เข้าสู่ระบบI take a few steps back and look at my mate. His expression is still blank. I look around the arena to seek my pack mates when my eyes fall on Queen Sophia. Bitterness and something close to hatred are marring her beautiful features as she stares at King Alexandros. I knew what's about to happen before it happens yet I hesitate. Sophia launches herself into the arena. Her feet land squarely on Christina's back while her arms wrap around Christina's head. In a blur of motion, Christina's body is being ripped apart. Her spine is ripped out. Queen Sophia's beautiful emerald dress is soaked with the blood of her rival. With a smirk on her lips, she lifts Christina's head like a trophy before she tosses on the ground. It rolls and stops right at King Alexandros's feet. The whole arena is now silent. Not a pin drop can be heard. She's been waiting for this moment for a very long time. Killing her rival without consequences. That's exactly what she did. In this Arena. Well. Nobody sa
Damian goes charging even before the signal is given. He growls and changes into his full lycan in mid-air as he lunges for Caspian. Caspian manages to drop to the ground to avoid his attack but in less than a beat, Caspian is already a full lycan, ready to strike back. It takes a lot of practice to phase that fast. What happens after that is a series of violent and deadly blur of movements that have me gripping the arms of my chair with my heart in my throat. I vaguely hear the roar of the crowd. It's hard to see who is winning as both of them are covered in blood. Not even twenty minutes in, their fighting gears are already in tatters. Both of them are looking menacing and ferocious, like the monsters of your nightmare come to life. Glittering, soulless black eyes regarding each other with malice. Sharp teeth and canines extended as they growl while snapping, clawing, and attacking each other. There's no mercy. Damian is strong and built like a tank, but what my mate lacks in
The sparks fly as the firewood and tinder crackle and pop in the fireplace. The blazing fire from the hearth bathes the bed and the immediate area with its warm glow. The rest of the room is cloaked in darkness. My cheek is resting on his chest. My ear is pressed close to his heart. He's lying on his back with one arm wrapped around my waist and another arm covering his eyes but I know he's still awake. Nobody sleeps the night before a death match. Not even someone who's fought "countless times," according to Selene's very unhelpful pep talk earlier. I've been tracing my name on his warm skin, marking him over and over again. It's impossible to fall asleep when your heart aches so badly in your chest yet you're trying hard to hold it all in. I want to be selfish and ask him not to fight tomorrow but I know that I can't do that. Fuzzy slippers, I hate being the reasonable one. Earlier this evening, all of the Royal Advisors came to see him and asked the same thing of him. "Don't
Günter is waiting for me outside the door of the king's office. His solid hulking figure follows me silently as I walk the long, massive hallway back to our wing. My steps grow faster as I think of my waiting mate. The urgency to be with him intensifies as I think of tomorrow. Tomorrow. Right. The tiny detail I've been very studiously not thinking about. I feel a lot better, safer when we reach our part of the palace. Our sanctuary. Caspian is sitting at the reading nook by the bay window in our bedchamber, waiting. He had already discarded his jacket, waistcoat, and bowtie. The top of his snowy white dress shirt is unbuttoned and the sleeves are rolled up to his elbow. His impeccable hair is now all messed up. My heart aches at the sight of my beautiful mate. I try to push the thought of tomorrow to the very back of my mind for the moment. He needs me and it won't do us much good if I think about it now. He sits staring at me for a while, the next second, he's on his feet and stand
"You knew they were planning this. That's why you wanted him to mate Lady Celeste so badly and claim the throne," I state calmly."No, I didn't know they were planning this. All I knew was that Christina wanted her son to rule. It's her revenge. If she couldn't be queen, she wants her son to take the reign.""How do you live like that?" I blurt out. I squeak out an apology right after those words came out of my mouth. I didn't mean to ask that question but it's been in my head for a while. I mean, if Caspian did that to me, I'd kill the other woman for sure...right after I kill him (maybe). Then I'd die. I internally shake my head at my morbid thoughts. Great, add "plotting my own funeral" to tonight's list of achievements.Instead of getting mad as I expected her to be, Queen Sophia waves away my apology and moves to take a seat on the chair she abandoned earlier. She signals me to sit on the chair previously occupied by King Alexandros."I have a feeling, you don't usually mince wor
"This is private. It's a family discussion," says King Alexandros while we're standing just outside the doors of his office. His golden brown eyes that, I realize now, are so similar to Damian's are trained on me.Oh great, another staring contest with royalty. My favorite pastime.I'm hanging on to Caspian's arm. I sense that he needs me as much as I need him and I'm not going anywhere unless he tells me to go. Not even a battalion of royal guards could pry me off him right now."She's his mate," says Queen Sophia haughtily before anybody could say anything. "She has the right to be where he is. She should know how twisted and depraved this family is," she continues as she walks breezily past him into the office.Well, when you put it that way, sign me up for the front row.The king clearly doesn't like her remarks or to have me as an audience to the family discussion but he swallows his argument and follows his mate into the privacy of the office without another word.The heavily or
I was trying. That was the embarrassing part. I was actually trying to feel normal again. The movie playing in the background wasn’t even interesting anymore, but Aurelia kept reacting dramatically to every scene like she deserved an award for emotional support. “That man is definitely the killer,”
The days following the rejection passed in a blur of silence. It wasn’t that I couldn’t speak; it was simply that nothing felt worth the effort of moving my lips. Home had become quiet in a way that didn’t feel peaceful, just heavy and still. I stayed in my room most of the time, staring at walls t
I regretted agreeing to Aurelia’s stupid plan almost immediately. The moment she walked into my room carrying three shopping bags, makeup, and the confidence of someone about to ruin lives, I already knew peace was no longer an option for me. “You still dress like you’re preparing for emotional win
The next morning, Aurelia arrived at my house with the energy of someone preparing for war. Not emotional support. Not comfort. War. She marched into the kitchen holding two coffees and a notebook an actual notebook. I stared at her from across the table, asking if I should be scared. "Yes," she an







