ANMELDENTalking about the silver fire did make me feel some type of way. Maybe I really hadn't thought the whole thing through, but then again, if Kael had suggested the ritual he must certainly have something up his sleeves and I can only trust him since he said he'd do anything to protect me. As I walked back I could feel the eyes of the palace staff and the lingering nobles on me, but the quality of their stares had shifted. There was still the bitter sting of resentment from those who felt passed over, but a new there was a quieter current which had emerged. I could sense respect from their gaze. As I passed through the Great Hall, one of the Duke offered a slow nod clearly showing respect. I returned the nod with a calm smile. I knew that Elara and her circle wouldn't just stop harassing me. They were the type to nurture a grudge until it turned into a weapon. But as I stepped into the King’s private study, those worries felt a world away.Kael was standing by the massive windows with
The morning light in the Queen’s Wing was pale, as it filtered through the floor to ceiling windows that looked out over the jagged peaks. I sat at my vanity, the invitation letter that had been sent for me to look at. It was a cream colored cardstock embossed with the gold seal of the High Council.“A formal apology brunch,” it read. “To mend the unfortunate misunderstandings in the garden.”I traced the elegant script with my finger. It was signed by Lady Elara and four other daughters of the Council. I could practically smell the venom through the perfume on the paper.Keal had warned me that they would surely try something else after the previous altercation as they wouldn't easily back down. He had come to my room after the garden incident, his presence filling the space. "Serpents do not stop being serpents simply because they have been stepped on. They just wait until you are no longer looking at their fangs.” He stood a few meters from me as he gripped something tightly in his
The silence that followed Elara’s venomous remark was thick enough to choke on. They expected me to crumble. They truly expected the discarded Luna to weep or flee but if that was truly what they were thinking then they didn't know me at all.I took a slow, deliberate sip of my tea, the porcelain clicking softly against my teeth. I let the silence stretch until the smirk on Elara’s face began to waver, replaced by a flicker of uncertainty. When I finally set the cup down, I leaned forward, my movements fluid and predatory."It is fascinating, Elara," I began, my voice a melodic purr that carried to every corner of the garden. "That you speak of purity but maybe you just lack the opportunity I have. You’ve spent your life in the safety of these walls, a hothouse flower waiting for a King who never looked your way. You speak of me being used by a lesser Alpha? I call it being forged."I stood up, and the sheer force of my presence made the women at the table flinch back. I didn't shout.
Since Kael's unhinged announcement the other day at council, I knew the news was bound to be crazy. Even though I tried to avoid the news tablets, the headlines still found me. -News Update: THE DIVORCED LUNA. ASCENSION OR SCANDAL?-Then they wrote a long ass article about how I had left my previous mate because I longed for the crown then ended the damn thing saying ‘maybe it was my destiny after sll’. Other tabloids read,-ALPHA KING TO MARK GRAYSON’S REJECT-They seriously knew how to make the news colourful. After the buzz, the realm was divided as half the netizens saw me as a symbol of female empowerment, a woman who knew the power she held and could capture powerful men, while the other half, the strong traditionalists, viewed me as a stain on the royal lineage.But Kael seemed to thrive in the chaos. He didn't just want a ceremony, he wanted a spectacle that would silence the world and bring the biggest buzz and longest articles.I stood on a velvet covered pedestal in the ro
~ Risa's POV ~The dark walls of the Alpha King’s palace seemed to pulse with a life of their own, cold and unforgiving. Life here was nothing but a dance of power, and I was still learning the steps. The Queen’s Wing was incredibly beautiful and had everything I could ever want, but the most unsettling part of my new life wasn't the beauty of it but it was the King himself.Every morning and evening, I was expected to dine with Kael. The dining hall was a large space of dark marble, illuminated by floating crystals that cast a pale light. The food was exquisite, having rare meats, succulent fruits, and wines that tasted of mountain air, but I could barely swallow a bite whenever I ate.Kael sat at the head of the table, his presence a constant weight in the room. His eyes, which looked like ice over deep water, never left me for even a second as he'd watch me. He didn't eat much either, he just simply watched. He watched the way I held my fork, the way my throat moved when I sipped w
The door opened softly behind me and Zara was there . She didn't look horrified but she looked at me with pity. She knelt beside me, pulling my head into her lap, her fingers stroking my hair softly."You're just going through a rough patch, my love," she cooed, her voice like silk over a blade. "The betrayal you suffered... it would break any man. Here. Drink this."She handed me the silver vial from before. I didn't even ask what was in it this time. I grabbed it and swallowed the liquid in one gulp. The effect was instantaneous and the shaking stopped, the rage receded into a dull, manageable ache, and the image of Kael’s face blurred into the background. I slumped against her, my mind turning to cotton."You'll be okay," she whispered, her eyes watching me. "I’ll make sure of it."The next day, I stood before the Council as they summoned an emergency meeting after hearing about what happened in the training ground. The seven Elders sat in a semi circle, their faces hard as they st
I limped down the hallway, the silver cane clicking against the polished floor. Every step sent a throbbing in my legs, but I couldn't sit still. I needed to know about Marcus.One of Kael’s medical staff met me outside the recovery ward. “Luna you should be resting.” She said concerned.I wave my
Marcus pushed the SUV to its absolute limit. My body was tossed like a ragdoll against the seatbelt with every violent swerve he made."Marcus, the van ahead!" I yelled, gripping the overhead handle so hard my knuckles burned white."They’re cut off, Luna!" he roared back, his arms bulging as he fo
My legs felt heavy, like useless weights of lead and no matter how hard I screamed at my nerves to fire, there was only a terrifying, hollow silence from the waist down. The smell of leaking gasoline was thick enough to choke on. The rough, gloved hand of the man who had peeked into the car reache
The morning was cold as my hair fluttered in the wind. The courtyard of the Grayson estate was filled with the smell of diesel exhaust and the heavy clatter of wooden crates being loaded into the transport vans. I stood at the center of it all, with a clipboard in hand, my breath blooming in pale c







