"So is he hot?" Falcon asked his friend as they staked out the gates leading to the Quail Ruins. "Is who hot?" Reniece urged. "Come on, girl. You know who I'm talking about," the guy wearing the two layers of make-up asked. "Your mate, duh." He was summoned by his dearest friend to go on this mission. He just couldn't get over the fact that she had found her soulmate. "Why did I ever open my big mouth and tell you I found my mate? I should have kept it shut," Ren sighed. “Just lower your damn voice before the guards notice us and make trouble.” "OK honey, but we are using that black card when we leave here. Mama needs some new lingerie," Falcon purred. "You know, for a rogue you're very high maintenance," Reniece pointed out. They were both masking their scents as they hid behind some shrubs that was situated before the gates leading up the hill to the Quail Ruins Mansion. "I wasn't born a rogue. You know my father kicked me out when I told him I am gay," Falcon explaine
"No offence King Kanyon, but why are we here in your office wearing our pyjamas at 6 in the morning?" Cameron sought. “I'm taking a break from training Theo today, so I was thinking about catching some extra sleep, not walking around here tempting these she-Lycans in my man-string. Look how sexy I look in this thing.” Cameron turned his butt around so King Kanyon and the others could take a look at his bare ass. Alpha Daniel quickly spun his head away and shut his eyes, biting on his lips to keep himself from laughing. Lucy sighed and shook her head in disbelief. King Kanyon was just used to his second’s antics, so he just proceeded to begin his meeting. “I brought you here, along with Alpha Daniel and Lucy, to share that there's a hiccup in our plan,” Kanyon started off. “What hiccup are you talking about?” Lucy asked with her eyes straining on the king for answers. She thought that they had dotted every ‘I’s’ and crossed every ‘T’s’ at the last meeting. “I see none o
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" Kanyon boomed as he marched up to the gates. He was dumbfounded to see a person wearing jeans booty shorts, a purple crop top, and some silver stilettos clutched onto one of his guard's back and using a sparkly clutch-purse to hit him over the head repeatedly. The guard's expression showed he was totally unfazed; he just seemed tired and bored, clearly not wanting to harm the young man. "You little rascal!" the guard grunted as the man chomped on his ear, almost ripping off the lobe. The frustrated guard grabbed the slender man from his back and chucked him aside. Kanyon was quick to intervene, grabbing the young man by the arm and pulling him back before he could leap at the guard again. The man snarled, but once his eyes connected with Kanyon's his snarls turned into purrs. "Hello, Zaddy," the young man pouted, licking his lips then puckering them Kanyon's way. The king rolled his eyes. "Cameron, I'll see to this one. You just please get a h
"Alright! Alright! You're pulling my balls," Reniece held her knees and laughed. "Princess Kaylani Valencia Coldblood," she tsked. "If this is a trick to get me to stay, then it's not working," she laughed until snot was running from her nose. "Me? A Princess? Yeah right." "She does have your father's nose," Cameron expressed. "Yeah and my mother's eyes. That's why she looked so familiar when I first saw her. She looks exactly like my mother, but in a rugged way," Kanyon admitted. "Ren. We're being serious," Cam stated. "I don't believe this. I just can't. Me being a princess, plus the sister to the king of all lycan kings, seems so far-fetched to me," she scoffed. Kanyon released a heavy sigh. "I understand you're in denial. But tell me, what do you know about your birth parents?" Reniece's laughs immediately died down. "Nothing. The lady who found me died when I was still a toddler, so she didn't get to tell me anything. All I know is that she found me in a basket dr
Jessica stirred awake to Ariel's snores. She glanced over to where the tall woman was lying and used the blankets to cover her up some more. It was a cold morning, and Jessica still couldn't get her mind around everything that went down yesterday. Her face flushed when she remembered she had told Kanyon she was in love with him. What was she thinking? After everything that took place with Cory, his mother and her last pack, she couldn't believe her heart was still working and capable of feeling love again. Kanyon told her he'd come over once he finished his talk with Lucy, but that never happened. Or maybe he meant he would do so today. She thought about going to find him, but the hurt she felt about him keeping so many secrets from her stopped her from doing so. She headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth and freshen herself up. She put on some comfy leggings and an oversized shirt. She was tying the laces on her all-stars when a knock sounded on her door. Excitement filled he
JESSICA'S POV I was nervous. All eyes were on me as I sashayed down the steps. My palms glided over the smooth and polished surface of the rails. My lips quivered as I quietly muttered a prayer, begging the Moon Goddess to keep me from falling and making a fool of myself. The frosty, clear crystals and snowflakes dangled above my head like Christmas decorations. Lucy plus two male lycans dressed in black and white outfits were awaiting me by the edge of the stairs. They had trays of champagne with ice in their hands. "You look beautiful, Jessica," Lucy hastened to take my hand. I bowed in response. My eyes immediately flipped through the area, searching for one person in particular. Kanyon. "He's waiting for you in the Love Den," she said knowingly. She fixed a crystal tiara on my head that coordinated with my dress. "Courtesy of the King." It was a beautiful piece. "I feel like a princess," I giggled as my hands sailed up to help Lucy set the tiara on my head. "And you look
The atmosphere around the two lovebirds fell eerily silent. If a pin were to drop, the sound would have echoed around the entire room. Jessica held her breath, waiting for Kanyon to say something or even do something. The big guy seemed to have forgotten how to breathe. 'Breathe, you idiot. I'm suffocating in here.' Sinbad was nipping at the surface, trying to get his human to inhale. Jess knitted her brows, finally realizing something was wrong. The king wasn't even blinking. "Kanyon?" She called his name. She shifted on his lap and used one hand to cup his face. "Kanyon, look at me," she pecked his lips, and no sooner did their mouths touch than the king gasped for air like a swimmer coming up from under the water after a long dive. "I hope I didn't freak you out. I understand if you're not ready to be with me in that way." Kanyon exhaled loudly. "Believe me, I want you more than anything else in this world. I was just surprised that you suggested it. You deserved to be pr
Ariel and Jessica were laughing as Ariel adjusted the veil on Jessica's bun. "Hold still, girl. You don't want me to poke you with the pin." "I'm sorry, Ariel. I'm just too excited. I can't keep still,” Jessica squealed. “I’m so happy.” "I understand. I'm just so pleased I get to stand by your side. I just wish the entire kingdom could witness this blessing,” Ariel exhaled. She thought her cousin deserved to be getting married in the Royal Temple, but she understood why it had to go down this way. "I know, but remember, no one else, other than who already knows, should find out. I'm just happy Kanyon told you guys. I don't think I could do this without all of you,” Jessica smiled. "And it has been my honour serving you. You will be a great queen." They hugged. "Now let me go get Daniel before I start to cry." Ariel hurriedly left the room with happy tears running down her cheeks. The nervousness was slowly leaving Jessica’s body. Now she was grinning like a lovesick fool,
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