King Kanyon remained patient while Jessica gathered her thoughts. He told her everything about how his wife died, well, almost everything. He left out the fact that Ellie is her aunt and her mother's twin sister. "Kanyon! I'm at a loss for words," she gasped. "How can one woman be so evil?" "I was on my way to gut her when I found you," he sighed. "Call it fate or coincidence, but I was meant to find you that day." "I'm glad you did,” she beamed. "There is something else I want to tell you," he stated. "I went to the Graceland pack and had a meeting with the alpha and Luna. I also met the red-headed harlots and Cory and his wife." "So they got married," she rolled her eyes. "Figures,” she scoffed. “But how did I not know you went to see them?” "It was after the vampire almost drained your blood. You were in and out of consciousness, and recovering in the hospital, so Cam and I used that time to pay the pack a little visit." "I wish I could have come." "I'm glad you did
It took Jessica some time before she could drift off to sleep. No other kiss had ever made her feel the way that one did. It was like her soul touched his. It was magical. "Get a grip, Jess," she mumbled to herself. She tossed and turned, fluffing her pillows, struggling to get comfortable. Still, how could she manage to think clearly when her mind was filled with thoughts of Kanyon's soft yet demanding lips and his enticing aroma? He smelt like sex itself and his masculinity was overwhelming. Each time she ran her hands over him, the way he would clench his jaws and the hardness of his muscles made her swallow nervously. Plus he opened up about his feelings for her. Was it even real? She pondered. She let out a tired yawn. "I know. I'll phone Ariel in the morning and ask her for some advice." Jessica blinked away the world and peacefully dozed off. ****** Jessica opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by total darkness. She couldn't see anything at all; no lights,
'Slow down, Sinbad,' Kanyon asked his beast as they bolted back to the castle. He took Sin out for a hunt because they couldn't sleep, not after that kiss with Jessica. 'I just can't get her out of my mind,' Sinbad complained. 'Will she ever trust us enough to give us her heart?' 'I don't know, Sin. We'll just have to give her a little more time,' Kanyon murmured. 'I don't know if I have it in me to wait,' Sinbad hissed. 'Last night I wanted to grab her and mark her right there by her door.' 'That would have traumatized her even more,' Kanyon let out. 'I know,' Sin growled. 'It was never this difficult with Ellie. Why is that?' 'Isn't it obvious? We loved Ellie, we still do, but we were never in love with her. We might have stolen a few kisses from her, but there was a reason we were never eager to bed her. We weren't sexually attracted to her.’ 'I always thought that maybe we were just too busy running our own kingdoms to partake in sexual exercises,' Sin chuckled. ‘B
"Slow down Jess. You're not making any sense," Ariel said over the phone. "Kanyon told me he loves me last night, and I freaked out. I told him I wasn't worthy," Jessica repeated, but this time she took a breath between every word so her statement didn't sound jumbled. "Girl, you better go tell that man you feel the same way before it's too late. Life waits on no one," Ariel instructed. "I know, but I thought since I am an omega, and he's the lycan king, it wouldn't work out," she sighed. She figured it was best to keep the whole wolf/beast fiasco to herself. She wasn't even sure if it was real or just a dream. "Plus he's expecting a pup with a high-ranked she-wolf. Don't you think it's best he mates with the mother of his child?" Jessica whispered, biting her bottom lip while she used her finger to play with the phone cord. "No, the fuck I don't. The heart wants what it wants and he doesn't want Anna. The man craves you, Jessica. I saw the way he looks at you," Ariel barke
I've never been to breakfast without Kanyon, Jessica thought to herself. But if she was going to live in this kingdom, then she had to force herself to get used to the place and live like the lycans. She couldn't count on the king to take food to her everyday in her room. He was a busy man, who had way more important things to do than cater to her. So Kanyon slept in Anna's quarters last night, she sighed dramatically while her feet carried her to the grand hall. "So much for him loving me," she whispered under her breath. Why were men like that? They ran into the next available arms when they didn't get their way. Was it a testosterone thing? Or was it an ego thing? Regardless, Jessica found it hard to trust another man with her heart. As she stepped into the packed area, it turned out to be completely different from what she had imagined. At the Warmblood pack, the kitchen staff, consisting of omegas and other high-ranked wolves, served breakfast. Although this approach was som
"Put me down, Kanyon. I can walk!" Jessica snapped. Despite her wriggling and complaints, the King kept her in his arms until they got to her bedroom. "What did Zachery mean by you should tell me the truth? What else are you not telling me?" Jessica asked as they stepped inside her room. Kanyon made sure to close the door after he entered. "Jessica, do you trust me?" He asked her. A sigh escaped her lips. "Yes, but I —" "Then don't worry about what that maniac said. Have faith in me. I will tell you all that you need to know when the time is right. I promise." "OK," she let out. "I'll hold you to that promise." Kanyon checked the time on his phone. "I guess I will have to eat later. I have a conference call to make right now, but did you at least enjoy your breakfast?" "I didn't even eat anything because Zachery interrupted me." "If you'd like, I can have Lucy get something for you." "Sure, I'd appreciate that." Kanyon used the mind-link to tell Lucy that she shou
"Oh Jessica," Dr. Peterson let out, acting all surprised like he didn’t expect her. "What on earth are you doing here at this time?" The doctor gave her a coy smile. Jessica's eyes were twitching, and her throat became dry, but she still managed to speak. "I thought you said my appointment is at 2?" "Did I now?" Dr. Peterson shook his head. "Then the mistake must be mine. Your appointment is at 2:30," he sighed. "Why don't you wait outside and let me finish up with the expecting couple? We should only be a few more minutes." "OK," Jessica nodded. She left the room without taking another glance at Kanyon and Anna. The pregnant she-wolf was filled with glee seeing the shocked look on the Omega's face. Hopefully, seeing the king this close to her would let the little bitch know he was hers. They were expecting a child together, the next king to the Lycania throne. King Kanyon however, was breathing hard, upset with himself for not saying something to Jessica before she storm
"Jessica wait!" Kanyon called out to her before she could exit the building. Jessica figured she'd leave the hospital for a bit and come back after the 'expecting couple' wrapped up their appointment. "Jessica, I said stop!" Kanyon didn't want to raise his voice, but he had to in order for her to hear him. He wanted to avoid making a scene, so he refrained from using his supernatural speed to stop her. With a sigh, she stopped and turned to meet his gaze. "What is it, your majesty?" She faked a smile. "Come on Jess, don't do that," he took her hand in his. "Don't do what?" She rolled her eyes. "Don't act like you're not upset. I know you are. I not only can smell it, but I can feel and taste it too," he admitted. "Well," she sighed. "I am upset, but it's not the reason you think. I won't lie, it stung a bit to see you rubbing on her belly like that. It brought back memories of that video Cam shared where you were kissing my tummy when I was pregnant with Steven," Jessica
The night air was thick with mist, curling like fingers along the crooked streets. In the distance, lycans howled, but here, near the edges of the kingdom, the shadows moved differently—heavier, hungrier.The Baktu glided through the mist like smoke, her form barely visible to mortal eyes. Where she passed, streetlamps flickered and dimmed, casting long, twitching shadows over the cracked pavement.Her target stumbled out of a dingy bar, reeking of ale and regret.Cory.Once a proud man, now reduced to a shell of himself, unshaven, bloodshot eyes, clothes rumpled. He lurched forward, muttering slurred curses under his breath. Constance followed silently, savouring the desperation that rolled off him in waves."Oh Jessica," he muttered, lifting a bottle of moonshine wrapped in a brown paper bag to his head. He still obsessed over her. Still pined for what he had lost—and would never reclaim on his own.Cory kicked a broken bottle down the sidewalk, his boot scuffing the asphalt as he s
June's hands hovered above Daniel's broken body, magic swirling at her fingertips. Her lips pressed into a hard line as she tried spell after spell. The lights flickered, danced—and fizzled out, but nothing else was happening. She felt drained and she felt like giving up. With a frustrated grunt, June finally sat back on her heels. She wiped the sweat from her brow and looked at them all."I can't summon Opal," she said heavily. "Her magic... it's too strong. It's like trying to leash a hurricane with a fishing net. She'll feel the attempt and shake it off."A heavy silence fell over the room."The only way to get her here is," June added. "To go to her and convince her to come to us. The only thing I know is she lives on Mystic Mountain."Ariel tightened her arms around herself, staring down at Daniel, whose pitiful, animalistic whimpers were growing weaker by the second."Mystic Mountain..." Jessica murmured, exchanging a worried glance with Kanyon.DJ's jaw tightened. "Then we go.
Ariel didn't stop running until she reached the far end of the hallway. She had Dante wailing against her chest with one hand and the other holding her phone. Her hands shook so badly she almost dropped her phone as she fumbled to call DJ."Come back here. Now," she gasped the moment he answered. Her voice cracked with panic. "Please — it's Daniel. Something's wrong!"She hung up before he could say anything.Seconds later, DJ came tearing around the corner, his face pale and panicked.He skidded to a stop in front of her, reaching for Dante without hesitation."Take him to Reniece," Ariel choked out, handing the crying baby into DJ's arms. "Don't let Daniel near him. I have to get Queen Jessica and King Kanyon!"Without waiting for a response, Ariel spun and ran. The corridors blurring as she pushed herself faster.She found the King and Queen in their sitting room, hugging. It looked like they had made up after that heated argument earlier. They broke apart the second they saw Arie
The guest suite was too quiet. The kind of silence that pressed down on Ariel's chest and made it hard to breathe.She sat stiffly on the edge of the sofa, nervously twisting the hem of her sweater. Across from her, Daniel shifted in the armchair, his movements stiff, mechanical, wrong.His eyes, which were once so warm and so full of life — now looked hollow, like windows to a house long abandoned.DJ grinned from ear to ear, then he clapped a hand on his father's shoulder."Man, it's good to have you back, Dad," he said, his voice thick with emotion.Daniel smiled weakly but said nothing. His gaze flickered between DJ and Ariel, confusion and unease poorly masked behind that ghost of a smile.Ariel's heart squeezed painfully.He didn’t remember me. Nor did he remembered their son.But worse than that — worse than the empty look in his eyes was the smell.It wasn't fully vampiric, it lacked that sickly-sweet pungency, but it was there.Lingering in the air. Just wrong and unorthodox.
The heavy doors to their quarters slammed shut behind them with a deafening boom. Jessica flinched at the sound but refused to cower. She stood her ground as Kanyon paced in front of the fireplace, the muscles in his jaw ticking furiously. Yes, he was upset when he found out that Jessica dabbled in dark magic to bring Daniel back to life. But this, finding out that Constance is now a Baktu made everything even more detrimental. The temperature in the room felt hotter than the flames licking the hearth, the fury rolling off Kanyon in suffocating waves."You went behind my back," Kanyon growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "You. My Queen. The one person I should be able to trust above all others!"Jessica crossed her arms defiantly. "I did what needed to be done, Kanyon. You don't understand—""No! You don't understand!" he roared, whipping around to face her. His eyes, usually molten gold with warmth, now blazed like wildfire. "You brought back a dead Alpha using forbidden mag
"King Kanyon!" Daniel bowed. "What is going on and why am I here?" Daniel strode over to the king while he finished buttoning his shirt. "Alpha Daniel. Is that really you?""Of course it is, Your Majesty. Is this some kind of April Fool's joke?" he scoffed. "I wish it was," Cameron mumbled. "What's the last thing you remember?" Kanyon asked. "Well, Sofia and I had just celebrated our twentieth wedding anniversary. First, we wandered through the park, then we ran a bit in wolf form, and after that, we went to bed. The next thing I knew I was waking up on that table over there," he finished, pointing to the mage's gurney-like table. "Father, that was over ten years ago," DJ spoke up. "Mom has been dead for fifteen years."Daniel's eyes landed on the tall, muscular man that just called him father. He looked like his son, but a way more mature version. "DJ, is that you? But you look so old. And Sofia is not dead. She can't be." "I'm thirty-five now, Dad, and yes, mom is dead." "How
"Cameron, what's going on? Everything started shaking, and I thought we were having an earthquake," Ren rushed into her husband's arms the moment she laid eyes on him. His gaze wandered to Theodore, who had a terrified Falcon in his arms."No, it's not an earthquake." He kissed the top of his wife's head before spreading a viral message through the pack link, urging all castle residents to get to their bedrooms, lock their doors, and widows then fortify the entrances with Moon Petals. He instructed the guards to secure every entrance and exit in the castle with Moon Petals as well. No one should come in or go out. "Are we under attack?" Falcon asked as he sank his face into Theodore's chest. The vampire prince held his mate tightly, stroking his shoulder for comfort. "No, but someone is doing something inside the castle that they shouldn't be doing," Cam let out. "Everyone stay close together and follow me. We're going to Lucy's chambers."******"Your Majesty," one of the nannies b
King Kanyon sat down at the head of the table while he conducted this meeting. “Cameron, is the Graceland kid still lurking around the town?” Kanyon inquired. “You mean Cory? Yes, he’s still being a creep. My informants told me he has been spending most of his time in the crafts shops,” Cam chuckled. “Why the hell was he still here?” Kanyon gritted his teeth. “I don’t know, but as long as he doesn’t come near the castle, and near Twinkle, I’m good,” Cam added. “Is there anything you’d like to add, DJ? Do you need any help with anything?” Kanyon asked DJ. “No. I cannot think of anything right now, but if I do, I’ll let you know,” he stated and the king could taste the sorrow on DJ as the young Alpha spoke, but he kept his composure. DJ's voice didn't crack once. “So Annabella is really gone?" he asked, leaning back in his seat with his palms resting flat on the table. "I'm sorry, man. I know how much she meant to you," Cameron rested a palm on DJ's shoulder. "Thank you, Master
“You will not have either of us!” Jessica exclaimed in a fit of rage as she confronted the being possessing her cousin. "Let me help you rephrase that,” it smirked. “I cannot have you — yet," Constance put emphasis on the word ‘yet’ which made Jessica angrier. Constance felt Ariel's soul fighting for its body back. "It looks like my time here is running out. Even though I know you've been warned already Queen Jessica, but I think I will warn you again. Mistress Paloma says Alpha Daniel's soul already belongs to her, so if you do this spell and bring him back to life, then there will be grave consequences.""What kind of consequences?" June asked. "The bad kind," Constance let out. She felt Ariel pushing her out now. "I will go now, but one of you has to break the seal." June walked up to her and used her foot to break the circle. Ariel began to throw up what looked and smelt like tar. Jessica sprinted to her side and held her hair away from her face. The tar transformed into black