Darina and Kai wanted to spend the whole day wrapped in each other’s embrace, but duty was calling both of them.
Darina winked at Kai as she left the room. “Let’s save some fun for later.” She had promised to help Camilla in the clinic, but she still had an hour before she needed to go. Darina went to her study and sat at her table, lost in thought. She was alone, as Amber and Cassandra had gone to the orphanage to double-check that all required supplies had been delivered and to see if anything else was needed. Drumming her fingers on the table, Darina searched for any clue that could help her uncover Julie’s true intentions. She knew Julie was rotten to the core, but she needed solid proof before accusing her of anything. The whole story about being kidnapped by rogues and her sudden escape sounded far from believable. She absentmindedly twirled a lock of hair around her finger, trying to brainstorm. If Julie’sFury was raising inside Darina. She felt burning, sofficating. Sparks of fire were dancing on the tips of her fingers. Her chest tightened like it would burst any moment, breath shallow, heat pressing against her ribs until it was unbearable. "Drink it," she passed the glass of juice to Omega. Omega's face twisted, "Thank you, Luna. I am not thirsty, "she mumbled, voice breaking and hands trembling. Her eyes darted to the floor, sweat dripping down her temple. "I SAID DRINK IT," shouted Darina, and a few windows glasses exploded, faling on the ground shattered in thousand pieces. The sharp sound cut through the hall like thunder. Omega felt on her knees, crying. "What is going?" Boomed Kai, protectively stepping in front of Darina. His voice carried authority, but even he glanced at her hands with unease. Omega mumbled, "we are scared of her. I saw her practising some magic. It would...be... be
"Can you please come to the banquet hall for a second with Alpha?" came Amber’s mindlink just as Kai and Darina were leaving the hospital. "We just need to show you both some ideas for the crowning ceremony, really quick. It will take two minutes." Darina sighed. She was not in the mood to dive into ceremony preparations, but she didn’t want to upset Amber, who had been pouring her heart and soul into arranging the event. "Amber needs us for a few minutes in the banquet hall," she told Kai. He nodded, though not too eagerly. The moment Darina and Kai stepped into the banquet hall, their eyes widened in shock. "Surprise!" shouted many voices of pack members. The entire space had been transformed into a baloonland of pink and blue—an explosion of soft pastels and vibrant shades, clustered in arches and cascades around the room. At the centre stood a white round table, its base wrapped in balloons, carrying a ta
Darina was drafting a new policy, thoughts scattered, but she badly tried to focus. “What are theme colours for the ceremony?” asked Cassy. “Do you like this moodboard?” questioned Amber, coming to show her board with some decoration ideas. “Designers and event planners will come soon, but I tried to prepare something beforehand.” Darina sighed. “Theme colours, I guess, will be the pack colours—silver and blue. Amber, I love the moodboard. But girls, I need to focus on what I’m writing. You are more than capable of planning the event by yourselves.” Cassandra’s jaw flew open. “But it is your crown ceremony. You didn’t have a grand mating ceremony, so we wanted to make this one seamlessly perfect for you.” “I trust you. You’ll do it perfect,” Darina smiled, cocking her head before fully focusing on the document again. A soft knock, and Kai entered Darina’s study. Darina lifted her eyes from the document, while Ambe
Kai stirred awake in the middle of the night, his arm reaching for Darina only, but she was not on the bed. A faint rustle came from across the room. He pushed up on one elbow, blinking against the shadows. “Darina?” His voice was rough from sleep. She froze, caught. When he sat up, he saw her perched on a sofa in pyjamas, cheeks flushed, something clutched in her hands. “What are you doing?” She chewed quickly, then swallowed. “Eating underwear.” Kai blinked. “You’re… what?” Her lips curved into a guilty grin. “Not real underwear. Edible ones. From Jackie’s shop.” For a moment, he just stared at her, dumbfounded. “You snuck out here to… eat lingerie?” “They taste like strawberry,” she said with a shrug, trying not to laugh. “I wanted something sweet, and it was closer than the
The next morning, Darina had to say goodbye to her family and friends. Her chest felt heavy, a mix of excitement and ache, as she gently kissed little Dariel and hugged Jenna and her brother. “A few months, and you’ll come to see your baby sister,” her mom said, caressing her large baby bump before pulling Darina into a tight embrace. The warmth of her mother’s arms almost undid her. “I hope the little one will be as fierce, strong, and kind as her older sister,” her dad said, kissing her cheeks. Larissa, Jackie, and Bianca enveloped her in a group hug. “We will miss you,” Larissa said, brushing away a tear with her thumb. Probably, the pregnancy hormones were talking, but it tugged at Darina’s heart. Troy and Caleb hugged her next, and Kai barely held back a jealous growl while Colin only shook her hand. “You’re acting like you’re sending me off forever. You’ll come soon for my coronation
After Jackie left, Darina lay in the bed with a full stomach and an unsettled mind and fell asleep. "Wake up, my queen," Kai called her, "your family waiting for you to have dinner. They are eager to spend time with you." Darina's eyes flew open. "Dinner? It is still morning." "Hmm, now it is 5pm, and dinner is at 6 pm," he replied, kissing the top of her head and gently stroking her hair. "Goddess, I slept all day," exclaimed Darina and bolted to her closet. "Get ready, and I will work a little bit while waiting." He replied, making himself comfortable with a laptop on the sofa. Darina got ready in less than thirty minutes, slipping into the flowing green leaf-patterned dress that hugged and flared in all the right places. The deep V neck didn’t reveal much, yet it was tempting enough to draw the eye. Her long black curls were left loose, wild yet beautiful, framing her turquoise eyes that see