Ember's POV:I tried my best to brace myself against the darkness of my mate but at one point, the painful wails, agony, and cries for help became so much that I started to correlate it with my own people when he massacred them.I couldn't help placing my hands on my ears to drown out the cries of tortured ones and hid my head in my knees. My vision blurred with my tears and I quickly wiped them away before anyone could spot them streaking down my face.After what seemed like an eternity, the cries finally died down.I lifted my head just in time to see my mate passing through my cell. This time, he neither stopped nor spared a glance at me.Suddenly, my breath stuck in my lungs and my eyes widened in fear and disbelief. What followed the ruthless alpha was the evidence of his brutality.Bile rose up my throat as I took in two guards holding a prisoner whose wails I'd been hearing all morning. They were literally dragging him like a sack of potatoes.Shiver ran down my spine and blood
Ember’s POV:The night was worse than the previous one. I was cold deep down to my bones and could literally feel the blood freezing in my veins.I was wearing both T-shirts Darius had given me and wrapped my wedding gown around myself.My teeth were clattering as I huddled myself closer in a fetal position on the floor and hugged my knees to my chest. I frequently rubbed my arms and hands to keep myself warm but nothing worked against the frigid cold of the North.By the time it was dusk outside, my muscles were aching from the continuous shivering. My eyes were stuck to the tiny window and I finally took a breath of relief when sunrays started peeking inside.The days were normally bearable but nights were the worst. Even though the window was small it allowed sunlight inside the otherwise dark and gloomy cell. As soon as sunlight entered the cell, I heaved a ragged breath and crawled to the other corner where sunrays were directed.I closed my eyes as ice started melting within me.
Ember’s POV:I dreading the later hours of night couldn’t stop it from coming and crashing my world.Until the evening, I kept crawling along the wall of the cell as sunlight moved from one corner to the other, to soak every last bit of the warm sunray.Unfortunately, as soon as dawn appeared, the air started getting chilly until it turned frigid and bitterly cold. My breathing became ragged and fog blew out of my mouth with each breath.Shivering started again and I coiled myself in the fetal position. My hands and feet felt like they had immersed into the ice blocks before they turned itchy and finally became numb.I was dying to ask Darius to bring me a small comforter or anything to keep me warm during the night but I also didn’t want him to get suspicious that I was wolfless. I was not yet ready to reveal my weaknesses to the enemies.So, bearing the harsh climate night after night was the only way to survive in the foreign territory.The next morning when I woke up, I saw my fin
Ember's POV: After what felt like an eternity, I finally slept peacefully. When I woke up, I found myself sprawled like a starfish with my arms and legs spreading widely apart. I was warm and cozy, not caring about the hardness of the floor and not at all affected by the harshness of the climate. A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips as my fingers brushed over the necklace, still warm against my neck. I wondered why it didn't work the last two nights but then I thought that maybe when I remembered my mother and focused on the necklace, it triggered something and activated it. I seriously had no idea how it all worked because I never had much knowledge about witches and their ways. I still had so much to learn before my mate decided to kidnap me and throw me in the dungeons. I winced as I tried to sit up. My muscles were sore and my body felt weak. It had been so long without Xanadium and I needed to take it soon if I still wanted to hang on to my rapidly dying wolf.
Ember’s POV: I was full of zeal and zest until making it my life’s decision to get the hell out of these dungeons but the storm of raging enthusiasm died within me as it hit me how exactly I was going to do that. Because as far as I could see, there were numerous guards beyond those silver bars and starving, maniac, wolf-flesh-addictive wolves outside the tiny window. The fact that I didn’t have my wolf’s wisdom and strength to accompany me in the times of darkness ached my heart but not that it could help me much. Of course, my mate had made all the arrangements keeping in mind that I was indeed a werewolf. And then, all of a sudden, it hit me with full force. For a moment, I stopped breathing as wheels started churning in my head. Shotting up from the floor, I started pacing the length of the confined cell. My mate was well prepared to kidnap and imprison a werewolf, and without any doubt, he did a pretty good job at that. Lifting my hand, I grazed my fingers over the mystical
Ember’s POV:For the rest of the evening, I continued pacing the floor. My heart was heavy with dread. Panic clawed at my insides, eating me away.Darius’s words kept whirling in my head over and over again. My heart was pounding so rapidly that I felt that it would just rip out of my chest at any moment.My mind had stopped working but I still thought of all the ways I could get out of this hell but all was in vain. All the dwindling hope I had been holding onto all along slowly died away as I realized there was no way out of my ruthless mate’s clutches.My breathing became ragged and my muscles tightened with anxiety. Padding to the darkest corner of the cell, I pressed my back against the wall and slid down to the floor.Hugging my knees to my chest, I placed my cheek against my knees. Tears prickled at the back of my mind as the defeat flashed before my eyes. It was laughing at me, mocking me, insulting me.As my gaze shifted to the window and I saw the moon shining brightly in th
Ember’s POV:That night, an idea hit my mind. I was lying in a fetal position, rolling in my misery, waiting for the worst to come and consume me when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, an idea struck my mind.My heart started pounding with anticipation as once again, a tiny ray of hope fluttered inside me. I jolted up in a sitting position and reprimanded myself for not thinking about it earlier. How could such a thing skip my mind?Nearing the bars, I made sure no one was prying on me. Returning, I sat cross-legged, facing the wall, and closed my eyes.Slowly, one by one, I detached all of my reflexes from my surroundings until I felt myself floating in oblivion, and focused all of my energy to peek into myself just like I've been doing every other night. But tonight, I was trying something new. Something I should've tried a long ago.Exhaling an exasperated breath, I lifted my hand and closed my fingers around my mother's necklace. It was my last shot at freedom and I prayed with eve
Ember’s POV:It had been ages since I’d trained or practiced with my packmates due to the weakness I felt after Aria’s disappearance but I didn't let that excuse bring me down when I was this close to freedom now.Closing my eyes, I called forward the athlete inside me and took a deep breath to release the tension in my body.I walked closer to the wall that was now separating me from my freedom and took a moment to assess it with evaluating eyes.My gaze roamed over the stony wall and I touched the protruding stones where I could hook my hands and feet while climbing. There was no doubt that the wall was strong enough to hold my weight but the only problem was the silver that was now streaking down the wall at multiple places.I couldn’t do anything about that other than tolerating the burns because no matter how careful I could be, the touch with silver was inevitable.I rolled my shoulders several times as a warm-up. With a heavy breath, I lifted my arms and grabbed the highest pro
Ember's POV:After Nicholus left so abruptly, I didn't have any appetite left to indulge in breakfast so after only a few bites, I grabbed my cup of coffee, stood up, and excused myself."You didn't each much today," Luna noticed.I scrunched up my nose, "I feel full. But don't worry, I'll have a snack later," I added before she got worried.With my fingers around the cup handle, I strode out of the castle and made my way into the lush green lawn to soak up a bit of the sun.Tilting my head toward the sky, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I relished the feel of fresh air rushing into my lungs but it did nothing to ease up the restlessness that was zinging inside me.Ever since yesterday, I have been feeling so restless. There was one thing, one particular moment during the attack yesterday, that was still stuck in my mind. No matter how hard I tried to nudge it to the back it was still there, replaying again and again."You felt it too, right?" even Aria couldn't ignore it any
Ember's POV: When my mind processed everything and I came back to my senses, the first instinct was to comfort him but I resisted the urge to go after him. He was very angry and I didn't want to add fuel to his rage. Deciding to give him some time to cool off, I took off the bathrobe and changed into PJs. With slouched shoulders and a foul mood, I walked into the bedroom and flopped onto the bed. After such a hectic day, sleep kicked in the moment my body touched the mattress. The spot beside me was cold and empty. I missed his presence. I missed how he'd either spoon me or hug me. I missed sleeping to the sound of his heartbeat beside me. I forced my eyes open and decided to wait for him. I kept glancing at the clock. It struck 12, then 1, and then 2 before my already tired body couldn't take it anymore. With the thought of waking up in his arms, I finally drifted off to sleep. The next morning, I woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside the window. As soon as my eyes open
Ember's POV: After showering, I tied the bathrobe around myself and tiptoed toward the closet room. I was going through my PJs when the hair on the back of my neck stood taller. That always happened when he was nearby. Would my body ever get used to his proximity? He was lingering at the doorway, waiting for me to acknowledge his presence and when I didn't, he let out a deep sigh, "For how long are you going to keep ignoring me?" Not making any attempt to answer him, I kept sifting through the clothes in the almirah, pretending to be busy deciding what to wear. All of a sudden, a chill ran down my spine as he came up beside me, too near that I could feel his hot breath on my cold skin as he said tightly, "I am talking to you, Ember." Yanking the random PJ set out, I snapped sharply, "And can't you see I'm not interested in talking to you?" Slamming the almirah door shut, I jerked around. Without bothering to cast him a glance, I just walked around him. But I had just taken a ste
Ember's POV: During the entire ride, I kept my face toward the window, staring at the night lights as the car sped on the road. I could feel his unwavering stare boring holes in my back but I did nothing to acknowledge his presence. Apparently, the silent treatment was just not sitting right with him because he finally ended up opening our mindlink, "Are you okay?" I kept my face fixated on the window, too angry to answer him. How dare he behave like that? Carrying me over his shoulder as if I was some stubborn kid? And that too in front of everyone? Ridiculous! He waited for a few minutes and when I still didn't answer, he tried again, this some more gently, "Will you let me see your wounds? I need to make sure they're healing properly. I don't want them to catch any infection." Again, he was met with only silence. Was he not going to talk about how inappropriately he behaved or how rudely he talked to me? Maybe I was exaggerating but considering I'd never imagined him talking t
Ember's POV: The world seemed to slow down around me but at the same time, everything felt to be happening in the fast motion, way too quick to process properly. In my peripheral vision, I saw a guard lunging forward but before he could even reach us, another rebel gripped him by the throat and yanked him away. I choked as the blood gushed out of my throat. With trembling hands, I managed to grip his wrist and tried to wriggle myself out of his death-like grip. But all my efforts were in vain. He was strong. Way too strong for me to take down. I tried to use my hypnotizing power on him but because of my weakening strength and loss of consciousness, I was unable to muster up the magic. Blood rushed to my ears and soon, all I could hear was a loud ringing and nothing else. Tears welled up in my eyes and my vision blurred. My eyes were fixated on the demonic, creepy smile stretched over his face as he relished in my misery. But the very next moment, I frowned slightly as I saw his
Ember's POV:My mind was too shocked to register the sudden turn of events. I and Darius jerked our heads toward each other at the same moment and the next thing I heard was his ear-piercing scream, "Protect the Queen!"All of a sudden, someone gripped my wrist in a death-like grip. My gaze shot down to see fingers clasping around my wrist. I was just about to lift my gaze when my head whirled toward the door as the loud banging erupted in the air before someone yelled from the other side, "Open the damn door, Samuel." Someone else screamed, "How dare you invite the daughter of the enemy into your pack house? Are you declaring a war against us?"Samuel turned to his wife. He was no longer looking like a sweet old man I had a great time chatting with earlier. Instead, he looked every bit of a deadly warrior as he commanded Luna, "Take Queen and the girls to the safety bunkers. You must protect her at every cost, Carolina."The hold around my wrist instantly tightened before suddenly ya
Ember's POV:Darius stayed by my side as we took a quick tour of the packhouse before settling in the living room. After a few minutes of talking about random things, a maid strolled inside with a rolling tray laden with a kettle, cups, and all sorts of desserts.“Aw, Carolina, you didn’t have to do so much. Only tea would have been enough,” I said with awe.She shook her head, “You requested us not to arrange for the lunch. Even though we wanted to but we decided to respect your request. So, please enjoy the tea.”Pouring the tea in the cup, the maid placed it on the table in front of me before picking a plate, “What desserts you want me to serve you, Your Highness?”Sliding forward, I grabbed the plate from her hand and smiled up at her, “It’s okay, dear. I’ll serve myself.”She went still for a moment before finally straightening up, “Sure, Your Highness.”My mouth watered as I greedily eyed all the pastries, donuts, custard pies, and fruit tarts. I was about to pick the chocolate
Ember’s POV:As soon as I stepped out of the castle, I came to a sudden halt while gasping aloud.With wide eyes and a shocking voice, I screeched, “What the hell is happening here?” while pointing at dozens of black SUVs parked outside with almost half of the North army standing guard beside them, ready to hop in at their Alpha’s command.Nicholus raised his eyebrow as if there was nothing ridiculous going on, “I only agreed to this plan of yours because you agreed to go with high security, remember?”I sucked in a sharp breath, “I definitely didn’t think you were talking about this ‘high security,’” I groaned while waving my hand toward the guards.Nicholus took a deep breath and twisted his neck, “You refused to take me along with you. If I’m not going, then they’d all go instead.”I rubbed the back of my neck, already tired of discussing the matter for infinite times, and gritted out through clenched teeth, “In case you forgot, let me remind you again of the purpose of my visit. I
Ember's POV: The next morning, I woke up with Nicholus's arm wrapped around me. As I tried to wriggle out of his hold, he squirmed in his sleep and tightened his hold, "Mmhmm, where are you going?" I glanced over my shoulder at his adorable, groggy eyes he was squinting at me with. "I have to go," I replied. He groaned, unhappy with the answer, "No, don't go anywhere. Just stay here and give me morning cuddles."At that, I burst out laughing loudly, "People would call me crazy if I'd ever tell them that the ruthless alpha of the North just said those cheesy words to me."Moving his hand to my bottom, he spanked my ass playfully, "You naughty, little princess, why would you tell anyone about what happens in our bedroom?"I giggled under my breath, "Good thing that the room is soundproof or otherwise I wouldn't need to 'tell' them about what exactly happens in our bedroom."Snuggling closer, he licked my earlobe and whispered roughly, "Yeah, because your loud screams and hot moans wou