MasukIrene’s POV If there was a way to physically hug the goddess, I would have done it without hesitation for keeping Emily alive.I didn’t need to see the maid she meant. It had to be the same one I had tried to warn her about, the one Sharina had sent.Goddess. I wished there was a way to expose this evil woman. And she'd be crowned tomorrow as the queen.That thought made my stomach twist.Oh moon… please don’t let that happen. She's a horrible person, please.“Irene,” the lycan prince's voice cut through.“Yes, my prince,” I answered quickly.He approached me with steady steps, his gaze dropping to my leg.“I told you not to leave my tent until I returned.”My fingers tightened on my dress instinctively.“I… I didn’t. I waited… even slept off inside your tent when you didn't come back.”He didn’t respond right away.Instead, he just looked at me.That silence alone made me uncomfortable.“You did well with the records I gave you,” he finally said.I blinked.Huh?My brain actually p
Sarah’s POVWhat I thought would be kept a secret until Malric and Sharina’s bonding was finally out.Emily’s pregnancy.Even though Malric hadn’t openly said it, I knew the bonding ceremony tomorrow was already at risk. And if he acted recklessly, it could end the same way King Darius’s situation had ended.I needed to act fast.I went looking for Sharina.“We have a problem.”Her attention snapped to me immediately.“What is it?”“I’m sure you don’t know yet… but Emily is pregnant.”I was sure the words landed heavier than expected because her expression changed instantly. Shock first, then disbelief.For a moment, she said nothing.“I’m sorry I had to tell you like this,” I added quickly. “That’s why I came to you.”She looked disoriented, obviously still trying to process what I had just said.“I heard you used your royal wish to secure the bonding ceremony tomorrow,” I continued. “That was smart of you.”I paused, choosing my next words more carefully now.“But that still doesn’t
Sharina’s POVAn uneasy silence settled over the camp as everyone looked between the King and me.Even the wolves who had been celebrating moments ago had gone quiet.I stared into his steel-grey eyes, my thoughts racing as I weighed my options carefully.My chances of getting out of the mess Scarlett had left me in were very slim, so I focused on the one thing I had always wanted and had gone too far to lose.The title of Luna Queen.“The mating ceremony tomorrow must take place,” I finally said.For a heartbeat, nobody reacted.A wave of murmurs spread through the crowd, and I could almost guess what they were thinking.Why would she waste such a rare opportunity on something that was already guaranteed?Fools.They wouldn't understand.Being their queen was no longer guaranteed. Not with everything happening now.So I had to secure it properly.Once I became Queen, nobody could simply cast me aside. A Luna Queen carried authority of her own. Even a king could not erase that overnig
Malric’s POV The moment I ended the mindlink, I turned to Theodore.“Follow me.”He obeyed without question.I mindlinked the guards outside Sharina's tent, ordering them not to allow anyone in or out until I said otherwise.When I returned to where Scarlett’s body lay, most of my suspicion toward Sharina had already begun to shift, but not enough to dismiss her completely.“She's from a traitor's bloodline,” Robert said, pointing to a mark on Scarlett's upper thigh.I stepped closer and examined it.The symbol meant nothing to me.“What do you mean?”Robert removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.“This happened before you were born, My King.”Then he told me the story.Years ago, a mated couple had plotted treason against the throne. They were discovered before their plan could succeed. Rather than execute them immediately, my father had shown mercy and exiled them instead.Unfortunately, they took his mercy for weakness.Not long after, they attempted a coup.That wa
Malric’s POV I led Emily away from that tent to stop her from seeing the maid's dead body like that.She was already shivering.I took her to my tent and comforted her until she felt better. We would talk about our child later, but right now, I needed to deal with Sharina first.“We'll be leaving for the palace soon,” I said, standing up. “So get ready. I need to attend to something.”I pressed a kiss to her forehead and stepped out.The moment the tent flap fell behind me, whatever softness Emily brought out of me disappeared.Rage returned. The kind that demanded answers.Sharina’s tent was the first place I stopped.The guards Lucien had placed outside straightened immediately when they saw me approaching.I didn’t remember to ask if she was decent before barging in. She wasn't, but I didn’t care. She seemed not to care either, apparently hoping her half-nakedness would be enough to stop my wrath.I yanked the sheet from the bed and threw it over her, my body looming over hers as
Emily’s POV The room seemed to tilt slightly around me.Only hours ago Scarlett had been talking endlessly beside me during the hunt. Asking questions I didn't want to answer.Now she was lying here like nothing remained of her but an empty shell.My throat tightened painfully."Is she the maid you mentioned?" Malric asked. His voice sounded distant.I found it difficult to answer.Tears blurred my vision.Eventually, I managed a small nod."Yes. Scarlett."The word barely came out.A muscle ticked in Malric's jaw. Then immediately, he crossed the distance between us."No," he said quietly. His hand settled against my shoulder. "She's not worth your tears."The firmness in his voice grounded me a bit.I nodded, as I buried my face in his chest.“You’re leaving here.” he said, already guiding me away from the bed.I let him.Because if I stayed any longer, I wouldn’t be able to breathe properly looking at Scarlett’s lifeless body.Just before we reached the entrance, he stopped abrupt
Malric's POV“I really don’t want any of this anymore”Her words stuck in my skull, echoing long after she’d said them.I didn’t know how many times I would have to remind her she was terrible at lying. But something in the way she said it made me hold back.Something didn’t sit right. She hadn’t l
Emily’s POV “Beta Theodore. Is there any problem?” I asked, my hands resting on the open door.“Could we speak for a moment?” His tone was clipped.“Sure.” I nodded, stepping out fully to meet him.He inhaled sharply, arms akimbo as if choosing his words with care. Then he exhaled again.“I trust
Emily’s POV Warmth.That was the first thing I noticed when I woke up. Not from the pale morning light slipping through the glass doors… but him.My back rested against his chest, his arm draped over my waist, heavy, possessive, as though even in sleep he refused to loosen his hold on me. Each slo
Malric’s POVI was stunned to discover my little fire had never been touched before. The realization undid something inside me completely. And yet, beneath that shock, anger thumped immediately in my chest. Anger at myself for touching her at all, knowing the situation with the Luna healer I was me







