TALIA'S POV
I can't tell what day it is. The air in this dark room does not change to indicate sunrise or sunset. No one opens the heavy metal door that is locked from the other side since I don't get fed or checked.I am so thirsty and hungry that I doubt I will survive for ten more hours. My head also hurts, probably because of dehydration and overthinking.Somehow I feel like I wouldn't mind if I die right now. It would save me from enduring more pain. My lips are so dry that they have begun cracking. I would exchange anything for a drop of water right now. this really hurts more than the hanger.The feeling of misery is intensified by the lack of anything in the room to distract me. I keep thinking of my family and where they may be now. Have they been sold already?It's hard to believe that my family is now completely ruined and not because of a crime we actually committed. My heart pounds harder every time I imagine little Michael as a slave. Can he even survive the work?There is nothing I can do about it now. The only time I will see the outside of this cell will be the hour of my death.I may have been wishing for my death to come quickly so I can finally rest without feeling hunger or thirst. But I shiver when the metallic door clicks open.Light bounces in and blinds my eyes which had gotten too used to being in the dark. Guess it's time for me to leave this world. I don't feel ready for the pain or the shame but who else cares?My eyes finally adjust to the light in time to watch four men walk into the room. The beautiful Prince Evan walks in front of the other three, he makes a face as he looks around.A prison cell is definitely not the kind of place someone of his social class should be visiting. He is too refined to be in here.Is he still too mad over his servant's death that he wants to oversee my execution himself? I would be honoured.I never thought I would have the chance to see him this close. Every time I saw him he was surrounded by a thick wall of his soldiers and female admirers.He is just as attractive now, but I already know he is not as perfect on the inside when he is infuriated."How have you been?" His husky voice asks, sounding as if he actually feels concerned. But I think he just wants to know if their form of torture is working."Why would you care? You are going to execute me anyway." I reply. Girls are usually sweet to him. But why respect him when he and his family are destroying mine?"Why not let your evil mother suffer for her crime? It's not too late to change your mind you know?" He says as if there is a chance for me to switch places with my mother again.As long as the decision to take her place was made official by the council, there is no going back. But I bet there is nothing that is impossible for him to change. He is the powerful Prince Evan after all.I also don't want my mother to be the one in here, thirsty, hungry and waiting to die. Hopefully, she will one day find a way to escape her slave's Master since she is such a good warrior."The only evil person I know is your so-called good mother! Sometimes the true devil is the one dressed in sheep's clothing." I say and his eyes literally glow with anger."I don't react too kindly to people that insult my mother." He warns. Guess he trusts his mother to a point of believing that she cannot do a single wrong thing.I would be afraid of angering him, but I am going to be executed anyway. I have nothing to lose even if he hurts me."I only called a spade a spade," I say and he snorts."You are no better than your jealous mother." He matters. Then all my feelings of pain, hunger and thirst suddenly intensify to a point of becoming excruciating. a scream escapes my lips.I must have really pissed him off for him to so mercilessly use one of his powers to cause me pain. His ability to intensify your own negative feelings actually hurts more than a thousand blows.I start writhing when he makes them intensify even further. Then it stops just as suddenly as it had begun. I sigh in relief even though I can still feel the thirst, hunger and dull headache I had before."You only have one more day to live. Do you really think your mother is worth the sacrifice?" He asks and I remain silent, not wanting to receive another dose of intensified pain because he definitely won't like my answer.It sucks to know that I will be in here for twenty-four more hours. Why can't they just kill me now and be done with it? It's not like my pain will bring back the dead servant."I don't think she is smart enough to change her mind, sir, you are wasting your time." One of the soldiers behind him comments."You're right, she is quite a knucklehead." He agrees, turns and walks out of the room. His soldiers immediately close the door again and I am once again surrounded by darkness.Just one more day and I will rest in peace.EVAN'S POVDump people are hard to help. Why did I even think she would change her mind? She is just as toxic as her mother. Her willingness to die for her evil mother honestly baffles me. One would think thirst, hunger and loneliness would make her think twice. But no, she is determined to endure it all for a person that doesn't deserve such a sacrifice.Her mother really brainwashed her and her siblings to believe that the Queen, my mother is a bad person. The question is why did they decide to try poisoning me? To hurt my mother? I wouldn't have felt a thing even if I took the poison. I am a lot stronger than people imagine. I just don't boast about it because if people knew exactly how strong or powerful I am, they would start fearing me. And a feared King is not what I want to become."Here he is finally." My mother says and sighs when I walk into the dining room where everyone else is already seated and eating."Where have you been honey?" Since my servant died she has become overprotective, acting as if I could just walk around the palace and disappear into thin air."I wanted to see if the girl we locked up would agree to let her stupid mother get the punishment," I say and my mother's eyes instantly go wide."You did what? Didn't I ask you to stay away from that sick family?" She asks in a panicked voice."What can a wolf-less, hungry girl possibly do to hurt me?" I question."I don't know but you shouldn't have gone to see her. That family is way too evil and can say all kinds of lies." Her hands are shaking as she places the cup of tea in front of me. "what did she tell you?""Nothing important. She still wants to die in her mother's place." I answer and mother sighs in relief."Why does she care so much about whatever lies these people can tell? It's not like anyone is going to believe them."Even if she agrees to let her mother get the punishment, she and her siblings shouldn't be allowed to live in this Kingdom. They will always be a source of trouble." She says, finally seeming relaxed enough to eat. Father nods."It would have been better if Miss Abram was the one paying for her crimes. Slavery is a small punishment for such a wicked murderer." He says, appearing disappointed.Mother looks up at him with a smile. "She will get well punished if we choose to sell her to the cruellest of all people. She will be lucky to last a few years alive." Father once again nods to his wife's advice.I would think the decision is unfair if my servant didn't die. A man that had a wife and kids to take care of. The person responsible should never be allowed to leave her full life while her innocent victim rots in a grave. Doesn't matter if the evil family feels punished twice.TALIA'S POVI keep dreaming about my execution and it's the worst of nightmares I have ever had. Life has never been this harsh. My body has become so weak that I can't even pull myself up to stand on my feet. I would definitely die on my own if they let me stay in here for a day longer. But I guess my five days of imprisonment are already over.I am now counting seconds with a racing heartbeat before soldiers walk in through the door to get me. There is no good way of preparing yourself for an execution. Doesn't matter how many times I keep telling myself that it's better than dying slowly of thirst in here.I just hope that whenever my young siblings are they can at least eat and drink. They will have no one to look after them even when they fall sick. I really wish I can go back to that moment when we let mum accept the Queen's invitation. I would spit on that messenger's face and tell him to tell his Queen to f off. it's too late for that now.The sound of the heavy doot clicking
THREE YEARS LATERTALIA'S POVI yawn and stretch out while still laying flat on my bed with my eyes closed. I can already feel the rays of the sun warming the room through my bedroom window.I rub my sleepy eyes before blinking them open. Everything surrounding me looks different and I gasp in shock. The room I am in looks nothing like my bedroom. It's fancy and colourful, two things I have never been a fan of.The curtains that now hang on the window are pink and larger than the tiny blue ones I used to have. Several framed pictures hang on the walls making the room look like a small, overly decorated gallery.I try to think about what may have happened. Then all the memories come flowing in. The match, the soldiers, King's council. . . The execution! Oh my God! How comes I am standing here breathing again? And whose room is this now? Did another family pick up our own?I have heard stories of rebirth before. Tales of a few people that actually died and then came back to life later.
TALIA'S POVWalking through the gates of this palace again makes my blood start rushing through my veins. The moment that I was drugged out by soldiers and a mob was allowed to lynch me keeps replaying in my head.I was so helpless and extremely weak then. I couldn't even fight a single soldier. I should feel safe now, but my heart thrombs the moment too many eyes turn to look at me. Even the outside of the palace is full of people. I see faces that I used to know, my mother's and Taylor's friends, all their eyes turn to stare at me. My whole body quivers. Can they so easily recognise me?Then I see men smiling amorously and I sigh in relief. They don't recognise me. They are just staring for some weird reason."She is gorgeous!" I hear one of the girls whisper to her friends."Yeah, she must be noble. You know her?" Another asks in a voice just as low.It's strange that I can hear them. "I don't know her. But she does look kind of familiar." The first girl answers and my heart throb
EVAN'S POV"I have gathered everyone that she spoke to, Sir. But I am also afraid that they too don't know much." My servant says in an anxious voice. "Let them in, I will question them myself," I order. He bows again and leaves my office.Apprehension can actually make breathing hard. Why the f did she run?She is literally the most beautiful girl I have ever laid my eyes on. She wore no makeup or jewellery, yet her natural beauty was honestly breathtaking.She looked extraordinarily just like I imagined my mate would be. I knew she was in the room the moment I inhaled that alluring scent, nothing in this world can smell so good and pure. The strange thing is despite looking like an angel among humans, her stunning features did look familiar. But I could have only seen such beauty in a dream. I will chase her to the edge of the world if I have to."Try to relax. Your girl will come back to you. Just give her a day or two." My mother tries to comfort me. She may have been right abou
TALIA'S POVHaving powers is apparently the only good thing that has happened to me since I came back to life. I have lost everything else, my family, our home and now the hope of ever having a loving mate.I no longer know where I am headed to anymore. My former plan can no longer work. The fact that I cannot walk into the palace without prince Evan smelling my scent also means that I have no means of getting near the Queen. There is no point in being alive as long as I cannot find my family. They are the people I want to protect."Hey, why do you look so sad? You didn't like the party?" The woman that I met fast after coming back to life makes me halt."Where are you going?" She asks. I look around. I had no thought about where I am headed to. I just had my legs carrying me towards wherever. But seemingly I am on the road towards what used to be our home. I am in fact a few metres away from the small gate."The people that live there now won't welcome you." She informs with the same
THIRD PERSON'S POVThe Queen wears a troubled face as she walks fast down a corridor and bursts into a magnificent bedroom with a king-size bed and the most exquisite furniture. Some of which have been decorated with gold. It's too extravagant even for a royal bedroomHer husband lays down on his back on top of the bed covers, his eyes gazing at the ceiling as he appears to be thinking deeply."We need to talk." His Queen states as she matches to bed and sits on the edge."I already heard that Evan's beautiful mate is Talia's cousin if that is what you wish to tell me." He replies without taking a glance at her."Then I guess the news you haven't heard is that . . that is a lie." She says and he finally turns his head to look at her."What do you mean?""Miss Abram was my best friend before she tried to poison our son. She didn't have any nieces or nephews. The girl lied!" She says, sounding clearly too certain of what she believes is the truth. Yet the husband shakes his head in disa
TALIA'S POVI thought the soldiers were going to only hurt me during the night but so far I have bypassed over a dozen of them and answered their questions about whether I have seen an incredibly beautiful and tall young lady with pitch black, wavy hair and bright brown eyes.Good thing is that my very kind host advised me to dress like a widow and hire a carriage instead of walking. I put on a hat and a veil to hide my face. The soldiers wouldn't expect a young lady to be blessed in the long dresses of a widow anyway.I am headed to the north to start the search for my mother, Taylor and Michael. Hopefully, they got bought by one of the arrogant alphas.My host did warn me that this was going to be a long journey. I thought she was exaggerating but I have been on this carriage for over eight hours and we are yet to get to the border.But I can now see a long line of posts far ahead so I think we are finally close. I think I will let myself sleep for the rest of the journey since I am
EVAN'S POVI had to retreat to my room to mull over my next move. I still feel like I have been wrecked inside. Every time I let my eyes close the appalling image of my mate's dead body lying in the dirt and her blood soaking the soil pops up in my mind.Three full years may have passed since I witnessed that awful scene but I now remember every second of it like it happened a few hours ago.All I cared about was avenging my servant's death. It didn't matter if we went too far and hurt people that were not responsible for the atrocious crime that was committed.I kept telling myself that the girl made her own decision and she probably was just as evil as her mother. Her death didn't make me feel better about my servant's death. It in fact made me realise what a mess we had made in our insane quest for justice.By now the true culprit, the mother, is either dead or truly regretting her actions. Her stupidity has made so much in my life go wrong.I don't regret being mated to her daught