ROME"Slavers?" Teriel asked. It was no news to that some Alphas were slavers but he didn't expect to see victims. "From Alkarod, you say?" The king stood steady watching the older female shield the others behind her in fear or caution. Her hair was shiny and long and the cool night breeze blew the silky strands over her face. She seemed almost mystic, like one of the goddesses painted on the castle. Rome couldn't help but feel drawn to her in that moment. Her eyes were amber and they stood out even in the night as the lamps cast a glow on them. "Yes, Sir. From Alkarod," she replied.Her eyes seemed to glow and the king blinked.Had he imagined it?From behind her, the younger female spoke up."There were some Lyca…"And the older one hushed her by turning back and glaring at her. He could see them breathing raggedly and they had some leaves from the bushes sticking out of their hair.Rome walked towards her with his arms outstretched, hoping that would prove that I had no ill inten
ROMEThe convoy of carriages finally arrived the palace in Hanaerum and there was only one thing occupying the king's mind, the meeting which he had set to depose Erika. The pain he felt at her betrayal worsened as he stared at the stone walls that had housed the woman he had once thought loved him and was loyal to him. He had asked everyone to be present at the meeting with severe consequences for any defaulters. He’d also be deposing Chester from his position as 'King's Hand.' Skye could comfortably hold the office. As it should have always been.Rome sat in the carriage a bit longer even after the doors had been opened for him. He was hesitant and didn't want to face the people. It was a feeling deeper than shame. He was disappointed in himself.How could the Lycan King be a victim of infidelity?How could anyone trust him to hold a country together when he couldn’t even hold his home together."Your Majesty?" Teriel called, holding the door.He stepped down from the carriage steel
ELORA"Hello, Love?" A voice called, stirring me awake.I was given the comfiest bed I had lain on in a while and I didn’t want to get up just yet. The wounds on my body had been bandaged and already started healing but the stress of the process had drained most of my energy and had caused me to sleep for a couple hours. I opened my eyes for a bit and squinted to see lamps burning brightly in the room although the dark sky visible outside the windows let me know it was evening already..The King's Advisor had made sure we were comfortable in the palace. He'd specially gotten us a room in the worker's quarter for us to stay together."Hello, Love!" The voice said again and I turned to face its direction. Someone was peering down at me with curious expression although her face only held warmth. She had on a grey gown and white apron, and her round face was kind. I jumped to my feet from the bed I had been lying on as I realized that I had slept longer than I intended to. Teriel had sa
ELORALucy and her brother were born slaves. Her mother had died trying to flee during the slave era and the reign of King Nathan. Lucy had explained how horrible his reign had been. She'd grown up under his reign and the only protection she'd had from evil nobles that tried to exploit slaves was her brother. She'd told me that she was a twin. Her mother hadn't known who their father was but Lucy said she had told them that a noble had slept with her. They knew they had Lycan blood but her mother had never told her who the noble was. All she'd done was arrange for her to get a job at the palace. And somehow, she'd been very well treated in the palace.Her brother had hated the palace job. He'd said he detested working under people who were the very oppressors. Lucy said she knew he had taken the job so he could protect her and watch over her.But years later her twin brother had run off to the South during Nathan's reign and she had not heard a word from him since. He had become a Bl
ROMERome was slowly getting used to the effect he had on ladies, not only because of the god-like features his Lycan heritage gave him but also the authority he wielded apparently was a turn on to most women. When he stepped into a room, all eyes turned to him. It was his special gift."Your Majesty." The ladies chorused, bowing.They couldn't look directly at him and he understood. With long, calculated strides, he walked past the two shelves that separated them and stood directly before the squirming ladies. If one could tuck their head into the ground they would have. He smiled enjoying their discomfort."Get up, both of you," He said with mock seriousness wondering why he found it amusing to pull their legs, "What're you doing in here?""Um–I," Elora stuttered. "I…We…"He cocked his head. "Look at me when you speak."She whipped her head up face was flushed with beads of sweat glistening on her forehead."You said I was–"He took a step towards her, leaving just enough space for
ELORA"Great, Your Majesty." I answered feeling my heart calm a bit but before the words were out of my mouth, his hands were on my neck, one hand cupping my jaw and tilting my head to the side as the other pushed my hair back to reveal the healing flesh. My breath was positively stolen as the firm grip he had on my jaw let me feel the rough callouses of his palm and I wondered how those hands might feel on other parts of my body.Wait…What?It took everything in me to step back from the tantalizing hold the king had on me but I did remembering I was only here to work and take care of my siblings.That thought put a damper on the trail of indecent thoughts my mind was going wild showing me. It didn’t help that he was still staring at me with eyes that blazed with…desire?My hands absent mindedly returned to the scar he was looking at and I felt the thinning raised edge of the now covered scar. My wolf must have been returning and I was healing quicker than I would have with her suppre
ROMERome stepped out of the library with a frown dancing on his lips. He couldn't believe he had the heart to smile especially since he had previously been worried about the meeting he had to attend with Erika and Chester. It had felt wonderful to help someone in need and he genuinely hoped Elora and her siblings enjoyed their stay at the palace perhaps even come to see it as a safe haven from whatever they were running from.Perhaps that could explain what had caused him to act the way he did earlier. He blinked, in hopes of forcing the pretty image of her flushed skin out of his head but was only successful in reminding himself of the lush press of her body against his when he had caught her. He shook his head and walked on, all the while scolding himself. He had more important things to think about than how prettily a damsel in distress blushed.He stood for a second outside the courtroom, steadying his breathing as the anxiety that had lain dormant returned in waves that threat
ROMEFrom behind the curtains, he could see the room already filled with members of the court and members of the royal family. He peered through the purple curtain and watched them talk to one another. The courtroom was a large oval hall with seats that ran all the way up like steps. A large room where meetings with delegates from all around the continent could meet. Right now, all the seats weren't filled, but the noise in the room overwhelmed him.He leaned against the wall, just beside the curtain, watching every person. In his few years as King, one of the things he had learnt quickly about people was that he could learn a lot about them by studying them.As he looked from behind the curtain at the back entrance, he could see everyone fairly well as he observed their countenance and guessed what they were discussing.Jace, Kate, and Henry – his half-siblings – children of the whore, as he preferred to call them, were seated beside their mother. Their Mother, Monica, was his fathe