do so, or I will be discovered.I looked at him as he was still busy with some papers I don't care about. How pitiful, he doesn't know that he is the one hurting his own mate the most.Oh gosh, stupid King Alpha. I thought he was intelligent. Adriah... Adriah... Adriah, how could you have a stupid mate like this? I smirked.I was in the middle of my thoughts when we heard someone knocking on the door.Who is it again!?"Come in," King Jester coldly said with a voice that is really scary, but I knew he wouldn't hurt me as long as he believes that I am his mate.Really, fucking stupid. I couldn't help but laugh in my mind.The door opened and revealed an old lady.Tch. Fucking old lady.She bowed her head, "King Jester, Young Lady—"I interrupted her, "Queen Jairah." I corrected."I'm sorry, Queen Jairah. King Jester, A
- Alpha King Jester’s POV - I was shocked when she reached for my arm. My body moved on its own, shoving her hand away. But even with that short touch, something hit me. Sparks. Real sparks. It ran through my skin, deep into my chest, leaving me stiff and speechless.She looked at me with desperate eyes, tears streaking her face. She begged me to believe her, her voice breaking with every word. “You’re my mate,” she cried, and those words stabbed straight through me.I should have ignored it. I should have ordered her away. But damn it, my chest tightened watching her fall apart in front of me. For a second, I almost broke.But I stayed silent.Two of my men rushed in, gripping her arms. She kicked, fought, screamed for me. “Please, Jester! You felt it! Don’t deny me! I’m your mate!”Her cries echoed inside me as they dragged her out. It was killing me, but I didn’t move. I didn’t stop them.And then… she was gone.Her scent remained behind. Sweet, tempting, strong enough to drive my
- Adriah’s POV - I kept pacing back and forth in the cold room, my bare feet brushing against the stone floor. My chest rose and fell fast, my head was spinning. I wanted to scream, to rip the walls down, to break free from this curse.This shouldn’t be my ending. Not like this.My real mate... the one my heart, body, and soul longed for, was about to throw me away and tie me to a man who wasn’t even mine.Fuck this life.“No… no, I can’t just accept this.” My voice was shaking, but I still spoke. “There has to be something I can do.”I pressed my hands hard against my face, sliding them down until my nails scratched my cheeks. The pain grounded me, but it wasn’t enough. My mind was cracking. The bond was driving me insane.How could I marry someone who wasn’t my mate? How could I belong to a man I didn’t love, when my heart burned and screamed for Jester?All my life, I had been bullied, mocked, enslaved. I had been beaten down until I forgot what freedom even felt like. And still..