CRUZ’S POV. A bead of sweat rolled down my face, and numbers rolled off my tongue inaudibly.“Thirty-Six.” I counted as I continued with my push-up.I still found it hard to push the day’s incident aside. Even after years of his death, my monster of a Father still had this terrible effect on me. He still managed to bring out the other side of me. For a minute I saw his face right on Eleanor’s, his lips parted slightly with a devilish smirk on his face. The one he used to have on every time before he landed his long wipe on my back, its body filled with thorns that would pierce right into my skin and scrape some off.“You need to let how to control your emotions as the future ruler of this kingdom.” He would say every time a drop of tears fell down my cheek and land another wipe on my back till I can take it no more and eventually go silent.My fingers curled into fists in anger. This kingdom and its people had robbed me of my childhood moments all because I had to be a good King for
THIRD PERSON’S POV. Until hours ago, Cruz never knew he would let out this monster side of himself. He never thought he would be standing out here, banging loudly on her door, attempting to kick it down with all the workforce he had gathered.Because up until her, he had never been refused by a she-wolf, talk less a commoner. It took him that long to get here because he had to hit the gym first to relieve his anger, but it didn't work out. Every time he bent down, letting the numbers roll down his tongue, he remembered the servant's words.Who was she to refuse him?She was nothing but his doll. His pet. His minion. She was here to play a character before...He landed another loud bang on the door. His anger boiled the more at the thought that she was in there, ignoring him, probably laughing at him for constituting such a nuisance. He was about to land another bang on the door when his Beta, Martins, showed up.Martins looked curious as he tried to figure out the whole drama.“Wha
CRUZ’S POV. My eyes landed on my wristwatch as I awaited her arrival. I was sitting impatiently in the back of the car. When she arrived minutes later, pulling the door open and stepping in, I almost mistook her for someone else. She looked so different and better. She looked nothing like the commoner I had brought home. She looked believable. She looked like what a Luna should look like. And that was where today’s outings came in. We were on our way to visit the farmers, according to the Elders' wishes. They believed that would convince the people to love me again.But did I give one tiny fuck about their lives?No. Not at all. But I still had to do it. I still had to do everything I could do. All before my inauguration. After that, I wouldn’t need to please anyone.I could feel her avoiding my eyes as she looked away countless times when our eyes met. It was probably still an effect of last night’s outburst.Was I over it yet?Not at all.Even as I looked at her, I felt this crazy
THIRD PERSON’S POV.Cruz's eyes got bloodshot as he watched her there, kneeling on one knee with a small Wolf standing right in front of her. She held his palm in her left hand, turning it around like she was checking something.“Why did you do it? You shouldn’t do that to yourself.” Eleanor said, her voice low, soft, and sweet. Eleanor had seen him trying to jump down from a high place, and she ran as fast as she could to catch up with him because she knew for sure that he would only end up injuring himself or maybe losing his life in the process. However, she had studied him enough to know he was about to do that on purpose. He was trying to kill himself. She couldn’t just stand there and watch it happen even if the others decided to. Every single life was meaningful. Losing her family in the raid had taught her that.Cruz doubted that he had ever heard that side of her. That side of her showed how sympathetic she could be.“I…I. I was just hungry.” The little boy stammered, starin
THIRD PERSON’S POV.“What was that all about?” He roared angrily at her. He was pissed, angry, annoyed. Any other word to describe this threatening volcano breaming inside him? “Were you trying to act like a hero back there? Acting all high and mighty when you are nothing but my slave. An enslaved she-wolf I bought with my own money.” He added, accompanied by a mocking laugh.She said nothing. Her head lowered. Her eyes were glued to the floor.“How many times did I warn you not to talk to anyone without my permission? Huh!” He yelled at her again and heard her sniff back a tear.He stormed towards her, grabbing her by the arm, his fingers clinging onto her tightly.“When I talk to you, you answer, and that's an order!” He roared.She jerked her head up to look at him, the tears in her eyes blurring her vision as she let out a prolonged dry laughter.“What should I say, huh? Tell me. Tell me the right words I am to say to suit your bruised ego. Oh, your Majesty. Mighty Ruler. Is that
DIANA’S POV. I ran my right palm over my slightly swollen area as I looked at my reflection in the morning. My baby bump was starting to show just a little, even though it was just two months, or maybe I just thought it was. I was so glad, more than happy, that she was finally out of the way, and now no one would stop me from being with the Wolf I love. However, I was still a bit bothered that he had not announced to the world that I was his new Luna and that he feared me. It made me wonder if Lucien no longer loved me. I had confronted him, though, and he said something about wanting the talk of Eleanor’s banishment to die down before he took such a step so it wouldn’t raise any suspicion and for some time, I understood. I pulled my Beige flay gown up to stare at my stomach, revealing my White linen pant. I turn sideways to look at the beautiful life growing inside of me, a symbol of the love I shared with Lucien.“I believe he or she will grow up to be a beautiful one.” I heard Lu
CRUZ’S POV. I push the door open to see her sitting there, her hands wrapped around her legs, with her face lying in between them. It was the same spot I had left her in a day ago. Would it be funny to say I had forgotten her existence until the Elders made mention of her absence, and I remembered that I had a show to keep up with?Well, I was standing in front of the door, holding the door apart. I watched her lift her head slowly to look my way. Her eyes were swollen, puffy, and all red. It looked like she had been crying for hours. She flinched on seeing me and staggered backward as though I might decide to slam her across the wall again. Well, would I?I doubted.Looking at her face, I felt my heart squeeze a little from my guilt. I stepped closer to her, taking my step one after another while she backed away as though she was trying to escape me. I leaned forward and cupped her chin to stare deep into her eyes.“Have you been crying?” I asked and watched her jerk my hand off.
ELEANOR’S POV. I gasped out for air the exact second I pushed my eyes apart to find myself back in my room. A wave of relief washed over me. Ever since he told me about the feast, I have been having nightmares, terrible, terrible nightmares. I have been seeing myself caught by the Raiders and burnt alive too. I would wake up with beads of sweat breaking across my forehead and chin. My heart thumping fast, the sound of it so loud in my ears that I could almost compare it to that of a moving trailer. It always felt so real. The dream felt like that day years ago when my whole world went down the hill. When everything went the other way. The same day I watched my kind burnt into nothing. The thought of another feast made me fear something terrible might happen too—either that or I couldn't afford to be happy. Feast day was supposed to be remembrance day for my family, my kind. I couldn't afford to dance and wine on the day they were killed. Even if I have to attend, because I have no