MasukDRACO.In the blink of an eye, my whole world was turned upside down. If I only knew Iris’ life would be taken so early, I wouldn’t have taken her to the Kingdom of Absalom. I wouldn’t have desired to get healed from my infertility. I desired so much. Now, I was left with nothing. The only person who loved me for me was gone. And I had no idea how I would survive after this. Iris’ body was floating in the same spot where the Orebrus had been before, with the beautiful pond below her. This time, the water was sparkling, and the whole area looked ethereal—deserving to hold the body of my mate.Iris looked beautiful and immaculate in a white, flowing dress. A white dress I had imagined she would be wearing on our wedding day, not for her death. She looked the same as when she was alive. But I knew it was not the same female I fell in love with. Her smile was missing, and her warmth was gone. And it was all my fault. If I had been content with the life I already had with her, if
PRINCESS ADESSA.“I helped you, but I didn’t ask you to kill the man I glowed for!” Meridian was screaming like a lunatic and it was too late for everyone to react. She was behind Iris, her arm turned into intertwined branches and stabbed Iris in the back, targeting her heart. Draco’s claws erupted out as an agonizing growl ripped past his throat. He grabbed Meridian’s head, ripping it from her neck while Brute clawed her heart out. She was left heartless and headless but was still attached to Iris by her branches and they both fell to the ground. Blood was pouring from Iris’ mouth, her eyes and mouth wide open as she stared at Draco, tears trickling down her face.Blood seeped into the front of her clothes, and although I couldn’t see the branches, it was already an indication that Meridian’s branches ripped her chest open as well.Screams were everywhere but Draco’s growls drowned them as he dropped to his knees before Iris. “No! No!” Draco bellowed, his hands kept moving, not k
DRACO.I listened to everything discussed and planned, observing everyone as they shared their inputs. I didn’t suggest anything as they seemed to have a solid plan. To be honest, I just wanted to get this over and done. I just wanted to take Iris back home and start with the simple life I promised her. She had no plans of staying in the Wicked Forest, and nothing had changed even after her mother came back to life. She was willing to go there to visit her, but she wanted a life with me—as my wife and the Luna of our pack—and that was what I wanted too. Everything was already in the palms of our hands, but we needed to fix this one last thing before we could fully start our lives together. I had no idea what Vaidas’ plans were, but I could tell he had no intention of being away from Cassiopeia anymore. I would leave that part for them to decide. But first, we need to finish this task. We entered the Wicked Forest without any restraints. Like Kael, Adessa, and I, when we first ente
IRIS.Mama didn’t even have time to mourn her memory and family that were taken from her because we needed to keep moving.Eox was dead, and it was only a matter of time before chaos arrived in Wicker Forest once the faes thought no one would be stepping up to lead them. That could start a war within the forest, especially if there were dark faes who wanted to take charge. So we needed to return there as soon as possible, so they knew an Imperial Dark Fae still existed—the rightful heir to the throne. But we couldn’t just go there without reinforcement.Although Mama was powerful, she was not sure how much of what she remembered of the forest was still the same. And I was just as useless on anything about that world, except for the power I held. So I was left with no choice but to ask for help. And even if my mother was not ready to face Adelaine and Brute—one half of the Guardians that attacked them, leading to the death of her father, King Leoric—they were the only options I had.
PRINCESS CASSIOPEIA Soon to be Queen of the Wicker Forest.It felt like lightning struck me in the head and then the rest of my body but it didn’t hurt at all. Instead, I was cocooned in a comfortable embrace as the pixie dust of memories filled my mind. One by one, my memories returned from the moment I was able to see the Wicker Forest with my own eyes as a little fae—my first step, my first magic, and my first introduction to the Imperial Faes’ ways of living. Even without knowing who my mother was, laughter and love surrounded me while I was growing up. I never ran out of it. I had a good childhood.But everything shifted drastically over the last two decades. I saw greed growing in my father’s eyes. He kept telling me that his plans were for the betterment of the Wicker Forest, and I believed him.I didn’t know that the lectures I was given were no longer part of the regular school for Imperial Faes. I was being prepared for a war I had no clue was about to happen. At that
IRIS. “Iris…” She turned to look at me again. “Mama…” “Tell me… Why could I do what I did? And why were you able to show me that thing in your hand?” She asked, and this time, I noticed that she hardly stuttered. And when I looked at her again, I noticed many other things. Her hair became longer and shinier, and her skin became clearer. The color had returned to her face and lips. Her cheeks, once hollowed out, were returning to normal, and her lashes were longer. She looked like someone who was made up for an event and not someone who was almost choked to death earlier by a Dark Fae.So I knew I could no longer delay letting her know everything because her body was slowly returning to her Dark Fae Form. “Mama…” I held her hands, covering the dark ink on her skin with my hands. “There are many things I will tell you, but first, I want you to retrieve that memory you’ve lost. The memory that Franco said you had lost in an accident.”“Will it tell me who my family is?” She asked.
IRIS.“Who are the enemies?” Draco asked again.“The Guardians of the Lunar Wolves…” she replied. “They are a myth,” Draco stated as my heart thundered. He couldn’t remember the part of his life where he met the Guardians, which I just recently found out when I met Princess Adessa. Adessa’s mother
DRACO. I held Iris’ hand as we walked down the stairs to the basement of Meridian’s house. I was preparing myself for the worst, but after a few minutes of staying there and with her busy scanning a book while talking with Iris, my chest began to calm down. But I still kept my guard up. I listen
IRIS.“Meridian found me and took me into her house. I didn’t fuck her. And I have no plans of fucking her. Now, can you take us to her? Maybe she can help us.” He explained.I shook my hands and head, shaking away the jealousy eating my body, before I looked at him again. Draco already had his hand
DRACO.I tried to read Princess Diallica’s lips, but I couldn’t understand what she was saying. And before I knew it, her mouth had already crashed into mine. My forehead creased. Something in me told me that I shouldn’t be out here kissing women. I knew I didn’t want to be kissed, but her lips ta







