HarlynI woke up with yesterday at the front of my mind. I hadn’t meant to run and hide for so long; I just needed to get away from Wayne, and when it came to returning, I couldn’t shift back.It turns out it isn’t like a switch. I had watched people shift all the time, and it seemed easy, but apparently, I was wrong. It’s far more complicated than that.After showing, I step into the bedroom, and Wayne is waiting.“We should talk,” he states. I nod at him, knowing he’s right, but right now, I don’t want to.“Later,” I say. Grabbing my clothes off the bed I walk back through to the bathroom and get ready. After fully dressing, I walk back out, and he’s still there.“Harlyn, can we talk please?” He sits waiting.“Later,” I reply and walk to the door. His hand captures mine.“I forgot what happened back at the kingdom, but yesterday?” He looks at me.“Nothing happened.” Sighing, my head shakes. “I’m not talking now. Leave it, Wayne,” I say. His eyes widen, but I don’t stop. Instead, I w
StefanI stare at her, annoyed that she’s slipping back, and try to remind myself it’s the magic. From what Volkaros said this morning, just being here will increase the effect, so the longer Harlyn is here, the worse it will get again.We stay quiet for a moment, and Volkaros steps forward.“Your Majesty, may I have a moment?” he asks, and I nod.“Harlyn, consider what you gain from staying behind,” I say quietly, and I walk towards Volkaros.“It’s mostly lifted. She will believe you now if you tell her the truth about the magic. Just be careful that nothing snaps her mind back to hating you, as I’ve no idea if that will make the magic grow again.”Well, at least now I can tell her. “Thank you, Volkaros,” I reply.“No problem, Your Majesty. I will continue to try and ease the effects of it until we leave,” he explains. I simply nod and sit back with Harlyn.“I know you don’t understand Stefan, but look at it from Wayne’s view. For eight years, I lived here. Six of which we were in a
HarlynI stand looking at Wayne, needing to hear his words and the truth. Katy is standing staring at him with tears in her eyes.“I want the full truth,” I say.“Then let’s go in and talk alone about this.” Wayne steps towards me, and Stefan drags me back.“Or say it here. Why do you need to get her alone? We already know the truth,” Stefan argues.“It’s personal, between me and Harlyn,” Wayne states.“Personal between you and Harlyn?” Stefan laughs. “How can it be personal between you two when it was your brother who drugged us that night and placed her in my room?”Stefan’s words made my body turn cold.“How can it be personally between just you and her when you used black magic to make her father hate and reject her so you could get her here?”Hearing Stefan’s words has me stepping away from Wayne and closer to him.“Does Harlyn know you had the pups attack me that day I stopped you from marrying her?” Stefan’s words shock me, I turn and look at him.“What? I don’t remember that,
StefanI see the shock on Harlyn’s face, realising just who Wayne is. I want to pull her out and insist we leave, but even I know she won’t do as I say. When does she ever anyway?If less were at the kingdom and I’m wearing my crown, even then, she does it in a mocking way, making me aware she doesn’t agree.“Harlyn, I can change,” Wayne says, and I laugh, which only infuriates him more.“Your wife is standing right there, your mate, and you’re just acting like she’s non-existent,” I say, watching him. He glances from Harlyn to Katy.Katy is standing looking hurt by his rejection.“Mate’s means nothing if you don’t love them, and I don’t love her anymore,” Wayne states.“Please, Harlyn doesn’t want you. So why ignore me?” Katy asks.I look from her to Wayne. She should know. “Katy, if you go back to him, you can’t come to the kingdom.” There is no way that I can trust he isn’t using her to get to Harlyn or the pups again. If she is set on going back to Wayne, I won’t allow her to come
HarlynI’m unsure of how long we sit and talk, and Stefan explains everything to me in more detail. Volkaros, who is apparently a warlock, not that I knew they even existed. Explains the magic used against me and the pups.I’m unsure where I will stay when we get back. Stefan has informed me that if I want to stay at the manor, I can, and he will restrict my father to his own quarters, so I won’t even need to see him.Likewise, if I stay at the palace, he will make everyone aware my father needs to give notice before coming so that I know the rooms to avoid so I don’t see him.He seems to be thinking of everything, but one thing keeps coming back, and it’s court. He’s mentioned the types of punishments my father could face, and it’s my choice whether to give my view on which is appropriate.I won’t forgive him, sure the magic made things worse, but he hated that I didn’t have a wolf. Even though it was beyond my control, he blamed me for it.Still, after all the punishments he could g
HarlynEveryone is quiet, and Volkaros seems extremely sickened by what is happening. I need to know, though. It’s not something I’ve ever heard of before.“What is it?” I look between Samuel and Volkaros.“Dragufic is a drug. It torments your mind and pulls up moments of intense guilt, regret and such. The mind is focused on those moments and replays it, over and over, slowly driving them crazy,” Samuel explains.“So we wake him,” I say, and I wait, but his head shakes.“There’s no counter drug there’s nothing you can do to stop it. He needs to,” Samuel explains.“What do you mean he needs to? How can he? Don’t you have a doctor on here or something?” I can’t see them travelling without a doctor, or I hope not.“There’s no doctor with us. We weren’t meant to cause fights. We were meant to just get you and leave. Plus, anything a doctor could heal a wolf can heal quicker,” Samuel explains.“There needs to be something, Samuel,” I argue.“I don’t know enough about it Harlyn, we will be
Harlyn I looked between my father and the queen, wondering just what she was hinting at. “I agree, darling; we can’t risk Harlyn for a chance of saving him,” the former king says. “If he can’t bring himself out of it, the pups need her, and we can’t sacrifice her on the off chance of it working.” The queen deflates, and I watch as they take out Stefan and I move to catch up with the queen. “Your Grace,” I say as we walk into the palace, she peers at me. “Harlyn, the maids took the pups in and showed them to their rooms,” she smiles at me. “How do you think I could help him?” I ask, wanting to know if there is a way. She glances around us to ensure no one is listening. “From the stories, in the past, people have tried various techniques, some successful, others not so. One was using someone’s mate. If the mate’s wolf can, it connects with the wolf of the person infected,” she explains. I nod at her quickly. “So how do I do it?” I ask. “You would get pulled into it Harlyn, then
StefanI’m not sure what is happening, but something feels wrong. I’m unable to understand what; however, everything feels different, and I reject Harlyn.Something isn’t right, but I’m not sure. I feel like I’m in hell, and there’s not much I can do. Darkness descends, and I feel relief. Then, I’m right back there, and I swear it’s like it’s on replay.That isn’t possible, though. Yet, something feels different, like I’ve already lived this part of my life. I feel like I’m being tortured but still confused by everything.I close the door, and my body runs cold as I hear Harlyn shouting my name. I almost reopen the door but realise it’s in my mind. How?Harlyn?The words are thought in my mind rather than me speaking them, which makes no sense whatsoever.Wake up, it’s not life, Stefan, it’s a memory, wake up!My body relaxes as I hear her. Wake up? I’m not asleep, am I? I whisper the word sorry from my lips.Wake up, remember Stefan, this isn’t real, the pups, remember them.Wait, th