LOGINKAELITHAlthough I wouldn’t particularly call myself fat, just blessed with a soft lushness that curves into an hourglass figure, Xena’s physique makes me too self aware. She’s so gorgeous it puts the fair maidens beside her to shame. As we settle round the table, her eyes stay fixed on me. “It does seem like we have met before.” “Oh no. I can count off my fingers the amount of pretty women I’ve met around here. I don’t think I’ve seen you amongst those faces.” Her smile broadens. “That’s because you are not from here, I guess. A pity.”The words rub me in the wrong way but I shrug it off. “I heard the Alpha kidnapped you. Is that a fact?” One of them, with a pair of wide eyes, leans forward. “That must be crude.”Xena tosses her a blank look before I can reply. “I don’t think you’re in the position to judge who my brother is passionate about or his methods.” Xena’s defense of him stings more than it should. I have to remind myself she’s his sister. Of course she’d stand by hi
KAELITHA laugh crawls up my throat and spills free into the dimly lit room. I clasp a hand over my mouth to stop another one from escaping.The jester’s expression remains stoic as if he’s the only one who doesn’t find his joke amusing. When the laughter dies down, I wipe a tear from the corner of my eye. “You? A captured slave, humiliating himself as a jester before the Alpha’s guests…want to save me?” I shake my head. “What makes you think we’re any different? We are both trapped in the same cage.”“Is something funny?” He asks, cocking his head as if to look at me clearly.“Yes!” I nearly shout. “As far as I know, anyone who steps into the den of Ferdinand has their autonomy stripped away.”It is common knowledge. If he really wanted to save me, he should have done it from the outside. Not walking into this death trap and dangling himself like bait. On the other hand, I desperately want to believe it’s possible to get me out of here. But I don’t dare to think it. I look away
KAELITHThe party drags on. Clearly everybody is impressed by the Alpha’s new toy, the juggling jester. Every time he makes a new move, or does something athletic, it causes a roaring cheer in the crowd. For some reason, the agility in his movement, the swiftness in his feet and the way he carries himself draws me in. The crowd roars again and my attention drags to the one-hand stand he’s doing while an object balances on one foot.Then kicking it higher, he straightens, holding out his arms to the side for the object to land. All of this he does without looking at it. His gaze stays pinned. On. me. Ferdinand roars in another deafening bout of laughter. “Again!”The guests also chant the same. He bows, repeating his actions. Every now and again, the jester passes me a look that has me self conscious. Like he’s trying to see through me. Curiosity makes me lean a little forward to catch the details of his face but his hat blocks most of it.It’s useless effort anyway because wh
1 — WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?KAELITH “Fuck, I need a real drink,” the first words I mutter minutes after settling down beside the Alpha.My mistake is assuming the party will go better than planned but since the moment it began, I want nothing more than to ditch it. Two weeks ago, he had announced a party in the palace to celebrate the victory and homecoming of our dispatched troops to rival packs.As Luna, I’ve done my part to keep the party running smoothly, mostly because I needed the distraction from him.Now it is over, I need to get away.The string quartet in a corner of the ballroom, plays something resembling a lullaby. More like a dirge. “Won’t you introduce us to your mistress, Ferdinand?”My gaze skips the guests milling around us to find the man who has just spilled those words. Some ugly noble from gods-know-where. I don’t even attempt to correct his wrong notion about me. Too uninvested to want to. Ferdinand, however, puts a hand around my waist and pulls me closer l
EROS The dregs of the dungeon. That was the first place it’d occurred to these lowly animals to place me in. Or maybe the first place my brother had ordered them to put me. “You just wait until I get my wolf back,” I promised as I sat in that dark place, picturing the very first faces in line for my revenge. Eva had promised it’d only take a few days before the Anomaly’s death began its regenerative healing of my wolf. What was an extra day in wait? The chorus of ‘Your Grace’ rendered the air as a pair of feet descended down the stairwell leading to where I was. Ares’ face came into view and I wanted to peel the royal smugness off his face. How dare he? How dare he look at me like I wasn’t worth more than the dirt in this dingy place? How dare he?! I didn’t even pretend to hide the contempt I felt for him at that moment. Soon, we’d see who triumphs over the other. “Have you come to see the lovely brother you threw in the dungeons because of that lowly ome
ARES “Xena? Eros and Xena?” My gaze whipped to Eros now, who refused to meet my eyes. “Restore your wolf, brother? Why am I just hearing about this?”“And so what? I had to do what I had to. Do you have any idea how it feels to always be in the shadows, obscured by your twin brother’s glory?” He finally looked at me, eyes slitted with hate. “If I had my wolf, no longer would I look down on myself or stand back and watch as others dote on you.”His words struck me hard in the chest. “But…” Sorrow blanketed me. “Why did you not come to me? We could’ve dealt with this together.” He scoffed. “The death of the Anomaly according to prophecy was the only thing that could restore my wolf. So apologies, brother, but it had to be done. Even if it meant using your mate for it.”I leaned forward, already feeling my wolf’s agitation at the mention of my mate and the cruel path my own brother had chosen. Dooming all of us. I should never have brought her to the palace without first confirming
DIANDRA “Petty arguments,” I spat. That was what that bitch called it. And he let her! I was speaking to my mates and she called it a petty argument. “One minute she wants to be friends. The next minute she’s acting so high and important, fixing nose in things that are none of her business.
DIANDRAI didn’t know how long I’d been fighting for my life. All I knew was that giving up wasn’t an option. The moment I did, I’d be dead. However, with every passing second, my fight grew weaker, slowing down until I could only twitch. Before my vision could black out completely, I was yanked
DIANDRA Eros did not disclose the content of the letter, folding it and sliding it into his pocket. “Head straight to your room and don’t open the door if it’s not me or Ares. Something is wrong.”Something was wrong, he didn’t need to spell it out for me. My gaze dropped to the lifeless body of
DIANDRA“Your brother is outright despicable! Did you see the way he was looking at her? I’m his mate for goddess sakes and he hasn’t even looked at me that way.”Eros laughed a rich sound that would have been so pleasurable to listen to under different circumstances. Now, I was too incensed to foc







