Malakai stumbled in with his Beta Archer and a few other members of his patrol. Amani noticed immediately how unkempt he looked. His dress shirt was only halfway buttoned and half tucked in under his open suit jacket. His unruly hair looked as if he had merely run his fingers through it a few times and called it a day."Father, what a magnificent celebration you have here!" Malakai exclaimed, grabbing two champagne glasses off a servant's tray and swiftly downing them both. He carelessly dropped the empty glasses, causing everyone to startle at the sound of them shattering.Without missing a beat, Malakai grabbed another glass of champagne and raised it in the air. "Allow me to be the first to toast in your honor." He began to stumble towards the King, almost losing his footing, but Archer quickly came to his aid. Malakai brushed him off with a dismissive wave. "I'm good, I'm good," he reassured, trying to maintain his composure."Malakai, why don't you come and have a seat?" The King
Amani couldn't bring herself to finish her meal after the scene the Royal Family put on. She wasn't quite ready to retire for the night as it was still early, so she went for a walk in the garden to get some fresh air. She had a strong urge to check on the Prince, but after their little dispute that morning, she wasn't sure how to approach him, especially in his current drunken state.The distant music and laughter from the party echoed softly as she sat on a bench near the pond, watching the koi fish and slipping into a daze. She missed her mother and father deeply and would give anything to be held in their arms again. The pain of never having the chance to see her father one last time before his passing tore at her heart. He had been tirelessly overseeing the preparations for her party, ensuring every detail was perfect.The last time she saw him was the night before. Unable to sleep, she had gone to see him in his study, where he would tell her stories about the Alphas of Bloodmoo
When Amani returned to her chambers, she had Penelope run her a bath. She stayed in there for what felt like hours, until the water turned cold. She needed to wash away the stench of that despicable Beta. The mere thought of his hands on her made her feel dirty. She felt even dirtier knowing that she wore his marks on her skin. The idea of scrubbing them away until there was no more flesh left crossed her mind.Finally, she climbed into bed and surrendered to the exhaustion from the day's events. In the depths of her sleep, she abruptly woke up, feeling a strong and heavy body pressing down on her. His hand firmly gripped her bare breast while he suckled on the other. The urge to scream welled up within her, but before she could, he tugged on her nipple with his teeth, sending an electrifying sensation coursing through her entire body.A soft moan escaped her lips as she instantly recognized the presence on top of her. Despite the darkness that enveloped her chambers, she knew without
Amani and Maggie stood over Malakai's unconscious body, which lay on the floor, covered in the sheet Amani had hastily wrapped around him."You hit him with a lantern!?" Maggie exclaimed, her voice filled with shock and disbelief."He was going to take advantage of me!" Amani defended."You can't take advantage of your mate. It's your duty!" Maggie insisted."My duty?!" Amani grumbled, her voice dripping with annoyance. "I'm sorry, Maggie, but I'd like to think my place in this world is more than letting him pump into me whenever he's drunk and horny! Besides, I don't have a wolf, and he was not in his right frame of mind. He would have gone all animalistic on my body! He could have seriously hurt me."Maggie let out a long sigh, her resistance fading. "Well, I suppose you're right."Amani leaned down and gently placed her hand on Malakai's chest, anxiously checking to ensure he was still breathing. "Is he going to be alright?" she asked, her voice laced with concern."It's going to t
It was high noon when Malakai finally woke up in his chambers the next day. The ray of sunshine that gleamed through his window felt like shards of glass piercing his brain. He had indulged in more than his fair share of alcohol the previous evening and was now heavily paying the price for it.Aside from a very sweet yet familiar taste lingering on his lips, his body ached as if he had fought off a pack of wolves all at once, and his head felt like it would explode at any given moment. He desperately needed to shift so that he could rid himself of this hangover once and for all.As he made his way down the grand palace stairs of the East Wing, he caught sight of Archer waiting at the bottom, a mischievous smile playing on his face."What the hell are you smiling about?" Malakai demanded to know.Archer let out a hearty laugh. "You look like shit.""You know, if you weren't my best friend, I'd have to kill you for that comment." The Prince playfully grabbed Archer in a chokehold, and a
Amani was heading back to her chambers when she heard the Prince and his Beta turning down the same hall, their laughter roaring through the corridor. They were both shirtless, and their hair was drenched in sweat, indicating that they had just returned from a run. As they stopped in front of her, Malakai's smile quickly dissolved into a more serious expression."Hello, Amani," Malakai said softly."Good afternoon, Your Highness," Amani curtsied gracefully."You look absolutely beautiful today," the Prince complimented, as his gaze swept over her.Amani's cheeks flushed with a tinge of pink as she replied, "Thank you."Archer looked back and forth between the two with a silly grin on his face. Amani gave him a meaningful look, hoping that the young Beta would get the hint."Well, I think I'll go wash up now," Archer’s voice sliced through the awkward silence. He cast a playful glance at Malakai before he sauntered away."Sorry about him," the Prince said, flashing a lighthearted smile
Steph stormed around the palace, her anger consuming her. She had witnessed the entire exchange between the Prince and Amani, and it had pushed her to the brink of madness. The Prince never once looked at her the way he looked at Amani, nor did he ever ask her out on any romantic boat rides.All the Prince ever did was take Steph's body in the secrecy of his chambers, followed by his cold dismissal. She had poured her heart and soul into winning the Prince's love, but she began to believe that he was incapable of feeling anything at all. That is, until Amani came into the picture.The mere mention of Amani's name ignited an intense hatred within Steph. She knew that the Prince was bound to Amani by the mate bond, but how could he possibly desire her? She knew that the Prince was bound to Amani by the mate bond, but how could he possibly desire her? Perhaps, if Amani didn't bear those scars, she could be considered beautiful. Steph clenched her fists, seething at the fact that even tha
After their boat ride, Malakai gallantly escorted Amani back to her chambers. He tenderly kissed her hand and bid her a sweet goodnight. "I had a wonderful time with you tonight, Amani," he expressed.Amani blushed, her voice filled with a mix of formality and affection. "And I, too, Your Highness... I mean... Malakai. Would you care to join me inside?"Malakai raised an intrigued eyebrow, surprised by Amani's bold suggestion at such a late hour.Amani chuckled softly, shaking her head. "No, I mean... there's something I'd like to show you, something I made for you."Curiosity danced in Malakai's eyes as he furrowed his brow and smiled. "You've made something for me?"Amani beamed, nodding eagerly. She led Malakai into her chambers, the air thick with anticipation. Gracefully, she removed her cloak and guided him towards her easel. With a flourish, She removed the sheet from the easel, casting a hopeful glance in Malakai's direction.Amani's heart pounded against her ribcage, threaten