Valoreth walked into a room, seeing the mother and her newborn child cradled in her arms. The maids tending to her paused their work and bowed.He approached, his steps slow and deliberate.“G—good evening, your Grace,” Yvonne greeted in a shaky voice.The man stayed silent, staring at the child sucking her mother's breast.“I heard you bore the king's heir,” Valoreth said, still not shifting his gaze away from the child.“Yes, my Lord,” she replied.Yvonne swallowed her excess saliva. Her fingers trembled slightly, but she recalled Gatha’s warning. If they found out she lied, they would kill both her and her baby. But how long could she pretend like this?“The announcement will be made. This king has an heir. That way, Toran’s stance at the throne will be certain. And once the child turns five, he shall be the king of the realm.”Yvonne's face lit up, the knot in her stomach loosening, replaced by delight. Her child would become king.Risky, Scary but intriguing. If this will happen.
A scream echoed off the four walls. Yvonne’s face tightened, her hands trembling as she gripped the sheets. Sweat soaked her body, and her legs were parted as the maids tended to her.Gatha looked up. “Push harder, my lady. You're almost there.”Yvonne screamed, pain tearing through her guts, and in the next moment, the cries of a baby echoed.Gatha held the child in her arms and gave Yvonne a look.“Please don't hurt my child,” she breathed, her chest heaving.“Why? The king impregnated you to bare a male child and you've failed that task.”“No,” Yvonne shook her head. “I don’t care about the king anymore. I just want my child, Gatha. You promised! You promised to help me!” she yelled, ignoring the sting that slammed through her bones.“Sure,” the old maid said flatly. “Prepare a bath,” she told the other maids, who bowed and left.When it was only the two of them, Gatha approached with the child.“So what are you going to do now, sweetheart? Are you going to stay until the king find
He had woken up an hour ago.He stared at his mate for what felt like forever. Shocked, bewildered, confused whether he was dead.Everything felt out of order. So he went out, but it only worsened his confusion. Mountains and buildings he didn't recognize surrounded him.He wandered until he found no point in it. But just as he made to return, several females gathered around him. Silver hair, silver eyes. The kind he had thought were extinct.Then he scented her. Heard his name."Lylah."She crashed into him. Her frame trembled against his. Her scent, voice, and touch. Everything overwhelmed him.Only then did the memories flood in. The betrayal, the poison, the devious plans of the enemies.But as he opened his mouth to speak, pain struck his chest. His head spun, and he winced.Lylah broke the hug and wiped her tears. "Let me get you back."Her room was comfy, bright, and furnished with only the essentials. Lucas watched her prepare some kind of herb that smelled like chamomile.So
Palace.Meetings here and there. So many things happening at the same damn time. Valoreth couldn't rest. The more he tried to suppress the secret that had been exposed, the more the fire grew.The reason? He didn’t know. It was as if someone out there was fueling the flame.The realm was turning against the seat, and that was the one damn thing he had been trying to avoid. The question was—who?Was it the leader of the protest, whom he had already sent his soldiers to eliminate?One of the other Lords of the Emissaries?One of the palace elites?Or some invisible enemy he couldn’t pinpoint… and none of this would’ve happened if it weren’t for Toran fucking Venis spilling the beans.“The king?” Valoreth asked Head Maid Gatha.“Still imprisoned, my Lord. You haven’t said what to do with him,” she replied, keeping her head low.“Why are you here anyway?” he shot her a look.“Mistress Yvonne has gone into labor. I thought to inform you, my Lord.”Lord Valoreth scoffed. “That information i
Ever since Toran spilled the beans, the realm had been even more chaotic than before. At first, it was just a rumor that Duncan had been killed by those in power with poison, but many didn’t really believe it. After all, Arianna was his mate—the devil they had blamed. Her blood wasn’t trusted.But Toran’s words proved them wrong. They really did kill the king.The protest began to gain more people as the true colors of those in power started to spill out.Palace soldiers marched toward the house of Greystone in the Ravenhood Pack, where the elders were gathered.They burst in with swords and met Elder Varyn and a few others in the middle of discussing how to bring those in power down.“Found you,” the leader of the soldiers smirked.Elder Varyn’s jaw clenched. One of their own must have been bribed and exposed them. He had expected this, but having others die with him wasn’t what he wanted.“Kill them.”“Wait,” Elder Varyn stepped forward. “I'm the one who started all this. Take only
{Moon realm… A few days later}Tarven…“More ale, you little bitch!” a gruff, drunk male roared, kicking the girl lying helplessly before him. Her arms flew up in defense.“Get up, cûnt!” Kick. “Why—” kick “—are you wasting my—” kick “—time!”She whimpered, blood trickling from her nose, ears, and lips.“Come on, Brat. How do you expect her to tend to you while you kick her like that?” another man said, forcing a female against his table as he played with her bréast.“Look who’s talking,” the gruff male spat, then shot a look at the girl. “Do you want some more?”The young girl scrambled to her feet without being told twice. She ignored the pain tearing through her body and went to get more ales.When she returned, the gruff male scanned her from head to toe.“How old are you?”She hesitated, keeping her gaze low.“Fourteen, sire.”“Fourteen,” he echoed, voice softer but laced with taunt. “What’s your name?”Another pause. “Mea, sire.”“Mea…” he licked his lips, scanning her again. “C