|___|"Orion," the moon goddess spoke again, her tone carrying a weight of authority."Ailana," Orion replied, his voice steady but laced with a subtle edge.Astraea watched in silence, feeling like an outsider caught in the midst of a silent battle between two powerful beings. The atmosphere crackled with unspoken tension, each word exchanged between Orion and the moon goddess fraught with underlying meaning.The moon goddess said, glancing at Astraea with a mixture of concern and curiosity. "I see you have brought a companion.""Yes, she is my mate," Orion firmly answered, seemingly daring the moon goddess to question his decision.Although Astraea was overcome with pride at Orion's statement, she could feel a conflict building beneath the surface that could explode at any time.The moon goddess's lips curved into a knowing smile, her eyes glinting with a hint of amusement. "A werewolf as your mate, Orion? How...unexpected."Orion squared his shoulders, clenching his jaw and hardeni
|HAITI|Astraea.That was the name of the mutt that the trio allegedly paired Orion to. After all these years, he searched for his mate and stopped searching.I was happy he stopped searching, but now, this wench wants to take my spot that I had dreamed of for years.I stared at the duo, his hand laced over hers and he stood protective beside her. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders and her gray eyes stared at me.She looked like someone I knew, someone from centuries ago. I was more beautiful, more powerful. I was a goddess. She was just a mere royalty, a princess from the werewolf kingdom. She wasn't even the first child.I will not allow her to take Orion away from me; he is mine. even though it means eliminating her. After being by himself for centuries, he only feels a sense of possession; he is not yet in love. I will pull them apart before he becomes attached to her. "Oh, Orion, I was not asking. It is the right thing to do, I'm sure Astraea also understands, don't yo
|ORION|“Withdraw your order.”I stood in front of Ailana, watching as she assessed her moon beams. Her silver hair streamed behind her as she moved, not even looking up to greet me or answer."And since when have you been held back by my order?" The Onyx eyes from my dreams resurfaced in my mind and I shook my head, brushing the thoughts away.“She does not belong in Toron.” Ailana scoffed as I spoke through gritted teeth, her silver eyes finally focusing on me. I could see hatred laced deep in her eyes, which she concealed with neutrality."The werewolf princess will be fine; she survived her arranged marriage. She will get through this one, too." I shook my head, my fists tightened.Ailana was trying to test my patience. And my patience could only go so far."They are going to hurt her.""Then take her out yourself, go against my orders, and get her."“You know… You've got some nerve coming back here, Orion. Coming into my palace with those eyes and hands of yours holding that chil
|ASTRAEA|I never had friends back home. Most werewolves didn't even know the Werewolf King had a second daughter.I remembered their gasps and exclaims as they saw Alan dragging me down the aisle that day. They were surprised, bewildered even, to find out they had a third princess and she was sold out to the ruthless Alpha of the Blue dawn pack.My senses gradually awakened to the dimly lit chamber that surrounded me. The air felt heavy with a mysterious energy, and a faint scent of incense lingered in the air, weaving through the shadows like tendrils of smoke.Blinking sleep from my eyes, I found myself in a room shrouded in darkness, save for the soft, ethereal glow that emanated from the moonlit stained glass windows. Their muted hues painted the chamber in an otherworldly palette of blues and purples, casting intricate patterns of light and shadow upon the walls.In the center of the room stood a grand canopy bed, draped in cascading curtains of deepest black. Its ornate frame,
|ASTRAEA| “Ah!”. I yelled, my sword clanging against his as we spared moving back and forth to avoid his blade.His dark cloak billowed around him as he moved, obscuring his form in the dim light of the training grounds. I could feel the weight of his gaze upon me, a silent challenge that spurred me on even as my muscles screamed in protest.“If You can't keep up with me, little wolf. They are going to destroy you.”With a grunt of effort, I lunged forward, my sword arcing towards his exposed flank. But he was faster, his blade meeting mine with a resounding clash. The force of the impact reverberated through my arms, sending shockwaves of pain up to my shoulders.I gritted my teeth, determination coursing through my veins as I redoubled my efforts. We danced across the training grounds, locked in a deadly dance of steel and shadow.In a moment of distraction, I left myself open, and his blade grazed my side, drawing a thin line of blood. The pain was nothing compared to the burning
|HAITI| I jubilated when the moon goddess gave me permission to visit Toron and look around. My real plan was to ruin that mutt and break her into unmendable pieces.I arrived to see they were having etiquette class, the celestials smiled in glee, happy to see me.Of course, every celestial wanted to be like goddess Haiti.I walked over to the mutt's table, her head still focused on whatever drew her attention. “I-”“I really don't have the energy to pretend to be intimidated by you today, Haiti.” Then she flashed me a glare, my eyes widened startled by her words.“W-what?”Did she really talk to me like that in that tone?“Look here, mutt, show some respect when talking to me. I am older than you.”“And where has that gotten you? Last time I checked, I attended the celestial party meant for gods and goddesses only. Tch.” My eye twitched as she got up from her seat, leaving the hall.I seethed with anger, my fists clenched at my sides as I watched her leave. How dare she speak to me
|ORION|Hurrying through the corridors of the palace, my steps quickened as I made my way to the East wing.Her wing.The tension from the recent council visits lingered in the air, keeping me on edge. My fists clenched involuntarily as I braced myself for whatever awaited me behind Astraea's door."Greetings, Sire," the guards acknowledged as I approached, their expressions grave. Ignoring their formalities, I pushed open the door without hesitation."Star, I—" My words faltered as I took in the sight before me.Astraea stood before me, in the midst of dressing herself. But what caught my attention wasn't her attire—it was the bandages that covered her body, like a second skin. It dawned on me then why she had been wearing long sleeves and high-necked dresses ever since we returned from Toron.“Orion, I'm dressing,” she stated calmly, her eyes meeting mine with a mixture of weariness and determination.My anger surged within me like a raging inferno. "Who... who did this to you, Star
|ASTRAEA|"Princess Astraea," one of the council members spoke, his tone dripping with condescension. "We are pleased that you could join us."Inside the building, a hushed atmosphere greeted me, the air heavy with anticipation and tension. The grand chamber was adorned with intricate tapestries and ornate furnishings, a stark contrast to the solemn faces that awaited me within.I straightened my spine, refusing to be intimidated by their condescending airs. “So you are the council, the ones who make Orion come back from every meeting fuming with anger. Tch.” I said as their eyes widened at my words.“Excuse me?” One of them, a blonde haired celestial being glared at me as her fists rested clenched on the table.“You're quite excused, there's the door.” I said, pointing at the doors and they murmured, the blonde haired woman looked like she had all the life in her body drained out.Two taps on the table and the whole table went quiet. To think they hadn't even offered me a seat yet.