☆ Thank you.
Bella's POV My heart thumped when I heard my name. I squared my shoulders and stepped outside with determination. My mind overflowed with my father's words of encouragement. 'Don't ever let your enemy think that you're afraid. Fight with everything you've got, Even when you think that you're doomed, there is always something you can use to your advantage.'.. I won't let you down, Father. The loud music and the rowdy crowd were deafening, and yet somehow, I think I heard Chad growled. My heart squeezed. I know it was hard for him to let me do this, but he respected my decision. I can't mess this up. I breathed in and stood in front of Arona. She smirked triumphantly at me. "Well, Princess and Luna. May the best win. You may begin!" Ferragano gave the signal, and Arona threw her head back laughing. "You played right into my hands, sweet little Bella." Arona cooed, in a way that only I could hear her. "'l'll try not to ruin your pretty face, or my brother won't like it." She tau
Arona's POV I was seething. My blood was boiling. I entered my room and put on my clothes quickly. With the back of my hand, I cleaned some of the angry tears falling down my eyes. I need Braxten to help me dissipate some of this anger before I explode. The door opened, but it was Hudson. He was enraged. "What the hell was that, Arona?!" He snarled. "I went with your plan because I thought you would be able to defeat her. You also wounded her when I specifically told you not to!!" I winced when he threw a chair across the room. "What the fuck did you want me to do?!" I yelled. "The bitch is well trained, we understimated her. Sadie told me she was well trained, but she believed Bella couldn't compare to me. I also thought mom would help me, but she did nothing!" Hudson pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do you still trust that witch?! Don't forget that she left Father to raise us alone." Hudson seethed. He had never forgiven our mother. Mother was important in her realm. It wa
Chad's POV I can practically feel Hudson seething underneath his diplomatic façade when I saw him. I pull Bella closer to me, staking my claim. I'm sure Hudson was already singing victory. With Arona as queen consort, it would have been easier to try to get rid of me. "Try" was the key word. My warriors got specific orders depending on the match's outcome, but my Luna is a badass that did not need saving. I leaned down to whisper in her ear. "You look especially ravishing tonight, Ma Belle. I can't wait to devour you tonight like I'm starved. I will take my time enjoying you the whole night." The cutest blush tinged her face. I love to get her all hot and bothered. I see Hudson and his sister approaching us. He looks calmed on the surface, but I know he is planning something. My men are on high alert, and I'm not planning to let Bella out of my sight, not even for a second. Arona was arm in arm with the masked guard. Bella had been pretty shaken about what Arona told her during
Bella's POV When all hell broke loose, I got distracted, trying to figure out what was going on. I realized too late Hudson's intentions. He twisted my arm behind my back, pressing me against his chest while covering my mouth with his other hand roughly. He moved us swiftly towards his quarters. "We gotta leave. Arona is putting his toy boy to safety, but she will come back for us." His breath was raggedy against my ear. My cries for help were muffled against his huge hand, which clasped against my mouth like his own life depended on it. "Shh! You are going back home with me. You will be my queen." He said soothingly with a touch of derangement. I shook my head desperately, my eyes wide. He rubs his cheek against my head, sending a chill down my spine. His breath shudders, and I feel him getting hard against my back. "Fuck, Arona better hurry!" He snarls as we waited in a solitary corner of the dark garden. "Are you in the habit of taking what does not belong to you, Alpha Kin
Chad's POV I entered Bella's room and found her sleeping peacefully. Even when every time she ends up being hurt one way or another, she keeps going on with her head held up high. Her resilience floors me. I look at my clothes covered in blood. I spent all night interrogating the Natbian prisoners. I had lost it with a few and might have gone too far. My head hurts as flashes of the shit show from earlier replay in my mind. I go to my room using the door that connects our rooms, trying not to make noise. Thanks to my abilities, I can often pass inconspicuous. I shower meticulously, washing all the blood and filth left on my body. I was not about to touch Bella with filthy hands, and tonight, I will touch her. Oh yeah. My cock throbs just thinking about her full curves and tiny waist. I go back to her room, completely naked and still drying my hair with a towel. The blankets were hanging low on her body, barely covering her. I bite my bottom lip as my eyes cloud with desire, not
Bella's POV As the days passed by, I immersed myself in preparing for the full moon's ritual that would break the curse. Hendrick and I haven't told Chad. He would never agree to it if he knew what the ritual would involve. Even Hendrick does not know the whole truth. Hendrick paces back and forth inside his cage like room. As the full moon gets closer, his mind gets clearer, and he stops hearing voices that urge him to kill. It's impressive to see his normal self, so confident and exuding power. "Are you sure this is the only way, Bella?" He asks once again as if giving me the opportunity to rethink it and retract. Impossible, I need to free them once and for all. My heart raced just thinking about the years of suffering their parents must have endured watching their sons succumbing to the curse. "There is no other way, Hendrick. It took me weeks to figure it out. I couldn't even risk asking Camille for help. She is too close to my grandmother. I am afraid she'd sabotage my in
Bella's POV Chad woke up in the middle of the night. His low growls startled me, waking me up as well. He was sitting at the edge of the bed. His breathing was labored. For the first time since I met him, a flicker of fear ran through my body. "Chad, are you alright?" I put my hand on his back, and he stiffened, but his breathing regulated again. I felt the sparks emanating from his body and sipping through my veins. "I need to go to my chamber now!" His voice was guttural, almost macabre. More animal than human. I shuddered. He looked at me, and his eyes flashed. "It has begun." He got up and went through the secret door toward his chamber. He had mindlinked Hendrick and Dr. Strauss because they were waiting for him at the end of the hallway with various guards. "Bella, go back to your room!" Hendrick ordered. I went back even though all I wanted was to follow Chad and never leave his side. He couldn't see me like this, though. I leaned on the wall, feeling my knees buckle.
Chad's POV The murderous rage I feel is driving me crazy. The desperate need to get free and rip apart everything in my vicinity is overwhelming and torturous. Cobalt senses Bella's presence somewhere nearby and the need to go to her clouds every other thought. I can't control Cobalt, not in a full moon. I feel a woman painting some symbols on my arms and chest. Cobalt trashes even more growling. dying to sink his claws on her. "Chad, try to control Cobalt!!" Who's that? His voice sounds distorted, and even their faces are disfigured. I can not make who's who. "I must kill them all!!" I snarl. The painful sting of the wolfsbane around my arms and legs makes me howl in pain. Just then, the most wonderful smell reaches my nostrils. Is mouth watering, peaches, and cream... and something else that I can't describe. Cobalt starts trashing uncontrollably. When the door is thrown open, the delicious smell invades my senses. My eyes can see clearly now, and I see her. A creature descen
The pain is agonizing. It burns in my chest, travels through my insides, and suffocates me until I can barely breathe. This feeling is brutal, gut-wrenching; it's torture—she's gone. My mate is gone, and I'm left behind, unable to do anything about it. I pace back and forth in the hospital's private suite. Dane looks at me with worry in his eyes. "Chad, you need to follow Grace's orders. You're alive by a miracle. If she hadn't been creating the cure for Killtrax, you would be a goner by now. You were basically her guinea pig." He has been trying to reason with me since I woke up. The news of what happened spread like wildfire. Thankfully, any video footage of the event has been erased. "I will not rest until she's back with me!" I snarl. "What if she doesn't want to come back? According to you, she believes you are responsible for the death of her pup." Dane asks with concern and exasperation. "No, that wasn't my Bella. She wouldn't..." I trail off as Dane hits the wall wi
Bella's POV After I showered an hour later, the maids, whom I now knew as Alyssa and Lana, helped me into a breathtaking Thalia dress. The metallic color added to its beauty, but Chad consumed my thoughts. I let them do my hair and makeup, feeling like a mannequin. They hardly spoke to me, only asking for my opinion on my preferred color palette or high heels. The walk-in closet was filled with luxurious items from all the haute couture brands, including mine. "Is this to your liking, Your Highness?" Alyssa asked. I nodded, not really paying attention to her. When I stood up, I gazed into the mirror. It was me, but somehow, I looked so different. My hair fell in delicate waves all the way to my waist, and a small tiara adorned my head. The high heels accentuated the shape of my calves, and my skin shimmered, making me glow even more. The sultry makeup gave me a vibrant and lively appearance, even though I felt dead inside. "Are you ready to go now, Princess Bella?" Lana asked.
Bella's POV Balzaree Everything is dark. I don’t know how long I’ve been unconscious. My body isn’t responding, but I can hear everything around me. What did Camilla do to me? And what did I do to Chad? My stomach plummeted as I remembered what I had done. Oh Goddess, Chad! Gut-wrenching pain consumes me. What have I done!? I want to run to him, but my body won’t obey. A cold hand brushes the hair off my face. No, stop it. Only Chad is allowed to do that. “She’s a Goldenthorn through and through. A spitting image of her mother,” a woman remarks with a chuckle. “Good job, Camilla,” the lady praises Camilla, sounding joyful. “At your humble service, Queen Aster,” Camilla replies, her voice dripping with pride for receiving the praise of her queen, my grandmother. Fuck! Am I in Balzaree? It hits me then. Camilla brought me here. That cunning bitch. Why did I trust her? Why did I fall for someone's lies again? I'm so stupid!! “Why hasn’t she woken up yet? Are you sure that what
An uneasiness creeps into my gut as I tug at my shirt's collar for the umpteenth time. Dane looks at me, and knowing me too well, he senses something is wrong with me. "Don't tell me you're nervous. This is just the legal union. She's been yours since the moment you saw her at that cavern." He pads my back with a smirk. His tux stretches against his burly frame, and I smirk back at him. "Elise managed to make you look decent for once," I remark, lightening the mood. Trent and Ace came in carrying their gurgling pups. I can definitely picture myself with 2 or three pups. All of them with Bella's eyes. "What!" Dane suddenly received a mind link. "Elise is being rushed to the hospital! So soon!" He panics. He lost his first mate to childbirth "She’s with Grace,” Fort burst in, followed by Tessa and Lira. Dane was already heading out the door. The women grabbed the babies from their dads and also started to leave. "I will return to Bella, and Lira will check on Elise," Tessa sa
Bella's POV I wake up from a long sleep, sitting up abruptly. “Chad!” I exclaim. He stirs beside me and wraps his arms around my waist. “Today is the wedding! I have so many things to do!” He simply tightens his hold. “Come back to bed, ma chérie,” he says in that husky voice that always makes me crave him. I push his hand away, and the blankets slip to my feet. “Not today. Everything needs to be perfect. I finally get to mark you.” That wakes him up; he quickly gets off the bed, but before I can move away, he grabs me by the waist, pulling me flush against him. “You’ll at least shower with me, won’t you?” His breath is hot against my ear, sending tingles through my body. My resolve melts instantly. “Okay, but we need to be quick,” I say breathlessly. “I’m ready!” he replies with a devilish smile, pointing at the appalling bulge in his boxers. "The shower, I meant," I reply. My breath hitched when he lifted me up. He tore my nightgown off and tossed it aside. In no time, I
Hudson's POV Arona flinches as I throw another crystal vase against the wall. Since my return, she has not been any help. I can see her struggling to hold back the urge to say, "I told you so," but she knows better than to provoke me when I'm in this fucking mood. Camilla glances at me and sighs. Ever since I arrived, I have been berating everyone nonstop. A warrior enters the living room, fear clearly visible on his face. “A... Alpha King. None of the men made it back to North Natbia.” I snarled and grabbed him by the collar, throwing him against the wall. He landed on top of the shattered glass. Arona snickered from behind. I turned around, pinning her with a menacing stare. The warrior scrambles to his feet and flees the scene. I was still seething. I had to flee Kaladia like a coward. My warriors stood no chance against Bella, and my useless mother was unwilling to confront her. Therefore, I had to leave Bella and everything else behind. “What kind of witches are you two?
Hendrick's POV I entered the room as soon as Chad left. The air still reeked of sex, and I felt a sharp sting of jealousy. Lycans have a much stronger sense of smell than wolves. I felt Bella's scent as I approached the bed—she smells exquisite. That natural aroma of hers calms both me and Chaos. I sat on the chair to gaze at her like a fucking stalker. She stirred in her sleep. Her wolf could sense me, but she did not feel threatened by me. She sleeps peacefully. I resisted the urge to brush the silky strands of hair away from her face. Her pillowy lips are slightly parted as she breathes softly. The palace is bustling with activity, all in preparation for her wedding to Chadwick. My jaw tightens. This infatuation has had to go. She's my brother's mate. The one and only, not a second chance mate, but the one the Goddess intended for him. Holloway signed his death sentence with what he did. I know my brother. He does not forgive easily, especially when it comes to her. Hence, m
**Bella's POV** After Dane shared the great news, I got up from Chad's lap and placed the plate of food on the table. I had been so hungry earlier. Although I usually don’t eat much meat, I felt like I could eat everything on the table. Chad had been feeding me tiny bites when Dane walked in, and I noticed the amused glint in his eyes at the sight of us. Everyone at the palace saw Chad as the big bad wolf, but he was so sweet to me. "So, he's gone!" I exclaimed with excitement. "It seems so," Chad replied, leaning back on the couch and crossing his legs in a figure-four position. "We won't let our guard down, though. Don't forget that he is working with a witch." He focused his gaze on me, and I felt my cheeks flush as I averted my eyes. I grabbed the glass of wine Rose had served earlier and welcomed the bittersweet taste. "I will reinforce the security around the palace. People from neighboring packs have started to arrive for your wedding," Dane said before excusing himself
Chad's POV I witnessed everything in those fleeting seconds from a distance. The chaos that unfolded was overwhelming. Her power was immeasurable; she tore through the magic barriers fiercely. My warriors stood helplessly. There was nothing else to do. She eliminated the threat singlehandedly. Now, I cradle her in my arms inside the car as she sleeps like an angel, not as the terrifying witch who just obliterated an army of warriors. The small lashes on her supple skin finally heal, and I clench my jaw at seeing them. The dried blood that smeared her skin had already begun to flake away. Hendrick speeds past on his motorcycle. He knows what Bella is capable of, so he had no doubts when he took her to that place. I can't help but feel jealous of their closeness. Why does she trust him with her secret and not me? Dane pulls through the castle gates, and I leave the car carrying Bella. As we pass by the common room, the women gasp and look in horror as they see Bella covered in bl