Bella's POV Chad and I stand up at the same time. His chair scratched the floor noisily. The tidal wave of his aura made us gasp. Everyone present bared their necks except me. Anaisha didn't feel like she needed to submit. Chad reigned his aura when he saw the effect he was causing. Alpha Terrence made a sigh of relief. He was the weakest Alpha I've ever met. "Chad, I said. I'll talk to the Parliament. I'll ask for a hearing. They can not force me to go with him until the hearing." Jasper was so adamant about taking me with him. Of course, he wouldn't want to lose White Claw Pack. "I'll speak with them, Bella. Please remain sitted. They will not be allowed inside the Palace." He addressed the other people on the table before he left. "Please continue without me." Chad strided out of the room. I ran behind him. I wanted to hear what they said. I heard Lorna's scoff behind me. I stayed behind, hidden as Chad stood near the gates. Jasper was standing there among several older
Chad's POV: That night, I couldn't sleep. I wanted to wring Clara's neck for telling Bella those things. Dane warned me. I knew I was behaving out of character where Bella was concerned. I knew I should have never accepted the engagement to Lorna. I could have confessed my feelings to Bella by now. I just hope she goes ahead and divorces Holloway. He doesn't deserve her or her child. 'Go to her.' Cobalt insisted for the umpteenth time. 'Cut it out, Cobalt, she is not ours yet. With what excuse will I go to her room in the middle of the night?' Is not that I didn't want to. I was afraid to be coming on too strong and scare her. She's still mated and married. 'There are boundaries that should not be crossed, Cobalt.' Cobalt huffed. He didn't care about any of those things. For him, Bella was ours already. 'She is sad. You need to comfort her.' 'How do you even know that, Cobalt?' I asked. 'I can feel it.' Lately, Cobalt has been sensing Bella's heightened emotions. Whether it
Bella's POV "You're mine, Bella. I will make sure you won't ever forget that tonight!" He said in my ear with a low growl. I felt my stomach revolt. He was so sure of his victory. "Alpha Jasper, you may begin." Said Elder Simon in his condescending voice. I almost ran towards Chad and sat down next to him. Chad squeezed my hand gently. I looked around and saw Dr. Jana and Beta Luca. I averted my eyes when I saw Sadie. Her mere presence made me nauseous. I don't even know why Uncle Conner is with them. He's my father's Beta, not Jasper’s. "First of all, I want to sincerely apologize to my wife. If I had known she was pregnant at the moment, I would've chosen a different approach with her." He cleared his throat. "You see, we've been trying to conceive for five years, but finally, our little miracle has become true. When I arrived from the war, I had to give my wife the most terrible news. Her father and 2 brothers had fallen in the battlefield. If they were alive, they would
Bella's POV "Dr. Jana." Elder Simon said as he paced around with his hands on his back. "You were brought here because you have been Luna Bella's Dr. for the past five years. We understand that Luna Bella is carrying Alpha Jasper’s heir." "Yes, Elder Simon." Said, Dr. Jana as she stared towards Luca nervously "Is it true that Luna Bella and Alpha Jasper had been trying to conceive unsuccessfully for five years until now? Is it also true that in those five years, Alpha Jasper never pressured her or treated her differently?" "Yes, both statements are true." So far, but I was bracing myself for the lies. "I think is pretty clear to the members of the parliament that Alpha Jasper is in the right here. We can all agree that recent events have affected Luna Bella, somehow, making her judgment a little bit impaired." Elder Simon said with a chuckle. Chad growled. I could feel the coldness of his aura thorough out the interrogations. I know he was pissed on my behalf. "We can
Bella's POV "What do you want, Sadie? You're no longer my problem. Jasper is all yours, I don't care." I rolled my eyes at her. I intended to leave, but Sadie grabbed me by the arm. "Not so fast, Bella. Listen well to me. Now Jasper is mine. Don't ever think that you can come crawling back to him once the Lycan King has gotten his fill with you." I clenched my fists at her insinuation. "Don't worry, you both deserve each other."I said, looking at her with disdain. Sadie scoffed. "Pretend all you want, Bella, but I know deep inside how you're really feeling. Your precious child that you wish so much for will be nothing but a bastard now!" I saw red. "How dared you!!" I slapped her with all my strength, making her staggered back. "You bitch!" Sadie yelled ready to slap me as well, but Beta Conner appeared in a flash grabbing his daughter and pulling her away from me. "Sadie, enough!! When will you ever stop?! You have dragged our name to the floor!!" Said Beta Conner. "A
Chad's POV Lorna had been groomed since she was a teen to become my Luna. I never agreed to it, but Alpha Terrence, as a member of the Parliament, convinced the Elders. It will certainly be humiliating for her once word gets out that she's no longer my fiancée. "I will handle it. You don't need to worry." I kissed Bella's hand. She tucked herself against me and fell asleep. To say Cobalt was over the moon was an understatement. I stroke her hair softly as Cobalt said, 'Mine', repeatedly in my head. She will be. I intend to marry her and make her my Luna. I will raise her child as mine, and perhaps she'll give me one kid or two of our own. I smiled with contentment. Soon, we arrived at the palace. Bella was still a little weak due to the pregnancy and the rejection. She didn't even stir when I carried her out of the car. Lorna appeared right in front of me as I entered the hall with Bella in my arms. "Must you carry her at all times? You're the Lycan King, but every time I see
Bella's POV Chad draped the robe around my shoulders and closed it tightly on my front. I grinned at him. He was so sweet and attentive. Well, at least with me. I've seen him getting mad, making big, powerful Alpha's tremble. I felt like I could ask him for anything, and he would give it to me. "Did you speak to Lorna and her parents?" I asked while I played with his suit's lapels. "It is done. I broke the engagement, although it was never official." He replied. "I feel relieved that you're no longer engaged, but I also feel guilty about Lorna. If it wasn't for me coming to your life, she..." He put a finger on my lips, and I closed my eyes. The sensations he sent through my body with even the slightest touch were addictive. "You saved her from a miserable life. You saved both of us. Now, she will have the chance to find her fated mate. Lest just hope he's not a shitty one." I nodded. "What did you tell Jasper at the Parliament's court when he was being subdued? He went
Chad's POV: I groaned to myself. what was Lorna doing now? After all the drama last night, I told her she needed to behave if she wanted to stay here until spring. She was acting like we had been lovers at the least. Goddess knows that I had always avoided the women from my circle. The Elders, always wanting me to marry and produce an heir. I mindlinked Bryan and Rose to go see what was happening. I was not going to leave my guests unattended after all they did to help Bella. Bella hugged Dr. Janna affectionately. Both women beemed. "Luna, you're truly missed at the pack. It takes losing something to appreciate it. All those pack members who always talked ill about you now they wish you'd come back. I hugged Bella to my side with more force than needed. "They could keep wishing. She's here to stay." I said possessively. Bella elbowed me playfully, and she tip toed to kiss my cheek. "Which brings us to what you're here for. Beta Luca, have you thought about Chad's proposal?"
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