Azlynn’s P.O.V.“The North Kingdom will be proud of you, Crown Prince!”What? Crown Prince of North?My hands trembled as I stared at Xavion unblinkingly, processing the words hung in the air.“Who?Who is the North’s crown prince?”My heart hammered against my rib cage, a wild uneven rhythm that made my chest tightened. I looked around to seek confirmation from uncle Earl nearby. “Uncle, who else is here? Have you seen anyone from the North Kingdom?”But my eyes caught an unbelievable sight. An icy shiver ran down my spine to see uncle Earl tackled down cruelly. Two armed warriors had forced him to kneel, pointing their guns at him. I choked out. “W-What’s happening, uncle?”My stomach twisted painfully as reality hammered my head, making its way to my brain. I stumbled backwards as Xavion’s solemn, unwavering gaze put a stamp to my wildest imaginations. Uncle Earl’s response was just a formality when he spoke helplessly.“The Alpha standing in front of you is the crow
Azlynn’s P.O.V.King Dashon’s face changed its color for a moment, but like a typical king, he quickly composed himself and replied calmly.“We will discuss other matters after the ritual, son.”His soft tone had a hint of worry, as if he were trying to brush off Xavion’s query. “Our North Kingdom has seen this happiness after a long time, Xavion. We must put aside our personal motives and think about the prosperity of our nation. Days like these are rare!”As my life was a hot mess, this new melodrama hit me with interest right off the bat. I forgot my issues temporarily as Xavion said.“I am thinking beyond personal gains, dad. The North Kingdom needs competent leadership, a capable king, who can resolve big problems on a short notice. And according to the recent course of events, there’s no need to even mention who is the best for the nation’s interest!” Xavion’s grip tightened on my shoulders as he eyed towards the massive fire in the witchy circle. “This ritual becam
Azlynn’s P.O.V.Xavion’s sharp canines pierced through my sensitive skin at the base of my neck, breaking my collarbone with a crack. I shuddered into his hold as he held me tightly, letting his venom injected into my bloodstream. It all happened so suddenly that I didn’t even get a moment to react or protest. Xavion’s iron grip was unbreakable. He didn’t let me move, completing the mark on my neck. My muffled screams died down slowly as the warm tingling sensations erupted, responding to the touch of his warm lips replaced by his canines. Setting my flesh on fire, he covered the bite mark with his saliva, licking the blood trickling down the fresh wound. The instant comfort offered by the mate-bond intertwined our souls, making my mind lost in tempting sensations. I was drunk on the mate-bond as his hot breath fanned my neck.“Finally, you are my Luna, Azlynn!” Shoot!The moment he stepped away, the spell of the deadly mate-bond was broken. The collective stupefied growls
Azlynn’s P.O.V.Wow! Even after knowing everything, Xavion expected that Bella would be on cloud nine, celebrating the forced marking in such circumstances. His wishful thinking really irked me to the core.Although Zion called her repeatedly, she didn’t come out and spoke from her hideout.“Ask him to explain his actions first. We need to be transparent with each other, Ann.”Bella’s words diverted my attention towards our true identities, the ones we had always hidden from the world. I tried to shuffle away from his embrace while asking.“Why did you hide your identity, Mr. Salvatore? Weren’t you working hard to take that throne? Then why?”Xavion reluctantly let go of me and took a deep breath. “Look, Azlynn. I have told you that my dad isn’t a great man. My relationship with him was always bumpy.And for the throne, I have recently taken over my royal responsibilities. It was necessary to claim the throne only for you.”For me?As Xavion had mentioned it earlier, I prob
Azlynn’s P.O.V.As soon as that ominous thought crossed my mind, I felt a nuclear explosion turning my world into ashes. Seeing Xavion as my dad’s murderer made me hate my very existence. It was already a nauseating situation that I was mated to the new king of the North Kingdom. And now, it dawned on me there was a hundred percent chance that he had killed my dad. This mere mention crawled spiders over my skin!Hating myself, I charged at Xavion and grabbed his collar, questioning furiously.“Why are you silent? Answer me!Did you kill my dad?”As I jerked him repeatedly, Xavion parted his lips to say something, but a sudden bang on the door halted him in his tracks. Beta Alvaro spoke loudly.“Alpha, there’s an emergency. Please come out!” Xavion exhaled sharply and replied in annoyance. “What’s your problem? Sod off, Alvaro? I am busy.”He tried to shoo him away with his Alpha command, but Alvaro didn’t even budge. He reported.“You have to come with me before it’s too l
Azlynn’s P.O.V.Expressing his desire to spend an eternity with me, Xavion rested his case, looking at us with pitiful expressions on his face. His helplessness successfully garnered Bella’s sympathy, as she said. “Mate is so sad, Ann. He just wants our happiness!”Goddess!After resisting the initial blow of the mate-bond, my wolf eventually lost to it, behaving like a typical she-wolf. She was more concerned about Xavion’s emotions than our real-life dilemmas. Waiting for my brother’s response, I prayed in my heart for a positive outcome. I didn’t wish to be stuck in a forced relationship for the rest of my life. Howard excused himself and discussed something with Alicia, turning every second into a century. My pulse was drumming in my ears when he finally spilled the beans. “You can be the new king with the clean past, but your connection with the North royals is enough for us, King Xavion. I won’t let my little princess suffer in a foreign enemy land. Candice, you are
Azlynn’s P.O.V.“Everything isn’t a fight, dear.”When a feminine voice corrected me softly, I flinched, raising my head in a jiffy. The hint of motherly warmth in that tone made me cry more as a lady in white said,“Carrying the weight of the past is hard. It’s ok to feel overwhelmed, Azlynn.”A middle-aged woman with honey-brown eyes identical to Xavion didn’t need any introduction. I recognized his mother, Lady Sabrina at first glance. She came to visit me with a tray in her hand, smiling gracefully.“I am Xavion’s mom, Azlynn. You may not know me, but I have heard everything about you. Xavion always keeps bringing you up in our weekly phone calls.”She placed the tray on the table and sat on my bed, sliding closer. Her smile reached her eyes as she praised me.“Xavion has told me you are pretty, but you are more than that, Azlynn. Like a fairy from heaven.”Sabrina stretched her hand to touch my head, alarming me. I shot up and spoke curtly.“If you are here to advocate f
Azlynn’s P.O.V.“Shouldn’t you be in your king’s chamber right now?”Standing in a dimly lit corridor, I was startled to see Prince Hadley. He wasn’t locked in any cell like Xavion said. A sly smirk toyed his lips as he stepped forward, staring at me from head to toe.“A freshly marked female omega wandering in a prison crawling with sex-starved beasts!How scandalous!Isn’t your mate enough for you, the prophecy girl?”Hadley’s hungry gaze nauseated me to the core, but I held my guard and faced him bravely. “My personal life is none of your business, Prince.”Hadley leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. His voice was laced with lechery as he commented on my appearance. “I must say, my brother has an excellent taste. Even in these baggy clothes, your hourglass figure is quite captivating. And yesterday, my goodness!You were looking exotic in wet clothes.”He bit his lower lip, provoking me intentionally. He was trying his best to manipulate me into
Azlynn’s P.O.V.The worry laced in Hayley’s cute voice mirrored her concern for her daddy. It felt great to see that she was so closely attached to her biological father. Perhaps the long break in our relationship was necessary to give her space. Her bond with Demrid couldn’t be strengthened if it wasn’t for my unannounced absence. However, it had cost me a fortune as my precious honey was now a skeleton, too weak for the normal five years old pup. Her heart was pounding against her chest to witness her daddy’s difficulty in the ground. Stroking her hair, I tried to comfort her with a grin.“He dodged that attack. You see this spin. It’s a masterpiece!”Widening her eyes, she was staring at the screen in a daze. My assurance calmed her panic as she nodded fiercely. “Yes, mommy. Daddy is tricky. He can manage.”Then she noticed Xavion’s defense, commanding over the ground. Hayley spoke excitedly.“Daddy is fast, but my savior uncle is faster. He can run like a cheetah.”Her
Azlynn’s P.O.V.Despite Xavion’s protest, I ordered takeout and completed the task, ignoring his huffing. He vented his frustration at his Beta, kicking him out. “Go to the security guard’s office. The servants will give you your pizza box.”Alvaro’s pleading gaze begged for mercy, reminding me I had to talk to Alicia for him. Then he left with a scowl on his face. Within thirty minutes, my order was delivered, and I happily grabbed my pizza for dinner. However, Xavion appeared perplexed to see chicken piccata. He had to eat protein for tomorrow’s match, so I didn’t order carb loaded pizza for him. But he wasn’t ready to eat it. He stabbed a fork into the overcooked chicken, like it had insulted his ancestors. Chewing slowly, he looked increasingly tortured with each bite. I could almost hear his pride cracking.“This is … something!”He finally muttered, setting his fork down. He reached for the glass of wine like it might save his taste buds. Enjoying my pizza, I gave him
Azlynn’s P.O.V. Sabrina’s motherly love burst me into tears, stirring something deep in my chest. Perhaps I was reacting overly emotional, or this assurance was the best thing I had ever heard after my dad’s death. She was the maternal figure I had never seen in my life, letting me taste the bounty of mother’s affection. Now, I realized how it felt when mothers solve their daughter’s grave issues with their years of experience. Her resolve not to pass the generational trauma touched my heart, I thanked her sincerely. “I have no words to tell you how grateful I am, mom.” Sobbing without restraint, I poured my heart out. “I was hopeless about my future, thinking that my life would be another name of misery. Xavion would never alter his ways. He turned into such a mean, obsessive, and heartless person that I couldn’t even recognize him, mom.” I shared my fears with her and felt an invisible weight lifting off my chest. A conversation with Sabrina was indeed better than therapy, a
Azlynn’s P.O.V. As Xavion mentioned it now, it dawned on me that I really forgot to laugh wholeheartedly after my dad’s demise. His unfortunate death was the point when I lost my protector. He saved me from all the troubles like a powerful shield against calamities. But now, I had to deal with the true face of the world after him. As my old man’s memory moistened my eyes, I stopped laughing and wiped them, speaking shakily. “Yeah, it’s been so long.” Xavion stepped closer as his painted face softened beneath the makeup. “I didn’t mean to make you sad, Azlynn. My tongue slipped and …” He brushed my cheeks gently, and even through that ridiculous costume, our bond hummed like electricity. “I just wish to see you smile and laugh like you used to. It never crossed my mind that cheering you up was always in my hands.” His soulful tone hit my heart, sharing his sentiments through our bond. Xavion held my chin softly and gazed at me. “Please forgive me for taking so long to realize
Azlynn’s P.O.V.The ground below me shook as I leaned against the wall, hearing Alicia’s absurd speech. She continued without any hesitation.“I haven’t seen any case of one-sided marking in the mate-bond. Azlynn is depriving King Xavion of his basic rights. So, scaring her was the only method left.But now it seems that we have miscalculated her daring. She didn’t mark him, despite the terrifying story of the late Vampire King.”The sudden stab of betrayal brutally tore my insides apart, making me wince in pain. I didn’t know whether to scream or cry after seeing the true face of my so-called friend. Instead of understanding my situation, Alicia teamed up against me, taking advantage of my trust. It never occurred to me she would be like others as well.The heat burned behind my eyes as I blinked away my tears and spun on my heels, leaving silently. This part of the conversation was enough for me to realize that I was being played. There was no need for more eavesdropping after
Azlynn’s P.O.V.But that wasn’t just a kiss!Xavion’s touch wasn’t gentle, but it was a war, biting, desperate, and possessive. My back slammed against the cool wall as his mouth claimed mine, his tongue sliding against mine in a way that made me ache for more. I couldn’t help but kiss him back with the same passion, losing myself in the fiery temptation of the bond.He didn’t stop at the kiss and slid his hands under my shirt, tracing my skin roughly. I gasped as he curled his fingers over my rib cage and dragged my shirt over my head in one swift motion. Bella howled in my mind, responding to the mating call enthusiastically. I whispered, already leaning in to resume kissing.“Don’t you think it’s wrong?”“To hell with wrong!” Xavion stripped off his shirt and threw it on the floor, grabbing my waist after that short break. His hot breath fanning my neck shot delicious sparks directly to my core as his canines grazed over the mark, curling my toes. My fingers tangled in his h
Azlynn’s P.O.VI swallowed hard as the weight of it all settled in my chest, realizing the seriousness of the situation. Behind this innovative method of presentation, Xavion wasn’t just asking me to mark him, but to make a statement. He wanted me to declare that our bond was forever, unshakable in the face of difficulties.The feeling of something electric buzzing under my skin pulled me towards him, making me lose my control. Xavion’s gaze softened, as though he could already sense the shift in my heart. He straightened up and clicked the button on the remote.“That’s the final slide, my Queen!”Slide 4: The intimacyA picture of two wolves curled under the moonlight appeared on the screen. The mating marks illuminating over their furs were a symbol of commitment according to Xavion as he spoke.“This photo speaks for itself, Azlynn. Marking is more than a bite; it’s an unbreakable promise between two hearts. A vow that no matter what, we will always find each other, even in t
Azlynn’s P.O.V.“How is that cross mark connected to my marking decision?”Alicia’s warning flabbergasted me. It didn’t make any sense that my personal affairs could affect other people too. Xavion was my partner in mate-bond, so if she had said that his life was in danger, I would have believed it. But this was too much.Unlike my perplexed state, Alicia was quite confident. She didn’t hesitate to elaborate on this topic further.“See, little princess. Your mate is the King of a nation. His every aspect of life is directly connected to his kingdom’s welfare. He marked the prophecy girl, taking risk against the decision of fate. But he couldn’t get the protection of the mate-bond because you didn’t mark him.And now it’s almost six weeks after your marking, the downsides of such mating are coming to surface.”She gave me the reference of the history book (I hadn’t read it yet) and continued,“Last time when these marks appeared, the danger of the devil led to havoc in the world
Azlynn’s P.O.V. Although my query was directed towards the lack of seriousness, it erupted chaos in the room. The first one to react was Alicia, she rushed to my side. “A red cross? What are you talking about, Your Highness?” Baffled by her response, I gawked at Xavion and Alvaro, who appeared equally surprised. “Where did you see the cross, Azlynn? Was it in the mystical boundary?” Instead of investigating the attackers, they showered me with queries, as if I had committed a crime by bringing up this issue. I spoke in annoyance. “Why are you all acting so surprised? Didn’t you notice the glowing red cross on wolves’ foreheads?” It was hard to miss such an obvious detail during a long fight. But Xavion spoke immediately. “Their foreheads were plain, Azlynn. There was no red mark on them. I would have seen it if it were there.” The worry etched on their faces narrated a different tale, like they were concealing some horrifying details from me. I ignored those buddies and asked