I'm humbled by the gems. Thank you so much.
........................Author's POV......................................................Two months later..............................As the sun sets over the picturesque landscape, Evaki and Paris stand in awe of the serene beauty that surrounds them. They are attending a private wedding ceremony as witnesses, a momentous occasion for the brides and grooms. The couples look radiant, their eyes filled with love and excitement for the future.Evaki is wearing a silver gown with a regal silhouette that exudes elegance and grace. Paris stands next to her in a silver tunic tailored to exude sophistication and prestige, his hand resting on her lower back as they stand side by side. They are honored to be part of this special day, supporting their friends and family as they embark on their journey as husband and wife. Maia looks like the queen that she is in an exquisite masterpiece crafted from the finest burgundy silk, the color of Antonis's house. Kyros stands next to her in a g
.......Tory.......My heart skips a beat and my eyes widen before tears quickly fill my eyes, taking in the breathtaking sight that greets us as we arrive at Antonis' father’s kingdom. I look at him to see a surge of emotions overwhelm him as he looks at me, his eyes mirroring mine, reflecting a mixture of joy, relief, and gratitude. The people have come out in droves to welcome us. The king and council pardoned Antonis, but we weren’t sure how the people felt, especially since they had been under the rule of someone with ulterior motives for so long. Dimitris might not have been the official ruler, but he still ruled, and many were born under his rule.We step out of the car and onto a raised platform, where we can see the sea of faces in the crowd. There are men, women, and children of all ages smiling and waving enthusiastically. I can feel the love and admiration radiating from the crowd, and a tear slips from my eye at the genuine warmth and acceptance we are receiving.Overwh
.........Evaki .........“Ahh!” I cry out, falling, and I crawl on my knees before returning to my feet and continuing to run, hearing branches breaking and leaves rustling as a shadow as black as night galop behind me. I look back, panting as my chest continues to burn, feeling like my lungs are going to burst into flames, and I see the glowing red eyes not so far behind. I try to run faster, but my feet are numb, and my knees feel like jelly. My heart, pounding beneath my chest, and the wailing forest as the trees dance to the icy wind’s rhythm are all that can be heard. Branches are slapping and mercilessly clawing my face, mocking me as tears blur my vision, but the adrenalin pumping through my veins won't let me surrender. It won't let me go down without a fight.“Eva!” the forest echoes, and a sob escapes me as I summon all my strength and make one last try to get away. My mother’s broken face, as she screamed at me to run, flashes in front of my eyes while her voice rings in m
..............Evaki................................................Two days ago..................................."Ow! Ow! Let me go. Let go!" I yelp, grabbing Tory’s hand and prying it off of me. What the hell? Is she trying to make my heart stop? She laughs, and I smack her arm before scooting up on the sofa and letting out a breath of relief that is short-lived as the pain intensifies. What the hell am I doing trying to go to a party when I should be heading to the hospital?"I can’t go, Tory," I defeatedly confess, looking at my throbbing ankle. “Damn you, Paris," I exclaim in anguish, making Tory laugh again before getting up and heading out of the room, saying she'll be back. She’s cruel. A moment later, she returns with her foot spa, and I frown, looking at the purple stuff in it."What’s this? I’m not letting you practice any more voodoo on me. I need a doctor," I complain, narrowing my eyes at her as she places the foot spa in front of me before trying to grab my foot.
.............Evaki.............“Ah!” I moan, tilting my head to the side as his lips find the sweet spot on my neck. My hands move to his chest, and I undo his buttons with haste while his lips devour mine like it’s their favorite meal, our tongues fighting for dominance. I chuck the shirt aside but gasp in surprise when he suddenly pins my hands above my head and pushes me against the wall before resuming his sweet torture on my neck. My back presses against the cold paint, and I welcome its cooling sensation as my whole body starts to burn while the lace piece of clothing I have underneath dampens. My eyes flutter shut, but they fly open again when he suddenly turns me around to see a huge mirror covering the side of the wall. “You smell so good,” he growls against my ear, his voice sounding inhumane. I don’t know how he did that, but it covers my whole body in goosebumps, and I shiver, letting out another loud moan and tilting my head more to the side to grant him more access
.........Tory.........“Who is she, really?” Eva asks, stepping up to me before I can reply to her first question, and I swallow hard because, one, I don’t know how to explain the situation to her, and two, it’s not my place. “I thought you said he wasn’t seeing anyone,” she adds, and my heart clenches at the hurt look in her eyes.“He isn’t,” I start, still unsure what to say. I feel like I owe her since I got involved by telling her he wasn’t seeing anyone. I shouldn't have done that, but I couldn’t say I didn’t know since she already knew he was Anton’s brother; she would have known I was lying. Plus, I was too excited and happy they were mates. I was happy that my best friend was mated to a good man. She’s been through a lot and deserves all the love. So, the whole mess about Stefania flew out the window, and I started rambling, and now I don’t know what to say.“Don’t lie to me,” she says with teary eyes, and I take her hands.“I’m not lying. They aren’t seeing each other.”“Th
...............Stefania..............."I’m sorry, I-I will come back in the morning," Paris stutters for the first time in his life, turning to walk away, but I grab his hand, causing him to stop. "It’s okay; I wasn’t sleeping." I gently pull him inside, and he enters, the look in his eyes scaring me. I ask him if he would like anything, closing the door behind him, and he says he’s fine. We head to the living area and sit down.Paris and I are not mated yet, but we’ve been friends for so long I can almost feel his emotions. I can tell when he’s deeply troubled, and right now, he is. I’m not going to let him leave here until I’m sure he’s okay.He and I are getting married in ten months, and the kingdoms have begun to rejoice over the long-awaited union. Everyone is in high spirits – everyone except me. I’m dead inside, and every day that passes takes a piece of my heart with it. Our marriage is not out of love. Well, at least not on his part. Our fathers arranged it for differen
.........Tory........."Are you okay?" I ask Evaki seeing her staring at her phone, but she doesn’t hear me, making me worry even more. "Hey, Eva?" I call her again, and she looks up at me, apologizing, saying she didn’t get what I was saying. I ask again if she’s okay, and she says she is. "I don’t think I’m going to be able to go in tomorrow," she says, causing me to look at her again and ask her why not. "I’m not feeling well," she replies, looking away from me, and I ask what’s wrong and if she would like me to take her to the doctor, even though I know she’s going to decline. I know she’s not sick. I heard how fast her heart beat when she said that, and I think I know the real reason she doesn’t want to go. She’s scared she might bump into Paris. Eva hasn’t heard from Paris since their encounter, and it’s stressing her out, but she doesn’t want to say it because she doesn't understand the feelings she's caught. So she’s fighting them, thinking they make her seem desperate sinc