XANDER'S P.O.V. As the cool morning air filled my nostrils and lungs, I let out a triumphant howl and reveled in the independence and relief that only being in my lupine form afforded me. The cool air whipped against my fur, invigorating my senses and reminding me of my wild origins. My heightened senses caught every rustle of leaves, every distant melody of the singing birds, and the fragrance of the forest that permeated my nostrils. The morning’s sun slipped through the branches of the trees, and cast its bright rays on my sleek black fur; this illuminated my fur, causing it to glow and shine as I made my way through the grounds. Alongside Marcus, who kept pace beside me in his own brown coat of fur, I sprinted through the dense forest. Our paws pounded against the earth as we strode through the familiar trails of the forest, and while we did so, we fully embraced the freedom that our wolf forms granted us. As we ran side by side, our movements, which were in sync, hinted

SERAPHINA'S P.O.V Silence... There was absolute silence; save for Leana's scandalized gasp alongside that of the court. The silence hung in the air and time seemed to still, stretching into an eternity. It was no hidden fact that my statement had stunned the occupants of the room into quietness. I stood before the imposing figure of Jaxon Grimshaw, King of Shadowmoor kingdom. In the grand throne room of the castle, it dawned on me that I must have seemed like a mere speck of dust to the stately King as he looked upon me from his seat on the magnificent throne. This realization furthered the errant pounding of my heart in likeness to a wild horse's hooves against the ground. Finally, after a seemingly endless pause, the King leaned forward with his fingers steepled beneath his chin. His eyes narrowed as he regarded me, while his voice was measured and calm. "What do you mean by that, young woman?" He asked, "Who are you?" The weight of my revelation hung in t

SERAPHINA'S P.O.V. I stepped into Shadowmoor Castle's sacred temple and the hallowed ground beneath my bare feet echoed the weight of my footsteps. The soft glow of the evening's moonlight filtered through the open roof, casting a silvery hue upon the ceremony which was about to unfold. From a far corner of the room, five girls stood around a drum, their fingers beating its surface hurriedly. The girls were clothed in wisps of white clothing and drawings of the moon on their chest which indicated their discipleship to the Moon Goddess and her priestess. Their drumming of a wedding match echoed within the walls of the room as my brother led me into the temple. A figure clothed in a dark blue dress and a matching cloak, the colors of the night sky which only the messengers of the Goddess of Moon were allowed to wear, stood at the very centre of the shrine. It was the Shadowmoor Priestess, ready to bind me to Olivia's former betrothed under the ever watchful gaze of the Moon

SERAPHINA'S P.O.V. I sat by the ornate mirror in my chambers, absently staring at my reflection as Leana brushed my long, black locks in front of the ornate mirror in my chambers. The morning sun cast a pale glow through the silk curtains, illuminating the chamber; it filtered through the open windows and painted a warm glow of it's gentle hues on my distressed face. The confrontation with the prince lingered in my mind like an unwelcome specter as it did not disappear with my sleep the previous night. In the pale light of dawn, I'd found myself tossing and turning, haunted by the words that the prince had spoken the previous night. The words he spoke lingered like a bitter taste, unraveling my carefully laid plans for our union. Ever since the prince had angrily slammed the door to his chambers behind him, leaving me reeling with shock and anger the night before, I had become tangled in the threads of my own thoughts. The night had been an abyss of sleeplessness, haunt

XANDER'S P.O.V. I sat on the imposing throne which stood on an elevated dais that overlooked the vast expanse of the throne room. The room was filled with a tense silence which was broken only by the whispers of courtiers that stood in straight lines along the walls of the room. As the members of the court stood together in the big throne room, their whispers filled the air with a tangible unease. Their eyes darted nervously between each other and their bodies were tense as they awaited my judgement. Prince Xander, they all called me. As the heir to the throne, I was the symbol of authority and power; features that resonated within every pore of my being. The air was thick with tension as I stared at the crowd, taking my sweet time to deliver the sentence. My Beta, Marcus Hawthorne, stood beside me, his eyes never leaving my face as he, alongside all the other people present in the room, waited with bated breath for my decision. The weight of my royal responsibilities sett