LOGIN~Amber’s POV~Was I a coward?The answer would have been a capital NO because I was brave, which was exactly why I got into so many unprincess-like situations, but today that capital N and that capital O had slowly shrunk into lowercase letters before eventually rearranging themselves entirely into the three lettered opposite.Because I had arrived at the mansion with all that bravery sitting on top of my racing heart, knowing full well, if I was being honest with myself, which I was trying very hard not to be that I had timed my arrival specifically because I knew he would be at the company by then.Which would give me enough time to settle my nerves. To walk through the space. To get used to being in the same proximity as him before actually having to be in the same proximity as him.Unfortunately for me, he was there.I felt it the moment I stepped inside the mansion. That particular awareness that had never once failed to announce him regardless of how much I wished it would. So
~Axel’s POV~“You know what you are doing is trying to get her attention so why don’t you just pick up the phone and call her. Or even more obviously, get on a plane, the private jet which you have and go see her.”I leaned back in my chair and looked at Zane across the desk, taking in the expression on his face that had been cycling through variations of the same thing for five months now. Frustration wearing different clothes depending on the day but always, unmistakably, the same frustration underneath.“Do you know what I just realized?”“I already know I am going to regret asking this but what?”“That you have not shut up for one single second over the last five months.”The glare he gave me in response had been hardening incrementally with each passing day, like something that had started soft and been left out long enough to set permanently. “That is because you completely went downhill the moment you got back and yes, I understand that she lied to you. I understand it and I
~Amber’s POV~The first week was the hardest.Everything completely went downhill and I lost count of how many times I wanted to pack up and run away because in between all of it was the heartbreak — and yes, my heart did break— because true to his words, he left.At exactly 5am. And I knew because I had stood by the window of the room I hadn’t been able to take a single step out of and watched him.Watched him leave without once looking back, without hesitation, without anything, and I stood there until the car disappeared and then I stood there some more because my feet had simply forgotten what they were for.It was only when the sun came up fully that I finally moved and faced what was waiting for me.The true understanding of just how much it took to be Queen of the Realm.I realized that everything the council had told me was theory.The practical came three hours after he had left. A dispute that needed immediate attention, a border conflict that had been simmering for weeks a
~Amber’s POV~Air seemed to have suddenly become my nemesis in life.Because for the second time in less than twenty four hours I couldn’t breathe again.“What?” It came out as a squeak.“You didn’t hear me? You want me to repeat it?” He said it with a calm that was somehow worse than shouting, and with each step he took around the bed toward me, something gripped me that I had not expected and I unconsciously shuffled backwards.“What?” He went on. “You can’t answer? You don’t have anything more to say? Because you sure did twenty seconds ago.”Roxanne had gone completely still inside me but I felt it — the thread of excitement lacing underneath her silence that he knew.That he finally knew. I on the other hand could only find a stutter. “I… I…”“You what?” He snapped and the calm cracked, just slightly, just enough.Okay. Now he was angry.“You thought it was funny to play me for a fool right from the moment I met you? I used every single resource I had to look for you. I fell und
~Amber’s POV~It had happened in a sequence after Ian’s words.Confusion mixed with curiosity had taken hold but I had not let it grip me, so I turned after giving one final and utterly cold glare at Axel and walked back into that hall with my head held high, not caring for who I did or didn’t have.The ceremony had been completed with Roxanne, very much surprisingly, dropping the coldness long enough for it to be done.Then the overwhelming realization had hit that I was Queen.Amber Crystabel Moon, Queen of the Realm.It had taken a second more to settle and once it did, a part of me simply owned it. Owned the fact that I was the Queen, not the stares of disappointment, not the open contempt I encountered as I did the obligatory rounds of engaging with people, trying not to let my anger boil over at Axel and the fact that the woman — apparently Ian’s sister — was still here. Beside him. Talking to him.And even more infuriating was the fact that his eyes were transfixed on me. I r
~Amber’s POV~The cold air hit me the moment I got outside and I stopped gasping but still could not find breath.It was there, the air, all of it, surrounding me, and my lungs refused to accept it properly. I bent forward with my hands on my knees and tried, one breath, another, each one shallow and insufficient.In between I wanted to cry.No. I wanted to do more than that. I wanted to scream, pull at my hair and scream some more until whatever was sitting in the center of my chest came loose.“Princess.”My brain had already registered the sound of his voice and kept in a place where if I could, I would be happy not to recognize it because I simply didn’t want to hear it again. “Leave me alone.” I managed to grit it out despite the air situation. “I am really not in the mood, Ian.”“You remembered my name.”The gleeful quality of four words mixed with everything else already inside me and the irritation that rose was immediate and complete.Of course I remembered his name. I had
~Amber’s POV~Unfortunately… he was right.But more specifically, he was right because I looked worse than a beast. My hair was tangled into what could only be described as a bird’s nest on top of my head, mascara smudged under my eyes, and was that… dried spit at the corner of my mouth?I didn’t
~Axel’s POV~‘Come on, Axel, it’s one in the afternoon the next day.’‘I am well aware of that,’ I answered simply into the psychic link between Zane and me.His groan followed, as expected.‘I have apologized over and over even though none of this was my fault. I did try to stop you before you mar
~Amber’s POV~There wasn’t an ounce of recognition.He didn’t know I was his mate.I didn’t understand why and that exact perplexity was exactly how Roxanne felt. It was the only thing that registered as I made my way back to my room, found my things where I had left them, pulled them into the spac
~Amber’s POV~This bitch must really think I was playing around.“My wolf is growing agitated by each second I allow you to stay breathing and I am this close to seeing if killing you will end the spell.”I intended to follow through with the threat and the fear in her eyes got more obvious.“I am







