CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHTThe bellowing afternoon sun cast its warm glow over the Blue Moon Kingdom. Knox found himself nursing a nagging headache from the night’s excessive drinking. His eyes were heavy and his mind clouded with the haunting images of his deceased wife and child. The weight of grief and guilt pressed on him, and he struggled to overcome the emotional distress that gripped his soul.His mind was vague of anything else that had happened the morning of it; he had no recollection of his meltdown in the presence of his brother Kylian, but his oath of vengeance tarried in his mind. It was all he could think of. The festival preparations continued outside a stranger to the internal struggle that plagued the palace walls.Knox tried to pull himself together, but his limbs were still too weak to carry him, his vision blurred, and each step he tried to take was even harder than the last. Kylian walked in with a maid carrying a tray of silverware in her hands, her head lowered as sh
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINEJane, unable to contain her fear any longer, rushed to Kylian for help. He had always helped Zena get out of trouble, it is possible that he would this time too. He was her only hope. Despite her low status, she slipped through the shadows, making her way to Kylian’s chamber with hopes of finding him there.She was halted by the men that stood guard at the entrance. She could not afford to tell them the purpose of her visit, but her appearance was a reflection of how worried and distraught she was. The guards immediately sent her away but she lurked in the premises, keeping watch at the door. For several hours, there was still no sign of Kylian. Jane could not help but imagine what troubles Zena must be faced with at the moment.As the night deepened, Kylian finally emerged from his chamber. Jane wasted no time to seize the opportunity. She approached him with an urgency that could not be ignored. The guards tried to stop her from getting too close but Kylian signa
CHAPTER THIRTYKylian paced restlessly in his chambers, the situation at hand was getting more complicated than he had thought it would be. Precisely speaking, his brother’s obsession with Zena was getting out of hand, and he feared the repercussions it could have on the kingdom. Whatever this was was not just about them alone, but Knox would not see past his strong-headedness.He recalled his secret promise to himself to help Zena escape before he embarked on his journey up North, now seemed like the right time to fulfill that promise but he needed to be discreet about it. There should be no loopholes in his plan for Knox to connect the dots to him.As he considered his plan, he realized that involving Jane, who had shown genuine concern for Zena, could be key to executing the escape plan. Her loyalty to Zena might prove instrumental to a successful escape plan. However a doubt lingered in his mind, he had responded coldly toward her when she first approached him, he worried that she
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE“Did you enjoy your little nap, Zena?” Knox’s voice was laced with a cruel amusement that infuriated Zena. He strolled casually into the room, his gaze fixated on her with unsettling intensity. Zena refused to display any hint of fear. She glared back at him, her eyes filled with defiance.“I wouldn’t dare come close to me if I were you.” She sprung to her feet and retrieved the weapon she had hidden in her waistband, brandishing it at him. Knox chuckled, enjoying the exchange of hostility. “You underestimate me, Zena. I’ve got plans for you, grand plans that will make you regret ever crossing my path.”Zena knew beyond reasonable doubt that Knox was not one to make empty threats. The only way to be free from his wrath was by escaping or the death of either one of them. She observed as Knox’s expression darkened, his amusement replaced by anger. His eyes darted to the ruined portrait, and she knew what was coming next. Kylian’s call had intercepted whatever action h
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWOJane's attempt to break Zena's resolve on the plan was useless and it bothered her that she had no idea how Kylian would react to it. He had gone out of his way to devise such a brilliant plan to help a servant of low status as them, and Zena's insistent refusal just might make him furious and resolve not to help them ever again.Cathleen observed closely from a distance, trying to figure out what the two were up to. They had ventured far into the fields and any attempt of hers to go after them could get her caught. The grasses were dry and her steps would easily be detected.It infuriated her that she had no werewolf abilities of her own to tap into. Yes, she was born to a werewolf mother, but her father was human, the only human who had survived even after being exposed to the supernatural realm of werewolves.Apparently, relationships between werewolves and humans were a huge taboo in the kingdom, and anyone caught in such a web was punished by the people and the
They were marked for death. All five of them. All female. Dressed in black sackcloth with tight ropes bounding their legs and their hands. They were surrounded by ten heavily armed guards – one reckless move from any of them and one of the guards would be more than happy to slice their heads into halves. The Skull Rogues were a menace to the Blue Moon Pack, and after so much effort, Alpha Winston and his sons were able to capture five of them. They wouldn't want any of their 'precious catch' to suddenly wiggle out of their nets. After all, The Skull Rogues were known for surprise attacks; striking without warning and leaving a hard and brutal mark where they hit. However, there were no surprises in store from these ladies. There wasn't much you could do when death had reared its ugly head at you, staring at you eye–to–eye. Today, they were going to be executed, and Alpha Knox – one of Alpha Winston's twin sons, wore a proud smile on his face as he stared at the tied–up delinquent
"The plan is very straightforward. Nevertheless, let's review it once more." Zena stated, her hands clasped behind her back as she paced to and fro. "Understood, Commander." The army of her rogue soldiers responded in unison. She nodded in acknowledgement, then cleared her throat before proceeding."Once we pass this territory, we will be entering into Alpha Knox's private training grounds." She explained, "I've been observing their activities for weeks in secret and I've strategically planned out our operation."She paused, turning around to face them, her hands still clasped behind her back. "All of you here, you are to go East of the training ground. Knox would immediately detect the scent of intruders and he and the rest of his guards who are at the training grounds would instinctively go to attack." "His pregnant wife is always with him, watching him train. And she is our target tonight. However, I will be the one to handle her." Zena said. 'Of course, Alpha Knox won't leave hi
CHAPTER THREEZena watched as Knox and his soldiers shifted into their wolves and went on to go after her comrades. She chuckled to herself as her grin got even wider; though Knox was powerful, he and his thirteen guards were no match for her fifty rogue soldiers. And those backup soldiers would never make it to the battleground. Why? Because Zena was going to kill those two soldiers and Lydia before they even got to the palace. She would say it over and over again because even the mere thought of it filled her with immense delight. She wasted no time before shifting into her wolf form as well; a brown–furred wolf that matched with the colour of her hair and orange eyes with a tinge of black. It was time to unleash havoc. Her predatory eyes glimmered in the moonlight as she sprang into motion, her steps stomping against the forest' damp soil. She could see Lydia and the two guards in a distant blur, their forms barely visible against the backdrop of darkness. However, her eyed