KIARA "Are you ready?" My mate asked me as I wrapped an arm around his waist and pressed a kiss to his bare back. We were both lying in bed on our first anniversary."I'm excited," I squeaked, and he chuckled. "You're finally getting to imprint on my mind. Of course, you should be excited," he replied, his voice laced with amusement. "Close your eyes. I'm gonna go in now," I whispered, delving into his mind. When I opened my eyes again, we were standing on top of a hill. There was a beautiful, clear waterfall directly opposite us, and there were bright red roses growing along the paths of the wide expanse of the mountains. The sky was a breathtaking pink, and the breeze was refreshingly cool. "Can I open my eyes now?" Denzel asked, and I chuckled, leaning into him from behind. "Yes."He glanced around, whistling under his breath. "Denzel?" I said, and he turned to look at me, his eyes wide with awe. Holding out a hand, I gave him a big smile."Let's go for a walk," I sugge
KIARA A scream tore through the air, and I narrowed my eyes, pulling the door open. Hurrying down the hallway, I reached out for Denzel through our bond. However, I got no response.More screams and cries filled the air, and my stomach churned. I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me what was happening. Lucas was here. The battle had officially begun. Maids scrambled in my direction, their dresses stained with blood. "Azalea," I breathed, worried about my daughter's safety. Just before I could get to the nursery, I saw Cassy running towards me with Azalea in her arms. Her eyes were wide with terror. "He's here. He's killing everyone," she panted. "Take her to the basement. Can you do that for me?" I asked, and she gulped. "Stay safe, Kiara. Please." She croaked. I nodded, patting her back. I watched her continue down the hallway. She suddenly vanished out of sight. Relieved to know that my daughter was in good hands, I crouched by the side of an unconscious guard and grabbed
KIARA Denzel and I sat in our bedroom with Azalea asleep in my arms. My mate had cleaned himself up and was now dressed in his robe. There was a blank expression on his face. It was obvious that we were worried about the fact that Lucas had stolen Ria's power. I still couldn't wrap my head around how he had managed to do that. With Ria's power in his possession, I was the only one who could truly put him down for good. But there was one problem. I was yet to remove the seal. Lucas could attack at any moment. However, we were not ready for him. I still didn't know what Lucas' plan was, and this was unnerving. "Don't worry too much about it," Denzel said to me, his gaze meeting mine. I knew he was trying to comfort me. But, at this point, it was the last thing I needed. I couldn't shake off the feeling that a much bigger war was coming. One which was capable of causing a much bigger catastrophe. If we weren't ready for it, we were bound to get destroyed. "What if he comes her
DENZEL "She was right here in her cot. I was standing by the window, preparing her food. When I turned around, she was gone," Kiara's maid said, her head lowered. We were in the nursery, and Kiara was pacing back and forth. I knew she was barely holding it together. "You didn't hear anybody walk in?" She asked, and the maid shook her head. "No one came in. I would've heard the door open."Kiara gripped several locks of her hair and tugged. I walked up to her, releasing her grip on her hair."Don't hurt yourself," I said, and she looked up at me, her eyes filled with both desperation and anguish."It's all my fault. I shouldn't have left her side. I should have stayed to protect her," she said, her voice trembling. "We will find her," I stated, and she shook her head feverishly."Lucas... what if he's the one who took her? What if he took her to get back at us? What do we do now? This can't be happening," she sobbed.My mate was slipping right into panic mode, and it hurt me t
KIARA I didn't think. I grabbed the woman's arm and pulled her off my mate's body. Denzel stumbled out of bed and hurried into the bathroom with unsteady movements. Grabbing the strange woman by the hair, I kicked her at the back of her legs, bringing her to her knees. She cackled, and I narrowed my eyes at her, bringing my claws to her throat. "Who are you?" I demanded, and she stopped laughing."Can't you tell? I'm you.""What?" I breathed. For a moment, she almost got me to believe her. However, the glint in her eyes reminded me of Ria in an unnerving way. "Stop hiding behind that illusion. Show yourself!" I snapped. "You're no fun," she hissed, transforming into her original form. It was Ria."You bitch," I spat, my claws digging into her skin. Pushing me away from her, she transformed into her signature animal and vanished. The sound of Denzel throwing up in the bathroom made me grimace. When he emerged out of it, his face was as white as sheets. "Care to explain how
KIARA Stepping out into the garden due to my sudden insomnia, I was surprised to find my mate in an odd position with Ria. He had his hand wrapped around her throat, his eyes darkening with menace. "There she is. The star of the occasion," Ria choked out, casting a sidelong glance at me. "Denzel, what's going on?" I asked, and he refused to look at me. "Go ahead, Denzel. Tell her how you hid the fact that Lucas showed up again," Ria stated, and I narrowed my eyes at them."What is she talking about, Denzel? Did Lucas really show up?" I asked, and a muscle ticked in his jaw. He still wouldn't look at me. "Come on, Denzel. Don't keep her waiting. She wants to know about your injury and the fact that Lucas kissed you," Ria said, and I froze.I was appalled by the thought of Denzel hiding all of that from me. But, I felt more hurt knowing that Ria was aware of the things I didn't know."He's such a terrible mate, isn't he? He made you believe that you were his partner amidst all of th