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KING ESSAK. I stared at the fire that erupted from the ground, creating a barrier between my family and the Guardians. “Did you do that?” Alpha Kael asked my daughter.“No… I don’t even know how to use my heat… More so, ignite a fire.” Adessa’s reply made the hair on my skin rise and my heart to drum loudly. This kind of flame—igniting from the ground to create a barrier—was Adelaine’s way of calling a cease-fire whenever we had arguments. With her fire between us, I had no way to reach her whenever she decided to walk away. “Adelaine…” Lesandra spoke as she stared at someone behind us. I was right; it was her. Even without seeing her, my wolf and I could feel her presence.My body was frozen, but my knees buckled. My hand reached out to hold Esmaeel, and like always, my firstborn didn’t disappoint me. He held my hand tightly, which was holding onto his arm, giving me the support I needed—the same support he had given me two decades ago when I told him I made a mistake.Esmaeel w
ADESSA.My tears fell as I slowly watched our outstretched hands meeting each other until the tips of our fingers finally touched. And then I felt it—sparks. And an explosion of all of my senses.“Mate…” I softly muttered, but it was drowned out by Kael’s voice.“Mine!” He growled before his hand gripped mine and pulled me toward him.The Guardian holding me wasn’t expecting it, so he couldn’t do anything when I got out of his grasp. I felt my body spiraling down, but my mate’s strong arms wrapped around me and caught my fall.My mate. Kael is really my mate! My arms and legs immediately snaked around his neck and hips, not caring if the cape could still cover me. All I knew was that I was back in his arms and that the sparks were exploding everywhere in my body, caressing my soul. Our bond, including the mate’s scent, activated the moment we touched. I reveled in the pleasure of scenting him, nuzzling my nose against the crook of his neck. Kael smelled of newly cut cedar wood and
ADESSA.I knew Kael would never let me go. I didn’t want him to, but some choices had to be made. I swallowed hard as the pain intensified. I was slowly running out of breath, but I didn’t want to let go of him. Before I could think more, Kael leaned closer and crushed his lips into mine. Time stood still, and I forgot everything, even the danger we were in. All I knew was that I longed for this. I longed for his kisses and the overflowing love that he was giving me.My mouth moved against his, kissing him passionately while the familiarity of his touch and his warmth enveloped me. A moan ripped from my throat before it turned into a shriek when my bones everywhere snapped.I felt my body being ripped apart.My eyes flew open, and I saw Kael moving backward on his ass, swallowing hard as he stared at me. He wasn’t blinking, just looking at me. I kept screaming. It felt like my teeth were falling out, and the next thing I knew, I was screaming until it turned into a howl. My body mov
ADESSA.“A life for a life. Come with us, and we will spare him…” Lesandra said calmly, like she wasn’t threatening a life. The tornado slowed down, and I saw Kael waking up from losing consciousness, or he probably just closed his eyes while he was being spun. Vines wrapped around his body until they curled around his neck. My body shook as I dropped onto my knees, and more tears trickled down my face. They knew Kael was my weakness and that I would give up everything for him, even my own heart.“Why, Selene?” I screamed in between my loud cries. “What have I done to you? Why me?”Memories of my childhood until I met Kael, until Draco haunted me, and the nightmare of the Royal Games came flashing in my head. All my life, I lived with the uncertainties of tomorrow. Despite everything fate had thrown my way, I always prayed for better days and never lost my humanity, but I still got nothing.Maybe because I was not bound to be happy—only to serve. “Let him go…” I cried, my voice a
ADESSA.“The Lunar Guardians…” I repeated. My heart dropped, knowing it must be me they were after. Did they sense my power? Are they here to kill me like they did to my mother? “What do you need? I don’t remember inviting you to my kingdom.” Father asked, and I could hear the animosity in his voice. I could only assume their last encounter was not great, and that they were not on good terms.The moment their feet touched the ground and their wings folded, one of the three—the only female among them—answered. “We come in peace. We came for Adessa.”Kael tugged my hand and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his chest. I held on to him as I looked at the three figures before us. “You’re not taking her anywhere,” Kael spoke firmly while Landon stood next to him. I also saw Draco and his Beta standing on the other side. And so was my whole family. We all ended up facing the Guardians, with Kael and me at the center. “You have no say in this. Adessa will be one of the next gen
KAEL.Landon and I rushed out of the cave and trekked through the remainder of the forest that would lead us back to the arena. The moon was on the verge of setting, and if the first ray of sunlight reached the arena without us, I would be eliminated.So we kept running, following the direction on the map.We still had a long way to go when we spotted something on the ground. It was still far, and the area was still dark, but I could see it flinching. I reminded Landon to be careful as we approached it.“Beta Andres!” Landon yelled, and we immediately ran toward him.Color had already drained from the face of the Beta, and his face was turning purple. Poison. “What happened?” I asked as we crouched in front of him. I had totally forgotten that this man tricked and abandoned us. His eyes were pooling with tears as he clutched my shirt. “The viper that bit me…”He didn’t need to finish his words. We already understood what happened. I thought that the viper story was not real. “Did
ADESSA.“Another team enters the arena…” The voice on the speaker echoed around us. My lips quivered and my eyes blurred with tears while I remained standing straight, staring at the underway canal where I knew they would emerge, praying to the goddess that it was him and Landon—alive and breathing. It felt like an eternity before I saw something take a human form in the dark, and then a light shone on his face. It was Landon. A smile curled on my lips at the sight of him. They made it on time. But it was wiped away the moment the shadow of his body came into view, and it revealed that he was carrying someone—a limp body. An earth-shattering shriek ripped from my throat as my knees gave way and I collapsed. I would have hit the ground if my father hadn’t caught me. But I still ended up on my knees as I shook from my agony.“No! No!” Heat rose from my stomach to everywhere in my body, and my eyes felt like they were burning.My head snapped to the right as I glared at the King, r
KAEL. “There’s one more team, you can still be saved. Good luck, Alpha!” Those were his last words before he ran away. And then he was gone. He was also not injured. He played with us all along. “One more team will still come…” Landon said. “But we won’t trick them. Right, Alpha?”I turned around and looked at him. He was still holding the lever, and despite the smile on his face, his eyes watered. Only four teams entered the cave, with two teams out and then us, there should still be one—unless they were the dead ones. “Landon…” I wanted to tell him the other team might be dead. They might be the blood we saw. “It’s not them, right?” He knew. He was not stupid, but he wanted to keep his hope up. “They just got lost, so they’re not yet here.” He chuckled, but his tears fell, and my jaw tightened. We were doomed. “I will step back inside,” I told him and put my foot to cross over, but I ended up being blocked by an invisible barrier. My eyes widened as I pushed a hand in front o
KAEL.I waited for Beta Andres to raise it more and was ready to nudge Landon to run for it when the stone dropped. My head tilted to look at Andres. He let go of the lever.“Once you let go, the stone drops. So obviously, one has to stay here to do that.” He explained. “Nicholas left you,” I said. “What choice did he have?” He scoffed. “What would you do if it were you?”“Did he show you what’s on the note given to him at the entrance?” Landon asked. “He didn’t. But he said, that if one makes it out and makes it on time, he is assured of a spot in the next round.”My heart clenched. He didn’t tell him the whole truth—that the one left behind would be considered dead. It was a possibility that no one would come until the creatures in here ended their lives. The mere thought brought chills down my spine. I had no idea how far this game would go to claim a life until I saw the pool of blood somewhere. It was shifter’s blood. Someone bled, and if he were not assisted right away, the