Princess Allison’s POV ~~What in the royal pack is happening?The head of the woman who just openly restored my honor fell to the ground, but that one question still echoed in my mind.“What the hell is happening?” I gasped internally, tears rolling down my chin as I played the part that Benita had given me.It was sudden, of course, but I didn’t fail to play my part perfectly. I could feel hands on my shoulders, comforting me, and even though the urge to shake off the flirty hands on me was intense, I controlled myself, crying like a helpless pregnant woman.Benita was dead. Alpha King Xalen was angry. Haylee was stunned, speechless, and frozen in her spot. The pack was in disarray, while I was confused as hell.I mean, why would Benita do that? She told me she didn’t want Haylee to be queen, but why would she sacrifice her life to make sure of that? Why didn’t she mention my name like I knew Haylee and the King expected, even though I hadn’t been the nicest person to her?“Whate
Princess Allison’s POV ~~“Your father and I once planned to make Elder Calvin look like the villain. Make the king believe Elder Calvin was working with Laura to get her pregnant by Prince Roy’s seeds,” he began.I didn’t know the full plan, but I knew that it involved the letters Alpha King Xalen found in the bedroom he once shared with his late queen. The man standing before me confirmed that when he continued speaking with so much confidence.“Do you recall the letters? They were exchanged between Laura and me. She wasn’t easy to manipulate because of the bond she had with Roy and that kind heart of hers, but what choice did she have? She knew I could easily kill everyone she loved, so she had to do as I said, but even that wasn’t enough, so I took her out.”The manner in which he announced that casually scared me to my bones, or maybe it was the indifferent spark in his eyes.“You see how carefully crafted those plans are? Well, until Elder Calvin’s body was found, I almost lo
HAYLEE~~It’s been a week since my mate angrily defended me and shut Benita up permanently. It’s been a week since Benita died, but it still feels like yesterday, not just because I still see her face each time I close my eyes, but because her death has brought about a huge protest.The tension in the Pack has grown larger and more intense over this week, but so has the protest against what the Pack members call the dark witch and her tyrant mate. In other words, they have been protesting to have me exiled and against Xalen’s actions—or lack of action—towards Allison’s supposed predicament.Aside from the protest, the servants have also been avoiding me. If they weren’t staying clear of me, the dark witch, they would be rude to me openly. In fact, they chose the perfect time to do that. Usually, when I am alone, they are in groups.My family—Xalen, Roy, Flavia, the kids, and Gladys—has been my source of strength during this chaotic time, but whenever they couldn’t be with me, I wou
HAYLEE~~“What has gotten into you?” Jose snapped at me, his voice low but still loud enough for the few servants who had gathered in the living room to hear him. “Will you ever stop? She is a helpless woman and—”“Jose!” I cried out, wondering if the kind soul that used to be my best friend was still in there. I was breaking underneath all the weight and attacks, and even though Xalen was with me, it would be nice to have the man I used to know by my side.It would be nice to have my Leo.The one I used to have before all this craziness. Before he became Kaylee’s mate and got into trouble because of me. The one I used to trust. The one I would be able to trust in this kind of situation.“When do you plan to stop all of this? You are breaking the realm apart, and you aren't even Queen yet!” Jose snapped at me, ignoring my cry for help. Rather than be the friend I needed, he joined the army of people who wouldn’t hesitate to stone me to death.What was I expecting? Stupid, stupid Ha
ALPHA KING XALEN~~ Nothing kills a man faster than having to watch the woman he loves suffer, and I was no different from any other man.In fact, because I was the Alpha King, seeing Haylee, my mate and the woman I loved, suffering because of the lapse in my judgment and my failure to protect her name was killing me faster yet so slowly.It was torture.Of course, I didn’t regret killing Benita, even though her death had led to protests and more suffering for Haylee. However, I have come to realize that I could have kept her alive until she told the truth and cleared my mate’s name.Killing Benita after she soiled Haylee’s name and person was a wrong move, and we were all paying for that mistake. Haylee is paying more than the rest of us.“Does she have to attend the meeting with us? She could just stay at home where she would be safe,” Theo complained as we both watched Haylee prepare for the meeting through my worried eyes.“Be safe?” I exhaled. “We both know she is safer when s
HAYLEE~~Two days after the meeting with the elders, I still didn’t understand why Xalen wanted me at the meeting, and I also didn't understand why he would threaten the lives of the elders' loved ones right after he said he was about to make them a better offer.Goddess, the political game was complicated, and I might never understand it.That was why I didn’t go with him to the private meeting he was having with the elders who had reached out to him after the public meeting. He tried to get me out of our bedroom earlier today, but I refused, telling him that I had more research to do.Xalen left me in the bedroom, but his presence remained in the back of my mind. I smiled to myself as memories of the previous day flashed through my mind. Despite the toxic tension in the pack, Xalen and I spent the previous day in bed, strengthening our bond and just being there for each other—“You mean fucking each other like horndogs?” Liya let out a woofy snort, causing my lips to stretch even
HAYLEE~~“They claim to be your family.”Those words continued to echo in my mind even though my body had frozen. My chest felt heavier, and time seemed to stop existing, even though I could hear the clocks in my head ticking rapidly.I shouldn’t be surprised, yeah?I mean, Aradia already told me that I would get guests from my past, and what other past do I have apart from the one I shared with Kaylee, our dad, Alpha Jett, and members of my supposed birth pack?“What do you want me to do?” Flavia’s voice pierced through my flooded mind.Blinking rapidly, I looked at her, realizing her eyes were filled with worry for the first time since she stepped into the bedroom. I cleared my throat as I whispered, “How many of them?”“Two,” Flavia answered.It was no secret that I had been given into slavery by my own family. The entire pack witnessed that during the funeral that brought Xalen and me together. Flavia had to know that, too.I sat on the bed for a few minutes, weighing my option
ALPHA KING XALEN~~If I could hear the commotion from my office, then it was a big one.I swiftly dismissed the ten elders who had reached out privately, their loyalty hanging in the air like fragile glass. I motioned for Wyatt to take them out through the secret tunnels—quietly and unseen. Roy and I exchanged a quick glance, then moved to leave my office.At first, I thought Allison was causing trouble again—her name already forming in my mind. Or maybe one of my furious pack members. My fists clenched, and my eyes burned with rage. I was ready—the urge to rip whoever disrespected Haylee apart simmering just beneath my skin.Upon stepping into the living room, I noticed the unfamiliar scents. Those scents stood out to me because they didn’t carry the musk of the royal pack, yet they were still recognizable somehow. By the time I made it to where Haylee was standing with a rageful Flavia, I realized that the strange scents belonged to two members of Alpha Jett’s pack.In fact, the
Princess Allison’s POV ~~If I saw the nightmare having breakfast with the family, I desired to be a part of it, even though every member of that family hated me; I ignored her.Haylee had proven to be my nightmare. The wall I stumbled upon each time I found a way to get myself out of the mess my life had become. Sadly, Haylee had remained a constant, and I didn’t see how I would get rid of her.Not anymore.I have tried killing her. I tried framing her. I tried making everyone hate her. Heck! What more was I supposed to do?“Why is she so indestructible? Who the hell is she?” Nala growled within me as I stormed out of the palace, eyes searching the compound and nose inhaling the air to find the bastard that renewed my hope.He should have left me to rot in defeat or at least let me figure this out on my own instead of using his silly tricks. Silly, futile tricks!“This is getting out of hand, Nala.” I whimpered to my wolf, walking aimlessly around the pack after I exited the palac
Princess Allison’s POV ~~I wasn’t there, but I heard the celebration. It was earthshaking, so who in the pack wouldn’t hear or feel it? Even though I didn’t join the celebration, the rumors of what led to such happiness reached me within the next hour. Since Benita was dead, I have been assigned another servant, even though I wasn’t welcomed in the palace. No one made me feel welcome, but I didn’t care because I trusted fake Jose’s plan to work just fine. I mean, it has been working for the past week. I thought nothing could change the outcome until my new servant came to my bedroom with breakfast. “What’s the noise about, Orla?” I asked the sweet girl who had replaced Benita. Although she was no Benita, she had been serving me with respect since she became my servant.“There’s no noise, Princess Allison,” Orla answered, staring straight into my eyes for the first time since she started serving me. My brows furrowed as I took the tray of food from her. I clarified my question,
HAYLEE~~Saying I was relieved would be an understatement of the century; I was overwhelmed with elation, a surge of joy that went beyond mere relief. The sound of joy and the promise of a better future were enough reasons for me to be happy.And I was.But at the same time, I was worried. Or maybe it was fear because I wasn’t sure I could live up to the pack’s expectations. The same expectations that I had infused into their minds when I said these words to them:“I promise to be a queen who leaves marks—marks that will remain unerasable throughout history.”Even after the small celebration that happened after my coronation was scheduled, I still couldn’t figure out how those words made their way out of my mouth. It was as if a part of me I never knew existed voiced those words… a part of me that was awakened when the pack openly accepted me.“You’ve always wanted to be accepted,” Liya chimed into my mind as I walked back to the bedroom with Xalen, who was grinning from ear to ear
ALPHA KING XALEN~~Mornings and nights have become my favorites. I wake up to Haylee in the morning and share breakfast with the family before facing the rest of the world. And at night, I get to leave the chaos behind, return to my loved ones, and fall asleep with Haylee in my arms.But today, this cherished morning had to end earlier than usual. In that moment, I worried it would be yet another tough day for my mate and me.“It’s Roy. You might want to see this,” my cousin’s voice boomed through the room before I could even open the door.Sophia and Asher had been hanging on me as I stood there, but as soon as they saw Roy, they jumped on him instead, giving me a moment to compose myself after the strenuous dancing and singing.“You call that singing? Haylee calls it a sound. A bad sound,” Theo mocked me through the link.Roy’s cry for help snapped me out of it. “Can you get one of them off me? I’m not a father yet, and this is pure torture.”“More like practice, brother,” I quip
HAYLEE~~I cried my heart out to sleep last night. I was sad after the meeting with Kaylee, and even though Flavai tried to console me, I couldn’t shake off the mood. I thought sleeping early would help me relax, and I yearned to reach out to Aradia so we could talk.Before I went to bed, Jodie was cranky, and she wouldn’t stop crying until I carried her. I didn’t know when I fell asleep with her in my arms, but it was a good sleep. It was as if she was crying to reach me so she could comfort me, even though other people had failed to do so.Jodie just happened to be my little comforter.That was the first thought that came to mind as I slipped out of the sleep realm that morning. Although I didn’t get to connect with Aradia, I woke up feeling less sad, and I didn’t understand why until my eyes fluttered open and instantly connected with Xalen’s happy eyes.“Good morning, sleeping beauty.” Xalen’s voice and love rushed into my mind as he spoke through our mate bond.His eyes twinkl
ALPHA KING XALEN~~In that moment, my pack members got their priorities right. I could feel it in my bones, yet I added, “Protesting to have Haylee punished for being a good person caught in the middle of bad ones or evil would mean you are ready to have Alpha Richard as your Alpha and King.”To clarify, I added, “Yes, I will stop being your Alpha and give the pack to him. He and his family will lead you, and just like now, when they commit a crime or treat you unjustly, you won’t be able to prove it. Even if you can, the court will be against you, and your fellow pack members will wage war against you until you die in silence or get killed despite your innocence.”For a few minutes, I didn’t utter another word. I needed everything I had said to sink into the hundreds of minds listening to me.After a while, I continued, “I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about leaving after I found out that Laura was used against me. I wanted to give up because I was tired of losing ever
ALPHA KING XALEN~~After many hours of secret meetings with the ten elders who had come forward to take an oath of loyalty, I thought to check on my mate before moving on to speak to every member of the pack.She has been on my mind all day, and I worry about her.However, I knew I had to get this done before going to Haylee so I could give her my full attention. With that thought in mind, I shoved my desire to see her to the depth of my stomach, looking around my empty office as I opened my mind to every member of the Royal Pack, creating a general link so everyone could hear me.Everyone but the little kids under the age of thirteen.My pack members' curiosity could be felt through the link I created, but since I was their Alpha, that feeling wasn’t overwhelming. I could control it.I breathed into their minds, “Good evening, members of the Royal Pack. As you can tell, it’s your Alpha and King, and this is a general message for all of you.”I managed to calm my nerves, sealing my
HAYLEE~~“He would never have loved me if I didn't force him to. Hell, he is tolerating me because of what I know. Even now, he doesn't love me.” Kaylee smiled sadly.Her eyes were on me, and her sadness burned through the protective layer of my skin.I wished I could tell her that wasn't the truth, but at this moment, I knew nothing.“He would have loved you more than he loved me because he loved your mom more than he loved mine,” Kaylee stated, her voice blunt with no emotion. “Maybe if I didn't make him hit you, he would have felt love for you instead of the guilt I know he carries in his heart.”It was hard to believe Kaylee was the reason I got beaten. I mean, yes, I have always known she lied to our dad just to watch me suffer, but it was hard to believe she asked him to, and he did.Leverage or not, it doesn't feel right.Kaylee continued on that path, though, saying, “I couldn't let that happen, so I ruined his chances with you, threatening him every day so he couldn't hurt
HAYLEE~~Would I have turned evil and mean if I’d found out that my dad cheated on my mom when I was five years old?I asked myself that before I heard the rest of Kaylee’s story, and my answer was no.But if I had waited until she finished, I believe my answer would have been different.“Like all lying assholes, Dad didn't tell my mom that he cheated on her. And even though she felt the pain when he did the deed with your mom, he denied it and blamed her pregnancy for everything, saying it was just an early sign,” Kaylee breathed, adjusting her position on the floor where she’d sat since she entered the room.I let her continue without interrupting. I noticed tears trickling down her face, her inner child weeping as her heart was broken all over again. I could only imagine the pain Kaylee felt when our drunken father confessed all this to her.And for her to remember it so vividly—that must have hurt so much that she buried it deep in her mind.“My mom believed his lies, but the t