《The Luna Trials》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    1. Northern Hospitality


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    Skin to skin, hot tongue tracing her every curve, creating burst after burst of tingles. Savannah arched


    her back, giving her mate better ess, and grasped his hair as he teased her sensitive spot over and


    over. ¡°You are mine, Savvy, only mine!¡± Zack growled as he entered her in one powerful thrust, locking


    their eyes and growling from the pleasure.The car jumped on an uneven northern road, and Savannah


    woke up, realising this was just a dream. She sighed in relief, looking around and seeing her best friend


    Kyle and new assistant Zara by her side.Savannah yawned as she looked outside of her car window.


    The views of the North did not impress her much. She sighed again, remembering that this would be


    her home from now on. It was unlikely that her future husband, the Northern Lycan King, would let her


    live in the West with her brother and his family. After all, he had been asking for her hand in marriage


    for so many years. Kai was a known cold-hearted brute, and she was surprised he was interested in


    her at all. Not to mention that she was still a minor the first time he dared to suggest the marriage. Fast


    forward to her being twenty now, and he still did not leave this idea.She, however, did not care about


    his motivation. She did not care about her future husband at all. This was a sacrifice that she was


    willing to make for her people. Because after her mate¡¯s betrayal, she couldn¡¯t feel anything anymore


    anyway.Just a few months ago, she was the happiest girl alive when, during a terrible war, she met the


    perfect man among her brother¡¯s allies. Zack Morgan was an Alpha who earned his reputation as a


    great warrior and ruler. And everything in her life made sense the moment theyid their eyes on each


    other, and he called her his.He took her back to his pack and announced her his Luna before his


    packmates, proving the seriousness of his intentions. And then they had a night of passionate


    lovemaking. It was pure bliss, heaven on Earth, all her dreams came true¡­ Up until the moment she


    woke up and identally heard about his ns to kill her brother and make her nothing more than a


    breeding machine for him. ¡°Savannah will be busy the next few years mourning her brother and friends


    as well as giving birth to my pups¡­ ¡± His cruel words would be imprinted in her memory forever. A scar


    that would never heal.Her heart broke into a million little pieces, and she ran away from him. Zack tried


    to get her back, but she made it very hard for him. And when they were finally able to face each other


    again, she rejected him. Only that he did not ept her rejection¡­ whichplicated everything for


    her.The car stopped, and she blinked a few times, trying to get out of her daze. She promised herself


    not to go into that darkness anymore. None of that mattered. She would never see him again.She was


    here, she was alive, and she was about to fulfil her princess duties and marry the man she did not love,


    need or even know. All for an alliance that her brother, the Western Lycan King needed, for she knew


    that if the two kingdoms were not working together now, they might both got destroyed by their enemies


    very soon. Her brother knew that, but King Kai did not. And they were lucky he agreed to all that in the


    first ce.The driver opened the window and handed the papers to one of the northern


    guards.¡°Princess Savannah Stormhold,¡± he announced. ¡°The bride of King Kai Fiongh.¡±The guard


    took his time to check the papers that were handed to him, and another one joined him, looking over


    his shoulder.¡°Is everything okay?¡± he asked.¡°Yeah, just one of the king¡¯s brides arriving for the Trials,¡±


    the first one replied and handed the papers back.¡°What did he just say?¡± Kyle brushed his hand over


    his red hair. He had this little habit since their childhood.¡°There must be some kind of mistake,¡± Zara


    said reassuringly, checking her iPad. She always kept herself busy.¡°Of course,¡± Savannah chuckled.


    ¡°Rx, Kyle. What else could it be?¡±They drove into the territory, and she was finally able to see what


    the high stone walls were hiding.It was a castle. A real castle! Huge, dark, ancient, and gloomy. Just


    like in history books.Savannah couldn¡¯t believe her own eyes. She was a princess, yes, but she used to


    live in modern-style mansions. This was¡­ so not what she expected. Even though her brother told her


    not to expect much from the North.And she didn¡¯t. But she didn¡¯t expect to get into the Middle Ages


    either.¡°Not important,¡± she breathed out. None of this was important. She just had to find Kai. Get


    married to him fast and be done with it. Then maybe they could work on some kind of agreement as to


    how their life together would be. Surely, they could agree on monthly visits. Hopefully, yearly, after she


    produced him an heir. Then maybe she could find her mate, kill him and just concentrate on her child.


    This was a good enough n.She and her entourage got out of their cars. And Savvy noticed a woman


    in a dress too luxurious and open for the ugly and cold weather they had today, walking leisurely in


    their direction with a much younger girl by her side. Thetter had some kind of folder in her hands.But


    it was the first one that bothered Savannah because she knew exactly who that was.¡°My name is


    Elene,¡± the woman smiled, ying with her heavy golden locks. ¡°I am the Northern Princess and the


    sister of King Kai.¡±¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± Savvy managed to curl her lips in a smile. ¡°I am¡­¡± ¡°I


    know who you are,¡± Elene sneered, and Savannah swallowed. Of course, she did. Elene probably


    knew everything about her family. After all, all this started with her. Years ago, Kai proposed her hand in


    marriage to her brother. Gideon declined the generous offer. The first time Kai asked for Savvy as his


    wife was probably just out of spite. It was no secret that Elene was in love with her brother. And now


    that he found his mate and was happily married, all her dreams about bing the Luna of the


    Western Kingdom were gone.She probably hated her. Not that the situation was Savvy¡¯s fault. But she


    could see that in the woman¡¯s eyes now.¡°Follow me,¡± Elene waved to her and started walking. Sighing,


    Savannah did as she was told.¡°Your castle is magnificent,¡± she decided to start small talk just as


    etiquette required of her.¡°Thank you,¡± the northerner smirked and turned to have a look at her. ¡°The


    other contenders said the same. You will be able to enjoy northern architecture more if you advance


    in¡­¡±¡°Excuse me?¡± Savannah was never slow, and she stopped right there and then. She knew a


    scheme when she saw one. ¡°Other contenders? Maybe the princess will be so kind as to exin to me


    what that means?¡±¡°Other contenders for the title of The Luna of the North, of course,¡± Elene gave her


    the most innocent smile. ¡°What else could it mean?¡±¡°But I am king Kai¡¯s future wife,¡± Savvy lifted her


    chin up to meet the woman¡¯s delighted gaze.¡°Oh, no, dear. You got something wrong. You are a


    contender for the position of his wife. Con-ten-der.¡±  Elene spelt the word for her, enjoying the moment


    to the core.¡°There must be some kind of a mistake,¡± Savannah insisted.¡°There is no mistake, dear,¡± the


    princess of the North said, ¡°You are a contender in The Luna Trials. Take it or leave it.¡±¡°The Luna


    Trials?¡± Savannah clenched her fists, ¡°You must be kidding! King Kai is of a very high opinion of himself


    if he thinks that his future wife should humiliate herself by fighting with other women over the honour of


    bing his Luna!¡±¡°This is the North,¡± Elene suddenly became sharp, and all her smiles were gone.


    ¡°The Northerners will never take a Luna who is not worthy! If you want this ce, you need to prove


    that you are the best among all possible options. You need to be of excellent health and lineage, you


    need to know how to behave, you have to be smart, but most importantly, you need to prove your


    strength!¡±They were serious. Savannah realised that it was not a joke. They were absolutely serious.


    This was happening. The Luna Trials or whatever they called it¡­ It was real.¡°And by the way,¡± the


    princess looked at her with some kind of superiority, ¡°That was minus five points. You will be the only


    contender to start with a negative point bnce.¡±¡°There are points?!¡± now Savvy was pissed. How


    dared they? She was a princess, for the Moon Goddess¡¯s sake! The whole situation was an insult like


    none other.¡°Of course,¡± Elene giggled as they entered a huge inner garden, ¡°how else would we find


    out who is the best?¡±Savannah wanted to say something. She actually wanted to say a lot of things but


    shut her mouth before she lost more points. She needed to think first before doing anything else. And


    preferably alone.¡°Now, wait here,¡± the princess told her, ¡°Your maid wille for you when your room


    is ready. But we didn¡¯t expect you until Sunday, so they just started to prepare it. It will be a


    while.¡±¡°That¡¯s quite all right,¡± Savannah smiled charmingly, switching her fake politeness mode too. She


    knew how this game was yed. ¡°The northerners are famous for their hospitality, are they not?¡±That


    was a jab, and Elene¡¯s smile faded. No one praised the northerners for, well, anything. And even if they


    did, hospitality would be at the end of the list.The princess left without saying anything else, and Savvy


    knew that it would be hours before she was able to rx in that room they ¡®forgot¡¯ to prepare.She


    motioned for Kyle and everyone else to note close to her. They were her friends, and she did not


    want them to see the ugly side of her. She needed that ugly toe out of her somewhere else, so she


    went deep into the garden to avoid any witnesses to her fury. She found the ugliest rose bush she had


    ever seen, with strange metallic-looking flowers and growing out her ws, she shredded every single


    one of them to pieces.It was not fair! It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like that! All she wanted was to sacrifice


    herself for the sake of her people, ensuring their safety. Because the alliance could give them that. That


    thought was bringing her at least a little bit of peace.But she wasn¡¯t prepared to fight for the man she


    did not even want! What was that? Hell?And most importantly, was the alliance even still an option?


    Considering that her so-called arranged marriage turned out to be a scam.She had to find this out. And


    she had to do it as soon as possible.But even thinking of the Northern King made her blood boil. He


    must have been atrocious if he did that. What can one expect from the man who called himself the


    Northern Star? Ugh.¡°That lying, cheating, self-absorbed, maniptive, conniving, treacherous piece of


    a b*stard!¡± she yelled as she destroyed thest flower. She was panting, and no, it did not help her to


    feel better in any way. Not at all.It only became worse when she heard a chuckle behind her


    back.¡°What did that bush ever do to you?¡± a husky voice inquired, and she turned to see the witness of


    her despair..

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    The voice startled her. Savannah wondered for a second how on Earth she did not notice that she had


    a spectator. The man who was chuckling at her was sitting under a huge oak tree, hidden behind the


    rose bushes when she arrived. This was the sole reason she did not see him in the first ce.


    Anyway, it was her mistake. And from what it looked like; she couldn¡¯t afford any mistakes at the


    moment. She had to think about everything first.


    She heard him standing up and turned on her heels to see who it was. A sigh of relief escaped her.


    Before her stood a tall man dressed in not the cleanest set of clothes she had seen.  His jeans were


    filthy with dirt, and his gray grandad shirt had probably seen better days. He had a beard which gave


    him a bit of a dangerous vibe, but she could tell that he was one of the northerners who belonged to the


    castle. Probably just one of the workers, which was a good thing for her. He would hardly know who


    she was, and she could get away with it.


    ¡°Just¡­ trimming,¡± Savvy stretched a smile onto her lips and avoided looking at the destroyed bush.


    She just hoped that the guy wasn¡¯t the gardener who was responsible for taking care of those. But he


    probably was exactly that ¨C the gardener, otherwise why would he have that earthy forest scent with a


    hint of pine in it. Not that she had a better look at him, he was very handsome and had all those


    muscles that probably came from physicalbour. ¡°Sorry,¡± she mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s just that I am having a


    very bad day.¡±


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    ¡°You are not from here,¡± the guy looked her up and down with some kind of interest evident in his eyes.


    ¡°Although there are a lot of new people here today,¡± he muttered under his breath. He probably wasn¡¯t


    happy that all those people were walking around in his garden now, ruining it.


    ¡°Are you surprised?¡± the girl raised her brow questioningly. ¡°It looks like your king wants a show.¡±


    His head snapped in her direction and he sucked in a deep breath.


    ¡°As far as I heard, it¡¯s voluntary. No one is forced to take part.¡± The man shrugged and that little gesture


    annoyed her more than anything else today.


    ¡°Voluntary?¡± she chuckled loudly, throwing her head back.


    This was ridiculous. Were all northerners like that? ¡°Because it¡¯s every woman¡¯s desire to run after a


    man like a little circus dog, performing tasks and tricks along with many others just like her in the


    pathetic hope that maybe¡­ MAYBE he would be kind enough to choose her! Yeah, THAT¡¯S every


    woman¡¯s desire! We CHOOSE that!¡±


    ¡°Who are you again?¡± the gardener asked. ¡°Did youe with one of the contenders?¡±


    ¡°Contenders!¡± she snorted and rolled her eyes. She hated that word already. ¡°I came with one of the


    political victims.¡± There. She said it. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t even understand how king Kai will be able to look


    into his future wife¡¯s face, knowing that he made her go through all this. That his future queen was used


    as a puppet in his games just because he did not want to marry a certain princess.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± a smirk stretched over his bearded face. ¡°You came with princess Savannah.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± she blushed and, technically, it wasn¡¯t even a lie. She didn¡¯te with the princess. She was the


    princess.


    ¡°I bet she is angry,¡± the stranger went on with some kind of amusement on his face. ¡°The western


    princess who is used to getting everything she wants just by clicking her finger. I am sure the concept


    that she actually has to fight for something is hard for her to ept.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you think?¡± she let out augh this time. ¡°That a girl who grew up without parents, with


    herself and her brother under constant attacks just magically gets everything? Let me tell you, if she


    decides to stay and take part in that nonsense ofpetition, she will wipe the floor with anyone who¡¯d


    be stupid enough topete against her. The question is whether she would still like to get married to


    a man ¨C although a man is not even the right word here ¨C as your king. Because as far as I see it, he is


    the one who already failed his first test! Marrying someone like that was already a sacrifice on her part!


    And knowing that he isn¡¯t even capable of keeping his own word is just sad!¡±


    The gardener¡¯s mouth parted and Savvy decided that she had done and said enough. It actually made


    her feel a bit better about the whole thing and now she knew she had to go back to herpanions


    and start strategizing. She had to make a decision whether to meet the king, p his face and leave.


    Or to stay and make him regret that he ever dared to start all this, considering that marrying him was


    already the sacrifice of her life.


    She took a few steps when she heard a loud growl. Uh-oh. She offended the gardener after all.


    ¡°Listen, little¡­ maid,¡± he gritted his teeth and his eyes shone blue. ¡°The Luna Trials are the ancient


    tradition of the North. This is something sacred to us and the future Luna of the North will be respectful


    of that. If your princess cannot respect our traditions, then she indeed came to the wrong ce.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, big¡­ garden boy,¡± she filled her words with as much venom as she only could. ¡°I studied


    the history of the North and know for a fact that even if there was such a tradition years ago, it hasn¡¯t


    been done once in the past two centuries. If you did not respect your own tradition for so long, why


    should we?¡±


    She decided not to continue this and just stormed off in the direction where she left her friends. The


    faster they could talk, the better.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kyle seemed worried about her. He was her childhood friend and one of the very few


    people she could trust in this world.


    ¡°Never better,¡± Savvy nodded reassuringly. ¡°We have a decision to make. And we need to make it


    quick. I need to know where the library here is.¡±


    ¡°I already got the map from one of the servants,¡± Zara produced a sheet from her red leather folder and


    handed it to her. She was always efficient like that and Savannah was thankful for the best team next to


    her.


    ¡°Good,¡± she said, studying the map quickly. ¡°I need to get everything they have on The Luna Trials. I¡¯ve


    read about it a long time ago in one of our books about the North. But it was barely a few paragraphs. I


    need to learn everything that was ever written about the Trials.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± Kyle smirked when Savannah gave the sheet back to Zara, knowing that his best friend


    already memorised everything. This was one of the things they were always quiet about ¨C Savannah


    had a photographic memory. It was enough for her to see something once and she wasn¡¯t able to


    forget it afterwards. The castle¡¯s n was now imprinted in her mind forever.


    ¡°I think I will go alone,¡± Savvy stopped them. ¡°We don¡¯t want to miss the time when our rooms will be


    ready. I feel like there are going to be a few more surprises.¡±


    ¡°But are you going to do it? It sounds so¡­ humiliating,¡± Zara shot her a concerned nce. She knew


    about humiliation first-hand. Just a few months ago she was a part of the harem of the former fox king.


    Her brother and sister-inw managed to free all the girls and gave them the freedom of choice. Zara


    was a bird shifter and, unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t return to her former flock because she had


    denounced them when she was in love with said fox. He took her to his pack and only there did she


    find out that she wasn¡¯t the only one for him. But love made her stay. And after just a few nights and a


    few experiments in hisb, his interest in her was gone. She spent years locked up in the harem, which


    was called Eden and where every woman was supposed to only wear red revealing clothes, watching


    the man she loved scr**wing every other girl around, only staying because she had nowhere else to go.


    Until Savannah¡¯s sister-inw, the Western Lycan Queen gave them a choice. Zara chose to stay with


    them, and they quickly became friends since Savvy was volunteering to find every former red girl a new


    job and ce to live. Since they became close, Savvy chose Zara to be her assistant when it was


    time to leave for the North. But Zara was quickly proving that this was the right role for her.


    ¡°I still haven¡¯t made up my mind,¡± Savannah confessed. ¡°I need a way out that will still get my brother


    the coalition he needs. If I just leave then that will be in danger. But the king clearly does not want to


    marry me and that makes two of us.¡±


    ¡°Your brain is already working,¡± Kyle¡¯s lips curled into a little smile as they stood in a little circle, trying


    not to attract attention. ¡°I am sure you¡¯ll figure out the best solution.¡±


    ¡°I wish I was as sure as you are,¡± Savvy squeezed his hand and left for the library.


    She wished she could talk to someone now about the predicament she was in. But at some level, the


    gardener was right. This was the first time she had to make big decisions on her own. And so many


    packs and lives depended on it.


    ***


    Kai opened the door to his office and growled when he saw his sister inside.


    ¡°Elene, what the hell is all this?¡±

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    3. Set Up


    Kai gave his sister a stern look. He was gone for just a month and only toe back and find all this


    mess. His home was full of women he did not know and did not want to know. And he found out that


    apparently he was supposed to marry one of them in the near future. This did not sit right with him and


    he knew very well who to me.¡°Brother!¡± the princess of the North chirped and ran in his direction to


    give him a hug, but stopped halfway and scrunched her nose while scanning his outfit. ¡°What


    happened to you? You look like¡­¡±¡°We were attacked on our way back from the mountains,¡± he


    motioned for her to stop talking and walked past her to his rightful seat behind the desk. The one that


    she was clearly using all the time while he was gone. ¡°I was lucky that this set of clothes survived the


    fight as I didn¡¯t have to shift this time.¡±¡°Lucky indeed,¡± his little sister did not look impressed.Kai loved


    Elene. She was the only family he had left. But sometimes she was reckless and did not think about the


    consequences of her actions. Especially when her childhood crush, the western king, was involved. He


    knew that this was the case now. And that he would be the one dealing with everything in the end.¡°You


    need to have some rest,¡± Elene tried to find an easy way out and was already at the door when he


    growled loudly, making her stop.¡°Not so fast!¡± His wolf was angry as hell too. ¡°I repeat my question,


    Elle, what did you do?!¡±¡°You already know what,¡± she gave up quickly, because there was no point


    pretending anymore. She knew that she would have to face the music sooner orter.¡°Luna Trials,¡± Kai


    closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. It was unbelievable that she dared to pull something like


    that.  ¡°Just why did you do it?¡±¡°And what did you want to do?¡± His sister scoffed, folding her hands on


    her chest and sat in the chair in front of him. ¡°I saw how angry you were when their letter arrived


    announcing that Savannah Stormhold graciously agreed to marry you since you begged so many


    times!¡±He indeed wasn¡¯t happy about that. In no way was that the n. A few months ago, he met with


    his old rival king Gideon from the Western Kingdom, because thetter was suddenly desperate for an


    alliance between them. The sole reason why Kai even went to that meeting was that he needed a


    certain piece ofnd that was in Gideon¡¯s possession. A piece ofnd that was essential to his


    kingdom. And since he had already asked for the princess¡¯s hand in marriage before only to be refusedOwned by N?velDrama.Org.


    every single time, he was sure that nothing had changed. Gideon and he hated each other since school


    and then university. But they weren¡¯t just rivals, they actively despised each other.However, Kai


    miscalcted this time. He asked for Savannah or thend in hopes that he would get thend. But


    instead, a few monthster, he received a letter of eptance of his proposal and the date when his


    future bride would arrive on his territory.Hating Gideon was one thing, but going to war with him was


    another. Nevertheless, Kai never wanted to marry his sister. He didn¡¯t even want this in the past. There


    was always a different reason behind his proposals and usually, he was getting what he wanted. But


    not this time.¡°Admit it, Kai,¡± Elene¡¯s lips curled into a victorious smile, ¡°I came up with the best solution.


    The Luna Trials is an ancient tradition of the North. We will fail Savannah early on and will get rid of


    her. We don¡¯t need that alliance much anyway, right?¡±¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure about that,¡± the king


    rxed his back into his chair and clenched his lips.¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Elene furrowed


    her blonde brows.¡°There is a lot of unusual activity in the white bears¡¯ territory,¡± her brother took the


    first folder out from a huge stack that piled up on his desk during his absence and started looking


    through it.¡°What kind of activity?¡± The princess did not want to leave this matter alone. Not too many


    species chose the North as their ce of residence and there were some good reasons for that. Some


    parts of the North were uninhabitable and, because of that, in the past, there were many wars between


    the northern packs of shifters. The ones between the white bears and lycans were always the worst.


    No one wanted that part of history to repeat itself.¡°It looks like they are up to something,¡± Kai muttered,


    checking thetest budget. ¡°So, it¡¯s really not the time to piss Gideon off.¡± Elene pursed her lips. For


    years she was dying to get at least a fraction of the western king¡¯s attention. And now she suddenly


    hated him because he dared to find his true mate.¡°You are not seriously thinking of marrying


    Savannah!¡± The princess stood up and mmed her fists over his desk, almost leaving a dent.¡°God,


    no!¡± Kai chuckled. ¡°But we need to y it nicely. Gideon wanted this alliance very much if he was ready


    for me to have his sister as a wife. You know how many times he rejected my proposals for her.¡±¡°As if


    you¡¯d wanted her!¡± Elene rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair. ¡°I saw her today and, trust me, she


    is nothing special. I don¡¯t know what all the fuss is about.¡± The girl polished her well-manicured nails


    and her brother sighed, cing the budget papers back into the pile. He had already found two


    mistakes and that meant that he would have to go through them all over again, despite the fact that all


    he wanted was a hot shower and some sleep.¡°But she is the least of my troubles thanks to you now,¡±


    he reminded her. ¡°Elle, I really did not n to get married any time soon. And you set me up with this


    big time.¡±¡°Don¡¯t be dramatic!¡± his sister smiled innocently. ¡°You need a Luna and you know it. But you


    are not even meeting with anyone suitable. And now this is your chance. Just take a look at these girls


    and who knows, maybe you will even find your true mate!¡±¡°Yeah¡­ sure,¡± Kai snorted. A mate was the


    last thing on his agenda. Although his annoying sibling did have a point ¨C he needed a Luna. And a


    capable one at that. Someone who could lead by his side and take care of things like budget and many


    other tasks he had no time for. But something told him that this wasn¡¯t the best way to find her. Not to


    mention that his inner voice, aka his wolf Asgard, was insisting that simply taking a partner who wasn¡¯t


    their mate was out of the question.¡°Just give the poor girls a chance!¡± Elene quirked her brow.¡°It¡¯s not


    like I have a choice now, do I?¡± The northern king did the same. ¡°And all thanks to you.¡±¡°No, all thanks


    to Savannah Stormhold,¡± the Princess corrected him. ¡°Anyway, if you don¡¯t like anyone, we just fail


    them all. Trust me on this one, I have prepared tasks that no one will be able to do. But who knows,


    maybe closer to the end you wouldn¡¯t want to let go of a certain girl.¡±¡°Why do I have a feeling that you


    already have someone in mind?¡± Kai closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose.¡°No one in


    particr,¡± Elene giggled, and this was how he knew that she was lying.¡°Who?¡± His voice sounded


    much lower than usual because he was tired of controlling his emotions now.¡°A few contenders,¡± she


    tried to straighten the creases on her dress.¡°Who?!¡± Kai was on the verge of letting Asgard handle all of


    this for him.¡°Say what you want, but Penelope would make a great Luna for you!¡± His sister pouted her


    lips.¡°Not this again!¡± He muttered in annoyance.¡°Just listen to me,¡± Elene got her mobile phone out and


    handed it to her brother. ¡°Look at what they have to do. Test her. You will see that she will handle all


    that just perfectly. But no pressure. If you still don¡¯t want her, then this is it.¡±He eyed his sister for a


    while and then just nodded because he was too tired to argue.¡°Great!¡± She pped her hands. ¡°You


    won¡¯t regret it!¡±¡°I already do,¡± Kai retorted. ¡°And don¡¯t think that you are getting an easy way out. I want


    to stop all that after a test or two. Got it?¡±¡°Deal!¡± Elene shrugged her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s going to be


    wonderful!¡±She said something else about Penelope, Savannah and the Trials but he didn¡¯t listen


    anymore. The exhaustion was catching up on him and he chose to dismiss her. He would have to


    figure out how to get rid of all this mess on his own anyway.His sister was already at the door when she


    turned and said, ¡° And, Kai, shave that awful beard! I can barely recognise you with it!¡±She ran away


    before he could even growl at her. But looking at the list of the contenders in his hands and seeing who


    was on it, he knew that she was right. He had to take care of his appearance and look presentable.But


    first thing first. He needed to get everything he could find on The Luna Trials. He needed a loophole to


    bring it all to an end. So, it meant that he would have to start in the library¡­***Savannah was reading


    one of the many books she found in the library when suddenly she felt a sharp pain. It ripped through


    her whole body and made it especially hard for her to breathe. Her wolf Athena was howling inside and


    this could only mean one thing ¨C her so-called mate was intimate with someone at that very moment¡­

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    The excruciating pain was too much, and tears were burning Savvy¡¯s eyes. She did her best not to


    scream as her nails dug into the wooden surface of the library desk.


    ¡°That mother***ing bast*rd!¡± she gritted her teeth, calming Athena down as best as she could. The two


    of them were Alphas; they wouldn¡¯t be crying over a man even if it was their mate. Even if he was


    hurting them. Especially knowing what kind of man their mate was.


    Savannah hated how the mate bond worked. When she found out about Zack¡¯s betrayal and escaped


    him with the list of traitorous packs who plotted to kill her brother, she made sure to try and reject him


    when she reached a neighbouring pack of werecats where she was safe. But Zack did not ept her


    rejection. She still remembered how he stood there, on the border, naked and angry, his hazel eyes


    piercing her soul. And she spat out the words only for him to refuse to do at least that for her. He did


    not wish to set her free even though he wasn¡¯t going to be a real mate for her. Unfortunately, since they


    were true mates chosen by the Moon Goddess herself, for their bond to be broken, she needed him to


    ept the rejection. And until he did, they were tied to each other forever.


    Mates were supposed to take care of each other, love each other unconditionally, and do everything for


    each other. But her mate only saw her as a good option for breeding strong pups and getting more


    power. This was all that she was to him, and it still hurt her more than anything.


    Then he was gone because he knew that his cover was blown and that Gideon would be ready if they


    attacked. So Zack escaped, and they never saw each other again. But after about a month, she started


    to get these little reminders of his existence. The pains were rippling through her body in torturous


    sharp waves.  As if someone was thrusting a knife into her flesh over and over again.


    The first time she experienced this, she almost passed out, and it was Zara who found her. But it was


    Athena who exined to her what was happening.


    ¡°It¡¯s him,¡± the wolf said, trying her best not to howl from all the pain, ¡°it¡¯s Zack. He is¡­¡±


    She did not need to finish that sentence since Savvy was clever enough to figure it out. Her mate was


    having s*x with someone. It was so painful on so many levels, but she ended upughing through


    tears. Sheughed and sheughed while her elongated ws were leaving marks on the concrete


    floor. While Zara was holding her and asking if she had to call for help, Savannah only shook her head,


    squeezing her eyes shut. She did not want anyone¡¯s pity. She also did not want her family to be worried


    about her. All of them had enough on their tes already. So, she made Zara keep her secret, and this


    was one of the reasons they got so close in the past months.


    Over time, she learned to tolerate that pain, to handle it better. She was almost used to it. Luckily,


    Zack¡¯s intimate moments with others were short. A few minutes at best. Not at all like their first night


    together, where they couldn¡¯t get enough of each other.


    But Savvy pped herself the moment she let her mind go there. They were done. Mate or no mate,


    she would have to kill him to get her freedom. And she would never find herself in his arms again¡­


    The arms around her grasped her tighter, and this was when the pain finally became dull.


    ¡°Hands?¡± Savvy mumbled in frustration.


    ¡°Earth to the maid,¡± she heard a familiar voice and blinked a few times. What was all this?


    Savannah found herself staring in the face of the gardener she met earlier, his clear blue eyes watching


    her intently, brows furrowed as he scanned her face. It took her some time toe back to her senses,


    and she clenched her lips when she did, realising that he was a witness to her weakness. It was bad


    that he saw her so close this time. He was still thinking that she was a maid, and that part was good,


    but he would soon see her as a princess. It was inevitable. And who knew what he would be telling


    people then?


    ¡°Space to the gardener,¡± she pushed him away and stood up, fixing her clothes. At least she looked


    decent. At this moment, anger for Zack filled her heart as the pain disappearedpletely. He was


    done, and so was she.


    Previously, he at least used to have his fun during the dark hours; now, it was still the middle of the day.


    Which was why she was so careless and went to the library alone. Which in turn led to this situation.


    ¡°What was that?¡± The guy sat on the top of the wooden desk she used previously and traced the marks


    she left on the surface with hisrge calloused fingers. ¡°You were¡­ out of your¡­¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Don¡¯t finish that sentence!¡± she ordered in her princess tone, onlyter remembering that she was


    pretending to be someone else. The gardener did not look pleased and hopped off the desk to tower


    over her.


    ¡°Or what?¡± he asked, his minty breath caressing her skin.


    He was much bigger than her, much taller. With an aura of confidence around him that gardeners back


    in her kingdom did not possess. He was also brutish and still didn¡¯t even look clean.


    ¡°Or you¡¯ll regret this,¡± she smirked, folding her hands on her chest. ¡°The gardening section is that way,¡±


    Savvy pointed with her index finger.  ¡°Hurry up. Your roses definitely need some work.¡±


    ¡°Only because some crazydy shredded them to pieces,¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°I heard she only did it because they were that ugly,¡± she tried to get away from him, but he only bent


    lower, inhaling her scent and pinning his hands to the desk on both sides of her, which got her trapped.


    ¡°No wonder you hate roses when you smell like forest flowers,¡± he was so close to her that his beard


    tickled her. Savannah never liked beards. Or man buns. Those were two things that she hated. But


    Athena, who was always very defensive about their personal space, was unexpectedly quiet now.


    ¡°Bluebells?¡± their eyes met when she heard the word. No one ever guessed that on their first attempt.


    Not even Zack.


    ¡°Look at you,¡± the girl rolled her eyes and tried to push him away, but he didn¡¯t move an inch, ¡°a true


    master of your trade.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you hate roses? Because they are more exquisite inparison?¡± he teased her, and she


    did not appreciate it.


    ¡°Exquisite?¡± Savvy scoffed. ¡°Those weeds that grow practically everywhere, thate in every colour


    and stillck originality. Not to mention that they literally try to hurt everyone who touches them. How


    can you evenpare this to the bluebell, a flower so rare it needs protection that only blooms once a


    year and in the most secret of ces. Although maybe you are just one of those who likes¡­ordinary


    things.¡±


    ¡°Are we still talking about flowers, feisty maid?¡± the man¡¯s lips stretched into a smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Savannah raised her brow, ¡°are we?¡±


    He leaned lower, and his beard prickled her again, the closeness getting too much. However, for the


    first time since Zack, Athena was behaving. She didn¡¯t growl at the stranger, did not protest, did not


    make Savvy feel sick. And it was so new and freeing.


    But she had to stop. It was one thing to pretend to be a maid, and it was another to actually kiss one of


    king Kai¡¯s men. She wasn¡¯t risking that much, considering that she already had a n of action in mind.


    So, no matter how tempting it was to kiss that man right now, she knew she couldn¡¯t. His lips were


    almost brushing over hers when she twisted one of his arms quickly, making him lose bnce and


    almost smack his face on the desk while she ran to the other side of the room.


    She turned to take thest nce at him and giggled at his startled expression. He was probably the


    lady¡¯s man here and used to getting it easy with all the maids, considering how confident he was.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know you are not allowed to pick bluebells?¡± Savannah smirked, and the look he gave her


    was not what she expected. She expected disappointment or maybe even anger. But if anything, he


    was amused.


    ¡°They don¡¯t grow in the North, blossom,¡± the gardener chuckled.


    ¡°Too bad for the North,¡± Savvy shrugged her shoulders. ¡°They are beautiful in spring.¡±


    She turned on her feet and stormed out of the library, not wishing to continue this encounter. It was


    exciting but so wrong. And she couldn¡¯t afford it.


    Kai stood where she left him. The little feisty maid with a sharp tongue that reminded him so much of


    someone¡­


    She irked him. But in a way that piqued his interest.


    Which he had to kill, of course. His house was now full of women who belonged to important packs and


    kingdoms and who came here topete for his attention. He still did not know how to get out of this,


    but one thing was certain ¨C he couldn¡¯t insult any of them. So, a fling with a western maid was out of


    the question. No matter how good she smelled, no matter how attractive she looked, no matter how his


    wolf wanted more right now when he usually barely tolerated females seeking their attention¡­ He


    came here to look for ways out of all this mess, and he couldn¡¯t get distracted.


    This was exactly when he noticed the books that the maid was reading, and his mouth opened in


    shock. He lifted one of the oldest-looking books and saw the title on the thick ancient tome: ¡°The Luna


    Trials Guidelines.¡±


    Whistling, he took it and quickly looked through the other books. He counted at least five, and all of


    them were about the ancient traditions of the North. It was a good thing that it was literally impossible to


    study them so fast. He knew that the little maid worked for the western princess. Thest thing he


    needed was for that woman to know all the rules about the event. So, he gathered all the books and


    went to his room. No one would ever find them there.


    ***


    Savannah found Kyle outside, and he showed her the way to her designated room.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± he snorted as he led her in the direction opposite to the main building


    where everyone else was going.


    ¡°What, did Elene give me the worst amodation possible?¡± Savvy scoffed. After everything today, it


    wasn¡¯t a surprise. It was something that she expected. But when they entered the dark passages that


    led to a very gloomy tower, she couldn¡¯t hold in herugh anymore. It didn¡¯t look like this part of the


    castle was used much.


    ¡°At least we are not the only ones here,¡± her friend joined her.


    ¡°Moon Goddess! Who does Elene Fiongh hate as much as me?¡± she snorted and that was when a


    door opened right before the two of them. The princess gasped when she saw who had walked out.


    ¡°I guess that would be me. Long time no see, Savannah¡­¡±

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    5. Friend of Foe?


    Savannah couldn¡¯t believe her own eyes. After she heard about the Luna Trials, she was sure that she


    would see a few familiar faces here. But this was one face that she did not expect to see at all.¡°Brigit?¡±


    she tried not to sound too surprised at the sight of the werebear shifter. She used to be one of the ¡°red


    girls¡± from the harem that her brother Gideon and sister-inw helped to set free. She was also a friend


    of Riannon. Or at least that was what Savvy thought. When Brigit left, she imed that she looked


    forward to her freedom and finding her true mate. Yet now here she was ¨C at the Luna Trials. A ce


    where none of that mattered. And it looked like she was one of the contenders.¡°Princess Savannah,¡±


    the girl greeted her unemotionally. As if they barely knew each other and never fought side by side in


    the bloodiest battle just months ago.Then again, Bridgit wasn¡¯t exactly Savannah¡¯s friend. She had a


    complicated rtionship with Riannon too. So, could they really expect any kind of loyalty from her?


    After all, when a person does something good sincerely, they shouldn¡¯t expect to be paid back. Good


    deeds only remain good when there is no ulterior motive.This was why Savannah breathed out and


    forced a polite smile on her face, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here. That¡¯s a¡­ lovely surprise.¡±¡°There is


    no need for that,¡± Brigit stopped her with a gesture of her well-trained hand. She was the daughter of a


    white werebear Alpha and her kind was known for being tall and muscr. From the olden days, both


    men and women were trained to be warriors. And Brigit was no exception. She was the epitome of a


    female warrior with her strong, athletic build.  Her hair used to be longer than what Savannah


    remembered and now it was cut short so that it barely reached her shoulders. It was straightened to


    perfection to give her a more polished look. Yet she remained true to herself, as her dress was metallic


    grey, resembling armour with a few thin silver chains forming intricate patterns on her shoulders.¡°Look,¡±


    she sighed, ¡°I know very well that you did not expect any of this in the first ce. But I am not going to


    apologise. I am doing this for my people. I need to win this thing whatever it costs me.¡±¡°Be my guest,¡±


    Savvy shrugged her shoulders. ¡°All I need is an alliance. I never wanted to marry that prick in the first


    ce.¡±¡°Sav!¡± Kyle squeezed her arm as a warning. Words like this could have all kinds of


    consequences.¡°Then we have no problem. Right?¡± Brigit raised her brow and walked past the two ofContent is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. When I be the Luna of the North, you will have your alliance.¡±Savvy and Kyle


    exchanged nces. They were both rtively young but not new to political games. When someone


    promised something so important so bluntly, it was usually not what they intended to do.¡°Go home,


    Savannah,¡± they heard the werebear¡¯s advice before she disappeared in the darkness of the passage


    that led to the staircase. They heard her receding footsteps, and Kyle opened his mouth to say


    something, but Savvy ced her finger to her lips quickly to let him know they weren¡¯t alone.¡°Oh,


    excuse me. I did not mean to eavesdrop.¡± They heard a sweet voiceing from the opposite direction


    and saw a young woman walking out of one of the rooms. She had light blonde hair braided to one side


    and was wearing a chiffon midi dress with puffy off-shoulder sleeves, which was simple and elegant,


    and made her look fragile at the same time.¡°It can hardly be called eavesdropping, considering how


    tiny this corridor is and how close our rooms are to each other,¡± Savvy giggled innocently while trying to


    remember if she knew this girl. ¡°I am Savannah¡­¡±¡°Stormhold. I know. You are the princess from the


    western kingdom.¡± The girl was smiling in a friendly manner, and Savvy felt like she had to respond to


    all that positivity. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, and it looks like we are going to be neighbours for the Trials.


    Exciting!¡±¡°Yeah¡­ Very,¡± Savvy stretched a painful smile onto her lips. Exciting wasn¡¯t the word that she


    wanted to use. ¡°And you are¡­¡±¡°Astrid Erling,¡± the girl reacted quickly, ying with her braid. ¡°I am one


    of the daughters of Alpha Eric from ck Mountain pack. We are one of the smallest packs from the


    South, and as you can imagine¡­¡±Savannah could imagine. The South did not have a kingdom. They


    had a republic with its own Council, members of which were selected and then changed yearly to avoid


    someone bing too powerful. They also did not have lycians since the big revolution when they


    killed the royal family.As a result¡­ there was absolutely no gain to having a wife from the South. She


    couldn¡¯t bring any influence to her husband, so unless she was the king¡¯s mate, such a match was out


    of the question.Then again, these were the Luna Trials. And things were different here. The Luna of the


    North was supposed to be chosen based on merits.¡°That exins why you got into the neglected


    corner,¡± Savvanah chuckled.¡°Yeah, I figured when I found out that I live right next to a white bear shifter


    and¡­¡±¡°Me,¡± Savvy let out a littleugh. ¡°Yes, my brother and the northern king aren¡¯t on best terms


    with each other.¡±¡°I am surprised that he didn¡¯t just marry you,¡± Astrid said and immediately covered her


    mouth with her hand. ¡°Oh, sorry¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ Everyone heard that king Kai asked for your hand in


    marriage before¡­¡±¡°I guess he changed his mind,¡± Savannah was getting slightly tired from all this. The


    werewolf girl seemed nice, but she had things to do and decisions to make. ¡°Anyway, I need to go.¡±¡°Of


    course!¡± Luckily Astrid was understandable. ¡°I will see you at the dinner tonight.¡±¡°Probably not,¡± the


    princess confessed. ¡°It was a long road and I just want to have some rest.¡±¡°Got you. Then tomorrow¡¯s


    Weing Party?¡±¡°Yes, I will definitely be going there.¡±They waved each other goodbye and went in


    the opposite directions. Astrid seemed nice, but Savvy wasn¡¯t too na?ve to make conclusions based on


    her first impression. She knew better than that. Zara was already sorting her things in her room, and


    the western princess whistled when she saw how small and modest her room was. Minimalistic wasn¡¯t


    even the word for it. Just a bed, a desk, a wardrobe and a little bathroom.¡°I am going to file an official


    comint,¡± her assistant pursed her lips. ¡°This is outrageous! Your room is just like mine and Kyle¡¯s! It¡¯s


    so disrespectful!¡±¡°You will do no such thing!¡± Savvy carefully sniffed around, ensuring that there were


    no other surprises in the room. Fortunatley, it seemed clean. Her lycan senses did not find anything


    suspicious.¡°But¡­¡± Kyle wanted to say something when she motioned for him to stop and switched on


    the mind link.¡°From now on, everything we need to say about this ce can only be said via the link,¡±


    she informed her friends. ¡°Everyone will be looking at us, watching our every step. And I have already


    made a few mistakes.¡±¡°Yet it sounds like you have a n,¡± Kyle smirked and sat on the fluffy rug on the


    floor, letting the girls have the bed and the only chair.¡°I think I do,¡± Savannah sighed. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that


    marrying the prick is out of the question after everything they have done. Not to mention that he isn¡¯t a


    fan of the idea himself.¡±¡°As***ole,¡± Zara made a rumbling sound.¡°Yes, but that¡¯s a good thing,¡± the


    princess grinned and plopped onto the bed, stretching her body for the first time today. ¡°That means


    that when I am done here, I am free. And this is much better than I hoped for on our way to the North.


    However, before I can leave, there are two problems to tackle. The first one is obvious; we still need


    that alliance. Even after everything. The threat is too big, and it will be much easier with the North on


    our side. But at the same time, I need to save my kingdom¡¯s face. It shouldn¡¯t look like he gave us the


    alliance as an apology for not marrying me. And I absolutely cannot lose the Trials and leave without


    the alliance confirmed in writing.¡±¡°So, where does that leave us?¡± Kyle furrowed his brows.¡°That leaves


    us with the one and only option. I need to win this thing,¡± she announced, and both of her friends¡¯


    mouths parted.¡°But¡­¡± Zara mumbled.¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Savvy giggled and rolled her eyes. ¡°Complicated,


    huh? But that¡¯s the thing. ording to their own rules, the winner of the Trials can ask for three things


    from the King.¡±¡°And you are nning to ask for¡­¡± Kyle really wasn¡¯t getting it.¡°The alliance as the first


    wish,¡± Savvy smirked. ¡°And then, I will ask him to let me go as the second wish, saying that we are not


    right for each other. But the third wish would be for us to stay best friends forever. You see, the


    northerners take pride in keeping their word and being honourable. We will have to exploit that.¡±¡°Do


    they?¡± Zara snorted. ¡°They literally just scr*wed us over.¡±¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± Savannah pointed out,


    ¡°wording requests matter. Gideon and Kai agreed that I would be Kai¡¯s bride. And technically, I am. It¡¯s


    just that I am not the only one. His promise is kept nheless.¡±¡°As**ole,¡± Zara repeated, folding her


    hands on her chest. Kai wouldn¡¯t be getting any fan mail from her any time soon.¡°Yes, sure,¡± Savvy


    laughed and now spoke out loud. ¡°But two can y this game. Now I know how to y, and it will be


    different.¡±¡°They don¡¯t know what¡¯sing for them,¡± Kyle scoffed. ¡°But why aren¡¯t you going to


    dinner?¡±¡°Too early to meet everyone and let them see me. I want to surprise them,¡± the princess stood


    up and took an invitation lying on top of the desk. ¡°Besides, the Weing Party is not that weing.


    It¡¯s the first elimination event. And we need to prepare.¡±¡°Elimination? Really?¡± Zara was getting angrier


    and angrier by the minute.¡°Yes,¡± Savvy shrugged. ¡°You are cordially invited¡­ h-h-h¡­


    Masquerade with the contenders revealed¡­¡±¡°Damn, that guy has some balls,¡± Kyle growled. ¡°He is


    making a show out of it.¡±¡°It is meant to be a show. And this is the best part because, boy, I am going to


    use it!¡± Savannah announced. ¡°The Luna Trials is aplicated event, and everything here has a


    meaning. Here, look at this invitation.¡±They all gathered around her, and she pointed with her perfectly


    manicured finger.¡°Do you see the ink used for the writing? This is the dress code,¡± she informed them.


    ¡°My name is written in red, the body of the message is in golden ink, and the signature at the bottom is


    in blue. That means that contenders can wear gowns only in these colours and their shades. If


    someone arrives in green, she will be eliminated for insulting the Northern traditions.¡±¡°For real?¡± Kyle


    whistled. ¡°What is this guy? Five?¡±¡°He didn¡¯t make these rules,¡± Savannah exined. ¡°They have them


    for centuries. Anyway, we need to get everything ready for tomorrow. I wasn¡¯t colour coding my dresses


    when I was packing them. And I don¡¯t have a mask. You need to be dressed appropriately too. Kyle,


    men can wear ck.¡±¡°What a shame, so that golden tuxedo of mine is a no go?¡± the young lycan


    snickered.¡°There is always next time,¡± Zara retorted. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we can use for a mask. I can fly


    and get one if we can¡¯te up with anything.¡±They started working and only took a break for food that


    Zara had to request straight to Savvy¡¯s room.When it got dark, they finally called it a day and agreed to


    start early the next morning to finish the preparations.Savannah wanted to shower and rx, but


    Athena whimpered inside of her, calling for some fresh air. The princess knew better than not to give


    her what she wanted. Especially when she needed her wolf on her best behaviour.So, she gave up


    quickly and went into the castle¡¯s garden, wearing just her silk robe, since all she needed now was a


    little run. She passed the guards and the warriors, thanking the Moon Goddess that the space around


    the castle was huge.Then finally, she got to a little inner pond and decided that it was a good ce to


    shift. She had already untied her robe when she smelled the familiar scent and covered herself quickly,


    turning to see the intruder.¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind me,¡± the gardener chuckled, walking from behind arge tree


    with a smug smile and his hands in pockets¡­

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    6. Fresh Alr


    I


    ELETTR


    Kai was sitting through a pointless and boring dinner which his sister arranged. He, Elene and his Beta


    L were dining on the upper floor, and he could watch his so-called Luna contenders dining


    downstairs through the ss window. He could already tell that hisst hope for the stupid trials was


    already dead. None of them was his mate.


    ¡°Big deal!¡± Elene scoffed. ¡°You know that mates are overrated anyway. Sometimes the Moon Goddess


    likes tough and gives Alphas like yourself an omega mate! Imagine an omega queen! That would be


    such a joke!¡±


    ¡°My mate would never be a joke to me,¡± Kai grunted. ¡°Whatever rank or kind she is. A mate is a mate


    and this person is always given to us for a good reason.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± his sister rolled her eyes, picking at her sd. ¡°You know they are not given to everyone


    and you are getting too old for this, Kai The North needs a Luna and I can¡¯t always fill in. One day I will


    get married and who knows¡­ Maybe I will have to leave the North. Then someone will have to step


    up.¡±


    He gulped his wine, knowing that his annoying sibling was right. He had gotten away with it for too long


    ¡°Marrying a random girl is not a great solution,¡± he said.


    ¡°Then how about you don¡¯t marry a random person,¡± Elene snickered. ¡°We have known Penelope for


    many years. You are good friends. She is loved and adored by everyone here and she is also the only


    daughter of one of your strongest Alphas.¡±


    He knew that she would say that sooner orter. Penelope was her best friend and he knew all about


    their childhood dream. When they were children they made a pact that they would both marry lycan


    kings. That was a stupid agreement, but it got worse when Elene actually met Gideon


    and fell for him. Since then she started to work extra hard to get him and Penelope together.


    And Penelope was indeed the perfect Luna option for him. If only he hadn¡¯t considered her a sister.


    Just thinking of kissing her or taking her to bed was gross.


    However, for his kingdom, he was ready to do anything.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even try this,¡± he cut his sister off and took another nce at the women. Each of them was


    beautiful in her own way and almost any one of them would make a perfect candidate, yet that did not


    bring any excitement to him.


    ¡°What you did was a bit cruel,¡± L stated inly. ¡°We knew that he would have to marry in the


    next few years but you really sped up the process, didn¡¯t you? Not to mention that you cut his options


    significantly. He had a whole world of possibilities and now he has to choose between¡­ How many


    women are there?¡±


    ¡°Neen,¡± Kai sighed as he finished counting.


    ¡°Twenty,¡± Elene corrected him. He just shrugged as he tried to specifically count just the ones who


    resembled alphas¡¯ daughters. But maybe he took one of them for a helper instead. Never mind that.


    ¡°still expect you to find a way to stop this, he slightly growled at his sister.


    ¡°And I will if I absolutely have to,¡± Elene wiped her lips with a napkin and threw it on the table, standing


    up. ¡°But first you will really give this a try. You will meet these girls and talk to them, get to know them


    better. And if after everything you still want to get rid of them. I swear to you, the final task will help us.


    They will not find fault with us.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± he grunted, scratching his beard.


    ¡°And get rid of that thing!¡± Elene pointed at it before she walked out. ¡°You get away with this only before


    someone takes a picture of you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the whole point,¡± Kai smirked. ¡°They don¡¯t take pics of me while I have it.¡±


    ¡°Well, tomorrow is the masquerade and at the end of it everyone will be taking photos of you and the


    contenders when the maskse off. And we need The North Star, not the woodcutter from the


    neighbouring vige!¡±


    The princess left before he could flip her the bird.


    ¡°At moments like this I am really grateful that I am the only child in my family,¡± L chuckled.


    ¡°Laugh some more and I will marry you to her!¡± Kai let out a snort.


    ¡°If you really want to avenge yourself, you should marry her to that self-proimed white bear king and


    solve all our troubles,¡± his Beta pointed out. And it was a joke. But not really.


    ¡°If he wants power, that would only make things worse,¡± Kai admitted. ¡°He would have a royal lycan by


    his side. What would stop him from murdering me and iming the throne in the name of their


    children?¡±


    ¡°This would be where your childrene to y,¡± L stood up as well and walked to the window


    to take a look at the contenders. He whistled, running his hand through his blonde hair. ¡°At least she


    picked you some hotties. Maybe having a sister is not such a bad idea after all.


    ¡°You can take mine anytime,¡± Kai let out a chestyugh. But then his smile faded. He remembered


    something. ¡°You know, thest time I saw Gideon when he brought that new Luna of his¡­ The way he


    looked at her¡­¡±


    ¡°Like a weakling?¡± L sneered.


    ¡°No, not at all. He loves her.¡± Kai¡¯s eyes grazed the women beneath him. ¡°This meeting would have


    ended the way all our conversations went if not for her. She¡­ shepletes him.


    ¡°Only because he is not a full package. Like all westerners,¡± his Beta rolled his eyes. ¡°I would still prefer


    if one of these women was my mate.¡±


    ¡°Look, K, I get all this good guy with a big heart vibe of yours. But I am not feeling sorry for you having


    to spend your time with all these beautiful women!¡± Lughed and shoved his shoulder in


    friendly manner. ¡°I have to go and check on the security in the castle and around. We have so many


    new people here now. I need to take extra measures.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Kai waved him off and was ready to go to sleep, when he heard his wolf.


    ¡°Later,¡± Asgard¡¯s voice sounded impatient. ¡°Go to the garden. I need some fresh air and a run. Or a


    hunt. A hunt will be better.¡±


    Kai knew better than to question his wolf¡¯s needs when there was no serious reason to deny him what


    he wanted. So, he left the building and went to the west gate, where he always went when he wanted


    to shift and run into the woods.


    ¡°Not there,¡± Asgard grunted. ¡°The pond.¡±


    ¡°What did you forget there?¡± Kai asked and then the wind brought the delicious bluebell scent to his


    nostrils. ¡°On another note, we didn¡¯t check this pond for a while! I wonder what its state is now!¡±


    He hurried there, grinning like the j***t that he was. He knew that she was just a maid¡­ No, that wasn¡¯t


    even right. She was princess Savannah¡¯s maid and absolutely off limits. He couldn¡¯t possibly touch her.


    But¡­ he couldn¡¯t stop going in that direction either.


    He saw her standing next to the water with her back to him. A thin silk robe was all that she had on and


    when her hands moved to the belt, he knew what she was doing. She untied the belt and the golden


    fabric slid off her delicate shoulders. The pond was illuminated from the other side and Kai could see


    the silhouette of the maid as if she was giving him a shadow theatre performance. Her enticing curves


    at full disy for him.


    And however much he wanted to see the show, he knew that it wouldn¡¯t be right. So, he chose to make


    himself known to her and stepped closer, knowing that she would smell his scent.


    The girl flinched and wrapped her robe back around her, turning on the way, the wind ruffling her


    golden-brown wave locks. Kai couldn¡¯t help his grin stretching over his lips. After tonight, he was happy


    to see her again.


    ¡°What do you think you are doing?!¡± she scolded him as if he was guilty of something when he was


    clearly being a gentleman here. 1. ¡°Me?¡± he tried his best to look offended even though he was


    amused by the whole situation. He also enjoyed the delicate blush that kissed her cheeks. It suited her.


    ¡°I am just getting some fresh air. The question is what are you doing here? Are you trying to sh the


    guards?¡± he couldn¡¯t wipe the smirk off his own face. The tint on her cheeks became even more


    evident and he was enjoying that he made her feel this way.


    ¡°For a gardener who likes to spend his time in a library you aren¡¯t that bright, right?¡± she moved closer


    to him and he watched her, fascinated by the yful smile on her pretty face. He even missed the


    insult, feeling the warmth of her little body next to his. He liked it. He liked it a lot. Too much even.


    ¡°Enlighten me then,¡± a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to exin?¡± She did not look impressed. ¡°I was about to shift and let my wolf run. And


    what about you? These aren¡¯t your working hours. Were you just trying to find someone to stalk?¡±


    ¡°Stalk?¡± a scoff escaped him. She was pointing her index finger at him, and he grasped her wrist,


    spinning her and pressing her back to a nearby tree. ¡°Little maid,¡± he was so close to her now that he


    could inhale her delicious scent all he wanted, ¡°There is no need for me to stalk anyone. I already have


    more women than I can handle.¡±


    ¡°This is not something to be proud of, you know?¡± she burst outughing. She irked him. But also¡­


    she excited him.


    Savannah couldn¡¯t believe the situation she was in. The gardener¡¯s beard was tickling her neck and his


    hot breath was burning her skin. It was a game to him and it was a game to her as well. A game which


    she enjoyed. For the first time in a while she was enjoying something.


    She iabbed him with her elbow and he let her turn to face him, but the moment their eyes locked, he


    pinned her back to the tree. Forehead to forehead, ragged breathing, his hands on her waist¡­ She


    wanted to kiss that gardener and to hell with everything. She didn¡¯t care about the king anyway. And


    Athena was eager to do it as well.


    She grabbed his t-shirt and wanted to pull him closer, when the familiar pain returned, piercing her


    whole body and almost making her scream.


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    ¡°That son of a b**tch!¡± her wolf growled in fure, ready to burst out and destroy everything just not to feel


    this torture of their mate¡¯s evident betrayal.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± the gardener brushed his palm over her cheek and she leaned into it because she was


    so hot and his skin was the coolness that she wanted so much, that she needed. It was helping her


    and¡­ it suddenly urred to her that he could help her much better than this.


    ¡°Just kiss me already!¡± she hissed, and he didn¡¯t let her have a second to regret her


    words.


    His surprisingly soft lips mmed into hers, his tongue thrusting into her mouth, demanding submission


    that she was never going to give him.


    Kai lost it. Hepletely lost it with this strange girl. If someone saw him with this maid while his house


    was full of his potential Luna candidates, a scandal would be unavoidable.


    If only he cared when she tasted so good, and when her scent was so intoxicating. He lifted her up,


    fingers sliding under the robe to dig into her perky bum. She wrapped her thighs and hands around


    him, making it so much easier. All while his hardness pressed right into her core through his jeans,


    making her moan and arch her back. The maid¡¯s frail neck opened up a bit and he hastily removed her


    soft silky locks away to start greedily kissing her delicate skin. She felt too good to be true, but he did


    not want to contemte about it. Not now. Not when he was so close to having her.


    The pain was long gone but Savannah did not care. Her life was already a mess. What could one little


    fling do? She hated her mate, she hated the northern king. So what if the gardener made her feel alive


    again?


    She could feel Kyle knocking into her mind. She shut the link and did not react. But he kept trying and


    this made her groan in frustration, which only ignited the gardener¡¯s fire as his hands were searching


    for the ties of her robe.


    She wanted him. She wanted him so badly!


    But there was also her kingdom¡­ And the people in it¡­ Was it worth it to put them all in danger by


    kissing some insanely hot gardener?


    She hated to admit it but Kyle already ruined the moment. The disturbance was helping her to slowly


    come to her senses.


    ¡°Stop,¡± she muttered and to her surprise the lycan who held her did just that. He stopped and looked at


    her questioningly.


    ¡°What is it, Kyle?¡± Savvy asked mentally.


    ¡°Where the hell are you! They said that apparently all contenders have to be in their room by nine


    o¡®clock. You are alreadyte, and they are checking! Find a way back and do it quickly! I will try to hold


    them back or make a diversion.¡±


    ¡°Got you!¡± Savannah closed the link and sighed.


    The gardener looked at her as if he did not want it to end but knew that he had no choice.


    ¡°I need to go,¡± the girl smiled but that smile did not reach her eyes.


    ¡°You must be kidding,¡± he grunted in her neck, feeling how she unwrapped her legs and tried to get


    down. He did not want this. His whole essence was against this. But their eyes met again and he knew


    that she was serious.


    ¡°I need to find a way to get back to our tower,¡± she exined and he nodded, cing her back to the


    ground. She looked so worried that he couldn¡¯t bring himself to make her stay. ¡°They


    are checking if people are back in their rooms and I am here¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± the gardener took her hand and pulled her in the direction of the buildings. ¡°There is a back


    entrance for servants.¡± .


    ¡°Great,¡± she mumbled as everything between the two of them became awkward again.


    Kai thought that maybe it was for the best. What happened right now was pure madness. And he


    couldn¡¯t do that. Not now, not with this girl.


    ***


    5 minutes ago


    Zack knew that there was only one way to remind his mate that he was still existing. So, when his Beta


    brought him the girl that reminded him of Savvy the most, he didn¡¯t hesitate. He didn¡¯t like to make it


    song either. All he needed was a rele-se and to send a message to his mate.


    Yet this time was different. As he had hardly started when a piercing pain hit every cell of his body¡­


    He growled loudly, throwing the she-wolf away and dropping to all fours on the floor. His ws were


    leaving traces on the wood and he almost shifted as his wolf wanted to run and go searching for their


    mate. The mate that was clearly enjoying someone¡¯spany now.


    ¡°Savannah!¡± Zack snarled, requiring all his physical strength not to follow his feral desires.


    He didn¡¯t know when it ended and how long itsted. But he knew one thing ¨C he needed to find


    Savvanah fast¡­

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    7. The Map


    They were walking in silence and Kai wanted to do more for her. He didn¡¯t even know why. He couldn¡¯t


    exin it to himself. But she looked worried and it made him unsettled too.


    ¡°So, look here,¡± he showed her the back door that even servants used from time to time. He


    remembered it well for the sole reason that it was a weakness in his castle and he made his quards do


    regr checks there. ¡°You go left when entering and then you go up the stairs to your floor. You will


    probably find yourself in some storage room, so¡­¡±


    He stopped, thinking of how to exin things to her more clearly while she looked at him with unhidden


    curiosity in her eyes. He shouldn¡¯t have been doing this, but, sighing, he took his phone out of his


    pocket and within seconds he entered the password for his security app, scrolling through the options


    until he found the map of his house. The real one. The one that wasn¡¯t shared with anyone other than


    his security people. He would just show her this tower and that was it. There was no way that she


    would remember the outline of the secret passage. It would be too short to do even when it came to


    simply understanding what she saw.


    He started exining to her the turns and the doors she needed to use.


    ¡°And thanks to that, you¡¯ll be in the darkest corner of your floor. There, everything will depend on your


    luck,¡± he smiled at her.


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    Savannah felt lucky indeed. That gardener did not know what he was doing, showing her this precious


    map. But she was looking at the lines greedily, even if just for a few seconds. It was enough for that


    image to forever indent into her memory. She wouldn¡¯t be able to forget it. Ever.


    ¡°Uhm, got it,¡± she chewed on her lip, trying not to grin wickedly. This was the best thing he could do for


    her. ¡°Thanks,¡± she nced at him again and noticed his eyes lingering on her mouth.


    ¡°You are wee,¡± he shrugged, and she opened the door. A part of her wanted to ask his name but


    she knew that she was better not to. She¡¯d better just leave and forget about what happened.


    But as she took another step, he gripped her hand and spun her to face him again, crashing his lips


    into hers for thatst taste¡­


    It took them both longer than they realised. Savvy only managed to push him away when Kyle tried to


    mind link her again.


    ¡°I need to go!¡± she said more to herself than to him, her breathing still ragged.


    The maid ran away and Kai stared at the door in front of him. It was a while since he felt this ¡­ lost.


    Lost in his own feelings.


    He had to snap out of it and get back to what he was supposed to be doing. But before he left too, he


    mind linked his head guard and his sister.


    ¡°I want both of you to leave the contenders alone. No one should be on their floors now. No one should


    be in the tower as well.¡± He shut the connection, knowing that no one would dare to disobey his direct


    order. A little smile tugged at his lips. At least he could do something for the


    little maid. Even if this had to be the end of their story.


    Savannah reached the corridor that led to her room and listened, before sneaking back into her


    bedroom. Kyle and Zara were already gone and she let them know that she had seeded. before


    taking a quick shower and going to bed.


    And for the first time in a while, her mate wasn¡¯t the one she was thinking about when she drifted off to


    thend of dreams.


    ***


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Zara was helping with the sp of a blue sapphire and diamond ne,


    while Kyle was working on the mask. ¡°I still think we should have gone with the golden


    one.¡±


    ¡°Something tells me that most girls will be wearing gold since they all want to send the message that


    they are worthy of being queens,¡± Savvy smirked, looking at herself in the mirror.


    They had already done her hair and now she had it up in a rxed braided crown with a low messy


    bun with a few loose curls here and there. The braid was a traditional northern one and for


    a very good reason.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you do the same?¡± Kyle gave her a reproachful look.


    ¡°Why?¡± she scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t have to prove that I can be a queen. I am probably the only one of pure


    royal blood here. I need to prove something else ¨C that I can belong here even despite being a


    westerner.¡±


    ¡°Sounds reasonable to me,¡± Zara sprayed something over her hair and added thest sapphire hairpin.


    ¡°This is why my dress is dusky blue,¡± Savvy chuckled. ¡°In the olden days it used to be the traditional


    bridal dress colour in the North. They wore it with fur, but fur would be too much nowadays.¡¯ So, that¡¯s


    why I asked my seamstress to add a few feathers to finish the look instead, to create a simr effect


    and shape. Who knew that these would be the circumstances of me wearing that dress?! But I am


    happy that I thought about that before arriving here.¡±


    ¡°Good thing that you got their trick with the dress code,¡± Kyle snorted. ¡°That was so low of them, to be


    honest.¡±


    ¡°What did you expect after they arranged all that just to get rid of me?¡± Savvy giggled. Somehow it was


    easier for her now. She had a mission, and she didn¡¯t have to get married. Life was getting better. And


    in no way was it because of her kisses with the gardener. Nope, that definitely didn¡¯t have anything to


    do with that.


    Zara helped her to attach the mask and Savannah gave her friends thest twirl. The pale blue fabric


    was heavy, but the feathers were making it look like it was floating in the air. The glimmering silver


    sequins and beads were like little sprinkles of night stars. But what she loved the most about this off-


    shoulder dress was the split front that allowed her freedom of movement and gave a good view of her


    legs.


    It was very¡­ her.


    Someone knocked on her door and Zara rushed to open it. She was wearing an elegant ck dress


    with arge golden bird ps on her left shoulder.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    ¡°Princess Elene asks you not to bete,¡± a maid handed them a golden envelope and disappeared


    even before any of them had a chance to respond.


    ¡°She is in such a rush!¡± Kyle rolled his eyes. Zara handed Savvy the letter and she opened it without


    dy. Her lips curled into a smirk when she read the contents of the message. ¡°What is it?¡± Kyle was


    impatient.


    ¡°Nothing much,¡± Savannah opened the secretpartment of her make-up box and hid the letter


    there. ¡°Elene really wants us to get to the ball on time. She was even kind enough to give me strict


    directions on where to go.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ unexpectedly nice of her,¡± Zara checked the time and looked at Savvy reassuringly.


    ¡°If only her instructions didn¡¯t lead me to an inventory room at the back of the castle,¡± the lycan princess


    snorted. She couldn¡¯t believe that this woman hated her enough to go into this much trouble.


    Little did they know that her photographic memory would never let her get lost in this ce. All thanks


    to one very handsome gardener¡­


    ¡°B**ch,¡± Zara swore under her breath but quickly regained herposure. ¡°Anyway, shall we? Now we


    just have toe early!¡±


    ¡°I like the way you think,¡± Kyle winked, offering them both his hands, which they dly epted.


    In less than a few minutes, they were already standing at the doors leading to the main ballroom. Elene


    was greeting the guests, wearing a sparkling golden dress. She was in the middle of ridiculing a girl


    who had the misfortune to arrive in a purple dress. Unfortunately for her, the purple ink wasn¡¯t used in


    the invitation. Hence, the colour was considered inappropriate today.


    ¡°The North always respected wits before everything,¡± she sneered. ¡°We cannot have a queen who


    doesn¡¯t know the simplest of rules.¡±


    She clearly wanted to say something else, but that was when her eyesnded on Savannah. Elene


    recognised her at once. She clenched her lips not to give away her displeasure. But it was obvious


    nevertheless.


    The girl in purple had already left, using her chance to escape. And Savvy left herpanions to enter


    separately, as the contenders were obliged to.


    ¡°Savannah Stormhold?¡± Elene pretended that she did not care much. ¡°I am not mistaken, right?¡±


    ¡°Not this time,¡± Savvy gave her the most charming smile.


    ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯d never¡­¡± she started talking but cut herself off in the middle of it, realising what


    the westerner meant. She was talking about the instructions she sent to her room to try and get rid of


    her quickly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Savannah leaned forward and whispered to her ear. ¡°I appreciated the gesture


    and I will return it when I can.¡±


    Not waiting for a reply, she entered the ballroom.


    The space was filled with guests in masks and she tried to observe them discreetly. The ball was only


    supposed to start when the king arrives and the contenders are introduced. So, she


    still had time to do whatever she needed to do.


    Masks were covering the faces but no one here was able to hide their scents. Savvy tried to remember


    them now, since that would be valuable information forter.


    She was sipping champagne in the corner when the doors on the opposite side of the grand hall


    opened, a familiar scent hitting her nostrils


    Savannah couldn¡¯t believe this. That was definitely the scent of the gardener. This scent was more


    evident and intense for her than any other in this room even if she couldn¡¯t see him yet,


    She started thinking hectically while trying to stay reasonable. There was no way that a simple


    gardener would be invited to a grand party like that. And that could only mean one thing. The man she


    kissed yesterday wasn¡¯t a gardener.


    Savvy gulped her champagne and stayed in her corner, watching a group of men enter. She only saw


    the tips of their heads in the crowd but by the way people were greeting them it was clear that they


    were important here.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± someone close to the group said in a voiceced with fawning and Savvy tensed


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s him?¡± she heard two girls who stood not far from her whispering, trying to cover


    their mouths to muffle the sounds.


    ¡°Yes, I met the Beta yesterday and I am positive that it¡¯s his scent. It¡¯s the king and his entourage,¡± was


    the reply.


    They were probably other contenders since they didn¡¯t know who was who. Locals seemedfortable


    at the ball. The masks for them were just a fun outfit element for the party, nothing more.


    But this was bad. Really, really bad. If that was king Kai and his most trusted men then it meant that


    she kissed one of them! It couldn¡¯t get any worse than that and Savvy sucked in a deep breath trying to


    calm down.


    Why did she even assume that he was a gardener?! She knew why. Simply because she saw him in


    dirty clothes and ¡­ in the garden.


    This definitely wasn¡¯t her brightest moment and she cursed under her breath at the realisation


    Savannah remembered pretty well that she called him a gardener in the library and he did not deny it.


    Moreover, he went with it. So did she pretending to be a maid. But she had a very good reason for that.


    What was his reasoning to pretend while on his own turf?


    The answer for that was too obvious¡­ He knew who she was from the very beginning. And he yed


    her.


    Was heughing at her with his friends? Or even worse ¨C was heughing at her with king Kai?


    Or¡­ was it king Kai¡¯s idea?


    It was clear that no one wanted her here. Was it another part of their n to get rid of her? Would they


    now use it to ckmail her so that she would be humiliated? Did they want her gone that much?


    She gripped the stem of her crystal flute so hard that it crumbled in her hand to pieces, drawing blood.


    But she did not care, as the wounds healed quickly. Not a drop managed to fall on


    her gorgeous dress. She needed answers and she needed them now.


    Anger was boiling and something that she locked inside of her years ago was urging her to let it out.


    ¡°The gardener¡± and other men stood next to the musicians and were chatting with women surrounding


    them. Savvy watched them from afar for a few seconds but when some brte in a red dress slid her


    arm over ¡°the gardener¡¯s¡± bicep, she made up her mind.


    She marched in their direction and ced her hand on his shoulder, squeezing it with a royal lycan¡¯s


    might to send a message.


    ¡°Hey there,¡± she smirked as if she was in full control of the situation. ¡°I think you owe me a dance.¡±


    He looked at her, startled. She could bet he didn¡¯t expect her to be this daring in this situation. Too bad


    for him. ¡°Who do you think you are?!¡± the brte in red gasped.


    ¡°The music hasn¡¯t even started,¡± some guy in a ck mask with a blonde beard stated. And it was a


    fair point.


    Savannah¡¯s head snapped to the musicians as she felt Athena surfacing and her eyes glowing


    ¡°y something fiery!¡± She gave them an Alpha order which she almost never used and they grabbed


    their instruments.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± someone was about to protest but the gardener raised his hand, motioning for them to


    stop


    ¡°It would be my honour,¡± he took her hand from his shoulder and kissed it gently, sending shivers all


    over her body. But she had to snap out of it. It meant nothing to him and it would mean nothing to her


    Kai was shocked. The little maid was one of the guests, which meant that she was someone important.


    And of a much higher rank than he initially thought. He never bothered to check her wolf because he


    was overwhelmed each time they were together. He let his guard down.


    And it was a mistake.


    Did she already know who he was? Judging by the look in her eyes she was angry with him. And


    rightfully so. He was the king of the Northern Kingdom and she probably thought that he was just toying


    with her. But it wasn¡¯t like she told him the whole truth either.


    Kai walked her to the centre of the room, and everyone stepped away, leaving the dance floor to the


    two of them. The first ords sounded, music filling the room in an instant. Their eyes locked and he


    pulled her into himself roughly, closing the space between them. After this conversation they would be


    done, and a part of him wanted to at least feel her closer.


    A corner of his lip curled into a smile. She was clever since she wanted to do this with music on. This


    was the only way to speak privately at a party with so many shifter ears in the room.


    ¡°So, I guess that you¡­¡± He wanted to start but she growled at him. A woman never growled at him


    before.


    ¡°I hope you had your fun,¡± she gritted her teeth looking at him with a challenge in her eyes He hated the


    mask that was covering her pretty face but at least her eyes were still on full disy


    for him.


    ¡°Look, if I knew who you were, I would have kept as far away from you as possible,¡± he told her but, of


    course, it didn¡¯t help his case one bit.


    ¡°Goddess,¡± she chuckled bitterly, ¡°are you seriously going to pretend that you didn¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°And you?¡± he arched his brow although she couldn¡¯t see it through the mask.


    ¡°I am the one who is new here! I couldn¡¯t know!¡± the woman in his arm hissed and he could feel how


    fast her heart was beating. She didn¡¯t look like she was lying.


    ¡°Exactly, you are new here,¡± he mimicked her tone, ¡°how was I supposed to know? I am sorry, but I am


    not following princess Savannah on social media to know what all her friends look like.¡±


    Her lips parted. Was he still trying to y her? If that was the case, she wasn¡¯t letting it happen.


    ¡°Nice try!¡± she narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°As if king Kai¡¯s closest man wouldn¡¯t be checking everyone


    who was arriving for those stupid Luna Trials.¡±


    Kai swallowed. His Beta and Gamma were probably doing this all night and they would know who she


    was. It all went a bit too far. He had to let her go.


    ¡°Listen, it was a mistake,¡± he sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s just forget about it and move on from¡­¡±


    A sudden piercing pain stabbed his foot and he realised that she stepped on it with her sharp metal


    heel.


    ¡°Fine!¡± The girl purses her lips. ¡°Mistake it is! See you never, gardener!¡±


    Her every word was coated with hate she felt for him at this moment and she was ready to leave when


    he held her in ce, grasping her tighter.


    ¡°Not so fast, little maid!¡± He growled into her ear softly. ¡°No one stabs me and leaves.¡±


    He didn¡¯t even know why he was still holding her. He deserved that and he had to let her go. He


    absolutely had to.


    Only that neither him nor his wolf really wanted to.


    ¡°The dance is not over yet,¡± he whispered into her ear, identally brushing his lips over her skin as he


    leaned down. ¡°Leaving early is rude.¡±


    ¡°If you are a masochist, just say so,¡± the girl sneered and stepped on his other foot. He groaned, but


    not from the pain this time. He was used to physical pain. But that audacity of hers required some


    answers.


    So, when she lifted her foot to repeat the same annoying action, he caught her thigh and lifted it higher,


    wrapping it around his own as if they were in a sensual provocative dance and not a street fight.


    ¡°Take your hands off me,¡± her eyes were throwing daggers at him while her cheeks flushed.


    ¡°Only when you learn how to behave in a civilised society,¡± he smirked. ¡°And after that you westerners


    call us barbarians?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± she rolled her eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t touch a woman like that without her con. sent.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°It brings me as much pleasure as it brings to you,¡± he red at her and she did the


    same.


    The two of them didn¡¯t even notice that the music was off. They didn¡¯t realise that they were not moving


    anymore. And that everyone around them was staring.


    Someone cleared their throat right next to them. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Elene touched her brother¡¯s arm. ¡°I am


    busy,¡± he growled at her.


    ¡°Kai!¡± Elene raised her voice slightly. ¡°You aren¡¯t supposed to dance with the contenders before their


    introduction. That is if they get through it in the first ce! And princess Savannah needs to go and


    take her ce because we are about to start.¡±


    They both looked at her in awe, processing her words. And then they got back to gazing at each


    other¡­ ¡°Princess Savannah?¡± ¡°Kai?¡± They said the words in unison.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    9. Bost For Last


    Savvy looked at him in shock, and his grasp on her became tighter. Elene cleared her throat again,


    bringing them both out of their daze.


    ¡°Kai!¡± She hissed. ¡°We need to go. Now! Everyone is watching.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± he conceded, finally letting her go. Savannah straightened her dress, and the realisation of how


    they might look dawned on her, also considering most people present were aware that he was their


    king. Not to mention that she was about to be unmasked as


    well.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Kai took her hand and bowed to kiss it, however, she snatched it back before his lips


    could touch it. A soft growl left his chest, and she wondered what he was thinking. His level of


    deception was really beyond anything she couldprehend, and all that she wanted at this moment


    was to p him. Then p him again. And more, if it were possible.


    But, of course, she couldn¡¯t. Too many eyes, too many witnesses. At least he helped her finalise a


    decision she had been pondering.


    There was no way she was leaving humiliated. She would make him and his mean sister regret the day


    they decided to do this to her. She would win the stupid Luna Trials and get those wishes from her


    ¡°groom-to-be¡±. Then she would get her alliance and reject him, making it impossible to hold it against


    her, her brother, or her kingdom in any way.


    ¡°You are excused, Your Majesty.¡± She filled her words with as much venom as she could muster and


    turned on her heels to walk toward what looked like a queue of women.


    ¡°Please, over here.¡± A girl in a ck dress and a mask gestured for her to stand toward the back.


    Savannah recognised Elene¡¯s assistant. ¡°I am sorry, you have thest turn ¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Savvy cut her off with the sweetest smile she contained in her arsenal. ¡°In the West, we


    save the best forst.¡±


    She was fuming, and even Athena was unsettled inside her.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kyle mind-linked her. She knew he had seen everything and was probably wondering


    what was going on. They had known each other since they were kids, and he could sense when she


    was troubled.


    ¡°Peachy,¡± she replied sarcastically. ¡°I am going all in. You and Zara need to find out everything you can


    about every single contender. So, keep your eyes open now that they will be revealed.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± he said quietly and closed the link, knowing it was better not to contradict her when she was in


    such a state.


    ¡°Together again,¡± a girl next to her remarked as she smiled brightly. Savannah looked at her in an effort


    to recognise her. ¡°It¡¯s Astrid,¡± the girl whispered. ¡°I¡¯m ced in the room next to yours.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right!¡± Savvy chuckled. ¡°You are another lucky contender.¡± ¡°At least I am in goodpany,¡± Astrid


    replied, giggling, but then, the sound of a loud bell


    interrupted them. They watched as Elene froze like a statue of some ancient queen at the top of a


    staircase leading to a throne which was now taken because King Kai was sitting in it and staring at her


    with his piercing blue eyes.


    Savannah pretended not to notice and stood behind Astrid, hidden from his gaze.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen!¡± For once, Elene¡¯s voice sounded truly sweet, as if she loved the people


    gathered before her, not the contenders, of course, but the northerners present in the hall. ¡°It¡¯s time to


    begin! The Luna Trials are about to start, and you are present during an historical event which will lead


    to the appointment of the new Luna of The North!¡±


    They all cheered loudly, and Savvy could decipher one phrase voiced all around her, by Fenrir¡®s will.


    She almost forgot that the northerners often preferred the wolf warrior god to the Moon Goddess, who


    was worshipped more in the West. Of course, she was respected everywhere, but it was considered


    that Fenrir was the patron of thesends.


    The photographers and cameramen stood between Elene and the contenders, filming everything from


    different angles.


    ¡°Our first contender!¡± The princess made a gesture, and a familiar brte in a red dress came up to


    the bottom of the stairs and curtsied as if this were the Middle Ages.


    Savvy rolled her eyes. For some reason, she remembered how that woman was touching Kai moments


    before she snatched him away and that memory was particrly unpleasant. Nevertheless, she quickly


    brushed it to the farthest corner of her mind, where Athena then obliterated it. This was war, with no


    strings attached.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to reveal who we all are,¡± Elenemanded, as she turned to her brother, who was sitting on


    a throne behind her. A throne! Savvy scoffed. She had never seen Gideon sit on a throne. They didn¡¯t


    even have one.


    Well, technically, they did, but it was in a museum, and no one in their right mind would be sitting on


    that old thing anyway. She liked the north less and less


    Kai slowly removed his mask. For the first time today, she noticed that his beard was now a barely well-


    trimmed stubble. It was something she had missed during their dance because she was mad at him.


    She hated to admit it, but he looked even better than he did before.


    His eyes grazed quickly over hers, still, once again, she pretended to look at someone else in the


    crowd. Elene followed his example by removing her mask, and so did all the northerners in the room,


    finishing off the motion with a round of apuse.


    Show-offs.


    ¡°The Luna of the North can¡¯t be an ordinary woman.¡± Elene was working the cameras with her dazzling


    smile, giving them the show of their lives. ¡°She must be beautiful and have perfect lineage. While all


    our contenders have these, there are other qualities we value more. The first of them is wit.¡±


    The word echoed through the room, and Savvy tensed. She had a photographic memory and


    remembered everything she had ever learned. Nheless, what if the education system in the north


    was different from the west, and they would start quizzing her about something she didn¡¯t know in the


    first ce? This could be a potential disaster.


    ¡°Contender One,¡± Elene raised her chin with a facial expression full of self-importance. ¡°I want you to


    solve a riddle. Each contender will have one.¡±


    Savvy couldn¡¯t hold back a snort and a few girls in front of her turned to see who could be so


    disrespectful. Astrid quickly stood in front of her, covering Savannah and giving her a moment to gather


    herself. She gave Savannah a wink and continued watching the show.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    This girl was starting to grow on Savvy.


    In the meantime, Elene continued, ¡°Name a thing that is lighter than what it is made of and more of it is


    hidden than is seen.¡±


    Savvy furrowed her eyebrows. What was this? Year 1 of primary school?


    ¡°An iceberg!¡± the brte beamed, and Savannah had to use all her inner strength not to make any


    more sounds.


    ¡°Excellent!¡± Elene praised her. There was no denying that this girl was Elene¡¯s favourite by the way she


    looked at her, as if she already won and this was all just a formality. Consequently, all the other


    contenders received an utterly degrading re which could only be tranted as ¨C bow in the presence


    of the gods, Sheep.


    The princess gestured for the contender to go up the stairs and stand at her side.


    ¡°Penelope Summerstern, daughter of the North!¡± Elene announced although it was apparent that


    everyone here knew who the woman was. ¡°Our first contender for the title of The Luna of The North!¡±


    When everyone was done with their apuse, another woman stepped forward, wearing a navy dress


    with rhinestones that sparkled as if she was wearing the night sky. Savvy sniffed discreetly and


    recognised that person as Brigit, the white werebear.


    The funniest thing, judging by the face that Elene was now making, was that it didn¡¯t appear to be


    Brigit¡¯s turn. Some other girl in golden attire had tried to step forward too, but Brigit growled


    at her, and the poor soul quickly gave up.


    ¡°Some things never change,¡± Kyle told Savvy via the mind-link. She smirked at her friend. Brigit was ¡­


    something. She was one of the least wanted contenders here but decided to fix that as soon as


    possible. With force.


    This was going to be fun!


    Regardless, there wasn¡¯t much that Elene could do about it, so she sighed with annoyance and said,


    ¡°Only one colour, but not one size. Stuck at the bottom, yet easily flies. Present in the sun, but not in


    rain. Doing no harm and feeling no pain. What is it?¡±


    If looks could kill, the she-bear would be done.


    Brigit stood there quietly. Everyone here knew that if she couldn¡¯t solve the riddle, she would be


    eliminated. She wouldn¡¯t even get to take her mask off. Although, that was probably for the best. The


    rules were simr for the women who couldn¡¯t enter the ball because they arrived dressed in the wrong


    colours.


    The werebear was clenching her fists, and Savvy wished she could tell her the answer mentally, but


    they weren¡¯t from the same pack nor were they rted in any way, so that wasn¡¯t an


    option,


    They heard a few giggles here and there. Everyone could now sense that she was a bear and bears


    weren¡¯t liked much in the North because of the constant wars between their packs in the past.


    Suddenly, Brigit lifted her head and with a slight smirk on her lips answered, ¡°Shadow.¡± ¡°Someone


    came prepared!¡± Kyle pointed out. ¡°I wish it was us!¡± Savvy replied.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Elene pursed her lips. ¡°Our second contender! Bridgit Borg, daughter of Alpha Borg of the


    White w n. A white werebear.¡±


    Thest words were said with spite, and the wave of murmurs that went through the crowds of guests


    confirmed Savannah¡¯s suspicions. There was no apuse this time, but Brigit did not seem to mind as


    she took her rightful ce on the stairs.


    The next two girls had riddles that were so easy a child could answer them. They were also northerners


    like Penelope, but one of them was a werewolf and not a lycan. By the way they behaved, it could be


    concluded that they were there primarily to support Penelope than to win for


    themselves. Celia, an edgy-looking lycaness with short wavy hair, and Inga, a blonde with two long


    braids to her front, both looked ready to defend their future Luna¡¯s honour and even stood at either side


    of Penelope yet a few steps behind her so as to make her stand out. Even their dresses were a dull


    shade of blue with nothing extraordinary about them. The perfect background for their queen.


    A girl with long, straight, auburn hair was next, and she was also sessful. Sawy wondered who she


    was until she heard the words, ¡°Autumn Bern, the fox Alpha¡¯s daughter from


    the eastern Ruby Hill pack.¡±


    Now, this was interesting. Foxes weremon enemies after the recent attacks. Although eastern


    foxes weren¡¯t actively participating in the war, they were definitely under suspicion, and King Kai


    allowed one straight into his own house ¡­ This was ¡­ peculiar.


    One by one, the girls gaye Elene their answers, as Savvy got bored. Their riddles were nothing special


    ¡°Mavis Redfeather,¡± Savannah heard a name that made her curious, and looked at yet another woman


    taking off her mask. She had long wavy hair that was dark at the top and was gradually turning into


    bright red by the ends in the best ombre effect Savvy had ever seen. ¡°From the Silver Skies flock.¡±


    She was a bird shifter from Zara¡¯s old flock, one who could be problematic since they all hated her.


    However, the next name put Savvy into a state of real shock.


    ¡°Nayara Knight, daughter of Alpha Ramina Knight.¡± Her eyes immediately met the eyes of the werecat,


    who had once given her asylum in her territory when Savannah was running away from her traitor


    mate. If Zack had managed to capture her then, her life would have had a whole different oue.


    She had reached the werecats¡¯ territory, and Naya was the first person she met. Their acquaintance


    was short but very eventful. Especially considering they ended up


    fighting side by side in the bloodiest battle of their lives right after they met.


    ¡°Did you know that she would be here?¡± Savvy shot a nce at Kyle. ¡°I had no idea,¡± he shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll


    try to find out why we didn¡¯t know.¡±


    Here was the confusion, had Naya known about the Luna Trials, why wouldn¡¯t she inform her or


    Gideon. They were in the alliance after all. Naya¡¯s mother was one of the most loyal Alphas to her


    brother.


    B A girl with perfect pink locks wearing a perfect doll dress with lots of golden sequins walked


    to Elene. She didn¡¯t look any older than eighteen and Savvy was wondering if it was a mistake that she


    was here in the first ce. These weren¡¯t the times when woment had to secure a marriage early. Then


    again, there was a possibility of getting married to a lycan king. A lot of


    Alphas probably wanted to seize this opportunity.


    ¡°I havekes with no water, mountains with no stone, and cities with no buildings. What am 1?¡± Elene


    asked gracefully, and the girl in front of her nervously yed with the frills of her dress. She began


    fidgeting more and more.


    Savvy decided to take back her statement on children being able to solve those riddles. That child


    clearly wasn¡¯t able to.


    The girl turned to the remaining contenders and looked at the woman in her thirties that arrived with


    her. Panic was evident on her face, but then, all of a sudden, it brightened, and she found the strength


    to face Elene again.


    ¡°It¡¯s a map!¡± she announced loudly and even pped her hands together.


    It was obvious that her assistant gave her the answer via their mind-link. In spite of this, the northern


    princess ignored all that and gestured for her to take off her mask.


    ¡°Petra Biernat, the Alpha¡¯s daughter from the Blue Forest pack.¡± She made the necessary


    announcement.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry,¡± Kyle chuckled in Savvy¡¯s mind. ¡°If you need my help, I am at your service.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, Kyle,¡± Savannah snickered. ¡°How many of these did you solve?¡± A sly grin appeared on his


    face, and she chose not to react this time.


    Astrid was next, and she gave her answer quickly. She was introduced without any problems. Even


    though Elene made a face as if she ate a lemon when she showed her a ce to stand.


    It was Savvy¡¯s turn next, and for the first time, she allowed herself to meet Kai¡¯s blue eyes.


    He was watching her just as she expected, his facial expression was unreadable. The northern king


    looked handsome without a mask, and without his beard. Not that she would ever let him know.


    She wasn¡¯t mad anymore. Now she was calm and concentrated. Moreover, she was ready for anything


    Savannah stepped forward and bowed her head slightly. She wasn¡¯t curtsying before Elene. They were


    equals. So, this simple form of respect was enough.


    The northern princess did not like that, but, luckily for her, she had already prepared her revenge. It


    was evidently written all over her face as she gestured for two guards to bring in a table into the room.


    They ced it in front of Savvy and put an old golden weighing scale on top of it.


    Of course, she wasn¡¯t going to make it simple for her. After all, the whole event was created to


    humiliate her.


    ¡°Elene, what is the meaning of this?¡± To her surprise, Kai interrupted the event.


    ¡°Just another riddle, brother,¡± the princess giggled, ¡°and since it¡¯s ourst one, I thought that doing


    something special would be nice. So, I brought in some props.¡±


    Savvy was watching her like a hawk when she walked to the table and ced nine old coins on it one


    by one.


    ¡°There are nine coins on the table,¡± Elene smirked, ¡°but one of them is fake. The fake coin is slightly


    lighter than the rest. Our contender can weigh the coins two times, and no more. Then, she has to tell


    us which coin is fake. Good luck!¡±


    Giving her onest sneer, the northern princess walked back to her brother and toward the throne. Her


    face changed as she looked at the king, and for a second there, Savannah suspected they were


    speaking via mind-link.


    However, this was not her main concern at the moment. She took the coins into her hands and sadly


    realised that there was no way to determine the fake in that way. She would have to use the weights,


    but she could only use them twice, so she had to use them urately.


    Savvy walked around the table to bid some time when she had an idea. All the coins were in her


    hands. She was about to ce the first of them onto the golden cup that rested on the scales when she


    heard the king¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Wait!¡±

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    Northern Blood


    Kai had seconds to collect himself as his sister reminded him of his ce, letting go of the girl in front


    of him.


    He was the King, and he had a role to y. Especially with all the cameras pointed in his direction.


    He would be thinking about Savannah Stormholdter. Savannah. F*cking. Stormhold.


    It was unbelievable that out of all the people here, he was drawn to her. His guilty pleasure, his little


    maid, turned out to be the woman he tried to avoid marrying in the first ce. Moreover, she was the


    little sister of the guy whose guts he hated the most.


    His head was buzzing with a million questions, so he just waved for the event to start, ignoring Elene¡¯s


    displeased gaze at him and his earlier promise to deliver a short speech. She would have to figure all


    of this out on her own since she was the one who started this mess in the


    first ce. Which she did just perfectly.


    Of course, her bestie Penelope was the first, and he didn¡¯t even listen to how she solved an old


    northern riddle for five-year-olds. Elene could have at least given her something a bit more challenging,


    so as not to make it too obvious that she was helping her. Penelope wasn¡¯t an idi.ot.


    Neither was Princess Savannah. His eyes were searching for her at every opportunity, and each time


    she averted his gaze. Apparently, everyone and everything in this room was more interesting to her


    than he was ¨C themps, the walls, the floor, the people¡­


    He gritted his teeth, focusing on the women before him. A witch just passed the test. A witch¡­ Elene


    must have been crazy to invite her. Witches should have been avoided at all costs.


    ¡°Salome Gray from the White Tree Coven¡±, she introduced herself and gave him a seductive nce


    with her onyx eyes, which he did not return as he was staring at Savannah again. Her delicate


    shoulders were poking out of her feathery dress, bringing sinful thoughts into his mind.


    She looked nothing like thest pictures of her that he had seen. Then again, thest time he was


    interested to see her was years ago, when she was just a cute teen with freckles. Interested wasn¡¯t


    even the right word. He wanted to make sure she was nowhere near ready to get married to piss off


    Gideon with his offer after he humiliated his sister.


    That was stupid, and he knew that now. But back then, it seemed like a good idea after he saw Elene


    crying for hours. Both he and Gideon were young Alphas back then and it was a given that his elders


    would try to persuade him to ept such a marriage.


    Now the joke was on him. Because Savannah grew up. And the woman she had be was¡­ really


    something.


    It all made sense now. Her destroying the bushes, her looking guilty for kissing him back¡­


    She was no maid indeed.¡¯


    The next girl was another werecat, Mika something. That meant that now there were two werecats


    in the game. Two too many. This kind was free and not cut for a traditional marriage.


    It was almost Savannah¡¯s turn, and he couldn¡¯t wait. As soon as this farce was done, he would drag her


    away, and they would talk about.. everything


    He didn¡¯t know what that ¡®everything¡¯ meant precisely, but they had to clear the air. Judging by her


    reaction, she thought that he had been purposefully messing with her all this time on purpose. And


    although he was initially guilty of creating this whole situation in the first ce, he wanted her to know


    that he wasn¡¯t ying with her when he kissed her. It was an honest mistake that he would never


    repeat again.


    That thought felt sour to him, but he had to push it deeper into his mind. This had to be the end of


    them. He would never allow himself anything with her. After all, they weren¡¯t mates, and they were too


    different. This could never work¡­


    Some girl he didn¡¯t know got¡¯her riddle that for some reason, seemed to be harder than what the other


    contenders got. She managed to solve it, and when she introduced herself as Astrid, a daughter of


    some eastern Alpha, it became clear to him that Elene was ying a game of her own, trying to


    eliminate the ones she disliked the most first. He wanted her to find a way to stop the Trials, but she


    also had to understand that they had to keep their face in all of this. Showing favouritism was against


    everything the North believed in.


    He grunted at the thought that they would have to have a conversation about all this again. And


    although he loved his sibling with all his heart, he had had enough of her for the past two days already


    It was Savannah¡¯s turn now, and she stepped forward. The defiance and determination on her face was


    admirable. But then the props arrived and he realised that she wasn¡¯t getting a riddle like everyone


    else. He felt anger rising at the bottom of his chest.


    ¡°There are nine coins on the table,¡± Elene smirked, ¡°but one of them is fake. The fake coin is slightly


    lighter than the rest. Our contender can weigh the coins two times and no more. Then, she has to tell


    us which coin is fake. Good luck!¡±


    His sister turned and walked to his throne, their eyes meeting for the first time during this whole mess.


    ¡°What the hell, Elene?¡± he demanded via the mind-link. ¡°Everyone got a children¡®s riddle, and she gets


    this?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°So what?¡± she shrugged it off and stood next to him. ¡°You wanted her out. Here is your chance. She


    fails miserably and leaves. The end.¡±


    ¡°And then we wouldn¡®t hear the end of this. The Northern King was so afraid of the little western


    princess that he made her lose by rigging the contest!¡±


    His sister¡¯s face paled. ¡°Well, it¡®s toote for that anyway! Just wait and see... Besides, it¡®s not that


    hard. They would be talking badly about us whatever we do! You know how they are!¡±


    But he wasn¡¯t listening to her anymore. His eyes were glued to Savannah who was slowly counting the


    coins in her palm with her delicate fingers. The same fingers that he loved having


    entangled in his hair. ..¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± He heard himself saying and standing up. He would give her any other riddle and make up


    something about his sister pranking the other only other princess present. Elene asked for it anyway.


    Kai knew that he didn¡¯t want to see Savannah humiliated.


    However, the moment she turned to him on her heels, it wasn¡¯t an expression of gratitude that she


    wore on her face. Her brows were knitted on her forehead, and there was a dangerous glint in her eyes


    warning him that if he took one more step, he was going to regret it.


    Although in just a second, it changed to a fake smile, and she turned back to the cameras.


    ¡°I am honoured by the fact that His Majesty wants to see me answering this up close. I am humbled by


    the attention.¡± She ced all nine coins in a row on the table, and one of the cameramen came closer


    to avoid missing anything. ¡°I love this test, and these ancient northern coins are exquisite. I have never


    held one in my hand before, and however this ends, this was already worth it. To touch the history of


    the North¡­ It really means a lot to me. You see, a long time ago, a member of my family married a


    northern noble lycaness. It¡¯s a long and beautiful story, but to cut it short, I have northern blood in me


    too. And this is the first time I get to experience the culture, and this is¡­ simply incredible.¡±


    Kai would have gaped if he didn¡¯t know any better. The way she just introduced herself and showed


    respect for his culture was unbelievable. She even mentioned having northern blood, which he wasn¡¯t


    aware of. He gave his Beta a quick order to check this information and concentrated on Savannah, who


    bent slightly in front of him to have a better look at the coins.


    ¡°My task is to find a fake coin by weighing them.¡± The woman smirked at the audience and took one of


    the coins into her fingers. ¡°If I had to choose by just looking at them, I¡¯d pick this one. It¡¯s scratched just


    like the others, but the scratches seem¡­ shinier. I¡¯d even say newer.¡± She made


    a half turn to nce at Elene, who was turning as white as a sheet of paper and returned her sneer


    from earlier. ¡°Regardless, I have to weigh the coins, so here goes nothing.¡±


    The princess quickly separated coins into three groups and then demonstrated to everyone the one


    she already considered fake, cing it a bit further away from the other two in its group.


    Then she took the first two groups in each hand and carefully put them on the scales, waiting just a few


    seconds for them to get even.


    ¡°As you can see, these two groups have the same weight,¡± she announced with the tone of a teacher.


    ¡°If the fake coin was in any of the two groups, the scales wouldn¡¯t be even. So, we can forget about


    these six coins. Now we have only three left.¡±


    She cleaned the scales and took another two coins from the third group.


    ¡°Now,¡± Savannah smiled charmingly, ¡°if I am correct, then these two coins will have the same weight,


    meaning that the remaining coin is the lighter one. Also known as the fake one.¡±


    She ced the coins on the golden cups, and smirked when the scales got even again.


    ¡°Ah,¡± she took thest coin, the one she bet was the fake one from the very beginning. ¡°And here is the


    one we¡¯ve been looking for!¡± It was quiet at first, but soon someone started pping. Then another


    person joined them, followed by many others.


    Savannah bowed gracefully before the crowd.


    ¡°Congrattions!¡± Elene almost growled, trying to end this fast and hurried to their side. ¡°You were


    lucky and solved your riddle.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a riddle, Princess,¡± Savannahmented calmly so that others couldn¡¯t hear them, ¡°And I


    wasn¡¯t lucky. I just have a talent for seeing fakes easily.¡±


    Their eyes met, and it was nothing less than a war announcement between the two of them.


    ¡°Introduce yourself!¡± Elene walked back to the throne, not even bothering to pretend to be polite


    anymore.


    Savvy tried to remove her mask but had a slight problem locating the ties in herplicated braid


    hairdo.


    ¡°Here,¡± Kai tried to help her, covering her fingers with his. The simple motion made them both freeze,


    and he felt his breathing getting ragged. Absent-mindedly, he brushed his thumb over hers, making her


    shiver.


    But remembering where they were, he pulled one of the ties and helped her to get rid of the mask,


    announcing her himself. ¡°Princess Savannah Stormhold of the Western Kingdom. Our honourable


    guest and the twelfth contender of The Luna Trials.¡±


    Whispers and gasps erupted through the crowd while Savannah walked to the centre of the line of the


    contenders. This was where he was supposed to stand for their group shot, and something told him


    that she was aware.


    Penelope shot him a concerned nce which he ignored as he stood right next to the Western


    Princess, trying not to inhale her intoxicating scent of bluebells.


    ¡°I am honoured to have such wonderful, strong and beautiful womene to our pce to honour our


    traditions by fighting for the title of the Luna of The North. I hope to be worthy of their


    efforts.¡± The words came out dry, and he could swear he heard a little snort.


    She had a right to this if he was honest with himself.


    However, shepletely shocked him when she slid her arm around his elbow and stepped closer.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Savannah beamed at the cameras. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for us to announce the main part.¡±


    Kai looked at the princess in confusion. What was she doing? That dangerous glint was back in her


    green eyes.


    He was about tough it off and lead her out of the ceremony hall. But she turned back to the cameras.


    ¡°I guess the honour is all mine.¡± She chuckled. ¡°When I was invited to participate, I only agreed since it


    was such a wonderful and ancient tradition. As I have already told you, I love history, and I am


    especially fascinated with the history of the North. One of the ancient rules of The Luna Trials was that


    it wasn¡¯t just the King making his choice. The people of the North were choosing their Luna as well!¡±


    His lips parted, and her lips curled into another smirk as she continued, ¡°During each test, when


    contenders are eliminated, the people of the North can save one person by giving her the


    vote of their hearts. You are all a part of this! Up until the final trial!¡±


    The guests started buzzing again.


    ¡°That would be all news for tonight,¡± Kai announced before she threw something else at him with a curt


    smile and then gestured for the musicians to start ying. ¡°Enjoy the night.¡±


    Now all that he wanted was to take Savannah, drag her out of here to his own room and¡­ have a


    proper conversation. Nothing else. Nothing¡­ funny.


    The bedroom wasn¡¯t probably the ce for it


    ¡°Well, this was fun,¡± the princess chirped, and before he managed to do anything, slipped away from


    him and dissolved somewhere in the dancing crowd. Kai had the firm intention to follow her, but


    Penelope stood in his way along with several other contenders.


    ¡°You already danced with one of us.¡± The girl teased him. ¡°How about giving the same honour to all of


    us? We¡®ve been waiting for this all night.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Elene appeared at his side and jabbed him with her elbow. ¡°Kai will pay equal attention to each


    contender. We don¡¯t have favourites here.¡±


    He red at his sister. Now she was talking about having no favourites? Really?


    The Lycan King quickly looked around, but the Western princess was nowhere to be found.


    No matter what she was thinking, she wasn¡¯t getting away with this so easily.


    He danced with each contender, trying to be polite as his title called for. Some of them were chattering


    the whole time, especially that Petra girl with pink hair who seemed way too young for all of this. So


    young that he asked for her birth date just to make sure Elene didn¡¯t make a mistake. Thest thing he


    needed was an under aged contender.


    She just turned eighteen and he sighed hearing that. It would take her years before she was mature


    enough to be a Luna.


    The white werebear was silent, although she was probably the only one to whom he was at least


    remotely interested in speaking. Not many bears visited his pack. But he didn¡¯t want to push it.


    Especially since tonight he wanted to wrap this up quickly and go find¡­ her.


    He was done in an hour and a half. Much longer than he expected. And, of course, Savannah was


    nowhere around, leaving him no choice to go look for her.


    Savvy was so angry that she couldn¡¯t stay in her room. She left as soon as she could. For that one


    night, she had done enough and just remembering the show made her lips curve slightly again.


    In the end, it didn¡¯t turn out that bad. Not to mention that she was only starting. Zara and Kyle wanted


    to talk to her, but she lied that she was too tired tonight and that they would discuss everything first


    thing in the morning.


    In reality, she needed to be alone. Moreover, she needed a good run.


    It was risky with the curfew hours here. Then again, all other contenders were still at the ball. So that


    meant that they weren¡¯t in their rooms either. The opportunity presented itself and


    she wasn¡¯t going to deny herself the pleasure.


    The gates were opened tonight because the guests wereing in and out all the time.


    Savannah used the less guarded entrance to sneak out. The garden in that gloomy bastion was


    enormous, but nothing couldpare to the real forest. And after that evening, she needed this


    connection to nature.


    Athena was fast, they would just run a little bit and return safely.


    She pulled her dress off behind one of the trees and stepped out of it, shifting almost instantly.


    Stretching her paws first, she charged deep into the northern woods.


    The trees were different here, the scents were delicious, and she was truly enjoying herself. It was also


    a good idea to learn the localndscape in case of emergencies in the future, so, instead of turning


    back, she decided to get deeper into the unknown.


    However, after a while, she felt someone else¡¯s presence. At first, it felt like someone was watching her


    from one of the small bushy hills. Yet soon she heard branches breaking nearby and decided that it


    was time to quickly get back to the castle.


    She started running but that¡­ something was only getting closer. He was alone, and she knew it. A


    male¡­ big Massive even. Judging by the footsteps.


    Savvy kept running when all the sounds disappeared, and she stopped. Was it this easy? He simply


    decided to leave her alone after following her for a while?


    She wanted to continue her way when the sombre shadows before her suddenly felt thicker. All her


    senses were heightened now, but nothing was going on.


    Until she saw one red eye gleaming in the darkness¡­

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    11. In The Shadows


    Savannah steadied her feet in a defensive stance, ready for battle. Athena has never let her down, but


    now, she seemed tenser than ever, which could only mean that their opponent was extremely


    dangerous.


    The glowing red eye didn¡¯t move, and neither did she, baring her canines as a warning to the intruder.


    Her paws let out their ws, digging into the ground underneath her. If the creature attacked her, she


    would be ready to behead it. She wasn¡¯t in the mood for jokes.


    However, when it took a step toward her, leaving the thick, suffocating darkness of the woods it had


    used to hide itself in, a chill snaked down Savannah¡¯s spine.


    Massive, with a fierce-looking scowl, a white bear was slowly moving in her direction, not taking his


    eyes off her. He looked like a majestic ancient warrior god, and Savvy would have been in awe if she


    didn¡¯t know any better.


    Unfortunately, bears were bad news.


    She growled. It was thest warning that she was ready to give. Although she knew the chances of him


    backing off were slim. The werebears that she knew were assholes. Thanks to their impressive size,


    they were the only other species capable ofpeting with lycans. Because there was no way that


    foxes would go into this if they didn¡¯t have such strong allies. The uing war was on them.


    What worried her the most was the knowledge she had knowing no bear should be present this far


    north as they weren¡¯t on friendly terms with the Northern Kingdom. Another reason she was agitated


    was the fact that the bear had one eye. This sight triggered unpleasant memories from the past,


    although the only person she knew with a simr injury was a fox. Moreover, he was long dead, and


    she had seen his body with her own eyes.


    The bear took another step toward her, and she let Athena take control. The wolf chose not to waste


    any time, first charging at the white beast. One sharp, nimble move and she managed to slice her


    ws through his side hoping that it would be enough to make him give up on whatever idea he had in


    his head. However, when she turned back to face him, she was looking at a tall man with a smirk on his


    lips.


    She froze, not knowing what it meant. Shifters were vulnerable in their human forms. So, what did he


    want to tell her by shifting after she attacked him?


    The most reasonable exnation she could think of was he wanted to demonstrate to her that he was


    harmless, despite that she didn¡¯t want to make assumptions. Looking at him, she quickly realised that


    even as a human, he was dangerous. Not to her though. She was a royal Lycan, after all. He would be


    a threat to someone with a much less impressive lineage. The man was unbelievably tall and built like


    a mountain, with sharply carved muscles that testified to his extensive training and old scars that ¡­


    were proving he had been through a lot. It was extremely hard to scar a shifter.


    Almost impossible. Almost ¡­ One had to go at lengths to achieve that.


    The stranger had silver hair that covered half his face and reached his shoulders. Savannah realised


    that he was trying to disguise the missing eye.


    Other than that, he seemed confident and not embarrassed by his nakedness at all.


    ¡°Are you just going to watch, not that I mind, or can we talk?¡± His lips curved into a smirk. ¡± see you are


    not from here.¡±


    Savvy snorted. What if he was one of Brigit¡¯s people? The best course of action would be to run back


    to the castle and pretend that this encounter never happened, but natural curiosity was her curse.


    ¡°Shift, little wolf,¡± he ordered suddenly, adding his Alpha tone to it, which only annoyed her all the more


    She didn¡¯t take Alpha orders even from her own brother, the Lycan King of The Western Kingdom. She


    wasn¡¯t about to take them from some werebear.


    Savannah rolled her eyes. The slight motion did not escape him. One sharp jump, and he was beside


    her. Neither she nor Athena expected this, so they were both utterly shocked when he


    abruptly pinned them to the ground.


    ¡°How on Earth?¡± Savvy struggled under him. She was a Lycan, and he was in his human form. Bear or


    no bear, he had to be weaker than her now.


    Yet there she was, nailed to the ground.


    He had a handsome face. Too handsome for his own good, nheless there was a long deep scar


    crossing the area of his left eye, and Savannah swallowed, realising that it was missing.


    The man noticed her interested gaze, and he wasn¡¯t thrilled about it.


    ¡°Shift!¡± He roared at her, shaking her wildly, and this time she did as she was told, shocked that his


    Alphamand worked.


    The man on top of her enjoyed the frustrated look on her face, and she quickly gathered herself


    sensing this was clearly now a life and death situation.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± She arched her brow, and now he was the one confused out of the two.


    That confusion, however, quickly changed to a smug smile. ¡°Impatient?¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°You said you wanted to talk,¡± Savvy snapped defiantly, lifting her chin. ¡°So, get off me and talk.¡±


    It was a long shot, still, surprisingly it worked. The werebear stared at her for a few seconds and then


    slowly stood up, eyes greedily devouring every inch of her.


    He offered her a hand, but she declined it, moving her hair to the front of her body to afford herself


    some coverage.


    ¡°You are not from here.¡± He repeated the words from earlier thoughtfully.


    ¡°Neither are you!¡± The woman shrugged her shoulders, searching for a nearby bush to hide behind.


    However, the observant bear stepped closer to her, making it impossible to escape.


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    She took a step back, but he closed the distance between them in a blink of an eye, backing her into a


    huge ancient tree. The man lowered his head to the column of her neck and took a deep


    breath, cing his hands at her sides.


    ¡°You are one of Kai¡¯s new toys,¡± he stated with a grunt, and this made her anger boil in her veins.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± She gave him a warning, letting Athena closer to the surface so that their eyes glowed


    blue light, manifesting their royal power. It was just a glimpse of her strength, but usually, it had the


    desired effect.


    Not this time, though. He seems amused, but that was about it.


    ¡°I am no one¡¯s toy!¡± Savannah snarled through gritted teeth, and that earned her a chuckle.¡° Especially


    not his!¡±


    This whole experience annoyed her. She pressed her hands into his chest to push him away, meeting


    resistance that proved to her once again that she wasn¡¯t wrong about his strength. This would exin


    why he wasn¡¯t afraid to wander here alone.


    ¡°Feisty!¡± He approved of her action with a soft snarl, but then a loud resounding growl emerged from


    the forest, and the grin on the bear¡¯s face widened. ¡°I¡¯ll see you another time, Princess,¡± he teased,


    winking at her and making her gasp.


    Did he know who she was? Had he known from the beginning? Or did he just figure it out?


    Whatever the answer was, one thing was for sure. It didn¡¯t mean anything good to her.


    The stranger disappeared in the darkness that weed him as if he belonged there, and in just a few


    seconds, a huge ck wolf jumped out of the bushes in front of her.


    Their eyes locked, and she knew at once that it was Kai.


    He shifted right before her, and she bit the inside of her lip not to make any sounds at the sight of


    another perfect and naked male body.


    She managed to jump behind the bushes this time. Another growl followed her.


    ¡°Savannah Stormhold!¡± He seemed so angry that it caused chills down her spine. ¡°What the hell is the


    meaning of this?¡±


    She sighed in exasperation, trying to figure out what to say. For some reason, it was harder for her to


    think now that he was here. When the dutline of his perfect body was drawn by the moonlight ¡­


    ¡°Meaning of what?¡± She squeaked, feeling her cheeks turning red and thanking the Moon Goddess for


    the cover of night.


    ¡°You left the castle grounds alone and without permission.¡± Kai seemed angry as he practically spat


    each word. ¡°And even standing here, I can smell that you reek of another male!¡±


    Her lips parted in shock. He did not just say that. He did not just simply say what she thought he


    implied. He didn¡¯t.


    Otherwise, she would just have to kill him on the spot because this audacity of his had no boundaries.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Savvy hissed, almost tempted to walk out to him and let him see her, yet deciding


    against it at thest moment. Nakedness never bothered her before, nevertheless, her nakedness did


    bother her in his presence for some odd reason..


    ¡°You are not excused!¡± The Lycan King retorted. ¡°I should eliminate you just for being here!¡±


    ¡°Well, what are you waiting for?¡± She heard herself shouting at him. ¡°It¡¯s not like that wasn¡¯t your n to


    begin with?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer her as they stood in stillness where they were, listening to each other¡¯s heavy breaths


    of frustration for a few minutes.


    Hearing his footsteps approach and thinking things were about to get ugly between them, she was


    surprised when a piece of wrapped fabric flew in her direction.


    ¡°What the ¡­¡± She began, unfolding the parcel, and to her great surprise, it was an oversized grey


    sweatshirt.


    ¡°Put it on,¡± Kai groaned, pulling on a pair of grey sweatpants. ¡°We need to talk.¡±

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    12. Daja w


    ¡°Look at us! We are even sharing clothes now!¡± Savvy said, pulling on the sweatshirt he gave her. ¡°And


    here I thought that I wasn¡¯t special to you!¡±


    ¡°Savannah¡­¡± He groaned, and she imagined that the king of the North was angry with her. He had to


    be since she was just a nuisance to him.


    ¡°Excuse me, Your Majesty,¡± she giggled. ¡°Don¡¯t be offended. I know very well that I am just one of the


    twenty or so contenders. Oops. Pardon me, twelve. Twelve contenders. We don¡¯t count those poor girls


    who came in the wrong colour dresses, right? Theymitted such a serious offence!¡±


    ¡°Are you done?¡± Kai growled, waiting for her impatiently.


    ¡°Oh, I am far from being done!¡± the princess snorted when she realised that the sweatshirt was barely


    covering her bottom. However, she had to admit that it was better than nothing, and she would have to


    be content with having just this on her. It was better than the two of them staying naked together.


    Nothing good coulde out of that. ¡°In fact, I could go on about all this for hours!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I am asking,¡± Kai cut her off, ¡°Are you dressed?¡±


    ¡°If one can call this short hoodie a dress, then yes¡­.¡± The girl muttered and didn¡¯t even get to finish her


    sentence when the lycan¡¯s strong hand grasped her forearm, pulling her out of the bushes into the


    moonlight.


    ¡°Good,¡± he said calmly and pushed her against the tree where just a few minutes ago, the bear was


    holding her hostage.


    D¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    ¡°And now tell me who the man you were with a few minutes ago was.¡±


    He tucked his nose into the crook of her neck, taking a deep breath of her scent mixed with the


    intruder¡¯s, and his elongated ws sliced the tree bark right next to her.


    ¡°Damn, Kai,¡± she chuckled, demonstrating that he wasn¡¯t intimidating to her at all. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any


    better, I¡¯d say you are jealous!¡±


    He pulled away from her quickly. Way too quickly.


    Their eyes met, and he quickly averted her gaze, making her blush at the realisation that there might


    have been some truth to her joke.


    The king cleared his throat. ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. It¡¯s absolutely uneptable that my¡­ one of


    the contenders is sneaking out with some guy in the woods!¡±


    ¡°Imagine my surprise when I thought I wasing here to get married and found my groom-to-be with


    twenty other women!¡± She didn¡¯t hold back a smirk that curled her lips, and he finally locked his eyes


    with hers. They stared at each other as if it was apetition, and Savvy experienced a wave of


    triumph when he sighed heavily and looked away.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know, okay?¡± Kai ran his hand over his hair. ¡°L¡¯


    M


    a sked for my hand in marriage when you really did not want anything to do with me. And then asked


    your sister to handle it for you,¡± she said coldly, and he felt respect for her. Herposure was


    admirable. After all, he was the one clearly at fault here. ¡°And then you decided to humiliate me more


    and¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he stopped her right there. ¡°Savannah, I didn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t know it was you.¡±


    ¡°How could you not know?¡± She wanted to walk away, but he didn¡¯t let her, pressing himself harder into


    her. So, she ced a hand between the two of them, and her touch did something to him that he


    couldn¡¯t exin.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know that it was me either,¡± he chuckled, leaning lower. ¡°Because of your ridiculous beard!¡±


    the princess pointed out. ¡°I thought you liked it better that way.¡± The man scoffed, and she rolled her


    eyes at him. ¡°Back then, I thought you were a simple gardener¡­.¡± She pointed out with a raised brow.


    He wanted to tell her a lot of things, but instead, he asked, ¡°Does it change anything?¡±


    ¡°It changes everything.¡± The woman in front of him didn¡¯t hesitate with her answer, and he knew that


    she was right. The moment he stopped being a gardener and she stopped being his little maid, it was


    over.


    It wasn¡¯t supposed to start in the first ce, and he couldn¡¯t believe that the one time he allowed


    himself to enjoy life at least a little bit, he got into that mess with one of the Stormholds.


    The North would never ept her, and she would never bend herself to make them ept her. The


    rivalry and animosity with the West was in their roots. This was what they lived and breathed. There


    were too many wars in the past, and his people did not forget or forgive easily. If she was his mate or


    came with a particr piece ofnd, it would be different. But that wasn¡¯t the case¡­


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I am sorry it turned out like this.¡± Kai found himself apologising to her. He owed her


    that much.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Savannah nodded and looked him straight in the eye, still trying to push him away slightly


    and meeting resistance. She could have pushed harder. He could have stepped back. Yet here they


    both were, in the darkest shadows of the night forest. Where no one would be able to see them. Alone


    and oh so close¡­


    ¡°So, where do we go from here since you are sorry and all that?¡± Savvy snapped out of it first. She had


    enough men ying with her in one lifetime. She had had enough of those. Unfortunately, even if he


    apologised, he was still one of them. She was literally a participant in the game he hosted.


    ¡°¡­¡± He stumbled to give her an answer.


    ¡°All right.¡± She let out an annoyed breath and furrowed her brows. She had to be the reasonable one,


    and this was her moment. ¡°Sign the alliance agreement with Gideon, and I will be


    gone the very same day.¡±


    Her words hit him like a p, and he tried scanning her face for any kind of emotions. Yet the Western


    Princess only raised her chin higher, proud and stubborn, just as her brother.


    Kai knew that she was serious. All he had to do was sign the paper confirming that alliance


    that didn¡¯t even look that bad now since he knew there was a looming threat from the white bear packs.


    Gideon was a prick, but that white monster¡­


    One signature and Savannah would go back to her kingdom forever. She would find her mate. or her


    brother would arrange another marriage for her¡­ She wouldn¡¯t be his problem anymore.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Asgard growled inside of his mind. That fellow wasn¡¯t talkative, but now he was surfacing more


    often than ever.


    ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You know why!¡± The wolf insisted. ¡°We want her.¡± ¡°She is not our mate. Just forget it.¡± Kai tried


    to reason with his partner.


    ¡°No, she is not. But I will not forget it, and neither will you.¡± He had to shut him off, but deep inside, he


    knew that Asgard was right. Letting Savannah go felt wrong, and he was used to trusting his instincts.


    ¡°So?¡± she tapped her bare foot on the grass impatiently. ¡°No,¡± he said firmly, and she gaped at him.


    ¡°No?¡± Her whole body got tense hearing his words. ¡°No.¡± He repeated himself, still not taking a single


    step back.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Savannah let the air out through her nostrils angrily, ¡°I am afraid I will need an exnation to go


    with that. Care to borate? Why the hell not?¡±


    ¡°First of all, I don¡¯t trust your brother too much, and I need to investigate the situation more,¡± he replied


    calmly and heard her teeth gritting. For some strange reason, he enjoyed that more than he should


    have.


    ¡°You had months for that!¡± Savvy reminded him, appalled by his arrogance.


    ¡°Exactly. So, waiting a few more weeks wouldn¡¯t make a big difference.¡± Kai chuckled, and the princess


    clenched her fists.


    ¡°Just wait until I am done, and then maybe I will agree to that alliance.¡± He couldn¡¯t even hide his smirk


    when he dered this. The thoughts of her not wearing anything under that sweatshirt raced in his


    head. His eyes lowered to her chest, which was rising and falling in a sharp rhythm.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s ignorant!¡± She squeezed both her hands in between them to fold them simply to


    demonstrate to him how unimpressed she was. ¡°After all, you probably need this alliance more than we


    do from the looks of it. We got rid of the foxes and the bears on our territories while they roam freely on


    yours.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Kai¡¯s smile dropped.


    ¡°It means exactly what it means.¡± The girl finally managed to push him away and get out of his grasp.


    ¡°You have a fox and a werebear in thepetition, and I just met a bear who felt as if he was at home


    here. Not to mention that your sister even found a witch somewhere. I really want to know where she


    managed to get her! A part of me wants to see her win the Trials. I bet your face would be priceless!¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha, very funny!¡± The king shook his head, chuckling. ¡°Just when I thought that you could be


    serious. No bears can enter mynd. Even that girl Brigit arrived without other werebears. She


    was provided with a few werewolves to help her instead.¡±


    ¡°Maybe this is what you think.¡± Savvy shrugged her shoulders. This conversation was just a waste of


    time, and she wanted to get back to her room sooner. ¡°But I am telling you, that male you


    smelled on me just a few minutes ago was a huge haughty white werebear with a nice body covered in


    weird scars and one eye missing.¡±


    The moment these words left her mouth, it was as if a lightning bolt had struck him. Kai instantly knew


    who she was talking about, and he couldn¡¯t believe that this was the truth.


    He couldn¡¯t get here. He wasn¡¯t supposed to be here.


    Kai was personally hunting him for thest month, and his trusted sources fed him the information that


    the bear in question was either dead or gone to a different continent. The information proved to be not


    true by the snarky western princess. He considered, of course, that she could be lying about that


    encounter, yet he didn¡¯t sense anythinging out of her. No worry, no agitation of any kind. She was


    annoyed and slightly bored. Which only led him to the conclusion that she had no idea who she had


    just met.


    No one met Darius Bjorn and stayed alive. No one. Except for Savannah Stormhold.


    ¡°Did he touch you?¡± Kai shifted back to her, trying to take in and check every inch of the stubborn girl


    who had no idea that she had just avoided death.


    ¡°You see,¡± she pped his hand that was about to contact with her skin, ¡°if we were engaged, you


    could have asked me that question. But as of now, the answer is: It¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°Savannah!¡± the king growled, grasping both of her shoulders. ¡°Did he do anything to you?!¡±


    However, he knew the answer. He knew it the moment he smelled the male¡¯s scent on her. Bjorn


    touched her. He was so close that Kai could still smell one of his fake scents on her skin.


    Savannah couldn¡¯t smell like anyone else! He hated it. He hated it so much that he was ready to do


    anything to ensure it was gone from her.


    On an instinct, he dipped his head into her neck, brushing his lips and tongue over it ¨C the fastest way


    to scent her. And also the most desirable.


    ¡°He definitely allowed himself less than you ¡± She kicked him on the leg. Not hard, but enough for him


    to feel it.


    Without thinking, he threw her over his shoulder and started walking.


    ¡°Seriously, Kai, what do you think you are doing?¡± she demanded, scratching his naked back and not


    realising that the sensation wasn¡¯t unpleasant for him.


    ¡°You can¡¯t get back to the castle smelling like another man, Savannah,¡± he briefly informed her. ¡°We are


    going to fix this.¡±


    And with that, he ced a resounding p on her bottom..


    NOTE: We are still voting for chapter length in Marissa Gilbert¡¯s Reading Circle group. Join if you want


    to have your say. For now, I see that longer chapters and their prices do not bother you


    much.


    Remember that the new schedule is Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday. I usually post right before midnight


    London time, but hups happen. The schedule is to be used as a guide only.


    P.S. Please, do not worry about the notes, I will clear them when the book will go to ptr. I don¡¯t know


    when this will happen, it¡¯s not signed yet, so it¡¯s too early to think about it anyway.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    13. Cold Shower


    The p echoed through the woods, and Savvy saw red.


    It made her so angry that she was ready to rip this arrogant king¡¯s head off. What did he think of


    himself? Was it a joke to him? She had never been pped in her life! Not to mention on such a ¡­


    sensitive spot.


    The worst thing about it was the heat she experienced in the lower part of her body, thanks to that


    absolutely inappropriate contact. And she hated that she did not loathe it.


    However, she had even more significant problems because the man¡¯s grip on her became tighter and


    his breathing definitely got heavier. His second hand gently rubbed the spot of its previous contact and


    stayed there, making her feel all kinds of emotions.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± she roared at him and received a defensive growl in response as if it was his right to


    do that. ¡°Touch me again, and I will bite this hand off!¡±


    Her promise only made him chuckle loudly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Savannah,¡± he cooed, ¡°I just think you need to cool off a bit and get rid of that horrible


    scent.¡±


    ¡°What ¡­¡± before she could formte her question, he threw her off his shoulder. She abruptly flew


    through the air at a much longer distance than expected,nding in the freezing cold water of some


    northernke.


    It was unbelievably appalling, and the rage she felt was overwhelming as she kicked her legs to swim


    up to the surface


    ¡°Kai Fion¡­whatever!¡± She didn¡¯t even bother to pronounce hisst name right. ¡°You are so paying for


    this!¡±


    Savvy finally managed to remove wet hair off her eyes and red at the lycan standing on the top of a


    small cliff, watching her with a smug smile stered over his handsome face.


    ¡°Cooling down?¡± He mocked her, and Savvy groaned as she climbed up the cliff. She wasn¡¯t motivated


    to swim to the more essible bank since she had had about enough adventures for one day


    ¡°Scr*w you!¡± she grunted, grabbing the rocky surface and ring at the northern king with as much


    hatred as she could muster. He lowered himself and stretched his hands out to her.


    This was too good an opportunity to pass it. Savannah tried to pull him past her in one sharp move,


    but, of course, he expected it and only burst outughing, lifting her up as if she weighed nothing at all.


    ¡°Nice try! You can try again another time when it¡¯s not too obvious.¡± Kai chuckled, cing the princess


    back on her feet.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to wait!¡± Savannah hissed and jumped on him, trying to force him into theke after all.


    Instead, she found herself held by him again as he managed to stay on his feet even though they were


    bncing on the very edge of the cliff.


    ¡°Stubborn,¡± he muttered, sliding his hand right back to the ce where he pped her a few


    minutes ago and grabbed a fistful of her flesh.


    ¡°Don¡¯t. You. Dare.¡± She warned him as he pressed her tighter, her nails digging into his skin. Kai felt


    her warm core up against his bare abdomen. Her heated core and his knowledge of her nudity caused


    a stirring of sensations within him. Sensations that he couldn¡¯t describe with words.


    The realisation that he wanted her struck him again. He let her slide a bit lower and enjoyed watching


    her eyes grow wide as she felt his hardness, a beautiful blush finally reaching her wet cheeks.


    Her chest was heaving up and down when she finally wrapped her legs around him, securing herself in


    this position. Faces so close their noses and lips were barely touching, uneven ragged breaths burning


    their skin with want.


    He was parched for a taste of her lips, a kiss right here and now to end this torture. Then ¡­ his foot


    slipped, and they both found themselves falling right back into the cold northernke.


    The water was freezing to their bones, and when they managed to reach the surface, Savvy turned to


    give him a death stare.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?!¡± she demanded, as his shoulders twitched apologetically.


    ¡°I slipped,¡± he awkwardly endeavoured to exin, but as she clenched her lips and closed her eyes,


    clearly trying to hold back some kind of insult, he realised that she wasn¡¯t talking about the fall.


    Did he misread things? Did she not want him the way he did her?


    The girl turned away from him, this time, swimming to the shore on the other side in an attempt to avoid


    him. Only he wasn¡¯t ready to let her leave, to go off, alone, in the woods.


    She walked out of the water, squeezing her hair, looking like a nymph or some magical deity. Kai was


    thankful for the icy cold water, or else, there would be no way to follow her without disclosing his not-


    so-secret desires.


    ¡°Savannah,¡± he called out to her, wishing to make amends between them. Everything was headed in


    the wrong direction.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± Without looking, she lifted her hand in the air and motioned for him to stop. ¡°Don¡¯t speak to


    me. Don¡¯t touch me. Don¡¯t follow me.¡±


    She started walking, and he noticed she was trembling.


    It was all his fault ¡­


    She could have been in her warm and cosy bed if he hadn¡¯t overreacted after smelling another male¡¯s


    scent on her. Thinking about her in bed did not appease him one bit, however, the northern king knew


    that he had already exhausted all the strikes he could with her today.


    So, he just followed behind her quietly, not saying a word. He couldn¡¯t leave her alone no matter what


    she said or did.


    Observing her at rear view, he noticed wet fabric clinging to her toned body, and this only triggered


    more lustful thoughts in his mind. He had to think of something else. Something that would be a ¡­


    mood killer.


    He chose to distract himself by contemting how Bjorn managed to trespass into his territory. Bjorn¡¯s


    presence here was terrible news and meant that he was probably usingx security thanks to the


    current Luna trials. He would have to work on strengthening security over hisnd in the next few


    weeks. That bear shouldn¡¯t be walking freely and touching what was his.


    His, no ¡­, she was his ¡­ guest. Yes, this was what she was. His guest. And a Luna candidate ... A


    very unlikely one, albeit she could be ssified as his. At least for now.


    The guards at the castle dropped their chins to the floor when they saw them walking through the main


    gates, water still dripping from both their bodies.


    Thankfully, none of them said a word after being met with their king¡¯s warning look.


    Savannah solemnly trudged past them with as much dignity as she could muster. Once inside, he


    caught up with her, not wishing to leave things like this.


    ¡°Savvy,¡± he said, and she stopped. He didn¡¯t realise that he had used her nickname. For a second


    there, Kai expected her to turn, to at least look at him. Unfortunately, she quickly regained her


    composure and continued walking as far away from him as possible.


    Despite the burdensome disappointment he felt, he sighed and left her to teave since it seemed


    obvious this was what she wanted.


    The knowledge she was safe and inside castle walls brought somefort. No one could do anything


    to harm her here.


    His own mood was ruined, and when he gave his Beta, Gamma and warriors a mentalmand to


    gather on the bridge as soon as possible, he could feel their fear through the mind link.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good night to hunt and kill some bears!¡± Asgard was as angry as he was. He also wished the


    evening and their time with the princess had gone differently.


    ¡°Indeed, my friend,¡± Kai agreed eagerly. ¡°Indeed.¡±


    *tt


    Savannah was fuming. Words escaped her rendering her speechless at what just happened. All she


    wanted at this point was to reach her room in peace and have a run-in with anyone on her way there.


    But, of course, it wasn¡¯t meant to be. Half of the castle was still up even though it waste at night. The


    stupid king distracted her, and in her fury she had a forgotten to use the secret entrance. Not that it was


    a big deal, she would probably be eliminated in the morning anyway, unless the people of the North


    vote for her and choose her as their favourite.


    Savannah chuckled to herself, knowing that this was very unlikely. If she wanted their love, she needed


    at least a few public appearances to win them over, one performance wouldn¡¯t be sufficient.


    She hated this ce, hated the annoying Elene, h?ted the Luna Trials, but more than anything, she


    hated that arrogant, self-absorbed, selfish northern bastard who didn¡¯t know how to keep his hands to


    himself. Those strong, firm hands that felt like ¡­


    No, she wouldn¡¯t allow herself to think of him that way. She fell for that trap once before with her mate,


    which ended quite badly. Getting involved with Kai Fiongh was not only a bad idea


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    but also precisely why she was mad at herself, to begin with. Men who lied couldn¡¯t be trusted. She


    knew that. It became her new rule after her heart was broken. Letting him get close would be a


    mistake. He would use her just like Zack did.


    ¡°Oh, Goddess!¡± Astrid gasped when she saw her in the corridor of their lonely tower. ¡°What happened


    to you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Savvy shook her head. ¡°Just a bit more of that wonderful northern hospitality Aren¡¯t you


    enjoying it as well?¡±


    An understanding smile reached Astrid¡¯s lips. ¡°Yeah, we are definitely the underdogs here. They really


    do not want any of the three of us here.¡±


    ¡°Tell this to Brigit!¡± Savannah snorted. ¡°She already imagines this crown on her head. Who would even


    want that ugly thing? And I am talking about the crown here. Have you seen it? It¡¯s massive!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to marry king kai?¡± Astrid¡¯s eyes suddenly became sharp, scanning Savvy¡¯s face.


    ¡°No, thank you!¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°I just want my alliance and to get away from here as soon as


    possible! Penelope or Brigit can have him all to themselves for what I care!¡±


    ¡°Talking about imagining the crown on her head,¡± Astrid giggled. ¡°Penelope already has her minions


    warming up the throne for her!¡±


    ¡°Right!¡± Savannah smiled for the first time. At least here was someone she could have a normal


    conversation with.


    ¡°You really need to go to your room and have a warm bath,¡± the other girl suggested. ¡°And then get


    some sleep. Tomorrow we have a long day.¡±


    ¡°I thought we would have a break tomorrow..¡±. Savvy felt disappointed again. Was there finally


    something she didn¡¯t remember?


    ¡°They say it¡¯s a break and an opportunity to have some informal time with King Kai,¡± Astrid whispered


    so that no one could hear them. ¡°But there will be cameras everywhere, and our every


    step will be filmed.¡±


    ¡°Awesome,¡± Savvy mumbled unenthusiastically.


    ¡°So, you need to look your best and be prepared for more surprises from Elene. They give and take


    away points for practically everything here.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± The western princess sighed and started walking away again. When she was at her door, she


    turned and saw the other contender still watching her. ¡°Thanks, Astrid.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, Savannah.¡±


    Back at her room, she indeed took a luxuriously long hot bath, washing away theke, the bear and ¡­


    the king.


    When she returned to her bedroom, she saw that someone had brought her a te of warm soup.


    Eyeing it suspiciously, she sniffed it several times to ensure that nothing was added to it. Luckily, it was


    next to impossible to poison a lycan.


    Astrid probably asked the maids to bring it to her, and Savannah enjoyed the warm meal, which was


    especially weed after everything she had experienced today. Deciding to go straight to bed, her


    mind switched off within seconds of her head hitting her pillow.


    ¡°Morning, Your Highness,¡± she heard Kyle¡¯s mocking tone. ¡°Time to rise and shine!¡± ¡°Go away!¡± She


    grumbled as she turned away and covered herself with a thick duvet.


    ¡°The North is waiting!¡± her friend sang. Stirring ever so slightly, she felt tempted to throw something at


    him, although it wasn¡¯t a strong enough temptation to actually move.


    ¡°Go away!¡± she repeated. The North could wait.


    ¡°We have coffee,¡± Zara informed her calmly, causing her to reconsider her stance on rising out of bed.


    ¡°Also, you need to see how yesterday was shown on tv. Just trust me on this one

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    14. Brunch


    ¡°Is it good or bad?¡± Savvy furrowed her eyebrows. She did her best, and she knew it, but it wasn¡¯t like


    they were in a friendly country. Besides, Elene had ns of her own for the contest. which was evident


    to everyone present.


    ¡°Just take a look at it yourself.¡± Zara handed her aptop and ced a cup of coffee on the bedside


    table. She never wasted time, an aspect Savannah especially valued in her. She was always punctual


    and neat, even though her sense of fashion was on the edgier side and could easily suggest otherwise.


    Her usual put-together and neat appearance were out of recement, and Savannah was surprised to


    see a huge distinct stain on her white dress.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± she asked without hesitation. ¡°Nothing.¡± Zara shook her short dark hair. ¡°Just a clumsy


    ident at breakfast.¡± ¡°Are you sure it was an ident?¡± The princess arched her brow.


    ¡°Yeah. Sure. I¡¯ll change when we are done here. It¡¯s nothing for you to concern yourself with.¡± Zara


    shrugged her shoulders. She was projecting confidence, so Savvy was about to let it go when Kyle


    snorted.


    ¡°ident my as*.¡± He nced at her from the chair he was sitting in with his ownptop on his knees.


    ¡°That bird shifter contestant did it. And the whole room heard what she said to Zee.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? What did she say?¡± Savvy chirped and took a sip of her coffee, pping her eyshes


    innocently. She wasn¡¯t fooling anyone, though, as her eyes glowed golden with Athena¡¯s anger as her


    desire rose to rip off the head of her friend¡¯s tormenter.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Zara pronounced the words cautiously and shot a death stare at Kyle.


    ¡°She said it made sense that Zee joined a lycan pack since she was now a stray and her flock didn¡¯t


    want her and then suggested a stain on her dress would make her look the part.¡± Kyle ignored Zara¡¯s


    warning because he knew too well that none of them would tolerate the bullying of their team members.


    ¡°How lovely!¡± Savvy put the cup down with a tter. ¡°And what did you do when you saw it,


    K?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to bathe that b*tch in coffee,¡± he sneered at her but then heard Zara clearing her throat. ¡°But


    Zee stopped me, and we just walked away. It was ¡­nice.¡±


    ¡°The hell ¡­Savvy protested in disbelief.


    ¡°Because everything we do will be reflected on you, Savannah.¡± The assistant said firmly. ¡°And no one


    here will be doing you favours and looking away. We are here to help you and not create problems,


    remember?¡± She red at Kyle, and he groaned, getting back to whatever it was that he was doing on


    hisptop.


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it myself then,¡± Savvy promised him via their mind link, and he secretly smirked at her,


    knowing that she would take care of Mavis discreetly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to that news release.¡± Zara had lost her patience and sat on the bed next to


    her, clicking on the trackpad.


    A northern channel¡¯s logo appeared with a beautiful scenic mountain view as a background, and then


    she saw the hosts, the famous brother and sister, Chloe and ude Larsen. She read a few articles


    about them in the past, and, of course, they were imprinted in her memory forever. They won all kinds


    of prizes for their tv and online programs and were one of those people who were shaping the minds of


    their kingdom. People loved them, and, more importantly, people believed them.


    ¡°And now to the part we have all been waiting for!¡± Chloe stretched her smile to the maximum, showing


    off her pearly whites. She was in herte forties but didn¡¯t look a day older than twenty-five.


    ¡°The Luna Trials are really happening!¡± ude picked up where his sibling left off. ¡°Moreover, King Kai


    has already met the contenders, and the first elimination took ce.


    ¡°Shame we didn¡¯t get to find out who failed the simplest test!¡± Chloe looked straight into the cameras.


    ¡°But of course, we have saved the best highlights to show you. And, trust me, you want to watch them


    all!¡±


    One by one, they started to introduce each contender. Praising some of them, like Inga and Celina.


    They mention some briefly, like the witch and the werecats until finally, condemning all the others.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what this werebear was thinking!¡± Chloe shook her head with a disappointed impression


    on her face. That was far from what she really felt, judging by the glint in her eyes.


    ¡°You know how those are ¨C crashing things all the time,ing uninvited to the territories that are not


    theirs. Brigit is just true to her nature.¡± ude smirked. ¡°Having said all that, she wasn¡¯t by far the main


    surprise of the day!¡±


    ¡°You are right, brother!¡± Chloe agreed with him quickly. ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe my own eyes when I saw her


    taking off her mask!¡±


    They showed a video of Savvy removing her mask. Kai was cut entirely out of the shot. Then it was


    revealed that she was saying something, but one could only hear the twins exining what happened.


    ¡°Savannah Stormhold, Ladies and Gentlemen!¡± ude announced.


    ¡°The Western Princess in the flesh!¡± Chloe giggled. ¡°And let me tell you, I have always known those


    rumours about King Kai asking for her hand in marriage were not true. Now it¡¯s obvious who is chasing


    whom!¡±


    ¡°I have to agree.¡± Her co-host snorted. ¡°It must be difficult for a princess to show the world that she is


    the one clinging to our King. Yet here she is! Smiling and waving her hand as she tries topete with


    the real deal!¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which ¡­¡± The picture changed to showcase Penelope. ¡°If I were to make a bet today, I


    would be cing all my money in the hands of Miss Summerstern! She was a true picture of grace and


    beauty in her unique red gown. Just look at how wonderful she looks right next to King Kai¡­¡±.


    They went on and on about how amazing Penelope was, and Savvy could feel Elene¡¯s touch in all of


    this.


    a ¡°Unbe-freaking-livable!¡± The lycaness gritted her teeth. ¡°My carefully selected dress, my


    performance, my speech! They showed none of that!¡±


    ¡°No worries,¡± Kyle chuckled from his seat as she tried not to grow her ws out and go to the garden to


    chop some more roses. ¡°I am on it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Savannah looked at him with interest.


    ¡°I mean that I just created ounts on every known social media tform with the nickname


    Truthteller.¡± He winked at her. ¡°I had everything recorded and had footage from every angle as well. I


    spent the whole night editing them together. And now I am nning to spend the whole day sharing


    them as far and as wide as the inte and social media will allow. I am also addingments on my


    personal point of view as well regarding your bravery, the unfair treatment, all of it.¡±


    ¡°Show me!¡± she tiptoed to him barefoot on the cold stone floor and sat on the armrest. ¡°Don¡¯t read the


    existingments, though,¡± he warned her. ¡°It¡¯s a work in progress.¡± However, of course, she went to


    thements section first. ¡°They showed her that they didn¡¯t want her, but she still tries to cling to the


    king!¡± ¡°She is just embarrassing herself.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like her, but the dress is great.¡±


    ¡°She cane to my town, and I will show her the northern hospitality! She will forget about the King!¡±


    ¡°I think it was brave of her to do that for love.¡± ¡°Show off!¡±


    Savannah walked away, and for a few seconds, her friends were quiet. She could feel anger rising in


    every cell of her body:


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kyle asked with a concerned voice.


    ¡°Peachy.¡± The princess gritted her teeth. ¡°Zara, help me to find that pink dress. Since this is the reality


    of our current situation, make sure you film everything happening today. And every day after that while


    you¡¯re at it. Remember, we are on our own here.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this dress too much for today? It¡¯s just a break.¡± Zara pointed out, getting the shimmering fabric


    out of the wardrobe.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t breaks here,¡± Savvy took it from her and inspected it one more time just in case. ¡°Every


    minute, we¡¯ll be filmed, and we need to beat them at their own deceptive game.¡±


    ***


    Savannah strolled through the garden in her long pale pink dress. The fine brunch spread was another


    opportunity where the contenders were supposed to meet kai to get better acquainted with the


    Northern Prince. She had already spotted four cameras on her way in, subtly giving them her best


    angles as she passed them by.


    There was a reason she liked this dress so much. The sheer flowing fabric covered with intricate


    shimmeringce hugged her body perfectly while her chest and arms were covered, creating the


    innocent and modest look she was going for. At the same time, the gown was backless and see-


    through from mid-thigh down, letting her stay yful and true to herself.


    This wasn¡¯t what she would normally wear for brunch, but she wasn¡¯t wrong in her choice.


    Savvy noticed and quietly apuded herself for her foresight the moment she saw all the other


    contestants in their sparkly and bedazzling outfits.


    Some brunch it was!


    And there, right in the centre, she saw none other than the Northern King himself talking to Penelope


    Savvy had to clench her fists in her skirt and force a charming smile when someone greeted her. She


    didn¡¯t like them being together one bit.


    Truth be told, she hated it.


    What she hated even more was that they appeared to be a beautiful couple. Penelope was indeed a


    stunning woman fit to be a queen.


    Today she was wearing a deep purple dress, the colour of the royals. And the golden hairband in her


    rich wavy dark hair looked suspiciously regal.


    Kai said something, and sheughed, cing her palm on his chest as if it belonged there, as if she


    had done it many times before. What was worse was that it made the king chuckle as well.


    They indeed looked like this perfect couple, and Savvy wanted to wipe their smiles off both their faces.


    ¡°Savannah! Savannah!¡± Someone called her name, and she was surprised to see a cloud of pink


    moving toward her. ¡°There you are! Come with us!¡±


    A small hand grabbed her and pulled her away. In this pink chaos, she noticed pink curly hair done in


    two pretty buns and decorated with flowers.


    ¡°Petra?¡± Savvy tried to stay polite as the other girl giggled. She let herself throw onest nce in Kai¡¯s


    direction, realising that he was watching her intently now.


    ¡°Yes,e on!¡± Even though it was hard to see her inyers andyers of tulle, Petra insisted. ¡°I like


    your dress, by the way! Do you also like pink? I love pink!¡±


    She already regretted that she was wearing that colour today. However, when Petra stopped, she saw


    that some other contenders were already there.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°So, we are sharing information!¡± Petra announced proudly. ¡°Penelope told us some things that no one


    else did! Did you know that there are cameras here everywhere filming everything that we do?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Savvy tried to sound surprised and caught Astrid¡¯s approving gaze.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Petra nodded. ¡°And also Penelope said that everything we do is judged all the time. We have to


    be really careful not to lose points. And did you know that we were lucky toe in


    the right dress colours yesterday?!¡±


    ¡°Penelope is so kind!¡± Bridgit was staring at her flute with what looked like a mimosa.


    So kind to share the information they had already figured out on their own. Which was exactly what


    Bridgit hinted at, and everyone other than Petra understood her hidden meaning.


    ¡°She is,¡± Petra beamed. ¡°I decided to follow her example and tell all of you as well,¡±.


    ¡°That¡¯s so nice of you.¡± Naya purred, flipping her straight snow-white hair to the back. She looked


    gorgeous in a silver dress without any extra detailing.


    ¡°So, I thought¡­.¡± Petra was fidgeting with the hem of her dress. ¡°Maybe we could all share useful


    information? I know we are rivals, but we are also together in this ¡­ We don¡¯t have to be


    enemies.¡±


    Sure, kiddo! Count on it!¡± Mika, another werecat, snorted loudly. It was clear that she wasn¡¯t going to


    share anything, even if her life depended on it. ¡°Nice dress, Naya.¡±


    She said before leaving in a tone that meant she hated the garment. ¡°I take it you know each other?¡±


    Savvy asked the werecat and only received an eye roll. ¡°We went to school together, and she was a


    bitch back then too,¡± the cat replied. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Petra attempted to bring them back to the


    subject


    ¡°I¡¯ll share some useful information with you.¡± Bridgit gulped her drink and ced the empty ss on the


    nearby table. ¡°Beware of what Penelope says, and don¡¯t trust the information you get from her.¡±


    With that, the werebear turned on her heels and left their smallpany ¡°What does she mean?¡± the


    pink-haired girl gaped just as her babysitter arrived.


    ¡°Petra, I think you should mingle some more!¡± The elegant woman, who had helped her at the first


    challenge, took her hand, leading her away. She was undeniably beautiful, and, unlike her ward, she


    knew how to y the game. Obviously, she didn¡¯t want the girl to be seen with the least


    popr of all the candidates. Chloe and ude spared Petra in their piece about the Trials, and there


    was no need to give them a reason to tear her apart next time.


    ¡°Okay, Evelyn.¡± Petra looked slightly startled but obeyed her mentor, waving her hand at the others as


    she was dragged away toward the ¡°more popr kids¡±.


    ¡°I have to say I like that child!¡± Astrid let out a littleugh, and even Naya almost reacted to that but


    managed to keep her calm. She wanted to say something, probably something snarky, but her face


    changed suddenly, and her gaze shifted slightly behind Savannah¡¯s shoulder.


    Savvy turned to see what startled the cat and saw Kai walking in their direction. He was beside them in


    no time with a polite smile, looking very handsome in a ck shirt and trousers while the wind was


    rustling his hair.


    ¡°Ladies, it¡¯s nice to see you all again,¡± he greeted them.


    Astrid stood up, smiling nervously, and Naya nodded slightly, holding her ss with a cat¡¯s


    grace.


    ¡°We are honoured by your presence!¡± Savannah didn¡¯t look at him the second time. ¡°Excuse me, I see


    someone I need to talk to.¡±


    She was about to leave when he caught her arm.


    ¡°Actually,¡± Kai lowered his head and locked his eyes with hers. ¡°I wanted to talk to you for a moment.¡±


    Everyone around them went silent. It seemed like the whole garden stopped moving and breathing. It


    was as if they were utterly alone here ¡­


    ¡°Some other time perhaps,¡± she answered, angling her head at him and then sharply removed her


    hand from his grasp, making him growl ¡­.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    Frustrated and annoyed, Kai found himself in the foulest of moods. After spending the night in the


    woods hunting for Bjorn, he hadn¡¯t gotten much sleep. There was no trace of the enemy. vet a million


    scents of all kinds of creatures, which shouldn¡¯t be present in the first ce, lingered all around him. It


    was as if the rotten bear was mocking him. Was this why he touched Savannah but left her alive? To let


    him know that he touched one of the contenders for the Luna of The North? That he had touched


    something that was his?


    Before that, anyone who crossed him in the woods waster found dead. Mostly in pieces


    There was, of course, the option of Savannah working with Bjorn. The more he considered that notion,


    the more he realised it was unlikely Gideon would ever let him close to his sister. He scratched that


    thought from the depth of his mind.


    Savvy didn¡¯t know. She had no idea who she had met and how dangerous he was.


    Thinking of her, he remembered how her bare flesh felt against him, how intoxicating her scent was ¡­


    and how angry she got with him the previous night. He didn¡¯t like her being unhappy with him.


    Somehow, the more he attempted to create goodwill between them, the worse the


    situation became.


    Whatever the results, here he was now, unable to remove thoughts of her out of his head while he was


    attending to an entirely different task altogether.


    ¡°Kai, don¡¯t just stand there!¡± Elene jabbed him gently with her elbow. ¡°Go talk to the girls. The deal was


    that you would get better acquainted with each of them!¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to be rude, so he said nothing to his sister, who he med for his current predicament.


    It could have been different. If there were no Luna Trials, he would be engaged to Savvy at this


    moment.


    She probably wouldn¡¯t be thrilled, but he would have pursued her, made her see him from a different


    angle, a different perspective.


    He couldn¡¯t believe that his mind had gone there. Again. He had to snap out of it and get back to the


    responsibilities at hand.


    Scanning the garden, he couldn¡¯t locate her, and wondered if she did get sick after all. She was


    trembling when they returned to the castle, and although he ordered his chef to make her a hot soup in


    the middle of the night, he did not follow up on that.


    ¡°Oh, look!¡± Elene said in a tone that he knew far too well. The tone that meant she was acting again.


    ¡°It¡¯s Penelope! Hi, Pen! How are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Elene! Kai!¡± The girl went up to them with a happy expression on her face. Her violet dress was a


    replica of what his mother had worn in one of her earlier portraits, and he recognised it at once.


    ¡°You look gorgeous! What a stunning dress!¡± Elene praised her best friend, although she was probably


    the one who suggested she wear this outfit. ¡°Doesn¡¯t she look gorgeous, Kai?¡±


    ¡°She absolutely does,¡± he nodded, looking for Savvy with his eyes. ¡°Will you excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± his sister stepped in his way. ¡°You are not going anywhere, Kai Fiongh! You know


    very well that you have to talk to every contestant. You can start with Penelope, since you are both


    here. I expect at least fifteen minutes of quality conversation!¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± he groaned and watched his sibling walk away, happy with herself.


    ¡°We can just stand and pretend that we talk.¡± Penelope winked at him the way she used to do since


    their childhood. ¡°You just do nothing, and I will move my lips. She will never spot the difference!¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± he agreed, looking for Savvy again ¡°Gee, Kai!¡± Penelope snorted. ¡°Way to make a


    woman feel special!¡± He shot her an apologetic nce. They had been friends since childhood, after


    all.


    Well, she was Elene¡¯s friend, but it meant that she was in the house a lot. And when their parents died,


    he thought that he would lose his sister to grief as well. Penelope was the one to step in and help them


    both. So, he owed it to her.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he muttered. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°You are waiting for someone?¡± she asked, studying his face, and he nodded. For a second or so, her


    expression was unreadable, but then she grinned at him. ¡°Is that a contender? Do you have your eyes


    on someone?!¡±


    ¡°Pen, please!¡± He stopped her because she wasn¡¯t the one he would pour his heart out


    ¡°Gosh! It¡¯s that serious?!¡± she giggled, ying with her dark hair. ¡°You surprise me, Kai!¡±


    The girl touched his shirt, gently brushing her fingers over it, finally bringing his attention to her.


    ¡°You even dressed up!¡± she smirked. ¡°I remember that Elene couldn¡¯t make you wear this shirt. You


    absolutely loathed it when she gave it to you for your birthday!¡±


    ¡°It was the first thing I grabbed this morning,¡± he brushed her off.


    That was a lie, of course. Kai spent at least an hour staring at his wardrobe, realising that all his shirts


    looked the same to him. Then he noticed this and remembered how Elene told him he should wear it


    when he wanted to impress a girl. It was a joke, and he knew it, yet somehow, he wore that one, feeling


    dumb on top of everything If Savannah Stormhold would be impressed by anything, it wouldn¡¯t be some


    stupid shirt.


    The scent of bluebells hit his nostrils, and his head snapped in her direction. Some girl dressed like a


    giant cake was pulling Savannah away. He found himself begging Fenrir for her to at least look at him


    once, and when his wish was granted, he was disappointed again.


    The way she red at him didn¡¯t promise him anything good. She wasn¡¯t over what happened


    yesterday. So, he would have to work for her forgiveness.


    ¡°Moon Goddess!¡± Penelope gasped. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you like the western princess!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± He gave her a warning nce and took himself under


    control. Was it so obvious that he paid attention to Savannah?


    : ¡°The way you just stared at her¡­¡± The girl insisted, lowering her voice so no one could overhear


    them.


    *Pen!¡± he snarled at her, and she pursed her lips.


    ¡°Kai,¡± Penelope whispered even quieter. ¡°Out of all girls here, she and the werebear are definitely not


    the options for you. People would rather go with the witch or the cats than either of them! Trust me on


    this.¡±


    ¡°I think everyone has forgotten that I am the king, and no one decides for me!¡± He stated firmly. ¡°Now,


    excuse me. We¡¯ll chat some other time.¡±


    He left his friend, seeing only Savannah before him and ignoring everyone else who tried to talk to him


    on his way. He would fulfil his dutiester, and now he had more important things to deal with.


    ¡°Ladies, it¡¯s nice to see you here again,¡± he tried to sound polite and not rushed, but Savannah only


    scrunched her nose at him.


    ¡°We are honoured by your presence!¡± she said, every wordced with sarcasm. ¡°Excuse me, I see


    someone I need to talk to.¡±


    She didn¡¯t have anyone to talk to here, and everyone knew it, but she intended to escape him, and he


    wasn¡¯t having any of this. So, he grasped her delicate arm in his huge palm, shocking everyone here


    because it was against all known etiquette rules. Not that he cared.


    ¡°Actually,¡± he lowered his head, wishing nothing more than to brush his lips over her skin, ¡°I wanted to


    talk to you for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Some other time!¡± The girl sneered, and a growl escaped him as she removed her hand from his grasp


    and tried to walk away.


    He didn¡¯t hesitate to catch up with her and, to her surprise, lifted her in his arms, rapidly walking away


    from the scene. She didn¡¯t even struggle, simply staring at him in shock.


    ¡°What do you think you are doing?!¡± She demanded, grasping his shoulder for bnce. She didn¡¯t even


    trust him to carry her properly, and this only made him angrier.


    ¡°What does it look like I am doing?¡± Kai huffed.


    ¡°Being a brute and grabbing people without consent?¡± She arched her brow. ¡°Then again, it¡¯s not your


    first time, is it?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Savannah?¡± She chuckled wholeheartedly. ¡°You tripped, and I am


    ensuring your safety!¡± She only looked annoyed hearing his words,


    ¡°Is that how the news is going to show it tomorrow?¡± The princess tried to get off him, but he held her in


    ce and added a growl to it that made her eyes go wide.


    ¡°How would you like the news to show it?¡± Kai asked, not understanding why it bothered her in the first


    ce.


    ¡°Oh, I loved their clinging story! Let¡¯s stick to that!¡± Savvy rolled her eyes. ¡°They can say that I tripped


    on purpose and hung on you while you just had to, absolutely HAD TO, carry me.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± The king asked, confused, but he could finally put her down as he got


    them deep enough into the garden that no one could see them, and they could have some privacy, at


    least for a few minutes.


    ¡°You know very well what I am talking about she hissed, narrowing her eyes. The


    wasn¡¯t in the mood for his shenanigans, and everything was merely a repeat of what happened just


    yesterday. When his goal was the exact opposite.


    ¡°am sorry,¡± he said, and she froze. Then she blinked her longshes, and her lips parted slightly. Those


    lips he couldn¡¯t get out of his mind for a while already. ¡°For everything. I want you to know this.¡±


    ¡°What difference does it make to me now?¡± She averted his gaze. There was no point in all of this. ¡°You


    already said you didn¡¯t know about the Trials, but you are not giving me my alliance so that I could


    leave this humiliating show. What do you want from me now? I am not going to thank you for your


    insincere apology.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to thank me.¡± He ced one hand on a tree behind her, backing her into it. ¡°I want


    you to know that I have my reasons for not letting you leave.¡±


    ¡°And that reason is ¨C you don¡¯t trust my brother!¡± She scoffed, rolling her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Kai agreed


    with ease. ¡°But he has nothing to do with why I want you to stay.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡± She didn¡¯t get to finish her sentence because he crushed his lips into hers, crumpling them


    mercifully and making them part as his tongue effortlessly slid between her sweet lips. The king¡¯s


    strong hands wrapped around her slim waist, but one of them greedily caressed the bare skin on her


    back. It slid all the way to her neck, bringing her closer so that he could devour her more.


    She probably should have pushed him away, but it felt so right that she simply couldn¡¯t do it. It was as if


    she needed it, his touch, his lips, his closeness. Maybe more than he did¡­.


    Kai did not want to stop. The more he tasted her, the more he wanted to continue exploring. Never in


    his life had he experienced anything like this. If his wolf shouted MATE now, he wouldn¡¯t be surprised.


    Yet Asgard did no such thing. The damn wolf only urged him to give in to his desires.


    He broke the kiss to get some air, and their eyes met, only igniting the fire between them.


    ¡°Savannah,¡± he whispered into her ear, biting her earlobe gently and then left a trail of soft kisses down


    her neck, stopping at its base. He wanted to sink his canines into her smooth skin right now and mark


    her for good. So that no bear could ever touch her. So that no man could ever touch her ¡­ He let them


    grow, grazing the sensitive spot ¡­


    And this was when Savvy snapped out of it. ¡°Stop!¡± she finally found the strength to push him away.


    ¡°Why?¡± He didn¡¯t move but retracted his cannes, recing them with his soft lips. She was trembling in


    his arms, and he knew that she wanted this to some extent as well. ¡°I like you, Savannah Stormhold.


    More than just like you¡­¡±


    ¡°Too bad!¡± She tried to distance herself, but he wasn¡¯t letting her go, still holding her waist.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say the same! The more I find out about you, the more disappointed I am.¡± That hurt. But he


    knew where she wasing from.


    ¡°What can I do to fix it?¡± He asked bluntly because he wasn¡¯t one to bit around the bush.¡± am serious


    about this.¡±


    ¡°Then prove it!¡± She met his gaze again, and he rubbed his chin, thinking of ways to do it.


    Someone was approaching them, and their Lycan ears picked it up easily.


    ¡°King Kai! There you are!¡± Savvy recognised Petra¡¯s voice. Only the pink-haired girl could decide to


    follow them when they left in such a way!


    ¡°Oh, look!¡± Savvy couldn¡¯t help her smirk. ¡°It¡¯s your child bride!¡±.


    He gave her a reproachful look, but she already got out of his grasp and was walking away from him,


    holding her skirt. He followed her with her gaze until she waspletely out of sight.


    ttt


    Savannah was so d that she managed to escape him. This whole quandary with Kai was getting out


    of hand, leaving her lost an avnche of emotions.


    She was supposed to win the stupid Trials, get her alliance and get the hell out of here. However, she


    was not supposed to make out with that stupid hot king, and she was not supposed


    to want him so badly. She had a great n, and this was definitely not the n!


    All she had to do was to get back to her original intention.


    On her return, she couldn¡¯t help but notice that everyone present in the gardens had their eyes on her


    as she walked out. It only worsened when she returned to the contenders, and she quickly realised that


    she was probably now smelling like Kai.


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    ¡°That was fast!¡± Celine used as she walked out arm in arm with her blonde best friend, and they


    both stopped right in front of her with unpleasant smirks on their faces.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t think that by spreading your legs, you are going to fix your sad situation!¡± Inga


    pretended to look at her nails. ¡°Kai never gets serious with his bed warmers. He has them once or


    twice, and then he moves on.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. He wouldn¡¯t touch a girl he was serious about in such a manner and in front of everyone!¡±


    Inga sneered.


    ¡°Oh, good then!¡± Savvy mimicked their tone. ¡°Then Penelope has nothing to worry about, right? He had


    an opportunity but hasn¡¯t touched her for, what? How many years now? Ten? Twenty?¡±


    They both gasped at her words and clearly wanted to add something else, but it wasn¡¯t meant to be.


    ¡°Enough!¡± A sharp and authoritative voice cut through the air, immediately stopping their banter.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    History Lesson


    For the first time since her arrival, Savvy saw Penelope up close. The woman indeed looked as if she


    was already a queen. Although her brows were knitted together, surprisingly she was pointing her


    sharp, displeased gaze at her friends.


    ¡°Please,¡± she sighed heavily and rubbed her forehead carefully, so as not to ruin her make-up, ¡°I asked


    you not to do this. We are rivals here, but not enemies. We can still be civil with one another.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±Inga protested, clearly wanting to object, however, a warning look from her leader was enough


    to close her mouth.


    ¡°Let us chat for a bit,¡± Penelope offered, suddenly changing her facial expression. Her two minions


    backed away, lowering their heads in submission. While they all had alpha blood, Penelope¡¯s authority


    was undeniable.


    Savannah mentally prepared for another battle, but the girl surprised her again. She took her arm and


    led her away from the crowd. A drone flew after them, and Savvy stretched the sweetest smile on her


    face just in case they were being filmed.


    ¡°I wanted to introduce myself,¡± Penelope stated. She was the picture of elegance and friendliness. ¡°I


    have spoken to every other contender today except for you. Wee to the North, Princess Savannah


    Stormhold. It¡¯s our honour to have you here.¡±


    It did not escape Savvy that she weed her on behalf of the whole North as if it belonged to her.


    The other issue was that although she used her title to address her, she was still holding her hand and


    leading her somewhere ¨C a sign of them being equals. When they were not. Someone was getting


    ahead of themselves.


    ¡°You are very sweet,¡± Savyyplimented, strategically deciding right now wasn¡¯t the appropriate time


    to sh with Penelope. It was, however, the right time to learn more about her opponent.


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± the girl apologised as she waved off her two friends, who had chosen to remain


    close by. ¡°I really meant what I said. I think we can be good friends in the future. It will be great for our


    nations.¡±


    Of course, she meant the future where she would be the Luna of the North and Savvy would return to


    the Western Kingdom.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true.¡± The westerner nodded, realising that her n to wait it out was going to the bin. ¡°I


    heard that your pack have always supported the royal family. Let¡¯s keep that tradition alive.¡±


    To Penelope¡¯s credit, she didn¡¯t even blink at the little jab.


    ¡°Another person I wanted to apologise for is Elene,¡± the girl said suddenly, sighing deeply. ¡°We are like


    family. She is overprotective and really wants me to win¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, that must be so stressful for you.¡± Savannah tried really hard not to roll her eyes. It wasn¡¯t like she


    was learning anything new after all.


    ¡°It is. Kai and I are good friends, but we are just that ¨C friends.¡± Penelope looked up at the


    sky. We all grew up together and are very close. But we don¡¯t love each other, and we know that.¡±


    Okay, this was new.


    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Savvy eyed her curiously. This was getting more and more intriguing by


    the minute.


    ¡°Just so you know I am not a threat.¡± Penelope stopped and looked at the flowers next to them. They


    were roses, and Savannah did her best not to frown. ¡°Just because so many people see me as their


    queen doesn¡¯t mean I will be one. I¡¯d say it¡¯s unlikely.¡±


    ¡°I can say the same,¡± Savvy shrugged her shoulders innocently. Two could y this game. ¡°I am here


    to improve our kingdoms¡¯ rtionship and learn more about my family¡¯s history. I was deprived of the


    northern part of my heritage, and it¡¯s time to fix that.¡±


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    The drone was right above their heads, and the princess grinned at herpanion. ¡°Do you like roses,


    Penelope?¡± she asked the northerner to startle her.


    ¡°Yes, very much. A rose is the queen of flowers.¡± Penelope¡¯s hand brushed over delicate flowers, but


    Savannah simply cut one of them with her sharp nail. Then she carefully attached it to the girl¡¯s hair,


    not bothering to find a good cement for the flower. It was awkwardly sticking out of the golden


    headband she wore in a feeble attempt to pass it off as a crown, and now the whole thing looked silly


    and pompous.


    ¡°It suits you,¡± Savvy fixed the rose so it would be difficult to remove from her hair.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Penelope blushed because she couldn¡¯t see it herself yet. ¡°You are not at all what I


    imagined.¡±


    ¡°I hope that¡¯s apliment!¡± the princess giggled.


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±, The other girl let out a littleugh. ¡°Look, I am trying to support all the contenders


    here. This is what¡¯l do.¡±


    ¡°You are kind and generous,¡± Savvy told her what she wanted to hear. It would have been rude not to.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Penelope graciously epted the praise. ¡°This is why I want to warn you now. Elene has


    something nned for the brunch. It¡¯s ¡­¡±. She looked around as if she was afraid of spies, while the


    drone was still inches above them.


    ¡°Oh, my!¡± Savannah covered her mouth, pretending to gasp. When in fact, she wanted to yawn. This


    game was a very boring one.


    ¡°It¡¯s a history quiz.¡± Penelope pursed her lips, waiting for her reaction.


    ¡°Oh, no!¡± Savvy added as much drama as she could muster. ¡°But it was supposed to be break time for


    us.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry.¡± The girl lowered her eyes as if she was truly devastated. ¡°Elene wants to eliminate more


    contenders as soon as possible. They can set up these challenges for us when they want.¡±


    It was funny how she threw her best friend under the bus with such ease whereas Elene was trying her


    best to help For a moment, Savannah felt sorry for the northern princess, however, when she spotted


    herughing with a blonde bearded man, happy and unbothered by how she was about to stab pretty


    much everyone here in their backs, that feeling instantaneously


    disappeared. Maybe this was the friendship she deserved.


    ¡°My maid has a history book with her,¡± Penelope whispered. ¡°If you want, you can have a look. I know


    it¡¯s not enough time to help you, but, who knows, maybe you will get lucky.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I will take what I can.¡± Savvy nodded, doing her best not to burst outughing, Her rival had no


    idea what kind of favour this was for her She, of course, had already read a few history books and


    nned on relying on her photographic memory, but who knew, maybe she missed a few facts.


    Penelope summoned her maid, who gave Savannah a heavy tome. Scanning the garden with her alert


    eyes, she noticed a few other girls with simr books, which meant the northerner arrived prepared in


    advance. There was no reason for anyone to walk around with identical history books.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Savvy sat on a bench and opened the book on her knees. ¡°I will never forget your


    kindness.¡±


    ¡°Can it be my turn now?¡± Petra asked, taking Kai¡¯s arm, after which he decided it was time to return to


    the contenders.


    He wasn¡¯t listening to what the werewolf girl was saying. It was something about the weather and how


    disappointed she was not to have seen macarons on the table. He lost interest in their thread of


    conversation after that.


    ¡°Petra!¡± He heard someone call out and saw a tall woman almost running to them with a worried face.


    He recognised her as Petra¡¯s assistant and tried not to giveaway how funny it appeared that she was


    terrified of the two of them staying alone, which was understandable since Petra was nothing more


    than a walking time bomb. At any moment she could do or say something that a contender couldn¡¯t


    afford.


    ¡°Evelyn!¡± The girl next to him responded. She was either oblivious or the best actress in the world. ¡°I


    got my time with the king! Isn¡¯t it great!¡±


    ¡°Petra¡± The woman began, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice. She may have wanted to


    control their time together more, but it was now toote.


    Not that he cared. It was an excellent opportunity to get rid of the annoying contender.


    ¡°Nice to meet you again,¡± he offered and smiled charmingly as he pushed Petra in the direction of his


    babysitter. ¡°Thank you for the wonderful conversation. I wouldn¡¯t want to take up any more of your


    time.¡±


    ¡°But you are not ..¡± Petra disagreed, her head poked out of manyyers of tulle with her lips pouted.


    ¡°We are happy you found a few minutes for Petra.¡± Evelyn took her prot¨¦g¨¦¡¯s hand and squeezed it,


    signalling for her to follow the lead. Luckily, Petra was obviously trained, and he was free from them


    within seconds.


    He still had the task of speaking to the rest of the contenders yet he found himself marching in the


    direction of his Beta, who was helping himself to mini sandwiches at one of the tables.


    ¡°These are good but ridiculously small!¡± Lined when he saw his king. He didn¡¯t seem the


    least bit bothered with everything around him as usual.


    ¡°How were the Luna Trials shown in the news? What did they say about Savannah?¡± Kai went straight


    to the point, and his Beta coughed a few times. One of the snacks was now stuck in his throat, and his


    king was happy to help, hitting him on the back with enough force to ensure L would have no


    doubt of the foul mood he was in.


    ¡°Not much, and what little there wasn¡¯t good at all,¡± L admitted, coughing a few times again. He


    got his phone out, searched for yesterday¡¯s program release, and handed it to his king.


    Kai watched the whole piece, his face getting darker by the minute. He could now see why she wasn¡¯t


    happy. She had every right to be.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± he swore under his breath, his eyes finding Savannah again. ¡°Why is it so biassed?¡±


    ¡°Because Elene is in full control of the show. That¡¯s why!¡± His friend chuckled and sent another


    sandwich down his throat, choking again under the stern gaze of his Alpha. ¡°You should see the scores


    too! Savannah is the only one with a negative bnce after two challenges.¡±


    ¡°The hell?!¡± Kai gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, identally destroying his Beta¡¯s phone in his


    hand.


    ¡°Man,¡± L sighed. ¡°I just got that¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get a new one. Why are the Trials so out of hand?¡± The king demanded but meeting his friend¡¯s


    gaze, he realised he knew the answer. They both gave Elene carte nche and reaped the fruit of that


    bad decision.


    ¡°This ends today!¡± Kai growled. ¡°Is there a challenge tomorrow? I need¡­¡±.


    ¡°There is a challenge right now.¡± L held yet another sandwich but didn¡¯t risk getting it into his


    mouth this time. ¡±


    ¡°But they were supposed to rx today!¡± The king tried to suppress his anger. His sister really went


    overboard with everything.


    ¡°Elene decided it would be great to test their history knowledge without letting them prepare.¡± The Beta


    ced the sandwich back on the table, eyeing it sadly under his king¡¯s re. ¡°She said that if they


    respected us enough, they would have already learned it before arriving here.¡±


    ¡°And what about Savannah Stormhold?! She didn¡¯t know a thing!¡± Kai was about to lose


    ¡°Well,¡± L gulped, losing his usual yful attitude. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the whole point? To get rid of her?¡±


    A growl emerged from the depth of the lycan king¡¯s chest.


    No wonder she hated him. He would hate him too. As if the Trials alone were not enough for her to


    despise him! Was this what she had to deal with?


    He found her again with his eyes. Savannah was sitting on a bench and leisurely flipping through a


    book, not a shade of worry on her face. Kai also noticed that other girls had their noses tucked in


    simr books, meaning that they all had been warned. All foreigners looked desperate, trying to grab


    thest pieces of knowledge.


    But not Savvy


    Kai felt this weird sensation rising in the pit of his stomach. Why wasn¡¯t she worried? Had she already


    given up? Or perhaps she had simply had enough and wanted to leave this ce?


    He heard his sister ringing the bell and making an announcement. The contenders were slowly closing


    their books and walking towards the long table at the head of which his sister stood with a crooked grin.


    He found himself walking there as well. Even if it was Savannah¡¯s n to leave today, he wasn¡¯t letting


    her go.


    ¡°My, oh, my!¡± Elene pped her hands. ¡°You all seem so tense! Why don¡¯t we all take our seats and


    start our brunch! We prepared the most exquisite northern dishes for you!¡±


    Savannah stared at what looked like raw liver in front of her and clenched her lips. As a wolf, she was


    not new to the taste of limbs but usually preferred to leave those to Athena.


    She unfolded her napkin and ced it on herp as traditions required.


    ¡°And to make all this fun,¡± Elene stated with a smirk, ¡°we decided to y a little history game! I am sure


    you all came prepared!¡±.


    The northern princess looked at her with a smug smile, which Savannah returned, knocking Elene¡¯s


    confidence down a notch.


    ¡°To sweeten the deal,¡± Elene continued, trying not to waver and lose face, ¡°I will be giving five points for


    every correct answer.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± Petra pped, happy to hear the news. A native to the North, she probably knew everything


    there was to know.


    ¡°But if you are wrong, we¡¯ll be taking away five points,¡± the princess announced, and Petra¡¯s smile


    quickly faded. She stole a hurried nce at her mentor, who stood in the crowd behind them, and the


    woman gave her a reassuring smile.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we start?¡± Elene took her seat and turned to Penelope. ¡°Who was the first Luna of the


    North?¡±


    That was the easiest question there was in the whole damn book. ¡°Luna Isolde Harold,¡± Penelope


    replied modestly. ¡°Very nice,¡± Elene beamed. ¡°Five points.¡±


    ¡°Inga, which northern king had been blessed with not one, but four mates.¡± The princess was enjoying


    her game.


    ¡°Ladies,¡± Kai greeted as he appeared at the other end of the long table and took a seat without further


    ado. A wave of whispers rippled through the garden, and Savvy watched with amusement as Elene


    turned palet. She was now sitting right next to the king, while Bridgit sat opposite her, and Astrid to her


    other side. These were the worst seats that were usually reserved for the least weed guests, but


    Kai had quite literally just turned the tables.


    didn¡¯t expect you to be joining us.¡± Elene motioned for the servants to set the table for him, which they


    did in an instant.


    ¡°Surprise!¡± Her brother chuckled, and then nodded at Inga. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°King Norbert the Second,¡± the


    girl answered quietly. None of them knew what to do. Elene continued the questioning, asking each girl


    about the most notable moments of


    northern history. Everyone gave the correct answers except for Brigit, whose question was suddenly a


    date of some irrelevant event. Petra was clearly using the help of her babysitter, and Savvy rolled her


    eyes. Petra was supposed to be the one in the best position to answer these questions, and she still


    required help? Bizarre.


    ¡°Savannah,¡± Elene smirked when it was her turn as she missed her title again. Probably on purpose.


    ¡°Tell us the name of the wife of the lycan who invented wolf armour in the early 13th century.¡±


    She would have snorted if not for the drones flying above their heads and filming everything


    ¡°Thank you for respecting me enough to ask me such a tricky question,¡± Savvy closed her eyes as if


    she was grateful when in reality, she was recalling images of all those pages of the history book she


    read. Her photographic memory worked in a way that she could see them as if she was reading them.


    Her mind was working quickly to locate the information required, and she was currently perusing the


    13th century when a piercing pain stabbed through her body.


    She grasped the tablecloth underneath her fingers, wing it desperately as she tried to cope with yet


    another present from her mate Zack.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    17. Touch


    Zack left, probably the most important meeting of his life. His terrible mood now lifted even though his


    mate was out of his grasp for the time being at least. His ns were finally back on track, and he


    couldn¡¯t believe his luck.


    He closed his eyes, thinking of Savannah again. Just yesterday, his Beta showed him something that


    made him go feral and destroy the little guest house he was staying in. His Savannah¡­ his Savvy was


    in the North,peting for the position of Queen. Needless to say, he couldn¡¯t trust his own eyes when


    he saw his mate being presented as one of the many contenders.


    What was she thinking?! Their connection was still in ce.


    Yes, what happened between the two of them wasn¡¯t perfect, but he intended to fix that and get her


    back. He decided to let the fact that she let another male touch her slide. After careful consideration, he


    concluded this action on her part was her desire for revenge against him. It even made him happy for a


    short while because simply knowing that she still cared meant something to him. It meant he still had


    some control over her. As long as she cared, she wasn¡¯t lost to him


    They had been deprived of each other thanks to the big political games he yed, and deep down


    inside, Zack hated that he had to take part in it at all, yet still, his pack came first. It had


    to.


    It was the primary responsibility of the Alpha, and he couldn¡¯t ignore it. Only bigger packs were safe.


    Only domination could keep it this way.


    The lycans were ruling over werewolves for a while. Graciously. . . Condescendingly.


    It was some sort of peace, no matter how humiliating it has been for him. No one knew how long it


    wouldst. It was bad enough that it would only take one iycan to go on a killing spree to wipe an entire


    pack of werewolves. What if they all decided to do just that? There was only one way to avoid that and


    that was to be the one to attack first.


    Besides, it was tiring to be their vassal.


    There was an Alpha Summit, of course. Thanks to that, werewolves of the West always had the illusion


    that they were making decisions on their own. However, Zack knew that it was bullshit. The moment


    there were serious issues, lycans were right there, shoving their authority in


    their faces.


    It happened the moment king Gideon felt that Luna Riannon was his mate. It did not matter that she


    was married to another or that she wanted to rule her own pack. The moment Zack saw how the king


    looked at her, he knew that no werewolf Alpha would ever be allowed to have her. This was when he


    knew there was no turning back from his alliance with the werebears and foxes.


    Now that all felt as if it took ce a million years ago.


    Savannah changed everything. He still didn¡¯t know when it happened. Probably the very moment he


    laid her eyes on her and recognised her as his mate.


    If he could have controlled himself then, he would have thrown her into the dungeon, locked her in the


    deepest and darkest cell the moment she entered his house. That would have been the wise choice,


    considering he was nning to kill her brother. That would have been safe. A couple of days wouldn¡¯t


    have meant much, and they would have a whole new life togetherter, where he would have then


    earned her forgiveness in one way or another.


    He couldn¡¯t forget how tense his pack was greeting her and how all he wanted was to get her into his


    bed. She smelled divine, tasted divine, looked so beautiful¡­ She was his perfection. He remembered


    thinking that the Moon Goddess knew precisely what she was doing when she paired them together.


    He was supposed to be the Alpha King, and Savannah was going to help him with that. She


    would have been his perfect Queen¡­


    Every time he closed his eyes, he pictured her next to him again. He imed every inch of her body


    that night, not believing that all the s*x he had before couldn¡¯t evenpare to being with his mate. He


    couldn¡¯t have enough of her.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    This was probably why the euphoria of iming her didn¡¯t wear off in the middle of the night when he


    had to get back to work.


    He thought about it a lot¡­ of how she found out about his ns and made the decision to leave him.


    He knew that nothing could give him away in the bedroom where she was sleeping. He kept all his


    documents in his office, and this was exactly where he went to speak to his partners. They found out


    who he was mated to, and he persuaded them that nothing had changed. That his ns had remained


    the same. To kill Gideon and get the wolf throne, sharing lycannds between wolves, foxes and bears.


    This was probably when she heard him. It had to be this moment.


    On his way back to the bedroom, he smelled her scent but decided it was natural since she was all


    over him. However, something changed when he got close to her. She was wearing his shirt when he


    left her absolutely naked.


    He didn¡¯t want to believe it back then, but now he knew he was right¡­ Savannah already knew


    everything. He locked her in his arms, and they fell asleep again, but when he went to shower alone in


    the morning, she was gone¡­


    Far too many times he was picking those events in his head of that night and day. Of how he and his


    warriors were chasing her, knowing that if she escaped, everything would be over. He couldn¡¯t forget


    how she red at him when she reached safety in the werecats¡¯ territory. Mainly because it was the


    last time he saw her.


    Back then, all he wanted was to get her. Then¡­ after a while¡­ she would understand. She had to.


    Situations like this were not new to any kind of shifters. Family members were dying all the time, and


    new families were formed. She would have gotten over it. Especially if he filled her with his pups. The


    thought alone made him grunt.


    Luckily,now he had a chance again, and it was all that mattered at the moment.


    His Beta Viktor opened the car door for him and he got inside, noticing that Rita was already there. He


    didn¡¯t want to see her now but decided it wasn¡¯t the time or the ce for a scene. He knew how to be


    grateful before the Moon Goddess.


    The car drove off, and the girl sat closer to him.


    ¡°Keep the distance,¡± he told her dryly and didn¡¯t even bother looking at how she reacted to his words.


    She was getting over the toptely.


    :have something important to show you,¡± she purred, and he knew she was up to something.


    ¡°Not interested,¡± Zack got his phone out and started checking his emails.


    ¡°It¡¯s about your mate,¡± she teased him, knowing that this was the easiest way to get his reaction. The


    longer he did not see his Savvy, the harder it was on his wolf. Alphas did not take separation well.


    ¡°I know everything I need to know about her!¡± Zack cut the woman off.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Rita giggled. ¡°I sent you a link with some footage that wasn¡¯t shown on tv. Why don¡¯t


    you check it?¡±


    Zack became stiff. He couldn¡¯t lie to himself and ignore it. He had to see what was going on. Besides, it


    meant he could see more of Savannah.


    The Alpha still couldn¡¯t believe she was taking part in this farce of a contest and still had to figure out


    what game his beloved and her royal brother were ying at the North.


    He saw a bright Truthteller logo shining on his screen, and then the video began. It was the same


    masquerade but from different angles. One of the guests must have filmed that.


    Attention was paid to every contender, but Zack just scrolled it to the moment he noticed the already


    familiar blue dress with feathers. He chuckled when he heard the task for Savannah, realising that


    northerners did not want her there. This was something he counted on, and they did not disappoint..


    However, next, he sawking Kai interrupting the event as if¡­ As if he already knew Savvy. The


    Truthteller made sure to film how the Lycan King of The North did not take his eye off the western


    princess. He growled when that man helped Savannah remove her crown, and when the two of them


    stood together as if they were already a couple, he gritted his teeth.


    That¡­ he didn¡¯t like any of that. He hated it.


    He read the description of the video. The Truthteller was clearly implying that King Kai was infatuated


    with Sayvy.


    Watching the moments again, he had to agree.


    He knew a few things about the Northern King. Kai Fiongh wasn¡¯t one to show his emotions. He was


    a man of actions who rarely let anyone know what he thought before he executed his decisions. This


    was the reason why he was such a dangerous man in the first ce.


    Zack switched off his phone and looked out the window, not to see Rita¡¯s innocent smirk. She knew


    what she was doing.


    Now he was thinking about everything from a very different perspective, and he did not like his


    conclusions.


    Savvy let someone touch her when she was already at the North. His first suspicion was her best


    friend, Kyle, even though there were no reports from anywhere that they ever had a fling of any sort.


    But Kyle was the closest man to her. Unless¡­ unless there was someone new.


    Someone who made Savannah feel things again. Someone who appeared to be close to her when he


    happened to f*ck that other girl.


    What if that someone was King Kai?


    The thought of that made his wolf furious, and a growl escaped him. The loud and menacing growl


    made Rita move to the back of the car.


    A jolt of pain went through Zack¡¯s muscles, and he groaned, losing his breath. Again and again, it felt


    as if his whole body was electrocuted. His elongated ws ripped the expensive leather seat, and he


    didn¡¯t know how long itsted. However, he knew exactly what was going on.


    Savannah let someone close again.


    It took him some time to regainplete control of himself when it was all over. The pain was gone,


    but the rage stayed with him.


    He forgave her the first time, thinking that she was sending him a message. Yet now¡­ now was


    different. Who was she with? Did she think about that other man? Was she nning to spend more


    time with him and get more intimate?


    Zack knew that he would rip this man¡¯s throat out the first instance he could But for now, he had to


    teach his little mate a lesson..


    ¡°Come here,¡± he growled at Rita, unbuckling his pants. She eagerly jumped on hisp, seeing that it


    was safe now. Nevertheless, Zack pushed her to the floor instead, gesturing for her to start the job.


    For a second, her eyes filled with hurt, but as heced his fingers in her hair which she dyed into


    Savvy¡¯s shade of golden brown, he forced her to take all of him in. Rita couldn¡¯t breathe at first, but as


    he bobbed her head at the pace he wanted, she quickly adjusted, moaning loudly.


    Zack rxed in his seat, closing his eyes. If he ignored the scent, he could still pretend that it was the


    one he truly wanted to be on her knees before him.


    In some odd way, he felt connected to Savannah again. There was no way she could ignore that¡­


    Savannah froze like a statue, trying to take the pain under control. Zack was an assh-le, but she wasn¡¯t


    new to this. This pain could have been controlled. She had already done this so many times before.


    She could do it again


    However, this time it was worse since she had to remember a small and insignificant fact from the book


    she saw just for a few minutes while experiencing this. Not to mention that she had to pretend that


    everything was A-okay.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t know the answer, then let¡¯s move on to the next¡­.¡± Elene smirked since everything was


    going exactly as she expected.


    ¡°Give her time,¡± Kai said in a tone that brooked no objections, and everyone stared at him, including


    Sayannah,


    ¡°Brother?¡± Elene seemed to choke on her own attitude, searching for the right words to express her


    surprise without being too evident.


    ¡°Sister?¡± The king arched his brow questioningly, mimicking her tone slightly. The northern


    princess¡¯ cheeks flushed because of the embarrassment. Her authority was never diminished like that


    before.


    ¡°Eleanor Sigurd,¡± Savvy finally remembered and even forced a little smile on her lips. What Zack was


    doing did not seem to be a quickie this time. She would cut his member off before she killed him. It was


    simply a must now.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Elene looked surprised, but just for a moment. She started the second round of questions,


    and Savannah prayed for her ex to finallye and be done with it.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kai leaned forward, and she felt his hot breath on her skin.


    ¡°I am¡­ great!¡± She lied through her teeth, throwing a quick nce at him. For some reason, she


    wanted to press herself against his skin. Thest time they did this made Zack stop. Shame they


    couldn¡¯t do it again.


    Both her palms were still on the table, and she noticed that the king had ced his hand millimetres


    away. His little finger brushed over hers gently, bringing her more relief than she expected. Kai did not


    take his eyes off her as well, and she could tell that he had already figured her out and was thinking the


    same thing.


    She exhaled, closing her eyes and trying not to make any sounds. The pain was getting duller.


    ¡°Princess Savannah,¡± Elene called her loudly, and she nodded without looking at her. ¡°Name the


    thirteen male pups of king Bromir the Fourth.¡±


    A little smile danced on her lips as she started saying name after name. She was lucky Penelope lent


    her that book. Savvy didn¡¯t even need to look at the northern princess. She knew that it was her little


    victory.


    ¡°Whatw was proposed but not epted by the Northern Convocation in 332 after Fenrir¡¯s war?¡±


    ¡°Elene!¡± Kai interrupted his sister. ¡°What kind of question is that? I doubt any northern queen, our


    mother included, could answer that!¡±


    Elene pursed her lips, but Savvy smirked and replied, ¡°Banning rabbit liver pies. Although, if you asked


    me, they should have epted that one.¡±


    A few snorts and giggles sounded here and there.


    ¡°You should try one,¡± Brigit retorted, helping herself to some pastry. ¡°They are not popr in the West,


    but here we make them with heart and soul.¡±


    ¡°And some guts,¡± Astrid chuckled, adding to the fun.


    ¡°Savannah Stormhold!¡± Elene stood up. ¡°I will demand a check of your mental link usage! One of your


    people is helping you!¡±


    ¡°Why would you think that?¡± Savvy raised her brow. Seriously? It did not bother her when Petra turned


    to her mentor every time.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t know that!¡± The princess clenched her fists. Savannah saw Kyle filming the whole thing


    from the corner of her eye.


    ¡°And why is that? I thought these are the historical facts that every Luna of The North should know. We


    have all prepared. I am sure Penelope would name every single pup of king Bromir, male or female.


    Right, Penelope? It was all in that wonderful book you gave me. It was


    ¨C lovely of you, by the way.¡±


    Savvy didn¡¯t even notice how the pain went away. She felt so much better now, not to mention that


    Elene and Penelope¡¯s faces were so worth the hassle.


    ¡°Fine, then answer my next question!¡± The northern princess regained herposure, but not without


    a struggle.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Kai growled loudly, making the ground shutter underneath their feet.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    18. Our Spot


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Shaken, Elene¡¯s lips twitched uncontrobly as she looked at her brother. She couldn¡¯t believe he was


    doing this to her, but she knew better than contradicting her King.


    Very well,¡± she let on. A new fake smile appeared on her lips, and she sought to look as if his


    interruption did not bother her. ¡°The next contender then. So, Brigit, how about ¡­¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Kai thundered, and every head at the table turned in his direction. ¡°Enough history. Allow the


    ladies to enjoy their brunch, sister.¡±


    ¡°But ¡°She started, wanting to say so much more; however, upon meeting his stern gaze, she forced


    another smile on her lips. ¡°You are so lucky that the Lycan King of The North is gracious. I had many


    more questions for all of you, but his wish is mymand. As for the points, they will be summed up


    based on the ¡­.¡±


    ¡°No need for that!¡± Kai stopped her again. Anger shed in the princess¡¯s eyes this time.


    Savvy watched the show with interest, her hand stretching to get a sulent strawberry This was a


    new change of events..


    ¡°This is an official challenge, Kai,¡± Elene insisted, ¡°Their points must be taken into consideration.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I am aware.¡± The King retorted and gestured for his Beta toe forward. Savannah hadn¡¯t had


    the chance to meet the infamous Beta L in person yet. The Crimson Wolf got his nickname not


    thanks to the colour of his fur, which was, in fact, a cream colour on the verge of light golden. A


    beautiful colour which caused many enemies to underestimate him, thinking he was soft in nature. All


    of them ended up dead.


    The nickname came from the battle where he almost single-handedly killed hundreds of rebellious


    werewolves. By the end of the fight, his fur had indeed be red from all the blood that gushed onto


    him from the wounds of his opponents.


    So, when a friendly-looking guy in histe twenties with blonde hair and a beard walked to Kai with a


    grin stered over his face, she raised her brow in surprise. Looks were indeed deceiving¡­


    ¡°L will be responsible for the points from now on,¡± Kai announced. Gasps of surprise rippled


    through the crowd next to them, drowning out the buzzing of drones flying above them.


    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Elene fraudulently offered as she smiled, looking like she was about to break a neck or


    two. ¡°I will give him the information¡­..¡±


    ¡°That will not be necessary,¡± L stopped her. ¡°I had been counting and am ready to announce the


    results.¡±


    ¡°Begin,¡± Kai gestured, ignoring his sister ring at him.


    ¡°Salome Gray, Autumn Bern, Mika Levarro, Naya Knight, Astrid Erling, Mavis Redfeather,¡± the Beta


    called out and then paused, looking around. Only when he had their full attention did he continue on.


    ¡°Two correct questions and five points for each question.¡±


    ¡°Penelope Summerstern, Inga Finn, and Celia Morr,¡± L went on. ¡°Two answered questions. Two


    and a half points each due to their level ofplexity. Five points in total each.¡±


    The satisfied smile on Penelope¡¯s face faded. ¡°Brigit Borg. One question answered correctly. Five


    points.¡± The werebear girl only lifted her chin higher, ignoring the murmurs behind her back.


    ¡°Petra Biernat.¡± L cleared his throat and sighed. ¡°Mind link detected. Two questions answered.


    Five points each. Five points were deducted. Five points in total.¡±


    ¡°Savannah Stormhold. Three questions answered. Ten points each due to theirplexity.¡± L


    announced, and even Savvy was shocked with such a decision.


    ¡°Please, announce the final points for the two tasks,¡± Kai nodded at his Beta.


    ¡°Of course,¡± L was clearly ready for everything. ¡°In the lead is Princess Savannah with 20 points.


    Followed by Salome Gray, Autumn Bern, Mika Levarro, Naya Knight, Astrid Erling, and Mavis


    Redfeather, with 15 points each. Penelope Summerstern, Inga Finn, Celia Morr, Petra Biernat, Bridget


    Borg ¨C ten points each.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions,dies!¡± Kai gave them all his most brilliant smile. He seemed very happy with the


    results. ¡°This wraps it up for today. Enjoy your brunch!¡±


    The King stood up, trying to catch Savannah¡¯s nce, but she was too busy watching the reactions of


    other contenders.


    ¡°Brother!¡± Elene, however, was already at his side. ¡°Why don¡¯t we speak for a minute?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he


    offered her his hand, and she epted. Savannah turned to look at them, but they had turned their


    backs to her.


    She watched as they walked away without saying a thing.


    ¡°Well,¡± Inga was the first to speak, throwing a hostile gaze at Savvy, ¡°whatever services you provide for


    the king seems to be paying off.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d watch your mouth when you speak to me if I were you,¡± Savannah replied without emotion. Having


    low expectations with these girls was really the way to go.


    ¡°That¡¯s the difference between us!¡± The blonde spat out in contempt as she jumped to her feet,


    clenching her fists, her chest heaving up and down. ¡°I am not you! I don¡¯t use a man¡¯s protection!¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Savvy smirked, fixing the non-existent creases on her dress. ¡°You can only cling to


    your so-called friends.¡±


    ¡°We all saw you go away with him deep into the garden!¡± Celia joined her friend in the witch hunt.


    However, the only witch in the crowd watched the scene with amusement, sipping her mimosa


    ¡°So?¡± Savvy arched her brow.


    ¡°Ladies, please!¡± Penelope stood up, rubbing her forehead. ¡°We don¡¯t have to do this. I am sure that


    whatever Savannah and King Kai were doing there was innocent.¡±


    ¡°Princess Savannah,¡±Savvy corrected firmly, meeting the woman¡¯s gaze. ¡°If you are using titles, don¡¯t


    forget about mine.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Princess Savannah.¡± Penelope went pale but managed to keep her


    Everyone went quiet for a few moments, but Inga broke the awkward silence. ¡°We still don¡¯t know what


    you were doing there!¡± She hissed.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s none of your business?¡± Brigit chuckled. ¡°Should the Northern King seek your


    permission before being alone with someone?¡±


    Celia opened her mouth to say something, but Petra had joined in the ¡®discussion:


    ¡°They just talked,¡± she said calmly but loudly enough for everyone present to hear. ¡°I was looking for


    King Kai and saw them together. They talked. Nothing else.¡±


    Savvy caught her gaze and thanked her with a small smile. This was unexpected.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Celia finally got her chance to speak. ¡°We all know King Kai will only marry a


    northerner and a lycan at that. So, all of you don¡¯t stand a chance.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so worked up then?¡± Naya scoffed, moving off the table.


    After a speedy yet careful consideration, Savannah decided it was best to follow her example.


    However, when she had almost removed herself from herpanions at the table, she heard Inga¡¯s


    voice again.


    ¡°And don¡¯t think that this little advantage in points will stick. These were children¡¯s games! The best is


    yet toe, and everyone here wille for you!¡±


    She disregarded her viciousment simply because experience had taught her that arguing with


    ignorant people was useless. Nevertheless, she knew Inga had a point. Since she was in the lead for


    the Trials, she now had a target on her back. And when it came to the battle challenges that would


    cometer, she would be at the top of everyone¡¯s kill list.


    Savvy wondered if Kai had known that when he ventured to restore a bnce in points. ¡°He wanted to


    help,¡± Athena hinted, deciding to share her point of view.


    ¡°Or he simply wanted the North to look good,¡± Savannah retorted, walking in the direction of the castle.


    ¡°Elene wasn¡¯t doing a good job, you know.¡±


    ¡°He likes you, don¡¯t deny that!¡± her wolf insisted, purring inside.


    ¡°Zack also liked me,¡± Savvy snorted, ¡°and look how well that ended! I seem to be attracting problems


    with the men who like me now.¡±


    ¡°His wolf also likes us.¡± Athena wasn¡¯t one to give up. She was probably one of the most stubborn


    wolves ever.


    ¡°His wolf wants us. There is a difference.¡±


    She reached the hidden entrance, one she now singrly used to and from the garden whereby taking


    advantage of the knowledge Kai provided to the fullest when she heard his voice.


    ¡°Savvy, wait!¡±


    ***


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you just did this to me!¡± Elene clenched his hand so hard that even he could feel her


    effort.


    ¡°You disappointed me, little sister.¡± Kai decided to not beat around the bush. He spent all his life


    sheltering her from pretty much everything and wasn¡¯t sure anymore that he liked the result.


    ¡°No, you are the one who disappointed me, Kai! You said that you will always be on my side! That we


    are a team! That you will protect me and save me!¡±


    ¡°Elene, this is exactly what I am doing now. I am saving you from you.¡± Kai stopped and turned her so


    that she could see his face. ¡°It¡¯s partially my fault. I failed you in many ways. You needed parents, and I


    couldn¡¯t rece them.¡±


    ¡°Kai!¡± Elene pursed her lips, tears clouding her vision. ¡°I am sorry sister, but you lost yourself. I don¡¯t


    recognise you anymore¡­.¡± ¡°I was just trying to help you!¡± The girl blinked away her angry tears. ¡°This


    wasn¡¯t the kind of help i needed. The way you treated Savvy was just¡­¡±


    ¡°Savvy?¡± Elene looked at her brother with wide eyes and an open mouth. ¡°Savvy, Kai? Since when do


    you call her Savvy?!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start!¡± He sighed heavily, wishing he could end this conversation quickly. But to no avail.


    ¡°No, Kai,¡± she grabbed his hand desperately,¡± don¡¯t you start! You don¡¯t seriously think there is any kind


    of future for you and her?!¡±


    He did not reply because, deep inside, he simply didn¡¯t know the answer.


    ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± Elene used the mind link so that she could scream at him now without


    people around listening to the two of them. ¡°Remember what you told me when Gideon humiliated


    me?! You said our kingdoms were at war for hundreds of years, and a simple truce was a miracle! They


    ughtered our werewolf packs on the borders in the olden days, stole ournds, betrayed our trust!


    And not much has changed since then. Don¡¯t be fooled. Gideon¡­¡±


    ¡°He was not wrong to reject you, El,¡± Kai interrupted her speech and received an appalled expression


    in return. ¡°In the end, he wanted to wait for his mate, and he found her. Everything made sense. He is


    happy with her, and she is perfect for him. No offence. You will find your mate as well.¡±


    ¡°And so will you!¡± his sister reminded him. ¡°But I will have to get married before then, and Savannah¡­.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Kai,¡± Elene sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that I would be the one exining to you these things¡­


    However, I see that I have to.¡±


    He scanned the areazily, knowing he did not want to listen. Asgard also was not interested.


    ¡°She is using you. She is using the Trials. When she arrived, she hated the North and us. She didn¡¯t


    want to marry you, and the Luna Trials only made her angrier.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big surprise,¡± Kai smiled.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. The surprise is that she stayed.¡± Elene pointed out the obvious. ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? She


    learned about the three wishes. She wins, and she can get anything from you! Honestly, I don¡¯t think


    she would stop at the alliance.¡±


    ¡°The wishes have limits¡­.¡± He reminded her what was important here.


    ¡°She still can use them to her advantage.¡± The Princess covered her face with her hands. ¡°You are


    right. It¡¯s my mistake. I shouldn¡¯t have arranged all that in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Kai patted her head just as he used to do in their childhood. ¡°We can still figure


    everything out.¡±


    ¡°But Savannah¡­¡±


    ¡°Elene,¡± he made sure she was now looking him in the eye. ¡°I need you to leave Savannah alone. I will


    deal with everything myself. All I need from you now is to ensure the Trials run smoothly. L will


    help.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to get rid of her,¡± the girl shook her head in disbelief.


    ¡°I want the Trials to be fair. I want the North to not be embarrassed about how the members of the royal


    family behave. Can you help me with that? Since it¡¯s shown on TV, I want us to be the epitome of our


    principles.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Elene nodded, sadness written all over her face. ¡°You can count on me.¡±


    ***


    Kai saw Savannah going back and tried to catch up with her. She looked as if she was lost in thoughts,


    and he had to call her to get her attention.


    ¡°Savvy, wait!¡± he grasped her hand, but she yanked it back angrily and stared at him with knitted brows


    ¡°What do you want?¡± the Lycan Princess snarled, confusing the hell out of him. ¡°To talk¡­¡±. He


    confessed. ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°A lot happened,¡± she admitted quickly, crossing her hands on her chest, but toned down her hostility.


    ¡°You just put a target on my back. Do you even understand this?¡±


    ¡°What? Because of the points?¡± He ran his hand over his hair. ¡°Savvy, they would have noticed our


    rtionship anyway.¡±


    ¡°What rtionship?¡± she chuckled. ¡°I am a Western Princess, and you are the Northern King. Everyone


    knows that you will end up with a northerner. They are never tired of reminding us of that. What kind of


    rtionship are we even talking about?¡±


    ¡°The one where we don¡¯t care about the titles,¡± he said, still holding her hand,


    She looked at him for a few seconds, and hope flickered inside of him. But Savannah turned away, and


    the whole world suddenly became colder and¡­ Ionelier.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± the girl sighed. ¡°Just¡­ let me go.¡±


    ¡°You told me to prove that I care about you, and I did. Maybe it wasn¡¯t perfect, but it was my first


    attempt, and I did try.¡± Kai insisted, stepping closer. ¡°Now, how about you prove to me that you care.


    Not about the Trials, the alliance, the North, the West, the war¡­ I want us to prove to each other that


    we care about us.¡±


    ¡°How do you even see this?!¡± she let out a painful, bitterugh. ¡°We always have to think of these


    things!¡±


    ¡°King Kai and Princess Savannah have to,¡± he smirked and added, ¡°but the gardener and the little maid


    don¡¯t.¡±


    Her lips parted, and it was very tempting to kiss her. Yet the King knew that if he did this, he would ruin


    everything.


    ¡°For one evening, let¡¯s spend time together just you, me, and nothing else. And after that, we will see.¡±


    ¡°Kai¡­¡± She was about to shake her head and reject the idea when he ced his finger on her


    lips.


    ¡°Nope. Not Kai anymore. Call me¡­ call me Zack!¡± he suggested with a grin, and her eyes grew wide.


    ¡°Anything but that!¡± she let out an almost hystericalugh.


    ¡°Fine, whatever,¡± he chuckled. ¡°You can call me what you like, but tonight after dinner,e to the


    pond, and I will take you on a real date.¡±


    ¡°Kai,¡± she bit her lip painfully. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything,¡± he stopped her again. ¡°Go back to your room and think. And I¡­ I will be waiting


    for your decision at our spot.¡±


    ¡°Our spot?¡± she c****d a brow up, impressed by how daring he was today. He sure was working fast


    ¡°Our spot,¡± he nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you. If youe, we have a chance. If you don¡¯t¡­ I will


    respect your decision.¡±


    He walked away before she could reply, mostly because he was afraid to hear another rejection


    All of that was so new to him. He never asked a woman for anything. He simply did not have to. And


    tonight, he wouldn¡¯t be the one to decide ¡­


    He was at the pond right on time, ready for action and nervous. He had never been this nervous, not


    even before the most challenging battles.


    In fact, he would probably better be fighting now than just standing there, hopeless and alone, not


    knowing if she would show up¡­ Fearing that she would not.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    19. JUST A Gardener & A Maid


    Savannah was preparing for sleep. There was no way she was going to that ¡­ ¡®date¡¯. She took a long


    bath, so lengthy that she was going to miss that dinner, after which she was not going out of her room.


    Then she brushed her hair and curled it slightly with her straightener because she was still not going


    anywhere and had all the time in the world. She did very light make-up. Just because she wanted a


    little practice. Her eye was constantly on the clock.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Athena urged her, but, of course, she ignored her. She was the decision-maker. Not that


    wolf.


    No one, absolutely no one, was going to force her to make a wrong decision.


    She had already made one of those with Zack and now faced the music each time he had fun with


    someone else.


    She did not need this. She did not want this ¡­


    ¡°Ridiculous!¡± Savvy told herself and went to look for outfits. She sent Kyle and Zara away early today


    and had all the time in the world.


    Savannah found her favourite pair of ripped jeans and added a beige satin chiffon top to it with two


    layers. She found herself buckling the straps of her white sandals very soon after that.


    Why? Because she was just going to check if the Lycan King of The North had bothered to show up


    himself. That was why. The only reason.


    It was already well past dinnertime, and Savannah didn¡¯t expect to see him there. He wouldn¡¯t be


    waiting for her for an hour.


    Although ¡­ he never told her the exact time. So, technically, she wasn¡¯t evente.


    Her heart was beating so fast that it felt as if it was going to jump out of her chest any moment now. It


    only got worse with every step she took toward the pond.


    Kai called it their spot. Wasn¡¯t it ridiculous? It was. Despite the fact that this was the ce her mind


    went to when he mentioned it, it wasn¡¯t their spot. They didn¡¯t have a spot. They were nothing to each


    other and would never be anything. They would never have ¡°a spot¡±.


    They were not even ¡­


    ¡°You came!¡± his voice emerged from the darkness, and she had to adjust her vision to see him sitting


    under a tree. One hand on his knee and the other brushing his hair that looked ¡­ as if he was


    nervously fiddling them for hours¡­ He did not trim his stubble and looked more like the gardener she


    knew again, especially in his white t-shirt and jeans paired up with a ck leather jacket.


    ¡°I was just ¡­ passing by,¡± Savvy mumbled, turning on her heels, but Kai was next to her in a blink of an


    eye.


    ¡°Of course you were,¡± he chuckled, towering over her, his eyes exploring every inch of her. ¡°Betterte


    than never, Savannah.¡±


    ¡°How long were you going to sit here?¡± She found herself asking, even though it didn¡¯t


    matter.


    ¡°Long.¡± His voice became deeper and raspier. Her lips curled into a little smile because she could


    sense that he was genuine.


    ¡°Well, I just came to tell you not to bother and go to sleep.¡± The girl lifted her chin defiantly and saw a


    smirk forming on his lips. He was enjoying their game.


    ¡°That¡¯s so sweet of you.¡± He nodded, and she did the same. ¡°How can I thank you for doing this?


    Otherwise, I¡¯d be here until morning.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it!¡± Savvy tried to walk away, but he caught up with her instantly.


    ¡°That would be rude!¡± he chuckled. ¡°I may be just a gardener, little maid, but I am not some brute.¡±


    ¡°Good for you,¡± she raised her brow, trying to walk around him to no avail. ¡°Will you excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Let me at least feed you,¡± he offered, adding, ¡°I know you skipped dinner.¡±


    ¡°And how would a gardener know that?¡± Savannah couldn¡¯t help the grin that was forcing itself on her


    face.


    ¡°Gardeners know things!¡± Kai cleared his throat, and the next time she tried to walk away, he caught


    her in his arms, pressing her tiny body against his broad chest. It felt nice, and he didn¡¯t want to stop.


    The excited glint in her eyes told him she was also enjoying the game. The King was happy to oblige.


    ¡°And I thought you are not a brute,¡± she taunted him, but did not struggle against him.


    ¡°I am just a concerned gardener. Maids have a hard enough life to skip meals.¡± His hands locked on


    her waist. She seemed so fragile that he felt he could snap her in two if he was not careful. However,


    he knew it was a wrong impression because the woman in front of him radiated confidence and power.


    ¡®


    ¡°True,¡± she agreed with ease. ¡°There is so much work now with the Luna Trials. That king is such a jerk


    for making twelve womenpete for him, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kai shrugged, taking her hands into hisrge palm and pulling her after him. ¡°|| only


    heard great things about him.¡±


    He was taking her away from the castle and deeper into the garden, using the passages in the vast


    green maze of his home.


    ¡°I also heard he is insanely handsome,¡± Kai chuckled. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s the secret to why they chose to


    compete?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Savannah snorted loudly. ¡°That¡¯s unlikely. If I were him, I would sleep with my eyes open if he


    ends up marrying one of these women after all. There is absolutely no way in hell for any of them to


    ever forget the humiliation of this stupid contest. Being given tasks and then graded based on the


    performance ¡­ Jike puppies in a dog show. None of these strong, fierce females will ever forgive him.¡±


    i ¡°Ly


    ¡°Luckily, for him,¡± Kai unexpectedly pushed her against a tree, ¡°he only needs one of them to forgive


    him. And to love him ¡­ To stay by his side and ¡­.¡±


    His lips were already brushing over hers, their hot breaths entangled. ¡°And what?¡± Savvy whispered


    into his mouth.


    UL


    ¡°And he will spend all his life begging for forgiveness if he has to,¡± Kai gently bit her bottom lip, tugging


    it softly to part her lips. ¡°That one woman he has his eyes on seems to be worth


    ¡°Oh?¡± She tried to keep herposure, ignoring Athena¡¯s howling inside. ¡°It¡¯s Petra, isn¡¯t


    it?¡±


    A growl escaped him right before he crashed his lips into hers, greedily devouring the little maid in his


    arms. His tongue tried to conquer dominance as his fingersced into her hair at the back of her head


    as if he was afraid she would pull away any moment. Yet she wasn¡¯t.


    However, she wasn¡¯t giving him the dominance either, and for the hundredth time with her, Kai realised


    that he loved the challenge. And also the change.


    She wasn¡¯t some daughter of an Alpha, who was taught how to be a Luna her whole life. Savannah


    was the Alpha. His equal. Not only by blood but also by spirit. And the more he got to know her, the


    more he felt that nothing less would ever be enough for him now.


    Kai broke the kiss because he knew that if he didn¡¯t do it now, he wouldn¡¯t be able to stop. But Savvy


    deserved better, and he already had big ns for tonight.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he grasped her delicate fingers and urged her to follow him. This time she didn¡¯t object in


    any way, which gave him the confidence to go on with his reckless idea.


    He took her to the main wall, and Savannah saw a secret gate she remembered from the wonderful


    map he had once shared with her. However, it wasn¡¯t the part that surprised her the most.


    ¡°Is that a¡­¡± She pointed at the huge shining monster of a motorbike in front of her. ¡°Our ride,¡± the King


    smirked at her and took off his jacket. ¡°What¡­¡±Savvy didn¡¯t even get to finish her sentence as he


    wrapped the firm leather around


    her.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get cold in this.¡± Kai pointed at her flimsy top and before she could reply, handed her a helmet as


    well. ¡°Safety first, little maid.¡±


    ¡°How thoughtful,¡± She chuckled, putting it an. ¡°Won¡¯t you get cold like that?¡±


    ¡°With your hands around my torso and thighs pressed against mine?¡± the King smirked at her, adjusting


    his own helmet. ¡°Unlikely.¡±


    Savvy was happy that her face was already covered by now, so he couldn¡¯t see how her cheeks


    flushed at his suggestion.


    He started the bike and she sat behind him, hugging him from behind. The heels weren¡¯t the best


    choice of footwear for a motorbike ride, but it was the least of her problems because ¡­ now she could


    feel every freaking perfect muscle of his abdomen with her own fingers. Kai was definitely exercising


    daily for most of his life, and Savannah unknowingly traced her fingers over the relief of his muscles.


    ¡°There will be time for that, little maid,¡± he growled and drove off. ¡°Now, just hold on to me.¡±


    It was easier said than done because when her fingers dug into his flesh, she couldn¡¯t stop imagining


    how she could explore his toned muscles not only with her fingertips ¡­


    Nevertheless, she managed to forget about this when they drove across a massive ancient


    bridge built between two dangerous cliffs. The hair that stuck out of her helmet was blown by the wind,


    and the cold northern air tickled her nostrils, seducing her with the scents of fresh pine and cedar.


    She loved it. More than she imagined. The night, the starry sky above their heads and. mostly, that


    feeling of freedom.


    For one night only ¡­ they were the gardener and the maid. Two people free to do whatever they


    wanted. And Savvy knew she was going to enjoy that.


    Kai took her away from the city, and to the little town close to the woods. It was a test, but he didn¡¯t tell


    her of course. What would be the fun in that?


    So, when he parked next to a pub with the vibrant name ¡°The Whitehound¡±, he watched her closely, not


    willing to miss her reaction.


    A pub wasn¡¯t a ce fit for a princess. In fact, the one and only time he took Elene and Penelope here,


    they both scrunched their noses in this establishment. However, Kai had loved this ce ever since his


    now-deceased father and mother brought him here when he was little for a private family dinner. They


    frequented the best restaurants in the North, and an experienced chef was working at their castle, yet


    this was the dinner that he remembered the most. His first time here. Because here, they weren¡¯t a


    king, a queen and a prince ¨C they simply were a family of three. Since then, it had grown from a secret


    ce to dine to a ce where he feltfortable as if he was at home.


    Savannah took off the helmet, her hair cascading down her shoulder in soft waves. She looked around


    and studied the sign at the front of the building as he watched her silently.


    ¡°They¡¯d better have burgers in here,¡± she informed him with a grin. ¡°I am starving!¡±


    ¡°I was actually nning to feed you with that rabbit liver pie we talked about earlier today,¡± he teased


    her, and she rolled her eyes, handing him back the helmet.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No, thanks. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve been in the North long enough to be ready to experience this¡­ delicacy.¡±


    ¡°Your loss,¡± Kai chuckled, taking her hand into his and realising that it felt so normal and natural to him


    now.


    ¡°can¡¯t believe you dare to show your face in here!¡± they both heard an ominous snar..

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    20. Breaking Balls


    Savvy tensed as her head snapped in the direction of an enormous lycan walking out of the door in


    front of them. Tall, with longish ginger hair and a short beard, he was a beast of a man. Bigger than Kai


    and L put together. So big that Savvy wondered in her mind where he purchased clothes his size


    because his jeans and red ck nnel shirt were fitting him perfectly. It must have been a special


    order.


    ¡°Aspen, old mutt!¡± Kai chuckled at the stranger, and Savvy rxed instantly. So, it wasn¡¯t a dangerous


    situation of any kind. ¡°Still can¡¯t get over your lossst time? Mind your mouth today, though. I brought


    ady to this gods¡¯ forsaken ce.¡±


    ¡°Fenrir with you,¡± the giant let out a chestyugh. ¡°And I thought you were a king who could afford to


    take women to a decent restaurant! How cheap are you to bring thedy here?!¡±


    ¡°Maybe I am just not that special to him,¡± Savvy offered, cockily deciding to rub salt in the wound.


    Immediately Kai¡¯s hand wrapped around her waist possessively.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that one,¡± Aspen¡¯s eyes traced his movement, and a discerning smile appeared on his


    face. ¡°Well, don¡¯t just stand there! Come inside!¡±


    The three of them walked into the spacious but cosy pub. It was decorated ording to the best


    northern traditions, and a white bear¡¯s head on the wall did not escape Savvy¡®s eyes. No wonder they


    never liked each other with the lycans.


    The entrance hall to the pub was painted with white and blue traditional northern patterns, while the


    firece weed them with a crackling fire and theforting light of the me. There were a few


    private cabins on the left with soft leather seats, a bar with light-coloured wooden tables, and high


    stools with windows running along one wall for their customers to enjoy


    a picturesque view of the forest. Although, at the moment, they could only see the darkness of the


    night.


    The chatter andughter of the customers created a lovely atmosphere, and an old song was ying


    from the speakers.


    At the very back of the establishment, Savannah noticed a pool table, but Aspen guided them the


    opposite way.


    ¡°I guess today you are taking the cabin,¡± he stated as he winked at the northern king.


    ¡°Yes, please.¡± Kai nodded in agreement and nudged Savvy slightly to follow the big man. He led them


    to a cabin hidden from everyone else and handed them their menus.


    ¡°No need for those.¡± The king shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ll have two rabbit liver pies.¡±


    He winked at her as she stared at him in shock before quickly regaining herposure and looking at


    Aspen with a grin.


    ¡°Those are for him. And I¡¯ll have your Special Burger!¡±


    ¡°Burned!¡± Aspen whispered so loudly that probably everyone in the building heard him. ¡± must warn you


    that it¡¯s a huge burger, though.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± Savvy nodded. ¡°I am starving! Add a coke with some fries to that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the same then,¡± Kai chuckled.


    ¡°What, no rabbit liver today?¡± hispanion questioned, arching her brow yfully, as he admitted


    defeat by lifting his hands in the air. The pie wasn¡¯t his favourite either.


    ¡°I was just trying to introduce you to a taste of northern food.¡± He pretended not to care, crossing his


    hands on his chest and looking away.


    ¡°Hey, Aspen,¡± Savvy looked up at the lycan, who was watching the two of them with amusement and


    asked. ¡°Are you a northerner?¡±


    ¡°Born and bred.¡± He hit himself on the chest with pride. ¡°Who will be cooking these burgers?¡± she


    asked innocently.


    ¡°For him, some intern in my kitchen. For you, I will do everything myself!¡± The giant snorted, and they


    heard Kai growl a warning.


    ¡°See?¡± Savannah rolled her eyes, ¡°I still have northern food made by the best the North has to offer!¡±


    Aspen disappeared into the kitchen, and for the first time, they found themselves alone¡­ Neither of


    them knew what to say


    ¡°This is probably not what you imagined?¡± He tapped his fingers over the wooden surface of the table.


    ¡°I never imagined us having a date at all,¡± she admitted softly. ¡°Here or anywhere else.¡±


    ¡°I imagined it since the moment I met you, but it was today that I knew I¡¯d be taking you here.¡±


    ¡°Is this a special ce to you?¡± Savvy decided not to beat around the bush.


    ¡°Look here,¡± he took her tiny palm in his and moved it to the corner of the table, letting her feel the


    carvings on the edge. With her delicate fingers, the girl slid closer and traced the pattern engraved with


    what she surmised was probably a w.


    Harold + Ronja ¨C Kai


    She stared at the carving for a while with her lips parted before bringing herself to look at him again.


    ¡°You came here with your parents?¡± Savannah guessed correctly.


    ¡°Sometimes.¡± The king found, for some odd reason, that he wanted to share this memory with her. ¡°We


    woulde here to ¡­ to feel normal, I guess. It worked each time. Here, my mother and father weren¡¯t


    the King and the Queen. They were just a husband and wife. This is why! thought it would be a perfect


    ce for ¡­.¡±


    ¡°For the gardener and the maid,¡± Savvy chuckled. ¡°Is it not?¡± Kai raised his brow questioningly. ¡°I think


    it is,¡± she agreed, a little smile dancing on her lips. ¡°Tell me more.¡±


    And he did, not sparing the smallest detail, even some of the most embarrassing stories of his


    childhood. He made Savannahugh, and to him, it was priceless.


    ¡°No way!¡± She giggled as he told her the story of him running away from his house when he was little


    but not quite making it past the bridge before his father¡¯s Beta caught him. He delivered him here to his


    parents, who probably were trying to have a normal date for once, to no avail. The previous king was


    so pissed.


    ¡°You should have seen the look on his face!¡± He tried to mimic his father¡¯s expression, ¡°This little brat


    again! Aspen and Celia were here too, watching the whole scene from the backroom, Their Dad was


    one of the strongest warriors and ¡­.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Savvy choked. ¡°Is Aspen Celia¡¯s brother?!¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Kai replied matter-of-factly, unaware of the


    problem. ¡°Celia¡¯s brother is making me food?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes grew wide.


    ¡°Is my sister creating trouble for you?¡± Aspen reappeared, wearing an apron, and carrying two tes in


    hisrge hands, cing them on the table.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Savvy cleared her throat ufortably, hoping that he hadn¡¯t tried to poison her food and


    forced a smile.


    ¡°Of course she does!¡± the giant sighed. ¡°Ever since she became friends with Penelope, she has been


    like that!¡±


    ¡°She is not that bad,¡± the princess lied, and Aspen towered over her.


    ¡°If she does something again, tell her this,¡± he leaned all the way to her ear and whispered something


    that Kai couldn¡¯t hear.¡¯


    The Northern King didn¡¯t like the two being so close to each other. He did not like it at all. ¡°Thanks for


    your help, Buddy!¡± he snarled at his friend. ¡°I think we can take it from here.¡± ¡°Thank you, Aspen,¡±


    Savannah grinned, ¡°you are the best northerner I have ever met!¡± ¡°And you are.¡± The big guy began to


    say something, but this time Kai growled loudly. ¡°Bye, Aspen!¡±


    ¡°Northern gardeners sure are temperamental!¡± Savvy let out a littleugh and took her burger in her


    hands.


    They ate, and they talked, teasing each other as usual. However, it felt so natural and soforting for


    both of them. As if this was how it was supposed to be.


    ¡°Shall we y pool?¡± Kai suggested, and Savannah pierced him with her gaze. ¡°I am not sure how¡±


    She bit her lip and looked at him through her longshes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you!¡± He promised eagerly and took her hand, pulling her toward the game table. ¡°It¡¯s not as


    easy as it looks, but, luckily for you, I am a great teacher.¡±


    ¡°Be careful with that one!¡± Aspen grunted as they passed the bar area. ¡°He cheats!¡±


    ¡°Not true!¡± Kai sounded offended, but it was clear that all this was just a joke to him. ¡°It¡¯s just that you


    are a sore loser looking for excuses!¡±


    He started exining the game¡¯s rules to her, clearly excited while cing all the balls into a wooden


    triangle. The ¡°little maid¡± watched him and nodded as he exined every single detail, her fingers


    brushing over the wooden cue in her hand, drawing his attention each time.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve got it!¡± She smiled when he was done.


    ¡°Come on then,¡± he stepped behind her, pressing his hard body into hers. ¡°I¡¯ll help you to break the


    balls.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so sweet of you,¡± she chirped and leaned forward, taking position and aiming at the cue ball.


    ¡°Like that,¡± Kai gently bent over her, his breath tickling her ear, hands over hers. He showed


    her how to move the cue and then pointed at the shiny white ball. ¡°Hit that one, and if you manage to


    legally pocket one of your balls, it will be your turn again.¡±


    ¡°Uhm,¡± Savvy licked her lips, and even though he did not see it, the sound alone made him gulp. ¡°I¡¯ll try.


    Do I do it like that?¡±


    She hit the cue ball with precise strength and aiming, doing a clean breaking and pocketing one of her


    balls along the way.


    He walked around her and noticed the sly look on her face, a smirk curling her lips. ¡°You know how to


    y,¡± he stated, feeling dumb.


    ¡°Only a little,¡± Savannah paid him no attention, aiming to pocket the next ball and doing so brilliantly.


    ¡°We call it billiard.¡±


    She was crushing all his hopes one by one, pocketing ball, after ball, after ball. When she finally


    missed, he managed to pocket a couple as well. When he was about to repeat his shot, she appeared


    at his side, leaning closely just like he had done earlier to her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she whispered, ¡°I am only trying to teach you.¡±


    Her fingers brushed gently over the bare skin on his hands, and he instantly missed, making her


    chuckle.


    ¡°That was cheating!¡± He grunted.


    ¡°Or maybe you are a sore loser looking for excuses!¡± Aspen burst outughing, all while Savannah


    pocketed herst ball.


    ¡°I won!¡± she announced and jumped onto the table, shaking her shoulders in a little impromptu victory


    dance.


    ¡°She is a keeper!¡± Aspen snorted and went back to the kitchen. Kai watched her, so happy and daring,


    knowing he wouldn¡¯t want it any other way.


    Savannah didn¡¯t even notice how he trapped her between the table and himself. She froze, not


    knowing what he was about to do. His lips curved cunningly like a predator toying with a prey.


    He leaned forward, their foreheads touching and noses brushing over each other.


    ¡°You are magnificent, Little Maid.¡± The smile on his face was catching, and soon the girl found herself


    grinning back.


    ¡°And you don¡¯t read people too well,¡± she snorted, trying to break the romantic mood that suddenly


    overwhelmed and scared her.


    ¡°Since you won, you deserve a little treat.¡± He grasped her by her waist and took her off the table,


    gently cing her back on the floor as if she was made out of the finest porcin, ¡°Let¡¯s


    go!¡±


    Savannah chose not to argue. She also remained quiet when heced his fingers with hers.


    It was terrifying to start trusting a man again, but with him. With him, it was different


    They sat back on the motorbike, and Kai drove off while Savvy hugged him, much tighter this time,


    cing her head on his back.


    He loved feeling her body so close to his. It was undeniable that he was falling for Savannah


    Stormhold. Falling for her badly ¡­


    The king brought her to the top of one of the highest hills, parking his bike there. Savvy tried to get off


    as quickly as possible, twisting her foot in her high-heeled shoes during the attempt, but luckily he


    caught her just in time.


    ¡°Careful!¡± He smiled, holding her with one arm while removing his helmet with the other. Then he


    helped her stabilise herself and took off her helmet as well, watching how her shiny hair tumbled over


    her shoulders. She looked so tiny in his huge leather jacket, but he knew not to let this fool him. This


    girl was a force to be reckoned with.


    ¡°Come,¡± he took her hand, and she obeyed, following his lead. ¡°I think you are going to like this view.¡±


    They stepped close to the edge of the hill, and Savvy gasped in awe, seeing the entire capital city


    beneath them, the lights glittering in the dark night. She saw the castle they came from and the


    mountains with the woods that surrounded it.


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful,¡± she breathed out.


    ¡°I know,¡± he said, and she turned to look at him, catching him staring at her and not at their


    surroundings.


    He took her in his arms, but to her surprise, he just pulled her down and onto hisp, sitting himself


    comfortably on the grass and helping her lean against his chest forfort.


    ¡°You know, this is another one of my secret ces,¡± Kai admitted. ¡°Somehow, you make me want to


    show them all to you.¡±


    ¡°Well, you will not hear meining. I love it here.¡±


    Finally. Kai was so close to her that he could ce his nose into her hair and inhale deeply The scent


    of bluebells haunted him from the first day he smelled it.


    ¡°Ie here when I am on a run.¡± He wanted to share more with her. ¡°I also like toe here for the


    First Snow.¡±


    Savannah knew about this tradition thanks to the History contest. The First Snow was very important in


    the North. It was a special holiday that took its roots in the old days. When the Harvest was done, and


    Winter was starting, the northerners celebrated the end of the working season. Sacrifices were made to


    Fenrir to ask him for mercy during the following harsh months when hunting was more difficult.


    However, the most important association was that it often was the beginning of their wedding season.


    Couples were proiming their love for each other and getting married. It was considered good luck for


    a couple in love to greet the first snow together.


    Since then, a lot has changed, of course. Nevertheless, the importance of the First Snow stayed


    For a second there, Savvy got caught up with the romance of it all and found herself trying to see if any


    snowkes were falling from the sky. How stupid was that?


    She shivered, and the handsome man embracing her immediately turned her to face him.


    ¡°Are you cold?¡± He asked, and she nodded without saying a word. ¡°Maybe it will be best to get back?¡±


    Their eyes locked, and for a few seconds, they just looked at each other, only stars


    ut it


    .


    illuminating them in the darkest hour of the night. Kai¡¯s eyes glowed blue as Asgard tried to fight for


    control. Savannah sucked in a breath, her eyes shining with golden light as Athena attempted to do the


    same.


    ¡°Wolves,¡± Kai muttered sarcastically, bringing himself closer to her. ¡°Stupid wolves,¡± she agreed, her


    lips gently touching his.


    ¡°It¡¯s unhealthy to fight them,¡± he slid his hand into her hair, pulling her towards himself so that there


    wasn¡¯t an inch between them.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± she let herself be enveloped in his warmth and passion. He tried to be gentle at first, holding


    himself back as his lips covered hers. But with each stroke of their tongues against each other, his grip


    on her was getting tighter. Savvy found herself breathing heavily as she grasped his hair in the heat of


    the moment. She tugged it, making him growl, and he started to devour her possessively, greedily, as if


    she was thest drop of water and he had been wandering


    through a desert for years.


    ¡°We need to stop,¡± she mumbled, her breathing ragged, her eyes held no conviction in following


    through her words. :


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kai agreed, kissing her neck and removing his jacket off her shoulders for more ess.


    They were both mad, and neither of them was going to fight it.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Savannah,¡± he snarled into her mouth and imed it again, getting a much-desired moan from her this


    time.


    She wanted to w his t-shirt off him, and he did not seem to mind. But the nearby sound of a loud


    howl stopped them.


    Savvy wanted to continue, but Kai got tense, pressing her closer and covering her mouth with his finger


    for a moment.¡¯


    ¡°Sh*t,¡± he swore under his breath. ¡°Savvy, we need to go.¡± She wasn¡¯t an j***t and knew that if he told


    her that, then it was serious. ¡°It¡¯s not one of your men, is it?¡± She asked him bluntly as they rushed to


    the bike.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Kai admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to push my luck while you are with me. We¡¯d better get


    back.¡±


    ¡°I can fight,¡± she told him dryly, putting the helmet back on. ¡°I know,¡± he smiled, doing the same. ¡°But I


    don¡¯t want you to have to fight.¡±


    They drove off quickly and were speeding over the road they used toe here. The howls were


    getting closer and closer, and Savannah could swear she heard a couple of roars too. This wasn¡¯t


    good.


    At least they were together.


    Right about the time that thought crossed her mind, a huge brown wolf jumped out of the bushes,


    knocking them both off the motorbike.


    Savvy rolled over her head and found herself falling down a steep hill. Down, down, down ¡­ Until


    darkness stole everything from her.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    21. Break A Leg


    A splitting headache turned every movement into pure torture as Savannah desperately struggled to


    open her heavy eyelids. She couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on for a while until the recollection of


    the ident formed in her mind.


    She fell down, rolling, slipping, and hitting rocks, dry, sharp twigs and other debris on her way down.


    She tried her best to grasp onto something, but the hill was too steep, and everything was happening


    too fast. The Princess couldn¡¯t see much thanks to the helmet, but if she was honest, this was probably


    what helped her stay alive.


    One thing was for sure. The fall was over, and she was now half-sitting, goddess knew


    where.


    Every bone and muscle in her body ached, bringing temporary agony. Her lycan elerated healing


    was already kicking in, but it would still take her a few good minutes to simplye to her senses. The


    worst thing was that one of her feet felt as if it was broken, and this one injury would probably take a


    while to heal and get back to normal.


    She saw tworge palms moving in front of her and felt someone removing her helmet. Savvy instantly


    hoped it was Kai, thanking the Moon Goddess for keeping him safe. However, she


    tensed when she met the gaze of just one blue eye and noticed white hair sparkling in the moonlight.


    This time at least, he was adequately dressed-ck pants, boots and an aviator jacket made of rough


    leather and ck fur. A modern pirate, no less.


    The familiar stranger carefully took the helmet off, supporting her head, and scanning her with his eye.


    The other was covered with a ck eye patch with some kind of northern pattern.


    ¡°You!¡± Savvy breathed out, and a vague smile curved his lips.


    ¡°Me,¡± the werebear shifter confirmed and stretched his hand to her neck, making her shudder


    ufortably. ¡°You are bleeding,¡± he stated calmly as if it wasn¡¯t an extraordinary situation.


    ¡°Yeah, it happens sometimes when you fall down a cliff!¡± Savvy lifted her chin up defiantly. ¡°And you are


    just passing by, of course.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he chuckled and still touched her skin, causing stinging sensations. ¡°I arranged all this.¡±


    His bluntness made her part her lips, and he liked the effect he made on her. At least she respected


    him for not pretending he had nothing to do with it.


    ¡°So, this is an assassination attempt then?¡± she clenched her lips tightly and looked around in search of


    Kai, sadly realising she was the only one to fall down the slope. Nheless, it was probably for the


    best, meaning that the King of The North must be in a much better state than she was.


    ¡°No,¡± the bear started to unzip her jacket, and despite her protests, he overpowered her with ease and


    pulled it off her shoulders as carefully as he could, shocking her even more with his gentleness. ¡°I just


    wanted to create a distraction so we could talk. Who knows when the next time will be that you can get


    out of the castle, Savannah?¡±


    She gulped involuntarily. He knew who she was! This couldn¡¯t mean anything good.


    ¡°Rx, Princess,¡± he coaxed, his healthy eye glowing red. ¡°If I wanted to kill you, you¡¯d already be


    dead, and I wouldn¡¯t be tending to your wounds either.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you are doing?¡± she shot him a wary nce.


    ¡°Of course. Though if Fiogh dies, I wouldn¡¯t mind. But that¡¯s unlikely. Someone like him will never die


    in a battle!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Savvy narrowed her eyes suspiciously. That didn¡¯t sound like just a


    random set of words.


    ¡°Maybe one day you will find out,¡± he retorted as he sneered and brushed his palm over her bare arm,


    checking for injuries and leaning in closely so that his hot breath was now burning her skin.


    ¡°I think I am fine! Thanks!¡± she eximed, trying to distance herself, despite theck of space she had


    to move. Images of theirst encounter, where he quickly overpowered her shed before her eyes.


    The white werebear was very strong. So strong that to have a chance against him, she would have to


    let out what was inside of her. No matter the situation, her inner beast had to be herst resort.


    ¡°Does this look fine to you?¡± he asked, raising one of her legs so she could see her foot turned out at


    an unnatural angle. It also hurt like hell.


    ¡°I will heal,¡± Savvy insisted, pressing her lips. She did not like being vulnerable at all.


    ¡°You will be in agony for quite some time,¡± he exined patiently, undoing the straps of her sandals.


    ¡°Terrible choice of shoes for the North by the way.¡±


    ¡°Where is Kai?¡± She was slightly fed up with the small talk. He had just admitted that he arranged this


    attack, causing her to fall. There was no way he was getting away with acting like her saviour right now.


    His eye glinted dangerously, and in the next moment, he tore the fabric of her jeans to gain better


    ess to her foot, yet the predatory look he gave her made her squirm.


    ¡°Stay in ce,¡± he advised, sliding his palm up her calf and gripping her tightly. ¡°Ready?¡±


    ¡°I asked you a question!¡± Savannah was getting angrier by the second, and more frustrated, but the


    werebear twisted her broken foot to set her bones back in ce. Excruciating pain overtook her as she


    simultaneously released an ear-splitting shriek. He held her in ce, watching her chest heaving up


    and down.


    ¡°Easy!¡± He pressed her against the ground, maintaining a firm hold of her leg.


    Savvy could feel her healing speed up and khew that, thanks to the corrected position of the bones, it


    would be mere minutes until she was properly healed.


    ¡°Where. Is. Kai?¡± she repeated her question, still panting slightly, and saw a displeased expression on


    the bear¡¯s face.


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± He raised his brow while one of his hands drew soothing circles on her flesh.


    ¡°It matters to me,¡± the girl insisted, trying not to move.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you like,¡± the man gritted his teeth, ¡°that prick,¡± he spat out, not even trying to hide his


    irritation.


    ay ¡°It¡¯s not about that.¡± She shook her head and tried to remove his hands from her. As if to prove a


    point, he didn¡¯t move an inch.


    ¡°The lucky bastard is busy. Although I wish he was the one to fall and not you. This,¡± he offered as he


    gestured his arms about him, ¡°wasn¡¯t nned.¡±


    I am ttered,¡± Savannah snorted in an attempt to hide her agitation. ¡°But to what do I owe the honour


    of you not wanting me to break my neck?¡±


    ¡°When I met you first, I didn¡¯t know who you were,¡± he started, only to be interrupted immediately


    ¡°This makes two of us. Why don¡¯t you introduce yourself then? You already know who I


    am.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± the man in front of her admitted readily. ¡°I watched the show after all. Rewound it a few times to


    get a better look at you too.¡±


    ¡°I was there for like two seconds.¡± Savvy averted his eyes, his gaze endeavouring to pierce hers, but


    she looked up the slope to see if Kai was all right. She could hear faint sounds of a fight, which meant


    that he was alive at least. He was also too far from her at the moment. She regretted that they couldn¡¯t


    stay and faced the battle together. Now he was on his own up there, and she was alone down here with


    this dangerous bear.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t watch the twins. I liked that other one better¡± He smirked slightly when her attention


    was entirely back on him. ¡°The Truthteller, was it?¡±


    ¡°How would I know?¡± Savvy shrugged, starting to fear where all this would lead them. ¡°My leg is fine


    now. Would you let go of it?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look fine to me yet.¡± He caressed her again, and now she knew he was simply ying with


    her. For him, she was nothing more than prey.


    It did not help when she heard movements in the dark behind them and saw a few pairs of eyes


    dangerously glinting in the depth of the woods. He wasn¡¯t alone, although even if he was, it would be


    more than enough to cause trouble.


    ¡°I have to say I was surprised to see you go out with him.¡± The bear decided to change the subject. ¡°I


    would assume you would be the one to hate him the most because of what he has done.¡±


    ¡°Who says I don¡¯t hate him?¡± Savannah tried to seem unconcerned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t y with me, princess!¡± He snapped and finally took his hands off her. ¡°I have eyes everywhere.


    You were watched today, and the two of you looked like you had the time of your life.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Savvy tried to stand up, but the healing wasn¡¯tplete yet, and she stumbled. However, the


    bear did not let her fall, catching her in time. Catching a glimpse of his facial expression, Savvy quickly


    realised the situation.


    ¡°He humiliated you and made youpete with other women for what was supposed to be yours in the


    first ce, and this is your reaction? A date?¡± She knew he was testing her, so she managed to stay


    calm, simultaneously controlling herself and her wolf. Savannah knew too little to make any


    conclusions or decisions at this moment. Luckily, she was brought up as a royal and knew how to y


    the game of wills quite well.


    ¡°Trust me,¡± she challenged, meeting his watchful gaze, ¡°there is hardly one girl in the Trials fighting for


    Kai Fiogh. Each contender has her own reasons to be there. I am no exception.¡±


    ¡°And what is your reason, Savannah?¡± He tried to take her chin into his hand, but she managed to


    escape his attempt.


    ¡°Now that is a rude question, considering you still haven¡¯t introduced yourself, yet you have already


    managed to injure me.¡±


    ¡°I am ready to apologise for that. My name is Darius Bjorn, and I am at your full service, Princess.¡± He


    bowed and took her hand into his, brushing his lips over her delicate fingers, as if he was a gentleman


    and not one of the white bear rebels endangering all the lycans. Savannah was surprised he really had


    not tried to kill her or at least kidnap her to terrorise Gideon. That would undoubtedly be an easy way


    out


    However, all these thoughts left her when a wave of a slightly familiar scent coated the two of them,


    tickling her nostrils and unsettling Athena in her mind. She searched for its source, only to realise that it


    was the werebear himself.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Princess?¡± he taunted, an innocent smirk curling his lips.


    Kai snarled Toudly as two bears and another two wolves approached him after he killed the first five


    who dared to attack him. How many more were hiding nearby, biding their time? The metallic taste of


    the werewolves¡¯ blood was still on his tongue. Werewolves, not lycans. From their scent, they weren¡¯t


    local. Considering who he was dealing with, he knew scents weren¡¯t something he could rely on


    anymore.


    However, at this moment, none of this bothered him ¡­


    For the first time in his life, Kai was afraid. Tenacious primal fear cordoned off his body and soul. He


    thought he had forgotten what fear felt like years ago, but here it was, ever-present and stronger than


    ever before. He was worried sick for the girl he stupidly took on a date, purely out of his selfish desires.


    He shouldn¡¯t have done it. If he hadn¡¯t, Savannah would now be in the safety of her bedroom, sleeping


    peacefully, but he got greedy. He wanted her to see the real him. He wanted to have her all to himself


    for once. He wanted her to stop seeing the cold northern king and start seeing the man he knew she


    could fall in love with one day. If he tried hard and proved himself to her, maybe they could ¡­


    He had miscalcted. It was his mistake, and Savannah was left paying for it.


    He saw her fall off the hill in thest few seconds before he was attacked. Kai didn¡¯t even get to shift or


    see what happened to the western princess because someone¡¯s canines were already buried in his


    flesh.


    Asgard had different feelings. Somehow his wolf was sure that Savannah was alive, and that


    knowledge gave him the strength not to lose it here and now. However, his wolf was enraged. Raw fury


    filled him to the brim, and his wolf instincts overtook him. He had to let it all out.


    Both bears charged at him at once, massive and ferocious, but he lunged at the bigger one, easily


    escaping his smallerpanion¡¯s ws and sharp teeth. Without wasting time, Asgard went for the


    main artery in its neck, tearing it off and spitting it out on the ground with the rest of his flesh. At the


    same time, he managed to S***h an eye with his talons. Just to ensure that this bear would be


    distracted while he was dealing with the rest of its crew.


    One of the werewolves tried to bite his side, but Asgard was too fast for him. Turning around, he


    snarled and leapt at the second werebear, who was also much slower. He had to take them out first. He


    dug his ws in the enemy¡¯s fur while his canines closed in a death grip around the bear¡¯s throat,


    ripping off his head. He had to put a lot of force into that, but the final result was worth it in the end.


    A few secondster, he had disposed of the other werewolf with one sharp bite, sending him to meet


    Fenrir¡¯s justice. Thest one came at him, desperate for a win yet unable to get to anything vital in


    Asgard¡¯s body. With a mighty twist, the lycan grasped his smaller opponent with his teeth, pulled him off


    his feet and mmed the bastard to the ground, crushing the life out of him.


    With a loud roar, the dying giant charged at him, blood still gushing down its neck where the first


    werebear had a piece missing from their first encounter. Asgard quickly stepped aside and


    brought his ws down in one huge strike. The bear fell to the ground, twitching and gasping for


    breath.


    The lycan didn¡¯t even spare him ast nce, knowing that he was as good as dead. considering how


    much blood he was losing. No regeneration could help that,


    He saw more glowing eyes in the darkness and knew he had just seconds before the next batch would


    charge at him.


    Kai wasn¡¯t going to wait for them this time. They weren¡¯t of interest to him. Considering they were


    attacking him in small groups, it was obvious they had only one purpose today. To stall for time.


    He had mind-linked L and Aspen, to let them know what happened and knew help would be here


    soon. However, he was not going to wait for it. There was only one thing on his mind now, only one


    person-Savannah


    ***


    It was absolutely impossible, and Savvy knew that. The smirk on Bjorn¡¯s face indicated he understood


    the level of the effect his scent was producing on her.


    Cedarwood with a hint of mint Zack¡¯s scent was hard to forget as it haunted her day and night. She


    loathed it to the point she stopped drinking her favourite mint tea and changed her toothpaste to a


    berry-voured one. Each time it reminded her of her mate, who betrayed her and was ready to kill her


    if he had to.


    Nheless, a part of her still responded to that damn scent. The scent that was now slowly coating


    her. There was something else in it, something different, and she couldn¡¯t tell at once, but slowly, a note


    of chestnut was added to it. It was hard to notice at first, but it slowly reced the cedar. Bjorn took it


    as a sign and bent down to reach, to touch her lips with his. Savannah flinched away, startled even


    more than before.


    ¡°What are you,¡± she hesitated, ¡°doing?¡± she asked, her brows knitted together. ¡°Pardon me,¡± the


    werebear chuckled softly but didn¡¯t move away. ¡°I thought you were ready ¡­


    His gaze told her what he thought. Wishful to the point of being hungry, but also yful. As if he was


    toying with her.


    ¡°Ready?¡± she arched her brow and tried to push him away, but he remained in his ce. ¡°May I ask,


    ready for what?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when you feel it,¡± he teased, his light silver hair shining in the moonlight. Athena was on


    high alert when he was around.


    ¡°Is this the important conversation you almost killed me for?¡± She decided to go back to the point.


    ¡°You came here to marry the King of The North, and I am ready to assist you with that.¡±


    She first thought that he was joking, but their eyes met, and not a muscle twitched on his face.


    ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s one interesting offer considering that you have to attack Kai to simply speak to me.¡±


    Savannah decided to y dumb. She knew too well what he meant, or at least she thought she knew.


    But this was getting ridiculous.


    sa ¡°I think you know I a? not talking about him ¡± Bjorn smirked and pressed her tighter against


    himself. ¡°Trust me, Princess, his days on the throne are numbered.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± She tried to distance herself from him, but it was proving to beplicated without


    applying force. Remembering how easily he overpowered her thest time, she didn¡¯t want to take any


    chances until she knew more.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me yet,¡± he interjected, his eye glowed red as she tensed. However, the bear


    lowered himself to her ear and whispered, ¡°That¡¯s fine. I wasn¡¯t counting on it during my first attempt.


    You will watch him lose one thing after another before your very eyes, and you then will believe me.¡±


    Savvy gulped. That werebear sounded confident. Too confident to ignore.


    ¡°In the meantime, I will court you,¡± he announced, and she felt slightly ufortable. Just what did that


    mean?


    ¡°Sounds ¡­ promising,¡± she mumbled, and he moved a strand of hair off her forehead.


    ¡°understand that we need to get to know each other better before you can say yes to me, but I am a


    patient man.¡± His straightforwardness was scaring her. Just why was he so confident?


    ¡°I am making no promises,¡± she said bluntly, Darius Bjorn was giving her bad vibes, and she was


    unaware of what to do with this turn of events.


    ¡°I am not asking you to. I am making my move and letting you know about it, Savannah.¡± He cupped


    her chin and tilted it slightly toward him. ¡°I will be sending you gifts. You will know when they arrive. You


    can stop bothering with the Trials. Trust me, you don¡¯t need them.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me for not dropping my own agenda because a man I have only met twice says so.¡± She


    rolled her eyes, unclear on how else c she should react. It was yet another male who thought he knew


    better than she did on what she needed. She wasn¡¯t interested in those. Not to mention his whole


    attitude and background were questionable, to say the least.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Savannah, I understand,¡± he told her. ¡°I know that you¡¯ve been hurt before and ¡­.¡±


    He made a pause to enjoy her wide eyes. Many people in the West knew about her story, but it was


    unlikely for it to spread in the North, yet what Bjorn was implying couldn¡¯t be read any differently. He


    obviously knew about her and Zack, which partially exined the scent he emitted.


    ¡°I will learn how to deal with you over time, and you will learn to trust me.¡± A promise which strangely


    seemed like a threat to her. ¡°Just wait for my gifts, and you¡¯ll see¡­¡±


    Suddenly, he abruptly looked to his right and then back at her, sighing. ¡°I am afraid I have to go now,


    Savannah. I am not saying goodbye. Remember, I am the one who can give you what you came to the


    North for. Not him.¡±


    ¡°Listen,¡± she interrupted him, but he ced a finger to her lips.


    ¡°No time now,¡± Bjorn shook his head. ¡°If you want to speak to me, ce antern on your window when


    you go to sleep.¡±


    She wanted to tell him that it was extremely unlikely she¡¯d be calling him when she was going to sleep,


    but they got distracted. They both heard the sounds of fourrge pawsnding nearby. Savannah knew


    it was Kai before she smelled his scent and a feeling of relief made her


    exhale happily. She turned to look at Bjorn, but the white werebear was already gone.


    *Savvy!¡± The lycan king was running in her direction, absolutely naked and covered in blood. It didn¡¯t


    bother him, but her cheeks flushed before he could reach her.


    ¡°Kai!¡± She tried to warn him about his nudity with her sharp tone, but he ignored herpletely, locking


    her in his arms and giving her the tightest of hugs. It felt divine. Even she had to admit to that. His head


    was buried in the crook of her neck, and he inhaled sharply.


    Suddenly, his whole body stiffened. ¡°Who did this to you?¡± Kai growled.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    ¡°I am not asking you to. I am making my move and letting you know about it, Savannah.¡± He cupped


    her chin and tilted it slightly toward him. ¡°I will be sending you gifts. You will know when they arrive. You


    can stop bothering with the Trials. Trust me, you don¡¯t need them.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me for not dropping my own agenda because a man I have only met twice says so.¡± She


    rolled her eyes, unclear on how else c she should react. It was yet another male who thought he knew


    better than she did on what she needed. She wasn¡¯t interested in those. Not to mention his whole


    attitude and background were questionable, to say the least.


    ¡°Savannah, I understand,¡± he told her. ¡°I know that you¡¯ve been hurt before and ¡­.¡±


    He made a pause to enjoy her wide eyes. Many people in the West knew about her story, but it was


    unlikely for it to spread in the North, yet what Bjorn was implying couldn¡¯t be read any differently. He


    obviously knew about her and Zack, which partially exined the scent he emitted.


    ¡°I will learn how to deal with you over time, and you will learn to trust me.¡± A promise which strangely


    seemed like a threat to her. ¡°Just wait for my gifts, and you¡¯ll see¡­¡±


    Suddenly, he abruptly looked to his right and then back at her, sighing. ¡°I am afraid I have to go now,


    Savannah. I am not saying goodbye. Remember, I am the one who can give you what you came to the


    North for. Not him.¡±


    ¡°Listen,¡± she interrupted him, but he ced a finger to her lips.


    ¡°No time now,¡± Bjorn shook his head. ¡°If you want to speak to me, ce antern on your window when


    you go to sleep.¡±


    She wanted to tell him that it was extremely unlikely she¡¯d be calling him when she was going to sleep,


    but they got distracted. They both heard the sounds of fourrge pawsnding nearby. Savannah knew


    it was Kai before she smelled his scent and a feeling of relief made her


    exhale happily. She turned to look at Bjorn, but the white werebear was already gone.


    *Savvy!¡± The lycan king was running in her direction, absolutely naked and covered in blood. It didn¡¯t


    bother him, but her cheeks flushed before he could reach her.


    ¡°Kai!¡± She tried to warn him about his nudity with her sharp tone, but he ignored herpletely, locking


    her in his arms and giving her the tightest of hugs. It felt divine. Even she had to admit to that. His head


    was buried in the crook of her neck, and he inhaled sharply.


    Suddenly, his whole body stiffened. ¡°Who did this to you?¡± Kai growled.


    23. A Royal Ride


    ¡°Who did this to you?!¡± Kai repeated his question as Savannah furrowed her brows, not understanding


    what he meant. Although, if she was being honest with herself, she was mostly trying really hard not to


    look at his beautiful muscr body, exposed fully before her eyes. There was something about him that


    always tempted her mind to go to sinfully delicious ces, and it was hard to have him this close with


    no clothes to boot.


    ¡°I¡¯m,¡± she attempted to say something, but he ced his palm on her cheek and rubbed it gently with


    his thumb, ¡°fine ¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°The hell you are,¡± he grunted while his eyes glowed blue. ¡°You have blood here.¡±


    She tried to touch the same ce he did and ended up cing her fingers on top of his, causing him to


    suck in a deep and painful breath.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°I had the helmet on,¡± Savvy tried to exin while her cheeks were heating up from the tension. ¡°I didn¡¯t


    scratch my face. I probably got it when I wiped my hand or something.¡±


    Kai caught her arm and started checking it, eyes grazing over every exposed inch of her skin. It did not


    escape him that she didn¡¯t have his jacket on anymore, and he noticed it on the ground nearby.


    Meaning that for some reason, it was taken off her.


    The blood pulsed in his veins at the thought of why that would have been necessary circling in his


    mind.


    However, he quickly cooled down, concentrating on something more important. Savannah was healing


    rapidly, but he could see a few deep cuts and bruises on her. Her jeans were soaking with blood in


    some ces, and she had one shoe on, making it hard for her to keep her bnce.


    ¡°Savvy¡­¡± Kai wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t find the right words, realising that no matter how


    he looked at it, he was the one at fault.

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    One thing that selfishly bothered him even more than her being hurt thanks to him was that Savannah


    reeked of another male. It was impossible to tell the species, which could only mean one thing-his


    assumptions about who attacked them were correct.


    Yet, once again, the Western Princess stood before him alive and in one piece.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t throw me in theke again.¡± the girl knitted her brows, reading his facial expression


    correctly. He felt a prick of guilt deep inside. How low was her opinion of him?


    Instead, he grasped her and pulled her into a hug, tucking his head into her hair. Kai inhaled her scent


    so deeply that his whole lungs were filled with it now. For some reason, it helped to calm him down,


    although he wasn¡¯t in any rush to let her go. He almost lost her, and the feeling was horrific.


    Her delicate fingers glided over his bare skin as she awkwardly wrapped her arms around him instead


    of pushing him away.


    ¡°I am so sorry,¡± he muttered, but she heard his every word. ¡°I don¡¯t see how any of this is your fault,¡±


    Savvy whispered, and he exhaled heavily,


    distancing himself from her.


    ¡°I was supposed to keep you safe on my territory.¡± The Northern King averted her gaze, shame flowing


    through his mind and soul.


    ¡°Yeeeah¡± She stretched the word. ¡°Your territory is roamed by your enemies. Are you sure you don¡¯t


    want that alliance my brother is offering?¡±


    Her smile faded when he didn¡¯t bite the joke. Although this was understandable to some degree,


    considering their circumstances. Maybe this wasn¡¯t the time for jokes.


    ¡°Who was with you here?¡± Kai looked her straight in the eye.


    Savannah disliked that this was suddenly bing an interrogation. Nevertheless, she could also


    understand where he wasing from. In his ce, she would do the same thing.


    ¡°I have a feeling you know who it was.¡± She stepped away from him and crossed her hands on her


    chest. While she was understanding, she wasn¡¯t appreciating.


    ¡°Do you?¡± The King lifted his brow at her.


    ¡°Darius Bjorn, the white bear shifter with one eye who ims that he will be the King of The North


    soon,¡± she said bluntly, trying not to miss his reaction as this was important. She noticed how he


    clenched his fists and how his eyes glowed again, meaning that his wolf was angry and trying to get


    out.


    ¡°Did you meet him before you came here?¡± Kai was unsure if he really wanted to hear her answer.


    ¡°No,¡± she said calmly, and he experienced temporary relief. However, temporary was the keyword.


    ¡°Did you have any contact with him prior to arriving in the North?¡±. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Did you know about him at


    all?¡± ¡°No.¡±


    She was starting to get furious. ¡°Did you ¡­¡± He started asking the next question, but she lost it.


    ¡°Kai Fion¡­gh,¡± she almost swore because thisst name always caused her to stumble, ¡°what is it


    exactly you want to know?!¡±


    ¡°I want to know why the man who kills anyone he meets, who has never left a single witness alive, left


    you in one piece twice!¡± the Lycan growled, and she narrowed her eyes at him.


    ¡°Maybe because I am so adorable, he can¡¯t resist me?¡± Her lips curled into a sly grin, making this the


    last straw for him. In one swift move, Kai lifted her up in his arms and started walking.


    ¡°What do you think you are doing?!¡± Savannah snarled at him. Athena was joining in the game as well.


    They were Alphas and were not going to be manhandled like that again. Enough was enough, and the


    Northern King had already gotten away with it once.


    ¡°There is ake nearby!¡± The man smirked, and she hissed at him.


    ¡°I swear, if you do this again, I will shift and leave the North and those stupid Trials for good!¡± she


    announced, not expecting any kind of reaction.


    However, this made the King stop. After a few seconds of hesitation, he even ced her


    back onto her feet, startling her.


    Savvy didn¡¯t know how to react and what to say. She just watched Kai return to where she initially fell


    and picked up the leather jacket. He then turned back to face her and threw the garment at her.


    ¡°Put it on!¡± hemanded, and Savannah rolled her eyes, shoving it back at him.


    ¡°You put it on! You need it more!¡± The princess let her eyes slide down just once, which caused her


    breath to hitch. He was one gorgeous lycan specimen, after all. Too good to forget. Ever.


    However, she returned to her senses when the jacket flew back to her face. ¡°Put. It. On.¡± A roar, not


    even a growl this time.


    Kai didn¡¯t know why it was so crucial for him now, but he wanted his scent all over her. His. Not anyone


    else¡¯s.


    ¡°Seriously!¡± she grunted but decided to ept the questionable gift anyway. ¡°I am not joking! You need


    to cover yourself!¡±


    Slowly and menacingly, he stalked toward her with a smirk on his lips. His eyes had a dangerous glint


    in them that resulted in Savvy¡¯s instant silence. Towering over her, he ced hisrge palms onto her


    delicate shoulders and turned her away so she couldn¡¯t see him anymore.


    His hot breath tickled the skin next to her ear, and she heard his raspy whisper, ¡°All you had to do was


    stop staring.¡±


    She blushed, unable to control it, and was disappointed when his heat was gone, leaving her feeling


    alone, cold and, well ¡­ unsatisfied.


    ¡°I am sorry¡± Kai ?uddenly hugged her from the back, and although she should have pushed him away,


    she didn¡¯t. She leaned her head back, weing his unexpected embrace and his grip on her became


    tighter. His lips pressed against her neck, right where a mate¡¯s mark should go, and Savannah felt


    goosebumps run all over her body.


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± he repeated. ¡°Just the thought that he was next to you ¡­ That he touched you ¡­ It¡¯s more


    than I can handle. He never leaves anyone alive and ¡­.¡±


    ¡°Would you prefer him to kill me?¡± she snorted, and he sighed. ¡°Of course not¡­.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you so worked up about? You know I came here for the alliance. I am not working for


    the bears. They tried to destroy us just a few months ago, and you should have seen how bloody that


    battle was!¡±


    ¡°I am worried for you, Savvy.¡± His hand went up to her neck, cupping her chin while his thumb caressed


    her lower lip softly. ¡°I am sorry. It¡¯s my fault, and I hate that you were exposed to this psycho twice


    because of my negligence. The fact that he didn¡¯t do anything to you only scares me more. If you were


    mated to someone like him ¡­¡±


    She flinched hearing that and stepped away, wrapping the leather jacket tighter around herself as if it


    was going to help her hide from the truth. The truth she wanted to share with him.


    ¡°He is not my mate,¡± Savannah said quietly but firmly.


    ¡°Thanks to Fenrir!¡± Kai breathed out in relief, realising for the first time that this was what he wanted to


    hear more than anything.


    already had a mate.¡± Her following confession made his excitement disappear.


    Savannah. ¡°He was lost for words, not knowing what to feel and how to react. She was already mated


    to someone. He knew that they weren¡¯t mates, but thinking of her mated to someone else wasn¡¯t easy


    for him.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t a good man,¡± she rified quickly without giving him as much as a nce. ¡°It didn¡¯t work


    out.¡±


    Kai decided to not hold back and hugged her from the back again, squeezing her so tight that she


    would know how he felt.


    ¡°His loss,¡± he whispered, and Savvy felt one single tear rolling down her cheek. ¡°And my gain,¡± the


    lycan king added, turning the woman around and lowering himself so that his lips could trace hers,


    parting them. Their eyes locked. A pause which had him silently asking for permission. When she


    blinked, he crashed his lips back into hers for a deep and passionate kiss. He felt the salt from her


    single tear, and it made him angry that someone made her cry. Even if just a little bit.


    He wanted more of this, more of her, but so many people were knocking into his mind right now that he


    had to stop, painfully tearing his lips off of the woman he knew he wanted. Badly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll shift and take you to the castle on my back.¡± A grin formed on his handsome face, and he ced


    his hands on both sides of him, right above the perfect V that led right to ¡­ where Savannah was


    desperately trying not to look. Especially after their shared kiss.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± She arched her brow defiantly.


    ¡°Or would you rather walk in one shoe?¡± The man chuckled softly. ¡°Come on, Savannah. I¡¯ll shift and


    take you back home. It¡¯s going to be the fastest route. When else are you going to ride the King of the


    North?¡±


    ¡°Something tells me there are going to be quite a few opportunities,¡± she taunted him unexpectedly,


    and he lost his breath for a second. He considered telling L, who hadn¡¯t stopped trying to reach


    him, to piss off.


    A few howls emerged in the distance, and they both knew their moment was almost


    gone.


    ¡°Quick.¡± Kai smirked. ¡°Before they find us!¡±


    He shifted into a giant wolf right before her eyes, and she had to bite her lip to hide her excitement. She


    knew they only had a few seconds before his warriors would be able to locate them, but she allowed


    herself to admire his ck and smoky grey fur. This colour was so rare that she couldn¡¯t stop admiring


    it, mindlessly running her hand through his coat and enjoying how soft and silky it was.


    He turned his head to look at her, and his eyes glearned with blue light in the darkness of the night


    ¡°Hi, Asgard,¡± Savannah greeted the wolf with respect. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you again.¡±


    He growled softly and tucked his head into her chest while she leaned forward and rested her chin on


    his head.


    The moment was sweet, but the howls emerged again, and they both knew it was time to go, so she


    hopped on top of him.


    There was absolutely no need for this. Savannah could have shifted herself, and they could have run


    back together. However, the King wished to take her on his back instead, and she decided to go with it,


    remembering a small extract from the history book she read for the Trials. In the North, this was


    considered to be a special kind of closeness as no wolf usually allowed any riders on their back.


    Unless, of course, it was someone special. Moreover, it was a part of an ancient bridal ritual when a


    male brought his future wife to his home on his back.


    Savvy knew, of course, that Kai probably didn¡¯t even know that. That tradition was long gone now. He


    couldn¡¯t possibly be thinking about it. Needless to say, a little smile encroached on her lips.


    The rustling of leaves distracted them both, and they saw two dark figures stepping out of the nearby


    bushes.


    ¡°You must be f*cking kidding me!¡± they heard a familiar voice.


    NOTE: Please, remember, that most of my announcements take ce in Marissa Gilbert¡¯s Reading


    Circle on FB.


    Savvy turned to see who the intruder was and noticed L walking out of the bushes, quickly


    wrapping something around his torso. She was extremely thankful for this because it would have been


    incredibly challenging to handle another naked Northman tonight.


    The Beta watched the sight before him with a puzzled expression, and when Elene appeared right


    behind him, he didn¡¯t even react to her presence.


    Savannah, however, felt her cheeks getting red from the look the northern princess gave her.


    ¡°Kai Fiogh!¡± she gritted her teeth. ¡°Are you serious?!¡±


    Savannah was sure Kai would shift back to his human form now and talk to his sister and Beta. She


    had started imagining how Elene would probably use her of everything that had gone wrong,


    starting with the attack and conspiring with the white bears. However, to her surprise, the giant wolf


    huffed at his sibling and then simply sprinted away. She barely managed to dig her fingers into his fur


    to stay in ce. Not to mention, she had to lean forward so that her chest was pressed against his


    back since keeping bnce was next to impossible otherwise.


    After just a few moments of their midnight run, her shock dispersed without a trace. She never rode on


    someone¡¯s back before, and it was, to say the least, really something!


    The shrubs and trees surrounding them swayed, their leaves rustled by the wind. The scenery around


    them was changing rapidly, and she squealed with excitement, breathing in the earthy scent of grass.


    To see the speed of a Lycan wolf with human eyes was improbable. Yet here they were ¡­


    Kai ran through the woods he owned, and it was obvious he knew every inch of hisnd, letting her


    enjoy it and taking her through the most picturesque locations now that they didn¡¯t have to use the road


    anymore.


    She would never admit it out loud, but this quickly turned into the best date of her life. Even despite


    falling off a cliff.


    Savvy tried to contain her emotions but gave herself away when a heartfeltugh escaped against her


    wishes. She got bold and leaned herself forward all the way to hisrge furry ear, shouting, ¡°Faster!¡±


    Kai was happy to oblige her request. He was ready to do anything to hear the sound of herughter


    again. He was ashamed to admit it, but he would do circus tricks if she demanded them right now.


    Luckily for him, she just hugged him tighter, letting him envelop in that lovely bluebell scent of hers.


    The guards at the gates gaped at the sight of their king bringing the western princess to the castle on


    his back, but neithermented on what they saw. After all, they all wanted to live.


    Kai brought her to the pond, carefully lowering himself to let her hop off easily.


    Savvy realised they would have to talk if she lingered any longer. That conversation could ruin


    everything.


    So, she did the most¡¯adult thing she could think of and, without further ado, tried to run away


    She didn¡¯t get far since she only had one shoe on, significantly slowing her down. She hadn¡¯t reached


    the backdoor when two strong hands wrapped around her waist and stopped her lousy escape attempt.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Kai whispered into her hair, her heart fluttering in her chest at the sounds of his husky voice.


    She could feel that by some miracle, the king already had some kind of pants on. He probably had a


    secret stash of clothes somewhere here, which was a relief to her.


    ¡°It was a really long day,¡± Savannah offered, and they both knew it was the truth. ¡°I am aware,¡± he


    admitted. ¡°But I don¡¯t want it to end like this.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± The girl turned to face him, and a corner of her soft lips curled slightly. ¡°Like the day the


    Northern King gave me the ride of my life?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help a low growl that escaped his chest. She was teasing him knowingly when he could


    barely control himself around her as it was.


    ¡°Savvy,¡± Kai pulled her so close that he could hear her hastened heartbeat, ¡°sometimes you are ying


    with fire.¡±


    ¡°What can I say,¡± she shrugged, ¡°I always liked dangerous games.¡±


    ¡°Savannah,¡± he exhaled reproachfully as he pulled her closer and took her chin into his warm, rough


    palm.


    ¡°What?¡± She tried to avert his gaze, but it stopped being important when he leaned forward to capture


    her lips, stealing her breath away. His hand glided to the back of her neck, fingerscing with silky


    strands of her hair to tug it softly so that she would arch her back for him.


    Kai deepened the kiss, still holding her tight against himself. However, this time he managed to stop


    first, panting and wanting more, neither moving away nor continuing what he started. He gently pressed


    his forehead over hers, savouring their moment as their noses brushed over each other.


    ¡°Good night, Savannah,¡± he whispered and then took a step back, startling her. ¡°Really?¡± she raised


    her brow questioningly.


    ¡°Really,¡± Kai took her hand and bowed to kiss it, his warm lips touching her skin briefly to send a wave


    of ¡­ tingles.


    ¡°What a gentleman,¡± Sayyy giggled, trying to not let him know that this little gesture was driving her


    crazy with lust for him.


    ¡°You said it was a long day yourself,¡± he reminded her.


    ¡°I did, didn¡¯t l?¡± The princess tilted her head to watch him intently, and then a sly grin spread over her


    face. ¡°You sister and Beta are trying to reach you, aren¡¯t they?¡± She covered her mouth so


    as not tough too disrespectfully.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long night, too,¡± he chuckled, admitting the truth and stretching his hand to tuck a


    lock of hair behind her ear. ¡°Dream of me, all right?¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± she shoved his hand away yfully and limped in the direction of the backdoor. She stopped


    before she got too far, turning back to nce at him. ¡°Think of what could have been while they nag


    you.¡±


    The king¡¯s lips parted, and the princess was finally able to escape.


    Savvy was walking up the stairs for some time when she finally decided to give up and sat down to


    remove the shoe, rightfully deciding that it would be faster to walk with bare feet than like this.


    ¡°Savannah?¡± She heard a familiar voice call her and turned to see Astrid with a girl she didn¡¯t know


    walking out of the corridor that contenders usually used. Savvy noticed a small suitcase in the


    stranger¡¯s hands. The girl wore a wine-red dress that hugged her generous curves perfectly and yed


    with her ebony-ck curls right next to her revealing cleavage.


    Yes, Savvy would remember someone like that. She was new. ¡°Hi,¡± the princess greeted the fellow


    contender. ¡°I just had some air outside.¡± ¡°And lost your shoe?¡± the neer scoffed.


    ¡°Emma!¡± Astrid scolded her. ¡°Sorry, Savannah. Emma just arrived. I finally managed to get them to let


    one of my friends stay with me. Everyone here has a support team, and I felt lonely.¡±


    ¡°Understandable,¡± Savvy nodded. She was ready to agree to anything as long as the focus was off her.


    ¡°So, what happened to the shoe?¡± Astrid giggled. ¡°You didn¡¯t think you were getting away with it, did


    you?¡±


    Of course, she didn¡¯t. Getting some air was ame excuse, and she knew it. ¡°Well,¡± Savvy sighed, ¡°I


    went for a run, but when I came back, my shoe was missing.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Astrid rolled her eyes and gave her a hand, helping her stand up. ¡°It must be Celia or Inga.


    Those two have no boundaries!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, probably.¡± Savannah just went with it. It was better than the truth. Although, of course, she knew


    that Astrid didn¡¯t buy the little lie. She was too smart for that.


    ¡°By the way,¡± the girl changed her voice to a whisper. ¡°Emma just found out what tomorrow¡¯s task will


    be.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± Savvy looked at her in surprise. Was she really going to tell her? ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s a big


    secret,¡± Astrid added, even quieter than before.


    ¡°Then maybe you shouldn¡¯t share it with another contender!¡± Emma hissed, narrowing her eyes.


    ¡°Savannah is a friend,¡± Astrid looked slightly annoyed. ¡°I need someone in thepetition who won¡¯t


    stab me in the back. Trust me, Em, she is the only one here who wouldn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°No promises!¡± Savvy snorted, and her new self-proimed friend giggled as well.


    ¡°Seriously,¡± the blonde sighed, ¡°I tried talking to everyone here and other than you, Petra is the least


    blood-thirsty one. Can we agree to be on the same side at least until the final trial?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure we are going to stay here that long?¡± a chuckle escaped the princess. ¡°Do you even


    remember that we are the least desirable contenders here?¡±


    ¡°We are the most underestimated ones!¡± Astrid corrected her with a smirk. ¡°Something tells me, you


    are getting far in this contest. And I am not a quitter either!¡±


    ¡°Feisty little southerner!¡± Savvy giggled. ¡°Fine! I like the idea. Now, spill. What is the next challenge?¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Interviews,¡± Astrid replied, looking around cautiously. ¡°Emma just arrived and saw that the twin¡¯s


    filming crew came right before her.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they are just going to film everything as usual,¡± Savannah suggested.


    ¡°Unlikely.¡± Astrid shook her head as the three of them climbed up the stairs. ¡°She saw folders with our


    names, and they discussed questions as they waited for the security check. We don¡¯t know any


    specifics.¡±


    ¡°Too bad!¡± Savvy chuckled.


    ¡°And what information do you have to thank Astrid¡¯s kindness?¡± Emma grunted behind


    them.


    ¡°Em, please!¡± her friend begged and looked at Savvy apologetically. ¡°I know who will be the twin¡¯s main


    target,¡± the princess winked at her twopanions. ¡°Something we don¡¯t know!¡± The brte did not


    seem impressed by her humour.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Astrid intervened. ¡°If Savvy happened to know something, she would tell me too.¡±


    ¡°You are too kind!¡± Emma mumbled, but both of them heard that. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Savannah smiled, ¡°if I


    have a chance, I will repay .... everything.¡±


    They said their goodbyes, and Savvy got into her bedroom. She considered getting a shower, but Kai¡¯s


    jacket was still on her, and she liked its scent. Besides, she was so exhausted she simply didn¡¯t have


    the strength for anything anymore. So, she quickly slid out of the clothes, casually throwing the jacket


    right next to the bed and then wrapped herself in sheets.


    The forest scent gently surrounded her, making Athena purr in her mind as the two of them drifted off to


    sleep almost immediately.


    *


    *


    *


    Savvy woke up and stretched in her bed with a smile on her face. She decided to take a bath and soak


    in it a bit since she didn¡¯t get to it after the events of the previous day. What happened yesterday left


    her perplexed and puzzled. It was difficult figuring everything out in this strange ce. She was used to


    political games; however, back in her kingdom, at least she knew who she could trust. She had her


    brother Gideon, who always had her best interest in mind. She had Reid, his Beta, who was also like


    an older brother to her and was always spoiling her more than anyone else. She also had her warrior


    friends. She knew that each of them was ready to die for their princess.


    She didn¡¯t have any of that here, and sometimes it felt like she was walking in a minefield.


    Kyle had been her best friend ever since she could remember, and she was happy that he volunteered


    toe here with her. But he couldn¡¯t help her much in the North. They already figured this much out.


    Closing her eyes and slowly slipping underwater, Savannah had to admit to herself that she enjoyed


    her date with Kai. She liked talking to him, kissing him, okay, probably more than just liked it. The way


    they parted yesterday was so promising. She was excited for the first time in a long while.


    That Bjorn bear was intimidating. It bothered her that he was physically stronger. Not many


    Lycan males could boast that. She was a royal, after all. A simple bear wasn¡¯t supposed to be able to


    tackle her this easily. Which could only mean one thing¡­ Bjorn wasn¡¯t that simple.


    It was kind of obvious considering Kai¡¯s reaction after each of their encounters. Savvy saw a dark figure


    hanging over her and got out to the surface immediately.


    ¡°Morning, Sunshine!¡± Kyle shed his pearly whites at her, and she threw a sponge at him.


    ¡°Eww, Kyle! Boundaries!¡± she shouted as he escaped to the bedroom.


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault!¡± her friend replied from behind the door this time. ¡°You were gonest night, and we


    couldn¡¯t find you in the morning! Do you know that it¡¯s the middle of the day already?!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± A wave of guilt washed over Savannah. But it wasn¡¯t too big of a wave.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zara confirmed. ¡°We had to wake you up. They just announced what you are going to be doing


    tonight.¡±


    ¡°The interviews?¡± Savvy asked, quickly finishing washing off. ¡°Yeah,¡± her assistant sounded startled.


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°I had a friend share that valuable info with me yesterday,¡± the princess giggled, wrapping a towel


    around herself and walking back to her two partners in crime.


    ¡°Is that why we couldn¡¯t find you yesterday?¡± Kyle looked at her suspiciously, and she averted his gaze.


    ¡°So, what else do we have here? Any peculiar news?¡± Savvy tried to change the subject while Zara


    was busy arranging her breakfast on the table.


    ¡°Not much,¡± she shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I bribed a few people and now get regr reports about the


    other contenders. No fairy princesses among them. They are here to win. Even Petra.¡±


    ¡°Shocking!¡± Savannah giggled, taking her seat at the table and winking at her assistant. ¡°Thanks, Zee. I


    don¡¯t know what I would do without you!¡±


    ¡°She is a star!¡± Kyle confirmed, looking at hisptop. ¡°Thanks to her little spies, the Truthteller now has


    more info to share. And thanks to that, he doesn¡¯t look biased toward a certain princess. Kai¡¯s date with


    Salome today was just golden!¡±


    A piece of toast stuck in Savvy¡¯s throat, and she tried to desperately cough it out. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Zara


    rushed to her side, but she motioned for her to stop. ¡°Yeah, I am great,¡± she muttered. ¡°What are you


    talking about, Kyle? What date?¡±


    ¡°An improvised one,¡± the guy sneered. ¡°He found her early in the morning and invited her to have


    breakfast with him. The drones are all over them. That breakfast is still not done! And it¡¯s been hours!¡±


    ¡°I have to say,¡± Zara chimed in, ¡°I didn¡¯t think much of the witch in this kind of apetition, but judging


    from the photos I am getting, the King is smitten with her.¡±

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    ¡°No promises!¡± Savvy snorted, and her new self-proimed friend giggled as well.


    ¡°Seriously,¡± the blonde sighed, ¡°I tried talking to everyone here and other than you, Petra is the least


    blood-thirsty one. Can we agree to be on the same side at least until the final trial?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure we are going to stay here that long?¡± a chuckle escaped the princess. ¡°Do you even


    remember that we are the least desirable contenders here?¡±


    ¡°We are the most underestimated ones!¡± Astrid corrected her with a smirk. ¡°Something tells me, you


    are getting far in this contest. And I am not a quitter either!¡±


    ¡°Feisty little southerner!¡± Savvy giggled. ¡°Fine! I like the idea. Now, spill. What is the next challenge?¡±


    ¡°Interviews,¡± Astrid replied, looking around cautiously. ¡°Emma just arrived and saw that the twin¡¯s


    filming crew came right before her.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they are just going to film everything as usual,¡± Savannah suggested.


    ¡°Unlikely.¡± Astrid shook her head as the three of them climbed up the stairs. ¡°She saw folders with our


    names, and they discussed questions as they waited for the security check. We don¡¯t know any


    specifics.¡±


    ¡°Too bad!¡± Savvy chuckled.


    ¡°And what information do you have to thank Astrid¡¯s kindness?¡± Emma grunted behind


    them.


    ¡°Em, please!¡± her friend begged and looked at Savvy apologetically. ¡°I know who will be the twin¡¯s main


    target,¡± the princess winked at her twopanions. ¡°Something we don¡¯t know!¡± The brte did not


    seem impressed by her humour.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Astrid intervened. ¡°If Savvy happened to know something, she would tell me too.¡±


    ¡°You are too kind!¡± Emma mumbled, but both of them heard that. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Savannah smiled, ¡°if I


    have a chance, I will repay .... everything.¡±


    They said their goodbyes, and Savvy got into her bedroom. She considered getting a shower, but Kai¡¯s


    jacket was still on her, and she liked its scent. Besides, she was so exhausted she simply didn¡¯t have


    the strength for anything anymore. So, she quickly slid out of the clothes, casually throwing the jacket


    right next to the bed and then wrapped herself in sheets.


    The forest scent gently surrounded her, making Athena purr in her mind as the two of them drifted off to


    sleep almost immediately.


    *


    *


    *


    Savvy woke up and stretched in her bed with a smile on her face. She decided to take a bath and soak


    in it a bit since she didn¡¯t get to it after the events of the previous day. What happened yesterday left


    her perplexed and puzzled. It was difficult figuring everything out in this strange ce. She was used to


    political games; however, back in her kingdom, at least she knew who she could trust. She had her


    brother Gideon, who always had her best interest in mind. She had Reid, his Beta, who was also like


    an older brother to her and was always spoiling her more than anyone else. She also had her warrior


    friends. She knew that each of them was ready to die for their princess.


    She didn¡¯t have any of that here, and sometimes it felt like she was walking in a minefield.


    Kyle had been her best friend ever since she could remember, and she was happy that he volunteered


    toe here with her. But he couldn¡¯t help her much in the North. They already figured this much out.


    Closing her eyes and slowly slipping underwater, Savannah had to admit to herself that she enjoyed


    her date with Kai. She liked talking to him, kissing him, okay, probably more than just liked it. The way


    they parted yesterday was so promising. She was excited for the first time in a long while.


    That Bjorn bear was intimidating. It bothered her that he was physically stronger. Not many


    Lycan males could boast that. She was a royal, after all. A simple bear wasn¡¯t supposed to be able to


    tackle her this easily. Which could only mean one thing¡­ Bjorn wasn¡¯t that simple.


    It was kind of obvious considering Kai¡¯s reaction after each of their encounters. Savvy saw a dark figure


    hanging over her and got out to the surface immediately.


    ¡°Morning, Sunshine!¡± Kyle shed his pearly whites at her, and she threw a sponge at him.


    ¡°Eww, Kyle! Boundaries!¡± she shouted as he escaped to the bedroom.


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault!¡± her friend replied from behind the door this time. ¡°You were gonest night, and we


    couldn¡¯t find you in the morning! Do you know that it¡¯s the middle of the day already?!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± A wave of guilt washed over Savannah. But it wasn¡¯t too big of a wave.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zara confirmed. ¡°We had to wake you up. They just announced what you are going to be doing


    tonight.¡±


    ¡°The interviews?¡± Savvy asked, quickly finishing washing off. ¡°Yeah,¡± her assistant sounded startled.


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°I had a friend share that valuable info with me yesterday,¡± the princess giggled, wrapping a towel


    around herself and walking back to her two partners in crime.


    ¡°Is that why we couldn¡¯t find you yesterday?¡± Kyle looked at her suspiciously, and she averted his gaze.


    ¡°So, what else do we have here? Any peculiar news?¡± Savvy tried to change the subject while Zara


    was busy arranging her breakfast on the table.


    ¡°Not much,¡± she shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I bribed a few people and now get regr reports about the


    other contenders. No fairy princesses among them. They are here to win. Even Petra.¡±


    ¡°Shocking!¡± Savannah giggled, taking her seat at the table and winking at her assistant. ¡°Thanks, Zee. I


    don¡¯t know what I would do without you!¡±


    ¡°She is a star!¡± Kyle confirmed, looking at hisptop. ¡°Thanks to her little spies, the Truthteller now has


    more info to share. And thanks to that, he doesn¡¯t look biased toward a certain princess. Kai¡¯s date with


    Salome today was just golden!¡±


    A piece of toast stuck in Savvy¡¯s throat, and she tried to desperately cough it out. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Zara


    rushed to her side, but she motioned for her to stop. ¡°Yeah, I am great,¡± she muttered. ¡°What are you


    talking about, Kyle? What date?¡±


    ¡°An improvised one,¡± the guy sneered. ¡°He found her early in the morning and invited her to have


    breakfast with him. The drones are all over them. That breakfast is still not done! And it¡¯s been hours!¡±


    ¡°I have to say,¡± Zara chimed in, ¡°I didn¡¯t think much of the witch in this kind of apetition, but judging


    from the photos I am getting, the King is smitten with her.¡±

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    25. Gilded Armour


    Savvy clenched her lips so tight that they formed a thin white line.


    ¡°Can you imagine how great it would be if Kai ended up marrying a witch?¡± Kyle snorted loudly while


    typing something on hisptop. ¡°We will be able to mock the North for the rest of our lives for having a


    Witch Queen! This is just precious!¡±


    ¡°You Lycans and your love for the same species!¡± Zara gave him a mocking eye roll.


    ¡°If you want me to help him end up with Mavis, just tell me!¡± Kyle winked at her, and the bird shifter¡¯s


    face changed at once.


    ¡°Anyone but that botch!¡± The girl crossed her hands on her chest. ¡°With her on the throne, you will have


    a war at your doorstep in no time!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she doesn¡¯t seem particrly charming!¡± Kyle agreed and looked at his childhood friend.


    ¡°Savannah, what do you think? Mavis or Salome?¡±


    His smile dropped when he saw her pale face. He knew her too well to not understand that something


    was going on.


    ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Is it that piece of sh-t Zack screwing someone again?¡± He asked her bluntly without


    beating around the bush.


    ¡°Show me the pictures,¡± Savannah ignored the question. ¡°Sav, you look a bit pale,¡± Zara walked


    towards her with a concerned look. ¡°Are you sure¡­


    ¡°Show me the pictures!¡± the princess demanded, and her assistant got out her phone, swiping her


    fingers across the glossy screen a few times. Then she handed her the device, and Savannah saw Kai


    walking in the garden with Salome attached to his hand. The two of them were


    ncing at each other and grinning like two happy children, and Savvy felt nauseous from seeing them


    like this.


    She started scrolling. Picture after picture of what looked like a proper date. Then, a new notification


    came, and she clicked on it without thinking twice, opening the most recent photo. Kai pressed


    Salome¡¯s hand to his lips while giving her a yful gaze. The gaze she knew too well. The gaze she


    thought he only gifted her with.


    Savannah¡¯s heart clenched painfully. She had already done this. She had already been through this.


    Betrayal was not new to her, but why did it hurt so much again?


    ¡°What the hell, Sav?¡± She didn¡¯t even notice that Kyle was already standing next to her. She knew that


    her eyes were getting watery. The tears she would never let fall were burning her eyes, and she blinked


    them away quickly. She was crying for her fated mate for one day! The Northern King would not be


    getting such honour. They were no one to each other after all.


    ¡°I am fine!¡± She forced a smile, but her friends didn¡¯t buy it. Kyle was watching her intently with his


    brows furrowed. Nevertheless, it was Zara who said the words loud and clear, ¡°You like the King.¡± The


    silence in the room was heavy.


    ¡°What?¡± Kyle let out ¨¤ nervousugh, but then his eyes locked with Savannah¡¯s for a few seconds


    before she turned away.


    ¡°Oh, no!¡± He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°No, no, no! Savvy, you can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°And I will not!¡± She practically yelled at him, and the trio got silent. Until Kyle interrupted again.


    ¡°How?¡± He looked at his childhood friend questioningly. ¡°When?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story!¡± Savannah sighed,


    bitternesscing her words.


    ¡°We have time,¡± Zara moved a chair for the princess to sit on and settled on the next one. Kyle returned


    to where he left hisptop, but it was thest thing on his mind now.


    Savvy contemted just telling them everything and being done with it. ¡°Forget it¡± She shrugged her


    shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve spent years in the Red Harem, Savvy,¡± Zara tilted her head slightly. ¡°I know the look on your face


    far too well. I saw it in the mirror and on every other girl¡¯s face. But the thing is that you brought us here


    for a reason, and I hope that it means you can trust us. If you can¡¯t share this with me, I will


    understand. But at least let Kyle know everything. It¡¯s essential now.¡±


    Zara prepared to leave, but Savvy took her hand and squeezed it slightly. ¡°No, stay,¡± she smiled. ¡°I trust


    you both.¡±


    She saw their concerned nces and, taking a deep breath, told them everything, not withholding even


    the most minor details.


    The room got quiet again when she was done. ¡°Before you say anything,¡± the princess warned them, ¡°I


    know I am pathetic. First Zack, now


    this¡­.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing pathetic about you,¡± Zara assured her. ¡°Zack was your mate, and Kai, well, he is


    charming.¡±


    ¡°Asthole,¡± Kyle interjected, tapping his fingers on the cover of hisptop. ¡°He is an as-hole who


    arranged all this to avoid marrying you, Sav. That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± She had to agree with him. ¡°Consider it all forgotten. We are back to n one. I am winning


    and leaving.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Good,¡± Kyle nodded eagerly and opened hisptop back. ¡°In the meantime, the Truthteller has


    something to say about this date!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Savvy rushed to stop him. ¡°Please, don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Fine!¡± he grunted and shut hisptop. ¡°But only because you asked! And don¡¯t start me on that other


    guy and his gifts! What the hell is that supposed to mean?!¡±


    Zara watched the two of them thoughtfully and raised her brow when Savvy went to the wardrobe and


    got a luxurious gown out.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll wear this one for the interviews,¡± she chewed on her lip, throwing a quick nce at her


    assistant, who had a hard time holding back a little smirk that desperately tried to escape her.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this too much?¡± Kyle rubbed the back of his neck. He always supported all her crazy actions, but


    when it came to her outfits, he always sided with Gideon and Reid, wishing for her to


    dress like a good little nun.


    ¡°No, no,¡± Zara intervened this time, not letting him ruin the fun. ¡°It¡¯s just perfect.¡±


    ***


    Kai was happy because he knew that soon he would see the woman who had been on his mind since


    the moment he let her go the night before. He managed to sort out quite a few problems today, and


    now they could finally talk with the Western Princess.


    He waited for her in the dark passage of the castle, already knowing that she would use the secret


    backdoor he had shown her when he thought she was a maid in trouble. The sweet memory made his


    chest tighten.


    When the door creaked, his lips curved into a half-smile since he wasn¡¯t mistaken. However, the


    Northern King lost his breath at the sight of the woman who walked out into the light. To him, she was a


    vision of utter perfection.


    Savannah had a beautiful lustrous gown on. A golden corset adorned with sequins and beads in


    intricate patterns hugged her curves perfectly, while the soft organza and tulle skirt cascaded to the


    floor like a cloud of iridescent pale pink mist. Kai couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the slit at the front where her


    slender tanned leg that definitely belonged to a well-trained warrior was appearing and disappearing in


    theyers of the flowing skirt with every step she took.


    His thoughts, however, concentrated on her delicate corbones exposed to his gaze. Her neck was


    free to mark, and he was itching to do just that, watching her wearing the sleeveless dress with such


    confidence as if it was golden armour. The embellishments gleamed as they caught the light from the


    tinymps installed on the walls. She looked like a fragile fairy who arrived into this world by mistake.


    Beautiful and ethereal. Gilded leaves in her extravagant updo in thetest northern fashion helped her


    look the part, and Kai couldn¡¯t stop admiring her beauty


    Her looks weren¡¯t what attracted him the most. There were many beautiful women in the world. He had


    eleven others waiting for him just a few feet away, but there was just one Savannah Stormhold. Now he


    knew without a doubt that she was the only woman or him.


    He stayed in the darkness, enjoying her bluebell scent that had already reached his nose. The king


    inhaled it deeply, waiting for her to stop in front of him. She was supposed to have already realised he


    was standing there.


    However, Savannah just str?de past him, her heels clicking on the cold northern stone floor.


    He cleared his throat, but she didn¡¯t stop


    ¡°Go get her!¡± Asgard growled inside of him, ready for the game of chase. If she was ready to hide, he


    was prepared to seek.


    Nheless, the princess sped up as if she was in a hurry. He saw how tense her shoulders were, and


    it made him worried. This did not resemble the yful cha?e he was hoping for at all.


    She was actively avoiding him!


    ¡°Savvy,¡± the king called, walking behind her, not quite believing that this was happening after what they


    had experienced the previous day.


    Yet Savannah chose to continue ignoring him because whatever it was between them, it had to stop.


    This was the best thing she could do because, technically, she could win without even as much as


    having to talk to him. The North wanted a strong Luna, not the one their king would be smitten with. So,


    there was no point in wasting her time on what could never work anyway.


    He had a date with another woman after what they shared the night before, and she sadly realised


    today that he would be having many more dates with all the Luna Trials contenders. To him, she was


    just one of them.


    And she, quite frankly, couldn¡¯t handle it.


    Well, actually, she could. But that would only be possible if she came back to treating all this as a


    political affair and forgot about all the romance attached to it. Out of all the people in the world, Kai was


    the one she could never end up with. The least possible options were only her mate and that white


    bear that kept pestering her.


    It was the sad truth. She had to forget that the gardener even existed. There was only King Kai, the


    cold and calcting monarch who did not keep his word and who had plenty of women to choose from.


    ¡°Savvy!¡± he growled behind her, as she picked up speed again. If she could just make it to the hall with


    all the guests and the girls, she would be safe. He wouldn¡¯t do or say anything there. Then, after her


    interview was done, she could sneak out while he was busy with someone else. She was sure he


    would be with someone else.


    Then she would allow herself one single night of tears. Just like she did with Zack.


    When they had won the battle, and everyone was celebrating their victory, Riannon¡¯s return, and saving


    the red girls, Savannah escaped the impromptu party and locked herself in her bedroom where she


    cried in the shower for hours, trying to wash off her mate¡¯s scent along with the short memories of them


    being together. She managed to do the first one, but the second one turned out to be a real struggle.


    So, she learned to live with that instead. The tears dried up, and neither Savannah nor Athena let


    themselves think of him again.


    Until the pains arrived, that was. Her mate had a way of reminding her about himself, which only


    prompted her to hate him more.


    However, none of this was important now. What was important-was Savvy knew very well how to deal


    with betrayal since this wasn¡¯t her first one.


    ¡°Savannah!¡± The Northern King sounded impatient as he finally managed to catch hold of her arm right


    before she was about to enter the passage leading to the main hall.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she chirped while her face was expressionless, which startled him a bit, ¡°Your Majesty. I really did


    not see you there. Pardon me for my rudeness. Shall we?¡±


    She intended to keep walking, and he had to yank her away from the door. She looked him in the eyes


    for the first time since they parted ways the previous day, and he instantly knew that something was off.


    It did not make him change his mind or back away. Savannah didn¡¯t know it yet, but he had already


    made a crucial decision.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± she warned him, her eyes glowing the royal gold of the West. ¡°Not before you talk to


    me!¡± he demanded, letting Asgard show off his blue northern


    bloodline glow. She wasn¡¯t the only one who could do that. Two could y this game!


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired of talking?¡± The princess rolled her eyes to demonstrate how unbothered she was by


    his advances. ¡°You talked to the witch the whole morning!¡±


    Well, this was awkward. She didn¡¯t n toment on that. Yet it ended up being one of the first


    things she mentioned to him.


    Great job, Savvy.


    She absolutely hated how the corner of his mouth curved slightly after hearing her words.


    ¡°Savannah,¡± his voice sounded deep and rumbled as he leaned towards her and almost brushed his


    nose over her cheek. ¡°By any chance, are you jealous?¡±


    Her eyes widened instinctively. That audacity of his was unbearable. ¡°Of what?¡± she scoffed. ¡°You and


    Maleficent?¡±


    The grin on his face became wider as he pressed her against a wall with his unbearably massive hot


    chest that seared her skin even through her firm corset.


    ¡°So jealous,¡± he repeated, provoking her. ¡°Savvy, do you by any chance like me?¡±

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    Seventy Three Letters


    ¡°In your dreams!¡± Savannah hissed, trying to push him away. ¡°Womanisers are not my cup of tea. So,


    go back to Sabrina, the teenage witch and¡­¡±


    He crushed his lips into hers, his warm tongue sliding into her mouth, trying to gain submission with t,


    greedy, devouring, dominant strokes. She relished this more than she cared to admit, but, her desires


    battled her will, she couldn¡¯t lose. So, while Kai was enjoying himself, Savannah did the only thing that


    came to her mind and bit his lip, drawing blood from it. Kai growled into her mouth, but to her surprise,


    it wasn¡¯t the angry growl she expected.


    He caught both her arms and pinned them above her head, staring at her with a smug smile and licking


    his lip, the metallic taste only exciting him more for some reason.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Do that again, and I¡¯ll choke you!¡± Savvy promised and saw the lycan leaning toward her lips.


    ¡°I have to warn you, Savannah,¡± he whispered in a manner that created goosebumps all over her body.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite possible that I will enjoy that as well. So, do as you must.¡±


    He was about to im her lips when she turned away, forgetting that this only gave him ess to her


    neck.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me, Savvy,¡± he snarled into her ear and started to trail a series of wet torturous kisses all


    over her neckline. ¡°You have no idea how many times I have thought of marking you. But when I do it, I


    will do it right.¡±


    She froze in his arms, not believing her own ears. Was he really saying that? A mark? He can¡¯t be


    serious!


    ¡°Stop it, Kai!¡± she ordered, and to her surprise, he obeyed her at once, locking his blue eyes with hers.


    ¡°Enough of these games! Let¡¯s just go to the main hall. You can y with one of your other brides if you


    are in the mood for it! Just leave me alone.¡±


    She tried to walk away, but he caught her again.


    ¡°Savvy, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Now he was serious. He could tell that she was hurting, and his heart was


    aching for some reason,


    ¡°Nothing!¡± She lied, to which of course he didn¡¯t buy.


    ¡°Savvy¡­.¡± Kai caught her in his arms again and took her chin into his hands. ¡°Savvy, you aren¡¯t


    seriously thinking I was on a date with Salome, are you?¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to think?!¡± she snapped at him.


    ¡°That I am crazy about you,¡± he interrupted. That you are all I can think of since the moment I saw you


    destroying that bush.¡±


    She paused, fingers digging into the fabric of his expensive ck suit.


    ¡°That I am ready to send to hell all the traditions of my country for a chance to marry you.¡± He smiled.


    ¡°If you will have me, that is.¡±


    She let out a breath she didn¡¯t know she was holding when he pulled her closer. ¡°But Salome¡­¡±


    ¡°Salome will be leaving the Trials today.¡± Ka smirked. ¡°You are not the only one who came here for an


    alliance, Savannah.¡±


    Her lips parted at the news. She couldn¡¯t believe this was really happening and that the million


    scenarios of Kai marrying the witch she fabricated in her mind were not going toe true.


    ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡± she asked, arching her brow in sudden curiosity. ¡°Isn¡¯t this


    confidential information?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± he affirmed and nodded, tracing her lower lip with his thumb. ¡°But, how else am I ever going to


    gain your trust?¡±


    She clenched her lips, knowing she would probably always have trust issues. How could anyone trust


    other people in this cruel world?


    ¡°I¡¯ve made so many mistakes already,¡± Kai confessed. ¡°I am ready to do everything I can to prove to


    you I am worthy of your love. I want to earn your trust, I will do whatever it takes ¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible given our circumstances,¡± she chuckled sadly. If he was venturing to be


    honest with her, she could a least meet him where he was at.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Kai took her chin into hisrge palm and with a slight lift brought her face up to look at him.


    ¡°This is why the Luna Trials are over the minute you say so. Be my real fiancee, Savvy. We don¡¯t


    have to marry immediately, however, I do want everyone to know that you are the only one for me.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she shook her head in denial. ¡°This is crazy. That¡¯s impossible! Let¡¯s just forget the whole thing.


    You and I ¡­ it was never going to work. You will find your mate, and this would be a disaster!


    Besides, we barely know each other ¡­ All this is just ¡­ I don¡¯t know what this is.¡±


    She blubbered all that nonsense, and he watched her with a half-smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want a mate if she is not you,¡± he told her, cing his forehead on hers. ¡°She can¡¯t feel better


    than this.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea what a mate bond is like.¡± Savannah sighed, and now he was the one struck with a


    fit of jealousy. ¡°It will consume you within minutes, overwhelm you. You will forget about everyone else


    and only want that one person.¡±


    ¡°Is this ¡­ how you feel about your mate?¡± His grip on her became tighter, and he wasn¡¯t sure if he


    really wanted to know the answer. What if her feelings for him were nothing inparison? Was that


    why she kept pushing him away?


    ¡°Not any more,¡± she breathed out, and he felt the heavy constriction gripping his heart lift off his chest.


    ¡°Then my mate wouldn¡¯t be a problem either,¡± he said, gently nibbling her lips. ¡°Just say yes to me,


    Savvy.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she responded at once, and he let out a chuckle. Kai gave her a challenging look, unbuttoning his


    zer and throwing it to the ground. She stared at him with her brows furrowed. Next, she watched him


    roll up his sleeves and lower himself to the ground in front of her.


    ¡°I knew you would require more persuasion, the king¡¯s hand glided over her hip, moving the fabric of


    her skirt aside and sending pleasant shivers all over her body.


    ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡± she stuttered hesitantly. Yet she did not push him away.


    ¡°Kneeling before my future Queen.¡± he sneered and hooked her thigh, gaining a gasp out of


    her.


    ¡°Kai!¡± she btedly attempted to scold him, but he was already peppering her skin with small sizzling


    kisses. ¡°We can¡¯t! Not here!¡±


    ¡°I love how you went from ¡®we can¡¯t¡¯ to ¡®not here¡¯ in less than a second.¡± He wickedly winked in


    approval. ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡±


    ¡°Someone could see us!¡± She squeaked as his fingers reached for her silk underwear. This wasn¡¯t how


    she expected to spend this evening.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the best part?¡± He smirked and ced her thigh on his broad shoulder, dipping his head


    between her thighs.


    She could feel his hot tongue making its first stroke against her core, only a mere piece of fabric


    separating them now. To her surprise, he immediately withdrew from her, his eyes intensely shining


    gold.


    ¡°Now, Savannah, this is the part where I need you to tell me you want this,¡± he looked at her with such


    vivid passion that she felt utterly devoured by him. Her breath hitched.


    ¡°No way.¡± She swallowed and shook her head. One of them had to be the sane one. ¡°Let¡¯s just go to


    the hall and ¡­.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no!¡± Kai refused with augh. ¡°Not interested in that option. Not without tasting you first.¡±


    ¡°ckmail is not a way to ask for consent!¡± she hissed as he drew his fingers in circles over her inner


    thigh.


    ¡°I am not ckmailing you!¡± He ced his hand on his heart as if she had stabbed it and his voice


    sounded offended. ¡°I am¡¯ begging on my knees. There is a difference!¡±


    She had difficulty breathing at a steady pace. His closeness caused her mind to willingly wander to


    sinful ces. She knew quite well he could already scent her response to his question, he could


    glimpse it on her ruined underwear. He was too close to not notice. Yet, he needed to hear it.


    ¡°We could stay like this all night,¡± he added and grazed his canines over her sensitive skin. ¡°I really


    don¡¯t mind. In fact, if your legs are wrapped around my shoulders, I could stay like that my whole life.¡±


    Another electric touch, and she closed her eyes in willing defeat.


    ¡°Yes! Okay?!¡± Her voice emitting anger and desperation simultaneously. ¡°Yes! To hell with you, Kai


    Fion¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t get to finish as he ripped thecy piece of fabric off her faster than she could utter hisst


    name, opening her thighs wider for him.


    Kai drew his hot tongue from the very bottom of her core to the delicate bud at the top of her pink


    glistening folds in one luxurious glide, finally tasting her for the first time.


    Savvy threw her head back, thankful there was a wall behind her. He held her tight. Cupping her


    bottom to help her bnce and enjoying how it couldn¡¯t fit in hisrge palm, he flickered his tongue


    over and over, swearing under his breath a few times because he didn¡¯t know if he could


    control himselt.


    ¡°Goddess!¡± Savannah screamed, immediately covering her own mouth. Thest thing she wanted now


    was witnesses. Although, the thought that they might get caught excited her more than she was willing


    to admit.


    Fenrir would be jealous of me,¡± Kai chuckled before he plunged his tongue inside, probing her, teasing.


    Her core clenched around him, and he swore again. She knew that he was cursing, but the words were


    unfamiliar.


    ¡°What¡­ you.. saying,¡± she tried to ask the question, but her mind was clouded with every sensation he


    was now giving her. She moaned thatst word, and he stopped everything, tearing away from her


    pulsating core to look at her.


    Her cheeks were flushed, causing a smug smile to stretch across his handsome face.


    ¡°The ancient northernnguage,¡± he responded without taking his eyes off her, his fingers making


    circr motions around her sensitive bundle of nerves. ¡°You know, we had a beautiful alphabet system.


    Seventy-three letters of intricate squiggles.¡±


    ¡°Impressive,¡± she panted and flinched when she saw a feral smirk forming on his lips. He had


    something on his mind, and she knew it


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I show you?¡± The lycan returned his gaze to her centre and this time added a finger to his


    divine torture of her core, thrusting it in and out, driving her crazy as he traced the ancient letters,


    making her moan.


    The pressure was building up quickly inside her, and she tugged on his hair to help him catch the right


    rhythm.


    ¡°Kai, please!¡± she began to beg, not knowing what she really needed from him. She lost it as he


    snarled into her, creating extra vibrations and adding two more fingers.


    His body was quivering with restraint as he let out a painful moan when he tipped her over the edge. It


    took all of his willpower not to im her fully here and now, but Savanah deserved more than a hasty


    encounter in a dark passage. He knew that this would be it for today, and when she screamed as her


    rel*ase ripped through her body, Kai helped her ride her pleasure, catching a glimpse of their future


    together.


    He distanced himself away from her core after showering her inner thighs with a trail of kisses when


    she ceased shaking from her intense climax. He knew it was too early to let go of her, as she could


    barely stand straight.


    He stood up slowly, locking her in his arms and letting her lean over his chest. She tried to move away


    from him, but he held her in ce.


    ¡°Not now,¡± he said, burying his face in her hair. ¡°What are you ¡­¡± She wanted to question him but he


    shushed her.


    ¡°Give me a minute, Savannah. I am looking at the portrait of my one-hundred-year-old grandfather to


    calm myself down.¡±


    She giggled, realising that she was the only one to receive a rele se tonight.


    ¡°We can fix that,¡± she whispered into his ear, and a low, pained sound emerged from his chest.


    ¡°I am afraid we have no time,¡± he informed her as his lips found her skin again. ¡°We need to


    go to that hall, after all.¡± |


    ¡°We can¡¯t go in there now!¡± Savvy whispered, afraid to look at him for some reason. ¡°Why?¡± he snorted


    as he caressed her bare back. ¡°Because now we smell like each other. It¡¯s too obvious what we¡®ve


    been doing!¡±


    ¡°How terrible!¡± he let out a chuckle. ¡°But isn¡¯t that the whole point? We are going to finish the Trials


    now. For good.¡±


    ¡°How are you going to do this without offending everyone?¡± She raised her chin to look at him and


    really hoped he had a solution.


    ¡°By offering them what they really want instead,¡± he nted a small kiss on her nose. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Savvy.


    We are going to figure everything out eventually. Let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t want to wait a moment longer!¡±


    They ran together, holding hands andughing at the craziness of what they were about to do. ¨C


    Savannah couldn¡¯t believe it was happening, but Athena howled inside in approval and in the


    heat of the moment, all this felt so right. Kai felt right. She felt as if he was hers


    The doors were opened before them, and the intense light of the main hall hit the happy couple in the


    face. It took them some time to adjust, but to their surprise, they mostly saw the backs of all the guests.


    No one was paying them much attention.


    Naya walked toward them in a beautiful azure gown with a tense face. Something was off.


    ¡°Turn away and leave, Savannah,¡± she whispered as she passed the couple, and Savvy froze on the


    spot.


    The spacious ballroom was overcrowded, and there was this unpleasant atmosphere of distress


    looming over. The space was filled with the buzzing noises of conversations and gasps.


    Some servant girl slipped a small envelope into Savvy¡¯s hand, startling her, and left quickly before the


    Lycan Princess could ask her anything.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± Kai growled, and Elene was the first one to react, squeezing herself out from the


    main crowd.


    ¡°Oh, good that you are here! One of the Alphas in the guest delegation is not feeling well!¡± she said


    with a concerned face and then went stiff, eyes travelling over her brother and Savannah, lingering on


    their fingersced together. ¡°Come,¡± Elene took her brother¡¯s arm and started pulling him away. ¡°We


    can¡¯t let him die on our watch! It¡¯s going to be a scandal!¡±


    ¡°Go,¡± Savvy whispered to him as he shot a worried nce at her. This was clearly not the right time for


    any kind of announcement.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he mouthed to her and rushed into the heart of the crowd, leaving her alone. She could feel


    that something ominous was looming over her.


    Exhaling heavily, Savannah opened the envelope and gasped when she read the words on the little


    note as she smelled a strong scent of mint.


    Thope you like my present.

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    27. Mint


    Savannah crumpled the note in her hand, turning to search for the maid who had given it to her in the


    first ce. To her disappointment, the maid was already nowhere to be seen. It wasn¡¯t a big deal; her


    face was forever imprinted in Savvy¡¯s memory, and she could find herter. For the millionth time, she


    was happy her parents had chosen not to disclose her little talent. It had proven to be useful in her


    adulthood so far.


    She wondered what the present from Bjorn could be and instinctively knew that she had to go to the


    centre of the crowd to find out. However, this was when she realised that everything around her


    smelled like mint.


    She swallowed the lump in her throat and hoped this was another one of the white bear¡¯s tricks. In her


    presence he had already tricked her once, somehow imitating her mate¡¯s scent. She was not going to


    fall for it.


    However, Athena was unsettled inside, whimpering from pain, and Savannah knew events around her


    were taking a turn for the worse.


    ¡°I am fine!¡± She heard a familiar husky chuckle and felt a pang in her heart. ¡°Really, I am sorry I scared


    you all! It was nothing!¡±


    ¡°Nothing?¡± Elene¡¯s voice was unusually high-pitched. ¡°Are you sure? Maybe we need a healer here?¡±


    ¡°No, I feel much better. Thank you, princess¡± Zack assured her. ¡°It¡¯s just an old trauma. I was poisoned


    with aconite, and sometimes it reminds of itself. But it¡¯s temporary.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t seen him in months and really believed that the next time their paths would cross would be


    when she hunted him down to kill him. On her terms. When she was ready and prepared.


    Not like this¡­


    Nevertheless, the Moon Goddess had other ns. People in front of her stepped away, and she finally


    saw none other than her mate standing and talking to Kai and Elene. Another wolf was by his side, and


    she immediately recognised Zack¡¯s Beta, Viktor. He was one of the few people she met in his pack. He


    was also one of the wolves who tried to catch her and kill her when she was trying to escape.


    He hadn¡¯t changed much, although something about him was definitely different. He had a crazy glint in


    his eyes that wasn¡¯t there before. She could feel his wolf howling for their mate, yet Zack didn¡¯t even


    look at her. What kind of game was he ying?


    The worst thing of all this;- she had just been so happy a moment ago. The first time in a while. Zack¡¯s


    presence had to ruin it for her once again.


    She wondered how he could stand there and pretend nothing was going on. However, she quickly


    remembered that he was an excellent actor.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°You should have left when I told you,¡± Naya appeared next to her and handed her a ss of


    champagne that smelled suspiciously like vodka


    ¡°I am surprised you warned me at all,¡± Savvy admitted, and took a sip of the drink, setting her


    sight on the king and his unexpected guest at all times. Alcohol did not affect her too much anyway, but


    it could calm her nerves just a bit.


    ¡°Why?¡± The werecat curled her lips yfully and shrugged her shoulders. ¡°After all, I am not your


    enemy here.¡±


    ¡°Are you a friend, though?¡± the princess sniggered. ¡°That is the question.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± Naya ¡°masterfully¡± changed the subject, ying with her high silvery-


    white ponytail. She looked stunning in her azure sparkling dress with cut-out sides that emanated a


    gentle glow. It did not escape Savannah¡¯s eye that the cat¡¯s long nails were painted with the same


    pattern as the beads and sequins of her gown. But she knew that those were actually deadly ws


    ready to defend their owner any time. Or attack her opponent Brigit strolled past, ignoring them


    completely, but as she ended up standing behind them while choosing something to eat from the


    abundance of refreshments offered to the guests, they heard her quiet voice.


    ¡°Am I seeing things, or is that the infamous Alpha who is¡± She abruptly stopped talking, but they all


    knew what she meant. Savvy was happy that she didn¡¯t call Zack her mate in a grand hall full of shifters


    with excellent hearing.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Naya sneered, not looking at the werebear. In fact, neither was looking at the


    other. ¡°He ran away with his tail between his legs before we rescued you.¡±


    ¡°I rescued myself,¡± Brigit dered firmly, popping a little chocte heart into her mouth with her back to


    the other contenders and the drama in their midst.


    ¡°Questionable,¡± the cat scoffed, lifting her white brow up. Her gaze wandered through the room as if


    she was more interested in practically anything else, and the three didn¡¯t share this conversation right


    now.


    ¡°What¡¯s questionable is how your kind imed the victory when you were thest ones to arrive at the


    battle scene.¡± Brigit fixed the cape of her dress. It was made entirely out of glimmering purple beads,


    the colour of queens. It reminded Savvy of chain armour and a part of her respected Brigit for


    remaining true to herself,


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that you?¡± Naya mimicked her tone, and the two growled quietly at each other.


    Savannah ignored them and their quiet contention. It had been minutes since they were all here, and


    Zack didn¡¯t look at her once. Neither did Kai. They were talking, and the more time passed by, the more


    worried the western princess felt.


    ¡°Don¡¯t buy the act,¡± Athena snarled in her mind. ¡°His wolf is roaring that we belong to them. They would


    have imed us and marked us if they could.¡±


    This realization didn¡¯t bring Savvy relief like it probably should for mates, yet satisfaction grew in the


    knowledge of how much it would hurt him when she rejected him.


    Zack nced at her for the first time as if knowing what she was thinking about. Their eyes locked for a


    few seconds, and his lips curled into a vaguely menacing sneer.


    His slight reaction to her alerted Savvy that his being here wasn¡¯t a coincidence. He had known she


    was in the North. He hade here with a purpose. He had a n he intended to follow through


    She felt slivers of his emotions seep into her conscience. There was so much raw anger,


    disappointment, regret, desire ¡­ It made her slightly nauseous. She neither wanted nor needed to


    feel this anymore. Unfortunately, the mate pull was ever present, and she was thankful that Athena was


    a royal Alpha lycan, which meant she contained the pride and strength required to still want to reject


    him. This went against everything, but they both knew they would never be able to trust their mate.


    Savannah regretted one thing the most, her stupid decision to mate with Zack on their first day


    together. This one simple mistake had caused her so much pain. Literally


    She watched her mate ce a hand on Kai¡¯s shoulder andugh about something as if they were old


    friends. Right after which, he looked at her again. There was no smirk this time.


    She felt a wave of anger, wishing she could somehow protect herself from his feelings. It was not fair


    that he was forcing them on her.


    ¡°Uh-oh,¡± Naya whispered, polishing her nails. ¡°I bet he has connected the dots.¡±


    ¡°What dots?¡± Savvy tried to remain calm. She needed to think in peace and not have to deal with what


    was being insinuated..


    ¡°That the king reeks of you,¡± Brigit snorted, walking away from them, and Savannah felt blood rushing


    to her cheeks.


    ¡°What?¡± the werecat next to her chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not like you two tried to hide it. Is that why Morgan was


    writhing on the floor in pain?¡±


    Savvy met her gaze, and a little smile involuntarily crept up the corners of her lips. ¡°Did it hurt him that


    much?¡± she queried, drawing her tongue across her teeth. ¡°He almost cried,¡± Naya snickered, barely


    holding backughter. ¡°Good,¡± the Western Princess nodded, suddenly feeling much better.


    Scanning the room, she searched for Kai with her eyes. Fear crept in when she saw him walking away


    in Zack¡¯spany. She wanted to talk to Kai, to tell him about her stupid mate. She


    needed him to know who he was dealing with.


    As if hearing her thoughts, Kai turned, his eyes meeting hers in the crowd. His warm gaze calmed her a


    bit as he mouthed sorry, probably referring to the announcement they had nned to make.


    Well, that momentum had been gone now. Savannah was afraid to imagine what a spectacle Zack


    would have made if Kai had announced his choice.


    She itched to gesture for him to speak to her first. She desperately needed to tell him everything, but


    Elene started clinking a fork to an empty champagne flute thus getting her attention as well as


    everybody else¡¯s in the room.


    ¡°Rx,¡± Kyle mind linked her, appearing next to her out of nowhere and quickly squeezing her hand in


    a supportive gesture. ¡°If he wanted to announce ¡­ who he is, he would have done it


    already.¡±


    ¡°That only worries me more,¡± Savannah confessed with a sigh. ¡°I could have handled that. This means


    he is here for something else.¡±


    ¡°Tonight, we will get him.¡± Her friend announced dryly and looked her in the eye. For the first time, he


    was so serious that she doubted for a second if he was the same light-hearted and carefree person she


    had known her whole life. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t do the right thing and ept your rejection, I will kill him for


    you. Tonight ¡­ Actually, we should probably kill him anyway, since he is


    a traitor.¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± Savvy hissed. ¡°We can¡¯t kill anyone here. We are guests in the North. Apparently, so is he. This


    could be taken the wrong way.¡±


    ¡°Say I don¡¯t care, and neither should you.¡± Kyle furrowed his brows, cing his hands in his pockets.


    ¡°This is why I should be the one to do it and not you. They will not kill me since I am Reid¡¯s brother.


    They will extradite me at best, leaving you to continue whatever it is you are doing


    here¡­¡±


    A sly smile curved on his lips. ¡°I am getting an alliance!¡± Savannah rolled her eyes, trying not to blush


    too much.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Sure,¡± Kyle snorted. ¡°Anyway, good luck at the interview. I think they are ready to start¡±


    ***


    Elene gave the contenders their number, though it appeared Petra seemed to be missing, which


    automatically ced herst.


    Savannah looked at her mentor, who was already present wearing a beautifully draped ck silk dress


    with her short hair curled and styled to perfection. She looked satisfied, and the princess wondered if it


    was part of her carefully crafted n. After all, appearingst was an advantage. Especially since a


    contender from the North wouldn¡¯t get into much trouble.


    However, if someone had devised a n like that, as brilliant as it was, that person wouldn¡¯t be Petra.


    Mavis was up first. Savannah noticed how Zara watched her fellow werebird with her lips clenched


    tight. She knew that there was no love lost between the two of them. Werebirds weren¡¯t the strongest


    shifters, but sometimes it seemed they were the cruellest.


    Of course, the twins were the ones handling the interview. Both wore sparkling white outfits to host the


    event and were in perfect sync as always.


    A small stage was constructed for the show in the corner of the hall, an oversized purple and gold chair


    ced in the middle looked suspiciously like a throne. There were numerous vases with white roses in


    the background, and Savvy frowned at the sight. She would literally choose any other flower.


    They started with simple small talk, warming the werebird up for the main event.


    ¡°Mavis,¡± Chloe smiled politely, and Savvy instantly knew that the question would be provocative, to say


    the least. ¡°Birds never live outside their flock. How do you imagine yourself being a Queen here? You


    know that your flock wouldn¡¯t be allowed to join you.¡±


    Mavis was wearing a sparkling ck dress with feathers thatcked originality. Considering birds were


    known for being shy. However today, only Mavis¡¯s red ombr¨¦ hair reminded them of who she truly


    was. Was she trying to tone herself down to appease the northerners? It wasn¡¯t working


    ¡°Well¡± She angled her head slightly. ¡°Birds don¡¯t usually leave their flocks because we don¡¯t tend to


    survive on our own. I don¡¯t think I will have that problem next to King Kai.¡±


    ¡°So, what you are saying is that you are here to get our king¡¯s protection?¡± ude also seemed nice.


    ¡°Seemed¡± being the key word.


    ¡°Of course, not!¡± Mavis giggled, but the giggle came out awkward. She then started to list her many


    wonderful qualities, which, Savvy knew, wouldn¡¯t make much difference. They already outed her and


    everyone now knew she had nothing to bring to the northern table.


    Inga got away pretty quickly, but there were no surprises there.


    ¡°Penelope, you are next,¡± Elene called her friend¡¯s name after the twins stopped torturing the


    contenders. Savvy shot her a surprised look. She was sure the best candidate would be saved forst.


    The Northern Princess noticed her reaction, rolling her eyes in response.


    In the meantime, Penelope walked onto the stage. The guests were quiet each time the contenders


    spoke. All attention was on them constantly.


    As always, Penelope radiated perfection. She was wearing a white silk dress with a chiffon cape which


    was very simple in design, pairing it with an intricate diamond ne.


    ¡°Penelope, it¡¯s so nice to see you!¡± Chloe beamed at her. This time it was genuine, and Savannah


    wanted to make an annoyed sound but stopped herself in time. Today she had bigger problems than


    these girls. Her two main problems left the room together and hadn¡¯t returned still.


    Goddess knew what they were discussing. Maybe Zack had already told Kai he was her mate, and


    they were arranging her ride home. Or worse ¡­ She didn¡¯t even want to go there.


    ¡°Tell us, how did you find thepetition? Did you get to spend a lot of time with the king?¡±


    ude leaned slightly forward. He was excited too.


    ¡°Kai and I have always spent a lot of time together ever since we were young.¡± Penelope smiled and


    tucked a lock of her dark hair shiny hair behind her ear, a subtle blush tinting her cheeks. ¡°We know


    each other so well, we finish each other¡¯s sentences! We are actually very much alike!¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡± Athena snorted as they kept listening to what the brte was saying, ¡°They have nothing in


    common.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Savvy sneered as she crossed her hands on her chest. ¡°Wishful thinking!¡± The wolf added.


    ¡°I call that delusional.¡± The princess almost chuckled but was able to stop herself in time.


    Inga followed Penelope and nothing out of the ordinary happened.


    ¡°Princess Savannah Stormhold,¡± Elene called her name, and Savvy exhaled discreetly, forcing a


    charming smile on her lips. She hated these kinds of things, but luckily, she knew how to handle them


    well.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Chloe greeted her ording to the rules, and at least there was that. The host gave


    her a sharp once over.


    ¡°Please,¡± Savvy sshed her hands. ¡°There is no need for formalities. I am a guest here just like


    everyone else, and I¡¯d rather not use my title. Just call me Savannah.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very sweet of you. Savannah, are you trying a lot of new things while you are in the North?¡±


    ude joined the conversation.


    ¡°I have definitely tried a few, and I can¡¯t wait to experience more,¡± she responded, slightly in


    her chair


    ¡°Does that mean you are confident you will stay here, Savannah?¡± Chloe smirked, waiting for her


    reaction.


    Savvy was about to reply when she saw Kai walking out with Zack from the back room they had


    previously disappeared into. Both men went in the direction of the TV crew, both looked tense, and


    both had their eyes on her.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    28. Hit & Miss


    Savannah didn¡¯t know what to expect now. She grazed her sight over her smirking mate, although it


    was Kai¡¯s reaction she was mainly interested in observing. He seemed tense to her, lips pursed and


    hands in his trousers pockets. Nheless, when their eyes locked, a small reassuring smile reached


    the corners of his lips, and she instinctively knew nothing had changed between them as of yet.


    ¡°So?¡± ude urged her to respond, shaking his shiny blonde hair as if he was starring in a shampoo


    commercial. ¡°Are you confident that you are staying, Savannah?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be confident, can I?¡± Savvy replied, lifting her chin slightly. She nced at the Northern King


    again. His sinile faded, but now she was the one who wanted to raise his spirits. ¡°I am the least wanted


    contender here. I know too well, and so does everyone else. I am the least likely to win, but¡­¡± She


    looked Kai straight in the eye, ¡°But I feel like I am starting to fall in love with the North. The people are


    nice, the traditions are beautiful¡­ there are so many wonderful things here!¡±


    ¡°But what about the king?¡± Chloe interrupted her little speech.


    ¡°He is ¡­ intriguing,¡± Savvy chuckled, desperately wishing to change the subject. She wasn¡¯t going to


    confess anything on TV with so many witnesses. Not like that.


    She could feel her cheeks heated involuntarily.


    ¡°But let¡¯s imagine you can win,¡± ude suggested with an insincere grin. He definitely wasn¡¯t imagining


    that. ¡°Do you think you can be the perfect Luna for the North?¡±


    ¡°Perfection is subjective,¡± Savannah felt herself rxing. She was ready to talk about anything other


    than how she felt about Kai. Or her mate, who was now trying to pierce her with his re. He hadn¡¯t


    looked at her previously, but now that all the attention was on her, thanks to the interview, he was


    devouring her with his hungry eyes, as if she was all he wanted for the months they had been apart. ¡°It


    would be premature of me to promise to be perfect. Perfectiones in all shapes, sizes, colours, and


    forms, and more importantly, ites from experience.¡±


    ¡°And do you feel like you have the required experience?¡± Chloe leaned forward as if they were good old


    friends, but there was a menacing glint in her eyes that Savvy couldn¡¯t ignore. She knew that glint too


    well. This was how a predator would eye its prey.


    Savannah Stormhold was no prey though, and it was time she rified this.


    ¡°I definitely have more experience than anyone else in the Luna Trials.¡± She shot the TV presenter a


    graceful smile. ¡°You see, my parents died early, and, since then, it was only my brother and me. Gideon


    didn¡¯t have a Luna, and naturally, I had to take most of the responsibilities


    upon myself.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we have heard that you are one of the best at throwing amazing western parties!¡± The twins


    exchanged smirks. ¡°But the North is a bit different from the West.¡±


    ¡°It is undoubtedly different,¡± Savvy nodded, ¡°but politics is the same everywhere. You either have the


    skills for it, or you don¡¯t. I do. However, I am surprised that you only mentioned parties. I


    thought you had done sufficient research on me. Right now, it¡¯s a bit embarrassing that I know more


    about you two than you know of me. When this is supposed to be in your job description.¡±


    ¡°Tell us. Savannah, what did we miss?¡± ude pursed his lips, breathing sharply through his nostrils.


    He did not like being challenged on air when he had no problem throwing other people under the bus


    regrly.


    ¡°Pretty much everything!¡± The princess shrugged her shoulders innocently as she let out a little giggle.


    ¡°My charity work, curating our schools and managing to achieve better results, thanks to a few changes


    in the education system than we have had prior. My personal art program, paid for by the money I


    inherited from my parents. My aid to Beta Reid with the budget and managing to increase our profits.


    Not to mention the many battles I took part in over the years because, frankly, I didn¡¯t have all that


    extensive battle training for nothing. I have had a busy


    life that was already filled with Luna duties. I am sure it will be somewhat different here, but luckily, I am


    a very quick learner.¡±


    ¡°And how about a rumour that you have ¡­¡± Chloe went for the kill, judging by her fierce look, and


    Savannah gulped, preparing for an attack.


    ¡°Oh, is that Petra?!¡± she heard a voice that definitely belonged to Kyle. ¡°What is she wearing?!¡±


    Naturally, all heads turned to the main entrance, and everybody present gasped, seeing Petra walk in


    wearing a sparkling bodysuit, consisting mainly of rhinestones. It was barely covering anything, her


    long slender legs were on full disy. She had an enormous fluffy cape in addition that consisted of


    layers andyers of white tulle. It was definitely made by the same designer for the previous gown. Her


    pink hair was done up in two pyramid buns with loose curls falling down her beautiful and happy face.


    She was clearly enjoying the attention, right until the moment her mentor Evelyn ran up to her, trying to


    close the cape on her.


    ¡°Petra!¡± the woman hissed at her giggling prot¨¦g¨¦. ¡°What?¡± The girl pped hershes. ¡°You told me to


    s*x it up a bit!¡± ¡°This wasn¡¯t what I meant!¡± Evelyn gritted her teeth, trying to fix the situation.


    ¡°Well,¡± Kyle appeared right next to them, ¡°and I believe that Petra looks stunning tonight!¡±


    The rascal bowed and kissed Petra¡¯s hand, making her grin even wider. All while Evelyn drilled his skull


    with her angry re.


    Savvy knew that this was the perfect distraction and decided to use that moment for her exit while the


    twins made the cameras turn and film Petra.


    ¡°It was such a pleasure to talk to you!¡± She stood up from her seat, shook startled Chloe¡¯s hand, and


    then did the same to ude. The two of them realised she had escaped when it was already toote.


    ¡°Wait, we are not done,¡± the hostess mumbled.


    ¡°Speed things up.¡± Kai grunted. ¡°It¡¯s time for the next contender. Princess Savannah, can I speak to you


    for a moment?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± she nodded, hoping that it was for the best and not because Zack told him something


    awful about her. Which could simply be the truth ¡­ She shuddered at the thought


    alone.


    But Kai was looking at her with the same warmth and desire, so she knew that her mate hadn¡¯t


    managed to ruin anything yet. There was still hope.


    She tried to walk past Zack, who was blocking her way, but he made sure their hands touched. Even if


    just for a moment, it felt like a bolt of lightning went through Savannah¡¯s body, reaching every little


    corner of her soul. The mate bond was still there, ever present as the first day she met him. Athena


    howled from the pain, knowing that this bond had no future. The tingles followed ¡­ Torturously


    pleasant, they made her heart ache ¡­ It was definitely easier to look at him from the side than have


    any kind of physical contact.


    She felt Kai¡¯s fingerscing with hers and in the very same moment, the bond and its effects were


    forgotten. Zack¡¯s spell was lifted. Kai was being so bold, considering they hadn¡¯t made any


    announcements yet, but she was happy that he did this.


    Kai took her to the room where he had talked to Zack just a few minutes ago, and the moment he


    closed the door, he pressed her against it, crashing his lips into hers.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Tongues entangled, she dug her fingers into his body as he stole a moan from her.


    ¡°Savvy,¡± the king ced his forehead onto hers, taking a breath, ¡°we¡¯ll announce everything right after


    the interviews are done. I am sorry for the distraction. That Alpha ¡­¡±


    ¡°I know him, Kai,¡± she interjected, gathering the strength to tell him who Zack really was.


    ¡°I know,¡± he confessed, tightening his grip on her as she gasped from the surprise.


    ¡°You do?¡± Savvy searched for any kind of reaction in his eyes and only saw guilt there. That bothered


    her more than she could imagine.


    ¡°He is a traitor in the West. Your brother announced an award for his head.¡± Kai nodded, and she


    realised that he was talking about something else. He still wasn¡¯t aware that Zack was her mate. ¡°I am


    sorry for receiving him here. That must be unpleasant for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you have no idea,¡± she started to exin, but the king covered her lips with his again. He couldn¡¯t


    help himself. It was getting harder and harder to control Asgard.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he whispered. ¡°I need to get information from him, and he will stay here for some time. Is that


    going to be a problem for you?¡±


    ¡°Kai,¡± she shook her head. ¡°He is the worst ¡­¡±


    Once again, she was about to tell him everything when the back door opened, and L appeared


    with a very tense face.


    ¡°Lan, are you kidding me?¡± Kai stepped in front of Savvy, covering her from his friend defensively. This


    was an instinct of some sort, and even the king himself was surprised by it.


    His Beta stared at them for a few seconds with his brows furrowed but snapped out of it quickly


    ¡°Apologies, my King,¡± he said in a respectful official tone he had never used before, although he wasn¡¯t


    quite sure how to behave in front of the Western Princess. They hadn¡¯t had a chance to discuss


    protocol yet. However, right now, protocol was the least of his problems. ¡°Our northern


    border is under attack.¡±


    Savannah held back a gasp that threatened to escape her. Now wasn¡¯t the time for drama.


    ¡°Who?¡± Kai asked grimly, and his Beta didn¡¯t say a word out loud, clearly using their mental


    connection instead.


    ¡°You can speak in front of Savvy,¡± Kai insisted, and they both flinched hearing these


    words.


    Savannah loved the idea of the two of them being together. However, it was something like a dream to


    her, a fantasy which she allowed herself to believe. They didn¡¯t make the announcement, and she


    somehow knew that it wouldn¡¯t be happening when they entered the hall together. It would have been


    too good to be true. She may have been a princess, but her life wasn¡¯t a fairytale


    Yet now, he was ready to share vital intel with her. His Beta was either the best actor of the year or


    absolutely stunned by the sudden changes.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± L cleared his throat.


    ¡°Savannah is mine,¡± Kai said the three words that prompted his second-inmand to bow his head


    respectfully.


    ¡°The white bears have attacked three towns on the borders. We haven¡¯t experienced a massive attack


    like this for months.¡±


    ¡°Is it Bjorn?¡± Savvy asked, and the Beta¡¯s brows went up. Once again, he looked at his Alpha


    questioningly.


    ¡°White bears only serve Bjorn,¡± Kai exined patiently and turned to her. ¡°Savvy, I need to go there. I


    am so sorry, but we will have to make our announcement another day¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem for me.¡± She smiled at the realisation that this was what he was thinking about


    now. Them.


    His expression changed upon hearing her words, and he traced her lips with his fingers. ¡°Will you wait


    for me, Little Maid?¡±


    ¡°Always, my Gardener.¡± She stood on the tips of her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck to


    give him a quick kiss on the cheek, but at thest moment, he turned to capture her lips again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Savvy,¡± he whispered, a smirk forming on his handsome face, ¡°I¡¯ll be back so soon you


    will not have time to miss me. Now that I have someone to return to ¡­¡±


    Her heart clenched, and warmth spread over her chest. He was almost gone when she came back to


    her senses. Before she managed to say anything out loud, the door closed behind him.


    ¡°Shoot!¡± Savannah bit her lip in disappointment. She would have felt better if she could lift that weight


    off her shoulders.


    ¡°And agitate him right before he goes to a battle?¡± Athena snorted in her mind. ¡°Not the best idea.


    Besides, it gives us a perfect opportunity to deal with Zack on our own. Don¡¯t you, think?¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± Savvy looked at the situation from a different perspective. ¡°Let¡¯s do this then. He


    VIIVVVVILUIMV LUOI VILLISUU


    either epts my rejection and leaves, or he is ¡­¡±


    ¡°Dead meat,¡± Athena sneered.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    29. No Second Chances


    Savannah came back to the main hall and found Celia giving her interview. The girl seemed cheerful


    and giggled a lot, but at the same time, her knee was twitching, signalling how nervous she was. Celia


    wasn¡¯t handling the pressure well Too bad for a Luna of The North candidate. Although she wasn¡¯t a


    real contender, was she?


    Elene sat on a high golden chair behind the cameras and made some notes in a little notebook from


    time to time. Chloe and ude were doing the same. Sadly, Savvy realised that they would be the


    ones giving them points for their performance today. What was worse, with Kai gone, no one would be


    here to help her out


    Then again, was it really a problem? Considering they had already chosen each other.


    It was probably stupid, but Savvy believed him. She believed everything he said, and only when she


    felt a heavy gaze on her, she lifted her eyes and shivered, seeing Zack. Bad memories flooded her


    mind at once.


    She already believed a man blindly once.


    The princess turned on her heels and walked away without sparing him an extra nce. She couldn¡¯t


    deal with him now, so it was best that they did not meet each other.


    She came back to the table with snacks and beverages and saw Evelyn still working on wrapping


    Petra¡¯s tulle cape around her to imitate a skirt. Kyle was right next to them, having the time of his life,


    judging by the cheesy grin stered across his face.


    ¡°Give it to me!¡± Evelyn pointed at his ck tie, and he started to untie it with a curious expression. She


    yanked it out of his hands and wrapped it around Petra¡¯s waist.


    ¡°Do I look bad?¡± The pink-haired girl was on the verge of crying. ¡°Trust me,¡± Kyle smirked, ¡°not a single


    man in the room thinks that.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Petra beamed at him, suddenly happy and cheerful again. ¡°And thanks for your help!¡±


    ¡°Some help that was!¡± Evelyn gritted her teeth, and her eyes shed purple when she nced at Kyle


    angrily.


    ¡°Always at your service!¡± he saluted them and was about to leave when Evelyn stood in his way. With


    hands crossed on her chest, she lifted her chin to give the guy a look of disdain.


    ¡°Mess with my girl one more time, and you will regret it!¡± She warned him, and now Kyle looked truly


    interested.


    ¡°Me?¡± he gasped, grasping his heart. ¡°Mess with Petra? Never! You can rest assured¡­¡±


    The next moment the graceful woman gripped thepels of his zer, pulling him closer by force.


    However, it looked like she was simply fixing the jacket. Savvy was impressed with her. Not many


    would dare do this to a lycan. Then again, the North was different. And lycans here were different too.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to repeat myself,¡± she whispered on the verge of hissing, luckily everyone was watching


    Celia¡¯s interview. ¡°Do it again, and your little secret wille out! You love the truth,


    don¡¯t you?


    Kyle¡¯s smirk faded at once, and Savvy herself almost gasped, hearing these words. Did Evelyn


    manage to find out that Kyle was the Truthteller? That was fast! Not to mention that this could cause


    potential problems for them.


    ¡°Who doesn¡¯t like the truth?¡± The lycan ran his hand through his hair, still ying his role of the


    careless young man. ¡°Especially when the truth can be so useful. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± He winked at the


    she-wolf in front of him, and Evelyn pursed her lips together and nodded curtly. After which, she waved


    him off, dismissing him as if he was a nobody, and then returned to check on Petra as it was almost her


    turn to go.


    Kyle stood there for a while with his mouth open, hands in his pockets until he met Savvy¡¯s nce and


    gave her a can you believe this look. But a mischievous glint in his eyes did not escape his friend. He


    was having fun!


    Happy that at least someone was enjoying himself during all this, Savvy looked around and met the


    gaze of her mate again. She couldn¡¯t wait for the official part to be over so she could leave.


    ¡°Salome, it¡¯s your turn,¡± Elene gestures for the witch to take the seat in front of the sibling hosts. The


    woman looked stunning tonight in sparkling ck, and Savannah remembered the videos from this


    morning. Familiar unpleasant darkness spread over her chest. Ugly, sticky and painful, it was a horrible


    feeling and she didn¡¯t like it one bit. However, Kai¡¯s words about Salome wanting only an alliance were


    giving her hope that she would indeed leave tonight.


    In the meantime, the hosts and the guest had already exchanged pleasantries.


    ¡°So the first question I want to ask,¡± Chloe tilted her head just the way she did before an attack, but the


    witch raised her hand, gesturing for her to stop.


    ¡°I have to apologise,¡± Salome shed a sincere smile. ¡°only came here today not to be rude, but I am


    not going to give an interview.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± ude chuckled. ¡°This would mean you don¡¯t get any points for this, and after a very


    sessful date with the King, you would be back to square one.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Yes, I am aware,¡± the woman admitted and yed with the shimmering sequins of her gown. ¡°But


    that¡¯s the thing, after getting to know Kai better, we both realised that there aren¡¯t any sparks. What


    kind of union would it be without any attraction between the two of us? So, I have made a choice to


    leave the Luna Trials immediately.¡±


    ¡°And throw a chance like that away?¡± Chloe arched her brow and pursed her lips. She was clearly


    disappointed not to be able to go on with her initial n, but there wasn¡¯t anything she could do


    ¡°I am not throwing away anything,¡± the corners of Salome¡¯s lips curved. ¡°We are parting as friends.


    How many people can call the Northern Lycan King a friend? Can you?¡±


    Savvy had to give it to the witch. She had the best way out. There was no chance in hell of her winning,


    and she was leaving without the humiljation of being eliminated by someone. It was her own decision.


    She stood in the crowd along with everyone and felt the strong scent of mint coating her. Athena was


    ufortable because the mate bond forced her to feel attracted to the man standing right behind


    them. It was almost unbearable.


    However, it got worse and escted quickly when his hand brushed up and down hers, waves and


    waves of tingles rippling through her.


    At this rate, she¡¯d start hating tingles soon, loathing the sensation ¡­.


    Zack was using the fact that she couldn¡¯t leave without making a fuss about it, his fingers were drawing


    small circles on her skin. For a moment there, Savannah had to close her eyes not to let the mate bond


    cloud her judgement. She remembered their one and only night together, but then she recalled how he


    chased her through the woods with his warriors. And she was pretty sure he would have killed her if he


    had a chance. She was just lucky to escape.


    Yes, that memory helped her a lot, and Savannah came back to her senses, choosing to move forward,


    closer to the stage. Anything to escape him!


    Autumn, the fox from the South was getting properly red for some reason. Savvy didn¡¯t know what the


    twins asked her, and she didn¡¯t care. Instead, she pivoted and strode to the main door to try and get


    some air. The Western Princess walked out and decided to hide in the corridor where she and Kai had


    so much fun just recently, hoping no one would follow her. Sighing, the princess touched the wall she


    was leaning on just under two hours ago as if she could get more strength by doing so.


    She heard the steps first, the minty scent followed soon, making her growl in anger. How dared he be


    so brazen? After hiding from her for months, her annoying mate couldn¡¯t leave her alone.


    ¡°How long are you going to keep ignoring me?!¡± Zack demanded as if he had a right to do so and she


    felt that this audacity of his had no limits.


    ¡°Ignore you?¡± A cruelugh rocked her chest as she turned to face him. ¡°Oh, Zack, I am not nning to


    ignore you at all.¡±


    ¡°I know you are trying to scare me now, Savvy,¡± her mate ced his hands in his pockets and leaned


    against the wall, dangerously close to her. He was so close that if she simply stretched her hand, she


    could ¡­ probably strangle him in a minute or so. Maybe even break his neck if the angle was right.


    ¡°Oh, Zack, I am not even trying,¡± she scoffed, herughter echoing through the passages. ¡°But I bet


    you are scared nheless. Is that why you were hiding for so long?¡±


    They were staring at each other as if it was a real battle.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t hiding,¡± the man said after a while, still not taking his eyes off her. It seemed like he couldn¡¯t


    get enough of this closeness. Even if it was just an illusion. Right now, they couldn¡¯t have been further


    apart. ¡°I was thinking of how to fix everything!¡±


    ¡°You are a traitor, Zack!¡± she took a huffish stance. ¡°I am afraid everything is beyond fixing for you!¡±


    ¡°Savvy, don¡¯t say that!¡± he tried to take a step towards her, but she shed her canines at him and


    growled a warning. ¡°Whatever happened in the past, however foolish I have been, nothing will change


    the fact that we are mates!¡±


    She let out anotherugh. This was too good!


    ¡°Wow, Zack,¡± she pushed herself off the wall and stalked towards him slowly, noticing how he gulped at


    the sight of her, ¡°I always knew that you were a sick basterd who can¡¯t keep his word and has no heart,


    but I had no idea that you are also delusional!¡±


    ¡°No heart?¡± He looked at her sheepishly and chuckled bitterly. ¡°Is that what you think of


    me?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± she confirmed his suspicions with a nod and a sneer.


    ¡°Savvy, what happened between us was what broke my heart. I love you so much. my beautiful mate! I


    couldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± she gritted her teeth, angry that he was throwing big words like that into y. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare go


    there!¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± His hazel eyes glowed. ¡°Because for someone who ims to love me, you did everything to


    hurt me the most!¡±


    He clenched his lips, looking for words. This definitely wasn¡¯t going ording to his n, especially


    since he knew what was at stake here


    ¡°And you had your revenge.¡± His voice sounded dry and full of pain. ¡°It happened here in this hallway,


    right? This ce still smells of the two of you! Did you let the King touch you to get back at me?¡±


    ¡°You must be thinking too highly of yourself,¡± Savvy couldn¡¯t help but snort. ¡°Nothing I do has anything


    to do with you! You were dead to me the moment I heard you plotting to kill my brother and using me


    as a breeder for your perfect heirs.¡±


    ¡°So, you heard my conversation with Castiel?¡± He looked away just for a moment but quickly returned


    his gaze to her face. ¡°And what if I tell you that you misunderstood me? Have you ever thought of


    that?¡±


    ¡°I have,¡± she chuckled, even enjoying this conversation a bit. At least it wasn¡¯t boring. ¡°But then I came


    to the conclusion that nope, you weren¡¯t misunderstood. You are just an as*hole who thinks of himself


    only.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to gain Castiel¡¯s trust to help your brother. I had to tell him what he wanted to hear,¡± he


    started speaking, and she rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Was that why your people tried to catch me whatever it cost them? I saw it in their eyes. They were


    ready to kill me in their wolf forms.¡±


    For a few seconds, there was only silence between the two of them. ¡°They didn¡¯t get my order right¡­..¡±


    ¡°Of course, they didn¡¯t! This is probably why you ran away afterwards with them and all the useful intel


    you got from that fox. To be honest, I am surprised you honoured the Northern King with your


    presence!¡±


    ¡°Savvy, I¡®ve made many mistakes,¡± he interrupted her, probably realising they were not going anywhere


    like this. ¡°But I am ready to forget the past and to move on to the future. With you.¡±


    ¡°Cause that¡¯s happening!¡± Each word wasced with sarcasm. This was way less dramatic than she


    imagined their next meeting to be. The stupid mate bond! She would never have fallen for a guy like


    him if not for it.


    ¡°We are mates, Savannah.¡± Zack insisted, and she had to give it to him ¨C he had some balls. ¡°Fated


    mates chosen by the Moon Goddess. We were made for each other, and we can make each


    other happy. If you only gave me another chance ¡­.¡±


    ¡°You know what, maybe I would have done it,¡± she lied to make a new blow. ¡°But


    unfortunately, since you managed to have lovers left and right while you were away, knowing what kind


    of physical pain it would cause me, there is nothing to talk about anymore. You are simply not worthy of


    my time, Zack.¡±


    Do you think it was easy for me?¡± He snapped as if everything was her fault, so much pain in his eyes


    she almost bought it. Almost. ¡°My wolf was dying from the pain of separation from you, and I had to act.


    I was thinking about you while I was doing this, imagining you, pretending it was my beautiful perfect


    mate.¡±


    ¡°Zackie!¡± she tilted her head and pouted her lips. ¡°Poor you! How did you get through all this? It must


    have been so hard for you?!¡±


    Her brows furrowed as she looked at him, and at least he wasn¡¯t that stupid because the Alpha before


    her knew at once she was mocking him.


    ¡°Savvy.¡±


    ¡°Cut the cr*p!¡± The princess demanded, changing her tone and demeanour at once. ¡°I was thinking


    about you too when you did this, you know. I was writhing in pain each time, trying to w my own skin


    and heart out while you were screwing someone and imagining me. I was imagining things too! My


    favourite fantasy was ripping your head off and being done with it quickly. It¡¯s still the best for me!¡±


    ¡°Savannah ¡­.¡± He repeated her name again, trying to reach her as if it could make any difference. It


    couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°But I am willing to go with my second favourite,¡± the girl sneered, letting her ws grow long and


    tracing the one on her index finger over her lower lip. ¡°You¡¯d better take that chance while I still give it


    to you.¡±


    ¡°If you are talking about rejection, then forget about it!¡± Zack grunted. ¡°I will never agree to lose you!¡±


    ¡°To lose me, you have to have me!¡± she exhaled heavily. ¡°And you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Savvy, I love you! All I ask is


    a new chance!¡±


    Something inside of her was calling her to agree to this. She could still feel the pull even though she


    was a royal lycaness.


    Savannah breathed in deeply and smelled Kai¡¯s scent. It was still strong in this ce where he held her


    just a few hours ago. The thought alone of him made her anger ease off a bit.


    There was no chance of her forgiving Zack. Not now, not ever. ¡°I, Savannah Stormhold,¡± she started


    the standard rejection line.


    ¡°No!¡± Zack growled loudly and balled his fists, heaving. ¡°Don¡¯t even try this. I would never agree!¡±


    ¡°¡­ reject you, Alpha Zack Morgan of The Emerald Mountain pack as my true mate!¡± She lifted her chin


    high and let Athena give her eyes the royal golden glow. ¡°ept it, and I will spare your life today! Until


    we meet on a battlefield, you¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    ¡°Never!¡± he snarled, and in one sharp moment, she was next to him, grasping his neck in her palm and


    shoving him against the wall, denting it by the impact.


    ¡°Say the words!¡± She bared her teeth. ¡°Mark me, Savannah!¡± Hepletely misunderstood her


    reaction. ¡°You know you want


    ¡°In your dreams!¡± she hissed, tightening her grip and lifting him on the wall. Just a bit more pressure ¨C


    and she could crack the bones. Zack would be dead, and everything would be over


    mWhat is going on here?!¡± She heard Elene¡¯s voice behind her back, knowing that this was the worst


    thing that could happen now...

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    30. Missed Chances


    !


    Elene had an aghast look on her face, and Savannah knew she was really in trouble now. So, the only


    thing she was considering now was how to proceed with all this. Should she just break that neck and


    be done with it? Kai would understand if she exined it to himter. Or so she thought¡­ Would he


    really understand? After all, although the attraction was undeniable, they still didn¡¯t know each other too


    well. They nned to learn everything, but they weren¡¯t there now. Would it truly be okay to dispose of


    her mate? And here of all the ces¡­


    ¡°Savvy!¡± Zack gurgled, and she wanted to m him into the wall.


    ¡°Say¡­¡± She at least wanted to get the rejection epted, while Zack¡¯s face was already crimson red.


    He owed her that much.


    ¡°Put him down!¡± Elene growled, and for the first time since she came here, she felt a wave of power


    coming from the Northern Princess, which surprised her more than it should have. After all, Elene was


    a royal Lycan as well, and that came with some perks.


    However, she was still undecided about what to do. Knowing Zack, he could run away fast, and she


    would spend months again trying to hunt him. Without their stupid bond, she would be free. She could


    be free now, and then maybe Kai and she could ¡­


    ¡°If you kill him, you will hurt kai and the Northern Lycan Kingdom,¡± Elene crossed her hands on her


    chest and watched the scene unfolding before her. This was something new, and Savannah felt like it


    was some kind of a test.


    ¡°Or I will do them a service,¡± Savvy slowly moved her eyes from Zack to the Northern Princess


    ¡°He is here on a diplomatic mission. If he ends up dead, all Kai¡¯s efforts will go in vain.¡±


    Her mate desperately tried to release himself from her grasp, and, rolling her eyes, Savvy released her


    grip on his neck. Morgan copsed to the floor and gulped for air a few times in some sort of panic until


    he was able to steady his breathing.


    Savannah looked down on him. Every physical attraction for him was blurred out now. She just wanted


    him gone from her life. Out for good. She contemted whether to tell the King¡¯s sister who that


    pathetic man was to her. Zack would definitely mention it somewhere. In all honesty, he could do that


    now to try and ruin things for her. So, it was best to get it off her chest. She would prefer to tell Kai first.


    Herself. But the situation called for action.


    ¡°He is my¡­.¡± She started speaking, but Elene waved her off.


    ¡°I know very well that he is the traitor of the West,¡± the Princess snapped. ¡°It¡¯s not an excuse. You want


    to be the Queen here. You should know better. We have to deal with people we don¡¯t like all the time.¡±


    ¡°And you are setting just a great example there,¡± Savannah scoffed, and Elene wanted to reply


    something, but at thest moment, the door that led to the main hall opened, and Astrid¡¯s head poked


    in


    ¡°Oh, I am sorry to disturb you,¡± she giggled innocently. ¡°Princess Elene, everything is ready, and


    everyone is looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± the youngest Fiongh responded lightly as if nothing happened here. ¡°Let¡¯s go,dies.


    Alpha Morgan, you can join us or retreat to the room we provided for you.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss an event like this for the world!¡± Zack chuckled, adjusting his suit jacket. And Savvy


    thought that she should have killed him after all. The smug smile on his face told her everything went


    just the way he wanted¡­


    ***


    All the twelve Luna Trial contenders were standing in two rows on the stairs in their beautiful sparkling


    gowns. Each looked like a queen already.


    And also there was Petra.


    Elene was checking her notes with Chloe and ude, who were nodding in unison each time she


    spoke. Savannah tried to listen to them, but the buzz of the rest of the guests was making it impossible


    to decipher words.


    ¡°And I thought everything was ready!¡± she shorted and shot a quick look at Astrid, who stood behind


    her. A little smirk formed on the Southerner¡¯s face.


    ¡°I just thought you needed a little help there,¡± she whispered, and Savvy nodded. This was nice of her,


    considering she was very close to getting rid of a contender.


    ¡°Can you believe she is wearing this?¡± Inga snickered, ncing quickly at Petra in ruffles and with


    Kyle¡¯s tie as a belt. For some reason, the other Northerners didn¡¯t like the pink-haired she-wolf much,


    and Savannah noticed how Petra lowered her head as if she was already defeated


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± she took her hand at once and gave it a light, reassuring squeeze. ¡°Someone like you would


    look amazing wearing anything. You came here to fight for the position of a Luna. A true Luna always


    holds her head high and owns her choices. Just consider it another test.¡±


    ¡°Penelope said it would be a great outfit for the interviews,¡± Petra said quietly, and Savvy gave her


    palm an extra squeeze.


    ¡°And now you know who not to listen to,¡± Naya snorted as she stood on the other side of Petra.


    ¡°Just turn it to your advantage now,¡± Brigit said without looking at them. ¡°It is a gorgeous outfit,


    whatever everyone else thinks. Things like this will make you stand out among other women. It¡¯s a trick


    we always used at¡­.¡±


    She stopped talking, realising she had already shared too much, but Savvy knew she meant the harem


    where Brigit spent years fighting for the attention of the Fox King Castiel Armstrong. Now that she was


    thinking about it, Brigit was his favourite for a long time, and only his obsession with Savvy¡¯s sister-in-


    law put an end to this. However, the white bear knew very well how to stand out among many beautiful


    girls. She did that during the Riddle challenge when she went ahead of her turn. Butter, she was


    quiet, which wasn¡¯t how Riannon spoke of her at all. ording to her, Brigit was a leader in nature.


    ¡°Where?¡± Petra wanted more of Brigit¡¯s story, but the woman in question only pressed her Tips tighter


    together.


    ¡°In her old pack,¡± Savannah smiled and let do of Petra¡¯s hand as Elene was already walking in their


    direction.


    The music died down, and so did the chatter of the guests. All the attention was now on the Northern


    Princess. She had a tablet in her hands and a gracious smile was curling her lips. Someone¡¯s eyes


    gleamed in the crowd, and Savvy knew without looking it was Zack. He was watching her even now


    when his best course of action should be to run as fast as he could.


    ¡°We use several aspects to judge the interviews,¡± Elene announced with a smile. ¡°The content of


    answers matters the most, but we also look at the bodynguage and tone, confidence and attitude,


    consistency of a contender andst, but not least, appearance. After all, we are choosing the Luna of


    the North, and ournd deserves the best.¡±


    She took a significant pause, looking around the hall and pretending to ignore the


    cameras.


    ¡°Without any doubt, our main winner tonight is none other than the daughter of the North Penelope


    Summerstern! She received thirty points for her interview and her final score at the moment is forty


    points.¡± A round of apuse emerged as Penelope stepped forward, bowed and then moved to the


    higher level of the stairs. The contenders moving forward had to stand above the ones who didn¡¯t.


    ¡°The next contender had a slightly less impressive score, but her overall score is now the same as


    Penelope¡¯s,¡± Elene said calmly. ¡°Savannah Stormhold receives twenty points and has forty points


    overall.¡±


    Savvy gasped uncontrobly. She was astonished by the fact that she scored this high. She was sure


    that Elene and the twins would give her the lowest possible points.


    ¡°Go!¡± Astrid whispered to her, and Naya nudged her gently. Savannah ced her hand to her heart


    with a smile on her lips as if she wanted to thank everyone present and then joined Penelope at the


    top.


    ¡°Congrattions, Savvy!¡± The girl greeted her as if they had been best friends for many years. Which


    they weren¡¯t.


    ¡°Thanks, Pen!¡± she reciprocated with a grin. ¡°Congrattions to you too.¡±


    ¡°I have to say this was easy,¡± the brte giggled, and Savvy thought that maybe Elene had given her


    friend the list of questions beforehand. However, something was strange. Why didn¡¯t they sabotage her


    again? She loved their tactics. It was easy to deal with, and who knew what they changed it to now.


    ¡°The next contender also received twenty points for the interview and is currently ranking third with


    thirty-five points. Astrid Erling!¡±


    Astrid was probably even more surprised than Savannah, and they exchanged warm smiles when she


    reached the top. Soon Inga and Celia followed, receiving twenty points each but scoring slightly below


    Astrid. Then Naya and Mika earned fifteen points each, bringing them to thirty points. The two cats


    were happy with the results but not happy about having to stand not far from each other. If cats didn¡¯t


    like someone, this was for life.


    ¡°Ugly dress,¡± Mika traced Naya¡¯s curves with her eyes and smirked. 1. ¡°Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself,


    dear,¡± the silver-haired contender replied, ¡°Yes, your outfit today could have been better, but ugly is not


    the word. Mediocre is.¡± They both hissed at each other and turned away.


    Five girls were left standing at the bottom.


    ¡°Sadly, the next contender received zero points as she decided to leave on her own terms and did not


    give an interview.¡± Elene was smiling, but her tone was ice cold. ¡°Salome Gray, you are the first to


    leave the Luna Trials. It was an honour to have you here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Princess Elene,¡± the witch curtsied slightly mockingly and stepped down to join the quests.


    Waves of whispers rippled through the room, but it looked like Salome wasn¡¯t bothered about all that.


    ¡°The next contender received the lowest points during the interview and overall performance. Autumn


    Bern, please step down. It was an honour to have you here ¡­¡± Elene clearly wanted to say something


    else, but the little fox with red hair rushed away quickly, covering her eyes as if she was about to cry.


    ¡°Why so low?¡± Savvy whispered to Astrid, and she tilted her head slightly. ¡°She said she didn¡¯t believe


    in Fenrir,¡± the girl replied. ¡°For the North it¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Preposterous,¡± Celia said firmly. ¡°You can say whatever you like, but Fenrir and the royal family are


    untouchable.¡±


    ¡°Stop sharing!¡± Inga jabbed her friend with her elbow. Now only three girls were standing at the bottom,


    and Savvy felt perplexed about this.


    ¡°Brigit Borg, Petra Biernat, Mavis Redfeather,¡± Elene turned to them. ¡°Your scores are low, and one of


    you will leave as well. Unless the King or the people of the North save you. We will see if that happens


    tomorrow.¡±


    She then motioned for Chloe and ude to take it from there. The blonde siblings turned to the


    cameras and started exining how people could cast a vote. And apparently, they could do that once


    from a registered mobile phone number in the system. Which, in Savannah¡¯s opinion, was ridiculous.


    Then again, it was probably her fault since she cornered them into following that tradition in the first


    ce.


    ***


    The main event was over soon, and Savvy wasn¡¯t surprised to see Zack gone. She gritted her teeth,


    hoping he didn¡¯t run too far. She was going to force that eptance of rejection out of him. Her life


    literally depended on that.


    Kyle was already gone too, and Savvy just hoped he wasn¡¯t looking for her mate. That wasn¡¯t his battle


    to fight. Although, technically, if he caught him and held him for her, she wouldn¡¯t mind


    Lost in thought, Savannah didn¡¯t notice how she ended up walking down the corridor leading to their


    tower with Zara, Brigit, Astrid and her friend Emma, who seemed displeased with something again,


    judging by the looks she was giving her.


    ¡°Good luck tomorrow,¡± Astrid tried to start some kind of conversation and nced at Brigit timidly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need luck,¡± the werebear cut her off.¡±¡®ll still get where I want to be.¡±


    ¡°Without a doubt,¡± Savannah smiled and at the same time felt piercing pain going through her body.


    She knew far too well what was happening and couldn¡¯t believe the audacity of her mate.


    For some reason, this time, everything felt so much stronger that she could barely stand on her feet.


    Not at all the pain level she was used to by now.


    Zara was the first to notice she turned pale and quickly draped her hand around Savannah¡¯s to give her


    something to lean on.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± They heard Emma¡¯s voice. She sure had a tough attitude for a neer who


    had no role to y here.


    ¡°I am just tired,¡± Savvy tried to brush her off, not willing to exin the drama of her life to anyone.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Astrid looked genuinely concerned. ¡°You look pale.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be fine,¡± the Princess


    assured them. ¡°See you tomorrow, and congrattions.¡±


    ¡°Congrats to you too, Savannah,¡± the Southerner beamed while Emma was already opening her door


    without even looking at them.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Savvy muttered, wishing for nothing more than to hide in her chambers.


    Brigit watched her in silence, and when the two other women were gone, she leaned into Savannah¡¯s


    ear and whispered, ¡°If you don¡¯t kill him, then I will.¡±


    With that, she turned on her heels and rushed to her own room.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Zara helped her to get inside and unzipped her dress. Unfortunately, they had done this many times


    before, so she knew the drill perfectly. Biting her lip to distract herself with a different kind of pain,


    Savvy grabbed the first thing she saw in the wardrobe ¨C which was a simple, delicate blue dress with


    traditional northern embroidery on the front. Pulling it on, falling to the bed. Zara covered her with a


    throw the way she always did.


    Savvy closed her eyes, withering in pain, counting the minutes for it to stop. But today, Zack was


    punishing her for real. For the past few months, all his encounters were short, but today, he decided to


    indulge himself in lust, pleasure and revenge right next to her. The worst thing was that she couldn¡¯t kill


    him until she got approval from Kai.


    Her heart was ripping apart, piece by piece. She didn¡¯t love Zack. She simply couldn¡¯t. Not after


    everything ¡­.She didn¡¯t even want him on a physical level. But the realisation that this was the one


    man who was supposed to protect and cherish her made all this even more painful.


    She thought of Kai and his promises. Was he really going to keep his word and choose her? She


    wanted to be chosen. That mate thing wasn¡¯t what she expected, but could they be happy together as


    chosen mates? She knew one story with a sad ending¡­. If she tried it with Kai, but he rejected her


    when he found his true mate ¡­ this would break her irrevocably. She didn¡¯t realise it before, but little by


    little, he filled that void left by Zack. She was afraid to admit it out loud, but she needed him more than


    he could imagine. She didn¡¯t even notice how the darkness took away her pain, and she finally


    managed to fall asleep.


    Firm fingers brushed over her cheek and neck. She breathed out, feeling much better all of a sudden.


    Then soft lips nted a little kiss on her bare shoulder, and Savannah opened her eyes to see Kai.


    ¡°Kai?¡± she sat up higher at once and then immediately wrapped her arms around him. The King only


    pressed her tighter and kissed the top of her head,cing his fingers into her hair and inhaling deeply


    as if he needed that desperately. He smelled of forest and pine as always, but today there were other


    notes there as well. Smoke and blood were more robust than other scents,


    and Savvy distanced herself from him, checking his face. Luckily, he looked unharmed. Just less


    polished and neat. Just like her gardener ¡­.


    ¡°Are you fine?¡± Savannah cupped his cheek, and he leaned into it just for a moment. ¡°Is the battle


    over?¡±


    ¡°I want to show you something, Savvy,¡± he told her with a little excited glint in his eyes. ¡°Come with me


    now.¡±

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    31. You Saw Nothing


    Kyle knew what he had to do very well. He might have been the good guy who loved joking around and


    having fun, but at the same time, he came here with one purpose and one purpose only ¨C to protect his


    best childhood friend at all costs. And this time blogging as the Truthteller wasn¡¯t going to cut it.


    He knew it the moment he saw that piece of garbage in the hall and had to pretend that nothing was


    happening. But the more he observed Zack Morgan, the faster he came to the realisation that he would


    have to deal with him personally. He had already seen his friend in the pit of despair, and he wasn¡¯t


    going to let that traitor push her back again right when she started to


    return to her usual self. It was surprising that the North influenced Savvy in such a way, but Kyle was


    ready to take it. Whatever made her happy. They grew up like siblings since their parents died at about


    the same time, and other than her, Reid and Gideon, Kyle had no one else.


    It was easy to find Zack¡¯s room. He already knew where the guest wing was, and from there, he relied


    on the asshole¡¯s scent. The stench of revolting mint led him to the door, and he heard moansing


    from the inside. He was doing it again. Even after seeing his mate tonight! Knowing what it would make


    her experience far too well.


    Kyle¡¯s fists clenched involuntarily as he heard a loud p and more moaning.


    ¡°Yes, baby, like that!¡± Zack grunted on the other side of the door, and the next moment Kyle knocked


    the whole thing out with his foot. The girls in the room screamed and ran in opposite directions from the


    luxurious bed in the centre, leaving Zack alone with the one who didn¡¯t manage to get away as he was


    still holding her hands crossed at her back and barely managed to


    pull out.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± The werewolf didn¡¯t even get a chance to finish his sentence as the lycan stormed his


    way and grabbed his throat, throwing him against the wall. He could hear the sound of a few bones


    crushing at impact, but it wasn¡¯t even nearly enough.


    Three girls. He nned to have sex with three girls tonight just to hurt Savvy. Kyle never had a mate,


    and he couldn¡¯t even imagine what kind of pain that was. However, he heard some things. Muscles


    being torn from the bones, skin peeled, thick needles pierced into each inch again and again¡­ Those


    were just a fewparisons that came to his mind now. And he wanted Zack Morgan to experience


    each of those. He got one of the best mates possible, and this was what he was doing to her.


    Unbelievable!


    The rage went through every cell of the lycan¡¯s body.


    The girls hectically tried to gather their things and leave. They were all werewolves. Probably maids or


    someone of lower ranks. There was no way a lycaness would participate in something like this with a


    mere werewolf like Zack. Not thinking twice, Kyle closed the distance between the two of them and,


    lifting Zack up by his hair, started punching him again and again until his fist was properly bloodied.


    The pathetic being tried to block a few punches and then tried kicking Kyle in the chest, probably to


    push him away. But the lycan only chuckled when he grabbed the prick¡¯s fist and


    31. You Saw Nothing


    ¡®


    Kyle knew what he had to do very well. He might have been the good guy who loved joking around and


    having fun, but at the same time, he came here with one purpose and one purpose only ¨C to protect his


    best childhood friend at all costs. And this time blogging as the Truthteller wasn¡¯t going to cut it.


    He knew it the moment he saw that piece of garbage in the hall and had to pretend that nothing was


    happening. But the more he observed Zack Morgan, the faster he came to the realisation that he would


    have to deal with him personally. He had already seen his friend in the pit of despair, and he wasn¡¯t


    going to let that traitor push her back again right when she started to return to her usual self. It was


    surprising that the North influenced Savvy in such a way, but Kyle was ready to take it. Whatever made


    her happy. They grew up like siblings since their parents died at about the same time, and other than


    her, Reid and Gideon, Kyle had no one else.


    It was easy to find Zack¡¯s room. He already knew where the guest wing was, and from there, he relied


    on the as*hole¡¯s scent: The stench of revolting mint led him to the door, and he heard moansing


    from the inside. He was doing it again. Even after seeing his mate tonight! Knowing what it would make


    her experience far too well.


    Kyle¡¯s fists clenched involuntarily as he heard a loud p and more moaning.


    ¡°Yes, baby, like that!¡± Zack grunted on the other side of the door, and the next moment Kyle knocked


    the whole thing out with his foot. The girls in the room screamed and ran in opposite directions from the


    luxurious bed in the centre, leaving Zack alone with the one who didn¡¯t manage to get away as he was


    still holding her hands crossed at her back and barely managed to pull out


    ¡°What the¡­¡± The werewolf didn¡¯t even get a chance to finish his sentence as the lycan stormed his


    way and grabbed his throat, throwing him against the wall. He could hear the sound of a few bones


    crushing at impact, but it wasn¡¯t even nearly enough.


    Three girls. He nned to have sex with three girls tonight just to hurt Savvy. Kyle never had a mate,


    and he couldn¡¯t even imagine what kind of pain that was. However, he heard some things. Muscles


    being torn from the bones, skin peeled, thick needles pierced into each inch again and again¡­ Those


    were just a fewparisons that came to his mind now. And he wanted Zack Morgan to experience


    each of those. He got one of the best mates possible, and this was what he was doing to her.


    Unbelievable!


    The rage went through every cell of the lycan¡¯s body.


    The girls hectically tried to gather their things and leave. They were all werewolves. Probably maids or


    someone of lower ranks. There was no way a lycaness would participate in something like this with a


    mere werewolf like Zack. Not thinking twice, Kyle closed the distance between the two of them and,


    lifting Zack up by his hair, started punching him again and again until his fist was properly bloodied.


    The pathetic being tried to block a few punches and then tried kicking Kyle in the chest, probably to


    push him away. But the lycan only chuckled when he grabbed the prick¡¯s fist and


    31. You Saw Nothing


    Kyle knew what he had to do very well. He might have been the good guy who loved joking around and


    having fun, but at the same time, he came here with one purpose and one purpose only ¨C to protect his


    best childhood friend at all costs. And this time blogging as the Truthteller wasn¡¯t going to cut it.


    He knew it the moment he saw that piece of garbage in the hall and had to pretend that nothing was


    happening. But the more he observed Zack Morgan, the faster he came to the realisation that he would


    have to deal with him personally. He had already seen his friend in the pit of despair, and he wasn¡¯t


    going to let that traitor push her back again right when she started to return to her usual self. It was


    surprising that the North influenced Savvy in such a way, but Kyle was ready to take it. Whatever made


    her happy. They grew up like siblings since their parents died at about the same time, and other than


    her, Reid and Gideon, Kyle had no one else.


    It was easy to find Zack¡¯s room. He already knew where the guest wing was, and from there, he relied


    on the as*hole¡¯s scent. The stench of revolting mint led him to the door, and he heard moansing


    from the inside. He was doing it again. Even after seeing his mate tonight! Knowing what it would make


    her experience far too well.


    Kyle¡¯s fists clenched involuntarily as he heard a loud p and more moaning.


    ¡°Yes, baby, like that!¡± Zack grunted on the other side of the door, and the next moment Kyle knocked


    the whole thing out with his foot. The girls in the room screamed and ran in opposite directions from the


    luxurious bed in the centre, leaving Zack alone with the one who didn¡¯t manage to get away as he was


    still holding her hands crossed at her back and barely managed to pull out.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± The werewolf didn¡¯t even get a chance to finish his sentence as the lycan stormed his


    way and grabbed his throat, throwing him against the wall. He could hear the sound of a few bones


    crushing at impact, but it wasn¡¯t even nearly enough.


    Three girls. He nned to have s*x with three girls tonight just to hurt Savvy. Kyle never had a mate,


    and he couldn¡¯t even imagine what kind of pain that was. However, he heard some things. Muscles


    being torn from the bones, skin peeled, thick needles pierced into each inch again and again¡­ Those


    were just a fewparisons that came to his mind now. And he wanted Zack Morgan to experience


    each of those. He got one of the best mates possible, and this was what he was doing to her.


    Unbelievable!


    The rage went through every cell of the lycan¡¯s body.


    The girls hectically tried to gather their things and leave. They were all werewolves. Probably maids or


    someone of lower ranks. There was no way a lycaness would participate in something like this with a


    mere werewolf like Zack. Not thinking twice, Kyle closed the distance between the two of them and,


    lifting Zack up by his hair, started punching him again and again until his fist was properly bloodied.


    The pathetic being tried to block a few punches and then tried kicking Kyle in the chest, probably to


    push him away. But the lycan only chuckled when he grabbed the prick¡¯s fist and


    twisted it to ensure it was broken too. Zack¡¯s painful groan sounded like music to his ears.


    Another punch ¨C and his lip was split, blood gathering in the corners of his mouth, One more ¨C and the


    eye was so swollen. He probably couldn¡¯t see with it anymore.


    Kyle didn¡¯t wish to stop. In fact, he wanted to continue until this man was erased from the face of the


    net


    It should have been Savvy¡¯s kill, but something went wrong today and she didn¡¯t finish him off.


    However, Kyle did not intend to let continue her suffering. She would forgive him sooner orter. She


    always did. But that piece of trash would be dead and wouldn¡¯t be able to hurt her anymore


    ¡°Stop!¡± he heard a voice, and someone¡¯s hand grabbed his. Yet Kyle didn¡¯t n to stop, so he just


    snapped his head to that person and snarled at¡­ her.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Petra¡¯s mentor, Evelynn, didn¡¯t even flinch. Out of everyone in this castle, she was thest person he


    expected to see.


    ¡°Go away,¡± Kyle growled loudly, his wolf barely holding back. They both wanted Zack¡¯s blood. All of it


    Evelynn¡¯s grip on him became tighter, and he felt her ws elongating, digging into his skin until it bled


    too. Surprisingly, that brought him back to his senses, and this time he furrowed his brows at her.


    ¡°Trust me, he deserves this!¡± The lycan clenched his lips.


    ¡°I have no doubt,¡± the she-wolf in front of him released him and fixed her perfect hairdo, her chocte


    hair shining in the light of the candles in the room.


    Candles! The asshole lit up candles for his fours*me!


    One of the girls was ready to leave, but Evelynn turned to her andmanded, ¡°Stay right there!


    Everyone!¡±


    Surprisingly, all three she-wolves froze on the spot.


    ¡°Just pretend you didn¡¯t see anything.¡± Kyle told her and turned back to Zack, ready to connect with his


    nose again. It still wasn¡¯t broken, and this just wouldn¡¯t do.


    ¡°if you kill him, your girl will be eliminated!¡± Evelynn said calmly and went to close the now crooked


    door. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, then be my guest.¡±


    Kyle wanted to crush the basterd¡¯s skull; however, he knew very well that he couldn¡¯t make such


    decisions on behalf of Savvy. She did not want to be eliminated. That was for sure.


    His eyes locked with Zack and the werewolf smirked at him, ¡°See, you can¡¯t do anything, boy!¡±


    This earned him yet another punch. Not a fatal one, but enough to knock a few teeth out of his mouth


    and send him to the floor where he belonged.


    Kyle was breathing heavily, not knowing what to do now and how to calm his nerves. Luckily for him,


    Evelynn ced her delicate hand on his shoulder and gestured to the exit.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said calmly, and he followed her. But the woman stopped at the door and turned to look


    at the three girls in the room. ¡°No word of this to anyone. If you say anything, it will be your word


    against mine. And trust me, the King, the Princess and literally everyone else will believe me over you.


    That includes you too, Alpha. You are a stranger in the North. A stranger who


    no one likes. I have a backup of at least four Northern Alphas behind my back. Don¡¯t test me.¡±


    ¡°Not nning to,¡± Zack spat blood on the floor and wiped his mouth angrily. He could barely stand on


    his feet


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Evelynn grabbed Kyle and pulled him out of the room.


    She was walking firmly, and for a while, he wasn¡¯t sure where she was taking him. Until she pushed


    one of the doors, and they found themselves inside cosy chambers in green and beige tones. The


    space was much bigger than what was offered to him, Zara and Savannah.


    ¡°Is this your room?¡± Kyle wondered, and she nodded affirmatively, getting fresh towels out of the


    wardrobe.


    ¡°To the bathroom,¡± she ordered curtly, and now he was intrigued. ¡°What is this, forey?¡± he chuckled


    as he followed her order.


    ¡°In your dreams!¡± She rolled her eyes and ced the towels on the sink. ¡°Strip and get into the


    shower.¡±


    Now he looked at her with a smirk, ¡°I am getting some really mixed signals here, Lynn.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Evelynn to you,¡± she corrected him with a sneer. ¡°Hand me your clothes and wash off the blood.


    Clean the shower after yourself too, as I am not doing it. And don¡¯t think for a moment my help to you is


    free of charge.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± he cocked his brow and unbuttoned his shirt quickly. ¡°So, you want something from me then?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I do.¡± She didn¡¯t even flinch when he got rid of the shirt entirely and started unbuckling his


    pants. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯d push you off that hypothetical cliff now and call Princess Elene myself. Then


    watch you and your girl burn in her wrath while sipping my wine.¡±


    ¡°How cruel!¡± Kyle lost his pants and stood before her, waiting for a reaction, but only heard augh as


    Evelynn turned on her heels.


    ¡°Get it done fast! You are going to get Petra out of today¡¯s mess before you leave my room,¡± she


    warned him, walking away.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± he scoffed, following the woman with his gaze and finding her incredibly attractive in this


    boss mode of hers. ¡°You think Petra still has a chance to marry Kai?¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t,¡± Evelynn shook her head and turned to re at him. ¡°Neither do I want her to. She was


    never a candidate. But believe it or not, her performance here will impact her whole life. If she doesn¡¯t


    meet her mate, and not everyone is so lucky, she would have the best Northern Alphas asking for her


    hand. If she fails, she will be aughingstock. I can¡¯t afford that.¡±


    ¡°You really love her, don¡¯t you?¡± Kyle leaned against the doorframe with his hands folded on his chest.


    Still bare to her gaze.


    ¡°She is all I have,¡± Evelynn confessed unexpectedly and then erased emotions from her face in less


    than a second. ¡°So, chop-chop! You have a lot of work to do!¡±


    ***


    Savannah wiped her eyes again to make sure it wasn¡¯t some kind of illusion.


    ¡°Now?¡± she giggled and looked at Kai¡¯s excited face. ¡°I am a little underdressed, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me, woman,¡± he growled, and while she expected him to push her back on the


    m


    en in


    de


    bed and have his way with her, she saw him taking off his jacket, only to wrap it around her shoulders.


    The King then went to the wardrobe to find something she did not anticipate. Good hiking boots


    ¡°Really?¡± Savvy arched her brow at him as he knelt in front of her to help put them on, clearly in a


    hurry,cing the shoes up.


    ¡°Really,¡± he confirmed with a grin as he took her hand and pulled her after him. He was wearing a grey


    wool sweater and jeans; somehow, she liked it more than the suits he had to put on for the official


    events. It suited him more.


    As he led her out of the castle, the night sky was dusted with the stars. It seemed that not a soul was


    around except for the guards on their usual posts.


    ¡°Where are we going exactly?¡± she wondered and saw the corners of his lips curling into a smug smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise!¡± he said as he brought her to a huge car next to the gates. This was already not what


    she expected at all.


    Kai took the driver¡¯s seat, and she was right next to him when they drove off. He was taking her to the


    mountains surrounding the castle. She always wondered what was up there.


    Well, now she had a chance to see for herself.


    The narrow icy serpentine roads made Savvy remember a few old prayers to the Moon Goddess, but


    the view of the castle, the small towns down below with their glimmering lights and the northern woods


    that stretched for miles and miles made up for pretty much everything. However, mostly it was thanks


    to the fact that he just came back from a battle and went straight to see her and take her to¡­ Moon


    Goddess knows where. This was the most romantic thing that anyone had ever done for her,


    Unless he was going to push her off that mountain, of course, but the pure excitement on his face told


    her it was nothing of the sort.


    ¡°Is it really safe for us to go outside alone again?¡± she asked and bit her lip at once, knowing that it was


    a sensitive topic for him.


    ¡°No worries,¡± he assured her with a chuckle, ¡°every inch around the castle is heavily protected. My


    warriors are everywhere here. You will not see them, but they are close.¡±


    ¡°Nice to know,¡± she mumbled and looked at him apologetically. However, the Lycan King only ced


    his hand on top of hers and gave it a light squeeze. This little gesture of reassurance brought peace to


    her at once.


    Soon the car stopped at a ce Savvy would never have predicted it could stop. She looked out of the


    window again and realised that only two feet from the door of her car was a steep hill descending into


    the white mist. She couldn¡¯t even see the ground behind the fog.


    ¡°Come this way,¡± Kai offered her a hand and helped her to get out through the driver¡¯s seat, which she


    dly epted as she wasn¡¯t a big fan of heights.


    Savannah noticed that he took her into what looked like a cave. He had an old campingntern in his


    arm, which he switched on almost immediately to illuminate their way.


    Savvy gasped when she saw the cave¡¯s walls covered with carvings. Intricate patterns revealed the


    pictures of wolves and people, lycans and bears, each chisel mark crisp and


    well-formed. She quickly realised that they weren¡¯t just images. They were stories and she had never


    seen anything like it.


    But Kai ignored all that and kept walking, tugging her after himself. ¡°Wait,¡± she tried to stop him. ¡°What


    is this ce? Is that¡­ Fenrir?¡±


    She pointed at an image of a huge wolf who was carved and then painted ck all over. Next to him


    stood a woman in a beautiful dress, with a crescent in her hair.


    ¡°And is that the Moon Goddess?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just some maiden,¡± the King stopped for a moment and then pointed at a picture of a woman


    with a crescent crown and on a throne, wearing armour and with a sword in her hand, ¡°That is the


    Moon Goddess.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Savvy stopped. ¡°We paint her differently in the West.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Kai snorted, finally making a stop and letting her admire the ancient art. ¡°You paint her


    in pretty dresses.¡±


    ¡°You are saying that as if there is something wrong with that!¡± Savvy looked at him with a challenge,


    waiting for his answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ she is the most powerful woman and goddess. We see her as a warrior deity. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Savannah let out a littleugh. ¡°Do you think a pretty dress will suddenly make her less powerful


    or less of a warrior?¡±


    ¡°I feel like it¡¯s a trick question and choose not to reply to that!¡± The Northern King made a wise choice


    and grasped the Princess¡¯ hand again. ¡°Come on! I don¡¯t want us to miss it!¡±


    They walked through a tunnel with carvings until Savvy saw a round opening in one of the walls. This


    one also went straight to the cliff, and she hoped that this wasn¡¯t their final destination


    The flicker of hope, however, was soon extinguished by Kai, who threw a nket on the ground right


    next to the edge and ced thentern nearby, gesturing for her to join him.


    ¡°Come, Savvy, it almost started.¡±

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    ¡°Okay¡± she sat beside him hesitantly, unsure what to expect. ¡°You are intriguing me, Kai Fiongh.¡±


    ¡°Savannah, I haven¡¯t even started yet,¡± he winked at her and wrapped hisrge arm around her frame.


    She fitted nicely under it. Just as if they were made for each other,


    They sat like that for a while, and absolutely nothing was happening. Except for the two of them


    hearing their hearts beating in unison and the stars shining brightly above their heads.


    Savvy giggled, remembering something. ¡°What is it?¡± Kai asked, and she tried to avert his gaze. ¡°It¡¯s


    nothing,¡± she lied.


    ¡°It¡¯s something,¡± the King insisted, pulling her closer and enjoying her warmth mixed with that


    intoxicating bluebell scent


    ¡°Well,¡± Savvy snorted because she couldn¡¯t hold it back anymore. ¡°I just remembered that you call


    yourself the North Star.¡±


    ¡°First of all,¡± Kai tapped her nose gently. ¡°I am not calling myself that. People call me that¡±


    ¡°Changes everything!¡± the girl snickered, and he tightened his grip on her. He always wanted to have


    her closer


    ¡°And it has a meaning behind it,¡± he pointed out, shooting her a mischievous look. He said nothing else,


    and Savvy lost patience. ¡°Don¡¯t stop now!¡± she jabbed him with her elbow, and he pretended it hurt.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    Savannah¡¯s face faded when she realised he could have been wounded after all. Kai read her worried


    gaze correctly. Her concern warmed his chest slightly.


    ¡°Just kidding,¡± he snuggled the princess, kissing her temple and then pointed at the sky. ¡°Look, it¡¯s over


    there. The North Star. Since ancient times it had been of special significance to us northerners. Not


    only it¡¯s one of the first stars to appear in the sky, but it¡¯s also one of the brightest. Wherever a


    northerner finds himself, he or she can always find the way back to the North just by walking towards


    this star. It will always lead them back home.¡±


    ¡°Kai,¡± Savannah breathed out with a gentle smile on her lips. ¡°This is actually beautiful.¡±


    ¡°I think so too,¡± he chuckled, brushing his nose over her cheek. ¡°This is why each King here is called


    the North Star. He is supposed to be the guide to his people and to make sure North always remains


    their home.¡±


    ¡°It makes much more sense now,¡± she turned to look at him but found their lips way too close to each


    other all of a sudden. His warm breath was caressing her skin, and she couldn¡¯t help but inhale his


    scent of fresh forest and pine, He pecked her lips gently, and she responded to


    him, leaning, forward and doing the same, luring him in. She didn¡¯t want to pull away and was d


    when he finally tugged her closer, burying his free hand in her hair and deepening the kiss.


    Pleasant goosebumps rippled all over her. They couldn¡¯t have enough of each other, and it was 80


    obvious now. Too obvious¡­.


    Something coldnded on her cheek, and she winced at the new sensation, trying to ignore it. But then


    it happened again, and she had to blink it away from her longshes when she suddenly realised and


    broke the kiss.


    ¡°Snow!¡± She gasped and looked at Kai, who seemed to be mesmerised by her instead. ¡°It¡¯s snowing!¡±


    A knowing smile formed on his lips as he watched her excitement, and she realised that this was what


    he had brought her here for.


    ¡°The first snow¡­¡± The words stuck in her throat. He brought her to watch the first snow... An event of


    significant importance to the northerners.


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    ¡°First snow,¡± he confirmed her suspicions with a nod and locked her in his arms again. ¡°Savannah, here


    in the North, you only greet First Snow with a person who has your heart. In the olden days, winters


    were harsh, and often people couldn¡¯t move around much during the coldest months. Meeting the First


    Snow together was a promise to spend the winter together, however good or bad it was. It was a


    promise to love each other even during the darkest days and to stay together through all the hardships.


    It meant that two people loved and trusted each other with their lives.¡±


    She sucked in a deep breath, feeling her heart racing in her chest. He was so serious about all this. It


    was slowly sinking in ¡­


    ¡°Savvy,¡± he took her hands into his, ¡°I want to spend many winters with you. I ¡­ want to spend all my


    winters with you.¡±


    His hand went for the pocket of his trousers, and Savannah got scared. Everything was happening so


    fast!


    Kai got out something silvery and sparkling, making her gasp again at the sight of a beautiful pendant


    on a delicate chain. She understood what it was at once as the little diamonds were glimmering in the


    light of their littlentern, She saw that pendant in all those history books


    she was reading here. The northern Lunas of the past were wearing this around their necks on the old


    paintings.


    A scattering of diamonds adorned a four-pointed star with four smaller rays between them, and one


    larger diamond unted precisely in the centre of the exquisite pendant.


    ¡°The North Star ne,¡± the King confirmed her thoughts. ¡°Only my Queen can wear it, and today I


    want to give it to you.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± She grasped his arm, and he froze with a tense puzzled expression on his face, his lips


    clenched so tight they formed a thin white line.


    ¡°Why?¡± He said only one word, but there was so much in it. She hated herself for ruining this moment,


    but he was talking about trust, and she had to ensure nothing was hidden between them.


    ¡°Before you decide whether to give this to me or not, I have something to tell you.¡± She sighed heavily,


    watching him lowering his hands with the pendant, realising one thing¡­ she wanted nothing more than


    him cing it on her neck. She wanted something else on her neck from him as well¡­ she wanted


    everything he could have given her.


    ¡°Speak,¡± he said, his voice hoarse to the point of being unrecognisable. ¡°Please, Savvy, speak!¡±


    Do you remember how I told you about my mate?¡± She asked and saw his Adam apple twitching


    ¡°You said it didn¡¯t work out,¡± Kai replied dryly.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. It did not.¡± She admitted this without regret and noticed a trace of relief on his face. ¡°I


    trusted him because of our bond. I believe that the true mate bond is sacred for everyone ¡­ but I was


    wrong. He betrayed me on the very night we met.¡±


    Kai¡¯s fists clenched tight, and for a second, she was worried he¡¯d break the delicate chain he was


    holding. However, she had to go on.


    ¡°We were preapring for the war with red foxes and bears, and I heard him talking to the Fox King


    Castiel over the phone,¡± she continued. ¡°They discussed how they would kill Gideon and share hisnd


    and power. My so-called mate promised to that fox that he would take care of me, that I would be


    nothing more than his breeding machine producing royal pups for him.¡±


    Kai swore in a momentary fury. She didn¡¯t know that word because it was something in the ancient


    northernnguage, but she knew a curse when she heard one.


    ¡°I had to run first thing in the morning to deliver the information about the traitors to my brother, and he


    was chasing me with his pack. They would have killed me if they could back then. Of that, I am sure.¡±


    She stopped just for a second to gather more strength. It wasn¡¯t easy to share this part of her story. ¡°I


    got to the werecats¡¯ territory and asked for Asylum. They helped me. Naya was there. This was when I


    tried to reject him


    ¡°Tried?¡± Kai was barely controlling the rage of Asgard inside of him. The wolf was already asking for


    blood.


    ¡°He did not ept my rejection,¡± she gulped and looked him in the eye.


    ¡°Where is he now?¡± The Northern King gritted his teeth, already nning how he would kill that man. ¡°I


    am sure I can help him to find the right words.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing, Kai,¡± Savannah sighed. ¡°He is here. Zack Morgan, the werewolf who is your important


    guest now, is my mate.¡±


    It all hit Kai at once. Of course! He knew that this man was the traitor in the West. He should have


    guessed when she first mentioned the betrayal. He felt like an i***t for weing this basterd into his


    house, for parading him in front of Savannah and asking her to tolerate him. But he also experienced


    an irresistible wave of jealousy toward her. He thought that Savannah and her mate mutually rejected


    each other, secretly hoping the guy had already been dead. Yet here he was. The man who technically


    had more rights to her than he did. And he hated that fact alone. Something dark was growing inside


    him at the simple thought that Zack could still be thinking of exercising his rights.


    He clenched the silly ne in his palm, feeling now that it wasn¡¯t enough. ¡°Elene,¡± he mind linked


    his sister. ¡°Where are you?!¡± she demanded at once. ¡°We ¡­.¡±


    ¡°Out,¡± he cut her off as he wasn¡¯t ready for a heart-to-heart conversation with his sibling now of all


    times. ¡°I need Zack Morgan held in his room until I get back. He cannot leave. If he


    tries, you can use force. Just keep him there and alive.¡±


    Kai, what is.¡± Elene wanted to ask something else, but he closed the link, knowing that just an order


    would be enough.


    His attention got back to Savannah, and he noticed that her eyes glistened with a few tears threatening


    to fall down her cheeks at any moment. He had been silent since her important confession, and she


    could have taken it wrong.


    ¡°Savvy,¡± he tried to find the right words to reassure her.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she wiped her eyes quickly, pretending that it was nothing. ¡°Whatever you decide is okay. I


    had to tell you. That¡¯s all, so, if you changed your mind ¡­.¡±


    ¡°Changed my mind?¡± A nervousugh escaped him as he cupped her chin, making the western


    princess look at him. ¡°Changed my mind, Savvy? I am in love with you. So is my wolf. We have never


    experienced this, and I know only one thing. Changing my mind about making you mine is definitely not


    an option for me.¡±


    ¡°We barely know each other,¡± she protested weakly, more tears streaming down her cheeks to her own


    surprise.


    ¡°Who cares when it feels so right?!¡± he chuckled, inclining towards her. ¡°When I want only you ¡­ when


    I choose you ¡­.¡±


    He covered her lips with his in a greedy possessive kiss which was like staking his im on her. He


    would kill for that woman; he would wage war for her if he had to. She was his from the moment they


    met, and he wouldn¡¯t have this any other way. He knew that now. He had known that


    for a while¡­


    ¡°Kai,¡± she whispered when they broke their kiss and rested their foreheads on each other.


    ¡°Do you choose me, Savannah?¡± he asked, embarrassed at his own trembling voice. His whole body


    was shaking because he needed to hear her answer on a physical level. He knew that this was the


    moment she could make him the happiest man alive or break him beyond repair. ¡°Do you agree to be


    mine? My Luna, my Queen, my chosen mate?¡±


    She looked him in the eye just for a few seconds, but it seemed like forever to him.


    ¡°I will spend all my winters with you, Kai Fiongh,¡± she smiled through tears, and he felt as if a heavy


    weight was lifted off his chest. ¡°I choose you too. Now and forever. .. I love you too.¡±


    He got the ne to her neck again, trying to control himself as all that he wanted now was to devour


    her here and now. Savvy turned her back to him and lifted her hair to give him better ess.


    When he was done, and she turned back to him, he had to admit that the North Star looked beautiful


    on her neck. It looked as if it always belonged there.


    ¡°Come here!¡± He pulled her back into his warm embrace, and they both started watching the beautiful


    snowkes dancing and curling in the frosty air. Slowly, the tops of the trees, the roofs of the castle


    towers and the towns below were powdered with white crispy shimmering snow.


    Savannah noticed many lights on now, although it was the middle of the night and realised


    that these were other couples greeting the First Snow together and making promises to each other


    It seemed like they spent hours like this, Savvy on Kai¡¯sp, leaning over his broad chest and enjoying


    his hands wrapped tightly around her. He was kissing the top of her head from time to time, and this


    meant more to her than any words he could say.


    She noticed how a thick white nket covered everything around them.


    ¡°There is so much snow,¡± she raised her hand to catch a few beautiful snowkes. ¡°How are we going


    back down these narrow mountain roads?¡±


    ¡°Go back?¡± she heard the king snort. ¡°Savvy, travelling down these roads is impossible during snow,


    and a blizzard is about toe in less than an hour. I am afraid we are going to be stuck here for


    days.¡±


    Savannah¡¯s lips parted in shock¡­

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    ¡°Kai, what were you thinking?¡± Savvy yelped helplessly. ¡°Days? We are going to be stuck in a cave for


    days?!¡±


    ¡°You sound so scared!¡± he chuckled, brushing his fingers over her legs and lifting the fabric of the dress


    slightly higher.


    ¡°Scared isn¡¯t the right word for what I feel,¡± she ran her hand over her face. ¡°It¡¯s a cave! There is no


    food, no water, no ce to sleep! What are we going to do?¡±


    ¡°Oh, about that,¡± he moved her off hisp. ¡°There are actually a lot of things to do here. Follow


    me.¡±


    He walked away into the darkness, and Savvy grabbed thentern, trying to catch up with him.


    He turned in a different direction from which they originally came from, and Savvy gasped when in just


    under a minute, they walked out into what looked like a much bigger cave, the bottom of which was


    filled with beautiful teal water that seemed to glow delicately.


    Vaults and arches of stone resembling marble surrounded them, high, beautiful and majestic. It would


    be impossible if a man wanted to create something like that. Only the force of nature was capable of


    such a masterpiece. Savannah had never seen anything like it. The water shimmered softly in the light


    that came from the ceiling. This was another thing that amazed the princess. The top of the cave was


    peppered with glowing crystals. They gleamed in the darkness, creating an ethereal atmosphere


    around them.


    ¡°What is this ce?¡± she turned to look at kai atst and lost the ability to speak as the King was


    already stripping himself, throwing his clothes to the ground.


    ¡°This is a ce where no one else can get,¡± he said with a smirk, enjoying her reaction to his body.


    ¡°The Sacred Northern Mountain Springs.¡±


    He didn¡¯t exin anything anymore and just jumped into the crystal clear water, creating waves around


    himself.


    Savannah carefully ced thentern on one of the rocks and watched him swim for a while.


    Werewolves usually didn¡¯t like swimming too much, but Kai seemed confident in his skills. And also, he


    was showing off before her, which made her grin at him.


    ¡°Care to join me?¡± he asked when he swam closer to the shore after a while. ¡°Or maybe the Western


    Princess doesn¡¯t know how to swim? No worries then, I can teach you. I am an excellent


    teacher.¡±


    ¡°You just want to get me naked, do you?¡± She arched her brow, sliding out of one of her shoes and


    carefully testing the water with her bare foot. It was nicely warm.


    ¡°I wanted to get you naked from the moment Iid my eyes on you, Savvy.¡± Kai chuckled, making her


    cheeks flush with his honesty.


    ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s your lucky day.¡± Savannah¡¯s lips curled as she slowly moved her dress off one of her


    shoulders and then the other, yfully shrugging out of it and watching it fall to her feet.


    She stood bare before him now, wearing only the North Star ne on her neck. He took her in for a


    few moments as if he was speechless and then a growl of approval became his response to her. Kai¡¯s


    eyes were glowing blue now, and he didn¡¯t even try to hide how much he wanted her when he


    stretched his hand, asking her to join him without saying the words.


    Cautiously, Savannah stepped into the water, finding the sensations mostly pleasant. She had to admit


    ¨C no one would be able to repeat that date even if they tried. There weren¡¯t too many marble mountain


    caves with hot springs and magical glowing crystals in the world.


    Kai was waiting for her, and she decided not to waste the opportunity to tease him more. So she dived


    underwater, swimming past him. Savvy was amazed to see that there were more crystals at the bottom


    of this warmke, illuminating everything around them. However, she didn¡¯t get to enjoy the sight for


    long as something even more magnificent swam right in front of her.


    Kai caught her in his arms and pulled her all the way up to the surface. Water trickled down their faces


    as they were pressed tightly against each other. He could feel her soft and delicate body against his


    hardness, hands sliding over each of her curves.


    They didn¡¯t need any words anymore; all the choices were already made a while ago. So, when the


    lycan brushed his lips over hers, she parted them for him. The desire was overwhelming, but they still


    were not throwing themselves at each other. Now it felt like they had all the time in the world.


    Kai pecked her lips gently, enjoying the smoothness of her skin under water. Deepening the kiss, he


    hooked one of her thighs and helped her wrap it around his waist for support. Savvy moaned when he


    started peppering her neck with kisses and then lifted her higher to bite at one of her breasts gently.


    This caused a wave of pleasant tingles all over her body, and she threw her head back


    He loved seeing the North Star above her perfect peaks, but he knew he would like to see something


    else not far from it. Asgard wanted to mark that woman as his so badly! Not to mention that he was


    sharing this desire of his.


    Savannah traced her delicate fingers over his chest and arms. He was so much bigger than her, so


    much stronger. And she craved him more than anything in this world.


    ¡°Would you take me already?¡± she asked him bluntly as he cupped her bottom. ¡°Impatient little maid,¡±


    he chuckled darkly and slid his hand between her thighs. ¡°Kai,¡± she groaned as he parted her folds, the


    warmness of her core not lost on him.


    ¡°All in due time,¡± he bit on her neck slightly, right where he nned to mark herter and teased the


    sensitive bundle of nerves in her centre. A moan escaped her, which was like music to his ears. He


    wanted her toe undone in his hands and slowly inserted a finger inside of her, which caused


    another jolt of pleasure in her. He added another finger, and this made Savannah arch her back. Not


    thinking twice, Kai spun her in the water so that she could lean her back over his chest now, and


    brought his fingers back to work, pumping in and out of her at a rhythm that seemedfortable for his


    future queen.


    He grasped one of her breasts, kneading it and tugging her n?pple in between his fingers, building her


    up slowly but inevitably.


    Savvy lost herself in the sensation. Kai knew very well what he was doing, and she was


    enjoying it to the fullest. She wasn¡¯t a fan of s*x in ake, but the idea was quickly growing on her as


    the King hit just the right spot every time. With him, she was ready to explore new things.


    He could feel her tight little s*x clenching over him and made sure to tip her over the edge, enjoying


    how her trembling body felt against his.


    ¡°I love you, Savvy,¡± he whispered into her ear as he pinched the already swollen bud softly and made


    her scream loudly as she came on his fingers. To heighten her rel*ase, he grazed his canines over her


    marking spot, and that made her forget about everything. He was still stroking her gently when she


    tried to steady her breath, despite her quivering thighs and heaving chest.


    She turned around to face him, and her hand found his hard member pressed tight against his


    abdomen. She ran her fingers over his length, unable to wrap her fingers around it and sucking on a


    sharp breath. She was going to enjoy it immensely.


    Just her touch made the mighty Lycan king of the North shiver with joy. She found his tip, looking


    straight into his eyes now and rubbed her thumb over it in a circr motion, enjoying the power she


    now had over him.


    She was ready, and they both knew that now.


    However, Kai surprised her when he suddenly swam away from her and all the way to the opposite


    bank from where they came from.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Savvy¡¯s lips parted. This wasn¡¯t what she expected at all.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be greedy, Savannah!¡± The King smirked at her getting out of the water. She really did not see


    where he was going with it. ¡°The night is young.¡±


    He shifted into his dark wolf right in front of her eyes and waited for her.


    Intrigues, Savvy chose to follow him again. He clearly had nned everything, and who was she to


    deny the King?


    In just a few moments, she stood naked before the huge wolf, and he growled at her, greed and lust in


    his eyes. However, he didn¡¯t budge and waved hisrge head, motioning for her to shift as well.


    Savannah chose to obey him this once, especially considering Athena wanted to be unleashed badly.


    She and Asgard never had a chance to bond, and Savvy knew it wasn¡¯t fair.


    She shifted into her beautiful wolf, and the two of them just looked at each other for a few moments.


    Asgard stepped closer, rubbing his nose in the crook of her neck, digging his canines into her fur to let


    his female know what was toe soon.


    Then, when he managed to inhale her wonderful bluebell scent, he suddenly sprinted away, howling.


    Savvy and Athena were both startled, but Asgard¡¯s howl let them know he was just leading the way.


    The white wolf with ck ears huffed in annoyance but ran after the northern Alpha. Nothing could beat


    her curiosity.


    They were running for a few good minutes, and Savannah realised that this mountain was full of hidden


    caves and passages. It was a real maze, and the King was finding his way with ease. She was


    memorising the turns too, just in case, and generally, it felt like they were getting higher.


    * Soon, they saw the light before them, and Asgard ran out of the cave to what looked like a snow-


    covered clearing at first. But soon Savvy realised they were on the shoulder of a mountain. This was


    probably on the other side as she couldn¡¯t see the views of the northern capital of the castle. Just more


    mountain peaks and woods beneath them stretching for miles with the tree tops frosted with snow.


    It was still snowing heavily. However, the biggest surprise was that Kai wasn¡¯t taking her just anywhere.


    Right in the middle of all this, there was a small wooden house. The light was lit inside, but she couldn¡¯t


    smell any scents around other than Kai¡¯s.


    He shifted before they reached the little house, still not bothered with his nakedness, and a smirk


    yed on his handsome face. He had nned it all just perfectly


    ¡°Come on, Savannah,¡± he gestured for her to follow his example. ¡°The best is yet to


    She turned back into her human form when they almost reached the wooden stairs, and he barely let


    her touch the cold ground, sweeping her off her feet.


    ¡°You have prepared!¡± she praised him with a giggle, and his eyes lingered on her before he stormed


    inside the house.


    ¡°Sometimes I feel that I have been preparing for you all my life, Savvy,¡± he said firmly, and she ced


    her head on his shoulder. This felt so good¡­


    He took her inside, the warmth of the house greeting them and making the goosebumps on


    Savannah¡¯s skin disappear. The interior was thest thing on her mind now, but her eyes still had a


    quick nce over, noting a huge firece carved out of stone identical to the one she saw in the caves,


    cosy furniture, arge white fur rug on the floor and a ss wall with the best view she had ever seen


    behind it.


    As if she was the most precious thing in the world, Kai ced her carefully onto the soft fur that tickled


    her skin. The fire was already crackling in the firece, sparks twirling and flying up the chimney.


    ¡°Lights off,¡± Kai said loudly, and now the mes were the only thing illuminating the room and their


    faces.


    ¡°What a smart little house!¡± Savvy curled her lips as the lycan towered over her, his hand gliding up her


    thigh gently, drawing patterns on the way.


    ¡°You will remember this house as the ce where the magic happens,¡± he leaned down and nibbled at


    her lips.


    ¡°Cheesy!¡± she let out augh, wrapping her hands around his neck.


    They were so happy now, and it felt so right that she was afraid she would wake up any minute.


    For the first time ever, they were finally alone. She could sense that there was no one around. No one


    was going to interrupt them. Nothing was going to happen.


    There was him and her. They were the only two people in the entire world.


    They both needed this closeness. All the odds were against them at all times, and only their desire to


    be together was not letting them give up. Even though they didn¡¯t really know each other for too long, it


    felt like they had been waiting for this exact moment forever.


    Their skin heated against each other, and Kai moved slightly to part her legs and slide in between


    them. His fingers feathered over her skin, eliciting a rush of goosebumps over it. Savannah arched her


    back for him, and he took it as an invitation to devour her delicious body. Grasping both of her breasts,


    he inhaled one of the ni*ples into his mouth, then, after realising it. flickered his tongue over the other


    until he managed to draw a moan from her.


    Savvy gasped from the pleasure when he mmed his lips into hers, madly and greedily, demanding


    dominance. And this time, she was ready to submit to him, which only caused another snarl of approval


    from him.


    Kai slowly plunged his fingers back into her core, probing how ready she was for him, and caught


    Savannah¡¯s moan with his mouth.


    ¡°Mine!¡± The word escaped him against his will, but she did not object, and he enjoyed repeating it over


    and over as he covered her skin with wet kisses.


    ¡°Kai!¡± His name on her lips sounded like a plea, and he was happy to fulfil her wish, positioning himself


    at her entrance. He nudged slightly, parting her glistening folds and coating his tip in her juices.


    Breathing hitched, the princess closed her eyes and curved her back for him, grasping the fur around


    her. She felt hisrge palm on one of her breasts, ying with it, teasing her hardened bud.


    ¡°Eyes on me, Savvy,¡± the King ordered, and she did as she was told on instinct, surprised by her own


    reaction. She never considered herself the submissive type, but right now, his voice alone was almost


    tipping her over the edge. She had never experienced this before and found herself enjoying the new


    game. Kai was never stern with her and always treated her as his equal, but she liked his authoritative


    tone now.


    They were both radiating, desire. It was impossible to hold back anymore, so when he slowly started


    thrusting his member into her, stretching her inner walls, she let out a loud moan.


    He was watching her patiently, afraid to hurt his Little Maid. This was thest thing he wanted, but his


    body was already shivering from the restraint. Holding himself back when she felt so good was an


    impossible task.


    ¡°Kai, please,¡± she begged him, furrowing her brows, and he understood her at once. Withdrawing


    slowly, he plunged himself back to the hilt in one rough move, and she struggled to keep looking at him


    because it felt so good. He thrust into her again and again, pulling her closer now and leaning lower to


    capture her lips.


    ¡°Mine,¡± he growled into her mouth. ¡°Only yours,¡± she replied, digging her nails into his flesh ¡­ And this


    undid him. He lunged at her, locking his arms around her small frame to keep her in ce.


    Their breathing came in sharp pants as he pounded into her like the savage beast that he was, Asgard


    taking control from time to time. Savannah¡¯s whimpers and moans filled the room as pleasure pulsed


    through her body. She was giving him sloppy kisses when he was close enough, and he responded to


    her with everything he had.


    The cl*max ripped through Savannah¡¯s body, and Kai let her ride it before stilling. He spilt her seed into


    her, ensuring no drop went to waste.


    His body, covered with beads of sweat, copsed against hers and Savvy felt his hot breath


    in the area of her neck..


    ¡°I love you so much,¡± he muttered, kissing her delicate skin.


    Lying next to her, he pulled her onto his chest because even after everything they had just done, he


    wanted more. A part of him wondered if it would ever be enough. Could he ever have enough of


    Savvy?


    ¡°You know,¡± she looked at him through hershes. ¡°You were right after all.¡± ¡°I am always right,¡± he


    huffed. ¡°Care to borate?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be such a¡­ gardener!¡± She giggled and tried to get off him, but he rolled them both and made


    sure to pin her against the fur with his body weight.


    ¡°I thought you loved me as a gardener,¡± he chuckled, leaning to kiss her.


    ¡°I would love you as anything or anyone,¡± she said, suddenly serious. Their eyes locked, and he knew


    that she meant it.


    ¡°Then I am the luckiest man alive!¡± Kai admitted, his heart racing and ready to jump out of his chest.


    That woman belonged to him and him alone.


    ¡°You are!¡± She scoffed, and the sound of their jointughter danced around them. ¡°Magic does happen


    in this house!¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t even started!¡± Kai¡¯s eyes got darker, and she felt surges of desire again. But he stalled,


    and she didn¡¯t know what he was waiting for.


    The Lycan king of the North was clearly looking for the right words, and she gave him a moment to find


    them.


    ¡°Savvy,¡± he trailed her neck with his fingers, stopping in the most significant ce and rubbing it with


    his thumb. ¡°I want to mark you¡­. I want to mark you here and now.¡±

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    34. Breakfast


    Savannah froze, hearing his words. She had thought about this moment so many times in the past few


    days.


    A mark would definitely seal their fates forever. There would be no turning back from that.


    Unless they would end up like her sister-inw Riannon and her first husband. Being chosen mates did


    not work out too well for them. Moon Goddess, that divorce was ugly.


    But this wasn¡¯t possible with Kai. They were different. Kai was different.


    They were in love, and it could conquer anything. Even though they were just chosen mates, it felt so


    right. Riannon¡¯s story wouldn¡¯t happen to them. Or at least¡­ to her.


    Because she already had a true mate, it was unlikely she would ever be granted another.


    Second chance mates were more of a myth now. Although she did hear of it happening a few times.


    However, she couldn¡¯t deny the possibility of Kai meeting his true mate. What would he do then? What


    if he would fall in love with her on the spot and forget all his promises? This¡­ the thought alone made


    her shiver, and it did not escape the King¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Savvy, what¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked, watching emotions change on her beautiful face. He was


    disappointed she didn¡¯t say yes on the spot. It was a beautiful moment for them, and he felt it was


    perfect for the marking. He could barely hold himself from digging his canines into her neck. It was so


    close, and the bluebell scent was stronger there, intoxicating, to say the least.


    But the woman he was so madly in love with wasn¡¯t saying a word; it felt the same as piercing his heart


    with a silver knife.


    ¡°W-wasn¡¯t there a tradition that you have to have a marking ceremony for your Luna?¡± she asked. His


    own excitement dropped as he watched her hopeful gaze.


    ¡°She is scared,¡± Asgard said in his mind, stepping away from trying to get the control and surprising Kai


    with such behaviour. Just a second ago he was fighting to mark her faster, not wishing to wait for even


    a second longer. And now, he took a step back for the first time in their life.


    This was new. ¡°You are giving up just like that?¡± Kai was truly perplexed with his wolf now.


    ¡°Give up?¡± Asgard scoffed, ¡°She is ours. We chose her, and there will be no other. Ever. Even if the


    Moon Goddess sends us a thousand perfect true mates, we will reject each one of them for this


    woman. Fenrir didn¡¯t have a mate, but he devoted his existence to the woman he chose. And so will


    we.¡±


    ¡°I am d we are on the same page here,¡± kai admitted. ¡°But what do we do now it she is not as sure


    as we are?¡±


    ¡°She is sure, or she wouldn¡¯t be here,¡± Asgard assured him. ¡°The thing is that this f*cktard of a mate of


    hers ruined her trust in love and f*cked with her head. He was supposed to be the one person who


    loved and protected her, but he hurt her instead. She gave herself to him, and he spat into her soul. For


    that, he will die, of course, but that¡¯s not what¡¯s important now. What¡¯s important is that if we want our


    mark on Savannah¡¯s neck, we need to make her feel safe and loved with us. This is the only way.¡±


    Kai knew that his wolf was right. He couldn¡¯t push Savvy into something she wasn¡¯t ready for. She


    deserved better and so did he. When the time woulde, it would be perfect. Today was already


    good enough. Comining when hey naked on top of the woman of his dreams wasn¡¯t in his ns.


    He knew that he would do anything to make her happy. This was just a little step back.


    Even if his mark wasn¡¯t there yet, the North Star was. Everyone would know who she belonged to.


    ¡°Yes, there is a ceremony,¡± he said after a long pause and saw the relief on her face. ¡°But I hope that


    we can do this in private instead.¡±


    The Western Princess was clearly lost for words, and he smiled, brushing his palm over her cheek to


    give her peace.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± he leaned down and kissed her lips gently. ¡°I know how to wait. I waited for you all my


    life, and I will give you as much time as you need. There is no rush with this.¡±


    ¡°Kai, it¡¯s not¡­¡± She wanted to exin herself as guilt washed over her, but he stopped her.


    ¡°Savvy, I know,¡± he pecked her nose. ¡°It will happen sooner orter, and that¡¯s good enough for me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ I didn¡¯t think this would happen to me after everything,¡± she admitted and averted his gaze.


    Confessing such things wasn¡¯t an easy matter. ¡°You are my first after everything and¡­.¡±


    ¡°And I intend to be yourst, Savvy.¡± Kai cupped her cheek and made her look at him again. ¡°I will do


    everything for this, so you don¡¯t have to worry about anything. I will wait for you, fight for you, and find a


    way to make you happy.¡±


    ¡°I am happy,¡± Savannah stretched her hand and ran her fingers through his hair. ¡°Kai, don¡¯t think that I


    am not. I¡¯ve made my decision, and I know what I feel. I just want to take one step at a time, if that¡¯s


    okay.¡±


    ¡°Then this is what we are doing,¡± he brushed his lips over her cheek, scooped her into his arms, and


    stood up. ¡°And the next step is taking a bath together!¡±


    **


    *


    Savannah woke up the next day wrapped in white satin sheets. To her surprise, she was alone in bed,


    and that brought some unpleasant memories back to her. Kai¡¯s delicious scent was now embedded into


    her skin, and she wouldn¡¯t have it any other way, but he wasn¡¯t there.


    It was already the middle of the day as they spent the whole night making love,


    missing the morningpletely after they fell asleep.


    Savvy shivered as she dropped the sheets and stood up from the bed to find some clothes. It was hard


    for her to breathe, but she tried to push the dark thoughts away.


    Familiar. This was too familiar ¡­


    This reminded her so much of the one and only night with her mate. She woke up just like that, alone¡­


    because he had to talk to his aplice and assure him that he was still betraying and using her.


    The Princess swallowed a lump in her throat. This couldn¡¯t be happening again. Kai wasn¡¯t like that. He


    wasn¡¯t.


    She opened the wardrobe in front of the enormous wooden bed they slept in and found a good choice


    of sweaters, shirts and other garments. Not thinking twice, she took the first chunky white cotton jumper


    she saw and pulled it on, not bothering with anything else.


    She walked into a hall that led to other bedrooms and quickly realised they were empty. Savvy looked


    over the living room as she went downstairs, sadly noting that no one was there as well. The curtains


    were closed, and the space seemed so dark.


    Her heart was racing in her chest, and she felt fear gathering in the pit of her stomach. She had to hold


    onto the railing to keep from falling down onto her trembling feet as she slowly descended the stairs.


    And this was when she smelled¡­ food. Bacon, eggs, avocados¡­ everything she liked was there.


    She tried to speed up a bit because she couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She needed to see this.


    Savannah pushed the kitchen doors open and stormed in, the bright light from all the windows and


    ss ceiling blinding her temporarily.


    ¡°Morning!¡± Kai was wearing just a pair of grey sweatpants and an apron as he flipped a pancake in a


    pan with a happy grin. However, his smile dropped when he saw her panting. Savvy¡¯s brows were still


    knitted as she processed what she was seeing.


    Breakfast¡­ He was cooking them breakfast.


    He wasn¡¯t running away. He wasn¡¯t plotting her brother¡¯s murder. He didn¡¯t discuss using her ...


    He was still here, and he cared. History did not repeat itself.


    ¡°1¡­¡± Savannah mumbled, feeling silly. What was it with her? Since when did she be so insecure?


    ¡°Come here!¡± He switched off the gas stove and dropped everything, locking the girl in his arms.


    Realising only now what she was thinking about when she woke up alone. ¡°Sorry, Savvy,¡± he kissed the


    top of her head. ¡°I just wanted to surprise you. I thought you would be starving when you woke up and


    hoped toe back to you first.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologise for being a good guy,¡± she chuckled, wiping away a tear that threatened to escape her


    eye. ¡°This is¡­ How on Earth do you know how to cook?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± the Northern Lycan King winked at her. ¡°I am not only a gardener. I am a chef too.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s more like it!¡± Savannah smiled, returning to her usual self, and tried to get out of his hands


    to steal something from the table. ¡°Definitely more useful than those ugly roses!¡±


    He caught her and pulled her all the way back. ¡°Not so fast, Little Maid!¡± Kai satfortably in a chair


    and ced her on hisp. ¡°Since I am the chef, I tell people where their ce is in the kitchen. And


    yours is right here.¡± He delicately brushed his hand over her exposed thighs and all the way to the edge


    of the jumper that was barely covering her while sitting


    ¡°If the chef orders,¡± she arched a brow at him, ¡°I am afraid I just have to obey.¡± Savannah wrapped her


    arms around his neck as he took a fork, gave her the first bite, and growled approvingly when her lips


    closed around it. Their eyes met, and it suddenly became much hotter in the kitchen.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°You should eat something too,¡± Savannah pointed out after a while because chewing in silence was


    awkward.


    ¡°I am nning to,¡± Kai smirked, and his palm slid between her thighs. ¡°But it¡¯s not food I am craving


    for.¡±


    She felt blood rushing to her cheeks while he took a strawberry and pressed it against her lips. Slowly,


    Savvy bit (into) it without breaking their eye contact, and Kai finished what was left, throwing the calyx


    away. Then in one swift move, he had her in his hands again, carrying her all the way to the living


    room.


    He carefully ced her on the sofa and then pressed a lever at the back, making it recline. Savannah


    crawled back on the soft fur covers, but he yanked her closer to the edge, spreading her legs for him


    and kneeling before her.


    ¡°Should we revise the alphabet, maybe? I am not sure you memorised it the first time.¡± The devilish


    glint in his eyes was back and the Princess couldn¡¯t stop watching him lowering his face right between


    her thighs. His hot breath was burning her sensitive flesh, and when his tongue made the first contact,


    she shuddered from the pleasure. It felt too good. He felt too good.


    As always, he loved to tease her and made one long torturous slide from the base of her entrance to


    the already throbbing bud at the top. Kai caressed it in quick circr motions until he managed to get a


    loud moan out of her.


    Savannah curved her back, giving him all the ess he could have needed and felt hisrge palm


    sliding up her belly all the way to her breast under the thick jumper. This time he


    grasped her possessively, roughly even, but that only brought her more satisfaction.


    He pinched her n*pple between his fingers, and Savvy grasped his hair. She could already feel she


    was almost over the edge.


    ¡°I am not even in the middle of the alphabet yet. How will you ever learn?¡± the lycan chuckled into her,


    creating overwhelming vibrations.


    ¡°I guess you will have to repeat and repeat until I can grasp it,¡± she murmured.


    ¡°What do I do with you?¡± he teased her petals, making her body shudder.


    ¡°Do as you please!¡± the words left her tongue before she could process them, and she saw Kai¡¯s eyes


    glowing blue at her words.


    ¡°That¡¯s a dangerous thing to say to a hungry beast,¡± he told her, and she noticed his canines protruding


    slightly.


    ¡°You are not the only beast here.¡± Now she was the one with a smirk on her lips, and that made him


    tower over her instantly. Savannah bent her leg and brushed it down his waist, hinting that he should


    lose his sweatpants already. And Kai was happy to oblige his


    future queen.


    He thrust into her as if he already belonged there, drawing a sharp gasp out of her. Then pumped a few


    times before his fingers slid to her sensitive bundle of nerves that was already on the verge of


    exploding. One little pinch, and Savvy threw her head back, getting a mind-shuttering release. The


    effect his simple touch had on her was indescribable.


    He let her ride out the org*sm and then withdrew to her surprise. She didn¡¯t even manage to ask what


    he was doing when he grasped her waist and flipped her, cing her on all fours and lining himself at


    her entrance again. She could feel him, but he wasn¡¯t entering. Instead, he was slowly brushing his


    hands over her thighs and back, sliding the jumper higher and enjoying the view. He took a fistful of her


    bottom, kneading it, letting her know that her flesh belonged to him now.


    Savannah did not mind that one bit.


    ¡°Mine,¡± he snarled, and she couldn¡¯t even form words to respond to him. It felt so good. Too good.


    ¡°Say it!¡± the King insisted and nudged his tip between her already glistening folds.


    ¡°Yours,¡± she breathed out, and he entered her slowly. He knew what he was doing because she was


    desperate for more. Yet again, he pulled out.


    ¡°Again,¡± Kai¡¯s voice was firm, and it only made Savannah want him more. This authoritative Kai was


    new, and she loved that he was keeping it for bed only.


    ¡°Yours!¡± she repeated, and he mmed into her hard, filling her to the brim. Wave after wave of


    pleasure rushed through her body as he pounded into her again and again, building her up with each


    thrust. Savvy was soaring in his grasp as her nerves exploded from pleasure, the cl*max cascading


    through her body,


    Kai stilled, holding her in ce until he was done. And even after, he wasn¡¯t ready to let go at once. It


    was his instinct, and she weed it, letting him have his way with her.


    He rolled her on her back and removed her jumperpletely, throwing it away. Her cheeks were still


    flushed, and she eyed him questioningly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not pretend that you¡¯ll be needing it any time soon,¡± he chuckled menacingly and pulled her


    under his huge arm again. Her warm cheek was on his chest, and this was perfection.


    ¡°Open curtains!¡± hemanded, and the heavy fabric rolled to the opposite sides. Right in front of


    them was a tall ss wall with the best northern views of the


    mountains and the forest. A sparkling white carpet was already covering everything outside, and heavy,


    intricate snowkes were still falling, creating a serene atmosphere.


    For a while, they justy there, coated in each other¡¯s scents and enjoying this newfound peace.


    ¡°Kai,¡± Savannah decided to ask him after some time, and he looked at her with the corner of his lips


    curled slightly.


    ¡°Yes?¡± his fingers werezily ying with her long hair. ¡°I always wanted to know something. Can you


    be honest with me?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He didn¡¯t even hesitate to reply. ¡°Why exactly do you and my brother hate


    each other so much?¡±

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    35. Bird Of Prey


    Kai groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ everything,¡± he muttered, but of course, it wasn¡¯t enough for Savannah. ¡°No offence, but your


    brother is the biggest pr*ck I¡¯ve ever met.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± the Princess agreed, stretching the word. ¡°But so are you. What¡¯s the story there? Tell me


    because Gideon says the same thing about you. Even Riannon didn¡¯t get much out of him, and she is a


    superwoman, no less. There must be more to the original version you both share.¡±


    ¡°The story starts before I met him,¡± Kai grunted hesitantly and then pulled her higher on his chest,


    caressing her back. ¡°Savvy, whatever you hear now, please know that I love you and please promise


    that ¡­.¡±


    ¡°I will not stop loving you because of you being honest with me,¡± she snorted. He felt relief running


    through his veins.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he exhaled heavily. ¡°When my parents died, Elene went into a state of shock. She was their little


    princess, and they adored her. Without them, my sister waspletely broken. After crying for months,


    she became quiet and never left her room. These were hard years for me, Savvy. I was very young,


    she was still a teen, and it was just her and me. At some point, I was afraid I would lose her.¡±


    ¡°Sounds familiar,¡± Savannah sighed, and he ced a soft kiss on her forehead. She lost her parents


    too.


    ¡°Penelope was the one to help me with Elene initially,¡± Kai continued, and suddenly Savvy did not like


    this story. Why did Penelope have to be a part of it?!


    ¡°How ¡­ nice of her,¡± the Princess said through clenched teeth.


    ¡°Anyway, she was helping, but Elene still wasn¡¯t her usual self,¡± Kai continued. ¡°Not even close. She


    only talked to Pen.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait,¡± Savannah couldn¡¯t handle it anymore and ced her index finger on his lips. ¡°Never


    call her Pen again. Not in front of me.¡± But after thinking some more, she added. ¡°Not ever!¡±


    Kai¡¯s lips curled into a feline grin, and he quickly bit her finger gently with his teeth, sending tingles all


    over her. Then he took her whole finger in, closing his lips around it and released it slowly, bit by bit.


    ¡°Stop this!¡± Savvy almost moaned. This was so silly, but it made her want him again. Somehow it was


    never enough.


    However, she decided that finally hearing this story was more important. So, she pulled the cover


    higher on them to cover up all the goods, not to be tempted anymore.


    It wasn¡¯t helping much. Luckily, she was stubborn enough to endure this.


    ¡°Continue, please.¡± She put on a serious face, trying to y it cool and only the devilish glint in Kai¡¯s


    eyes told her that he knew what had crossed her mind.


    ¡°Very well,¡± he started drawing circles on her exposed skin. ¡°So, one day, my absolutely tonic friend,


    who is actually more of my sister¡¯s friend than mine, and whom we shall not name anymore, brought


    her to my Alpha training. You probably already know that it¡¯s exclusive to the top-ranked wolves.


    Lycans go there as well. Anyone who is about to assume the position from Alpha to Delta is obliged to


    study there.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Savvy nodded, not biting his joke. That was more like it.


    ¡°So, naturally, this was where Gideon and I met.¡± Kai scratched his chin, noting that a beard was


    forming there again. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to lie to you, Savvy. There was no chance in hell of us ever


    bing friends from the very beginning. Do you know howpetitive your brother is?¡±


    ¡°Very,¡± she had to admit because there was no point denying it. Gideon loved his victories.


    ¡°And so am I,¡± Kai chuckled. ¡°We were at each other¡¯s throats in everything. Especiallybat training.


    Whateverpetition they had, we were there. One time he would win, and another time I would win.


    Well, mostly me, of course.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Savvy giggled, remembering that her sibling insisted he was the one leading their score.


    ¡°Once, Elene and her nameless friend witnessed our training,¡± Kai continued. ¡°And after that, they kept


    returning almost every day.¡±


    ¡°They left the North for so long? That training centre is far away from both our kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°Elene¡¯s health was more important back then, and my uncle was taking care of the kingdom in my


    absence,¡± Kai exined. ¡°I thought they wereing to see me, but I caught Elene giggling next to


    Gideon after one training session. Savvy, you have no idea what it meant to me! She was smiling and


    looked happy again. After such a long time.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± she whispered. She knew far too well how the pain from the loss of her own parents felt.


    ¡°Your brother was always polite with her, so I was starting to warm up towards him. But then¡­ One day


    I heard Gideon talking badly about her.¡± Savannah looked at the Northern King in surprise and saw


    how tense his face was. The memories were unpleasant.


    ¡°What did he say?¡± She asked, sure that it must have been a mistake.


    ¡°L and I heard him and his Beta talking.¡± Kai¡¯s voice was lower than usual, deeper. ¡°The Beta


    asked if Gideon was interested in Elene, and your pr*ck of a brother said that he would rather stay


    alone forever than be with someone like my sister. He called her a spoiled brat who liked to y victim


    all the time, and when his right hand asked if it was okay for him to pursue her, Gideon prohibited,


    saying that she wasn¡¯t worth the time.¡±


    Even Savannah had to admit that it was harsh. However, knowing Elene, she believed there was a


    reason for everything.


    ¡°Did you ever speak to him about it?¡± she muttered.


    ¡°No, I tried to ignore it first and ordered Elene and the nameless one to return to the North,¡± Kai


    grunted. ¡°But ¡­ Elene burst out crying and became depressed again. She ¡­ She tried to kill herself.¡±


    Savvy gasped for air. This wasn¡¯t something she expected.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°I had to leave school for a while to take care of her. She was depressed again, and I was desperate.¡±


    ¡°Was this when you asked Gideon to marry her for the first time?¡± Savvy felt so sorry for him. She could


    only imagine now what it was like for someone as proud as Kai to make such an offer to her brother.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied dryly. ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And it went really bad. We almost killed each other in the process.¡± The reply shocked her. Gideon


    never told her anything about that. ¡°It got worse from there.¡±


    ¡°So, then you asked for my hand in marriage?¡± She looked at him questioningly, brow arched.


    ¡°I was a fool because I simply wanted to piss him off,¡± Kai admitted. ¡°Who would have known that you


    are¡­ you.¡±


    ¡°Well, the desired effect is achieved.¡± Savvy tried to suppress augh. ¡°You are not the only one with a


    younger sister and no parents, you know?¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he admitted. ¡°I would have handled it differently now. But now I am older and madly in love


    with you.¡± Kai bent down and ced a kiss on her forehead. ¡°Back then, was still the bitter, rebellious


    boy who had to pretend he was a king and had no boundaries.¡±


    ¡°Kai,¡± Savannah bit her lip and nced at him through hershes. ¡°I always wanted to ask you


    something. Remember Bjorn?¡±


    The sound of this name made the Lycan sit up and meet her eyes.


    ¡°That went from unpleasant to infuriating rather quickly.¡± A softugh rocked his chest, but she could


    see how puzzled and unsettled he was.


    ¡°As you know, we had a conversation,¡± Savannah decided toe clean about everything, but first,


    she had to find out one thing. ¡°He said a phrase that stayed with me. He said that you cannot be killed


    in a battle. Why would he say that?¡±


    She watched his face closely, but not a single muscle twitched,


    Kai hoped to postpone that revtion forter, but since she asked, not telling her would be the same


    as lying. And all he wanted was honesty.


    ¡°I can be killed, of course,¡± he answered after what seemed like forever. ¡°But that¡¯s a challenge for


    everyone.¡±


    ¡°Killing a Lycan is always a challenge,¡± she retorted.


    ¡°True,¡± Kai nodded slowly, and she knew he was choosing his next words. ¡°Savvy, this is something I


    have to tell you anyway. The northern royal bloodline is special. And it¡¯s not


    because we just say that. We can do something that other Lycans can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What would that be?¡± the Princess chewed on her lip nervously.


    ¡°We can control our third form,¡± Kai confessed, and his beloved couldn¡¯t believe her own ears. ¡°I can


    shift into my beast when I want, and I never have trouble shifting back into my wolf.¡±


    It had been days since they were in contact with Savannah and Zara knew everything was in her hands


    now. She had to be somewhere close since the King was missing too, and they were told that the two


    of them were spending time together.


    It was possible, and Zara knew that. The sparks between the Princess and the King were undeniable.


    Everyone who worked at the castle or took part in the Trials knew that Kai only had his eyes on


    Savannah. This wasn¡¯t a secret even despite them acting in public like they had nothing to do with each


    other. It was impossible to ignore all the nces or the fact that when the King was supposed to have


    dates with other contenders, he ended up only exchanging a word or two with them briefly. Penelope


    was the only one who got the honour of a more extended conversation, but he didn¡¯t look at her the


    way he looked at Savvy. And the length could have been exined by them being friends.


    So, Zara was hopeful that what the Northern Princess was telling her and Kyle was the truth. Savannah


    was just spending her time with the man she was infatuated with.


    However, since the recent events, Zara couldn¡¯t sit still, knowing that Savvy had to be in the castle.


    This was why she started looking for the one she swore loyalty to. The one who gave her a new home


    and a new purpose in life.


    After the Red Harem, which Zara refused to call that Eden in her mind, she was lost. Savannah took


    her under her wing and helped her to feel useful, smart, and brave again. Something that Castiel and


    her flock, which banished her, took away a long time ago.


    The snow made flying challenging, but at the same time, it covered her from all the eyes on the ground.


    They were told not to look for the king, and technically, Zara was disobeying Princess Elene¡¯s orders.


    It was too bad; she served a different princess. And the ck hawk didn¡¯t n to stop looking for her


    since Kyle couldn¡¯t reach her via the mind link.


    On her first day, she flew around the capital and surrounding areas, but there weren¡¯t too many people


    outside. Sadly, she realised very fast that her abilities were limited and she couldn¡¯t fly too far in such


    weather without risking death in the process. This wasn¡¯t an option.


    She tried flying over the surrounding mountains on the second and third days but had to return to the


    castle quickly because of a heavy snowstorm.


    Next, she decided that she needed to be more innovative. The King couldn¡¯t have been missing without


    anyone knowing where he was. Elene knew their location for sure, but she wasn¡¯t going to share. The


    other one who had to know Kai¡¯s whereabouts was his Beta, L. So, when Zara saw him


    speaking to Elene on the other day, she shifted into the smaller version of her ck hawk and watched


    him until he left the castle in his wolf form. L had a cream-coloured wolf and was hard to spot in


    all that snow, especially during a blizzard, but she still managed to do it. When he stationed himself as


    one of the mountain guards, Zara knew that his King had to be close.


    But then the lycan was on the move again, and she had to follow him deeper into the mountains.


    Luckily, the weather was finally allowing it, and she could spy to her heart¡¯s


    content.


    Until he entered a cave.


    Grunting, Zara shifted back to her human form. Thankful for the fact that birds got to keep their clothes,


    unlike the wolves and cats. However, she still wasn¡¯t dressed for the asion. Her ck jeans and


    leather jacket weren¡¯t enough. It was freezing in the North now, and she couldn¡¯t believe they were


    parading outdoors in open dresses just days ago.


    Zara walked into the cave, trying not to make any noise. She did not see the Beta Lycan anymore and,


    after some time, assumed that he was gone. When she walked further inside, she realised this wasn¡¯t


    just a cave. There was a long dark passage inside.


    Swallowing the lump in her throat and determined to find Savannah today, Zara confidently entered the


    cave¡¯s depths.


    However, she didn¡¯t walk for too long as someone grabbed her neck in the darkness and mmed her


    against the surprisingly smooth wall.


    ¡°What does a pretty bird do in a ce like this?¡± L chuckled darkly, opening a lighter¡¯s lid and


    illuminating the space around them with the tiny me. Barely enough for her to see his stern face or


    the outlines of his naked body. Where on Earth did he take a lighter here?


    ¡°Just stretching my wings,¡± she lied without blinking, and his lips curved into a menacing smile.


    ¡°Is it a physical activity that you seek?¡± ¡°Why?¡± she raised her brow, not letting herself be intimidated.


    ¡°Are you offering?¡±


    ¡°How can I deny a pretty bird like you?¡± He stepped closer so that she could smell his scent of blue


    spruce. She had already noticed it before when they stood next to each other at official events, but right


    now, it was incredibly intense.


    His face was suddenly too close to hers, noses almost touching.


    ¡°What happened? Do you feel that I am your mate? Do you want to growl mine?¡± she taunted him with


    hisrge palm still around her thin neck. He could have snapped it here and there if he wanted to. Their


    eyes locked, and for a few seconds, it felt like a battle of two minds.


    ¡°I already had a mate,¡± L snarled, and Zara found herself slightly disappointed hearing this. Not


    that it mattered. She already knew they weren¡¯t mates.


    ¡°Oh, did she reject you and run away?¡± she smirked and felt his grip tightening. ¡°She is dead,¡± he let go


    of her at once, almost making her copse to the ground and


    ¨C


    ¡±


    -¡°¡±¨C


    turn away. Now she was feeling guilty for being such an evil brat. What was she thinking,ughing at


    someone¡¯s mating situation? She was the one to know that these things were never simple after what


    happened to her.


    ¡°I am sorry.¡± Zara suspected that he didn¡¯t care for her lousy apology, but she owed it to him anyway.


    She knew a broken heart when she saw one.


    ¡°Go away,¡± he groaned with his back towards her, while she let out an apologetic sigh. ¡°Return to the


    castle.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± she repeated, ¡°but I have a mission toplete. I am not a pretty bird. I am a bird of prey!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± L warned, but it was already toote.


    The girl shifted in a blink of an eye and flew deeper into the dark tunnel at high speed. She could hear


    a furious growl behind her back and knew that the Lycan had shifted into his wolf already. Luckily, she


    could feel the airflow and knew that after a while, the dark tunnel would end with an exit, leading her to


    the other side. This was also why L was so angry. He wouldugh her off if she flew into a dead


    end. But he was following her, roaring on his way, which led her to believe she was on the right track.


    After a few minutes, she saw the light and was finally able to use her top speed. In a sh, she was


    soaring high in the sky, trying to adjust her eyes to the brightness.


    It was still snowing, but the blizzard was definitely behind them. She saw the frosted woods and cliffs,


    but there was one thing that attracted her attention at once. A generous


    clearing on the shoulder of one of the mountains looked well kept, and a little cosy-looking house stood


    right there. Two people were running around it and throwing snowballs at each


    other.


    For a moment, Zara was sorry that she was going to break up their happiness. All the shifter gods


    knew that Savannah deserved to be happy.


    But at the moment, Kyle needed her help more¡­

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    Savvy was sofortable in Kai¡¯s arms as they were cuddling on the sofa with aptop on a small


    nearby table. She couldn¡¯t believe he was hiding that from her, and the moment she discovered it in


    one of the drawers, she went online to check what was happening at The Luna Trials.


    ¡°Why do you want to watch this?¡± he grunted.


    ¡°Because!¡± she scoffed and wriggled, getting even cosier against his warm body. ¡°I am a part of it,


    remember?¡±


    ¡°Not anymore,¡± he growled softly into her ear and nibbled her earlobe. ¡°The Luna Trials are over. I have


    my Luna with me already.¡±


    ¡°Well, the world isn¡¯t aware yet!¡± she giggled and stretched her hand to click on the y button.


    The faces of ude and Chloe wearing matching green suits made the princess frown. The twins were


    polished as always and ready to entertain whether people wanted it or not.


    ¡°Why were those two chosen to do this again?¡± She asked the King next to her as hezily brushed her


    hair with his fingers.


    ¡°They are professionals,¡± he replied, and she snorted.


    ¡°Are they?¡± Savannah shot him a reproachful gaze. He had to know that they were biased at all times.


    ¡°They make any show a show,¡± Kai had to admit. ¡°I think Elene wanted more publicity for this event and


    with the correct light on our family. We don¡¯t do these things often, and it was one of a kind opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should be doing it more often then?¡± The girl chuckled. ¡°Gideon and ! hate interviews and


    public appearances, but we do it from time to time to let people see us and feel like they know us.¡±


    ¡°See,¡± he pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. ¡°This is exactly why I need a Luna.¡±


    ¡°Oh, take Petra then. She will give you the show of your life every day!¡± Savvy mocked him, and he


    tickled her as punishment, making her giggle until she teared up and gave up.


    ¡°No, thanks,¡± the northern King grunted, bringing her back to her ce next to him. ¡°When I make my


    choice, it¡¯s final. You are all I need.¡±


    She hoped he would say that, and it was so satisfying to hear that again. Everything was so perfect


    lately that Savvy was afraid it was too perfect. Life had never been this


    colourful for her. She thought she was happy at some point in her life before Zack. She thought


    everything was over right after her disgusting mate ruined all her expectations about life and love.


    However, what was happening now was beyond her wildest dreams.


    They were happy. Excessively, overwhelmingly, immensely happy. So happy that she couldn¡¯t help but


    feel guilty to be this blissful every day. Kai may not have been her true mate, but he sure as hell made


    her feel loved, needed and safe.


    ¡°Three contenders face elimination today,¡± Chloe said in a serious tone, a corner of her lips curved


    slightly.


    ¡°Do you see her sneering?¡± Savannah furrowed her brows. ¡°How does nobody notice that?¡±


    ¡°All right, all right,¡± Kai ced a gentle kiss on her shoulder to make amends. ¡°The twins are evil.


    Happy?¡±


    ¡°Meh,¡± she pretended not to care, and they kept watching the next round of the Eliminations. It was


    between Brigit, Petra and Mavis now. One had to go because the three of them had the lowest number


    of points.


    ¡°How are you not there again?¡± Savvy gave him a suspicious look. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to save


    one?¡±


    ¡°I saved the only one I care about,¡± Kai grinned at her, and this time she was the one to peck his chin


    gently.


    ¡°But what about these three?¡±


    ¡°Elene will pick the one! ¡°saved¡°, he said, and the princess exhaled sharply through her nostrils.


    ¡°Of course, she will¡­.¡± Savvy sighed in annoyance, watching the northern princess sitting on a throne


    behind the contenders. She really got herselffortable there in the absence of her brother.


    ¡°So,¡± Chloe tried to create as much suspense as possible. ¡°The North has voted, and we have the


    results.¡±


    ¡°Keep in mind that every vote was carefully checked by Princess Elene¡¯s team, so rigging was not


    possible,¡± ude assured everyone with a dazzling smile.


    Aloud snort escaped Savannah hearing all this, but she chose not toment.


    ¡°Luckily for the three beautifuldies here, just one is going to leave us tonight.¡± Chloe made a


    concerned face, and Savvy wanted to throw something at the screen. ¡°Because King


    Kai Fiongh decided to save one of the contenders, and I have her name right here.¡±


    The woman paused, showing a silver envelope to the cameras and opening it slowly, reading the


    name, then gasping as if she was shocked and, after some time, facing the camera again.


    ¡°Come on!¡± Savvy growled. ¡°It¡¯s taking forever!¡±


    Kai let out a low chuckle, pulling her closer and inhaling her scent. It was never enough, though.


    ¡°The contender saved by our King is none other than ¡­ Brigit Borg!¡± the presenter¡¯s amused voice


    sounded, and Savannah¡¯s lips parted.


    ¡°Well, I have to admit, this is unexpected,¡± Kai chuckled. ¡°I was sure she¡¯d save Petra.¡±


    ¡°The people of the North will save Petra,¡± Savvy pointed out. ¡°She is one of you. Elene just made sure


    Brigit stayed. I wonder why....¡±


    ¡°She knows Brigit is not winning now that I have expressed who I want.¡± The King caressed her cheek


    gently. ¡°Now that she isn¡¯t a threat, Elene wants her in the finale to appease the white bears and show


    them there are no prejudices against them.¡±


    ¡°A bit toote for that!¡± A huff escaped the girl. ¡°Maybe,¡± Kai hummed. ¡°But it¡¯s worth a try. Anything to


    avoid the war.¡±


    Just one word almost ruined their mood. They already discussed it a few times, and Savvy told Kai


    everything that Bjorn told her and what they found out from Castiel and Roxy back in the day. Both of


    them knew that it didn¡¯t look good.


    They watched the vote results appearing on the screen in silence, and it wasn¡¯t surprising that Petra


    won most of the votes. She giggled and jumped on the spot in a silver frilly dress while Mavis took her


    loss gracefully and left the stage.


    Kai leaned forward and mmed theptop shut. ¡°Enough of this,¡± he kissed his woman¡¯s forehead


    and started to get up. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Savvy knitted her brows, eyeing him questioningly. ¡°We


    need to get out,¡± he told her, stretching his hands to help her stand up.


    ¡°I thought that it wasn¡¯t safe.¡± She reminded him of his words, but a knowing smirk on his lips told her


    that he might have exaggerated.


    ¡°It must be safer now,¡± Kai cleared his throat. ¡°I mean ¡­ If we don¡¯t go far and ¡­.¡±


    ¡°I guess if we stay close enough, it¡¯s going to be fine.¡± Savvy giggled and went for the wardrobe in the


    next room to find some weather-appropriate clothes for herself. She chose a pair of jeans, a men¡¯s grey


    sweater with snow boots, and a warm jacket. When she was done, the Northern King was already


    waiting for her, dressed slightly lighter than she was. Perks of being a native here.


    They walked out of their little house for the first time in days, and the sun, together with sparkling white


    snow, blinded them at first.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°The scenery definitely changed!¡± Savannah gasped, looking around. She rarely got to see the snow,


    although it wasn¡¯t her first time.


    ¡°I want you to enjoy it, Savvy.¡± Kai breathed in the frosty air and walked slightly further away from her.


    The snow was almost to his knees, but it did not bother him. ¡°I bet you haven¡¯t seen anything remotely


    beautiful back at the West. Not every country is lucky


    enough to be blessed with such locations and ¡­.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Kai!¡± The princess called him in a taunting tone, and he turned to look at her at once. Only to get a


    huge snowball right in the face.


    ¡°We have mountains too, you know.¡± The girl snickered, preparing the next icy weapon. ¡°Gideon took


    me there every year.¡±


    ¡°Did he?¡± the northerner wiped his now red face clean and gave her a menacing gaze. ¡°You love


    snowballs fights then?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s not to love?¡± Sheughed and sent another his way, but he managed to


    dodge this time.


    Savannah knew she was in trouble even before his eyes shed blue, letting her know she managed to


    annoy them both ¨C the King and his wolf. Squealing, she tried running in the opposite direction when


    Kai caught up with her and lifted her up in his arms, throwing her over his shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you like snow, Savvy, very good!¡± The man chuckled as he pped her bottom in his


    usual manner, making her growl at him in defiance. ¡°We have a lot of it for you


    to enjoy right here!¡±


    She was about to say something snarky when he dropped her into a pile of freezing snow, and she


    found herself falling down for longer than she expected.


    ¡°Kai!¡± she yelled angrily, trying to find a way out of some frosty cleft. It was probably a little crack in the


    mountain or something like that, and the damn King used his knowledge of the location to trap her.


    Snow was everywhere, and the walls around her were covered with slippery ice, making it impossible


    to get out on her own.


    ¡°No worries, my love,¡± he looked at her from above with a mischievous grin on his face. ¡°Just say that


    you are sorry, and I am the best lycan in the whole damn world, and I will help you out.¡±


    ¡°Is this how you treat your future wife?¡± she asked him, still looking how to get out of that little cleft she


    was stuck in.


    ¡°I am teaching you the northern ways.¡± She heard a low chuckle.


    ¡°The northern way sucks!¡± she announced, and anotherugh emerged from his chest.


    ¡°See, now you also have to say that the North is the best ce in the world!¡± He quickly added to her


    tasks, knowing she wasn¡¯t getting out of there without his help.


    But ¡­ he was underestimating her.


    ¡°Fine, Kai!¡± She sighed heavily and made a pitiful look on her face. ¡°Get me out of here first!¡±


    ¡°Aha,¡± he snorted. ¡°Nice try!¡± ¡°Kai, please,¡± Savannah whimpered and heard him exhaling in defeat.


    ¡°Come here, Sav,¡± he bent down to his knees and lowered himself to give her a hand, only to receive


    the biggest snowball of his life in his face again.


    Not wasting time, Savannah grew her ws and used them to pierce the ice, working her way up


    quickly.


    She tried to push him into the snow hole she had juste from, but he dodged her attempt with a


    laugh.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s war!¡± she announced to him.


    ¡°You started it!¡± he scoffed, gathering as much snow as he could. They were running around, shooting


    snowballs at each other. Until Kai got tired of all that. He didn¡¯t touch her for too long, and the need to


    hold her in his arms again was overwhelming.


    He dropped everything he had and strode towards her through piles of snow like a

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    The Blue Ribbon


    ¡°No?¡± Savannah eyed him questioningly. ¡°I am getting some very mixed signals here, Kai


    Fiongh.¡±


    ¡°No mixed signals.¡± The King leaned over his desk and folded his arms on his chest. ¡°It¡¯s just that I am


    not letting the woman I love go and risk her life fighting while I sit here and wait.¡±


    ¡°Aww, that¡¯s so sweet!¡± Sawy smiled and walked to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. ¡°Then join


    the Trials and fight us. When I win, you can be my Luna!¡±


    A menacing warming growi left his chest, and he pulled her closer, not even bothering that they had


    witnesses in the room.


    ¡°Gross,¡± Elene was the first to turn away. L and Zara exchanged nces and pretended there


    was something that grabbed their attention on the bookshelf and the ceiling,


    ¡°Savvy.¡± Kai was oozing testosterone now. ¡°Don¡¯t test me. You are not going. We will announce you as


    my Luna, and then we¡¯ll take it from there.¡±


    ¡°Kai,¡± she mimicked his tone and arched her brow while he pulled her closer. Eye to eye, they were


    both challenging each other. ¡°I have to disappoint you, but I am an Alpha too. I don¡¯t take orders unless


    like them. And this time, I will have to pass. We have a problem that can only be solved in two cases.


    One, if I win the Trials. And two, if you find Zack and make him talk. Preferably epting my rejection


    in the process.¡±


    The King of the North was silent. He knew she was right, but all his instincts opposed the idea of her


    going to the Forgotten City Maze challenge alone. Or at all, actually.


    ¡°Elene is right,¡± he said, savouring the look in his beloved¡¯s eyes. ¡°From what I learned, things get


    crazy during this contest. You can¡¯t shift or use any kind of magic other than the strength in your human


    body. A lot of contenders have died during that part. Especially the ones who were leading by points or


    favoured in any other way. All because they had targets on their backs. Sawy, when you are there,


    everyone will go after you.¡± He stroked her cheek gently, and she leaned into his palm, eyeing him


    yfully. She liked that he was worried about her. She liked it a lot.


    ¡°Why would you think that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Because everyone here knows that I am in love with you. I love you, Sawy.¡± He breathed the words


    into her mouth and imed it with a possessive, greedy kiss,cing his fingers through her hair.


    She broke the kiss early, to his disappointment, but when Savannah gestured at the three other people


    in the office, he knew he had gotten carried away. They left the cabin, their safe haven. It was time to


    act ording to their titles.


    ¡°If you want to stop the Trials, find Zack as soon as possible,¡± she smiled at him reassuringly. ¡°And until


    then, do not worry about me too much. I am a Royal Lycan, you know. I can take a lew girls who can¡¯t


    shift.¡±


    ¡°Sawy,¡± he released an exasperated sigh, ¡®these girls were preparing. The Northerners know about The


    Forgotten City Maze. You¡­¡±


    ¡°I can take them,¡± she promised with a grin. ¡°Tell me about this Forgotten City. What does it mean


    exactly?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an ancient northern city,¡± Elene said, turning back to face them. ¡°Long ago, it was the capital of the


    North where lycans lived. Unfortunately, it was wiped out by the white bears in a gruesome war. It was


    so bad that only ruins are left there now.¡±


    ¡°So we need to get through the ruins?¡± Savannah furrowed her brow. It didn¡¯t look that hard, if she


    was honest.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as it sounds.¡± Elene shook her head in disapproval. ¡°You need to get to the centre of


    the city, and it¡¯s a giant maze on its own. Besides that, it¡¯s surrounded by the Forbidden forest. And let


    me tell you, it is forbidden for a reason. One part of it borders the Lost Kingdom and is full of rogues.


    The other part is right next to the white bear territories. And those are worse than rogues.¡±


    ¡°And why are you doing all this there again?¡± Savvy chuckled, staring at the Northern siblings in


    turns.


    ¡°Traditions,¡± they replied in unison.


    ¡°In my defence,¡± Elene interjected, ¡°I was sure we would be done with everything by now, and it


    wouldn¡¯t get to that.¡±


    ¡°Great n,¡± Sawy stretched a smile and slid out of Kai¡¯s grasp. ¡°No ws at all.¡±


    L snorted and nced at Zara, who gave him an approving smirk. But his face changed


    suddenly as he knitted his brows as if he was talking to someone via mind link. After a few seconds, he


    reported to his King, ¡°Aspen is here.¡±


    ¡°Aspen?¡± Kai tensed, ¡°Tell him toe in.¡±


    Savannah already knew that Aspen was Celia¡¯s brother and the King¡¯s Gamma. He mainly patrolled


    the borders for him, checking on the guards and gathering intel on their enemies. The charming pub


    they had been to was his cover to trade information with guests of other species when they visited the


    ce. In other words, Aspen was a spymaster. Him being here could only mean one thing he had


    something to


    report.


    He walked in firmly into the room, wearing a ck coat with a hood, Snow was covering the top of his


    head, and Savvy even noticed a few iclcles here and there on his ginger beard.


    He took off the hood and looked around in surprise.


    ¡°My King,¡± he said in an official tone. ¡°I apologise, but what I need to tell you can¡¯t wait.¡±


    ¡°Speakl¡± the ruler of the North ordered, and the massive guy looked at him questioningly just to ensure


    he didn¡¯t mishear. ¡°Speak, Aspen, speak,¡± Kai pulled the Western Princess closer and locked his arms


    around her. ¡°Savannah is my chosen mate and your future Queen. You can speak freely in front of


    her.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t say I am surprised after thest time I saw you.¡± Aspen shrugged as if he was about tough


    but ended up frowning instead. Their situation was too difficult. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for the best since


    Savannah¡¯s


    brother is requesting to enter the country.¡±


    The room filled with silence as everyone present was sure they had misheard the big guy.


    ¡°Gideon?¡± Savvy furrowed her brows.


    ¡°Yes, Gideon.¡± Aspen was studying her face and reaction. ¡°He brought a small army with him, and he is


    furious. He insists that he didn¡¯t send you here to take part in The Luna Trials, and that the event alone


    is humiliating for someone like you,¡± the red-haired spy added. ¡°He demands to enter the country or


    bring


    you to the border so that the two of you can see each other. He gave us a timeline too. So, putting it


    mildly,


    we are on the brink of the war, and I had to pull back some of the warriors to hold them back if they


    attacked.¡±


    Sawy tried to think in this stressful situation. She knew Gideon wouldn¡¯t be happy with her n at


    all, so she turned to nce at Kai.


    ¡°I think you just got one more task to do,¡± she snickered at her man, and his face became even


    grimmer by the minute. ¡°Win my brother over.¡±


    ¡°Sawy,¡± he groaned. ¡°As if it¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°It will be possible if you grow up and apologise,¡± the Western Princess pointed out. ¡°And then prove


    to him that what we have is real.¡±


    ¡°I know what his reply is going to be either way.¡± Kai exhaled heavily and then pulled her into another


    warm embrace. He couldn¡¯t get enough of her. ¡°But do not worry, I¡¯ll do anything he wants other than


    giving up on you. We are a package deal now.¡±


    ¡°That we are,¡± she chuckled into his chest. ¡°Just ¡­ be sincere with him, okay? He is better than you


    think. We need to move to the next stage of the Trials as soon as possible so that he can¡¯t reach me for


    a while.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kai distanced himself slightly from her and locked eyes with her. ¡°You are not going to meet


    him? He¡¯d take it better if he saw you are in one piece and happy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I doubt it!¡± she snorted. ¡°The moment Gideon sees me, he¡¯d grab me and take me back home. He


    is in his Papa Lycan mode now.¡±


    ¡°This is your home now!¡± Kai growled menacingly.


    ¡°And that¡¯s why I want you to show it to him and for you to get to know each other better before he has


    ess to me¡± Savannah smirked, ying with her golden brown locks.


    ¡°That¡¯s a horrible n!¡± Elene rubbed her chin. ¡°And moving the Trials¡­ It¡¯s risky.¡±


    ¡°On the contrary.¡± Savvy shrugged her shoulders. ¡°If we move the challenge, it will ruin our enemies¡¯


    ns. If they have any, of course.¡±


    ¡°L,¡± kan looked at his Beta ¡°I want double security around the Forgotten City, Warriors should


    be ready to act if something unexpected happens.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long distance, Kai,¡± Elene clenched her lips. ¡°Even if something happens, the contenders would


    have to take care of it themselves.¡±¡±


    ¡°Still better than nothing!¡± The King insisted.


    ¡°We need to prepare fast then,¡± his sister gave up. There was no point arguing with him once he had


    made a decision, and she knew that.


    ¡°I will write Gideon a letter,¡± Savvy went to sit at the desk as if she owned it and opened one of the


    drawers looking for paper, ¡°Give it to him to support your words. And one more thing, Kai. If his wife


    Riannon is there, she would be the one to help you.¡±


    Savannah knocked on the door, and it was opened almost immediately. Evelyn looked like she wasn¡¯t


    happy to see her, though.


    ¡°Hi,¡± the Western Princess waved awkwardly.


    *Your Highness.¡± That woman was the only one who always used titles as it was appropriate and not


    on a whim.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call her that!¡± Kyle¡¯s voice emerged from the back, and he soon appeared wearing a female silk


    bathrobe. The young lycan wrapped his hands around the older she-wolf, who closed her eyes,


    annoyed to the core. ¡°We are all practically family now! Just call her Savvy or Sav.¡±


    ¡°Moon Goddess!¡± Savannah was barely holding back augh. ¡°You weren¡¯t wasting your time!¡±


    ¡°Come in atready!¡± Evelyn motioned for her to enter the room and closed the door after she checked


    the hall behind it. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I got into this mess with the two of you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for helping Kyle out,¡± Savvy smiled weakly. She still knew too little about the werewolf


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank her!¡± Kyle chuckled. ¡°She got a good deal out of all of this.¡± He looked like he was having


    the time of his life.


    ¡°Which was¡­ what exactly?¡± Now the Princess was worried.


    ¡°Nothing special.¡± Evelyn rolled her eyes. ¡°It wasn¡¯t really worth it for me, was it? The North saved


    Petra anyway. And if it didn¡¯t, it would be Her Highness Elene.¡±


    ¡°Doubtfull¡± Kyle scolted. ¡°My article on Petra about how her unusual sense of fashion makes her unique


    and how brave she must be to showcase it had a record number of likes. People loved that story, and


    her reputation is safe now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ sure.¡± Evelyn ran her hand over her face. ¡°Amazing work. Shame we are stuck here together,


    though I could really use some testosterone free zone right now.¡±


    Savry knew that the woman was right. She also knew for a fact that her best friend Kyle could be a lot


    to handle Too confident, too cocky


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s nol what you saidst night,¡± he said with a smug smile stered all over hisce, and she


    wanted to p him.


    ¡°You mean when you got into my bed without permission?¡± Evelyn snapped at him.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t push me away, did you?¡± His grin became wider.


    ¡°Too much information!¡± Savannah tried to close her ears but then saw her friend choking withughter.


    It had been a while since she saw him this happy. If she ever saw him this happy.


    ¡°Rx,¡± he said and hugged Evelyn again. She looked exhausted from his attention and didn¡¯t even try


    to fight it off. ¡°We just cuddled, but it was the best sleep of my life.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could say the same,¡± the woman in his arms snickered and pushed him away.


    ¡°Only because it wasn¡¯t sleep that you wanted!¡± Kyle didn¡¯t seem offended one bit. ¡°But it¡¯s okay. We


    have many nights ahead of us in this room.¡±


    ¡°In your dreams!¡± Evelyn gritted her teeth. ¡°If I can do anything to help ease the situation,¡± Sawy started


    talking, and Evelyn got close to her


    once.


    ¡°Actually, there is something,¡± the werewolf¡¯s eyes sparkled, and she stepped closer, taking both


    Savannah¡¯s hands into hers. ¡°During the next challenges, help Petra if you can.¡±


    Savvy didn¡¯t know what to reply. She had to win the Trials no matter the cost, and this request was a bit


    too much at the moment. But Kyle could have had a much worse punishment than being on house


    arrest with this beautiful woman. She knew she owed her one.


    ¨C


    ¨C


    ¨C


    ¨C


    ¨C


    ¨C


    ¨C


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t have to win!¡± Evelyn squeezed her palms tighter. ¡°All I need is for her toe back alive.


    That¡¯s it. She got far enough.¡±


    Sawy saw tears glistening in the woman¡¯s eyes. ¡°You really care about her, don¡¯t you?¡± She smiled.


    ¡°Petra¡­¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice broke. ¡°She is all I have. She ¡­ My daughter would have been the same age


    if she had made it out alive.¡±


    The Princess held back a gasp, and even Kyle stopped grinning, taking his hands off the she-woll. The


    mood for Jokes disappearedpletely.


    help her. She is not a warrior¡­¡±


    ¡°She can leave the Luna Tls,¡± Kyle suggested.


    ¡°She can¡¯t. Her father is very strict. He would never allow it or let her back if she disobeyed. Her best


    chance in life is to get married to a good Alpha who would love her and take care of her. This is why


    she needs her reputation intact and¡­¡±


    * * ¡± Srwy nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can ill meet Petra there.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Evelyn smited and let go of her.


    ¡°She is really not like the other girls. She is a sweet


    ¡°I know,¡± the Princess agreed and then switched her attention to her own friend. ¡°Behave, Kyle. Gideon


    is here, and he may get you out before Ie back.¡±


    ¡°How was your time with the king?¡± Kyle asked, and she blushed, giving him the answer he needed


    before any words escaped her mouth. ¡°That good, huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story!¡± She brushed him off with a short. ¡°I need to go now. It¡¯s almost starting. Take care of


    yourself, Kyle. And behave. Don¡¯t cause any more trouble.¡±


    ¡°Never!¡± he promised, and it did not sound serious at all. ¡°No worries,¡± Evelyn chimed in. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my


    eye on him while you are gone.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± Savannah was almost out when she heard her friend¡¯s voice


    again.


    ¡°Break a leg, Sawy!¡± ¡°They say that to people who go on stage!¡± She waved Kyle off with a chuckle.


    ¡°Yeah, but I mean that literally.¡± He scoffed as usual. ¡°Break a leg or two. Not yours, of course. But do it


    and win this thing.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± she grinned. ¡°Just don¡¯t count too much on that motivational speaker career, okay?¡±


    Savannah passed the guards, who reminded her that her best friend was nothing more than a prisoner


    in the castle.


    She already made a detour to the servants¡¯ quarters together with Kai while they pretended to have a


    tour around the building when in fact, they were looking for the maid who gave Savannah a note from


    Bjorn. If he had his people here, he was probably the one who helped Zack disappear. However, the


    girl in question wasn¡¯t found. They were told that one of the maids went to visit her family right on the


    day of the Interviews. She wasn¡¯t even supposed to be there, but Savvy was sure she was. Same as


    the princess knew that the warriors sent to her house woulde back with nothing. She probably left


    after she gave Savannah ¡°the gift¡± In the form of her ex.


    No matter how everything unfolded now, the big game, the real game, was only starting


    The contenders were lined up in the throne room with a huge screen on one of the walls that wasn¡¯t


    there before. Today there were no sparkling dresses and high heel shoes. Each girl was dressed in


    comfortable clothes, fit for walking, running and¡­ most importantly, fighting.


    ude and Chloe were wearing matching ck training suits as if they were contenders as well. Elene


    was the only one in a dress today, but that was understandable as she wasn¡¯t going to leave the


    castle


    ¡°White we wait for the king, I will exin the rules to you,dles.¡± Elene beamed and got out a little


    remote control She pressed one of the buttons, and an image of a round maze surrounded by a forest


    appeared on the screen,


    Sowy wasped and caught Flone¡¯s use. The smirk on her face let her know that this little gift was


    mtentional. She looked preadily at the lines, hoping that this was a real map and not just a joke to make


    her make more mistakes.


    ¡°As every Northerner knows, this is the Forgotten City,¡± Elene started exining. ¡°It¡¯s in ruins now, and


    some of the parts aren¡¯t safe to walk in. Yet a Luna of The North should be able to do it just fine. The


    City was built as a maze, and you will find many dead ends inside. Not to mention that we have


    installed quite a few traps. You get into a trap; you lose points. This time we aren¡¯t giving points for you


    just being smart or pretty. You only get to the next round if you manage to light the torch prepared for


    you in the shrine. The said shrine is located in the centre of the maze, right here.¡±


    She pointed at the centre of the maze with aser pointer.


    ¡°The people of the North will be able to save one of you,¡± the Princess continued. ¡°And one could be


    saved by King Kai.¡±


    That could have been great news, but Savvy knew she couldn¡¯t be saved by Kai if she wanted the


    title. Not really


    ¡°You can be attacked by rogues or white bears,¡± Elene went on ¡°You will have to deal with that on your


    own. The food will not be provided. You have to take care of it yourself.¡±


    A wave of whispers erupted through the room ¡°If someone wants to leave The Luna Trials now, speak


    up!¡±


    Savannah nced over the other contenders. Penelope, Celine and inga seemed confident; the rest.


    unfortunately, looked tense. Yet none of them chose to give up.


    ¡°Very well.¡± Elene smiled dryly. ¡°Since you all stay, I am going to give you a ribbon each. You tie them


    to your hands, and the colour of your ribbon matches the crystal on the torch you have to light.¡±


    The omegas stepped in with the ribbons, and a blue one was tied around Sawy¡¯s arm. Blue was good.


    She liked that colour, and so did the North.


    They heard the sounds of approaching steps and men¡¯sughter, and immediately, all heads turned in


    the direction of the entrance Kal strolled in thepany of L, Aspen and a few warriors


    Savannah didn¡¯t recognise.


    Their eyes locked, and a smile curled her lips. They hadn¡¯t seen each other for a few hours, but it


    seemed like forever already


    ¡°Mate!¡± Someone growled loudly, and everyone gasped

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    Cleghtern


    It seemed like people forgot how to breathe. Everyone started to look around, searching for the one to


    whom the im belonged.


    ¡°Mate¡­¡± This time Aspen¡¯s words sounded like thunder on a clear day. Savannah was shocked


    because he was looking in her direction. She knew, however, that it couldn¡¯t be her. She already had a


    mate and had met Aspen before. So, she looked at her right and left until she noticed how pale Brigit


    was.


    ¡°Mate,¡± Aspen stepped forward, ignoring his startled king and everyone else in the room. His voice was


    barely a whisper now, and Savvy noticed how Brigit¡¯s lips trembled. ¡°Mine¡­¡±


    The white bear shifter did not say a word, but her eyes glistened with unspilt tears.


    The red-haired northerner smiled as he approached her, not knowing what to do since she did not


    move or say a word.


    ¡°What is your name?¡± Brigit asked, and Savannah got an uneasy feeling rising in the pit of her stomach


    hearing her tone. Something was off.


    ¡°Aspen,¡± the Lycan smiled. ¡°Aspen Morr.¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Celia, who finally got over her shock, hissed at her brother. ¡°We are being


    filmed, and she is a contender at the Luna Trials!¡±


    But her sibling did not seem to care. Elene wanted to intervene, but Kai motioned for her to stop.


    ¡°Aspen Morr,¡± Brigit smiled, but that was a sad smile. ¡°I Brigit Borg, the daughter of the Alpha of the


    White w pack, reject you as my¡­.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Aspen growled loudly, and everyone around them gasped. ¡°4, Brigit Borg, the daughter of ¡­¡± She


    started again, and this time Aspen growled even louder. ¡°No, Brigit! I decline your rejection!¡± He


    clenched his fists and was breathing heavily now, desperation


    LT


    and frustration evident on his face.


    ¡°Brigit, are you sure?¡± Savvy whispered to her. ¡°Don¡¯t make rush decisions. You have just met each


    other and ¡­.¡±


    ¡°,¡±the white bear shifter started again. She had teary eyes, yet not a single drop spilt yet. For some


    reason, she was full of determination. ¡°Brigit Borg¡­¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Aspen Interrupted her again. ¡°I am not ¡­¡± His voice broke, and one could tell by just looking at


    him that he was in pain. ¡°Just¡­ just give me a chance before rejecting me ¡­¡±


    ¡°I came here to represent white bears and participate in The Luna Trials!¡± Brigit looked him in the eye


    and pursed her lips. ¡°I will not throw everything away for a mate I just met. I came here to win!¡±


    Aspen¡¯s eyes glowed red. Now he was furtous. He now had his loyalties torn between his mate and his


    king, his Alpha. It was the worst situation to be in.


    Sawy knew it wasn¡¯t her time to speak, but her heart clenched for the two.


    ¡°You do know you may not win this,¡± she whispered to Brigit and saw Chloe rushing the cameras to get


    closer. Even now, she didn¡¯t want to miss a good shot. ¡°Leave this decision for after the Trials.¡±


    ¡°She can¡¯t,¡± Penelope sighed sadly and looked up at them as though she cared. ¡°If she has a mate, she


    should already be disqualified ¡­ Unless Aspen epts her rejection, of course.¡±


    Brigit pressed her lips so tightly together that they formed a thin white line. For some reason, the Trials


    were more important to her than anything else.


    Kai strode to them, and Savvy looked in his eyes pleadingly. In all honesty, she had to be happy that


    the white bear was out. Brigit was a strongpetitor. It would be easier without her around.


    ¡°She can reject him in the finale if she wants to.¡± This time it was Petra who spoke, and they all looked


    in her direction. ¡°I am sorry,¡± the girl mumbled.


    ¡°No.¡± Sawy decided to continue this thought. ¡°She is right. Brigit can¡¯t be the Luna if she has a mate,


    but if that¡¯s done before the finale, then¡­.


    She stopped talking too. It was exactly like her own situation; they all knew Brigit was done. The North


    was never going to ept her whatever happened next. But Brigit wasn¡¯t going to be the Luna. It was


    Savannah¡¯s ce, and she had Kai¡¯s love. All she was giving the she-bear now was a chance to show


    herself and think more about her mate.


    ¡°So be it,¡± Kai agreed, looking at Aspen. ¡°Brigit Borg canpete. She will have to talk to her mate


    after each Trial and make her final decision before the final event. The North is a fair ce.¡±


    Aspen didn¡¯t seem happy about it, but at least he wasn¡¯t breathing heavily anymore. That meant that he


    had his wolf under control.


    ¡°So, we are alreadyte!¡± Elene pped her hands, bringing the attention back to her in an attempt to


    change the subject, ¡°Each contender will now travel to her designated starting point. Before the Trial


    begins, you will be checked so that we are sure you don¡¯t have anything on you that can help you. You


    will all start the next challenge simultaneously, and the distance to the centre of the Forgotten City is


    the same for all of you. Drones will be following you on your journey to record everything. And, of


    course, cameras are installed everywhere. We always keep an eye on the maze but will not interfere.¡±


    The contenders were walking out of the hall in a straight line while the guests were cheering for them.


    Savannah turned her head back to steal onest nce at Kai and their eyes locked at once. He


    smiled at her without trying to hide his feelings for her, and she did the same.


    Savvy was sitting in her car, waiting for the guards to let her out. It was taking a while, and she was


    eager to start the challenge as soon as possible. So, when the car door opened, she jumped out


    without thinking and right into the northern King¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Kai?¡± She gasped as she didn¡¯t expect to see him until this was over.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think I would let you go without a proper goodbye,¡± he murmured and crashed his lips into


    hers, taking her face in both his palms and caressing her cheeks in the process.


    This was the boost she needed so much. A reminder of why she was doing this. He was her peace in


    this cruel world, and she was his. This was worth fighting for.


    ¡°My king.¡± one of the guards cleared his throat, making them stop and tear away from each other.


    ¡°What?¡± Kai snapped his head at the lycan who, to his honour, didn¡¯t flinch.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for Princess Savannah to go into the forest.¡±


    ¡°Finel¡± the king growled, still holding her face. He turned back to her, breathing ragged. ¡°I love you,


    Savvy,¡± he whispered. ¡°Stay safe there.¡±


    ¡°Kai,¡± she let out a littleugh. ¡°Out of the two of us, you are the one with the most dangerous


    mission. Give Gideon my letter and try to make him believe in your feelings for me. This is the only


    way. When we meet again, I¡¯ll handle it from there.¡±


    ¡°Sawy,¡± he growled softly, cing his forehead on hers and closing his eyes. ¡°In the Forgotten City, pay


    attention to¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡± she ced her index finger on his lips. ¡°Unless every other contender knows this, I don¡¯t want to


    know. Elene evened out our chances by showing me the map already.¡±


    ¡°Nothing is what it seems there,¡± he told her. ¡°Don¡¯t rely just on your memory. Look around.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± she ced a soft kiss on his lips quickly. ¡°Let¡¯s go do this, kai¡±


    He gave her a simple nod, and his lips curled into a reassuring smile. Drones appeared in the sky,


    ready to film her, and she promised to herself to give them a good show,


    ¡°Let Fenrir protect you,¡± Kai said, and warmth spread over her chest. ¡°And let the Moon Goddess show


    you the way,¡± she answered and winked at him before turning


    away.


    It was time.


    Savannah started running. She knew one thing ¨C the Forbidden forest had to be crossed as soon as


    possible to avoid any kind of trouble from the white bears who resided not far from here. Since they


    were at war with the lycans, even if it wasn¡¯t announced yet, it would make sense for them to appear


    now. Killing off Kal¡¯s potential Lunas would be a great way to make him look weak. Somehow Bjorn¡¯s


    words about how Kai would lose everything he had were reying in her mind.


    She did not n to look for food because she didn¡¯t n to stay here for long. Picking up speed, she


    was sure she¡¯d be near the Forgotten city walls quite soon when she heard sounds that made her stop


    They were ¡­sobs. Moreover, the pitch of the voice seemed famir.


    ¡°For the love of.¡± Savannah was ready to swear. She knew she had glven her word to protect Petra but


    didn¡¯t expect it to happen so fast. Why was she in trouble already?1 The challenge had just started.


    Groaning, the western princess changed her direction and sprinted to the sound of Petra¡¯s voice. She


    found the girl in what looked like a freshly dug hole. It wasn¡¯t that deep, and technically she was


    supposed


    to be able to get out on her own.


    ¡°Petra, what happened?¡± Savvy furrowed her brows, looking at all that mess.


    ¡°Princess Savannah?¡± The she-wolf looked up, scrunching her nose and stilling another sob. She wore


    a tight ck outfit today like everyone else but stayed true to herself by tying a blush pink scarf over


    her neck. Her pink hair was made into two tight buns today. ¡°I met Mika,¡± she said, lips trembling


    ¡°She


    Petra pointed at her knee, and Savannah noticed it was all bloody and swollen. From the looks of


    things, the knee cap was broken, which would require some healing time, especially for a werewolf


    Sawy looked around and found arge old tree branch. She took it and lowered it into the hole where


    Petra was


    ¡°Grasp it,¡± shemanded. ¡°I am getting you out. Use your healthy leg to help yourself¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± the girl asked but epted the help anyway.


    Slowly, Savvy managed to pull her out, and Petra copsed onto the ground, whimpering from the


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    pain


    ¡°I gave my word to Evelyn.¡± The princess exined, turning her to her back. ¡°You have a wonderful


    mentor.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Petra tried to smile. ¡°She is like the aunt i never had. Or better say mother.¡±


    ¡°Let me have a look at this.¡± Savvy pointed at the knee and started checking it quickly. Her prediction


    was correct. The knee cap was in pieces, and it would require a few good hours for something like that


    to heal on a werewoll.


    ¡°It¡¯s bad, isn¡¯t it?¡± Petra tried to stay strong to the best of her abilities.


    ¡°It¡¯s not great, but you¡¯ll manage.¡± Savannah gave her a reassuring grin. Somehow she felt as if she


    was tending to a child.


    ¡°How embarrassing to be a contender who didn¡¯t even get to the Forgotten City!¡± Petra chuckled bitterly


    as Savvy untied the scarf on her neck.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get there. We just need to fix your knee until you regenerate. That¡¯s all.¡± The princess used the


    scarf and a few strong twigs she found to create a splint. Things did not look good at all, but it was the


    best she could do in the given situation. The rules of this part of the Luna Trials were that help would


    arrive only after at least one of the torches was lit. Unfortunately, giving Petra first aid and leaving her


    here


    wasn¡¯t an option.


    Swearing under her breath, Savannah helped the northerner up and gave her the branch she used to


    get her out for support.


    ¡°Here, wrap your arm around my neck,¡± she suggested. ¡°We will walk as fast as you can. Use this as a


    staf


    ¡°You are seriously going to do this?¡± Petra¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°I know she is helping out your friend,


    but is it worth it?¡±


    ¡°Friends and family are the only things worth it.¡± Savvy sighed, realising that she was losing time. If


    she could shift now, she¡¯d take Petra on her back. But it wasn¡¯t an option. Shifting meant losing.


    They managed to take up some kind of speed after a while, but it was still too slow.


    The sun was in its zenith, and if Savannah¡¯s calctions were correct, they were supposed to reach


    the Forgotten City in about half an hour, Mika was probably already there, which wasn¡¯t fair. But this


    was the whole point, wasn¡¯t it? The Trials weren¡¯t fair. They were about survival.


    Savannah tensed when she felt some movement behind them. And another one on their left.


    ¡°Long time no see!¡± Celia snickered, and Savannah rolled her eyes. Of course. The minions came to do


    their job.


    Carefully, Savvy ced Petra with her back to a tree and pointed at her self-made staff. ¡°Don¡¯t move


    from here and use that if you have to.¡±


    Then she stretched her neck, slightly happy she had a way to let out her frustration. The pair couldn¡¯t


    havee at a better time.


    ¡°What took you so long?¡± she smirked as the lycan and the werewolf circled around her, ready to


    attack any moment,


    ¡°No disrespect to your kingdom,¡± Inga sneered. ¡°We are just fighting for the best Queen for us.¡±


    ¡°That makes three of us,¡± Sawy chuckled. ¡°But no worries. I understand you serve your Queen B. The


    one who graciously lets you do the dirty jobs for her while she gets all the fame and recognition as


    always. Just tell me something¡­ You are both Alpha-females. Is it really enough for you to be her


    flunkies?¡±


    Both women gritted their teeth, and surprisingly, Inga was the first to attack. Celia soon joined her


    friend, and Savvy quickly realised that they trained together because each of their attacks were in


    perfect sync. It wasn¡¯t enough to intimidate her in any way; they were still no match for her.


    The princess was blocking their attacks with ease. Celia was more of a problem than Inga since she


    had more strength in her. Yet she wasn¡¯t a royal lycan, so Sawy knew the physical advantage was still


    on her side. She dodged blow after blow, thinking of how to deal with the two. Celia was Aspen¡¯s sister,


    and she didn¡¯t want to hurt her too much out of respect for him.


    Meanwhile, Inga tried to do a sucker punch to Savannah¡¯s stomach, which she recoiled, shoving Celia


    away at the same time after twisting her hand roughly. She didn¡¯t have time for this, so she decided to


    end this fast. Shame there were no more holes around to put these two in.


    But when inga ran to Petra, realising the wounded girl was Sawy¡¯s biggest weakness, the princess lost


    her patience Enough was enough!


    Grabbing the blonde¡¯s hair, she spun her around and kicked her so hard that she flew backwards a


    few good leet, mming against one of the trees


    Celia was back in no time, going for Savannah¡¯s jaw, but her hand got caught in the process, and with


    a few swift moves, Savvy nailed her to the ground. The lycaness growled and struggled under her.


    ¡°ghtern!¡± Savannah shouted, and Celia froze under her. What was it? Some kind of a magical word?


    ¡°How do you ¡­¡± the Lycan groaned.


    ¡°Your brother told me!¡± She sneered, still having no idea what it all meant. ¡°He told me to say it to you if


    I have to. I figured it¡¯s perfect timing.¡±


    Savannah sensed Inga charging at her again and prepared to block the attack when someone stood in


    front of her at thest moment, doing it for her¡­

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    Savvy blinked and saw snow-white hair swinging before her eyes as Naya took a battle stance.


    ¡°Easy there!¡± Her lips curled into a menacing grin as she blocked inga¡¯s attack. Her eyes did not


    promise her opponent anything good, ¡°You may hurt yourself again! We wouldn¡¯t want that would


    we?¡±


    The werecat dodged another blow and then kicked Inga¡¯s legs gracefully, making her kiss the dirty


    ground. Once again, Savannah admired the beauty with which the cats moved. As if they were dancing


    and not fighting


    ¡°If we could shift¡­¡± the werewolf growled.


    ¡°If we could shift, there would be a blood stain in the shape of you!¡± Naya retorted with a chuckle. ¡°You


    don¡¯t scare me, wolf girt. The only one I am scared of in this entirepetition is the person I side


    with.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Celia tried to wriggle out from under Savannah, and the Princess stood up, letting her go.


    The ginger-haired girl rushed to her friend¡¯s side,


    ¡°But¡­¡±inga was about to protest


    ¡°Did you hear what she said?¡± Celia seemed more agitated because of the magic word than anything


    else. ¡°Sorry, but even Penelope is not worth it for me. Soyou are on your own! Besides, I think we have


    stalled them for long enough!¡±


    Inga rxed slightly hearing this and nodded. They exchanged nces and charged in the same


    direction without saying anything else.


    ¡°So much for theirpany!¡± Naya turned to face the other two women, and Savvy really didn¡¯t


    know what to expect next.


    **You side with me?¡± The Princess raised her brow questioningly.


    ¡°Of course I do!¡± ugh followed the reply. ¡°Who else could you and me, two Westerners, join


    here?


    ¡°I could join forces with Astrid.¡± Savvy pointed out, throwing a quick nce at Petra, who still clung to


    the tree branch as if her life depended on it.


    ¡°I hate that one!¡± Naya scrunched her nose. ¡°And Brigit!¡± The Princess continued. ¡°Ugh, that one is


    even worse. You see why you needed me here?¡± The cat smirked.


    ¡°I needed you? Since when?¡± Now Savannah was interested.


    ¡°Since always!¡± Naya rolled her eyes. ¡°Why do you think I am here? To fight for a man? No, thank you. I


    like pirts more anyway. Although men can be fun sometimes. That depends on the size of their dl-¡±


    ¡°I get it!¡± Savannah tried to stop her confession. ¡°I still don¡¯t get why, though. And how did you know


    about the Trials?¡±


    ¡°I received an invitation from Elene. She wanted a werecat of noble blood topete, and my


    mother chose me.¡±


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So, you knew before I even got here?¡± Savvy gritted her teeth. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you inform us? We are


    supposed to be in an alliance with the cat packs.¡±


    ¡°We are in an alliance,¡± Naya confirmed nonchntly. ¡°That¡¯s the whole point. You didn¡¯t need that


    information back then. Your brother would flip, and we would have had another war on our hands


    instead


    of a new and powerful ally. Who would want that? My mother sent me here to help you get King Kai¡¯s


    heart and marry him. Or, at the very least, help you win the Trials and get the three wishes. If you had


    been disqualified, I would have to win this thing myself. Luckily, you didn¡¯t disappoint. The King is really


    not my type, so thanks for that.¡±


    ¡°You cats have strange ideas about loyalty,¡± Sawy scoffed; however, she also felt relieved.


    ¡°We do what will benefit us all. If King Gideon asked us, we would have told him what we knew. But he


    didn¡¯t, so¡­.¡±


    That was one convenient way of thinking


    ¡°And how exactly has your being here helped me?¡± Savannah let out augh. This was indeed


    hrious.


    ¡°I had your back and sent information to my mother so that she knew everything was fine. If something


    wasn¡¯t, I had to report to her, and she would inform King Gideon.¡± Naya folded her arms on her chest,


    not bothered with the moral aspect of things.


    ¡°That sounds like a very questionable n!¡± Savvy chuckled.


    ¡°It worked, though!¡± The werecat snickered. ¡°I was worried when you disappeared for a few days, but


    after I listened to Beta L¡¯s conversation with Princess Elene, I knew you were not suffering in the


    King¡¯s arms. I have to say, you worked faster than I expected. I thought that you two would start seeing


    each other as more than enemies somewhere closer to the end of the Trials. And look at you two!


    Mating


    already, and it¡¯s not even ¡­¡±


    ¡°Mating?¡± Petra squeaked, and they both turned to look at her. Her lips were twitching to keep a


    straight face, but tears were already on her longshes. ¡°You and King Kai?¡±


    ¡°¡®Sht,¡± Naya mumbled. ¡°I forgot the child was here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± Petra stomped her hurt foot and winced at the sharp pain. More tears streamed down


    her cheeks. ¡°Giving him sexy¡¯l favours so that he helps you is not fair!¡±


    ¡°Wow, wow, wow!¡± Savvy shook her head at once, choosing her words cautiously now. ¡°No one is


    giving him sex alvours! Petra, we ¡­ we are in love.¡±


    She blushed when the words left her mouth. It was the first time she said that out loud to someone


    else, the first time she imed him as hers.


    Her confession slowly sunk in and Petra¡¯s expression changed to a more understanding one.


    ¡°Are you mates?¡± The pink-haired girl asked, and Naya snorted, but Savannah jabbed her with her


    elbow.


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± she cleared her throat. ¡°You know what, we need to move if we ever want to get to the


    Forgotten City.¡±


    ¡°So, you stay here and wait for help.¡± The werecat smiled at Petra, clearly intending to leave her


    behind.


    ¡°No,¡± Savannah shook her head. ¡°I gave my word that I¡¯d take care of her.¡± ¡°For real?¡± Naya looked at


    her in disbelief. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Long story.¡± Savannah returned to Petra and helped her to wrap her arm around her neck for


    support. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable!¡± The cat murmured to herself and took the tree branch away from the pink-haired


    girl, throwing it away. ¡°Come here! It will be faster that way!¡±


    They practically carried Petra for a while, but since there were two of them now, it was much


    faster.


    ¡°At least we don¡¯t have to worry about any attacks anymore.¡± The werecat tried to look for


    something positive in the situation. ¡°Inga and Celia are long gone. What did you say to Celia again?¡±


    ¡°ghtern,¡± Savannah replied, seeing the walls of the Forgotten City from a distance. They weren¡¯t as


    destroyed as she imagined. In fact, they seemed very tall and well built.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Naya asked.


    ¡°I wish I knew!¡± The Princess chuckled. ¡°It proved so helpful!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a monastery deep in the Northern mountains,¡± Petra informed them. ¡°Women spend their life there


    in prayers to Fenrir. They only eat food they grow themselves and are never allowed to marry anyone.


    Even if they meet their mate, however unlikely if one lives in ghtern, they have to reject them. It¡¯s


    pure life. They also train to be warriors and are considered elite here. They say that Fenrir gives them


    his blessing, and they are the strongest among lycan females. Almost invincible.¡±


    ¡°Warrior nuns!¡± Naya snorted, ¡°That¡¯s a first!¡± ¡°They are more like priestesses,¡± Petra tried to exin.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honourable position.¡± ¡°if it¡¯s that honourable, why did one mention of the ce make Ce


    disappear?¡± Savvy


    chuckled.


    ¡°Because she isn¡¯t the nun type?¡± The werecat sniggered, and they both snorted, trying to suppress


    * The Morr family gave an oath long ago that each firstborn daughter would jo!n ghtern¡± the pink-


    haired werewolf continued exining. ¡°Ce had to join themst year. Evelyn says it¡¯s one of the


    reasons why she is in the Luna Trials. First, it postpones the Inevitable. And second, if she or one of


    her friends wins, they could use one of the three wishes to free Ce from her obligations.¡±


    ¡°Funny!¡± Savannah giggled. ¡°If she thinks someone like Penelope would waste a wish on her, she


    doesn¡¯t know her friend well.¡±


    They reached the city walls, but there was no entrance in sight.


    Savannah knew she had already lost too much time, but it wasn¡¯t hopeless yet. She was confident in


    her own strength and knew she could still catch up, but not while carrying Petra.


    Savvy and Naya exchanged concerned nces.


    ¡°To hell with you!¡± The werecat sighed. ¡°Just go already. I will look after her UNTIL her foot is healed.


    After that, she is on her own.¡±


    ¡°You can leave me now,¡± Petra realised they were talking about her. ¡°I will just wait here until everything


    is over. I am not really a warrior.¡±


    ¡°You are now,¡±Savvy looked her in the eye, reacting fast. ¡°Life has thrown you into this, and now you


    have to do the best you can. Your leg will heal soon, and then you will show what you are capable of.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point if there isn¡¯t even a prize anymore?¡± The she-wolf pouted her lips. ¡°ording to your


    own mentor, the point is your pride and reputation. She put her life into bringing


    you here. Are you going to just sit and wait until someone arrives to save you?¡± Savannah taunted. ¡°Or


    are


    you going to at least try?¡±


    have time to wait for the oue. She had already done enough.


    !


    ¡°You get to make one now. It¡¯s on you,¡± the Western Princess said. ¡°Naya will stay with you until your


    knee is healed, and I have to go now. But I really hope to see you fight, Petra. Not for Kai, not for any


    man. For you. You are just as strong as everybody else here. Even if you don¡¯t go far until you try, you


    know you are doing the best you can. Whatever you decide to do next-best of luck to you.¡±


    Savannah nodded at Naya, and the werecat gave her a supportive smirk. ¡°I¡¯ll find youter by your


    scent,¡± she promised, waving the Lycaness goodbye.


    Savannah was running for some time down the wall, realising there was no entrance to the city. Just


    the tall fence and no doors, no gates, no holes ¡­ nothing!


    Annoyed, she decided to simply climb the wall, not to lose any more time.


    Finally, at the top, an Impressive view of the former northern capital unfolded before her eyes. It was a


    huge circrbyrinth with thousands of branches, and Savvy had no idea how people lived here in


    ancient times. It looked like a big trap, and it did not help that now it was lit by the red light of the


    sunset.


    She was happy to acknowledge that Princess Elene had shown them the correct map before this


    challenge. At least the parts she could see from here matched now. She knew where she was and


    where she had to get. The shire where she was supposed to light a torch was in the very centre of the


    maze, the


    only building tall enough to tower over everything else,


    Savannah lelt vibrations before they reached her feet and jumped down moments before sharp metallic


    sparks grew out of the wall top. Once again, shended on a stone tile and felt something was off. The


    tile had a small crescent sign on it, and it was thest thing she noticed before arrows with silver tips


    started flying left and right.


    Not wasting time, Savannah ran as fast as she could and felt another click under her feet, realising that


    the tiles were triggering weapons. However, this time she was shocked when a wall appeared from the


    ground, cutting her way to escape and creating a dead end.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± She grunted, realising she would have to go back by the road she came here. She looked


    at the tiles and noticed small signs on almost each of them. She saw crescents, circles, diamonds,


    triangles, flowers, suns, stars and many others. By now, it was safe to assume that a crescent was a


    no-go.


    She measured the distance to a tile that was supposed to change the walls and noticed a diamond on


    Not thinking twice, Savannah stepped on the closest diamond tile, and a wall beside her moved. A


    different wall¡­ which meant that the maze was changing all the time.


    Her knowledge of the map wasn¡¯t going to help much now, which only made her grit her teeth.


    Sawy was sure that some of the tiles were safe and decided to try one to check, carefully stretching her


    leg to reach it. The floor under her dropped, and she grasped the ground next to her, trying not to fall


    down. If she originally stood where that pressed tile was, she would be at the bottom of what looked


    like a


    bottomless pit


    Her hands were slipping, and she realised that the walls were sleek and shiny, a mixture of metals


    connected together in intricate patterns.


    Silver and bronze.


    Silver for the wolves and bronze for the bears. Of course¡­ That made sense as these metals


    weakened the species.


    A shadow covered Savannah¡¯s face, and she lifted her head to see Brigit towering over her. The white


    bear had no emotions on her face, and Savvy didn¡¯t like it.


    ¡°Hi!¡± She tried to force a smile. ¡°Give a girl a hand, will you?¡± ¡°I am sorry.¡± Brigit shook her head.


    Her boot was inches away from Sawy¡¯s fingers.


    ¡°Come on!¡± The Princess threw her head back. ¡°You aren¡¯t that bad, Brigit! Why do you keep doing


    these things? You could have already been in your mate¡¯s arms instead of all this!¡±


    The white bear¡¯s eyes glistened again. Exactly like during her finding out about Aspen.


    ¡°I know your mate!¡± Savvy continued, trying to help her situation. ¡°He is a great guy! He would devote


    his whole life to making you happy. He has one w, though ¨C a very annoying sister, but does it matter


    really? When it¡¯s true love, and you are true mates.¡±


    Their eyes locked, and Brigit¡¯s lips trembled just for a second before she pulled on a cold and


    indifferent expression.


    ¡°I wish it could be different!¡± The werebear muttered and stood on Savannah¡¯s fingers. She was


    bringing more and more weight until the Princess screamed in pain and let go of thest thing holding


    her from the fall.


    Savvynded at the bottom of the metal pit. Silver wasn¡¯t affecting lycans too much, but there was so


    much of it around that she couldn¡¯t help but feel weaker. Besides that, she could feel something else in


    the air¡­ Something unhealthy.


    The pit was deep and impossible to climb up. There was nothing at the bottom that could help her as


    well.


    ¡°Brigit!¡± Savannah screamed, but the white bear was nowhere in sight. Sadly,getting out of here without


    help wasn¡¯t an option.


    She hated waiting. It was the one thing she despised the most. However, now she was forced into this


    position and prayed that Naya would soon catch up with her thanks to her scent.


    The remaining sun rays falling from above were Sawy¡¯s only source of light now, so when it suddenly


    got dark, hope rose in her chest. She looked up and saw¡­ one red eye gleaming in the darkness¡­


    ¡°Hey there, Princess!¡± Bjorn said¡­


    Kai knew this wouldn¡¯t be an easy conversation. No love was lost between him and Gideon Stormhold,


    the King of the Western Lycan Kingdom. And also Savannah¡¯s older brother.


    The Northerner was impressed by the size of the army Gideon brought with him, considering that it was


    on short notice.


    Kal considered many opening phrases, but nothing seemed good enough to use in the given situation.


    So, he went with the most obvious choice.


    ¡°Wee to the Northern Lycan Kingdo¡­¡± Gideon punched him. Hard.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    I Am North


    ¡°Hey there, Princess,¡± Bjorn¡¯s voice echoed through the pit¡¯s silver walls, and Savannah looked up to


    see his red eyes gleaming in the darkness, ¡°Looks like you need a hand.¡±


    She stood up. There was no way she¡¯d be sitting defeated at a moment like this. Besides, this was


    precisely what she and Kai expected and even nned for. After hours and hours of discussing


    everything back in the cabin, they came to the conclusion that Bjorn would be seeking to meet her


    again.


    The question was where and when. However, it became obvious after it was decided that Savvy


    wouldpete in the next Luna Trials challenge. It was the perfect ce to contact her since the white


    bears¡¯nds bordered the Forbidden Forest.


    ¡°Are you willing to help me just like that?¡± She looked at Bjorn with a raised brow.


    ¡°I never said that. Everything has its price.¡± The man chuckled and sat next to the edge of the pit so


    that he could observe her better. He liked the sight of the Western Princess beneath him. ¡°I am not sure


    ! am going to help you at all if I ampletely honest. At least not in the way you want me to help


    you.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you here?¡± She folded her arms on her chest and met his gaze defiantly, ¡°TO


    gloat?


    ¡°I guess I am¡­ intrigued.¡± His gaze travelled up and down her body way too slowly for it to be innocent,


    and Savannah swallowed a lump that formed in her throat.


    ¡°Intrigued with what?¡±


    ¡°With you, Princess.¡± A vague smile touched his lips. ¡°I was sure you would p that jerk and leave this


    country for good after what he did to you. This kind of humiliation was¡­ too much, don¡¯t you


    think?¡±


    ¡°Was I supposed to run back and lose the chance for an alliance both our countries needed so much to


    fight against you?¡± She rolled her eyes and added sarcastically, ¡°Please!¡±


    ¡°So, you know who I am,¡± he smirked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve been hiding that, right?¡± Savvy snorted loudly. His smugness was too much, but it


    could be for the best. After all, he was helping her to drag the conversation himself.


    ¡°I guess not,¡± he admitted easily. ¡°Still, i am not that famouspared to the North Star and the great


    Lycan King of the West.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be shy! The White Bear King is quickly gaining quite the reputation. All your work here doesn¡¯t


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    to unnoticedi¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an honour for me to be noticed by you, Princess.¡± His lips curved into a sly smile, and Savannah


    just hoped that Kal¡¯s warriors were on their way. Helping to catch the White Bear King would


    automatically mean winning thevour of the Northerners. This was a chance of a lifetime. Not to


    mention that it could potentially put an end to this war.


    She couldn¡¯t do it alone and not from this pit, though. Gideon arrived at the worst time, and Kai was


    dealing with him now. Otherwise, it would be a done deal. With Kai¡¯s ability to do something she never


    could control his third lycan form- he could submit Bjorn in battle. This was something that others


    couldn¡¯t do. But maybe it would be possible if there were many warriors against him.


    ¡°Why do you seek contact with me?¡± She decided to prolong the conversation, ying for time.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± His red eye gleamed again.


    ¡°I prefer to hear things clearly and not think of the double meanings so that I don¡¯t misunderstand


    anything. So, is the White Bear King brave enough to answer my question?¡±


    ¡°Is the Lycan Princess brave enough to hear my answer?¡± He teased, enjoying their little game. ¡°I think


    I can manage!¡± Savannah chuckled, masking her nervousness with fake confidence.


    ¡°Then you can hear it next time.¡± Bjorn stood up. The amused expression on his face changed to that


    one of indignation. ¡°I see you¡¯ve been waiting for me, Princess. You¡¯ve prepared and even managed to


    call for help somehow.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Savvy tried to pretend she didn¡¯t know about anything, even though acting was


    never her strongest gift. She was surprised that he already knew about approaching warriors as she


    couldn¡¯t hear or sense anyone close yet. Just how was he doing that? She was a royal lycan, for Moon


    Goddess¡¯ sake! Yes, she was in a silver pit, which had its effects on her, but it didn¡¯t affect her the way


    it would a simple werewolf. What was wrong with this bear?


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend with me,¡± Darius Bjorn sneered at her. ¡°I like that you set up a trap for me. I


    was angry that you didn¡¯t appreciate my gift, but I like a good challenge. My next gift will be better, I


    swear. I like that you stayed to fight, and I like that you thought you could win against me. It¡¯s¡­


    refreshing.¡±


    ¡°So, I take it as you like me?¡± Sawy scoffed, hugging herself uncontrobly. This confession gave her


    chills and not the best kind.


    ¡°Like?¡± Bjorn let out a low chestyugh. ¡°No, that¡¯s not how I¡¯d say it.¡± He calmed down and then


    looked straight at her with a predator¡¯s gaze. ¡°I want you.¡±


    His words echoed through her silver prison, and Savannah¡¯s lips parted. She didn¡¯t expect such a bold


    deration. This didn¡¯t feel like a game anymore. Not at all.


    But the bear didn¡¯t move, staring at her from the top.


    ¡°Get used to that idea,¡± he told her, and that made her shiver. ¡°When a white bear chooses its prey, it


    never lets it go.¡±


    Mam no prey!¡± She threw the words at him, but it seemed to only make his grin wider. He liked her


    this way.


    ¡°I guess you are not,¡± Bjorn agreed readily. ¡°You are Queen material. And it just so happens that I am in


    need of one¡±


    ¡°You are lucky to find yourself in the middle of the Luna Trials, then!¡± A little chuckle escaped Sarry¡¯s


    chest ¡°You can find some girls who are ready to kill to be a Queen!¡±


    ¡°I thought about taking Elene as my wife once to secure the North,¡± he confessed, interrupting her,


    and looked away as if he was seeing something peculiar far away. ¡°I thought that once I kill Kai and


    make


    his sister my Queen, the North will ept me. But you know what I learned over the years,


    Savannah?¡± His gaze met hers again, and she gulped. ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone to secure my throne here.


    I have worked hard


    for it, and I have earned my right. Once the Lycan King is dead, there will be only one ruler in the North.


    So,


    there is no need to have Elene by my side to rule the North. I AM NORTH!¡±.


    Savvy didn¡¯t reply to anything she didn¡¯t like how he already considered the man she loved dead and


    built his ns based on that. Elene had a lucky escape there, though, not being his target.


    ¡°So, that leaves me with an opportunity to pick my future queen based on my personal preferences.¡±


    Bjorn didn¡¯t look like he was in any kind of rush, even though Savannah could now feel approaching


    warriors. Paws and feet, they wereing from different directions in two forms and closing up on


    them.


    The cameras worked, after all!


    ¡°And you choosing me doesn¡¯t have anything to do with me being the Western Princess and


    descendant of the Western Lycan Kings?¡± She snickered, trying to stall him again. However, her


    attempt


    did not go unnoticed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say it¡¯s an added bonus,¡± he smirked, looking down at her. ¡°I didn¡¯t recognise you the first time


    we met, but I knew I wanted you then¡±


    ¡°How romantic!¡± Savannah selt her ws elongating on instinct but had to retract them not to break


    the rules of the Trials.


    ¡°There are still so many things you have to learn about me, Princess,¡± Bjorn clenched his lips tightly


    and became serious. ¡°I want you, and I like to y games. I love that you are feisty, my woman cannot


    be anything else you are also smart, and this is a quality I need for my Queen, Nice job hiding your


    memory skills, by the way. I couldn¡¯t figure it out for a while.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she muttered, although she felt like swearing. Now that her photographic memory wasn¡¯t a


    secret anymore, the little advantage she had was gone.


    ¡°Since I know so much about you, it would be fair to share something about me.¡± Amenacing smile


    touched the corners of the white bear¡¯s lips, and Sawy felt uneasy. ¡°When you try to mess with my


    ns, there will be consequences¡±


    She knew it was a threat but still didn¡¯t know what to expect. Bjorn watched her for a white, and now


    She was sure he wouldn¡¯t be able to escape the warriors. It was toote, but thenhe touched his


    temple and sneered at her Plercing pain rippled through her body, and she gritted her teeth, having to


    lean on the


    silver wall lor bnce


    Mer malet Her damn mate was doing this to her again! Just how many times would she have to suffer


    Thanks to that man? When she saw him nent, she would rip his heart out on the spot even if all the


    Cameras in the world were on her!


    ¡°See, Savannah, another thing to learn is that even when it looks like I am cornered, I have


    everything under my control. I have been working on all of this for too long to lose now!¡± The white


    bear¡¯s confidence was through the roof; she would have probably admired that if not for their little


    predicament.


    ¡°Is that why you so actively avoid Kai?¡± Savvy let out a bitterugh; her whole body was aching now,


    ¡°Admit it, Darius,¡± she used his first name on purpose, knowing this wasn¡¯t how he liked to be called,


    ¡°you know that if you two meet in battle, you will lose despite whatever enhancements you¡¯ve done to


    yourself! You are always on the run. I wouldn¡¯t call that control!¡±


    The smug expression was wiped from his face, and she noticed him clenching his fists, knowing she


    had hit the target.


    ¡°Princess,¡± his tone sounded as if he was disappointed, ¡°initially, I wanted it tost just a few minutes so


    that you learned your lesson. But I guess you just gifted your mate an orgy.¡±


    ¡°Whatever!¡± She chuckled through the pain. ¡°I think you overestimate Zack¡¯s abilities.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to put it to the test, I am afraid!¡± he said, and they both heard a howl nearby. The howl that


    meant it was a minute until the warrior lycans arrived. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon, Princess.¡±


    Bjorn was gone, and until she was sure of it, she could finally fall down to her knees and writhe in pain


    properly.


    Someone blocked the sun, and Savannah looked up to see L watching her with a concerned


    face.


    ¡°Give me a second,¡± he exhaled heavily. ¡°I¡¯ll get you out!¡± ¡°No!¡± she furrowed her brows and hissed.


    ¡°The rules¡­¡±


    ¡°F*ck the rules!¡± L grunted, ¡°You are my future Luna, and I can¡¯t leave you like this!¡±


    ¡°Then, as my future subject, take my order!¡± She did her best to stand up, knowing that her moment of


    weakness was over. She was a Western Lycan Princess and the future Luna of the North! She couldn¡¯t


    afford to lie down and feel sorry for herself even if the world was falling apart. She wasn¡¯t new to this


    kind of pain and could easily handle it! Because giving up wasn¡¯t an option.


    ¡°Go and get that bear!¡± shemanded but still saw the Beta hesitating, ¡°Now!¡± she roared, noticing a


    ck hawk in the sky. Zara was here too, probably tracing Bjorn¡¯s movements.


    ¡°Yes, Luna,¡± L bowed respectfully, a little smile ying on his lips. ¡°Follow Zara,¡± Savvy added.


    ¡°She will tead you to him.¡±


    The Lycan disappeared after a curt nod, and she heard the receding steps of the warriors, hoping that


    they would put an end to all of this today.


    The pain was still rippling through her body, and she couldn¡¯t believe that Zack had fallen so low as to


    have s*x on someone¡¯smand. Then again, it was possible he simply did not have a choice.


    It didn¡¯t matter much to her, though. She had her own problem now as she had to get out of this pit


    whatever it cost her.


    She couldn¡¯t shift or use partial transformation, but she could still use her body strength. The


    patterns on the walls were made of silver and bronze to be able to trap both ¨C Wolves and bears, but


    they weren¡¯t the hardest metals out there¡­


    Clenching her teeth, Savannah mmed her fist against the wall and saw a dent mark left in the metal


    from the impact. She hit it again and again, ignoring the pain in her bloodied knuckles. This wasn¡¯t


    important now. The cracked bones and torn skin would heal as soon as she was out of this ce.


    The Princess managed to make a few tactical dents and used them to climb higher on the wall. She


    was hitting it repeatedly, creating new ces to help her and slowly moving upwards.


    At this point, she felt more like a machine than a human, and even Athena inside her did her best to


    block most of the painful sensations for them.


    Savvy grasped the pit¡¯s edge and paused, taking a deep breath before the final push. She was so close


    to getting herself out.


    ¡°Savannah?¡± she heard a familiar voice and winced when she saw Astrid standing before her. Could


    this day get any worse?


    ¡°Hey!¡± she muttered, knowing that another fall was near. Would Astrid step on her hand like Brigit did


    or just unclench her fingers from the ground? Or maybe she would go as far as trying to kill her now? It


    wasn¡¯t exactly prohibited, and it was a perfect chance. It did not help that Zack was still going at it, and


    her vision was getting blurry from the pain, even despite Athena¡¯s attempts to help.


    Thinking logically, it was probably best to jump back down and pretend she felt herself. Astrid would


    leave her here if she was lucky, and she could get out slightlyter.


    She was about to do just that when the blonde she-wolf grabbed her hand.


    ¡°Careful!¡± The Southerner began pulling her out. ¡°Hold on!¡±


    Finally, Savvy was out of that hole and lying next to Astrid, both girls breathing heavily.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± the Princess mumbled, still shocked that another contender other than Naya helped


    her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it!¡± The girl next to her chuckled, ¡°You were totally thinking I was about to push you


    down, right?¡±


    ¡°Can you me me?¡± Savannah turned her head to look at her friend. Yes, now she could call Astrid


    that.


    ¡°I guess not. If it was anyone else, I would have just walked away,¡± the girl admitted. ¡°I know where we


    are, and I just escaped Inga and Celia! Everyone is so brutal here!¡±


    They both stood up, and Savvy tried to elerate her healing as much as possible, watching her


    wounds heal rapidly. Luckily, there were no serious injuries.


    ¡°Yeah, I met them too,¡± she shorted and then looked the Southerner right in the eye. ¡°So, why didn¡¯t


    you?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I what?¡± Astrid giggled.


    ¡°Push me of ¡± Savannah watched her reaction not to miss anything. ¡°We are rivals here, after all. And


    you came here to win as far as I remember.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that7¡± The other woman seemed unbothered. ¡°Well, i think it¡¯s clear now that Kai has already


    made his choice. I will not be bringing that crown to the Southern republic. But I hope that maybe at


    least ican im I am the new Queen¡¯s friend?¡±


    They looked at each other for some time, and Savvy stretched her hand to the werewolf in front of


    her.


    ¡°If you are talking about me, then sure you can,¡± she beamed as they shook hands, forming a new


    alliance.


    ¡°Do you wantpany?¡± Astrid asked her, but the Princess shook her head ¡°Sorry, but no. I feel like I


    need to do this alone,¡± she conlessed.


    ¡°Understandable¡± the Southerner nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get going. I still need to show good results before


    going back home. Good luck, Future Luna of The North.¡±


    Savannah wanted to say something else, but Astrid stepped on one of the tiles, and a new wall


    separated them


    ¡°Thanks!¡± she shouted to her friend.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t go left!¡± Astrid yelled back. ¡°This is where Inga and Celia are.¡±


    And this was why it was so tempting to go left. Savvy already had a way to deal with Celia, while Inga


    was good for nothing on her own.


    However, she didn¡¯t want to lose any more time. She had already lost a few hours and needed to get


    to the shrine in the centre of the city asap.


    Looking at the tiles under her feet, Savvy tried to find all the signs they had carved on them. She saw


    tiles with crescents, knowing that these were making arrows shoot from the walls. The sun meant silver


    pit, and she just got out of one. She grabbed a few heavy stones from the ground and decided to test


    the


    She threw one of them on a tile with a square, and a little window in a nearby wall opened, zing the


    fire right to the spot a person would have stood. She tried a tile with a flower, and the tiles fell into


    another pit. Yet this time, something was different, and when Savannah got closer, she gasped, seeing


    that this pit was full of water and smelled like¡­ aconite


    It was a pool of aconitel Somehow, she was d now she didn¡¯t fall into that one.


    Triangle revealed a pit with silver spikes, and this one also made the Princess breathe out in reliel


    She atready knew that the diamond shape was changing walls, and that left her only with snowke


    and star patterns. These two could potentially be good because, first of all, something had to be good.


    And second of all, it was the North, and they loved stars and everything cold.


    Savvy had to move, and she tried to pick empty tiles as long as she could since nothing was happening


    when she stepped on one, but that tactic didn¡¯t work for long, and soon she was faced with flowers,


    suns and snowkes. She slowly lowered to the ground and picked up another heavy rock,


    wishing to test the snowke.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you!¡± She heard a warning and turned to see a woman standing on top of


    the nearby wall, sneering at her.

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    The In-Laws


    Kai rubbed his cheek and looked at Gideon with understanding


    ¡°I guess I deserve that,¡± he nodded and immediately received another blow on his chin Something in


    there cracked, and he had to give it to the Lycan King of the West. Not too many people in the world


    could break his bones. His warriors growled menacinely and tried to approach them, but the Northern


    King motioned for them to stop. There was no need to escte things For Savannah, he was ready to


    take as many punches as he had to


    ¡°You despicable, obnoxious excuse of a king!¡± Gideon¡¯s eyes shone gold. ¡°How dare you take out our


    problems on my sister?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not! I swear!¡± Kai tried to exin, only to receive another punch in his face


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know about the Luna Trials!¡±


    Punch.


    ¡°Originally, I just didn¡¯t want to marry her!¡±


    Punch.


    ¡°it¡¯s all changed now! Savvy and I are going to get married and ¡­.¡±


    Punch


    ¡°After the sh*t you pulled, you are going to marry my sister over my dead body! I¡¯m taking her home


    this very moment, and you¡¯re never seeing her ever again!¡±Gideon growled, panting. He was about to


    punch the Northern King again when Kai finally caught his fist and pushed it away.


    He was ready to repent, but he would not give up the love of his life. This was a price he wasn¡¯t ready


    to pay


    ¡°We are in love!¡± He snarled menacingly, and his eyes shed blue.


    ¡°The hell you are!¡± Gideon eritted his teeth and yanked his hand back. ¡°What can you possibly know


    about love?! I knew I should have never let here to the North in the first ce! But do not worry ¨C


    this is thest time she will set foot here!¡±


    ¡°Savvy is my Queen!¡± ¡°In your dreams!¡± They were almost at each other¡¯s throats when a feminine


    voice interrupted them, ¡°That¡¯s not for you


    to decidel¡±


    Both of their heads snapped in the direction of a huge ck car with an open door.


    Riannon, the Queen of the Western Lycan Kingdom, walked out of it, a regal aura surrounding her. Her


    blonde hair was up, with a few loose curls framing her face. She was wearing cream high-waisted suit


    pants and a cashmere sweater with a tan coat thrown on her shoulders


    Kai wiped the blood dripping from his broken lip off of his face. Luckily, it was already healing.


    ¡°My greetings, Queen Riannon.¡± He bowed respectfully, remembering Savannah¡¯s words. If anyone


    was going to help him, it was this woman.


    ¡°Greetings to the King of the North,¡± she replied with a polite smile ¡°Please, just call me Kai¡± his lips


    curled slightly, and she nodded in understanding


    ¡°I am shocked you don¡¯t ask us to call you the North Star,¡±Gideon snorted, and Kai had to count to ten


    in his mind. He forgot just how annoying his old rival could be.


    ¡°Gideon,¡± Riannon said reproachfully and closed the distance between them. Sheced her fingers with


    her husband¡¯s, calming him instantly as if it was nothing. Kai caught himself thinking that only


    Savannah could do that to him. She brought him peace whenever she was near.


    ¡°Just listen to him.¡± The woman suggested and brushed her palm over her mate¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Did you hear the nonsense he just spouted?¡± the Western King was still displeased. She carefully


    draped her hand around his and pulled him to the side. ¡°You know what I saw,¡± she whispered, knowing


    far too well that the Northerner could hear her. ¡°It can be interpreted in different ways.¡± Her husband


    was still being stubborn. ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°I know that you¡¯ve been blessed by the Moon Goddess,¡± Kai said, and they both turned to him with


    their lips parted. ¡°I know your whole story.¡±


    ¡°Just more reasons to kill you!¡± Gideon growled, but Riannon held him back ¡°Walt!¡± she rubbed his


    shoulder, scanning the Northern King¡¯s face. ¡°Who told you about this?¡± she


    asked.


    ¡°Savannah.¡± Kai decided not to hide anything. He had to look at the bigger picture. They all had to


    leave their secrets behind for this to work.


    ¡°She¡¯d never¡­.¡± Gideon started saying but stopped in the middle of the sentence, exchanging nces


    with his wife.


    ¡°If she told him, she trusts him,¡± Riannon whispered, and the Western King softened a bit.


    ¡°I want to see my sister and speak to her now. If you insist you love her, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem,


    right?¡± Gideon still had his fists clenched. Every word was hard for him because this wasn¡¯t his n.


    ¡°About that¡­¡±Kai cleared his throat. It did look bad for him. ¡°You must be f*cking kidding me!¡± The


    Westerner had trouble controlling his rage. ¡°She is on one of the challenges of the Luna Trials,¡± Kai


    admitted, hating himself for the situation. ¡°Listen¡­¡±


    ¡°You are so dead, Fiongh!¡± Gideon promised ominously.


    ¡°It was her choice, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Riannon intervened once again, and Kai nodded, thankful for her


    presence. His nose and lip were finally healed, and he got an envelope out of the inner pocket of his


    jackel


    ¡°She asked me to give this to you.¡± The Northern King offered the letter Sawy wrote to the couple, and


    Gideon snatched it away, opening it at once. His eyes went through the line of the familiar handwriting,


    warming up his heart. He held the paper so that his wife could read it as well. When they both were


    done, they locked their eyes again, clearly mind linking each other.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that out of all the men in the entire world, my sister chose you!¡± Gideon ran his hand


    over his face. His every word wasced with bitterness, disappointment and disbelief. But at least the


    desire to murder the Northerner was gone for now.


    ¡°That makes two of us.¡± Kai chuckled, remembering his Little Maid. He was indeed lucky to have her


    ¡°Listen, I know I don¡¯t deserve her. I know! But ¡­ I love her. I will kill for her, I will die for her. I will


    take no other mate. She is the only one for me, and there will be no other.¡±


    **You have no idea what you are talking about!¡± Gideon scoffed. ¡°Mates are. You will not be able to


    resist the pull once you meet your true mate. And Savannah¡­ Our family has already been through


    this.¡±


    ¡°No offence, but I am not your wife¡¯s ex. And even he was tricked.¡± Kal pointed out, and just the


    mention of that man made Gideon snarl. ¡°I am not the only man in the world who is ready for a


    ¡°What stops me now is that I don¡¯t trust you! You didn¡¯t earn that!¡± The Western King was still agitated.


    ¡°And Savannah¡­ she¡¯s been hurt too many times already¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I know more about this than you do,¡± Kal clenched his fists. ¡°Zack Morgan is here. He is in the North. i


    didn¡¯t know when he first arrived, but i arrested himter when I saw how he was using their mate bond


    to hurt her physically.¡±


    ¡°He was doing what?¡± The royal golden eyes shed again, and Riannon ced her hand on her


    husband¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°He escaped.¡± Kal continued. They had to be done with itst, as it was already dragging for too long


    and precious time was being wasted. ¡°Sawy and I were gone for a lew days, and someone helped him


    to


    escape.¡±


    ¡°What kind of security do you have here?!¡± Gideon grunted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t judge,¡± Riannon sighed next to the two of them. They both were hard to deal with. ¡°You know


    who we are up against.¡±


    ¡°The united bears and foxes.¡± Kai nodded and got out his phone. ¡°Their leader, Darius Bjorn, has


    approached Savannah several times already. We¡¯re currently trying to get him Into a trap.¡±


    ¡°Am I understanding correctly that you are using my sister as balt?¡± Gideon gritted his teeth. The more


    he was finding out, the worse it was getting


    ¡°It was her idea.¡± Kai replied and looked his old enemy in the eye ¡°And I would have been there by her


    side if you hadn¡¯t arrived with an army on my border, unannounced, and threatening the North with a


    new


    war.¡±


    ¡°So, now it¡¯s my fault?¡± Gideon let out an exasperated sigh


    ¡°Oh, would you two stop it already?!¡± Riannon lost her patience ¡°Savannah is a big girl, and she can


    clearly make her own decisions. With her abilities, I don¡¯t think that any challenge at the Luna Trials is a


    difficult task for her. She is the only one who decides her ownte.¡±


    ¡°My warriors are by her side at all times,¡± Kai promised and switched on the streaming videos from the


    cameras installed in the Forgotten City to prove his words. He was searching for Savannah for a while


    as there were too many cameras recording everything that was happening. The footage would be


    processedter and cut for ude and Chloe¡¯s evening program, showing only the best moments Also


    known as the safest moment for the royal family.


    But when he finally managed to find Savvy, his eyes went wide.


    ¡°What is it?!¡± Gideon grabbed the phone and saw a man with white hair standing next to some kind of


    hole in the ground. The angle was changing, and he realised that a drone was filming this at that very


    moment. However, the smaller picture of what the next camera was recording got to him.


    ¡°I need to go there!¡± Kai told them and turned away, walking rapidly to the men waiting behind him. He


    didn¡¯t even bother to take his phone back as all he cared about was his future wife.


    Gideon was watching his little sister stuck in some kind of pit and looking like she was in pain but


    keeping up a bravece. He knew that expression of hers too well, and his heart clenched at the


    realisation that his beloved sibling was hurting. The man on the screen turned around and left, and


    Savvy fell to her knees, trembling


    ¡°Who the hell is this?!¡± The Western King roared,


    ¡°It¡¯s Darius Bjorn, the self-proimed white bear king,¡± Kaitold him on the way to his car.¡± suspected


    this before, but now I ampletely sure he is the one who has Morgan. I have no time for all of this


    now. Now you know what is going on, and you can wait¡­


    ¡°You must be delusional if you think I¡¯m going to wait while someone torments my sister! As I have


    already told you, you don¡¯t have my trust. You will have to earn it.¡±


    ¡°I respect that,¡± kai said. ¡°Let it be my first step to our mutual trust. I¡¯m ready for an alliance with you to


    fight the bears and the foxes together as you originally wanted. You and your warriors are now


    wee on mynd, and I hope you join me on my way to retrieve your sister.¡±


    Riannon took the phone from her husband and said,


    ¡°No offence to both of you, but it looks like Savannah manages just fine on her own.¡± A proud smile


    touched her lips. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need saving. But that white bear needs to be captured as soon as


    possible. He is the one I saw In that nightmare of mine. We have to stop him.¡±


    Zara was soaring in the sky, but it wasn¡¯t for her enjoyment this time. She had one purpose and one


    purpose only ¨C to find the enemy and to help the lycans capture him. Too much depended on that.


    It was rtively easy, thanks to Bjorn¡¯s head full of silver hair, he was easy to spot. She saw groups of


    lycans in their wolf and human forms closing in on the white bear. They were so close!


    However, at the veryst second, Bjorn made a quick turn in the opposite direction from where he was


    initially heading and then disappeared into thin air between two walls.


    She was circling over this spot until the first warriors arrived there. They tried to find the enemy using


    his scent, but it proved to be useless. The golden cream wolf arrived soon, and L shifted back to


    his human form. He gestured for her to join him, and it was too tempting to resist.


    ¡°Where did you see himst?¡± The Beta asked the girl, standing bare before her eyes.


    ¡°Right there.¡± She pointed to the two walls and walked over to them first. ¡°He was here, and then he


    vanished.¡±


    ¡°Damn it!¡±L swore under his breath as he studied the carvings on the walls.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Zara furrowed her brows.


    ¡°I think he is using the catbs,¡± the Northerner exined to her.


    ¡°And this is the first time we hear about it because?¡± The werebird was annoyed with the new


    information


    ¡°Because they were destroyed and sealed,¡± L confessed. ¡°It¡¯s one of the reasons it¡¯s called the


    Forgotten City now. As you can probably tell, this ce was built to be able to defend the citizens.


    Whoever entered would find themselves in a deadly trap. Many armies met their ends here. Until¡­¡±


    ¡°Until what?¡± Zara arched her brow.


    ¡°Until the Great Lycan war,¡± L whispered so that only she could hear it, making her gasp. ¡°After


    the Moonrise Kingdom fell and separated into four different countries, this was the biggest war that


    touched thesends. The city was almost destroyed, and the citizens hidden in the catbs barely


    survived. They say it was a bloodbath.¡±


    Zara shivered at the thought of lycans fighting against lycans. That wasn¡¯t how it was supposed


    to be.


    ¡°The catbs were destroyed under the ruins, and the city never recovered after that.¡± The Beta


    went on.


    ¡°There is something seriously wrong with you people making your future queens run around these


    deadly traps. Who in their right mind does it?¡±


    ¡°Our ruters are supposed to be fearless,¡± L retorted, and she rolled her eyes, upset that it was


    another dead end, when the man next to her pressed something on the wall and a small passage


    opened up before them. ¡°After you!¡± the guy smirked, and Zara rolled her eyes as she slid inside


    between his naked body and the old walls¡­.


    ¡°Show off!¡± she snorted, only to hear him chuckle as he followed her inside into the darkness. ¡°Would


    you rx?¡± he teased her.


    ¡°Rx underneath a city full of deadly traps on a hunt for the most dangerous enemy?¡± Zara let out a


    laugh. ¡°Easy!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay.¡± L promised, but just then, the door behind them shut forcefully, cutting the


    rest of the warriors off from them and leaving them alone against an unknown enemy¡­

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    I Want You


    Savannah looked up. The sun was setting down, and its rays blinded her as she tried to trace the


    movements of the woman on top of the wall.


    Spikes were still poking out of the old stones, but Mika did not seem bothered. She was walking


    between the sharp des gracefully without even looking at them. A true werecat.


    ¡°Is the little Princess lost? ¡°she sneered, wordsced with spite. Cats knew how to give attitude when


    they wanted it.


    ¡°I am.¡± the Lycaness chuckled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you be so kind as to get down here and help me out?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I am nning to!¡± Mika snickered, ¡°I just want to offer you to give up first. Step on the sun tile,


    and I will not throw you somewhere worse!¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Savvy hummed. ¡°Tempting, but I would have to decline. Nheless, I will do the same since


    you are so kind to me. Step on the sun tile, and I will not throw you somewhere worse.¡±


    They red at each other for some time, already knowing this wouldn¡¯t end well for one of them. ¡°So


    be it,¡± Mika narrowed her eyes and jumped down on an empty tile in front of her.


    The werecat struck first with her long leg with a sharp and urate blow. Savvy dodged, stepping on a


    safe North star tile.


    Another blow. Savannah twirled, avoiding it, fast as the wind.


    They both jumped from one tile to another, and it started to look like a deadly dance. The cat was


    surprisingly better at this. She moved with ease and precise aim, her caramel hair flying in the air.


    Savvy quickly realised why she dared to attack her. This was her only chance to win against a Lycan.


    Especially a royal Lycan. Cats were naturals at this. Jumping gracefully and avoiding danger was in


    their blood. At the same time, Lycans usually used raw force. If it was just about the force, Mika


    wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.


    However, Savvy noticed something quickly. Each time before another elegantnding, Mika had to


    look at the signs on the stone floor again. She didn¡¯t remember their position and had to check every


    time, while Savannah didn¡¯t have much trouble with that. All tiles were imprinted in her memory by now.


    She could walk through them with her eyes closed.


    Mika got what happened when a grin formed on the Princess¡¯s face, but it was toote as Savvy


    had already sped up. She was throwing a few tactical punches to make the werecat defend herself and


    lose awareness of what was happening around her. Savvy was moving as fast as lightning since she


    didn¡¯t have to look under her feet much. All while Mika was losing her confidence with every second


    of the fight.


    ¡°Fine!¡± The cat yelled. ¡°Let¡¯s just go our separate ways!¡± Sawy would haveughed if she had time for


    this. It was toote for a truce now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so!¡± The Western Princess went down, kicked her opponent¡¯s feet in one swilt move,


    making the werecat fall right onto the sun tile. The ground under her disappeared in seconds, and,


    screeching, Mika fell into a new silver pit.


    Cautiously, Savvy stepped close to the edge to make sure that the girl was all right.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do this, you know?!¡± The cat looked at her with fury in her eyes, clenching her fists.


    They both knew that for Mika The Luna Trials were over. She wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of here.


    ¡°This is for Petra,¡± Savannah said calmly. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to break that child¡¯s teg either!¡±


    Mika prepared to say something else, but Savvy wasn¡¯t interested anymore. She had already moved


    on, continuing her quest.


    The tiles went on for quite some time, but knowing which ones were safe, made the task easy. She did


    not meet anyone else for a while and soon reached the normal part of the Forgotten City,


    It was forgotten, indeed. The streets mainly consisted of broken ancient houses built of white stone.


    They were much smaller than the houses now-each with a firece inside to keep the owners warm


    during cold winters.


    Sawy looked up and saw drones in the sky. Three were circling above her head, and she saw several


    other groups at a long distance. That probably meant that other contenders were not close to her at all.


    This gave her relief, but she was still cautious about her surroundings.


    From where she stood, she could see the shrine in the city¡¯s centre. It was higher than any other


    building here, and Sawy frowned when she noticed drones flying over it. Someone was already there.


    which meant she wouldn¡¯t be first.


    She didn¡¯t waste any more of her time and moved as quickly as she could. She had to at least be


    second


    The Princess was finally at the bottom of the shrine when the sun was almost down. Hundreds of steps


    were before her and she clenched her fists, knowing that the other contender was still inside.


    It could only mean one thing. That contender was walting for others.


    And considering she knew where the rest of them were, it could have been only one person ¡­.


    It was dark inside the shrine. Only therge round fire pit in the middle of it illuminated the ce, letting


    Savannah see the carvings and murals on the walls. It was Fenrir¡¯s temple, so, of course, she


    recognised the huge ck wolf depicted in the stories the ancient pictures told. Son of a God, he was


    betrayed and chained in the underworld. But even then, he managed to bite the hand of his enemy, Tyr.


    After years of waiting and suffering, the Wolf God was freed by a malden and changed the world for


    her, creating the first Lycans. This was what the Northerners believed in.


    There was a bridge from the entrance to the centre of the spacious ritual room with incredibly high


    ceilings. One step in the wrong direction, and she would fall down, down, down ¡­ something told her


    that she¡¯d fall well below ground level as a quick nce only showed her the emptiness and darkness


    over the


    edge of the bridge


    There were many torches on the walls behind the fire pit, but only one of them was lit-the red stone


    one, Savannah knew who had the red ribbon.


    ¡°You are sote! I am tired of waiting! What kind of Queen would you be with such results?¡± Penelope


    didn¡¯t even try pretending to be nice anymore as she walked out of the shadow with a smirk.


    ¡°The kind who fights her own battles, I guess,¡± Savannah retorted, a confident smile ying on her lips.


    That woman did not scare her at all, so she added, ¡°Something you will never be able to say for


    ¡°No worries, I am about to fight my battle now! So, the victory will be clean and all mine!¡± The words


    seem to irritate the Northerner. ¡°And you will be forgotten as if you never happened!¡±


    ¡°Hardly,¡± Sawy stepped forward, eyeing which torch was hers and not even surprised that it was the


    one right behind Penelope¡¯s back. So very naive of her. She probably even thought she would be able


    to stop her from getting there and lighting the fire.


    ¡°We shall see now!¡± Penelope snarled, baring her perfect white teeth.


    ¡°Oh, you make me so sad, Pen!¡± Savvy chuckled. ¡°And here I thought we would be drinking cosmos


    and braiding each other¡¯s hair as the besties that we are. You, me and Elene. How disappointing you


    couldn¡¯t keep your act up any longer!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you told Elene for her to change her mind about me bing the Queen, but it


    doesn¡¯t matter! I didn¡¯t spend all these years listening to her whining just to lose now, as what I always


    wanted is so close!¡± The woman gritted her teeth,


    ¡°Some friend you are!¡± Savvy snorted.


    ¡°I was the best friend for her! I tolerated all the tears and all the sleepless nights for so many years! Do


    you know that she still has nightmares about her parents being killed? She wakes up in tears almost


    every night! And i was there for her every time she needed me! I wiped her eyes and gave her a hug


    when she required onel And I listened about her obsession with your brother for years and years! Do


    you have any idea how annoying that is?¡±


    ¡°Probably as annoying as your confession right now,¡± Savannah nodded, holding back her anger.


    ¡°earned that crown! I worked for it for so long!¡± Penelope yelled, hitting herself on the chest. Her eyes


    shed green as she did it.


    ¡°You lied for it!¡± Savvy cut her off. ¡°You used a vulnerable girl who considered you her friend just to gain


    the title with her help. Well, she did help you. She owes you nothing anymore. How far would you have


    gotten without Elene? That is the question¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be in the same damn ce! Ready to push you off that bridget My family is one of the oldest in the


    North! It¡¯s our rightful ce on that thronel¡±


    you didn¡¯t even mention Kalonce.¡± The Northern Princess pointed out, getting closer. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t


    care about him much either 7¡±


    ¡°On the contrary,¡± Penelope hissed. ¡°I care about him. We would make a great power couple!¡±


    ¡°Wow! So much love in every word!¡± Savannah let out augh, hoping to stretch the conversation for


    tonger. She almost reached a sale spot. ¡°It looks to me that all you care about is power. Aren¡¯t you


    afraid to say all that in front of the cameras?¡±


    ¡°Cameras?¡± Penelope cackled. This was hardly augh of a normal human. She looked insane,


    absolutely deranged


    ¡°That exins why you are so transparent today, Pen. The acting was so good, though. I almost


    bought it. Almost.¡± Savannah was moving forward confidently. She knew she had to go through the


    bridge fast as this was probably the Northerner¡¯s best bet. Unless she was foolish and really believed


    she could take down a royal Lycan.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you clever?¡± Penelope¡¯s expression changed to a menacing one. ¡°Youe from the West, and


    you think you are so much better than everyone else! The prettiest, the brightest, the bravest¡­.¡±


    ¡°I was just being me, but thank you.¡± Savvy epted the spitefulpliment and, without any warning,


    ran straight at the other Lycaness, dodging her blow at thest moment and sliding down on the ground


    right up to the fire pit. She grabbed one of the torches and stuck it inside the mes, charging for the


    big torch on the wall with the blue crystal,


    A second, and the fire started burning brightly, the crystal glowing in the darkness as the


    announcement of herpleting her task. That couldn¡¯t be undone, and Savvy breathed out. All she


    had


    to do now was survive.


    Now she was free to deal with Penelope, who was already storming in her direction.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    However, Savannah noticed some movement behind Penelope¡¯s back and tensed. Who else could be


    here other than the two of them? All the contenders were too far away now.


    The Northern Lycaness did not see the dark figure that appeared from the back entrance of the shrine.


    This was probably one of the passages from where the priests were arriving in the olden days for


    the rituals.


    One footstep and Savannah saw the familiar white hair sparkling in the light of the fire, making her


    freeze on the spot.


    Penelope was right next to him when Bjorn grasped her hair and yanked her back forcefully. The


    woman screamed as he threw her to the ground without any pity and without letting go of her ck as


    night hair


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Penelope looked at the man who held her in ce as her eyes went wide with shock.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Bjorn caught her hand as she tried to scratch him with her elongated ws, not caring


    anymore that this was breaking the rules of the Trials. The she-wolf knew she was fighting for her life


    now. The white bear twisted her arm, and Sawy heard a loud distinctive crack, followed by a piercing


    scream


    as Penelope¡¯s hand got broken.


    ¡°Let go of her!¡± Savannah heard herself saying. She didn¡¯t like that woman, but this was too


    much


    ¡°You don¡¯t really want that do you?¡± Darius Bjorn looked her in the eye, and his own healthy one


    gleamed red.


    -1


    ¡°And now you know what I want?¡± She folded her hands over her chest, not moving. Who knew If this


    was another trap? It could have been all staged. Yet the panic in Penelope¡¯s eyes told her otherwise.


    The Lycaness was gripped with primal lear, losing all her acrimony now that she realised her situation.


    Savvy knew she couldn¡¯t win a fight against Bjorn because he was much stronger than he was


    supposed to be. Penelope had no chance whatsoever.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to figure it out,¡± the white bear king¡¯s lips curled into a smile and did not promise


    anything good. ¡±You didn¡¯t like myst gift. I was sure you¡¯d rip his heart out the minute you saw him,


    but you did no such thing. No worries, I got you. You didn¡¯t want to get your hands dirty, Princess, and


    that¡¯s fine with me. This time I will do everything myself, and you don¡¯t have to lift a finger. I don¡¯t mind


    doing the


    dirty work for my¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need any of this!¡± Savannah interrupted him, not willing to hear the end of that sentence, but it


    was toote as Bjorn lifted Penelope by her hair and snapped her neck effortlessly, letting her dead


    body


    fall to the ground.


    Savvy wanted to scream, but no sounds came from her dry throat. She could hear her heart drumming


    in her ears as the white bear approached her, simply stepping over the girl he had just killed. His


    ruthless gaze was now on the Western ¡°Princess, and she took a step back for the first time in her


    life.


    ¡°See? I can just make things easy for you,¡± he insisted as she gulped nervously


    ¡°I did not want or need any of this!¡± She repeated, Athena growling inside her mind, ready to fight if


    they had to


    ¡°Of course you did,¡± he went on. ¡°You hated her from day one. She was doing everything to destroy


    and humiliate you. Now she is gone. And you are wee.¡±


    ¡°Again, I didn¡¯t ask for it!¡± Savannah furrowed her brows.


    ¡°You will not have to ask me for anything, Princess.¡± He was slowly getting closer. So calm, considering


    he was in the middle of his enemies¡¯territory, Alone.


    This was when it hit her. Was he actually alone, or was it a part of an borate n?


    ¡°I will learn to fulfil your desires. Even the ones you don¡¯t realise you have. It¡¯s going to be fun. I


    promise.¡± Bjorn was now just Inches away from her.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t have to,¡± Sawy clenched her lips and fists. She¡¯d have to break the rules of the Trials


    too if he attacked her


    ¡°Oh, I do!¡± He chuckled darkly. ¡°You prepared quite a surprise for me today, didn¡¯t you? I just had to


    pay it back. Tenfold.¡±


    Her breathing hitched. L had so many warriors to get that bear, and yet here he was standing in


    front of her in his ck leather jacket. Unharmed. She noticed a little blood stain on his neck, but


    something told her it wasn¡¯t his.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± She decided to ask, thinking of what to do now. What was the best


    course of action when alone with a crazy, enhanced savage white bear?


    ¡°I want you.¡±

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    Savannah clenched her lips, preparing to fight. This conversation was going from bad to worse.


    ¡°What kind of reaction do you expect to get for a im like this?¡± She crossed her hands over her


    chest. The defensive movement came naturally to her, and Darius frowned, seeing this.


    ¡°I want you to go with me,¡± he said without breaking eye contact. Bjorn wasn¡¯tcking confidence.


    ¡°Now.¡±


    ¡°Go where exactly?¡± Savannah was slightly startled by his bluntness,


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°To the real North.¡± He lifted his chin higher and took a step forward. Savannah decided not to budge


    and stayed in her ce. Showing weakness now would have been a mistake,


    ¡°And this is¡­ where again?¡± The woman looked at him questioningly.


    ¡°My castle,¡± he replied calmly. ¡°The White Bear n territory. This is from where I am nning to rule


    the North and other kingdoms in the future.¡±


    ¡°Other kingdoms?¡± She shot her brow up. Now, this was getting interesting. ¡°Are you even


    serious?¡±


    ¡°I am deadly serious.¡± Not a muscle flinched on his face, and he took another step. ¡°My family have


    been working for this for years. And we have never been closer.¡±


    ¡°You family?¡± Savvy decided to try and fish for more information while he was offering it so easily. ¡°And


    here you gave me an orphan vibe.¡±


    ¡°I guess you can say that about me now.¡± The man chuckled. ¡°I am one of thest ones left. But I will


    do anything to keep the family¡¯s legacy.¡±


    ¡°How very noble of you,¡± she scoffed, still thinking of the best course of action. ¡°I didn¡¯t take you for a


    family man.¡±


    ¡°Family is of crucial importance to me.¡± Now Darius was almost next to her. ¡°You will learn this over


    time as you are going to be a part of it.¡±


    Savannah was unimpressed with the statement. ¡°Have you ever thought about maybe asking for my


    opinion first?¡±


    ¡°I am asking you to go with me now. Leave this ce; forget about Kai and the stupid humiliating Luna


    Trials.¡± His jaw tensed as he took another step. Thest one. Now she was finally within his reach, and


    they both knew that. ¡°This is a one-time offer, Princess.¡±


    ¡°And if I say no?¡± She swallowed the lump that formed in her dry throat. Close, he was too close. What


    would you do then?¡±


    ¡°I would still make you mine,¡± he promised while his healthy eye darkened. ¡°But it would be a less


    pleasant process for you. This is why I want you to think carefully now. It¡¯s rare for me to give anyone a


    choice, but I would prefer us to have a good start even if the finale doesn¡¯t change.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like a choice!¡± Her fists clenched. ¡°It¡¯s a threat!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an offer,¡± Bjorn retorted. ¡°I am offering you everything. I will throw the whole world at your feet. I will


    give you your mate¡¯s head on a spike. Your every wish will be granted as long as you stay by my side.¡±


    ¡°Generous.¡± Savannah sighed, choosing her words cautiously. ¡°You offer me Zack¡¯s head? Isn¡¯t he your


    best buddy? Thest time we spoke, he even had sx on yourmand.¡±


    ¡°Command is the right word here.¡± Bjorn brushed his fingers over her arms gently as if he was


    studying her skin, her reaction. For the first time, Sawy stepped back, and he scowled.


    of them conspiring to do this to her made her livid.


    ¡°He was doing that on his own ord. As you know, I had no interest in you just until recently.


    Everything changed after I met you.¡±


    ¡°What did I do to deserve such an honour?¡± Savvy taunted, quirking her brow up.


    ¡°Come with me, and I will tell you.¡± The bear knew how to be stubborn; at this point, it was a game of


    wills.


    Yet Savannah made her choice a while ago, and nothing could change her mind. She was in love.


    Deeply, unreasonably and beyond retrieve. Even if the leaders of the white bears decided to kill her


    here and now after her words, she knew she wouldn¡¯t humiliate her chosen mate by lying. She would


    die fighting if she had to


    However, before that, she would first try to push the man in front of her off that ridiculously high bridge


    He must have read it in her eyes as he glowered suspiciously, but then his gazended on something


    else, and Savannah felt him grasping her neck painfully and yanking her towards himself. The airflow


    was restricted now, but it wasn¡¯t her main problem. The main problem was the power she felt vibrating


    from him. If he tightened his grip on her just slightly, he would snap her neck, and it would be the end of


    her.


    ¡°What is this?¡± He growled as he pulled the zip of her front jacket down and tore the rest off her with his


    free hand, leaving her just in a ck cropped top. She was terrified when his hand went to her chest,


    but then she saw him hooking the North Star ne with his finger. ¡°When did he give this to you?¡±


    Bjorn seemed furious, his eyes glowing red now. ¡°When you disappeared with him for a few days and


    let him have his way with you?!¡±


    ¡°Why ask if you know the answer?¡± she sald, breathing rasp in her throat as he squeezed it tighter. Her


    vision started to darken, and she thought this was the end when he threw her to the ground.


    Savannah gulped the air greedily, returning to her senses quickly. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Darius grunted as


    he circled her, looking down on her, yet stretching his hand as


    another offering. ¡°What is your answer? Come with me now and ¡­¡±


    ¡°No!¡± She snarted, her voice hoarse, certainty still present in it.


    Bjorn¡¯s lips clenched tight, but other than that, nothing changed in his expression. Deep inside, he


    knew that this was how it would end. They both knew.


    I


    Luckily, Sawy was restoring quickly and gathering her strength, she managed to stand back on her feet


    to face the enemy.


    ¡°Whatever happens, I will never go with you! I will never be with you! I will never-¡± He charged at her,


    trying to capture her again, but this time she was ready and dodged in time, recoiling with her own


    attack and pushing him closer to the edge.


    ¡°This is something you are going to regret!¡± He promised, baring his teeth. ¡°I thought one lesson was


    enough for you, but it looks like you will need more! No worries, Savannah. I will be a good teacher for


    you. You will learn to obey and respect me!¡±


    ¡°See, this is exactly why we will never be a good match!¡± She chuckled, not letting him out of her sight.


    Then she tried to kick him again, but he caught her foot and threw her towards the giant fire pit. She hit


    the heavy hot cast iron wall that burned her exposed skin. It didn¡¯t matter much. Scars wouldn¡¯t kill her,


    but losing wasn¡¯t an option right now.


    Savannah hissed but still tried to get up. However, the creaking of the opening shrine doors distracted


    them both as they turned and saw Astrid walking in, followed closely by Naya and Petra. All three


    women were shocked by the picture that unfolded before their eyes


    ¡°Savvy!¡± Astrid was the first one to charge at Bjorn, not a moment of hesitation. A true warrior at


    work.


    ¡°Petra.¡± Naya turned to look at the pink-haired werewolf, ¡°Go back and make as much noise as you


    only can. The guards are near. Let them know that there is an intruder inside the shrine, and he¡¯s


    attacking


    the contenders.¡±


    Petra paused for a second but then nodded and turned on her heels, almost bumping into Brigit¡¯s


    chest. Now there were two white bears in the room, and Savannah wasn¡¯t sure how it was going to go


    However, Bridgit¡¯s eyes glowed as she assessed the space around her, and she firmly stepped on the


    bridge


    ¡°You!¡± She grew her ws, not caring about the rules of thepetition anymore. She ran at Bjorn and


    tried going for his neck, however, he managed to dodge the blow and recoiled by throwing her at


    Savannah, who was trying to attack him too, knocking her off her feet. Both women grunted as they


    tried to get up, but Naya and Astrid were next. The white bear leaderughed as he blocked their


    attacks. This didn¡¯t seem to bother him at all. For Darius Bjorn, it was just a game.


    Sawy was furious This was probably the best opportunity they would ever have at catching him and


    ending all thts.


    By now, she knew there was only one way to overpower him. They either needed more people, or she


    would have to use her third form. Just the thought of It made her shudder. This was her one weak


    sport,


    one thing she was bad at. Every royal lycan had a problem controlling the beast inside of them. They


    were primal creatures, full of power and strength. They were sleeping inside of them, hibernating, One


    could go his whole life without awakening them. But once a beast was unleashed, it started craving


    freedom, power, blood ¡­ It was never enough.


    The creature inside of her was unstoppable. It wasn¡¯t like what your brother had, where he simply had


    to control the time he spent in that form. The longer he spent in it, the harder it was to get back. It only


    changed with Riannon¡¯s advent in their life. During thest bloody battle, he didn¡¯t stop on time, and


    she was the one who managed to bring him back. Their love, mate bond, their special connection


    pulled Gideon out of the darkness.


    Her own mate was useless in that sense. Sometimes she thought that Kai could be the one to do this


    for her, but he was nowhere near now. Nevertheless, she was ready to take one for the team. If it


    meant ending the Great War that threatened to happen any day now, she was willing to make the


    sacrifice. Kai


    and Elene could control their forms, and Gideon was now in the North. Between the three of them, they


    would be able to stop her. To kill her if they had to


    Yes, she had made her decision and stood up.


    ¡°I will hold her back as long as I can,¡± Athena promised her in their shared mind.


    ¡°I know,¡± Savvy breathed out. She was ready to turn into a monster when Kai¡¯s warriors burst through


    the door. The room suddenly became crowded.


    Bjorn was surrounded, but it didn¡¯t seem to disturb him as he removed his leather jacket and made it


    fall to his feet. His lips curled into a smirk as he twirled on his feet, either watching his enemies or


    showing himself off to their faces. It was hard to tell. But one thing was for sure ¨C he still wasn¡¯t


    bothered with any of this. He still wasn¡¯tcking confidence. On the contrary, he radiated it when he


    lifted his hands as if he


    had weed them all.


    Savannah had a bad feeling.


    Two men shifted into their wolves in a jump, trying to get the white bear first. He met one of them with a


    strong punch in the jaw, well managed to catch the other one by his neck. The grey wolf scratched him


    where he could get it, but Darius twisted his neck and the cracking sound echoed through the high


    walls.


    Astrid tried to attack him again, but he didn¡¯t pay too much attention to her, not taking the werewolf


    seriously. He threw her over the bridge, and Savannah screamed, running atter her friend and trying to


    catch her. A fall would mean death for her. She managed to catch her hand at the veryst second,


    ctinging to her as if everything depended on It. She was ready to sacrifice herself, but she was not


    prepared to lose the people she liked and cared about.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t have to do this!¡± Astrid tried to smile as her hand was slipping out of Savannah¡¯s. ¡°I


    can hear water. Maybe there is a pool down there, and I will not die.¡± The she-wolf tried to joke but it


    wasn¡¯t funny


    ¡°We don¡¯t know that!¡± Savvy tried to get her out, but the grip was ufortable, and she was afraid


    she would lose her any moment now.


    ¡°Hold on!¡± Naya appeared by her side and somehow bent lower, grasping Astrid¡¯s second hand.


    From the corner of her eye, Savannah saw that it wasn¡¯t going well for the warriors. One wolf managed


    to bite at Bjorn¡¯s side and rip a big chunk of his flesh. The blood was gushing at first, but the wound


    started healing very quickly, closing before her eyes,


    This wasn¡¯t possible! What was he?! Because he definitely wasn¡¯t a simple bear! She couldn¡¯t heal like


    this. Her brother, the mighty lycan king, couldn¡¯t heal like this! She was pretty sure that no one could


    heal like this. No creature she was aware of.


    They managed to pull Astrid out when they saw Bjorn lifting Bridgit up by her neck. He was covered in


    blood now. Mostly not his. His ck t-shirt was in pieces on his toned body, but it didn¡¯t seem to have


    any effect on the man.


    Brigit was kicking her legs, trying to reach him and save herself. It proved to be useless.


    ¡°What do we have in here?¡± He let out a darkugh that could make chills run down everyone¡¯s spines.


    ¡°A little traitor, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll put my life to kill you!¡± Brigit gurgled.


    ¡°More reason to kill you now!¡± The man didn¡¯t seem impressed by her speech, but this was when two


    loud, powerful growls interrupted them all.

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    Long Live The Royals


    Bjorn¡¯s eyes scanned the space around him calmly. As if he wasn¡¯t in immediate danger. As if the


    presence of not one but two Lycan Kings was nothing to him.


    He dropped Brigit to his feet, losing interest in her. The woman almost wed her own chest, trying to


    get some air into her lungs.


    She was lucky to survive as it was.


    Kai and Gideon both growled again, warning the bear, letting him know his days were numbered. They


    saw what kind of chaos he caused and were ready to end him right there and now.


    ¡°On your knees!¡± Gideon ordered, eyes glowing golden. ¡°Do it quietly, and your life will be sparedi¡±


    A chuckle escaped the white bear leader, and Savannah had a bad feeling about it as his gaze grazed


    over her. Calm, he was too calm. This kind of confidence could only mean he was sure he would be


    walking out of here unharmed.


    However, this was ridiculous! She might have had trouble defeating him on her own, but now there


    were three royal Lycans in the


    room and a few Alphas to top that off. Not to mention the feisty contenders who all looked like they


    wished to take part in his


    execution.


    Bjorn knew all that, and he still remained uncancerned.


    ¡°So temptingl¡± He stepped over Penelope¡¯s body which was on his way again. ¡°Did you make an offer


    like that to my brother before you killed him, Western King?¡±


    Everyone tensed as his red eye gleamed in the dimmed lighting of the ancient temple. They all had


    been thinking about the same


    person now.


    ¡°You are Castiel¡¯s brother,¡± Riannon entered the shrine, and Gideon growled, trying to step in front of


    her for protection, but she only


    ced her palm on his shoulder and didn¡¯t move an inch from where she stood. Those two had an


    understanding between them, and


    although Gideon wanted his wife safe and sound, as far away from here as possible, he had to respect


    her choices. And she chose to join the fight alongside her family as the Alpha that she was.


    ¡°Ah, Queen Riannon Stormhold in the flesh. I thought getting to you in person would be much more


    complicated.¡± Bjorn sneered,


    taking a step forward. The remaining warriors snarled at him; however, everyone¡¯s movements were


    restricted because of the narrow


    bridge between the two tforms. There weren¡¯t too many left, but with the royals in the room, their


    chances of winning were huge now.


    ¡°It¡¯s bold of you to just arrive here like that in front of me.¡±


    ¡°I am not going to die or get hurt today,¡± the Queen stated calmly, and now he stared at her with


    genuine interest. ¡°He spoke about


    you a lot, you know.¡± Ria tilted her head to have a better look at him.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t speak much about you,¡± Bjorn countered. ¡°Which only means he treasured you, considering


    how much trouble he got


    into thanks to you. My silly brother was probably afraid I would want to take you for myself. He was a


    bit insecure like that.¡±


    Gideon¡¯s eyes shed gold as he bared his teeth, but that only made the white bear chuckle.


    ¡°Rx¡± he lifted his hands up in the air. ¡°I am not interested in what belonged to my brother. I have my


    own prize in mind.¡± Bjorn¡¯s


    gaze locked with Savannah¡¯s once again, and both Lycan Kings growled menacingly, realising what he


    meant.


    ¡°Over my dead body!¡± Kai was next to her in an instant, pushing the three girls behind his back, his


    hand brushing over Savannah possessively. Gideon followed him to the centre of the bridge, ready to


    rip the enemy to shreds.


    .


    . ¡°Funny you should say that because this is exactly my n!¡± Darius threw his head back andughed


    wholeheartedly.


    ***Why don¡¯t youe closer and try bringing it to life?¡± Kai scoffed, knowing there was no chance in


    hell the bear would do this. Although Darius had spent a lot of time on his territorytely, Kai had


    trouble meeting him face to face for months. Every time he was close, Bjarn changed his location. This


    chase had been going on for years, and there was no end to it. However, right now, he was close. So


    close. It could altend tonight. The white bears would be broken easily without their scheming ruler. This


    was why the Norther King


    was so surprised that Bjorn was still here, with a smug expression stered over his face.


    ¡°I am afraid you will be too busy for that.¡± The bear king¡¯s grin deepened. This couldn¡¯t be good.


    ¡°Sawy, take the other women and leave,¡± kai found her hand without looking at her as he had to keep


    his eyes on his foe and gave it


    a squeeze.


    ¡°I have a better idea!¡± Bjorn got angry for the first time as he observed them. ¡°Come here, Savannah,


    and I will give you the best gift.


    You can choose the one who will survive out of your family. Your brother or your pregnant sister-inw.¡±


    Silence engulfed the room as Sawy¡¯s head snapped to Riannon. She already knew, of course, but this


    wasn¡¯t something they


    announced to everyone. This was a secret. It was essential for safety reasons, yet Bjorn was aware. It


    started to seem like traitors were everywhere.


    ¡°I will repeat myself just once.¡± The white bear¡¯s healthy eye found the Princess, immediately getting


    darker. ¡°Come to me now, leave this ce with me, and I will spare one of them.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with the fact that you are not leaving this ce!¡± Gideon was barely holding himself back.


    ¡°Not after you threatened my


    wife and my unborn child.¡±


    ¡°Savannah is not going anywhere with you, Bjorn. And for the first time ever, I have to agree with


    Stormhold; neither are you. It ends


    now!¡± Kai joined the Westerner.


    The bear wasn¡¯t even looking at them, his eyes still lingering on the woman he desired.


    ¡°I only need your answer,¡± he said, frowning.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere with you,¡± Savvy replied calmly. ¡°My choice was made a while ago. I already


    told you that.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t me me when the timees.¡± Bjorn gritted his teeth, clenching his fists and turning his


    back to them. This was when Brigit tried to attack him again, but he caught her in the middle of it and


    threw the woman at the two Kings who charged at him. Savannah and Naya helped the group to keep


    their bnce and prevented them from falling off the bridge, but all of them were dyed now. The


    warriors shifted into their wolves, ready to fight.


    This was when a sound of an explosion reached them. The ground shuddered, and so did the walls of


    the ancient temple, threatening to fall on their heads at any moment.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah, I forgot to mention that the Forgotten City is about to explode!¡± Bjorn chuckled as he observed


    their reaction with some kind of amusement on his face. ¡°Now, it¡¯s a real survival mazel If you make it


    out of it alive, I¡¯d be surprised! But I will give you a little clue on how to do it. Silver pits. Jump in them,


    and you¡¯ll be safe. I¡¯ll get youter, and we will continue where we left offl¡±


    Gideon was furious, but his protector¡¯s instincts took over. He knew he had to get his wife out first.


    There will be another chance to


    get this bastard.


    ¡°Everyone outl¡± Hemanded, looking at his sister and then Riannon. The stubborn woman


    hesitated, and he knew he¡¯d have to


    carry her out against her will if he had to. He wasn¡¯t taking this risk, even if it was just a distraction for


    them.


    Kai, however, still ran in Bjorn¡¯s direction. Savannah followed close behind, even though Astrid tried to


    stop her.


    ¡°Sawyl¡± The Southerner begged, but the Princess wasn¡¯t going to leave her chosen mate alone. Brigit


    rushed for the exit, and so did


    Naya after clicking her tongue. The cat knew better than to stay in a crumbling building,


    Two warriors charged at the white bear, but he recoiled easily. The Northern Lycan King was close,


    ready to shift into his third form


    and end this,


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you missing a Beta?¡± Darius burst outughing, and Kai froze, blocking Savannah¡¯s way, ¡°And a


    little bird to go with


    him?¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Savvy growled, growing her ws. ¡°Where are they?!¡±


    ¡°No need to be so angry!¡± His lips curled into a smirk. ¡°I am going to tell you! I ani not a monster. Maybe


    they are still alive¡­ maybe not. Can they both swim?¡±.


    Another explosion deatened them, some kind of dust or sand falling through newly created cracks in


    the ceiling. This one was too close.


    Kai clenched his fists, knowing that he had already lost this light.


    ¡°Conic on¡± Bjornchcored for him with a mocking smirk. ¡°You already know I locked them in the


    dungcon, don¡¯t you? The first


    explosion caused a leak in the old water supply system of the city. The space where they arc is rapidly


    illling up with water. You have minutes to try and save your friends. Although, my personal advice


    would be to run and save yourselves.¡±


    The two wolves snarled at him, but kal mentally ordered them to stop. They wouldn¡¯t be able to win


    against the bear without him, and he couldn¡¯t stay.


    With a smug smile, Darius Bjorn bowed with contempt on his face and tell through the back exit, his


    laughhoing through the building


    ¡°Take Penelope¡¯s body!¡± Kai ordered his men and turned to look at Sawy. ¡°Go find your brother. As long


    as Gideon and Riannon are with you, they will be safe.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± The Princess surrowed her brows, shocked by his words.


    ¡°Something tells me Bjorn wouldn¡¯t blow up the parts of the city where you walk.¡± Ile haled saying these


    words, but it was the truth.


    The Bear King was a calcting bastard. He made a im on Savannah, meaning that killing her


    wasn¡¯t in his ns. He wanted her


    alive.


    ¡°More reasons for me to go with you!¡± She insisted.


    ¡°Sawy, please, we have no limel¡± He grasped her, almost ready to send her off lolully and let one of


    the wolves carry her back to salety. But the stubborn glint in her cyes told him this would take a number


    ol minutes he didn¡¯t have at his disposal.


    ¡°Ria is blessed by the Moon Goddess.¡± Savannah reminded him. ¡°When she said she isn¡¯t dying today,


    she meant it. Trust mel Zara is my friend! I am not leaving her behind, and if you are right, it¡¯s only


    more reason for me to stick with you guys!¡±


    ¡°Finel¡± He growled and took her hand. They were running down spiralling stairs as the third explosion


    went off not too far away


    from the shrine. Kai swore under his breath at how easily they got into a trap. This ce was checked.


    Other than the Luna Trials traps,


    nothing was supposed to happen. Yet Penelope was dead. And Fenrir knew how many other casualties


    they would have by the end of the


    night.


    The staircase was too narrow, ceilings too low. Ancient lycans were delinitely smaller than modern


    oncs.


    ¡°How long?¡± Savannah asked him as they skipped steps in the darkness to save time. There was no


    light in here, and they only relied


    on their night vision.


    ¡°Two or three minutes,¡± Kai replied on the way.


    ¡°Will it be enough7¡± She couldn¡¯t help herself, worried sick for her friend.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the King admitted as it was the truth. ¡°All we can do is try¡­¡±


    L was furious. He had years of experience as the King¡¯s Beta, but he still found himself in this


    situation.


    A bait. He was a bait for his own best friend.


    When they found themselves alone inside of this catb, he already knew it was a trap.


    The bears got Zara first, the werebird wasn¡¯t a match for them, and when he saw a knife drawing blood


    from her delicate neck, he


    lost the ability to think clearly.


    He med himself. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this. He knew exactly what he had to do back then.


    She was the sacrifice he had to ¨Cmake for the greater good of his kingdom.


    She was just an assistant of a foreign Princess. He had to be able to give her up in a heartbeat for the


    North, for Kal. But he wasn¡¯t


    able to


    Bjorn wasn¡¯t there. The damn bear didn¡¯t even spare them a nce before he left. He clearly had more


    important things to do. His


    men brought L to his knees, threatening him to kill the bird. His bird. They injected him with


    something that made his head hazy


    and then chained the two of them together, back to back.


    They left and didn¡¯t leave them a single torch behind. Darkness surrounded them, and only the sounds


    of their breathing were their


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done it,¡± Zara said. He could hear her pulse quickening. The girl was terrified.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t kill us,¡± he said, hoping to bring her some kind of relief. It didn¡¯t work as she started


    panting. ¡°Birdie, calm down,¡± he


    advised. ¡°The stuff they injected me with will wear off, and I will break these chains.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that,¡± she held back a sob. He could tell she was on the verge of crying.


    ¡°Listen,¡± he tried to chuckle, ¡°I¡¯m not a royal, but I¡¯m still a lycan. Whatever it is, my body will process


    this sooner orter.¡±


    Her breathing became ragged. He could tell she was panicking.


    ¡°I hate closed spaces!¡± She confessed all of a sudden and leaned her head on his back. He tried to do


    the same, stretching his hands


    as far as they would go thanks to the chains and reaching for her delicate fingers. She flinched when


    hisrge palm wrapped around her


    tiny wrist, drawing circles on her skin. It was surprisinglyforting.


    ¡°Will you tell me why?¡± Although he told her his strength would get back fast, sadly, this wasn¡¯t the


    case. He could feel life slipping


    away from him, but he wanted to at least help her in hisst minutes. Ever since his mate died, he


    never wanted to care about anyone


    else.


    Zara changed that for him.


    ¡°I was locked up for a long time,¡± she said in a broken voice. ¡°Trapped in a golden cage. First, I didn¡¯t


    understand what I was getting into, and by the time I did, it was toote. Every day, all I could do was


    fly to the unbreakable ss ceiling and look at the sky, imagining! would be soaring free one day again.


    I swore to myself that if I ever got out, I would never let anyone lock me up ever again. And now look


    at me!¡±


    She didn¡¯t make another sound, but he could feel her body twitching, recognising a silent sob.


    ¡°it¡¯s not your fault,¡± he grunted, trying really hard not to close his eyes. He knew that if he did, it would


    be the end. ¡°I should have


    protected you.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± sheughed through tears as she struggled against the chains, ¡°you really shouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    He knew that.


    ¡°I wanted to.¡± A confession came easy to the dying man. There were no games between them


    anymore, no teasing.


    ¡°Why?¡± She asked desperately. She needed the answer on a physical level because she knew he was


    now dying because of her.


    ¡°You ¡­ you make me feel alive again.¡± Heced their fingers together, and she didn¡¯t object one bit.


    There was nothing around to help them. No weapons, no metallic hooks to help them break the chains.


    Just the dirt on the floor and


    naked walls.


    His eyelids became too heavy, and L started slowly falling asleep. Zara could feel it, and it


    scared her more than she could


    imagine. She knew what it meant, and her heart clenched at the thought.


    ¡°Hey mighty Lycan Beta,¡± she taunted him, challenged him. ¡°If you don¡¯t die today, I will let you see me


    naked as soon as we get out


    of this city.¡±


    ¡°I am listening!¡± He chuckled weakly, but surprisingly it did help him a lot.


    ¡°I will personallye into your room and let you peel every piece of clothing off me.¡± Zara¡¯s voice


    became raspy.


    ¡°Go on,¡± L encouraged her. He may have lost the fight with his own eyes, and they were now


    closed, but his vivid imagination


    was keeping him going.


    ¨C¡± will let you explore every inch of me,¡± the woman continued.


    ¡°With my hands?¡± he asked, Lips curling into a smile.


    ¡°First with your hands,¡± Zara purred. ¡°Then with your tongue.¡±


    ¡°And then7¡± His breathing hitched, but this time it wasn¡¯t the poison¡¯s fault.


    ¡°And then everything will depend on how good your tongue isl¡± The werebirdughed.


    ¡°I call fennir to be my witness, Birdie, you wille undone before you even know it!¡± He growled.


    ¡°I sure hope so,¡± she ground against him, making blood run faster through his veins.


    ¡°Seductress!¡± He breathed out. ¡°You will raise a man from the dead with your promises.¡±


    ¡°Oh, L!¡± Zara turned her head so that her hot breath burnt the skin on his neck. ¡°I haven¡¯t even


    started seducing you. After all,


    when you¡¯re done exploring my body with your tongue, it will be my turn.¡±


    He wanted to say something hot and dirty in reply, but this was when the first explosion went off.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Zara was worried now.


    ¡°I have no idea,¡± the Beta admitted, fearing the worst, He knew Bjorn didn¡¯t just leave them to sit here


    for hours.


    However, soon they both heard the sound of gushing water and knew that it promised nothing good for


    them.


    Soon ice cold water started streaming through a hole at the top of the room created for venttion.


    There were no windows, and the


    two doors were sealed.


    ¡°Cr*p!¡± L muttered. ¡°Birdie, we need to get upl Now!¡±


    She did not object, although it proved hard given the way their arms and legs were chained tightly.


    Luckily, they still managed to do


    The water was streaming fast, its coldness helping him toe back to his senses. Nheless, they


    were still trapped.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move towards the door,¡± he offered, and she did not object. ¡°Stay still and I will try to knock it


    out!¡±


    The Beta tried hitting it with his feet, but he was weaker than usual, and the ancient door did not budge.


    Soon the water was at their chests, and panic started to grab them both. They knew they wouldn¡¯t be


    able to swim. Not with their


    hands and legs tied up and heavy chains weighing them down.


    The water was at their necks.


    ¡°Listen to me, Zara.¡± L¡¯s tone was serious now, not containing a hint of yfulness from a few


    minutes ago. ¡°I want you to give


    me a signal when it is near your mouth. Then we both take a deep breath and count to thirty. After that,


    we bent down and jump as high


    as we can. This will give us a chance to gulp some air. We¡¯ll be doing it while we can. Do you get me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she was already breathing heavily. ¡°Thirty seconds.¡±


    She tapped his hand in less than a minute, and he knew it was time. They bent down slightly and then


    pushed as hard as they could,


    taking in full lungs worth of air before they went down underwater again. Counting seconds in their


    minds helped them to avoid giving


    They were still alive and had a goal to keep them going. It might have been silly, but it worked.


    It worked right until they slipped, lost bnce and fell down¡­

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    Savannah and Kai could hear the sounds of the water threatening their friends¡¯ lives. Water was


    merciless to shifters unless they were


    sirens. Thanks to their regenerative abilities, they could survive if they were thrown into a fire. Bullets


    were useless because most shifters


    moved faster than them. Cold weapons were dangerous only in another shifter¡¯s hands and only if


    special conditions were met; it had to


    be a special type of metal or poison, plus it had to go through the heart. Decapitation was also an


    option.


    But water¡­ water did not need special conditions. If a shifter was trapped under it, it would kill him


    sooner orter fromck of


    oxygen. In the middle ages, it was one of the three types of executions for lycans and werewolves.


    The stakes were ridiculously high.


    ¡°Where is the entrance to the catbs?¡± The Princess demanded as she followed the Northern King.


    ¡°Not here,¡± he informed her, and she froze just for a second bclore anger made her clench her fists.


    ¡°What do you mean not here?1¡± She was furious as this wasn¡¯t the time for jokes or mistakes. The


    stakes were too high.


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t get there in time if we went to the main entrance that should be unscaled. ¡± Kai replied,


    ¡°That is why I am looking for


    ¡­ this!¡±


    He pointed at a carving on one of the walls, and Savannah stared at him with a raised brow.


    ¡°How does that help us exactly?¡± she wondered, but the Northerner brushed his palm over the carving.


    ¡°Everything is not what it seems in the Forgotten City,¡± he exined and then, as if by magic, the stone


    with the carving moved,


    revealing a small window with metal bars. ¡°This was done for security reasons so that guards could


    watch over the priests while they


    performed rituals in the catbs.¡±


    But Savannah wasn¡¯t interested in the exnation anymore. There would be time for thatter if they


    survived today. And if not.it


    wouldn¡¯t matter.


    The little window gave them a view of a closed room full of water, but it was too dark, and they couldn¡¯t


    see anything else. If there


    was some light before, it was gone now. The water level was rising rapidly, and one could tell it would


    soon reach the window.


    ¡°Da.mn it!¡± Kai swore under his breath, sensing his Beta close. There was no other ce for him to be.


    ¡°Sawy, step away!¡± he


    ordered and closed his eyes, preparing for the shift. He knew very well that he would have to use his


    third form for this task.


    Savannah gasped as she saw his bones breaking as he stood. A transformation to the royal lycan form


    was different from shifting into


    a wolf. It was painful, and usually, it took more time. But not for Kai. He made it look so¡­ easy. Almost


    effortless. She was nowhere close


    to that. However, she was happy that he was able to be the lycan beast. They sure needed one


    now!


    Their eyes met just for a second as she nodded to him in approval, and he knocked the metal bars out


    of the window, destroying a


    generous chunk of the wall along with it.


    without hesitation, he shifted back into his human form and dove into the water, his eyes glowing to


    illuminate the area around him.


    Kai followed his instincts and soon saw his Beta floating unconscious, chained to the werebird, who


    also didn¡¯t show any signs of


    life.


    Tootel He was toote, and he would never be able to forgive himself. He wasn¡¯t sure that Savannah


    would forgive him for this


    either. After all, it was his fault they still went through with the stupid Luna Trials. Even capturing Bjorn


    wasn¡¯t worth losing their friends.


    And they didn¡¯t manage to take the werebear prisoner. It was all in vain.


    He grabbed the chains, silver coating burning his palms slightly and swam back to the surface as fast


    as he could.


    The water came right next to the cavity he created, and the first thing he saw were Savannah¡¯s terrified


    green eyes.


    He pulled their friends out of the water, and she grasped the chains to help him, trembling when she


    noticed their pale faces.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t breathing!¡± She said what they had already both known. Without speaking to each other,


    they grasped the chains from different sides and broke them, working in perfect sync to separate the


    couple and using their royal lycan strength for it. Then, in


    ¡°Sawy, you should leave!¡± Kai told her when they dared to look at each other in between chest


    compressions.


    ¡°No,¡± she firmly declined, and right then, water gushed out of Zara¡¯s mouth. Immediately, Savannah


    helped her turn to a side and


    held her until she was taking breaths on her own. The werebird still had shackles around her wrists,


    and the Princess suspected they were


    suppressing her healing and preventing her from shifting.


    ¡°Steel is underneath the silver coating,¡± the bird rasped, confirming her suspicions as she caught her


    gaze, but then she noticed Kai


    still trying to save L and somehow managed to be even paler. She didn¡¯t have strength in


    her and tried to crawl in the


    direction of the two northerners.


    Sawy helped her up, and Zara took the Beta¡¯srge palm into her hands.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she whispered with tears forming in her eyes, ¡°unawarewolf, wake up!¡±


    Kai kept pressing with his hands. Mechanically, tactically, not thinking. Not ready to give up.


    He wasn¡¯t losing his best friend. Not today. Not like this.


    ¡°Come on, big guy!¡± Zara pleaded. ¡°If I did it, so can you! Come back to us!¡±


    However, it was taking too long, and the three of them knew L¡¯s chances were lowering every


    second that passed.


    ¡°They poisoned him,¡± the werebird couldn¡¯t hold back tears anymore and rested her head on


    Savannah¡¯s shoulder. ¡°He¡­ he could


    have fought them off or at least escaped, but he stayed because of mel¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect anything less from my Betal¡± Kai grunted. He should have stopped already, and they


    all were aware of this. It was time to get his woman out of here, but every time he pressed on his


    friend¡¯s chest, he promised himself that it would be just a few more


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    pushes before he gave up. And if nothing happened, he would stop.


    ¡°Lan, get your ass back here! That¡¯s an order!¡± He growled loudly and mmed his fist into his friend¡¯s


    chest harder than he was


    supposed to. He felt a bone cracking, but at the same time, water burst out of his Beta¡¯s throat from the


    pressure. L tried taking


    desperate breaths, but it was hard, and Kai had to help him just like Savannah did to the werebird a


    few moments ago.


    Finally, he was able to breathe, still facing the floor, muscles flexing and twitching from the struggle.


    ¡°Kai¡± he panted, his voice hoarse. ¡°This is awkward¡­ but I have to tell you this. Although my as.s is


    truly irresistible, I have to say


    am into the Little Birdie. I am sorry, but ¡­.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± The King growled throughughter, almost tearing up in relief. This was a good sign. ¡°Can


    you shift?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± L confessed. ¡°Go and leave me behind. I¡¯ll manage without shifting.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Lan, because we just wasted all this time saving you to leave you behindl¡± Kai rolled his eyes.


    ¡°You are riding on my back then.¡±


    ¡°Kai, again,¡± L tried to smile through pain as they helped him back to his feet. ¡°I am not


    interested in being your bride!¡±


    ¡°More for me thenl¡± Savvy interjected as she broke the shackles on Zara¡¯s wrists, freeing her from


    binding metal.


    ¡°We need to get back to the surface,¡± Kai said, wrapping his Beta¡¯s arm around his neck for support.


    ¡°Do we really, though?¡± Savannah chewed on her lower lip, and they all looked at her. ¡°Kai, if you are


    right about Bjorn and he wants


    me alive, then maybe it¡¯s best for us not to go back up there for now? This will give a chance for


    everyone else to escape safely. It really


    looks like he is exploding the city borders for now.¡±


    ¡°Staying here isn¡¯t an option.¡± The King furrowed his brows. ¡°We don¡¯t know if the bears wouldn¡¯t arrive,


    and there are just four of us


    here.¡±


    ¡°I think I have a better idea!¡± Sawy smiled for the first time as she pointed to the wall behind them with


    a huge map carved on it. A


    map of thebyrinth of the catbs, ¡°How urate is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell,¡± Kai rubbed his chin. ¡°it¡¯s ancient, We haven¡¯t done any adjustments to the catbs


    since the city was sealed, but it¡¯s pretty clear now that Bjorn and his people were using those. And who


    knows if they managed to make some changes.¡±


    ¡°But overall, it¡¯s correct?¡± Savannah insisted. ¡°It matches the citybyrinth.¡±


    ¡°I guess so,¡± her chosen mate nodded.


    ¡°Then how much do you trust me?¡± She looked him in the eye.


    ¡°With my life,¡± he did not hesitate with his answer, and she felt warmth spreading over her chest. They


    may have been chosen mates,


    but this was how mates were supposed to be.


    ¡°Then you will follow my lead, and we will leave the city through the catbs, giving everyone else a


    chance to escape more or


    less safely while we do.¡±


    ¡°Fine with me,¡± Zara agreed.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a passenger tonight,¡± L chuckled weakly.


    ¡°So be it,¡± Kai smiled at her. ¡°Lead us, my Queen.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± she squeezed his hand quickly while she could. ¡°Just so that you know, we will be making a little


    detour.¡±


    They didn¡¯t have time for further discussion or to question the decision. Kai and Savannah shifted into


    their wolves, while Zara helped L to get on his king¡¯s back and then turned into her ck hawk.


    The group ran fast through the dark undergroundbyrinth, only their night vision helping them to see


    their surroundings. Their worst suspicions were confirmed when they saw a few glowing lights of the


    detonators attached to the walls. Bjorn was indeed using the catbs for his n. It exined how


    he was moving unnoticed for so long.


    Savannah stopped in front of one of thedders that led her to the top and shifted into her human form,


    Motioning for everyone


    else to stay behind and wait for her. She climbed up quickly and moved the cover of the manhole that


    was disguised as one of the empty


    tiles in the tricky part of the city¡¯sbyrinth.


    From there, she moved firmly, using the safe tiles to a silver pit, where she had left Mika not so long


    ago. Although now it felt as if


    it was weeks ago.


    ¡°You damn lycan!¡± the werecat hissed when she saw her. ¡°You¡¯ve returned to finish your job, haven¡¯t


    you? As if explosions weren¡¯t


    enough to kill me!¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Savannah chuckled as she stretched her hand down. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you are a cat and have


    nine lives. With your attitude


    and people skills, you are going to need them all. Come on! Grab my hand, and let¡¯s gol We don¡¯t have


    much time!¡±


    ¡°Is this some kind of a trick?¡± Mika stared at her warily.


    This was when they heard another explosion, and Savannah realised Kai was right. Because it was the


    part of the city close to the


    shrine in the centre that got blown up. Another explosion sounded, deafening her sensitive ears


    temporarily. He was getting rid of the


    part of the city where she was not in, sending a message.


    ¡°Finel¡± The werecat jumped and grabbed her hand. Sawy pulled her out in less than a few seconds.


    ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°You can either follow me underground or stay here alone and try your own luck.¡± the Princess told her


    as she was already taking a leap to a safe tile. When she was back on thedder leading down the


    manhole into the catbs, She saw Mika doing the


    same.


    Sawy shifted back into her wolf, while the werecat turned into a lioness.


    Now wasting any time, they ran, ran, ran, following Savannah¡¯s lead. The map didn¡¯t fail them, and


    soon they reached thest exit. Surprisingly, this one, an old stone door, was sealed like it was


    supposed to be. However, Kai knocked it out with ease, turning into his third form again. He got out


    first, then helped L, Sawy and Mika, all of them panting and not knowing what to expect next.


    Nothing went as it was supposed to be.


    They found themselves on a hill close to the Forbidden Forest with a full view of the Forgotten City,


    which was now in mes. New


    parts of it were exploding as they watched the show unfolding before their eyes. Zara llew around and


    signalled to them when she saw other survivors.


    Sawy let out a sigh of relief when she saw her brother and sister-inw unharmed. Naya, Petra, and


    Astrid were there as well, along


    with Inga, Ce and a few wolves who managed to get out of the deadly trap.


    Cars with northern warriors were arriving each minute at the scene, and so were reporters, Chloe and


    ude were already with their


    microphones, working for the cameras.


    ¡°Bjorn.¡±


    ¡°Bjorn.¡±


    ¡°Bjorn.¡±


    ¡°Darius Bjorn.¡± The white bear¡¯s name was everywhere. Somehow everyone already knew who caused


    all this.


    ¡°We thought we were choosing a Luna!¡± one of the journalists said with a serious face. ¡°But if this is not


    a challenge for the title of the King of the North, then I don¡¯t know what is!¡±


    Just as she said that the ancient temple in the centre of the city, the one that everyone could see from


    here, burst into mes

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    Chapter 46 Brigit ran through the maze using the path she had already tried before. She knew she


    couldn¡¯ttrust anyone very well, and her own path was the safest.


    The buildings of the Forgotten City started copsing one by one way too fast, way too close ¡­


    To the point of her thinking that she wouldn''t make it.


    She finally reached the hardest part of the maze with the secret tiles and tried to hop from one to


    another, looking for the empty ones or the northernstars.


    She was already so close to the wall that she could almost taste the safety.


    However, at thest moment, a small hut not far from her exploded, pieces of stone flying in all


    directions, one of theheavy onesnding on one of the crescent tiles right next to her foot.


    She had just a second to react before the poisoned arrows flew at her, and she ducked down, sliding


    over several tiles.


    She knew it was bad before she stopped, and the ground started falling through under her as she


    activated oneof the silver pits.


    The flower one.


    The one that had sharp spikes at the bottom.


    Desperate, Brigit grasped the edge of the wall, but one of her hands slipped.


    This was the end.


    She knew it had to be, and tears started stinging her eyes.


    Everything was in vain¡­


    Her fingers started giving in when a strong hand caught her wrist, not letting her fall to herdeath.


    Brigit''s first thought was that the white bears got her, and a chill went down her spine becauseshe had


    failed.


    Failed, failed, failed.


    Big time.


    That was when the tingles erupted through her, and she wished it was one of the white bears.


    "I''ve got you!" Aspen growled as he pulled her up to the surface.


    He was so big, so warm, and he smelled like the northern mountains she loved so much.


    "I''ve got you," he repeated as he pressed her against his body.


    She didn''t know if he was saying that to her or to himself, and she didn¡¯t care.


    Brigit heard explosions here and there, but they were dying down now.


    Luckily, they were on safe turf now, and Aspen still held her in his arms.


    His scent enveloped her; his well-trained hands were keeping her in ce.


    She should have pushed him away, freed himself from her, run away¡­but she did not want to.


    She had dreamt of this her whole life.


    This was what she wanted, what she desired the most.


    This! She wanted to have a man who would love her unconditionally, who would belong to her and her


    alone.


    She did not want to share; she did not want to fight for him, she did not want to beg forhis attention, she


    did not want to have to ask him for anything.


    Brigit dreamt of a true mate, a fated one, who was born to make her happy.


    For whom she would be enough.


    And here he was, eager to im her, eager to give her everything she ever wanted.


    It was heartbreaking to know she couldn¡¯t ept him.


    "You are okay," he whispered into her hair, and she felt him cing a soft kiss on the top of her head.


    Brigit leaned into his warm chest with her eyes closed.


    Just for a moment.


    Just this once¡­


    She didn''t know how long they stayed this way, but she did not want to move.


    She knew that the moment she did, it would be over.


    She would have to end this.


    "We have survivors here!" they heard a loud voice, and she saw one of the northern warriors.


    Aspen grunted, his hands pressing her tighter, but she tried to push him away, to distance herself from


    him.


    He looked at her with fear in his eyes.


    This huge block, the Gamma of the Northern Lycan King, was afraid.


    He fought in many battles, faced countless enemies, he went into an exploding maze in a heartbeat¡­


    and now he was afraid of her as if she was the only person in the entire world who could break him.


    "I, Brigit Borg, reject you, Aspen Morr, as my mate." Her voice trembled, chest heaved from the inner


    pressure.


    The air was suddenly hard to swallow, and she felt as if she was suffocating He looked at her.


    Really looked at her.


    "You don''t want to do this," he stated, the pain still evident on his face.


    "1, Brigit Borg, reject you-" she tried to say it louder this time, but the lycan in front of her stood up ¡°I


    don¡¯t buy it,¡± he said andoffered her his hand to help her up.


    ¡°Come back when you actually mean it.


    I reject your rejection." She gave him a puzzled look at first, but then rage took over her.


    Bridget pped his hand away and rose on her own, storming as far away from him as she could¡­


    A week passed, and everything changed.


    The North was buzzing with the news of the White Bear King, who made his im on thend after


    being silent for somany years.


    "He has made his move, and it was a masterful one.¡± Gideon stated calmly as theysat in the Blue


    Spinel office of the Northern castle, the one used for bigger important meetings.


    "He is still hiding and doesn''t crawl out of his hideout,¡± kai retorted while pouring himself a drink.


    Riannon and Savannah exchanged nces.


    Their men were so stubborn.


    "Just admit it!" Gideon looked at him as he leaned back in his chair.


    ¡°You screwed up when you blew this alliance.


    You could have been married to Savannah already for months! ¡°I could have been married to


    Savannah for years if not for your ego!¡± Kai retorted as they drilled eachother skulls with their eyes,


    each not ready to give up.


    "It doesn''t matter what happened in the past!" Savvy interjected, tapping her fingers on the top of


    theoak desk.


    "What matters is that we are all here now, and we can form that alliance after all.¡± ¡°Maybe you are right,


    Savvy, but the conditions havechanged!" The Western King smirked.


    "Gideon, dear." Riannon''s voice was like honey, taunting and soft.


    But her re told a different story.


    ¡°You need this alliance as much as I do.


    If not more.¡± Kai reminded him.


    "Weren''t you the one who called me to talk about this?¡± ¡°I dealt with the brother I had on my hands.


    Now they are concentrating on the North.


    Why don''t wait for them to deal with you and then destroy them when they are weakened? ¡°Gideon


    repeated almostexactly the words Kai said to him during theirst meeting.


    The irony wasn¡¯t lost on the Northern King.


    "Because your adorable little sister lives here?" Savvy chimed in, tired of them going back and forth.


    "That''s still under question!" Her brother shook his head, crossing his arms on his chest.


    "It''s not safe here, he can''t protect you, the people here hate you now more than ever.


    Savannah clenched her lips.


    They all knew it was the truth.


    The media has never been kind to her, but ever since they found out that Penelope died, while it was


    only her and Savannah in the temple, thingstook a turn for the worse.


    Even despite the fact that there was an obvious viin in this story, a lot of newspapers started


    questioning herloyalty.


    "Guys, I think you should see this!" Kyle turned hisptop so that they could all see the screen.


    Savannah''s lips parted when she saw Darius Bjorn''s face and the logo of the first channel news onit.


    "His next move," Riannon sighed and nodded for Kyle to click on the y button.


    He projected confidence, and there was a vague smile on his lips as he spoke.


    "It saddens me that the north is currently in such a pathetic state.


    I chose the Forgotten City as my target for a reason.


    To show you all that under the current ruler, no one is safe.


    He does not protect you! Not because he doesn''t want to protect you, but because he simply cannot


    offer you protection! I gotinto the ancient relic that was supposed to be sealed during the event, which


    was supposed to be highly protected.


    Kai Fiongh couldn''t even protect his own future Luna! Savannah Stormhold yed herpetition


    with ease and grace, worthy of atrue Northern Queen! The North will only ept a Luna that is worthy!


    But this should also apply to the king! Yes, I am a White Bear! But before everything, I am a


    Northerner! And I want a safe kingdom for all of us! / want us to be what we used to be! Power! Power


    that has to be reckoned with!" Kai stood up from his chair at the head of the oval table and walked all


    the way down to where Kyle sat, closing hisptop.


    To Savannah''s surprise, this was a much calmer reaction to what she expected from her chosen mate.


    She came up to him and ced her hand on his shoulder.


    "He is just all words again," she reassured him, rubbing her thumb in soothing circles.


    She knew a part of him had to be furious, but when he pulled her into his embrace and wrapped his


    arms around heras if to hide her from the whole world, she realised what he was really worried about.


    **You are bing his Luna over my dead body," he said, tucking his head into her neck and inhaling


    her bluebellscent.


    "I am bing his Luna over my dead body." Savvy smiled softly and tilted her head to reach his soft


    lips.


    She brushed them with his tongue lightly, just like a wing of a butterfly might, andhe lost it, crashing his


    lips into hers in a possessive kiss.


    "How about wee up with a n with no dead bodies?¡± Gideon cleared his throat, turning away.


    ¡°And also, don¡¯t forget you are not alone here.


    I don¡¯t want to see my little sister¡­


    all grown up too fast." "Grow up yourself first, Gideon!" Savvy tore away from her man and raised her


    brow at her brother.


    "I didn''t say a word when you brought Riannon to our house and supported you both along the way.¡±


    ¡°But he is not your mate.¡±Gideon reminded her quietly, yet everyone in the room heard his words.


    ¡°This is exactly the problem." "Yes, G, Zack Morgan is my mate.


    Would you prefer me to go back to him? Maybe he will have time for me between all the orgies he is


    havingon a daily basis!" Savannah snapped at her brother, and this time the silence in the room


    became awkward.


    Kai stroked her cheek for a moment, looking at his woman with the adoration she deserved.


    But when his eyes switched to her sibling, he suddenly became cold and serious.


    Kai took his future Luna''s hand,cing their fingers together and stood before the king of The Western


    Lycan Kingdom.


    "I know I have made mistakes in the past, and some of them are partially my fault,¡± he started.


    "Partially?!" Gideon scoffed while Riannon gave him a warning look.


    "I apologise," Kai said, and Savannah''s head snapped in his direction.


    She didn¡¯t expect this.


    ¡°Not only for the trials and my mistakes this year but for the past ones too.


    I shouldn''t have tried to push you to be with a woman you don¡¯t love and then get angryat you for it.


    I had never been in love before.


    I thought I was, but I really wasn¡¯t.


    Not before Savannah.


    Yes, I don''t know how the true mate pull feels, but it should be pretty close to what I feel forSavannah.


    I love your sister.


    I will always love her.


    Nothing will ever change my mind.


    There will be no other woman for me.


    She is mine the same way I am hers.


    Everything I have belongs to her.


    She will be my Luna and my Queen, but she is already my soul, my heart and my best friend.


    And I will die before I let anyone separate us!" *Nice speech,¡± Gideon looked them both up and down


    with a sternface, then nced at his own wife.


    "I am still tempted to refuse you and let you deal with everything alone.


    This time Savannah was the one to growl.


    Athena inside of her was fuming.


    "I am afraid you didn''t understand me," Kai smirked and wrapped his hand around his woman.


    ¡°I am not asking for your blessing.


    If you decide against the Alliance, so be it.


    I will deal with the white bears on my own.


    I''d evene to your rescue when the foxes attack you again for Savvy¡¯s sake becausewhether you


    want this or not, we are going to be family.


    Savannah and I are going to be together.


    That¡¯s our decision, not yours.


    And we made up our minds a while ago.


    You are invited for the Marking Ceremony, the wedding and the Coronation, by the way.¡± The Western


    King inhaled deeplythrough his nostrils and stood up.


    "Are you really sure?" His eyes locked with his sister''s.


    "I am," she nodded, her lips curled into a delicate smile.


    "I''m the one who is aware of what a mate pull is, and I can say that what I feel towards Kai is so much


    different from what Ihad with Zack.


    It''s a much deeper connection that wasn''t built on simply wanting each other, although we didn¡¯t have


    aproblem with that either." Gideon winced, but his sister continued, "We went through so many


    emotions in such a short period of time, and I really got to know him.


    I feel his love, Big Brother, and I reciprocated with my whole heart.


    Kai loves me and protects me; he''s ready to fulfil my every wish, he¡¯s ready to fight for me if he has to,


    but most importantly, he respectsme and treats me as his equal." "So far, you are the one who had to


    fight for him." "And I would do it again in a heartbeat if I have to," Savannah announced firmly.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s with you.


    So, please, don''t make me." Gideon had his brows knitted together, which formed a little wrinkle over


    his nose,But in the end, he exhaled heavily and admitted, "I will never make you do anything.


    I will always be on your side, little sister." "Are you tearing up?¡± Riannon asked all of a sudden in


    disbelief, and all eyes dartedat the Western King.


    He turned away quickly and cleared his throat.


    ¡°Of course not! It¡¯s just something in my eye.


    The North is so dusty!" He walked back to his seat, and his face already had his usual stone


    expression.


    "So, what is the n then?" "We find where he''s hiding and strike first.


    Find Zack along the way and kill him as well," Kai said coldly.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But first, it¡¯s my time for a speech.


    And then, right after that, Savannah and I will have our Royal Marking Ceremony.¡± Savvy¡¯s heart


    fluttered.


    This time with excitement.


    She knew that she was ready for


    this now.


    ¡°People hate her now,¡± Gideon reminded them.


    ¡°It''s going to be hard." "I don''t care!" the Northerner cut him off.


    ¡°The Luna Trials are over!" After a very long discussion, Savannah was exhausted, but there was no


    time to rx and drop one¡¯s guard.


    A lot still had to be done, and she was not going to risk her newfound happiness.


    For this, she was ready to do anything.


    And there was only one person who could help her now.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    Chapter 47 Savannah opened the door into the dark room, noticing at once that the curtains werestill


    closed despite it being well past noon.


    Nothing changed in thest few weeks.


    "Hey," she checked if the owner of the chambers was there, but no response followed.


    However, she distinctly heard some movement inside.


    ¡°Elene,¡± Savvy decided to enter without invitation.


    Kai told her to leave his sister alone, to give her the space she needed.


    And as a result, Elene spent day after day alone in the darkness.


    The news of Penelope¡¯s death was devastating for her.


    She found the northern Princess in the corner behind her bed.


    Elene was sitting on the floor, hugging her knees, her golden hair undone and reaching theground.


    The air in the room seemed stuffy.


    "Did you eat anything today?" Savvy asked, and silence was her answer once again.


    This was no way to go on.


    She walked deeper into the room and slid down to the floor next to Elene.


    One could hear a pin drop there.


    The Northern Princess did not react, and they sat like this inplete silence for a while.


    "Your brother is worried about you, you know." Savannah sighed and leaned her head against the cold


    wall.


    ¡°And he needs you.


    Probably more than ever before.


    Your country is falling apart, the war is on its doorstep, and enemies are all around us.¡± For a few


    moments, Elene said nothing, but then she asked, ¡°Did shesuffer?" Her voice was trembling, and so


    was her small frame.


    Savannah knew that she meant Penelope, and some part of her wanted to tell her the dead lycaness


    was never her friend in the first ce.


    Her speech right before her demise was horrible and cruel.


    However, Savvy feared this would probably only break her almost sister-inw irreparably.


    ¡°No,¡± she said honestly.


    ¡°Not really.


    He snapped her neck; everything happened very fast.


    I don''t think she even had the time to process what was happening.¡± And now Savannah was the one


    being med for this.


    After Bjorn mentioned that she had "yed herpetition", at least half of the Northern Lycan


    Kingdom started hating her instantlysince Penelope was the only one dead.


    They got Bjorn¡¯s little hint.


    Everyone used to see Penelope as the North''s sweetheart and the best candidate for the role of the


    Luna.


    Her father was an Alpha of a prominent lycan pack, and he was fuming.


    Things were bad.


    "That''s probably the best way, right?" Elene looked at her questioningly, and Savvy forced a little smile


    on her face, nodding.


    ¡°Her funeral was beautiful,¡± she added.


    ¡°Everyone was missing you.¡± ¡°And I will miss her¡­


    Pen was the only one who always was on my side.¡± This time, Savannah chose not toment


    because tellingthe truth wasn''t an option right now, considering how fragile the lycaness next to her


    was and lying to her face wasn''t a good idea either.


    ¡°I saw her,¡± Elene said suddenly, wrinkling her nose.


    ¡°Who?¡± Savvy¡¯s stomach churned.


    "Gideon''s wife." The northerner looked away, fidgeting with the edge of her long nightgown.


    "I saw both of them through the window." She bit her lip almost to the point of bleeding and then


    exhaled heavily.


    ¡°She is so ¡­


    perfect." Savannah wondered if this was part of why the woman stayed in her room the whole time.


    Not only had her so-called best friend just died, but the love of her life was also here with his beautiful,


    wless mate.


    The two always radiated happiness.


    Savannah loved them both, but she knew how a person with a broken heart could feel nextto them.


    It was a lot to take in for anyone.


    ¡°Yeah.


    Riannon is amazing.


    It''s not always easy to be in the same room with her,¡± she admitted.


    So many times after Zack''s betrayal, she questioned herself, thinking that maybe it was her fault he


    couldn¡¯t choose her over everything.


    Perhaps, if she could be more like Ria, everything would have yed out differently.


    Only now, with Kai by her side, she knew her imperfections weren¡¯t the problem.


    He loved her the way she was.


    He loved her for the way she was.


    ELI "And it looked like he loves her a lot." Elene threw her head back and closed her eyes, swallowing


    a sob thatthreatened to escape her.


    ¡°He does.¡± Once again, Savvy chose not to lie.


    "They are perfect for each other." For about a minute, none of them said a word.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Elene tried to hold back her tears.


    "I know you like her, and he''s your brother- and they are mates.


    He never looked at me like that.


    Even when I thought he liked


    me.


    Of course, now I know he never did, and I imagined it all.


    You probably think I''m a horrible pathetic person." "I think you¡¯re a passionate person ready to do


    everything for the ones she loves.


    That being said, you really did give me a hard time when I arrived.¡± Savvy let out a littleugh,and


    Elene smiled for the first time in forever.


    "I did, didn''t 1? I tried to push you away.


    ignoring how much Kai was smitten with you.


    I pushed Penelope into thispetition and practically forced her to take part.


    If not for me, she would probably be alive now!" That glimpse of that weak smile was gone again.


    "You don''t know that," Savannah tried to choose her words carefully.


    "Penelope was a grown woman and had her own ambitions.


    She did not give me the impression of someone who could be pushed around easily, so the decision


    was always hers.


    All you did was give your best friend a helping hand when she needed it.¡± ¡°Is he at least happy?¡± The


    northern Princess returnedto the previous topic spontaneously.


    ¡°Gideon looks really happy with her,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Of course, they will be happy.


    They are mates.


    Who am I to question that?! What I feel is irrelevant-¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you that your feelings are


    irrelevant when I am deeply in love withyour brother, and I''m not his mate.


    In fact, what I feel for him is much bigger and deeper than whatever I feltfor my own mate.


    It can¡¯tpare.¡±


    Elene looked at her.


    For the first time, she really looked at her and then nodded slightly, brushing her hair with her fingers as


    if she had just rememberedwho she was and what she probably looked like today.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get over it,¡± she promised quietly.


    ¡°I already did once.


    It just¡­


    wasn''t the best time to see them." "Good," Savannah found her hand on the floor and gave it a little


    squeeze.


    "Kai is worried sick about you, and he has a lot on his te right now.¡± ¡°You said thathe needs my


    help," Elene straightened her back like a true royal should.


    "How can I be of assistance to him?" "He needs your help with what you can do best.¡± Savvy furrowed


    her brows, ying with her NorthStar ne.


    "Darius Bjorn has made a speech, undermining Kai after everything that happened at the Luna Trials.


    Unfortunately, it''s working in his favour, and many in the media are on his side now.


    Their loyalties are shifting.


    It looks terrible, if I am honest." "What about the twins7¡å Elene¡¯s whole expression changed.


    Now she looked collected, un just as Savvy used to see her when she arrived in the North.


    "Surprisingly, they don''t speak much about it," the Westerner admitted.


    "I see," Ellene stood up and went to her walk-in closet, going through the racks with clothes.


    "This will not do." Savannah followed her, impressed by the sudden change.


    She figured out in the very beginning that the Princess was the one to control Chloe and ude.


    At the same time, the famous siblings controlled the voice of the nation.


    They could bend the narrative any way they liked.


    "What are you going to do?" Savvy wondered, leaning against the door frame and watching the girl in


    front of herpicking a beautiful white tweed dress with pearls.


    "I am going to remind them that the show must go on,¡± Elene clenched her lips, but slowly, they curled


    into a vague smile.


    "After all, we haven''t aired thest episode of The Luna Trials yet.


    We can still turn everything around!" Savvy left her room in relief, hoping Elene would do everything


    she promised.


    "How did it go?" Kyle caught her on the way back.


    "Better than I expected," Savannah smirked and jabbed him with her elbow slightly.


    "And how lovely it is to see you!" Kyle''s house arrest may have been over, but he still spent most ofhis


    time in Evelyn''s room.


    "We saw each other yesterday!" The guy rolled his eyes as he went down the longcorridor.


    ¡°That was the day before yesterday!¡± She retorted.


    "Seriously, what are you doing there?!" A smug expression appeared on his face and she ran her palm


    over her face.


    "Wait! Don''t tell me!" "What can I say, we clicked like two pieces of a puzzle, like Yin and Yang,


    like¡­¡±Kyle was listing the things he probably considered poetic.


    ¡°Yeah, got the idea!¡± Savvy let out augh.


    "You finally have a girlfriend!" "Look who''s talking!" He teased her and then mimicked her voice, ¡°I only


    come to the North forthe alliance! I will never love again! h-h-h!" Savvy narrowed her eyes at


    him, "And you are going to be Petra''s step-daddy!" She cackled menacingly, and Kyle had to give up.


    "Anyway, what do you need from me now?" Kyle asked.


    "Lynn and I will do anything to help." "Lynn and I,¡± Savannah tasted the words on her tongue.


    "Gosh, K, you are seriously in love!" "Shh!" He ced his finger to his lips.


    "Not so loud! So, what do you need?" "Alot, Kyle.


    A lot!¡± she admitted easily.


    "We have a lot of work to do before the big announcement in a week.¡± ¡°Everything has to be perfect!¡±


    Elene was checking everyone in line as ifthey were her troops.


    "We need to perform as a united front! This is the only way!¡± She nced at Gideon, andhe nodded


    politely, keeping his beautiful wife, in an elegant golden dress, close.


    Riannon was glowing.


    "We will do our best." She assured the Northern Princess, and Elene forced a smile.


    It was still slightly awkward, but they were getting there.


    "Are we really doing this?" Savannah asked, and Kai entwined their fingers together as he held her


    hand.


    She looked radiant today in a dress one of the best Northern designers was ordered to make for the


    asion byElene.


    The delicate pale lc colour wasn''t the regal purple just yet, but it hinted that the crown would adorn


    this woman¡¯s head verysoon.


    The embroidery shimmered in intricate traditional Northern patterns, and the North Star ne


    sparkled on herneck.


    This was an off-shoulder gown with long red sleeves, and Savvy had her hair down, only two


    diamond hairpins keeping her locks in ceon the right side of her head - one in the shape of the


    Northern Star and the other - a crescent.


    Elene was the first to walk out to the oversized balcony, where they would address people.


    In the square below, thousands of Northerners gathered to glimpse not just one but two royal families.


    Something so rare that most people travelled from afar to witness it.


    The security had to be tripled, and Kai let Western warriors join them.


    Gideon and Riannon followed Elene, greeted by the people with loud, joyous screams.


    It was announced just one day before that the Lycan King of the Western Kingdom arrived here with his


    Queen, which could only mean one thing.


    They weren¡¯t enemies anymore.


    Although hostility was in both countries'' history for centuries, it was exhausting.


    And in the modern world, people have desired peace for quite some time.


    Not to mention, there were bigger threats over there.


    "Of course, we are doing this," Kai smiled at his future bride.


    ¡°In fact, I can¡¯t wait anymore.


    So, shall we?" "Yes, we shall!" Savvy took a deep breath, and they walked out in the open.


    The light of 5/9 the Northern sky blinded them temporarily, and immediately a drone flew to film them


    from up close.


    They waved at the people, and Savannah tried to look confident despite being nervous.


    The stress of the past weeks was finally catching up with her.


    Kai didn''t let go of her hand the whole time, which helped her a lot.


    She could feel his support; she knew he was there for her despite everything.


    He would get her through this day.


    About a week before, Chloe and ude started stage one of their n.


    The footage of Bjorn running around the maze and away from lycan warriors, hiding underground when


    he could and making his people do thesame, was released.


    With the twinsmenting mercilessly on all that, of course.


    That video was followed by footage of Savannah getting out of the silver pit by literally leaving her mark


    onit.


    But the cherry on the cake was Mika¡¯s interview.


    The cat did not want to owe anything to the lycaness, so she made it very clear that Savvy defeated


    her in the Trials butthen made sure toe back to get her out when the explosions started, probably


    saving her life.


    The Truthteller also helped, posting a few "candid" images of Elene and Savannah veryfortable in


    each other¡¯spany and iming that.


    And then a few more of


    Savannah with Kai.


    It did not convince everyone that she was the best Luna for the North, but the mood shifted slightly in


    her favour.


    After all, she did prove herself as a true warrior.


    The announcement today was the second part of their n.


    They waited some more, and the remaining contenders joined them as their esteemed guests.


    Astrid, Petra, Naya, Inga, Celia, Brigit and Mika stood in a line behind them.


    "I heard you are from the Southern Republic, Astrid," Riannon smiled at the girl right next to her.


    "That''s a long way!" "It is, Your Majesty," the she-wolf lowered her head slightly.


    "It''s one of the reasons ! was happy to participate in the Trials.


    The opportunity to travel here was priceless, and I would hardly get a second chance like this.¡± ¡°We


    should fix that, don¡¯t you think?¡±Ria said with her lips curled into a smile.


    "The Southern Republic has a lot ofmon history with Western and Northern Lycan kingdoms.


    I am about to open a student exchange program for young shifters.


    Maybe you could help me to contact someone in the Republic about that? This could be beneficial to all


    ofus." "I think my father would be particrly interested in something like this," Astrid looked excited.


    "He is actually a big fan of yours." "He is a fan of my wife?¡± Now Gideon joined their quiet conversation.


    ¡°Of her reforms,¡± Astrid chuckled understandingly.


    "I am his only daughter, and what your wife did for women¡¯s rights is amazing.


    My father uses her as an example now, and I hope to follow in her footsteps.¡± ¡°News sure travelsfast!"


    Naya snorted.


    "Good to see you here, Naya." Gideon greeted the werecat, and she stretched her lips into an


    ufortable smile.


    "Your mother and I will have a nice chat when I get home.¡± ¡°To thank her for all the help Naya offered


    Savvy here?¡±Petra interjected, forgetting the protocol.


    No one could speak to any of the kings unless they addressed them, but Petra was¡­


    Petra.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Gideon¡¯s eyes gleamed menacingly.


    "Let''s call it that." "It was my pleasure!" Naya sneered.


    She knew very well that the cats won''t be praised for withholding vital information, but she also knew


    that her mother was aware of what she wasdoing and how to fix possible problems.


    After all, everything done here was for the greater good of the whole Western Kingdom, and cats were


    a partof that.


    Although the King wouldn''t be happy and some form of punishment would follow, he had to see that


    only good came out of this decision.


    And the proof was right before their eyes now.


    Kai and Savannah were done waving, and the King of the North raised his hand, demanding silence


    from his subjects.


    "Thank you, everyone, for sharing this glorious day with us!" Kai spoke as thousands of eyes were on


    him.


    "From the beginning of The Luna Trials, there was only one woman! saw as my perfect match.


    She amazed me time after time and earned my trust, not to mention capturing my heart.


    As I hope I did hers.


    Savannah Stormhold, the Princess of the Western Lycan Kingdom, sister of King Gideon Stormhold,


    arrived at the North as someone no one wanted to see.


    Everything and everyone was against her, but she managed to quickly prove her worth and wisdom.


    Her fighting skills and inner strength are something for everyone to strive for, She even made more


    friends arnong the contenders than anyone else.


    Savannah did note here to win, and I was not looking for love either.


    But just as it doesn''t matter if we seek the North Star in the sky or not, it shines brightly upon our heads


    anyway.


    So did our feelings for each other.


    It is my luck that the woman I am in love with is also the best Lycan Queen candidatewe could ask for!


    The North will only ept the Luna that is worthy.


    And I am proud to say that Savannah meets all criteria! I am happy to announce that this remarkable


    woman has just agreed to be my wife,Queen and one and only Luna o? the North!" The crowds


    burst into apuse and cheers, chanting their names.


    Savannah was slightly astonished at how easy it was to change their opinions of her.


    She managed to do it in such a short time, with the help of a few articles, photos and videos.


    She wanted the best for the country, but it was scary how effortlessly one could manipte people.


    Elene stepped close to the couple with a white velvet cushion in her hands and bowed to the two of


    them as she was supposed to.


    "Thank you, sister," Kai smiled at her as he took their mother¡¯s engagement ring.


    "Shaped as the North Star," corners of Savannah''s lips tugged slightly upwards in excitement.


    "Why am I not surprised?" "You see, Savvy," Kai took her hand into his and lifted it to his lips, kissing it


    gently before sliding the preciousantique diamond ring onto her finger and then brushing his fingers


    over the ne on her neck.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Theye together.


    You get one; you are definitely getting the other.


    You were my Luna from the moment I put this around your neck.¡± ¡°Cheeky!¡± She tried not to roll her


    eyesas all the cameras were on them.


    The crowd exploded for the two of them.


    They liked what they saw.


    And when Kai pulled his now-bride-to-be into his embrace to cover her lips with a modest kiss, the


    people in thesquare lost itpletely, screaming and pping.


    "I think this went well," Savannah whispered, and Kai captured her lips quickly again because he


    couldn¡¯thelp himself.


    Official events were challenging as they had to behave in a certain way to y the expected roles.


    They turned to the people, and, once again, the Northern King raised his hand to get the silence he


    needed to continuewith the speeches.


    Now it was Savvy¡¯s turn to speak.


    "People of the North," she started, scanning the faces below with a warm expression.


    "I am most grateful for the chance to be your future Luna.


    I hope to bring peace and prosperity to thesends, and I swear to fight for you until the dayI die.


    I am in love with not only your king but with the North itself! This is and of proudwarriors, beautiful


    legends and wonderful traditions.


    I hope to be deserving of the honour to lead you together with your King, andI pray that you ept me


    in my new role." "Our marking ceremony will take ce tomorrow!" Kai chimed in, taking the weight of


    responsibility off her.


    "And our wedding and coronation are scheduled in ordance with our traditions and Fenrir¡¯s will ¨C on


    the firstnight of Aurora!" More cheers followed.


    It was considered good luck for the King and the Queen to get married on early Aurora nights.


    Kai and Savannah needed all the luck they could get.


    Because the celebratory part of the speech was over, and the most important part was about to begin.


    "As you probably understand, these weren''t just empty words about peace and prosperity.


    Savannah helped me and her brother, King Gideon, to form an alliance between our Kingdoms! We are


    committed to protecting our countries together from themon threat! If, of course,one can say that


    about the bears and foxes.


    Darius Bjorn has made some serious ims recently, especially for a man who likes to hide in the


    sewers and ancient people¡¯s graves.


    I challenged him to a real fight many times, and each time he ran! This time, all he did was destroy an


    old, empty city and kill onegirl, while ming another for her death! If he thinks this is the king that the


    North needs, he needs to think again!" Shouts of approval supported him, and a drone flew in for a


    closer shot.


    Kai looked into the camera, saying the following words.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    L had to be in bed for weeks, and this felt like a punishment. It wasn¡¯t his choice, but he had to


    obey the


    King¡¯s order. However, one factor made this all an even bigger torture.


    ¡°How is our patient doing today?¡± Zara waltzed in with a bright smile.


    ¡°Go away, Cruel Bird. I don¡¯t trust you anymore!¡± He grunted and tried to turn away, but his eyes still


    grazed over her toned legs in high heels. She only wore those for asions. He knew that from all the


    times he discreetly watched her during The Luna Trials.


    ¡°Feathered Gods! You sure are grumpy today!¡± She scoffed, slipping out of her favourite leather jacket


    and revealing that she was wearing one of her tightest little ck dresses. This one was not too long


    either, and the thought of what was underneath made him growl internally.


    ¡°Go away, or I swear even Kai¡¯s orders will not keep me away!¡± He warned her, knowing he couldn¡¯t


    touch her even though it was all he was thinking about the whole time.


    ¡°Actually, I hoped you could be my plus one to the Engagement Announcement and the Marking


    Ceremony tonight,¡± she said nonchntly. After they yed their usual staring contest, Zara leaned


    back against her jacket on the chair, demonstrating to him her curves at a better angle on purpose and


    started looking for something in the


    pockets.


    ¡°You are ying with fire, Birdie,¡± L gave her a withering nce, to which she chuckled. She was


    toying with him for weeks, visiting him daily, knowing he had to restrain from any kind of physical


    activity due to the poison in his blood that proved not that harmless. They had been detoxifying him all


    this time. The treatment was painful and weakened him significantly. Yet every night, the cheeky bird


    slipped into his room, whispered dirty promises into his ear, touched him where she wasn¡¯t supposed to


    and then disappeared into the darkness. Last night, as he was getting stronger, she flew straight out


    the window, leaving only her tiny underwear behind on purpose.


    On purpose, because bird shifters¡¯ transformation wasn¡¯t physical like it was for wolves, cats and bears,


    they were using magic, and the clothes disappeared and appeared together with the human form.


    The mighty Beta of The North would never admit to her that he kept the teensy piece ofce in the


    drawer right next to his bed. He¡¯d rather die from that poison after all.


    He should have thrown it away, burned it¡­ But something stopped him each time, and each time he


    saw it, he


    thought of how sweet his revenge would be.


    ¡°But I am serious this time!¡± She giggled and produced a piece of paper, waving it in the air before his


    nose. He had a few identical ones somewhere here in the bedroom. The results of his blood tests. ¡°The


    doctors say that the poison trace is insignificant now, and it will be gonepletely in a week or so, but


    you can certainly return to all the physical activi¡±


    L did not let her finish as he yanked her onto the bed, towering over her instantly and getting the


    paper out of her hand. His eyes quickly read the very bottom line that confirmed Birdie¡¯s words, and a


    satisfying growl emerged from the depths of his chest.


    Zara sucked in a deep breath, trying to wriggle out from under the giant Beta, but he held her in ce.


    ¡°The announcement,¡± she mumbled, but he stopped her by cing his index finger on her lips.


    ¡°This,¡± he whispered as the smirk spread on his handsome face. ¡°I think we can miss that


    announcement ande straight to the Marking Ceremony.¡± He traced her lips, making them part and


    leaned down to her so that she could feel his hot breath on her skin. ¡°But before that, you owe me so


    much, Birdie.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember!¡± She rolled her eyes and tried to get away again, but he could tell she was just


    ying, so he pinned both her hands to the mattress and enjoyed her looking helpless under him.


    ¡°No worries,¡± he smirked at her. ¡°I will remind you.¡±


    ¡°Will you?¡± She taunted, voice raspy and hitched.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he grew one w and cut a strap of her dress, making her gasp. ¡°You promised to let me


    peel off every piece of clothing from you.¡±


    ¡°Did I?¡± She blinked innocently,


    ¡°You did.¡± L cut the second strap off. ¡°I hope you have another dress for tonight,¡± he chuckled


    and then hooked the golden zip at the front and pulled it all the way down, letting her breasts bounce


    out of it.


    Another growl escaped him, and he traced his sharp w over her skin to her already hard ni.pple. Her


    chest went up and down as he removed the rest of her dress to see that she was not actually wearing


    anything


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    underneath.


    ¡°No undergarments?¡± He arched his brow, and she bit her lip, not a shade of embarrassment in her


    eyes.


    ¡°I think I lost mine!¡± Zara tilted her head yfully. ¡°Have you seen them anywhere here by any


    chance?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember,¡± he lied, mimicking her tone from a few seconds ago, and finally took her in.


    Retracting his


    w, he caressed her soft skin, feeling how this made her little heart beat faster.


    They were not made for each other, but it felt so right for the two of them. Here and now.


    Zara arched her back as hisrge palm travelled from her belly button to her neck, eliciting a rush of


    goosebumps on the way to cup her chin and make her look at him.


    ¡°First, my hands,¡± he reminded her, and his fingers brushed down to knead one of her breasts, thumb


    ying


    with its firm bud.


    A little moan left Zara¡¯s lips, and that free hand went lower. Her core was already heated and moist


    when he reached her folds, parting them slightly with his fingers. The little bundle of nerves was


    throbbing when he touched it, and her whole body jerked from the contact. She was so close, and he


    barely even started.


    ¡°Not so soon, Birdie,¡± heughed as he slowly inserted a finger into her and curled it inside, making her


    tremble again. ¡°You tortured me for weeks! I think I have to return my debt to you f


    ¡°You can try!¡± She narrowed her eyes at him, but another moan left her as he added one more finger,


    pumping them in and out slowly, building her up.


    ¡°No worries, I will!¡± L promised menacingly, finally finding the ridged sensitive spot inside her


    walls. Each time he touched it, her inner muscles clenched around him tightly, making him thrilled in


    anticipation.


    He bent down, still holding her arms captive and whispered as their eyes locked, ¡°Then my tongue.¡±


    L shed his lips with hers, tasting her properly for the first time and enjoying every second of it.


    He never thought he would be able to feel this way again. Not after his mate had died. Not after he


    killed all those responsible for it. A part of his soul was dead that day. He could never even imagine


    he¡¯d ever recover from this.


    His service to his King and Alpha kept him going for so long. He ate, drank, ran in his wolf form, slept


    with random women, fought in battles, and protected his country, but¡­ it did not feel like he was living


    until now.


    Now life had colours. Now, he wanted to see what was next. He was excited. He couldn¡¯t wait any


    longer.


    The tiny bird moaned into his lips, making him lose it. He wanted her. He wanted all of her. Every day.


    All the time. Preferably forever.


    His hot tongue left a wet trail on her neck. L sucked in the delicate skin next to the corbone,


    biting it slightly where he would mark her when she allowed it. She clenched around his fingers again,


    and he got them out, hearing a disappointed noise leave his woman¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Oh,e on!¡± Zara groaned in frustration.


    ¡°I am so not done with you yet!¡± The Beta gave her a roguish grin as he licked her juices off his fingers


    and then


    bent back down to twirl his tongue around the peak of her breast. And then another. He made sure not


    to leave an


    inch of her body untouched as if he was staking his im on her. Although, there were no ifs. She was


    his to im. and he wasn¡¯t going back on this.


    Finally, when she was already covered with crystals of sweat, he kneeled before her and parted her


    weakened


    legs.


    ¡°Lan!¡± She used his nickname for the first time, probably not even knowing she did it, and that made


    him lose thest bits of sanity. He couldn¡¯t take it slow anymore and made sure to make firm, tactical


    slides of his tongue down her core to make her tremble in his arms. His fingers returned to work,


    pumping in and out faster than before as his tongue concentrated on the little quivering bud.


    Zara screamed as the rel.ease shattered her mind into millions of tiny pieces, and the lycan let her ride


    it, not stopping even for a second. Her legs weakened, and he threw them onto his shoulders, digging


    his palms into her flesh for support. The lycan knew he could give her much more than this, and he


    intended to.


    Sheced her fingers into his blonde hair and kept him there until another wave of pleasure surged


    through her body.


    L watched her with flushed cheeks on his bed, and a part of him wanted her to always stay here


    with


    him. Just like that.


    He stood up and draped one of her legs around his shoulder, brushing his tip over her wet entrance


    and ready to make that woman his, when her foot pushed him away gently.


    ¡°So cruel!¡± he snarled softly, thinking it was another of her games as she was already standing next to


    him. But when Zara shoved him to sit on the edge of the bed and kissed him on the lips, he took the


    opportunity to explore more of her body with his hands.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you forgot!¡± She giggled as she tore off him and took a cushion from the bed, throwing it


    on the stone floor between his feet. ¡°It¡¯s my turn now!¡± she said and kneeled, wrapping her little fingers


    around his manhood.


    ¡°Zara¡­¡± He didn¡¯t even finish the sentence when she traced his length from base to the tip with her


    warm tongue, her eyes at him the whole time. ¡°You are the most beautiful¡­ taunting little thing alive!¡±


    his breathing rasped as she took as much of him in as she only could.


    L threw his head back, finding her short silky hair and entwining his fingers into it. She bobbed


    her head while moaning, stroking the rest of him with his hand, making him snarl and swear under his


    breath because of how good it felt. ¡°Mine!¡± he growled so loudly that the walls around them shook, and


    Zara stilled.


    Did she mishear him? Surely he wasn¡¯t saying that¡­


    He lifted her in his arms before she knew it and made her straddle him.


    ¡°Eyes to eyes, Birdie!¡± The Beta said as he lined himself at her entrance once again.


    ¡°Lan, what do you-¡± She wanted to ask what he meant because her mind worked in a way that she had


    to know


    the answer here and now. Were they just ying with each other, or was this serious?


    He mmed into her roughly, making her arch her back and gasp in delight. This was a part of his


    response.


    ¡°Look at me!¡± He ordered when he filled her, and she obeyed, her chest heaving. ¡°You are mine,


    Birdie.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to ask me first if I agree?¡± She shot her brow up, wrapping her arms around his neck at


    the same


    time.


    ¡°Are you going to say no?¡± He smiled, and there was so much in his eyes that she couldn¡¯t keep up


    with the


    games.


    ¡°No,¡± Zara breathed out.


    ¡°Then I guess I have my answer,¡± he drew back and mmed into her again, one hand sliding up her


    back to tug


    on her hair and bring her closer.


    ¡°Then you are mine too!¡± She stated, and he imed her lips, entwining their tongues. He rocked his


    hips back and forth a few times, filling her up and leaving her empty, until he couldn¡¯t bear it anymore


    and started simply pounding into her as hard as he could, driving his member to the hilt each time.


    Zara dug her nails into him, biting his shoulder to keep herself present. That much pleasure threatened


    to destroy her, and when the new climax cascaded through her body, she didn¡¯t even know if she was


    screaming or not.


    He kept pounding into her, and soon she stopped counting her releases, simply forgetting herself in his


    masterful hands.


    L couldn¡¯t have enough of her. His wolf was hungry for the little bird too. The long-forgotten


    sensations of having someone they cared about were so overwhelming that he spilled his seed into her


    without hesitation when the moment arrived. Then he held her in ce to ensure no drop was wasted.


    Finding her lips again, he imed them gently this time while both falling back down to the bed.


    They stayed lying in each other¡¯s arms for some time until Zara sighed, sounding disappointed. ¡°We


    need to go. The Marking Ceremony will start soon.¡±


    ¡°I may have been sick, but I know the schedule.¡± The Beta chuckled and towered over her, spreading


    her thighs again and positioning himself between them. ¡°There are drinks and speeches in the


    beginning. It can go on for a while. I am sure Kai and Savvy would forgive us if we are fashionably


    late.¡±


    ¡°If you say so,¡± the girl giggled right before he crashed his lips into hers again and turned her around for


    the


    next round¡­


    Riannon was nervous for some reason despite their perfect n. In the next few days, Bjorn would try


    to kidnap Savannah one way or another. After his bold im and Kai¡¯s speech today, there was no


    chance for the arrogant bear to let it slide. He was probably already packing his things for the trip. They


    even set up a perfect opportunity for him to approach her. Savvy would be on The Luna of The North


    Tour around the capital, visiting the local packs. They predicted he would try to get her at the most


    secluded one, but truthfully, it could be anywhere. If it didn¡¯t happen on


    tour, then the Coronation would be the next event.


    ¡°You are still worried,¡± Gideon wrapped his hands around his wife¡¯s waist, casually brushing over her


    belly. No one could tell it yet from looking at her, but he could already feel that Ria¡¯s tummy wasn¡¯t as


    t as it used to be. He would probably be kissing it now if they didn¡¯t have so many witnesses around.


    ¡°The n is good,¡± she smiled at him, but it did not reach her eyes. ¡°I just wish I had a new dream by


    now. But other than that ring, there is nothingtely!¡±


    ¡°The Crescent ring,¡± Gideon sighed and kissed her temple. For the past month, his wife kept seeing her


    dead mother¡¯s ring in her dreams, which only saddened her. There was no context to all this, no


    exnation. She never


    saw who was wearing the ring. Her wolf Onyx tried to reach the Moon Goddess to ask about it, but the


    Goddess who


    once blessed them was now silent. Gods did not like to exin their ns.


    It was so painful because Riannon¡¯s parents were long dead. Not to mention that she would really


    prefer a clue


    about the right course of action now instead of the unnecessary walk down Memory Lane.


    Their n was good, yes, but there were weak points in it too.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± she leaned into her husband¡¯s chest and closed her eyes. She kept looking for that ring


    everywhere, but


    no one in the Western Kingdom had it. Neither did anyone she had met in the North.


    ¡°It will all make sense soon,¡± Gideon tried to touch the golden crescent mark on her neck, forgetting


    that she covered it today to ensure the whole attention was on Savvy. People usually stared at their


    marks because they were special. One of a kind. And since Savannah and Kai were just chosen


    mates, their marks would just look like two scars. Not that it mattered much if two people were in love,


    but it was a polite thing to do to not draw any attention


    away from them.


    Riannon noticed Brigit standing just a few feet away and looking out of the window, observing the


    castle¡¯s main square. The people were gone now as the royals wouldn¡¯t be making a second


    appearance tonight. The rest of the event was private. Only families of the Luna Trials contenders were


    invited, following tradition, so the guests were kept to a minimum. Luckily, Penelope¡¯s father declined


    the invitation, and they didn¡¯t have to worry about any problems from that end.


    ¡°Give me a second, okay?¡± Ria smiled at her mate, and he nodded understandingly.


    ¡°Go, spread your magic, my love,¡± Gideon lifted her hand to his lips to ce a gentle kiss before he let


    go of her. ¡°And I will go and scare Kai a bit more to make sure he worships the ground my sister steps


    on.¡±


    The Western Queen had a hard time trying to hold back her smile when she reached the only white


    bear shifter in the room. Of course, none of Brigit¡¯s family was invited due to the current situation.


    Riannon knew who the strong woman before her tried to find with her eyes.


    ¡°He is stationed at the East Gate,¡± she told her, and Brigit flinched, meeting her gaze.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she swallowed.


    ¡°Does it really?¡± Ria was not going to give up. ¡°I remember you really wanted to find your mate. And


    here he is, ready to do everything and madly in love with you. So, what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t going to end up together, Riannon.¡± Brigit turned away. ¡°He will reject me sooner orter, so


    why don¡¯t I save myself the pain?¡±


    ¡°Why do you think so? ept him! Give him a chance to prove you wrong!¡± Ria ced her hand on the


    woman¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let him surprise you!¡±


    ¡°Always optimistic, aren¡¯t you?¡± Brigit gave her a sad smile. ¡°It¡¯s the North, Riannon. I am a white bear,


    and he is a Lycan Gamma of the Kingdom. This will never work. I will ruin his life-¡±


    ¡°You will be regretting this your whole life, you know?¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡± Brigit¡¯s voice barely had any life in it. ¡°Excuse me,¡± she whispered and left the room abruptly.


    Ria looked out of the window too, and noticed Aspen walking in the middle of the square. She hoped


    that the two mates would throw away their fears and reunite today despite everything.


    The Western Queen took a look around the room. The tables were sat here for the big celebration, with


    a small tform in the middle, where Kai would mark Savannah in less than an hour. She caught


    Princess Elene staring at her husband while she gave local omegas theirst orders for tonight. This


    made Riannon groan quietly. She tried to


    be kind, but she wasn¡¯t a saint. That Northern woman needed a new object of adoration.


    Kyle tried to be a gentleman a few good feet away from her, telling jokes to Petra and making her


    laugh, while Evelyn watched him with a little smile on her lips. Astrid¡¯s family was on their way but


    runningte. The Southerner only had her friend Emma by her side today. However, both seemed


    happy with everything. The ones not happy were Inga and her pack. Celia kept thempany as her


    only living family was Aspen, and he was working tonight. It was clear that both girls still couldn¡¯t get


    over Penelope¡¯s death. This was to be expected.


    The music started ying, and all guests slowly returned to their ces. The future King and Queen


    were about to arrive.


    Savannah felt excited. Yes, they had to rush and fit everything into one day, but it did not matter much


    to her. What was important was that once Kai¡¯s mark was on her neck, her bond with Zack would


    weaken. Gradually. she would be able to get rid of him even if he kept escaping them. Not to mention


    that it would increase the chances of him epting her rejection the next time they saw each other. He


    would probably beg for it himself, as this should hurt him like hell. They were true mates; the bond


    between them was strong enough thanks to their mating. Only a mark was missing. As soon as her


    neck was pierced with Kai¡¯s canines, Zack would be in agony. She was surprised he wasn¡¯t still having


    s.ex with multiple girls to try and prevent her from going through with her decision. But the night


    was young¡­


    Kaiced their fingers together, and she nced at him, forgetting her worries. He looked so good in a


    traditional northern coat. Just like a prince from a fairy tale. Savvy had hated fairy tales ever since she


    was a little kid, but she wasn¡¯t going to tell him that.


    She was wearing a pale blue traditional bridal dress herself. The design was very simple yet elegant,


    with northern patterns embroidered on her corset. The long skirt reached the floor, and a small train of


    light fabric followed her as she walked.


    Most of her hair was down in soft curls, but part was twisted in an intricate braid at the back of her head


    with the North Star and Crescent pins adorning it. She did not want to overdo it, but it was essential to


    show her respect to every Nnortherner present.


    Savannah knew she wasn¡¯t their perfect Luna choice, but she would do her best to make them change


    their


    minds.


    ¡°Did I say how much I love you?¡± Kai pulled her into his embrace, although it was almost time for them


    to join the guests.


    ¡°Only about half a million times today!¡± She grinned at him.


    ¡°Ah, this is why it feels like it¡¯s not enough!¡± He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. They had


    to stay away from each other because of the preparations for the past few days, and he knew he


    couldn¡¯t do much to her


    now.


    Not yet.


    But as soon as the ceremony was done and they paid their respects to everyone, he would take her


    back to their bedroom even if he had to throw her over his shoulder again,


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait for the formalities to be done!¡± Kai whispered, and she touched his cheek, her eyes


    gleaming with happiness.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then!¡± She giggled. ¡°The sooner we start, the sooner we are done.¡±


    An omega opened the doors before them, and they entered the throne room decorated for the event.


    Savvy had been to this spacious hall so many times, yet she found it the most beautiful tonight.


    Candles were everywhere, Big, small, tall, short. On the tables and on themps hanging at the ceiling.


    And even in ss holders


    on the floor. It was the only light source now, and it seemed like they were walking among little fiery


    stars.


    ude and Chloe were among the guests right next to Elene. There was just one camera inside today,


    as they still would have to show the footage to the worldter. They earned this right by trying to help


    them to contain the damage control.


    She was happy to see so many happy familiar faces tonight. Naya winked at her as they passed them.


    Her


    mother. Alpha Ramina, was present too, although Savvy did not notice her Luna or Naya¡¯s biological


    father.


    A priestess of Fenrir was waiting for them at the stage, but they stopped before they could reach her.


    As always.


    it was time for a speech.


    Some omega brought them their drinks, and guests also stood up with their sses. Discreetly,


    Savannah checked if her wine had any scents that weren¡¯t supposed to be there, but to her relief, she


    found nothing. Kai gave her a reassuring squeeze, and their eyes locked again. Moon Goddess, she


    couldn¡¯t wait for his teeth to pierce her skin


    and leave their forever mark.


    ¡°Today, you are all witnesses to my happiness!¡± Kai spoke with the confidence of a true king. ¡°To me,


    Savannah is already my Queen and my Luna, but the sacred rituals must be performed for the world to


    ept my choice. And, to be honest, I can¡¯t wait to start!¡±


    A wave of understanding chuckles erupted through the room.


    Only now Savvy noticed that L and Zara were still missing.


    ¡°Each Northern Royal Marking Ceremony starts with a sip of the sacred wine made from fruit that


    grows on the mountain where Fenrir once walked and blessed by the priestesses from his shrine.


    Please, share with us tonight this wine and our happiness!¡±


    ¡°By Fenrir¡¯s will!¡± The northerners growled in unison while the rest of the guests nodded respectfully to


    this.


    Savannah couldn¡¯t help her smile as her lips touched the liquid and her eyes locked with her beloved.


    The guests followed their example and took their first gulps. They emptied their sses and ced


    them back on the tray. The young omega bowed and went to the corner of the room.


    Holding their hands together, Kai and Savvy stepped on the tform, bowing to the priestess. The


    woman in a white and blue robe with tattoos on her face in the ancient northernnguage started to


    read an old prayer to Fenrir as Savannah looked at her chosen mate.


    The sound of the breaking ss distracted them, and they turned to see a very pale Naya in Alpha


    Ramina¡¯s


    arms.


    ¡°Naya!¡± The werecat Alpha called her daughter. Another broken ss, and Celia, on the other side, fell


    with her


    face on the table.


    ¡°No!¡± Savvy whispered in disbelief and looked at Kai again, clenching his hands as hard as she could.


    As if it could help the situation somehow.


    ¡°Protect my Queen!¡± Kai growled to the guards who were supposed to be outside the doors. They just


    saw them a few seconds ago!


    No one arrived.


    Another broken ss and a loud roar Savannah couldn¡¯t confuse with anything else in this world.


    She lost the ability to speak the moment she saw Gideon trying to wake up Riannon, who seemed


    unconscious.


    TO


    set


    ¡°Ria!¡± He sounded so scared for the first time in her life.


    One by one, the guests were fainting. Savvy hoped they were fainting. It had to be just temporary! It


    couldn¡¯t be happening for real! Some tried to run, but they couldn¡¯t make it to the door.


    ¡°Kai!¡± She turned to the Northern King and saw him struggling to breathe. ¡°Kai!¡± Her piercing scream


    was


    something she couldn¡¯t control. He fell on one knee, still holding her hands, and she dropped right next


    to him. Seeing him like that was more excruciating than anything she had ever experienced.


    ¡°Kai!¡± She looked him in the eye, and he tried to say something to her.


    ¡°Savvy-¡± He grasped her in a desperate attempt to do at least something. His lips were barely moving,


    ¡°Run!¡± he said before he copsed to her feet.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    Petra screamed, but Savannah didn¡¯t hear her. She was holding Kai in her hands and looking for a


    pulse that wasn¡¯t there


    It wasn¡¯t there!


    She checked his wrists and neck, but she couldn¡¯t find it. She tried listening to his heart with her lycan


    hearing, but something was wrong because she didn¡¯t hear anything


    It had to be wrong! Obviously, he had to have a heartbeat¡¯ This.. this couldn¡¯t be happening! It couldn¡¯t


    end like this! She loved him, and he loved her They were supposed to have their whole life together He


    was supposed to ce his mark on her in a few minutes, and she was ready She was finally ready to


    be loved and to trust again.


    Because of him¡­ Because he helped her heal. Because thanks to him she now knew what real love


    was And it was so much more than just this physical attraction This couldn¡¯t be it for them!


    The priestess not far from them fell to her knees and started chanting some kind of an old northern


    prayer. Savvy didn¡¯t mind. She was praying for a miracle too now


    Rannon!


    Riannon would know what to do. The Moon Goddess blessed her sister-inw! The divine power would


    protect her and help them save everyone else.


    It wasn¡¯t ending like that!


    Savvy turned her head to look at where her brother sat and saw him breathing heavily and holding his


    pregnant wife in his arms. The table before them was overturned Gideon probably knocked it off to see


    his little sister while still trying to save his mate


    Pregnant. Riannon was pregnant! She couldn¡¯t be dying! She couldn¡¯t be dead! But she looked so pale


    and lifeless now.


    Petra screamed louder, and Savannah¡¯s eyes locked with her brother¡¯s as he tore the upper buttons of


    his shirt. His eyes glowed golden, the colour of their family lycans¡±. He was trying to shift, but


    something was stopping him Riannon was lying breathless in his arms, and Savvy shook her head


    It couldn¡¯t bel Elene made sure everything was triple-checked for tonight All food and wine were tasted


    before they were sent here. The omegas had their backgrounds checked, especially after she reported


    the one with a note from Bjorn Only the people Kai trusted were protecting them today They took all


    precautions necessary


    Savvy sniffed the wine just in case because it was an old habit All royals did it She was sure that Kai


    and Gideon did it too. She had seen it so many times it didn¡¯t even arouse suspicions in anyone Just a


    normal thing to do


    So why? How? What went wrong? Who did this? And how could she undo it? How did they end up


    here? So many questions and thoughts streamed through her brain she felt dizzy.


    Savannah looked at a pale omega with the tray in her hands. The one who brought them the wine Both


    goblets were still there and Athena roared inside of her


    ¡°Get her!¡± The she-woll snarled, and Savannah let her have control, charging at the wide-eyed girl and


    pinning her to the


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡± She growled loudly ¡°I d didn¡¯t the omega stuttered ¡°I swear¡±


    The Lycan Princess unclenched her fingers and kneeled next to the broken sses She picked up the


    pieces and smelled then again


    Nothing¡¯


    Not wasting line, the inoved to the table next to her Celia was still lying face down. Inga on the floor


    next to her Savvy took the sses and sulled


    Nothing¡¯


    One by one, the checked all the sses on thal table and then smashed thest one on the wall The


    cameraman barely managed to dodge the shards


    The cameraman! She noticed him for the first time. He was still conscious


    ¡°We have nothing to do with this!¡± ude, who stood right next to him, lifted his hands in the air to


    demonstrate his good intentions Chloe did the same behind his back


    ¡°We are not a part of the ceremony! We didn¡¯t drink the wine!¡± She tried to exin to the Princess at


    once to avoid any kind of confusion


    Savannah wasn¡¯t sure if she could trust the words of the two TV presenters. Of course, everyone would


    insist they were innocent, but were they really?


    ude and Chloe were thest ones to enter the room before Kai and her It was unlikely they had time


    to meddle with the drinks as they simply couldn¡¯t touch the wine. If it was the wine at all. Why wasn¡¯t


    there any scent?


    ¡°Lyn!¡± Petra wept. trying to wake up her mentor gently Kyle was still on top of her on the table, as if he


    tried to protect her with his body


    The realisation that Kyle was dead too made Savvy¡¯s body shudder uncontrobly A sound escaped


    her throat as she looked around her li was neither a scream nor a sob It was something in between


    something that signalled that she was irreparably broken from the inside She had just lost everyone


    she loved in one day


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Shattered, Savvy returned to Kai and lifted him so that his head was on her knees, brushing her fingers


    over his cheek that was getting colder


    *This is all a dream,¡± she whispered, shaking her head in disbelief ¡°A bad dream! Come back to me!¡±


    But not a single muscle on his face flinched, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t hear the


    heartbeat she used to listen to before falling asleep every day Kai¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t beating


    ¡°Savvy!¡± Gideon¡¯s voice was so weak, but she lifted her cyes full of tears to look at her brother. He was


    still clenching Riannon but tried to concentrate his gaze on his little sister He tried to say something, but


    at this point he had trouble forming words


    ¡°Get someone to help!¡± Savannah shouted at the film crew when she realised that Gideon could still be


    helped *Run,¡± her big brother mouthed, and she remembered that Kai had said the same thing


    ude rushed for the main doors, but they swung open right before his nose, and he barely managed


    to avoid the contact


    Savannah felt him before she saw him. The nauseating scent of mint reached her nostrils, and the


    physical pull started bothering her again, biting at her from the inside


    Zack Morgan entered the room as if he was the King already, his men tactically circled the whole room


    from different angles Petra screamed again, but one of the huge bears yanked her and roared at her.


    A bear He came together with the bears!


    Gideon tried to get up, but a silver spear was ced at his neck by a different warrior. Savvy¡¯s lips


    parted when she looked at the spear They had the identical one back at home


    Not that this was important now


    ¡°Savannah Zack dared to make a sad face when he stared at her, his brows furrowed as if he was


    really sorry for her. For what he did to her


    Savvy clenched Kai tighter, just to feel him onest time. She couldn¡¯t know if there would ever be an


    opportunity for it again ¡°it hurts me to see you like this, but you didn¡¯t leave me a choice¡±


    The Western Princess ignored him and bent down to kiss the man she really loved. Kai¡¯s lips were


    getting cold too, and one single tear rolled down her cheek,nding on hisshes She hoped that


    something would click in the universe, some kind of ancient spell would be awoken, and he would open


    his eyes and look at her. If this happened, she would be ready to fight the whole world here and now


    For him and for everyone else


    I couldn¡¯t end like tws


    * Look at all this mess night now, if you think about it you would understand that it¡¯s the Moon Goddess


    herself making things right¡¯ Zack went on, stepping closer. She needed him to make just a few more


    steps ¡°We are mates, and she personally chose us for each other I know I made mistakes, but so did


    you¡±


    Savannah looked at him for the first time, carefully cing Kai¡¯s head back on the ground


    ¡°The Moon Goddess¡¯ She chuckled darkly and met her mate¡¯s gaze with defiance ¡°Sometimes I think


    that she wanted to punish me by mating us in the first ce I wonder what for! What did I do to be


    cursed by you?!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that,¡± Zack took another step ¡°I couldn¡¯t save your brother, but I came to save you The


    North has fallen, but


    you and I cane back to the West together. We can start things fresh! I will mark you and, little by


    little, we will restore the country together I swear to you, you will never regret it


    t!¡± She spat the words out, and he clenched his lips. ¡°What a nice n you have! But why do you think


    that your new master will allow us to leave?¡±


    ¡°I have no master. Just a partner who-¡±


    Savannahughed She let all her anger and frustration out with this loud resoundingughter Tears


    formed in her eyes because this was funny indeed.


    ¡°Moron!¡± Sheran her palm over her face and found the strength to stand up ¡°You are just his little dumb


    pawn and nothing more! Nothing has changed! You are still worthless on your own¡¯ Delusional as ever!


    Where are your people Zack? Where were theyst time when he ordered you to have sex with other


    women, and you obeyed in an instant? What other services were you performing during your stay in


    the North?*


    ¡°Savvy, enough!¡± He growled, wishing for her to stop as he noticed smirks on the bears¡± faces ¡°Come


    to me, and I will take you to safety i was barely able to negotiate to let you livelt


    *The Moon Goddess is so cruel,¡± Savannah shook her head and took thest necessary step herself


    ¡°To mate me with the likes of you It¡¯s probably the biggest insult in my lifel¡±


    ¡°Watch your tongue!¡± Zack had had enough of this He was crazy about this woman, but it wasn¡¯t the


    first time she had humiliated him like this, and he wasn¡¯t going to tolerate it This dynamic wasn¡¯t


    working for him and he knew he would have to teach her back from the start


    ¡°Or what?!* The Princess was so close to him now that her intoxicating bluebell scent enveloped him If


    they were alone, he would have dragged her to bed where she belonged and done all the things he


    had dreamed of doing for the past few months


    *Or I will have to teach you respect even if I don¡¯t want to do it. Don¡¯t make me Savannah Morgan


    warned her and she ced a hand on his chest, making him shudder from the contact He hadn¡¯t had a


    chance to touch her for so long and it was everything he craved He needed it on a physical level


    because nothing else in this world felt so good The separation from her wasn¡¯t easy on him in fact, it


    was getting harder and harder every day


    Savannah would forgive him one day she would understand why he did all this, and she would ept it


    Over time, he would make her forget about this day He would give her so many pups that she would


    have no time to think about it all He was born to make her happy and she was born to do the same for


    him


    *Zack¡± she whispered, ¡°We haven¡¯t been so close for so long¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± A smile curled his lips involuntarily and he leaned forward so that their foreheads touched ¡°I


    love you so much, Savvy


    ¡°For that, you would need a heart,¡± Savannah lifted her chin so that they were looking into each other¡¯s


    eyes and then she pierced his chest with her sharp royal lycan ws and wrapped her fingers around


    his beating heart


    His eyes widened from shock and pain Zack couldn¡¯t move. One inch in the wrong direction and he


    would be dead ¡°Savvy, please * He begged but saw no pity in her eyes His mate looked at him as if he


    meant nothing to her. ¡°We could still


    ¡°Say that we could be happy together, and I will kill you faster!¡± she promised, and he knew that she


    was telling the truth because her ws grazed dangerously around his beating heart


    If she got her hand out now and he was lucky, then maybe there was still a chance for him to survive


    Maybe¡­


    But the Princess¡¯s eyes were cold and dark. He had never seen her like this Not when she rejected him


    over and over again, not even when she tried to kill himst time He had never seen so much hatred in


    her before today


    ¡°I swear,¡± Zack¡¯s voice trembled, if we get out of here together, I wiil spend my whole life trying to make


    up for everything. I will make you happy again Savvy. I love you, I will find a way,¡±


    ¡°You love me?¡± She asked through tears with a bitterugh escaping her. He didn¡¯t love thisughter at


    all. ¡°And I love Kal¡± she added mercilessly


    Hearing that hurt him more than her ws tealing his flesh, Until now, he was still sure that she was


    doing it for the show to help her kingdom He knew they were sleeping together, but once again, he


    assured himself that the reason behind that was political She was his mate, they had consummated the


    bond, and the only thing missing was his mark Savannah couldn¡¯t love another man while she had a


    male


    The thought alone made him angry! He was an Alpha, alter all, and did not n to share his mate Zack


    bared his teeth, ¡°You don¡¯t mean that!¡±


    *Oh, I do!¡± She nodded and wiped her eyes with a free hand ¡°I love him more than anything in this


    world More than the stars and the moon, more than the sun, more than shifting and running through the


    forest as a wolf I love him, and I need him as I need air And you. Her voice broke, and she sucked in a


    painful breath, ¡°you took him away from me!¡±


    Zack¡¯s wolf growled in agony This was pain like none other because they both knew that she spoke the


    truth,


    ¡°You will forget him, and we¡­¡± Zack started saying, but she dug her ws, piercing his heart


    ¡°Goddess, I hate you!¡± She confessed, looking straight into his face


    ¡°I am your mate-¡± He tried to reason with her.


    ¡°You are a mistake!¡± Savannah snorted, her wordsced with spite.


    ¡°Fine¡± he ced both his hands on the one that held his heart, trying to plead with her ¡°Fine! I will


    ept your rejection! Whatever you want!¡±


    Savannah didn¡¯t evenugh this time. It wasn¡¯t funny None of this was funny From the corner of her


    eye, she already saw that her brother Gideon wasn¡¯t moving any longer. The warrior next to him didn¡¯t


    see the point of holding the spear next to his neck anymore because because he could tell that the


    King of the Western Lycan Kingdom was dead.


    Her gaze travelled through the room, seeing the people she liked and cared about without any signs of


    life and then she returned her attention to the man whose heart she was holding


    ¡°Please,¡± Zack tried to smile weakly ¡°Just¡­ let me go, and let¡¯s talk I¡¯ll do whatever you want, even if


    you still want to reject me


    She pulled his heart out so fast that he didn¡¯t even manage to finish the sentence. The blood gushed


    through the hole in his chest as he stared at his own beating heart in Savannah¡¯s hand The beautiful


    and strong woman was the perfect picture. She was everything he ever dreamed of and she became


    thest thing he saw.


    ¡°Toote!¡± Savvy said, void of emotions She hoped that it would bring her some kind of relief, even if


    just momentarily, but she was wrong Sizzling pain rippled through her as she fell to her knees next to


    Zack¡¯s body and tried to catch a breath.


    It seemed like every bone in her body was breaking, her skin was burning, her breathing ceased to


    exist. The mate bond was shredding her soul to tiny pieces, and the pain was unbearable. She didn¡¯t


    have any idea how hurtful it could be Zack hurt her so many times before that she was sure she


    wouldn¡¯t feel much doing this. Yet she was wrong because she couldn¡¯t stand it any longer


    Everything mixed up in her head like a picture in a kaleidoscope, and she felt she was about to throw


    up.


    ¡®There, thered Tworge hands wiapped around her shoulders. ¡°We¡¯ll find a way to mend a broken


    heart. Although, probably not his.¡±

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    She wanted to shake off his hands, but the pain was still rippling through her body, and she quickly


    found herself weakened by it.


    Bjorn kneeled right behind her, sliding his palms over her arms and waist to get a better grip on her.


    Savannah was shaking in his arms, and this was just the effect he wanted to see.


    ¡°I heard that killine your own mate is the worst,¡± he whispered into her ear, his hot breath burning her


    sensitive skin. ¡°I am sorry you had to go through this, but no worries, you are in good hands now¡±


    ¡°No!¡± She desperately tried to push him away, but he held her in ce. ¡°You did this! You did all of this!¡±


    ¡°Yes and no,¡± he cooed, rocking her slightly. ¡°I warned you before, Savannah I gave you a chance to


    save your brother or your sister-inw. You didn¡¯t listen!¡±


    She felt nausea churning her stomach as the bear¡¯s grip on her tightened Her breathing was heavy, as


    destroying her mate bond with Zack made every cell in her body burn and ache to the point she wanted


    to w her own skin. This was much worse than what she had experienced when her mate was


    bedding other women. This was crushing her bones, and at the same time, the loss of Kal and her


    family was destroying her soul. She was in agony, pure agony, although she still tried to contain it


    somehow


    Was Bjorn right? Could she have saved Riannon and the baby? She couldn¡¯t even look in their


    direction now, afraid to see her brother and his wife pale and lifeless. Two perfect mates, they didn¡¯t get


    to live their life together the way they had nned. It ended too soon


    She dropped Zack¡¯s heart to the ground. There was no point in holding it now She didn¡¯t want to touch


    anything of his anymore. She was done.


    Only that their bond still wasn¡¯t letting her go, piercing needles all over her body, wishing to make her


    regret her actions.


    She didn¡¯t She would never regret killing that son of ab*tch. She only wished she had the strength to kill


    another.


    ¡°Come here!¡± Bjorn was surprisingly gentle with her, and she gathered all the strength still left in her to


    try and shove him away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± She tried to growl, but the sound came out like a whimper. Bjorn let go of her for a


    moment, and she almost lost her bnce, but luckily managed to find it again at thest second and


    not fall down to his feet. She wouldn¡¯t be able to take this kind of humiliation,


    ¡°Switch off the cameras now!¡± The White Bear Kingmanded, and ude gestured for the


    cameraman to follow the order. The bears who stood around them looked intimidating


    More people entered the room, and Savannah caught amiliar figure among them. Blue dress with


    leather straps and ice-white hair braided in a traditional northern it, Brigit averted her gaze.


    ¡°You!¡± Savvy breathed out, feeling how her vision was getting blurry from all the pain she was


    experiencing. The shock didn¡¯t help either.


    Brigit¡­ The most obvious choice. The only white bear here. The one who rejected her own mate,


    although she had no good reason for this. The one who fought Castiel and Bjorn. The one who made


    them believe she was on their sidel


    ¡°How¡­ could you?!¡± Tears were burning Savvy¡¯s eyes while beads of sweat were forming all over her


    body She barely stood on her feet. ¡°We trusted you!¡±


    ¡°And this is your mistake number one,¡± Bjorn watched her with some kind of amusement, enjoying


    every second of it. He cupped her chin, making the Princess look into his healthy eye again. ¡°Never


    trust a traitor.¡±


    Brigit did not say anything, She lowered her head a few men around her chuckled, watching the show


    unfolding before their eyes


    ¡°Traitor.¡± Savannah repeated, her voice was barely a whisper now. She knew that she wouldn¡¯t be able


    to stand for too long, but she needed answers


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Bjorn let out augh. ¡°It¡¯s kind of a long story, actually. To cut it short, she was supposed to be


    my wie.¡± Savvy gasped at the words, and he enjoyed her reaction, ¡°Her father was in an alliance with


    my brother Castiel and me. He promised me his daughter as my future bride, and I had no reason to


    decline back then Imagine my surprise when the said bride arrived but only had eyes on my handsome


    brother Her first betrayal. Naturally, I didn¡¯t want a woman who would rather have my brother than me


    Castiel did have that effect on women, that old fox she swore his love and loyalties to him and then


    betrayed him in the most gruesome way, leading to his death Backstabbing at its best¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he betray her trust first?¡± Savvy forced a scowl ¡°He locked her in a cage with dozens of other


    women in skimpy dresses and used them as he saw fit¡±


    ¡°He was always honest about what they could expect from him,¡± Bjorn cut her off


    ¡°Debatable!¡± Savvy was practically panting now. The pain wasn¡¯t dying down, and she felt her knees


    shaking She knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to take this for longer.


    ¡°When she helped to kill my brother and returned here, she came to try and steal from me. Can you


    imagine?¡± The White Bear Kingughed, and his men followed his example ¡°One of her sisters was


    sent to me atter Brigit left with Castiel, and I gave her to my third inmand as a reward She has


    stayed with him ever since, but Brigit decided it¡¯s not a good enoughi destiny for her sibling, and she


    attempted to kidnap her¡±


    For the first time, Brigit raised her eyes to meet Savannah¡¯s, but the Western Princess did not look


    sympathetic. They were in a room full of dead people she cared about Nothing could fix that. Nothing


    was justifying that


    ¡°So you ordered her to poison everyone!¡± Savvy¡¯s breathing hitched


    ¡°Oh, no!¡± Bjorn chuckled again. He seemed to be in the best of moods. ¡°At first, she was here to kill


    Kai, but the opportunity didn¡¯t present itself. I already wanted to dispose of her, but she managed to


    prove her loyalty when she pretended to attack me back in the shrine. 5o.1 gave her an easier task this


    time. All she had to do was to di


    disable her mate, the Kingdom¡¯s Gamma and unlock the security system he was responsible for today.


    And i have to say, everything worked just perfectly!¡±


    Savvy gulped and felt how dry her lips were Aspen was probably dead too. However, there was still


    another question that bothered her if Bngit did not poison them, then who


    did?


    ¡°M-how?¡± She asked weakly.waving her hand around the room. The leaders of the bears understood


    her question without further exnation.


    ¡°told you before, I have been preparing for this.¡± His lips curled into an arrogant smile. ¡°It¡¯s done. You


    can stand up now!¡± hemanded, and Savannah felt she couldn¡¯t breathe anymore


    Her eyes travelled around the room. The dead bodies were not moving, For a second, she hoped it


    was some kind of a joke, and they were all alive Whatever the exnation could be, she was ready to


    take


    But when Emma, Astrid¡¯s friend, stood up and sneered at her, adjusting the dress on her curvy body


    Savvy remembered she did not like her much instantly. but she never pald the she-wolf much attention


    ¡°Rise and shine, Astrea!¡± Emma kicked Astrid lightly, and the blonde groaned She was lying with her


    face on the table too, but clearly wasn¡¯t dead either. They tricked everyone. ¡°You are the star of this


    show, after all!¡± Emma snorted and walked to the centre of the room, stepping over someone¡¯s body on


    the floor as if it was nothing


    ¡°No!¡± Savannah shook her head. This was too much!


    Astrid sighed heavily and sat up in her chair, locking eyes with the Western Princess Her gaze was so


    cold and emotionless, not a trace of the sweet girl Savvy got to know during the Luna Trials


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said dispassionately, ¡°Nothing personal. It¡¯s just my job.¡±


    ¡°Nothing personal?¡± Savvy let out an exasperated chuckle. ¡°You killed everyone I loved! I thought you


    were my friend!¡±


    ¡°You overthink!¡± Astrid stood up and started making her way to the centre of therge hall as well. ¡°I


    liked you, of course. But workes first. Whatever the assignment, it alwayses belore everything


    else. And just because someone tells you they are your friend, Savannah, it doesn¡¯t mean they are. I


    think you will learn this lesson today once and for all. Although the story you have with your mate


    should have warned you already.¡±


    Savvy had trouble breathing and focusing Just not falling down to the ground was a struggle on its own


    now, but she did not want to give them the satisfaction


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even do it yourself!¡± She turned to face Bjorn, who didn¡¯t take his eye off her. His smug


    smite faltered.


    ¡°A good king wins a war without battles!¡± He took a step in her direction


    ¡°It will be a nice page in history books!¡± Savvy snapped ¡°He couldn¡¯t take the opponent down, so he


    sent three women to do the job for him!


    The white bear¡¯s eye gleamed red as he yanked her towards himself, inhaling her scent,


    ¡°The n was mine. I was the one to work on the strategy, to find all the weaknesses. I bribed people


    and killed the ones who couldn¡¯t be bought. I used every opportunity my enemies provided me. Even


    the Luna Trials.¡± Bjorn shook her, and the room spun around her. She had trouble focusing on him now,


    and the ground was slipping from under her feet. ¡°Call it what you want, but it¡¯s a victory, and it¡¯s all


    mine!¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even fight!¡± Savannah gave him a withering nce, and he pressed her against his chest


    with force as if he wanted to prove something


    ¡°I fought for years!¡± He snarled, his face almost touching hers. ¡°I did things for my people that I am not


    proud of, but this¡­ this is not one of them. When we rule the North together, you will learn!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t count on me!¡± On a whim, Savvy tried to w out his heart just like she did with Zack, but barely


    managed to scratch him. Either she was too weak now, or he was too strong. Or both¡­ she couldn¡¯t do


    it now.


    ¡°Oh, Heartbreaker,¡± he whispered into her ear, ¡°Time wille, and you will take all those words back!¡±


    ¡°Unlikely! She gritted her teeth, and he spun her in his arms, making her back press against his chest


    and fixing her in this position so that she could have a good view of what was going on around them.


    ¡°Look at them!¡± Hemanded, and the other bears in the room lowered thelr heads, hearing his


    Alpha tone. Savvy¡¯s eyes circled the space. ¡°The King of the North and King of the West are both dead!


    None of them left heirs behind. Do you know what will happen if you and I don¡¯t step in together?¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You should have thought about it before all this!¡± Savannah snapped, but he strengthened his grip on


    her,


    ¡°And I did,¡± he leaned forward so that his chin rested on her shoulder, and she hated it. ¡°I know you


    will not be selfish enough to abandon the people. Think of it. Savannah. You and I will bring peace and


    prosperity to both kingdoms. The war will be over, and everyone will be sale. Don¡¯t tell me it doesn¡¯t


    sound tempting¡±


    She was too tired to listen to all this. The pain surging through her body was making it hard to stay


    awake. In fact, she was surprised she still didn¡¯t pass out.


    ¡°It¡¯s not!¡± She confessed, her breathing ragged


    Bjorn growled softly next to her. ¡°Maybe not now, but with time you will see this is the only way!¡± He


    insisted dryly and then suddenly let go of her.


    Startled, Savvynded on the floor as her legs didn¡¯t hold her anymore.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just make sure you don¡¯t have any silly ideas or expectations that everything will be resolved


    magically!¡± He stood in front of her, and she looked up to see him stretching his hand. One of his men


    immediately ced the silver spear in it


    She gasped because from up close, she was sure now that this was exactly the one they had in their


    house Her memory didn¡¯t let her forget the ancient patterns on it. Riannon brought it from her house


    when she moved in with them before the wedding.


    It was stored in her office now, and the fact alone that Bjorn had it in his hand now didn¡¯t mean anything


    good.


    ¡°I see you recognised it,¡± the bear smirked at her, and she nodded, hoping that he would pierce her


    heart with it. If everyone she loved was dead, she wasn¡¯t sure there was a point in living She did not


    want to be left alone. She knew that feeling far too well back from when her parents were killed, and


    she did not want to go back to that darkness ¡°I had absolutely no problem taking it from your house in


    the West when I went there to explore.¡±


    She looked at him in horror Her house was protected by the best warriors Then again, so was this


    castle ¡°But h-how?¡± She couldn¡¯t help the question Bjorn smiled at her understandingly, still ying with


    the spear,


    ¡°Did you ever notice how much shifters rely on scents?¡± Augh rasped through his chest. Brigit, Astrid


    and Emma stood silently behind his back, watching the scene before them. ¡°This is what we use for


    pretty much everything! Find lood, track prey, detect enemy, find mate¡­ Everything! We rely on it so


    much that if we smell a woll, we believe it¡¯s a woll. And if we smell a bear, we believe it¡¯s a bear.


    Luckily. my brother has spent years working on controlling scents in hisboratory. And his research


    was amazing! Best of the best! Even now that he is dead, his legacy lives on! This allows my people


    and I to go unnoticed anywhere. Our tracks are impossible to find. We are the best at this! I walked into


    your house through the main door and walked out with the spear. And no one said a word because I


    smelled like someone from your pack. No one questioned my presence. The fact that Riannon and


    Gideon¡¯s people still don¡¯t know each other too well helped me, of course.¡±


    Savvy closed her eyes for a second. It was sad that it was so easy for him.


    ¡°I was surprised to see an ancient Northern weapon in a Westerner¡¯s house, but I guess it¡¯s destiny


    that I have it now and that you brought me to it. The legends of the North say that this spear killed the


    first royal Lycan; hence it has the ability to kill them all. There are just old falrytales, of course. But it¡¯s


    symbolic, don¡¯t you think?¡± He taunted, but she did not gve him any reaction, and he continued, ¡°So.


    Just in case the poison doesn¡¯t work¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish the sentence and charged for the stage where


    the priestess still prayed, and Kay on the floor, lifeless. The White Bear King clicked his finger, and


    one of the warrion snapped the priestess¡¯s neck, throwing her body off the stage. Bjorn¡¯s eyes locked


    with Savannah¡¯s right belore she realised what he was doing


    The spear pierced Kai¡¯s chest with force, plnning him to the ground.


    Something broke inside of Savannah at sight. As if it was her heart pierced instead


    He was already dead before, he didn¡¯t even flinch or make a sound, but there was some sense of


    finality in all of this now


    Men around themughed as they watched the scene Brigit lowered her head, Astrid turned away. only


    Emma joined the fun


    The pain inside of the Western Princess was getting worse. How cruel was her destiny, taking one blow


    after another? Just how much could one person endure?


    ¡°We need to go!¡± She heard Astrid¡¯s cold voice ¡°Warriors from outside the walls will appear here soon,


    and I am not taking part in the battle.¡±


    Bjorn growled menacingly, and Savannah realised they wanted to escape now. They killed Kai, Gideon,


    Riannon and most of her friends, and now they had to leave not to get caught


    They didn¡¯t have an army with them. This wasn¡¯t a takeover of the castle. It was just a mission. A


    sessful mission for them. They made the biggest blow against the two kingdoms, but they didn¡¯t


    want to risk fighting now


    Bjorn mentioned before that he had nned to rule from his own pce The true North. He didn¡¯t want


    to stay here. This was the only thing she could do now to pay them all back. She could stall them and


    make them face the music


    Or better. She could shift into her third form and kill them all. Hopefully, ude, Chloe and Petra would


    manage to run away first


    The n wasn¡¯t perfect, but did she even care? There weren¡¯t better options


    It was over for her. The moment Kai closed his eyes, it was over He was the only thing that kept her


    going, her second chance at love. And now he is gone


    Athena did not respond to her because she was in pain. It was worse for the wolves than humans when


    a mate bond was broken. But she summoned her inner beast. The worst part of her. The only part of


    hersell she still had trouble controlling even despite Kai¡¯s lessons,


    Her ws started elongating, and a loud growl rumbled through her chest. But instead of shifting. she


    felt her nausea getting stronger.


    She was already on the ground, ws scratching the stone floors. But nothing else was happening


    Only more pain and weakness rippled through her


    ¡°Oh, Savvy!¡± Bjorn returned and knelt next to her, cupping her chin and forcing her to meet his gaze


    ¡°You don¡¯t seriously think I didn¡¯t see thating? Astrea here added something to your ss too. She


    put a drop of poison into each ss before the wine was poured. Odourless and colourless, both banes


    were something my brother worked on while he was still alive. In the end, he was able to have his


    revenge on your family.¡±


    Savannah tried to force the shift, but nothing was happening.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to harm you for obvious reasons, but I did have to take precautions. Luckily, you helped


    me by killing your first mate.¡± He brushed her cheek while a vague smile touched his lips. ¡°You will not


    be able to shit anytime soon. Don¡¯t torture yourself. It will only make things worse!¡±


    She hated him so much now that she chose not to listen. A chance like this would never present itsell


    again. Savvy tried to force a shift, tensing her every muscle, praying for every God for this to work


    And then her eyes went dark¡­ Someone caught her before herce hit the lloor, and she heard the


    words. ¡°Time to move.¡± Semiconscious, Savannah struggled to keep her eyes from closing. She was in


    and out of it. ¡°Film that''¡± Bjorn ordered, and the cameraman got back to work. ¡°Leave the spear. It will


    have a


    more dramatic effect when they find his corpse with it! The twins and their crew go with us.¡±


    ¡°And this one?¡± The warrior who held Petra asked. The pink-haired girl wasn¡¯t screaming anymore.


    Pale, she was just crying silently in her captor¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Take her with us,¡± Bjorn replied, and then he knocked the nearest candle on the floor, causing the fire


    to re up one of the curtains. A warrior on the other side set a different piece of fabric on fire. And


    Emma lit a tablecloth on one of the tables.


    The White Bear King went for the exit while his warriors checked the path was clear. A tear fell down


    Savannah¡¯s cheek seeing how quickly the fire caught. Soon everything in this hall would be destroyed.


    A part of her wanted to stay there with them. Burning in that fire together with her family and friends


    would probably be less painful than what she was experiencing now,


    ¡°The Old North is dead!¡± Bjorn chuckled as he took her away¡­

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    Savannah was in and out of consciousness. She was weaker than ever at the worst moment possible.


    The only thing that still registered in her mind was that they were still in Kai¡¯s castle,


    Thinking of him was painful. Too painful. Thinking of him made breathing impossible, and she closed


    her eyes, writhing from the pain, remembering theirst moments together and the spear piercing his


    chest. That damn spear was supposed to be just for decor¡­


    It wasn¡¯t true. It wasn¡¯t true. It couldn¡¯t be. It had to be a dream, and she had to wake up from it. Wake


    up! Cold air bit at her exposed skin, and she opened her eyes again. Not a dream after all. A


    nightmare.


    They were crossing the main inner square of the castle, which was now clear from people who


    celebrated her engagement to Kai just this morning.


    Bjorn held her tight, and when one of his warriors offered to take and carry her for safety reasons, he


    growled at him menacingly as if she was already his and he couldn¡¯t stand to part from her. She hated


    it, she hated this. She wished he would have left her back there with the people she loved. That would


    have been a much better destiny than anything else left for her.


    From the corner of her eye, Savannah noticed Brigit and Astrid walking slightly behind them. Thetter


    unfastened the waistband of her gown, and the skirt fell off behind her, revealing tight,fortable


    pants and boots underneath. Astrid came prepared. She said it was her job and didn¡¯t lie about that.


    She was a true warrior. A spy, an assassin, who had no remorse over what she had just done. The


    gloomy dark aura of death was radiating from her now. There wasn¡¯t a trace of the sweet contender.


    Someone cried not too far away. Probably Petra. Savvy couldn¡¯t see, and in all honesty, she didn¡¯t


    care


    now.


    She had no strength to console anyone. She was broken herself. This¡­ what happened today¡­ it


    would never be repaired. There was no way to fix it. Her life was pretty much over.


    ¡°Brigit Borg!¡± A loud roar emerged, interrupting her train of thought and making everyone stop.


    Savannah tensed. The voice was hard to recognise because it was more of a growl, but it seemed


    familiar. Anger soaked in that voice.


    Bjorn turned around, and she could see what was going on as his men stepped aside to give him a


    better view. Four humongous bear warriors were holding Aspen. He was badly beaten and in chains,


    but his eyes were still full of fury. He may have lost, but he wasn¡¯t defeated yet. Savvy¡¯s eyes searched


    for Brigit. She could


    see her pale face with parted lips now and noticed how she clenched her fists so hard that nails were


    breaking her skin and making her bleed.


    ¡°Brigit Borg!¡± Aspen repeated loudly, and it seemed like time froze here.¡± I, Aspen Morr, reject you as


    my mate!¡±


    The words echoed through the square, and Brigit sucked in a painful breath; her lips trembled as she


    thought about how to respond. Savannah knew exactly what she felt right now, but she wasn¡¯t sorry.


    Even after finding out everything about her sister.


    She could havee to them, she could have worked with her mate, and they would have helped her


    to rescue her sibling


    Brigit chose the bears. Her kind. And soon, her mate would be dead because of this. Savvy was


    surprised he was still alive, but maybe it was a strategic decision. They were leaving the capital, which


    meant that this wasn¡¯t the war¡¯s end yet,


    Bjorn just decapitated the North and probably nned to trap it into falling to his feet on its own. He


    wanted to get his crown while people cheered for him. That¡¯s probably why he kept the bloodshed to a


    minimum. Just the castle. Just people most loyal to kai and his family. He was that confident and


    believed that this would be enough.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± The leader of the white bears taunted Brigit with a sneer. ¡°ept it. You


    reported that it was next to impossible to get rid of him, and here you are. He is disposing of himself for


    you, saving you the job. Prove your loyalty to us once more, and maybe we will stop calling you a


    traitor.¡±


    Clenching her fists, Brigit avoided Aspen¡¯s gaze. Tears trickled down her cheeks when shespoke, her


    voice barely a whisper, ¡°I, Brigit Borg, ept your rejection.¡±


    The Gamma of the North groaned from the new wave of pain that struck him as the mate bond with


    Brigit was broken. White bears around themughed as they dragged him away to one of the cars


    waiting for them. They shoved him into a trunk while making insulting jokes.


    ¡°What an eventful night!¡± Bjorn sneered, and a waye of chuckles followed. ¡°Some bonds are broken,


    and some are formed!¡±


    His eyes grazed over Savannah. He wanted to add something to his statement, but Astrid interrupted


    him.


    ¡°We need to go as soon as possible! We¡¯ve already lost plenty of time, which is not what was agreed


    to!¡±


    ¡°Your Master wants something from me. Not the other way around!¡± The white bear snapped at her yet


    started walking towards the car designated for him. Savannah saw dead bodies everywhere. Some


    were killed during fights, and some were probably poisoned as it looked like they had all fallen right at


    their posts.


    ¡°My part of the deal is over,¡± Astrid informed the self-proimed King dryly. ¡°Now I want to get the


    payment and leave!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get it when we are out of here!¡± Bjorn answered frigidly, and one of his men opened the car door


    for him.


    Savannah¡¯s eyelids were heavy. Her painful agony was dying down, but it was reced by numbness.


    She tried to move a finger but found it an impossible task. She managed to get ast glimpse of the


    castle she hated so much when she first arrived here. Once, all she wanted was to leave this ce,


    and here she was, leaving it but wishing to stay. She could already see the mes as the fire spread


    from the top floors.


    She still wanted to stay. With her family and with the man she loved.


    The pain was still rippling through parts of her, but she knew she wasn¡¯t aching because of Zack and


    their destroyed bond. Losing Kai was a million times worse. The broken mate bond was just weakening


    her, but losing her beloved was breaking her beyond repair.


    She passed out again and woke up only when the car stopped, having no idea how long they had been


    driving. It was dark inside, and several scents hit her nostrils simultaneously, indicating she wasn¡¯t


    alone in the car.


    ¡°Almost there,¡± Bjorn whispered into her ear, and she realised he was holding her the whole time.


    Repulsed, she tried to distance herself from him, and he only chuckled, releasing her and letting her fall


    to the floor. ¡°As you wish,¡± he added, disgruntled as the door opened. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to impose.¡±


    The leader of the white bears left first and gestured to someone behind Savannah to help and get her


    out. A hand reached for her arm from the darkness, and Savvy flinched when she saw Astrid¡¯s


    expressionless face.


    The she-wolf grabbed her and practically dragged her out of the vehicle. ¡°Just drop her!¡± Emma told her


    partner with a frown. ¡°Our work here is done.¡±


    ¡°Go get our car,¡± Astrid replied coldly, ignoring the suggestion ¡°I want to get out of this goddess-


    forsaken ce as soon as possible.¡±


    Emma gave her an eye roll but followed the order. Maybe they weren¡¯t partners after all. Instead, Astrid


    was in charge, and Emma did not like it too much. Not that the Princess cared. She could barely stand


    on her feet. The skin on her right hand was itching because of Zack¡¯s dry blood on it; every cell of her


    body was in agony. She wanted to scratch every drop of her ex¡¯s DNA off her.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Savannah asked the assassin with a hoarse voice while Bjorn was talking to his


    people. ¡°Why did you-¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± The woman cut her off without even so much as sparing her a nce. Savvy wanted


    to hit her, tell her how she felt, what she did to her


    ¡°You ruined my life!¡± She let out a heavy sigh, clenching her fists. ¡°You-¡±


    ¡°I did everything I could to help you,¡± Astrid interjected, whispering so that only Savannah could hear


    her. ¡°The rest is in the hands of the Moon Goddess or whatever god you believe in.¡±


    ¡°What do you-¡± The Princess gasped, not following what was going on, but Bjorn was already walking


    back in their direction, eyeing them suspiciously.


    ¡°I am sorry about Kai,¡± Astrid added quickly. ¡°Good luck to you, Savvy. You are going to need it.¡±


    She then pushed her at the White Bear King as if she was nothing; the man caught his prize with a


    chuckle and pressed her tighter against his torso, enjoying his power over her. Savannah tried to look


    at Astrid, searching for any kind of emotions to decipher what she had just told her.


    There were too many mixed messages, and it felt like she was losing her mind.


    ¡°So can I have it atst?¡± Astrid arched her brow and stretched her hand. A little velvet ck bag was


    thrown on her palm, and she carefully opened it with her thin fingers, checking the insides. Then, she


    closed it back and nodded at Bjorn, acknowledging that the terms of their agreement were fulfilled from


    his side.


    ¡°Best of luck with ¡­ everything.¡± The woman nodded at Bjorn, but her eyes met Savvy¡¯s stern re.


    After which, she turned on her heel and tried to leave.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, Astrea,¡± The White Bear King rubbed the stubble on his chin, and she stopped, ¡°tell


    Aeron that he has one happy client here. I will definitely require more services from you in the future.¡±


    Emma drove a tall ck car and stopped right in front of Astrid, or was it Astrea? The assassin opened


    the door and was almost done when she replied, ¡°Only if you can afford it.¡±


    The two girls were gone fast, and although Savvy hated them both with all her heart now, she felt like


    she was left alone with the enemy and thest pir of support was gone. She didn¡¯t see Petra


    anymore.


    She refused to look at Bjorn, but it didn¡¯t seem to bother him at all. He seemed happy with everything,


    and all she wanted was to wipe that smug smile off his face. She was ready to do anything to make


    that happen


    ¡°Clean her up and prepare her for the ride!¡± The White Bear King pushed her at someone, and this


    time, feminine hands caught her.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t look too good,¡± Brigit said calmly and heard a growl in response from her leader, who


    wasn¡¯t interested in all that.


    ¡°Yet the show must go on!¡± Bjorn chuckled.


    Someone brought warm water, and Brigit washed Savannah¡¯s face and then cleaned Zack¡¯s blood off


    her hand. They didn¡¯t speak. There was nothing to say between them, and Savvy felt relieved when the


    girl left. Only that she came back a few momentster with a blue hooded cape and threw it over the


    Princess¡¯s hair.


    A cape! Who would wear a cape in this day and age?! When Bjorn returned, Savannah tried to catch a


    breath, leaning over a tree. His gaze studied her


    carefully, and he frowned slightly. She was too pale and did not look healthy. Yet, at the same time, she


    saw the excited glint in his eyes. What did he want from her now?


    He stood beside her and tried to cup her chin, but she pped his hand off.


    ¡°Just a few miles left from here to your new home,¡± he informed her dryly. ¡°Our people will be greeting


    us.¡±


    ¡°This is not my home and those are not my people!¡± Savannah red at him defiantly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s agree to disagree,¡± the werebear smirked and took off his leather jacket, throwing it at one of his


    men


    The princess¡¯ lips parted in shock. Just what was he about to do? His t-shirt followed, revealing his


    large, toned upper body covered by scars.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    However, when he started unbuckling his belt, she realised where this was going. ¡°You are going to


    shift?¡± She wondered, eyes wide.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Bjorn¡¯s pants fell to the ground, and he stepped out of them. She did not give him the satisfaction


    of a reaction and held his gaze with pride.


    ¡°Why the hell would you shift now when we are so close?¡± She demanded.


    ¡°Because we have to honour Northern traditions.¡± The werebear towered over her, and she swallowed


    the lump in her throat.


    ¡°Which one?¡± Savannah breathed out, holding the tree behind her not to fall down from exhaustion. It


    was her one and only support now.


    ¡°How else should one bring his bride and the future Queen if not on one¡¯s back?¡± Augh rumbled in


    Bjorn¡¯s chest.


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t agree?¡± She clenched her lips so tight that blood drained from them. ¡°I am afraid I am not


    in the mood.¡±


    ¡°Then, as a good partner, I will help you!¡± The werebear nodded, and immediately a warrior arrived at


    his side with silver chains in his hands¡­


    L sensed that something was off the moment they walked into the main corridor leading to the


    throne room. The guards he personally ced were all missing. He gestured for Zara to be quiet and


    took her hand, leading her to one of the side passages. They barely managed to step in there when the


    smell of fire and the sound ofughter reached them.


    ¡°The Old North is dead!¡± The familiar voice of their enemy thundered in their ears. Zara clenched her


    teeth and almost ran to attack the bears, yet L caught her in time and held her in ce, covering


    her mouth,


    She struggled against him. They both realised pretty quickly what was going on.


    ¡°There are too many of them!¡± The Beta whispered and felt the werebird¡¯s tears on the hand that was


    covering her lips. ¡°You will only get us killed.¡±


    Too. You will only get us killed too. This was what he was saying.


    Failure. Zara felt like a failure. She should have been patrolling the sky today. Maybe she could have


    noticed the movements on the ground and warned her friend. Instead, she indulged herself and forgot


    about everything. And this was the result.


    The sounds ofughter were gone, and the smoke started to fill the space around them. ¡°Come on!¡±


    L intertwined their fingers and pulled her behind him.


    They entered the room where their two best friends were supposed to unite today and froze, seeing the


    dead bodies surrounded by mes and broken sses with spilled wine. Zack was right in the centre,


    his heart not too far away.


    Zara let out a sound resembling a whimper as she ran to Riannon and her husband. Neither of them


    was breathing.


    Her liberator was pregnant! What kind of monster does this to a pregnant woman?! Zara still


    remembered how that woman made them fight for their freedom, how she reminded them of their


    worth. Seeing her lifeless on the floor in her golden dress was heartbreaking.


    L didn¡¯t move. All he could do was stare at his friend. His King. His brother.


    He had seen so much blood and death in his life, often because he caused it. He had lost his mate


    before. But he never expected to see Kai pierced in the heart on that stage. Defeated for the first time


    in his life. It wasn¡¯t fair. This was a cowardly attack, he could tell that much. This wasn¡¯t how his friend


    was supposed to die.


    ¡°Where is Savannah?!¡± Zara looked at him helplessly, her eyes full of tears. He did not respond.


    ¡°Where is Savvy?!¡± the werebird screamed and brought him to his senses.


    ¡°They took her,¡± he muttered and stepped towards Elene, who looked like she was asleep in her chair.


    The graceful Princess kept up her appearance until the end. She was like a sister to him, and the sight


    broke his heart.


    The fire was spreading rapidly, and L knew they wouldn¡¯t be able to put it out. He knew that Kai


    would want him to at least get Elene¡¯s body out, and he intended to do just that.


    ¡°We need to go!¡± he said to Zara, and she shook her head. ¡°We can¡¯t leave them!¡± she pleaded. ¡°We¡¯ll


    take whom we can.¡± His voice was stone cold. He would me himself for this forever. He got closer to


    Elene and prepared to lift her when her hand flinched.


    He must have been seeing things. Yet the princess¡¯ fingers moved, and L was finally sure this


    was the reality. Whatever happened here, at least Elene had survived. This was better than nothing.


    Right now, he was happy to take that because it was so much better than losing everyone.


    ¡°What the-¡± The Northern Princess scratched her head, trying to focus her vision. Inga¡¯s father groaned


    next to her.


    Zara was taking a hair strand off Riannon¡¯s face when Gideon snatched her arm before he even


    managed to open his eyes. Protecting his mate came before everything. The werebird squealed, but


    then Ria knitted her brows, and Zara was ready to let the Lycan King break her hand if he wanted to.


    She was ready to give anything for this to be true and not a hallucination because she¡¯d breathed in too


    much smoke.


    ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡± She felt her eyes stinging from tears, relief washing over her.


    Before the royal couple managed to say anything, a huge ming chandelier fell on the ground right


    next to them. Gideon locked his hands around Riannon, his body was still stiff after whatever drug was


    used on him, but his pregnant wife was his first priority. He noticed Kai on the stage not far from them


    with his chest pierced by a spear, and he gritted his teeth in frustration and fury. If not for the spear, the


    Northerner would be


    awoken too. His blood was dripping off the floor and Gideon could tell at once that the wound was fatal.


    Too much blood and silver through the heart¡­ no one could recover from that.


    ¡°We need to go!¡± he rasped, helping Riannon up. They both could barely walk, but the Western King


    still gestured to Zara to help others. Kyle was already at the exit with Evelynn, who was desperately


    searching for Petra everywhere around them


    L really wanted to get Kai¡¯s body out, but Celia couldn¡¯t walk. He knew what his King would have


    told him now if he was still alive. He had to save the living first. He had to perform his duty as the Beta


    of the North. It wasn¡¯t the ce or the time for sentiments


    Soon they were all outside, watching in horror what the bears managed to do in such a short time. The


    dead bodies of the soldiers who weren¡¯t drugged were in pieces all over the ce. It was obvious they


    fought bravely but were outnumbered and¡­ betrayed,


    ¡°Zara, stay here!¡± L ordered. ¡°I am going back to get Kai.¡± The Beta charged for the entrance, but


    Gideon blocked his way. His strength was restoring slowly ¡°He is dead,¡± the Western King said. ¡°If you


    go there now, you will be dead too.¡± ¡°I am sworn to defend him until -¡±


    ¡°Until the day one of you dies, and that day is today.¡± Gideon announced grimly. ¡°The North needs you


    alive now more than ever.¡±


    L stopped, taking in deep painful breaths. He couldn¡¯t believe that this was the reality, but he had


    to face it


    Kai was dead.


    :


    A tall man entered the throne room and walkedzily between the broken pieces of furniture. He saw


    the dead priestess on the ground and the dead guards. He had seen too much death in his life, it didn¡¯t


    touch him anymore, didn¡¯t make an impression.


    This was why he never liked big events. He chose to live alone and as far away from all that as


    possible. It was better for him. It worked.


    However, today he had toe here because something that belonged to him was calling for him. And


    he couldn¡¯t imagine that he would ever see this object again.


    He stepped close to the dead Lycan King of the North and looked at him with a mixture of regret and


    respect. He¡¯d known Kai since he was a little boy. In his own way, he knew him. They had more in


    common than one could imagine, however bizarre that sounded. And he grew up to be a Lycan to be


    proud of.


    Such a shame¡­


    Strong fingers wrapped around the silver-coated metal of the spear, and a wave of electricity went


    through it, causing Kai to open his eyes.


    Damn it! He forgot about that effect¡­


    NOTE:I feel like our rtionship was tested this week, and half of the readers applied for a divorce.


    Who is still here? Don¡¯t miss the Giveaway in Marissa Gilbert¡¯s Reading Circle.

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    Savannah tried to resist as they cuffed her wrists, not wishing to make things easy for the bears.


    ¡°Feisty!¡± One of the warriors chuckled as he managed to wrap the chains around her waist too. Silver


    usually did not have much effect on her, but today¡­ today was a different day. And it seemed like there


    was no end to it.


    She tried to break the chains just like back then, with Kai¡­ but found it impossible now. One of the


    warriors pushed her, and she almost fell to the ground, but Bjorn caught her at thest moment,


    growling at his men.


    ¡°Careful! I need her in one piece!¡±


    She gave him a withering re. A promise that the second she regained her strength, she would end


    his life just like she had her mate¡¯s. However, he only chuckled at that, confident as ever. His mood was


    getting better and better after he ughtered everyone she cared about.


    Brigit stood not far away from them with her hands crossed over her chest, watching the show and


    frowning. She wasn¡¯t pleased with it, but she wasn¡¯t exactly doing anything to help the Princess either.


    Bjorn turned to give her a stern nce, ¡°Make sure she looks presentable when we arrive. And take


    care of the twins. The cameras must be working at all times.¡±


    Savannah looked around and found Chloe and ude not far from them. The siblings were paler than


    usual, with their clothes and hair dishevelled. That sparkle they always had about themselves was


    gone entirely as they were cornered into submission. Their cameraman was right next to them, and the


    trio were surrounded by a group of fierce-looking warriors, ready to end them after one wrong move.


    Only Petra was still nowhere to be seen. Her crying couldn¡¯t be heard now either.


    Savvy¡¯s train of thought was broken when someone pulled her chains back, much gentler this time.


    She didn¡¯t mind, as it meant Bjorn¡¯s hands were no longer on her.. He still had no clothes on and was


    about to shift when their eyes locked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this exciting?¡± He purred.


    ¡°It will be when I get to kill you!¡± She hissed. The warriors around them cheered her on with excitement,


    enjoying their King and Queen¡¯s banter. There was something wrong with those bears.


    Just like thest time she saw him do it, Bjorn shifted into a huge snow-white beast in seconds. He was


    both magnificent and menacing, but she hated his guts with all her heart and soul, regardless.


    His men led her to him, making her get onto his back while she tried to fight them


    off.


    The white bears¡¯ leader roared, warning her. At the same moment, Brigit appeared at


    her side.


    ¡°Listen,¡± she whispered, ¡°he will find a way to make you do this either way. Why do you think they


    bothered to bring Petra? Disobey, and she will be paying the price!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about Petra!¡± Savannah thundered, secretly hoping that this would help them both.


    ¡°Toote for that! You saved her in the Maze!¡± Brigit reminded her.


    ¡°It was a deal! Nothing more, nothing less!¡± The Princess lied through her teeth. She had a soft spot for


    Petra, but admitting it now would be a mistake. ¡°The joke is on you! You shouldn¡¯t have killed Riannon!


    I would have done anything for her and the baby! But Petra is no one to me!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± Brigit grew grim. ¡°They will test your words! And as I said, Petra will be the one to bear


    the consequences!¡±


    ¡°Why not you?¡± Savvy chuckled darkly. ¡°We have known each other longer! I like you so much! Why


    don¡¯t they test my stubbornness on you?!¡±


    The she-bear lowered her gaze. ¡°I will not apologise,¡± she breathed out.


    ¡°Even if you do, Aspen nor I would ever forgive you!¡± Savannah found herself to be this cruel for the


    first time in her life. Brigit flinched at her words, and her fingers trembled. She barely managed to hide


    them so that no one else could see her weakness.


    One of the warriors yanked the chains on the other side, forcing Savannah to climb on Bjorn¡¯s back; the


    other pushed her feet up from the ground. She hated them touching her. When she was up and where


    they wanted her, they surrounded her again, adjusting her shackles and ensuring she stayed exactly


    where they needed her.


    They had everything nned to perfection. She was wearing a blue dress, the bridal colour of the


    North, and now Bjorn was going to take her to his castle on his back while cameras were filming it. She


    was a true bride today. Only that the groom was a monster.


    When they were done, Brigit undid her hair and adjusted her cape so that it was covering her restraints


    and saving her some dignity.


    The white bear leader let out an approving growl and started to move. Slowly, everyone else followed


    them in a victorious procession. This was what it was.


    Savannah couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Thest bits of strength left her, and she wished all of this was a


    dream, not reality.


    Yet here she was. Deep in the North, chained to her enemy who imed her as his and with everyone


    she loved gone. What a cruel fate!


    Their procession entered a mountain chain that looked vacant at first. Savvy wondered if it was really


    necessary to try and show her off when no one was even around to see. However, she soon realised


    how wrong she was.


    One by one, she noticed other white bears in their beast forms lurking out on top of the hills. They were


    watching them, not taking their eyes off their King and the girl on top of his back.


    Dozens of them. Hundreds!


    The cameraman was working, filming her and everything around them, while ude and Chloe


    commented on what was going on in the microphones adjusted to theirces.


    ¡°The bears meet their King and future Queen!¡± ude stated dryly. Not a hint of his usual entertaining


    sell.


    ¡°Savannah looks beautiful and strong even as her hands are tied,¡± Chloe chimed in right next to him,


    getting quiet as one of the warriors next to her shot her a warning nce.


    Their voices became simply a buzz as Savvy observed the area around her. Now there were bears and


    people watching her from above. They probably had their houses nearby.


    This was where their kind resided.


    Bjorn walked with pride. It was his victory march, and he was enjoying it.


    Savvy felt worse and worse. Her nausea was getting worse, the stress of the day finally catching up


    with her. In the rays of the setting Sun, she only wished for all of this to end faster.


    Soon, she started seeing small cosy houses peppered on the tops of the white hills. An ice city.


    They walked for some time, Savannah wishing to simply switch off at this point, her body not listening


    to her anymore. She had trouble telling how long it allsted and barely managed not to fall down.


    Bjorn stopped when they were on top of a hill, and she saw something she didn¡¯t expect. Below them


    was a castle built into a mountain. A work of a rough master, it was a fortress in its own right. She


    instantly knew this was where they were heading. He told her he had a castle of his own before. She


    just never thought she¡¯d actually see it.


    The cold Northern sea was raging under the castle, its waves sharp and deadly. Savannah didn¡¯t even


    realise they got this far, but it made sense because the white bears were excellent swimmers.


    It took them quite some time to get to the castle. The gates opened as soon as they reached them.


    People inside clearly awaited their king¡¯s return.


    By this point, Savannah was so exhausted she couldn¡¯t keep her back straight. Her nausea was getting


    stronger, the pain of her broken bond still rippling through her body, even though it had gotten slightly


    duller. But her soul was aching more. She wasn¡¯t mourning yet. She still couldn¡¯t believe what had


    happened to her. Things like that were hard to process.


    People were greeting them inside the castle, and she didn¡¯t know how to take this any longer. She had


    had enough.


    ¡°Wee, my King!¡± A massive man with silver hair bowed before them as Bjorn stood in the inner


    courtyard, still in his bear form. ¡°And my future Queen.¡±


    He looked at Savannah as if he expected her to say something, and she looked him straight in the


    eye¡­ right before she emptied her stomach, parts of it getting all over Bjorn¡¯s


    feet.


    He tried to remove the spear, but the damn lycan grabbed it with both his hands. The Northern King


    knew what would happen once the divine weapon was removed. He could sense that this was the only


    thing holding him here in this world.


    ¡°No!¡± Kai¡¯s voice rasped through his chest. ¡°Please!¡±


    ¡°Your battle is over, King,¡± the stranger told him, his voice void of any emotions. He had seen this way


    too many times before to feel something now. ¡°Time to move on to a better ce. You are going to love


    it there.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± the wolf persisted, clenching his fingers tighter around the spear. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ He¡­ He took her¡­


    I¡­ have to-¡± Words were hard to form because his throat was full of blood.


    ¡°What has to happen will happen. This is why the human world is so awful. The next one will be better,


    I swear.¡±


    ¡°Not without her!¡± Kai gritted his teeth, and the stranger felt something he hadn¡¯t felt in a while. This


    brought back some memories. He once begged for a chance with a woman he loved too. He


    grovelled¡­ only to be denied their chance.


    However, this was different. The King wasn¡¯t him, and the woman he loved wasn¡¯t-he still couldn¡¯t


    pronounce her name. He prohibited himself from even thinking about it. This was how he survived all


    these years.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see your mate bond. She must be already dead and waiting for you on the other side,¡± he said,


    sighing and hoping that this information would help the wolf to ept his death faster. It wasn¡¯t like he


    was in any kind of a rush, but for some reason, he wanted to be done here faster, to be away from all


    the emotions that tried to get out from the little ck box he locked them in centuries ago.


    ¡°She is not my mate!¡± Kai said and coughed blood. ¡°But she is everything. She needs me, and I- I can¡¯t


    leave her. Not yet. Not¡­ ever. She is mine!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for you to decide.¡± Last time. He would try to reason with him onest time before pulling the


    plug.


    ¡°I know. It is for you to decide¡­ Fenrir!¡± The Lycan king furrowed his brows, watching how the light of


    the mes around them drew his God¡¯s wless face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t assign mates!¡± For the first time, the wolf God turned away. He hated that mate thing! Binding


    people together without them getting to know each other, giving them chances to hurt one another if


    they wanted to, making it next to impossible to break the bond- what could be more cruel?


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if she is my mate or not! This doesn¡¯t matter! It never did! All I want is to be with her, save


    her-make her happy!¡±


    ¡°You have no idea what you are up against! You are going to lose that war!¡± Fenrir cut him off, revealing


    the sad truth. They had no chance. Not when his brother was guiding the enemy.


    ¡°Then help me!¡± Kai begged. He begged for the first time ever. ¡°I served you my whole life the best I


    could! The whole North worships you over everyone else! Help us! You are our deity!¡±


    ¡°I am done with all that-¡± Fenrir admitted, feeling guilt rising inside of him. Something he didn¡¯t feel in a


    while. He hated that emotion the most, along with regret.


    ¡°Then be done.¡± Kai snorted through pain, his lips twitching. ¡°But at least give us a chance to fight! Give


    us something, and then leave! Do whatever the hell you want. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve been here for us


    anyway.¡±


    ¡°Choose your words wisely, boy!¡± Anger rose from the pit of his stomach. He should have pulled that


    thing out now and forgotten any of this ever happened, but something was


    stopping him from doing just that.


    She wouldn¡¯t have approved ¡­


    It didn¡¯t matter, though, because she was long gone. He would never see her again.


    ¡°Choose your side!¡± Kai growled, furious. He had the right to be mad, looking at the one who


    abandoned him when he needed him the most!


    Fenrir paused. He had already stayed here for too long. He had to send him to the next world, the


    better ce. Where she would take care of him.


    Only that his words ignited something inside. Lycans were his children. The product of his creation.


    And the Northern royal bloodline were his descendants.


    ¡°Even if I help you, you can still lose,¡± he warned the stubborn King. ¡°I will not!¡± Kai snarled, and Fenrir


    appreciated his spirit. ¡°There will be a price!¡± the God informed him. ¡°Anything!¡± He didn¡¯t even think


    twice.


    ¡°Are you so sure?¡± Fenrir chuckled. Such persistence reminded him of his youth. ¡°What if I ask for your


    firstborn?¡±


    ¡°Done!¡± Kai said without hesitation, and the God swore under his breath. This wasn¡¯t where he was


    going with it at all! He wanted to ask for a new shrine for the priestesses. They deserved it for all their


    hard work, but the damn Lycan was in a rush and promised him his child without realising that his doing


    so while touching the divine weapon was binding. It was done, and now if Fenrir helped him, he would


    have the rights to that child¡­


    He had no use for children¡­ It was a stupid joke! Although it was probably his fault for joking in a


    moment of someone¡¯s desperation. He forgot how humans were, and Lycans had their human side


    ruling over their minds.


    He should have let that spear rot here. Or better burn to ashes.


    This was officially a mess now, and the best course of action would be to grab his spear and let the


    King die as he was supposed to die today.


    He couldn¡¯t go through with this, though.


    ¡°F*ck!¡± He growled, and the space around them went dark. ¡°Fine! Be my new weapon then!¡±


    The fire around them started gathering as if it was alive, mes flickering in excitement, ready to devour


    what was offered to them.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt,¡± Fenrir gave him thest warning. ¡°A lot.¡±


    ¡°Bring it!¡± Kai snarled, clenching his teeth. Whatever it was, he was going to take it. He was going to


    survive, and he was going to save Savvy whatever it took. Yes, they were not mates, but he could feel


    she was alive.


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    He wasn¡¯t sure about the others, but not seeing too many bodies around gave him hope that at least


    some of them survived.


    Fire surrounded him, merciless and glorious. First, licking his skin, probing, then taking a leap,


    devouring him whole.


    Kai tried to hold himself back and be strong but soon found it impossible. An earth-shattering piercing


    scream left his chest as fire absorbed him whole, destroying him to the bone.


    He didn¡¯t know if it was minutes that passed or hours. Or maybe days. It seemed like it took forever, but


    when he already thought he was in the pit of hell, betrayed by the God he trusted once more,


    something snapped inside of him. Something new. Something that wasn¡¯t there before.


    The mes died down, submitting to something more powerful. Bit by bit, cell by cell, he was rebuilt,


    reborn into something new, and Asgard growled when Fenrir finally got the spear out of their flesh,


    finishing the process with another jolt of intolerable pain.


    It was done.


    He was changed irrevocably, and he still wasn¡¯t sure what he was now. Some strange power surged


    through him, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he could control it yet.


    Sadly, there was no strength left to test it. Every muscle, every bone ached as if it was broken,


    crushed. Kai didn¡¯t notice how he shifted into his wolf, he didn¡¯t care, but he was amazed at how


    everything felt different now.


    Fenrir stood nearby, watching him, regret and concern written all over his perfect face. The Alpha God


    still wasn¡¯t sure it was a good idea. Guilt washed over him. Was he sending another one of his own to


    death right now? At least he died more or less painlessly the first time. Now it could be so much worse.


    He shouldn¡¯t have done it. He shouldn¡¯t have cared¡­ Evil always won. Nothing changed. He just gave


    hope to someone who would hardly be able to win, and his suffering would be on him. Again.


    ¡°Th-thank you,¡± kai mind linked his creator and looked him in the eye. He could sense that something


    was off, that Fenrir¡­ was not what he had imagined all those years, and he wanted to know what had


    happened to break once powerful God, but he was afraid to push his luck. He already bargained for too


    much today.


    Fenrir looked at his new creation recovering on the ground. The transformation waspleted, and he


    could leave now. Yet something stopped him once again.


    The creature was panting on the floor, trying to stand up on its feet, and he felt like he owed him one for


    some crazy reason. Even though he had just saved his life and given him


    power, he wanted to do something else for him.


    He took a bead off the ne and crushed it between his fingers, letting the rare ancient magic from


    the gods¡¯ realmnd on the wolf¡¯s renewed fur.


    ¡°I was keeping that one for someone else.¡± A sad smile reached his lips at the memories of his past.


    ¡°But that wasn¡¯t meant to be. Consider this my gift of goodwill and faith. And now rise, Amarok!¡±


    Next Chapter Coming Soon...

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    The bears looked at Savannah¡®as if she hadmitted a grave sin. Which she probably had by their


    standards. One of the people who greeted them rushed to Bjorn¡®s side and started wiping him clean with


    his own cloak, his eyes flickering with terror at the same time.


    That made Savannah smile weakly. If she could do it again now, she¡®d aim better.


    Two warriors that arrived with them were already at her side, undoing her chains and pulling her off the


    huge white bear. She had no strength left in her at this point, and her limp, exhausted body fell right into


    someone¡®s hands. To her surprise, it was none other than Bjorn himself, who had already managed to


    shift back to his human form and was now watching her with a mix of concern and anger on his face. It


    was hard to tell, especially since his white hair was covering half of his face.


    ¡°Excuse my Queen,¡± he chuckled loudly. ¡°It has been a long journey, she is too tired and needs some


    rest!¡±


    Everyone around them made sure they nodded or made some kind of noise of approval. It was clear as


    day they all feared Bjorn and didn¡®t want to risk seeing his wrath.


    ¡°My King,¡± one of the men approached him boldly, ¡°considering the scale of your current victory, it would


    be wise to give a speech to your loyal subjects now.¡±


    Bjorn looked at the woman in his arms, knowing Savannah was in no state to even stand by his side at


    the moment. This wasn¡®t how he nned it, how he envisioned it, but he had to roll with it now and make


    the best out of the situation. At least, it had all been done, and she was rightfully his now. He could deal


    with the rest of it allter.


    ¡°Take her to my room,¡± he carefully handed his prized war trophy to his trusted Delta, and a growl


    escaped him when she frowned upon hearing his instruction. She was fighting to keep her eyelids open


    but lost this battle just as she lost the war. He watched the Delta disappear into the main entrance of the


    castle, knowing that Savannah would never be able to escape this ce. She would get used to the new


    reality sooner orter. She would have to.


    ***


    Savannah had the worst dream. She dreamt of her whole family being killed on the day that was


    supposed to be her happiest. She dreamt of Kai dying in her arms and of theirmon enemy taking


    her away in chains.


    It was just a dream. Nothing else. A dream, dream, dream...


    Two strong hands wrapped tighter around her, and she let out a sigh of relief because this was exactly


    how she and Kai had been waking up for the past few days. Tangled together and enjoying each other¡®s


    scents.


    Only that today something felt off, and Savvy couldn¡®t tell at first what it was.


    Mint. The intense scent of mint hit her nostrils, ring them up as her stomach churned, ready to be


    emptied again. Her whole body jerked in a spasm that followed. Savannah mped onto the grey satin


    sheets in an attempt to reach the edge of the bed. She knew she wouldn¡®t make it further than that. The


    hands around her unwrapped, letting go of her, and the next thing she knew, he held her hair as she


    threw up on the stone floor, the acid burning her throat. He caressed her back as she kept vomiting, and


    at some point, she felt him cing a kiss on her shoulder, which sent a shiver down her spine and didn¡®t


    help her feel better at all.


    However tempting it was to dream, she knew by now that it wasn¡®t Kai next to her side. She tried to run


    away, but the moment her feet reached the floor, her muscles gave up, and she fell


    down to the ground, avoiding the puddle by some kind of miracle. A grunt emerged from behind her back


    which she ignored, whilst crawling towards the exit of the castle. She was inside of a castle, only that this


    time it wasn¡®t Kai¡®s. The stones used to build this one were different, darker and not properly polished.


    The wood of the doors was almost ck. Overall, the building looked like a work from a rougher skilled


    master than the one who worked once for the Northern Lycans. It was as if they did not care much about


    how everything looked. Which they probably didn¡®t. The Northern bears always had bigger problems than


    aesthetics.


    ¡°Calm down, Savannah,¡± Bjorn ced his feet on the cold floor, and the Princess was happy that he was


    at least wearing pants. She quickly checked what she had on and was relieved to find out it still was the


    blue dress from the day before.


    ¡°Wh¨Cwhy were we together in bed?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± He rubbed his forehead as if he was exhausted too, then stood up and strode towards


    her, which only made her crawl back to the wall. ¡°You will need to get used to me. We will sleep together


    from now on every night.¡±


    ¡°Can I decline this generous offer?¡± Savvy scoffed, barely holding herself back from charging at him.


    Only that she knew that it would be useless now. She was in no state to fight.


    ¡°No,¡± Bjorn was next to her in no time and lifted her from the ground in one swift move as if she weighed


    nothing, taking her back to the bed. The minty scent intensified, and she just knew he was the one doing


    it. After all, he did this before.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± She practically barked at him, and he quirked one brow up at her. ¡°Stop what?¡± He taunted,


    thinking that it was some kind of a flirting game.


    ¡°That disgusting scent!¡± Another spasm contorted her body as she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. However,


    to her surprise, the mint disappeared almost immediately, and it became easier to breathe.


    ¡°That bad, huh?¡± Bjorn brushed his hand over her hair, but she pped it away. He growled as a warning


    but didn¡®t do anything else.


    ¡°Just why would you think that my dead mate¡®s scent would be a good idea when I recover from our


    breaking bond?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I thought it might beforting,¡± he confessed and wanted to caress her again, but stopped at thest


    moment. ¡°I am not aplete monster, you know. I want you to get better faster.¡±


    ¡°So that you can parade me as your trophy Luna again?¡± Savannah scoffed.


    ¡°You were fine with being paraded before,¡± Bjorn locked his healthy eye with her. His usual ck eye


    patch was missing. ¡°Why is it a problem when it¡®s for me?¡±


    ¡°It is a problem because it¡®s you!¡± she rolled her eyes, tired from this conversation alone. ¡°I hate you. You


    killed everyone I loved and cared about. I will always hate you, and to be honest, you can kill me now


    too. I will never be your Luna, Queen, prize or whatever you think I am.¡±


    ¡°You just need time,¡± he insisted, and she wasn¡®t sure if he was telling this to her or to himself. ¡°Once the


    bond is finally severed, and you heal, it will¨C¡± Bjorn stopped talking, and Savannah flinched. What was


    that? What was on his mind?


    ¡°Once I am healed, I am going to do my best to kill you!¡± she promised, gritting her teeth and clenching


    her fists.


    ¡°I am fine with you thinking that.¡± The bear took the cover and pulled it over Savannah¡®s legs, shocking


    her with all this. ¡°As I have said, when the timees, you will see it differently.¡±


    ¡°Timees for what?¡± The Princess covered her face with her hands. She didn¡®t want to talk to him


    anymore. She did not want to be here. The moment she closed her eyes she was back to where she


    really belonged ¨C in the real North and with Kai. Now that Zack was dead, they finally had their chance to


    find out if they were second¨Cchance mates. It could have been her wishful thinking, but she hoped that


    once


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    the bond with Zack was gone, a new one would form with the man she loved.


    Suddenly, she realised what the bear king was talking about. Her eyes opened wide, and she tried to sit


    up, although it was still difficult.


    You must be crazy!¡± she gasped, and his expression immediately changed to a much darker one. He


    knew she had figured him out, and she wasn¡®t thrilled with the idea.


    ¡°I knew it the moment I met you in the woods,¡± he told her. ¡°No!¡± she shook her head in denial. This


    couldn¡®t be true. He was lying! Or he was delusional!


    ¡°My first mate died years ago,¡± Bjorn looked at her without blinking, his facial muscles tightening from


    time to time. ¡°I knew you were my second chance mate the moment I met you.¡±


    ¡°Not possible!¡± She wanted to cover her ears and run away from this. ¡°Anyone but you!¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡®t for this, you would have never made it out of that forest the night we met. I didn¡®t need any


    witnesses,¡± the King went on. ¡°But your scent was so... alluringly intoxicating that I couldn¡®t stop thinking


    about you being my second chance.¡±


    ¡°Lies!¡± She felt tears stinging her eyes and wiped them away angrily. She couldn¡®t ept this reality. And


    she was not going to.


    ¡°You will see it for yourself,¡± he persisted. ¡°Once you feel it, you will not be able to deny it. All we need


    now is for the bond to snap in its ce.¡±


    That sobered her up from the panic that overwhelmed her. The thing was... she did not feel it. She didn¡®t


    feel any kind of pull towards Bjorn. She loathed Zack, but she couldn¡®t deny that something was


    connecting them both until the veryst second. Something physical. And she was ready to thank the


    Moon Goddess because she did not feel anything like this now.


    ¡°Savannah,¡± the bear took both her hands into hisrge, calloused palms, ¡°you are exhausted now. Have


    some rest, and we will continue this conversation when you are ready.¡±


    She looked at him for some time, not knowing how to respond, when augh escaped her. And then one


    more, and one more. Until she simply gave in and burst outughing.


    ¡°Wow!¡± Her eyes were teary now. ¡°Speak about wishful thinking!¡± ¡°I know what I feel!¡± The bear snarled.


    ¡°So dol!¡± Savvyced her every word with venom as if it was a knife she was ready to plunge into Bjorn¡®s


    heart. ¡°I feel hatred! So much of it! And disgust! You killed my brother, sister¨Cinw, my best friend,


    people who were dear to me, and innocent victims too! Mates don¡®t do that! Mates don¡®t chain each


    other, don¡®t force each other, don¡®t torture each other! They don¡®t lie, they don¡®t cheat! This is how mates


    are supposed to be. If you think that what you do is normal, then you need to think again!¡±


    He gawked at her as if he saw her for the first time. The silence between them was ufortable, and


    Savannah just wanted him to leave her alone so that she could finally close her eyes and disappear into


    the world of dreams again. Thest bits of strength almost left her.


    However, when Bjorn¡®s lips curled into a smirk, she knew he had a n to get what he wanted either


    way.


    A scent she had never smelled before reached her, and she realised that, for the first time ever, he let


    her know what his real scent was. Chestnuts and wintergreen.


    Savannah¡®s lips parted in shock. ¡°See? I told you!¡± The White Bear King sneered at her...

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    ¡°That¡®s your real scent,¡± Savannah whispered, and Bjorn nodded, confirming her guess. He leaned


    closer to her, brushing his palm over her cheek. She flinched away, and the motion disgruntled him,


    although he tried not to show it.


    Her skin felt so smooth to his touch. Like the petals of a most delicate flower. He couldn¡®t get enough of


    the sensations when he touched her. He hoped that by now, she would say the one and only word he


    had longed to hear from her lips for so long. Mate.


    ¡°Yes, Savannah. This is my real scent. The one I barely use anymore. I didn¡®t even let you smell it the


    few times we met, although I knew at once you were mine.¡± He tried to be patient with her. He knew he


    had already overstepped too many boundaries to push her now. She looked so weak, felt so broken...


    Maybe he should have left her sister¨Cinw alive as a little constion gift for Savannah. He could


    dispose of that woman¡®s babyter and pretend it was an ident. That little gift could have made the


    transition easier for his mate.


    Although he remembered very well how dangerous Riannon Stormhold was. She alone was the sole


    reason for his brother¡®s demise. That sealed her fate.


    Savannah stayed silent, and he took it as a sign of her wishing to know more.


    ¡°When I ran in the forest back then, I was going to kill the wolf who witnessed me in lycans¡® territory. This


    was what I always did. Kill, destroy and get rid of the body.¡± He was so calm that Savvy felt beads of


    sweat forming on her skin. ¡°If it was anyone else but you, they would be dead. But it was enough for me


    to inhale a drop of your scent, and everything


    changed. All my ns went to chaos.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡®t you call me Kai¡®s toy?¡± she reminded him, and a smile reached his lips. At least she was talking to


    him. This was some kind of progress for them. He was sure that, over time, she would give up and


    ept him. She simply had to and he couldn¡®t wait.


    ¡°I was a bit frustrated at first,¡± he confessed. ¡°I wasn¡®t looking for a mate, I didn¡®t think I would ever get


    another. And it took me a few seconds to realise what was going on. How you affected me. Who you


    were to me.¡±


    ¡°And what happened to your first mate?¡± Savannah asked, ignoring his confession. She looked so pale


    that he knew she¡®d faint again soon. Now that she was here, there was no rush anymore. He could take


    his time with her.


    ¡°That¡®s a story for another day,¡± Bjorn dodged that subject. ¡°Today I want to speak about us.¡± He took her


    hands into his again and realised they were cold and limp as if life was slipping out of his mate.


    ¡°You think we have a future?¡± Savannah asked weakly, her eyelids too heavy again. ¡°Of course we do,¡±


    he didn¡®t hesitate to respond.


    ¡°Good,¡± the Princess¡® lips curled into a smile, and the bear¡®s heart skipped a beat. She had never smiled


    at him before. He should have released his true scent long ago just for this


    alone. He was about to say something when something changed in her face. That beautiful smile of hers


    turned into a sneer as she narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°Very good,¡± she added, ¡° because that means I


    can hurt you the way you hurt me. Although that¡®s unlikely. You hurt me so much that unless I destroy


    what you love the most, you will never understand. But even this is good.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Bjorn released her hands, anger and disappointment burning in his chest.


    ¡°I don¡®t feel anything,¡± she stated calmly. ¡°Your real scent doesn¡®t awaken anything inside of me. I hate


    you just as much as I hated you before you let it out. I don¡®t want to say the sacred words to you. You will


    never hear them from me!¡±


    He grabbed her shoulders and lifted her up, not really knowing what he wanted to do. Kiss her? Hit her?


    Take her? Things were already bad and she looked like she was about to faint anyway.


    Why didn¡®t she feel it? What happened? Or maybe she was lying to wound him? She must have been


    angry with him for killing her family. It was understandable. She was also recovering from her previous


    bond breaking. That exhausted her significantly and that poison to weaken her didn¡®t seem to be such a


    good idea now. If she died, it wouldn¡®t change any of his ns. He would still take the North. He already


    had. And the West would fall too without a ruler. What had been nned with Castiel was finally


    achieved, even though his brother wasn¡®t there to see it.


    However he didn¡®t want her to die. Even if that was what she wanted, he wasn¡®t going to grant her this


    wish. Time would pass and she would give in to the mate bond. She had to. He did.


    After thest time, he swore that If the gods granted him a mate again, he would kill or at least reject her


    on the spot to avoid the pain. However, as soon as he met Savannah, he couldn¡®t do it. She didn¡®t


    recognise him, didn¡®t try to im him and, although deep inside he knew she was his, he wasn¡®t so sure


    anymore.


    After their first encounter, he found out everything he could about her. He went through all the old reports


    after his brother¡®s death and realised that she was mated to another. Moreover, that person had been


    seeking an audience with him for a while.


    He instantly disliked Zack Morgan. Too pretty, too polished, not manly enough to be called an Alpha; yet


    Zack had an ego bigger than his own. He started talking about his mate eagerly; sure that she would be


    his ticket to being appointed the King of The West when they were done with the current rulers. Little did


    that pup know that this was never the n. Castiel would have never given that crown to anyone else.


    Bjorn cringed when Zack mentioned his one and only night with Savannah and this was when he


    decided that the stupid werewolf would die soon. Just the thought of him touching Savannah enraged


    him to the core. Initially, he nned to give him a slow and painful death, starting by cutting off his fingers


    one by one and then moving on to other... protruding parts. However, this was when Zack mentioned the


    little game he yed with his mate to remind her of him. As long as they had this bond, he could torture


    her softly.


    Zack could influence her, distract her. And that was something Bjorn needed.


    He already knew she was here to join The Luna Trials topete for the Northern Crown. There was no


    love lost between her and the king, he was sure of that. Nevertheless, he wanted to take extra


    precautions and he couldn¡®t do it himself since they hadn¡®t had a chance to mate yet. Not to mention how


    much work he had on his hands. Taking Savannah out earlier than necessary could unite the two kings


    and ruin his ns. So, Zack was the best card in his hand for now.


    It all started to bother him more when he found out they were going on a date. At first, he took it calmly.


    Dates were normal at the Luna Trials. It was when he realised that Kai was taking her outside of the


    castle that the whole thing started to worry him. He had been studying Kai for years and he knew what


    that ce meant to him. He would never bring a simple contender there. And when he watched them


    both from the opposite mountain, gazing at the city and the stars, he¡®d had enough.


    He was risking everything each time he met her, but each time only made him more confident that she


    was the one for him. She was his second chance mate, and she would feel this too the moment Zack


    died. However, things only got worse and worse from there. She wasn¡®t thinking of him; she ignored his


    gifts and did not kill her annoying mate when she had a chance. All so she didn¡®t ruin her chances with


    Kai. Bjorn never liked the Lycan King of the North, but he started to hate him with his whole heart after


    this. His old rival was getting what he wanted the most. Again.


    The desire to get Savvy out early and to im her was almost unbearable, but he knew he had to wait


    for the right chance, or all of his work, including his brother¡®s legacy, would go to waste. It wasn¡®t fear ¨C it


    was torture,. But this was all he could do.


    It all paid off in the end. All of his enemies were dead, and she was with him now. Except that her eyes


    were cold, her lips were pale, and she despised him. He could feel it even without that sneer of hers.


    Cruel, beautiful thing! She knew what she was doing to him, and she enjoyed it.


    ¡°Maybe you feel nothing now,¡± he got his face so close to hers that his lips were almost touching hers,


    ¡°but your soul will heal, and our bond will snap in its ce. You will take these words back.¡±


    ¡°If I ever feel anything towards you,¡± she taunted him, almostughing, although her tiny delicate body


    was shivering in his arms, ¡°I will reject you. There is no future in which you and I live happily ever after.¡±


    ¡°Then we will live unhappily ever after,¡± he pulled her closer and whispered a promise into her ear.


    ¡°Either way works for me. The rest is up to you!¡±


    He dropped her back to the bed, and she had no strength in her left to fight it. Her eyes closed, and for


    the first time, Bjorn worried that he¡®d crossed the line with her. He left the room and growled at the maid


    who waited outside to tend to him and his bride.


    ¡°Get a healer and clean her up! She needs to eat, and she needs detoxifying. The healer will know what


    to do!¡±


    ¡°Of course, my King,¡± the older woman bowed respectfully and left.


    Bjorn found himself standing at her door, listening to her breathe and fearing each breath would be her


    last until the maid arrived with two younger girls and his trusted healer.


    Only then did he decide to leave. His duties couldn¡®t wait any longer.


    ¡°When I get back, she¡®d better look much healthier than now!¡± He barked at the group. ¡°If she gets


    worse, heads will roll. Maybe yours, or maybe your friends and family. We¡®ll see.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    No one responded this time, and they all bowed to him in silence. This was just how he preferred it. They


    knew what the stakes were now.


    Gideon held Riannon close as they both looked at the mes destroying the Royal Northern Castle. It


    was a sad sight, and he wasn¡®t sure what to do next. They had just been majorly outyed by that


    werebear. His sister was gone, and he knew very well where to look for her, but nothing looked good


    now.


    He and Kai never managed to be good friends. For the past few weeks, he thought that it might be


    possible, but now he would never find out. However, that uneasy feeling in his chest made him regret so


    much. They both were ves to their pride, and this was the result. Kai was dead, Savannah was taken,


    Riannon and the baby survived by a miracle. So many warriors were ughtered. The taste of defeat


    was new to him, and he didn¡®t like it.


    Ria wasn¡®t saying a word, tears streaming down her face silently at the sight before them. Gideon took a


    look around and saw the Northern Princess not too far away, helping Evelyn, who was sobbing since


    they did not find Petra. Brigit and Astrid were missing too, and they had no idea what happened to any of


    them. They could have been taken together with Savvy or... they could have been the ones who


    poisoned them.


    However, that also meant that one of them was still on their side. If that wasn¡®t the case, they would have


    been all dead. That was Bjorn¡®s n.


    His memories of the night were cloudy, but he was proud of his little sister. No matter what, she managed


    to kill her mate before she was overpowered by the bears. He saw Zack¡®s body and his heart on the floor


    covered with dirt. Savvy¡®s scent was all around it, and he had no doubts she was the one who did this.


    She ripped the traitor¡®s heart just like he taught her. Even knowing it would hurt her.


    His heart clenched at the thought of her, how she was suffering now after everything she went through.


    He would get her back, he would do anything to save her, but...he couldn¡®t bring her chosen mate back.


    That wasn¡®t something in his power, and Savannah, of all people, deserved to be loved the way Kai had


    loved her. Gideon may not have liked the guy, but he couldn¡®t deny that what they had was real¡­ and


    beautiful. It was what he and Riannon had. It was what Reid and Maya had. Kai would have made her


    happy... They would have led the North together...


    And now all that was left was Elene. He had forgiven her, and she did seem to grow up, but the girl


    wasn¡®t born to rule. Y?t she was Kai¡¯s sole heir now. He nced at her and


    sighed, realising she hadpletely broken again. L held her in his arms while Zara stood nearby


    and watched the princess sob.


    ¡°It¡®s a disaster,¡± he muttered. ¡°Not really,¡± Riannon said quietly, and he looked at his wife.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gideon knew one thing very well ¨C everything his wife said had to be listened to


    carefully. The Moon Goddess¡®s blessing was working in mysterious ways, and often Ria knew things no


    one else could know. She had her dreams, her visions, and sometimes she simply sensed events


    everyone else ignored. It was her gift given to her after rebirth. They were still figuring out how that all


    worked, but no word of hers was ever. ignored.


    ¡°Something is happening there,¡± she whispered, looking at the mes in the windows. ¡°Something big.


    Important. Divine.¡±


    ¡°Should I go inside and look for survivors?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I don¡®t think so,¡± she shook her head. ¡°Onyx only senses one, and he wille out on his own.¡±


    The moment she said that all the mes instantly died down as if they were suffocated by a force bigger


    than all of them. The air grew colder, and Gideon could see his breath turning into steam.


    Everyone around them got quiet and looked toward the castle. What they were seeing was impossible.


    The firefighters hadn¡®t arrived yet, and such a massive fire couldn¡®t just disappear on its own.


    It was now so dark that they could only see, thanks to their beasts¡® night visions.


    Instinctively, Gideon wanted to ce Riannon behind his back. Something was getting closer. He could


    sense it and the hairs on the back of his neck rose.


    A loud and powerful growl sounded, echoing through the empty castle. Then, sounds of calm, confident


    footsteps reached their ears.


    And then they saw him... First, the creature¡®s eyes gleamed in the darkness, and then he slowly walked


    into the moonlight, making all of the survivors part their lips at what they saw...

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    55. The Cold Truth


    The creature stepped out of the darkness, and even Gideon grew tense at what was before his eyes.


    The wolf wasrger than any Lycan or werewolf he had ever seen, with tur in a midnight blue colour,


    alniosl as dark as ck, but not quite. All this, however, wasn¡¯t what amazed the King of the West the


    most. It was the spikes of ice that grew straight out of the woll¡¯s lur. Larger over the top of his neck and


    back, smaller on the sides. He looked majestic and ominous at theme time as he bared his sharp,


    sparkling white teeth.


    New. He was so newl As if he was just¡­ born now.


    It was hard to ignore how call the night became, and snowy mist started to form around the creature


    whose eyes were gleaming like two northern stars


    -Amarok,¡± Riannon whispered. She was the only one smiling now because she was the only one who


    knew the creature¡¯s true identity.


    The truc Lycan King of the North, he was on hisnd and in his right. The ruler that was needed now


    more than ever.


    ¡°Who7- Gideon still trying to gently move his Luna behind him in an attempt to protect her, it was hard


    for him to tell whether the beasi meant well or not.


    The bones started snapping, and in just a few moments, the wolf turned into an ice lycan, standing on


    his two feet. This sight was even more incredible than the lirst one.


    However, in just a lew moments, slowly, and it looked painful too, the lycan tried to retract his spikes,


    but something wasn¡¯t working, making him growl in frustration and fall back on all lours, turning back


    into the ice wolf.


    ¡°He can¡¯t shift,¡± Ria exined, voice barely a whisper, but everyone present heard her. She seemed to


    be reading the creature¡¯s mind.


    *Stay back, Ria,¡± Gideon still wasn¡¯t convinced it was safe, the memory of holding his pregnant wife¡¯s


    dead body was still haunting his mind. His family being destroyed before his eyes was the scariest


    thing he had ever experienced, and he was ready to die ten times over to not let that happen.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see it?¡± His wife furrowed her brows as she nced at him. She knew something he didn¡¯t


    again. ¡°It¡¯s Kai!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± L stepped in front of them. Seconds ago, he was mourning his best friend and ming


    himself for not being able to get Kai¡¯s out of their burning home, and now a beast stood before his


    eyes, and it felt so new and so familiar at the same time.


    The Western Queen¡¯s words ignited a spark of hope in him. Was it really his King? He was ready to


    ept his new torm, he was ready to follow him to hell and do anything just for the chance of getting


    his friend back.


    This monster walked out of the castle that wasn¡¯t burning anymore and he was the one that put the fire


    out. The second his paws stepped onto the ground, frost covered it, spreadingst around him. This


    wolf was a force of nature and the embodiment of the North.


    ¡°Kai?¡± They all heard Elene¡¯s weak voice as the Princess walked closer to the wolf. Their eyes locked,


    and she threw herself at him before L had a chance to intercept her. Gideon was ready to step in


    if it was necessary, but Riannon draped her arm around his and leaned over. Neither she nor the


    princess had any doubts.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Ria said, ¡°he would never hurt his sister.¡± ¡°Kail¡± Elene sobbed. ¡°I thought I lost you too!


    Thanks to Fenrir!¡±


    There was so much pain and despair in her voice that it was impossible not to leel sorry for the


    northern princess, Elene had many talents, but inner strength wasn¡¯t one of them. If Kai was dead, it


    would have broken her forever.


    ¡°What happened to him?¡± Gideon asked quietly. ¡°You called him-¡± ¡°Amarok,¡± Riannon repeated the


    name. ¡°Onyx can talk to him.¡± ¡°Why would she be able to talk to him?¡± Her husband didn¡¯t really like


    their sudden connection.


    ¡°Because they are the same,¡± Ria exined with a smile, knowing what was bothering him. She gave


    him a disapproving nce.¡± Well, not exactly the same, but they are simr. They have been both


    blessed by divine power. Thanks to that, I can hear him.¡±


    ¡°But why can¡¯t 17* Elene looked at Riannon questioningly. ¡°He is my brother, my Alpha and my king.¡±


    Ria looked back at the ice woll belore her, the pair talking without any words said out loud.


    it¡¯s because he died,¡± Riannon sighed, a single tear rolling down her cheek. ¡°He was dead and then he


    was brought back to life. Just like me.¡±


    ¡°Lucky bastard! He doesn¡¯t even believe in the Moon Goddess!¡± Gideon chuckled, hugging his wife


    from the back. He knew she was relieving the memories of her own death and rebirth. No matter how


    much time passed, no matter how happy they were, it was almost heart breaking for her to remember


    those times.


    *# wasn¡¯t the Moon Goddess,¡± Ria responded, ¡°Kal says it was fenrir and that it¡¯s a really long story.¡±


    ¡°Ter e eds to do buter work then,¡± Gideon said, observing his old rival¡¯s new form. ¡°Why can¡¯t he shilt


    into a human again?


    1. I SIN


    ¡°Patience, my love.¡± Riannon rolled her eyes, knowing that everyone was looking at her now and that


    they needed motivation and hope -After Onyx and I were reborn, it took her weeks to shift for the first


    time. And Kai has been Amarok for barely an hour. All in due time.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time!¡± Gideon interjected. ¡°My sister was taken by that white bear monster and we have


    to get her back before


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Riannon rubbed her lorehead. ¡°Kai says the same, and to that, I have to tell you both that you


    need to give Savannah more credit. I am pretty sure I stepped on her ex¡¯s heart when we were leaving


    the castle, and something tells me she was the one to rip it out of his chest. Not to mention, when she


    was betrayed by him on their first night, she managed to escape in mere hours and bring us valuable


    information and werecat forces when we needed all that the most. They may have taken her, but this


    was probably their bigeest mistake.¡±


    Everyone grew silent while Zara and Naya both nodded, proud of their friend.


    ¡°We still need to get her out as soon as possible,¡± L said, and Amarok growled in approval, the


    air getting even colder around him. ¡°We need to let them know that the Lycan King still stands and -¡±


    ¡°Absolutely noti¡± Riannon and Alpha Ramina said in unison, exchanging understanding nces.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°You have something in mind?¡± Gideon¡¯s lips curled into a smile as he observed his beautiful and


    brilliant wife, who never ceased to amaze him.


    ¡°Right now, this is our biggest advantage,¡± she smirked as she looked at him. ¡°They think we are all


    dead, and the victory is in their hands. They expect everything to fall into their hands now since they


    didn¡¯t even bother taking the capital. And let¡¯s be honest, if we were all dead, that would have been an


    easy decision to make.¡±


    ¡°Bul we are here.¡± L snorted, pulling Zara into his embrace shamelessly ¡°And they have no idea.¡±


    Elene ced her hand on Amarok¡¯s ice fur, and it didn¡¯t seem to hurt her in any way. ¡°They don¡¯t


    expect us,¡± Kyle stepped closer with Evelyn by his side. ¡°We can see what they n.¡± Zara took the


    Beta¡¯s hand, entwining their fingers, ¡°And we can ruin it so that they would never recover,¡± Nayi


    Sncered, ying with her white hair.


    ¡°So, let¡¯s strike them so hard this time that the problem is solved once and for all!¡± Gideon agreed, and


    right belore his eyes, Amarok stood on both his feet again in his most dangerous form, stretching his


    hand with ice ws. This did not scare the Lycan king of the West. He knew what his old rival¡­ no,


    what his new friend wanted to do and stretched his hand to him in return, shaking it as their first-ever


    pact was created. Together. The West and the North!¡±


    Savannah was in and out of consciousness, abrupt scenes unfolding before her eyes. Some women


    she did not know washed her and cleaned the room, bringing her back to the bed with fresh sheets.


    They put on a silk night dress on her, and then a man who looked like a doctor with a bag full ol potions


    and shitter medicines did a basic check on her, pouring some liquid down her throat as she tried to


    protest.


    ¡°It¡¯s just some vitamins and a healing elerator,¡± the man assured her.


    They all looked worried, but Savvy didn¡¯t care. They worked for Bjorn, they lived with him and


    supported him. They encouraged him and approved of his actions by doing so. They were a part of the


    problem, and she didn¡¯t owe them anything.


    The liquidsted bitter, and Sawy wanted to throw up again, but luckily, she was too weak to do that


    and simply fell asleep Haifa


    From time to time, she was waking up and finding someone in the room with her. She was never left


    alone, but then again, that was probably wise because otherwise, she would try to burn this ce just


    like they had burned the bodies of the people she loved in Kai¡¯s castle. She dreamed of doing this to


    Bjorn and his followers, even if it was thest thing she would ever do. Just thinking about it Savannah


    realised that this would be thest thing she would do. She just had to think it through and get some


    strength back into her body:


    She woke up again in the middle of the night when the veil of darkness surrounded her, and someone¡¯s


    cold lingers were caressing her hair. She wanted to p that hand away, knowing very well that only


    one person would be bold enough to touch her like that. She stopped at thest minute,ing to the


    realisation that if she did just that, he might consider her strong enough to do olher things. So, she


    chose to bear with this for now and hoped that he would leave again as he did before.


    The scent of chestnut and Wintergreen enveloped her, and she hated to admit that it did not repulse


    her. if it was anyone else but her worst enemy, she would have probably even liked it. Yet to her relief,


    she honestly did not leel anything resembling a mate bond. Her bones ached after killingck, but her


    soul and heart were hurting for Kai. Bjorn must have been imagining their connection. After all. wann¡¯t


    thus eractly what his brother Castiel did to Riannon7 He did not call her his mate, of course, but at the


    same time, he didn¡¯t get to Send too many days with her. Hopelully, that would be the case for her, as


    well. She loathed to even think of having to stay here


    longer


    Bjorn stopped ying with her hair and wrapped his hands around her waist, bringing her closer,


    pressing her against his torso. Only the thin ulkybric olher nipilyown what¡¯s spting them now, and


    this made Savannah¡¯s heart beat a bitster. Nol from pleasure or anticipation. From the horror.


    ¡°I know you are not yeeping¡± he told her, and her whole body went virid when his grasp on her became


    tighter. ¡°Being so close to me will help you tealster, and our bond will finally fall into ce.¡±


    21


    His hot breath burned the skin on her neck, but she did not move an inch. Not sleeping was one thing:


    being awake was another. Sawy knew he was testing her and she did not wish to discover what would


    happen if he lound her strong enough to perform Luna¡¯s duties. She had a break because she was


    weak and unwell, and the hoped to prolong it as much as she could. She recretted not drinking more


    medicine when she was offered itst ilme. She would live had something in her stomach to throw up in


    front of him again if she did. Hopefully, she would be able to do this next time.


    Biorn¡¯s fingers brushed over her armi. At the same time, His lips pressed against her shoulder, making


    a slow wet trail of kisses up to her neck. He grunted as his breathing became ragged, but she gave him


    no reaction whatsoever. Deep inside of her, Athena was still weak, but she was ready to light if they


    had to.


    ¡°It he gets his thing out,¡± the wolf hissed in their mind, ¡°We will do the same thing we did to Zack¡¯s


    heart. No one would want to mate us again, but considering the mates we have been getting, this is


    probably for the best.¡±


    This gave her strength, although they both knew that the werebear would overpower them easily now,


    and it was best not to test their chances. After all, revenge was the dish that was best served cold.


    Bjorn growled in frustration and disappointment, breathing into her neck. He stopped caressing her and


    simply pulled her closer and tighter in his arms as if he was afraid that someone would take her away


    from him al any moment.


    *Soon,¡± he promised, whispering into her ear, but that was probably said more to himsell than to her.


    He held her in his arms without any intention of letting her go, so she had to ept the idea that she


    would have to sleep like this today. Probably even tomorrow. He couldn¡¯t im her the way he wanted


    to, but he was not going to let her forget to whom she belonged to now.


    Some part of her was happy she was so weak at this moment, because her eyelids were getting


    heavier each second, and she had almost anfted off to sleep when she heard the white bear speak.


    ¡°You asked me how I lost my eye,¡± Bjorn said into the darkness, holding his most prized possession


    tight. ¡°I never tell this to anyone. Only the people who are closest to me know, and now this includes


    you too.¡±


    She didn¡¯t care. She hoped she would be able to get the second eye out soon, right before delivering


    the final blow.


    ¡°It is a long andplicated story.¡± Bjorn continued, and she couldn¡¯t tell if he knew she wasn¡¯t


    sleeping or simply wanted to imagine they had some kind of a connection and were getting closer, ¡°My


    mother was a beautiful woman with Alpha blood from one of the biggest brown bear packs on the


    border between the North and the West. She met my father when she turned eighteen, and


    immediately, the two of them recognised each other as mates.¡±


    He sighed, and Savannah knew that wasn¡¯t the end of the story. He wrapped his arms tighter around


    her, and she thought that if it went like this, he would suffocate her by the morning, depriving her of her


    revenge.


    *They were very happy. My father was content to be the ruler of the while bears in the North and didn¡¯t


    think much about rebelling against the lycans. He had everything he ever wanted and did not need


    anything else. However, one day, different bear ns and packs gathered together to celebrate the


    Spring Awakening, the holiday of our ancestors. I was about five back then, and remember that


    everyone was so happy. One of the bear Alphas brought his friend along with him, the then Fox King.¡±


    Bjorn stopped talking and clutched Savannah tightly. For a second there, she was afraid that he would


    leave bruises on her and would not continue his story. She wanted to listen because she needed all the


    information he could give her. It coulde in handy


    She felt him kissing her hair and sighing as if he was in pain, which evoked no emotions in her. She


    was numb after everything he had done to her. If anything. she only desired to hurt him more.


    =This is usually a very wild celebration,¡± he started speaking again, Iwirling one of her curls around his


    finger. He wanted to study Every inch of her, but this was good enough¡­ for now. ¡°There are a lot of


    drinks, festivals, dances, banquets, and feasts. It all goes on for a week. That ycar, when the bears


    were done celebrating, myther found himself missing his Queen. He searched for her everywhere.


    but she couldn¡¯t be found. One more person was missing as well. That sly fox. Later my father


    confronted him, bringing his bear warriors with him to the borders of the foxes territory, but the king


    denied everything. My father left just like that. He didn¡¯t even fight for her.¡±


    For a few food minutes, Bjorn didn¡¯t say a word, and Savannah thought that it was the end of the story.


    The bear let go of her hair and creu dhe cheek again.


    -Two yearster, my mother appeared back in the North with a newborn baby in her arms. She said


    that she was kidnapped by the For Kine, but my father did not care. He rejected her before my eyes


    and told her she was now tainted. She cried and begged him to let her and my brother way, even if he


    did not want her as his mate anymore. But he did not want to see her at all. She was now an eyesore


    to hai. His warriors threw her out.¡±


    Savannaltead Bjorn sucking in a deep breath belore he went on,¡±Iran alter her. I wanted to live with her


    that day, but the Hopped me and told me to go back. She told me had tort strong and powerful and that


    once I was ready. I coulde back for her and my little brother. She proved that we would be together


    apain, and believed her.¡±


    Hec he quiet, ad Sawy realiydheliad ruuver Whirdiliis part of the story with anyone else. She wasn¡¯t


    even sure that he had yured it with tusust mate, who nevei vie was berait looked like every word was


    tard lor him, kunful even. He was only revealing


    all that


    b uy he believed vie was asleep or not in a state founderstand un


    His Hands linally unclenchudaround her, and he pulled lumellway, Savannali wasd to move, not to


    give hersell away, but she lelt m t of the bed and was ready to uphin reliet. However, fordid not leave


    the room. He only went for the window and


    continued his story


    ¡°I trained hard. I learned everything there was to learn.¡± He was looking somewhere deep into the night,


    the moonlight illuminating his silver hair and strong perfect features, making them visible in the


    darkness. ¡°I was a good heir to my father, but it was never enough for him. After the insult, he finally


    became ambitious and decided to destroy the foxes and im their territories. He had a big grand n


    on how to do it, but the Lycan King of the North ardered him to stop and blocked his every move to


    avoid the war. This was when he appeared in our lives for the first time¡­ The Serpent.¡±

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    56. The Ties That Bind


    Savannah was afraid to move even an inch because Bjorn still hadn¡¯t left room. He stopped his


    narration, and a part of her was worried he would get back into bed with her. That was something she


    wanted to avoid at whatever cost.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°That man, The Serpent, quickly became my father¡¯s most trusted advisor. My father was obsessed


    with the idea ol destroying the Fox king, and he was wasting all our resources on that, despite order


    from the lycans to avoid any confrontations. He ignored them, of course, and soon we found ourselves


    fighting on two fronts. The lycans did not like being contradicted.¡±


    He turned back to look at the moon shining brightly over the northern mountains.


    ¡°was growing up in the middle of all this, training fiercely, knowing the reality i would have to live in. But


    most importantly, I couldn¡¯t forget my Mother¡¯s words about bing strong and powerful and bringing


    her back. Considering what my father was, wanted to have the only other family I had left, so I did


    everything possible for it to happen. When I was around fourteen, I thought I was ready. As an heir, I


    had people loyal to me, and I took them with me when I went on the mission of retrieving my Mother


    from the foxes. I already knew by then that the Fox King had gotten her back and punished her


    severely for escaping. She was his queen and his obsession, but she didn¡¯t have a happy life with him.


    I found a house for her to live in for when I would bring her back. I knew my father would never ept


    her as his mate again. He did not marry again, but he had many mistresses to rece the need for his


    lost mate. Their bond was already long broken. It was a small butfortable cabin in the woods on


    one of the northern borders, and I was sure I could keep her safe there. Maybe even with my brother if


    she wanted toke him with her like thest time. It all yed out very nicely in my head, but, of


    course, the reality was different.


    I watched the foxes for quite some time before I became daring enough to go into their territory one


    night to try and retrieve my mother. Now I think I was foolish thinking it would be so easy to outfox the


    foxes. I got to her bedroom, and she was terrified to see me. She hadn¡¯t seen me for years, but she


    didn¡¯t even give me a hug because she knew that every second could cost me my life. She told me to


    run, but I refused to do so without her. This was when Castiel walked in on us with a broken lip,


    probably seeking somefort from her. He didn¡¯t even know who I was back then, but Mother begced


    him not to tell anyone he saw me, and he swore on the spot.¡±


    The white bear inhaled sharply and went back to his sleeping princess. Savannah felt the mattress


    dipping as he sat beside her and ran his fingers through her silky hair. It seemed he couldn¡¯t stop


    touching her the moment he got close. Luckily, she still felt nothing. which was bringing her some relief.


    Whatever he felt, whatever he was thinking, she did not share his beliels. He was no mate of hers.


    ¡°Mother tried to make me leave before it was toote, but I was stubborn. I worked so hard for this and


    didn¡¯t want it all to go to waste. I told them about the house and that I would keep them sale there until I


    got the bear crown. And that once I did, I would give them the life they deserve. Castiel asked Mother il


    we could really go. He was around seven back then and ready to leave his father in an instant and


    without hesitation.¡± Bjorn¡¯s voice broke, and he took his hands out of her hair, running his palm over his


    tiredce and pausing when his lingers touched his missing eye.


    ¡°They tried to hide me in the adjacent room, and my mother sent Castiel back to his chambers right


    before her fox husband arrived, but he-he didn¡¯t buy the trick and found me within seconds, Foxes and


    their scent abilities¡­ You can¡¯t hide from them. Funnily enough, 1 thought I could still take him.


    Moreover, I almost did. I fought him and almost won. Almost-¡±


    Savvy dared to take a little peek at what was going on and saw Bjorn sitting next to her with his eyes


    closed. He looked as exhausted as she was, and for a mere second, she¡­ considered trying to kill him


    now when his guard was so low.


    ¡°We would hardly seed,¡± Athena cooled her down, disappointment washing over them both.


    Bjorn¡¯s head snapped in her direction, and she barely managed to close her eyes in time. Savannah


    still had no idea if he knew she wasn¡¯t sleeping and was sharing his sad story just to get it out, or


    maybe it was his tactic to make her see him as a huinan after everything he had done.


    She wasn¡¯t impressed so far. This wasn¡¯t enough. Nothing would ever be enough to make her forget


    Kai, Gideon, Riannon and Kyle¡¯s deaths. As well as all the others.


    They dragged me to the dungeons and chained me in bronze-coated chains to weaken me,¡± Bjorn went


    on, trying to suppress the rising emotions inside him. ¡°Then they starved me for a few days to ensure


    they had me in the condition they wanted me. And then¡­ the tortures began. The beatings were all


    right. I underwent extensive training before that and could take it all. Even with my healing abilities


    substantially slowed down, I could still heal. So, that was when the lox started to experiment, searching


    for ways to leave marks on me. I didn¡¯t understand at first why it was so important to him. I thought I


    would die in that dark, dump ce. Alone and forgotten because no one was visiting me there in


    between tortures. Until one day-¡±


    He took another moment to mather his thoughts and continued, ¡°Castiel sneaked into the dungeon to


    try and set me free. By then. his father had already kicked any naive thoughts out of my head, and I


    told him to leave. I was ready to die, and I didn¡¯t want to drag him with me. iberg-dum just like my


    mother berged me when she discovered me in her room. But the little fox thought he was too smart for


    his own food, it turned out that it was a test of luis loyalty. He didn¡¯t just get there. His father wanted to


    see what he would do if given a chance. Of course, Castiel didn¡¯t pass the test. The warriors broke in


    when he tried to get rid of my chains. His father asked him why he trwd to save me, dhe replied that he


    jusi wanted to see me¡­ because I was his brother.¡±


    Biorn closed his eyes, remembering the day and how a sharp bronze knile was pressed apainst his eye


    while he was shackled. It wasn¡¯t his punishment. It was Castiels. For disobedience, for thinking he was


    too smart for his own good.


    ¡°Too bad your brother will not be able to see you anymore, Coss!¡± The Fox king sheered as he plunged


    the de into his flesh.


    He did not remember the pain anymore, but he remembered the fear Thal gul wrenching feeling that


    crawled up his spine and into butcheart and it seemed like it stayed there forever, that moment in time


    when the fox king was about to cut his second eveball out and blind him permanently, and he could do


    absolutely nothing about it


    -That man didn¡¯t want us to like cach other, and he wasn¡¯t going toke the insult of me, a white bear,


    being there on his territory and trying to take something he had stolen before. He was about to stali niy


    second eye when Castiel prowled and shifted into his red beast form for the first time in his life. It would


    have been a joyous asion only his parent didn¡¯t hate me more than anything. He still tried to stab


    me, but Cas threw himself at him and tried to light luni despite them not being on equal terms. His


    father was so furious that when he finally caught him, he thrust the de in Castiel¡¯s eye instead of


    mine in a race.¡±


    Guilt washed over him. He should have begged his little brother to stop, but he didn¡¯t. In the hope that


    maybe, just maybe, he would be saved, but his moment of weakness resulted in his younger sibling


    being hurt in his stead.


    ¡°Now you match with your bear brother, mutt!¡± The Fox king spat when he closed the doors behind


    himself, leaving them alone in the dungeon¡¯s darkness, Castiel was still in his beast form, with a cor


    around his neck to keep him just like that. It was probably the won first shift in history.


    Bjorn opened his eyes and looked at Savannah again. Secing her helped soothe his heart, which was


    aching from the painful mcmones.


    ¡°Cass and I were locked together for days, healing slowly. Il one could call it that, of course. My eye


    could never heal, and his fox lost his partially. I guess you noticed that only one of his eyes was


    glowing when his beast was getting through. He used to joke that he liked it better that way. That it


    made him look liercer¡± Bjornchuckled to himselt, remembering the good old days. ¡°He couldn¡¯t shift


    back to his human form, and i found sce in talking to him. To be honest, I feel like this was what kept


    me going back then. I was telling him stories of how we will be free from our fathers one day, how we


    will take our Mother to liver away from there, how no one will ever put us into this position again¡­ As


    for our Mother, she pleaded with her husband, and he released Cassa lew dayster. So, I was back to


    counting the hours until i died in solitude. But to my surprise, after beating nie severely again, they


    threw me out on the border of the white bear territory. Our people had already been searching lor me


    for weeks, and one ol our warriors found me. My father was called almost instantly, but he only took


    one look at me and frowned. He told me that I was his biggest disappointment in life, even bigger than


    my Mother. And that I wasn¡¯t good enough to wear his name.¡±


    Savvy knew that there was a reason he called himself Bjorn more than he used his first name. Now it


    made sense. It was a statement. The right he was deprived of by his father, the right he had to take


    back and own it.


    ¡°After all that, myther started to look for a new wife. He announced that he wanted a new heir


    because I didn¡¯t meet his expectations,¡± Bjorn solled bitterly. ¡°Women started arriving at our castle


    hoping they would be chosen by him. In a way, he had his own Luna Trials, only with no rules or


    boundaries. And one ol these women turned out to be my first mate.¡±


    That¡­ was a new development, and Savannah would have gasped if she could. ying dead was


    harder than ever.


    ¡°Her name was Ingrid. She was beautiful, smart and strong, a perfect future Northern Queen, I


    recognised her at once as every fibre of my soul responded to her. She didn¡¯t look iny way, and at first,


    I was happy because that meant my father would never know who she was. I thought I could keep her


    sale in that way.¡± Something changed in his voice, it became colder and somehow empty. ¡°I never liked


    the Serpent before and tried to avoid him as much as possible. So, when he visited me unexpectedly, I


    was wary of him at first. But he told me that I had to see something and then after that, I had a decision


    to make. I followed him hesitantly as curiosity took over me. My father¡¯s most trusted advisor wanted


    something to do with me all of a sudden. Who wouldn¡¯t be intrigued? I was shocked when he presyd


    what looked like a random brick on the wall and opened a secret passage in my castle that I had no


    idea about. How was it possible that this man knew my own home better than I did? He brought me to


    a small room that I soon discovered was hidden behind my father¡¯s bedroom, he motioned for me to be


    quiet and opened a little hole in the wall that allowed me to see what was going on wyd. My father was


    waiting for someone, and soon Ingrid arrived, wearing the most provocative dress.¡±


    Savvy knew where this story was going, and she did not like it.


    ¡°Halready told you, my innocence died when I was in captivity. I stopped believing in the good in


    people, so the moment I saw her enten the room. I knew why she was there,¡± he chuckled as if it was


    funny. ¡°He asked her if she was indeed my male, and she contumedat, looking straight into his eyes.


    And when he asked her whom she would choose, she chose him without as much as blinking. Ht dhe


    to prove it and she did right then and there. On her knees-¡°Bjorn grunted as if the memory alone made


    him sick. ¡°After She wa? done proving the told her that he would make her his queen if she seeded


    with the task he gave her. The task, of coury was to helpturalnd of me. I stood there, shattered by the


    betrayal, and listened to them discuss how she would do ilundmate


    with me and inject me in the prous, billing, me off while I was still in pain. She didn¡¯t have a problem


    with any of that. But the more ustid, the more fealiydthalle was going buy her for this meant that there


    was absolutely no way he could do it himself. That bowiedy uberated me ledy-dihavo matter what was


    telling me, I already had enough power for him to be aliaid of nie. So,


    wten ingid arrived of my doorsteptampi weled her with open arms. I gave her anest chance to save


    hersell, but she Yerlied


    w d to you with anythe¡¯s n. So, I allowed her to vreme the way she served him, and she was


    happy to do it, thing that was on her way to be the bear queen of the nortlurejected her while her


    mouth was still busy and broke her ned when she gasped for the vioad tried to pull away I got out the


    de we had tucked salely into the stocking of her thigh and called the guards, wing the tried to kill me.


    No one had anyteam not to believe me, und my tather¡¯s brilliant n went to waste:


    even got a loval vassal in the end. I had to kill Ingrid¡¯s n for reason, lut I chose to show mercy and


    gained their forever servitude aca result. All thanks to that snake! The Serpent suddenly chose me over


    myther, and my life became much easier after that hannened i never trusted hinipletely, ol


    course, seeing how casy lic switched udes. Uplo this day, we have a barter rtionship, but it works.


    He was the one who helped me to orchestrate the battle where Kai and Elene¡¯s purents, the lommer


    King and Queen, were killed and me it alt on my father, cornering him between the foxes and the


    lycans¡±


    Savannah¡¯schest tightened. She expected many things, but this was one of them.


    ¡°Keep calmi¡± Athen.atunci in het mind. ¡°Thisni be just a provocation, and you will give yoursell away if


    you react! This doesn¡¯t change anything lot in ludon¡¯t chan anything for him!¡±


    The princess had to chan the words in lier mind to keep her ws from growing, she just prayed to the


    Moon Goddess for this night to be over soon so she auld linally take a break.


    Horn was silenl, watching her intently, but she didn¡¯t move or do anything that could indicate she wasn¡¯t


    sleeping after all.


    ¡°Our Mother died a year before all that, and I was finally able to meet my brother again since he was


    almost ol age and was allowed more freedom. Neither of us was favoured by our fathers, which


    potentially meant death. We decided to do something about that, and this was probably the only


    alliance I could trust in my life. I helped him a lot, and Castiel had his talents too. Thanks to him. I


    became untraceable. The research he had done on scents is irreceable. Did you know that we could


    all change our scents if we wanted to? All that is required is a little DNA sharing procedure and the


    scents you want to initate. I have about a dozen scents injected in me now, and I feel I will add more in


    the future.¡±


    He sighed heavily, and suddenly Savannah felt him close to her. Too close for her liking.


    ¡°I talk too much, don¡¯t 17¡± His lips brushed gently over her cheek, and his hot breath made the hairs at


    the back of her neck rise. ¡°I only had that with Castiel. And now you. My first mate may have been a


    mistake or a test to see how much I could take and if I am worthy of beconing the king of thesends,


    but I intend to pass it. I intend to make it work, no matter what it takes, Savannah. You and me ¨C we¡¯re


    right together. It feels righi. And you will leelit soon too. You will recover, and the bond will snap in its


    ce.¡±


    He continued talking for some time, telling her about his favourite battles and tactics, about the things


    he had to do and some bits and pieces about Castiel. She tried to listen, but it was too much, and she


    was too exhausted. She didn¡¯t even know how she drifted off to


    sleep or when ¡­


    Savannah woke up in the same room the following day and was happy to see just one of the maids


    from before watching over her. The girl jumped to her feet when she saw her open her eyes.


    ¡°Would you like breakfast, my queen?¡± She asked, trembling slightly. ¡°The king told us you have to eat


    something today.¡± She knew what it really meant. If she didn¡¯t eat, they would be punished.


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat,¡± Savvy smiled and tilted her head to look at the maid, knowing that this werebear was at her


    mercy. A little n had already formed in her head. ¡°But before I do, I want to speak to someone, and


    you will bring this person to this room.¡±

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    57. Luna Of The North


    ¡°I want to see the man who is called The Serpent.¡± Savannah dered, seeing the maid go pale. ¡°My


    Queen,¡± the woman in front of her stuttered. I am not sure you are allowed to see him.¡±


    That was exactly what she expected. This couldn¡¯t have been easy. Nothing in her life was ever easy


    despite her belne a princess. It was not fair, yet by now, she was already used to this. Moreover, she


    kidw how to ovee such obstacles.


    ¡°You just called me your Queen,¡± Savvy pointed out. ¡°Am I not your Queen then7¡± ¡°Y you are,¡± the sil


    was visibly ufortable, fiddling with the hem of her wool jumper.


    *Then what is the problem?¡± Savannah chose to look ignorant. It would be safer lor her if they all


    considered her much simpler than The really was


    ¡°The King¡± the maid did not dare to look into her eyes. ¡°He told us to look after you. To make sure


    nothing is happening to


    you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here, am I not? What can happen to me in the King¡¯s castle?!¡± The words tasted like soil in her


    mouth. Bjorn wasn¡¯t her king. For her, he wasn¡¯t a king at all.


    Sawy rolled her eyes and rubbed her forehead as if she was exhausted when in fact, she was feeling


    great. She was surprised by how quickly she recovered. Only physically, of course. However, she did


    not wish to go back to the sad thoughts about her chosen mate and her brother, and all her friends.


    She couldn¡¯t afford to think about them because then she would tall into despair. She had a better n


    than that now. She had things to do, and this was helping her to keep going.


    She had to avenge each of them. She had to make Bjorn feel what she had lelt. Only worse. Cruel


    thoughts were circling in her mind, and these were the thoughts she chose to embrace.


    ¡°I guess,¡± the girl in front of her was hesitant.


    ¡°The King told me the Serpent is his close friend and-¡°Savvy started speaking and bither tongue when


    she saw the expression on the maid¡¯s face change. Did she get it wrong? Weren¡¯t they at least friends?


    Bjorn talked a lot about him in that lengthy monologue of his.


    ¡°I need to go,¡± the she-bear furrowed her brows and went for the door. So much for being called a


    queen! **Fine!¡± Savannah muttered loudly. ¡°I will just tell the King how unhappy you made meter.


    Consider yourself dismissed.¡±¡±


    This was cruel, and Sawy knew it. The girl stumbled, and their eyes locked again. The Western


    Princess did not blink to make sure the maid knew she was serious about this. This wasn¡¯t what she


    would usually do, but her soul was numb now. She couldn¡¯t feel sorry for anyone else anymore.


    Half an hourter, she was already properly dressed in a long royal blue dress when the door opened


    again. Savannah¡¯s lips parted in shock when a very tall, handsome and rtively young man walked in.


    Wasn¡¯t he Bjorn¡¯s father¡¯s advisor? He looked like he was in his early thirties at best. He either


    preserved very well, or the previous White Bear King was listening to the advice of a child, and Savvy


    wasn¡¯t buying it.


    ¡°Greetings, my Queen,¡± he smirked and walked closer to her leisurely. One thing was for sure, he felt at


    home here. ¡°I heard you were very eager to see me, and I have to admit, I am intrigued as to why.¡±


    Savannah studied him carefully. This wasn¡¯t at all what she anticipated to see. He had golden hair that


    almost reached his shoulders and blue eyes. A face of an angel, but she could tell that was the worst


    way to describe him. They did not call him The Serpent for nothing, and when an invisible string tugged


    at the corners of his lips, curling them into a smirk, she knew she wasn¡¯t wrong.


    ¡°I heard so much about you,¡± she shrugged and gestured for him to sit down. ¡°I felt like putting a face to


    the name.¡± **Huh!¡± He chuckled, taking the seat offered. ¡°There you go then, my Queen. Enjoy!¡± ¡°Am


    17* Savannah found hersell asking the same question again.


    Ecuye me?¡± he arched a brow at her. If anything, he looked amused. ¡°Arnil your Queen? Do you serve


    Bjorn, or are you just-¡±


    *I have the same deal with him as I did with his father. I help him when our goals coincide.¡± The man


    ced his foot on his knee. looking rnd and confident. Maybe even slightly patronising. You can


    benefit from my deals too,¡± he said nonchntly. ¡°As long as it¡¯s


    **The tangs i want, you cannot give me.¡± Savvy scoffed bitterly. That painful feeling was back in her


    chest. She tried to suppressit as much as she could, though.


    ¡°And what I told you that I could give you anything?¡± He angled his head at her with a smile that looked


    innocent, but glowing sent apped on bussin e nt wpis reminded her of the ones she saw back at the


    Lost City shrine at the Luna inals and the cave kai took to watch the snow tomter.


    Arnt. He was arvient 100. older than anyone and anything she knew


    ¡°Who are your she wtuspered,chunippling down the spine. Although the best question would


    probably be, what was he?


    # Just call me Joran.¡± The glowing was gone, and the innocent smile was back on the man¡¯s face. ¡°I


    have many names, but I like that one the most, I guess.¡±


    ¡°You said that you want a deal,¡± Savvy tiled her head, trying to stay calm even after what she saw.


    although Athena was unsettled inside.


    ¡°No,¡± he shrugged, ¡°you are the one who wants the deal.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s imagine you indeed can give me what I want. What can I give you in return7¡± Savannah


    wondered, crossing her hands over her chest involuntarily. This man gave her shiveis.


    * it sounds like you underestimate yourself, Queen of the North,¡± Joran let oul achuckle. ¡°You can give


    me many things.¡±


    ¡°But there is something in particr that you want,¡± she was intrigued, but could already tell he had an


    agenda. Right now, she couldn¡¯t ofter much. She was thest remaining royallycan, but at the end of


    the day, she was just a princess whose brother and fianc¨¦ were killed in front of her and who had no


    real weight or power to her at the moment. She was alraid to think of what would happen to the West


    and the North in the absence of their respective rulers. But this was why she had to wipe out their


    enemies even if it was thest thing she would do in her life.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worryi¡± her guestughed wholeheartedly, seeing her serious expression. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be your


    heart or limbs! Not even any of your kingdoms! Just your firstborn child.¡±


    Herlins parted in shock hearing this. Wasn¡¯t it a bit¡­ too much? It had to be a joke!


    ¡°That¡¯s a very strange request, Joran,¡± she chewed on the inside ol her cheek thinking about it. Her


    initial reaction would be a big fat no. But then she suddenly realised she wasn¡¯t going to have any


    children at all. Her mate was an asshole, and she killed him. The only man she ever loved was dead.


    This was her end. She had nothing to lose. She would bear no children. Her story would be over when


    she killed Bjorn and burnt that ce.


    ¡°It is what it is,¡± he smirked at her, probably knowing he got her interest. ¡°Take it or leave it.¡± ¡°Can I think


    about it?¡± She didn¡¯t want to rush making any decisions.


    ¡°Sure!¡± Heughed again and stood up. ¡°When you make up your mind, just speak to me again. And


    now, excuse me, I have something of mine to retrieve from here.¡±


    He left her alone, and as soon as he was gone, the three maids returned with trays full of food.


    Savannah didn¡¯t make a scene this time, aware of the fact that they needed to know she kept her word.


    She promised them to have breast if they did what she wanted and it was time to pay the price. Not


    to mention that she had to eat to get stronger and bring this n of hers to life.


    Although it was early to call that a n. She still didn¡¯t know how to go about it all. When she was


    done, the maids looked at her awaiting orders, and she decided not to disappoint. ¡°Where is Bjorn?¡±


    she asked them bluntly because wherever he was, she had to be far away from that ce. **He will be


    back in the evening, my Queen,¡± one of the girls informed her. ¡°He is inspecting the army, preparing for


    the siege.¡±


    **Is someone about to siege this ce?¡± she asked, hope rising in her chest rapidly, but, judging by


    their faces, she got the answer quickly. They were preparing for an attack. Something massive this


    time.


    ¡°West or North7¡å she clenched her lips to stop them from trembling. The maids lowered their heads, not


    responding to her. *We don¡¯t know¡± one of them said, but Savvy was sure they lied not to make her


    angry. It didn¡¯t make any difference. She would just have to act before that happened. From this


    moment on, the clock was ticking.


    -Fine.¡± She pretended to wave them off, and they were happy to leave, but when thest one was


    already at the door, Savannah stopped her. ¡°Wait.


    The same unlucky girl turned to face her hesitantly. ¡°Yes, my Queen7¡± She tried to force a polite smile,


    but by now, she already knew that her ¡°Queen¡± would only bring her


    + I would like to speak with the woman who was brought here together with me,¡±Savvy announced in a


    tone that brooked no objections. ¡°Bring her here.¡±


    Thus time the girl didn¡¯t hesitate and just nodded, disappearing behind the door. Apparently, this


    request was expected.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Savahtiah went back to the window to study the visible perimeter. This castle had a lew advantages for


    the owners. It would be pratically inposible to attack it from the icy cliff and the sea, which left only the


    main entrance they brought her through the first time sa vulnerabile ce. Thus would be the niin line


    of defence lor Bjorn and the only way out lor anyone wishing to escape.


    Some tar pavyd, but the maid still didn¡¯t bring Pirain, which made the Princess worried. She felt


    stronger today, and she knew e couldn¡¯t Wave Persone here


    The old door deakd, and her lead apped to see her new guest. Her excited expression soon dropped,


    though, because the maid didn¡¯t bring Peta Instied, Chloe was standing right in front of her, wearing a


    darling while dress. Just like one of those she wore while stw worked as a preve r i una inas. Beautiful,


    expensive, stylish, but not over the top.


    not one meant,¡± Sawyrowd. She and Chloe never had the best rtionship, lo begin with. And she


    could tell, the preynter had already found arwjob here.


    ¡°Oh,n y vry,¡± the nad was panic kingapain le Pilically limite worst list dyal work. ¡°It¡¯s the only one I


    know ol who


    arrived together with you.¡±


    it can¡¯t bel¡± Savannah was annoyed and lernilled al the same time.


    H ra was hard not to notice. ¡°A pretty, sweet girl with pink curly hair arrived with me. Shout. Chesa lot.


    Wars puffy dresses.¡±


    She stard at them , but thetter had no clue who Savvy was Lilking about. ¡°What a mew¡±The Innervind


    het ¡®Y¡¯ with her hands


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± the maid tried to make Chc live the room font, but the reporter stepped closer to Savvy. ¡°I


    know where she is the dered, looking at the Princess with a mix of hope and belligercrce. ¡°Can we


    speak?¡± Sawy dismissed the maid but did not offer Chloe.calShe didn¡¯t know yet where the TV


    presenter¡¯s loyaltiesy. ¡°I See you are well.¡± she started the conversation.


    ¡°Lam a hostar.¡± Chloe admitted bluntly and in a dry tone, it had nothing simr to how it usually


    sounded when she was talking in ti nt t! 1 1 1 1 ????


    **The question is if you are a hostage or a guest,¡± Savannah decided to test her a bit more.


    ** hostage!¡± Chloe insisted, sitting her teeth. ¡°They keep ude and me alive because the North trusts


    our opinion. They make us Say things we would never say otherwise.¡±


    **Poor you.¡± Sawy sighed. ¡°They probably had to torture you to achieve this effect. Did it hurt?¡±


    The hostess clenched her lists and looked down, which made Savannah want to throw her out. They


    could have at least thrown a fight or two. They were lycans, for Moon Goddess¡¯ sake!


    *** You know why my brother and I got to where we are now7¡å Chloe gnawed at her but did not wait for


    a reply. We are smart. And we adapt! And we know how to work as a team, and we know when to


    strike and when not to. And yes, this is what we did right now. What would be the point of being


    tortured il we knew the result would be the same?! But it doesn¡¯t mean we agree with what is going on


    or that we don¡¯t n to act!¡±


    ¡°Oh, you n to act?¡± Savvy raised her brow. ¡°Care to borate? Do you have a n?¡±


    *This is why I came to see you!¡± Tears glistened in Chloe¡¯s eyes, and for the first time, Savvy felt a prick


    of guilt. You are our n! You are my Luna! I serve you! We all serve you!¡±


    I am not aluna,¡± the Princess turned away. This was too much for her. ¡°1-¡±


    ¡°My King announced you as one, and he stood at the marking ceremony, saying his vows to you. I saw


    you cry for him, I saw you fight for him. It doesn¡¯t matter that it was neverpleted,¡± Chloe sniffed. ¡°In


    my eyes, you will always be The Luna of The North. You won the Trials fair and square. It is yours by


    right! The King is dead now, so we only have you left. We count on you! We need your help! All of us.


    Especially Petra-¡±


    The she-wolf stopped talking, and Savvy sell a wave of lear washing over her.


    ¡°What is going on with Petra? You said you know!¡± The Luna urged her to tell her the truth, feeling that


    it was something terble


    ¡°Some of the bears who greeted us when we arrived liked her. Bears of higher ranks¡­ So, since they


    couldn¡¯t share, she is going to be auctioned to the highest werebear bidder,¡± Chloe told her and


    Savannah¡¯s heart sank.

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    **What do you mean they alcung lo dictionner leihenhest bider?!¡± Savannah was trying to el air inside


    of her lungs in sharp angry guips. This was outrageous! After rything she had been though this seemed


    to knock the ground from under her leet nou Petra¡­ She wasn¡¯t cut out forble among bras. Hell, she¡¯d


    barely managed herself among wolves!


    ¡°Apparently, several of the high nking wanors were si intabualed with Pera when they brought her here


    that they all asked theit King to give her to them. A few Alphawre also present and they look an interest


    in her as well. And now everyone wants her.¡± Chloc inte her profesjonally as if she was still in lont


    olcanici.is, They wanted to light each other, but. Bjorn couldn¡¯t have this, of COUN, yo he told them to


    make their offers, he would make a decision.¡±


    i me guck¡± Saww frated out, ¡°and absolutely none of them wanted to ask what Petra wants!¡±


    ¡°She was sobbing hysterically at this point, wiping away her tears with her tulle dress, so yeah, they


    didn¡¯t bother,¡± Chloe affirmed,¡± They are rough men here. I think seeing this tiny little lower trembling


    before them was appealing to them. She bears are either feisty warriors or take the roughness quietly.


    It is a novelty in this ce.¡±


    She is not a toy, though!¡± S.v.innal practically exploded bul bit her tongue in time. She couldn¡¯t allow


    herself to make a scene. Not before her n formed. Not before she knew what to do next. ¡°We need


    to get her out,¡± she said in a much quicter tone.


    ¡°Iamaan¡± Chloc closed the distance between them. This is exactly what I am here for. Tell me what to


    do.¡±


    The weight of responsibility was heavy. Savvy was a mess, having people count on her now was


    complicating things. However, she know one thing. She couldn¡¯t leave them. She couldn¡¯t leave Petra


    and Aspen. The thought of Gamma¡¯s destiny made her shiver.


    ¡°What do you know about Aspen7¡± she asked Chloe.


    ¡°He is chained to the wall in front of the main entrance in the courtyard. They want to show him off.


    Anyone who passes by can hit him or do whatever they want to him. The only thing prohibited is


    anything that can kill him,¡± the blonde lowered her eyes. ¡°They want people to see the Gamma


    defeated. However, the show is only for the bears. They prohibited us from broadcasting about what is


    being done to him.¡±


    ¡°And what can you broadcast exactly?¡± Savvy pierced the reporter with her gaze, but thetter stayed


    quiet and swallowed, het fingers fidgeting over the embellishment on her dress.


    Impatient, Savannah charged for the door, jerking the door open, scaring the maid behind it. ¡°Give me


    your phone!¡± she demanded. ¡°L¡­ I can¡¯t!¡± The girl protested.


    ¡°Give it to me, or I swear, I am going to kill you on the spot.¡± Savvy made sure her eyes gleamed gold,


    showing off her lycan power, and then added an Alpha tone to her voice to amplify the effect. ¡°Give it to


    me now!¡±


    The maid trembled and got an old phone out of the pocket of her knitted jumper. She probably already


    hated Savannah more than Bjorn, but the Western Princess wasn¡¯t here to make friends. In fact, she


    couldn¡¯t care less. She went back to Chloe, opening up the most famous news website in the North.


    Her heart dropped when she saw the headlines. ¡°The New Times, The New King?¡±, ¡°Long Live Darius


    Bjom¡±, ¡°Love Conquers All¡±. Angry tears burned her eyes. This wasn¡¯t how it was supposed to go.


    *1 arti sorry,¡± Chloe sounded sincere. ¡°He prepared himself very well, and we didn¡¯t have much


    choice.¡±


    Savvy ignored her. Whether she had a choice or not was questionable. She couldn¡¯t move because


    she saw a picture of hersell on Bjorn¡¯s back, it was one of the things that was now etched into her


    memory, one of the worst moments of her life. And it was front page


    The photo was taken in a way that no one could see the chains on her hands. The blue cape and her


    hair Iluttered in the wind, and Bjorn¡¯s


    w e beat held his head high. He was the winner, and she was his prize. Except¡­ now it looked like she


    did not mind. ¡°What thisr¡± Her voice came out raspy, barely above a whisper. ¨C Fuss how he tells your


    story. Chloe couldn¡¯tce the princess¡¯ gaze.


    Savarattutthe y button and heard ude¡¯s voice telling the viewers that the White Bear King had


    found his true mate and chal t e Lynne Hedwon their tight and took his Queen to his castle, from where


    the two of them would be ruling the North together they would be working to make it the strongest


    kingdom as it rightfully deserved. Even the marking ceremony date was already V dawwyeit a wave of


    tub when she realised that it was in just one day.


    ¡°We cannot wait, Bjorn vnd at the camera.¡±Savannah and are each other¡¯s second chances, and I will


    die beforeilet anything DU aran True love gruris all.


    W l


    u


    ullut youldn¡¯t and il anyone and will


    ut tothow the phone at the wall when she noticed familiar


    ¡°L ¡± ped diubi verything happened vse that she had no time to think of what happened to the


    Heta of the North it allesy. W turnt han dradbeau le wastedadden when the events untolded, and the


    she was taken away was the castle devoured by mes. It was natural to assume that he wouldn¡¯t


    make it.


    She clicked on the y button, and tears welled up in her eyes when she saw Zara standing in the


    background. Her friend survived as well, and that brought some kind of relief to the princess, However,


    Wussoon forgotten when she heard what L was saying


    ll is with regret that I announce the death of thest two remain members of the Royal family,¡± he said,


    and Sawy felt the knile that was stuck in her heart twisting painfully. ¡°Roth the King and the Princess


    were killed in an attack by the white bears, along with their guests King Gideon Stormhold of the


    Western lyn Kingdom and Quren Riannon Stormhold. Other victims include Alpha Ramina Knight with


    her daughter Nay Knight, Alpha¡­¡± IT WAS Saying name after name all people that she knew and


    people she was supposed to get to know soon as the Northern Queen, Only now Savvy realised that


    there had still been a llicker of hope that they had all survived somehow. Or, if not all of them, at least


    some of them. Kai, Gideon, Riannon¡­ they were special wolves. They were strong. That thought


    ended abruptly when she saw her brother¡¯s body lying on the stone floor of the castle with Ria and


    other bodies lined up right next to him. She didn¡¯t see kai no matter how hard she looked, though, bul


    Elene was right there.


    Maybe it was for the best that she didn¡¯t see him. If she did, she would just break again. Now she had


    no hope whatsoever.


    Just the drive to destroy the ones responsible for all of this pain.


    * This situation leaves us with no choice.¡± L continued, ¡°the packs in question will need to


    choose new Alphas and arrive for the Council in the North and the West respectively to choose


    newlycan rulers. At the moment, we are awaiting a new attack, but I assure you that the North is still


    protected, and we have enough forces to keep it sale. Until the new King or Queen is chosen, I will


    remain the Beta inmand and make all essential decisions. Remember that the North Star still


    shines upon our heads, and Fenrir¡¯s will is for us to stay strong.¡±


    He was saying something else, but Savannah couldn¡¯t listen to it anymore.


    She handed the phone to Chloe, forgetting that it wasn¡¯t her device to begin with. So many thoughts


    were circling in her head. She let out a deep sigh, closing her cyes and trying to concentrate on what


    was important. It was somehow worse this way. She felt that if she just stayed standing like that, all the


    raw agony would escape her and she¡¯d never be able to get out of it.


    She couldn¡¯t go there. She couldn¡¯t afford to be weak, Not now, not when people depended on what


    she would do next. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Sawy motioned for Chloe to follow her, and the woman didn¡¯t hesitate


    even for a moment.


    ¡°Just so you know,¡± she quickly whispered to Savvy. ¡°ude managed to save all the footage. Bjorn


    ordered us to delete everything and only leave the parts you saw, but ude is good at these things.


    He saves a copyol everything we record and uploads it to the Cloud. It is all stored there, including¡­


    that day.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Savannah nodded, not wishing to go into detail. She wanted the truth toe out one day.


    Even if she wouldn¡¯t be here to see that, she hoped that others would. ¡°Why didn¡¯t hee with you?¡±


    she asked instead.


    ¡°You only told them to bring the woman who arrived with you,¡± Chloe shrugged her shoulders. ¡°We


    knew that it wasn¡¯t me, but i had to use the opportunity to speak to you. They keep us locked in the


    room they gave us. We aren¡¯t allowed to leave, but we have to look presentable 24/7 because we


    never know when Bjorn will request us to start working again. I have to say, he knows what he is doing


    His campaign is thought through and well-nned.¡±


    ¡°It will not help him,¡±Savvy scowled, clenching her lists.


    They walked out of the room to lind the pale maid and a few guards, one of whom brought Chloe here.


    They all looked at her with a mix of shock, concern and resistance, sensing that the new queen was


    troubled.


    ¡°Take me to the pink-haired girl,¡± Savannah ordered, and all four bears remained silent. ¡°I swear to the


    Moon Goddess, if I have to have the ¡°Am I Your Queen?¡¯ conversation all over again, you are all going


    to regret it!¡±


    She probably sounded menacing enough as one of the warriors stepped forward. *Thuis way¡± he


    bowed his head in a sign of respect, quickly understanding the situation and choosing the lesser of two


    evils.


    ¡°Sawy Petra threw herself into her arms the moment she walked into her room. As if they had been


    friends for years, as if they wetent rivals just a lew days ago.


    Although nowit vened like it had been years since the Luna Trials happened, il not in a different lifetime.


    .


    Petra looked paint than usual, her pink curly hair was down, and she was still wearing the same dress.


    She was given a small room with a tiny window, but at least this ce was privale enough, and it didn¡¯t


    look like anyone dared to bother her there. There were guards af het door de


    Are you okay?¡± Savannat checked her friend¡¯sce and exposed skin for visible signs of abuse, but to


    her reliel, lound none.


    Frnds. They were friends now.


    Althoug  surprised the princess the mosi was the fact that Nina was in a good mood and not crying


    like Savvy thought the would be


    Yes, I am the girl forudssile on her prettyce. ¡°Are you?¡± The question sturk Savvy unexpectedly, and


    she didn¡¯t know how to answer allt, so she chose to simply ignore il ¡°Petra, it¡¯s going to be okay.¡± We


    assured. ¡°I will find a way out of this, and I wear you will go home . soon possible.¡± *** Not without you


    the little Alphalitowed her brows.


    ¡°Petra-¡± The princess rubbed her templex. ¡°It¡¯splicated, but


    ¡°It¡¯s notplicated!¡± Petra indsted, crown her arms over her chest. ¡°Either we are leaving together, or


    I stay here with youli can¡¯t let you gave me time after time I know how you all see me, and maybe I am


    not a warrior, but I am not a child anymore. either!¡±


    Saww looked at her. For the first time, the really looked at her, and her lips parted slightly. Thal leisty


    spint¡­ she¡¯d never seen it in this girl beforc,


    -Nitra, did you ¡± She wondered for a second, if all those bears fighting for Petra wasn¡¯t just a


    coincidence.


    ¡°Evelynughi me well,¡± the she woli smirked, ying with a strand olher pink hair. ¡°She told me time


    after time that my beauty and innocence de my weapons I linally understood what she meant to the


    fullest when we were brought here. Those bears were easy to Call for my sobbing. Just a few nces


    and each of them felt like the saviour I¡¯d been waiting for. Alihough it does help that Ie from good


    lindgc. I w ase.¡±


    Sawy gaped at her, shocked by the turn of events.


    Damn, Petra, if you had yed this way at The Luna Trials-¡±


    tried,¡± the she wolf wiled sheepishly. ¡°It was a good experience il I am being honest, but Kai was never


    interested. From the very first day, he only had his eyes on you.¡±


    They both und nothing for a few moments, just staring at each other. The mention of the Northern King


    still hurt Savannah, but Atratook her hands and squeezed them lightly. That child¡­ stopped being a


    child thanks to recent events.


    ¡°I can keep them fighting for a while,¡± Petra added. ¡°Even when one of them wins me, I can ensure the


    others don¡¯t let it go. I am sule Bjorn was busy today trying to find a way to appease them all when


    there is none. I hope it gives you time to act.¡±


    Petra was toying with those bears, and Sawy admired how calmly she spoke about it. This here, right


    now, was a miracle, and somehow it gave her confidence to proceed with the crazy n in her head. If


    Petra could do it. so could she.


    ¡°Listen,¡± Savvy locked their eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything. Just stay sale, and when the


    opportunity to run back home presents itselt, use it and don¡¯t think about.¡±


    She didn¡¯t get to finish her sentence as the door burst open, and Bjorn stormed in with a hopelul


    expression written all over hisce. Savannah couldn¡¯t help but frown at that, and in an instant, that


    expression ol his faded.


    What did he think? That she would throw herself at him and shout Matel Minel? **You are awake,¡± he


    said, ineffectually. ¡°I am,¡± she confirmed, pushing Petra behind her back. The motion did not go


    unnoticed and Bjorn scowled. ¡°Are you-feeling better?¡± He stepped closer yet wisely held a respectable


    distance. *Not really.¡± she pursed her lips and turned away, giving Petra ast hug and whispering to


    remember her words. ¡°Considering


    Bjorn cleared his throat as if he remembered the role he had to y. He closed the distance between


    them in a lew steps and lifted her in his arms before she could even protest.


    **You are not supposed to be here!¡± he grunted and, throwing one dissatisfied look at Petra, who had


    already managed to force a lew tears to roll down her cheeks as her protection walked out of the room.


    Neither of them spoke while he took her to an unfamiliar room, and the moment he ced her back to


    her feet, she distanced hervell as far away from him as she could, studying the surroundings.


    ¡°it¡¯s my office,¡± he told her, responding to the unspoken question. ¡°This is where most of my work and


    nning are done.¡±


    Savannah quietly walked around, trying to see if there was anything of use to her causc. She was near


    the desk when Bjorn caught up with her and closed theptop right before she could take a peek.


    You look better,¡± he said, and she decided not to answer anything to that either. He took a step in her


    direction but hesitated afterwards. This was so not like him. He usually just took what he wanted


    without


    ne but now she knew one important llung, He confessed it to her the night before. She was his


    weakness. His desire to have her not just 6. worrian but as his mate was his weakest point. He wanted


    more than just her presence there or her body, he wanted more than the strong hybrid alpha pups she


    could give him. He wanted them to have a connection. The way real mates did. He wanted that.


    And she was going to exploit it while she could. Unfortunately for him, all she desired now was to


    destroy him and make it


    His palms cautiously touched her bare shoulders in an attempt to embrace her, but she Ilinched away


    from it, and he let her go,


    ¡°vot now,¡± he said, turning away and nting the idea in his head that there was a possibility of it


    happening one day. That the day would con, but that just wasn¡¯t happening today, ¡°I don¡¯t think I am


    ready.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Bjorn wouldn¡¯t contar tus excitement. He was happy to have some kind of dialogue with


    her now. He wasready to ed the cubs c hun, but the way¡¯i oblivious. She already knew lum enough.


    She knew that the moment he realised he couldn¡¯t


    w hereally waited, he would take what lie could. He would try to break liei and turn her into what he


    wanted so tudly by force. She was on the carbuotteitalived the truth. She wasn¡¯t this mate. Whatever


    was happening to him, whe wasn¡¯t leeling it. If any kind of bond eyed wenthein, it was one uded.


    *Tell me wi n doto . tius / Bjorn tumedhi vound toce him apain and took her chin into his hand.¡±


    u¦Ì¦É


    ?¦°¦Ô


    know what I did was unforgivable, but we will still have to make it work. And, Sawy. I want you to be


    happy with me.¡±


    She wanted tough in his face but held it back.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that I¡¯ll ever forgive you,¡± medecided to tell the truth to keep it realistic. Bjorn wasn¡¯t stupid.


    He wasn¡¯t going to buy it il che threw hersell in his am Not to mention that she didn¡¯t want to


    embracelum in any way. ¡°But if you want to make me believe you care about me, you can start with 100


    deed.¡±


    I can¡¯t let that girl,¡± he uphed, kinowing what she was going to ask. ¡°She attracted too much attention,


    and some of my key warriors want het, isn¡¯t make them angry.


    ¡°You are going to make some of them angry either way.¡± she insisted. ¡°I am actually offering you a


    solution here.¡± He tilted his head, trying to read herce. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You vidit yourself,¡± Sawy taunted, cing her hand on his chest. She heard how his heart started


    beating faster at once. ¡°You can¡¯t make your warriors unhappy. But what do you think is going to


    happen when one of them gets her and the others don¡¯t?**


    ¡°But letting her go would be disrespecting them all,¡± he exhaled heavily, ¡°It¡¯s an auction, isn¡¯t it?¡± her


    lips curled into something resembling a smile. ¡°Invite one more bidder.¡± ¡°Wha?¡± Ajorn¡¯s face became


    grim as he couldn¡¯t see where she was poing with this.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    -Petua¡¯stathel.¡± Savannah said bluntly. ¡°The rumour has it, he loves her more than anything. He would


    pay you a hefty sum for his beloved daughter, and my friend would have a chance.¡±


    ¡°You really care about her,¡± he traced her lower lip with his thumb, making her lips part and sucking in a


    deep breath.


    For a second, Sawy was afraid that he would keep Petra to control her. That would have been the


    smart choice, because she didn¡¯t want anything to happen to the girl.


    However, Bjorn was smug and sure of himsell, sure of their bond. And she got away with her request.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he breathed out, his eyes still on her mouth, which he wished to im. ¡°I¡¯ll do that for you.¡±


    ¡°No, Bjorn, do that for you,¡± she pushed him away and walked towards the window, examining the view.


    Sadly, there were just rocks of the icy cliff the castle was built on and the sea beneath it. This wouldn¡¯t


    be the escape route for her friends.


    ¡°No. Sawy, name things what they are,¡± he went back to his desk and retrieved something from one of


    the drawers. ¡°You have a soft pot for this girl, you want her out of this ce, and it¡¯s not a gift to me.


    You want this. And I want something too. I have to do it alter the stuff you pulled today.¡±


    ¡°What did I do?¡± she raised a brow at him defiantly,


    ¡°You met the Serpent, walked around the castle without my permission, you were threatening my


    people with death-¡± he sighed as if it was hard for him, but she saw the glistening metal in huis hands,


    and anger boiled inside of her, making her heart pound and body tense. She knew what that was.


    You can¡¯t be serious.¡± She couldn¡¯t hide her emotions anymore. *Savannah,¡± he cooed, ¡°this is


    temporary. Just so that my people know whom you belong to and that you wouldn¡¯t hurt them.


    If you do this-¡°, she was about to threaten him, but he¡¯d already locked it around her wrist¡­

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    The cold metal made Savannah shiver, and she looked at the ancient bracelet on her wrist.


    ¡°It¡®s just temporary,¡± Bjorn assured her. ¡°Until I can fully trust you.¡±


    ¡°At this rate, it¡®s going to take a while,¡± the Princess hissed, realising that the silver bracelet with a


    familiar


    northern pattern on it was enchanted to drain strength from her and prevent her from shifting. This was


    something


    she had not anticipated, and she red at the man who swore that he was her new mate. Mates were


    not supposed to be like this. She knew it when Zack betrayed¨C


    her, and she knew it now after everything she had experienced with Kai. Maybe the moon


    goddess never wanted them to be together, but in her heart, Fiongh was the one and only


    mate in her whole life. He gave her what she craved the most. He made her


    feel safe, wanted, heard, respected ¡­ His death did


    not change her heart. She would love that man forever.


    ¡°Just think about the positive. I¡®m letting go of that girl you like,¡± he had the audacity to smile at her, and


    if she could do it now, she would rip his heart out just as she did with her first fake mate.


    ¡°Only if her father pays you more than others!¡± Savannah pursed her lips, reminding him that he wasn¡®t


    really generous, and he looked at her as


    if she had done something absolutely adorable. She loathed the way his eye traced every


    feature on her face and wanted to getaway, but he


    caught her from the back and wrapped his arms around her tightly, not letting her leave.


    ¡°The things you do to me, Savannah Stormhold!¡± He buried his face into her hair, inhaling her scent an


    d not wishing to let go. She was so close, she smelled so nice. This woman finally


    belonged to him, and he couldn¡®t wait to savour her.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± she said coldly, and he froze from the iciness in her tone. He¡®d angered her again when he


    knew he had been walking on thin ice with her already.


    ¡°I am so sorry,¡± he whispered into her ear, brushing his lips over her earlobe gently, wishing to fix everyt


    hing fast. He didn¡®t know how long he would be able to hold himself back. ¡°I know this is far from ideal,


    but it¡®s just for now. Savvy, after I mark you, the bond will snap in its ce, and you will see.¡±


    His fingers trailed over her corbone, and she flinched. One of his ws elongated, and Bjorn grazed i


    t over the skin on her marking spot, which caused fear to ripple


    through her whole body. Werebear marks were different from werewolves and lycans. If a bear


    bit someone, even in half¨Ctransformation, it would be safe to say that the bitten


    person would have his or her bones crushed and flesh torn because it was harder for bears to control t


    heir jaw strength once they tasted blood. Especially the white bears, who were known as the strongest


    and fiercest of any other.


    So, instead of biting, they left


    their marks with ws on the same spot every other species used for iming their mates. Three deep


    cuts that would turn bright red on a true mate and ck on a chosen one.


    If he pressed just a bit harder, he would find out that she wasn¡®t his mate, and she couldn¡®t have him fin


    ding


    out now. She was not ready. Nothing was prepared yet.


    ¡°You say you¡®re sorry, but these are just words!¡± She tried to distract him, and surprisingly, it worked as


    Bjorn finally let her go, scratching the back of his head instead. He wasn¡®t good at this courting thing. H


    e never got how it worked.


    ¡°Savvy, it may not seem like it, but everything


    I do, I do for you, too.¡± He ced hisrge, calloused palms on her shoulders and turned


    her gently to face him. ¡°These hard days will soon be over, I will be King, and you will be my


    Queen. Both the West and the North will belong to you. I know that you will never forget what I did, the


    rtives of


    yours I took, but with time you will understand that it was a war and I had no choice. I will give you pups


    to fill that void. So many that you will forget about anything else. We


    will make you happy. Not now, but one day it will happen. Mark my words.¡±


    ¡°Still, these are


    just words!¡± Savannah said reproachfully and walked away towards the desk, scanning it


    quickly as she approached in search of something useful. Anything to make listening to this delusional


    cr.ap worthwhile.


    ¡°Tell me what I can do to fix this,¡± Bjorn stepped closer but kept his distance this time, trying to pretend t


    hat he


    respected her personal space. It almost made herugh, but she had a role to y, so she suppressed


    it.


    ¡°Tell me something I don¡¯t know about you,¡± she taunted, locking eyes with him. ¡°No, better yet ¨C


    tell me


    something that no one knows.¡± She wanted to avoid the repetition of all of the sad events in his past th


    at she didn¡¯t care about. She needed something useful this time.


    But he stayed quiet, and she chuckled bitterly, trying to make him feel even more guilty than he already


    did.


    ¡°Never mind,¡± she said and strolled towards the door, ¡°I will see myself out. I can at least walk back to


    my room, can¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Savvy!¡± Bjorn¡¯s voice was more like a plea at this point, but she was already prepared to leave.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t follow me,¡± the Princess cut him off. ¡°You clearly want a trophy wife and not a mate. I am


    not in the mood for all this.¡±


    Her hand was already on the door handle when she heard him, ¡°I¡¯ve been blessed by a God.¡±


    The words made her halt


    on the spot, clutching the metal of the doorknob so hard she was afraid that she might rip it off.


    ¡°Is that a joke?¡± she asked without facing him. It was madness! He must be mad!


    ¡°No, it¡¯s


    not,¡± he assured her. ¡°Moreover, this is my biggest secret, and I haven¡¯t told anyone about it. You¡¯re the


    first person with whom I¡¯ve shared it.¡±


    Savannah¡¯s head was buzzing with


    thoughts. Now that she thought about it, it made sense. In fact, it made so much sense that she couldn¡¯


    t believe she hadn¡¯t thought of it before. His strength was beyond everything she had seen


    before. She thought that it wasn¡¯t normal, but she had never suspected divine intervention.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    First, however, she wished to ensure it was true, so she said, ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±


    Bjorn¡¯s eye shed for a second as she angled her


    head at him with one of her brows raised in a challenge. He exhaled loudly through


    his nostrils but didn¡¯t do anything else.


    ¨C


    ¡°Why would I? I¡¯ve proven it to you many times. A regr werebear wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat a royal ly


    can with ease, don¡¯t you agree? Not to mention that you already know a person who has been blessed


    by a goddess ¨C your sister¨Cinw.¡± Nothing on his face made it seem like he was


    lying, and Savannah felt like he was sincere. ¡°So, it¡¯s not like this is unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°What God?¡± Surely, it wasn¡¯t the Moon Goddess this time.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Bjorn shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s one of the old ones, but he chose me


    as his champion, and I have not fail him once.¡±


    ¡°What is your power?¡± Savannah knew that he had to have something. Riannon was reborn back in the


    past and now had the ability to see the future either in her dreams or with


    the help of her wolf talking to the Moon Goddess,


    The blessing of the gods meant special abilities.


    ¡°Strength,¡± Bjorn confessed easily. ¡°No one canpare with me in strength.¡±


    ¡°Why were you running away all the time then?¡± She couldn¡®t help this little jab, and the bear¡¯s lips curl


    ed into an understanding smile.


    ¡°To have as few casualties as possible,¡± he admitted. ¡°I was serious about this. And also¨C¡± he stopped t


    alking,


    and Savannah suddenly realised that he was about to reveal something extremely important, somethin


    g she had to hear.


    ¡°What is it?¡± She urged him to reply.


    ¡°There


    was only one limitation to my power,¡± Bjorn said after a pause, looking at the woman that was now his


    and thinking there wouldn¡®t be any harm in letting her in. ¡°I will tell you. There¡®s no point in hiding it now


    that everything is over.¡±


    Savannah leaned with her back against the door, ready to listen, and nodded for him to go on.


    ¡°I asked for this power, and I had to prove myself worthy to get it,¡± he


    started exining, ¡°and when I finally achieved my goal and became this strongest shifter to ever exist,


    my first thought was to march straight to the capital of the North and kill Kai that


    very day. He was already the Northern King back then. However, the deity who blessed me told


    me not to do it.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Savvy¡®s voice was barely a whisper as she imagined that her


    beloved could have been killed even


    before they¡®d gotten to know each other. Those precious memories she cherished might have never ha


    ppened.


    ¡°I don¡®t know the details, but he warned me against going into a battle one¨Con¨C


    one against Kai. He said that the


    lycan king would defeat me if this was to happen and that I had to find another way out of my predicam


    ent with the


    Northern Crown. I didn¡®t have any reasons to doubt the words of the God who had given me what I nee


    ded the most,


    so I took his advice to heart. After all, there were ways to defeat Kai without fighting him, and this was e


    xactly what I did in the end.¡±


    Savannah clenched her lips as the pain stabbed her heart deeper. If only Kai was alive, she would hav


    e known


    the one way to end it all. This did not exin, however, why a God would tell him that. Weren¡®t gods al


    mighty? Why


    couldn¡®t his chosen one kill Kai? As far as she knew, Kai wasn¡®t blessed by a deity, although he did hav


    e a special ability. Was this somehow connected to the fact that Kai and


    Elene could easily shift to their third forms and then shift back without any


    kind of trouble, unlike other lycans?


    She stopped herself. There was no use thinking


    of this now. Kai was dead, and Bjorn was basically a super bear now. Her n was getting morepli


    cated because killing him was at the centre of it all, and now she knew exactly what she was up against


    .


    ¡°Again, Savvy,¡± the man walked closer to her, and she felt the scent of chestnuts and wintergreen inten


    sifying,¡°


    I¡¯m telling you this as the first step of our new rtionship because I believe in this. Your wolf is still


    healing after everything that happened and¡±


    Not this again. She couldn¡®t listen to this again.


    As if the heavens heard her thoughts, the


    door opened, and the Serpent entered the office without invitation.


    ¡°I hope I¡®m not intruding,¡± he smirked, although it was written all over his face very well that he knew he


    was.


    Savvy was grateful, though, because it was a chance for her to escape.


    ¡°I will leave you to it,¡± she said and tried to retreat to the exit, but Joran caught her wrist and yanked her


    back.


    ¡°Nice bracelet!¡± he sneered, and Bjorn growled menacingly.


    ¡°Take your hands off my mate!¡± he snarled, each word filled with venom and warning tones.


    ¡°Just admiring my most recent creation,¡± Joran chuckled, unclenching his fingers and making Savanna


    h gasp.


    ¡°You made this?¡±


    She touched the patterns on the cold metal. She knew at once that magic was involved when


    Bjorn sped it on her wrist, but Joran did not give her a warlock¡®s vibes.


    ¡°I can make anything happen,¡± the Serpent winked at her, standing with his back to Bjorn, who seemed


    furious


    about their interaction. He was clearly implying that he could help her, but she remembered the price.


    Savannah made her way to the exit, trying to grasp the bits of the conversation between the two men a


    s she was slowly closing the door behind her.


    ¡°Bad news for you, Bjorn, I still have not found my dragonfly,¡± Joran said in a mocking tone.


    ¡°Theye and go as they please,¡± the Bear King grunted. ¡°What seems to be the problem this time?¡±


    ¡°The problem is that I sent you my favourite one, and now she is missing along with my payment,¡± The


    Serpent sat in one of


    the chairs and ced his feet on Bjorn¡®s desk, to the displeasure of thetter. ¡°And if you can¡®t find her,


    this will make ourst contract void which will result in a lot of trouble for you.¡±


    ¡°She got the payment as usual,¡± Bjorn had a vein protruding between


    his knitted brows. ¡°What happens after she takes it is none of my concern. They all belong to you.¡±


    ¡°She is somewhere on yournds!¡± Joran saidzily,¡°so it is very much your concern.¡±


    Bjorn turned to one of the bookshelves and got a scroll that


    looked a lot like a map. Savannah gasped as a map


    was something she could use. If she could take just a glimpse¡­


    The bear¡®s healthy eye glimmered as he spotted her in the darkness behind the door, and she realised t


    was time for her to retreat.


    To Savannah¡®s relief, Bjorn didn¡®te to the room at night. She feared that he


    might, but for once, luck was on her side.


    However, she was about to test it because the more she was thinking, the more she was sure she need


    that map.


    The thing was¡­ Savannah did not want to believe it, but she suspected that the God, the deity Bjorn wa


    talking about, was Joran. It simply made sense because the White Bear King bowed to no one, and mos


    were afraid of him. But not Joran.


    Joran behaved like he owned the ce. Not to mention their first conversation and


    the fact that he asked for her firstborn. That was a bizarre request for anyone. Unless¡­


    Unless he was a deity.


    The thought alone terrified her, but also¡­ also it gave her hope. She was not going to give him her firstb


    because if he asked for that, then he knew she would have one. Or at least that was what her logic told


    her.


    Moreover, he must have thought that when she


    did have a child, that it wouldn¡®t be with Bjorn. Savvy did not


    want to think of it, but it suddenly started looking like she had a future. Like there was hope.


    Although maybe it was just her wishful thinking.


    However, if Joran wanted her child with Bjorn, he would have asked him and not her. Bjorn would have e


    power was what he cared about the most.


    But Joran wanted Savannah¡¯s future child. Not Bjorn¡¯s.


    Her hands touched her belly as she looked out of the window into the starry sky. Could it be possible? W


    there was already a small part of Kai


    growing inside of her? She couldn¡¯t know for sure; even Athena couldn¡¯t tell her


    this early, but even the slightest possibility of it happening made her change her n entirely as she wat


    North Star shining brightly in the darkness of the night.


    A few hourster, she tiptoed to Bjorn¡¯s office in bare feet after she managed to get rid of one of her gua


    put the other one to sleep, just like Gideon and Reid taught her. The office was close, and she needed ju


    alone with the map to know all possible escape routes. Her worst fear was that Bjorn would be inside, bu


    she was fortunate to see the room empty and didn¡¯t waste time rushing to the bookshelves. Savannah to


    she saw earlier today and was happy


    to see that it was a map of the territory around the castle. She greedily studied


    it and moved on to the next one. One after the other, she went through them all until she hit the jackpot


    and found a


    map of the castle itself. The princess sighed in relief when she found a few secret passages she could


    use in future.


    This ought to be the best feature of these old castles.


    Savvy was about to clean up when the door opened, and a chill


    went down her spine. She was caught, after all!


    ¡°What are you doing here?!¡±


    M Marissa Gilbert


    ¡±


    Just hang a little bit more. Action and reunions areing very soon. I can now confirm that the book w


    in November, but don¡¯t ask me how many chapters. Further announcements will be made in Marissa Gil


    Thank you so much for all the moon ticketsst month! The Luna Trials has reached 2nd ce, and


    it¡¯s a great honour for me because, once again, this is a ce brought to me by you, my readers. It mea


    can still #vote for my books this month as this is a monthly event.


    Also, don¡¯t forget that the Mini Giveaway is still ongoing and will be done on Monday. You have a chance


    13

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    Read The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert Chapter 60 Chapter 60


    Savannah stared at the white bear in front of her and didn¡®t know how to respond to her in this


    predicament. The bracelet made the  princess weaker, and she did not like it. However, she hoped to


    have enough strength to take down Brigit if it was necessary.


    ¡°If he finds you here, he will make you regret undermining himl¡± the girl warned her as she walked in and


    quietly closed the door  behind her. Quietly


    As if she did not want anyone to hear or disturb them. Savvy still wasn¡®t sure what to do about this. The


    most logical action would be to kill Brigit and forget about this encounter. That girl was still called a traitor


    here and Savvy could get away with the kill for a day or two until they put it all together.


    And she only needed one day. One.


    ¡°What, you¡®re not going to tell on me?¡± Savannah raised her brow, ying indifferent as she shoved the


    scrolls back on the shelf where they belonged, cleaning up the evidence of her being there. She couldn¡®t


    waste time doing this afterwards if they ended up fighting after all.


    ¡°Why would I do that?¡± Brigit crossed her arms over her chest, watching the Princess with her discerning


    gaze. ¡°If I wanted to give  you away, I would have called Bjorn back when you knocked that guard out.¡±


    So, Brigit knew. Which meant that this was either a trap, and she had already alerted everyone, or... she


    wanted something. Savvy knew there were just a few things the she¨Cbear could want from her.


    ¡°How¡®s your sister?¡± The lycaness met the white bear¡®s gaze and saw a shadow pass over Brigit¡®s eyes


    as her face twitched in response. ¡°Was it worth it?¡±


    ¡°She chose to stay with her husband,¡± Brigit confessed dryly, each word hard for her to pronounce as she


    brushed away non¨Cexistent creases on her dress. ¡°I wish 1¨C¡± she started speaking and stopped abruptly,


    swallowing the sob that threatened to escape her. The strong woman in her didn¡®t want to cry. She hated


    crying.


    ¡°Not worth it then,¡± Savannah sighed, as she made sure everything looked just as she found it. Only


    when her perfect memory told her it was exactly right, did she finally give Brigit her full attention.


    ¡°She is too afraid to leave him,¡± Brigit seemed upset, revealing the truth. ¡°Even with Bjorn¡®s permission


    for us to leave after I did what he required of me. She chose to stay because she believed her current


    husband would follow us and take her back if she left. Bjorn¡®s  promise to me would be fulfilled, and


    everything would go back to how it is now. Only her husband would never forget the humiliation and


    would keep punishing her. Those punishments... whatever they are... she is afraid of those more than


    anything else.¡±


    ¡°I¡®m sorry.¡± Savannah heard herself saying and felt like she meant it this time. She hated Brigit for the


    betrayal, but she still felt sorry for her and her sister. Some part of her soul hadn¡®t died together with Kai


    after all because she was still able to feelpassion. Not that she nned to act on it, though. ¡°So,


    what now? What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°I am going to help you and see what happens,¡± Brigit stated, and a sharpugh escaped Savvy¡®s chest.


    ¡°You can¡®t be serious!¡± the princess wiped away the tears from her eyes. ¡°Don¡®t get me wrong, I do feel


    sorry for you, but I¡®m not going to believe a word you say. I made the mistake of trusting you once and


    Riannon trusted you, too. Look where it got us. You may love your sister, but at the same time, your own


    mate is chained to a wall in the square outside being tortured without a break just because he trusted


    you. Because he loved you. And if you can do this to him, then you can do far worse things to me.¡±


    ¡°That is exactly why I¡®m offering to help you,¡± Brigit insisted. ¡°I want a favour from you for the information


    I am ready to share.


    ¡°Now we¡®re talking!¡± Savannah folded her arms over her chest and tilted her head slightly to have a


    better look at the she¨Cbear.¡± That¡®s the Brigit we all know and hate!¡±


    The woman swallowed the insult and continued. ¡°When you leave this ce, all I want from you is to


    take Aspen with you.¡±


    That was Savannah¡®s n already, but she decided to see what else she could get.


    ¡°He¡®s as good as dead,¡± the princess shook her head and slowly strolled towards the door, ¡°if you really


    want to help him, just give him an easy death.¡±


    Brigit went pale hearing this, and Sawy came to the conclusion that the white bear really did love her


    mate. Even if they could never be together, even if Aspen would never forgive her, Brigit still loved him


    with her whole heart. She could have had it all, but she  blew it.


    ?Destiny is cruel.¡± Brigitughed through her tears, ¡°I once told Riannon that all I wished for was to have


    a mate of my own.


    Someone who would only belong to me, whom I would never have to share with anyone else, someone


    who would love me unconditionally. And when I found that one person, I knew I would have to betray


    him. Maybe if he rejected me whenl begged him to it would have been easier for us both. Then I wouldn¡®t


    have been able to distract him on that night, and maybe he could have preventedBjorn from entering the


    old pce and killing everyone.¡±


    ¡°You chose this,¡± Savannah said reproachfully, ¡°Don¡®tin to me now just because your sister


    rejected your help.¡±


    ¡°She may not have wanted it, but she was already paying the price forme insulting Bjorn when I chose to


    follow his brother. If  didn¡®t do as I was told, they would have killed Ingrid just to make an example out of


    me,¡± Brigit asserted.


    ¡°But you chose to sacrifice Aspen, so i guess we¡®ll never know now,¡± Savvy wanted to stop her. The sad


    story did not change anything, and she did not want to lose her focus because she felt pity.


    ¡°Just take him with you when you run!¡± Brigit begged, casting a desperate gaze at her.


    ¡°Why do you think I am going to run?¡± Sawy scoffed, but the white bear waved her hand, implying that


    her n was kind of obvious  now.


    ¡°Because I know you,¡± Brigit snapped. ¡°I know you will never give up.¡±


    ¡°Well, I feel like giving up,¡± Savvy let her shoulders drop as if she was defeated already. ¡°What can I do


    when I am cuffed, and my strength is literally drained from me? What can I do against Bjorn, who is


    enhanced by a deity?!¡±


    ¡°You can use a divine weapon to kill him,¡± Brigit said, and now Sawy turned to look at her with interest.


    ¡°And where would I find one?¡± she asked bluntly.


    ¡°The bracelet on your arm is a divine weapon. Everything Joran makesis a divine weapon. Including the


    dagger he always tucks behind his belt.¡± Brigit informed her. ¡°Get one of them to take your bracelet off,


    use that dagger and you will be golden.¡±


    ¡°And while I do all that, what are you going to be doing?¡± Savvy arched her brow, her heart full of hope...


    and suspicion.


    ¡°I will be where my people need me,¡± the white bear admitted ¡°But I will do everything in my power to


    help you and Aspen to  escape.¡±


    ¡°Who is he? Who is Joran? What do you know about him?¡± The Western Princess wanted to get as


    much information as possible, but Brigit only shook her head to stop her.


    ¡°No one knows much about him, but one thing is for sure,¡± the she¨Cbear lowered her voice, ¡°Bjorn listens


    to him even though he doesn¡®t like him much. And his strengthes from Joran.¡±


    They stood staring at each other, a silent understanding forming between them.


    ¡°We need to go,¡± Brigit sighed finally, ¡°He is inspecting his army on the outskirts, but he will be back


    soon. And then he will go straight to your room.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Sawy agreed, ¡°but since we are besties again, do me a favour.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Go to Chloe and ude and give them a message from me,¡± Savannah smirked because now, finally,


    thest bits of her n were falling into ce.


    ¡°What is the message?¡± Brigit did not seem too eager to go to the twins, but that was oddly reassuring. If


    she seemed too eager, it could have beenke. It could be fake even now, only time would tell, but the


    message itself was safe. Only the siblings would know what to do after hearing this.


    ¡°Tell them to do their job,¡± the princess¡® lips curled into a grin.


    Brigit was wrong, and Bjorn did note during the night, which gave Savannah a few hours of sleep.


    She spent the rest of the time nning and plotting. On the one hand, everything seemed so simple, but


    on the other, there were a million scenarios of how itcould go wrong.


    The maids entered her room without permission, bringing in dresses and jewellery in luxurious sparkling


    boxes.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Sawy rubbed her temples, tired of it all already.


    ¡°Gifts from the King,¡± one of the maids replied, arranging the presents before her. Beautiful dresses in


    different colours were arranged on chairs and the bed so that she could see them better. At the same


    time, boxes from the best jewellers with nes and earrings in diamonds, rubies, emeralds and


    sapphires were opened and ced next to the matching outfits.


    ¡°For your marking ceremony.¡± another maid added but quickly bit her tongue when Savvy¡®s eyes darted


    to her. She wasn¡®t angry. though, as Chloe had already told her about that during their brief meeting.


    ¡°My queen,¡± one of the girls approached her with a royal blue dress in her hands, ¡°Could you try this on,


    please? You can pick whichever dress you like for tonight, but we need to make sure first that the size


    fits you.¡±


    Everything inside of her told her to object and to make a scene. Athena growled in protest, but Savannah


    nodded and stood up. She was going to y a good girl tonight and she had to make it believable.


    She was in the middle of the dress fitting when the doors opened again and Bjorn walked in confidently.


    There were many women in the room now, but his eyes only found Savannah, greedily devouring every


    inch of her in that beautiful shimmering gown. She was his perfection, and his lips curled involuntarily


    into a smile as he took her in.


    ¡°You look beautiful,¡± he breathed out, gesturing for everyone else to leave them alone.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she responded dryly. ¡°It¡®s not like I have a choice, do 17¡±


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    His smile dropped, but he did not deny himself the pleasure of brushing his fingers over her bare back,


    creating goosebumps. Bjorn believed with his whole heart that she was already starting to feel their


    bond. Soon all this would pass, and they would be able to properly embrace each other whenever they


    wanted it. The anticipation of that moment helped him to keep waiting. Why rush things if he could have


    it all?


    However, Savannah flinched from his touch and was about to step away from him when he wrapped his


    hands around her waist, holding her in ce. She was standing in front of the mirror, beautiful and


    perfect, the queen he had always dreamed of, and even her cold eyes couldn¡®t take away from his


    happiness.


    ¡°Don¡®t be angry,¡± he ced a soft kiss on her shoulder, wishing to do so much more, but knowing it was


    too early for that. She was unhappy again, exasperated to the tipping point.


    ¡°Why would I be?¡± A sneer distorted her pretty lips. ¡°My mate is going to mark me today, no matter


    whether I want it or not!¡±


    He froze, holding her tight in his hands. Did he mishear it? Did she... did she just call him her mate?


    For a few seconds, he couldn¡®t form words, watching the image of the two of them in that mirror. She was


    so tiny inparison. He could crush her if he wasn¡®t careful.


    And she was all his. All of her. His mate, his woman, his future Queen.


    ¡°You are angry,¡± he did not tease her this time, just drew circles with his fingers on the ce where his


    mark would go very,


    soon.


    very


    He wanted to give her something she would like, something that would help him to melt the ice, and he


    knew that he hadn¡®t done it yet. She was a princess by birth and wouldn¡®t simply fall for things like


    jewellery and gowns. It was a given she had to have the best things, so those weren¡®t going to earn him


    points.


    ¡°Don¡®t ask me questions you don¡®t like to hear the answers to,¡± Savvy avoided his gaze, but she didn¡®t


    take her words back. She called him her mate as if she epted it, and although he knew better than to


    push it, he wanted to show her what it meant to him. What she meant to him.


    ¡°If you are not ready,¡± he heard himself saying, and their eyes locked, ¡°we can postpone the marking.¡±


    Savannah¡®s mouth opened slightly in surprise. He was shocked himself, because just a few minutes ago,


    he wanted to move the


    ceremony to a few hours sooner than it was scheduled. Now he was offering her to cancel it because of


    that one word she said.


    ¡°You¡®re not seriousl¡± Naturally, she did not believe him. He couldn¡®t me her for it, of course. He did not


    give her any reason to trust him yet.


    Yet.


    Savannah,¡± he pressed himself tighter to her body, trying to soak in her warmness and that delicious


    scent of bluebells that her  skin radiated. ¡°If you are still not ready today, we will push it to ater date. I


    promise. I would, of course, prefer to mark you and start our life together today, but I understand that


    you¡®ve been the one making sacrifices during the whole time we¡®ve known each other. And it¡®s  not fair.


    So, I want to level the ying field. If you don¡®t want our marking ceremony to be today, it¡®s fine. We can


    do it another day.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡®t you announced it already?¡± his mate quirked her brow up, searching for his reaction.


    ¡°I have.¡± he nodded slowly, cupping her chin and tracing her lips with his thumb, enjoying their softness.


    ¡°But I will tell them that  you don¡®t feel well. Nobody will dare to question me.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± she taunted, and his bear roared inside, begging him to im her now.


    ¡°I¡®m sure,¡± he stood his ground. ¡°We will be celebrating our victory tonight in the main hall. If youe


    and join me, we will have our marking ceremony there and then, but if you decide that it¡®s too early and


    you need time, stay in your room. My warriors will guard you.¡±


    ¡°Bjorn¨C¡± she looked as if she was considering his offer and wanted to ask something else when he


    mmed his lips over hers, finally getting a proper taste of his mate. His tongue roamed inside of her


    mouth, letting her know whom she belonged to now. For a moment, it seemed like she wanted to pull


    away, but he held the back of her head, holding her closer.


    A moan escaped her, or was it a whimper? He did not care, because the tingles were erupting through


    his whole body, and he hadn¡®t felt that in so long. There were times when he thought he would always be


    alone. However, now he had her, and the future did not seem so grim anymore. Not when she was a part


    of it.


    He broke the kiss when he realised he would take her and mark her here and now if he didn¡®t stop,


    destroying the little progress he had achieved.


    ¡°Darius,¡± he said when he tore his lips off her, and she blinked. ¡°I want you to call me Darius, not Bjorn.¡±


    He traced his index finger over her now¨Cswollen lips, proud of the fact that he was the cause of this. ¡°I


    am Bjorn for everyone else,¡± he smiled at her sincerely for the first time ever. ¡°For you, I am just Darius,


    Sawy.¡±


    She nodded silently, lost for words. When she was finally about to say something else, he stopped her


    again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t respond now,¡± he leaned lower and ced a small peck on her nose. She wasn¡®t flinching away


    from him anymore, and he took it as a good sign. He was on the right path. ¡°I will wait for you tonight, but


    either way, whatever you decide, it¡®s fine with me. If you appear at the event, we¡®ll mark each other


    tonight. If you don¡®t, it¡®ll just happenter, and I will see you after midnight.¡±


    This time he kissed her forehead softly and stormed out of the room, leaving her stunned.


    Savannah waited for him to leave and listened to the sound of his receding footsteps.


    This was a new development, for sure. She took the nearest dress and tore a decorative piece of fabric


    from it to wipe her lips.


    She had to think of how to y her cards right and decided to go on a stroll with her guards to check if


    the map she saw yesterday was correct. No one stopped her, and she simply wandered the halls in her


    blue dress, watching how everyone was preparing for the celebration.


    After a while, she stopped in the gallery with tall,rge windows, looking out of one and seeing the inner


    square of Bjorn¡®s castle. There, another surprise awaited. Two huge ck cars were being checked by


    security. She was contemting why they were doing such a thorough search when she heard two men


    not far from her snorting.


    ¡°So, is that thepetition for Petra?¡± one of them was eyeing the guests below.


    ¡°I think these are sent by her father,¡± another spoke. ¡°I heard he is quite rich and she is his favourite


    child. He would pay a lot to get  her back.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡®t he selling her to the lycan in the first ce?¡± the first one scoffed.


    ¡°Yeah, but I guess white bears aren¡®t the buyers that he dreamt of!¡±


    Both menughed and kept walking as Sawy studied the men whose arrival she observed.


    Just then, she noticed something, or more urately, someone, she hadn¡®t expected to see in a million


    years.


    ¡°It couldn¡®t bel¡± Savannah gasped as the man with hazel eyes stared back up at her as if he felt her


    watching.

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    Savannah¡¯s lips curled into a smile, but the man who was staring at her from the main square of the


    castle did not return it. She wondered for a second if he did not remember her, but then she noticed


    that he was surrounded by several white bear guards, and it urred to her that he was probably just


    ying his part. She knew that Riannon trusted this man, and it was unlikely it was a coincidence that


    he was the one who came to rescue Petra.


    Although, who knows¡­ So many things had changedtely. Maybe he came to the North to negotiate


    peace with Bjorn on behalf of the Western Kingdom. It was a possibility.


    Or worse¡­ Maybe he was a traitor.


    Memories of Zack shed before her eyes, but Savannah blinked them away.


    ¡°That¡¯s not important,¡± Athena said in her mind. ¡°We weren¡¯t counting on anyone helping us anyway,


    but if he¡¯s on our side, that¡¯s an unexpected pleasant advantage we did not anticipate.¡±


    The maids returned in about an hour, and one of them asked Savannah meekly what she wanted to do


    next. The Princess realised they have already received their orders from Bjorn not to push her too far.


    Surprisingly, he was serious about the promises he made to her. Not that she was interested in any of


    them. However, maybe, just maybe, she was the one who could push him now to make a mistake?


    ¡°Leave me,¡± Savannah snapped at them, and the omegas disappeared. She did not need their help to


    prepare for tonight, and also, she wanted it to be a surprise. And an unforgettable one at that.


    Ash and his delegation were not greeted by the White Bear King in person, but he did not expect a


    warm wee in the first ce. It was a miracle that they were allowed inside this castle at all and with


    such great timing. Instead, they were searched time after time, after time, by new guards, warriors and


    high-ranking bears of the North. Each of them already felt superior to wolves, and each of them tried to


    let them know.


    It was a new reality, and Ash swore to himself that he would be one of those who ensured this new


    world order would notst. He had strict orders about what to do from Riannon and was ready to y


    his part, not wishing to disappoint her. His main task was to bring his Queen information about the


    hostages and leave a little surprise at the main gate. He¡¯d already done that before they started


    searching them. Getting Princess Savannah out was his next priority if the opportunity presented itself.


    Freeing the Gamma of the North and the heiress of the Blue Forest pack was thest on his priority list,


    but he would keep his eyes open for any opportunities. Although, he had to be realistic about it, and it


    was enough to know where they were being kept for when the Lycan allies started their attack.


    ¡°We are taking these,¡± one of the warriors pointed at the box where the werewolves had to put all of


    their devices ¨C phones, smartwatches, even earphones.


    ¨C


    ¡°I need to stay in contact with my pack,¡± Ash groaned, but only received a diminishing gaze back. He


    didn¡¯t count on receiving anything back, though. It was best to y like he really needed his phone, and


    they made the right decision by taking it away. He wanted them to feel they were inplete control.


    ¡°You need to stay alive while you are here. That¡¯s what you need!¡± The huge bear with a bald head and


    a long red beard chuckled. ¡° And if we see any of you using a phone, you will be executed.¡±


    Ash looked at his men and nodded at them, letting them know that they had to obey and stay quiet.


    Grim silence was his answer. No one was happy about them being here, but he knew they would fight


    for him if it came to it.


    ¡°Stay here until wee for you,¡± the Red Beard told them when he and the other warriors were at the


    doors of the dark, stuffy room they were brought into.


    ¡°Can we at least see the girl and make sure she is fine?¡± the Alpha asked calmly. He wasn¡¯t giving


    them the satisfaction of seeing him nervous and tried to behave as if it was apletely normal


    situation.


    ¡°You will see her at the marking ceremony,¡± the Red Beard scoffed.


    ¡°The marking ceremony?¡± Ash furrowed his brows, his whole body went tense. They were watching the


    news and searching for every bit of information about what was going on inside of this castle, and it


    was implied several times that the marking ceremony of Bjorn and Savannah would take ce soon,


    but they had no idea that the date was set for today.


    ¡°Well, if you are fortunate enough,¡± the bear scratched his beard. ¡°Some say it was canceled, some say


    it is still on. I guess we¡¯ll find out when we are there. But if it does happen, consider yourself lucky


    because it¡¯s going to be the event of the century.¡±


    Ash smirked at that, but only because this whole situation reminded him of something from his past. He


    knew that Riannon had faith in the Princess, and now he could understand why. It appeared that she


    was messing with the white bears¡¯ ns already.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± he nodded and went to one of the chairs, taking a seat andzily crossing his legs, cing


    his ankle on the top of his knee, trying to demonstrate how rxed he was.


    This mission was important to him, since it was for¡­ her. Riannon might have be a Queen of the


    whole Western Kingdom and found her mate, but Ash had been in love with her for many years.


    Nothing changed, and he really believed that nothing ever would.


    His Gamma and Delta were on edge, knowing that if it came to battle, it was possible that not all of


    them would make it alive. If any.


    Ash knew that too, but he had to get the important yer out. He knew that Gideon yed a crucial


    part during thest massive battle. Thanks to his third royal form. There was no denying that they


    needed his sister if they wanted to win this war. Not to mention that Riannon told him that Savannah


    Stormhold was the only one who would be able to help Amarok.


    The Red Beard returned a lew hourster andzily offered them to follow him down the dark corridors


    of the castle. Looking around, Ash noticed that they tried to make this ce look festive. There were


    flowers in vases that seemed out of ce and some strange wooden bear ornaments here and there,


    but overall, it was clear that the castle wasn¡¯t built for entertaining guests. Even the tinted windows or


    the main halls looked like they were cleaned for the first time ever, with dark smudges visible on the


    coloured


    They arrived in a spacious but dark hall with many wooden tables lined up in neat rows and set for the


    guests. Ash was happy to discover that their ces were in the first row. Some of the high-ranking


    bears red at them as they sat, probably thinking that wolves were not worthy of the honour.


    Something fell off, though, and Ash¡¯s wolf, Nox, was agitated inside. Wolves often felt what their


    humans couldn¡¯t but rarely bothered to exin these things.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Bjorn was there as well, seated at the centre of the long table that stood on a tform at the top of the


    stairs, above everyone else. His most loyal men were by his side, but the chair closest to him was


    empty.


    Ash hoped to see Princess Savannah, but she was not present. The Northern TV presenter twins,


    however, were in attendance, working in front of the camera, as usual. The Alpha frowned as he


    watched them, knowing how easily they betrayed their previous King Now they clearly had a new one


    and served him happily as if they did not witness the m******e hemitted. Just the thought that


    Riannon might not have been so lucky at that time and could have diedasnned made him furious.


    She may have been with another man, but he still cared about her deeply. In all honesty, he still loved


    her and didn¡¯t know if he could ever stop. He wished her happiness, of course, but if anyone were to


    harm her, he¡¯d do whatever it took to destroy that person.


    And now he was looking at that person. Looking and smiling respectfully, plotting how to kill him


    sooner.


    ¡°Ah, Petra¡¯s family!¡± Bjorn suddenly acknowledged the werewolves presence as he gulped arge


    ss of what looked like whiskey.¡± You¡¯re here finally! it means we can start the auction!¡±


    Ash stretched a smule over his lips and nodded politely. All he had to do now was to buy the girl out,


    hopefully, pass a message to Savannah and then leave salely with the information he managed to


    gather while in here. But when the doors opened, a strong lloral and


    vani scent reached his nostrils, making him dart his eyes in the direction of the people walking in. A


    guil with long pink hair in solt Waves walked in wearing a pink one shoulder dress of sheer fabric that


    was so revealing that she tried to cover parts of her with her hands. She was trembling, and almost


    every man in the room looked at her with their gazes full of lust.


    Ash snarled involuntarily. He couldn¡¯t do anything about it or suppress it because he now knew who


    that girl was. It wasn¡¯t just the fact that she was Petra Biernat, daughter of the Alpha of the Blue Forest


    pack in the Northern Lycan Kingdom.


    She was his mate.


    His second chance. He didn¡¯t think he would ever get a second chance mate. They were a rarity and


    hardly anyone ever got one.


    It was getting harder to breathe, because Ash knew he did not want a mate. He knew he was not lucky


    in love. His first mate died so early that they were barely beyond being pups. The love of his life,


    Riannon, married his best friend and then met her own mate and became a Queen. Ash had been


    through so much pain that he didn¡¯t even want to try anymore. He chose to stay by Riannon¡¯s side


    even if it was from the shadows. He had another woman in his pack, Harper, tending to his more primal


    needs when it was required. Everything was working out for him.


    Until now.


    And he didn¡¯t want to change the status quo.


    Petra stopped trembling for a second and looked at him with wide eyes, probably sensing what he had


    already figured out. Her eyes were as blue as forget-me-nots, and this was ironic because Ash knew


    that he would not be able ever to forget this woman now.


    Petra was extremely young. She looked as if she¡¯d barely reached the age of eighteen. Ash almost


    instantly knew that she was wrong for him. This second chance was probably a mistake. The Moon


    Goddess was mocking him for always wanting what he couldn¡¯t gel.


    Someone made a sultry joke about the pink haired girl, and everyone else in the roomughed. It made


    Petra¡¯s eyes well up, but she didn¡¯t cry.heir pares locked again, and he smiled at her reassuringly,


    hoping to let her know that it was going to be okay.


    The White Bear King, mastured to ude and Chloe to stop recording, and their cameraman pointed


    the lens at the floor.


    *Shall we beyin7¡å Bjorn¡¯s voice brought both Ash and Petra back to reality. Ash was d that Petra had


    the sense not to scream that he was her mate. Something told him that this would haveplicated


    things.


    Other men in the room roared inpproval. it looked like most of them wanted to buy his mate tonight, and


    this made him so angry that his ws clongated against his best attempt to hold himself back.


    ¡°What is it with you/¡± huis Delia hissed when he noticed what was poing on, and Ash managed to get


    himsell under control. ¡°Nothing¡± hegntted his teeth.


    Themiliar Red Beard walked up to Petra and stood next to her announcine loudly, ¡°Consider that the


    auction has started! The king is willing to listen to your offersi¡±


    Some huge white bear stood up lirs, stating, ¡°The White w n offers thirty thousand for the girl.¡±


    Othersughed, indicating that none of them took this offer seriously. New offers followed. Bigger


    offers. Better ones. The bears were offering money, fealty,nds, their own daughters or sisters in


    return. Women were traded as if they were cattle.


    Petra began looking smaller and smaller in the middle of all this, hugging her shoulders as if it could


    help her protect herself. This was when he knew that he wouldn¡¯t be leaving her behind. He would get


    her out whatever it cost him. The realisation was sudden but so clear he didn¡¯t even have to think twice


    about it. He couldn¡¯t leave her.


    Ash waited for everyone to state what they were willing to give for his mate, and Bjorn seemed pleased


    with all that. However, the King¡¯s eyes locked with his after all the bids were given, and the werewolf


    realised his offer was the most important either way. His delegation was invited to take part for a


    reason, and he was starting to realise what that reason was when he noticed Bjorn looking at the main


    entrance from time to time. He was waiting for his own queen to arrive.


    The Alpha stood up, and now all the attention was on him. Clearing his throat, Ash pronounced loudly,


    ¡°I offer you any sum you name, the loyalty of my pack and-¡± A few people chuckled behind his back.


    They were offering so much more. ¡°And the Western Lycan Kingdom.¡±


    Now a wave of gasps erupted through the crowds. Whispers filled the room after, and Bjorn had to let


    out a mighty roar for everyone to get quiet. When the desired effect was achieved, he looked at the


    daring Alpha before him.


    ¡°What makes you think I need you to give me the West?¡± The king scoffed, arching his brow and


    gesturing for one of the servants to pour him more alcohol. ¡°Not to mention that I can¡¯t see how you can


    even offer that. Who are you again?¡±


    ¡°I am Asher Jones, the Alpha of the Silver River pack,¡± Ash replied calmly. ¡°I believe that I can be of


    service to you. Now that the Lycan King of the West is dead, Beta Reid is preparing to be the new


    King as we speak. It just so happens that I¡¯m invited to his coronation. And I swear to bring his head to


    you if you let me have Petra.¡±


    ¡°Are you nning to return her to her father?¡± Bjorn asked.


    ¡°Temporarily,¡± the Alpha responded dryly. ¡°We have an agreement about our future alliance, so after


    Petra spends some time with her family, she will join me at my pack in the West.¡±


    Petra was now watching him with hope in her incredibly blue eyes, and he felt guilty because what he


    had told was a lie. There was no alliance in ns between him and her family. However, he pushed


    these thoughts aside. It was important that he was simply saving her. It was¡­ enough.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Bjorn smirked. ¡°I think we have a winner here. I can kill that Beta myself, but since you


    volunteer- I am always interested in saving my own resources. The girl is yours once you fulfil your


    promise.¡±


    The Red Beard was about to take Petra away, but Ash spoke again, ¡°My King- Maybe you will allow


    Petra to stay with us for tonight and enjoy this evening?¡±


    Bjorn considered it and nodded slowly. His own night was already ruined because Savannah didn¡¯t


    show up. At least he¡¯d made a good dea andl all this with Savvy¡¯s help. She was the one who asked


    him to let these people in. So, he decided to reward the daring wolf. Even if for just one night.


    Petra was pushed to werewolves¡¯ table, and she looked happy to be able to stay with them. Ash


    showed her to an empty seat, and she smiled at him gratefully.


    Bjorn frowned at that. Sometimes it seemed like he was the only one unlucky with women. Savannah


    never looked at him like that, despite them being mates. In fact, he would kill for her to look at him just


    without resentment. Her taste was still on his lips from their kiss earlier today, and he groaned,


    remembering how sweet she tasted.


    He wanted more. More of that taste, more of her.


    He had some regrets about giving her the freedom to choose whether toe tonight or not. He would


    feel so much calmer if he could finally ce his mark on her. No one would be able to undo that, and it


    would secure his im on her forever.


    But he decided to be generous andy nice. And now she wasn¡¯t here¡­


    The main doors to the hall burst open, and he lifted his head to see who exactly wanted to die tonight.


    However, when he saw the intruder, he went speechless and stood up, cing his ss back on the


    table.


    Savannah stood there in a gown of wine red silk. The draped bodice expanded into flowing skirts that


    resembled mes. Her lips were painted red too, which made them so much more desirable. If she


    were to mark him today, she would leave traces of lipstick all over his neck.


    Bjorn¡¯s breathing became ragged just from thinking about it.


    She came! He gave her a choice to postpone the marking, but she chose to be here tonight, and this


    made his lips grow into a proud smile.


    Savannah smirked, pushing a strand of hair that she wore down today behind her back to demonstrate


    her bare neck. She did not even wear any nes, fully ready for him to mark her.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte,¡± her grin deepened, and she took a step towards him.

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    62. Taking What Is Owed


    She walked between the rows of tables as if the whole world was under her feet, the dark red fabric of


    her dress flowing befand her


    whispering in the silence of the room. No one dared to speak before the King, and Bjorn, himself, was


    speechless. He did not expert her


    toe here tonight, and now that she was here, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of her.


    Savannah was a vision. Everything about her was perfect. Queenly. A perfect woman for a King, and


    Bjorn couldn¡¯t believe that she


    had made the decision to join him tonight.


    They both knew what it meant, and the bear inside him was already fighting to release his ws to mark


    her the moment she


    reached them, to im that woman in front of everyone and be done with it.


    Bjorn could give her more time before he took her and put a child inside her womb. He could give her


    more time to ept their


    bond and admit it out loud. He could wait for many years to hear that she loved him from her luscious


    lips. He wanted to do that for her.


    But the desire to make the bond unbreakable by marking her was immense. It was something that


    gued his mind, something his bear


    was insisting on forcefully.


    Because it was wise. The moment his ws made the marks, Savannah would be his forever.


    Everyone would know this and no one would be able to stake their im on her. Not anymore. Not ever.


    He wanted to secure that im, and luckily, he would do this tonight. He couldn¡¯t believe his own luck


    because, although deep


    inside he hoped for this, his rational mind told him that it wasn¡¯t possible. He¡¯d hurt Savannah too much,


    and it would take him years to


    earn her forgiveness and, eventually, her love.


    That thought sobered him up. Why was she doing it? Was she really ready?


    A treacherous idea of it being her n to humiliate him publicly or get some kind of revenge circled in the


    back of his mind. He hated thinking about it, but even he had to admit the possibility of it happening.


    However, just one nce at the princess¡¯s wrist and he saw the bracelet still shining brightly on it, the


    guarantee of his safety. Whatever Savannah did, she wouldn¡¯t be able to do him much harm as long as


    she wore it. She wouldn¡¯t be able to shift even to her second form, so it was unlikely she would be able


    to do much damage. If she decided to humiliate him, he¡¯d have to punish her. Somehow, that thought


    alone brought a smile to his face. He tried to be gentle with her, but if she gave him more reason to be


    personally mad at her, his punishing her would be justified.


    The Princess chose a red dress. This wasn¡¯t what people wore for marking ceremonies in the North.


    Bjorn himself was wearing a blue shirt tonight simply for the asion. A lot of the dresses he sent to her


    were in shades of blue as well because of this. But then he remembered that she¡¯d already worn a blue


    dress. She even rode on top of his back and no one ever would be able to take that away from him.


    She was already standing at the bottom of the stairs and their eyes locked as she waited for his


    permission to take her ce by his side.


    ¡°Join me, my Queen,¡± his lips curled into a smile as he gestured to the empty chair next to him. He had


    been prepared.


    Savannah went up, her eyes downcast and cheeks flushed slightly. Although thatst part could be the


    product of his imagination. He wished he could get into her pretty little head and find out what she was


    really thinking now. Was she imagining his ws digging into her skin too? He knew then and there that


    as soon as the marking was done, he would make her turn to face him and lick every drop of blood on


    her soft skin. His manhood reacted to that thought, and it got only worse when she was finally beside


    him. Her intoxicating bluebell scent had made him close his eyes just for a moment and enjoy it. He


    envisioned how, after everything was finished here, he would take her to their chambers and rip that


    dress off her, learning every inch of her with his tongue. If she let him, of course. But she would, after


    she¡¯d been marked. This was the whole point. The mark would unlock their bond for her and heal her


    soul after the previous unsessful experience. She¡¯d want him just the way he wanted her. She would


    come around.


    ¡°My King,¡± her sweet voice brought him out of his daze. It was a greeting, and he couldn¡¯t help himself


    from taking her hand and


    bringing it to his lips, cing a wet kiss on her fingers.


    Her skin tasted divine, and Bjorn wanted to cut the ceremony short now. Anything to speed the process


    up.


    ¡°My Queen,¡± pride wascing every word, his voice loud, so that everyone heard him, but then he added


    quieter, ¡°I hoped you woulde.¡±


    ¡°And here I am,¡± she replied, her red lips trembling. This was an unusual look for her, but he liked it. He


    loved it. He loved everything


    about her.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± He asked her the silent question of whether or not she wanted to be marked today. Her


    presence alone was the


    reply, but he wanted to show her how caring he could be. He wanted her to know that he wasn¡¯t the


    monster she believed him to be.


    They could be a family. He could make her happy. All he needed was a chance¡­


    His hand stretched to her on an impulse, and she shyly ced her palm into his.


    ¡°I am,¡± Savannah breathed out, and finally, their eyes met again. He saw the determination in hers, and it


    made him smile. She was


    ready. It was really happening.


    ¡°You will never regret this,¡± he promised her confidently and pulled the princess into his arms to crush his


    lips into hers. Bringing her


    closer, demanding entrance with his tongue, which was granted easily. It was the sweet submission that


    he needed and he explored her


    mouth for the second time today, enjoying all of the sensations kissing his mate could bring. She chose


    toe tonight, she agreed that


    she was his now. Now, he could kiss her whenever he wanted.


    The white bears cheered for them with their roars and nking of their sses. They enjoyed the sight


    before their eyes because


    everyone knew that their king would be the strongest with his mate by his side. The Northern Lycan twins


    were filming the whole thing,


    Chloementing from time to time into a microphone about the events.


    When Bjorn finally broke the kiss, he had the biggest grin on his face. It was a grin of a victor, the man


    who had it all.


    ¡°Honoured guests!¡± He distanced himself slightly from Savannah and addressed his warriors present in


    the room. ¡°As you can see,


    my Queen is ready to join me and help me make the Northern and the Western Lycan kingdoms whole.


    We were once the same country,


    and it is high time to bring thends back together!¡±


    He went on with a bigger speech, and Savvy tried really hard not to disy any emotions on her face.


    She took a little step back to


    where the Serpent was now standing, cing one of her arms on Bjorn¡¯s shoulder to make him and


    everyone else believe that she was supporting him.


    ¡°Really?¡± Joran quirked his brow up at her and whispered. ¡°I thought you would consider my offer.¡±


    ¡°Who says I am not?¡± She gave him a dazzling smile, and he looked at her with interest.


    ¡°Then now is the time,¡± he taunted, to which she lifted her hand with the magical bracelet, eyeing it and


    hinting that he would have to help to get rid of it first.


    The Serpent sneered at her, crossing his arms over his chest.


    ¡°Nice try, Princess,¡± he chuckled while she took a few steps in his direction, still touching Bjorn, who


    nced at her in the middle of his long empowering speech, growling at his divine ally slightly. Savannah


    smiled back at him, and then her eyes darted back at Joran.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard?¡± her lips curled as she yfully pushed her index finger of the hand with the


    bracelet into his chest. ¡°I¡¯m a


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Queen now.¡±


    The apuse of the bears distracted them, and Bjorn wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing her


    closer. The Princess was happy because no one noticed her little trick.


    ¡°And now we shall begin nine and Savannah¡¯s marking ceremony,¡± he dered loudly and another wave


    of approving roars rippled through the room. Everyone was happy for their King.


    Bjorn raised his hand, and every person in the hall grew quiet. No one dared to disrupt their King. His


    power was absolute.


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to say any vows to the gods,¡± the White Bear King threw a quick nce at the Serpent


    as if daring him to protest.¡± There is no need for that! Our bond will beplete the moment my ws


    leave my mark on my mate¡¯s delicate neck. We don¡¯t need


    any blessings other than the ones we already have. So, let¡¯s begin.¡±


    Savannah noticed two familiar faces in the crowd. She wasn¡¯t wrong about Ash, Riannon¡¯s close friend,


    and she was surprised to see Petra sitting right next to him. They both looked at her as if they were


    worried sick. Especially Petra. She covered her mouth with her


    hand and was on the verge of crying.


    Savvy winked at her, which made Petra¡¯s eyes go wide in confusion.


    ¡°I have a request if you don¡¯t mind,¡± the Princess looked at the White Bear King, who was already


    devouring her with his healthy eye. It was obvious that he was impatient, but her request made him


    suspicious. It was only natural that he didn¡¯t fully buy her good girl act. Bjorn may have been in love, and


    it made him make mistakes, but he wasn¡¯t a fool.


    ¡°What is it?¡± He asked dryly in a quieter tone.


    ¡°I would like to mark you too,¡± Savannah smiled and touched the bare skin on his arm, drawing circles on


    it with her fingers. She knew that he was feeling the tingles that she wasn¡¯t. She realised it when he


    kissed her for the first time. His whole body told her about this. The way he shuddered, the way his


    breathing got ragged so fast¡­ it shouldn¡¯t have been that way even if he really really wanted her. It was


    something else¡­ and that something else reminded her of what she had with Kai.


    Remembering the name of the true King of the North helped her to stay focused. While Bjorn stared at


    her like a love sick teddy bear, all she saw were Kai¡¯s eyes closing while she held him in her arms.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Bjorn agreed. ¡°You can mark me if you like. I would take it as an honour.¡±


    ¡°Can I mark you first?¡± she fluttered hershes innocently, but then looked away. ¡°You don¡¯t have to, of


    course.¡±


    He was calm because he knew that even if she wanted to bite his main artery off, it wouldn¡¯t harm him.


    Physically, he was indestructible. Savvy knew that too, and that meant she wouldn¡¯t do anything stupid.


    Moreover, he wanted to give in to this dream. He wanted her canines to sink into his flesh, making him


    hers forever. He wasn¡¯t going to question this gift.


    ¡°Do it,¡± he told her, brushing his palm over his cheek. ¡°Anything for you.¡±


    He exhaled when she touched his chest with her warm fingers. Only the fabric of his traditional northern


    shirt was between them now.


    ¡°You are too tall,¡± she whispered, and he lowered himself slightly to give her better ess as she walked


    around him and stood behind his back. There were doubts in his mind, but Savannah¡¯s little fingers went


    for the buttons of his shirt, undoing the two upper ones and then removing the fabric aside. Smirks


    appeared on his men¡¯s faces. She teased him, and he lost his mind because of this. The thrill of what


    she was about to do next made him growl in anticipation.


    She was going to mark him. She was going to mark him. She was going to mark him. Him.


    It was going to be all right. It was going to be excellent. She was going to be his Queen, and they


    were going to live a long, happy life together. He would bring this woman the moon if she wanted it, he


    would put any Kingdom she liked at her feet. He would make the world burn for her if it made her smile.


    She was going to fix everything for him. She was going to fix him. That most important, broken, damaged


    part of him was going to be healed with this woman¡¯s love. She wouldplete him. She would make


    him whole. Her perfection would fill the cracks in his soul, glueing the broken pieces together the way


    people in the Lost Eastern Kingdom were joining fragments of broken pottery and filling them with gold,


    giving them a more refined aspect.


    He didn¡¯t see the people before him, everything was blurry because of all the tingles he was


    experiencing from her touch. Her breath was already on his neck, and when Savannah¡¯s nose brushed


    gently over it, he had to restrain himself not to moan in front of everyone.


    ¡°Wintergreen,¡± his matemented, remarking on his scent. He closed his eye because, at that


    moment, he chose to trust her, he chose to love her unconditionally, he chose to give her everything that


    he had.


    Something cold and metallic pressed against the skin on the other side of his neck, and for a moment, he


    thought it was the bracelet he put on her. He would take this bracelet off her tonight before he would take


    her for the first time¡­


    ¡°I hate wintergreen,¡± Savannah hissed in his ear, and it took him a few seconds to realise what he was


    hearing. ¡°Almost as much as I hate you, Darius!¡±


    A sharp pain made him open his eye again, and he saw his warriors jumping on their feet. It took time for


    him to process what was happening, but soon he realised that some kind of a dagger pierced him to the


    hilt. Savannah¡¯s fingers unclenched, and he recognised that hilt. It belonged to Joran.


    A divine weapon¡­


    His men were lost, not knowing what to do, but at the same time, the guests he¡¯d weed into his


    house today because of Savannah started turning into wolves one by one and forming a protective line in


    front of the stairs.


    Because of Savannah¡­


    Did Joran betray him? Or did Savvy manage to steal the dagger while he wasn¡¯t watching?


    Bjorn managed to turn his head through the pain and saw that the Serpent was as shocked as he was.


    At the same time, his second¨Cinmand pounced at Savannah from the other side of the table, but


    his mate was ready. She grabbed the dagger she put into him and got it out in one swift move, making


    blood splutter from the wound. Then she stabbed his man, his brother in arm, right in the eye, ending him


    quickly.


    Bjorn couldn¡¯t speak; he felt blood filling his throat, at the same time, trying to stick his fingers into the


    wound on his neck to prevent blood loss. It hurt so much¡­ but it wasn¡¯t physical pain that bothered him


    the most now.


    In a way, she ripped out his heart too¡­


    The divine weapon was out, and regeneration kicked in, cells restoring themselves as quickly as they


    could. Not quick enough because Savannah was already using the dagger to break the bracelet that


    wouldn¡¯t allow her to shift. He let out a gurgling noise, knowing now what she was about to do, what her


    n was.


    ¡°You are not leaving this ce!¡± he warned her, hoping that it would stop her. If she did stop, he would


    forgive her. He would take her away from all this mess and hide her until he knew what to do with her,


    how to fix this.


    Another one of his warriors attacked her from behind, but the bracelet was already off, and she snapped


    his neck with her bare hands. Savannah was a force of nature, awakened and furious, destroying


    everything in her way.


    She was smart. He had to give it to her. She managed to go around his invincibility and destroyed the


    divine bracelet that suppressed her with a different divine weapon.


    Bjorn stared at Joran, who was sitting in one of the chairs as an honoured guest and sipped his wine,


    observing the show calmly. Their eyes locked for a second, and the White Bear King knew that if he


    wanted the god¡¯s help, he would have to offer him something else in return. But he had already


    bargained for more than he could afford. Besides, he could deal with her on his own terms. He just


    needed more time. A few more minutes, and it would be safe enough to move.


    ¡°Seize her!¡± Hemanded the nearby bears. ¡°Kill the rest!¡±


    The wolves charged at his men, and he knew that those mutts had no chance, considering the difference


    in numbers and how much werewolvescked strength whenpared to white bears. It was so stupid,


    to begin with, that they nned something like this. They all were as good as dead.


    Savannah was fighting one of the biggest bears in the room. Luckily, it was thest of the ones who sat


    at Bjorn¡¯s table. She still had to finish him off, but someone was constantly blocking her path.


    ¡°Savvy, watch out!¡± She heard Petra scream and point somewhere behind her back. She managed to


    dodge a sneaky attack from


    yet another white bear at thest moment and knew that it was time.


    This would be thest time she shifted into her third form, the royal Lycan form. Kai was teaching her


    how to control it, but she was still too far from being sessful at it. After all, they hadn¡¯t had enough


    time.


    Ash was still in his human form, trying to think of what to do next, Savvy noticed that he was holding


    Petra¡¯s hand, covering her with his body from any possible attack While his men tried to keep everyone


    away from them.


    ¡°Princess!¡± He shouted at Savannah, ¡°Time to go!¡±


    Just give me a second,¡± she replied, and looked at Bjorn again.


    It had been mere minutes since she attacked him, but the blood almost stop dripping through his fingers.


    A bit more time and he


    would be fully healed. Her efforts would go to waste.


    This couldn¡¯t be happening!


    ¡°Give up now, and I will forgive you!¡± he promised in a weak voice. His strength wasing back to him


    slowly. He was lucky she didn¡¯t reach his heart. Probably because of their size difference. If she had


    managed to pierce his most vital organ, it would have been so


    much worse.


    ¡°No, thanks!¡± A smirk formed on her lips and for a moment, she looked at him with some kind of pity. He


    hated it, but it hurt him.


    even more when that pity was reced by pure hate. ¡°You killed the man I love and my family! How


    delusional are you to think that we


    could have had anything after that?!¡±


    ¡°Savvy-¡± Bjorn looked quickly around and noticed that those sparkling twins were standing right next to


    them and filming the


    whole thing on a phone. A phone! What is this? A live? There was a reason why live broadcasts were


    never allowed at any royal events.


    This was exactly the reason. How would he ever spin this situation now?


    It didn¡¯t matter! He¡¯d lost today¡¯s battle! Savannah clearly prepared for this better than he did. All in the


    course of a day.


    ¡°They¡¯re dead either way!¡± He snapped. ¡°What difference does any of this make? I was offering you a


    home! I was offering you a future!¡±


    ¡°After taking the home and future I already had!¡± There were tears in Savannah¡¯s voice. She was still


    hurting.


    ¡°It had to be done,¡± the bear replied in a dark tone. ¡°it has always been like this! The survival of the


    fittest!¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± his mate sneered at him. ¡°and this is why I am surviving now! You owe me a few lives, Bjorn.


    And a castle.¡±

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    63. True Mates


    Savannah charged at him, and this time she was too fast for Bjorn to detect. That¡¯s when she gave him


    another .sh of the divine


    dagger over his chest, making a clean cut.


    ¡°We are mates!¡± He said bitterly, covering the new wound with his fingers.


    ¡°No. We¡¯re not!¡± She replied without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯d rather die than be your mate!¡±


    The words hurt him more than the dagger did, but it wasn¡¯t enough for her. He could see it in her eyes as


    she lifted her hand to try to


    kill him again. He¡¯d had enough of this. She had to be contained!


    He caught her wrist this time and overpowered her easily, bringing her closer.


    ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± he roared, shaking her roughly, hoping that she¡¯d return to her senses.


    However, it only made the princess sneer.


    ¡°Bjorn, Bjorn, Bjorn,¡± she whispered and clicked her tongue. ¡°I am just getting started!¡±


    Savannah¡¯s bones started snapping before his eyes at unnatural angles, and in a few moments, she was


    able to free her hand from


    his grasp. Bjorn stepped away, panting, and watching her turn into something elsepletely. He¡¯d


    already seen this when he and Joran


    went to observe the battle with Castiel¡¯s men a few months ago and also when Kai did it so effortlessly


    many times in the past.


    It was harder for Savannah, he could see it, but she was determined to go through with this.


    ¡°Savvy, no!¡± Darius¡® voice broke. He knew what it meant to her. Other royals rarely used their feral third


    forms because they were


    next to impossible to control. If they didn¡¯t shift back soon enough, they risked never being able to revert


    back to their human form again.


    The realisation that she was ready to die or stay a beast for the rest of her life just to kill him, hurt him


    more deeply than the divine weapon ever could.


    But the monster with glowing golden eyes already stood in front of him. Tall, mighty and deadly. And she


    was out for blood.  blood.


    His


    Savannah tried to keep control just like Kai had taught her. Lycans were primal beasts who were born at


    the beginning of times, but her Lycan wasn¡¯t a separate entity; It was a part of her. The part she was


    taught to suppress, the part she was taught to hide.


    Today she was going to embrace it.


    Bjorn looked like he was suffocating, but she decided just to end him immediately. However, when she


    took the first step, something invisible stopped her.


    ¡°Enough!¡± The Serpent said, looking as calm as if people weren¡¯t killing each other left and right around


    them. He didn¡¯t even spare the Lycaness a nce. He didn¡¯t take part in the fighting. He just defended


    Bjorn once and that was it.


    Wolves that came with Ash were dying. One of the bears almost grabbed Petra, who was still in her


    human form. From the corner of her eye, Savvy saw how Chloe shifted into a golden¨Ccoloured wolf, and


    ude was quickly tying something around her neck.


    She wanted so badly to kill Bjorn¡­ but¡­ her friends were more important. If the Serpent didn¡¯t n to


    act, and it looked like he had something else in mind, then they had a chance to survive. If she would


    help them, of course.


    Growling angrily, Savvy flipped the table and was down next to Petra and Ash in seconds, leaving Bjorn


    behind.


    ¡°Shift!¡± shemanded in the beast¡¯s voice, and, luckily, they understood her instantly, following her


    lead. Petra¡¯s wolf was the smallest, but even in the middle of the chaos, Savvy paused, seeing her


    unusual colour. The wolf was ck with soft pink waves of fur all over her in a beautiful pattern. No


    wonder everyone wanted her! Someone like her was rare indeed!


    Chloe was next to the group already and ude shifted in one jump, joining them as well.


    Now all they had to do was get out of that castle.


    If only it was that easy¡­


    The bears were shifting too and Savvy let out a roar so loud that the ground underneath their feet shook.


    She threw herself into the crowd and made a clean sweep, clearing the path for her friends. Thanks to


    that, they were able to leave


    the Hall behind them quickly, and now they were struggling to get through the corridors of the castle.


    The white bears were already alerted via their mindlink and everyone they met tried to attack them, slow


    them down¡­ Yet, Savvy knew she only had minutes left of sanity, feeling how she was starting to enjoy


    the scent of blood and chaos she was leaving behind her. Each new kill was bing easier and easier.


    Soon she wouldn¡¯t care whom she was killing. By then, it would be best if her friends were


    as far away from this ce and her ¨C as possible.


    She made sure to knock down every candle on her way past. Luckily, they were a major part of the


    decoration for the marking ceremony, and there were plenty around the castle. She watched the mes


    catch onto the curtains and spread over them quickly. That  should distract them.


    A few wolves from Ash¡¯s team were already missing, either killed or sacrificing themselves to dy the


    bears behind them.


    Savvy led them in an unexpected direction and she could feel how distressed Petra, Ash, and the twins


    were. Fortunately for all of them, she knew exactly what she was doing when she turned into a small


    passage and then paused by an old wooden bear statue. One movement and the walls before them


    opened, revealing a dark staircase. This was something Savannah learned from the maps the day


    before, and something none of the bears could have anticipated.


    Using their night vision, they went all the way down while still in their wolf forms, and this got them


    several minutes to  breathe.


    There was just one thing left to do now ¨C get Aspen.


    Savannah had no illusions about that. She knew that they would understand that she woulde back


    for the Gamma. He was one of Kai¡¯s closest friends. She couldn¡¯t simply leave him behind.


    ¡°Princess,¡± Ash shifted behind her back. ¡°There is something I need to tell you-¡±


    ¡°Shift!¡± she growled and pushed the door that led to the square outside.


    She was right as there was a thick circle of bears guarding Aspen and waiting for her.


    Well, they wouldn¡¯t have to wait anymore.


    Channelling everything she had, Savannah threw herself at the enemy, tearing, snapping, breaking,


    destroying¡­ At some point, she felt like she had found a rhythm to all this. It became a part of her and


    felt so natural that she scared herself.


    However, she couldn¡¯t stop. She had to do it. While there was still sanity left in her.


    When she reached the wall where Aspen was chained, he didn¡¯t look good. He was barely conscious


    and his gaze was unfocused. There were cuts and bruises all over him, and Savvy almost threw up when


    the smelling from him hit her nostrils. What have they been doing to him?


    She broke the silver chains with ease, although they were soaked in something that burned her fingers.


    ude was surprisingly the nearest to him and offered his back for the Gamma.


    Savvy threw him on top of the golden wolf. She couldn¡¯t do anything gently in this form. But it was better


    than the people beating Aspen up. He was practically unconscious, and the princess was worried that


    he¡¯d fall off during their escape. She wanted to say something, but it was bing harder and harder to


    form words. The beast was slowly taking over her.


    Not that she regretted it. They needed a beast now. They needed a monster.


    ¡°Hold!¡± Savvy roared, and surprisingly, that helped Aspen toe back to reality. Even if temporarily.


    ¡°Brigit?¡± he asked, looking at her. His eyes barely opened from the swelling and damage. His vision was


    probably blurry so it wasn¡¯t surprising he took her for a white bear in this form. Just like her wolf, her


    Lycan was white in colour, with ck fur decorating her ears.


    ¡°Brigit-¡± Aspen repeated his mate¡¯s name. ¡°I knew you¡¯de.¡±


    There were more and more bears in the square, and Savvy was starting to worry about how they were


    going to leave this ce. She had to get her friends out. Nothing else mattered.


    They were surrounded from each side, and Savannah could already feel the desire to sn.ap all those


    necks. There were more of them than she could handle, but at least she would die trying. She didn¡¯t


    mind. If she died, maybe the Moon Goddess would be so kind as to bring her back together with Kai.


    Maybe she could ask for this little reward if she was going to sacrifice herself for the Moon


    Goddess¡® children.


    The bears halted, probably preparing themselves mentally for the m**** ¡°e that was to follow, and Sawy


    closed her eyes just for a second, feeling how her mind was slipping away.


    ¡°I never asked you for anything,¡± she prayed silently, ¡°but if there is at least the tiniest chance of me


    saving them and reuniting with Kai, let it happen.¡±


    Just then, one of the castle towers exploded. Pieces of the ancient stone werending around them,


    hitting some of the white bears. But most importantly, it made them panic.


    Another explosion sounded, piercing their ears this time because it was so much closer. Ash growled


    excitedly, knowing that his little gift worked.


    Savannah had nothing to do with any of it, but the bears believed that she did. Moreover, they didn¡¯t


    know what to expect from her anymore.


    She didn¡¯t hesitate and unleashed herself on the startled enemies, tearing their flesh off and ending as


    many of their lives as she could. She pounced, and she dodged. She ignored the pain when they


    managed to hurt her.


    ¡°Run!¡± she managed tomand her friends when she created a safe corridor for them through one of


    the broken castle walls. She knew that Ash would have help somewhere nearby. She just needed to give


    them a chance to get there.


    Savannah noticed that the bears did not follow her friends. All their eyes were on her, tracing her every


    move, and this was when she realised their order was to get her. Technically, they didn¡¯t need her


    friends.


    She decided not to miss that wonderful opportunity and stood on all fours, charging into the darkness


    outside Bjorn¡¯s home. She knew where her friends went; she could feel it. Thanks to that, she chose to


    run in the opposite direction.


    This time she did not use her full speed. She had to make sure that the bears followed her and that none


    of them got lost on the way. Slowly, her priorities were changing. She couldn¡¯t wait to be left alone with


    them in the middle of the deadly forest.


    A ck hawk flew over her head, screeching, but she ignored it. Birds did not interest her anymore. She


    wanted to be killing bears. Her instincts were telling her to kill them all, and each roar she heard from


    them excited her. A fight. A hunt. Only they weren¡¯t the ones hunting this time. She was.


    She stopped in the middle of a clearing and waited. The annoying bird was still circling over her head,


    and she was ready to kill her if that hawk got close.


    However, these thoughts left her soon because the bears finally arrived.


    She could see their white fur between the dark, ancient trees as they approached, but the primal lycan


    inside of her couldn¡¯t wait anymore. She pounced at the closest one, tearing him to pieces on the spot


    and enjoying it. Then another one tried to get her but to no avail.


    One after another, she was killing them all, feeling only pure rage running through her veins.


    But there were so many of them that slowly, they started to overpower her, cornering her to a rocky hill.


    She wanted to kill them even more now, to taste their blood and to see life leave their eyes, so she kept


    fighting, kept ying¡­ Lost in this chaos.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    However, her wounds were multiplying by the minute, and it didn¡¯t look like there were fewer bears


    around her. She roared in frustration, realising that this could be her end. She would die here today,


    killed by some weaklings just because they had bigger numbers.


    A howl escaped her. This time it was a sound of a dying, desperate animal, and she put everything in


    that sound.


    By the end of the howl, her breathing turned into snowy mist, and for the first time, she felt cold. The


    ground under her feet was icy, the darkness was reced by clouds of snow. Everything happened so


    fast that she couldn¡¯t tell what was going on.


    She felt something. Something she couldn¡¯t exin, some kind of strange pull that made her think that


    she did want to survive after all.


    Savannah fell to her knees, knowing that the enemies would finish her off now. However, each bear that


    was getting close to her was


    disappearing right in front of her eyes. Something moved in between all the warriors so fast that none of


    them couldn¡¯t detect it. Yet  there was no denying that someone else was here.


    Or something else.


    A mighty menacing roar emerged, and it became so cold that sharp pieces of ice flew in the air. Only that


    the trajectory seemed off. Unnatural.


    Not that Savvy was going toin. Her humanity was getting back to her against all odds, and she


    didn¡¯t know what the reason  for it could be.


    The bears weren¡¯t her problem anymore, and she felt a strong desire to shift back into her human form.


    Screaming as her bones were slowly breaking one by one, she wed her way to sanity until she was


    panting on the cold ground  covered with frost.


    Tears were streaming down her cheeks, but she was back. She was alive and she didn¡¯t turn into a lycan


    beast forever.


    There was only one question on her mind now. Why? How?


    She had bits of the red dress still hanging over her frame. Some parts of the gown were very stretchy,


    and now she was happy that


    she had some kind of coverage. Even if it was questionable.


    Her wounds made her hiss from the pain, but she already knew there was nothing lethal. She would heal


    if no new battles urred  now.


    That strange feeling overwhelmed her again, and she tried to stand up, looking around, but only dead


    bears were scattered around


    her. She took a few steps with her bare feet, trying to adjust the red rags on her, when she saw some


    movement in the snowy mist.


    At first, it looked like a giant wolf. Bigger than any other she had seen.


    The mist got thicker, and when it dissipated slowly, she saw a shadow of a naked man walking towards


    her.


    She froze, unable to move. Unable to breathe¡­


    Tears were burning her eyes, and she wanted to say something, but only a weak, broken noise left her


    chest. It wasn¡¯t even a  whimper.


    Their eyes locked, and so did their souls. A forever unbreakable bond that no one ever would be able to


    erase. Two halves of the  same whole united atst.


    Savvy ced her hand on her chest, trying to steady her heart, which was racing so fast she was afraid


    it would fail her.


    All the pain she had felt for the past few days found a way out now in one despairing painful sob.


    ¡°Mate,¡± she whispered with her trembling lips. The word that she hated. The word that only brought her


    pain and suffering.


    She was afraid that it was a dream, a cruel hallucination, and none of this was real.


    ¡°Mate,¡± Kai replied while a single tear fell on the ground from his chin, shattering the world and


    everything they had known¡­


    63 True Mates


    after all.


    Savannah fell to her knees, knowing that the enemies would finish her off now. However, each bear that


    was getting close to her was disappearing right in front of her eyes. Something moved in between all the


    warriors so fast that none of them couldn¡¯t detect it. Yet there was no denying that someone else was


    here.


    Or something else.


    A mighty menacing roar emerged, and it became so cold that sharp pieces of ice flew in the air. Only that


    the trajectory seemed off.


    Unnatural.


    Not that Savvy was going toin. Her humanity was getting back to her against all odds, and she


    didn¡¯t know what the reason


    for it could be.


    The bears weren¡¯t her problem anymore, and she felt a strong desire to shift back into her human form.


    Screaming as her bones were slowly breaking one by one, she wed her way to sanity until she was


    panting on the cold ground


    covered with frost.


    Tears were streaming down her cheeks, but she was back. She was alive and she didn¡¯t turn into a lycan


    beast forever.


    There was only one question on her mind now. Why? How?


    She had bits of the red dress still hanging over her frame. Some parts of the gown were very stretchy,


    and now she was happy that she had some kind of coverage. Even if it was questionable.


    Her wounds made her hiss from the pain, but she already knew there was nothing lethal. She would heal


    if no new battles urred  now.


    That strange feeling overwhelmed her again, and she tried to stand up, looking around, but only dead


    bears were scattered around her. She took a few steps with her bare feet, trying to adjust the red rags on


    her, when she saw some movement in the snowy mist.


    At first, it looked like a giant wolf. Bigger than any other she had seen.


    The mist got thicker, and when it dissipated slowly, she saw a shadow of a naked man walking towards


    her.


    She froze, unable to move. Unable to breathe¡­


    Tears were burning her eyes, and she wanted to say something, but only a weak, broken noise left her


    chest. It wasn¡¯t even a  whimper.


    Their eyes locked, and so did their souls. A forever unbreakable bond that no one ever would be able to


    erase. Two halves of the  same whole united atst.


    Savvy ced her hand on her chest, trying to steady her heart, which was racing so fast she was afraid


    it would fail her.


    All the pain she had felt for the past few days found a way out now in one despairing painful sob.


    ¡°Mate,¡± she whispered with her trembling lips. The word that she hated. The word that only brought her


    pain and suffering.


    She was afraid that it was a dream, a cruel hallucination, and none of this was real.


    ¡°Mate,¡± Kai replied while a single tear fell on the ground from his chin, shattering the world and


    everything they had known¡­

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    Kai had never been a patient person, and it was torture of a new kind to stay behind and wait. It did not


    bother him that he could not shift back to his human form anymore. He wasn¡¯t picky and was ready to


    spend his whole new life as a wolf as long as he could rescue Savannah. She was his priority and the


    one and only thing on his mind from the moment he woke up. When Fenrir asked for his firstborn, Kai


    didn¡¯t even hesitate. Why would he? A child was in a distant future he could never have in the first ce


    without the rebirth, and in all honesty, he could have tricked the Godter. There were many legends


    about simr urrences. Either way, it was a problem forter. But Savvy¡­ Sawy needed his help


    now.


    Of course, he wanted to save his kingdom too. He was brought up and trained to exist with the weight of


    responsibility for the


    North. However, now he knew that if he was ever forced to make a choice, he would have to spend


    eternity begging Fenrir¡¯s and his


    people¡¯s forgiveness because he knew whom he would choose. It was not right, it was selfish and not


    worthy of a king, but Kai knew now


    that Savvy came first. She was his everything, and somehow, after he was reborn, all those feelings only


    intensified.


    The memories of Savannah¡¯s scared face were shing before his eyes. Memories from when life was


    slipping away from him. He


    understood what was happening before she did, andwhen she realised he was dying, it scared her


    beyond belief. That girl had no


    problem facing multiple enemies, walking into deadly traps, being betrayed and stabbed in the back, but


    losing him brought horror to


    her face and grief into her soul. Primal boundless fear gripped her and Kai¡­ Kai was horrified, too.


    Knowing that he was abandoning her,


    knowing that the enemy woulde for her when she would be at her weakest¡­


    The Lycan King of the North had already felt weak once. Right after his parents died. After just one day,


    he had to start taking care of


    his kingdom and his depressed little sister. Every time Elene sobbed in his arms, every time his then¨C


    advisors looked at him as if he was


    just a little boy with a sparkling crown, he felt like that. Useless, weak, pathetic¡­ an impostor.


    Contrary to everyone¡¯s beliefs, his life was never easy. Although his childhood was happy until he lost his


    parents, even when they were alive, he had to work hard for everything. His father didn¡¯t ept any


    excuses and he had high expectations of his heir. Kai didn¡¯t get to y with other kids much, he had


    more important things to do. Maybe it was the reason that he had trouble making friends in the first


    ce. He had next to no experience with rting to people. He was introduced to Aspen because their


    fathers were friends, but it took them years to get close. L was an exception ¨C the two of them hit it


    off immediately. Although Kai was always surrounded by people, L andter Aspen were the only


    two he could call friends. They stood by him when he became the King, and he knew he could always


    count on them. It was important because he was also aware he couldn¡¯t count on anyone else. Everyone


    wanted a piece of him, but mostly, they wanted him gone. The Northerners were fiercely loyal to their


    King, but, just as with their Lunas, they had to ept, him as their King first. So, Kai earned their


    respect. He had to be stronger, sterner, and more ruthless.


    For a brief moment, he thought that he and Gideon could be friendly, but they were too much alike. Kai


    knew he had to be the best for everyone to fear him and stay away from the North. Gideon had simr


    ideas about the West. They were unlucky to end up at the same Alpha training facility at the same time


    because they immediately shed. It still could have been a healthypetition. They tried to keep it up


    for a while, but once Kai heard Gideon talking about his sister in a less¨Cthanplimentary way, all hell


    broke loose. Kai went on the defence, and there was that knowledge etched in his mind that the best


    defence was a good offence.


    ying the role of the perfect king was hard for him because perfect was one thing that he wasn¡¯t. This


    was why he loved his ¡± gardener and the little maid¡± game with Savannah so much. He loved her gaze


    flickering when she looked at him and, at the same time,


    having no idea who he really was.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    She came into his life unexpectedly and turned everything upside down, bringing chaos into it, but also¡­


    she brought him peace.


    Kai didn¡¯t even notice how his life became all about her.


    And now he had quite a few things to worry about.


    Kai had made an impossible deal. Maybe she would never forgive him when she found out, but as long


    as she would be there to find out, he¡¯d take it. He would find a way around this. He would do everything


    he could to make her happy and not give away their first¨Cborn baby, but his main priority would always


    be Savannah¡¯s safety. If he had to die again today to achieve this- so be it.


    It was strange to be in this new form. Fenrir called him Amarok, and he remembered old northern


    legends about giant lonely wolves who destroyed everything in their path. This wasn¡¯t what he wanted to


    be, but again, he was ready to ept it if it meant he would have enough power to defeat his enemies.


    He was supposed to be dead anyway, but since he was given a second chance, he wasn¡¯t going to


    waste it.


    His whole body was new, and it took some getting used to it because of how giant it was. It didn¡¯t feel the


    same as being in his royal lycan form. He wasn¡¯t simplyrger now, but in a way, he became stronger


    and more powerful. He couldn¡¯t find it in himself to shift back into a human, but at the same time, he had


    no trouble making everything around him freeze. He could create ice with his will, and he


    could shape whatever he wanted out of it.


    The first thing that he tried when he realised that was, of course, Savannah¡¯s sculpture. He sat in front of


    it now, waiting for the news from Ash, keeping it away from melting. He had made her almost identical to


    the real version, and just looking at her was helping him to stay focused and maintain his sanity. She was


    his anchor to this world, and having her close, even if it wasn¡¯t the real Savvy, was helping him to keep


    himself from going feral and charging at that damn castle.


    Riannon was the one who talked him out of it. Surprisingly, Gideon¡¯s mate was his voice of reason now.


    When she was contacting him through her wolf Onyx, he could feel their emotions and knew that they


    were genuine. That made him listen.


    Time after time, the Luna and the Queen of the Western Lycan Kingdom told him to believe in Savannah,


    promising that the Princess would be able to take care of herself. He really wanted to just go to Bjorn¡¯s


    castle, kill everyone, and get Savvy back. But they all knew that it wouldn¡¯t be that simple. Too many


    things weren¡¯t adding up, and traitors were everywhere.


    He was greedily watching the news, promising himself to kill both Chloe and ude when he would get


    the chance. He couldn¡¯t


    believe how easily they switched sides. However, thanks to them, he was getting bits and pieces of


    information about Savannah. L


    did not want to show him the whole video of how she was brought to the white bear¡¯s castle, but after his


    menacing growl, his Beta gave


    up and let it y. Seeing her on his enemy¡¯s back brought him back into despair. For once, he and


    Gideon were on the same page, and


    both wanted to go to the White Bear Cliffs immediately, but this time Kyle was the one who stopped


    them.


    ¡°You need to see this!¡± He stood before the two of them with hisptop, opening a page of his TruthTeller


    website.


    ¡°This is really not the time!¡± Gideon growled and Kai snarled in agreement.


    ¡°Just wait!¡± The young man insisted, and then Evelyn and Riannon stood up for him, insisting that he had


    a point. ¡°I¡¯m receiving


    anonymous videos from how everything really went,¡± he told them. ¡°Bjorn probably has enemies in his


    castle, too! There are so many of


    them! I mean, so many videos¡­ Look!¡±


    He started by showing them how they¡¯d chained Savvy to make her sit on that white bear¡¯s back, which


    made Kai¡¯s insides burn with


    fury. Then there was a video about how Savannah was almost unconscious by the time they got to the


    castle and how she threw up all


    over that piece of trash, the white bear king. Thatst part brought him momentary satisfaction, but at the


    same time it pained him to


    see the woman he loved so much in that situation. Thest video was of three girls Kai had never seen


    before.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been cleaning the whole room for hours!¡± one of themined, ¡°I don¡¯t think that Queen


    Savannah will be ready to


    perform her¡­ queenly duties anytime soon. The healer told the king that she shouldn¡¯t be doing anything


    physical for at least the next


    two days. Poor man! I thought the king would snap his neck on the spot. He was lucky to survive.¡±


    ¡°The king seems impatient, though,¡± another girl said. She had a broom and dustpan in her hands and


    looked like a maid without a


    uniform.


    ¡°He will not touch her in anger!¡± The third one rolled her eyes. ¡°Have you seen how he looks at her? She


    was sick all over him, but


    he was worried if she was all right, not caring about anything else. He would never do anything to hurt


    her!¡±


    The video ended, and Kyle closed hisptop. Gideon and Kai exchanged nces. This time they didn¡¯t


    need to speak to understand


    each other.


    ¡°We have at least a day more,¡± Riannon said quietly.


    ¡°And trust me, Savvy knows how to y sick,¡± Kyle smirked. ¡°Gid, remember that week you invited the


    sons of Alphas to our mansion to ¡°get to know¡± Savvy better and then she identally poured wolfsbane


    all over herself in a ss and got stomach flu because


    of that?¡±


    Kai snarled angrily as the Western King ran his hand over his face.


    ¡°Let me guess,¡± Gideon exhaled heavily. ¡°Never happened?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Kyle shook his head, ¡°but when all these women suddenly decided that you were looking for a


    Luna a weekter that


    ¡°-wasn¡¯t a coincidence,¡± Gideon finished the sentence, grunting. He¡¯d always suspected that.


    ¡°Look,¡± the redheaded nephew of his Beta sighed and nced at Evelyn for support, ¡°I¡¯m not saying that


    we shouldn¡¯t save her. I would die for Savvy, you know that. Not only is she my best friend, but she¡¯s also


    like a sister to me. We grew up together, and I care for her as much as you do. But Riannon is right, and


    we should believe in her. Also, we can¡¯t be reckless about this. We need a good n to make sure that


    when we go there, we really get her back and don¡¯t mess anything up.¡±


    ¡°Besides,¡± Evelyn said, stepping forward, ¡°Princess Savannah is not the only one we need to rescue. I


    know you probably don¡¯t care much about Petra, but I do and so does Savannah herself! And also, there


    is your Gamma. I¡¯m sure you want to get Aspen out almost as much as you want to rescue Savannah. In


    all honesty, the princess is the one who is safe there. It¡¯s going to be much more dangerous for the other


    two.¡±


    Kai wasn¡¯t torn about this, he felt guilty. Evelyn was right, he really wanted to try and save them all, but


    Savvy was the one at the top of his mind. Once he got her out, he woulde back for Petra and


    Aspen. And also to kill Bjorn. But that would be after his beloved was safe. Or during her rescue, in the


    best¨Ccase scenario.


    ¡°We will, of course, try to save them all together,¡± Lassured them with his soft political tone. Kai


    knew that he was about to find an excuse to reject the suggestion, but this was when Evelyn stepped


    forward.


    ¡°And I believe there¡¯s a way to do all of this,¡± the woman proimed confidently. ¡°I have just spoken with


    Petra¡¯s father over the phone, and he told me that Bjorn offered him a chance to buy Petra. They told him


    to send a delegation to his castle to negotiate this. The bears are putting her-¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice broke, but


    she took a deep breath and went on, ¡°they¡¯re putting Petra up for an auction. Whoever pays the highest


    price gets to keep her.¡±


    They all got quiet, each thinking of how best to resolve the situation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see?¡± Riannon furrowed her brows and hugged herself. ¡°This is a perfect opportunity to get


    our people inside the castle and get Savannah and the others out safely. We just can¡¯t pass this


    opportunity up.¡±


    Kai still did not like this. It meant waiting longer, and all he wanted to do was get there sooner, grab his


    woman, rescue her, and bring her back home.


    A loud shriek pierced their ears, and they all looked up as Zara was flying down from the sky. She shifted


    while she was still in the air andnded in front of them with grace. She was the one Kai waited for the


    most because she could bring him news that nobody else could.


    ¡°Did you see her?¡± Gideon asked without hesitation.


    ¡°She was in her room the whole time I was there, sleeping alone,¡± the werebird informed them. ¡°I couldn¡¯t


    get too close, though, without being suspicious. Hawks do not rest on windowsills, you know. Not to


    mention that they know me. I also saw Bjorn, and it looks like he¡¯s busy. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to get to


    spend time with Savannah anytime soon. She is safe for now.¡±


    That gave Kai the strength and patience to wait a bit longer and n everything properly.


    Luckily, it was a good decision.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    They waited for a signal from Ash but received nothing. He was supposed toe back first and bring


    them information on who was where and what the weak spots in defence were. Everybody knew that


    Aspen would be the easiest to ess but the hardest to get out due to his multiple injuries. Zara


    informed them that the Gamma¡¯s condition was the worst out of the three. She also confirmed that she


    hadn¡¯t seen Astrid and her friend Emma anywhere, which left their fates unknown. However, Brigit


    seemed to feel at home, which convinced them that she was the one helping Bjorn all this time to


    everyone¡¯s disappointment. Only Riannon did notment on how the she¨Cbear was going to be


    punished for her betrayal when the war was over.


    ***


    Kai was waiting by his ice sculpture because it was the only ce where he could handle thetest


    news. There were rumours that Bjorn was going to mark Savannah today. Just the thought of it made his


    stomach churn and his blood boil, and that was saying a lot considering that ice spikes grew out of him


    now. He tried to calm himself by looking at the sculpture, because every time he closed his eyes he saw


    his mortal enemy, Bjorn, digging his ws into his mate¡¯s neck, marking her for life¡­


    Savannah did not deserve this. She had already been through so much. She had been through more


    than him or anyone else he knew. A lot of people had a sad story in one way or another, but Savvy could


    never catch a break and had to face one struggle after another. Not to mention that he knew her. He


    knew that if she wasn¡¯t broken now, this would break her for sure. Waiting now felt wrong more than ever


    before. He had to be there, he had to get her out, to save her.


    Zara was out on her mission of spying on the castle again. She was so good that the bears did not notice


    her in the skies. Although it was possible that they simply didn¡¯t look. She was supposed to return and


    alert them if there was any danger to Savannah. However, Kai heard the explosion before the werebird


    managed toe back.


    He was the first to realise that it wasn¡¯t the one that Ash was supposed to set up. The location of the


    explosion was higher and much further South than the gates.


    This time, he decided that he¡¯d had enough of waiting for one day. Something did not go ording to the


    n, and he was not going to listen to any more excuses.


    Amarok raced through the dark woods faster than any of hispanions, and he was the first to reach


    the group of wolves desperately trying to escape from the white bears. Surprisingly, there were just a few


    in pursuit, and Kai pounced on them without mercy. He didn¡¯t even need his freezing powers to eliminate


    the enemy. However, as he was ripping through the throat of thest one, he could already tell that


    Savvy¡¯s wolf was not in the group.


    He was enraged, but calmed down slightly when his eyesnded on Aspen. His Gamma looked horrible,


    chanting something with his broken lips caked with dried¨Cout blood. It looked like the bears were hurting


    him and then letting him heal, only to break everything all over again. A torture so cruel that it was rare


    for anyone to use it these days.


    ¡°Brigit, Brigit¡­ Bri¡­git,¡± he was repeating the name and Kai growled. That Brigit girl was blessed to find


    hermate who was ready to love her unconditionally and give her everything that a maid could want, and


    this was what she did to him.


    Ash shifted into his human form and bowed his head respectfully to the king of the North.


    Seeing where Kai¡¯s attention was, the Alpha said, ¡°He will be okay¨Cwhat doesn¡¯t kill us makes us


    stronger.¡±


    But when Kai¡¯s eyes glowed menacingly in the darkness and the air around them became ufortably


    cold even for a werewolf, Ash quickly changed the subject to what was really important now.


    ¡°Princess Savannah is in her royal Lycan form now,¡± he informed Amarok quickly, knowing that Kai was


    still inside. ¡°She told us to run while she was covering for us and leading them away. We would have


    never made it without her help.¡±


    Kai wasn¡¯t listening anymore, he only turned on his paws and sprinted to where the group came from,


    trying to pick up her  scent.


    ***


    Brigit was watching from the window in her room as Savannah and the werewolves freed Aspen and


    ced him on one of the wolves¡® backs. It was probably just an illusion that her mate¡­ her ex¨Cmate¡­


    locked his eyes with hers for a moment. After all, his eyes were so swollen he probably couldn¡¯t see a


    thing anyway. But she let herself believe that it was the truth and that he knew that she was the one that


    set off the explosion in the tower and helped the fire in the castle spread in order to help him escape.


    She knew that he would never forgive her betrayal and that they would probably never see each other


    again, but a smile formed on her lips as she ced her forehead on the cold ss of the window and


    watched them escape.


    ¡°Thank you, Aspen,¡± she whispered, even though there was no chance he would hear her. She was


    thanking him for the new feeling in her chest that tugged and pulled and warmed her up when everything


    else in her world was so cold. She remembered how she once thought that she was in love with Castiel.


    That mernory now made herugh. There couldn¡¯t be anyparison. She was fighting the mate bond


    so hard because she knew he would hate her one day. She fought for Castiel¡¯s love for years and spent


    hundreds of nights with


    him. Yet the one time she had been with Aspen would be what she would cherish in her heart forever


    now. The night of Savvy and Kai¡¯s marking ceremony when all she originally nned to do was to kiss


    him and drug him. Instead, she let him take her in a small dark room he used in the castle when he was


    overseeing its security.


    Castiel loved to experiment and knew thousands of ways to please a woman, to drive them crazy and


    make them want him even more. But it was always about him with that sly fox.


    With Aspen, she found out what real love was. Even if it was just a glimpse of it. That big guy who could


    crush walls with his bare hands was touching her as if she was made out of the finest porcin,


    worshipping every inch of her body, making it about her for once. What they had¡­ what they could have


    had¡­ was pure and beautiful. And Brigit wished there was the tiniest of chances that one day he could


    forgive her and they could be together. A tear rolled down her eyes as she watched them disappear in


    the thick darkness of the woods.


    ¡°Just stay alive,¡± she whispered, thinking now that dreaming of getting back with him was too bold.


    Instead, she should take what life was willing to give her and be grateful for that. She wouldn¡¯t be able to


    live if he¡¯d died because of her. She wouldn¡¯t be able to breathe¡­ but now, at least, she could do that.


    Two small hands wrapped around her, and she turned to see her sister, Ingrid.


    ¡°You love him, don¡¯t you?¡± Ingrid asks through tears, and Brigit tucked her face into her sibling¡¯s blonde


    hair and let herself to let out her tears finally. Ingrid stroked her back and gave her the time she needed,


    before she whispered, ¡°Bri, you need to go with them. You can. He would look for me, but not for you.¡±


    ¡°Aspen would never want me again,¡± Brigit distanced herself and wiped her eyes, knowing that she


    couldn¡¯t be seen crying. It was too dangerous. ¡°It¡¯s toote for us now,¡± she smiled sadly. ¡°Besides, my


    ce is here with you. With my people. Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Ingrid didn¡¯t think that. She knew how badly her sister was treated by some of the white bears, not to


    mention how the guilt was slowly eating her alive.


    ¡°Bri, if you need anything- anything other than me running away from my husband, just tell me,¡± the girl


    suggested.


    ¡°Right now, I need only one thing,¡± Brigit smiled and held her sister¡¯s hands. ¡°Come with me downstairs;


    pretend that we¡¯re both distraught over what happened today. Tell anyone who asks that you were with


    me the whole time in my room. And we left it just now toe and check on our king.¡± She paused and


    then added, ¡°And on your beloved husband, of course.¡±


    Kai¡¯s heart broke into a myriad of pieces when he saw her. He couldn¡¯t move. He did not dare to move.


    He was ready to kill all those bears all over again because of what they made Savannah go through.


    He¡¯d do it in a heartbeat if given  a chance.


    Thest few days were the first ones in his new life, and at the same time, they were the hardest in both


    of his lifetimes. He failed


    her, and he couldn¡¯t fix any of it. She was so close in her torn red dress, with her hair a wild mess


    cascading down her shoulders. She had


    been through hell, and he hadn¡¯t been there to save her. He waste, and she had to save herself.


    Something he would never forgive himself for. Something he would never allow to happen again.


    It was torture to stay behind and wait, knowing that he wouldonly make it worse if he arrived at the wrong


    time. Riannon told them


    to believe in Savvy, to trust that she would take care of herself. And that was exactly what Savannah did.


    This beautiful, delicate woman fought like a hundred men. She was ready to sacrifice herself to save her


    friends. She was honourable, loyal, honest, fierce, brave¡­ And  also¡­


    Mate. She was his mate.


    The whole world screamed this now. All his senses, the scents around them, the air, the stars in the sky,


    they all sang in unison that they belonged together.


    She was his. And he belonged to her.


    A part of him knew from the very beginning. From the moment he saw her shredding those roses, from


    the moment he thought she


    was just a little maid. But he knew she was his maid. He loved her from that very first nce, even if he


    didn¡¯t understand it back


    then.


    The universe stopped spinning. They were the only two people to ever exist. It was hard to tell if it was


    one moment or if they stared


    at each other for eternity. Neither of them could tell¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re alive,¡± she barely whispered because she was afraid that a louder sound would break the illusion


    and she would be alone in


    this world again. Alone and ready to die.


    ¡°I came back,¡± his voice rasped through his chest, and her breathing hitched. ¡°For you.¡±


    It was him! He was here¡­ Alive and well. He was breathing, and he wasn¡¯t an illusion.


    Kai was alive. Her Kai. Kai Fiongh. The one she held in her arms when he was dying. The one she


    mourned for days after witnessing a silver spear piercinghis heart. The one she never expected to see


    again. Not in this world¡­ Moreover, she was trying to get


    into the next one to be reunited with him.


    And he was her mate! Mate!


    Kai didn¡¯t know what to say next. Was she angry with him for beingte? For abandoning her? Did she


    feel what he felt now? Did he


    hear her right when she called him her mate? Did she even want him after everything?


    Too many questions.


    He still had a few small ice spikes creating a pattern over his arms. They were melting away, but he


    didn¡¯t want to scare her. She had been through so much, and he wanted to shield her from the whole


    world. There was so much he needed to tell her but his tongue


    couldn¡¯t find the right words now.


    His eyes trailed over her body, which was barely covered by the leftovers of the once beautiful gown, and


    he noticed that blood


    trickled down her arms and side.


    ¡°You¡¯re hurt!¡± his lips parted, eyes glowing icy blue. His mind started racing, searching for solutions.


    Where was the healer they brought with them? How fast could he get her there? But he didn¡¯t even


    manage to say another word when she threw herself at  him.


    ¡°Kai!¡±


    She was in his embrace faster than he thought possible. Trembling, so warm and so alive. He wrapped


    his arms around her, pressing


    her as hard against his chest as he could and kissed her hair.


    He could feel her body shaking with silent tears, and his soul wept together with her. It roared from all the


    pain and happiness of


    their separation and reunion.


    ¡°I thought you were dead! I saw you die! I-¡± She sobbed for the first time since he met her, and it made


    his heart clench. He didn¡¯t want to see her cry; he didn¡¯t want to be the reason for it, so he took her tear¨C


    stained face into his hands and made her look at him. Her


    green eyes had a more intense colour now, like the grass after a rain.


    He kissed one of her tears and then caught another with his lips, repeating it again and again until she


    breathed out a whimper, and then he imed her lips. Pecking them gently at first and checking her


    reaction, but when he saw that she wasn¡¯t crying anymore but was panting instead, he crushed himself


    to her like a hurricane, a force of nature that only wanted to devour her.


    ¡°Mine,¡± he snarled into her mouth.


    ¡°Mate,¡± Savannah replied as sheced her fingers into his hair to bring him closer.


    ¡°Mate!¡± Kai confirmed.


    A loud roar emerged from behind their backs¡­

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    Bjorn knew that the moment his healing was done, he would pursue Savvy, overpower her, to try to


    knock her out and bring her back. The silly girl used her third form, and he knew that she couldn¡¯t control


    it. Knocking her out would be the one and only chance to bring her back from this. If she stayed in her


    Royal Lycan form for too long, he would lose her. He couldn¡¯t lose her! She was all he had,


    and now his head was spinning with ideas of how to get her back. There had to be a way!


    Once again, he regretted pushing her too far too fast, but at the same time, he also regretted not marking


    her at once. If he hadn¡¯t taken pity on her situation and just went with it, she would still be healing and in


    his full grasp. These were selfish thoughts. The thoughts contradicted each other, and, in all honesty, he


    didn¡¯t know what he should have done. How he should have handled her, but he knew


    now that what he chose to do was wrong.


    One thing was for sure; he shouldn¡¯t have believed in what was too good to be true. She yed on his


    desire to be epted and


    used his one and only weakness.


    His wound still hadn¡¯t fully healed, but he heard several loud roarsing from the main square that


    made him fear for her  life.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ kill,¡± his voice gurgled through his chest as he clenched his neck. The long cut on his chest


    didn¡¯t bother him much, but the  neck wound was still dangerously painful.


    Joran followed him with his gaze in silence, and only a few warriors stayed by his side for protection,


    none of them dared to offer


    him help, knowing that he¡¯d rather end them than acknowledge this humiliation. He never forgave


    humiliation¡­ until now.


    Savvy humiliated him more than anyone else in his entire life. Only Castiel¡¯s father could possibly


    compare to what she did to him


    tonight. Yet¡­ he¡­ had already forgiven her. He knew that he¡¯d have to punish her, lock her away, keep


    her far away from everyone, but


    he wouldn¡¯t kill her, and he wouldn¡¯t reject her. She could do anything to him, and the result would be the


    same. He needed her.


    A growl escaped him at the realisation.


    ¡°She is long gone,¡± Jormented, gulping the rest of his wine and throwing away the ss angrily. His


    lips were pressed into a


    thin white line now, and Bjorn didn¡¯t know what to make out of it all.


    ¡°You could have helped!¡± the White Bear King snapped.


    ¡°Not in this case,¡± the Serpent scowled, turning away as if he was keeping more secrets from him.


    Secrets, secrets, secrets. Everyone


    had secrets, and Bjorn had had enough of all this.


    He kicked a jug that was on the floor right next to him, and a menacing growl escaped his chest as he


    pushed himself to restore, the


    eleration clouding his mind temporarily.


    He heard the despair of his men in their mindlink. He felt them dying one by one, knowing that it was


    Savannah¡¯s doing.


    ¡°Just kill the b***h!¡± One of his warriors growled. ¡°Or she is going to kill us all!¡±


    A wave of panic rippled through him.


    Whatever it was, he couldn¡¯t let anyone hurt her. If his men killed her, they were as good as dead.


    ¡°Bring her back alive!¡± He snarled at them in his mind and ran. Ran, ran, ran to where he felt her. Though


    thoughts of the many


    punishments he could inflict on her for what she did today were shing before his eyes, he knew that


    the main goal was to protect her.


    In a way, he would always be protecting her. Why couldn¡¯t she see that and ept him? Her first mate


    was dead, Kai was dead, her whole


    family was dead. He was all she had, too.


    The sight in the square startled him for an instance. So many bodies¡­ He¡¯d lost so many men!


    But that wasn¡¯t important now. All he wanted was to save her, to get her back. He would do everything


    differently now, he would not


    underestimate her again.


    He raced through the woods in his human form. That let him use some narrow paths a bear wouldn¡¯t be


    able to. He ran without


    thinking twice, using his instincts to reach her.


    110


    A great idea suddenly came to his mind. Poison! He could tell people that she was poisoned, and that


    was why she did all these


    things today. It wasn¡¯t the most believable version in the world, but it could work if he could scare people


    enough to support his im.


    He would have to lock her in the highest tower and keep her there for a year or two for safety reasons,


    but¡­ at least they could still be  together.


    Finally, her delicious scent reached his nostrils, and he breathed out in relief, knowing that she was alive.


    The stench of blood let


    him know that his warriors probably weren¡¯t¡­


    But he could live with that. Losing Savannah would have been unbearable.


    However, he soon smelled something else. A familiar scent but with new notes.


    Only that couldn¡¯t be¡­ He was dead. He had to be dead! Bjorn personally pierced his heart with that


    spear to ensure a situation like


    this would never happen.


    And yet the Northern Lycan King stood before his eyes, holding his mate. Savannah wept in his arms,


    and then he imed Bjorn¡¯s  mate¡¯s lips.


    It was worse than when she stabbed him with a dagger, it was worse than when he found out his first


    mate was sleeping with his


    father. Why did it hurt so much?


    Bjorn had to lean against a tree, his elongated ws digging into the bark as he did his best not to give


    himself away. Why was life so


    unfair to him? He did everything he could to survive, he did everything he could to get his mate to ept


    his mark, he did everything by


    the book! He was told not to face Kai in battle, and he never did! And he managed to win! The victory


    was clear; it was his and he had


    worked for it for so long! His n was perfect! He had thought about everything! Why! Why did it have to


    be this way?!


    A roar of pain and despair escaped his chest against his control, it was the cry of a warrior, the scream of


    a betrayed lover and a


    warning to the ones who hurt him.


    He saw how Savannah flinched in the Lycan King¡¯s arms, how the man he hated so much moved his


    mate behind his back, trying to


    protect her from him. Him! They must have been joking!


    The rage overwhelmed him, and as if he was an impulsive teen, he shifted uncontrobly and charged at


    his enemy. All the years of restraining himself were now gone. He did everything as he was told, nned


    everything meticulously, he kept away from Kai because of


    that prophecy, and this was what he got?!


    Bjorn didn¡¯t care anymore. He was going to kill the Lycan King today, once and for all. He would be more


    clever this time and tear


    Kai¡¯s body into pieces, then he would burn them and scatter the ashes in different parts of the world just


    to make sure that he would


    never evere back and disturb his happiness again.


    Blood. He wanted his blood as payment for all the pain and humiliation.


    Savannah screamed when Kai gently pushed her back, and then he was gone in an instant, turning into


    somethingpletely else.


    Bjorn¡¯s fierce attack was met by a creature no one had ever seen before. The ce where they shed


    was covered with frost in mere


    seconds, making the Princess gasp. She still did not know what was going on, and in all honesty, she did


    not care how Kai came back. She was genuinely happy to just see him, happy that they had another


    chance. But now she was asking herself, what did he go through to get


    back to her? What happened to him? What had been done to him?


    Teeth, ws, blood, growls and roars; they hated each other so much that neither of them cared about


    anything else anymore. They both equally wanted the other dead and were ready to sacrifice almost


    anything to achieve this.


    Bjorn saw what was before him. He knew that he didn¡¯t have to fight just a Royal Lycan anymore. The


    creature that fought against him was so much more than that, but it wasn¡¯t stopping the bear from trying


    to kill him. The wolf threw him and made him crash against a tree, breaking the ancient pine in half, chips


    flying in all directions. But the anger and hate were his fuel now, so Bjorn was back on his feet in no


    time.


    He took in the beast before him and noticed how the ice on his back and neck was growing taller by the


    minute. The white bear charged at him again, knowing that his best chance was a surprise attack. He


    would aim for the neck and the belly, the parts where he could make a fatal blow. Luckily, regr bears¡®


    jaws were strong enough to make deadly bites. Bjorn, however, was no regr bear. He was the White


    Bear King of the North, a royal in his own right, a bear blessed by a God, invincible, unstoppable and


    deadly. And he was


    going to win this.


    He was still running when he saw a myriad of ice needles flying in his direction. He did not avert his eyes


    or cover himself, so the


    little sharp des went through his skin and fur. That stopped him as he had to brush them off, get them


    out of his eyes and nose and


    other sensitive areas.


    But Kai did not n to wait. Amarok was a legend for a reason, and he fully nned on using his new


    advantages to destroy the man who had hurt his mate and tried to break them apart. Kai had hatred in


    his heart, too. Not only was Bjorn responsible for their suffering and separation, for murdering him, for


    trying to im Savannah as his own, but he even ruined the sweet moment they had been sharing just


    now. Savvy did not deserve to have this maning back for her again and again and again. He did not


    want her to have to live


    always looking over her shoulder, thinking if that damn bear would be back. He wanted her to be happy


    and safe, and for that, he had to


    kill Bjorn.


    The bear got rid of the needles too quickly, but Kai was already there, piercing his side with the ice


    spikes and escaping before Bjorn


    could even turn in his direction. The bear let out a menacing roar from the pain, fury, and frustration that


    echoed through the dark


    woods and then heshed out at his rival. His attack was brutal; he wasn¡¯t wasting a second of his time,


    each move calcted but at the


    same time filled with agony. A battle of hateful passion and contradictions. However, Amarok


    manoeuvred easily, escaping each


    time.


    Both blessed by the gods, they were equals, but somehow Kai¡¯s technique was better. He was


    exhausting the bear and using his own


    anger against him. The Lycan King wanted to pounce on Bjorn and end him quickly, but unlike Bjorn,


    who was desperate and tried to kill


    him at all costs, Kai knew that he had to take his time. Savannah was watching and wounded and if he


    lost, she would have to go through


    hell again fighting for her life. He needed to get her to a healer, and although this way took longer, it was


    the one that was going to bring


    him victory. Bjorn was sloppy, and soon he made a mistake that opened up ess to his neck and made


    him vulnerable. Amarok did not


    waste his opportunity and sunk his ice¨Ccold canines in, feeling how the warm blood of his enemy filled


    his mouth and trickled down both


    their furs. He closed his jaws, and then, remembering everything the damn bear put them through, he


    ripped his flesh out, causing a


    mortal wound.


    Bjorn did not expect this. The words of the prophecy sounded over and over in his head. Never meet the


    Lycan King of the North in


    battle; never fight him with your own hands.


    He should have listened.


    Bjorn fell to the frost¨Ccovered grass, its coolness his only constion. A pool of blood was forming


    around him, but all he saw was Amarok shifting back to his human form and running towards his mate.


    Bjorn¡¯s mate. He could still smell her intoxicating bluebell scent, and although it pained him to see her


    wrapping her arms around his mortal enemy, a part of him was happy that at least her scent. enveloped


    him in his final moments. For a moment there, his eyes locked with Savannah¡¯s, and hope took over his


    heart once again. But Kai had already shifted back into a giant wolf and lowered himself so that


    Savannah could climb on his back, and they could escape,


    leaving him behind as if he was nothing to her.


    If Bjorn could chuckle now, he would. His destiny was cruel, after all. Thest thing he would ever see


    would be his mate on his


    enemy¡¯s back.


    The two lycans were gone, and Bjorny on the ground in his human form now, foraging for when death


    woulde for him. Soon he heard footsteps somewhere in the distance and hoped that his time had


    come. However, he had to frown when he saw Joran towering


    over him.


    ¡°Go away!¡± the bear spat blood. The deity was thest person he wanted to see now. At least he wanted


    to die in peace. Maybe he deserved at least that much.


    ¡°How can I leave you?¡± Joran knelt next to him on the cold ground. ¡°I have known you since you were a


    little boy,¡± he confessed with a smile. ¡°I saw potential in you, and I believed in you. I have spent years


    helping you. I ced my bet on you and I can¡¯t see you lose.


    This was unexpected. Bjorn always thought that they had a business rtionship.


    ¡°We only made a few deals,¡± he recalled and noticed a sad smile curling the Serpent¡¯s lips.


    Unreasonably, he wanted to anger the almighty snake. ¡°You and your butterflies!¡±


    ¡°Dragonflies,¡± Jor corrected dryly, looking at the sky as if he was contemting something. ¡°They are


    dragonflies.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I only saw you caring about them,¡± Bjorn scoffed bitterly in a broken voice.


    ¡°Just one of them,¡± Joran admitted. ¡°The one that went missing after a mission I gave her because of


    you.¡±


    |


    The White Bear King did not care much anymore. He felt life slip away from him. A minute or two and it


    would be over¡­


    ¡°We have been overyed,¡± Joran informed him in a low voice and ced a hand on his chest.


    Something changed immediately,


    and Bjorn coughed, blood spluttering from his wounds. However, he could feel how his healing was


    elerated drastically, and his cells


    were restoring themselves like crazy. He did not expect it and his eye darted to the Serpent, whose lips


    twitched as if he was about to


    smile.


    ¡°I told you I care about you,¡± he repeated his words to Bjorn. ¡°What happened today was not fair. She


    was your mate, you were both


    each other¡¯s second chances. The two of you could have been happy together, and honestly, in the


    castle, I couldn¡¯t understand what was


    wrong with her, why couldn¡¯t she react the way she was supposed to¡­ After what I saw right now¡­


    Darius, now I know. And I am so


    sorry!¡±


    Bjorn¡¯s brows quirked up, ¡°Wh¨Cwhat are you talking about? What is wrong with Savvy?¡±


    ¡°I probably chose the wrong words,¡± Jor took his hand away, knowing that the bear would be restored in


    minutes on his own now.


    He had already dragged him out from the other side. ¡°She is that mutt¡¯s mate now,¡± he corrected himself,


    ¡°but this is a forced bond. It


    shouldn¡¯t be there.¡±


    Bjorn¡¯s ws grew out again, and he grasped the soil underneath him in a new fit of raw fury. A forced


    bond! He knew it! He knew


    that Savannah was his. She was just¡­ mistaken.


    ¡°How?¡± he groaned, trying to get up despite the waves of pain rippling through him.


    ¡°My brother,¡± Joran replied, scowling and gave Bjorn his hand, helping him up. ¡°Fenrir.¡±


    The sounds of thunder emerged around them as the name of the Alpha God sounded. Bjorn suspected


    many things, he knew that


    he had been dealing with a deity, and for a while, he suspected who the serpent really was. But it was


    one thing to suspect, and it was


    another thing to actually know.


    And now this¡­ the whole North worshipped Fenrir. Almost every shrine in thesends was built in


    honour of its patron.


    ¡°Why would Fenrir do this?¡± he asked as the first shock wave subsided. ¡°Why would he take my mate


    away from me?¡±


    ¡°This is probably my fault,¡± Joran let out a pained sigh. ¡°We destroyed the old order together, but many


    things have happened since


    then. It¡¯s very different now, and I think that Fenrir is against me now. And you, Darius, you¡¯re a message


    to me. He is showing me what he


    can do, provoking me, knowing that I care about you.¡±


    ¡°He clearly overestimates our rtionship,¡± Bjorn seemed angry. It wasn¡¯t fair that he got in the middle of


    some divine war. The


    hatred for the wolf God was growing in his heart rapidly. He finally knew whom to me.


    ¡°He does not,¡± the Serpent looked around. ¡°Years ago, I chose you, Darius Bjorn, as my champion. I


    have been looking for one for


    many years and saw potential in you. When you came back from the foxes without an eye but still alive


    and still willing to fight, I knew


    that you had what it takes. I trusted you many times, and I never made it easy for you. I did not want you


    to like me, I wanted you to be


    worthy. And I found out quite some time ago that you are worthy. I made the right choice, and I never


    regretted it, not once! Look how far


    you¡¯vee with just a little bit of my help.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not seriously thinking that I¡¯m buying any of this,¡± the white bear did not seem impressed at all.


    ¡°We only made a few deals,


    and you treated me like sh*t most of the time.¡±


    ¡°! stayed by your side for years, boy,¡± .loran insisted, and something changed about his voice. It was now


    deeper and darker, nothing like the honey from before. ¡°I did not want to simply give you things. You had


    to earn them, to deserve them. And when I gave you your invincibility, I already decided that you were


    my chosen one, my champion, the one who would rule not only the North but the whole Moonrise


    Kingdom. It has been my dream for centuries to restore what my brother once destroyed, and I have


    never been this close.


    ¡±


    ¡°In other words, you used me to fulfil your dream, and now I¡¯m paying for it with my mate.¡± Bjorn closed


    his eyes, trying to control


    his breathing, but no matter how he looked at it, Jor was his only way to obtain what he wanted.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t this your dream too? To change the order of things, to unite the kingdoms and rule over them,


    forgetting about the wolves¡®


    supremacy?¡± the Serpent taunted. ¡°Not to mention that you got your second chance thanks to me. They


    aren¡¯t given to just anyone, you


    know. I vouched for you.¡±


    ¡°And look where it got me!¡± Bjorn let out augh. It started like a little sound that rumbled through his


    chest, but in a matter of


    seconds, he wasughing so hard that tears burned his eyes.


    Why notugh? After all, his life was a joke!


    ¡°So, you are happy to leave everything as it is, then?¡± Joran decided to clear the air between them at


    once. ¡°This is what you wish


    for?¡±


    The white bear did not reply, and the deity before him nodded silently.


    ¡°You¡¯re tired of fighting,¡± he sighed. ¡°I understand. So be it.¡±


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    He was about to leave when Bjorn¡¯sughter turned into a roar filled with so much rage that birds flew


    away from the nearby trees,


    trying to save themselves in horror. The roar soon turned into a call, a battle cry that every single warrior


    stationed in this part of the


    North knew that the King was summoning them.


    Bjorn was panting when he was done, but when he faced his patron, there was determination rippling


    through his veins.


    ¡°Tell me one thing,¡± he chuckled darkly, ¡°what will happen when Kai is dead again?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jor arched his brow, watching his champion with a newfound amusement.


    ¡°If I manage to kill him again and ensure he isn¡¯ting back this time, what will happen with- her?¡±


    Bjorn met the Serpent¡¯s gaze, and the deity understood where he wasing from.


    ¡°She is your mate before she is his, Darius,¡± Joran replied. ¡°If her forced mate is dead, she will be back


    to being your second¨Cchance


    mate.¡±


    ¡°Will she feel it this time?¡± the bear wondered.


    ¡°That¡¯s hard to tell now,¡± Joran rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°This is an unusual situation, but I don¡¯t


    see why she wouldn¡¯t feel it if


    her current bond with Kai is broken.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± Bjorn cleared his throat and then took a deep breath of the cold northern air. ¡°I am tired of


    fighting, but I will not let


    anyone take what is mine anymore! Years of staying quiet, of plotting behind the scenes and hiding in the


    catbs, I am tired of all of this. This time¡­ it¡¯s going to be all or nothing!¡±


    ¡°I like your spirit,¡± a smirk spread over the Serpent¡¯s face as he observed the one who was going to help


    him with his revenge, ¡°And this time, I will help you more than before. You have my word. After all, who


    says I can have only one champion?¡±

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    Kai was about to finish Bjorn off when a huge shadow flew right over his head. He felt a powerful presence, but he did not want to stop. The bast*rd


    had to die after everything he did! So many people had been killed on his orders. Savvy was wounded and almost died because of him. His closest


    friends and family survived by a miracle that they still couldn¡¯t exin.


    ¡°Leave now,¡± Asgard growled inside of his mind, and it was strangeing from him, considering that he was usually the bloodthirsty one. Not to


    mention that he¡¯d barely spoken to Kai since their rebirth. The whole thing was harder for his wolf because he was the one who went through the


    biggest transition. Amarok was a unity of the third Lycan form, Kai and Asgard, enhanced by Fenrir¡¯s divine power. The Royal Lycan entity was


    dissolved as now they were all something else. It was a lot to get used to in just a few days, and Asgard was noticeably struggling since everything


    happened.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be quick,¡± Kai promised. The opportunity was too good to pass up. Bjorn already looked dead, but he wanted to return the spear favour and


    make sure his nemesis wouldn¡¯t being back.


    ¡°Leave. Now!¡± A more powerful voice sounded, and Kai realised that this time it was Fenrir talking to him. That waspletely unexpected and


    hard to ignore. However, it was still tempting to try.


    ¡°Stay, and we risk losing our mate,¡± Asgard added with a snarl, and there wasn¡¯t a question of what to do next anymore. Amarok turned on his paws


    and shifted into human form before he reached Savannah. He saw the relief on her face, as if she still wasn¡¯t sure it was him before, and then he


    ran towards her to kiss and hug her again, even if just for mere seconds.


    ¡°It still feels like a dream,¡± she whispered, pressing herself to his chest as he kissed the top of her head softly, squeezing her and inhaling her


    wonderful scent, trying to fill his lungs with it. It had only been a few days, but it felt like an eternity to him. An eternity of darkness and emptiness.


    He never wanted to go back there again.


    ¡°We need to leave,¡± Kai informed her with a note of stress in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s not safe here, and you are wounded. Get on my back, Sawy.¡±


    He shifted into his giant wolf with ice spikes growing out of him, but Sawy did not hesitate even for a second before climbing up. The spikes


    retracted the moment she touched his soft blue-ck fur, which amazed her and surprised even Kai, who was still learning how to use his new


    abilities. Even the ice needles from his battle with Bjorn were new to him. It was possible that his body recognized their mate and reacted to her


    automatically, not wishing to harm her in any way.


    Savannah did not question any of it; she was satisfied with everything that was happening, even if it still felt surreal. If he said they had to leave,


    then she was ready to follow him. She was ready to follow him even if Kai told her he was going into the underworld itself. Next stop: Hell? Let¡¯s go!


    As long as it was with him as herpany and they got to be together again, it would be worth it.


    Sawy felt exhausted and, although she was already healing, blood was still dripping from her wounds. She leaned over Amarok¡¯s back,cing her


    fingers into his beautiful soft fur to hold herself in ce and closed her eyes with a blissful smile on her face.


    ¡°Please, Moon Goddess, let it be true!¡± she whispered.


    They would, of course, have a long conversationter. She would tell him about everything that happened to her while he was gone, and he would


    tell her what happened to him, how he became this new kind of beast. A part of her was still afraid that when she opened her eyes, she would find


    herself back in Bjorn¡¯s castle, and all of this would turn out to be a dream. The thought alone made her shudder, and she closed her eyes for what


    was meant to be just a moment. She let the air blow through her hair as she enjoyed the softness her mate provided and the tingles that erupted


    every time she moved, even just an inch.


    Mate. He was her mate. For the first time, it felt so right. Savvy knew that Kai was right for her. They found each other in the middle of all kinds of


    troubles and challenges, pushed into circumstances that were unlikely to make people like each other, let alone fall in love. But they did.


    Feeling those tingles tonight was very different from what she had with Zack. Her heartless ex-mate couldn¡¯t evenpare. Now Savannah knew


    the difference. That pull and those tingles were instinctual. The mate bond was hard-wired into their wolves, the beasts inside of them, to instantly


    want each other because they were a perfect match on so many levels. It¡¯s said that the Moon Goddess was connecting her children¡¯s souls. But


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    did anyone really know that? Of course, couples like Gideon and Riannon made everyone believe in the legend, but at the same time, how many


    unhappy mate-bonded couples were out there? The answer was ¨C plenty. She could have been in this situation twice already. Statistically speaking,


    the results weren¡¯t that impressive. It made her sad to think of her dead brother and his wife, so she decided to push that thought away. However,


    she couldn¡¯t stop thinking of Kai and mates in general. Maybe her mind was over-stimted now from all the stress or maybe she needed to


    rationalise what was happening somehow.


    It seemed like she and Zack were a perfect match in every way imaginable. An Alpha and a Princess who would help the West to defend itself


    against the enemies and traitors. They could have had perfect pups together and lived a happy picture-perfect life. Except Zack was the traitor. The


    two of them looked like a perfect union to an outsider and Savannah still remembered how everyone congratted her when they found out about


    them being mates, Even Gideon gave them his blessing. However, the mate given to her by the Moon Goddess turned out to be a bad man, a bad


    person, and a horrible Alpha who knew nothing about loyalty, honesty and honour. It never sat right with her after she found out about everything


    that he was supposed to be the other half of her soul. He wasn¡¯t perfect for her, he couldn¡¯t be any less perfect. Maybe their souls were united in a


    way, but he made some choices that she could never condone. And he treated her as her property, not a partner. For Zack, that¡¯s all a Luna like her


    was. Something told her that the Moon Goddess couldn¡¯t have intended her to go through all that.


    In the meantime, Kai gave her everything she ever looked for without those damn tingles. They made their choice to be together without the divine


    connection, and it felt so right every step of the way. Even right now, she loved him and she wanted him, but at the same time, it wasn¡¯t just


    physical. The mate bond they had now felt better than anything she had experienced before. It felt stronger, more intense and more¡­ reliable.


    Then she remembered Bjorn and his im, and the way he insisted they were mates, but he never had a problem hurting her if she didn¡¯t fit the


    mould he wanted her to fit. Those were the choices he made, too.


    Wolves grew up believing in fairytales about couples finding each other and falling for each other instantly. In those tales, Alphas were easily falling


    for omegas, bringing them to their packs and making them their Lunas. No one ever doubted that this was how it was supposed to be because the


    mate bond was sacred, and everyone dreamed of finding their better half.


    Only that it wasn¡¯t that simple, was it?


    Savannah rubbed her cheek in the soft fur. Mate or not, she would choose this man over and over. She would reject anyone for him. The bond felt


    amazing, and she couldn¡¯t wait to explore it more. It was a gift neither of them expected, but at the same time, it wasn¡¯t what defined them as a


    couple. They would have been together regardless.


    Love was filling her heart, bringing herfort and peace. If this was a dream, she didn¡¯t want to wake up.


    ¡°Sawy?¡± she heard a painfully familiar voice and flinched, afraid to open her eyes. She didn¡¯t even notice that Kai had stopped. Where were they?


    ¡°Sawy?¡± Gideon¡¯s voice trembled. Her big brother rarely sounded so¡­ worried, and her heart clenched. Maybe it was an illusion after all because


    getting just Kai back was madness and insane luck. To get her brother back, too, was absolutely impossible! ¡°Is she all right?¡± The King of the West


    sounded like he was on the verge of breaking. ¡°What did they do to her? Sawy!¡±


    ¡°Gideon?¡± She lifted her head, and the first thing she saw was her brother walking towards them. He was paler than usual and not so polished. But


    none of this seemed to matter. He was alive! Gideon was alive and well and walking towards her! Handsome and perfect as always even despite


    his dishevelled hair. Now she got scared again that this couldn¡¯t be the reality. There was absolutely no way!


    Kai shifted to his human form again without warning, and she didn¡¯t even manage to yelp before he caught her in his arms. Savannah¡¯s lips parted


    in shock, but Riannon was already by her side with a warm nket she wrapped around her sister-inw, covering the rags of her dress.


    ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡± Savvy gasped and then added, ¡°Either you¡¯re alive, or I am dead and seeing things.


    Which one is it? Not that I mind either!¡± She tried tough, but it sounded weak and nervous. She


    wasn¡¯t fooling anyone.


    ¡°We are all alive,¡± Ria smiled warmly and gave her a tight hug. It was a bit ufortable because, at


    the same time, Kai did not n to let her go and was still holding her in his arms, pressing her tight


    against his bare chest. She wasn¡¯t going to ask him to let her go either. It all was so perfect that she


    didn¡¯t mind staying like this with them forever. She remembered her brother dying, clenching the


    already dead Riannon in his arms, grieving their unborn baby and worried sick about his sister. A new


    tear rolled down her cheek.


    It didn¡¯t happen. It wasn¡¯t like that. Not anymore.


    ¡°The baby-¡°Sawy said the words with pale lips. She still didn¡¯t know anything. The poison obviously


    didn¡¯t work on them, but what if her little niece or nephew got hurt?


    ¡°Onyx says the baby is well,¡± Ria rubbed her tummy.


    ¡°Put her down! I want to hug my sister! And put something on, for Moon Goddess¡¯ sake!¡± Gideon


    growled, losing his patience, and Kai grunted, already annoyed. However, he did as he was told and


    carefully ced Sawy¡¯s bare feet onto the ground without any kind of his usual snarky attitude in return.


    The events of the past few days changed them all.


    Gideon did not waste any time and pulled his sibling into a tight, warm, and slightly painful embrace.


    She could feel his every raw emotion, knowing how much she meant to him. For many years, it had


    been just the two of them. Savannah remembered how he watched Zack being smug about ¡°his¡± n.


    She knew that it brought him as much pain as it did to her and now he was telling her that without


    words.


    ¡°If I could havee sooner,¡± Gideon said in a low voice and for a second there, she felt like he was


    shedding a tear or two. He buried his face into her messy hair, and she did not rush him, letting him


    have this moment discreetly.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Savannah giggled softly, reassuringly, still not believing her own luck. ¡°Trust me; they regret


    abducting me in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± the King of the West chuckled proudly and gave her a fatherly kiss on the forehead.


    From the corner of her eye, Savannah noticed Kyle and Zara running in her direction, followed by


    Evelyn and L. Petra was waving at her at a distance but not approaching, giving her privacy and


    some time to spend with her closest people. The girl didn¡¯t look as high-spirited as usual, but that could


    have been easily exined by what was going on, and Sawy didn¡¯t pay it much attention. She was


    more concentrated on thanking the higher beings for getting everyone she loved back to her.


    ¡°You¡¯re all alive!¡± Tears streamed down her cheeks as sheughed and hugged each of them. If


    heaven really did exist, it probably felt like that. ¡°How is it even possible?!¡±


    ¡°You all better be careful and not crush my mate over there!¡± Kai grumbled as he pulled on the jeans


    that L had brought for him, bringing silence to the little clearing they were all gathered on.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Gideon arched his brow. ¡°How is that even-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I am not questioning the gifts given to us by the gods,¡± Kai shook his head. ¡°But I


    have to say that this new life


    feels so much better than the first one. I have a new power, by the way. Ice needles! Who knew?!¡±


    ¡°I liked you better when you couldn¡¯t shift,¡± the Western King rolled his eyes. ¡°Sawy, my dear sister, you


    do know you can reject him, right?¡± he teased and the Northern Lycan King let out a menacing snarl.


    ¡°See what I told you?¡± Gideon continued his mocking. ¡°The mutt doesn¡¯t even know how to behave in


    public!¡±


    ¡°At least now I know this is real because you are back to your usual bickering!¡± she beamed at her big


    brother and then burst outughing, still unable to stop the tears. She was too emotional, and it was


    getting out of control. ¡°As for the manners, my mate and I will work on that. Thank you.¡±


    She was slowly starting to like the mate concept again because, somehow, saying the word in rtion


    to Kai was bringing her joy every time.


    ¡°Sadly, we have to cut our reunion short,¡± Kai gently but persistently took her out of her brother¡¯s hands


    and back into his, kissing her temple softly. ¡°I don¡¯t think it is safe to stay anywhere other than my


    castle now. The final battle will happen as soon as possible. We won a few days, were able to prepare


    while no one knew, but we don¡¯t have that luxury anymore.¡±


    ¡°Then shall I activate the second part of our n?¡± Ria asked, her hand rubbing her slightly on her


    rounded belly. She still did not look like a pregnant woman, just like one who had a full dinner. Then


    again, no one expected anything else from the perfect Luna. Something told Savannah that when she


    would be pregnant with Kai¡¯s baby one day, this wouldn¡¯t be the case for her. That made her think of


    something else, and her cheeks flushed at the sudden realisation¡­  out.


    However, there were more urgent things at the moment, things that couldn¡¯t wait.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kyle agreed with his Luna. ¡°I will alert Uncle Reid right this very moment.¡±


    ¡°What is the second part of the n exactly?¡± Savvy wondered, assuming that the first part was getting


    her and the other hostages


    ¡°Well,¡± Gideon smirked, ¡°my brilliant wife talked us into this, and now that you are here, I am d she


    did. Remember how hard it was for us to expose the traitors among us? Even after you found out the


    truth about Zack and brought me the information you found on his phone, we still weren¡¯t sure we got


    everyone.¡±


    Savannah nodded, and Kai pulled her closer, unable to stop touching her.


    ¡°Now was our chance to find out,¡± Kyle winked at his friend whilecing his fingers with Evelyn¡¯s. The


    woman, however, slipped her hand out of his grasp, and this did not escape Savvy¡¯s gaze. ¡°We set


    traps for everyone who wasn¡¯t with us,¡± the guy continued as if nothing happened, but the Western


    Princess knew her best friend too well and saw the disappointment in his eyes.


    ¡°You all have been busy!¡± Savannah praised them. They all did so much while she was lying sick in


    Bjorn¡¯s bed¡­


    ¡°So were you,¡± Zara chimed in. ¡°I flew over the bears¡¯ castle now. Well, whatever is left from it. Castle


    for a castle, right?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Savvy smiled, feeling better now.


    ¡°But we do need to leave,¡± Kai reminded them. ¡°We can talk back at home.¡±


    ¡°Is there something you haven¡¯t told us?¡± Gideon raised his brow.


    ¡°Plenty of things,¡± the Lycan King of the North snorted. ¡°But this is not the ce nor the time. Savannah


    needs a healer, though-¡±


    He did not finish as his hands slid under the nket Savvy was covering herself with. All the wounds


    were already gone.


    ¡°I think I already got one,¡± she giggled and leaned over his chest. ¡°Feeling much better, Doc.¡±


    ¡°Mates indeed,¡± Riannon chuckled softly. ¡°And no magical lycan licking required! Gideon, can you


    imagine?!¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha,¡± her husband crossed his hands over his chest. ¡°Just remember I am watching you, Fiongh.


    And if you hurt her-¡±


    ¡°Never!¡± Kai interjected, and they stared at each other for some time.


    Gideon¡¯s lips curled into the vaguest of smiles.


    ¡°Good!¡± the Western King nodded, taking his wife¡¯s hand, walked away. ¡°Let¡¯s get going then!¡±


    They shifted one by one, and only Kai prevented Savannah from doing so.


    ¡°I am not ready to part with you just yet,¡± he told her as he ced a gentle kiss on her lips. ¡°So, you are


    going on my back.¡±


    ¡°I can get used to it,¡± she taunted him, and a growl escaped the Northern Lycan King¡¯s chest.


    ¡°You¡¯d better,¡± he imed her lips once again and then added. ¡°Hop on. We have a longer road than


    everyone else.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± she looked at him, startled slightly.


    ¡°Because we are not going where everyone else is going.¡± A smirk formed on Kai¡¯s lips. ¡°The night is


    young, Savvy, and we have more important things to do. Something I should have done a while ago.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t surprised when he took her to the mountains. Thanks to her memory, she recognised the


    ce as the one where the cabin was located and where they spent those wonderful days. They


    passed the northern castle first, of course. It pained Savannah to see the damages done to it, although


    she had to admit that Bjorn¡¯s Castle suffered more thanks to her invisible helper.


    Everyone else was about to stay with Elene and work some more on ns for that final battle. At the


    same time, Kai decided to take one night off for the two of them.


    Amarok had no trouble moving through the snow of the mountains. In fact, it looked and felt as if he was exactly where he was supposed to be. So


    they reached the little wooden house faster than she expected, and Kai turned back into a human.


    Surprisingly, it was already warm inside as someone had already started the fire for them. Savannah noticed a table set for two and various clothes


    put in neat piles on the sofa. Someone has been preparing for their arrival. However, she could tell by the scents inside the room that this someone


    was long gone.  gone.


    Someone had been preparing for their arrival. However, she could tell by the scents inside the room that this someone was long


    She walked inside and stopped by the fire, dropping the nket to the ground and staying just in that torn red dress of hers. This made Kai growl


    and cross the living-room in a couple of strides.


    Alone, atst, they couldn¡¯t take their eyes off each other.


    ¡°Mate,¡± the sweet word escaped the king¡¯s lips as he brushed his palm over her soft cheek. His eyes were filled with lust and longing, and it took all


    of Savannah¡¯s willpower to step away. The action caused fear to appear on her beloved¡¯s face. The bond was so new and fresh that they both were


    afraid, it was too good to be true.


    ¡°I just-¡± Savvy tried to search for the right words, but then chose to say it inly, ¡°I need a bath, Kai.¡±


    His brows went up, but he understood what she meant at once. She was covered in dirt and blood. Some of it probably wasn¡¯t even her own. No


    wonder she wanted to clean it off first.


    ¡°If my Queen wants a bath, then she gets a bath,¡± he smiled and took her hand, pulling her behind him. ¡°Luckily, we have a tub that fits two here,


    remember?¡±


    She remembered. She hoped that he would say that because she couldn¡¯t take not being together with him anymore. Not even if only for a few


    minutes.


    Kai filled the bathtub while she washed her face. For her, it wasn¡¯t just the dirt or the blood, not even the remains of the make-up the white bear


    maids put on her. She wanted to get rid of Bjorn¡¯s scent on her. She brushed her teeth vigorously, remembering how he kissed her without her


    consent, how he touched her at every opportunity he could. She felt that if she washed it all away, it would somehow fix what had happened. She


    wasn¡¯t thinking about all that while she was in there because she had more important things on her mind, but now, with Kai so close, she didn¡¯t


    want to have a trace of another man on her. It insulted their mate bond, and it insulted their love. She couldn¡¯t have any of it.


    She was washing her hands, again and again, scrubbing vigorously under the nails when he got her. Two strong hands gently wrapped around her


    waist, and Kai closed the tap, pulling her away from it. Savannah looked down; she couldn¡¯t brace herself to face him with all those thoughts in her


    head. And her mate did not want to force her. Their bond was new and fresh, but he could sense her distress.


    Kai lowered his head and gently pecked her on the shoulder, but to his surprise, she shuddered.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked, afraid to make a wrong move. He was beginning to understand¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ nothing,¡± she tried to push past him, but he did not let go of her. Instead, he gently turned her around and made her look into his eyes. ¡°I just


    really need this bath,¡± she tried to snort, but it sounded like a whimper instead. Why couldn¡¯t she just be happy  now?


    ¡°Savvy,¡± it took all Kai¡¯s strength and restraint to ask the question, ¡°did he- Did Bjorn ever-¡± He couldn¡¯t say it because he felt like a failure too. For


    not being there for her, for not being able to protect her when she needed it the most.


    Savannah¡¯s eyes widened when she realised what he was asking, and she shook her head, denying it.


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t,¡± she assured him and ced her palm on his chest. ¡°But being there was still-unpleasant and I don¡¯t want you to feel his scent on


    me-¡±


    ¡°Is that what is bothering you?¡± he cupped her face and made her look at him. ¡°Savvy, as long as you are alive and with me, this is all I could ask of


    you. I¡¯d never me you or be disappointed. I only want to kill the guy all over again. And I am so sorry that I didn¡¯t protect you. It¡¯s all my fault! You


    have no idea how much I regret not acting differently in the past. I should have lured him out, found him and killed him the moment heid his eyes


    on you. But I swear to you that it will never happen again. No one would dare touch you again! I came back to life because I couldn¡¯t leave you. I-¡±


    He was lost for words, and she felt his despair. A tear rolled down her cheek, but her lips curled into a smile. She stood on her tiptoes, and this time


    she was the one to kiss him. The kiss was as light as a wing of a butterfly, but somehow this one single motion managed to break his soul and then


    heal it in just mere moments.


    ¡°We are not doing this,¡± she told him firmly, confidently. ¡°We are not wasting our second chance on all of that. I¡¯m not going to cry, and you are not


    going to beat yourself up about this. I didn¡¯t even dream about youing back, and now here you are! And Kai, I love you so much! I am always


    going to love you, and now we get to spend our lives together, however long that is. Let¡¯s take that bath together, wash it off and move on. We will


    never forget it, but we¡¯re not going to be the ves of our past. What¡¯s done is done, but together we are going to build our perfect future!¡±


    ¡°My Queen is wise,¡± he gave her a smile back, a genuine and heart-warming one, and then pushed the straps of her dress off her shoulders,


    making it pool at her feet.


    Cautiously, he checked her body for any kind of wounds, bruises and scratches, and soon he hummed in approval when he didn¡¯t find any.


    She let him examine her with a little glint in her eyes and the relief on his face when he confirmed she wasn¡¯t harmed, made the corners of her lips


    curl. Moon Goddess, she missed him! The desire for him was growing in her body, and when he lifted her up in her arms and then lowered her into


    the warm water, getting in there together with her, she did not protest.


    Kai sat behind her back and nestled her between his things, then took a sponge and added some expensive and nice-smelling soap to it. Then he


    started sliding it over his mate¡¯s delicate body softly, cleaning her torturously, thoroughly. Inch by inch, he was driving her crazy while she rested on


    his chest, not forgetting to im her lips from time to time, each kiss getting deeper, longer and more passionate. She could feel his hardness


    growing, and her breathing became ragged from their proximity alone. He always had this effect on her, but now it was undeniable. Kai Fiongh


    could ignite her inner fire within seconds.


    1


    ¡°Look at you,¡± his voice rasped as he gently brushed his nose over her neck. ¡°Ready to be undone, and I barely touched you!¡± She simply chuckled


    at that because she was not going to deny it. Moreover, all she wanted now was to embrace him. She needed him; she needed to feel his love.


    ¡°Tell me, Savannah, are you feeling fresh and clean now?¡± he teased her; drawing his tongue over her sensitive spot and making her toes curl. ¡°You


    taste so good. I can assure you that! But do you have the strength to-¡±


    ¡°I feel as good as new!¡± she reported, sliding her palm over his well-sculptured thigh and pressing her nails into his flesh gently to let him know how


    serious she was about it.


    ¡°Good!¡± Kai approved, a low darkugh rumbling through his chest. And then he got her out of the water in one swift move, not caring about the


    water sshing all over the expensive wooden floor. ¡°Because I haven¡¯t even started, Savvy, and I have big ns for you tonight.¡±

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    Kai grabbed a huge fluffy towel on the way from the bathroom to the bedroom and wrapped it around Savannah, not bothering with all the water


    drops falling from his own perfectly sculpted body to the wooden floor. He carefully ced his mate on the bed as if she was made of the finest


    porcin thatcould break at any moment and then gently dried her body, groaning from the desire to devour her hastily. However, he knew very well


    that she deserved more than that. She was made to be loved and worshipped. Kai wanted her to scream his name first, and only then would he


    think about his own pleasure.


    ¡°Tell me that you are ready and you want this,¡± he said, still kneeling in front of her. ¡°If you are not, it¡¯s absolutely fine, and I would-


    ¡°I¡¯ve wanted this for a while, and if you don¡¯t take me now, Kai Fiongh, we are going to have a problem!¡± Savannah threw the towel at him and


    leaned backwards on her elbows, naked and beautiful, daring him to join her.


    ¡°Oh?¡± A wicked grin blossomed on the king¡¯s face as he quickly patted himself dry and threw the towel away. A growl escaped him as he saw her


    crawling further away from him on the bed. It was toote now to try distancing herself from him. Not after she practically challenged him to take


    her, knowing where this would lead them tonight.


    ¡°We should test how this mate bond of ours works, don¡¯t you think?¡± a smirk spread over his lips, and he noticed Savannah¡¯s breathing getting


    heavier, her perky breasts rising and falling in sharp rhythm. Something told him that she was restraining herself too, and he liked that idea very


    much. They were starved for each other.


    Her luscious lips parted when she saw him walking in the opposite direction from her.


    ¡°Someone is ying a dangerous game!¡± she teased as she watched him opening one of the drawers of the nearby dresser insearch for something


    inside.


    ¡°What I love about this bond of ours is that you seem to read my mind,¡± Kai chuckled darkly, and she saw a ck silk tie in his hands. ¡°I am


    desperate to y with you too, Savvy.¡±


    He strode slowly towards her, enjoying how her cheeks flushed from the thought alone. She was so beautiful thismate of his. He touched her with


    the soft silk fabric first, gliding it torturously from her calf to her upper thigh and then her belly, all the way to her neck, making her breath and body


    shiver in delight.


    ¡°Would you let me?¡± Kai asked, knowing that she already understood what he wanted to do. ¡°I¡¯ll be gentle,¡± he coaxed her with the corners of his


    mouth rising upwards slightly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Savannah brushed her fingers over his sculpted abdomen, tracing each line that looked like it was carved out of stone. She enjoyed


    watching goosebumps form on her mighty Alpha¡¯s skin, knowing that she was the reason for it.


    Kai towered over her. then crushed his lips over hers in a kiss that wasn¡¯t nearly enough for her as she whimpered when he broke it. But before she


    could protest, he tied the fabric over her eyes, making sure she couldn¡¯t see anything, and then he pushed her gently back onto the pillows.


    Savannah expected him to be all over her, but for some time, he wasn¡¯t doing a thing, which frustrated her, but also¡­ made her bite her lip


    anxiously. Anticipation was building her up quicker than she could have thought possible. Kai noticed how her fingers were grasping the sheets


    around her, knowing that she couldn¡¯t handle much more. A dark chuckle escaped him, because she had no idea how hard it was for him to restrain


    himself and what he had in mind for her.


    Savannah expected to feel his warm lips or hands on one of her sensitive spots, but instead, her whole body jolted when a small piece of ice came


    into contact with the skin between her breasts. She gasped at the unexpected sensation and felt him drawing the ice tower and making her clench


    her thighs together.


    ¡°My beautiful little mate,¡± he whispered. ¡°So responsive¡­¡±


    Then it was gone, and for a few good seconds, it seemed that Kai was gone too. Only his strong scent let her know that he was near, watching over


    her and not leaving her alone.


    The ice was back, this time on her n****e, forcing a gasp out of her, being able to control her reactions. However, the moment the ice was gone, the


    hot tongue of her mate swirled around her pink bud. This time she couldn¡¯t help but arch her back and moan loudly. She definitely liked that. Kai


    repeated the same with the other breast, fondling the first one gently in his palm.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± He whispered into her lips, and she was sure that he was about to kiss her, but at thest moment he pulled away and his warm


    breath disappeared while the ice was back, shickingly cold on the inner side of her thigh.


    ¡°Thate it!¡± she lied, throwing her head back but once again, the cold was reced by the heat as Kai began to leave a wet trail of


    kisses that led to her core.


    ¡°Oh Goddess!¡± Savvy covered her mouth, biting on her own flesh to keep herself from screaming. Warm fingers brushed over her


    folds, already glistening with desire, making her whole body quiver.


    ¡°Kail¡± Her voice wasced with reproach as he pulled away, but then she felt his hands wrapping


    around her ankles. Her mate yanked her to the edge of the bed, positioning her the way he liked and


    sliding his hands all over her body, caressing her thighs, breasts, neck, face¡­ His thumb brushed over


    her lips, making them part, and a growl escaped him when Savannah sucked it in, teasing the digit with


    her tongue. She let out a gasp as his other hand cupped her core, sliding a finger inside, probing her


    slick tightness.


    With her eyes covered, all the sensations were intensified exponentially. So, when Kai knelt in front of


    her, parting her legs and drawing a finger over her already pulsating bundle of nerves, eliciting wave


    after wave of tingles to surge through her, Savannah lost it


    and let out a loud moan.


    Kai chuckled, observing all this and took another maddening pause. He knew that she was about to


    lose her patience because he


    could see how close she was to the edge already.


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    ¡°You are the most beautiful little thing I¡¯ve everid my eyes on,¡± he told her. ¡°I could watch you like this


    all day long¡­ every day¡­¡±


    Her cheeks became a brighter shade of pink, and her breathing became faster.


    ¡°Kai Fionn-¡± she was about to scold him when he plunged his tongue inside of her, making a long


    luxurious slide down her core. Her thighs trembled, and he ced them on his broad shoulders to keep


    them in ce, all while not breaking contact with her sensitive flesh.


    She moaned his name again and again, rocking her hips to meet his pace as he teased her, tortured


    her by bringing her so close to


    cli.max and then stopping at thest second.


    ¡°More!¡± she screamed, arching her back and entwining her fingers in Kai¡¯s hair to pull him closer.


    ¡°My greedy gorgeous Queen!¡± he snarled into her, but obeyed, pickingup the pace. ¡°I am happy to


    oblige!¡±


    He used his lips to suck and nibble at her most sensitive bud, and slid his tongue into her wetness and


    soon he felt the waves of her release rushing through her, letting her ride it properly. Pleasure rippled


    through her, but her mate did not n to stop.


    After her first rele.ase, she was quivering with each new movement of his tongue, and when he slid a


    finger back into her, curling it to reach a little ridged spot inside, she lost it again, pressing her thighs


    tightly around his head as she bucked her hips in ecstasy¡­


    He loved feeling her react to him in this way. He slid his palm up her belly and then higher, knowing that


    everywhere he touched her, tingles from the new mate bond erupted. Kai grasped one of her breasts


    and rolled the n¡¯pple between his fingers, which tipped her over


    the edge again as he kept stimting her in all the right ces.


    Savannah tried to catch her breath when he took the blindfold off, giving her time to adjust to the light.


    Their eyes locked, faces


    illuminatedby the flickering mes of the firece and she knew what he was about to do.


    ¡°Kai,¡± she wanted to say something, but the words still weren¡¯t forming properly.


    ¡°I love you so much,¡± he said exactly what was on his mind as he climbed on top of her and imed


    her lips. ¡°I thought I lost you and


    ¨C Savvy, I couldn¡¯t leave you even when I was dead.¡±


    The mention of death brought her out of the daze, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. Just the


    memory made her shudder.


    ¡°Savvy, I have to tell-¡±


    She ced her fingers on his lips to silence him.


    ¡°Mark me,¡± she said, and another growl escaped him because every part of him had wanted to do this


    since day one. ¡°Mark me, Kai.


    Whatever you want to tell me can wait. Nothing will change my mind because I was yours even before I


    became your mate.¡±


    It was true, and he knew it. He had no doubts and neither did she.


    ¡°Mark me before the war starts, mark me before someone interrupts us again, mark me before one of


    us does something stupid,¡±


    she pleaded,cing her fingers into his dark hair.


    ¡°You will not have to ask me twice,¡± Kai said, as he scooped her up, sittingfortably on the bed.


    ¡°Originally, I wanted to give you a ceremony to remember.¡±


    ¡°You seeded with that one,¡± Savannah¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°We said our vows, and none of us


    will ever forget that day. Now, give me your mark. I want it, Kai. I need it. I-¡±


    He kissed her again because words couldn¡¯t express what he felt. But their bodies entangled together


    could. Without breaking the kiss, Kai gently lifted her by her hips and slid her slowly onto his hardness,


    filling her up and stretching her out. He could feel Savannah¡¯s nails digging into his flesh as they were


    finally joined and he wrapped hisrge arms around her, drawing her closer.


    Kai couldn¡¯t help but be worried about hurting her. After all, his body, although it looked the same, was


    completely new, and he didn¡¯t know the full extent of Amarok¡¯s strength and power yet. What he knew


    was that he wanted this woman so much he could barely control himself. It was a thirst of a new kind,


    and only she could quench it. Savannah was precious to him, and if she got hurt because of him again,


    he wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it.


    However, she couldn¡¯t wait anymore and started moving on top of him, moaning as she slid up and


    down his length. Her breasts.


    were brushing over his chest, driving him crazy and just the look of her was unleashing Amarok


    himself.


    ¡°Mine,¡± his intense growl shook the walls around them and it only made Savannah moan louder. She


    did not n to stop and


    neither could he anymore. He buried his face in her neck, showering it with possessive kisses as


    hestaked his im on her. He grasped her


    bottom, holding her in ce, and started pounding into her, making them both forget about everything.


    ¡°Kai!¡± she screamed as a new org.asm ripped through her tiny body, but he kept going. This was only


    the beginning. She cli.maxed


    on top of him again and again, until he knew that the time hade, and his teeth grazed over her


    marking spot, drawing a gasp of anticipation from her.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± his voice rasped through his chest.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been ready for a long time,¡± she panted and locked her legs around his waist as he sunk his canines into her delicate flesh. He tried to be


    gentle, but it felt so good to im thiswoman to the fullest finally that a snarl was forced out of him. A snarl so powerful that it caused an avnche


    in the nearby mountains. His hands were holding her tightly now as he forced his canines to withdraw, still tasting her blood on his lips.


    ¡°Are you¡­ all right?¡± he asked, the worry evident in his voice as he observed his mate with her eyes closed.


    ¡°Better than ever!¡± Savannah looked like she wasing down from her high. His heart was racing. Her eyes snapped open, ¡°My turn!¡± she


    announced and a wave of relief went through him.


    He chuckled, happy to see a smile curling her lips. He started thrusting into her again, licking the spot where his mark was already forming,


    cleaning her up.


    Savvy tried not to lose herself in the sensations. Everything was so intense now, but she knew she still had to do the most important thing. She


    grasped his hair and made him tilt his head to give her ess to his strong neck. She bit him exactly where she¡¯d always wanted to bite him,


    reveling in the new connection that was entangling their souls now.


    Receiving her mark undid him. Kai unleashed himself on her, dropping her back onto the bed and bracing both her arms above her head with one


    of his. Hooking one of her thighs with his free hand, he rammed into her like there was no tomorrow until a joint relea.se exploded through both of


    them, making them lose breath as their bond became unbreakable atst.


    Their gazes locked and they both smiled at each other, happy, breathless, fulfilled.


    ¡°Mine atst,¡± Kai whispered and lowered his head to kiss her once again.


    ¡°Always and forever,¡± Savannah replied, and they were about to go at it again when something started to change. Their marks started glowing, and


    Kai paused on top of his beloved, watching how the traces from his canines were forming some kind of a pattern.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be!¡± Savvy gasped when her fingers traced her mate¡¯s mark as tears formed in her eyes, ¡°Kai¡­¡±


    The Northern King didn¡¯t reply as he was busy pushing her wet hair out of the way so that he could see how the spikes of the North star started


    shimmering on his queen¡¯s neck one by one. It was so beautiful that he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off his mark.


    ¡°I have never seen anything so beautiful,¡± he muttered, pressing his lips against it and feeling divine power surge through the star.¡±¡±


    It¡¯s so fitting¡­ for my beautiful Queen.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± she murmured, and he knew that they wouldn¡¯t be able to control their passion for a while¡­


    After hours of lovemaking, Savannahy her head on Kai¡¯s chest, feeling the rise and fall of his chest and inhaling his wonderful


    scent of earthy forest and pine. The best scent in the world. Not a hint of mint or wintergreen. Just the way she liked it.


    She noticed that he hadn¡¯t said a word, and it was beginning to bother her.


    ¡°You are unusually quiet,¡± she lifted her head up and noticed the tense expression on his face.


    He did not look at her, and she immediately knew that something was wrong.


    ¡°Kai, what is it?¡± she cupped his cheek and gently made him look at her.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have-¡± his voice broke, and now she was worried.


    ¡°Kai?¡± Savannah sat up in the bed, and he exhaled heavily as his gaze grazed over her beautiful naked frame.


    ¡°I was so happy¡­ I absolutely forgot¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have filled you with my seed tonight,¡± he avoided her eyes.


    ¡°And why is that?¡± she was startled by his sudden revtion. This waspletely unexpected.


    ¡°Getting you pregnant tonight¡­ it¡¯s not the right time,¡± he still wasn¡¯t looking at her, and she knew that he was hiding something. However, she had


    a bigger surprise for him than that.


    ¡°Well,¡± Savvy giggled, ¡°I am afraid it¡¯s a bit toote for that!¡±

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    ¡°Savvy, what do you mean?¡± Kai¡¯s face went pale, and the princess¡¯s smile dropped. She expected him


    to be over the moon about it, or at least stunned, but she could feel waves of tension radiating from him


    now and did not know what to do.


    ¡°Kai Fiongh, this is not the reaction I was counting on,¡± she informed him with her brows knitted


    together.


    ¡°Savvy,¡± he pulled her into his embrace and cupped her chin gently. Nevertheless, she could tell he was


    nervous. ¡°Are you-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, if I am honest,¡± she admitted, blushing softly. ¡°I think it¡¯s possible.¡±


    Savannah felt his grip on her stiffen and instantly knew that something was wrong. She distanced herself


    from him, the mood sour all of a sudden. Was the possibility of the two of them having children together


    so scary for him? Weren¡¯t they talking about expanding their family right after they got married before all


    the drama? Did he change his mind? A panic attack started without warning, affecting every single cell of


    her body. Why was it going all wrong?


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want the child-¡± She fiddled with the sheet, lowering her eyes, and he growled, getting her


    back into his arms and onto hisp.


    ¡°Savvy, I want it more than anything. You, me and an army of our little pups. I want it all,¡± the King


    assured her. ¡°There is one problem, though. I¡­ Sawy, I think I f*cked up.¡±


    Now he was the one who couldn¡¯t look her in the eye, and she started to get worried.


    ¡°What is it?¡± She brushed his cheek with her palm, tilting his head towards her. Surely, it couldn¡¯t have


    been that bad.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been blessed by a god, Savannah,¡± Kai confessed, and she breathed out in relief. She kind of


    figured this one out already.


    ¡°It seems to be amon themetely,¡± she chuckled. ¡°I only heard about it in legends, and now I know


    three people who have had the honour.¡±


    ¡°Three?¡± He shot her a puzzled look.


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    ¡°You, Ria and¡­ Bjorn,¡± she admitted, letting out an exasperated sigh. ¡°There is this deity that helps him-


    You know, never mind. This night is ours, and I want to only speak about us.¡±


    ¡°You see, Sav, there is a difference between me and the others,¡± Kai decided to be honest with his mate.


    He didn¡¯t want to start their new life together with lies or hiding essential information. Their family


    wouldn¡¯t be like that, and his Luna deserved to know everything. She deserved all the best things in life;


    especially choosing her own destiny. Unfortunately, that was one thing he partially deprived her of now.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Savannah was ready to listen to whatever it was he had to share with her. She


    could see how not easy it was for him and gentlyced their fingers together to give him the reassurance


    he needed.


    ¡°The deity who blessed me was Fenrir,¡± Kai revealed, but this was something she already suspected.


    ¡°Well, it was to be expected,¡± Savvy asserted with her lips curled into a gentle smile. ¡°He is the patron of


    the North, after all.¡±


    ¡°You see, the problem is, I don¡¯t think he wanted to bless me,¡± the King sighed, avoiding her gaze.


    ¡°Then how?¡± Now Savannah was lost. Surely, a god had to know what he was doing. And why wouldn¡¯t


    Fenrir want to save the lycan who served him his whole life?


    ¡°He is¡­ not what we imagine him to be. He looked¡­ like he didn¡¯t care. Long messy hair, a beard and a


    few scars on his face,¡± Kai closed his eyes, trying to remember any details. ¡°He didn¡¯te to help me. It


    was an ident.¡±


    ¡°An ident?¡± The princess gasped. Here she thought that Kai had a simr experience to Riannon¡¯s,


    but apparently, that couldn¡¯t be further away from the truth. ¡°Is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°He came to retrieve the spear,¡± her mate admitted. ¡°It was all he wanted. But the moment he touched it,


    something happened,¡± and a jolt of divine power went through me. This brought me back to life, but it


    was temporary, and Fenrir seemed as surprised as ! was.¡±


    ¡°Are you even sure that it was Fenrir?¡± Savvy couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing.


    ¡°Yes, I am certain of that. It¡¯s hard to exin this, but he is my deity. At some level, a part of me has


    always heard his call inside of my soul. It spoke to him even if he did not respond. The moment our eyes


    met, I knew who he was.¡±


    ¡°But why didn¡¯t he want to save you then?¡± She couldn¡¯tprehend this. The Moon Goddess went to


    great lengths to help Riannon because she believed that her sister-inw was worthy of a second


    chance and that they deserved to win the war against the foxes and bears. Why didn¡¯t Fenrir feel the


    same way about the King who worshipped him his whole life and served the North with his whole heart?


    ¡°He looked¡­ strange,¡± Kai replied after a while. ¡°Not godly at all. He looked like he was just passing by. If


    not for the spear, I don¡¯t think he would have bothered helping me at all. He told me that my life was over,


    and I had to go to the next world, that it would be better, and I would be happy there.¡±


    Savannah¡¯s heart clenched uncontrobly. Her nightmare could have been true. She could have lost him


    because no one was eager


    to save him. Him being here right now was just dumb luck and nothing more.


    ¡°Sawy-¡°her mate took her hands into hisrge palms and ced one to his heart, while the other was


    pressed against his lips. ¡°I will always be at fault about this, but I hope that you will understand. I was


    already on the other side, dead and gone. And all I knew was that I left you alone at the worst of times.


    My house was in mes, and I saw dead bodies around me. I saw Zack, and I could smell the scents of


    the bears that had already left. I knew that Bjorn took you away and that you were alone. At that


    moment, that was all I cared about. I-¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡± The Princess whispered with pale, trembling lips, only now realising how worried he


    really was. He did something. Kai did something he couldn¡¯t forgive himself for.


    ¡°Fenrir did not want to save me,¡± the Northern King repeated himself, ¡°and I begged him to help me. I


    held the spear in my hands, not letting him pull it out, fighting him for it. I knew very well that the moment


    he retrieved it, I would go back to the other side, and you would be on your own forever. I couldn¡¯t let that


    happen.¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Savannah¡¯s nails dug into his flesh, demanding the answer.


    ¡°He told me there would be a price,¡± Kai said, his voice void of emotion as he couldn¡¯t bring himself to


    look into his mate¡¯s eyes. ¡°I said that I was ready to do whatever it took. You were my number one


    priority. So, when he said that my firstborn would be this price, I agreed without hesitation.¡±


    Savvy choked on her own breath and let go of him. Her hands wrapped around her belly unconsciously.


    This was the moment when she knew there was a life inside of her; this was the moment when she felt it


    for the first time so distinctively that she couldn¡¯t ignore it


    anymore or pretend that it wasn¡¯t there. She was with child, and this child would be taken away from her


    one day.


    Life was so cruel indeed¡­ Why was it so merciless? What did she do to deserve this? Was she so


    horrible that all the bad things. always happened to her?


    Tears stung her eyes, and she blinked them away because she knew crying wasn¡¯t an option anymore.


    She couldn¡¯t be weak. She couldn¡¯t afford to be weak. Even though she wanted to fall apart, she knew


    that now she had to be stronger than ever.


    ¡°I hoped we would have more time,¡± Kai continued, guilt written all over his face. ¡°I thought that maybe-¡±


    ¡°Maybe what?¡± She darted her eyes at him. ¡°What could possibly fix this?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have much time to think about it, as you can imagine.¡± He couldn¡¯t bear to see her this way. He


    couldn¡¯t tolerate the fact that this time, it was his fault. All he wanted was to protect her, to save her, and


    now he ended up being the person who hurt her the most.


    ¡°Oh, Kai,¡± she whispered, covering her face with her palms.


    ¡°I thought that maybe I could go to a clinic, use a surrogate and someone else¡¯s egg-¡± he confessed. ¡°It


    was the best thing I could think of, but-¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s already toote,¡± she interjected, sparing him from saying that it was a horrible idea either way.


    ¡°Savvy, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± he wanted to pull her into a hug but was afraid to even try. Kai Fiongh, the King


    of the Northern Lycan


    Kingdom and the warrior who was never afraid of anything, was terrified now that the mate he had


    waited for so long, the one whom he loved more than life itself, the one for whom he came back from hell


    would reject him now.


    She did not move, and he did not know what to do. If he lost her now, it would break him. If she rejected


    him now, he would have no choice but to turn into a wolf and follow her around as a loyal dog until the


    end of his days because he couldn¡¯t part with her again. He would spend his whole life trying to fix what


    he did and prove her his worth if he had to.


    Her warm palm cupped his cheek, and he flinched, realising he was shaking before that moment. The


    fear of losing her again was agonising.


    ¡°I am angry,¡± she said honestly, and his heart dropped, ¡°I am so freaking angry, and I will probably always


    be. But¡­ I want you to know that I love you even when I¡¯m angry. That will never change, Kai. I already


    lost you once, and I am not going to do that again. I won¡¯t be able to live without you anyway. I am not


    wasting time on quarrels. Everything is against us once again, but I¡¯m not going to let it break us. Just


    know that I¡¯m not nning to give up our child to any of the gods that want him or her. I will fight for


    them, and I will die for them if I have to, but no one is touching my baby.¡±


    ¡°I will not let them,¡± he assured her. ¡°I¡¯d rather go back to the other side than let anyone touch a hair on


    our child¡¯s head. It did not look like Fenrir wanted her too much, to begin with. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find a way to


    negotiate it, and if not, we will find another way-¡±


    She nodded at him, and this time he did pull her into his chest, burying his face in her hair and letting her


    scent envelop him. He could feel the cold glow of his mark on her, and in some way, it brought him


    peace. It wasn¡¯t the end, and they would find a way out again. They always did. her?¡±


    ¡°Wait-¡± suddenly, he distanced himself from her and made her look at him. ¡°What do you mean by any of


    the gods that want him or


    He did not think it was possible, but Savannah¡¯s face became even sadder.


    ¡°The deity that helps Bjorn, Joran, made me a simr offer. He wanted me to promise him my firstborn in


    exchange for his help.¡±


    ¡°What the-¡°Kai swore under his breath. ¡°What do they all need from our child?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Savannah admitted, ¡°but if anyone would know, it will be Riannon. Her gift lets her see


    many things. If anyone can. help us, it would be her.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± The king ced a soft kiss on the top of her head, murmuring something else she couldn¡¯t


    understand, but then added louder, ¡°We need all the help we can get.¡±


    They stayed like this for some time, and before the light dared to reach the room, Kai felt the sun rising


    with his skin. Their peaceful time was almost up, and soon they would have to get back to the castle. It


    couldn¡¯t wait any longer, and they already stole these hours like two thieves who did not know any better.


    ¡°Savvy,¡± he fell back into the bed, cing her head on his chest and stroking her hair gently, ¡°tell me


    everything that happened there. I want to know everything there is to know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s-¡± She bit her lip, not sure if it was a good idea. ¡°It¡¯s not a pleasant story.¡±


    ¡°This is exactly why I want you to share everything with me,¡± he caressed her more, hoping that he could


    make her feel safe despite his imperfections. go on.


    Savannah sighed heavily and traced the silver North Star mark on his neck with her lingers. Somehow, it


    was giving her strength to


    She started from the moment Kai closed his eyes at their unsessful marking ceremony and finished


    when she saw him again back in the woods. Kai did not interrupt her and only asked questions when she


    paused to help him have the full picture, and by the end of her retelling, his anger was boiling inside of


    him.


    ¡°Savvy,¡± he cleared his throat when she was done. ¡°Did you ever¡­ feel attracted to Bjorn?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± she replied without hesitation, knowing that he hated the bear¡¯s im on her. ¡°I mean, I was


    interested to find out more about who he was because our encounters were strange, but-¡±


    She looked at his face and smiled, reaching to give him a small peck on the lips. ¡°Don¡¯t be jealous. You


    were always the one for me, even when Zack was alive. There was never apetition with anyone.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible he is or was your second-chance mate?¡± Kai furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Of course, not!¡± Savannah lifted her chin to have a better look at him. ¡°You are my second-chance mate,


    are you not?¡±


    He pressed his lips and let out a painful growl.


    ¡°Fenrir¡­ After I was reborn, he did something else.¡±


    ¡°What did he do?¡±


    ¡°He took a bead off his bracelet and crushed it between his fingers, letting the sparks of magic as ancient


    as timend on me. I didn¡¯t know what it was back then, and I didn¡¯t feel any different, but it seemed


    important to him. He said he was keeping it for someone else, but it wasn¡¯t meant to be.¡±


    ¡°Kai, what are you saying?¡± Savvy started to realise the horrible truth, but she did not want to say it out


    loud.


    ¡°I begged for you, Savannah,¡± her mate confessed. ¡°It was all for you, and it felt like he wanted to give


    me a gift after all. What if¡­ what if Bjorn was right and you were his second chance? But Fenrir gave us


    a new mate bond instead.¡±


    Her lips parted in shock. She couldn¡¯t have imagined that.


    ¡°But I never felt anything for him,¡± she wanted to argue her case.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t,¡± Kai¡¯s grip on her tightened, but he continued his thought. ¡°You were mated to Zack first


    and fell in love with me.


    Then, when Zack was killed, your soul needed to heal first to ept a new bond. These things aren¡¯t


    instant¡­ But Fenrir bonded us before Bjorn could do anything.¡±


    Savannah tried to connect the dots, but it wasn¡¯t easy, and in the end, she hid her face somewhere in


    Kai¡¯s broad chest.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she muttered. ¡°Even if it were the truth, I would still choose you.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± her King smiled, wrapping his hands around her. ¡°You were mine from the moment Iid my


    eyes on you. The mate bond from Fenrir is a nice bonus, but- Savvy, what we always had was more than


    a connection created by someone else. It was almost more.


    Even gods couldn¡¯t break us apart.¡±


    ¡°And gods aren¡¯t taking our baby anywhere,¡± she agreed, feeling the weight of her eyelids getting too


    heavy..


    She closed them just for a second, as it was almost afternoon already.


    ¡°Time to go back,¡± Kai whispered and ced a kiss on her forehead.


    Savannah feared going back to the castle, fearing to see what happened to it after the recent events, but


    when they both walked into the main hall, holding hands, she gasped because she did not expect to see


    what unfolded before her eyes¡­

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    It was the first time Savannah had visited the northern castle since the fire, and the sight saddened her


    to the core of her soul. The  scent of smoke that was still present hit her nostrils, and when she saw the


    ckened walls stripped of curtains and other decorations,


    she clenched her fists, trying to control her fury. The royal lycan wished to be freed and bestow her


    vengeance on the ones responsible for  all of this.


    Savvy had grown to love this castle and the history it held; she loved noticing little details she had


    missed previously every time she  paid attention to a painting or to a carving. And now most of it was


    gone, leaving a little empty spot inside of her.


    For the first time, she realised that this ce was her home now and that her enemies had entered it and


    tried to wipe it off the face  of the earth, destroying everything and everyone she loved in the process.


    just a little That¡¯s it.


    A on her hand tightened as he pulled her closer and whispered, ¡°No wouses, Sak de est r¨¦se


    This castle has stood through worse times, trust me.¡±


    She rested her head against his chest just for a moment, breathing in his scent to calm down. ¡°I just hate


    that it happened on our  can¡¯t let them win after everything.¡±  watch. W


    ¡°We won¡¯t,¡± he assured her,cing his fingers in her hair. ¡°We are the ones already winning.¡±


    He took her into the main hall, and she let out a sigh of relief when she saw all her friends inside. A little


    part of her was still afraid  that all this was a dream. They were discussing their war ns around an


    interactive table, moving the maps as they carefully nned  tha  strategies, and hadn¡¯t even noticed the


    Northern King and his Queen at first. Until one set of familiar eyes locked with Savvy¡¯s. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Rei She threw herself into the Western Beta¡¯s arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were here!¡±


    4 emerged behind her, and she instantly knew that it was Kai¡¯s reaction to her hugging another man. She


    ignored it though.


    This was something he would have to get used to because Reid wasn¡¯t a threat to him and he was


    family.


    ¡°I¡¯m not technically here,¡± her friendughed, patting her head as if she was still a child. Reid was like a


    father figure to her. When  her parents died, and Gideon was busy with his Lycan King duties, this man


    was the one to step in and raise her and Kyle. Unfortunately,  during those days, they couldn¡¯t trust too


    many people and the Beta had to act as a babysitter as well.


    ¡°You are not?¡± Savannah knitted her brows, puzzled slightly.


    ¡°He is not,¡± Gideon smirked. ¡°Right now, he¡¯s trying to rule the western Kingdom in my stead because I¡¯m


    dead. So sad-¡°He  grimaced and she chuckled in response to that.


    ¡°Poor you,¡± Savvy rolled her eyes, but it was just a cover¨Cup because her eyes started stinging from the


    tears forming in them. The memory of losing her sibling was still fresh in her mind and she was so happy


    that she got to tease him like that again.


    ¡°What¡¯s this on your neck?¡± Gideon grasped her hand and his sister closer to inspect her brand new and


    shiny North Star mark. It was still gleaming softly when the light grazed over it. ¡°Did you mark my sister?¡±


    the Western King growled, nostrils ring and eyes  shining golden for a moment until he suppressed it.


    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Kai responded calmly and moved Savannah away from her brother, wrapping his hands


    around her to demonstrate their  closeness to everyone. ¡°What did you think I was going to do with my


    mate?¡±


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe the Moon Goddess punished her that much!¡± Gideon grumbled, but no one took it


    seriously because the next thing he did was ce his palms onto their shoulders and whisper with a


    wicked grin, ¡°Hurt my sister and I will arrange her next marriage  in a heartbeat and make sure she gets


    half of your Kingdom in the process.¡±


    ¡°Gideon,¡± Riannon reproached her husband as she strolled towards them with a bright smile, ¡°leave them


    alone. Look how happy they are!¡± She then turned all her attention to the beaming couple and her eyes


    studied their marks as well. ¡°They are very beautiful,¡±  she said honestly. ¡°Just as marks of Divine Wolves


    should be.¡±


    ¡°Divine Wolves?¡± Savannah¡¯s eyes grew wide.


    ¡°When the gods bless us, they give us a particle of their divine power,¡± Riannon informed them. ¡°Any


    special ability we have  afterwardses from it. This is what being blessed truly means, and the way


    our marks looks is a sign of how we can recognise other


    Divine Wolves.¡±


    ¡°How do you know all this?¡± Kai was impressed by the western Queen¡¯s knowledge. ¡°Was it a vision?¡±


    ¡°When my wolf asks the Moon Goddess a question, sometimes she answers. After I found out that you


    have been blessed too, this was what we asked. It¡¯s different from my visions, though. Because they


    come when they please and don¡¯t depend on my wishes. But the powers develop slowly. The particles of


    divine power we receive grow or die¨CIt depends on the person who received them and the intention of


    the god who blessed them. It can go either way.¡±


    ¡°That exins why you and Kai have special marks,¡± Savannah chimed in. ¡°But why do Gideon and me?


    We aren¡¯t the blessed wolves, but our marks are the same as yours.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯re mates, of course,¡± Ria smiled gently, and her eyes found her husband. ¡°A mating


    bond is a special connection. between two souls. When one of the mates gets hurt, their mate feels it.


    When one mate feels happy, so does the other one. It works the same. When one of the mates bes


    a divine wolf, so does the other, Mates share everything, including divine blessings, because it¡¯s spiritual


    and given to a soul, not a body. And a mark is a reflection of that spiritual bond.¡±


    ¡°If I understand it correctly, Gideon sees the future too now?¡± Kai looked at his old rival, arching his brow


    curiously.


    ¡°Not really,¡± the Western Lycan King admitted. ¡°But some things are different for me now.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± The northerner wondered, scratching his beard that needed some trimming desperately, but


    he chose not to waste his time on that this morning and stole a few extra minutes to spend with his


    Queen.


    ¡°The return from the third form,¡± Savannah whispered, but in a room full of wolves, everyone heard her. It


    was so logical. Since she was little, she had the worst control of her third form, Compared to Gideon, her


    control of the beast was weak. It wasn¡¯t good, it wasn¡¯t bad. It was just how things were. For as long as


    she could remember, she was trained not to let her beast out because everyone knew that


    it was possible the Princess wouldn¡¯t be able to get back to her human form. The royal transformation


    could cost her too much and mostly, it was not worth it, considering she was a good enough fighter in her


    second form. But just one day ago, she was ready to sacrifice herself for her friends when she shifted


    into her third form in Bjorn¡¯s castle. Savannah knew there would be no return from that. There  wasn¡¯t


    supposed to be a return from that¡­


    Yet here she was.


    Because of him.


    She nced at Kai, and he squeezed her palm. A simple motion, but with such a deep meaning behind


    it. He received Fenrir¡¯s blessing, and the same Wolf God made them mates. He connected their souls


    with the help of the mysterious bead at the best of times, thus, helping Savvy to turn back the moment


    she saw her mate in the woods. The same thing happened to her brother a few months ago. He stayed


    in his third form for longer than it was safe during a brutal battle, and they almost lost him that day.


    However, Riannon found him on the battlefield and as if by some miracle, Gideon came back. They


    never connected the dots back then, but now it was clear.


    as day. The royal curse was broken by divine wolf mates.


    And that meant one thing ¨C they were given an ultimate weapon in the uing war.


    They wished they could talk about all this more, but unfortunately, they had more pressing matters at


    hand. The bears would


    retaliate one way or another. No one had any illusions about resolving this matter peacefully.


    Savannah and Kai joined the rest of the team at the table and started going through what had been


    nned so far. A few hourster, all of them were exhausted, but they knew that so much more had to


    be done still. Somewhere into the eighth hour of their


    strategizing, the doors burst open and in came Chloe and ude.


    The TV presenters looked troubled and everyone knew that the news wouldn¡¯t be good.


    ¡°You have to see this!¡± Chloe insisted and passed a tablet into her king¡¯s hands.


    Kai gave her a nce that told her he still wasn¡¯t sure whether he forgave them for theirtest actions,


    and the siblings bowed apologetically without saying anything.


    However, all that became irrelevant the moment he saw the face of his enemy staring right at him from


    the screen. It took him a  minute to realise that it wasn¡¯t an old video. His eyes went to the bottom of the


    screen where the date was showcased. This was recorded  today.


    Bjorn was alive. Which could mean only one thing ¨C he would be back very soon, and all their ns had


    to be adjusted  ordingly.


    ¡°What can you say about the recent video of Savannah Stormhold circling on the web,¡± a reporter asked


    him, and Bjorn¡¯s expression  darkened.


    ¡°Queen Savannah Bjorn,¡± he corrected the journalist with a frown. ¡°Savannah is my mate and my Queen.


    She will always stay my  mate and my Queen. You should address her ording to her status.¡±


    The words made Kai grip the tablet so hard that it cracked under pressure in a few ces.


    ¡°I have a perfectly good exnation as to why my mate attacked me in the middle of the mating


    ceremony,¡± the white bear  growled, showing off his teeth, but then he got his emotions under control and


    continued, ¡°We were so happy and nned to spend our  whole life together. It¡¯s a blessing to find a


    mate, and I am sure everyone understands our euphoria. Just when I left her that morning, she  kissed


    me goodbye and said that she couldn¡¯t wait to get my mark on her neck. She couldn¡¯t wait for it to


    happen, but when I saw her  again, she attacked me, and it broke my heart. Savannah stabbed me and


    ran away, leaving only questions in her wake. But luckily, a  good friend of mine helped me to understand


    that something was wrong with her. She wasn¡¯t acting like herself. I was worried sick about  my Queen,


    and of course, I followed her the second I healed. I couldn¡¯t leave the love of my life like that. My soldiers


    tried to help her, but  she tried to kill everyone who approached her. Thta was the state she was in. When


    I finally managed to reach her, I understood what was  going on and who had done this to her. There was


    this¡­ creature. There are no other words to describe him. He made her believe in the  things that


    weren¡¯t real. It was the ugliest thing I had ever seen. A mutated wolf with a distorted body and horns


    covered with ice. I am  not sure he was a wolf anymore, but when he shifted, he looked like the


    deceased Lycan King of the North.¡±


    ¡°So, do you confirm that King Kai Fiongh is alive?¡± the reporter asked emotionlessly, and Chloe


    clicked her tongue in annoyance.  It probably wasn¡¯t the first time she heard it all because she had her


    hands crossed over her chest and didn¡¯t seem impressed.


    ¡°He can¡¯t be alive,¡± Bjorn said confidently. ¡°We fought, and I personally put a silver spear through his


    heart. It was recorded back  then, so it¡¯s undeniable.¡±


    ¡°But how can you exin what you saw then?¡± the journalist seemed eager to get to the bottom of


    things, and everyone in the  room tensed, waiting for the reply.


    ¡°How else?¡± Bjorn quirked his silver brow up. ¡°To be raised from the dead, he had to take part in some


    dark ritual and sell his soul to  a demon. Or maybe it¡¯s just a rotting corpse walking after some witch used


    him for necromancy purposes. Witchcraft and demons would  exin why Savannah was deluded. I am


    sure that her mind was manipted while I was gone.¡±


    ¡°Is there a chance that you will ever forgive her?¡± the woman asked her next question.


    ¡°There is nothing to forgive,¡± Bjorn smiled, and Savvy cringed watching this. ¡°She is my mate. All I need


    to do is to destroy the spell  on her and kill the monster who tried to break us apart. Once it¡¯s done, we¡¯ll


    be together again, and no one will stand between us. This is  how the mate bond works.¡±


    After these words, he looked directly into the camera as if he knew whom he was saying all this for.


    going.


    ¡°Does it mean that you will go to war?¡± The reporter¡¯s voice trembled for the first time as she realised


    where all of this was


    ¡°We are already at war,¡± Bjorn went back to being reserved. ¡°I am just going to end it this time.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Gideon took the tablet and smashed it over the nearby wall as ude let out a little whimper.


    It was probably his gadget.


    ¡°This is why you kill guys like him when you have a chance. And then CHECK it! And if he is alive, you


    kill him AGAIN!¡±


    Kai darted his eyes at the Western King. ¡°Believe it or not, but when a deity tells me to get the hell out of


    somewhere, I listen.


    Savannah was there, and she was more important than anything. As for Bjorn, I¡¯d dly kill him. AGAIN.


    And then AGAIN and AGAIN.


    They all got quite in the aftermath of the news.


    ¡°Well, we don¡¯t have time to waste,¡± Riannon tried to organise everyone again. ¡°Our strategies definitely


    need some tweaking if that  bear is alive.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± L sighed heavily, wrapping his arms tighter around Zara.


    ¡°Neither do I,¡± Kyle agreed. ¡°He is trying to y the public opinion and tries to reduce our troops¡® morale


    in this way. Believe it or not, but some people will start doubting whether they are on the right side. In the


    meantime, the bears do not have this problem and  think they have a hero king.¡±


    ¡°We can do an interview too,¡± ude interjected. ¡°When people see King Kai and Princess Savannah


    together, it will be proof  enough.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Chloe nodded. ¡°Especially the new shiny marks.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Elene¡¯s voice sounded for the first time during the whole day. She was in the room together with all


    of them the whole time but spoke only now. ¡°They can exin marks on TV with ease. They would say


    it¡¯s just make¨Cup.¡±


    ¡°The Princess is right,¡± Evelyn agreed. ¡°Considering what we have just heard-¡±


    ¡°I can turn things upside down too,¡± Kyle sneered but the woman ignored him as if he didn¡¯t say


    anything.


    ¡°It¡¯s true, though,¡± Ash agreed. ¡°We have the footage of everything that happened. We can y it to our


    advantage.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it,¡± Elene insisted, and they all looked at her again. ¡°The North needs a miracle. They got it


    in the form of Amarok.


    They will followhim. They will fight for what is right. We just¡­ we need to prove to them it¡¯s real.¡±


    ¡°And how would we do that, Elene?¡± Kai was probably the only one who gazed at his sister with trust in


    his eyes. ¡°Do you have a  n?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± she confirmed with a nod. ¡°But you will have to trust me. And we will have to do this tonight.¡±

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    ¡°This is not how I imagined it,¡± Savvy let out a littleugh as Elene tried to open an old chest in her


    room, which, luckily, wasn¡¯t touched by the recent fire.


    The Northern Princess tried key after key to unlock one of her secret treasures. ¡°I figured that it would


    be best if I didn¡¯t tell anyone of my thoughts until just a few hours were left before the event. After how


    things wentst time, there were no illusions about making any announcements,¡± she confessed, finally


    finding the right key and opening the lid. ¡°Ah, here it is!¡± she gasped in delight as her trembling fingers


    brushed over the shimmering pale blue fabric. The Princess¡¯ smile faded, and her eyes glistened as a


    few tears formed in them. She was supposed to be the one to wear this dress on her wedding day. Her


    mother¡¯s dress that was passed from one Luna of the


    North to another for generations.


    However, this felt right.


    It was right.


    Because Elene was simply a princess, and Savannah was her Queen now. There was no time to shop


    for designer gowns, and there wasn¡¯t a more perfect dress for the asion. Now that Elene looked at


    it, she knew that this dress belonged to her brother¡¯s Luna. After how Bjorn twisted everything again,


    they had to prove to the people of the North, who were still forn between two possible kings, That they


    were the real deal. Kai and Savvy. They were the true King and Queen of the North, and they did not


    have anypetition. They were the ones whom people should follow into the battle and to whose


    heirs they would one day bow their heads.


    ude, Chloe and Kyle were already working, spreading the videos from the sh card that ude


    managed to bring back from the white bears. They were already giving a different narrative to the


    recent events, but a final blow was required.


    The idea struck Elene instantly when she heard that monster¡¯s words. Bjorn called her brother a


    walking corpse who conspired with demons and made a fatal mistake by doing so because now they


    could prove once and for all who was the main liar and maniptor in this story. Elene remembered


    how her eyes met with Riannon¡¯s when they watched the video on the tablet. Wasn¡¯t it just perfect?


    Bjorn has given them a gift they couldn¡¯t have been dreaming of receiving.


    Elene knew that the Western Luna somehow was aware of what she was thinking. She hated to admit


    that, but in the past few days, she grew to understand one thing she liked Riannon. A part of her still


    hated herself for liking that woman, but it was hard to deny that she now understood what all the fuss


    was about. It was impossible not to like her, considering she obviously meant well and always found a


    good word even for her. So, Elene made the only right decision and chose to leave the past behind.


    She had her chance with Gideon. She really did. When She came to visit Kai during his Alpha training,


    Gideon was nice to her. He was talking to her, epting her attention, and it could grow into anything if


    she were smart about it. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t, and she had realised it only recently. When Amarok


    and the others left to rescue Savannah, Elene got to work. L dealt with the warriors, and she got


    to the information war. She knew that this was one crucial piece they would have to handle cautiously,


    and they would have to show Bjorn in his true light sooner orter. She was checking their system for


    any videos from the day Bjorn abducted Savvy, hoping to make apelling short film about his lies.


    Then she decided to go further and dig for anything else she could use about him back from the Luna


    Trials. And that was when she encountered something she did not expect. It was hidden in a separate


    file, and she stopped breathing when she saw the words ¡°Penelope¡¯s Death¡±.


    They told her that there was no footage of that, but there it was right before her eyes.


    At first, Elene did not want to watch her beloved friend being ughtered by a monster. Butter¡­ after


    biting her nails way too many times and pacing around the room, she decided to rip the bandage off.


    She had to see it. She had to know. This decision was supposed to help her and fuel her for the current


    war with their enemies, but she couldn¡¯t even imagine what she would actually see. She wanted to hear


    Penelope¡¯sst words during herst moments alive, and she heard more than she counted on. What


    her best friend said about her was an eye-opener, and for a few seconds there, the Northern Princess


    didn¡¯t know how to react. The Penelope she saw on the screen was spiteful, arrogant and cruel. It


    wasn¡¯t her best friend at all. Or was it?


    She never doubted anything that Penelope told her, but after hearing what her dear friend really


    thought about her, how she belittled her and was annoyed at the mere mention of Elene¡¯s name, she


    started questioning everything. That fateful day when Gideon stopped talking to her once and for all


    came to her mind as well.


    That day Elene and Penelope came to the Lycan practise field and found Gideon and an Alpha she-


    wolf who was actively flirting with him. It was just some werewolf, and she couldn¡¯t be a real


    competition for a Princess, but she sure did her best to seduce the Western Lycan King. She asked


    Gideon to show her some battle moves, and while he was doing just that, she tried to touch him or


    showcase her impressive curves, which Elene herself did not possess. The whole thing was annoying,


    to say the least.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to leave it like this?¡± Penelope whispered into her ear in her usual innocent tone.


    ¡°He has just be the Lycan King,¡± Elene shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Women will always be around


    him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one thing to be around him and another to be all over him.¡± Penelope yed with her shiny ck


    hair, tossing it to the back when she was done. ¡°But he is looking for a Luna now. And you know the


    qualities of a good Luna. A real Luna should be fierce and domineering. She can¡¯t let some she wolf


    touch her man like that. She would put the brat in her ce to demonstrate who is the real deal!¡±


    ¡°As a royal, I have to disagree,¡± Elene simply rolled her eyes at that. ¡°We need to know when to act.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Penelope giggled, but that giggle seemed cold and¡­ cruel. ¡°Follow the etiquette while that she


    wolf arouses his¡­ instincts.


    Elene looked at the girl again. She was already bending right in front of Gideon, and his gaze grazed


    over her bottom at full disy. It was such a basic thing to do, but she couldn¡¯t help and ignore a spark


    of male interest in his eyes. The girl said something, and heughed. All while she watched them both


    from the top of the stairs near the spectators¡¯ seats.


    Soon he left, and the werewolf girl turned to give her a sneer. She knew the whole time that the


    Northern Princess was watching.


    ¡°That b*tch!¡± Penelope hissed. ¡°Seriously, El. You can¡¯t let her get away with it!¡±


    The said girl was next to them in seconds, meeting Elene¡¯s gaze with an ominous re..


    ¡°Enjoyed the show?¡± she asked arrogantly, making the princess¡¯ blood boil. ¡°I can give you a master


    ss on how to do it, Your Highness! You¡¯ve been around him for weeks and barely had any results.


    Such a pity.¡± She was clearly mocking her, and Elene raised her chin up high to give her a cold


    northern stare.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny how you think you can teach me anything.¡± the princess smirked.


    ¡°One word of hers and your whole pack would be wiped,¡± Penelope interjected, crossing her arms on


    her chest.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± The girl raised her brow. ¡°She doesn¡¯t look so terrifying with those lousy snacks in her


    hands.¡±


    That was too much, and Penelope¡¯s voice rang in her mind through their link, ¡°Show her now or regret


    saying nothing and losing to her until yourst day!¡±


    Elene handed her friend the lunch box with Gideon¡¯s favourite sandwiches she made with her own


    hands. Making those was her way of showing him how much she cared. Usually, royals did not cook,


    but in this establishment, all shifters were required to cater to their own needs as a way of teaching


    them to be more independent. And Elene grabbed this opportunity. Someoneughing at her sincere


    attempt along with Penelope¡¯s whispers made her angry.


    ¡°Is this terrifying enough for you?¡± she asked with an arched brow and pushed the snarky girl lightly.


    ¡°Remember that Gideon


    Stormhold is minel¡±


    It was supposed to be a light demonstration. Only that she forgot the difference in strength between the


    royal lycans and simple werewolves. The girl¡¯s eyes widened as she flew down the stairs of the


    stadium andnded in the dirt at the very bottom.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Gideon came back for some reason at the worst time possible, shocked by the


    scene before his eyes. He helped


    the she wolf to stand up, and she said something to him that Elene couldn¡¯t hear. A bad feeling rose in


    the pit of her stomach.


    ¡°It was an ident!¡± The Princess was next to the two of them in seconds and noticed how Gideon


    clenched his lips tightly. As if¡­. he did not believe her but had to tolerate her. ¡°She was-


    ¡°I understand,¡± he told her politely and lifted the other girl in his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Princess Elene. I


    will take her to the infirmary.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you!¡± she suggested as Penelope gave her the box she was holding back. ¡°I prepared


    some-


    ¡°No need,¡± he replied and left without sparing her another nce.


    She did not see him talking to that girl anymore, but at the same time, their own conversations were


    limited to a few brief words required by the royal protocol and nothing more. Kai found her crying once,


    and she told him about her feelings for the Western King. Her brother got tense but offered her hand in


    marriage to Gideon nheless. However, when a rejection letter came, things between the two


    kingdoms that were never too friendly only turned for the worse.


    There were many other moments with Penelope that she now questioned, and sadly, she realised that


    she had never had the friend she imagined.


    Nevertheless, there was another realisation. Savvy knew all that and never told her during her


    mourning. She could have used Penelope¡¯s speech to gain points for herself, but she chose to keep


    this information away so as not to hurt her. Life had peculiar ways of


    showing her what was really important, and although Pen was her fake friend, she now knew that


    Savannah was a real one. They would need time to get to know each other better and move on from


    the Luna Trials, but¡­ there was definitely something good there, something worth exploring.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Savannah asked when Elene stretched her hands with her mother¡¯s wedding and


    coronation ceremony dress. The


    Lycans always celebrated both events together. ¡°I know what it means to you. I mean, Kai told me¨C


    ¡°I have never been so sure about anything in my life,¡± Elene nodded with a timid smile, blinking her


    tears away. ¡°You will look beautiful in this, Savannah, and everyone will recognise it. It¡¯s the Queen¡¯s


    dress, and now it means that it¡¯s yours.¡±


    She helped Savvy into the dress and pinned it at the back for her, noting that the seamstress would


    have to make a few urgent adjustments.


    Savannah gasped when she saw herself in the mirror. She saw this dress in one of the books she had


    read during the Luna Trials.


    They said that each Luna made her own adjustments to it. Initially, she nned to take just a few


    embellishments from it and add them to the dress of her choice. However, now that she was looking at


    herself in the mirror, she knew that this dress was the one. There could be no other gown for her in the


    whole wide world.


    Long off-shoulder sleeves and a sculptured corset gave her a regal look, while the pale blue silvery


    fabric cascaded down to the marble floor, creating a magnificent ball gown. An intricate design of silver


    sequins and beads was adorning the corset and the skirt, and only when taking a closer look did Savvy


    realise that the pattern reminded her of the northern mountains and some of the ancient symbols she


    saw back in the cave and the shrine. It was a masterpiece! A subtle shine emanated from the sequins,


    making them look like pieces of ice or maybe the crystals from that cave Kai once took her in. It was


    indeed something a Northern Queen should wear. There was a beautiful North Star brooch at the top of


    the corset, right in the centre of her chest, and Savannah unpinned it, noticing how Elene¡¯s lips parted.


    ¡°Here,¡± she handed her the brooch. ¡°I want you to have it for when your dayes.¡±


    ¡°Savvy, you don¡¯t have to-¡°The Princess tried to protest, but it did not work.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°I know I don¡¯t have to, but I want to. It will suit you, Princess of the North,¡± she smiled and then turned


    back to the mirror. ¡°Besides,


    I already have a ne and a huge shining North Star mark. I think they are statement enough.¡±


    Elene traced her fingers over the cold metal with a smile. It was nice that a part of this dress would still


    belong to her. Something that was her mother¡¯s would be with her on her big day. If it ever happened,


    of course. She was about to stop believing in it.


    ¡°Oh, there is also the veil!¡± Elene remembered suddenly and went back to the chest, producing the


    most gorgeous tulle with silver north stars embroidered all over it.


    ¡°It¡¯s gorgeous,¡± Savvy covered her mouth with her delicate palm and tried not to cry as Elene attached


    the veil to her hair.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect on you!¡± the Northern Princess smiled. ¡°Are you at all nervous? About the whole


    wedding/coronation thing?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Savannah did not hesitate with her answer. ¡°How could I be? Kai is the one for me, you know. I


    love him, and there is not a -single bit of doubt in my heart. If anything, I can¡¯t wait to be done with it!


    The sooner we are married and crowned together, the better.¡±


    Elene smiled at her sister-inw. It was the perfect response, and she was so happy for them, but a


    part of her felt a little prickle of pain. Everyone around her was finding their mates and experiencing this


    huge unconditional love. Everyone but her. Even that white bear traitor Brigit was mated to Aspen and


    dared to throw this kind of blessing away, but Elene still had no one. It did not seem. particrly fair,


    and she started to get worried that maybe it was her punishment for all her past mistakes? Yes,


    Penelope was feeding her ideas, but she was the one to follow and act on them. The responsibility was


    hers. Was she punished for it? Or maybe it was as simple as her mate never existed because she


    wasn¡¯t worthy in the first ce?


    ¡°El,¡± Savannah turned to face her with an understanding smile. ¡°You know, just a few months ago, I


    was helping Riannon into her coronation dress while my own heart was broken by my first mate. I


    thought there was no hope for me, and this was it. And then¡­. couple of monthster, I went for the


    North, thinking that it was the worst thing that could happen to me. I really thought I was sacrificing


    myself for my people!¡± She chuckled, and Elene snorted, her eyes watery. ¡°What I am trying to say is


    life is unpredictable, and you may not know it now, but the experience you had¡­ It was necessary. For


    something bigger and better. You¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Sawy,¡± Elene pulled the other woman into a tight hug, ¡°I always knew I wanted a sister! And finally,


    Kai gave me one!¡±


    It was the truth, and for now, it was enough for the Princess of The North.


    Savannah thought that some of the northern traditions had to be changed! They couldn¡¯t be serious


    with all that stuff! Who in their right mind was marrying in the mountains during night-time?


    However, she wasn¡¯t going toin. Not anymore. Not after she lost him and got him back.


    ¡°We can still turn and go back home,¡± Gideon told her as he offered her his hand in the dark cave


    where only rare crystals were glowing in the darkness. ¡°Just saying.¡±


    ¡°A bit toote for that, don¡¯t you think?¡± Sawy giggled, happier than appropriate. In the morning, the war


    would start, and they would all have to fight. She had no right to be this excited now. None of them had,


    but dying or losing everyone they cared about made them look at life from a different angle.


    ¡°You mean the marks?¡± Her brother rolled his eyes. ¡°Big deal! I¡¯d whisk you back home in an instant if


    you give me a signal. So, whenever you are ready, sis.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about the marks,¡± Savvy let out augh that echoed through the cave walls, and now


    he looked at her with an arched brow. ¡°I was talking about your niece or nephew, silly!¡±


    ¡°What did you ¡°Gideon¡¯s breath hitched, but this was when Zara entered the cave.


    ¡°The time hase!¡± she announced, ignoring her King¡¯s startled face. ¡°The aurora has started!¡±

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    Chapter 71.


    They were walking along a path lit by candles in thick ssnterns that looked like stars strewn about


    their feet. The night was cold, but this was considered a good sign in the North because the dark sky


    was clear of clouds and thanks to that, they all could see one of the most significant miracles of the North


    Lycan Kingdom. The Aurora.


    Savannah¡¯s lips parted slightly as the icy air kissed her skin, but that did not bother her in the slightest.


    She had seen magic wielded before her quite a few times in the past, but she had never seen something


    so powerful and enchanting. The glimmering waves above


    her head went from deep purple to magenta and then to soft pink, continuing to morph into lime green


    and then a slightly richer olive colour. It was magical, and Gideon stumbled, gazing up at the


    phenomenon, but Savannah did not pause. She didn¡¯t care what kind of magic was surrounding her, she


    wouldn¡¯t care if the whole world was falling apart right now because, in the distance, she saw something


    far more beautiful, something far more important and precious to her ¨C the royal blue glow of her mate¡¯s


    eyes.


    Kai was waiting at the top of a high peak with Elene by his side as it was decided that she would be the


    one to perform their mating ceremony and the crowning. However, a priestess of Fenrir was present as


    well as it was required for the most important part. ude and Chloe were working tonight with a small


    camera already filming the event. Their closest friends and family were the only ones invited this time as


    they learned from the mistakes of their past. L, Zara, Riannon, and Aspen in his new wheelchair


    waited on one side, while Kyle, Evelynn, Petra, Ash, Reid and Naya stood on the other side of the


    groom, awaiting the Royal Western siblings.


    Kai drew a deep breath when he saw her. His bride was the image of perfection in her pale blue dress,


    dazzling sequins dancing down the gown. She emanated that subtle glow that made him forget that in


    the morning, they all would be going to war. To him, she was shining brighter than the Aurora, even


    brighter than the North Star itself. And the best part was that this woman was now his. Her luscious


    golden brown hair was covering her neck, and he couldn¡¯t see his mark, but he knew it was there, he


    could feel it, and this made his lips curl into a smile.


    She was breathtaking, and it seemed like her brother was taking forever to bring her to him.


    Their eyes locked, and she smiled shyly. As if she didn¡¯t belong to him already with her body and soul.


    Fenrir, this woman was driving.


    him crazy! She would always have this effect on him. Of that, he was sure.


    Savannah passed her friends and beamed at Kyle, who winked at her, wrapping his arms around


    Evelynn, who pushed him away almost instantly with an eye roll. She gave a sad smile to Aspen, whose


    legs in human form would never heal properly because they were broken on purpose and let heal in an


    incorrect position way too many times to be able to fix it now. He, however, nodded at her with a grin. As


    if his heart wasn¡¯t broken into a myriad of pieces, just like his body.


    Riannon smiled brightly at her sister¨Cinw, hands on her already growing belly. She was the only one


    wearing a fur coat here because Gideon wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.


    Finally, Savannah was within his reach and Kai wanted to touch her desperately, but Gideon stopped and


    did not make the few final steps. The Northern King suppressed a growl, wondering if this was some


    form of sabotage from his old rival, but when he heard the


    Western King speak, he let it go.


    ¡°Savvy,¡± Gideon ced his hands on his sister¡¯s shoulders and turned her to look at him. ¡°It¡¯s hard for me


    to admit this and, especially to say it out loud, but you are a strong and independent woman now. Today


    you gain a new family, but I want you to know that you will never lose your old one. You are the pride of


    the Western Lycan Kingdom and you will always be weed there. If you ever need help, there is a


    whole kingdom that wille to your aid. This is my vow to you, dear sister.¡±


    ¡°Gideon,¡± Savannah lowered her head, blinking away the tears. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Now go and be happy!¡± The brother gave her a fatherly kiss on the forehead and stepped back, leaving


    her alone on the starlit path. However, everyone heard him mutter as he joined his wife, ¡°Even if it¡¯s with


    him.¡±


    But nothing could stop Savvy now as she practically ran to join hands with Kai, their fingerscing


    together instantly, each move filled with love and passion.


    ¡°Finally!¡± he whispered and she let out a giggle, knowing exactly how he felt. She couldn¡¯t wait for all of


    this to be done, for the camera to be turned off and for them to be alone together again. She didn¡¯t have


    enough of him after the reunion. She did not think she¡¯d ever have enough of him.


    ¡°Tonight, under the North Star and the Aurora,¡± Elene started her speech with a serene smile on her lips,


    ¡°we are gathered here to celebrate the union of King Kai Fiongh and Princess Savannah Stormhold.


    Two halves of the same whole, they have already proven to be mates and epted each other¡¯s true


    marks. They are already united in the eyes of Fenrir and the Moon Goddess, and tonight, they will be


    united in the eyes of their people as well. Please, say your vows to each other.¡±


    Kai nced at his bride once again, marveling at how beautiful she looked tonight. He had a speech


    prepared on a piece of paper, but he decided that he didn¡¯t need it. The right words were already on his


    tongue.


    ¡°Sawy,¡± he chose not to use her full name. What he was going to say wasing from his heart, and he


    did not want to bury it in formalities. ¡°I didn¡¯t get to say this to youst time, but I need you to know this.


    From the day I met you, I knew you belonged to me. I knew you were the missing part of me that I have


    been searching for my whole life. You had another mate, but this never felt right to me because deep


    inside, I knew you were my North Star. You brightened my life and showed me the way to being a better


    king and a better man. Even in the darkest hours, even in the worst of blizzards, you are the one who


    makes me see light. I will spend my whole life proving to you that I¡¯m worthy of the honour Fenrir


    personally bestowed on me when he made me your mate. For that, I will be forever grateful. I swear to


    protect you with my life, fight for you with the entirety of my being, love you until the day I die, and


    respect you the way you deserve. You¡¯re my Luna and my Queen, and nothing will ever change that. I


    will be trying every day to prove to you, to the gods, and to the whole world that I¡¯m worthy of standing by


    your side.¡± His mouth went dry by the time he was done, and he noticed tears glistening in Savannah¡¯s


    eyes. He wanted to kiss them away, but unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t that part of the ceremony yet, so he only


    squeezed her fingers tighter to let her know that he meant every word.


    ¡°Kai,¡± she smiled softly, her voice betraying her emotions as she spoke. ¡°You have nothing to prove. I can


    feel every word you said with my heart, and you should know that I reciprocate every single one of them.


    I lost you once, and my life lost its colours. They call you my second chance mate, but to me, you were,


    are, and always will be my one and only. The only one I ever wanted to spend my life with. I swear to be


    the best Luna I can be and rule by your side in ordance with the Northern traditions andws, I swear


    to give you my unconditional support and love and stay on your side forever. You healed my broken soul,


    and I will do my best to ensure that yours is never broken, I will love you for as long as these mountains


    stand and the North Star shines upon our heads. And even when they are all gone, my love for you will


    still linger in this world because nothing can erase it.¡±


    She stopped talking because her voice broke, and Kai pulled her closer, wishing for nothing else but to


    bury his face in the crook of her neck.


    Somewhere among the guests, Petra teared up listening to all this. It was so beautiful to watch true


    mates confessing their feelings. She knew both Kai and Savannah as fierce warriors and smart


    politicians. It was a new facet she got to see tonight, and her hand brushed softly over her mate¡¯s. Ash


    flinched, and she held her breath for a moment, scared that he would push her away.


    The problem was that he did not im her, he did not announce to anyone who she was to him. Not the


    way she always imagined it would be. And now Petra was questioning everything. She was told she was


    beautiful but was she really? And if she was, then why didn¡¯t he act and stake his im on her? This was


    what an Alpha was supposed to do. This was something she¡¯d waited for her whole life.


    However, here they were, together and with no obstacles between them, but he¡¯d barely spoken a word


    to her during thest twenty¨Cfour hours.


    Of course, he was busy preparing for the war. It must have been that, and the rest was just in her head,


    But at the same time, there was this ufortable gnawing feeling inside of her chest that told her that


    there was more to it.


    She wasn¡¯t what he wanted. Or, at the very least, he wasn¡¯t sure that she was what he wanted.


    Ash did not push her away, and she carefully entwined their fingers together, giving him a light tug. His


    eyes were on the happy couple but at the same time, she felt him gripping her hand slightly. A smile


    formed on Petra¡¯s face. This may not have been much to some, but it was a beginning for her.


    In the meantime, the priestess joined Elene with a beautiful ancient crown in her hands. The blue and


    white diamonds formed the north star in the centre, surrounded by smaller stars. It was a thing of beauty,


    and only northern Queens had the honour of wearing it.


    ¡°Fenrir tells us to choose our partners wisely,¡± Elene said the sacred words. ¡°Kai Fiongh, King of the


    Northern Lycan Kingdom, make a wise choice.¡±


    Kai epted the heavy crown and turned to his mate with a regal expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯d already


    made my choice a while ago. There is only one Queen for me. Savannah Stormhold, will you ept the


    Northern Crown and agree to share the burden of responsibility with me, to rule not as Queen Consort


    but as my rightful partner? Do you agree to be my Queen, my Luna, my wife and the future mother of my


    heirs?¡±


    Savannah lowered her head gracefully and answered with a smile, ¡°It would be my honour.¡±


    He ced the crown onto her head and was amazed by how well it fit. As if it was made for her.


    His beloved mate bowed as Savannah Stormhold, but she lifted her head as Savannah Fiongh, the


    Northern Lycan Queen.


    Everyone present bowed their heads to the new royal couple, showing their respect. Only Gideon and


    Riannon stayed standing as their equals, but they ced their hands over their hearts in a sign of


    support.


    Finally, Kai could turn his wife to face him and gently covered her lips with his in a chaste kiss. Just a


    little bit longer, and his kisses would be different. Just a little bit more¡­


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    He pulled the string of her cape and it flew away in the wind, baring her neck and shoulders so that


    everyone could see that glowing


    North Star mark of his on her neck. He followed that by undoing the top buttons of his traditional


    Northern shirt, making his own mark visible.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got Fenrir¡¯s blessing!¡± the priestess announced loudly with a gasp while ude and Chloe were


    filming every single moment. For that was the most important part of their n. Bjorn imed that Kai


    sold his soul to a demon toe back from the dead. However, it wasmon knowledge that a divine


    mark would never appear on a tainted soul. That was why today¡¯s breaking news, the main event before


    their forces would meet on the battlefield, would be about Bjorn being a liar or a delusional man gripped


    by insanity, while at the same time painting Kai and Savannah as the new guiding lights and the hope of


    both kingdoms.


    So far, it was working out perfectly.


    They did not celebrate. There was no time for that and there were more important things to do. They had


    to return to the castle and continue strategizing. L, Reid and Gideon left to check on their troops,


    while Kyle monitored ude and Chloe who worked hard to spread the news. This was the morale boost


    everyone needed after theirst defeat. They did not forget to share as many fragments about Amarok


    as they could, drawing conclusions about his transformation and Fenrir¡¯s blessing that was now evident,


    thanks to the


    North Star marks.


    When there were just a few hours of the night left, they decided that it was time to get some rest. The


    next day could be the longest they¡¯d all had in a while as Aspen¡¯s spies were already bringing them


    information about secret movements made by the bear and fox forces. The brown bear packs were now


    joining their white bear rtives, while foxes were gathering at the opposite side.


    It was decided that Riannon would stay in the castle with ude and Chloe, working in themand


    centre and observing the battlefield from the sky with the help of drones. The Western Queen was the


    obvious choice because she was the only one who could deliver the information they got in this way to


    both Kai and Gideon via the mind link, not to mention that she could cover a longer distance than anyone


    else. However, it was clear to everyone that Gideon simply wanted his pregnant mate to stay safe.


    ¡°Hey, Savvy, maybe Ria could use some help in the control room,¡± Kai cleared his throat nonchntly


    and looked elsewhere. He also wanted his expecting Queen not to throw herself into the middle of the


    battlefield.


    ¡°Nice try!¡± she chuckled and then gave him a death stare. ¡°I evoke my wish as the winning Luna Trials


    contender! My wish is for you to never offer me to sit a battle out again. I am a Royal Lycan who can now


    use my third form without restrictions. I am too valuable to stay behind. No offence, Riannon.¡±


    ¡°None taken,¡± Ria nodded at her, offering her full support. ¡°I am pro¨Cchoice.¡±


    Back in their room that hadn¡¯t been touched by the fire, Kai took his wife as many times as he could in


    the few hours they had. It never seemed enough because they both knew that it could be theirst night


    together. They were confident in their strength and knew that their n was good, but it would be silly to


    think that everything would go smoothly. Especially after how many surprises life had already thrown at


    them both. They wisely expected more.


    ¡°I am so sorry I couldn¡¯t give you the bridal night of your dreams,¡± Kai whispered to her, voice hoarse


    from all the growling he had been doing. ¡°You deserve more romance and-¡±


    ¡°Kai,¡± Savannah lifted her head to meet his gaze. ¡°Since you came back to life, every night we get to


    have is the night of my dreams. Simply because we get to have it. I just hope¡­ that we get to have many


    more.¡±


    ¡°We will,¡± he pulled her closer and imed her lips in a gentle kiss that was his promise to her.


    And in the morning, they went to wat¡­

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    Zara was sharpening her favourite daggers for two hours straight, listening to L giving orders to


    his people. She knew she had no right to distract him, and she had to live with it. In just a few hours, she


    will be in the sky, and they might never see each other again.


    She knew her role in all of this. She knew his role. They would be on different sides of the battlefield, and


    it would be impossible for her to watch him even from above. She wouldn¡¯t be able to reach him, yet here


    she was¨Cpreparing her knives in case she did notice that he was in trouble. However, Zara knew she


    would fly down and shift back to her human form if she had to without blinking. This was so new. She


    wouldn¡¯t have done it for Castiel.


    Two hands slowly wrapped themselves around her waist and pulled her closer. L¡¯s scent filled the


    world around her, and Zara let herself close her eyes just for a moment and embrace their warm


    moment. As if there were no cold weapons in her hands, as if they were not going to a battle soon¡­ As if


    they were two regr people who had no crucial tasks to perform.


    ¡°Mine,¡± L growled softly into her ear, and her toes curled from his voice alone.


    His palms traced her curves, one cupping her breast and another grasping her neck gently.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t-¡± she whispered but did not push him away. She couldn¡¯t push him away.


    ¡°On the contrary,¡± he covered her neck with kisses, leaving a hot wet trail. ¡°We should because it¡¯s now


    or never.¡±


    ¡°L-¡±


    ¡°I am going to mark you now, Zara,¡± he said in a tone that brooked no objections, and she gasped,


    turning to see his face and check if he was serious. His eyes said it all, and her lips trembled. No one


    ever wanted to mark her before.


    ¡°Lam not your mate,¡± she reminded him and held her breath, not knowing if that fact would cool him


    down.


    ¡°I already had a mate, and what I feel for you is no less. I don¡¯t know if Fenrir and the Moon Goddess


    nned for me to have a second¨Cchance mate, but if she is not you, then I do not want her.¡± L


    gently bit on the soft spot on her neck, making her arch her back in delight. ¡°Because I only want you.


    Will you let me mark you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she was happy that she had her back to him now and that he wouldn¡¯t see the tears in her eyes.


    She liked to y it cool, but that lycan was making her emotionaltely. ¡°One thousand times yes,¡± she


    added and heard a snarl of approval.


    L¡¯s lingers removed her clothes, garment after garment, until she stood naked before him. He


    scooped her up and ced her on his desk, not letting her know that he had already carefully removed


    all the important papers from it because this was nned since his mind kepting back to her while


    he worked. She did not waste time either, unbuckling his jeans and freeing his hardness, stroking it while


    he crashed his lips into hers. They knew they were short on time, but they were going to make the most


    out of it. He drove into her roughly, fingers digging into her flesh greedily as Zara locked her legs around


    his waist. She pressed herself tightly against him, and they broke their kisses only when they needed to


    gasp for air. The room suddenly got so hot that it was hard to breathe inside.


    ¡°Mine, mine, mine,¡± L repeated over and over with every thrust, and Zara moaned into his lips


    when her release rippled through her body.


    Breathing ragged, she whispered, ¡°Now- Do it now!¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± the Beta obeyed her wishes as he kept taking her and bringing her over the edge again.


    Zara tilted her head to give him better ess, and his strong hands held her in ce. He knew it would


    hurt her, and he had to be careful, so he made sure she was as close as possible to her next climax, and


    when he saw it in her eyes, he probed the ce gently first, piercing the skin lightly. ¡°I ept you as my


    mate, Zara O¡¯Neer!¡±


    He sunk his canines into her soft flesh, feeling her warm blood in his mouth, sharing his DNA with her


    and marking her for life. He could hear her heart racing in her chest, and a soft whimper left her chest as


    he kept thrusting into her. This tipped them both over the edge at the same time. The ecstasy of their


    newly forming bond was intoxicating and overpowering. He stilled, and his tiny bird froze, their bodies


    united in all of the ways, finally as one.


    ¡°I love you,¡± Zara whispered, and L slowly got his teeth out of her, licking the wound gently to help


    it heal. It was so big on her delicate neck. For the first time, it urred to him that maybe it wasn¡¯t such a


    good idea. It would take the mark a week or so to healpletely. What if it distracted her during her


    fight?


    ¡°I love you too,¡± he responded and met her gaze. ¡°I am sorry I didn¡¯t think of the wound you¡¯d have to


    bear. How much does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°Enough to remember why I need to stay alive today,¡± she smiled and leaned forward to im his lips. ¡°I


    wish I could mark you too so that you would have the same predicament.¡±


    ¡°This now, was what I needed to want to stay alive,¡± L chuckled, but the smile turned out sadder


    than he had hoped. He ced his forehead on his chosen mate¡¯s and closed his eyes. ¡°When this is


    over-¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± the werebird stopped him, wrapping her arms tight around his neck, ¡°When this is over, we will


    have our whole life before us. This is what I believe in.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he hummed, and the piercing noise of the rm on his phone rang, notifying them that it was


    time to go.


    Petra found Ash right before he was supposed to leave. She ran into the courtyard when he was already


    walking towards his car, and he stopped in his tracks before he saw her. He felt her presence, and she


    knew it. It was still hard for her to decipher the meaning of their rtionship. It wasn¡¯t exactly a rejection


    on his part, but at the same time, he did not ept her either. Not like she expected from a true mate.


    Petra has been dreaming of a mate since discovering they existed. What could be better than a person


    supposed to love you unconditionally? Sadly, this was precisely what she did not have. She remembered


    their fingerscing together just hours ago at Kai and Savannah¡¯s ceremony, and that simple act made


    her believe that Ash wouldn¡¯t reject her.


    ¡°Wait!¡± she screamed and rushed his way, her pink hair whipped by the wind.


    Ash looked at his second¨Cchance mate, and his wolf Nox screamed to embrace her here and now.


    However, the Alpha knew that it was a bad idea.


    Petra was already near and took his hand into hers without asking permission. ¡°I know I am not what you


    wanted as a mate, and you don¡¯t know what to do with me,¡± she said bluntly, and his lips parted in shock.


    ¡°But let me prove that I can be just what you need as a Luna. Ash- Alpha Ash, I-¡±


    He hated that he made her feel this way, but maybe it was for the best. Ash had already lost a mate


    once, and today he was going to war, where he would be facing creatures far stronger than him. It would


    have been selfish to im her in any way now.


    Right now, if he ended up dead, she would cry a day or two for what they could have had. But if he


    deepened the bond, if he made her any kind of promises now, it would hurt her so much more if he did


    note back.


    ¡°Petra,¡± he caressed her cheek gently, ¡°you¡¯re a wonderful girl, and don¡¯t let anyone make you believe


    you are not enough. I saw you fight the white bears chasing us when we were getting Aspen out. You


    need more training, but you¡¯re already a fighter. Even if you don¡¯t realise it yet. And, Petra¡­ you are


    smart. You managed to get to the end of the Luna Trials. And don¡¯t get me started on how beautiful you


    are.¡±


    Her breathing hitched hearing his words. What was the problem then?


    He read her question in her eyes and felt terrible. Was he making a mistake by distancing himself now?


    ¡°Then why are you-¡± she couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask bluntly and cast her gaze down.


    Ash cupped her chin in one hand and made her look at him. ¡°Because I want you to be free if I don¡¯t


    return tomorrow.¡±


    She did not like this idea at all.


    ¡°I am going to be fighting too,¡± she dered, taking him by surprise. ¡°My pack is going, and so am I. And


    I don¡¯t want to die thinking my mate did not want me. I don¡¯t want to die not knowing how his lips tasted-¡±


    She did not get to finish because Ash mmed his lips into hers in a greedy, possessive kiss that made


    her forget the rest of her speech. She ced her fingers hesitantly on his chest, and it made him snarl


    into her mouth, making her lose her mind.


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    ¡°Petra,¡± he growled, deepening the kiss, and she got brave, digging her fingers into him. She wanted to


    feel, to experience as much as he could give her.


    But Ash was the reasonable one, so after a while, he stopped the madness.


    ¡°Petra, let¡¯s agree on something,¡± he breathed, ¡°When it¡¯s all over¡­ meet me at dawn. Here.¡±


    She liked that. It was a promise that wasn¡¯t a promise, but it was something that gave her hope for their


    future together, something to look forward to.


    ¡°We meet at dawn then,¡± she beamed at him, unable to hold back her excitement.


    ¡°Any chance you would not go to fight?¡± Ash wondered. He remembered how she jumped at the huge


    bear who managed to catch up with them, but she wouldn¡¯t havested long against him if she had been


    alone. ¡°No,¡± she shook her pink curly head. ¡°I already stayed back too many times. I¡¯m not missing this


    one.¡±


    She turned on her blush pink heels and walked back into the castle, and Ash¡¯s lips curled involuntarily.


    She was a surprise, that Petra. And so much was yet to be discovered.


    Aspen was pushing the wheels of his chair and swearing under his breath. The castle¡¯s square bricks


    were not made for this. The castle wasn¡¯t made for this. The life of a lycan wasn¡¯t made for this. He


    wasn¡¯t made for this. time.


    However, he couldn¡¯t think of that now. He was still a Gamma. Even though Kai would probably have to


    find a new one over


    Luckily, his wolf was all right. So, at least he was able to fight in his second form. In his newfound


    situation, he regarded this as a blessing. He could still be a warrior.


    One of his men mind linked him, saying that he was needed at the main gate and this was where Aspen


    was headed. The wheels got stuck when he was already close to his goal, and there was nothing he


    could do about it, no matter what he tried.


    His stomach churned, thinking that he would probably have to crawl now to get anywhere. Luckily, a


    warrior rushed to his side, willing to help. That only made Aspen angrier because he had never needed


    help before. He was always the strongest, the fastest, the most skilful. Only Kai and L were able to


    compete with him as equals. And now some boy was going to push him in a wheelchair. This was a


    humiliation he couldn¡¯t take.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± he growled so loud that the walls shook, and the warrior stopped instantly.


    ¡°I just wanted to-¡± the youngster tried to exin, but Aspen raised his hand to stop him. The Gamma


    quickly looked around, and his angry gaze fell on a bunch of spears in the corner.


    ¡°Bring me one of those,¡± he pointed there, and his subordinate obeyed, doing as he was told.


    Aspen broke the sharp part in the spear and used the wooden stick left for support, standing up. He


    could feel his legs, but they were not listening to him. The way the bones grew together was awkward,


    and now he experienced excruciating pain when he moved. But anything was better than this chair. Even


    a staff he ended up with. At least that one could be used as a weapon if needed.


    He limped to the guard post at the gate, already sweaty from the effort he had to make, and noticed that


    his soldiers had perplexed expressions on their faces when they saw him, but at the same time, there


    was respect in their eyes because he wasn¡¯t giving up.


    ¡°What is it?¡± he snarled at them to keep them in check. Thest thing he needed was pity.


    ¡°There is a girl, and she wants to see you,¡± one of his men reported.


    ¡°For l¡¯ck¡¯s sake! Is that why you called me?¡± He would have ughtered them for this now if they didn¡¯t


    need everyone in the morning.


    ¡°Gamma,¡± another warrior addressed him respectfully, ¡°she is a white bear.¡±


    Aspen¡¯s whole world turned. He thought he started hearing things, but then he saw his men and knew


    that they were serious. He thought he might see her again, but for the past twenty¨Cfour hours, he was


    sure that it would be on a battlefield. He did not know what he felt about her anymore. At first, he hated


    her when he thought that all his friends were killed by her, but then most of them turned out to be alive.


    Most.


    Not all.


    The priestess killed that day, was the one he always went to see in Fenrir¡¯s temple. He personally


    escorted her to the castle for Kai and Savannah¡¯s ceremony and was distraught when heter found out


    she was one of the few who did not make it. Same as the soldiers who were killed trying to defend the


    castle. The ones whom he personally trained together with L.


    Such things were hard to forgive.


    Mate or no mate, that woman was his poison, and he was ready to snap her neck when he went to see


    her.


    Only that the girl who stared at his broad frame with wide doe eyes, wasn¡¯t Brigit¡­


    Kai and Savannah led their army hand in hand to their position and found the bears already waiting for


    them on the other side of the field. Everyone knew this would end here one day, in the historical ce


    where the white bears and the lycans always fought each other. Kai intended for this battle to be thest.


    Mountains surrounded the field on one side, and Forbidden Forest was starting on the other. This was


    where the bears waited for them.


    They could see Bjorn in his human form at the head of his formation, ring at them. His gaze did not


    miss Kai holding Savannah¡¯s hand, her wearing the same outfit she did at the Forgotten City during the


    Luna Trials and the big glowing mark on her neck. That one especially hurt him.


    Joran appeared at his side, cing his hand on Bjorn¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just kill the King, and she will be


    yours. She was stolen from you, but the moment he is gone, your mate bond with her will be restored.¡±


    Bjorn knew this. This was all that kept him sely. That tiny flicker of hope kept him going.


    He met Savannah¡¯s defiant gaze, and she turned away, standing on her tiptoes and kissing Kai. Her hair


    was gathered into a high ponytail with a northern braid in it. She knew how to y the game as he


    noticed the drones filming everything from the sky.


    So be it. Let them film this. Let them film how he would kill Fiongh and then drag his mate back where


    she belonged in his bed.


    Savannah broke the kiss, and they held their hands just a moment longer, squeezing them as hard as


    they could. They couldn¡¯t show more emotions now because they had to radiate confidence.


    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± she said with the saddest smile on her lips.


    ¡°I know,¡± Kai replied, not wanting to let her go.


    But he had to. She was now leading her own squad ¨C The Luna Squad. And her warriors yed an


    important part today. So, she, Elene and other she¨Cwolves stepped back, leaving the scene, which


    looked as if they were retreating.


    Kai was left with L and Aspen in his wolf form by his side.


    His loyal brothers¨Cin¨Carms. No words were needed between them. Everyone knew very well what they


    had to do.


    ¡°What the ¡°L narrowed his eyes, watching what was going on on the enemy¡¯s half of the field. All


    of them darted their gazes there too, observing Joran stepping forward with an ominous sneer on his


    face. The skies became darker with malice as he faced the white bear army, joined by foxes and brown


    bears, multiplying their number at least by three.


    This, however, wasn¡¯t the end of it. The deity raised his hands to the ck as ink clouds and thunder


    rumbled, followed by a few bright lightning bolts slicing the sky. They struck the bears¡® formation, and it


    glowed momentarily.


    ¡°F*ck!¡± Kai swore loudly, realising what had just happened. He could feel that with his bones, the power


    erupting right in front of him as roars filled the world. One by one, the bears, the foxes, and some of the


    traitor wolves were turning into bigger and more dangerous versions of themselves with sharper canines


    and longer ws.


    ¡°What is that?¡± L asked, still trying toprehend what was going on.


    ¡°They just got blessed by Joran,¡± the Northern Lycan King said, voice grim. ¡°All of them.¡±

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    Chapter 73 Blessed


    Kai watched as Joran, on the opposite side of the vast clearing, smirked at him and returned to Bjorn¡¯s


    side, cing his hand on his shoulder and saying something that only made the bear more confident,


    judging by the looks of it.


    ¡°Well, we are utterly f*cked now,¡± L said to his King, using the mindlink between the two of them


    and Aspen. They couldn¡¯t risk demoralising their warriors right before the fight by discussing openly


    how their chances of winning just dropped significantly.


    ¡°Just more bear meat,¡± Aspen snarled. He was the one ready to charge at any moment and avenge his


    human legs. The Gamma felt like he had nothing to lose, but everything to gain by killing as many


    enemies as he could.


    ¡°Just a few chosen ones,¡± Kai reminded them calmly, even though inside he was worried. ¡°They are


    bigger and stronger, butthey are still mortal. Besides, there is a reason why gods don¡¯t bless everyone


    all the time. Maybe they aren¡¯t as strong as Riannon and I because they all shared one blessing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± L did not sound confident, ¡°maybe-¡±


    Kai closed his eyes and connected to all of his people at once, knowing that this was the moment they


    needed to hear from him. He hated giving speeches, and by no means was he good at it, but when


    duty called, he rose to the asion once again.


    ¡°Remember who we are,¡± he said, skipping a fancy beginning. It looked like the bears were ready to


    attack, and he had mere seconds. ¡°We are the true Northerners! We defend our home, our way of life!


    We shared the North with them; they had theirnd, they had their ruler, but they were greedy and


    wanted more. They want what we have, and they want us gone! Like it or not, if we lose today, the


    Northern and the Western Lycan Kingdoms, the way we know them, will be gone forever. The continent


    as we know it will be gone


    forever! Everything will change, and not for the better. But we have friends, and we have allies. We


    have eliminated the traitors, and now our lines only have people who will defend your back. We are


    fighting for what is right and just! Those bears and foxes will go home tonight, and theirnds will finally


    be enough for them because there will be just a few of them left ¨C If any survive at all¡­ We did not


    start this, but we will finish the war today, whatever it takes us! Even if it takes all of us!¡±


    First, silence greeted him, then a howl of approval emerged somewhere in the lines of wolves. And


    then another, followed by more and more until all of the Northern lycans howled as one in a battle cry


    that let their enemies know they¡¯d rather die than give up.


    As soon as they were done, more howls erupted from afar, and Kai snapped his head to see more


    wolves approaching from the


    Western Mountains. They were fast and ready to sh with the bears, but they stopped as the pitch-


    ck Royal Lycan stepped forward.


    Gideon roared, and his army joined him to let everyone know that the Western Kingdom warriors were


    here to support the North and defend their own borders. This would be the first time in many years that


    the West and the North would fight back to back.


    The bears roared in response, foxes snarling at their sides. However, soon the cats arrived and took


    the stage. Things of beauty, there were so many kinds of them. Lions, pumas, leopards, lynxes, in all


    shades of furs. All graceful and deadly. And all were ready to tear their adversaries to pieces. No one


    dared to underestimate them because their battle skills were legendary.


    Bjorn was watching his enemies gather and wondering where Savannah had gone, secretly hoping she


    was far away, where she would be safe and sound until he came for her when everything was done.


    He hated Kai with a passion. Hated him so much that he couldn¡¯t wait to send his men to fight him and


    to see him and all the other


    lycans dead. Even if he¡¯d lose some of his bears and allies, it would be worth it. Kai always had it easy.


    He always had everything Bjorn longed for. His parents never questioned him, never stabbed him in the


    eye, never separated him from his sibling. He did not have to earn. bits of approval from his own


    people, and everything always came easy to the golden boy. While Bjorn had to work hard simply to


    survive. Everything was denied to him. His birthright, the respect he deserved, and even his mates.


    Contemting about his mates, the White Bear King decided that Ingrida made a choice of her own


    ord while Savannah was deceived from the very beginning and stolen from him. This was


    something he was going to fix today.


    Usually, this was the moment where the final negotiations between the kings could take ce, but this


    time there was nothing to -negotiate about. They all knew why they were there, and they all chose to


    stay and fight to the death.


    A sneer spread over Bjorn¡¯s face. Finally, the fates favoured him. Joran did something he had tried to


    get for the past few years and blessed his army. The wolves had no chance now.


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    Kai knew what that ugly smirk meant Bjorn felt superior to him now, and he wanted to wipe that grin off


    entirely. The Lycan King shifted into his woll form first and grew out his spikes purely as a


    demonstration of his might. Amarok¡¯s eyes glowed blue, and the second hisrge paw hit the ground,


    the withered grass under it covered with frost. Like an unrolling carpet, it spread quickly through the


    field towards the bears and the foxes with unimaginable speed until it reached the front lines of the


    enemies, andrge icy spikes started emerging from the ground like a deadly trap. Some managed to


    dodge them, but many didn¡¯t, giving Kai his first kills.


    Bjorn, still in his human form, roared loudly, ¡°Forward!¡±


    And a horde of enhanced shifters charged the lycan¡¯s way.


    Gideon¡¯s people wanted to join the fight too, but he motioned for them to stay in ce. It wasn¡¯t the


    time yet.


    Kai snarled so loudly that the earth under their feet shook, the sound echoing through the woods and


    the mountains surrounding them. It seemed like something changed in the world when the sound died


    down because one could tell that it did not disappear,


    Instead, it became something else. A snow mist appeared out of nowhere, chaotic and merciless,


    surrounding the bears before they managed to reach their opponents, It blinded and startled them,


    making them stop in their tracks to regroup. The unusual, unnatural hare was biting at them,


    suffocating their senses.


    ¡°Now!¡± Amarokmanded his army with a loud growl which each of his men understood at once.


    ¡°Now!¡± Gideon ordered and shifted straight into his Royal Lycan form. He wasn¡¯t going to risk it ¨C there


    was no denying that this was what was required of him today.


    Both forcesshed out into the cloud of the snow storm that was holding the white bears, foxes and


    traitor wolves captive. The enemy could hear them approaching, but the snow made it almost


    impossible to see anything. So, when Amarok reached them first, they could barely defend themselves


    from his icy ws and sharp canines. Kai was destroying them one by one, methodically working


    through their formation to make way for his lycans. However, this distracted him from keeping up the


    mist that he summoned. The power was still new to him, and he found it hard to control everything at


    once. Nevertheless, the desired effect was already. achieved.


    The armies shed. Teeth, ws, cuts, bites, whimpers, roars and snarls mixed all at once. Warm


    blood was spraying the frosty ground, and lifeless bodies were falling left and right.


    The bears were strong, too strong for them to be underestimated by anyone now, and Kai had to admit


    that without Fenrir¡¯s blessing, he would have found it much harder to defeat them. He was throwing


    himself into their clusters, breaking them up to help his men, but often sadly watched his people die


    before he was able to reach them. The lycans were strong, but it was something else to be blessed by


    a deity. The blessing made the white bears bigger and tougher, the foxes faster and with deadlier


    canines than usual, the traitorous wolves probably got the least of this power, but even they seemed


    stronger than they should have been.


    From the corner of his eye, Kai noticed Gideon in his Royal Lycan form, crushing whoever was in his


    way. The divine power was flowing through him. As Amarok, Kai could feel it and hoped that the North


    Star mark on his mate¡¯s neck would give her the same strength.


    He crushed skull after skull, broke neck after neck, tore limbs and ripped pieces of flesh out, acting on


    his feral instincts. Still, it was far from enough, and he saw lycan after lycan falling before his eyes while


    there was nothing he could do to help them.


    Savannah was watching the battle from above, hoping that they had made the right call about the Luna


    Squad. Every fighter was important now and if she was wrong, she¡¯d fail everyone on her first day as


    the Northern Lycan Queen.


    It was hard to see what was going on below in what looked like a snowstorm, but she could hear the


    howls and the roars of the bloody fight. She could imagine what her mate had to face.


    ¡°He will be fine,¡± Elene ced her hand on her sister-inw¡¯s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. ¡°If


    anything, he is thest one I am worried about. Amarok can take care of himself.¡±


    Savvy tried to smile, but the lips just did not want to curl today, so she gave up on that. Snarls from


    deep underground reached her ears, and this was when a cruel sneer painted itself over her face. She


    wasn¡¯t wrong after all, and she wasn¡¯t wasting resources at the most ritial moment. She was saving


    them all.


    One of the perks of having her photographic memory was that she never forgot anything. So when her


    husband and brother were building a strategy for today, it was she who remembered the catbs of


    the Lost City which Bjorn¡¯s people loved to use so much. They sealed everything that was connected to


    the city, but she saw the map once and knew that there were other ancient underground tunnels


    leading elsewhere. For example, the ones where she was standing now. In the olden days, this tunnel


    helped people to escape from the city walls to the mountains and the Forbidden Forest ise the capital


    was under attack.


    The tunnel connected the Forest and the mountains above the battlefield, and Savvy realised that Bjorn


    wouldn¡¯t pass an opportunity for a sneaky attack. It turned out, she wasn¡¯t wrong about this.


    They were standing right next to the exits of the mountain tunnel. It would be easy to descend on the


    battleground below from here and catch the opponent by surprise.


    However, thanks to Savannah, the element of surprise was now on their side.


    The females waited patiently and quietly for the huge rock that was covering the exit to be moved aside


    and for the first werebears to walk out before they attacked. The northern Queen and Princess shifted


    into their Royal Lycan forms, leading the rest of the she wolves in a fast and precise attack. Sawy could


    tell that the bears were trying to avoid her, probably having some orders from Bjorn on her ount,


    and she wasn¡¯t below using that to her advantage. She had made her choice, and it wasn¡¯t her fault


    that Bjorn couldn¡¯t ept it and let it go. She did not owe him anything, and she was happy to ept


    this little gift from him because her only desire today was to win this war.


    They were lucky that it was a smaller group. The White Bear King probably did not think that it was


    important and arranged this ambush more as a habit. Or maybe it was just his backup n to make


    one final blow from where they wouldn¡¯t expect it if things went


    South. Savvy did not care. Her thoughts were on the main battlefield, where her husband and brother


    were leading their armies against a force greater than anything they had experienced before.


    Sawy and Elene worked nicely as a team, greeting the bears and attacking them first together, then


    letting the rest of the she-wolves finish them off. Savannah knew now that she trusted Elene with her


    life, and the princess did not disappoint her so far even if she never considered her a fighter.


    The Northern Queen nced down to see the mist die down and the bloody scene unveiled before her


    eyes. Amarok was the only one she noticed at once, relieved that he was alive, but the overall picture


    made her panic slightly. There were so many shifters down there, so much blood¡­ It was hard to tell


    who was winning because it looked like one messy c*****e.


    She had to focus on her own mission, but she couldn¡¯t erase the m* ¡®e from her mind.


    Things were not going well for them. She saw what Joran did and hoped that it wouldn¡¯t influence the


    fight, but it did. The lycans were far from winning the war. The losses were too big, and she realised for


    the first time that she wasn¡¯t ready for the future under


    Bjorn¡¯s rule. She wouldn¡¯t be able to- Anything but that!


    The enemies from the tunnel kepting, and the element of surprise that her group had was now


    gone, and now the bears were appearing, ready to kill them all. She saw one of the she wolves


    attacking a huge bear only to have her head ripped off. Savannah was moving swiftly between them,


    trying to wound as many and as deeply as possible.


    But she knew that it was time for phase two, and she found a moment to stop and raise her head to the


    sky, letting out a long resounding howl¡­


    Zara recognised her Queen¡¯s call at once, and a piercing shriek left her chest to summon the rest of the


    werebirds. A surprise that no one expected and not thest one for today. Kai had to strike a deal with


    them which was unheard of before. Werebirds almost never fought on anyone¡¯s side, not if their own


    safety wasn¡¯t in jeopardy. But the King¡¯s offer was too good to pass.


    The only reason the Flocks sent Mavis to the Luna Trials was to try to make her a Queen, so that she


    could give them a safe ce to stay during the summer. This was something they never had but


    always wanted. So, this was exactly what Kai decided to offer them in exchange for their help.


    A dark ominous cloud rose from the forest where they had been hiding up till now, watching and waiting


    for their turn. Now the wait was over, and theyunched their attack from the sky, Zara among them,


    searching for her lycan mate in between attacks.


    Birds of prey knew how to fight without getting hurt, making clean dives down, damaging the opponent


    and going straight back up.


    They were distracting foxes and the bears, throwing them off the game and getting away with it.


    Zara personally wed a few eyes out, escaping before anything could be done about it by the victims.


    Kai looked around, the picture was still far from perfect but it was too early to give up because it was


    time for hisst surprise of today.


    The witches came from the Lost City, Salome fulfilling her end of the deal they made back when she


    was still a contender. The date that was filmed and broadcasted everywhere was nothing more than a


    business meeting for the two of them. Kai was surprised that a witch joined the Luna Trials, ignoring


    that there was no chance in hell of them getting married. Not unless she was his mate, and they were


    done with that theory back at Introductions. However, he was still surprised when he heard Salome¡¯s


    offer. The offer he had epted, and now he was happy that he did.


    It was a small group, just around ten people, but the damage they caused in minutes was incredible.


    Three of them were fire summoners, while the other three were earthbreakers, two were holding


    shields, protecting the team, and what Salome and the guy next to her did was unclear, but they looked


    busy. And in all honesty, Kai did not care. They finally managed to shift the bnce of power, and now


    he could see the glimpse of final victory even despite their many disadvantages.


    Kai was looking at the mountain where Savannah had taken her new personal warriors and said the


    silent prayer to Fenrir each time he noticed her white fur gleaming in the sunshine, thankful for his


    lycan vision. He wanted to find Bjorn, whom he had been looking for from the very beginning, and kill


    the batard once and for all. However, no matter how hard he looked, he couldn¡¯t find him.


    Kai killed bear after bear, aiming mostly for the white ones as they were the strongest, but not a trace of


    Bjorn was found.


    He suddenly had a very bad feeling, and his head snapped to the mountain where Savannah went.


    There was one serpentine path that led to the secret tunnel, and on that path, he saw a group of three


    bears rushing, undoubtedly to get his Queen. He tried to get out, but he was in the very centre of the


    battle, and someone was constantly on his path. Kai¡¯s stomach churned as he realised, he may not get


    there in time.


    Zara wasunching a new attack when she noticed familiar cream fur a few feet away from her.


    L was fighting several bears. and foxes alone, and she did not hesitate to shift to a bigger-sized


    hawk to get one of the foxes out in less than a few seconds. She closed her ws around the red


    beast¡¯s back, piercing her flesh while she was at it. Then she lifted the creature into the sky, only to


    drop it on the rocks. She circled quickly and dived down again to defend the man she loved.


    And this was what saved her from the huge ck shadow that swept the sky, taking down dozens of


    birds. Their colourful leathers. were falling down, drifting in the air slowly, and Zara couldn¡¯t believe her


    eyes. She had heard many legends, but never thought that she¡¯d see a real dragon with her own


    eyes¡­


    Riannon ordered everyone to leave the control room. She still had monitors with drone footage in front


    of her, and just now, she witnessed half of them destroyed together with dozens of the werebirds. She


    stuck her emotions to the back of her mind, because she knew what would happen next.


    The dark shadow covered the castle so fast that even the Queen of the Western Kingdom lost her


    confidence for a few seconds.


    However, she wasn¡¯t going to admit it, and did her best to calm herself down, taking her seat in the


    main chair of the room.


    ¡°Greetings, Riannon,¡± Joran said as he hopped off the windowsill¡­

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    L had been truly terrified a few times in his life, but this one was probably the worst. Going into


    that battle, he knew that not everyone would return. However, seeing a full-size dragon with dark blue


    and green scales flying right above their heads and taking out most of the werebirds in one go


    paralysed the mighty Beta with fear for his new mate. Feathers were flying everywhere- red, blue,


    white, ck, and every other colour imaginable. The sight was so beautiful and horrifying at the same


    time. Whenever a ck feathernded in front of his eyes, he wondered if it was Zara¡¯s, and the anger


    seethed in him. He had already lost a mate once. He couldn¡¯t do it again.


    L dug his teeth into an enormous white bear who tried to kill one of his men. These beasts were


    so big now, almost invincible, but the hate and the painful agony made the Beta blind to the unequal


    power distribution between them. He did not care. He would fight and die here if he absolutely had to.


    Especially if Zara¡­


    He did not get to finish that thought as a huge ck hawk reappeared to w his enemy¡¯s eyes out.


    Just the glimpse of her allowed him to breathe again, and he deepened his canines into the white


    beast.


    Zara was making short, tactical attacks, where she dived down, trying to hurt the enemy¡¯s vision, and


    then flew back up quickly to avoid their ws. Only to return to repeat everything until her goal was


    achieved. She did not let herself think of the flock that was once hers. She did not let herself dwell on


    the fact that she was the one who brought them here. Most of them had died, and there was nothing


    she could do. Although they considered Joran taking part in the war, they did not expect a flying


    freaking dragon. No one had seen one for so long¡­


    And now she was angry. Angry that her attempt to help cost so many lives, angry that her part of the


    n failed, angry that she couldn¡¯t do anything.


    But she could do one thing and that was fight by her mate¡¯s side until death indeed parted them today.


    Ash ignored the blood trickling down his side as he was surrounded by two gigantic foxes that looked


    like they were a product of some crazy scientist¡¯s experiment. Joran¡¯s blessing looked like a mutation


    on them. If he didn¡¯t know any better, he¡¯d take them for demons from hell, not foxes. But unfortunately,


    that knowledge did not help him during his fight. They were too strong, too fast for him.


    Although usually, he could defeat a couple of redfurs with his eyes closed.


    He charged at one of them, aiming for his neck, but missed again. And what was worse, the other one


    jumped on top of him, nailing him to the cold frosty ground. This was a position impossible to get out of


    for a wolf, especially since the first fox prepared to deliver the final blow.


    A bolt of quick pink lightning shed before his eyes, and Ash¡¯s heart sank. Petra threw herself at the


    fox on top of him, knocking him off with a growl. The beast was about to pounce towards her when a


    huge white bear appeared, scaring him off.


    Ash tore the throat of the fox in front of him like it was nothing, although he was struggling just a few


    seconds ago. Seeing Petra against this bear made his blood boil in his veins.


    The bear recognised his mate. He did not n to kill her. He wanted her and was now trying to back


    her into the woods. This realisation made Ash more furious than he had ever been. The Alpha in him


    couldn¡¯t let this happen. The Alpha in him did not want to share. The Alpha in him knew that this little


    ck and pink wolf belonged to him.


    Petra was his, and the bear was a dead beast walking.


    Ash knew he would protect her no matter what.


    Although everyone begged him to stay with Riannon for protection, Kyle had to politely decline the offer


    because of the one woman who had been on his mind for a while now. Even if she did not want it and


    objected every step of the way, even if she would reject him when everything was over as she


    promised to do many times, he couldn¡¯t leave her alone on the battlefield. ude and Chloe were more


    than capable of taking care of the footage and the coverage, and his Queen agreed that she did not


    need him for protection, leaving a few other lycans by her side.


    Besides, in a massive war like this, every warrior was priceless.


    And this¡­ this was so much worse than their previous battle with the foxes that he started to think that


    he wouldn¡¯t make it. One of the bears had already injured his foot, but as a lycan, he could still work


    with that.


    However, after the bloody dragon destroyed one of their main advantages, the majority of the


    werebirds, he couldn¡¯t help but feel pessimistic. Especially as he watched the witches who came to


    help them now simply defending themselves with their magical shields. If no one would get there soon,


    they would all be dead. So much for an alliance¡­


    He could smell Evelyn and tried to follow her scent through the battlefield, searching for Petra¡¯s scent


    as well. If Evelyn was here, she would still be trying to protect her girl.


    Kyle could feel that she was near, but in the chaos of wolves, cats, bears and foxes, and other


    creatures, he couldn¡¯t move fast.


    Someone was constantly attacking him, life hanging by a thread, blood spraying the frozen field. They


    had to manoeuvre between the colossal ice spikes with the biggest bears¡¯ bodies pierced on top of


    them. The work of Amarok for sure. It was a mess, and he couldn¡¯t get through, no matter how much


    he tried.


    Though he tried to brush them away, gloomy thoughts were not leaving his mind. It did not look like


    they would be able to win today despite everything they did and tried.


    Three white bears circled around him, trying to cut him off from everyone else. They were attacking


    lycans in groups, while foxes and brown bears were taking care of werecats and werewolves. That was


    a smart decision because, in the past hour, Kyle saw a few of his friends lose their lives because of that


    tactic.


    He bared his teeth, demonstrating to them that it wouldn¡¯t work with him. He¡¯d make them bleed before


    they¡­


    His thought was cut short when a red wolf knocked one of them off their paws, digging his canines in a


    death grip around his neck. And before Kyle could act again, something absolutely unexpected


    happened, and one of the two remaining bears attacked the


    other


    This temporarily stopped him from advancing as he took a quick nce around the battlefield. Now


    bears were fighting other bears,and this¡­ this was new.


    Aspen did not believe in Brigit¡¯s words and promises. It did not matter what her little sister told him. His


    mate¡­ his ex-mate was not to be trusted.


    Once, he was ready to give everything for one smile of hers. He was ready to love and cherish her, to


    kiss the ground she walked on, but she chose to betray him. His blind faith in her cost him his human


    legs. Now he would be a cripple until the day he died. Which, by the look of things, would be today.


    He was looking for her, knowing that although her sister promised them that Brigit would turn the tables


    in the middle of the fight and join them with their father¡¯s old n, those were just empty words. The


    same as her confessions of love during their one and only passionate night together.


    Empty.


    Useless.


    Lies.


    When he smelled her presence, he left a trail of dead foxes behind him and charged straight at her,


    seeing how she was going to attack that western pup alongside two of herrades-in-arms. He


    wanted it to be a clean kill.


    One good blow and the turmoil of his life would be gone.


    She deserved it for all the betrayals.


    He wanted this more than anything. He wanted to be done with her.


    And yet¡­ at thest moment, he pounced at a different white bear, knowing very well that it wasn¡¯t her.


    However, when he was done with that one and turned to look for Brigit again, he saw her fighting her


    own kind. He saw how many other white bears followed her lead.


    This could have been their turning point now¡­.


    However, he did not see his King or his Queen. Moreover, the Western Lycan King was gone as well.


    And all this did not promise anything good.


    Riannon was expecting the Serpent. It was the only reason why she wasn¡¯t on the battlefield now, and


    she was happy that she had interpreted yet another vision of hers correctly. However dangerous that


    was.


    The Serpent needed answers, but so did she. And Ria knew she would be safe until he got what he


    wanted. Maybe eventer if she yed that right.


    ¡°Wee, Joran,¡± the Luna hopped off the desk she was sitting on as the intruder took in the empty


    room, and an understanding smile curled his lips.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve been expecting me,¡± the deity brushed his hand through his dark blonde hair and sneered


    at the Western Queen. ¡°It¡¯s for the best, I guess. Saves us time.¡±


    ¡°And lives,¡± Riannon added, remembering her first vision of this encounter. In her dream, the deity killed


    several people to rify his point. Luckily, Riannon already learned that knowledge was power and that


    with its help, she could alter the future. She had done it before, and she was doing it now.


    ¡°I was probably in a worse mood in your visions,¡± the man chuckled. ¡°I hate having to exin the


    obvious. This is why I think we would work great together. You already know everything I want to ask.


    So, why don¡¯t you just give it to me.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say so,¡± she shrugged nonchntly, biding for time. ¡°My visions are usually very hectic and


    leave more questions than answers.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d still take everything you have to tell me, Seer,¡± Joran insisted.


    ¡°Well, I know you are not getting that firstborn,¡± Ria arched her brow at the man that was now too close


    to her. ¡°He is already promised to someone else.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± the Serpent gritted his teeth.


    ¡°I think deep inside you know your answer.¡± This time it was her time for understanding smiles.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to see about that. I have broken many prophecies before. I am sure I will find a way to


    break this one too.¡± Joran slowly walked around the room, not watching Riannon at all. He was more


    interested to see the monitors and what was on them now. A smirk.


    appeared on his face when he noticed how many of them were not working anymore. ¡°Excuse me for


    destroying your drones,¡± he said, returning his attention back to the Luna in front of him. She was now


    within his reach but did not try to escape him. Which both amused him and concerned him, ¡°I was


    aiming for the birds. It was a good idea to involve them, by the way. Yours?¡±


    ¡°Savannah¡¯s,¡± Riannon answered, tilting her head slightly. It was the first time she was this close to


    what could be considered a God.


    Her empathic nature could feel waves of power radiating from him. It was stronger than anything she


    could have imagined, but she tried to restrain the fear. She knew he would be able to smell it otherwise.


    ¡°I think this was enough of small talk,¡± the Serpent insistedzily, but she could feel how agitated he


    was. ¡°Give me the information.


    I want, and I will let you live.¡±


    now.


    ¡°As I have already told you, it doesn¡¯t work like that for me.¡± Rhiannon tried to stay calm. Everything


    depended on her self-control


    ¡°Perform Seidhrthen!¡± the man snapped at her.


    ¡°If only I knew what that is.¡± Ria had no idea what he was talking about, but she was curious. Very


    curious.


    ¡°Lucky for you, I¡¯m a great teacher,¡± Joran sneered, but the woman in front of him furrowed her brows


    as he backed her into a desk, cutting her ways of escaping.


    ¡°Fine.¡± She held her head high and met his gaze differently. The Queen that she was, she wasn¡¯t going


    to grovel before him; she wasn¡¯t going to give up or beg for mercy. She was going to profit from this.


    ¡°Lucky for you, I¡¯m eager to learn.¡±


    ¡°Admirable,¡± he muttered under his breath and grabbed her hand, pulling the Luna closer. ¡°It¡¯s going to


    be an express lesson. Seidhr is ancient magic that goddess Freyja herself used to see the future with.


    And sometimes alter it. Yes, some visionse naturally to Seers like you, and I bet the connection


    between the Moon Goddess and your woll helps a lot. I can see it with my eyes closed. But often, if you


    need answers to particr questions, and the answers don¡¯te easily, there is another way. Fast


    and foolproof.¡±


    ¡°Seidh,¡± Riannon repeated the word she had heard for the first time in her life. This wasn¡¯t something


    Selene taught her wolf, but she knew she had to try it. Because she craved answers just as much as


    Joran did.


    ¡°What do I have to do?¡± she asked, tensing slightly.


    ¡°There are different ways to perform seidhr,¡± the Serpent chuckled darkly, taking her chin into his hand.


    ¡°Most require close contact. A kiss or intercourse-¡±


    ¡°Hard pass,¡± the Luna yanked her face away in disgust. She couldn¡¯t imagine anyone other than


    Gideon touching her.


    ¡°Was worth a try,¡± Joran snorted. ¡°If we are this picky, then I guess I can spare some blood of mine for


    you to consume.¡±


    The thought alone repulsed Riannon, but it wasn¡¯t much in the grand scheme of things. After all,


    species like vampires used blood to ess their magic all the time.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she agreed reluctantly and the man stretched his hand to her, offering his palm. Ria grew the


    nail on her index finger into a sharp w and, looking into the deity¡¯s eyes, slowly cut his skin to draw


    blood. The wound healed almost instantly, but a few drops were left on the tip of her w, and she


    knew this was more than enough for their purpose.


    She brought the finger to her lips as Joran watched her every move, but then she paused and c****d


    her brow up.


    ¡°And now let¡¯s speak about the conditions,¡± she offered, ignoring how desperate he was. It was evident


    that he probably needed this more than she did.


    This did not make the Dragon God in front of her happy, and he frowned.


    ¡°The condition is you tell me what I want to know, and maybe I do not ughter you here today!¡± He


    growled menacingly as the air in the room became suffocating.


    ¡°Not good enough,¡± the Luna retorted, shrugging. ¡°This is what I have now anyway. What is the point of


    giving you what you want, then?¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you something, Queen of the West!¡± an ominous shadow ran over Joran¡¯s eyes. ¡°You think


    you¡¯re so smart! But you¡¯re not even ranking high on the list of the Queens before you. And there were


    so many before you. There will be many after you as well. You will be recing each other in this post


    while I will keep reigning over the skies in the seas, ruling them from the divine realm you will never


    enter. I lived for thousands of years and I will leave for thousands more. And this is why when I tell you


    to do something, you¡¯d better do it at once without trying to outsmart me. Because, trust me, Queen,¡±


    he almost spat those words out, ¡°You aren¡¯t going to. You probably thought that thanks to your gift you


    would get me to back away from this war, but it¡¯s not going to happen. If you don¡¯t tell me where my


    dragonfly is, I will make sure that you live while I carve your baby out of your stomach and kill it before


    your eyes. It¡¯s a boy, by the way. Congrattions.¡±


    She was not able to breathe while he said those words, entranced by the darkness that appeared in his


    eyes and showed her that. his threats were serious.


    She knew she couldn¡¯t risk the baby. Maybe her son was still unborn, but he was already loved. The


    primal instinct to defend her pup overcame her, and she licked the blood drops off her w, closing her


    eyes.


    ¡°Tell me where is my dragonfly,¡± Joran repeated calmly, but at the same time, he grasped the woman¡¯s


    shoulders and squeezed them tightly.


    Riannon was falling through the stars and gxies¡­ She did not have any control and did not know if


    this was ever going to end. She was just a tiny spec in the universe that travelled through times.


    She saw a pce made of white moonstone and a couple reaching for each other in the darkness


    while nobody saw them. However, they were wrong about that because Joran was there too, watching


    the two of them greedily¡­


    Ria fell again. Through dark, ominous clouds and rain, through soft white clouds and blinding sun rays.


    The world was changing, and she was falling still. Until she saw a giant Serpent thrown into the sea.


    The creature did not want to leave his home, but he had no choice.


    ¡°Dragonfly!¡± Joran¡¯s voice cut her journey short, and she fell again.


    She saw a woman with light silver hair taking her clothes off in the woods and a dragonfly tattoo shining


    on the left side of her back. Riannon tried looking for signs of where that woman was, but all she saw


    were the trees that surrounded her. She made a fire and threw all her clothes into it, watching it burn to


    ashes. The dragonfly took a stic bag from under one of the tree roots and put on a fresh pair of


    jeans and a bra. Then, she went back to the fire and took out one of the thick branches inside of it that


    was still smouldering. Not wasting any time, the woman ced the hot end on her skin where the tattoo


    was situated and let out a snarl as she burned that ce to the point that the skin became visibly


    charred. She threw the stick away when she was done with it and leaned over a tree, breathing heavily.


    Riannon wished to see the girl¡¯s face, and at the same moment, she turned, making the Luna gasp at


    the sight of Astrid, one of the


    Luna Trials contenders.


    Astrid was in pain, but determination was painted all over her face as she got a ck t-shirt out of the


    stic bag and pulled it on, throwing everything else in the fire too. Thest thing she did was get a


    little velvet pouch out and turn it upside down, making a little shining ring fall onto her palm. The


    Crescent Ring with a tiny star that Riannon had seen in so many dreams before tonight. The one she


    had been looking for.


    Astrid cautiously looked around and put the fire down, walking away with just a little crossbody bag


    over her shoulders. There was no snow where she was, and Ria noticed a few more things she wished


    she didn¡¯t.


    But it was toote because Joran shook her with force, making her open her eyes.


    ¡°You saw her!¡± he stated.


    Not asked.


    She wanted to lie to him so badly, knowing now that she couldn¡¯t give this person away.


    ¡°My dragonfly or your child, Riannon!¡± The Serpent grasped her neck now as if he was reading her


    mind. It was so tiny in hisrge palm that it was enough to press just a bit harder to snap it. ¡°Choose!¡±


    ¡°She is going to the Eastern border,¡± the Luna whispered, a single tear rolling down her cheek from all


    this helplessness. She was saving one person she loved but condemning another.


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Joran wanted proof.


    ¡°The trees around her are still northern pines,¡± she said, her voice hoarse. ¡°And moss on them grows


    facing the North. Besides, she was walking towards the rising sun. She is heading East.¡±


    ¡°See, Riannon, it wasn¡¯t that hard!¡± The deity scoffed and threw her across the room as it she weighed


    nothing. Ria managed to cover her belly, protecting her child, and tilted her body so that the impact with


    the wall hit her back. She knew that she was lucky and this was just a light demonstration of what could


    have happened to her now.


    ¡°You recognised her, didn¡¯t you?¡± The Serpent scoffed, stepping onto the windowsill he used to arrive


    here.


    Riannon nodded quietly, knowing there was no point denying the obvious.


    ¡°Then you¡¯d better forget.¡±


    The deity was about to shift and leave when Riannon stood up, clenching her trembling fists. A cruel


    smile was ying on her lips when she told him.


    ¡°I hate to inform you, but you have way bigger problems than her now,¡± the Luna taunted, and his gaze


    travelled back to her with a glint of annoyance in it.


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± A wickedugh rumbled through his chest. ¡°Enlighten me, Riannon.¡±


    ¡°Your brother is here,¡± she couldn¡¯t hide her smirk when his dropped. ¡°Can¡¯t you feel what he is doing


    now?¡±

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    Petra ran between the ancient pine trees of the Forbidden Forest like a sh of lightning. She may not


    have been the best warrior out there, but her speed was always impressive. This was one time when


    her small size was an advantage. It was much harder for the bear that followed her to keep up, but the


    beast was stubborn, and that was bing a problem. She knew that bear. She recognised his scent


    at once when he got close to her on the battlefield because he was the one who kept visiting her while


    she was captive and swore that he would be the one to own her in the end. It seemed like he intended


    to keep his word even though the auction never happened. He was also the one Petra liked the least,


    not that she liked any of them. But there was something about this one¡­ something that made her


    stomach churn in the worst of ways. She knew she¡¯d better die than get into his paws..


    However, that other scent that was now reaching her nostrils gave her hope. She dreamed of being


    enveloped in this pleasant earthy scent for the rest of her life. A part of her worried that he was chasing


    the bear because those beasts were much bigger and more dangerous now than ever before. The


    whispers travelled fast among the werewolves and lycans about their enemies changing into something


    else. Now everyone got a taste of that change. They should have already won by now but were still


    struggling in reality. Their n failed.


    Petra thought of luring the bear into the Forgotten city. If she managed to get him into the tiles area,


    she could lead him into a trap. However, the problem was that they were now on the wrong side of the


    battlefield.


    Something shifted before her in the darkness of the woods; at first, she did not know what that was. A


    chill soon ran down her spine when she saw another three bears walking out of thick shadows. The


    realisation made her stop, trying to change the direction.


    A trap! It was a trap!


    Her pursuer charged at her, knocking a few trees out of his way and breaking them into chips. He


    covered Petra with his heavy paw, and she found herself pinned to the ground just like that. She


    struggled desperately, trying to bite him, but that only amused him. That cruel glint in his eyes she


    noticed back at the bear castle was back, and it made her nauseous.


    That did notst long, though, as a ck wolf pounced at the beast on top of her, canines digging into


    his fur as deep as they could go and ws leaving their bloody marks on his back.


    However, the bear managed to shake the werewolf off right in time for hisrades to catch up with


    them. Petra jumped in front of her mate, baring her teeth, her primal instincts were kicking in. Ash was


    next to her instantly, trying to push her behind them as the beasts surrounded them.


    Four. There were four bears against the two of them. Enhanced, blessed, mutated¡­ whatever it was


    called, they were simply stronger.


    A loud growl emerged as one of the bears was attacked by an elegant chocte wolf who tore a piece


    of flesh from his leg. Followed by a lycan who leapt at another monster.


    It did not make Petra feel any better because she recognised her mentor, Evelyn and her suitor Kyle at


    once. Two more people she cared about were at risk now because of her. Sometimes she wished that


    Lyn did not care about her so much. Her life would be so much easier without Petra, who was always in


    need of saving. Even now, when she was putting up a fight for the first time in her life.


    They stood back to back as the bears regrouped too. If they were regr white bears, the wolves


    would have a chance. A slim one, but it would be there. Right now¡­ all they could do was pray and not


    give up. Because their powers were not equal, and surrendering would be so much worse than dying.


    They would have to fight until thest drop of blood if they had to.


    Brigit had a hard time dodging attack after attack, ughtering her own kind as she went through the


    battlefield, technically making a path for two armies to meet each other and separate Bjorn¡¯s lines.


    Just that night, she reached her pack¡¯s camp and challenged her cousin, who was the new Alpha, for


    his position. The warriors at the Campughed at her and called her names that weren¡¯t new to her,


    only fuelling the mes of her anger more. They did not know how much she needed their insults to


    keep going, to fight, to change the order that was so wrong and unfair. They did not scare her off. They


    didn¡¯t change her mind. They only reminded her of why she was doing this.


    She was underestimated since birth. A girl. A thing to exchange for something more valuable.


    Enough was enough. If the man of her kind we¡¯re not capable of change, she would make that step for


    them whether they wanted it or not. Bridgit killed her cousin quickly. Well, he was showing off, thinking


    she was out of her mind when she looked him into a death grip and bit through the most crucial artery


    on his neck, dyeing the ground with his crimson blood.


    She did not experience relief though because she knew that the men wouldn¡¯t be happy about her


    victory. This wouldn¡¯t be enough for them. They would think it was beginners¡¯ luck and nothing else,


    and they would challenge her again.


    Her prediction was correct, and her dead cousin¡¯s Beta challenged her mere seconds after his Alpha¡¯s


    death. She took her time with this one, making it a spectacle this time but also ensuring that they all


    knew she wasn¡¯t lucky. She was in good. So good that when she was done, they finally bowed their


    heads to her.


    She, never an heir, became the Alpha of her n overnight and promised to lead them into a better


    future. She did not lie.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    When it was their time to take their positions at the back ording to Bjorn¡¯s n, after he found out


    that she was the new Alpha, she informed them of her real n. The n where they would strike their


    own kind at the back at the most crucial moment and change the game. She could feel how men


    hesitated, but also she could feel how women were on her side, even if slightly wary. This was when


    she simply had to hope that they would follow her, that they would believe in what she was offering


    them.


    And luckily, most of them did.


    Her warriors took care of the ones who disobeyed her first, proving their loyalty to their female Alpha.


    And then they waited just like she ordered them, which was another strike of luck because they were


    blessed by Joran like all the other bears and foxes. If she did not want to wait, this brilliant opportunity


    would have been missed.


    No one expected this and the changes that were happening to their bodies were scary at first. Bridget


    could feel her muscles. growing, her ws getting longer and changing their shape, her teeth


    bing sharper. She could hear sounds at a longer distance, see further than she ever did, and was


    afraid to think what other abilities she had now. She also was not stupid and knew that this was


    changing the bnce of power, meaning that even with her betrayal of the bears, the wolves could still


    lose the battle and the war. The -reasonable thing would have been to take a step back and abort her


    n. y nice and follow Bjorn until the day she died.


    Only that she couldn¡¯t do this anymore. She had done this before. Took the most logical way out and


    not the one that her heart desired. Each time she regretted her choice. She regretted staying in


    Castiel¡¯s harem for so long. She regretted pushing away and betraying her mate. She regretted so


    many things¡­ And only when she burned that tower to help Aspen and Savannah escape she felt


    good for the first time. She felt right..


    So, she did not choose the reasonable thing. She chose to fight. Even the slightest possibility of having


    a happy ending was better than continuing life quietly under Bjorn¡¯s rule. Or anyone else who she did


    not choose herself. She was done with that.


    But the price was high. Her pack had a hint of her scent now. They were recognisable, and soon every


    white bear knew who the traitors were. Brigit¡¯s men had to face their wrath, but to their credit, none of


    them tried to flee. Which proved something very important.


    Not all the bears were the same. Some of them could still be saved.


    As their Alpha, Bridget stood out in the crowd too. That aura of power was impossible to hide, not that


    she would do it anyway. It was all or nothing.


    At first, Aspen looked for his mate to kill her, but she surprised him again. He killed a different bear first,


    releasing his frustration on him and watched Bridget being attacked again and again by her own kind.


    He had to give it to her, she managed to impress him. Never in a million years had he expected


    something like this. She arranged a coupe in the middle of the war, and she was now leading it.


    This changed nothing for them, yet he found himself defending her when three giant bears charged at


    his ex-mate. He needed her for the rebellion she managed to pull today. She had to stay alive, and this


    was logical. This was also the only reason he was tearing to pieces everyone who dared to look at her


    with malice in their eyes. He was not falling for this trap again. He had already paid a price that was too


    high for this illusion.


    The fight pushed them further and further away from the clearing, backing them into the walls of the


    Forgotten City. Aspen was fine with that. He was one of those wolves who knew this ce like the back


    of his hand. It was literally in his job description. Bridget was also supposed to know the surroundings


    because she went through this challenge during the Luna Trials. But they had yet to learn if the bears


    who tried to take them into a ring knew about the secret passages and tiles. Some of them did because


    Bjorn used that ce a lot in the past. At least the catbs were sealed now, and they would only


    have to fight on the surface.


    Then again, nothing was going to help them when it was four against two.


    The bears charged, joined by a fox who saw easy prey. Aspen killed it first to save time and threw its


    body at one of the bigger beasts to try and distract it. He then injected himself between Brigit and


    another bear, cursing himself under his breath for this weakness of his. He was pathetic.


    Brigit searched for at least a glimpse of his gaze, but he was avoiding her like the gue even though


    he was so close. That stubborn lycan shouldn¡¯t have been there at all, and yet¡­ yet he was defending


    her time after time, after time. She prayed to all the gods she knew for them to get out of this. The bear


    Alpha had to promise herself that she would tell him how she felt about him when this was over. Even if


    he rejected her again, she wanted to do it. She always wanted to do it.


    However, now wasn¡¯t the time for this as she hesitated for too long, trying to check on him and did not


    notice another fox monster created by Joran jumping at her and biting through a tendon on her Jeg. Am


    angry snarl escaped her. Her leg hurt like hell and made her pause¡­ Enough for one of the bears to


    get close enough for that final blow of his ws. Those long sharp ws looked like talons now and


    were supposed to pierce through her like a knife through butter. Brigit closed her eyes before the


    inevitable.


    Only to feel nothing.


    When she dared to nce at her opponent again in disbelief, she saw why she was still alive. And


    Brigit finally got to see his eyes too, as Aspen stood between her and the beast. Pierced. His wine-red


    blood already trickling to the snow under his paws.


    Her roar was so loud and full of pain that it resonated in everyone¡¯s heart.


    This couldn¡¯t be his end. Aspen¡­ he deserved so much better than this.


    Rage and agony blinded her, and she yed the one who did this to her mate. Even if he rejected her,


    Aspen would always be her mate. He was hers!


    Another fox was next, followed by another bear. And then one more. She felt like she could kill them all


    now, not caring anymore who was before her.


    Only that it was toote now because Aspen was lying under one of the walls of the Forgotten City in a


    pool of his own blood. The battle went on, but Brigit found herself back next to her mate, falling to her


    knees in her human form and ready to be killed next to him. If he was not happy in the future she tried


    so desperately to build, did she even want it? me?¡±


    ¡°Open your eyes!¡± she ordered him through tears streaming down her face against her will. ¡°Open your


    eyes, Aspen! Do you hear


    Desperate. She was so desperate she had nothing to lose anymore. She asked Savannah to take care


    of her little sister when she passed the message, knowing that the Queen would stay alive either way.


    Neither Bjorn nor Kai would let anything happen to her. This was her only request when she sent Ingrid


    with the message about what she was nning to do.


    Since this was taken care of, she only had Aspen to worry about. She did not want the new order any


    more. She did not want her Alpha title. All Brigit wanted was her mate alive and well, even if it was


    without her. It seemed like a little price to pay now.


    He forced his eyes open and did not try to avert her gaze this time. She could feel his body quivering in


    her hands, pushing the rest of his blood out. And there was nothing she could do about it. Everything


    was happening too fast.


    She wrapped her hands around him, digging her face into his soft fur and crying without holding back.


    ¡°Please,¡± she wept, ¡°I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you! Just stay with me! Stay without me! Do


    whatever you want, but please stay alive. Fight! Live! Be happy! Hate me all you want! I know I deserve


    it¡­ Just¡­ please¡­¡±


    The lycan wolf in her arms whimpered softly, licking the tears off her cheeks and making all of this


    much more painful.


    ¡°I was a horrible mate! I know this! I did not deserve you! Just stay alive, and you will meet your second


    chance! I swear, she will be great, and she will make you happy! Please! Please, Aspen, fight for your


    life¡­¡±


    She trembled at first, but soon she began to shake uncontrobly. She did not notice how four of her


    bears stood behind her back, covering her and not letting anyone reach their Alpha. She did not care.


    Not if this was how it ended tonight.


    Aspen couldn¡¯t do anything. The pain seized his body like a chain. Each movement only tightened it


    and prolonged the torture. That she bear was trouble, and he had to push her away. Only that he did


    not want to. He had to admit it, at least to himself in his final moments, that this was probably the best


    ending for him. Feeling her warmth again, knowing that she cared at least a little bit, knowing that what


    he imagined wasn¡¯t actually just his imagination. They loved each other despite all their differences;


    despite the war.


    Betrayals aside, they always loved each other and simply knowing that he was dying a happy man.


    Aspen used thest bits of his strength to shift into his human form because he wanted to taste her lips


    onest time. He did not care about his legs anymore. He did not care about revenge at all. He only


    cared about this beautiful woman who betrayed him once, whom he couldn¡¯t trust and with whom he


    would do the same things all over again if he was to ever repeat this life. There was only one regret on


    his mind now. He wished they had more time. He wished they had another chance.


    But sadly, life was slipping away from him.


    Savannah was getting tired, but the bears kepting. Joran¡¯s blessing proved to be a big problem for


    them. She was watching the she-wolves beside her getting exhausted as well. Some of them were


    already dead, and this was making her angry. Deep inside, she wished naively that she would be able


    to bring all of them back alive. However, that n was not destined toe true and just by throwing a


    quick nce around the field below the mountain she stood on, she knew that the losses were terrible.


    And she also knew that it was possible that despite all their effort, all the great ns and the alliances


    they forged, they were still going to lose. That tasted bitter and was a hard pill to swallow.


    From the corner of her eye, she noticed a group of white bears climbing up to where she was standing


    now. The Luna of the North had no doubts that Bjorn was the one at the very front of them, and she


    could already feel his scent of Wintergreen. She also saw Amarok and a few of his loyal northern


    warriors following the enemies, and her lips almost curled into a smile. She did not feel good or bad


    about it. A part of her always knew that this was how the war would end. And she was ready to ept


    this ending.


    Savvy shifted from her royal lycan form into her wolf with ease and stood on the top of the path Bjorn


    used now until he could see her. He was already near, and their eyes locked when she sprinted away


    to the top of the mountain as fast as the wind. The paths were narrow, icy and slippery, but she knew


    she had to take the White Bear King as far away and as high as possible..


    Bjorn charged after the woman who haunted his mind, her beautiful white fur blended with the snow,


    but her ck ears were giving her location away. He knew very well that she was ying a game with


    him, and he was in. Whatever it took, he was getting her back tonight. Everything was on his side


    today. He had never been this close to winning.


    She got to the top with ease, but it took him longer, and he couldn¡¯t ignore Amarok¡¯s growls behind his


    back. His rival would be here soon, and Bjorn had no illusions about that. They would fight him


    together.


    But he had no problem with that. If he had to prove his strength to Savannah, he would do just that.


    It started snowing heavily when he reached the top and saw her slender figure standing alone, waiting


    for him to arrive. A huge ck hawk flew straight to his mate and turned into her assistant just for a


    second to pass her a shawl to wrap around her body. The girl with short ck hair red at him, but


    after a few words from his mate, feathers covered her body again, and she flew back to the sky.


    Savannah was in her human form, and it meant that she wanted to talk.


    Bjorn really did not mind. He wanted to talk too. To talk to her, to touch her, to kiss her, to finally take


    her. He couldn¡¯t wait any longer; this time, he would y his cards differently when he got her back.


    He shifted before her eyes and straightened his back, proudly walking towards her with no clothes on.


    He knew he did not have to be embarrassed about his body and hoped to notice at least one


    appreciative nce from her, one hint¡­ a tint on her cheeks¡­ anything! However, his cruel little mate


    of his gave him nothing, remaining indifferent.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home, Savannah,¡± he told her at once, even though he promised himself to be patient.


    ¡°I am home,¡± she shook her head defiantly. ¡°I am defending it from you.¡±


    ¡°This is my home too. The North is mine!¡± he gritted his teeth, clenching his fists but still trying not to


    scare her off. He could hear his bears fighting Amarok. He saw the ck hawk still circling in the sky


    above his Queen. That bird was big enough to carry Savvy away in its ws if it had to, but he would


    kill it before he¡¯d let that happen. Werebirds were quickly bing his least favourite shifters. Too free,


    too unpredictable, too much magic at their disposal, too hard to control.


    ¡°Let¡¯s agree to disagree on that!¡± She lifted her chin higher. ¡°But look at what you are doing to it! It¡¯s not


    toote to stop this now. You can still rule your bears on your territory. It doesn¡¯t have to be like this.¡±


    A deep coldugh escaped him as he threw his head back. She wasn¡¯t serious!


    ¡°Why would I do that when I am winning?¡± he red at her with a sneer. ¡°Look below, Savannah. What


    do you see?¡±


    ¡°I see a mad deity¡¯s champions fighting in agony for something that would never be theirs! I see so


    many dead people who had their lives before them, and now they will be a feast for the crows! I see a


    madman-¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± he stopped her, not wishing to hear this nonsense. ¡°I am tired of giving up on what¡¯s mine!


    And so are my people! We aren¡¯t doing this anymore, and everyone will have to learn and deal with


    this!¡±


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mean me!¡± the Luna snarled, the shawl falling off her shoulder and revealing the most


    beautiful North star mark on her neck. It sparkled like the starry sky, stabbing his heart with its


    meaning. Bjorn choked on the air from the pain. He had already seen it in the videos. He knew that his


    worst enemy marked his mate. He knew that Fenrir interfered and somehow gave them a mate bond


    as a present that Kai did not deserve.


    However, it was different to see it with his own eyes.


    ¡°Face the truth, Bjorn!¡± Savvy was as cruel to him as ever. ¡°I love another. Win or lose, you will never


    change that.¡±


    ¡°Challenge epted,¡± he smirked at her through all the pain. ¡°Deep inside, you know that you were


    supposed to be my mate next. You did not feel it because you were mated to Zack, and straight after


    his death, it was too early. When it was time, Fenrir robbed me and gave you to Kai. But mark my


    words, Savannah, when I kill him, everything will be reverted. You will be mine again. Everything


    will be fine!¡±


    ¡°Do you even hear yourself?¡± she asked, frowning. ¡°You are going to kill another mate of mine. Do you


    remember what it did to me the first time? Do you even care?¡±


    ¡°Last time you killed Zack, and this was why it was so physically challenging. And this time-¡± Bjorn was


    looking for excuses, and he was finding them. ¡°This time, I will kill him myself. Not to mention that it¡¯s a


    fake mate. He will be gone, and so will your great love for him. We will be able to finally be together!¡±


    ¡°I doubt it!¡± Savannah chuckled bitterly. ¡°Look down, Bjorn. How many people I care about are dead


    down there? Just face it, I will hate you forever, no matter how today ends.¡±


    He pressed his lips into a thin white line, knowing she was telling the truth. The truth he would never be


    willing to ept. He was a fighter, and he would fight for her until the moment he was dead.


    ¡°Then my love would be enough for the two of us!¡± he swore bitterly, each word a promise.


    He took a step in her direction, but a tall ice spike grew in his way, followed by more.


    Amarok was finally here.


    Fenrir watched his people fight and suffer. He nned to be gone by now, but something stopped him,


    and he couldn¡¯t exin that. Some lingering feeling was eating up his soul, and he couldn¡¯t fight it.


    It had been so long. Almost a century since he was this close to his people. Back then, he was in


    despair and could only watch them die one by one, losing yet another kingdom in the process. The


    East never recovered after that battle.


    Would today be the end of the North? Although everything was telling him that, he did not want to


    believe that.


    His brother gained more power since thest time he saw him. Blessing so many people in one go was


    madness. They were gods, but even their power had limits. Fenrir learned that the hard way.


    It was surprising how after so many centuries, Jormungand still craved to rule. Even if just over mortals.


    Or maybe he just wanted to erase the wolves from the face of the earth? Did he still hate him this


    much? It looked like it¡­


    He couldn¡¯t help but think that this was his brother¡¯s main goal. Destroying the lycans, creatures


    created by Fenrir, would be the same as destroying his legacy. Killing most werewolves would give Jor


    control over the one that remained, bringing him one step closer to his main wish.


    There was just one problem, and Fenrir sighed, watching how his creations fought fiercely when


    everything was against them. Moon


    Goddess¡¯ creature did not disappoint either.


    He knew that wolves did not deserve to perish. They were the most loyal, beautiful creatures out there


    who always took care of each other. This was something his own family never gave him, and this was


    why both lycans and werewolves deserved to live.


    ¡°I am so going to regret this!¡± he closed his eyes, wrapping his fingers tighter around the Divine Spear


    and summoning its power¡­

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    He had done it just once in the past, but the Wolf God remembered it as if it was yesterday. The


    previous time he experiencedpletely different emotions, though. Back then, he still had hope and


    thought that he was fighting for a better future. Moreover, Fenrir believed he was the one building it.


    The life of his dreams was just one step away, and his happiness was so close he could almost touch


    Everything was different now. It wasn¡¯t his war, and his kind lived for so long without his presence that it


    seemed he did not have a ce here anymore. Fenrir did not see the point in this war. Or any other for


    that matter. No war in the centuries he existed made anyone happy. He knew it better than anyone. He


    won so many of those in the past, but he was still as broken and empty as ever. To the point of not


    caring anymore.


    Years and years ago, he left the fighting to the mortals and resigned from his obligations to live in


    solitude. Every day of his life was torture, and he couldn¡¯t do this anymore. So he left for a ce where


    nobody else wanted to reside and stayed there.


    But today, something changed for him. Today he couldn¡¯t stand and watch his wolves die when they


    fought so hard. He had seen ¡°The hope and stubbornness in them that resonated with his inner pain.


    He was sure that he would walk away and forget about it as he tried to forget everything else so many


    times. Just another thing to add to a long list.


    He couldn¡¯t do it, though.


    They reminded him of his younger self. Fierce believers were ready to die for the cause, and Fenrir


    couldn¡¯t help but admire each of them. Even if he¡¯d never admit it out loud.


    He was especially impressed by the two Lycan kings, by the way they worked as one team, by how


    they managed to unite species who usually hated each other under their joint g.


    They did not need anyone. They did not need him. If Jor hadn¡¯t interjected himself into this problem,


    they would have never needed him.


    However, his brother had to interfere with the mortals. He had to try and erase his kind from the face of


    the Earth. Even after so long, he was still holding his grudge. He couldn¡¯t let it go and move on.


    And now Fenrir had no choice in this matter.


    Because it wouldn¡¯t be fair to the ones who bravely fought in this war. They didn¡¯t give up protecting


    what was right. They didn¡¯t even start the war. Lycans, werewolves, cats, witches and birds tried to


    defend their lives at whatever cost.


    A part of him was still hesitating, but deep inside, Fenrir knew what he had to do..


    The Call.


    The divine weapon in his hand, which once belonged to his grandfather and that became his after he


    killed the King among Gods, made his fingers tingle. The ancient magic recognised its owner and


    begged him to wield it, to summon it. It was desperate to be unleashed.


    Fenrir swore loudly. He had already broken his own rule creating a new Amarok, and now he was


    about to make it even worse. The spear disappeared in his arms, returning into his body as pure power.


    This was also something he tried to avoid.


    But here goes nothing.


    The decision had already been made, and he knew he wouldn¡¯t change his mind even if it would be the


    last thing that he would do. Everything felt so different now, and he couldn¡¯t exin why.


    He shifted into his primordial form and raced to one of the hills towering over the battlefield.


    Slowly stepping out of the darkness of the northern forest, Fenrir knew that this was hisst chance to


    leave and avoid the mess that his decision would cause. warm.


    However, this was the right thing to do.


    She¡­ she would have approved. And even though she was long gone and he would never see her


    again, it made his chest


    A few wolves below noticed him, shocked by his presence. It was hard to take him for someone else


    due to his size. Even Amarok was much smaller byparison, and no one had any doubts about


    what they were witnessing now.


    Fenrir raised his head to where he felt the Moon even though it wasn¡¯t visible in the sky yet. He always


    felt it¡­ even when he did not


    want to.


    A loud howl left his chest, a howl full of pain and pride that gradually transformed into a resounding


    growl that shook the mountains around them.


    The Call.. The Call that found its ce in every wolf¡¯s heart. The Call that was heard by every shifter


    present. The Call that was more than any Alphamand. It was the Call of a God, a summoning full


    of power and promise, as it could give anything to the ones who responded. As long as they had the


    one thing Fenrir demanded from them a pure heart.


    Their response was the most important thing here. The Call summoned the souls of the ancient


    creatures residing in human bodies, and nothing could be done without them responding. It was their


    choice, but it had a price. The response let him in. It let him see what they were like inside. If they


    simply craved power, if their motives were not pure, the Call would kill them, burning them from the


    inside.


    This was why not everyone could let him in.


    It made him sad to receive the first rejection. And then a second, followed by a few others. The shifters


    who knew they wouldn¡¯t pass the test were bowing out one by one.


    Centuries had passed, and nothing had changed¡­


    The world stopped as he looked for the ones who were worthy, too afraid that he would find none. Was


    Kai the only one worthy here? Were things that bad? Did he imagine what he saw in this army just


    moments ago?


    However, soon a small she wolf responded to him, begging him to give her the power to save her mate


    and the woman who was like a mother to her. She was so tiny but the spirit inside her was pure. The


    little wolf with pink stripes of fur was not born to be a warrior, but her soul pleaded to be one now.


    It wasn¡¯t in her nature, but she was ready to change it for the ones she loved. And she was the first one


    to receive his blessing.


    Then her mate responded, begging for the same thing, unable to watch her sacrifice herself. His


    request was granted as well.


    And then wolf after wolf after wolf opened their souls, permitting him permanent entry. Not perfect, but


    with pure intentions, Fenrir couldn¡¯t help but admire them. They were ready to die here today to defend


    what was right. But he had other ns for them.


    A wave of power went through the lines, making his subjects howl in the pain. Divine gifts always had a


    price. When he was done with the wolves, he looked at the others. To win this war, he had to do what


    his brother did and give his gifts to everyone he could, however big or small.


    The wolves, cats, bears, foxes and birds kept ughtering each other in the chaos that surrounded


    them and did not even notice that their leaders were gone.


    No one cared anymore. It was kill or be killed. The only way to leave that field alive was to kill the


    enemy.


    Naya knew the stakes were high when she brought her pack here today in her mother¡¯s stead, insisting


    for the Alpha and her Luna to stay in their home to defend it if the need arose. She was trusted with an


    Alpha¡¯s responsibilities and was going to prove herself tonight, but the bolts of electricity that went


    through her shook her frame and made her disoriented.


    It took the werecat a few good seconds to realise what had happened.


    The white bear she was fighting with did not waste time and gave a blow that should have sent her


    flying across the field. Only that ¡­it didn¡¯t. Instead, she bounced back surprisingly quickly and felt


    stronger than ever before. She loved feeling this power, and the expression on her enemy¡¯s face was


    priceless.


    The gift granted to her by a Wolf God would not be wasted. And it was greatly appreciated.


    She saw the scenery around her changing rapidly. All of a sudden, everyone who was on their side was


    awakening, changed to some extent. They were not mutated like their enemies blessed by the Serpent.


    They were full of pure raw power that was granted to their souls, not bodies. And it was just what they


    needed today.


    Not wasting any time, Naya ordered her cats tounch a new attack on the left nk.


    This was a game-changer.


    Kai red at Bjorn standing in front of Savannah and saw red. As long as this man was alive, they


    would never know peace. He knew that now. After everything, that bear was still ready to sacrifice


    everything to force his mate to be with him, and Kai knew he couldn¡¯t let this happen.


    His eyes met Savannah¡¯s, and he could tell that she was thinking the same thing. The baby inside her


    belly had to be protected at all costs; his Queen had to be protected at all costs.


    ¡°d that you finally joined us!¡± Bjorn let out an unhealthy wickedugh. One could tell just by looking


    at him that the White Bear King was losing it. ¡°What took you so long? I am tired of waiting for you.¡±


    Amarok stomped his paw on the ground, and huge ice spikes grew out of it, trying to reach his


    opponent.


    However, thetter did not even flinch. When the sharp ice was near, he just smashed it with his fist,


    breaking it into pieces much to


    everyone¡¯s disappointment.


    Kai suspected that Bjorn would be that strong, so he wasn¡¯t intimidated one bit. It wasn¡¯t the ice that he


    wanted to use to kill his nemesis. No, he wanted to taste his hot blood on his canines and bury his


    ws deep into his flesh. It was the most primal desire to kill that possessed him now. He had to


    protect, he had to defend, he had to kill,


    However, Kai was a King first and Amarok second. One look downcast reminded him that he had to


    think of his people too. He felt Fenrir¡¯s presence and the power radiating from below. A wave of


    gratitude to his deity rippled through him. He was too desperate to pray to him, but Fenrir arrived at the


    best time on his own.


    He did not expect more help than he had already received from the God but simply knowing that he


    gave them a fighting chance now was amazing. It was what they so desperately needed.


    So, he shifted into his human form and stood before Bjorn, ready to negotiate. Killing him would sure


    feel satisfying, yet at the same time, if he could save his people¡¯s lives, he was ready to sacrifice his


    ego.


    ¡°Your n did not work the way you expected,¡± Kai started, holding his head high just like a true king


    was supposed to. He was calm and collected while Bjorn¡¯s clenched fists were shaking from all the


    tension. The bear could barely control himself seeing how all his advantages were destroyed one by


    one. ¡°It was a good n, and I have to admit it, but it failed, Darius. Take your men and return to your


    ¡°In your dreams!¡± Bjorn spat, frowning, ¡°I haven¡¯te this far to back away now! So, unless you are


    ready to surrender your crown and return my mate to me-¡±


    A loud growl stopped his speech. This wasn¡¯t something Kai was going to tolerate.


    ¡°As far as I am aware, you have no mate!¡± The Northern King snarled. ¡°This is myst warning! Leave


    my wife and my kingdom alone!¡±


    them.


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡± Bjorn¡¯s lips curled into a cruel smirk. Kai already knew that there would be no peaceful


    talks between the two of


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    ¡°Then I will have to kill you!¡± The Lycan King announced. ¡°And I will never have to see your face again!¡±


    ¡°You can try!¡± Bjorn taunted.


    The two white bears that arrived with him reached the top of the mountain where they stood and roared


    at Kai, but this was when Savannah shifted back into her royal Lycan form and stood in their way. She


    knew she couldn¡¯t interfere in the fight between the two kings. As much as she wanted to help Kai


    defeat Bjorn, she knew that he had to do this alone. So she was happy that she got to be busy as well.


    She needed to release her anger and frustration, she craved the distraction because she wasn¡¯t sure


    she¡¯d be able to stay idle and just watch her beloved fight to the death with the man she hated more


    than anything.


    Bjorn shifted first and charged at Kai, hoping to get him earlier than he would transform back into


    Amarok, but no such luck, His ws met ice on the wolf¡¯s dark fur that almost pierced his healthy eye,


    and immediately he had to back away because a set of sharp, canines almost tore a part of his side.


    Bjorn had avoided this fight his whole life, but he was done with hiding. Today he nned to prove that


    the prophecy was just an empty sound and to put an end to all this. He was fighting for what he


    believed in, and he was ready to sacrifice his life if he had to.


    But Kai would go with him. He wouldn¡¯t have his hands on Bjorn¡¯s mate. Never again.


    Darius knew that he would be a great king. He was a better man, a better warrior, a better ruler. Just


    one thing always stood in his way to greatness, and he was ready to get rid of it today. He was


    desperate to prove himself, desperate to show his mate that she was making a mistake, desperate to


    kill the one he hated so much. The hate for the Lycan King of the North had such deep roots in his


    heart now that he knew he¡¯d never be able to live a happy life if that man stayed alive.


    Kai knew the stakes were high. However, he was calm. They were lucky. So lucky that Fenrir did not


    abandon them. That their warriors could now stand up for themselves against the monsters.


    He knew that Savannah would take care of the two bears, and he knew that Bjorn wouldn¡¯t be able to


    stand long against him. Bjorn was a good warrior, but Kai was better. He was the best. He did not let


    his emotions control him.


    Bjorn may have loved his schemes, but Kalwas good at tactics.


    Time alter time, he let the white bear believe that he had made a mistake, that his defence wasn¡¯t


    perfect and that he could be killed. And each time when Bjorn jumped on that opportunity, Kai made


    sure he was paying for it with his flesh and blood.


    He did not like to admit it, but the bear was stronger than what he would prefer. However, it did not


    matter. Savannah was near, and her presence alone gave him strength. His warriors beneath did the


    same. He could already taste the victory. Each attack, each charge, each blow was bringing them all


    closer to the end of the war.


    However, there was a problem. Although he managed to get the bear plenty of times, thetter was still


    standing strong. The gift that Joran gave him was invincibility. Any other bear would be dead by now,


    yet Bjorn was still able to attack him. It made Kai think of other ways to deal with him. Even a god


    wouldn¡¯t be able to walk the Earth after being decapitated. Or without a heart. Savvy already praved


    once how helpful that was. So, if nothing else worked, he would have to try these options.


    Bjornunched at him, aiming at Amarok¡¯s side in the hope of getting his guts out, but the wolf¡¯s


    defence was mastered to perfection. Right before his teeth were able to sink into Kai¡¯s flesh, ice spikes


    grew, trying to pierce him through. And it was a miracle that Bjorn managed to dodge at thest


    moment.


    The two of them were well matched.


    Savvy watched the fight from the corner of her eye, and her heart was racing with worry. The two bears


    she fought did not try to kill her. Even now, she could tell that their orders were to get her alive, and she


    was using that to her advantage since they gave her this wonderful gift. She wasn¡¯t above it.


    What worried her more was the battle of two kings. She knew very well that Kai wanted to deal with


    Bjorn on his own, but she was not going to let his pride risk their whole future together. She wanted to


    help him if he needed that, and she would face his reproachter if she had to. At least he would be


    alive to scold her and they would have time to work through this.


    She finally caught the right moment and snapped one of the bears¡¯ necks in a death grip, then


    manoeuvred around the other and pushed him off the cliff with all the force she could muster. His heavy


    body fell, hitting several rock ledges on its way down, down, down. Even with Joran¡¯s blessing, he


    wouldn¡¯t be making it.


    Savannah was ready to lounge at the White Bear King when Amarok finally managed to bite into his


    leg, causing the bear to roar in pain. Ice spikes grew one after another at incredibile speed. The bear


    managed to avoid most of them, but because of his injury, he stumbled and got pierced in the stomach.


    Sawy gasped, afraid to make a movement. She was too afraid to even inhale deeply. Kai was now


    cornering Bjorn, ripping some part of him every time they made contact. The victory was so close and


    the Northern Queen knew that her King wouldn¡¯t


    disappoint.


    Her smile faded when a huge shadow over their heads made the world go dark. Her breathing hitched


    from the fear she felt because it couldn¡¯t mean anything good.


    The dragon was back, and unfortunately, none of them was a match for the flying, fire-breathing


    serpent¡­


    Joran was furious. What the Seer told him turned out to be true after all, and everything here reeked of


    his brother. The mutt was definitely here.


    That enraged the Serpent. Fenrir spent thest few centuries where he belonged-in the underworld,


    grieving the loss of everything and everyone he loved. This was where Joran wanted him. After his


    betrayal, there was no love lost between them and to appear now to stab him in the back when Jor¡¯s


    n was working perfectly was thest straw. He was not going to tolerate this. He lured Fenrir out,


    yes, but he had his own reasons for that. He needed something from him. And this wasn¡¯t it.


    ¡°more.


    Jormungandr roamed the sky, searching for the giant wolf, but Fenrir was nowhere to be found, which


    infuriated him even


    He did not learn his lesson. It only meant that Jor would have to give him a new one, Fenrir would wish


    he never came back! He knew his brother too well. He knew how to hurt him better than anyone.


    And now he finally found what he was looking for. The one person that made Fenrir invest in him,


    awakening something that was long dead.


    He saw Amarok fighting his champion, and his fiery stomach churned with fury. He shed over their


    heads, making the three of them fall down to the ground. The girl who didn¡¯t give him the firstborn for


    his collection screamed and shifted to avoid the impact while Bjorn did the same, trying to get closer to


    her. That stubborn boy¡­ Only Amarok stood still, knowing that the first attack was just a game. Joran


    laughed internally at that audacity of his. He dared to look at him as if he could be defeated. Thus,


    sealing the fate of himself and his mate.


    Joran turned around, ready for his next attack. This time he was so fast, that no one had time to hide.


    Ice needles flew into his face, but it only made himugh harder. His ws locked around the ice wolf,


    and his wings took him to the sky. Higher and higher, with his victim helpless.


    Amarok growled and snarled, trying to free himself. His spikes grew bigger and longer, but nothing was


    enough. The dragon deity. wasn¡¯t for him to defeat.


    Savannah trying to get up. She tried to scream, but no sounds wereing out. Close. They were so


    close to winning, and now her husband was high above in the sky, held captive by a monster.


    ¡°No!¡± Her voice was a broken mess as she saw Joran¡¯s dragon unclench his ws and drop Kai down


    onto the sharp cliff peaks.


    It was too high. The rocks were too sharp and too hard. No one would be able to survive that, and


    seeing the love of her life flying down made her experience so much pain that she forgot about


    everything and ran towards him.

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    Chapter 77 Avnche


    Brigit was clutching Aspen¡¯s body, tears streaming down her beautiful face. Their love story that never


    happened shed before her eyes. What would they be doing now if everything was different, if she


    didn¡¯t reject him when they met? Would they be happy, celebrating Kai and Savvy¡¯s wedding? Or it


    could be time for their own mating ceremony. How would his mark look on her neck? And would he


    allow her to w his flesh to mark him in return? She felt like he would. He used to love her so much¡­


    His love could warm her heart now if she hadn¡¯t ruined everything.


    Aspen was what she had always dreamt of, her perfect mate, the wless man of her dreams, but


    they¡­ they never happened. And now they never would.


    Luckily, Brigit knew just the person to me.


    If Bjorn¡¯s greed and ego didn¡¯te into y, if he was not controlled by his obsession with the woman


    who did not want him in the first ce, this war wouldn¡¯t have happened. And yes, Brigit knew that


    Joran yed his part too, but Bjorn was the one who had controlled her life since the first time they


    met. He was the one who forced her to reject Aspen when there was no need for this. And ¡°because of


    his threats, she couldn¡¯t ept her mate in the first ce.


    He was the one she was going to kill today, and she was going to enjoy it. Luckily, she knew just the


    way¡­ She¡¯de prepared.


    Her bears were still defending her in a circle, and Brigit leaned down to kiss the wolf in her arms one


    last time. It wasn¡¯t enough. Those rare moments they shared would never be enough. She would regret


    this loss forever, unable to recover.


    ¡°This life or any other I ever get, I will only love you, my mate that never happened,¡± she whispered as


    her salty tears rolled down to his deadly wounds.


    She carefully ced him on the ground, brushing her fingers over his soft red fur and wiped her face


    with hands covered in his blood, knowing that it would be smudged over her skin. Brigit did not care,


    though. In fact, she did not mind This would remind her of why she was doing this.


    In less than a second, she shifted into her bear form and ran into the epicentre of the battle, followed by


    her warriors.


    Savannah watched the love of her life being thrown over the sharp, deadly cliffs of the Northern


    Mountain chain. Her breathing hitched, and it seemed that life itself stopped because this couldn¡¯t be


    happening. The whole world around her froze.


    She¡¯d already lost him once. She couldn¡¯t go through this again. She would go mad. One person


    couldn¡¯t possibly endure this much pain. Her heart wouldn¡¯t be able to bear this..


    Savvy wanted to jump right after him, and only the thought that she was carrying Kai¡¯s baby in her belly


    stopped her from doing this. Her North Star mark ached, and this brought tears to her eyes. If Kai did


    not survive now, she did not want to live either. He was the only one who could make her happy. He


    was her mate, her love, her husband, her better half and also the worse one at the same time. They


    went through so much, fought so hard¡­ This couldn¡¯t be it for them.


    ¡°Kail¡± her scream pierced the air above the mountains and down to the battlefield.


    Joran still wasn¡¯t satisfied. Some bird tried to catch the lycan while he was falling, and it infuriated him


    so much that he sent a wave of fire down its way. How annoying were these little specks of mortal


    dust? His brother¡¯s Champion had to die. It was only fair for interfering in his matters and for resisting


    after all this time. After all, Fenrir had to know better.


    But somehow, it didn¡¯t feel like it was enough. The punishment had to be bigger, harsher, more cruel.


    His brother, who swore not to meddle in his business, just defied everything. Again. And now Joran had


    to give him a proper response. His eyes fell on the Princess, who now called herself a Queen without


    his permission. The one who did not take his generous offer. The one who rejected his Champion


    despite how hard it was for him to get this bond for the two of them.


    Now that he looked at her better, he saw something else. Something he couldn¡¯t ignore. The mark on


    her neck was glowing like starlight while she screamed in agony, but that glow had something else in it.


    Something he did not expect to see.


    The Seer¡¯s words came to his mind. You aren¡¯t getting that firstborn.


    Because someone else had already imed it!


    Fenrir. His brother had alreadyid im to the child in that woman¡¯s womb.


    This was thest straw for Joran, and he charged at Savannah, ready to reunite her with her beloved.


    guy? So be it!


    She wanted to be with that


    Bjorn wanted to gloat or to feel happy, at least. His rival was now gone, thrown away to suffer a


    miserable death unworthy of legends. His woman was so close he could practically taste her delicious


    bluebell scent. All that was left was to grab her and get her home, but he couldn¡¯t move.


    Savannah¡¯s face contorted from the pain she felt, and the sound that left her chest was so¡­ broken.


    She was broken. His beautiful Princess was crushed, and he wondered how many times one person


    could be destroyed and be rebuilt again.


    The White Bear King tried to push these thoughts away. He had been through a lot too, and he was


    fine! Their mate bond would heal them both. They were meant to be, and this was it. He knew that


    Savannah belonged to him from the moment he saw her. He worked so hard to get her, and he couldn¡¯t


    question all that now¡­ But why did his heart clench so painfully when he looked at her grief-stricken


    face now? He¡¯s seen her broken many times and it had never had this effect.


    Their eyes locked, and he knew that all she desired now was to kill him. He wanted to lie to himself


    again so badly and persuade himself that this was temporary. That she would cry it out and get back to


    her senses, that he would fill this void that was forming in her soul now. Just a few seconds passed, but


    suddenly, he knew the truth. They would never be together. Even if their bond would snap in its ce


    now, she would still hate him forever. Until the day she died.


    He couldn¡¯t have her no matter what he did.


    He could burn the world for her, he could wage and win thousands of wars, but Savannah would never


    want him as her man. She would never feel the way he felt. He knew that now.


    Her hand was resting on her belly, and he instantly realised that he was toote. He¡¯d been toote all


    this time¡­ She had already created a family without him. She was already happy without him.


    And he had just helped to ruin it all.


    He had nothing to give to her to rece that.


    Darius sensed a familiar energy and lifted his eyes to the sky to see his mentor flying towards them. It


    was rare to see him in this form. Let alone for so long, but the speed with which Joran charged at them


    told him that he was angrier than ever. The deity was radiating with rage.


    And there could be only one person on the top of that mountain on whom he could loose his rage.


    Savannah¡­


    He had less than a second to think of what to do. It was barely even a moment¡­ But Bjorn jumped in


    front of her and pushed his mate out of his way into a pile of snow before Joran¡¯s enormous ws


    clutched around him instead of her in his deadly grip.


    Their eyes met, and he saw the shock in hers. Savannah had not understood the extent of what he felt


    for her. She never knew, never believed him. All the words he told her, all the effort from his side ¨C she


    never took it for what it really was, and that knowledge pained him as the Serpent took off back into the


    sky with the wrong victim in his ws.


    At least he¡¯d given her a chance to survive now. It made him a little bit happier, knowing that she would


    walk the earth thanks to him.


    His mate was getting smaller and smaller until she was just a tiny dot on the white snow that covered


    the mountaintop. Bjorn closed his eyes, and a single tear forced its way down his chin against all odds.


    Maybe she would know now¡­ Maybe¡­ just maybe, she would know that everything he did was out of


    love for her. The sick, twisted, overwhelming love that would never fade in his heart. He would have


    given her the stars if she¡¯d only let him¡­ Perhaps, they weren¡¯t meant to be after all, but even now, he


    had no regrets. He tried to give them a chance, and it was worth it¡­.


    Joran was furious. What was this boy thinking? Why did everyone under his control defy him today?


    He¡¯d invested so much in this. bear cub! He¡¯d spent years training and shaping him to be a


    perfect champion, to serve his agenda and rule over the Moonrise Kingdom they tried to restore. And


    he was throwing all this away for a woman? He knew that Darius was obsessed with his mate, but was


    she even worth it, considering how many times she¡¯d rejected him? She now had another man¡¯s baby


    in her womb and wore his brother¡¯s divine protection. Savannah Stormhold Fiongh, or whatever she


    was called now, was a lost cause not worth their time. Joran made his intentions clear, but Darius


    fought him on that.


    This infuriated him even more. The bear would survive the fall, but he had to learn his lesson and never


    oppose him like that. He could get him another mate if it was so important to him, but respect and


    obedience were of utmost importance. Joran had already forgiven his disciple too many times for his


    behaviour.


    So, to remind him of who was in charge here, Joran loosened his ws and let Bjorn fall down into the


    depth of the snow covered mountains. He would survive, of course, thanks to his blessing, but the cub


    would have to think twice about crossing him again.


    The dragon deity watched his Champion¡¯s descent. Tomorrow would be a new day, and they would talk


    again. They would work on the mistakes that were made today and find a solution. They always did.


    He wanted to burn the whole battlefield to the ground seeing how his champions were losing the battle


    one by one. Disappointed¡­. He was so disappointed with each and every one of them. Not worthy, not


    strong enough. They would have crushed the enemy in a minute or two if they were like his dragonfly.


    Joran knew that he had to find her, and then everything would return to normal. This was a setback, but


    he would work on a better n next time. For now, he had to find her and make her regret betraying


    him. He broke her once. He could do that again.


    However, he couldn¡¯t leave without a little surprise. He¡¯d bury them all here as a punishment for their


    resistance and failure.


    When Gideon saw the dragon flying in the direction of the Northern Castle, he knew that Riannon had


    tricked him. It was too easy to make her stay behind this time, and he naively thought that it was


    because of her pregnancy when, in reality, she simply had more important things to do. She must have


    known that she would meet the dragon and nned ordingly.


    He broke into a sprint, worried sick and leaving the battlefield at a crucial moment to go to her, but her


    calm voice in his mind stopped him.


    ¡°I am fine, my love,¡± Ria assured him. ¡°It was quick, and he is already gone. I am fine, and no one got


    hurt.¡±¡±


    ¡°Oh, someone will get hurt right after that baby is out of you, Riannon!¡± he warned her.


    ¡°I am so scared!¡± she taunted him with a chuckle, shifting his state of mind into apletely different


    one. His Queen yed him like a fiddle, but he didn¡¯t really mind. As long as she was safe and they


    were together, he could take it all.


    ¡°What were you thinking?!¡± he snarled, not wishing to let her off so easy.


    ¡°I got what I wanted,¡± she replied. ¡°The answer to everything. Or at least I think so.¡±


    ¡°Ria, was it even worth it?¡± The Western Lycan King gritted his teeth.


    ¡°I¡¯ll guess we¡¯ll know soon enough ¡°she sighed.¡± Get back there, Gideon. Savvy needs you more now


    than ever. Take care of her.¡±


    ¡°Stay where you are!¡± Gideon growled, hoping that maybe for once this stubborn woman would do as


    she was told. And then, remembering that Riannon Stormhold did not take orders, he added, ¡°Please,


    Ria. I beg you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here until it¡¯s over and I am needed again. Now go, Gideon. You have to be there now.¡±


    He knew better than to ignore his wife¡¯s words. She knew things. She always knew everything before


    everyone else, so he started looking for his little sister since Ria had mentioned her name.


    When a wave of power hit them, he saw Reid changing before his eyes, but instantly felt that his Beta


    would be all right. The change was for the better.


    However, he still couldn¡¯t find his sister. The Luna Squad was still fighting, but she wasn¡¯t there


    anymore.


    Finally, he noticed Amarok sprinting to the top of the mountain, and he knew this was where Savvy


    would be. Those two were inseparable.


    However, when he reached the top using his Royal Lycan form, he only found Savannah, unable to


    speak, and the damned dragon flying away with what looked like a man in his ws.


    ¡°Savvy!¡± he shifted back into his human form and grasped his sister¡¯s shoulders, turning her to look at


    him, but she still stared somewhere at the mountains and pieces of a horrible picture puzzle began to


    click together in his head. ¡°Where is Kai?¡± he asked, and Savvy¡¯s body shuddered at the mention of his


    name. This couldn¡¯t mean anything good.


    He stared at the dragon flying in circles in the sky, his serpentine body had to do that to defy gravity. As


    soon as he dropped the man he was holding, Gideon knew that it was Bjorn and not the Northern


    Lycan King.


    ¡°I need to find him!¡± Savannah muttered to herself as if she wasn¡¯t there with him. He could tell that she


    was shaken by deep shock, the raw emotions were still on her face.


    ¡°I need to get you back to the castle,¡± Gideon said cautiously, still watching the deity that seemed to fly


    back at them at high speed. ¡°Come quickly, Sav.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± She resisted the moment he pulled her hand, wishing to stay.


    The dragon was already so close that they could not escape his wrath. Gideon grabbed his sister


    forcefully, unable to count on hering back to her senses in time. He jumped to a lower ledge of the


    mountain, keeping her close. Savvy did not make it easy for him as she struggled against his grip.


    However, Gideon knew that protecting her now was more important than anything.


    His worst fear came true when the dragon mmed his long tail against the mountaintop, causing it to


    shake. The Lycan King could feel the vibration, the snow started to move, and he knew he had just a


    fraction of a moment to hide. He shifted into his Royal Lycan form and made a leap with Savvy in one


    of his hands while grasping the ice rocks with another not to slip all the way down to their death. He


    was aiming for the cave where Savannah¡¯s warriors fought, and luckily, he managed to reach it just in


    time.


    ¡°Inside!¡± he roared to the warriors still left there, and all of them obeyed his Alphamand fast. Even


    the white bears listened to his order, and he did not find it in himself to push them away. Every shifter


    felt that they had seconds to do what they were told or be wiped away by an avnche going down the


    sharp cliffs as an unstoppable force.


    With no time to spare, Gideon threw Savvy inside, closing the entrance with the rock used as a door.


    The light that went through the little cracks was gone the moment it was done, and they all were


    drowned in the darkness, buried under piles and piles of snow.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Trapped¡­

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    Chapter 78 Under The North Star The Finale


    Savannah breathed heavily with her eyes closed. Trapped inside of the ancient passage within the


    mountain, she tried not to think about Kai. Not only was he thrown from the sky onto the deadly spikes,


    but now he was probably also covered with a merciless sea of snow. Her heart stung, making her dizzy,


    and her fingers went to the mark on her neck.


    Gideon was saying something to the unfortunate bears who were locked in with them now, although his


    speech sounded more like growling, but Savvy couldn¡¯t bring herself to listen.


    She rubbed the mark near her corbone, its glow and the crescent on Gideon¡¯s neck were the only


    two things illuminating the dark. space around them.


    The glow suddenly gave her hope. It wasmon knowledge that the marks were fading slightly if one


    of the mates was dead. Not to mention that Savvy was supposed to feel Kai¡¯s pain if he died. She didn¡¯t


    feel anything of the sort. She was fine, just scared to death. and worried sick. The nausea was getting


    stronger, and she rubbed her belly hoping to suppress it.


    ¡°Little one,¡± she whispered so that no one could hear her, ¡°I need your help now. I need to find your


    Daddy so I can¡¯t be sick. Please, baby, help me stay strong. I need to bring him back for the both of


    us.¡±


    She tried to think straight and tried to trust her instincts..


    When Zack was alive, she could feel a lot of what was going on in his life. She had to believe that it


    was the same now. Her bond with Kai was much stronger. She was slowly calming down, knowing that


    there was no chance of him being dead. Her soul had not been ripped apart. Her mate was still alive,


    and she was going to find him.


    They waited for the vibrations to stop. Unfortunately, it took some time. One of the warriors brought her


    clothes, and she put them on, still leaving the scarf wrapped around her neck. She would have to go


    and search for Kai the moment she was free from this ce.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s over,¡± Gideon said, and she exhaled heavily, ready to find out what the wave of deadly snow


    did to their people.


    ¡°Could you feel anyone via your mind link?¡± she asked her brother and saw his face, illuminated by the


    light of his mark, tense. ¡°Just a few,¡± he admitted. ¡°Reid is fine, I think, but others may be just busy or


    unconscious. It doesn¡¯t mean that they are-¡± None of them wanted to say the word. It was probably


    na?ve, but they wanted to cling to the belief that their people were alive, even if just for a second longer.


    ¡°Move the rock,¡± Savannah ordered the bears, who stood quietly without making a sound.


    Outnumbered, they did not dare be arrogant. ¡°Put this strength of yours to good use for once,¡± she told


    them, and they nodded silently, getting to work.


    ¡°The rest should step back,¡± Gideon chimed in. ¡°When the rock is gone, this ce could be flooded


    with snow. We don¡¯t know how bad it is outside.¡±


    Soon, they had to admit that the situation was probably terrible because the white bear shifters


    struggled to remove the rock, meaning that the snow buried them alive here. Gideon had to shift into


    his Royal Lycan form, and together they managed to move it after a brief struggle. The snow did press


    inside as predicted, but it wasn¡¯t too bad as there was plenty of space in the passage cave.


    Slowly, they started to work as a team, moving the rock farther away and digging the snow around it to


    give it more space. They were lucky to have been blessed by two gods. The extra strength and high


    endurance were handy now.


    Finally, after a few hours of work, they managed to free themselves, and Sawy could finally see what


    had happened to their armies. Everything was white below them, and snow mist was obstructing the


    view. But their shifter hearing allowed them to hear the growls and snarls of people struggling beneath,


    meaning that there were many survivors.


    ¡°Well,¡± Savannah sighed, ¡°that¡¯s one way to end this battle.¡±


    ¡°And hopefully war,¡± Gideon agreed, next to her. ¡°Let¡¯s go, sister. We are needed down there.¡±


    ¡°This is where I have to temporarily entrust my people to you, brother,¡± Savannah looked him in the


    eye, and he knew she was full of determination. ¡°I have to find my mate first. I know that he¡¯s


    somewhere out there.¡±


    ¡°Savvy,¡± Gideon didn¡¯t know how to say this. ¡°Look-¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s there!¡± She insisted, not wishing to hear otherwise. ¡°I know this and I am not going to rest until I


    find him.¡±


    ¡°Still, the people below need to see at least one of you now,¡± her sibling insisted. ¡°Or you risk returning


    to a few self proimed kings.¡±


    Savvy hated that he was right and knew what Kai would want her to do.


    So, she went down and spent hours making ns for the rescue teams. The bears and foxes did not


    know what to do, but when they realised their King was nowhere to be seen, they started following her


    orders too.


    After all, if they wanted to save their friends from this cold death trap, they had to work as a team.


    Hourster, Savvy made herst orders and prepared to leave. ¡°You don¡¯t think you are going alone,


    do you?¡± L caught up with her fast and whistled for a few more warriors to join them. ¡°We aren¡¯t


    leaving our King and Queen.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she nodded as Zara stood by her side too. ¡°We have a lot of work to do, and Gideon, Riannon,


    and Kyle can take it from here,¡±


    But the longer they searched, the harder it got.


    Savannah walked through the snow, ignoring how the cold bit at her skin through the clothes. This was


    too cold even for shifters, but thanks to being mated to Amarok, she was doing fine. Zara flew over her


    head andnded next to her, shifting into her human. L wrapped her into his arms at once, both


    looking tired now after hours and hours of wandering through the snowy mountains in vain.


    news.


    ¡°Did you see any trace from above?¡± Savvy asked, slightly sorry to interrupt the love birds..


    Unfortunately, Zara only shook her head, lowering her eyes. She could not face Savvy, knowing she did


    not bring her good


    It had been so long, and everyone was exhausted. The battle, the avnche, the rescuing of survivors,


    everything was taking its toll on them, but Savannah stubbornly kept walking.


    ¡°You need rest,¡± L told her. ¡°If Kai was here, he would never forgive me for taking such terrible


    care of you. Especially considering-¡±


    He got quiet, but she knew what he meant. Especially considering she was expecting.


    ¡°Savvy,¡± Gideon caught up with them in his wolf form and shifted back into a human. He didn¡¯t even


    open his mouth yet, but his sister had already shaken her head.


    ¡°I am not going back until I find him!¡± she informed them all firmly. A part of her wanted to sob, but she


    was too tired even for that. All she could do now was keep walking, keep making her feet move in the


    snow against their will. All for one purpose only ¨C she had to get him back. but-¡±


    ¡°Savvy!¡± Gideon made her stop and look at him. ¡°Sawy¡­ I only want what¡¯s best for you, I swear, I


    know how much you love him,


    But he believed that Kai could be dead. They all did even despite her telling them so many times that


    she felt he was alive. ¡°Listen to me!¡± she snapped. ¡°All of you! He is Amarok! Literally a huge, powerful,


    and Fenrir-blessed ice wolf! He can handle this snow better than all of us!¡±


    ¡°If it was just the snow, Savvy,¡± Gideon said, eyes downcast. He knew so well what his little sister was


    feeling now. If it was Riannon missing, he would go insane and never give up. But then Savannah


    would be the one trying to bring him back to his senses. Right now, it was his duty to tell his sibling that


    the man she loved more than anything in this world had probably already died, and as unfair that all the


    sh*t that had already happened to her in her life was ¨C It was just the tip of the iceberg. There was


    nothing worse than losing one¡¯s mate.


    ¡°Savannah,¡± the King of the West made his sister look at him, ¡°the snow is not a problem for him. It¡¯s


    true. But he fell a few good miles from the sky against ice and hard rock. The werebirds were searching


    for him all over the area and found nothing. Which means he was buried somewhere during the


    avnche. If he could move, he would have already gotten to the surface, Or connect with you or


    anyone else via the mind link. Savvy, I love you so much, and I am so sorry, but-¡±


    ¡°No!¡± she stopped him coldly. ¡°don¡¯t you dare finish that sentence! I don¡¯t care what you think! I know


    what I know. I know what I feel. And I know that my mate is alive, and I¡¯m not leaving him out here


    alone! Not when he needs me the most! He came to save me when I was captured, and now it is my


    turn to save him. This is how we work! And you, of all people, should know that!¡±


    ¡°Sawy,¡± Gideon ran his hand over his face, ¡°think about the child.¡±


    ¡°I am thinking about the child!¡± She lost thest bit of her patience and snarled at her brother. ¡°I¡¯m not


    leaving my pup without a father! Now, if you¡¯re not going to help me, move out of my way!¡±


    ¡°I am afraid I am going to insist!¡± Gideon stepped in front of her with a grim expression on his face.


    ¡°Again, I am so sorry, but if Kai was here, he would be grateful for this. You have toe back to your


    castle and get some rest. Others can continue the search party, but I am taking you home.¡±


    She stared at him in disbelief. She knew very well that he always kept his promises. Gideon was


    prepared to take her home against her will. And although she could understand his intentions, it still


    made her angry to the core.


    ¡°We are not in your Kingdom for you to tell me what to do anymore,¡± she informed him bluntly, raising


    her head regally so that he could know that she was serious and did not n to budge. ¡°If anything,


    you are now in my Kingdom, brother. The warriors that surround us now belong to mel They take my


    orders, and trust me when I say this: I will order them to fight you if I have to, because nothing is


    stopping me from searching for Kai! Nothing and no one! Not even you! So, don¡¯t test me!¡±


    Gideon stood there, shocked by his little sister¡¯s words. It was his mistake, though. She wasn¡¯t little


    anymore. He had seen this before, but now he had no doubts. Savannah Fiongh was a Queen to be


    reckoned with. He was losing for the first time in his life.


    ¡°My apologies,¡± he bowed his head respectfully, feeling a strange mix of emotions where he had to let


    go of something pure and innocent, but at the same time, pride and respect were quickly filling this gap,


    ¡°I overstepped, but, if you will allow me, I wish to stay by your side until we find him.¡±


    ¡°Stay then,¡± she agreed with ease. ¡°But no more talk about going back. I will only return with my


    husband by my side!¡±


    It was dark when they had to take a break. Zara brought them food and more warm clothes to wear.


    None of it interested Sawy, as she couldn¡¯t sit still even for a moment. She drank a cup of hot tea and


    ate something quickly simply to get everyone off her back.


    Then she kept staring at the night sky while waiting for the others. Even if they decided to stay for the


    night, she would continue her journey. She had already lost too much time while helping people after


    the avnche.


    The stars were shimmering like scattered moondust in the night sky, but Savannah looked only at one


    of them while holding her precious ne in her hands. The pendant he gave her.


    ¡°How do I find you now?¡± she whispered the question and felt her eyes stinging. She blinked away the


    tears not to show her weakness to the shifters apanying her. She was aware that the moment she


    did, they would drag her home for protection, and this was something that she couldn¡¯t afford.


    Her heart was calling for Kai, and she found herself praying to Fenrir and the Moon Goddess together


    while looking at the North Star above her head.


    ¡°Help me find him, help me find him, help me-¡± she chanted desperately, panting.


    Savannah threw her head back to gulp the frosty air and closed her eyes for a moment. She knew she


    was missing something this whole time. He was alive, and he was so close, but she was doing


    something wrong.


    She clenched her North Star ne so hard, and the mark on her neck prickled her too¡­ Her North


    Star mark¡­ Savvy opened her eyes in sudden realisation.


    The North Star! It was there all the time, showing her the way. All the magic in Kai¡¯s life was connected


    to it. He was the Star!


    Why didn¡¯t she think about it before?


    ¡°I know where to go!¡± she shouted at herpanions, and they stood up immediately. The Queen


    couldn¡¯t wait for them. The sudden surge of strength was pushing her to keep going.


    She had to find him! He had to be there.


    North


    She ran through the crispy snow, not caring about the cold or anything else. She ran for so long, getting


    between huge rocks, passing a frozen river¡­ She ran, and she ran, watching the direction the North


    Star was giving her. The night was stepping aside, giving its ce to the dawn of the new day, but the


    star still stayed shining in the sky right next to the bright moon. Savannah sped up, too afraid that she


    didn¡¯t have much time.


    Atst, she reached the bottom of a tall gorge and stopped, seeing that this was a dead end. The snow


    nket covered everything here, and in the very centre of the passage, stood a small icy hill.


    She wasn¡¯t sure what to do. It did not seem right. All her instincts were screaming at her that she was


    in the right ce, but her eyes were telling her otherwise.


    ¡°Sawy, Zara ced her hand on her Queen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°Fly around this area; look for him!¡± Savannah shrugged. ¡°The rest, start digging. Kai is somewhere


    close! I know this!¡±


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    No one replied to her, and only L went forward and started digging the snow as ordered. He was


    the one whoined the least, because he wasn¡¯t ready to lose his King and best friend either.


    Thankfully, the rest followed his example.


    Savvy was removing the snow and the pieces of ice, feeling angry and frustrated. But still not ready to


    give up.


    After about an hour, the star was gone, and she started to feel desperate. And furious. So furious that


    she began to scream at the top of her lungs.


    ¡°Kai!¡± Her voice was so loud that her friends feared she¡¯d cause a new avnche. ¡°Kai! I know you are


    here! Kai!¡±


    She started hitting the ice block before her, remembering how she had already fisted a wall once when


    she was desperate. Now she was not only hopeless but also enraged.


    She would crush those northern mountains if she had to! She wouldn¡¯t stop at anything!


    But this was when the ice before her started glowing¡­


    When Kai was falling from the sky, the only thing that worried him was that Savannah stayed alone with


    Bjorn and the goddamn dragon. He knew it was too high for him to survive the fall, but giving up was


    never an option. Not when his mate was in danger.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt!¡± Asgard warned him, but Kai did not have a problem with that. As long as they got to


    return for her again, he was fine. ¡°Give me the control!¡± his wolf growled, and he obeyed. He did not


    have any good ideas now, but it seemed like his wolf had a n.


    Kai could feel how ice started growing from his spine, every bone of his, every cell of his body¡­ It was


    covering him whole, and then more and more formed around him. He couldn¡¯t breathe anymore, and at


    first, it was scary, but then he quickly realised that in this state, it wasn¡¯t required.


    ¡°Only hibernation can save us now,¡± Asgard exined through gritted teeth. ¡°It may take a while to


    wake up, but-¡±


    ¡°Whatever works,¡± Kai grunted. A day, a year, ten years¡­ He¡¯d take it for a chance to be with


    Savannah again. Anything was better than dying and leaving her behind.


    By the time he reached the ground, he was an unbreakable globe of ice. His blood flow froze, and he


    had to close his eyes because he couldn¡¯t stay awake anymore.


    The darkness enveloped him, and he had to give in to it.


    Until bright light made him wake up again. It was so pure and luminous that he was sure it was the


    North Star itself. However, soon he realised that the golden glow was something else. It was getting


    closer and closer to him, and then he finally heard it. Not with his ears because the ice was blocking


    the soundspletely but with his heart. She was calling his name, and there was so much pain in her


    voice that he couldn¡¯t ignore it.


    Savannah was near, and she was searching for him. Her soul was searching for him, and his soul was


    responding.


    ¡°Kai!¡± her voice was so hoarse that it pained him.


    ¡°Savvy!¡± he growled, and the strength started to return to him. He remembered that he was the one


    who controlled the ice, not the other way around.


    The molecules obeyed him, cracking his prison. Myriads of ice shards flew in different directions, yet


    not one of them hurt his mate or his friend. He was in full control, and now he finally stood up before


    Savannah, alive and well. And radiating power as if he was a deity himself.


    Savvy¡¯s breathing hitched when she realised that the ice hill was actually where her mate was


    preserved. It wasn¡¯t an obstacle. It was the final destination.


    ¡°Kai,¡± she couldn¡¯t stop repeating his name as tears streamed down her face. It was him. He was alive.


    The worst thing that could happen to her never did. She did not lose him. She¡¯d never lose him again.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t getting rid of me that easily my Queen,¡± the Northern King shifted into his human form, and


    this time she did not hesitate.


    She threw herself into his arms, crying andughing at the same time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry!¡± he said, kissing away every tear on her face. ¡°My brave, beautiful mate. Never cry because


    of me. I¡¯lle back for you from the dead if I have to. Do you hear me, Savy? Lam-


    ¡°You are not going anywhere anymore!¡± sheughed. ¡°I promise you that, Fiongh! Our child and I


    need you!¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± he said, covering her lips with his while his fingers faced into her tangled hair. ¡°My Quech, my


    wife, my mate¡­¡±


    Their friends watched them with relief on their faces. Once again, these two were so close to disaster,


    but somehow they managed to bring everything back to order again.


    Gideon smiled, happy for them. He finally knew that he could leave the North with a calm heart when


    the time came. Savannah was in good hands, but also¡­ also she did not need anyone to take care of


    her. Now she was the one taking care of everyone around her.


    ¡°You are so cold!¡± Kai whispered, moulding Savvy into his rock hard body. ¡°Let¡¯s go, my love. We are


    going home.¡±


    She giggled again as he wrapped his hands around her and lifted her up to spin her around. This was


    surreal. Arguably, one of the best moments of her life.


    ¡°Just so that you know,¡± she smirked at him, entwining her hands around his neck. ¡°We won that war,


    and I think our kingdom just got bigger.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Because are not stopping on just one pup, Savvy. Our kids will be


    invading the North in twenty something years¡±


    ¡°I hope that¡¯s a promise,¡± she murmured into his ear.


    ¡°Take it as an unbreakable oath, my Queen,¡± he caught her lips again and ced her back onto her


    feet. ¡°And now, take your right) ce on my back. I am not letting you make another step today.¡±


    In his wolf form, Amarok kneeled before her, and she climbed on top of him, leaning over the soft fur


    she loved so much. He still smelled of pine forest and frosty northern mountains. Her most favourite


    scent in the world. The one she¡¯d be inhaling every day for the rest of her life¡­


    It took Brigit a while until she found the one she had been searching for. She knew she couldn¡¯t leave it


    to destiny. Destiny was always too cruel to her, and it seemed like she always had to do everything with


    her own hands.


    Bjorn¡¯s body was lying on top of a hill that towered over a frozen river. She shifted and kneeled next to


    him, ordering her warriors to leave them be. This was something she had to do alone.


    She pped him. Hard. And when he did not move, she did it again and again until the white bear


    monster opened his healthy eye and tried to focus it on her.


    ¡°Savvy?¡± his voice sounded so hopeful that it made Brigit let out a darkugh.


    ¡°Gods, no!¡± she sneered. ¡°She¡¯d never search for you. Ever. She hates you, Bjorn. Everyone hates you.


    And do you know why?¡± He did not say anything. He probably knew it pretty well, but she intended to


    tell him anyway.


    ¡°Because you are a heartless, disgusting monster who never cared about anything but himself. Your


    mother died because you were useless. Your brother died because you poisoned him with your ugly


    ambitions and overinted ego. You killed your own mate without giving her a fair chance to exin


    herself. And then you tortured your second mate over and over again. She wouldn¡¯t want to be with you


    even if you were thest man in the entire universe!¡±


    She spat the words at him, and it finally felt so good. ¡°You destroy everything you touch, and you are


    the shittiest King a country can have. Everyone searched for Kai and took care of Sawy today,


    everyone tried to get her back when you abducted her, people would die


    for King Gideon and Riannon. But your search party consists of just me,¡± she dered. ¡°And only


    because I came here to kill you and ensure you don¡¯t hurt anyone anymore!¡±


    ¡°Savvy ¡°Bjorn coughed blood, but she could tell the colour was returning to his cheek. The blessed


    bear was regenerating faster than she would like. She had so much to tell him. She wished she could


    torture him like he tortured Aspen. She wanted to break every bone in his body, but she knew it would


    be wiser to be done with him fast. So, she produced something she had prepared for today and had it


    strapped around herself even in her bear form.


    Bjorn didn¡¯t understand it at first as he stared at the small wooden knife in her hand. It was barely a


    letter opener. Why was she demonstrating it to him as if it meant something?


    ¡°You don¡¯t know, do you?¡± the woman sneered as she traced the wooden de with her fingers. ¡°The


    power that you got from Joran Someone else had it before you. There was a god killed by his father, a


    god that no one else could kill. An indestructible god. Just. Like. You.¡±


    Bjorn¡¯s lips parted in shock. Now he started to understand.


    ¡°Of course, even that God was better than you,¡± Brigit snorted. ¡°Everyone liked him, you know. When


    he died, his friends and family wept and mourned.¡±


    Brigit straddled him, and he ced his hands on her hips, trying to throw her off. Only that she was still


    stronger at the moment. He didn¡¯t restore after the fall yet.


    ¡°Mistletoe,¡± the she bear ced the wooden knife to his cheek and pressed into his skin. ¡°The thing


    that killed the indestructible god was a sacred mistletoe. And I went to great lengths to get a piece of a


    simr nt. I dried it and prepared it just for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you¡­ anything.¡± Bjorn tried to negotiate, and the smile on her face dropped.


    ¡°The only thing I want,¡± she said with quivering lips, ¡°you can not give me. The second thing I want after


    that, I am taking myself now!¡±


    He wanted to say something else, but she stabbed his only eye with her little knife, making him scream


    in agony. Jormungand¡¯s Champion fully lost his vision, bringing his worst memories to the surface. He


    coul! feel his power draining, his body weakening by the second. But when the woman on top of him


    twisted the knife, he knew he had seconds left to live.


    Thest thought that came to his mind was that Brigit mentioned Savvy which meant that she was


    alive. Joran did not kill his mate.


    When he would be gone, she would live¡­


    His lips curled into a soft smile when Brigit pressed the knife to the hilt, ending the life of the White Bear


    King once and for all. She was breathing heavily, tears rolling down her face. The she-bear stayed like


    that for a while to ensure she seeded this time. That scum had to die today for everything he had


    done.


    After a few minutes, she found the strength to stand up and looked at him once again. Contrary to her


    beliefs, she did not feel better. And now she knew that she never would.


    Angry, she pushed Bjorn¡¯s body off the edge, watching it fall into the icy river after it broke the first


    layers of ice. The stream started destroying the rest, cracks everywhere¡­ and soon she saw her dead


    enemy floating away into the unknown just as he deserved. Even his body would never be found.


    ¡°What¡¯s now?¡± One of her men found the courage to reach her in about an hour.


    ¡°Now?¡± she sighed, remembering she was a ruler of a whole pack and an official traitor to her people. It


    was a mess, but surprisingly, she knew what to do next. ¡°Now we have an allegiance to pledge. The


    new King and Queen of the North await.¡±.


    Kai and Savannah returned to the battlefield, where bears, wolves, foxes, cats, birds and some other


    rare species were still working together to find the remaining survivors. They hadn¡¯t been able to unite


    their forces for many years, but today it wasn¡¯t a problem.


    Amarok let out a mighty growl, and all the heads snapped to the top of the hill he was standing on with


    Savannah on his back. The Luna jumped off, and the giant wolf shifted back into his human form, Body


    carved out of stone, he wasn¡¯t embarrassed for his nakedness and only took his wife¡¯s hand,cing


    their fingers together.


    None of them had prepared a speech for this moment, although it felt like it was needed. The drones


    were back to circling in the air and filming everything, and if anything, it made Savvy smile now. After


    everything they had been through, it seemed normal.


    They looked at each other with love, adoration and determination to restore the North to its former


    glory. Together, they would build a new future.


    And as if their people heard them, one by one, they started kneeling to their new King and Queen.


    All of them.


    Every single one.


    One of the bears lifted his head, and a deep roar left his chest. Followed by another, and then another.


    Until all of them roared, howled, growled, and snarled, demonstrating their respect for the couple


    before them.


    ¡°I think you were right about winning this war,¡± Kai tilted his head to his wife.


    ¡°You¡¯lle to learn that I am right most of the time,¡± her lips curled involuntarily, and she gave him


    that mischievous gaze he loved from the day they met.


    This level of respect was unseen before. It was a pledge from every northerner who fought in the White


    Battle.


    They weren¡¯t naive to think that life would suddenly get easy in one day and that the species who


    always hated each other would


    However, no one couldn¡¯t argue that this was one hell of a first step¡­

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    Epilogue 1


    dress.


    ¡°Kai, we should stop!¡± Savannah pleaded as her husband kept peppering her neckline with kisses, trying


    to relieve her of her


    ¡°We really shouldn¡¯t,¡± he murmured softly, biting her shimmering North Star mark, which always made his


    wife throw her head back and give him better ess. He stood behind her, hands greedily travelling all


    over her body, grasping and kneading everything that finally belonged to him.


    ¡°We have to-¡± Savannah gasped, forgetting what it was that they had to do. There had been so much


    work in the past few weeks. that they couldn¡¯t enjoy their life as newlyweds the way they desired. In fact,


    they either did not see each other during the days or, worse ¨C they saw each other, were so close to


    each other, but the circumstances did not let them touch each other. Reunited only at night, they


    bothcked sleep. However, the choice was always obvious. Especially now that their subordinates


    made the mistake of leaving them.


    alone together for a few minutes.


    What were they thinking? That Kai would be locked in a room with his beautiful wife and not touch her?


    Not a chance!


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but I just have to have you. Now!¡± His voice rasped somewhere in her hair that


    he let down, throwing away the pins that held an intricate hairdo a few seconds prior. Something that


    took her omegas an hour to make look perfect. ¡°Your scent drives me crazy, Savvy, so it¡¯s your fault


    anyway.¡±


    ¡°And how is this fair?¡± She giggled, ready to sumb to his advances, when someone knocked on the


    door, disturbing them.


    ¡°Shh,¡± Kai bit her earlobe gently. ¡°If we are quiet, they will go away!¡±


    ¡°No, they will not!¡± L grunted behind the door.


    ¡°You two are too loud anyway!¡± Zara supported her mate with a chuckle. ¡°And it¡¯s time! Everyone is


    already here.¡±


    ¡®Just five minutes!¡± Savvy yelled at their friends and turned to face her husband.


    ¡°Ten!¡± he growled, crushing his lips to hers, and then added, when he broke the kiss to breathe,


    ¡°Twenty!¡±


    Zara and L stepped away a respectful distance from the door, knowing it would be longer than


    twenty minutes. Their King


    and Queen never knew how to stop once they got together. Which was understandable, of course, but it


    made their lives so much more


    Zara closed her eyes, and L chuckled, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Asking the maids to bring a new dress here and to search for the one who did Savvy¡¯s hair. All the


    previous work just went in the


    bin. Kai is too passionate to bother with these things. And while I deal with the Queen¡¯s look, you deal


    with him.¡±


    The werebird pointed at the Western King, who strode in their direction apanied by his wife.


    Riannon¡¯s belly was already round


    and inly visible and she had one of her handsid on its top, looking like a vision in her milky white silk


    dress without any extra


    decorations. Only a delicate gold and diamond tiara adorned her head in the shape of flowers.


    Gideon looked beyond annoyed. ¡°Where the hell are they and how long-¡±


    A loud feminine moan emerged from Kai¡¯s office, followed by a growl that shook the walls.


    The four of them froze, which only let them clearly hear another moan.


    ¡°Never mind,¡± Gideon winced, furrowing his brow. ¡°Tell them-¡±


    A scream this time.


    ¡°We¡¯ll meet them in the throne room!¡± Riannon let out a softugh, leading her traumatised husband


    away. ¡°I told you they were busy!¡± she jabbed him as they made their exit, clearly enjoying his


    predicament. ¡°That serves you right.¡±


    This time a moan and a growl happened simultaneously, and the King and Queen of the West had to


    speed up to escape the audible evidence of the newlyweds¡¯ happy moment together.


    ¡°Well, at least no one will question if the marriage is consummated!¡± L joked, trying not to think of


    the woman next to him.


    She looked too gorgeous tonight to ignore and he was not made of stone.


    Kai and Savannah emerged from the office one hourter, eyes sparkling with happiness and hair and


    clothingpletely


    dishevelled.


    faces.


    us!¡±


    ¡°For Fenrir¡¯s sake!¡± the Beta ran his hand through his hair as he observed the royal couple, unable to


    erase the wide grins from their


    ¡°Rx!¡± Kai gripped his shoulder in a friendly manner. ¡°We are the King and the Queen. They literally


    can¡¯t start the event without


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Zara rolled her eyes, pushing Savvy back into the office. ¡°With all due respect, you aren¡¯t


    making our lives easy! Lan, keep him there until we are out. Don¡¯t let him in! Or it will be the same thing


    all over again!¡±


    ¡°Yourmand is¡­ well¡­ mymand,¡± L chuckled as a swarm of omegas appeared to help


    Savvy look like a picture-perfect Queen again and not like the happy newlywed she really was.


    She reappeared in a beautiful blue gown with a train and flowers embroidered all over it. Her hair was up


    again, although in a more rxed style now, a few strands loose and her beautiful mark on full disy.


    This was just how Kai liked it. He wanted the whole world to know that this woman chose him and now


    belonged to him. He allowed himself to wear a ck corless shirt and zer today so that his North


    Star was visible as well.


    else.


    They passed a group of Lunas who probably were supposed to apany their Alphas but were


    actively discussing something


    From the corner of her eye, Savvy recognized a familiar book. The hot pink cover with a Northern blue


    stripe in the middle and the picture of ude and Chloe back to back was hard to miss.


    ¡°And then the Queen ripped his heart out with her bare hands!¡± one of the women gasped. ¡°They blurred


    it in the tv special, but in the book, ude tells-¡±


    Kai rolled his eyes,cing his fingers with his wife¡¯s.


    ¡°I hate that book,¡± she mumbled, and he nodded understandingly.


    ¡°Those two are something else!¡± Kai chuckled. ¡°How is it that the book is about us, but they are the ones


    on the cover?¡±


    ¡°Oh, please!¡± Savvy let out a littleugh. ¡°If you would like that, I can arrange it! The sales will certainly


    spike!¡±


    ¡°No, thanks!¡±


    ¡°Besides, haven¡¯t you heard?¡± Savvy taunted. ¡°The real heroes of the story are ude and Chloe


    themselves. Apparently, Chloe told me what to do back at the bear castle and gave me the strength to


    rebel. While ude risked his life to get us all out of captivity and then personally encouraged you to turn


    into Amarok.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Kai raised his brow, holding back augh. ¡°And people bought that?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like you or I corrected them, right?¡± Savannah snorted quietly. ¡°So yeah, they are getting


    away with this one, and everyone loves it. All that being said, our ratings are through the roof now, and


    Kyle says the book helped sustain the favourable impression we gained after the Avnche Battle.¡±


    ¡°Are the twins invited today?¡± Kai nced at Zara as she was the one who had a folder with the guest list


    in her hands.


    ¡°They are invited everywhere,¡± Elene greeted her brother at the entrance to the throne room with a stiff


    smile. She had been waiting for them for Fenrir knew how long. ¡°All the best ces, too. You arete.


    And what the hell did you do to King Gideon? He looked like he was about to get sick. If you ask me,


    greenish skin colour doesn¡¯t suit him.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d better not share the details,¡± Kai winked at his sister, ¡°or you will join him.¡±


    ¡°I am not going to ask.¡± Elene sighed, shaking her head, Let¡¯s go! After you, Majesties.¡±


    They walked into the Grand Hall decorated for the asion with blue flowers of different shades. The


    royal couple of the North took their time getting to their thrones, knowing that all eyes were on them.


    Just one month had passed since their wedding and coronation, but they¡¯d mastered every move to


    perfection. They knew how important today was because their people needed to see them. After the


    devastating war where so many shifters died, and their world turned upside down with Fenrir¡¯s and


    Joran¡¯s blessings, it was easy to dwell in panic. The whole continent could be easily devoured by chaos.


    It was their role to project confidence to their subjects as a sign that everything was going to be fine and


    that they had everything under control. They had to give them hope and stability, even if they were still


    finding their feet in this changed world.


    They were finally at the top of the stairs and turned their backs to their respective thrones. Elene and


    L stood at Kai¡¯s side, while Zara and Kyle took ce next to Savannah.


    ¡°We are happy to wee you to our house,¡± Kai greeted the guests. ¡°It¡¯s a huge honour to have so


    many friends who came to help


    us in our time of need. Today, we will be celebrating the heroes, dead and alive, saying our thanks to


    each of you and ensuring that no debt is left unpaid.¡±


    ¡°We will start with a minute of silence, as we remember every woll, werecat, witch, werebird and other


    shifters who did not survive the war,¡± Savannah announced loudly. ¡°While no words will be pronounced,


    we¡¯ll each reflect on what happened to us and why, pray to our gods, and think of what we can do to


    avoid letting this happen again.¡±


    One of the lower ranked lycans rang a bell, and everyone present bowed their heads in respect. They


    had all lost someone in the Avnche Battle, or in smaller fights and attacks that preceded it. They all


    personally knew the price of the war.


    When the minute was over, and the guests raised their heads, Savannah smiled through tears. It was


    harder to control her emotions now, thanks to hormones.


    ¡°And now we will celebrate life!¡± she gave the floor to her husband.


    ¡°King Gideon and Queen Riannon Stormhold,¡± Kai called the first names and gestured for their rtives


    to join them at the top of the stairs. ¡°We are family now, but it was a rocky road getting here. I am proud


    to call you both my friends and family, and I give you my word that I will do everything in my power to


    ensure that the alliance between The Northern and The Western Lycan Kingdoms remains strong for as


    long as I live.¡±


    ¡°ept this token of our gratitude,¡± Savannah took a little box from Zara and handed it to the couple.


    Riannon gasped when she saw a beautifulbyrinth medallion with a Northern Star in one of the paths.


    ¡°Even in your darkest days, you can count on us,¡± Kai promised. ¡°It¡¯s enough to send a messenger with


    this pendant, and we will


    bring an army to help you.¡±


    ¡°The honour is mine,¡± Gideon bowed his head respectfully and whispered so that only Kai and Savvy


    could hear him. ¡°Next time, I


    will bring you something shiny and pretty too, Fiongh.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. No one expects you to have decent manners!¡± Kai gave him a crooked smile, and it


    looked like two old friends


    were happy to see each other in front of the many cameras in the room.


    They exchanged sharp nces, but then Rinannon sighed and asked her husband to help her down the


    stairs. She could walk


    perfectly fine, of course, but since Gideon was overprotective of her in this ¡°delicate state¡±, it worked like


    a charm.


    ¡°Nayara Knight,¡± Savannah called the next name and the werecat with silver hair walked up to the King


    and Queen in an elegant


    green velvet dress. ¡°You saved my life several times already and proved that you could be trusted. I will


    forever consider you my personal


    friend, Naya. And I am so grateful for everything you¡¯ve done.¡±


    1.


    Savvy handed the woman in front of her a box with the same locket and the same message. If Naya ever


    needed help, she would get


    The new werebird leader epted her box, and thend promised for their help.


    Salome was the next one to be rewarded, and after epting her token, she handed Savannah a box of


    her own.


    ¡°Keep it with you duringbour, and your child will be safe,¡± she whispered. ¡°My Coven will take your


    baby under its


    protection.¡±


    Others were rewarded with smaller tokens of appreciation, but all meaningful nheless.


    When everyone thought that the main ceremony was over, the bell rang again, and L announced


    loudly, ¡°Alpha Brigit


    Borg!¡±


    Brigit was nervous. They did not let her into the Northern capital for almost a month. A month while the


    fate of her people was being decided. For all she knew, they could already be doomed despite her


    attempts to save what was left of them. It was entirely possible that she¡¯d been invited today simply to be


    executed publicly and in front of the cameras. After what had happened to Aspen, she


    was sure that everyone hated her.


    She deserved it, though. She was no saint.


    She had to wait at the entrance, wearing a beautiful silk sea blue dress with long sleeves and a cape


    covering her shoulders. Today she was representing her kind, and they already had a bad enough


    reputation alter the war.


    Brigit had a couple of challenging weeks behind her. When they were ordered to return to theirnds,


    even after submitting to the Lycan King and Queen, she couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed. Although


    maybe it was what the bears deserved. They couldn¡¯t be trusted


    after so many schemes and plots. When she returned to the Bear castle with other Alphas, she had to


    deal with the aftermath of Bjorn¡¯s


    rule and death.


    Her pack was rightfully used of being traitors because they killed their own during the battle. Brigit


    ensured her pack¡¯s survival


    by challenging the biggest and baddest Alpha bear in the room with the dirtiest words in his mouth. And


    when she killed him in front of


    everyone, she acquired his pack as well. She was ready to rinse and repeat, but luckily just one show


    was enough, and no new challenges


    were thrown at he leetr. Without any kind of election or vote, she somehow became their leader.


    But that meant she was the one dealing with the aftermath of the war.


    They started reorganising and rebuilding. Her kind wasn¡¯t sure that they had a future and what it would


    be, so she kept them busy to distract them from their gloomy situation.


    That was the only thing that had helped her after Aspen.


    She worked, and worked, and worked¡­ sometimes as a simpleborer, cleaning up the tower that she¡¯d


    exploded just a few weeks


    ago to make Aspen¡¯s escape possible. Each day she strived to overwork herself and fall down onto her


    bed half dead because nothing else helped her. This was what her days looked like now.


    So, when she was summoned with her entourage, she didn¡¯t know what to expect. She didn¡¯t even have


    an ¡°entourage¡± to begin with and had to pick a few bears whom she disliked the least since bing an


    Alpha. She hoped to be done quickly today¡­


    But also, she hoped that some kind of a miracle happened and Aspen was alive.


    Yes, it was stupid, unrealistic and absolutely impossible, considering she left his dead body during the


    battle. But then the wolves changed. What if¡­. She was afraid to finish that thought. It was too foolish.


    He was already dead by then, and Fenrir did not resurrect anyone that time. She¡¯d asked.


    Her name was announced, and the doors opened before her, letting her in. The castle had changed


    since Bjorn set it on fire, but she liked its new look more. It was still an old rough Northern castle, but it


    seemed fresher and brighter now. As if someone breathed life into


    1.


    Brigit¡¯s eyes darted to the thrones in search of bright red hair. The Gamma was supposed to stand by his


    King today. But she only saw L and Kyle. She then started scanning the crowds against her better


    judgement. It probably looked disrespectful, but she couldn¡¯t help it, greedily studying everyone around.


    The King and his Queen gave her the time to do it before they spoke.


    ¡°Brigit Borg, it¡¯s a different story with you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kai did not look too pleased at seeing her, and that


    was understandable. ¡°We trusted you once, and you betrayed that trust. You let our enemies into our


    home and allowed them to destroy it. You caused the death


    of my Gamma. These are unforgivable crimes.¡±


    She stopped listening after the words, ¡°the death of my Gamma¡±. Her heart clenched so painfully even


    though she thought she had already epted this fact. If they were to kill her now, she would just say


    thank you.


    ¡°However, we are aware that your circumstances were different,¡± Savannah started speaking, her lips


    curled into a soft and friendly smile. ¡°We know that your sister was held hostage, and I personally got to


    see the way women were treated in the bear territories. We are also taking into ount that you helped


    us during thest battle, and this help was pivotal for the results we got. We¡¯ve been thinking for a long


    time about what to do with you and your kind, who fought fiercely for what they believed in. The bear


    territory will always be a


    part of the Northern Lycan Kingdom. However, we are willing to give you autonomy to some level. You


    will have your ownws, with the exception of a few we require you to implement. Such as equal rights


    for men and women, a ban on forced marriages and so on. You can review and-¡±


    ¡°We ept,¡± Brigit interjected without realising how rude that probably was to interrupt the Queen. Yet


    there was nothing to think about. This was already better than what they had hoped for. And after Bjorn¡¯s


    demise, not too many bears wanted to continue his cause. Most were ready to resume their lives as they


    were before. But this¡­ this would allow them to make improvements.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Kai nodded, ¡°then we pronounce you Queen Brigit Borg of Nova Oberon, the Bear Kingdom.¡±


    She gasped, looking at them in disbelief. She couldn¡¯t possibly have heard them correctly, however,


    Savannah was already holding a delicate tiara in her hands.


    ¡°Come and knee!,¡± she tried not to grin but was failing.


    The short flight of stairs seemed to be her life¡¯s longest and hardest obstacle as she walked towards the


    future she never


    expected.


    Carefully, she knelt before the Queen of the North and felt cold metal ced on her head, heavy and


    ufortable. The weight of newfound responsibility. Just like a crown should be.


    When Brigit rose, everyone else, except for the kings and queens present, bowed their heads in respect.


    ¡°Brigit, you will have to work closely with our new Gamma, Kyle,¡± Savannah gestured at the redhead


    lycan next to her, and the Bear Queen¡¯s bottom lip quivered at the mention of the title.


    So, he was dead, Dead, dead, dead.


    ¡°It would be my honour,¡± she tried to force a smile, but it did not look convincing.


    ¡°Of course, you will also have to work closely with our Ambassador in your kingdom. You already know


    him,¡± Kai added with a stiff


    upper lip. As if he did not want to say it.


    The door on the left behind the throne opened, and suddenly the whole world stopped spinning. Brigit¡¯s


    heart faltered, and she


    stopped breathing when she saw the man she had never expected to see again.


    Aspen walked with a cane, however, his movements were confident even in this situation. His red hair


    was longer now while the


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    beard was trimmed the same as always. He did not meet her gaze, but she did not care. She wanted to


    throw herself at him regardless,


    and only Savannah¡¯s hand on her shoulder brought Brigit back to reality.


    ¡°Ambassador Aspen Morr,¡± Savannah ¡°introduced¡± him. ¡°We hope the two of you will be able to achieve


    a sessful alliance


    between our two countries. We are all still Northerners, after all.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Brigit smiled through tears.


    ¡°It would be my honour,¡± Aspen nodded, and his eyes passed over the Bear Queen just for a moment.


    This was, however, enough to


    make her feel as though her whole body was lit on fire.


    He left as abruptly as he arrived, but she would neverin. She would neverin about


    anything ever again because she


    had just witnessed a miracle.


    And hope bloomed in her heart against her will¡­


    Kyle barely managed to stand through the whole ceremony. Those official events were always too dull for


    him. Not to mention that


    the North went over the top with all that. He had a lot to get used to.


    However, only one thing kept him from yawning


    Evelyn.


    She purposefully did not look at him. Most of the time. But sometimes, she couldn¡¯t control herself and


    was sparing him a short withering nce. As if she was trying to tell him to stop gawping, albeit she


    always received a different result.


    That woman did not leave his mind, but despite all his efforts, she still rejected him time after time.


    Little did she know that it would not work on him. They were probably the oddest couple here, and there


    were a number of contendersat the moment, but Kyle knew almost instantly since the day he met her


    that they were right for each other.


    It was hard to exin because, on the outside, they were nothing alike. Yet, somehow, they still worked.


    They¡¯d bonded from day one, and he had never had this with anyone else. Kyle wasn¡¯t sure he would


    ever have this with anyone else, even if he got to meet his mate. Because Evelyn was perfect to him.


    She was the one, and he¡¯d known that for quite some time. Now he had something to offer to her. He


    was finally more than just Savannah¡¯s best friend. He was now the Gamma of the North after Aspen


    resigned. Kyle would have a good position in the kingdom, a sry to die for, a ce to call home, and


    all that he was missing was the woman he loved.


    He managed to catch her nce for a moment again and saw Evelyn roll her eyes. However, there was


    a pink tint that graced her cheeks that gave her away. Evelyn wasn¡¯t a woman to blush easily, and yet he


    managed to get this reaction from her every single time.


    Kyle slid his hand into the pocket of his trousers and grasped the tiny box he held in there. A ring with


    pink diamonds in the shape of a leaf was waiting for its moment. A leaf because Evelyn told him once


    that she loved autumn, and the colour of the stones was chosen to remind her of Petra who would be


    leaving her soon.


    *Sometimes Kyle envied Petra. The pink haired girl had Evelyn¡¯s unconditional love, while Kyle had to


    fight for bits and pieces of her


    attention.


    Kai was rewarding Alpha Asher from the West, and Kyle remembered how they ended up fighting side by


    side to defend their women during thest battle. He had never cared for Ash before, but they would


    probably spend a lot of time together in the future, considering how close their future wives were. And


    although no announcements have been made yet, Kyle¡¯s intuition told him that Ash and Petra would be


    making those really soon.


    Ash only had his eyes on the little she wolf. Before this development, he¡¯d only looked at one woman like


    that his love for many years, Riannon. Except back then, he had to hide it and steal those little nces


    here and there. Right now, he was getting bolder and did not bother pretending that he was not


    interested anymore. He looked at Petra in a way so that everyone present in the room with them knew


    that she was his mate and future Luna.


    ¡°I will miss you,¡± Savannah gave her brother a tight hug, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly.


    ¡°You can alwayse home if you want,¡± Gideon chuckled and received a warning growl from Kai, who


    stood nearby.


    ¡°My home is here now, Big Brother,¡± The Queen of the North smiled. Everything changed so much in just


    the past few months.


    ¡°I know, and you deserve to be happy,¡± her sibling caressed her cheek gently in a fatherly manner.


    ¡°Probably more than anyone.¡±


    ¡°She will be.¡± Kai stepped in, pulling his mate into his warm embrace. Savannah leaned into him at once,


    enjoying the warmth he emitted and letting his arms lock around her waist. ¡°I would die for her.¡±


    ¡°You already did, and it did not make my sister happy,¡± Gideon reminded him with a huff. ¡°I guess the


    secret is to not die, Fiongh.¡±


    ¡°Savvy, about the baby,¡± Riannon nced at her sister-inw, asking for permission to touch her belly


    and changing the subject subtly at the same time.


    ¡°What about the baby?¡± the Western King tensed.


    ¡°You will find out when the timees,¡± Riannon arched her brow at him, and then looked back at the


    Northern Queen. ¡°If I ever find out anything, I will let you know as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Ria,¡± Savannah gave the fellow Queen a tight hug. ¡°I know I can always count on you.¡±


    ¡°By the way,¡± Gideon pulled out an envelope from his zer¡¯s inner pocket, ¡°I have something for you.


    Let¡¯s make it official. After all,


    it was a condition in our alliance.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Savvy shot her brow up suspiciously.


    ¡°Thends your husband has wanted for so long,¡± her brother exined.


    ¡°I can¡¯t ept them anymore,¡± Kai shook his head, trying to return the envelope that was handed to him.


    ¡°This is not why I married


    your sister.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Gideon smirked. ¡°This is why I am giving it to you now. If you don¡¯t want that as part of the


    alliance, then consider it my


    wedding gift to my younger sibling.¡±


    ¡°Which we graciously ept!¡± Savannah chimed in, grasping the important papers. She wasn¡¯t letting an


    opportunity like this slide.


    ¡°We still need to develop that agriculture project of yours, my love, remember?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right¡­ as always,¡± he agreed. ¡°But I think there is something else we could do there.¡±


    ¡°May I ask what?¡± Gideon rubbed his chin. He had some ideas of why Kai needed those territories but


    wanted a straight answer


    nheless.


    ¡°I want to build a new city over time,¡± the Northerner confessed. ¡°We have so many species, and all of


    them live isted from one


    other. I want to change that. It will be a city where packs would be formed of different species working


    together. Brand new packs. They


    will receivend and money if they support the agricultural project. It¡¯s all just ideas for now, of course.


    But I have met so many peopletely¡­ wolves, bears, cats, birds¡­ A lot of them want a change. This


    could be a start.¡±


    ¡°This sounds wonderful,¡± Riannon supported the idea. ¡°I was telling Gideon just recently that our


    Kingdom is ready for more changes too.¡±


    ¡°This territory borders with the West,¡± Savvy winked. ¡°What if we make it a joint project?¡±


    ¡°I will have to see the details and the proposal first,¡± Gideon was the only one not sumbing to their


    collective excitement.


    However, when they all red at him, he added, ¡°But it sounds like- it could work one day.¡±


    They talked about it some more, but all good things alwayse to an end. And finally, Savannah was


    watching her brother and sister-inw getting into their car. The Westerners left the castle grounds soon


    after that, but Savvy stayed to watch the vehicles disappear into the setting sun.


    ¡°We will visit them after the birth,¡± Kai kissed her temple..


    ¡°I know,¡± his mate turned to look at her wonderful husband, and he leaned down to capture her lips


    gently. ¡°It just feels like the end of an era.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Kai chuckled and pulled her closer, inhaling her wonderful bluebell scent. ¡°The end of the old era


    is always the beginning a new one.¡±


    Epilogue 2 will be avable soon. More info in the author¡¯s note or in Marissa Gilbert¡¯s Reading Circle


    group on FB.

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    Epilogue 2


    The celebrations were finally over and Elene was happy that they were finally done with all this. Now she


    could let all this stress go since everything went ording to n for once, and the people closest to her


    were happy.


    His brother had his Queen now, and that left the Northern Princess to wonder what was in store for her


    next. She¡¯d spent years by her brother¡¯s side, assisting him the best she could and performing some of


    the Luna duties. This wasn¡¯t needed anymore, and she wasn¡¯t sure what she wanted to do now. What


    was her ce in this new world? Did she even have one?


    She was happy for everyone, but at the same time, the void inside her was still there. Would she ever


    meet someone to fill it? ¡°There you are,¡± Savannah appeared out of nowhere and without any guards by


    her side. This was something that Elene was still working on with the new Queen. One could never be


    too safe, especially considering her little niece in that woman¡¯s belly.


    Sawy.


    The Queen was glowing, and pregnancy suited her even if it wasn¡¯t visible yet. One could feel it just by


    laying their eyes on


    ¡°Just getting some air,¡± Elene leaned over the balcony rails and took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s so stuffy in


    there!¡±


    Savannah smiled but didn¡¯t reply. She stalked towards her sister inw and gave her a gentle hug she


    did not expect.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to happen to you too, you know,¡± she whispered, and the princess let the heavy sigh that had


    been building up for a while escape her. They both knew what the Queen meant. The Princess craved


    love just like anyone else. She wished to find her other half and her ce in life. Now more than ever.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± she admitted. ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t deserve it.¡±


    ¡°You were a young girl who had the responsibilities of a Queen ced on her shoulders without actually


    being one,¡± Savvy said. ¡± You are the kind of person who is ready to do anything for the ones she loves.


    You deserve happiness, and never let yourself think otherwise.¡±


    Elene wanted to reply something to that, but they heard some kind ofmotion below, and their eyes


    darted that way.


    Below them, Celia and Inga stood in Brigit¡¯s way.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you even dare dream of getting close to my brother!¡± Celia snarled at the Bear Queen, not afraid


    of any kind of consequences. ¡°Alter what you did to him, I cannot believe he epted the position of an


    A*bassador in that rotten kingdom of yours!¡±


    ¡°I hope he did it so he could destroy it from the inside!¡± Inga chimed in. ¡°That would be all that you


    deserve!¡±


    Brigit had nothing to reply to any of that. Both she-wolves annoyed the hell out of her, but there was truth


    in their words too.


    ¡°If you had an ounce of decency, you would have asked for a different A*bassador!¡± Celia gritted her


    teeth. ¡°Can you imagine what it is going to be like for him to meet all the people who tortured him?¡±


    ¡°He will be safe-¡± Brigit wanted to protest when she saw a hand raised that was about to p her. She


    realised that she was going to ept the p. She deserved it, after all.


    ¡°Stop!¡± A loud voice emerged from behind their backs, and they saw Princess Elene marching their way


    angrily, followed by Queen


    Savannah, who took her time.


    Celia lowered her hand, scowling.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but she deserves this!¡± the redhead insisted. ¡°You know what she did to Aspen!¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Elene agreed. ¡°And I know that Aspen can deal with it on his own. While you have to


    remember that you are talking to the new Bear Queen and you are representing our Lycan Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°She was just emotional,¡± Inga gave her friend a hug.


    ¡°Also understandable,¡± Elene agreed. ¡°And this is why there will be no punishment¡­ this time. But


    consider yourself warned for the next. And now, follow me,dies.¡±


    The Princess turned on her heel, and Savvy gave her a light smile. She¡¯d handled the situation well.


    The other Northerners left and the Bear Queen of the Nova Oberon intended to do the same.


    ¡°Brigit!¡± Queen Savannah gracefully walked towards her, a friendly expression on her face. This was the


    first opportunity that they¡¯d had to talk in private.


    her.


    time!¡±


    Brigit¡¯s lips curled involuntarily. She was happy and angry at the same time, and a swarm of emotions


    was rippling through


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me he was alive?¡± The she-bear asked bluntly. ¡°I inquired so many times! 1- I was


    mourning him all this


    Treacherous tears burned her eyes despite her not wishing to demonstrate her weakness. She knew


    very well that she was an appointed Queen. And with that title came conditions. She and the Lycan


    Queen of the North weren¡¯t equals. At least not now.


    ¡°Good,¡± Sawy responded, and Brigit¡¯s eyes shot at the other woman.


    However, the Northern Queen¡¯s face wasn¡¯t hostile or derisive. A soft smile was ying on her lips.


    ¡°Good?¡± Brigit raised her brow up, clenching her fists so tight that her nails pierced her skin.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Savannah replied, giving her a stern gaze this time. ¡°Now that you have lost him for real, you will


    know how it feels. You will treasure him the way he deserves. Or you will lose him again.¡±


    The words were like a p in the face, but the new Bear Queen knew she deserved it. Everything bad


    that happened to Aspen in the past was her fault. She would have to live with that knowledge forever.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore,¡± she lowered her head, her voice shaky. ¡°We aren¡¯t mates.


    ¡°Did you stop loving him then?¡± Savvy tilted her head curiously. anymore.¡±


    It was the most obvious question in the whole d*mn world, but for the first time, Brigit had to admit it, at


    least to herself.


    She¡¯s never stopped loving Aspen. In fact, she only loved him more with each passing day: Mate bond or


    no mate bond. She did not need a magical pull to tell her that he was the one for her.


    It was a whole different story for him, though.


    ¡°He probably hates me, and rightfully so,¡± she whispered, eyes downcast.


    ¡°He wants to hate you,¡± Savannah tried to exin, choosing her words carefully, ¡°But each time he woke


    up in agony while he was healing, it was your name on his lips.¡±


    A quiet little s*b escaped Brigit¡¯s chest, and the Lycan Queen stepped closer to shield her from anyone


    else observing them.


    ¡°If you love him, truly love him, you will fight for him. And you will earn his trust back,¡± she said, giving the


    she bear¡¯s hands a tight squeeze. ¡°I am not promising that it¡¯s going to be easy, but ¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever it takes,¡± Brigit interrupted her friend. Yes, now she could call Savvy that. A friend. ¡°If


    there is at least the tiniest chance of him loving me again¡ª¡±


    ¡°He never stopped,¡± Savvy grinned, but the grin slowly turned into a snarl. ¡°However, Brigit, hurt him one


    more time, and I will personally send the whole northern army for you!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± the werebear chuckled. ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°Save those words for him,¡± Savvy let go of her and turned on her heel, looking over her shoulder. ¡°He is


    the one who needs to hear them.¡±


    Joran did not want toe back.


    At first.


    But as the world he worked so hard to build started to crumble, the memories of an insolent boy who did


    not want to be tamed shed before his eyes, awakening something he was sure was long dead.


    The Dragon G*d felt his Champion die while he was on his way to chase his favourite Dragonfly,


    infuriated that the war so carefully nned was ruined by his brother, who wasn¡¯t even supposed to be


    there.


    What was Fenrir thinking? They had a deal! He wasn¡¯t supposed to meddle in Joran¡¯s business anymore.


    So, when that wolf decided to bless everyone too and ruin thest remaining advantage of the bear


    army, it enraged Jormungandr.


    It infuriated him so muci: that he¡¯d made a mistake with Bjorn, leading to him taking his anger out on his


    Champion.


    Of course, the bear was invincible. He¡¯d given him one of the most precious powers out there. When the


    dragon had thrown him


    away, Bjorn was supposed to be fine. Nothing could kill him.


    Yet something did. Or someone. After all, Fenrir was there. It could have been him, and if it was indeed


    the Alpha G*d, then he would pay for this. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    To his own shock and resentment, the Serpent regretted his fit of anger. The boy was foolish, but it was


    partially Joran¡¯s fault for persuading the Moon Goddess to link him with the Western Princess. What


    seemed like a great idea at the time did not work out so well in the end. He should have arranged their


    meeting earlier, but it was impossible to predict that she would fall in love with the Northern Lycan King


    and then choose him over both of her true mates. That had never happened before. It was a st*pid


    mistake to not interfere and also partially his Dragonfly¡¯s fault¡­ She had distracted him and held him


    back during crucial moments.


    It hurt him more than he¡¯d expected to feel Darius¡¯ death. With all his ws, the boy was promising, and


    Joran spent years mentoring him. It was one of the reasons the Serpent had once switched sides from


    his father to him. Bjorn looked like he would be able to finish the job and break both powerful Lycan


    Kingdoms once and for all.


    Initially, the deity did not n toe back for his body. Bjorn failed him, and it was reckless to return to


    where Fenrir could appear again. After all, his motives were unknown and it was too early to test his


    brother. Joran wasn¡¯t ready for that yet. It would require even more borate nning before they could


    meet. And if Fenrir wouldn¡¯t withdraw when that day came, Joran would have to kill him. Something he


    should have done years ago if he was honest with himself. However, there was something he needed


    Fenrir to do before his death. And when it was done, it would finally give Joran exactly what he wanted..


    The deity tried to ignore the ugly, heavy feeling that scratched him from the inside, making his heart


    ache. He didn¡¯t think he was capable of these emotions anymore, but even he had to admit that he did


    not want to leave Bjorn to rot in thends he couldn¡¯t conquer. The White Bear King deserved more.


    When he arrived at the scene, the Northerners were lucky to have already departed. The dragon deity


    would have destroyed anyone in his way because he was still in that state of mind where he had to admit


    that everything had gone wrong. He hadn¡¯t lost for a few hundred years already. And it tasted just as


    bitter as he remembered.


    Locating Bjorn in all that snow wasn¡¯t problematic for him, he could feel the remnants of his own energy


    at the end of the frozen river far too well. His Champion was washed ashore and then buried under piles


    of snow that Joran melted with a wave of his hand to see him clearly. The melting caused his newly


    injured eye to bleed again, only a small wooden hilt was poking out of it.


    ¡°Mistletoe,¡± Joran gritted out, not knowing whether tough or level these mountains to rubble. How did


    they guess? Who told them? This was literally one of only two things that could kill Bjorn. All this time,


    he¡¯d feared him meeting the Northern Lycan King in battle, but it had to be this st*pid twig that killed him.


    No. He was not ready to ept that.


    It would set him back in his n, it would drain his powers, already weakened by recent events, but he


    would not let his Champion go out this way.


    Not letting himself think twice, Joran knelt next to Bjorn and wrapped his hands around the little dagger.


    At least the mistletoe did not let the body decay as it was a magical death. So, he had plenty to work


    with.


    Ideally, he would have wanted to return Bjorn in time to a moment where he could have changed all the


    recent events. It worked so well for the Moon Goddess with the one she chose to bless. The Goddess¡¯


    desperation made himugh back then. Well, karma, indeed was a b*tch, and now he was in a simr


    situation.


    However, that n had one significant w. It would drain him even more, making him vulnerable, and


    he¡¯d already used so much of his strength. He needed to restore himself first, so his options were limited


    for now.


    Joran looked at his Champion onest time. Now he was missing both eyes, but again¡­ the deity could


    work with that. For now, just one spark of life would be enough. He would have to think of the restter.


    cing his hand on Bjorn¡¯s chest, he shared with him one more speck of his divine power, giving him a


    piece of his own soul. An irrevocable act.


    And just like that¡­ Darius¡¯ heart started beating again.


    It was a long way to recovery, though. Luckily, werebears were not new to hibernation and this was the


    state Joran put him in for the moment. that.


    The Serpent knew that it was better to take the bear away from here to safety. His time woulde


    again. He would ensure


    Shifting into his dragon form, he took Bjorn¡¯s unconscious body into his ws and spread his wings,


    charging into the sky, shing the air with his enormous wings.


    The tall gleaming buildings of the Southern Republic were already visible when Joran turned in a slightly


    different direction.


    He took his Champion to the ind, where he trained his Dragonflies, watching neat lines of firstborns


    exercising before hended.


    A few of his highest ranking warriors arrived instantly to greet their master and looked at Bjorn lying at


    his feet questioningly, probably assuming that he was some kind of prisoner. No one here knew about


    the one he chose as his Champion. That knowledge wouldn¡¯t do any good to them.


    ¡°I want him healed,¡± Joran announced. He was about to leave when he added, ¡°He is important, so¡­


    take good care of him.¡±


    That startled his subordinates, but none of them would think to question him, so they stayed silent.


    This was why Joran wasn¡¯t used to disobedience.


    His mood was still sour when he reached his luxurious quarters, so he went straight to his bar and


    poured himself the strongest mead he had at his disposal when he heard a chuckle.


    ¡°Hard day?¡± Thest person he wanted to see now, other than his brother, turned out to be sitting in his


    chair. Forrest, the senior member of the Alpha Convocation of the Southern Republic and the one who


    loved to oppose him at every opportunity imaginable, smirked at him.


    ¡°Are you lost?¡± Joran gritted his teeth. ¡°This is my domain. I¡¯d be careful here if I were you.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, Chairman, we needed you at thetest session,¡± the Southerner was not


    impressed by what was clearly a warning. ¡°There is chaos after the defeat of our n, and your absence


    is not helping.¡±


    ¡°Why is there chaos, Principal Chairman? Isn¡¯t it your job not to let that happen?¡± Joran chuckled darkly,


    taking a sip of his drink and feeling his powers slowly start restoring. Sadly, too slow for his needs. ¡°We


    didn¡¯t take part in this war, after all. What do we care?¡±


    ¡°You know that we care if the West and the North are growing and cooperating,¡± Forrest stood up. ¡°This


    shouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± the deity brushed him off, ¡°Nothing will help them when I am done with them.¡±


    ¡°The n was not to use the Southern army,¡± the Alpha reminded him.


    ¡°The n was to weaken the enemy without revealing ourselves. And we did just that,¡± Joran reminded


    him.


    ¡°You have revealed yourself, though.¡± Forrest poked at his wound.


    ¡°The deity in me revealed himself, but Jordan Nathair remained untouched in this mess.¡±


    ¡°And how about your brother? Will he be a problem?¡± The lycan kept pushing him to his limits.


    ¡°He will not,¡± Joran replied. ¡°And you should stop meddling in my business. Go back to the Southern


    Republic and y your role until my return. Do some damage control and offer the North and the West


    some humanitarian help which they will, of course, decline. I have quite a few ideas of whom we should


    engage into this next to finish what we started.¡±


    ¡°Care to share?¡± Forrest folded his arms over his chest as he waited expectantly. Joran knew that he


    wouldn¡¯t like his idea. Not that


    Forrest liked any of his ideas before that.


    ¡°Who do you think?¡± The deity taunted. ¡°The only kingdom that we haven¡¯t been involved in this war yet.


    The one that perished.¡±


    ¡°East?¡± Forrest scoffed. ¡°Only rogues live there.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. This is why they will be desperate to join us,¡± A sneer spread over Jordan¡¯s lips. ¡°And do our


    dirty work.¡±


    A few days ago


    Astrea ran as fast as she could. She had always been the fastest, but now she was exhausted after a


    few days of travelling by foot. What could she do, though? If she had tried to go by ne, she would


    have been caught for sure. And the route she had to use to hide from Joran was impossible to cross by


    car. She¡¯d had to adapt, but she could feel it with her skin that they were close. The ones she grew up


    training with were after her now.


    It was so st*pid. She had been dreaming of escaping for years and never acted on it.


    However, when she was ordered to poison the whole royal family of the North and their guests, it did not


    sit right with her.


    Many things did not sit right with her but she¡¯d always executed every order from her superiors. This time


    was different, though.


    Initially she loathed the Luna trials and every single contender who took part in it. She was not interested


    in the king, believing that


    he would end up as her target. But then she took a liking to the Western Princess and witnessing her


    love with the Lycan King bloom, she grew attached. She found Petra funny and her mentor, Evelyn, the


    picture of a perfect mother she never had. She respected Naya, who was a great warrior but somehow


    found her biggest value as an amazing and loyal friend. She found it funny how Kyle manipted the


    opinions during the Luna Trials broadcasting. At some point, she realised that she liked these people


    more than anyone else she knew, possibly.


    And then she met the Luna of the Western Lycan Kingdom.


    Though they barely spoke to each other, Riannon was a picture of kindness, elegance and strength. But


    most importantly, she felt so familiar¡­


    Astrea was distraught when she received the message to poison them all with the exception of


    Savannah during her short fake fight with Bjorn in the shrine. She yed her role well back then, and no


    one suspected a thing. All for the greater good¡­


    If it were just one of the kings or even both of them, she would have probably done it. She would have


    killed them as she¡¯d done to many before them.


    This time, however, it was a much harder mission because she¡¯d had to live with those people for such a


    long period of time. But also¡­ just by observing them she knew that they were good rulers. Better than


    the ones in her kingdom. Maybe they weren¡¯t perfect, but they sought to make the world better and


    Astrea found it very appealing.


    So, she convinced her partner Emma to give the antidote to Savannah while she took care of the poison


    in everyone¡¯s cups. She¡¯d had to go to great lengths to save them. Luckily, no one was interested in her


    much, and she managed to sneak out one night and get to one of the secret witch apothecaries in the


    capital, where she paid a hefty sum for the potion with the desired effect.


    She put them to sleep instead of killing them at the moment they all fell to the ground, her clock started


    ticking.


    Astrea knew that they would soon discover what she had done, how she had betrayed Joran and the


    other dragonflies.


    And they would never forgive her.


    Emma didn¡¯t. She realised that something was wrong first when Astrea tried to dump her in the woods


    and drive off alone.


    But Emma caught on to her suspicious behaviour early on and attacked her before she could do


    anything. They¡¯d been rivals for as long as she could remember, and Emma was happy to discover that


    Astrea was a traitor now. She¡¯d intended to reveal the betrayal to


    Joran, and this was one thing the assassin couldn¡¯t allow. Her teacher would never forgive her for this.


    She knew that much.


    It was unfortunate, but she had to kill Emma. The other woman kept attacking her and sadly there was


    no way around that. So,


    Astrea thrust a dagger into her chest and left. Then she had burned the magical tattoo on her arm,


    knowing that this could be used to track her. That shimmering dragonfly was a part of her but for now she


    had to get rid of it. And she would have to keep burning her skin in


    this ce for the rest of her life because her skin would regenerate and the tattoo would shine in its full


    force again.


    She heard the howls and the snarls, speeding up as twigs were hitting her face while she ran. Beads of


    sweat formed across her forehead and all over her back.


    Close. They were so close! The Firstborns were near.


    And if they manage to catch up to her, she would be dead by the time the sun set.


    Kai¡¯s fingers were covering her eyes for quite some time since he brought her to the woods next to their


    castle, telling her that it was a surprise.


    ¡°Just a few more steps,¡± he cooed, chuckling at her unhappy face. Savannah hated surprises. She¡¯d had


    enough of them for ten lifetimes already. All she wanted now was the stability he had been giving her for


    thest seven months. That was priceless.


    She expected a pic, or maybe another gorgeous view of the North she hadn¡¯t been aware of yet; Kai


    loved to show her those, and it seemed like the North would never run out of picturesque locations. They


    managed to do a tour around the country while her pregnancy was still allowing it, and her husband


    proudly showed her everything that he loved in their country.


    A sweet floral scent reached her nostrils, and she stumbled. She had to be wrong about it!


    ¡°Is that-¡± she gasped, and finally, he took his hands away, letting her see why he had brought her here.


    It took the Queen a few seconds to adjust to the light, but when she did, she couldn¡¯t find the right words


    for what unfolded right before her.


    ¡°Kai!¡± she whispered, covering her mouth. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°The magic of love, my dear,¡± he winked at her, a wide grin stered all over his face, ¡°the magic of


    love!¡±


    A thick blue and violet carpet covered the ground of the forest, and it seemed to be stretching for miles.


    The delicate flower petals were trembling in the wind, glistening with morning dew in the first rays of


    sunshine. A picture of serenity and a miracle in flower form. hers.


    ¡°But- they aren¡¯t supposed to grow here!¡± Savvy gasped, ncing back at her mate.


    ¡°You have no idea how hard it was to make them grow,¡± Kai confessed. ¡°But your face right now was so


    worth the effort!¡±


    ¡°You are a gardener, after all!¡± the woman giggled, and he turned her to face him and pulled her closer,


    resting his forehead against


    ¡°You were right back then, you know,¡± he hummed, the sound of his voice vibrating against her skin.


    ¡°There are no flowers like bluebells. They are¡­ unique¡­¡±


    He ced a soft kiss on the tip of her nose.


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Savanna¡¯s smile grew wider.


    ¡°And beautiful,¡± Kai¡¯s lips brushed over her lips feather light.


    ¡°True,¡± she agreed, taunting him slightly.


    ¡°And the scent drives me crazy!¡± his voice rasped right before he crushed his lips against hers, devouring


    her greedily, fingers tangling in her hair and not letting her pull away. Not that she intended such a thing.


    A soft whimper left the Luna of the North and Kai immediately stopped.


    ¡°What is it?¡± he studied her face.


    ¡°The little princess is kicking me,¡± Savvy chuckled at her husband¡¯s worried expression. ¡°It looks like she


    takes after you.¡±


    Kai rxed a bit hearing it. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. Sounds just like her mother!¡±


    She pinched him.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± he let out a heartyugh. ¡°You see what I mean?¡±


    They bothughed, and he turned her around again to wrap his arms around her from behind, enjoying


    her closeness and this moment of peace they finally got.


    But there was something lingering over and tainting their happiness, and they knew it. They always felt it


    despite all their efforts to pretend that it wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°I will not give her away, Kai,¡± Savannah confessed all of a sudden. ¡°Not to a G*d, not to anyone. She is


    our daughter.¡±


    ¡°I know and I am so sorry for my s*upid mistake¡± The Northern King¡¯s voice broke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± she gave his palm that rested on her belly a little squeeze and leaned her head back into his


    chest. ¡°It was right at the time, but it doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s right for us now.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Kai kissed the top of his wife¡¯s head. ¡°The witches promised her their protection, but in case


    that¡¯s not enough, I will try to strike new deal. Or-¡±


    ¡°Or what?¡± Savannah shifted on her feet to face him, locking their eyes.


    ¡°Or we will have to find a way to kill a G*d,¡± Kai told her firmly and he meant every word.


    ¡°Is that even possible?¡± she whispered, afraid to speak too loudly considering what they were discussing.


    ¡°Anything is possible with the right motivation,¡± the King said firmly and pressed his wife tightly against


    himself.

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert Read Online


    Bonus Chapter 1. (Kyle+Evelyn)


    Kyle was nervous. He hadn¡¯t seen Evelyn for two whole weeks since Zara and L¡¯s pompous


    wedding in the capital, where he had proposed to the woman of his dreams for the second time, and


    sheughed into his face. Again. He closed his eyes, remembering the pain that pierced his chest at


    her second rejection.


    Hopefully, the third time was a charm.


    He knew she was the only one for him, but Evelyn refused to believe that for some reason.


    She was older, and his boyish nature didn¡¯t help him convince her that he was the man for her. Or


    maybe there was something else to it all.


    He was sure that she did feel the same. They had a connection, not every mated couple had. They


    clicked together perfectly despite being pr opposites.


    Her eyes told him she reciprocated his feelings each time their gazes locked. The delicate blush on her


    cheeks was giving her away too. Evelyn snarled when some she-wolves wanted to dance with him at


    the wedding. And when they made love, it was evident that their bond wasn¡¯t just physical.


    All the signs were there, but she kept denying them, insisting they were simply a product of his


    imagination.


    He watched her when Zara went down the aisle in her beautiful white gown with feathers, and when


    she and L said their vows to each other, Kyle noticed his beloved tearing up. However, it was not


    the sweet adoration everyone else experienced at that beautiful moment of two souls uniting into one.


    What he read on Evelyn¡¯s face was¡­ regret. And it only made him want to hug her tight and tell her


    they had this too. They had what Zara and L had and what Savannah and Kai had. They had


    love, passion, and loyalty. She had hisplete trust, and he wasn¡¯t going anywhere. All she had to do


    was to let him in. Not physically this time. Mentally.


    That being said, her constant rejections were bringing him down. Doubts were eating his heart and soul


    from the inside. What if he misread her, after all? What if she wanted all that but not with him? He


    would never want to force her into anything. Kyle only wished to make her happy.


    Evelyn never shared why she couldn¡¯t trust him, but he knew there was a story there, and he would get


    it out of her one way or another.


    ¡°Almost there.¡± Ash was absentmindedly clenching the folder in his hands, his knuckles turning white


    from the pressure. He had a problem of his own to solve today. That wedding didn¡¯t go well for him


    either. Petra¡¯s father was obstructing him from getting his Luna, which turned into an even bigger mess


    over time.


    The first time Alpha of the Blue Forest pack refused to talk to Ash. The second time, at the very same


    wedding where everyone was happy except for the two new friends, Alpha Biernatughed at Ash¡¯s


    face, calling him a ¡°westerner¡± as if it was an insult, and then added that he wouldn¡¯t talk to him without


    a formal introduction. Queen Savannah had to step in and fix this little problem for Ash, making the


    introduction. Which was awkward, considering they had met before. Still, the moment she left them to


    perform her queenly duties, Petra¡¯s father demanded a written request from Ash, exining why he


    wanted Petra as his Luna and a marriage contract proposal attached, with a hefty sum as a gift for the


    pack. When Ash brought him the papers, they were turned down because no Northern AND Western


    Lycan Kings stamps were on them. So, they had to fix this too.


    Kyle apanied Ash each time in the hope of seeing Evelyn again. He couldn¡¯t force their meetings,


    and she left the capital together with Petra. So, there was no other way to meet her because she


    stopped responding to his calls and messages.


    ¡°We are not giving up this time,¡± Ash told him, although it looked like he was talking to himself.


    ¡°No, we are not,¡± Kyle agreed, ying with the ring box in his pocket.


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯te up with something new, right?¡± the werewolf nced at him.


    ¡°Of course he would,¡± Kyle smirked. ¡°But we will be ready this time.¡±


    They tried to predict everything else Petra¡¯s father could throw at Ash, knowing that whatever he was


    doing, he was doing it on purpose.


    The lycan and the werewolf needed this motivational talk. However, none of them was ever going to


    admit it.


    Adventures started the moment they arrived at the pack¡¯s border. Their car and the ones that followed


    after were denied entrance by the Blue Forest warriors, saying they needed the correct permits.


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Kai sneered and handed a paper to the werewolf that looked like the one in charge. They


    anticipated all that, and he had already asked Savvy for help once again. ¡°This should solve our little


    problem. It grants us entrance and an audience with an Alpha of any northern pack when we require


    this. Queen¡¯s orders.¡±


    ¡°Unless your Alpha objects, of course,¡± Ashmented dryly. ¡°Then we will pass the Queen how he


    feels about hermands.¡±


    That worked perfectly; they were allowed inside the pack in less than a minute.


    The Alpha¡¯s House was easy to find as it was the biggest mansion in the area. Ash smiled when he


    saw flowerbeds with pink freesias surrounding the massive building. There was no doubt who they


    bloomed for.


    The Beta met them at the doors, weing the two men inside the spacious house. A grand staircase


    was in the middle of the rich wooden hall, and they heard quick footsteps from the top floor.


    ¡°Ash!¡± Petra beamed as she ran down the stairs in a flowing pale pink dress, her hair unruly as she


    probably did not expect any guests today.


    Kyle¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he noticed his Lyn following the other woman slowly. There was so


    much grace in her that she could easily pass for a werecat. Their eyes locked, and his throat bobbed


    with how emotional the moment felt.


    Evelyn¡¯s eyes glistened momentarily when she saw him, and he hoped it was because she missed him.


    Kyle begged both the Moon Goddess and Fenrir for it to be true.


    Meanwhile, Petra almost made it to Ash when her father caught her wrist halfway and turned her


    around, eventually bringing her back to the bottom of the stairs.


    ¡°Not so fast!¡± he grunted, and the smile dropped from his daughter¡¯s face.


    ¡°Daddy,¡± she looked at him reproachfully, furrowing her pink eyebrows, but he ignored her.


    ¡°Later,¡± the Alpha brushed his daughter off, turning back to their guests. ¡°Gentlemen, to what do I owe


    the ple@sure?¡±


    ¡°My intentions still haven¡¯t changed since thest time we spoke, Alpha,¡± Ash met his future father-in-


    law¡¯s gaze. ¡°I came to im my mate and my Luna.¡±


    ¡°I assume you prepared the documents?¡± Alpha Biernat frowned, shooting a quick nce at the folder.


    ¡°Of course. Everything is ready as you asked,¡± Ash confirmed. ¡°And more. Just in case.¡±


    ¡°Finally prepared!¡± the older Alpha huffed augh. ¡°Well, before we waste time on all this, I must warn


    you that there is quite a line of suitors for my Petra.¡±


    ¡°I am well aware,¡± Ash nodded, suppressing an angry growl.


    ¡°Good. Great. Then you don¡¯t mind fighting them to prove¨C¡±


    ¡°I am ready to fight whoever it takes to get my mate. As long as Petra is willing, I will not give up on her.


    So, bring your line of Alphas, please. I would like to deal with them as soon as possible. I went to fight


    for Petra before I knew who she was to me, and I am not leaving her now.¡± Ash finished his speech,


    staring straight at his mate¡¯s father without blinking, their Alpha auras shing.


    Everyone around them got quiet, and Kyle exchanged concerned nces with Evelyn. This would


    either be a breakthrough or the end.


    A resoundingugh brought them back to reality. Alpha Biernat threw his head back, letting himself


    shake with rumblingughter.


    ¡°Maybe we can still make something out of you, boy!¡± the man grunted, cing his hand on Ash¡¯s


    shoulder. ¡°Imagine my disappointment when my girl who was raised to be a Queen was mated to


    just an Alpha. And not even a northerner. Such a disgrace¨C¡±


    ¡°She will have everything a queen has,¡± Ash assured him. ¡°I will see to it.¡±


    Alpha Biernat¡¯s fingers clenched Ash¡¯s flesh painfully as a warning. ¡°When you came back from the


    bear territory, and I found out from my daughter and not from you that you are destined mates, I knew


    you did not appreciate the gift that Fenrir bestowed on you! Naturally, I had to help you to see that.


    Now, you will always remember to treasure what I give you.¡±


    ¡°So, you are giving Petra to Alpha Jones?¡± Kyle decided to rify everything at once. If a northern


    alpha gave his or their word, he had to keep it. They were earnest about the honour here, and the


    Gamma wanted to ensure that at least his new friend got what he wanted.


    ¡°After he fights my best warrior, signs the contract and transfers all the money we agreed on, he can


    take her,¡± Alpha Biernat confirmed in a business-like manner, and they all wanted to cheer, but, luckily,


    they knew better. Petra¡¯s father would only take it as a sign of weakness and make poor Ash jump


    through more hoops.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this then,¡± the young Alpha grinned. ¡°My pack can¡¯t wait to meet their Luna, and I want to


    bring her to them tonight.¡±


    Petra did her best to hold back a smile, and Kyle finally managed to catch another nce from Evelyn,


    who seemed pleased as well.


    Ash could handle the fight and the documents on his own. This was something he was ready for. And


    that meant Kyle would have his chance to speak to his beloved now while everyone else was busy with


    the drama. Everything was finally turning for the best.


    A delicious scent of raspberries and mint made Kyle search for its source involuntarily.


    ¡°Mate!¡± A beautiful female voice sounded, and everyone in the spacious reception area froze in shock.


    Evelyn gripped the rail of the staircase she stood on tightly, watching Petra¡¯s cousin L appear from


    the opposite passage. The beautiful young girl descended slowly, sniffing the air with her cute button


    nose and ignoring everything around her as if she were in a trance.


    ¡°Mate!¡± This time the word sounded more confident.


    L knew every man in the pack. She was already twenty, which meant she hadn¡¯t been mated to any


    of them. The only two new males in the room were Ash and Kyle. But Ash had already found his mate.


    Evelyn closed her eyes, the realisation slowly sinking in. This was the end.


    She always knew their story was going to end this way. They were doomed from the very beginning.


    ¡°Mate,¡± Kyle stared at L in confusion, hands in pockets. Evelyn realised that he had probably


    forgotten about her already.


    ¡°Fenrir with you!¡± Alpha Biernat Let out a chestyugh. ¡°Our L got herself the kingdom¡¯s Gamma for


    a mate! What a fruitful year for our family!¡±


    Evelyn watched as L walked towards Kyle. She was perfection from head to toe with her short lc


    hair and deep blue eyes. One of the best pack¡¯s warriors, she was also well-educated and of pure


    alpha blood. L nevercked male attention and was destined for a great mate. Now, as she stood


    before the redhead lycan, anyone who saw them together could tell they were a match made in


    heaven.


    Evelyn couldn¡¯t look at them anymore.


    It took all her willpower not to show how it broke her to see them together, making her so empty inside.


    This was precisely what she was afraid of this whole time. Kyle was one of a kind. She knew that


    sooner orter, he would meet his mate and forget about his temporary fascination with her. This was


    why she chose to push him away the moment she realised her feelings for him. If she epted him


    and then the inevitable happened, it would only hurt her more.


    What she did was the safest option, and Evelyn knew enough grief not to want it in her life again.


    L was of the right age and background. She would give him beautiful, strong pups. It was right.


    ¡°Congrattions, L!¡± Alpha Biernat was the only one happy now. No one else stillmented. ¡°The


    Gamma of the North! What a catch! And you, Gamma¨C Lucky indeed!¡±


    Petra ced her hand on Evelyn¡¯s and squeezed it. She was too sweet for her own good, considering


    she had her own mate to worry about. And Evelyn¡­ she had nothing.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± she cleared her throat quickly, attracting everyone¡¯s attention but stubbornly avoiding


    sparing Kyle a nce.


    Not waiting to witness more of this torture, she retreated to her bedroom. They would all understand


    her, after all. And now¡­ none of them needed her.


    A part of Evelyn hoped that Kyle would rush after her, that he would choose her over everything. A


    stupid, irrational, naive part.


    Back in safety, Evelyn let a single tear run down her cheek. And then a few more. She did not like to


    cry, but today proved to be more emotional than ever.


    This was, however, right. Both L and Kyle deserve the best. They would have a happy life together.


    The same as Petra would have a happy life with Ash. Everyone would be happy, and she would be


    happy for them.


    She had to be¡­


    A knock on the door made her wipe her tears angrily before she opened it, wishing nothing more than


    to tell whoever it was to leave her alone.


    ¡°Lyn!¡± Concern was written all over Kyle¡¯s face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly!¡± She forced the brightest fake smile on her face. Over the years, she became very good


    at those. ¡°These are happy tears! Petra, L and you all found you¡¯re better halves. I¡¯m so excited for


    all of you!¡±


    ¡°Forget about L,¡± Kyle furrowed his brows, trying to grasp her, but she dodged, knowing that if she


    didn¡¯t, she would burst out crying.


    ¡°Not funny!¡± Evelyn scolded. ¡°This girl is now your mate, and you¡¯re going to respect her!¡±


    ¡°She is not my mate!¡± he forced his way into the room as she gasped.


    ¡°Yes, she is! And you need to understand how lucky you are!¡± Evelyn closed her face with her hands,


    trying to form the words she needed to persuade that insufferable man. ¡°L is amazing! You and her¡­


    it makes so much sense! She will make you happy. She will give you the life you deserve with kids and


    love. She will support you through thick and thin in your new career. She will stand with you against the


    world¨C¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Kyle interrupted, stabbing her heart with his words. She stopped talking, finding it painful


    to breathe. ¡°With you,¡± he added quickly and ced hisrge palms on her shoulders.


    ¡°For Fenrir¡¯s sake!¡± she muttered. ¡°Kyle, your mate is downstairs.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he shook his head calmly. ¡°I have no mate. I had one a few minutes ago, but I don¡¯t anymore.¡±


    Her eyes widened, and only now she noticed crystals of sweat on his forehead. Kyle didn¡¯t look too


    good, and his breathing wasboured too.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± she drew a sharp breath, fingers digging into his chest. The lycan chuckled


    painfully and pulled her into his warm embrace, holding her tight. He lost his face in her hair, inhaling


    her scent.


    ¡°It was a mutual rejection, Lyn,¡± he said, and she flinched.


    ¡°Kyle!¡± she bit her lip, not knowing how to react anymore.


    ¡°She did not want a mate and had other ns,¡± he informed her. ¡°And I am madly in love with someone


    else. I am d that everything happened the way it did. That was meant to be.¡±


    ¡°She was your mate!¡± Evelyn¡¯s eyes searched his face for any signs of regret. She found none.


    ¡°You are my mate,¡± he smiled with his devilish smile. ¡°My chosen mate. The one and only. If it¡¯s not


    you, Lyn, then I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    ¡°I will not make you happy!¡± she shook her head. ¡°I am a¨C curse. Everyone I touch dies. My mate and


    my daughter¨C¡±


    He knew that story. When Evelyn was much younger, she had a husband and a daughter the same age


    as Petra. She lost them in a fierce rogue attack. At the same time, Petra lost her mother. The little pink-


    haired girl who needed a mother brought the woman who needed her daughter back to life. They


    needed each other like air.


    But Petra was a grown-up now. She was starting a life of her own, and although Evelyn initially nned


    to go with her to Ash¡¯s pack, she knew that Petra didn¡¯t need her there. Now she was alone again.


    ¡°It was many years ago, and since then, you helped a young girl to be a wonderful woman. And in


    the process, you helped to save the kingdom. Don¡¯t you dare forget that!¡± Kyle kissed away a new tear


    that rolled down her cheek, and for the first time, she looked at him. She really looked at him.


    ¡°Kyle, you need someone¨C¡± She wanted to exin why he had made a mistake and why he needed to


    return to L and ask her to give him a chance.


    ¡°I only need you,¡± he stopped her, brushing away another tear from her cheek with his thumb. ¡°I know


    what I want, Lyn. I want the strong and smart woman I fell in love with. The only one who makes me


    happy. The one who made me feelplete. The one who is always ahead of me and with whom I


    only hope to catch up one day. I want you.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t find the right words for the first time in her life. Kyle was free now. He had just rejected his


    true mate for her. On the spot¡­ Just like that¡­


    This was surreal, and at the same time, it was the reality.


    ¡°I love you, Lyn,¡± he made her look at him. ¡°You rejected me so many times, and here I still am. Not


    going anywhere. Ever. Unless¨C¡±


    Lyn¡¯s heart clenched painfully. ¡°Unless what?¡±


    ¡°Unless you tell me you don¡¯t love me,¡± he sighed. ¡°Say that you really don¡¯t want to see me anymore.


    Tell me I repulse you, and you¡¯d never be with someone like me. I will respect that. I will back off. But I


    will still love you.¡±


    Her lips parted.


    He really meant it.


    ¡°And if I have to prove my feelings over and over then¨C¡±


    Evelyn didn¡¯t let him finish, standing on her tiptoes and iming his lips in a surprise kiss.


    Kyle breathed out his relief into her mouth, finally letting himself wrap his hands around her, grasping


    her flesh. He missed her so badly.


    ¡°Tell me you ept me,¡± he muttered between greedy kisses. ¡°Tell me you want me.¡±


    ¡°I love you!¡± she confessed for the first time, and they both broke the kiss because this was more


    important. Kyle rested his forehead on Lyn¡¯s, his fingers drawing circles on her back.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°Say it again,¡± he begged.


    ¡°I love you, Kyle,¡± the woman repeated her words with confidence this time. ¡°I love you so much it hurts


    sometimes. I think of you every minute of every day. And I¨C¡±


    ¡°Then choose me too.¡± Kyle got a little velvet box out of his pocket and opened it for her. ¡°Be my mate,


    Lyn. Let me mark you. Marry me. Give me that wonderful life you were talking about. I want it so much,


    but only if it¡¯s with you.¡±


    She traced the metal band of the ring with her finger, noticing how it was shaped like maple leaves. The


    pale pink diamond in the middle, the exact shade of Petra¡¯s hair colour, made her smile, and she


    looked back at him with adoration.


    ¡°You really do know me,¡± Evelyn smiled.


    ¡°You love autumn and Petra,¡± Kyle nodded. ¡°I tried to¨C¡±


    ¡°And you,¡± she interjected, cing her palm into his so he could put that ring on her finger once and for


    all. ¡°I also love you, my impossible mate.¡±

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert Read Online


    Bonus Chapter 2. (Ash + Petra. Part 1.)


    Petra couldn¡¯t contain her excitement as their car drove into the Silver River Pack¡¯s territory.


    Her pack.


    Her new home.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as big as it used to be,¡± Ash leaned closer to her, and his lips brushed over her ear, eliciting a


    rash of goosebumps over her skin. ¡°The previous Alpha lost half of the pack¡¯snds during his divorce.


    And we have been struggling with money since then, but it¡¯s going to get better. I promise.¡±


    Petra knew the story, and the pack looked much better than she¡¯d expected. She loved how he


    admitted to all that sheepishly as if he was worried that it would change her mind about him. It wouldn¡¯t.


    Not a chance.


    Petra knew she loved him when they met at dawn after the Avnche Battle. After the most brutal fight


    of any of their lives, the avnche and all the digging they had to do during the night, they both rushed


    to keep their word and meet each other at the Northern castle.


    Petra barely had time to fine some oversized men¡¯s sweats and a t-shirt to wear, and Ash arrived in


    someone¡¯s fur coat covering his n*aked b*ody. They looked bizarre and felt like the oddest couple ever,


    but it felt so right when she threw herself into his arms, and he spun her in the air, pressing her to him


    as tightly as he could. Despite them staying close to each other on the battlefield, this was an important


    step for them as a couple. Their first promise kept. The beginning of their new life together.


    ¡°Will you be my mate and Luna?¡± Ash did not hesitate this time, and she giggled as she nodded at him,


    finally epting her fate, her chest heaving with excitement. It was happening. It was finally


    happening. Everything she¡¯d dreamed of was about to start.


    They found an unlocked storage room, kissing madly all the way there, unable to part even for a


    second. This was not how Petra imagined her first time to be, but to some extent, it was much better.


    Imperfectly perfect.


    She helped Ash out of his coat, and he pulled her shirt off in one swift move, snarling at the sight of her


    n*aked flesh before his eyes.


    ¡°Goddess, you are beautiful!¡± he muttered, pulling her back into his rock-hard chest and covering her


    lips with his. Petra had never felt a man¡¯s hands on her. Not like that. Each Ash¡¯s move was greedy and


    possessive, as if he couldn¡¯t get enough of her, and Petra felt the need for him growing inside her too,


    unable to restrain herself. He was older and more experienced, and although his touches seemed


    desperate and assertive, driven by his desire for her, he knew exactly what he was doing because she


    was melting in his arms.


    Ash slipped beneath the waistband of her sweats and slid his hand between her thighs for the first time,


    making her whimper from the new and unexpected sensation. Petra threw her head back, letting a


    moan she had been suppressing for so long finally escape her. The sound was met with a growl of


    approval from her mate, who slipped one of his fingers between her w*et folds, making sparks ripple


    through her b*ody.


    Petra wanted to bite her lip, but he got there first, thrusting his hot tongue past her lips, dominating her


    easily as she simply focused on remembering to breathe now as he led her in this new and exciting


    dance.


    Then, all of a sudden, Ash groaned and pulled away, leaving her feeling cold and empty.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± he swore under his breath and then added a few more intricate words to the mix, his chest


    heaving as he tried not to look at her.


    ¡°Did I¨C do something wrong?¡± Petra wanted to cover herself, not sure if she had repelled him in some


    unknown way.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You? Wrong?¡± Ash let out a dark chuckle and wrapped his arms around her. ¡°Petra, you are perfection


    from head to toe. I am barely restraining myself from taking you in this dirty space. I want to ravish you


    and make you mine in every way imaginable. Don¡¯t ever think otherwise. You simply can¡¯t do anything


    wrong. Not with me.¡±


    ¡°Then why¨C¡± She couldn¡¯t bring herself to finish the sentence as it felt like she was begging him to take


    her now. Although his previous words tinted her cheeks, warmth spread over her chest.


    ¡°Because, Petra,¡± Ash let out a heavy sigh and then finally brought himself to meet her gaze. ¡°Because


    you deserve so much more than this. I can¡¯t take your innocence here¡­ not here and not like this.¡±


    She giggled at that. ¡°I really don¡¯t mind, Ash. After everything we¡¯ve been through, I don¡¯t need rose


    petals and a diamond ne to go with it. I just need you, my mate. As close as possible and I need


    you now.¡±


    He growled again, and she taunted him, dropping the sweats she was wearing onto the ground and


    turning to swipe everything off the table she was leaning on with her arm in one decisive move. Then


    she hopped on top of it and looked at him again, quirking her brow up in invitation.


    At that moment, the door to the room started to open, and Petra got scared that some stranger would


    see her. She was getting bolder and braver, but she wasn¡¯t ready for something like that.


    ¡°No!¡± she screamed, looking at the door, and it closed shut suddenly. She heard curses behind it, and


    the person outside pushed against the door, muttering more Northern expletives as he tried to enter


    again. Petra panicked, and one of the heavy wooden boxes on the floor moved to the door to block it


    from opening.


    ¡°Did you¨C¡± Ash¡¯s head snapped to look at his startled mate.


    The question hung in the air between them.


    Was she the one who did that? Did she just move an object without touching it?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Petra panicked, covering her mouth. ¡°Did I?¡±


    Ash furrowed his brows.


    ¡°You have been blessed by a god today,¡± Ash stated thoughtfully, taking her hand into his. ¡°After


    Riannon was reborn and blessed, she gradually developed some extraordinary abilities.¡±


    ¡°The battle happened hours ago!¡± Petra was still in denial. ¡°That¡¯s not ¡°gradually¡±.¡±


    ¡°No, but you didn¡¯t die and didn¡¯t have to be restored after a rebirth,¡± Ash pointed out. ¡°And if I am not


    mistaken, you were one of the first to respond to Fenrir¡¯s call.¡±


    That was true. The moment Petra heard it in her heart, she knew this was what she had been waiting


    for her whole life. A chance to be a real fighter. Not just a tiny wolf and a pretty face. Deep inside, Petra


    always craved more. Now she knew it.


    They heard more warriors returning to the castle, and a few more people tried the damn door. Ash


    helped Petra to get dressed, to their shared disappointment. Their beautiful moment was gone.


    ***


    This was why Petra was especially excited for today. They were together atst. No obstructions


    between them, no moreplications.


    ¡°I love it, Ash,¡± she beamed at her future husband and saw a relieved smile curling his lips. ¡°We will


    build it bigger and better if that¡¯s what you want. Together.¡±


    ¡°Together,¡± he repeated her words, leaning closer and kissing her shoulder softly.


    Their car stopped in front of a mansion that definitely needed some repair work done in the near future


    but, at the same time, she could tell it was still magnificent and spacious. Petra breathed out as her


    eyes carefully studied the surroundings. She could definitely work with this.


    Ash got out of the car first and walked around to open the door for her. Petra amoothed the creases on


    her dress with shaky hands, trying to calm down. Evelyn taught her how important first impressions


    were. She has trained for this moment her whole life.


    Introduction to the pack that she was going to rule alongside Ash.


    She saw through the tinted ss of the car door that his hand was almost on the handle to let her out


    when she heard a shrieking noise that startled her.


    ¡°Ash!¡± Some blonde girl in a short red dress screamed, and before Petra could react or even get out of


    the damn car, the unfamiliar she-wolf threw herself in Ash¡¯s arms as if she belonged there.


    Petra froze in her seat. This wasn¡¯t what she expected at all. This, in fact, was her worst nightmare. Did


    she get into one of these stories everyone whispered about where an Alpha was going to treat his Luna


    horribly while parading his mistresses around in front of the whole pack?


    She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. Ash really didn¡¯t look like the type. Although she


    immediately remembered how many times he hesitated to im her. Was this woman the reason why?


    Petra released a steady breath and prepared to open the door herself when she saw Ash distancing


    himself from the woman in question.


    ¡°Harper!¡± he groaned. ¡°Boundaries, please!¡±


    Those words let Petra breathe again, but she was far from calm now. She needed answers.


    Ash rushed to open the door as if he knew what she felt.


    ¡°My love,¡± he stretched a hand to her, and Petra epted it, stepping out of the car as gracefully as


    she could. She chose an appropriate pink tweed dress and a zer outfit for today, paired with her


    mother¡¯s favourite pearls, letting her blush pink curls fall freely down her shoulders.


    ¡°Petra,¡± Ash slid his palm up her back and then pulled her into his warm embrace, ¡°this is the previous


    Alpha¡¯s sister, Harper Thorne. Harper, this is your new Luna and my mate, Petra.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Petra decided to not make any assumptions based on one small interaction and


    stretched her hand out to the blonde.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a pretty stick of cotton candy?¡± Harper giggled, but the smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes. Petra


    had seen enough fake smiles at to recognise one.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± the Northerner wasn¡¯t letting it get to her. ¡°Ash says I am delicious, too.¡±


    Their gazes locked, and Harper¡¯s turned into a re. She had received the message.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± the woman forced a false smile back into her face anyway. ¡°I have everything prepared for


    you.¡±


    Ash tensed, and so did Petra. Why was this woman leading them anywhere? What was her position in


    the pack?


    Despite everything, they followed.


    ¡°Thanks for caring, Harp, but next time you don¡¯t need to go into all this trouble¨C¡±Ash was definitely


    trying to fix the situation, and it made Petra exhale in relief. This seemed to be as awkward for him as it


    was for her and he ensured that she knew it.


    They met a few people downstairs, and everyone was respectful, happy for their Alpha and honoured


    to meet their new Luna. However, Harper stood there the whole time, watching over them with her


    arms crossed over her chest and lips pressed tightly together.


    ¡°Petra needs some rest, you guys!¡± she announced all of a sudden, and it didn¡¯t escape Petra that she


    used her name and not her title. ¡°It was a long road, and she needs to settle here.¡±


    After a few awkward goodbyes, they went upstairs. Petra indeed wanted to rx because it was a long


    and exhausting day. Just a few hours ago, Ash had to fight one of her father¡¯s best warriors to prove he


    was worthy of her, and although he won the fight, she could tell he was tired too.


    But most importantly, it would be the first time, they would truly be together, and they both couldn¡¯t wait.


    This was why they both ignored Harper¡¯s suggestion.


    However, Petra got tense when Harper led them upstairs too. What was next? She would make their


    bed for them and stay to watch overnight?


    It didn¡¯t help that Harper wore the tightest and sexiest short wine-red dress and high heels. She looked


    like she was going to a party, but sadly she was in no rush to leave them alone.


    ¡°Petra,¡± she used her name again, although they weren¡¯t close and it was inappropriate, ¡°your room is


    here. I made sure you have everything you might need in there. Toiletries, sleepwear, new towels,


    books¡­ although it doesn¡¯t look like you enjoy reading.¡±


    A jab. This time it was clear as day.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been a busy bee,¡± Petra furrowed her pink eyebrows, chewing on the inside of her cheek. She


    still didn¡¯t know how to handle it best.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Harper gave her the brightest smile. ¡°It¡¯s our best Guest suite.¡±


    ¡°A guest suite?¡± Petra tilted her head and arched her brow. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be in the Luna Suite?¡±


    ¡°Oh, these rooms are taken already!¡± Harper giggled.


    ¡°And you were supposed to free them,¡± Ash said in an ice-cold tone, making the girl drop her sneer.


    ¡°I¨C I just have a lot of things in there,¡± Harper stuttered, clenching her full lips.


    ¡°You are the one living in the Luna Suite?¡± Petra gasped. ¡°On what grounds?¡±


    This time she noticed the other woman smirking at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s because Ash and I¨C¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because she is the previous Alpha¡¯s sister, and I didn¡¯t have a Luna before.¡± Ash intervened, and


    once again, Petra felt relieved. But only partially. This wasn¡¯t enough.


    As if he could sense her anger, her mate added, ¡°But Harper was told to free up the amodations


    weeks ago.¡±


    ¡°Harper is not the fastest werewolf, then!¡± Petra snorted, surprised with herself. She was rarely like this.


    ¡°Where is the Alpha Suite?¡± she asked her mate, sliding her fingers up his sleeve, knowing it would


    elicit tingles all over him.


    ¡°Right there,¡± he let out a low growl, his nostrils red as if he could barely hold himself back. He


    pointed at the other side of a very long corridor.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Petra sighed and licked her lips, aware of his eyes lingering on them. ¡°So far away¨C¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that will not do,¡± he agreed with a grin. ¡°How about we share my suite?¡±


    ¡°All right, roomie, ¡± she giggled. ¡°I have to warn you, though. I am really restless at night.¡±


    ¡°How restless are we talking?¡± Ash cleared his throat, and she loved the effect she had on him. A part


    of her was sorry for Harper, who clearly had feelings for him. And possibly history.


    However, Petra was not sorry enough to let the woman walk all over her or let her have any hopes for


    her mate.


    ¡°You might need to restrain me at some point,¡± she gave Ash a very promising look and walked away to


    the door of his room.


    He followed her swiftly, and to her surprise, so did Harper. Petra offered her a questioning look, but the


    she-wolf only shrugged in response.


    ¡°I am retiring for the day too,¡± she said. ¡°And this is where I live.¡±


    Harper pointed at the door right next to Ash¡¯s, and that made Petra fume. She was indeed residing in


    the Luna suite and behaved as if she owned the ce.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Petra narrowed her eyes, ¡°after all, you need to gather your things and move out as soon


    as possible. We will not be holding you back from that. Have a nice evening.¡±


    Harper¡¯s lips twitched.


    ¡°It will probably take a few days. There isn¡¯t a room avable for me to move in.¡±


    ¡°Of course, there is!¡± It was Petra¡¯s time to sneer as she pointed at the door on the other end of the


    corridor. ¡°Moreover, you just prepared it to your liking with books and all that. Didn¡¯t you say it yourself?


    It¡¯s the best guest suite in the pack house!¡±


    ¡°But-¡± Harper wanted to protest, yet this time Ash was the one to interrupt her.


    ¡°Harp, follow your Luna¡¯s orders. You can take the guest room for a few days.¡±


    ¡°For a few days?¡± The blonde looked at the Alpha hopefully, and Petra¡¯s heart froze.


    ¡°Yeah, until we find you a proper cottage to move in,¡± Ash responded calmly. ¡°I am sure your


    grandmother¡¯s old house will be suitable enough. It¡¯s part of your family history and heritage. It will be


    perfect for you even if it requires some work.¡±


    ¡°But¨C¡±


    ¡°Excuse us now,¡± Ash hugged Petra and pushed her into their room gently. ¡°My Luna and I are tired.


    We need some rest and alone time. After all, we were apart for so long and we need to make up for


    that.¡±


    AN: Part 2 of Ash and Petra¡¯s bonus chapter will follow shortly.

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83


    The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert Read Online


    Bonus Chapter 2 (Ash + Petra. Part 2)


    Petra woke up to an empty bed beside her, worried that Ash still hadn¡¯t returned from his rogue patrol.


    However, then she noticed a note from him that exined he didn¡¯t want to wake her up and had to


    deal with the repercussions of the previous night¡¯s attack.


    Sighing, she had to ept that this was the reality of being an Alpha¡¯s Luna. Even the brightest of


    ns could be ruined at any moment because of events like this. This was why they chose not to have


    a big wedding and opted for a small private ceremony next weekend instead.


    Luckily, Petra was used to this because she grew up as Alpha¡¯s daughter. None of this was new to her.


    She was aware that she had work to do as well. It was important to establish herself as the Luna, make


    new friends, and find out as much as possible about other pack members. Not to mention, a lot of


    preparations were still to be made.


    Originally, Evelynn was supposed to be with her during all this, but her life-long mentor, who had been


    like a mother to her, found love and was now the chosen mate of the Gamma of the North. Petra was


    happy for her despite missing her terribly. Regardless of her emotions, Lyn trained her well, and she


    was ready for anything.


    Petra was finishing her make-up, dressed in a hot pink chiffon jumpsuit with long red trousers and a


    top with elegant ruffles, when an Omega walked in to ask if she was going to have breakfast in this


    room.


    It was tempting, but Petra knew something like that would be considered a weakness. She was ready


    for this and didn¡¯t need Ash at her side at all times. She tried a more sophisticated look today but did


    not want to lie and change herself for it, so her favourite colours still prevailed.


    The Omega with short red hair was leading her to the dining room when they heard the sounds of a


    group of womenughing.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Petra asked, pointing at a massive wooden door from where the sounds came. The


    servant girl next to her lowered her head in submission.


    ¡°It¡¯s technically the Luna Office,¡± she mumbled and stopped talking, which gave Petra an idea of what


    could be happening there now. Did Harper encroach on that too?


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°By the way, did my things arrive?¡± She asked, and the girl nodded, not offering her more information.


    Petra inhaled and exhaled sharply. The pack wasn¡¯t giving her the wee she¡¯d hoped for, and now


    she had to turn it around alone.


    ¡°Hailey, right?¡± She started by surprising the Omega by remembering her name. Lunas only bothered


    with that if they were their personal omegas.


    ¡°Yes, Luna,¡± the girl smiled timidly.


    ¡°Did Harper take my office as well? Who is with her there now?¡±


    Hailey turned pale but Petra didn¡¯t budge. This wasn¡¯t some game like the Luna Trials where she didn¡¯t


    care about winning after noticing Kai¡¯s infatuation with Savvy. This was her life now, and her future


    depended on everything she was about to do.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t have a Luna, so Miss Harper took over some of the responsibilities. And it made sense for


    her to take over the office, too¨C¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Petra sighed and then remembered something. ¡°So, where are my things now?¡±


    Once again, Kailey offered her a sheepish look.


    ¡°In the Luna office,¡± she confessed and looked away, giving Petra the answer.


    Moreughs erupted from the office, and now Petra knew they wereughing at her expense.


    Harper¡¯s voice was the loudest, of course.


    ¡°Would you just look at that?¡± she snorted loudly. ¡°And this is our future Luna¡¯s wedding dress? It¡¯s


    pink, for the Moon Goddess¡¯s sake! Who in their right mind would wear so much pink?¡±


    ¡°A Barbie!¡± someonemented, and another burst ofughter followed.


    ¡°Or a marshmallow!¡± another woman chimed in. They seemed to be having a lot of fun in there.


    Petra frowned. It was a gorgeous gown by one of the best Northern designers. It was sophisticated,


    just as her new position required, but it was her. Her personality was in it.


    Blush pink in colour, the gown was made of the finest Northern silk, its bodice adorned with tiny natural


    crystals from the mountain caves next to her old pack, and the elegant skirt flowed down to the ground


    with a tasteful slit at the front. Evelynn was proud of her choice, Savvy and Riannon approved of it


    when she saw them brieflyst time. Who the hell was Harper tough about it?


    It was time to demonstrate to this pack who the real Luna here was.


    Petra pushed the door and entered, all heads snapped in her direction and theugh died down.


    Harper stood next to a wooden desk in the centre of the office with a few women sitting and standing in


    different corners of the room. She didn¡¯t spare them a single nce.


    ¡°What are you, five?¡± Petra raised her brow at Harper and stretched her hand to get her dress back.


    The she-wolf didn¡¯t move, her hands digging into the fabric as if she wanted to tear it to pieces.


    This made Petra angry and for the first time ever, she decided to wield her new power in public. She


    wriggled her fingers and the dress left Harper¡¯s hands, flying all over the room to its rightful owner and


    leaving everyone stunned.


    There were rumours after the Avnche Battle that some of the shifters acquired special abilities, but


    most of them preferred to hide them. Petra chose differently.


    ¡°Who gave you permission to touch your Luna¡¯s things?¡± she demanded sternly, checking her dress for


    any damage but finding none, to her relief.


    ¡°Technically, you aren¡¯t my Luna yet,¡± Harper still didn¡¯t lose her co.ckiness, although Petra could tell


    she was shocked.


    ¡°I am your Alpha¡¯s mate, and you dared to touch my dress for our mating ceremony. Who do you think


    you are?¡±


    Everyone was silent.


    ¡°I was justmenting on¨C¡±


    ¡°Its colour,¡± Petra interjected. ¡°I heard. Do you think that a grown woman cannot wear pink? Is that how


    you assess someone¡¯s qualities? By the colour of their clothes? Because that seems foolish to me.¡±


    Harper clenched her lips tight, but it was obvious that she had no intention of losing this stand-off.


    ¡°My apologies,¡± she offered a sly smile. ¡°Here in the Western Lycan Kingdom, we usually stop dressing


    like pretty dolls after wee of age.¡±


    ¡°You are forgiven,¡± Petra said graciously and handed her dress to the omega, who stood by her side.


    ¡°You see, in the North, we prove that we are adults by fighting in a battle. I proved myself in the


    Avnche battle, fighting alongside Alpha Ash, King Gideon, King Kai and Queen Savannah. Where


    have you been during this time, by the way? We needed every warrior avable, but I don¡¯t remember


    any of your faces.¡±


    Silence filled the room once again. Until Harper cleared her throat.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t fit to fight that week!¡± she said proudly.


    ¡°Neither was Queen Riannon!¡± Petra retorted. ¡°But she was still there, tending to the wounded after


    everything was over.¡±


    Yes, Petra already guessed that Harper had to hate Riannon. Ash told her everything about his first


    mate and about his love for his ex-Luna of many years. She knew that mentioning that name would


    hurt, but Petra wasn¡¯t here to take prisoners. Harper asked for this.


    ¡°I was performing the Luna¡¯s duties!¡± the blonde gritted her teeth defensively. Petra knew she had


    already won the argument.


    ¡°I hope you were decent,¡± she shrugged her shoulders as she walked past her so-called rival to sit at


    the desk. ¡°I heard the pack¡¯s finances are in a bad state. I will need all your reports and expenses on


    this desk by tomorrow. It¡¯s up to me now to see where you made mistakes.¡±


    Someone gasped, but Petra kept her chin up high, observing the women in front of her.


    ¡°I assume you were tracking your expenses since you insist that you perform the Luna¡¯s duties?¡± Petra


    tilted her head with the corners of her lips tugged upwards.


    ¡°I¨C¡± Harper didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°And also, it¡¯s so convenient that you gathered so many people here¡± the pink-haired Luna tapped her


    fingers over the desktop. ¡°Now they can go with you to the Luna Suite and help you move all of your


    belongings to your Grandmother¡¯s cottage.¡±


    Harper¡¯s eyes threw daggers at her.


    ¡°Ash said that I could take the guest suite,¡± the woman was visibly shaking with anger now, but Petra


    already knew that this one barked, but did not bite.


    ¡°That was yesterday, and you didn¡¯t take it,¡± the new Luna smiled. ¡°I¡¯m going to give it to Hailey. She is


    my personal Omega from now on and I need her close.¡±


    ¡°But¨C¡±


    ¡°Thank you for trying to act as a Luna while the pack didn¡¯t have one, Harper,¡± Petra chose every word


    to hit the goal. ¡°That will be all for today. I don¡¯t want to keep you here too long. You still have a lot of


    packing to do.¡±


    She waved her fingers again, and the door to the office opened, startling everyone once again. A few


    whispers sounded here and there as the women were standing up and leaving the office. None of them


    wanted to test her, and for the first time ever, Petra felt how satisfying it was to stand up for herself


    without anyone¡¯s support. This victory was hers.


    She sent Hailey to hide the mating ceremony dress in her new room, and the Omega was happy to


    oblige.


    The moment the doors closed, Petra breathed out and sank into the chair.


    Being a Luna was demanding and exhausting. And that¡¯s after just a few hours.


    However, she wouldn¡¯t change it for anything!


    The door opened without permission, and she was about to scold whoever dared to disturb her when


    saw the intruder.


    Ash looked dazzling in a blue shirt and jeans, with his hazel eyes on her.


    ¡°That was very impressive,¡± hemented as he strolled inside. ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect anything less from


    you. I got myself one beautiful, clever and feisty mate.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you heard?¡± she blushed slightly, although secretly, she loved that he witnessed everything.


    ¡°Just the ending,¡± he chuckled. ¡°You know, I was worried about how you would settle in here. But not


    anymore. You will fit right in as my Luna.¡±


    ¡°But I am not exactly your Luna¨C yet,¡± Petra taunted him with a smile ying on her lips. ¡°For now, I am


    unmarked and unimed, remember?¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes darkened and he walked closer, moving her chair with her still in it.


    ¡°Not for long.¡± A deep growl left his chest.


    ¡°I hope not, ,¡± Petra brushed her pink locks off of her neck and traced the curve with her fingers. ¡°My


    neck is aching for a mark.¡±


    ¡°Then I shall give it to you tonight,¡± Ash lowered himself and closed hisrge palm around her neck


    gently, not hurting her in the slightest. His thumb brushed over her lips to make them part. ¡°Or maybe


    now.¡±


    ¡°Now we are talking!¡± Petra giggled.


    ¡°Tell me what you want,¡± he teased, and she thought about it for a moment. Harper came to her mind at


    once to her displeasure. However, that helped her with her answer.


    ¡°I want you to make me scream your name so loud that no one in this pack doubts what you are doing


    to me,¡± she said. ¡°I want you to pierce my neck with your canines and leave a mark on it so that no one


    ever doubts who I belong to.¡±


    ¡°I like it,¡± Ash smirked in delight.


    ¡°I want you to make love to me so much that I forget my own name,¡± she went on, desire circling


    through her veins already. ¡°And when we are both at the highest peak, I want to mark you too, so that


    no she-wolf ever imagines again that she can have you!¡±


    ¡°You wish is mymand!¡± Ash snarled and scooped her up.


    Petra gasped but wrapped her arms around his neck at once as he walked with her like that around the


    whole pack house, making the heads of their packmates turn.


    She noticed pink rose petals on the way to the Alpha Suite and giggled.


    ¡°Did you do this?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I did,¡± he said. ¡°I told you that you deserve the best, and I am going to give you just that,


    Petra. Starting today and until the day I die.¡±

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert Read Online


    Bonus Chapter 3. (Aspen + Brigit)


    Aspen dug his canines into the bear¡¯s flesh and enjoyed the warmth of his blood trickling down his


    canines and fur.


    Two down, three to go.


    Five in total.


    Five bears who hurt him the most when he was a prisoner in Bjorn¡¯s castle. Five bears who were going


    to die by his hand.


    Well, three now since two were already off the list.


    And boy, did Aspen enjoy killing them. Such scum did not deserve to live.


    The Northern Lycan Kingdom wasn¡¯t just a country. People here had honour. They had rules they¡¯d


    followed for generations.


    No one, absolutely no one, was to harm a man who was already down and couldn¡¯t defend himself. No


    one was to humiliate prisoners of war. No one was to take another Northerner¡¯s dignity. What was done


    to him was done for fun, and he swore that everyone who participated in his torture would pay.


    Not only that, but those five bears made a spectacle out of him, torturing him for days whileughing


    about the death of Aspen¡¯s king and family. Theyughed at what Bjorn was going to do with his queen


    as well. Then they mocked him about his mate, promising to f*ck her on his behalf since she preferred


    bears anyway.


    No, he couldn¡¯t find it in himself to forgive them.


    Maybe it made him a bad man, but he had no regrets.


    The one whose life Aspen took just now broke his knees every hour as if he was on a clock, knowing


    that it was the only way to permanently injure a lycan. His friend, who carved insults on his chest with a


    silver knife andughed as he watched them heal, was also already dead. Aspen left his b*ody in the


    woods, where he deserved to stay and rot. The same destiny would follow this one.


    Aspen unclenched his jaws and let the wolf fall to his feet, a pool of blood gathering around him,


    soaking the grass.


    He lifted his head to look at the moon, and at the same time, the familiar sweet scent hit his nostrils.


    She was here. Brigit was here.


    Just like thest time, she didn¡¯t do anything to stop him. And it was annoying! After all, what kind of


    queen lets her men get ughtered by an ambassador of another king?


    He wanted her to get angry. He wanted her to confront him about her men.


    His wolf pleaded with him, telling him their ex-mate wanted to get together. That this was her way to


    gain his forgiveness. Only that it wasn¡¯t enough. It would never be enough.


    Some part of him would always love her, but he knew they were over. He would never be able to trust


    Brigit. He would never be able to call her his.


    They were perfect mates that never happened.


    This was all they were now.


    Aspen sensed her leaving. At first, he did not want to follow. She did the same when he challenged the


    first white bear. Although fights like this were frowned upon, it wasn¡¯t necessarily illegal. Shifters fought


    each other all the time and died as a result. As long as it was a fair fight, it was fine. Fair being the key


    word.


    Aspen always gave them a chance to stand up for themselves.


    However, at thest minute, something inside him snapped as Brigit¡¯s intoxicating scent enveloped him


    until he couldn¡¯t breathe properly anymore, and Aspen decided to go after his ex.


    It was annoying, and she had to stop this. This¡­ whatever this was!


    Brigit sensed him following her and sped up, only fuelling his desire to catch up with her more. At least


    in his wolf form, he could still do it.


    However, his tormenter was cruel. They left the woods in a few minutes, and she rushed into the night


    city. It was surprisingly busy now, and Aspen had no choice but to shift into his human form and get the


    clothes he had hidden nearby for this exact kind of situation.


    Although they were technically allies with the bears now, he still had to stay careful. Not all the bears


    were ¡°reformed¡±. And only a few of his warriors were around at this time to back him up. So, he had to


    choose the safer way.


    Brigit managed to disappear as if she wasn¡¯t the one who stalked him in the first ce.


    The thought alone annoyed Aspen. He never looked at her at official events. And she never allowed


    him to see her outside of those. At least, not alone.


    But she followed him both times he was hunting his enemies. Which led him to believe she knew


    everything about his little revenge quest. And also¡­ she knew where the remaining three bears were.


    She had to.


    She must have hidden them because he couldn¡¯t find anything about their whereabouts. Not even from


    their ¡°friends¡± he fought and killed. The three bears disappeared one by one, and no one ever saw


    them again.


    There couldn¡¯t be any other exnation. Brigit had to be hiding them somewhere, protecting them from


    his wrath.


    And today, he was going to confront her about it.


    Enough was enough. She was going to give him¡­ answers!


    Aspen knew very well where the Bear Queen of Nova Oberon would go. There was only one ce she


    could hide from him. It wasn¡¯t her bedroom. It wasn¡¯t her office. He could reach those because his room


    was in the same wing. Brigit wouldn¡¯t go there now that she tried to avoid him.


    The Throne Room.


    This was where he couldn¡¯t go because it was always heavily guarded. This was where she would be


    hiding from him now.


    Little did she know that he had a surprise for her.


    ***


    Brigit passed her guards with a stern, disinterested look as she strolled into her throne room. Sadly, this


    was the only safe ce she could think of.


    She breathed out as she closed the massive doors behind her back and leaned against them,


    unbuttoning her fur coat, letting it fall to her feet. It was obstructing her from breathing. She was always


    a mess after she saw her ex-mate this close.


    Today she was certain that Aspen noticed her. Her little good deed did not go unpunished, and she bit


    her lip until the familiar metallic taste of blood touched her tongue.


    Why was it still so painful after all these months?


    They mutually rejected each other. Shouldn¡¯t the pain have subsided by now?


    ¡°It took you a while to get here!¡± The familiar voice made her flinch and snap her head in the direction


    where it came from. Her throne.


    Brigit swallowed the lump in her throat, taking a few steps forward. Surely, it wasn¡¯t possible.


    Even if Aspen shifted, he couldn¡¯t possibly have gotten here faster than her.


    His eyes gleamed in the darkness with familiar warm light, and a part of her felt as if she was home for


    the first time.


    However, Brigit had to wipe that feeling from her heart and soul. She wasn¡¯t home. Not with him. Her


    home would never be with him. Not after what she had done to him.


    ¡°Surprised?¡± Aspen¡¯s lips curled into a cruel smile as he angled his head at her, his facezily leaning


    over his fist, elbow resting on the throne¡¯s armrest. Right now, he was the one who looked like a royal.


    And she looked like the fraud she was.


    ¡°Wh-what are you doing here?¡± she mumbled, hating the weakness in her voice. She did not want him


    to see her like this.


    ¡°Waiting for my¨C¡± He started saying, and her heart skipped a beat. Was he going to acknowledge that


    they were mates once? ¡°Queen,¡± Aspen finished coldly, breaking her hopes to myriads of tiny pieces.


    Brigit regained herself and straightened her back. ¡°Well, I am here now. What do you want?¡±


    He stood up from the throne he was sitting on and slowly descended the stairs. His cane wasn¡¯t with


    him, and it took him a while as he was still limping after the injuries obtained during his imprisonment.


    Brigit did not dare rush him or be impatient. Instead, she watched him with the respect he deserved


    and didn¡¯t let a single muscle on her face show how sorry she was.


    At least he was here. At least he was alive. She couldn¡¯t forget how it felt to lose him, Savannah¡¯s


    words echoing in her memory. She would never forget.


    At least her sister was now serving the Northern Lycan Queen. That life would be safer, better. She


    wished there was a different way to obtain it, but it was what it was.


    Before Brigit could do or say anything, Aspen¡¯s hand closed around her neck, and he pushed her


    against the door, making her gasp from the shock.


    ¡°Aspen!¡± she breathed out, realising it was just a scare tactic. He wasn¡¯t hurting her even though she


    deserved it. She deserved whatever he was going to do with her, and she was surprised he didn¡¯t do it


    earlier.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± he demanded, and she instantly knew who he was asking about.


    The three missing bears. Brigit figured he was looking for them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± she lied, and he growled menacingly, tightening his grip. It felt so good, though. Finally,


    she had some kind of physical contact with him, something she had been craving for a while. Even if it


    was like this. So, she decided to add fuel to his fire. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about!¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡± he hissed, his canines dangerously close to her neck, hot breath prickling her skin in this cold,


    dark hall.


    ¡°What do you want from me, Aspen?¡± she dared him, meeting his re. He was so handsome, her ex-


    mate. The one she lost¡­


    ¡°Where. Are. They?¡± He repeated with a growl, and everything inside her exploded with the desire to


    have him closer.


    ¡°Who?¡± she taunted further, their breaths tangling in a fight for dominance as his thumb brushed over


    her lower lips. Something he did not intend to do but ended up doing anyway.


    She was breathtaking tonight in her thin silver gown.


    ¡°The three bears who¨C¡± Aspen¡¯s voice broke to his own surprise. Just remembering how they beat him


    into a pulp in between the hourly knee-breakings made his blood boil. He hated showing weakness in


    front of her.


    Maybe¡­ Maybe that was why Brigit didn¡¯t choose him¡­ because she did not deem him strong enough


    for her?


    The treacherous thought crawled back into his mind, and he let go of her. All this wasn¡¯t the best of


    ideas, and he distanced himself from her, wishing to leave and forget it all ever happened.


    Aspen¡¯s hand was on the handle when Brigit broke her silence.


    ¡°They are dead!¡± she said, voice confident. ¡°All three of them.¡±


    His fingers clenched tighter around the doorknob.


    ¡°You are lying,¡± he muttered without sparing her a single nce.


    ¡°I am not!¡± Brigit insisted. ¡°I¨C I killed them.¡±


    He needed a moment to process that.


    ¡°What,¡± he chuckled darkly, ¡°they ate your porridge and sat on your chair?¡±


    ¡°They hurt my mate!¡± the Bear Queen confessed, tears stinging her eyes as she tried to blink them


    away vigorously.


    ¡°We already weren¡¯t mates back then,¡± Aspen scoffed, piercing her heart with the sharpest dagger.


    Only that she did not care anymore.


    ¡°You will always be my mate for me.¡± The words hang in the air between them. Heavy. Unbreakable.


    True.


    She expected him tough at her or to say something hurtful. Gods knew she deserved it, and he had


    his right to it.


    But Aspen stayed silent.


    ¡°How did you kill them?¡± his voice rasped, and she stepped closer, feeling brave with him for the first


    time in a while. He needed to know this. She knew very well why he was searching for them.


    ¡°The two I took care of- It was the same as you killed the others ,¡± she admitted, ¡°just a different ce. I


    took them to the top of the icy bear cliff and challenged them one by one. Then, when I won, I dropped


    their bodies to the Northern Sea to feed the fish and be useful for once.¡±


    Aspen looked at her for the first time and tried to assess how serious she was about this. Not a muscle


    on her face flinched.


    ¡°What about the third one¡­ thest one?¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯tst,¡± Brigit shook her head, making her white shiny locks fall forward onto her chest. ¡°He


    was the first. I found him on the battlefield right after I was blessed. I knew him too well to miss him.


    Bjorn¡¯s minion! He always had the dirtiest tricks up his sleeve. Your knees¡­ I found out that it was his


    idea.¡±


    ¡°Why would you care?¡± he stormed at her, turning to face her, just inches away from her warm b*ody.


    ¡°I will always care!¡± she retorted, tears finally streaming freely down her cheeks. ¡°You can hate me all


    your life, but you can¡¯t prohibit me from caring! I love you, Aspen! Okay? I¨C¡±


    She froze, realising what she had just done, what she had confessed.


    Brigit didn¡¯t know if she stood like that before him for eternity or if it were mere seconds, but she was


    afraid to move, afraid to scare him away.


    ¡°Why?¡± Aspen breathed out, and she understood that it was a rhetorical question. Why didn¡¯t shee


    to him? Why couldn¡¯t they both have been smarter? Why was life so unfair to them? Why did the gods


    pair them up as mates? And why couldn¡¯t they stop loving each other even after their rejection?


    ¡°I don¡¯t¨C¡± Brigit didn¡¯t get to finish her response as Aspen grasped her neck again and pulled her closer,


    mming his lips into hers. His tongue immediately pressed for entrance which she granted, because


    she was going to take everything he was going to give her. While she could¡­


    Fingers lost in each other¡¯s hair, breaths joined as one, Brigit ripped his shirt off, greedy to feel his hot


    skin. It was just as she remembered, smooth and rough at the same time.


    He roughly pulled the top of her dress, ripping the silver fabric to release her flesh underneath it and


    groaned in delight when her perky breasts bounced free.


    Aspen pinned her to the doors and leaned down to capture one of her n*pples with his mouth, rolling it


    with his tongue while tugging the other one in between his fingers while his beard prickled her sensitive


    skin.


    A loud moan escaped Brigit, her whole b*ody shuddered in his arms. It felt so good, so right¡­ She did


    not expect to ever feel this way again, so she wanted to use this moment to remember this. Remember


    him¡­


    Her fingers found his zipper and in no time she was working his length slowly up and down, eliciting a


    growl from him. The sound brought her more joy than him teasing her.


    ¡°I can f*ck you against this door right now for all your guards to hear,¡± he told her, and she licked her


    lips, which made him bare her canines at her. She wouldn¡¯t mind that either.


    ¡°Do it then!¡± Brigit said, hoping that she didn¡¯t sound too desperate. She was afraid to repulse him with


    her eagerness.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me, my Queen,¡± he slid his hand in the slit of her dress and cupped her warm s.ex,


    making her whimper.


    ¡°I am not your Queen.¡± She couldn¡¯t stop herself from saying that. She wasn¡¯t his queen, he had to stop


    calling her that. She would literally give a kingdom for him to say her name.


    ¡°Not my Queen,¡± he stopped touching her and she was afraid she just ruined it all. ¡°But mine.¡±


    Her lips parted. He didn¡¯t just say that.


    Aspen grabbed her roughly and scooped her up, her legs wrapping around his waist, their chests


    pressed together.


    Brigit was worried if it was painful for him but when she heard his next words, her eyes widened.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather f*ck you on your throne!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t be serious about this. It was a whole flight of stairs, and he was holding her. He had no


    cane, no support. Just his Northern pride.


    However, when his arms closed around her and their eyes met, the world around them spun and in the


    next second they found themselves next to the throne.


    ¡°H-how did you¨C What?¡± Brigit couldn¡¯t find the right words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t walk so much anymore,¡± Aspen smirked, taking a seat and shifting her on hisp so her back


    was against his chest. ¡°I skip.¡±


    ¡°Skip?¡± she gasped as he parted her legs and ripped hercy underwear off her, throwing it far away.


    The thought of one of her advisors finding her torn panties tomorrow distracted her from the shock.


    ¡°Through space,¡± Aspen¡¯s tongue traced the curve of her neck. His hardness pressed against her back


    and his fingers dipped between her thighs before bringing them to his lips, tasting her w*etness.


    ¡°Through¨C¡± she panted, ¡°¨Cspace?¡±


    That exined how he got in here first. That exined why King Kai wasn¡¯t afraid to send his injured


    best friend to the bear kingdom. Aspen was one of the changed ones! He was limping and yet he was


    able to transport himself to any destination in a blink of an eye.


    Somehow deep inside¡­ it made Brigit feel a bit better.


    His fingers caressed her sensitive bundle of nerves as she arched her back, leaning into his chest. If


    anyone walked in right now, they would witness the show of their lives. A queen ravished on her throne.


    Aspen was kneading one of her breasts as he kept teasing her over and over and over again until she


    couldn¡¯t hold back the moans. It was too unreal to have him this close, and when his canines grazed


    over the spot where lycans marked their mates, she was ready to beg him to do it. However, her


    rele*se came first, strong waves of immense ple@sure rippling through her as she let out a low grunt,


    turning her face to hide it in Aspen¡¯s neck, grazing her lips over it as she came undone.


    Brigit returned to her senses, noting that Aspen¡¯s hands were still fondling her b*ody, that his hardness


    was still pulsing and pressed into her flesh. She chose not to waste a single moment and turned to face


    him, straddling him properly this time, their gazes locked.


    Aspen¡¯s hand moved to her cheek, and her whole b*ody shuddered, not knowing what to expect. He


    could push her away now that he¡¯d had his fun. Instead, he simply feathered his fingers over her skin,


    making her breathing ragged as she enjoyed the closeness.


    Tears burned her eyes, and she was afraid to open them and give herself away. She didn¡¯t want him to


    be annoyed with her. Or worse. She didn¡¯t want him to feel pity. Anything but that. She¡¯d rather take his


    hate.


    ¡°Brigit¨C¡± He noticed a treacherous tear rolling down her face and caught it with his thumb, wiping it


    away.


    ¡°No, please,¡± she tried not to sob. ¡°You¨C hate me.¡±


    Aspen was silent for a while. The silence served as her answer until he broke it.


    ¡°I¨C try.¡±


    A jolt of pain went through her, but at the same time, a tiny spark of hope ignited.


    Try. He said try.


    Was she wrong to cling to that word as if her life depended on it?


    ¡°Aspen,¡± she whispered, but it echoed through the walls in this spacious empty hall.


    He did not respond, and she found his face in the darkness. She wanted to confess to him everything


    she had held back for so long, but when she cupped his cheek, she felt how damp it was.


    ¡°Aspen,¡± she repeated his name but with a different tone this time.


    Without saying anything, he ced his hands on her hips and moved her to the top of his hardness,


    sliding into her, inch by inch.


    ¡°Brigit,¡± his voice rumbled through the room, ¡°I try hating you, but I don¡¯t always seed.¡±


    She rocked, and they both moaned in unison, Aspen wrapping his arms around her, bringing her closer.


    ¡°I am not going to lie and say that I am sorry to hear this,¡± she moved, and he guided her with his


    hands on her hips, enjoying the sight of her riding him.


    Then at some point, he grasped her waist more firmly and started thrusting roughly into her.


    Again, again, again.


    Faster, harder, louder.


    Until they both snarled at each other, until he swept Brigit¡¯s silver hair to her back, swirling his tongue


    around one n*pple , followed by the other.


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± she muttered as she lost herself in the overwhelming emotion. ¡°I am sorry, I am sorry, I am


    sorry¨C¡±


    Aspen¡¯s grip on her tightened, one of his hands slid to her neck, and his fingers closed around it at


    once.


    ¡°You are mine whether you are sorry or not!¡± he growled, and she nodded, ready to agree to anything


    as long as she could be with him. Even if it was temporary.


    ¡°Tell me you understand me!¡± Aspen demanded as he stopped moving, and she had to blink a few


    times toe back to her senses.


    ¡°I understand,¡± she muttered, hope flourishing inside her once again. She didn¡¯t even try to suppress it


    this time.


    ¡°Tell me, Brigit, do you enjoy being a queen?¡± Aspen¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    ¡°I hate it,¡± she did not hesitate to confess.


    ¡°Why do you do it then?¡±


    ¡°Because the men who did it before me were terrible at it. I wasn¡¯t left with a choice, remember?¡± And


    because she had nothing else left.


    ¡°What if you had it now? What if someone worthy of the Bear Throne was found?¡± Aspen asked, his


    voice betraying no emotion.


    ¡°What then?¡± She was afraid to move. She was afraid to breathe¡­


    ¡°If there was someone worthy to take over for you, would you¨C leave all this and go with me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she replied without dy, and his heart started beating faster.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even tell you where we would go,¡± he pointed out


    ¡°Aspen, with you¨C If you agree to have me again, I will go anywhere,¡± she acknowledged and, for the


    first time since so long ago, she leaned in to kiss him herself.


    Tongues shing, bodies crashing against each other, Aspen pounded into her, keeping her close.


    However much he tried to hate her, it wasn¡¯t working. He would always care about her. She was the


    one for him. The only one.


    And he would never take another mate.


    His canines elongated and traced them over her marking spot.


    ¡°May I?¡± he asked, stopping just so that she could hear him clearly. Brigit was breathing heavily, but the


    deeper he probed her skin, the more evident she felt it.


    The tingles.


    ¡°Only if you promise to never regret this,¡± she whispered, still afraid he would change his mind.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I will not,¡± he replied firmly, wrapping his arms around her tighter.


    ¡°Do you forgive me?¡± her voice was barely a whisper.


    ¡°Birigit,¡± Aspen ced a soft kiss on the spot where he was about to mark her, ¡°I forgave you when I


    died for you.¡±


    His canines pierced her skin, and pure e*cstasy rippled through her in waves, one after the other,


    growing in strength and intensity.


    Aspen resumed the pounding, their bodies uniting as one. Brigit screamed her rel*ase, her head falling


    to his shoulder as she clenched him hard in her arms, feeling him climax inside her.


    ¡°I love you,¡± she whispered and felt him kiss her hair.


    ¡°I love you,¡± Aspen said, his words a promise he could never break.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!