Chapter one

Mariah walked into the garden. The sun was bright and the flowers were blooming, showing off their beautiful colors. She walked around, mesmerized by the beauty, and touched the flowers. She was at it when she felt the ubiquitous presence behind her and turned sharply to see him.

He stood not far from her, his long white hair flowing softly around him without the breeze. His eyes were a beautiful shade of golden hue and his face was as handsome as ever. No matter how many times she had seen him, she was still mesmerized by his beauty.

“Hello, Mariah,” he called softly, his voice so soft and serene that it caused goosebumps to appear on her skin. However, apart from the velvety sound of his voice, something else shocked her. She has been seeing this man in her dreams for the past one hundred years and this was the first time he spoke to her.

“You talk!” She stated in wonder.

He smiled, his smile as peerless as his handsome face. “Of course, I talk.”

“But…you have never spoken to me before.”

“I could not muster the energy to. I could only do so today and that is why I am talking to you.”

“What do you mean by muster?”

“Mariah, as you already know, I can only appear to you in your dreams. This is how far I can go. For over a hundred years, I have been trying to talk to you, to tell you where I am but I could not. Every day I try to raise my strength more. You do not know how lucky I am that I succeeded today. But it will not last long, Mariah. I have cultivated all my energy to be able to talk to you tonight. Mariah, if you do not come for me, I shall not be able to appear to you again for a long time.”

“What is going on?” She asked.

“I do not have much time to explain to you, but come find me and you shall know everything. I am in a cave in the Eastwood Mountain, only you can set me free. I have been hovering in dreams for ten millennia but only you were able to see me, which means only you can save me. Please, Mariah, come to the mountain on the Eastwood, inside the cave. I am there. Please, Mariah, you are my only hope.”

“But, who are you?”

“I shall tell you everything if you come,” he smiled and without a word again, vanished.

Mariah opened her eyes and saw that she was in her room on her bed. Heaving a sigh, details of the dream came flashing in her mind. “Eastwood mountain, a cave,” she smiled. Finally, she now knows where to look and she can’t wait for morning to meet her brother so that they can go take a look. Only her brother can she entrust her life with and that is why he must go with her for protection.

Smiling, she laid back on the bed, by morning, everything would make sense. She would finally see this peerless handsome man that had plagued her dream for exactly a hundred and one years.

***

            Mariah woke up to the knocking on her door. “Who is it?” She yawned and stretched on the bed.

            “Sorry to disturb your sleep, your highness, but the Queen sent me to wake you up. High Alpha Damien and his Luna would be joining for breakfast this morning and the Queen wants you to make sure you are ready before they arrive.” A servant answered from outside the room.

            Mariah’s drowsiness cleared immediately. “Brother is coming?”

            “Yes, your highness.”

            Mariah sat up on the bed instantly and details of her dream flashed in her mind, she had decided to go find him in his manor but who would have expected that the goddess loves her so much that she sent him to her? She climbed out of the bed giddily, not paying mind to the servant waiting to be ushered in.

            She quickly entered the bathroom, had a quick shower and got herself ready in a light blue gown. The servant gasped in shock seeing her already dressed when the door opened but she frowned seeing her damp hair.

            “My princess, you did not comb your hair again.”

            “Oh.” Mariah shrugged. “I like it air dry.”

            “But the Queen doesn’t like you looking like this.”

            “She is my mother; I can handle her.”

            “But…”

            “No buts Linda,” she warned and the servant shut up. “Now, where is she, so that I can find her.”

            “She is with the King in the drawing room.”

            “Thank you,” Mariah said and walked ahead. She knew she could easily teleport there but her mother doesn’t like her teleporting around the whole place. According to her, it is not lady like. Mariah rolled her eyes at that, sometimes, she found herself wondering where the feisty woman that aunt Irene and uncle Rasmus often talked about was. It seemed like being a Queen for over a century has messed with her dear mother’s brain.

            Glancing around and seeing no one around, she grinned at herself and teleported, appearing right in front of the drawing room. Giving herself a pat on the shoulder, she opened the door. Her dear mother was nestled on her father in a loving way. She found herself staring at the picturesque view in front of her. Her father was sitting on the chaise longue reading a book and her mother was lying on it, with her head on his laps, also reading a book. Those two have been married for close to two centuries now but they were still in love with each other that just a look at them broadcasts it to everyone.

            This was the life she wanted, this is what she prays for every day, even though seeing them all the time makes her envious some times that she would leave the castle for them and go find her brother in the human realm. However, her safe haven wasn’t safe anymore. Ever since her brother reunited with his mate nearly a year ago, his manor know feels like the palace because he and his mate are no different from their parents. She was the only single person in the family and although she acts like it doesn’t affect her to not make them worry, it does, and a lot. But there was nothing she could do. She has not been given her fated and she can’t choose a mate because her demon part is not even attracted to anybody. Well, nobody but the man in dream.

            Remembering she now knows where to look for him, she felt this eternal bliss and cleared her throat to call her parents attention to her.

            “I was wondering when you were going to do that.” Her father said and her mother chuckled, making her roll her eyes. Of course they have been aware of her presence all along.

            “Good morning, his and her royal majesties,” she did a dramatic bow and they only glanced at her briefly before going back to reading their books. “I heard big brother is coming.”

            “Mm,” Aliyah responded and Mariah smiled, she really can’t wait.

            “Noah is coming too.” She added.

            Mariah gasped in surprise. “He is back!”

            “Yes. But he dropped by at the human realm to meet your brother. So, they are all coming today.” Aliyah filled in. Noah was Irene and Rasmus’ hybrid son. And because of Irene’s pure blood witch’s blood, he was able to concur the sun and so therefore have no trouble traveling in daytime. A treat Rasmus still envies him till date.

            “Good, thank God I won’t be the only single person in the palace for some days to come,” Mariah said, making herself comfortable in a sofa.

            Aliyah chuckled. “Or maybe both of you can mark each other and there won’t be any singles again.”

            “Mom, Noah and I grew up like siblings. He is like a younger brother to me.”

            “You are only older by six months.”

            “It doesn’t change the fact that I am still older. Even if it’s by a day.”

            “When will you stop trying to make them a thing?” Edward looked down at his wife with a raised eyebrow.

            “Thank you, dad, please ask her.”

            “I’m just saying, I mean, they are not even related.”

            “Don’t push them,” Edward caressed her face, “let them decide on their own.”

            “They are not getting any younger.”

            “They are Nightwalkers. They are still going into their prime. Nightwalkers mates from two hundred years, remember? And they are just a hundred and seventeen.”

            “Going to eighteen. I mean, Mariah will be a hundred and eighteen in the next two months. The blood moon is in a month’s time, I really hope she finds someone before her birthday.”

            Edward and Mariah shared a look and shook their heads. Aliyah always expects them to mate like Night Howlers just because they share a part. She knew that was how she had been with her brother and now it was her turn.

            Edward closed his book and caressed Aliyah’s face, “they are here.”

            “Already?” she asked and Mariah was already out the door.

            Mariah got outside the front door in time to see the black sleek car parking and she couldn’t wait to see her brother. Just as the car finally parked, the door opened and Asher stepped out. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow and chuckled, “someone looks happy.”

            “Someone is happy,” she responded and saw the surprised glint in her brother’s eyes, making her laugh.

            “Spill the tea,” Asher said.

            “Very soon,” she replied as Naomi stepped out of the car. “Hi, Naomi,” she ran to greet her best friend slash sister-in-law.