Elora’s POV
The room was quiet, except for the soft sound of Kael’s breathing. I tried to take in sight of him. This would be the closest I would ever get after today. I made a mistake last night, and it could never repeat itself. I slipped out from under his arm, moving carefully so I wouldn’t wake him. I couldn’t afford that. Not until I figured out how to keep our secret. I found my clothes and grabbed them, pulling my dress on as quickly as my shaking hands would allow. Slowly, my fingers rose to brush the mark on my neck. The bond had been sealed, but it felt like a curse, not a blessing. Sierra whimpered, confused and hurt. “I don’t understand,” she tried to say. “Why aren’t you happy? I’m trying to be, but there’s an energy I can sense from you that isn’t letting me.” “He’s yours, not mine.” I told her. It didn’t ease her confusion. “What does that mean? You and I are the same.” I scoffed. “Not when I’m the mute, abandoned daughter. Not when I’m nobody.” I was probably bad luck for her too. I pushed the thought to the back of my mind as I smoothed my dress, trying to steady my breathing. My reflection in the mirror caught my eye. My hair was an absolute mess, blood had drained from my face, but it was the mark that stood out the most. The skin where his teeth had dug into my flash was a bright red. I could trace the map of his dentition if I wanted to. Panic clawed at my heartstrings immediately. If anyone saw that, I wouldn’t be able to hide the truth. Quickly, I grabbed a scarf and wrapped it around my neck. I examined myself in the mirror to make sure I was properly covered and not flustered in the least. Kael stirred behind me, and I froze. “Elora?” His voice was groggy, as he propped his head up with my pillow. I swallowed hard. His eyes were still slightly shut. And I hated that I found it… alluring. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. I greedily traced the lines of his collarbone. By the goddess, he was so sexy shirtless! His gaze landed on me, and for a moment, his expression softened. It didn’t take long before he realized he was in my room, and his brows furrowed as his eyes narrowed almost into a thin line. “What… what happened?” he asked, rubbing his temples. I moved to my vanity table and reached for the jar of water there, placing it carefully on the bedside table where he’ll be able to help himself to it. I didn’t say a word. He hadn’t given me enough time to think of a lie. “Elora,” his voice grew urgent. “Why am I in your bed? And without clothes?” I could barely breathe with how quickly my heart was pounding against my chest. My hands shook as I adjusted the scarf around my neck. He noticed it. “Elora,” he followed my hands with his eyes, waiting for something. Think, Elora! Think! I lowered my gaze, biting my lip, and I signed. “You came to my room drunk. I let you sleep here. That’s all.” Kael frowned, his eyes searching mine. “And my clothes?” “You were almost naked. They reeked of alcohol. I helped you take them off.” He sat up straight. “You’re lying.” He spat out. “Tell me the truth, Elora. Did we…” he didn’t complete the sentence. He couldn’t. I was certain it tore him to even think about it. I shook my head quickly, but his gaze fell to my neck. I watched his expression change as he tried to make out what exactly it was. It went from confused, and then the realization set in. When he swallowed, I watched the ball in his throat move. “Elora, I’m going to ask you this question once, and I won’t repeat myself.” Goddess, please. I pressed my eyelids shut. “What’s that?” Even with my eyes closed, I could tell he was pointing to the mark on my neck. I swallowed the lump that had formed and instinctively took a step back, my heart racing. “Elora, look at me.” I did. He was on his feet now. He didn’t care he was naked, he didn’t bother to search for his clothes, he only kept his eyes on me. “Answer me.” I shook my head again, trying to step away, but he was faster. He grabbed the edge of the scarf and pulled it away, revealing the mark. His eyes widened. “Who did this?” I couldn’t answer. My throat felt tight, and I was as unable to make out my surroundings from the tears that had welled up in my eyes. “Elora,” he pressed further, his voice rising. “Tell me the truth.” I signed slowly as my fingers wobbled. “You…last night…” Kael staggered back as though I had slapped him across the cheek. “No,” It was a breathless whisper. “That’s not possible. I… I thought…” He sank onto the edge of the bed, his hands running through his hair. “Elora, you must understand how sorry I am. I thought…I thought it was Selene.” I had known, but hearing him say it was a different kind of blow to the chest. He looked up at me, his eyes full of guilt. “I felt the bond. I thought it was leading me to her. I… I didn’t know…I am to be mated to one of Valewinds. I always thought it’ll be Selene. She’s…” Stronger, prettier, smarter in my father’s eyes. Knows the ways of war and politics, understands diplomatic relations, would be an asset in ending the war. I knew. I had always known. Thankfully, he didn’t remind me. I turned away, unable to meet his gaze. The bond pulled at me, begging me to comfort him, to tell him it was okay. But it wasn’t. “We can keep it a secret.” I thought to myself, but when his eyes rose to meet mine, it dawned on me that he could hear me. We were already mindlinked?! “Elo…” The door burst open, cutting his words short. “What in the goddess’ name is going on here?!” Selene’s high pitched voice rang out, she stood in the doorway, her golden hair wild, and ocean blue eyes burned with a kind of rage I had never seen before. I had always been on the receiving side of her anger, but tonight was different. Her gaze darted between me and Kael, taking in the scene. Her eyes landed on the scarf in Kael’s hand, then on my exposed neck. Her expression darkened. I could swear I saw her nose twitch. “You…daughter of a bitch!” She lunged at me without a second thought. I tried to step back, but she was faster. The next thing I knew, her right hand crashed against the skin of my cheeks. Both my eyes stung. “You scrawny silly brat! she spat. “How dare you?!” Tears filled my eyes, but I didn’t fight back. I was in the wrong. Selene turned to Kael with tears in her eyes. “And you? How could you?” she demanded. “How could you betray me like this?” Kael raised his hands. “Selene, wait—” “No!” she shouted, cutting him off. She turned back to me, her face twisted in fury. “You’ve always been jealous of me. Always trying to take what’s mine!” I shook my head, trying to sign, but Selene grabbed my hands. “Don’t you dare!” she hissed. “I’ll break your fingers if you try to make excuses.” Kael stepped between us, grabbing her wrist. “That’s enough.” Selene stared at him, tears streaming down her face. “What, Kael? Are you…are you going to defend her? After what she’s done?” Kael didn’t answer immediately. His jaw tightened, and he glanced at me before looking back at Selene. “We spent the night together,” I could hear the regret heavy in his voice. I had torn their beautiful relationship apart with my selfishness. She shook her head. “But,” he continued. “It wasn’t what you think. I was drunk, and…” “She took advantage of you,” Selene interrupted, her voice rising again. “That’s what happened. She’s a lying, scheming—” “No,” Kael said sharply. His tone silenced her. He turned to me, a mix of pity and something that would have seemed like joy if I didn’t know better. “She’s my mate, Selene. I marked her. The prophecy, it’s her.” Selene paused, and stared at me. The room went quiet. It was a maddening silence that made me wish she would scream, yell, hit me again. I preferred her chaos to her silence, because she had never been silent. Selene turned her head sharply at him, then at me, her face pale. “No,” she whispered. “That’s not possible. You’re supposed to be mine. The prophecy is about you and I, not her! I trained for this. I’m a warrior, a skilled one. You know this, Kael. I’m the one you need by your side, not her. She can’t speak. She’s a liability. You know this.” Kael’s voice softened, but it was no less firm. “The bond chose her.” Selene’s knees buckled, and she sank to the floor, sobbing. “But I love you,” she cried. “I’ve always loved you.” Kael knelt beside her, his hands on her shoulders. “I love you too,” he said, his voice breaking. “I always will. But I can’t go against the bond. If I marry you, I’ll ruin Elora’s life. She’ll never find happiness with anyone else. It’s not fair to her. And the prophecy…” “I don’t care about the prophecy, Kael! It doesn’t have to be your fated mate, does it? We can put this behind us. I would accept my fate as your chosen mate if you just accept me.” I was sick to the stomach just listening to them. Duty. To his honor, and to his pack, That was what I meant to him. That was what last night had meant to him. “I don’t need your pity.” I spoke through our mindlink. It was odd to think of it. That Kael and I could now speak without words being said. Kael looked at me, his eyes full of regret. “It’s not pity, Elora. It’s duty. I am an honorable man. I have marked you, and so I would claim you as mine.” Selene sobbed harder, and Kael wrapped his arms around her. “I’ll marry Elora,” he murmured, cupping her cheeks. “But you’ll always have my heart.” The words cut deeper than anything Selene could have said. I turned away, unable to watch. My hands clenched at my sides, the mark on my neck burning like fire. Kael's words repeated severally in my head. “But she’ll be my queen now, and we must respect it.”AUTHORSeven months later...The storm came in the middle of the night. The pack had never seen anything like it. The breeze threatened to shake down the walls of every standing building, the foundation of several houses were threatened.Mothers kept their children away from the windows, fathers bolted their doors.But in the palace of Stormrider, there was confusion. The Luna queen was in severe pain, screaming at the top of her lungs.Ryker stood barefoot in the corridor outside Elora’s chamber with clenched fists. His chest rose and fell heavily with every breath that he took. His mind couldn't rest. He continued to think of ways he could take away the pain of his beloved. He could hear her from where he stood. The ragged pitch of her cries, the urgency in her voice, the pain in her scream made him more anxious.His closest friends stood by his side, but there wasn'
AUTHORThe sun had never risen brighter over Stormrider. It had been a long time since the kingdom shook with the joy that currently flowed through it. It had been long since there was a king or a queen generous enough to invite every living soul in the pack to the festivities happening in the palace.Not even the wedding of the dead alpha king, Kael Stormrider, had been met with such excitement by the people of Stormrider. They had long prayed for a ruler who cared, who truly saw them, and the goddess had given them Elora Azrion.Yes. The girl known as the mute lady of Valewind was now Luna Elora Azrion. She had taken her father's name after learning the truth. After all, it was only because of him that she got the courage to stand on her own, to fight the forces that had stood against her.The courtyard where blood once soaked the stone was now dressed in woven silk and moonflowers. Golden dr
ELORA The wind blew past my face as I stood there, arms wrapped around me, staring at nothing in particular. The room was smaller than I remembered. Smaller, darker, colder. Standing there felt a lot like the memory of an old wound that was healed over but still sore when one tried to touch it. A lot had change since I last looked out of this tower. It was that fateful night Kael stumbled into my room drunk. It had only been a few months, but it felt like an eternity ago, like I had lived a whole life after that one. The thought of it made me smile sadly. It was a bitter sweet memory, really. I had always longed for the day my life would change, but the change came in such a drastic way that I didn’t think I’ll survive it. But there I was. A survivor. I stood by the arched window, staring out into the vast, trembling world beyond. I could still smell the metallic stench of dried blood on the ground. The wind tugged at the glass, gentle but insistent, and the dry trees bowed w
ELORA Ryker’s hands brushed the skin of my cheek even as I remained glued to his body. I was shaking deep in my bones, and the feeling of victory was…surreal. It had all happened so fast, almost like a fever dream. But it wasn’t. I had lived it. Every single moment of it. I raised my head up to look at him. There was no smile in his eyes, only a forlorn look. I had thought he would be screaming for victory after defeating the people he had longed to for most of his life. “Are you alright?” I found myself asking. Ryker sucked in a deep breath and slowly pulled away. When he looked down at me, there was a gentle smile on his face. “We won,” I continued. “You should be happy.”“Yeah,” his gaze drifted over my head. No doubt to Selene’s dead body and Varek’s. “But at what cost?”When I said nothing, he continued. “They were your family, princess.”Family. The word stabbed me in my stomach. I recounted Varek’s confession. How he had never wanted me, how my being alive was just one
AUTHORThey often said that when one was about to die, it was a rite of passage for their lives to flash before their eyes. Sometimes in flashes, other times, it was in slow pictures. For Elora, it was in flashes. Every moment, for the past twenty years that led her to this very one, she saw it all. All the changes she would make if she ever got a chance to live again, all the places she would go, all the places she wouldn’t. But in all the infinite possibilities she saw in a matter of seconds, there was only one thing she knew she would never trade for anything: the man she fell in love with. And she had made that man promise she would make it out of this war alive. That, she was going to do. She pushed out the pictures in her head and focused on the vile man in front of her. The blade pressed harder against her throat. Varek was intent of killing her, no doubt. But she had a life to live, and she was going to make it out of her no matter what. Elora gritted her teeth, her blood
ELORA I wasn’t done with him yet. Not nearly. I continued to keep my eyes fixed on him. Tall, majestic, still regal despite all the crimes he had committed. I could see why he had deluded himself into thinking he was fit to sit on that throne. With a face like his, and a heart like his, one could do almost anything. Whatever he had decided to do to Kael and Kranos Stormrider were not my business. Not that I didn’t care, I did. Before the last few days of his life, Kael had been nothing but a sweetheart, and I had never much cared for Kranos. But my father…Varek Valewind had just confessed to committing two crimes; the first being the death of my mother, and the second being lying to me all my life. The echoes of Varek’s voice still rang through my skull like a curse I couldn’t shake.“I gave your whore mother the death she deserved.”“You are not my child.” Bastard. The word rang in my head time and time again. It finally made sense why he had treated me the way he had. Perhaps Se