KylanMy eyes widened, and my head snapped up as everything around us turned silent. I appreciated Rochwall, and he had been there for me from the moment I had met him. He was a good mentor to me, and having that close bond, I understood the need to stand up for me—but this was not the way to do it.For a second, I braced myself for the king to release the beast and tear this man apart—but he didn’t. Instead, he burst out laughing, slapping Rochwall’s chest. “James, James—you’ve always been one funny guy.”I exhaled, relieved as the tension in the room disappeared. “But it’s good,” the king continued, slamming his arm over Rochwall’s shoulder. “This place is always so dull. It could use a bit of fun.”As they walked away, Rochwall glanced back at me, shooting a reassuring smile before their voices faded into the distance.~Hours passed, and in those hours, the king made sure to leave his mark everywhere. Each interaction was more awkward than the last—but now that he seemed pleased w
VioletAs we sat around the dinner table, I tried my hardest to disappear into the chair. Sitting here felt like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from, and all I wanted was to get away.If I glanced to my left, there was Kylan’s brother, Kayden, grinning at as if he knew everything about me—if I looked straight ahead, there was Kylan, glaring at me as if I had ruined his day.To the right was even worse. There was Chrystal, shooting me death stares. If those stares could kill, I’d be dead a hundred times over by now.With nowhere to look, I settled for Nate, who sat beside his sister. He shot me a small, reassuring smile followed by a wink.At the head of the table sat the king, who looked around with a smirk. “It’s nice to have everyone here,” his voice dominated the table. His energy was dark and intimidating, it almost felt like he was sucking all the air out of the room.Clarence and Dad mumbled something in response, clearly not really feeling this so-called gathering.Family day w
VioletThe atmosphere changed instantly, and my heart sank as Mom’s memory was brought up in such a careless way.How dared he?Did he even know her like that to bring her up?I clenched my fists under the table, trying to keep calm. How could he even say something like that?The rogue attack that took Mom and Dad was something unfortunate, but it was not inevitable. His comment felt unfair, especially because it was something beyond Dad’s control. And the way he said it, with such coldness, made me realize just how terrible he truly was.He really was a heartless piece of shit—an even bigger piece of shit than his son.The king continued chewing, completely oblivious. “I was just talking to Jack yesterday about how I miss my Starlight days.”I glanced at Jack, wondering how someone like him had ended up as the Beta of someone like the king, or even Chrystal’s dad. All throughout dinner, that man had been nothing but kind and respectful—just like Nate.A smile tugged at the corners o
Violet“My mom,” I replied. He probably thought I meant Sonya, but that didn’t matter. I’d spare him the backstory.“How long ago?”I squeezed my eyes a bit. “Like ten years ago?”“Ten years ago,” he whispered, still inspecting the glasses on my face.“Well, make sure to keep them on at all times,” he spoke, his face serious. “We wouldn’t want you to lose them.”If only he knew…I swallowed, nodding quickly. “Yes, Your Majesty.”The king didn’t give another response and simply walked past me, leaving me standing there. I let out a slow breath, feeling more than happy that he had left.Even though I tried not to focus on Kylan, it was hard not to, especially when Chrystal laughed out loud, leaning into him like he had just made the funniest joke on the planet.As if it couldn’t get any worse, Kylan wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered something into her ear, making her laugh even more.At times it seemed like he hated her, but then he did stuff like this.It was just like he
VioletI sat on Nate’s bed, nervously fumbling with my hands as I waited for him. As soon as we arrived, he had disappeared to the bathroom with the promise to be back soon.Now it had already been several minutes too many as I stared at the closed door, wondering if it was too late to run out of here.I exhaled, closing my eyes for a second.No, Violet.You want this—you want him.After calming down a bit, I let my eyes wander around his room for the first time. It had the same layout as Kylan’s, only a bit smaller, and the colors brighter and warmer. Their rooms showed a perfect contrast in their personalities.For a second, I wondered if maybe he was just as nervous as I was, hiding in the bathroom—but then I chuckled to myself.No way. Nate had quite the reputation, and he wouldn’t get nervous over this. I was probably just nothing more than a number to him.I felt an awful lump in my throat, thinking about the reason why I was doing this. At first I made myself believe that it wa
VioletBy the look on his face, I could tell he didn’t believe a single word that left my mouth—and neither did I.Would I, really?He chuckled. “Because I see the way you look at him, Violet. And it’s not the look you give to someone you’re about to reject.”I swallowed, feeling confused by my own thoughts. There was only one look I ever gave him, and that was a hateful one, right?“I get why you’d want to reject him, though,” Nate shrugged as he lowered his gaze. “He has his moments, but he’s…complicated. He’s not always a good person.”The pain in his voice was obvious. Whatever happened between the two of them had clearly left a scar because Nate was able to see something that even his own brother refused to see.Kylan was not always a good person.“What happened between the two of you?” I approached the situation with caution.Nate smiled softly, looking up to hold my gaze. “I just tried to get him to talk about his feelings, like I always do…”He drifted into thought, his jaw ti
VioletI stretched my arms, yawning as I opened my eyes, squinting at the bright morning light. Looking beside me, I noticed the bed was empty—Nate was gone.We’d stayed up late, laughing, talking, and watching movies, but it had all been worth it. I felt a calm I hadn’t felt in a long time.The clock read 7 AM, which meant I had to move quickly if I didn’t want anyone seeing me. I sat up straight, hearing a soft rumbling noise coming from the bathroom.“Nate?” I called out, my voice still groggy. The noise kept going, and there was no answer. I got up and walked to the bathroom door, which was slightly ajar.“Nate?” I said again, louder this time, but still nothing. I reached for the doorknob, and just as my hand touched it, he swung the door open, startling me.“Good morning, Vivi!” he said, standing in the doorway. He seemed to be in a good mood, but something about it felt off. Nate was always happy, but now he seemed a bit too energetic.“Hi,” I replied, watching him as he closed
VioletDetermined, I made my way over to Jane and placed down my tray, sliding into the chair on the opposite side of her. I greeted her with a polite smile which she returned.Her gaze was soft, and her green eyes warm and kind. Her brown hair was tied back in a sleek bun, showing off her beauty even more. Just by looking at her face, I could only imagine how popular she must’ve been back in her days.“No classes today?”“No, not today,” I shook my head shyly. “Do you teach here too?”Before that night at the Elite Team dinner, I had never seen her before—but no regular soul would sit here this early if they didn’t have any business at this school.Jane gave me a nod. “Yes, I’m an allround shifter specialist.” She really was admirable. That wasn’t something easy, yet the calm way she had said it made it sound like it was. Her smile widened a bit as she tilted her head. “So, how are you finding school?” she asked. “Already tired?”I shook my head. “Not really. It’s okay.”Truthfully
Violet“Yes,” I clarified.“Who escaped?” Dylan asked.“I wish I could tell you, but I don’t know,” I replied.Aelius wouldn’t tell me, and I’m sure he has his reasons for that.“Wow, Violet,” Trinity spoke, in awe. “So you’re a child of blood, a highborn witch… and a princess?”“I wanted to tell you both because you’re important to me,” I said quietly. “I’ve been holding all of this in for so long, and I kept thinking… what if it pushes you away?”“Pushes me away?” Trinity spat, offended.I let out a nervous laugh. “Honestly, I thought your reactions would be worse.”My eyes flickered toward Dylan. “Especially yours… now that I’m not a Hastings anymore.”“Not a Hastings anymore?” Dylan chuckled softly. He leaned forward. “Violet, you will always be a Hastings,” he said. “And you are a Bloodrose. You and I are still family.”My voice cracked a bit. “Yes?”His words were strong, and I could tell he meant every word with his whole heart. He looked almost repulsed, even, that I could eve
VioletIt went silent.I was met with complete silence after I said the words. I looked at their faces, trying to figure out what they were thinking, but neither one of them reacted. They just stared at me with blank expressions.“I’m half witch,” I repeated, only to be met with the same silence.I knew it.This was a bad idea. They were shocked, disgusted, and couldn’t even find the words.Kylan and I glanced at each other, both confused, and then I continued speaking. “My real mom and dad…” I explained. “They weren’t Claire and Greg. Claire and Greg raised me, but they’re not my birth parents. My mom was a witch—a child of blood. That means I am too. And my dad was a prince, the Alpha prince.”Still, no one said a word.I was just about to fumble my hands, but Kylan grabbed my wrist before I could do so. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the two. “Say something,” he quietly demanded.Trinity and Dylan slowly turned their heads to look at each other, then they looked back at me. Dyla
VioletAfter a short day of classes, I found myself back in Kylan’s room. I leaned against his door, watching him with a weak smile as he played with Jumper, the squirrel he had sworn he didn’t want anything from but now pretty much treated like his daughter.My stance might’ve been calm, but my mind wasn’t. It had been around fifteen minutes, and I had barely spoken because I wasn’t sure how to start the conversation. I wasn’t sure how to tell him that I would not only go back to my dorm but would also tell the others about my true identity.Kylan patted Jumper over her back. “What is it?” he finally asked after a long moment of silence. “You’re still here, not handcuffed, so it can’t be your eyes.”I knew he wasn’t a mind reader, but I guess anyone could tell something was clearly going on. Hesitant, I looked down for a second.“I’m going back to my dorms today,” I said. “I don’t want Trinity to feel like I’m ignoring her or something.”Kylan paused for a second, his hand resting on
VioletI slowly pricked my fork into a piece of fruit, watching the two lovebirds in front of me.Dylan and I had met up with Trinity for lunch, and they were all over each other. Kissing, hugging—basically everything except for acknowledging my presence.A sigh left my lips as Dylan pressed his face into her neck. Trinity, giggled as she pushed him away. “Stop it!” she hissed. “Violet is getting sick of us.”“No, I’m not,” I smiled. “It’s okay.”It was so out of character for Dylan, and above all—a bit hard to get used to. He wasn’t the same grumpy, know-it-all I used to know—and while it was supposed to be something positive, I just couldn’t help but compare.I knew I shouldn’t, but deep down I couldn’t help but picture a scenario of Kylan being a little more like that.Open. Gentle. Warm…“You’re just so beautiful, I can’t help myself,” Dylan whispered, cupping her cheek. They deserved each other. In a way, the two reminded me of Claire and Greg. To be honest, that scared me becaus
VioletI stared down at the mat, sweat nearly dripping from my forehead as I did another push-up. One wouldn’t have guessed it, but Commander Jorn ran across the training hall, clapping his hands and yelling like always.Strangely enough, I could almost keep up with everyone today. Almost!If I wasn’t so sore and tired from yesterday, I probably could’ve given it my all. It was too bad my arms felt like jelly—and to make matters worse, my brain couldn’t focus with all his yelling.I know Adelaide would’ve pushed through, but I also knew that I definitely didn’t see the old Elite team do any of these exercises when I was in the Veil. The training days in the past were definitely easier than this.I changed the position of my hands, stumbling a bit—and then a soft fist suddenly connected with my back. It was Commander’s…of course.It was just a little touch, but it was enough to make me drop flat to the mat.“Ow!” I muttered, grabbing my nose as I managed to sit up. It hurt like crazy,
Violet“You tell me,” I answered. “You are the Lyperian.”Nate sighed and looked at a still-tense Dylan with a teasing look. “She’s getting smart now.”He tried to involve him, but other than a low hum, Dylan didn’t have much of a reaction.“Actually, I don’t know,” I responded in all honesty. “We should be receiving a message soon. Could be anytime now, I think.”Those were my hopes. I just wanted to get it over with—and quick.“If all goes well, I might have to address you as Your Highness!”“No—”“Do you want a water, Your Highness?” Nate offered, mocking a bow.“Your Highness?” I repeated, laughing. “I’m not…”My words faltered because technically, he was right. I was a princess, but…of what? The common lands? A place no one had ruled for ages?It’s not like anyone knew, for that matter. I couldn’t exactly shout it from the rooftop.“You know what,” I changed my mind, “maybe I do need that water.”“Great,” Nate placed his hands on my shoulders. He gave them a squeeze, but all I co
VioletKylan and I walked through the halls in the early morning, hand in hand, on the way to Elite training. What was supposed to be a regular walk had gathered even more attention than the initial mate reveal.We were still the center of attention, and all eyes were still on us. It even went as far as some students pulling out their phones to take pictures, while some whispered as we passed.I couldn’t even remember it ever being like this for just Kylan before. Sure, people respected him, followed him, stared at him—but this? This was different.I knew what they were thinking.What had a girl from the Bloodrose done in her past life to get mated to the heir of Lyperia? Or maybe not. Maybe they were making fun of me because he was literally dragging me with him as he walked, and I struggled to keep up.I let out an embarrassed chuckle, trying to let go of Kylan’s hand so we would at least look a little less stupid, but he wouldn’t let me.A frustrated growl came from his lips, and h
VioletI nudged his shoulder. “I don’t need you to hold my hand, Kylan.”He shrugged. “Oh, really?”He opened the gates, and we walked the dark and quiet campus ground. Being back on these grounds after experiencing Adelaide’s time was a big difference. Maybe I was insane, but I liked the old Starlight much better.The Starlight before the renovations, when the academy looked like it might collapse any second. The new Starlight was too modern, too elite…“Starlight is slacking these days,” I muttered.“How so?”“Well,” I looked around. “Did you know that back in Mom’s time, people didn’t even dare step out past curfew? The gates were always open, but everyone just followed the rules without even thinking about it…except for our parents of course. They were definitely something else.”“Mom?” Kylan lifted his brow.I rolled my eyes. “She’s my Mom, is she not?”He mumbled something under his breath. Something I couldn’t quite understand or cared for. It still felt strange to know that I
VioletThe car ride back to Starlight was full of stories. I had told Kylan everything I could remember, mostly about Adelaide, Alaric and the royal family, Gloria, Esther—and of course, Baelor.I even told him about the bond between Adelaide and the Elite Team, how much they loved and protected her—but most importantly, how King Elyx ended up betraying her.There were too many details, I could hardly remember. I was certain I might have forgotten something along the way, but for now, it was enough.Once I finished talking, I glanced at him, waiting for his reaction. He didn’t respond, his eyes were fixed on the road, and his expression was unreadable.For some reason, I had expected him to match my energy. I thought we could laugh together about Adelaide or even the king’s nickname, but there was nothing.“So what do you think?” I asked, attempting to get a reaction out of him. Kylan squinted his eyes. “So,” he finally spoke up. “We’ve met before and our parents exchanged names?”Th