VioletMy heart sank at his words. “So she would’ve shifted too?” I replied. “She would’ve ripped me to shreds.”Not to forget, shifting without permission on campus grounds was strictly forbidden.He took a deep breath, preparing to say something, but I continued before he could do so. “I told you what happens when I shift,” I reminded him.I instantly thought back to the terrifying memories of Lumia, and the chaos she could unleash if I ever lost control. My biggest fear was hurting someone who didn’t deserve it—or worse, hurting myself.Maybe I hadn’t been clear that night in the woods, but that was not an option.Not when those voices were telling me to do things.“Do you hear them now?” Kylan asked softly, indirectly reading my mind. “Those voices you spoke off?”“No,” I whispered, flustered. Now that he had mentioned it, I had been without my glasses for a while now and had yet to hear those voices. It had to be because of her...“It’s because she told me to turn it off,” I conc
VioletEven the warm water couldn’t prevent my body from the cold that reached through my veins.No…It couldn’t be true.Adelaide, Alaric—there were nothing but names. Nobodies. They weren’t my parents because mine had already passed away. Claire and Greg from the Bloodrose pack. I was Violet Hastings, a werewolf, meant to be a healer. I wasn’t—My thoughts faded as tears reached the corner of my eyes.No matter how much I wanted to deny it, everything started to make sense. The isolated upbringing, the consistent issue with my eyes, the whispers growing up, the prophecies…the connection to Adelaide, and even the way the Soothsayer had addressed me.Was I really half witch?Was Adelaide really my mom, and how was he even certain?“Kylan?” I whispered, my voice trembling. A second later his hand brushed through my hair as if he hadn’t just dropped the biggest fucking bomb on me.“You think you’ve got it all figured out, but you don’t—Violet,” he stated calmly.His words hit me like a
Violet“I can take it.”I had to take it. For a moment, I thought about what it would mean. My whole life would change, and I would have to become someone I was not.I wasn’t sure if I could do that, or if I even wanted to. Was it worth it? But then again, wasn’t it exactly what I had been doing all along—pretending to be someone I wasn’t?“There’s more.”My body stiffened.More? Of course, there was. There was always more.“Yes?”“Once you step into Lyperia, you’ll lose a lot of freedom. You won’t be able to go where you want, do what you want—not without someone watching you.”“I can take it,” I said again, forcing the words out. I never had that much freedom, so that wouldn’t be that difficult—right?I prayed he was finished because I wasn’t sure how much more I could handle, but then he released another breath. “There’s more,” he said quietly.I closed my eyes, feeling slightly frustrated.“What now?”“As the future king, I have responsibilities. One of them is ensuring the Lyperi
VioletA sound of running water reached my ears, pulling me gently from my sleep. My breath hitched as I kept my eyes shut, too scared to open them.What if I was wrong, and I still couldn’t see?Memories from yesterday came flooding back—the pain, the fear, everything. After I had finished crying, Kylan had helped me put one of his dry shirts, carried me to his bed, and let me fall asleep in his arms. Even then, I had cried until I my tears had dried—because I had made a promise to the both of us to be stronger from now on.Starting today, no more tears.That was then, but now I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to face the day.How would I even survive another day in that darkness?My heart began to race, and I felt panic creeping in again.“No, Violet,” I whispered, clenching my fists as I forced myself to breath.Come on, think.What did Adelaide do?Unus. Duo. Tres.I started counting down, just like she had taught me. The words brought a strange comfort. They were working.Quattuor.
VioletKylan stepped aside, letting her in. She carried a bag in her hands, which I assumed held my things, but her expression was still confused, clearly waiting for answers.“I said good morning,” Kylan mumbled, breaking the silence.Trinity looked at him with wide eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said, almost looking ridiculous as she tried too hard to keep her eyes up. “Good morning.”Kylan hummed and then turned toward the closet. “I’m getting dressed,” he said, leaving.Trinity followed Kylan with her eyes until he was out of sight, then let out a breath. “Yeah, I’m a bit confused,” she said, tossing the bag in my direction. I caught it just in time.“Where the hell were you yesterday? Why didn’t you answer my texts? And wait—why is Kylan allowed to see you without glasses, and I’m not?”Her eyes suddenly locked on my hand, and she gasped. “W-Why are you wearing his ring?”I ignored her concerns, my mind drifting to my phone. It had been in my bag, and Amy had taken it. There was no way I
Violet“You told her about us being mates, but you never told her the truth about the glasses,” Kylan’s sharp gaze pierced through mine. “Or your eyes.”I turned away, grabbing the things Trinity had brought from the bed. “Why does it matter?”“Why does it matter?” His tone was calm. “Why didn’t you tell her?”I shrugged, brushing him off as I got off the bed. “I want to, but I can’t. I don’t want to freak her out.”“You trust her, don’t you?” he pointed out. “Then I don’t see the reason why you haven’t told her about your eyes—”“Just like I couldn’t see a reason why you hadn’t told Nate, your friend, about us being mates,” I shot back. The sarcasm in my tone was impossible to miss, and his brows furrowed.“You ignored me because you found out I’m a witch, Kylan,” I reminded him. “Let’s not do this.”He had done a little bit of research, pieced together that I was a witch, saved me, put a ring on my finger out of pity after telling me he grew up hating them—and now he thought he had
KylanOnly one thing ran through my mind as I walked the halls, heading to deal with the issue that had brought me to this point.Chrystal…She had crossed the line this time.I didn’t know exactly what Puppy had seen in her vision, but if it matched what the beast inside me was urging me to do, then it had to be close to the truth.I wanted to kill her for all she had done.Yes, giving Puppy the ring had been my decision, but tying her to me with the most precious piece of Lyperian stone was something I never wanted to do, not like this. Protecting her wasn’t a choice—it was an instinct.I felt bad for admitting it, but when she had offered to give back the ring after finding out how to deal with her eyes—I felt relieved.I cared for her, more than I wanted to admit—but the ring wasn’t given out of love.It was given because Chrystal had pushed me to it. Puppy needed that ring to protect her eyes, and I needed her by my side for now—because the feeling of hopelessness I felt when I
KylanChrystal looked at me in disbelief, her lips parting slightly as if she couldn’t process what she had just heard.Her chest rose with each breath. She shook her head, her hair swaying side to side. “No,” she said, her eyes shifting between me and Nate, looking for someone to deny it—but no one did.Certainly not Nate, since this was just as new to him.“No,” she said again, her voice filled with desperation.I knew she would react this way, and that’s why I didn’t want Puppy in the room. Chrystal was reckless, and had Puppy been here, she would’ve finished the job she failed to do last night.That’s why I had to tell her what the future would look like—so she would understand never to cross me again.I took a step closer. “Yes,” I stated. “Starting today, she is officially protected by the law of Lyperia—and you won’t bother her anymore.”She drew in a sharp breath but didn’t say anything.“She’s my mate,” I continued. “Your future queen. And you will treat her with respect.”Th
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