Here's for tonight. Thank you for all the gems and gifts. To that person who is not happy with my books, my grammar (I'm aware my English is not perfect—not a native English speaker here, so I appreciate those who leave corrections politely and sweetly), and not happy with me altogether, no one is forcing you to read my book. No one. Please let my readers who enjoy them enjoy my stories without you popping up every other chapter to tell us you'd be dropping my book. I get it. You don't like me or my books. I don't need to be reminded of it every time. For the rest, thank you for your kind words. I appreciate all of you. Have a great weekend, lovelies. 🦋✨
KAEL.“I love you, Kael.” Adessa’s voice came out soft, but I was sure I heard it. My foot stepped on the brakes, and the car came to a sudden halt, making our bodies jolt forward. “I’m sorry,” she gasped as her hands held onto the dashboard before her as if it could stop her from slamming there, but she had a seatbelt on, so I knew she was safely tucked in her seat.“Did you just say what I heard you say?” I asked, ignoring the apology that came out of her lips because I had no idea what she was apologizing for. “Well…” She stammered, then flashed me an embarrassed smile. “You said it first.” “I said. So you think…” A smile tugged at my mouth, but my eyes were watering. “...it was appropriate and polite to say it back?” I couldn’t contain the happiness in my chest.I had always been a storm, and Adessa was definitely sunshine. It was easy to love her, but I felt good and exhilarated knowing this little ball of sunshine and butterflies had fallen in love with me despite the bad w
ADESSA.We finally reached the regular road, and in no time, we were driving into the city. I kept looking back, checking if anyone was following us, but everything seemed normal so far.“You can sleep,” Kael told me.“I’m not that sleepy anymore. I will rest once we transfer to another car. I’m not comfortable here.”He simply nodded his head and continued driving. Kael called someone after his call with Rasmus, and we got confirmation for a new car we could use once we reached that place. And from there, it would just be a couple of hours before we reached the North.It was noon, and my stomach was churning from hunger, but I didn’t say anything. I wanted to have a new car first. So when we finally reached the car dealer building, Kael wasted no time and grabbed the keys, and we were already on our way out.He was holding my hand, and we were walking to the big parking lot where they pointed when my head suddenly felt light, and I almost stumbled if Kael was not able to hold me stead
ADESSA. After I told Kael that I might be pregnant, I started to relax.In fact, I began to feel excited.I didn’t expect his reaction, which made everything perfect. Earlier, he told me he loved me, and his reaction to the pregnancy news supported that claim. Despite the fact that he couldn’t remember me, it was enough that he wanted me in his life, and he wanted to have a baby with me. We bought the pregnancy test kit and stopped by a fast-food restaurant. Kael ordered our food while I went to the restroom. He wanted to see the results with me, but he was taking too long to get here, and the results were ready. The line at the counter might be long, so I had to check this on my own. My hand trembled as I raised the test stick in my hand. One line. I was wrong. I wasn’t pregnant. I took a deep breath just in time for a knock to come. I lowered my hand and opened the door. Our gazes met, and I could still see the excitement in his eyes. I didn’t want to prolong the suspense
ALPHA RASMUS. Alpha of the Hallowed Crest Pack. The drive to Ironcrest Pack territory went smoothly but was boring as fuck. I drove my own car, and another car followed me, with two of my men in there for security purposes. I didn’t have any enemies like Kael, but Draco knew I was helping him, so I also had to watch my back. I honestly didn’t know if I should thank Kael or not because my boring life was suddenly flipped over.I felt I was also running against time, making sure Kael and Adessa got safely to the north. In the past few weeks, I had made more phone calls and bribed more people than I had in all my years as an Alpha, all to ensure they had what they needed. But I had no regrets. Why the fuck do I help them or Kael in particular?No, not because of Savannah or Desiree, whoever the fuck she is, especially since I could tell Kael was smitten by his own wife or ex-wife. The desire to help him was primarily motivated by guilt because he saved my stupid ass, and it cost hi
ALPHA RASMUS. “You lied to me!” Desiree shrieked. I didn’t stop myself from laughing loudly. The audacity of her to scream that to my face when she did the same thing, and she did way worse than I was. I immediately cut my laughter short, and a scowl formed on my face. “I lied about being an Alpha to avoid women clinging to me as if I were a jackpot prize, while you lied because you wanted to cheat on Kael!”In seconds, she was already standing in front of my desk. Her hands slammed on the oak table as her eyes dilated. “Do not judge me when you’ve never been in my shoes!”My nose flared. I abruptly pushed the chair back and stood up, resting my hands on the desk before leaning my face closer to her. “Trust me. I never want to be in a whore’s shoes.”Everything happened so fast after that, and before I could react or do something, her small hand had already landed on my jaw and made my head swing to the right. I wasn’t expecting that. And it stung. “I’m not a whore! Take back wh
THREE DAYS LATER. ADESSA.The last few days have been calm. We arrived at the North without any more trouble. Since this place was cold, we could go around without any worries. I could wear a winter hat, scarf, and thicker coat. The same was true for Kael. So it was not easy to spot us. The last days were the best I ever had if I didn’t include the times we talked about what needed to be done in case our mission failed. It made me nervous, but all of this showed me how much Kael was putting everything in his life on the line for me. I kept falling in love with him more and more. And the sex. Oh, Goddess! They were explosive. With us not restraining ourselves on how we felt, Kael had been adventurous and would always leave me wanting more. But despite us being disappointed I was not pregnant, we were not trying to have a baby. We were actually using contraceptives. We decided to wait until we could fix this trouble I was in. And I was okay with that. Maybe not getting pregnant wa
ADESSA. “Open your eyes, butterfly. I want to see you. All of you, until you come.” Kael’s voice was heady, and it made me feel wanted. My eyes were rolling as the heat in my body continued. I badly wanted to shut my eyes, but like a good girl, I kept them open, staring at the man who was the only light in my badly beaten life.My mouth parted, and my lashes fluttered as my orgasm built up. Kael picked up his pace, his hand on my waist, gripping it tightly as he kept pounding into me. It didn’t take long before I shuddered as my orgasm rippled through my whole body. Kael didn’t stop fucking me. All the while, we kept staring at each other, both panting and inhaling each other’s air. A few more hard thrusts and a guttural growl ripped from his throat as he let out his release.Inside me. “Fuck! Fuck!” He groaned after a while when the realization hit him. He leaned his forehead against mine, and we both closed our eyes. “I’m sorry, baby. If I pull out, it can spill on your dress….”
KAEL.Even if I was playing poker, I made sure my eyes would roam around this vast hall, so it caught me by surprise when I found myself staring at Draco as he headed for our table. I didn’t see him or his Beta before this.And it was too late to leave. I eased back on my seat, wanting to be able to grab Adessa if worse came to worse. But the good thing was, I was sure Draco could not bring any of his men inside this palace except for his Beta. The main entrance to this whole I just needed to be wary of his actions so that he could not alert anyone of Adessa being here. “I didn’t expect to see you here, Alpha Kael.” He began as I claimed the chips that I had won just before he sat down. “Same here,” I answered curtly.“It seems you’re eager to replace your ex-wife.” I scoffed and did not say anything. I was sure I looked composed compared to how tangled my mind was. What the fuck was he playing? Did he not recognize Adessa? Adessa and Landon confirmed Draco personally met Adessa
ADESSA.“Desiree quit her job because she came back. I was giving her money for her apartment and for everything her child needed. Without me, she had no way to work and take care of her child at the same time…”Miranda was still talking, but nothing was sinking in except the part where Desiree had a child. I didn’t even question that she was Desiree’s mother because all I heard was about the child. “Is it Kael’s son?” I asked, unaware that I had already reached out to hold Esmaeel’s arm for support. My brother held me, supporting my body so I could remain standing.“No, no, no…” She said as she shook her head. “It’s not his son.”“Don’t lie to me.”“Desiree has a child from another man whose name I don’t even know. The same man that Kael caught her in bed with.” My hand went to my mouth, suppressing myself from gasping. Rasmus. Desiree had a child with Rasmus. “I’m not lying, Adessa… You can ask me anything now, and I will tell you the truth in exchange for my freedom. Please le
ADESSA.I had no idea there was a Beta task that happened last night. I couldn’t believe Draco won this part, and I had to see him for breakfast. But if anything, at least I wouldn’t be dining with him alone. I was told the whole family would, so I didn’t need to coerce myself to talk with him. I hadn’t forgiven him for all this mess, and I never thought I would. I was also only informed last night that the current task would last for three days, and we would never hear from the participants unless they got out and finished the challenge. I kept bugging Esriel about what task lay ahead, but this time, he kept his mouth shut and avoided me, which made me worry more.I woke up early despite not being able to sleep at all, because aside from breakfast, I was finally meeting Miranda. She was captured a few days back, and Father wanted me to face her.As much as I would rather not deal with her, I had to. I also wanted my father to find out that she sold me to Draco as a slave. But if I
KAEL. I was still trying to digest the information I witnessed when another surprise was presented.After the crowd toned down from greeting and celebrating with the Royal couple, the Game Master stood before us in the middle of the arena—with more breaking news. “The fourth task had already begun last night from the moment you stepped back into the manor. The food you ate and the drink you consumed were illusions, so if you thought that food was enough and skipped meals the whole day, then you are already at a disadvantage. You will feel the hunger later on.”I swallowed—grateful that I didn’t consume a lot last night and that I went to the kitchen and asked for food when I woke up today. “And the naked women you found in your rooms last night…” He added, and I immediately saw Adessa shift in her seat.She looked mortified. She had no idea about the women.“...were not who they seemed to be.” The Game Master continued. “ You met our first creatures. The faeries of the Eternal Fore
KAEL. Before I could think more, the speaker already announced our entrance. Draco walked ahead of us while the rest were in a straight line behind him. “Where is Randolf?” I heard Constantin ask as we walked, and when I tilted my head to the right, as I was the first on the left, I counted only three: Vaidas, Constantin, and Nicholas.I didn’t notice he was not there as we all left the manor in our own cars with just our Betas. And I didn’t notice him. In fact, I hadn’t seen him the whole day. “I’m sure they will tell us soon,” Nicholas said, and no one discussed it until we stopped in front of the stage. Everything went fast after that. Draco was congratulated for winning the last task and was asked to join them on the stage. I was right, he was to sit next to Adessa. I made every effort to remain unaffected. This was what they wanted, not what she wanted. I would not let it destroy my confidence and focus for the next game. I would use this as my motivation to win this round
KAEL.As soon as the Game Master dismissed us, Landon and I headed back to our room. The rest did as well, except for Draco and Roman, who headed toward the open bar of this manor. Of course, they had no task to think about and wanted to celebrate.I couldn’t be happy for them, not only because I loathed the man but also because Landon told me he was cheated, maybe not by Roman but by the game itself. “Tell me what happened,” I said after I heard the door lock while I leaned on the windowsill, looking at the garden below. I heard him let out a deep sigh before he began talking while I remained in my position. “The game wasn’t hard. It was all about how well you know your Alpha. From the first car to the age you shifted and the many names connected to you to the farthest place you’d been. Roman and I were both doing well. We were acing all the questions, and Beta Samuel was just right behind us. Then the fucking final question came, and I was so confident about my answer.” I could h
KAEL. I left the French balcony door slightly open, letting the crisp air in while I lay awake in bed. Sleep would surely not come tonight. Not when I had no idea what was going on with my Beta. The balcony of our room faced southward, toward the forest, but I could see part of the driveway from here. When it was too quiet, like tonight, I was sure I would hear if there were any commotion going on.After a long while, I could feel my eyes drooping, and just when I was about to lose consciousness, the sound of an approaching vehicle reached my ears. I immediately jolted up from my bed and checked the balcony. I saw a light getting closer. It must be them. I went back inside to grab a shirt and put it on. I already had my sweatpants on, so I went ahead and rushed out of my bedroom. Like the scene earlier, I was not the only one in the corridor. The other Alphas were also heading downstairs. No words were spoken between us as we hurriedly trod the way down. I could only assume they we
KAEL. We were the first to arrive and were asked to surrender our treasures. It didn’t take long before a vehicle came, and the challenger team, led by Alpha Randolf, stepped out. And with the smirk plastered on his face, I could tell they were able to snag a treasure. I thought we were waiting for the rest or at least one more team, but the Game Master told us everyone who was supposed to be here was already here and requested Randolf to surrender the treasure they got. They didn’t get just one treasure; they got six. All six treasures of the two teams. I was certain they found the obsidian necklace and Liam’s team still tied up. It was the only explanation for their treasures, but it seemed they also wiped out Alpha Leon’s.I couldn’t believe it, as I thought Leon’s team was stronger than them, but maybe I just didn’t know their full strength. In the end, the twelve became six in an instant. But it didn’t matter to me. In fact, I was grateful. The fewer the contenders, the faste
KAEL.When I turned to Draco, the necklace was not around his neck anymore. Gunner was gripping it tightly, but before I could do anything to help him, Draco shifted, ripping his clothes apart and landing exactly on top of Gunner. I shifted back into my human form and grabbed the necklace from Gunner’s hand while Draco still had his teeth on the side of his shoulder, near his throat. One wrong move, and Draco could snap the vein on his neck, so the fucker stayed paralyzed under his hold. Vaidas, on the other hand, was already dragging forest vines. I helped him, and it didn’t take long before we were able to tie the three of them together under the tree with their hands bound as well. We were about to leave them when Draco returned and took Gunner’s treasure from his pocket. They lied—no one stole his treasure. “You started this game. It’s only fair we play along…” He tossed the ring in the air before catching it, clutching it tightly in his hand and smirking at them. “I don’t thi
KAEL. Deciding what to do with the cloak was making me uneasy. If I were Superman, this would be easy to handle, but how the fuck do I move and kick ass with this thing around me? I could take it off, but I didn’t have the luxury of time to work on the fucking zipper to take out the citrine. And I had nowhere to hide it. They were coming closer. “No matter what happens, we can’t trust anyone. Except for the three of us.” I told them. It was hard to let those words pass my throat because Draco was part of the team, but at this point, with all our fates in this game entwined, it was all or nothing. The sounds of leaves rustling and twigs snapping at the other side of the trees became louder, and the three of us moved into position, ready to leap and attack. But when the faint light beaming from the canopy of the trees as the moon and sun shared the dawn fell on the forms that emerged from the bushes, I heard the sighs of relief from the two men with me.It was Alpha Liam with his tea