《Mommy daddy is the lycan king》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Fiona¡¯s POV Her eyes slowly parted, reacting to the ray of sun peeking through the window, now dancing on her face. Her head pounds a little against her skull. She signed, and her eyes fluttered once again. Though not sleeping, she wandered off in her mind, thinking about what today would bring for her. Her mind slowly returned to her, and she realised that, though her eyes had opened briefly, the ceiling she saw wasn¡¯t familiar. While the one in her bedroom was a shed ceiling, the one she just saw was a beam ceiling. She barely finished processing the thought when she felt a heavy hand rest on her chest. Her eyes flew open immediately, and the first thing she saw was a ceiling different. from hers. She didn¡¯t want to believe what she thought just happened, but now her sense of smell just kicked in, and the strange masculine scent filled her nostrils. She turned her head and immediately saw the sleeping man next to her in bed, Her heart almost jumped into her mouth at the sight. At the sight of him, all the dreams and hopes she had built for herself in thest few years about keeping herself for her one true mate came crashing down. Being an omega, for as long as she could remember, had brought challenges every day, ranging from bullying to verbal abuse. She clung to the hope that one day she would meet her mate, who would be a beta, or maybe an alpha, and she would no longer be an omega. But now, everything is over. How the hell did she get here? She asked questions that had no answer because she couldn¡¯t remember how she got here. It didn¡¯t matter how she got here; she knew she had to leave. Her eyes fluttered as she prayed for a way out of here, and as if the moon goddess listened to her cry, the stranger in her bed withdrew his hand and turned to the other side. She took the cue and ran off the bed immediately, her heart pounding heavily and almost racing into her mouth. She quickly picked up her clothes on the floor and put them up before grabbing at her shoes and racing out of the room without looking back. Her whole b*dy shivered at the thought of what she knew had happened: she had woken up n*ked in a stranger¡¯s bed; she had taken a stranger to bed, and she knew better than that. She had thrown her virtue out the window for someone she didn¡¯t know, someone who would not even remember her face. A stranger. Though all his traits and aura indicated that he was an alpha, he was still a stranger. The question stayed in her mind: how did shee here? She couldn¡¯t remember a thing. Tears ran down her face, knowing that, once again, fate had wronged her. She didn¡¯t want to sleep with the stranger, and if she had a choice, she would have said. no. How was she going to face anyone at this point? How was she going to go about it all? Move on like nothing happened? Or ept that it happened and face the consequences head-on? She knew her parents were worried; it was her first time sleeping out, and she¡¯ knew they had called her to make sure she was safe. She dug her hand into her purse and pulled out her phone to see the 17 missed calls left by her mom and dad. All the way back home, she thought about the stranger she had woken up in bed with. He had long Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ck hair that fell over his shoulders, a thick eyebrow, and little freckles over his nose. He had a long nose and full red l*ps, which appeared swollen earlier. She had nced back at him on the bed and saw that he was tall. and had a masculine b*dy build to go with his height. He was a good-looking man, almost like the Norse g od, but that wasn¡¯t the point. She wanted to know who he was. She had a lot of questions; did he do this to her? Or was he a victim just like she was? All the way back home, she thought and came up with the decision: she woulde out with the truth to her parents; they would be saddened and disappointed, but they would have to understand she was drugged. They loved her and would believe her. She got out of the taxi, paid, and approached her house, her heart beating unsteadily. She wielded herself to the door, and getting there, she knocked on the door. After a few seconds, the door opened, and there stood Dorothy with pain-filled eyes. Her heart sank, wondering if they already knew what she did. Did someone beat her to it? If yes, then who did? ¡°Mother,¡± she began, but pressed her l*ps together after the words failed her. Dorothy said nothing; she just stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug. She didn¡¯t know she needed the hug until she got it, and painful tears streamed down her face.. ¡°It¡¯s alright; it¡¯s going to be alright.¡± Dorothy assured her and patted her back lovingly. They pulled away after getting control over their emotions, and Fiona saw Otis, her father, standing there with a less pain-filled face as he watched them. ¡°Mom, dad, I am sorry I didn¡¯t pick up your calls.¡± Otis shook his head and stepped towards her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore; you are back.¡± He smiled, but it only showed the pain he tried to hide. ¡°We have something to tell you.¡± Was she about to be disowned? Was that it? The Lawrences had maintained a very noble name in the town. After what she just did, it would make sense for them to want nothing to do with her despite their love for her. ¡°What is it? He ced his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Your father wants you home.¡± Her eyes narrowed; this was not what she thought they wanted to say. Still, this left her in a surprised state. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean, father; you¡¯re my father.¡± His eyes grew ssy, and he pressed his l*ps together and blinked back the tears. ¡°I know, my child, but I am not your biological father.¡± He rified. Fiona¡¯s eyes grew wide, understanding what he was saying. She had always thought they were dead since she grew up in the orphanage. ¡°What?¡± she asked, and tears ran down her face. Dorothy wiped the tears off her face and took her hand in hers. ¡°Your father, Alpha Carl Jackson, found us yesterday, and he has sent an envoy to bring you home. You know what that means; you¡¯re not an omega, Fiona, but the daughter of the Alpha.¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Fiona still looked lost with the truth revealed to her. ¡°But I am an orphan, mom.¡± She didn¡¯t want to believe it. ¡°You two have been my parents; where have they been all this while?¡± ¡°They were looking for you, my darling. The alpha told us yesterday that they have been searching for you for neen years. Someone evil had switched you up after birth, and they only learned that truth after leaving the hospital, and they have been looking for you since then. They finally found you, and they have sent their convoy to bring you home.¡± As she finished speaking, they heard a h onk of a car, making them pause and turn to the door, even though whoever wasing wouldn¡¯t enter unless they told him to. ¡°They are here, honey.¡± Dorothy said, and though her pain lingered in her eyes, she smiled. ¡°Mom!¡± Fiona called, and more tears streamed down her face. ¡°I do not want to go.¡± ¡°Do not say that and do not cry; this is a good thing.¡± Dorothy encouraged her. How was it a good thing? She was about to be ripped away from the only family she knew-the only ones who loved her unconditionally. She didn¡¯t want to give that up. ¡°It is not good, mom; how can you say that? I already have a mom and dad, and that¡¯s you two.¡± Dorothy turned to Otis as if silently telling him something. Otis then spoke, ¡°Know that you will always be our baby girl, but you are the alpha¡¯s daughter and should be with them. Do not worry; your life is about to get even better than we prayed for.¡± He wiped at Fiona¡¯s tears once again. She didn¡¯t want a better life; she wanted the life she had here with them. A life filled with their love. She didn¡¯t believe that she would find such a thing again, even with her real parents. A firm knock came to the door, and Otis went over to open it. Before the door stood a man not less than six feet two and a massive, intimidating upper b*dy. ¡°My name is Phil, and I am here to take the Alpha¡¯s daughter, Fiona, home.¡± He said it firmly with a husky voice. Otis turned to her, and she almost started crying again, shaking her head. She grabbed Dorothy¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I do not want to go with him, mom.¡± Dorothy¡¯s eyes widen in panic; this was a level of fear she had never seen her mother disy before. She was afraid her refusal would bring them trouble. Tears ran down Dorothy¡¯s face. ¡°Fiona, child, do not make this more difficult for us all.¡± She said, and her frustration and pain showed, ¡°If I were to go back, I would not change a thing; I could not have asked for a better daughter. Just know this isn¡¯t goodbye, okay?¡± She nodded; she understood the words her mother could not say. If the alpha were to learn of her refusal toe home, he would be angry with them. She didn¡¯t want that for them. They had protected her all her life; it was her turn to return the favour. She came to Otis, and her father pulled her into a tight hug that told her she would always be weed to their house and would also always be a part of them. He pulled away, and she walked to Phil, the man waiting to take her home. He said nothing and just led her to the ck Jeep, waiting. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Behind it were at least six other ck-coloured Jeeps waiting just for her. He got to the door and opened the door to let her in. She paused, and her breath grew shaky. ¡°I did not take any of my things.¡± She informed him in a panic. ¡°Where you¡¯re going has everything you will ever need.¡± He assured her. Those were thest words they spoke to each other. After she got into the car, he closed it and got in as well, and the rest of the journey was done in silence. They drove away from her little town and to a a long time she bore it. She pounded about everything that had brought her to this point. Raised as an omega for as long as she could remember, her b*dy still bore the marks of the tortures. She had always thought her saviour would be her mate, who would take her out of the hell of a life she lived. It turned out that the duty of rescuing her wasn¡¯t for her mate but for her biological father. As much as she hated her life as an omega, she loved her parents, Otis and Dorothy; they were the best things that she could have asked for. If she had the choice again, she would want them in her life to guide and lead her with their love and attention. She never felt like an outsider with them, and she could only hope that would be the case with her actual family. They arrived at the pack estate, where she assumed her father, the alpha, was. Phil came over to the door and opened it to her, and she climbed down and shut the door. Fear gripped her heart. Wondering what the people here would think of her, she nced down at herself. She was still in her clothes from yesterday; she hadn¡¯t bathed or even brushed her teeth. She was filthy whenpared to everything in the environment she just came into. In silence, he led her towards the massive penthouse with her right hand. She held her breath, and every step she took triggered her agitation. This will be where she lives with her family? It seemed so much like a dream, one she wanted to wake up from. They came to the door of the massive white penthouse with its alluring structure. Phil knocked on the door and waited. Not long after, the massive door opened to them, and Phil stepped in and thanked the youngdy, who seemed to be a maid. She also thanked her before focusing on the journey ahead. It wasn¡¯t a long journey because, as she nced up, she found a middle-aged man standing in white long sleeves and ck trousers. For a reason, she felt as if she had found him before, but realised it was because they shared a resemnce. He had ck hair just like her, but he had a few traces of grey in it. He also had the same amber eyes she did, and the shape of his nose reminded her of hers. He had to be her father. She didn¡¯t believe it then, but now she does. Beside him stood a fair woman, just a little younger than him. She had brown hair and blue eyes, and her smile reminded her of hers. ¡°You must be Fiona?¡± The man spoke, snapping her from her deep analysis: ¡°I am Carl Jackson, and this is Bianca Jackson, my wife. We are the Alpha and Luna of the Justice Pack, and we are your parents.¡± ¡°My parents told me,¡± Fiona answered with her head dropped. Somehow, she felt she was unworthy of being in their presence. They were almost royalty, and she was their child. The woman smiled warmly at her, and it eased her panicking mind. ¡°I know this is hard to take in at once, but we will be here to guide you. You will never feel alone again; we are here to protect you. You have our word.¡± She nodded, not knowing what else to say. The door opened immediately, and her heartbeat became unsteady, and her b*dy lost all the little strength she had. Sweat broke over her face, and she couldn¡¯t understand what was happening or what could have triggered her this way. ¡°Is she here?¡± she heard an unfamiliar voice ask, but unlike the other voices she had heard today, this voice caused soothing for her and pacified her. It felt as if this voice had always been her muse. She turned around and found the most beautiful man she had ever seen approaching her, and she forgot how to breathe that very second. A scent she had never smelled before filled her nose, ¡°MATE.¡± She blinked rapidly, and her legs were so close to giving up on her at this point. What was happening to her? She wondered, but she had no answer. She had never felt this way before, not around anyone. ¡°Yes, she is here.¡± Carl answered, and she must have pointed to her because the handsome man turned his face to see her. ¡°You¡¯re Fiona Jackson; I am Henry Lockwood. I have searched for you all over and received prophecies and visions concerning you. You are my true mate. I do not waste anymore time.¡± He said that and dropped on one knee. Her heartbeat was almost jumping out of her mouth at everything that was happening. First, she woke up in the arms of a stranger only toe home to be told her actual parents came for her. Now this It had to be a dream, but she didn¡¯t want it to be a dream. She wanted it to be real. She wanted to live in this reality. She pinched herself, and the handsome fellow saw it, and he smiled, dimming hist adorable brown eyes as they stared at her. ¡°You¡¯re not dreaming. This is as real as it¡¯s going to get, my darling.¡± He told her. It was real, and now she understood why she felt the way he felt when he came into the room; she was in the presence of her mates, and it was her wolf¡¯s way of telling her she had found her mate. He was her mate. A smile appeared on her face and didn¡¯t leave, but her eyes also grew ssy. ¡°Yes, Henry, I will marry you.¡± He smiled and sl*pped the ring onto her finger. She helped him onto his feet, and he closed the space between them with a sweet k*ss that left her breathless. They pulled away from the loving embrace. Just then, her eyes caught a young woman from the corner of the room with blonde hair and blue eyes. She had her arms crossed over her chest, staring at her with eyes filled with hatred and resentment. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Fiona¡¯s eyes fluttered to find the stranger before her, whose name, his beauty and manliness made her forget to ask. This g od of a man was smiling down at her, and his eyes showed his desire for her, his dire need. He ran his hand over her b*dy, making goosebumps sc atter all over her b*dy in response. She moaned in response to the skilled hands doing their work on her, and her legs grew weaker. Her eyes snapped open, and she found herself wet in bed and aching with unfulfilled desires. His tender but passionate touch felt like even she knew, because she remembered. how she felt in his arms. Kisses followed k*sses, caresses after caresses. Her b*dy. yearned for more and arched into the touch to get more and more, clinging to him like her very life depended on it. ¡°You smell so good, sweetheart.¡± His deep, hoa rse voice echoed in her head, and he pressed himself against her, telling her just how much he wanted her.. She wanted him too; her b*dy still did. ¡°Come for me,¡± hemanded, and her b*dy followed suit, doing as it was told. -¡°No!¡± she shook her head, and her eyes snapped open. She sat up in bed, gasping and feeling guilty. She couldn¡¯t remember what had led her into the bed of the stranger, but little details of the night she spent with him sc attered all over her head. They seemed to have be her haven in thend of dreams, as they returned almost every night. But it was wrong. She had a mate, a fianc¨¦, Henry, whom she would marry in theing month and live happily with. He loved her, and she loved him, too. The stranger was a man she knew she shouldn¡¯t have been with. He was the past, Henry was the present, and Henry was the future, and that felt so much better. How could she pull herself out of this nightmare with the stranger and stop her b*dy from yearning for him? Henry was one of the few good things that had happened to her since her return, and she wanted nothing more than to be the mate he deserved. Since her return, he has been preupied with the arrangements for the wedding, and unlike the people, he is true to his affections. Since Fiona¡¯s arrival three weeks ago, she has learned a few things. Vivian Jackson was Fiona¡¯s parents¡¯ daughter. They adopted after losing their baby girl after birth and trying to find her for a few months without luck. So the story goes. The Jacksons had raised Vivian like their own, and she grew up seeing them as her parents, loving and cherishing them. They also loved her, and they were not the only ones who did; the entire pack loved Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. and cherished Vivian as well. Ophelia, a grey-haired woman not younger than fifty years old, was assigned to her after her arrival at the pack estate as her maid. She told Fiona that Vivian had always been next in the line of session until her arrival, and so there would be bad blood. The pack members did not like her either, not as much as they did Vivian. They loved Vivian and saw her as perfect. The perfect daughter, friend, and leader Fiona couldn¡¯t me them; she just came into their lives, and it would take a few years to have a ce in their hearts. But it only got harder as the day passed. Fiona knew that the only way to get right in the eyes of the pack members was to be on the same foot as Vivian. And that¡¯s why she epted the invite from Vivian for a casual outing. Perhaps if they saw them together as friends or even sisters, their view of her would change. She made her way through therge hall over to Vivian¡¯s door. She knocked on the door, but no response came; instead, she heard small noisesing from inside. Her first instinct was to leave, but she couldn¡¯t. She paused and listened to the noisesing from inside, and they were those of gasps and groaning. A familiar scent hit her, Henry was here. Her heart raced with rm, and she opened the door immediately to find Vivian in bed with no clothing. She wasn¡¯t hurt; she was in the heat of S** and making noises that signalled her pleasure. Fiona¡¯s heart, however, stopped beating as she saw that the man in bed with her was none other than her mate and fianc¨¦, Henry. ¡°Ohhhh Henry, I love it when you do that.¡± Vivian moans breathily while rocking her hips slowly. ¡°My baby¡­¡± Henry bit down on her, his movements growing even more powerful than before. He took her l*ps between his. Fiona¡¯s eyes widened, and her hands ran up to cover her mouth, shocked beyond measure at the words, she was hearing. Her heart shattered into a million pieces. ¡°Tell me I¡¯m the only one that can make you feel this way.¡± Vivian moaned out, her hands tightening around his neck after breaking the k*ss. ¡°Tell me I am the only one for you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one for me,¡± Henry moaned, overcame with his lust for her. ¡°Not even Fiona your mate,¡¯ she edged him with the words she wanted to hear. ¡°Not even Fiona can make me feel this way and she never will. I¡¯ve always been yours and I¡¯ll always be yours.¡± Vivian didn¡¯t believe him because she pouted, ¡°And yet you¡¯re with her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, she¡¯s just my mate. That¡¯s why I am with her there¡¯s nothing more, to it, baby.¡± He caught her bottom l*p between his for a passionate k*ss. He lifted her leg and wrapped it around his waist. The pain felt like a knife being plunged into heart causing her st aggers back, falling to her knees, feelingpletely hollow. This couldn¡¯t be real; it had to be a dream, or her mind was ying crazy games on her. Just then, Vivian¡¯s eyes opened, and as theynded on her, a devilish smirk appeared on her face.. Fiona couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, ran back to the bathroom and copsed on the floor. Her vision was blurred from the tears falling down her cheeks. How could he have S** with Vivian after proposing to her? A mate wouldn¡¯t do that. If he wanted S**, should he not have discussed it with her instead of running into Vivian¡¯s evil arms? It made no sense. How was she supposed to let it go? Was she supposed to move on and pretend she didn¡¯t see what she saw and move on with the wedding? It made h insides twist and churn with anger and pain. Suddenly, a nausea interrupted her thoughts. She picked up her bar soap only to get nauseated by the smell, and she threw up immediately into the washbasin before her. ¡°Are you okay, child?¡± Ophelia asked,ing over to her. ¡°Yeah,¡± she spat into the basin and turned on the water. ¡°It¡¯s strange; it never happened before, but the soap triggered something that made me throw up¡­¡± She nodded and turned to the bathtub, only for her head to feel light and her legs to wobble. Her vision blurred up first before they finally shut, and her hearing followed right after. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Her eyes fluttered open, and she was already in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her head slightly ached, and she groaned and rubbed against it. ¡°Oh, child, you are awake?¡± Ophelia¡¯s voice echoed in the room, and she quickly made her way over to her. ¡°I was about to call your parents in to take you to the physician.¡± Despite the ache and sudden weakness, Fiona forced herself to sit down and ask, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°You fainted in the bathroom, and I had to bring you in here,¡± Ophelia said, anding to her, she touched her forehead, and she was slightly burning up. ¡°Have you felt this way since you have been here?¡± she asked. ¡°I have never fainted before.¡± Fiona told her. ¡°I have felt nauseated a few times in thest few days; I assured myself it was my b*dy reacting to being with Vivian in the same room.¡± Ophelia chuckled and shook her head. ¡°No, my child, as much as that might seem like a genuine reason, I fear it isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then I am sick?¡± She asked, ¡°Do you know what it is?¡± A look of fear crossed over her face, and that made her heart double in its beat. ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°I do not want to scare you, my child, but I served as a midwife to a few mothers before retiring ten years ago. The symptoms you show are not those of any sickness; they are early signs of pregnancy.¡± Fiona¡¯s face grew pale after the older woman said those words to her, and all she could say in response was, ¡°No!¡± ¡°I cannot be pregnant.¡± She started but stopped, remembering the night she had spent in the stranger¡¯s bed more than a month ago. Her heart sank into her stomach, and her world immediately crashed before her eyes. It happened only once, but she knew it took one time to get pregnant. Her life was on the brink of ruin because she made a mistake. This was not fair. She had not found a good footing here at the estate since her arrival, and this would ruin everything. would ¡°Positive.¡± Fiona was trembling while holding the pregnancy test kit. She seemed to have lost all her strength and copsed on the ground. How could this happen? Her heart sank into her stomach, and her world immediately crashed before her eyes. Fiona sat on the floor and cried her eyes out for hours, and she knew she had toe out to her parents as soon as she could. She couldn¡¯t imagine the look that would be on their faces; they would be so disappointed in her, they would all judge. her, and who knew how bad it would be? The brightness tore through the window over her face, and she slowly opened her eyes to see the dawning of the new day. The breakdown came faster these days, and though it was a few minutes to six a.m., it was already bright outside. She pulled herself up to sit down, and she saw she had slept on the bare floorst night, passing out after many hours of sobbing. Her head throbbed now, and her eyes stung and were heavy. A knock came to her door, and though a mess, she pulled herself up from the floor, moved over to the door, and opened it. There stood before her, Marcia and Yates, the Alpha¡¯s personal guards. ¡°The alpha asked us to bring you.¡± She panicked and shook her head. She couldn¡¯t go; her father would find her a mess and want to know what happened, and she would be forced to speak before she was ready to. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. It was also too early for a summons, unless he knew. She shook the thought away. There was no way for him to, and she knew Ophelia would never do that to her. She knew saying no to them would mean asking for problems for herself, so she nodded slowly and followed behind them. Her eyes looked somewhat swollen, and she wiped the lingering tears that fell away and blinked the rest back. It was a few hours into the night, and the time was a few minutes after the hour of nine, and this was thetest. She had been summoned to see her father. Whatever the reason, it had to be important. They arrived at the living area, and there stood the Alpha and the Luna, already waiting for her. Vivian stood behind them with the usual devilish look on her face that made Fiona¡¯s blood boil. Fiona wondered what evil Vivian had framed her with, but she kept quiet. ¡°Father, I was told you wanted to see me.¡± She asked, her voice as low as possible, and her head remained bowed because she had been crying thest hour and didn¡¯t want the Alpha to see her eyes and ask questions. ¡°I did,¡± he answered, his tone not the nicest. ¡°Is there something you would want to tell us?¡± She kept her head bowed and shook her head. It wasn¡¯t the right time to reveal this. truth; she needed time. If she had found favour with her parents since her arrival, revealing this truth to them would have been easy, but so far, she hadn¡¯t. The truth would only destroy everything. ¡°No, father, there is nothing.¡± ¡°If that is true, is there a rumour going around the pack estate since yesterday that you are pregnant?¡± Carl demanded with an even more angry voice. Fiona¡¯s heart sk ipped at his words, and her head lifted to find the Alpha murderously ring at her. How did he know? Just then, from the corner of her eyes, she saw Vivian smirking in triumph. Her eyes grew ssy, and her whole b*dy trembled before them. ¡°Father-¡± ¡°Do you deny it, then? Do you deny that you are pregnant with a ba stard?¡± She couldn¡¯t say anything; she had nothing to say. She had nothing to say to defend herself but to cry out her eyes before them while they angrily spoke to her. ¡°We should have never gone back to bring you back. We were better off in the life of wretchedness with your wretched parents, who didn¡¯t raise you well. You have brought nothing but shame to the names of the Jacksons, and you did this to bring us to shame. The House of Jackson has borne a clean record for many generations. until now. By doing this, you dere yourself unfit for the name Jackson and, therefore, trip it off you. You are disowned, never to return to this family.¡± She shook her head and dropped to her knees immediately, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Father, do not do this to me. I am sorry I didn¡¯t let you know; I only found out yesterday.¡± ¡°Silence! For all we know, this is a part of your lie. That is all you do-lie and cause trouble.¡± Bianca snapped, and her tone was as rigid as that of her husband. She had never seen them this angry, and knowing it was directed at her made her heart ache. ¡°No, mother, that is not true.¡± ¡°We tried to be good parents to you, and this is how you repay us?¡± ¡°Mother, no.¡± ¡°The news of your disgusting act has gone far and wide all over the pack estate, and it has also gotten to the council of the moon. They are already here to take you away. You will stand trial for your abominable act and will be judged. Whatever punishment fits your shameful act, you will get. Pray that the moon goddess. pardons you.¡± As he finished speaking, the door opened, and three men in white robes walked into the house and approached her. She wanted to run up and away, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to move. She had no strength left. The men walked over to her and took her by the shoulder, pulling her to her feet roughly. Bine was smaller than the men; she couldn¡¯t fight them, and they could carry her with much ease. ¡°Father, please.¡± She cried out, wanting them to intervene and do something, but they didn¡¯t bulge. She sobbed all the way as the men dragged her away from the pack estate over the court of the council of the moon. The pack members all came out to watch her -humiliation be looked at with disdain, disgust, and hatred. She couldn¡¯t stand the look on their faces, and after seeing the first few dozens of people give her that look, she lowered her gaze to the ground. After over an hour of leaving the pack estate, they arrived at the council¡¯s court. It was a big white building with two pirs on both sides of the entrance. From where she stood with the men, she saw people going in anding out and some others being carried out in chains and to the back. They had one thing inmon: they looked broken. She didn¡¯t know such a ce existed until now, and she knew she didn¡¯t want to go in. What she wanted didn¡¯t matter, and the men dragged her up the stairs. ¡°Fiona!¡± she heard the voice of thest person she wanted to find today called, and she halted. Henry. Unlike before, the men holding onto her didn¡¯t pull her along. They waited for him, and in less than thirty seconds, Henry was standing before her. ¡°What treacherous act did I hear youmit?¡± He demanded, his grip around her face tightening. She tried to pry it off, but couldn¡¯t, ¡°They told me you were a wh ore, one that had no loyalty and was only out to ruin me.¡± He took her by the face and made her look at him. She couldn¡¯t believe his audacity in using her and calling her names when he wasn¡¯t any better. He had cheated on her and broken his vows to her. ¡°What? It was you who cheated on me with¡­¡± A p with enough force made Fiona instantly spun around and fell to the ground. ¡°Enough. You have known the truth for long enough, but you were hoping to trap me in a union and pin the pregnancy on me. Was that not what you wanted to do?¡± Her eyes widened, surprised that he thought so low of her, but she didn¡¯t speak; there was nothing to say when he had already decided on what to believe. Her anger clouded her pain and she saw him for who he was, an hypocrite. He was no different from Vivian her evil sister. She was st upid to think he was any different from her. ¡°You have yed the wh ore and made me out as the fool for being your mate. You have made a mockery of me, my family, and everything I stand for. For your despicable act, I, Henry Lockwood, reject you, Fiona Jackson, as my mate!¡± She knew what this meant; she knew the weight his words held for a rejected mate was one without purpose or direction. A broken mate lived their lives in pain and shame, never to raise their head or experience the joy only a mate brought. The pain was too much; but she also felt angry angry that he never really considered her his mate. Knowing he always preferred Vivian all along. He stepped away from her and continued speaking. ¡°I reject you today before the moon goddess and the light, and in the ears of all that care to hear. I reject our union and every agreement that we have had before. With that said, he walked away from her. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ¡°Honourable council, she had hoped to pin the pregnancy, which she knew about beforeing into the pack, on me. She never disclosed to me that she had been with another man. In fact, she insisted she was a virgin when she was a wh ore,¡± Henry used. ¡°That is not true!¡± ¡°Silence!¡± the head council, the grey-headed man with cold eyes, snapped at her. ¡°You are in no ce to speak!¡± Fiona¡¯s eyes snapped open, and she quickly pulled herself to sit down. Yesterday¡¯s trial had be her nightmare. She expected it to be. Henry, who was once her mate, came to testify against her. It was the height of heartbreak; it felt as if she had lived her worst nightmare and that nightmare had followed her. Her head pounded against her skull as she adjusted herself on the floor, resting her back against the cell. It could be fromck of sleep, or that she cried herself to sleep, or enough water, or maybe food. In thest five days of being here, they have denied her basic rights such as sleep, food, and even water. She begged for everything and had to grovel to the delight of the guards before they would consider her request. Yesterday, she had no strength to do that, so they gave her neither food nor water. The giga around her neck took all her powers, and she was just human at this point. With the torture she had faced so far, she knew death was around the corner. Death didn¡¯t sound so bad; she had hoped that the dehydration or hunger would kill her yesterday. They will decide her verdict today, and she wasn¡¯t ready for it. She knew what her fate was already. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She would be given the worst punishment. A child out of wedlock was the greatest act of rebellion in the Langfieldmunity, and if the used character could not redeem her, she would spend the rest of her life in the dungeon, and her child would be given to the orphanage. She had been me ntally unstable since being here, as every day brought its own cmity. She remembered how Otis; her adopted father, always told her to never throw in the towel; however, now, her towel has been sn atched.. She was still deep in thought when she heard, ¡°I see you¡¯re up and vibrant today.¡± Spencer said this from outside the cell behind her. ¡°Go away, Spencer.¡± Fiona scowled at the guard that had made her grovel for water the past few days. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± he smirked. ¡°You don¡¯t have to grovel; just show me a little of those ti tties.¡± She huffed in disgust; he was really as annoying as they came. ¡°Please go away now.¡± He scoffed, ¡°Do not act like a saint, okay? We all know why you¡¯re here. You yed a wh ore and got caught. You¡¯re also expecting a ba stard wh ore baby, am I wrong?¡± He mocked her with hisughter. She didn¡¯t want to reply at first, but hearing him call her baby a ba stard and a wh ore baby triggered something in her, and she cursed. ¡°Ba stard¡± under her breath. Her curse word must have gotten to Spencer because, while she wasn¡¯t looking, he mmed the iron baton he held on her head. The impact of it cracked her skull open, and blood shot out of the cr ack and poured over her face. With the giga around her neck, her healing ability was of no effect, which meant her wound would not heal but would kill her. She couldn¡¯t take off the giga as it was designed with powers far above her own. Blood gushed out all over her face and b*dy, onto her clothes, and she grew weak. Her eyes grew weak, and she felt her life slowly creep away. She knew there and then that she was about to die. Spencer saw what he had done already and backed away from the cell, leaving Fiona all alone. She sat there on the dungeon floor, and her eyes slowly shut. This was it; this was the escape she had prayed for, for herself and her child. The moon goddess heard her prayers. Now facing death, she felt happy for the few wonderful memories she had made, even as she recalled them. She blinked as a happy tear ran down her face, her eyes glowed silver, and she felt warmth leave her b*dy. The same second, blood flow stopped, and she felt the cr ack on her head heal up.. Shocked to find herself alive, she couldn¡¯t move for the first minute. Then she drew a deep breath, and her eyes fluttered, filled with life. She nced at her clothes, filled with blood, and then back at her hands. She knew she should be dead, but she¡¯s alive. She couldn¡¯t exin what happened, but she remembered feeling warmth in her b*dy and then her wound healing right after her eyes glowed silver. Werewolf eyes never glow silver, and it made her question her sanity about what she thought happened. ¡°It¡¯s time! The council said to bring you!¡± Guy, the other guard in charge of the dungeon, spoke, making his presence outside the cell known and mming hist baton on the cell bar. Fiona just snapped out of her thoughts. Without another word uttered, Fiona followed Guy, and he led her to the utter court, where the council of eight always sat to hear her case. She was a mess, and her clothes were not only dirty now; they were covered with her blood, but she could do nothing about it. The head of the council stood up, holding a te and having her sentence in his hands: ¡°We, the council, have listened to the testimonies and have weighed you. and we have found you guilty.¡± At his word, a tear rolled down her face. If virtue was such an important thing, why did her parents not turn Vivian in since she had been sleeping with Henry? Was it any different from what she had done? Yet they protected her and made sure to keep her deed a secret, but for hers. They took action and threw her under the bus, treating her as if she hadmitted a grievous sin. It made no sense. All these thoughts ran through her head, but she remained silent. ¡°You are guilty of breaking your oath as a mate and ying the wh ore, and you are guilty of the acts of deceit and fraud. There for this council sentence you to he barely had the words out of his mouth when the council bell went off. The entire council became disoriented the next second. Fear and agitation registered in their eyes for the next second, and a murmur broke out in their midst. The councilman on the left whispered into the ears of the woman beside him. ¡°Are we to receive the Lycan king today?¡± ¡°No, we are not. Not ording to the calendar.¡± ¡°Then what do you think he wants?¡± ¡°I am just as clueless as you are, Kal!¡± she whispered back to him. They forgot about Fiona¡¯s presence, and everyone worried about themselves. Fiona¡¯s sense of smell, despite the exhaustion, picked up a scent that had registered in her mind these past few weeks. This scent had awakened so many memories along with it. She wondered if her mind was creating an escape for her like it always had when she was much younger. She was at the end of her road and would dly escape this reality, even though it was on her mind. The next second, the door opened, and in came escorts of fine, tall men, all looking intimidating, and behind them the Lycan king. They escorted them forward, and the Lycan king behind them stepped towards the council of eight. Fiona glimpsed the Lycan king despite the many escorts, and her heart stopped beating. This was him. This was the stranger. This was the stranger whose bed she was in over a month ago. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 She couldn¡¯t forget the smell-the smell of the stranger-the Lycan king. It was rich and intoxicating. It had snuck into her mind ever since that day and remain there. What were the odds that the stranger she had shared a bed with a month ago was the Lycan king? The strongest being known to all Lycans ever? ¡°My king,¡± the council head, name Brawn, bowed in respect. ¡°We didn¡¯t expect your arrival to be so soon.¡± The Lycan king stared at him with a look of displeasure on his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I needed your approval to visit.¡± He spoke, his tone filled with confidence andmand. ¡°I beg for pardon, my king. Brawn bowed his head. He was the head council and was respected by literally everyone and regarded as their highest authority when it came to government around themunity, yet the Lycan king spoke to him like a se rvant. It only confirmed that the Lycan king wielded powers far greater than even the head councils. ¡°To what do we owe your presence today, my king?¡± The woman spoke up, rising, to her feet. ¡°There is a rebellion report, and an uprising gue and I came to see it myself, and so far, what I have met from thismunity has been challenges and senseless questions.¡± He answered, not very happy as he spoke. ¡°What is going on here?¡± ¡°This woman is on trial for lying, maniption, and being unfaithful to her mate.¡± The council member on the left, having long grey hair, said, rising to his feet. The Lycan king turned and nced at her, but his gaze didn¡¯t stay on her for long because it returned to the council man speaking. He didn¡¯t recognise her; he couldn¡¯t He had imprinted himself into her mind so that she wouldn¡¯t forget him so quickly, and she failed to do the same. Then again, he was the Lycan king, and she was just a fling, one of the many girls he has had in bed. Besides, she was covered in blood and dirt. She would not recognise herself in the mirror after what she had been through if she were to stand before it. Yet her heart pr icked a little that he didn¡¯t recognise her. ¡°She is not a part of the rebellion that brought me here, and so I don¡¯t understand why that can¡¯t wait.¡± ¡°Oh, it can wait, my king,¡± Brawn answered and signalled to Guy, who stood far back to take Fiona away from the court. Guy came towards her and took her hand, leading her out of the court. She turned to have one more look at the Lycan king, the man who had dominated her dreams. and imed her as his so many times. Guy shut the bars after shoving her into the dungeon cell. He tried to leave, but she called him. ¡°Can I have a little water, please?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Guy was a guard just like Spencer, trained to not care about the lives of prisoners, but Guy still had a heart and had shown it a few times. She prayed that his heart would speak to him to have mercy on her. He nced at her and left without saying a word. He returned with a bottle of water not long after and tossed it to the ground before her. She quickly reached for it, opened it, and drank it greedily. She finished the water in a few seconds and handed the bottle to the guy, mumbling, ¡°Thank you,¡± to him. He said nothing and left. She stayed on the ground, thinking about the event that had happened earlier. The Lycan king was indeed here; thest person she expected the stranger to be was the Lycan king, and how crazy had fate y its card? It didn¡¯t matter; just like everyone in thismunity, he would judge and hate her. She didn¡¯t want that; she had been wounded and hurt enough. Her eyes felt weak, and sheid her head against the wall, and sleep came despite her heavy heart She didn¡¯t know how long she slept, but her eyes snapped open when she heard small talks from outside the cell. One voice sounded like Spencer, and the other was a familiar feminine voice. Vivian. Fiona adjusted herself on the floor, wondering what her evil sister was doing here and why she was talking to the dungeon guard. ¡°Did you check on her?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s sleeping.¡± Spencer answered. ¡°You should have killed her as we nned before.¡± She reprimanded him, her tone disying her displeasure. ¡°I told you already; I don¡¯t know how she survived the impact of the baton. I felt her skull cr ack and saw her bleeding out, and with the giga around her neck, I was certain she would die. I don¡¯t know how she¡¯s still alive after losing so much blood.¡± ¡°I told you before that she¡¯s a co ckroach; she¡¯s hard to kill, and that¡¯s why you have. to make sure she dies in your hands before you leave this time.¡± Vivian instructed. Fiona gasped and covered her mouth, shocked at what she had just heard. Not only was Vivian responsible for her attack earlier, she wanted to kill her again. ¡°Yes, Miss Jackson.¡± ¡°You are only getting paid once the job ispleted.¡± Fiona heard footsteps approaching her cell, and she pulled away into the shadows. Yes, she wanted to die, but she didn¡¯t want to die like this, not when she knew Vivian was after her. ¡°She¡¯s awake,¡± Spencer said as he came to the cell and found her pulling away. Vivian drew closer to watch her. ¡°Why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to you?¡± she demanded, her voice getting choked towards the end and tears rolling down her face. ¡°Don¡¯t you still get it? There can only be one, Miss Jackson, and it¡¯s not going to be you.¡± Vivian said, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°Take this as a favour from me to you. At least this death will be less shameful aspared to what the council. already has nned.¡± Spencer grabbed her by the leg and dragged her on the floor towards him. He got on top of her and tightened his hands around her neck, choking the air out of her. She struggled to breathe but failed miserably, and she had no strength to fight him off, not after everything. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and her lungs began to copse. Death was so close now, and she felt it. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± A voice demanded from behind Vivian, and startled, Spencer released his grip on her neck and rose to his feet. Fiona dragged a long and loud breath the same second and began to cough. Spencer stepped towards the dungeon exit. ¡°Who are you, and what are you doing here?¡± he demanded, his voice taking on amanding tone. ¡°I am Beta Keh Snowfall, the Lycan¡¯smanding officer and most trusted adviser. I am here carrying out the orders of the Lycan king.¡± At Keh¡¯s introduction of himself, Spencer shook in his stand, bing filled. with fear. ¡°I am sorry, sir.¡± He bowed his head. ¡°I asked a question,¡± Keh said, his tone bing terrifying. ¡°What is happening here?¡± ¡°She-she-the prisoner was choking, and I needed to resuscitate her.¡± He stuttered through his lies, but it wasn¡¯t convincing enough; yet Ken said nothing. ¡°What are the orders of the Lycan king?¡± ¡°He would like to see the prisoner.¡± He replied. ¡°Why?¡± Vivian asked, confusionced in her voice. Keh finally acknowledged her. ¡°I do not think what the Lycan king decides to do is any of your business.¡± Then to Spencer, he said. ¡°Get the prisoner up and hand her to me.¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Spencer nodded and stepped towards Fiona, pulling her weak b*dy up from the ground. ¡°Take off the giga.¡± He instructed. Spencer¡¯s eyes widened at hismand. ¡°But, sir, she¡¯s a prisoner who hasmitted an offence. The council gave strict instructions to always have it around her neck until the trial ends.¡± ¡°I am overriding that decision now, with the authority of the Lycan king. A giga was created to suppress the powers of werewolves who are deemed threats and dangers to society. I highly doubt this young woman can attack me, let alone the Lycan King. Take it off now.¡± Without another word, Spencer dug his hand into his pocket, pulled out the key to the giga, and unlocked it from around Fiona neck. She felt a little restoration of her power, and unlike a minute ago, she¡¯s now able to stand on her own. Spencer handed her over to Keh, who led her away from the dungeon immediately. As he took her with him, she wondered whaty ahead. Did the Lycan king suddenly recognise her? Or was this going to be another phase of the unending g circle of abuse? Thetter seemed to be the case. The one thing she wanted now was an escape. They stepped out, and Fiona realised it was evening already. She didn¡¯t realise it while in the dungeon. The town¡¯s bell went off as they stepped down thest stair of the council court and into the street. Immediately, they saw people-not less than a hundred- running towards them. ¡°Stay beside me.¡± Keh instructed, and he stood before her even as the racing. mob approached. ¡°Run!¡± one man yelled, ¡°the rebellion group ising! They have the gue!¡± He brushed past Keh and continued running. The people tugged towards them and pushed her onto the floor, making her almost ck out. When her vision cleared, she nced up and didn¡¯t see Keh close by. Where did he go? Did he leave her? If the rebellion group was indeeding, staying on the ground would do her no good. This was probably her chance to get away, and she had to take advantage of it. She rose to her feet and took to her heels immediately, running to wherever safety was. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Five yearster, ¡°Miss Lawson, the patient in ward B4 wants to speak to you,¡± Nancy, the student nurse, told Fiona, Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. walking over to where she stood attending to a patient. ¡°I don¡¯t think I am meant to see her today.¡± Fiona revealed with narrowed eyes. Nancy shrugged. ¡°She wants to see you, though.¡± ¡°Did she say why?¡± Fiona asked, curious. Nancy shook her head. ¡°She didn¡¯t; she just said she would rather speak to you.¡± She wasn¡¯t the doctor for the patient in ward B4, and unless otherwise, she shouldn¡¯t be seen in the same room as her. She was just a nurse, and that was the hospital policy. Still, she had to go because the patient was a sweet olddy. She finished with her patient, Niall, a sixteen-year-old who had lost consciousness while ying football and was rushed into the ER in the morning but was now. responding to treatment. Fiona nced at her wristwatch and saw she still had at least seven minutes before her next patient. She had to be current in her duties as a nurse; thest thing she wanted was for Doctor Victor Yang, the chief doctor, to reprimand her. He wasn¡¯t the easiest to work under, and she didn¡¯t want to give him a reason to make it harder. Fiona stepped into the ward and met the patient, Mrs Hanna Shaw, sitting up in bed, looking much better aspared to yesterday. She smiled upon seeing her, and she could not help smiling back. ¡°I heard you asked to see me.¡± She said,ing towards her bed. The older woman nodded. ¡°Yes, I wanted to thank you for healing me.¡± This made the smile on Fiona¡¯s face fade instantly. What did she mean by her words? How did she know she had done anything? Fiona shook her head. ¡°Oh, I did nothing.¡± She tried to deny the truth. Hanna was sleeping, and she also made sure no one was watching when she took her handst night, so she didn¡¯t know how the woman knew what had happened. Mrs. Hanna Shaw came inst week, and she had kidney failure and breathing difficulty. She had been ced under intensive care, and her chances of survival were less than 20 percent. She had lost her husband and her child in a bad car crash over 15 years ago, leaving her with her 2-year-old grandchild, Margaret, to raise on her own. Margaret always came after school to visit her grandma. They didn¡¯t have much money to continue staying at the hospital, as Hanna was the breadwinner. Since her copse, Margaret had taken a job at a local bar, but even that wasn¡¯t enough to pay for bills and take care of herself. Yesterday, Doctor Yang told the doctors that Hanna¡¯s chances of survival had dropped to less than 10 percent and she wouldn¡¯t survive the week. After everything she had seen and known about the old woman, Fiona couldn¡¯t just stay quiet and do nothing. She knew if she was found out, she would be in trouble, but she had to try, and so she did. ¡°I felt warmth, and I immediately felt back to my old self. I thought it was a dream until I opened my eyes and saw you leaving.¡± She told her, her smile lingering on her face. She looked grateful, but Fiona knew this wasn¡¯t good. ¡°Listen, you were in a state of sleep, and you must have been dreaming.¡± Hanna shook her head. ¡°I understand your need to keep it a secret, and I am willing to keep your secret and even take it to my grave, but I just want to thank you for what you did. The doctors came in, and after a series of tests, they saw everything was back to normal. They call it a miracle, and they are right because it is, but I know the truth. I am here and back to my full strength, and I will be dischargedter today, and it is all because of you, so thank you.¡± Fiona felt happy for Hanna, but she also felt grateful that the old woman was willing to keep her secret. She realised she had healing powers after the incident in the dungeon with Spencer. It was the only logic that made sense for her escape from the jaws of death. She tried it out and cut herself with a razor, and after cing her hand on it, it immediately healed up, leaving no scar. She tried it with a few others, and just as she suspected, she was able to heal them. This made her understand the path she had to follow. She had to be in a field that would give her ess to people. So, she took up a course in nursing in the human world and graduated a year ago. She joined the hospital immediately after. She knew she would be able to help those who would need it. She knew she wouldn¡¯t be safe if her identity as a healer was revealed, and so, although she helped, she did it in secret. Her fame had spread around the human world in thest year, but since many didn¡¯t know what she looked like, she could stille to work and earn a wage decent enough to take care of her family. It¡¯s been over a year now, and it has only gotten better. As her shift for the day ended, she drove home. Taking up extra shifts would have brought in more money, but more than money called for her attention at home. She drove her car home as fast as she could, and after getting home, she raced to the door. She sl*pped in her keys and entered. She found the house quiet, but her time told her it was too early for bed. Just then, Cam walked out of the kitchen with a bowl of ice cream and Jashin behind her. ¡°Mommy!¡± He squealed immediately when he noticed her and ran over to her. She dropped to the floor and wrapped her arms around him. HTT ¡°I missed you.¡± He said this despite seeing her before going to school this morning. ¡°I missed you too, my love. Where is your brother?¡± she asked, looking behind him, hoping to find June and failing. She turned her attention to Cam, who was eating her ice cream slowly. ¡°Where is June?¡± she asked, a little worried. ¡°Good evening, mom.¡± She heard the quiet tone of her son June, and her eyes travelled over to the kitchen entrance to find him standing there. He was rubbing his eyes slowly while moving his long hair from his face. The twins were identical, but unlike Jashin, who was excellent in his disy of affection, June was reserved and kept to himself most of the time. They were as different as they came with personalities and expressed themselves differently. ¡°June doesn¡¯t want the ice cream and has been grumpy about it ever since,¡± Cam said, exining the reason behind his moody state. Cam was her close friend and the boy¡¯s guardian. She was also the one who had been with her for the past few years. She met her after escaping from the werewolf world into the human world. She had lost all her strength after running for three days, seeking refuge. Cam happened to be on the same path, having broken up with her boyfriend that very day and was moving away. Cam help her, despite not knowing who she was. That was how their rtionship kicked off, and it has only grown since then. Being a werewolf in the human world was hard, but she had to blend in and live like a human. Cam knew that she was a werewolf and she found that out along with her pregnancy a few dayster. Despite not knowing everything about her, she didn¡¯t judge her; she understood and supported her decision to change her identity. Immediately after she regained her strength, she did her best to live in secret. She was a runaway prisoner, and the best thing to do as such was to keep a low profile. The first thing she did after her escape was to cut her hair, and after meeting Cam, she dyed it red. And so instead of her natural long and wavy brte, she now had a red hair bowl cut that reached the back of her neck. She began wearing sses, and she changed her eye colour from amber to blue using a contact lens. She had to make all these changes because she knew they woulde looking for her, and they did. However, she had thought ahead and made all the needed changes for herself. She also changed her name from Fiona Jackson, which was her biological father¡¯s name, to Sky Lawson. She needed a new identity in order to start over, and that was what she gave herself. Cam, however, didn¡¯t know Sky wasn¡¯t her real name because she never told her. After the twins were born, Cam quit her job to work from home and take care of them, while Fiona pursued her degree in nursing. Even after Fiona attained her degree and started working, Cam refused to return to work, stating that working from home was so much better. They didn¡¯t live together, but Cam made time to be with the boys. Fiona considered herself lucky to have her as a friend, and she didn¡¯t know what she did to deserve an angel like her. ¡°What do you want then, June?¡± Fiona asked, stretching her hand to June, who walked slowly into it. She pulled him into a tight hug along with Jashin. ¡°I would rather have apple juice.¡± Fiona pulled away to stare at him. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± When he nodded, she added, ¡°You sure about that?¡± He nodded again, and she led him into the kitchen to get him what he wanted. ¡°I love you, mommy.¡± June said, and her eyes welled up. These were just four-letter words, but they had such an impact on her. Jashin had told her those words a couple of times, but June hadn¡¯t. So this felt different to her. ¡°June, I love you too.¡± She pulled him into a tight hug. ¡°Forever and always, you and Jashin are my sunshine; never forget that, okay?¡± They nodded. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 After putting the boys to bed, Fiona headed out to the healing sanctuary, where she met up with those who had any form of infirmity or disease. She had her head wrapped up in a veil, and the only parts of her that showed were her eyes and her hands. It was the best way to keep her identity concealed. She starteding here while in nursing school. After sses, she would always.e here, except for days when she was too tired from sses. At first, only one or two people came because she always told them to tell those who really needed a healer. However, the number grew and they were over a dozen sick waiting on her every night. She still recognised the work of the hospital and the role they yed because she worked in one. However, this sanctuary was for those who couldn¡¯t afford the hospital bill or whose sickness the medication couldn¡¯t help. Many didn¡¯t give money, but a few did. She wasn¡¯t looking for their money, but it helped her do a thing or two around the house and with her sons. Whenever they gave she appreciated. She resumed her usual routine, and those who had been on the line waiting for her arrival moved towards the tent she stayed in coordinated manner. After healing the seventh person, a man approached her; he didn¡¯t look sick, and he kept his hand tucked in his jacket.¡± ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± She asked, staring at him because from head to toe he looked well. ¡°I want you to heal me.¡± He said and pulled his hand out of his jacket to reveal it had been bleeding. How he hadn¡¯t passed out from loss of blood was a mystery. Her eyes narrowed at him; he had a deep cut on his hands. ¡°What happened to you?¡± she asked. ¡°That is none of your business; your job is to heal me as the healer.¡± ¡°If you will not answer my question, I will not heal you. The hospital is avable to attend to you always.¡± Her eyes moved from him over to the older woman standing behind him, and she beckoned to her. The man stepped over to her in the form of a challenge: ¡°You will heal me, or you will heal no one else,¡± He growled at her and grabbed her by her cloak. came outter crying, incredibly sad, or angry. She did not want to experience any of these three emotions today, so she didn¡¯t want to go there. But since she was summoned, she had to report. She rose from her desk before the counter and made her way into Doctor Yang¡¯s office. ¡°Do you know why you are in my office?¡± Doctor Yang asked as soon as she sat. ¡°I would like to say I do, but truly, I don¡¯t,¡± she answered. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°There are rumours going around that you had something to do with the miraculous healing of Mrs. Hanna.¡± He said that, rose from his seat, and made his way around the desk and towards her. ¡°Rumour?¡± she repeated, her brows furrowing. ¡°Is there any proof of that?¡± ¡°There is a surveince camera that showed youing out of her ward just before your shift ended. It was also thest visit made to her ward. And I hear she requested to see you yesterday.¡± A part of her knew this was going to be hard for her. But she didn¡¯t have to ept any usations; she did nothing wrong. ¡°So, your ims are all based on hypotheses, Doctor.¡± He smiled and rested against the desk, his b*dy almost touching hers. ¡°I am not your enemy; I am just trying to help you.¡± ¡°Help me? Doctor, I did nothing. If you think I am lying about this, you can just ask Mrs. Hanna. She will tell you the truth.¡± ¡°Then what were you doing in her ward when it was not an emergency or your time to be with her?¡± He asked. She opened her mouth to speak, but snapped it shut. She had to pick her response well, or she might justnd in a bigger problem. ¡°Mrs Hanna told me about her granddaughter, and when I didn¡¯t see her that day, I wanted to ask about her. When I got to her ward, she was already sleeping, and I left. If you check your surveince camera, you will see I barely spent a minute with her, and that was because I left after realising she was sleeping.¡± ¡°Fine, Ms. Lawson,¡± he answered. ¡°You may leave, but just know the hospital will be keeping an eye on you.¡± She rose from her chair and made her way out of the office, not looking back for once. She stepped out of the office and took a deep breath, and her eyes fluttered. She yanked her cloak from his grip, causing it to tear a little, and angered by that, she delivered a hard punch to his stomach. He stumbled and fell backward. ¡°Take yourself to the hospital, and if you sustained this cut from stealing or another illegal activity, then you have to face punishment. I will not let you rob those desperately in need of help because of your greed. This sanctuary is for those who need healing and can¡¯t afford it, and that is what it will always be.¡± The angry man rose to his feet, but he didn¡¯t approach her again; instead, he walked away from the sanctuary. The rest of the night went by quietly like the other night, and the sick and diseased left happy and thanking her. The strange man in the sanctuary stayed on her mind all night, and she had never had a reason to fear, but now she did. He could return to do harm. Sure, she could defend herself, but many of the sick wouldn¡¯t be able to do the same. Her only hope was for him to never return. ¡°Mommy!¡± Jashin called with an excited voice for the morning as he barged into her room. She barely had enough sleep, but at his voice call, she had to pull herself up from bed. Behind him was June, quiet as always rubbing his eyes. The day kicked off, and she moved them into the bathroom to bathe and get them. ready for school. ¡°Listen, Cami will not pick you up today, so you have to stay at the waiting until I return to pick you up, alright?¡± They nodded. She moved to get their breakfast ready, and when they finished. eating, she packed up their lunch box. He handed each of them one, and then they left the house, moving towards their car to settle in. She strapped them in and moved to the front seat to start the car. ¡°Mommy, do we have a daddy?¡± Jashin asked, taking her by surprise. ¡°What makes you ask that?¡± she asked immediately, then realised she had always taught them to never answer a question with another question. ¡°I mean, yes, everyone has a daddy and a mommy; that is how babies are made. Why did you ask?¡± She turned to look at him. He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Everyone in our sses has fathers, but we don¡¯t. I just wanted to know. I have never seen him before, and you don¡¯t talk about him.¡± She started the car and drove them off in silence. June sat quietly, listening to Jashin¡¯s drilling, and didn¡¯t interrupt. She didn¡¯t know what to say. He was right; she had never spoken about him before, and they hadn¡¯t seen him since birth either. She wanted to drive them off to school and not answer the question, but she knew they deserved to know about their father. They deserve to know the one responsible for bringing them into their world. ¡°I don¡¯t speak about him because it is a long story, but know this: you have a father.¡± ¡°Is he a bad man? Is that why you don¡¯t talk about him or want us to meet him?¡± June finally brought himself into the conversation, and she knew these questions had also stayed on his mind. Her eyes widened, and she shook her head. ¡°No, your father isn¡¯t a bad man; far from it.¡± She stopped speaking; if she were honest with herself, she would say she didn¡¯t know if the Lycan king whom she had slept with. The act was against her better judgement, and if she could go back, she would have done things differently. Yes, she would still want to have her boys because they were the best things that happened to her. But she would also want to know their father, the first man she ever slept with. ¡°Then does that mean we will get to see him someday?¡± Jashin asked with his wide and filled with expectation. eyes How could she answer such a question? She couldn¡¯t. Instead, she said. ¡°We are here! Get going now and don¡¯t bete.¡± She saw the excitement in Jashin¡¯s face fade away, and she med herself for it. She couldn¡¯t tell her child the truth, and in response, she hurt him. Neither of the boys moved out of the car, and this was their way of telling her she had offended them. She turned to them with eyes filled with apology. ¡°I will tell you all you need to know about your father; I promise you, Jashin,¡± she said and turned to June. ¡°I promise you, okay?¡± The boys reluctantly nodded, and they stepped out of the car. love you, my noble warriors,¡± she said. ¡°I love you, mommy.¡± Jashin, who had already gotten over his sadness, yelled and waved at her. ¡°I love you, mommy.¡± June said quietly. She couldn¡¯t answer Jashin¡¯s question; it was not as simple as he would think it would be. The kids had questions that would be difficult for even an adult to answer. They looked forward to the day their father would visit, and she didn¡¯t know if that would ever happen. She, however, promised that she would answer the question, and she didn¡¯t want to lie to them. The boys deserved to know the truth about their father, but she didn¡¯t know where or how she would begin. They were the result of a mistake she made, but they were far from mistakes. She didn¡¯t want them to have the notion that they were a mistake. She had to take her time and exin who their father was to them. She had toe up with the proper exnation in which they would have an open mind towards the possibility of their father doing anything. She hadn¡¯t had a reason to feel shame in thest five years, not even when she was nine months pregnant and going to nursing sses with her huge bump. She didn¡¯t feel any shame then, even though she should have, but here now, she did. Could she give her sons the answer she knew they wanted to hear? Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¡°Earth to Sky,¡± Peter Yates, a resident doctor and somehow the kindest so far, said, snapping his finger in front of her, and she jerked back to reality. ¡°You are not here. I hope all is well with you, Ms. Lawson.¡± His curious blue eyes. danced all over her. She smiled and shrugged it off. ¡°It¡¯s really nothing. I will be fine.¡± ¡°Good then, but if you ever need someone to talk to, you know I am here.¡± He didn¡¯t need to tell her; she knew it. Of all the residents at Harmony Hospital, Peter was the nicest of them, and he wasn¡¯t being nice because he looked forward to something in return; that was his nature. She rarely had that in thest five years, and it was nice to know there were still people like that. She had hoped that he would move on to be a sessful doctor muchter in life. ¡°By the way, how are the boys?¡± He asked, his tone genuinely concerned. She smiled. ¡°They are fine, growing with every day that passes.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I grew up in a family of two boys, and my mother always told us she preferred if we were girls.¡± Fiona frowned. ¡°I haven¡¯t told them that,¡± because she loved them the way they were. ¡°And I pray you don¡¯t. It is not something to be told to a child.¡± She gave him a sympathetic look. He had told her during lunch once how hist mother had walked out on his father, leaving him to raise him and his brother all alone. It was tough knowing his mother never wanted him. She wanted her boys, though, and that will never change. ¡°I hope you get to move someday. You deserve better than you got.¡± She knew what it meant to deserve better; she lived it for five years at the hands of the people of Langfield. ¡°Thank you, Sky.¡± He said, ¡°And before I forget, Doctor Yang wants you in his office,¡± he told her before walking away. This made Fiona wonder why she was being summoned into the chief doctor¡¯s office. The office was thest ce she wanted to be. Those who went in either ¡°Ms. Lawson,¡± she heard her name, and her eyes snapped open to find Bridget, a nursing student, doing her clinical at the hospital. The younger nurse had a somewhat worried look on her face even as she approached her. She pulled her legs towards her and asked in a curious tone of voice. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± She shook her head, but the look on her face said something was. ¡°Some people are in the waiting room, and they ask to see you.¡± She said that, and Fiona didn¡¯t understand how that was enough to make her so worried. ¡°Okay, then I will go see them then.¡± She tried to move, but Bridget took hold of her hand as if trying to stop her, and this made Fiona even more worried. Is there more to those in the waiting room. that she wasn¡¯t telling her? She wondered to herself. ¡°I was helping bring in a patient who was involved in an ident when they came in. I¡¯m worried.¡± Fiona¡¯s brows furrowed at herst words. ¡°Why?¡± she echoed, confused. Bridget shrugged. ¡°Nothing, just a hunch; they came in a ck heavily tainted Jeep, one I have only seen in movies.¡± She revealed it to her. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Fiona¡¯s heart tightened a little in panic, but she did her best to not let the panic show on her face as she stood with Bridget. ¡°Oh.¡± She muttered silently. ¡°Be careful, okay?¡± Fiona nodded and departed, heading for the waiting room. From Bridget¡¯s exnation, a part of her knew those waiting for her in the waiting room. It seemed the same people that came over five years ago to take her from her adopted parents-the very ones that wanted her dead-were back for her. The chances of them knowing who she was now were really slim. She had made a lot of changes to herself in her looks, behaviour, and even smell. She changed. basically everything, which would make anyone who knew her in the past have a hard time recognising her now. To be sure, she had hidden her identity; she had taken a few pictures before she began the journey to change, wearing a long brte wig to mimic the hair she cut off. After three months, shepared the two, and she was so much different in the end. She also did an experiment six monthster. She asked over a hundred random people at the university where she went if the girl in the picture looked anything like her. Everyone told her they didn¡¯t. Some even said they would ept the probability of them being sisters, but not of them being the same person. If more than a hundred people couldn¡¯t see the simrities between her old self and the new, she knew no one in her past would. This reassured her to carry on with her life. Even now, she knew no one could recognise her, but her fear lingered. What if they did? What if that was why they hade now? To carry out the justice she ran away from five years ago. Fear was a menace because it creeped into her heart and didn¡¯t leave, and now she wanted to run away. Perhaps flight would be the safest choice for her, but then again, she knew there was so much she had and couldn¡¯t just run away. She would have to consider her life, her and her sons¡¯ lives, and her work. Where would she start from, and what probability was there to show they wouldn¡¯t stille after her? She had to calm herself and figure out what they wanted first, and then she would n her next step. That was the sanest thing to do. All these thoughts raced around in her head as she made her way over to the waiting room, and getting there, she met two men in ck suits, just like Bridget had told her, and they were seated waiting for her. They did not look sick, and she knew they came for other reasons. They saw her step into the waiting room, and they rose to their feet immediately. They were both not less than 6 feet, 3 inches tall, and they had the build and capacity to inflict pain if they so wished. She swallowed, and keeping herself from trembling became an almost impossible task. ¡°Hello, good day to you. I was told you wanted to see me.¡± She found her voice to speak. The man with blond hair and blue eyes nodded and took a step forward. His entire demeanour and essence were intimidating, and she almost took a step back. ¡°Yes, what you heard is correct.¡± The man said, and his voice came out so fearful and intimidating. ¡°I am Jace Cruise, and this is my partner, Drew Osho. We are the Lycan king¡¯s personal envoy, sent here for you.¡± This was it, she thought as soon as she heard those words. This was the end. This was the hint she wanted-she needed to run away. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Fiona snapped out of her raging thoughts to hear him still speaking. ¡°Our mission is to meet with the famous healer and bring her to him.¡± Fiona kept her heart beat tamed because she knew if it sk ipped, they would hear and know she was afraid, further confirming their words. This had nothing to do with the justice she had ran away from five years ago; this had everything to do with the truth of her being a healer. How did they know she was the healer, though? She had done her best to keep her identity hidden for thest five years, only healing in disguise. She made sure that was the only way she operated. How did they discover she was the healer? How did they find out where she worked? Who was she kidding? The Lycan king had all the resources in ce to find out anything he set his mind to whether in the werewolf world or in the human world. This makes her wonder what else they knew about her? ¡°Okay, I am a nurse. This is a hospital; there are many doctors here, and some people might also call them healers. They will be more than willing toe with you and help in whatever way they can. She, on the other hand, can do so much, being only a nurse who is still early into her practice.¡± She tried to act clueless about what they were talking about. Drew, the red-haired envoy standing behind Jace, took a step forward. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to put up any game.¡± She turned to him. ¡°This isn¡¯t a game; I do not know what you talk about,¡± He surged towards her the same second. She flinched back and jumped into defence. Her ability, which in thest five years she had kept hidden in the human world, kicked to the surface. Her eyes flickered yellow before yanishing. They had lured triggered into showing her ability, and she could no longer deny not knowing who the Lycan king was. She also couldn¡¯t deny being the healer. anymore. The cat was already out of the bag. ¡°Oh, you know what I talk about, healer?¡± The man growled at her. ¡°The Lycan king gave explicit orders to bring you.¡± ¡°Did the Lycan king also instruct you to drag me if I refused toe with you?¡± She demanded, her eyes showing she didn¡¯t wee his authoritative tone one bit. Jace ced his hand on Drew¡¯s shoulder to silence him, and just like that, the rage on Drew¡¯s face disappeared, and he turned away from her. ¡°The Lycan king insisted we reach a reasonable agreement with you. His instructions were clear, and it was to convince you toe; he never permitted. the use of violence. There is a gue outbreak in the werewolf world, and it has gotten out of control in thest few years. The Lycan king has done his possible. best to tame it, but it has only gotten worse. You are the famous healer. We need you toe heal the people.¡± The Lycan king was giving her a choice, and he was going to respect her wish at the end of the day. However, she had left the werewolf world over five years ago and didn¡¯t look forward to returning. No, not after what they did to her. They never loved or epted her, not while she lived with her adopted parents and not when she lived with her actual parents, the alpha and Luna. She owed them nothing. For all she knew, the Lycan king was just like the rest of them: heartless, and after only his own selfish gains.. All the while she had spoken with them, she had forgotten that the same Lycan king was the stranger she was in his bed five years ago. He was the father of her sons. June and Jashin had asked about their father while she took them to school, and she didn¡¯t know much about him. This could be an opportunity for her to learn. about the father of her sons. But then she realised she had escaped the ws of justice and was probably still wanted in the werewolf world. If she was found out, she could lose her life. There was no telling if the Lycan king would care about her or her sons. He didn¡¯t even recognise her five years ago. Going back was a risk she wasn¡¯t willing to take. She had to put herself and her sons first. They mattered more than anything, and if being selfish would keep them safe, then she was going to be as selfish as they came. ¡°Thank you for being civil in your affair, unlike your partner over there,¡± she said, and her eyes moved to Drew, who now stood in the corner of the waiting room. ¡°I, however, cannot help you. I have dedicated myself to the world of humans and if I leave, they will have no one to do what I do.¡± She answered them. For the rest of the day, she wondered if rejecting the Lycan king¡¯s offer was the right decision. Her sons deserved to know their father, and she promised that they would, just not now, not this way. Not yet. She closed from work and drove straight to the Prime Schrs School, which her sons attended. She was a few hourster, and she knew they would be in the waiting room as usual. Cam sometimes picked them up, but today she couldn¡¯t because she had a project that demanded her presence at her She had no problem with that; her friend had done more than enough for her at this point. She hurried into the ss to meet with the ss teacher on duty in the waiting room. Mrs. Tatiana was seated at her desk and reading a book while the rest of the students yed around. Fiona looked around, but she didn¡¯t see any trace of Jashin or June in the ssroom. She stepped towards the ss teacher to speak, a confused smile on her face. ¡°Good afternoon, Mrs. Tatiana.¡± The grey haired looked up from the book in her hand and said, ¡°Ms. Lawson!¡± Her face broke up in a cheerful smile. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked, her tone hinting confusion. ¡°I came to pick up my sons,¡± she told her. The older woman¡¯s brows narrowed. ¡°Your sons never came in to the waiting room, Ms. Lawson.¡± She told her. Fiona¡¯s eyes widened, not hearing correctly. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°My sons are supposed to be in the waiting room because their aunt Cam and I knew we wouldn¡¯t ¡°Perhaps that might be true, but they never came into the waiting room.¡± Fiona dug her hand into her purse and pulled out her phone, dialling Cam¡¯s number. She was the only one that had picked the boys up in the past and she wanted to know if that was the case today. After the third ring, she picked up and said, ¡°Hello, Sky, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Did you pick Jashin and June from school?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Cam¡¯s response sent chills of fear through her, and she forgot to breathe the next minute that followed. ¡°Sky, are you there?¡± She heard Cam call after her consciousness returned. She nodded, then realised her friend couldn¡¯t see her. ¡°Yes. The boys are not here, Cam; someone picked them up.¡± She said that and ended the call. Her heart beat had picked up a fast pace and her hands trembled a little. ¡°Can I see the sign-out booklet, then?¡± she asked. There has always been a sign-out booklet for every parent picking up their children after school, and this way she could see who had picked the boys up. ¡°Yes, sure.¡± Mrs. Tatiana rose from her seat and walked towards the sign-out booklet for grade one and handed it to her. She fl*pped open the page, and the same second, her phone rang in her hand.¡± Fiona stared at it, and it was an unknown number. Deciding against her better. judgement, she answered the call and ced the phone to her ear. ¡°Hello. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°We have Jashin and June. Was the first thing that came through the other line, and her heart sank into her stomach. She knew that voice was Jace, the man she met in the waiting room of the hospital this morning. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 She had thought they had epted her rejection of the alpha¡¯s instructions. How st upid had she been to not know they were going to carry out their king¡¯s order, either the easy way or the hard way? ¡°Do not bother making a scene. The human world has no authority over the affairs of werewolves. I think you already know this, don¡¯t you?¡± Fiona walked away from the waiting room, not answering when Mrs Tatiana called after her. She knew not where she got the strength from as the news of her sons being taken had taken all the strength she had within her. She had to move to a ce where she would be alone, though speaking to her son¡¯s captor in the presence of Mrs Tatiana would only stir up suspicion within the teacher. She would want to get involved, but this wasn¡¯t her fight. It was best this way. Jace was deemed the reasonable one amongst the two she saw earlier, but she was now finding out he wasn¡¯t as reasonable as he seemed. He was just as manipting and unreasonable. How could they take her sons away from her? ¡°What do you want?¡± she finally asked after getting to a ce private enough to speak. ¡°We already told you what we wanted, and that hasn¡¯t changed yet.¡± ¡°How do I know you are really there with my sons?¡± ¡°Jashin, say hello to your mother,¡± Jace said. She heard a little, roughly, on the other end, and Jashin¡¯s voice came through immediately after. ¡°Hello, mommy, when are youing to get us?¡± he asked. Fiona¡¯s hand covered her mouth, and her eyes grew ssy upon hearing her son¡¯s confused voice. Jace spoke through the phone the next second: ¡°I gather June doesn¡¯t speak much, so I am not giving him the phone.¡± He didn¡¯t have to prove anything. She knew he had her sons. ¡°Where are you and what are you going to do to them?¡± she asked, her voice barely holding up its firmnes ¡°We are just entering into the Lycan king¡¯s estate. And as for what we n to do, the answer is nothing, as long as their mother ys her part and does as she is told.¡± Jace answered. ¡°I will text you what to do, and you better do it this time with no attitude.¡± He ended the call, and she carried herself to the car and cried her eyes out there. Her heart broke. She had begun healing out of the goodness of her heart, but learning that her sons were now in danger and in the enemy¡¯s territory because of it made her regret it. She wished she had never helped anyone. That was selfish, but she didn¡¯t care. If she had been selfish, she would still have her sons with her now and keep herself as far away from the werewolf world as possible. A call came into her phone while she still mourned her loss and regretted every decision she had made until now. Her head lifted from the steering wheel, where it had been for over half an hour. She dug her hand into her purse and pulled her phone out to see Cam¡¯s name on the caller ID. She wiped her face and sniffed back the remaining tears before picking up the call. ¡°Cam,¡± she called, her voice worn and low. ¡°I already left work; I¡¯ming home, Sky. Have you found them?¡± she asked. She shook her head, then realised her friend couldn¡¯t see her, ¡°No,¡± ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still at the school parking lot. Immediately she heard the car tyres screeching on the road, and she knew Cam had taken a U-turn. ¡°I¡¯ming.¡± She didn¡¯t move from her position. She couldn¡¯t even if she wanted to. Her sons. were not only the source of her joy in thest five years; they had been the source of her strength and fulfilment. Without them in her life, it all felt empty and meaningless. She didn¡¯t think she would ever feel this way again. She had gone through so much in five years, and after her escape, she never thought there would be another reason she would feel this lost, not knowing what to do. Here she was, feeling worse than she had in all those times. She didn¡¯t wish this much pain on even her worst enemy. A few concerned parents hade close to the car in thest hour she had been here. They had asked if she was okay, and she had to nod her head as an answer to their question. If she had raised her head, that answer would have been a lie, though. ¡°Sky!¡± she heard Cam¡¯s voice call from not so far away, and she turned to find her hurrying towards her car. Cam¡¯s face broke on seeing her face. ¡°Oh, Sky, I am sorry. Let¡¯s get you home.¡± Cam opened the door and wiped the little tear stains still on her face. Cam helped Fiona out of her car and into hers. She drove them home in silence. Fiona was grateful her friend didn¡¯t engage her in any little talks. She knew she had to tell her friend the truth. She deserved to know the truth, especially after everything they had been through together. In the car, she thought about how to go about telling her the truth. It had been over five years, and it might create. tension between them, but this had to be done. They arrived home, and they moved into the house together. She knew Cam had a lot of questions on her mind, but those were not the only ones she was about to answer. ¡°Have you called the authority to inform them?¡± Cam, who didn¡¯t understand what was happening, asked. She shook her head, and her eyes fluttered weakly. Cam frowned. ¡°Why not?¡± Because she couldn¡¯t involve the police in a matter she knew they couldn¡¯t fix. ¡°My name isn¡¯t Sky.¡± She told her. Cam¡¯s eyes narrowed at her. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°My name is Fiona, but I changed my name to Sky because, while I escaped from death, the sky served as assurance that it would be alright.¡± Cam didn¡¯t interrupt her, perhaps already figuring out Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. that there was more to reveal. ¡°I know you know I am not human. You knew it when you found me five years ago and took care of me. Perhaps you believed I woulde out with the truth in my time, and I¡¯m sorry it took so long to reveal it. What you might not know is that I am a healer, and I¡¯ve been the famous healer of East Street.¡± ¡°The one healing humans with various illnesses?¡± Fiona nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Cam¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Then you were the one who healed me of the lung failure after I quit smoking.¡± Fiona nodded. ¡°Yes, I did.¡± Then she proceeded to tell her about the events that made them cross paths and how she discovered her healing abilities. Her friend. listened quietly. ¡°That is what I did because, just like you, there were people who either couldn¡¯t afford medication or had reached the point where science couldn¡¯t help them out. It was a gift from the moon goddess, and so I didn¡¯t hold back on giving it freely.¡± ¡°Does your healing powers have anything to do with Lukas and Jashin¡¯s disappearance?¡± Cam asked, connecting all the dots herself. A tear rolled down Fiona¡¯s face, and she bit her bottom l*p. ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded. ¡°They were taken because I wouldn¡¯t go to the werewolf world and heal their gue. My boys have been taken to the werewolf world, and to get them back, I have to do what I am told for as long as possible.¡± She cried bitterly. Cam¡¯s face dropped, and she pulled closer to where Fiona sat, cing her hand on her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Fiona shook her head and threw her hands around Cam for aforting hug. ¡°I am sorry.¡± Cam kept repeating until she stopped sobbing. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± her friend asked with curious voice. ¡°I have no choice; I have to do as I am told. I have to do whatever it takes to get my sons back.¡± She answered. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Fiona got dressed and picked up all she needed for her journey as dawn arrived. She had waited for the text from Jace, and though she expected it toe in a few. minutes, it took a few hours. She didn¡¯t sleep, though; she couldn¡¯t, not while her sons were in the hands of strangers who would harm them if they had the opportunity to. She stayed awake until she received the text. She got up to head out, but Cam stopped her, telling her it was toote to do that. Her friend convinced her that she needed to be me ntally sound before she would help her sons. She took her advice and stayed back, and in those hours, she had a little sleep, knowing the day ahead would be the longest she had ever experienced in a long while. Fiona gathered everything she knew she would need into her journey bag which she carried on her back, it was the only thing she was taking on this journey. ¡°Thank you, Cam.¡± She had thought ahead for her, and she was grateful. ¡°I thank the goddess every day for bringing you into my life.¡± Cam smiled, and that was a very rare sight to see. ¡°You have not only changed. my life, you have also saved it. I am the lucky one to have found you when I did.¡± They shared a quick hug, and when they pulled away, they both had tears in their eyes. ¡°Before I forget, Dr Peter likes you a lot. I think it¡¯s high time you let go of what Ondo did to you and give love another chance.¡± She encouraged. Cam didn¡¯t give her usual scowl at the mention of a man¡¯s name; instead, she nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Fiona dragged a deep breath, knowing the chapter that awaited her, and with determination, she moved towards it. The direction she received from Jace was one she would follow to get to where they were. The message told her there was an open portal that would close after 24 hours. It was a short cut that would shorten the journey from two days to a few hours. In the message, he told her how to get to that portal. It would take a few hours to get there, and once in the werewolf world, she would follow the next direction sent. Funny, this time yesterday she was getting the boys ready for school, and today she was here, going to rescue them. The werewolf and humans had lived apart for as long as she could remember. There was no bad blood within them, and whenever the humans crossed over to the werewolf world, they would always receive good treatment, and the same went with werewolves in the human world. They were feared because of their abilities, but they were still treated with kindness. This way, the two worlds kept the going for over a hundred years. peace The trip to the portal took a few hours, as expected. After arriving at the portal that led to the werewolf world, she took a sharp breath before stepping in. She felt edgy, as she could feel overwhelming powers surging around her already. She had spent many years out in the human world, and now this world felt strange to her. Still, turning around and leaving wasn¡¯t a choice she had. The direction from the message was that the Lycan king lived in the Rayfield.munity, which, It took a few hours to reach with her speed as her ability fluttered with years of staying dormant, and as she reached the gate of the Lycan king¡¯s estate, the guards. let her in. They expected her arrival. Just like when she stepped into the werewolf world, she felt the presence of an intense power, and she knew it had to belong to the Lycan king. He was so powerful that his presence was felt all over the estate. He was the Lycan king after all. She presented herself at the gate of the pack estate, and the beta in charge of security took her and led her over to a cream-coloured mansion she could only dream of being around. All this she did in silence. The beta guard knocked, and the door opened to reveal Jace, the man who took her sons. Her nose red at the sight of him, and her fist clenched. ¡°Where are my sons?¡± she barked at him. ¡°Watch your tone, ma¡¯am; the Lycan king will not tolerate disrespect and rudeness. in his estate.¡± He warned. She red at him, angered that he wanted to order her around after what he had done. ¡°You kidnapped my sons; you do not get to tell me how the f**k think I should act!¡± She exploded on him, surprised she hadn¡¯t put hands on him yet. ¡°I you am here, just as you wanted; now where are my sons?¡± ¡°Your sons are safe; they are, however, not here with me; they are in another. mansion, and you will get to see them as long as you cooperate.¡± he answered. ¡°And I am to believe everything you say?¡± Jace groaned in frustration, dipped his hand into his pocket, and pulled out his phone. After tapping on it a few times, he showed it to her, and on the screen were Jashin and June. And though Jashin was on the floor, ying with toy cars, June sat quietly watching his brother. Fiona¡¯s eyes grew ssy, and she almost reached for the phone to have a little more time with them when Jace pulled the phone away, turned it off, and sl*pped it back into his pocket. ¡°That¡¯s the proof you wanted. Your sons are safe. We have orders to follow, but that doesn¡¯t mean we are monsters. She scoffed, doubting his words: ¡°Only monsters take children away from their mother.¡± ¡°Fine then, I will be the monster; just know, you refusing to help your king save those who are dying in their hundreds every day doesn¡¯t make you a better person. Among those who are dying are children, some younger than the age of ten. Why do your children deserve life and not them? They are just as Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. innocent.¡± He said through gritted teeth, and for the first time since getting to know him, she saw him disy a level of rage. ¡°So, if holding onto your sons is the only way out of this, then they will be our prisoners until you do what you need to do.¡± With that said, he stormed out of the mansion, leaving her alone in it. She didn¡¯t know how long she stood watching the door where Jace had walked out before she heard footsteps from behind. She jumped and turned around to find a girl a few years younger than her, ¡°Who are you?¡± She eximed, startled. ¡°Be, I am the maid here.¡± The girl answered with a timid voice. Fiona didn¡¯t think she would need a maid; she wouldn¡¯t be here long and could take care of herself until the few days she would be here. She brought everything she needed. Still, she said nothing in opposition to her words or role here. Fionna didn¡¯t know why, but there was something about the younger woman that consoled her. Unlike the others she had met so far, something about her told her she could trust her. She had felt that around Ophelia at her parent¡¯s estate five years ago. It was a good feeling, though. Fiona nodded. ¡°I am Sky Lawson. I will stay in this mansion in the next few days.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Sky; your room is ready; you cane in now. Please go in and shower, and I will get your meal ready. I have instructions to follow. You begin your healing today, and so you have to be at full strength. Those were Beta Keh¡¯s instructions.¡± Her heart sk ipped; she remembered that name. How could she ever forget? He was the man whose presence at the dungeon saved her life; he was the man who took her out of the dungeon on the Lycan king¡¯s orders. Keh was intimidating, and though not the Lycan king, he had so much authority that it made her wonder how intimidating the Lycan king would be. It was best to do what she needed to do here and leave with her sons; that was the only goal here. She nodded but paused when she heard a familiar voice say, ¡°Is she already here?¡± Her stomach coiled because she knew who the voice belonged to; it had been over five years, but she couldn¡¯t forget it. The voice belonged to none other than the witch called Vivian. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 The door flew open before Fiona could think of what to do, and in walked Vivian. Behind her were two men serving as escorts. She looked the same way she had always looked like a snake. What were the odds that she would be standing in the same room with her after many years? A part of her feared Vivian would discover who she was, but she reminded herself that if over hundred people couldn¡¯t recognise her before and after pictures, Vivian couldn¡¯t either. That was the assurance she held onto despite her weary mind. Vivian stepped towards her with her eyes narrowed and filled with disapproval, making her wonder what the hell she was doing here. Thest she saw her was at Langfield, if anything, she should be there, so why was she here? Snakes had their ways, after all. There was so much she needed to know. ¡°I heard you are the healer; I am Vivian Jackson.¡± She began with a condescending tone of voice. ¡°I am the Lycan king¡¯s personal adviser.¡± Fiona held herself together because the snake¡¯s very presence was revolting and infuriating, just as it was over five years ago.. If Vivian was introducing herself to her, then it meant she didn¡¯t recognise her. This gave her much king, then she would see to it to make her work here difficult. at very This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Fiona returned silence to her as a response, and she didn¡¯t seem to like that much because her nose red up in disgust. She stepped towards her, her tone now reproving as if she was in charge. ¡°I also heard you wouldn¡¯t stopped walking when she stood a few feet away from her. ¡°What kind of person refuses to help her own people?¡± she demanded. Just like earlier, Fiona responded to her question with silence. It was getting to Vivian, and her teeth gritted, and she red at her. ¡°Now you listen, you will do as the king tells you, and you will do only that, or you will have me to answer to.¡± she said and stormed away from the room, and her escorts followed behind her. Fiona turned to Be, who was still standing behind her and had seen all the drama Vivian had yed. ¡°Who is she?¡± Fiona asked, pretending that she didn¡¯t know who Vivian was. ¡°A witch, that is who she is.¡± Be bit out crudely, and Fiona¡¯s eyes widened because she didn¡¯t think the timid and shy girl had the energy for hate. Be must have realised she had spoken out of tone because her eyes flickered with panic. ¡°I am sorry; I shouldn¡¯t have called her a witch.¡± Fiona wanted to tell her that she didn¡¯t need to apologise because that was what Vivian was. A witch and a snake, but she couldn¡¯t; that would give too much away. Fiona smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine; she doesn¡¯t seem to be the nicest person in the room.¡± ¡°She is not; pleasee with me to the bathroom while I get your water ready.¡± She said that and led the way. Fiona followed behind, still not believing that she would have this huge mansion all to herself until the time she would leave. She waited as Be got the water ready, and a few questions ran around in her head, and they were important. ¡°So, Ms. Jackson works with the Lycan king?¡± She hoped that Be would share a little information with her so she would know. what she was up against. The younger woman seemed willing to share a few information. ¡°The gue. broke out over five years ago, and the rebels swamped the entiremunity, infecting everyone they came across. Vivian helped the King tame the rage, and hemended her quick action and she has followed him since then. She has also worked her way up, stepping on the heads of as many as she could along the way.¡± Fiona¡¯s brow narrowed. ¡°What do you mean by stepping on the heads of as many as she could along the way?¡± ¡°She betrayed a lot of people, including her parents, which led to their deaths at the hands of the gue. There were rumours she had affairs with her sister¡¯s fianc¨¦ and dumped him after he got the gue. That was all four years ago.¡± :: Learning about the deaths of her biological parents was a heartbreak for her. She prayed they were at least able to find peace in the life beyond. Henry, on the other hand, she didn¡¯t care about. Yes, he was once her mate, but he hurt her on his own ord. He cheated on her and chose Vivian over her, making her a fool for believing in his love and affection. He rejected her when she was already down. ¡°She is really evil, then?¡± Be sighed and nodded. ¡°She really is. She cut me with her wsst night because I didn¡¯t bring her water on time.¡± She said this and lifted up her hand to reveal the cut on her wrist, which was slowly healing. Fiona¡¯s eyes became sorrowful. ¡°I¡¯m sorry she did that to you.¡± Be shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It will take a while, since I am an omega, but it will heal.¡± Fiona nodded in agreement. She remembered all the times she was bullied as a child and abused by her bullies; she didn¡¯t heal as fast as others, and then she learned it was the plight of being an omega. When a Lycan is hurt or wounded by someone higher in rank than them, their injuries take a while to heal. Since everyone on the chain of hierarchy was higher than Omegas, it was always an unending pain. ¡°Can I see that?¡± Fiona asked, already reaching out her hand to Be. The maid hesitated but gave her hand to Fiona. She ced her palm over the bruised wrist, and after a few minutes, she removed it, and behold, Be¡¯s hand was as good as new. Be stared at her hand in disbelief before staring up at Fiona. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± She smiled at her and shook her head, thinking nothing of it. She nced at her hand once again and then back at Fiona. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I was once like you. I know what it feels like, and I would do anything to make sure no one goes through it again.¡± She revealed it to her, and although she did not go into every detail, she knew she had gotten her point across to the younger woman. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am; you¡¯re indeed a miracle to us all.¡± Be bowed her head. ¡°You¡¯re wee, and I only pray that is true.¡± ¡°Your water is ready now.¡± Fiona didn¡¯t say another word before taking off her clothes. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 As soon as she was dressed, someone was sent by the Lycan king to help her start. in themunity. He seemed more reasonable than all the ones she had dealt with so far. He stood at not less than 5 feet 11 inches, and unlike the rest of the men she had seen, he had casual wear. Except for theb coat he had on his hands. ¡°My name is Marion Rivers; I will be the supervisor on the mission. I am a medical physician, and I specialise in herbs and their healing effects on our king. My job is to make sure you arefortable and provided with all that you need. I will bring information from the Lycan king over to you, and I will bring your urgent messages over to him. I learned your name is Sky Lawson,¡± he asked. She nodded, and he smiled. ¡°Good. I hope I am noting off as scary to you, Ms. Lawson. I have been under a lot of pressuretely. With you here now, I hope I can lessen that load.¡± Contrary to his beliefs, he was the least scary person she had met sinceing. here, and it helped her rx a little. If everyone she will be around with in the next this, then staying here will not be as miserable as she initially few days is like feared. She nodded. ¡°I hope so too, Mr. Rivers.¡± ¡°Call me, Marion, please.¡± He said as he led the way out, and she followed behind. ¡°Okay Marion.¡± They entered his car, and he drove them out of the Lycan King¡¯s estate, where she hade earlier, and she knew they were heading to the site where the gued werewolves were kept. After thirty minutes of driving, they arrived at an erected structure off the road, with no other building close to it and a massive silver fence. Marion turned off the car and got down. S got down as well, with so many questions in her head. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°This is the settlement. It¡¯s the shelter erected by the Lycan king six months ago; it was to be a sanctuary for those who dealt with the gue. Here, I and my three weeks ago.¡± He told her. ¡°And yourrades?¡± She asked, staring up at him. He shook his head. ¡°Many didn¡¯t make it.¡± He told her. Her eyes dropped. ¡°I am sorry.¡± He shook his head; he seemed to have found peace with their passing, and that was a good thing. ¡°The gue has wrecked so many things in our world in thest five years, and those who have survived or never had it do not know how lucky they are. I still don¡¯t know how I and the others survived.¡± ¡°Maybe you survived because the moon goddess isn¡¯t done with you yet.¡± He scoffed. ¡°I no longer believe she¡¯s out there, and if she is out there, what is she doing?¡± There was a time in her life that she thought like he did; she didn¡¯t understand what the moon goddess was doing or why things were so horrible with her. It was not until she had her twins that she realised the goddess¡¯s way was far from their understanding, yet good. She was their mother, after all. She stayed silent and followed behind Marion as he led her to the inside of the settlement. It had many rooms, somerger than the others. He led her to another room, and though not the biggest, it was executive. It looked like an office, except it wasn¡¯t one. ¡°This is your healing room. The news of your arrival camete, and so we couldn¡¯t inform those with the gues toe. However, we have a few already here and waiting in line.¡± He told her. ¡°The envoys brought me here because I am a healer.¡± She began, ¡°But I only attend to humans and their infirmities. I haven¡¯t dealt with the gue before, so I might not be as the news has made me out to be.¡± up She hadn¡¯t had enough time to gather up the information about what she was u against. Her mind has been divided between her children, wondering if they were safe and how long it would take for her to see them.. ¡°Do not be concerned,¡± he said warmly. I have also made this known to the Lycan king, and he is well aware it¡¯s just a trial.¡± He knew this and still kidnapped her sons! She thought to herself angrily. He gave orders to them to bring her; the way they chose to go about it had nothing to do with him. The small voice in her head told her. It still didn¡¯t make it right. She dragged a deep breath. ¡°Fine, then, let¡¯s get to it.¡±. She spent the first hour inspecting the gues and their manifestation on the skins. of the werewolves that had them. Each was different, and they also had deadly states and stages. She had to know to what extent she would have to take the healing. She got down to business the next few hours that passed, healing those that came to her. Marion was in the same room with her all through, watching closely and asking if she needed one thing or another, and whatever she needed, he brought it over to her. The numbers of thoseing in increased by the hour, and it seemed that those healed returned home and told the others. Since the gue was one that wouldn¡¯t return after it was healed, they had nothing to fear while they returned home to their families to show them what had happened to them because of Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. the healer. On the first day, instead of the fifty she had thought, she ended up healing a hundred gued werewolves.. ¡°No more,¡± she said as thest one she just healed walked out of the healing room. ¡°I can heal no more.¡± With every gue she healed, her hunger grew, and that was the only thing she noticed, so with every five she healed, she had to feed herself before returning. With the humans, their infirmities had little effect on her whenever she healed them. The highest it had made her was a little thirsty, and that was after healing a girl of stage 4 cancer. Today she learned that though she could heal the gue, it was so much different from what she dealt with in the world of humans. No human willst a week under this gue, and the werewolves that had survived so far did because they had supernatural abilities despite how weak they were. Marion left the room to give instructions to the two guards, who were positioned outside. They carried out the instruction, informing the ones in charge of the gued werewolves to send no more in. Marion walked towards her aftering into the healing room. ¡°Can you stand?¡± he asked, sounding worried for her, and she smiled, surprised that he cared about her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I looked at the gue; it¡¯s not what can kill me.¡± She assured him, and there was relief on his face. ¡°I need food.¡± She said this, rising to her feet, and her stomach rumbled. They ran out of food thest hour, and thest seven she healed on an empty stomach. She knew if she went on to heal another, she would be taken out of here unconscious. That wouldn¡¯t be wise on her part, and so she had to apply wisdom to her dealings. ¡°You will get whatever you need. You are saving the entire werewolf world from this curse, and the Lycan king will be in your debt.¡± He assured her, his grey eyes. filled with certainty. She didn¡¯t want anything from the Lycan king; she only wanted her sons returned to her once this was over. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Julian McQueen POV ¡°How did the first day go?¡± Julian McQueen, the Lycan king, asked. Marion stood before him to feed him information about the healer¡¯s activity on her first day. The guards brought him into the meditation room to meet with the Lycan king, which was where he always spent his evening, covered in incense, herbs and heat. Every day he would shift into his Lycan form and remain that way to retain his. strength before shifting back to human. The incense, herbs and heat worked as restoration for his lost strength. In this room, he also could have a private discussion with anyone, certain that no one would listen in on them. The room, just like a few others, was fortified with magic to keep words in and whatever he said or did remained in the confines of the room. ¡°It went well. She is nothing like I have ever seen before. The healers that we have had before her and the ones I¡¯ve read about in books in the past either used herbs. or had some sort of ritual performed beforemencing their healing, but she did no such thing. She only examined the gues for the first hour and then carried on with healing them into thest hour.¡± He replied. ¡°And how many was she able to get done today?¡± ¡°About a hundred, my king.¡± ¡°I am so happy to hear that, but why a hundred?¡± ¡°We had to stop because we ran out of food.¡± Marion replied. His brow narrowed, seeing no corrtion between healing and food. Marion had to continue speaking after seeing the Lycan King¡¯s confusion. ¡°She had to eat with every five gues she cured. There wasn¡¯t enough food left with thest ten, and she could only heal seven.¡± He told him. ¡°So she eats more as she heals?¡± his brow raised. Marion shook his head. ¡°She doesn¡¯t eat more, but she exined as we drove home that she gets hungry with every gue she heals. So the most she could do before passing out will be seven.¡± Marion answered. He had wanted to see the famous healer immediately after she arrived at the Pack estate. He had picked up her different scent, and it resonated within him, but he had other matters to attend to, such Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. as security. When Jace and Drew came back to the estate yesterday without the healer but. instead with her sons, he was confused. The they told him she had declined his offer toe and heal his people; hence, they took her sons. He was outraged at her audacity, yet he couldn¡¯t take it out on the children; they were innocent and had nothing to do with their mother¡¯s rebellion. When he heard about her arrival today, he wanted to visit her and assure her that her children were safe. What had happened was out of desperation. Being Lycans didn¡¯t make them monsters as much as they were made to be. When Marion took her to the settlement, he had stepped out to see the children brought in by his envoy for the first time since their arrival. And oh, how much the boys reminded him of his younger self! They told him their names were June and Jashin and asked where their mother was. He told them she had gone to work, and they asked why she didn¡¯te in to see them before leaving for work like she normally did. He couldn¡¯t lie, and so he told them it was because he wouldn¡¯t let her. The twins didn¡¯t look happy to hear that, and Jashin asked if he was a bad man. No one had asked him that before. No one had dared to ask him that for as long as he could remember. Yet this boy did. He then told him he wasn¡¯t a bad guy, but he had done bad things. Jashin told him that he was like their mother; she wasn¡¯t a bad person, but she had told them she had done bad things. He knew there and then that he wanted to meet the healer who had birthed such smart and amazing children. Before he left, they asked him if their mother woulde to see them soon, and he nodded and told them she woulde to see them tomorrow morning. He meant to keep his words to themselves. The more he thought about the boys, the more he thought about their mother. Who was she, and why did she decline his offer toe and help the werewolf world? He had learned that she was one of them, and so he didn¡¯t understand why she had given a cold shoulder to his request and had to be dragged here. He knew he would have to meet her soon, but every fibre of his being wanted it to be quick. ¡°From my observation, it seems that she bears the infirmities on herself, and that is why she gets hungry, I will keep observing and asking all the necessary questions.¡± ¡°She is a gift to us in these trying times.¡± Marion agreed, ¡°She really is.¡± He bowed his head to take his leave when he spoke. ¡°Do you think there is a possibility where she can help me?¡± he asked. Marion stayed silent. He didn¡¯t rush to speak and give off false information, and that was why, amongst the many consultants Julian had, he trusted him the most. When the gue overran the settlement three months ago and they lost many, his heart stayed with Marion, hoping that he would survive, and when he did, he kept him by his side, never to let him go again. He only released him because he needed to be around the healer and give him information about her. ¡°I cannot ascertain, but if she looks at where the problemes from, perhaps she can find a solution to it.¡± He answered. ¡°Thank you, Marion; you may go.¡± Marion bowed his head and took his leave, shutting the door behind him. Left alone, he ced his head against the chair, and hisshes fluttered for a bit, trying to calm his ever-sk ipping heart. ¡°Stressful day, I gather.¡± He heard the voice of the only one capable of making him smile amidst this chaos.. ¡°Nina.¡± His eyes fluttered, and he reached out his hand to her. She took his hand, and he pulled her to himself. ¡°Every day is a stressful day, darling.¡± He told her. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be though,¡± she said, a small pouting to disy on her face. She leaned in and k*ssed his hair, and his eyes fluttered weakly. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You will be fine; now that the healer is here, she can work her magic.¡± She assured him. He chuckled at her words, remembering how Marion had told him the healer had to eat for every five gues she cured. She would have to eat a mountain of food before she would be able to lift one cent of his burden. Nina¡¯s brow rose. ¡°What is so funny, Julian?¡± Nina wouldn¡¯t understand, even if she told him what made himugh. He shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re just so beautiful, darling.¡± He changed the subject and caught her bottom l*ps between his for a soft k*ss. She k*ssed back and moaned into the k*ss as his hand began to wander on her skin. Her perfect skin. ¡°Tell me about your day, darling, in the bedroom.¡± He got to his feet and swept her into his arms, taking her away to the bedroom. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Fiona¡¯s POV Fiona¡¯sshes fluttered to meet the dawn of day. Last night, she returned home exhausted and unable to do anything about it. It had started as hunger, but she soon learned it had metamorphosed into exhaustion, and even after eating, the food didn¡¯t get rid of it. Despite feeling this way, she couldn¡¯t stop thinking about her sons. She knew that just like she had been taken care of, they had too, but she couldn¡¯t help thinking about them. They had never been this apart before, and she hated it. Yet there was nothing she could do. She couldn¡¯t leave the mansion. There was a guard ced there, and she wouldn¡¯t be able to leave without alerting him. Even if she managed to escape, she would have a hard time knowing where her sons were on this massive estate. She didn¡¯t feel angry anymore. She was on the same estate as them, and that gave her littlefort. She felt sad, though. Her sadness will remain until she is allowed to see her sons. Her eyes stung, and she rubbed over them just as Be opened the door and stepped inside. ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t wake you, ma¡¯am, she said with a worried look on her face. She did, but she didn¡¯t have to worry about it. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Be, and you can call me Sky.¡± The younger woman shook her head and said, ¡°I could never.¡± ¡°But I want you to.¡± Fiona insisted, ¡°I am not ma¡¯am; I am Sky; you should call me that.¡± ¡°Alright, ma¡¯am-Sky,¡± she corrected herself. Fiona smiled. ¡°I know it will take a while. But you will get used to it.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She bathed and got ready within an hour. Marion had told her she would have to be ready before eight a.m., as they would be at the settlement earlier than yesterday. She didn¡¯t want to bete; she didn¡¯t want to give anyone the reason to not keep to their end of the bargain. A knock came to her door just as she finished fixing her contact lens, and she turned to the door. ¡°Yes, I aming.¡± She exited the bedroom and headed into the living room. She opened the door, and before her stood Marion, looking ready for the new day. He looked much better aspared to yesterday, when they had headed out together. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°I am.¡± She shed him a small smile. ¡°Good, then let¡¯s go.¡± He led the way, but instead of approaching the car like he did. yesterday, he continued to walk and headed towards another mansion, which was heavily protected by guards. ¡°Where are we going?¡± She asked, not so trusting of Marion¡¯s move anymore. He turned to her with a beam on his face and said, ¡°The Lycan king wanted you to meet your sons today. He wants you to be certain they are safe and in good hands,¡± he told her, and he walked past the guards in ck. She paused in her tracks, not believing her ears. She had gone to bedst night. thinking about her sons and not knowing when she would get to see them. Knowing she would be seeing them now felt like a dream. ¡°Really?¡± she asked. He nodded. ¡°You get at least twenty minutes with them before we leave.¡± She didn¡¯t say anything more, but her heart leaped for joy at the thought of meeting her sons in a few seconds. She had thought that she would only be allowed to see her sons after she had kept to her end of the deal. The deal was healing the werewolf world of their gue, and she estimated not less than three weeks. This was great news. Marion knocked on the door before pushing it open, and she followed in, not making any sound behind her. She found no trace of them in the room, and though their smell lingered in the room, she couldn¡¯t tell if they were still here. And this made her doubt if they were really here. ¡°They are in the bedroom.¡± Marion said it as if he could hear her doubt creeping in. e.¡± She followed without questioning, and they went up the stairs and to the first door to the right, which they came across. Again, Marion knocked and opened the door; he stepped in first, and she followed behind. He stepped out of her way to see her sons, and she couldn¡¯t hold back the joy at the sight of them. ¡°June! Jashin.¡± They both looked up from the iPad they held onto immediately, and their eyes widened at the sight of her. ¡°Mommy!¡± Jashin was the first to run towards her, and she got on her knees to hug him. June followed right after. Their faces were filled with excitement and happiness; she didn¡¯t want it to leave. ¡°My babies!¡± She wrapped her arms around them, k*ssing their heads one after another. She did not want to let them go, but she knew she had to. She feltplete having them in her arms. Thest five years she spent surrounded by them, losing them had almost wrecked her. She had spent forty hours apart from them, but it felt like a lifetime. She didn¡¯t want to go through it again. ¡°What took you so long to get here?¡± June asked, his eyes filled with scepticism. She had always told her sons the truth, no matter how hard it was. She believed if she started lying, it would never end, and so she did; she didn¡¯t hope to start now. ¡°I had an assignment to finish, and until I finish it, you two will remain here.¡± ¡°How long before you finish this assignment?¡± June asked. She hadn¡¯t calcted this to know the answer. ¡°I don¡¯t know. A few weeks, maybe months.¡± Jashin¡¯s head fell on her shoulder. ¡°I want to go back home!¡± She leaned in and k*ssed his head. ¡°I know, and I want us to go home too, but 1 have to do this first. Promise me you two will be of good behaviour while I am away.¡± They nodded, and she pulled closer and k*ssed both their heads again. After thirty more minutes with them, she rose to her feet. She wanted to spend more time with them, but she didn¡¯t want to abuse the privilege she had been given by the Lycan king to see her sons. She still wanted to see her sons tomorrow and onward, and this was the right way to ensure that kept happening. will head back now. Be good boys.¡± June¡¯s eyes dropped sadly, and she wanted to tell him she would return, but she couldn¡¯t say words she wouldn¡¯t be able to keep. With a heavy heart, she turned away and departed from the room. She said no word as she headed out, and Marion followed behind her, not speaking as well. When she got to where the car stayed parked, Marion unlocked it, and she got in. They drove to the settlement, and the first couple minutes they spent in silence. ¡°You looked more cheerful before you saw your sons. Would you rather you didn¡¯t see them?¡± She nced at him and then looked back, staring outside the window. She didn¡¯t. want to seem ungrateful for the opportunity she got to see her sons, but it only reinforced how powerless she really was. ¡°Do you have children, Marion?¡± she asked. ¡°I have two with my mate,¡± he answered with a quick nod. ¡°How would you feel going home today and not finding them? Or how would you feel if they used your children topel you into submission?¡± Marion kept silent, probably already knowing how she felt in all this. ¡°I am grateful I got to see my sons, but this time two days ago, I just dropped them off at school. I had hopes of picking them up in a few hours and then carrying on with my little life. Now, seeing them is anchored to my ability to follow the rules set out, making sure I follow everything I am expected to do.¡± ¡°I am sorry,¡± he muttered with a small voice, and he seemed to have understood her pain and grievance. ¡°He will keep to his words, right?¡± She asked before adding for rity. ¡°The Lycan king, he will let them go when I do my part, right?¡± ¡°I would like to think of myself as one that does not know much, but one thing I know is this: the Lycan king is a man of his word, that you can be sure of.¡± Chapter 17 Chapter 17 They arrived at the settlement, and for a few seconds, Fiona didn¡¯t believe this was the same ce they came in yesterday; there was so much difference. not very The settlement was crawling with Lycans of different ranks. She knew they weren¡¯t the ones with the gue, as those with it had a confinement located at the back, far from the healing room. These were the security measures the Lycan king had put in ce, which took effect this morning. They all looked terrifying, and she had doubts she would have the freedom she feltst night. This might end up affecting her concentration level, and she didn¡¯t want that. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be worried; everyone here knows their responsibility, and no one will cross yours,¡± Marion told her, probably seeing the look on her face as she stared around, taking note of everything put in ce. She turned to him and found him giving her an encouraging eye.. Fiona carried on with the day, but taking hints fromst night, Marion gave instructions to have food brought in after asking what she wanted to have. They had been able to cure a hundred yesterday, and if doubling that number was possible, they would try it. The Lycan king also assigned a few betas to keep the settlement in order. They introduced themselves to her and told her they were avable if she needed. anything. The few medical colleagues of Marion also joined in to lessen his work and keep an eye on her. Their work was to examine the gues and get those with critical conditions immediate attention among those who were at the settlement. When that was done, they would ce the others on some of the healing herbs Marion had been working on in thest few months. It didn¡¯t cure their gue, but it kept it at bay and stopped it from spreading. In the fifth hour of the day, Fiona needed a break. Yes, she had one after every five gues she cured, but she needed a longer one. and also to stretch her legs. She had never done anything that kept her in the same spot for more than two hours before. While she worked at the hospital, she always moved around from the counter to the patients ward and the doctor¡¯s office. Staying in one position without moving wouldn¡¯t go well. She told Marion she needed a little rest, as she had attended to more than half of what she did yesterday seated. She told him about the need to stretch her leg, and he granted it to her. She was walking through the hallway of the settlement when she caught sight of Vivian and her minions approaching. She was thest person she looked forward to seeing here, and at the sight of her, her stomach curled in a bad way. She turned away, but she didn¡¯t do it quick enough because Vivian caught her sight and stormed towards her. Now she had to stand here and wee the snake in white heels and a blue dress. Vivian had a condescending look as she approached her. ¡°I thought you had responsibility here in the settlement, so why are you here walking around. aimlessly? The Lycan king didn¡¯t bring you and your sons into his estate, so you can be useless all day long,¡± she snarled at her. Firstly, she wasn¡¯t brought here; she came after her sons were taken away; there was no joy in that. Secondly. ¡°If there is anyone worthless, here it is you.¡± These were the words she wanted to say, but she bit down on her l*p and stayed silent because no answer was a good enough response for a snake like her. ¡°So, you¡¯re deaf?¡± Vivian stepped dangerously close to her. ¡°You do not fool me with that silly act; a few people saw you yesterday, and they said you spoke.¡± ¡°Oh, I do; I just don¡¯t want to speak to you.¡± Her teeth gritted, and rage consumed the old snake. She raised her hand to strike her face, but Marion stepped in and caught hold of her hand. ¡°You little witch!¡± she growled at her. ¡°Let me go this second!¡± She raised her voice at him, and he did as shemanded. ¡°I will not have you speak to me in that manner or tone!¡± She growled at her, ¡°What is she doing outside?¡± She turned her attention to Marion, and from the look on his face, it showed he would deal Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. with anything but her right now. ¡°She needed to breathe.¡± Marion answered. ¡°The Lycan king didn¡¯t bring her here so she would breathe; he brought her here to cure the gue. That is what she should be doing morning, afternoon, and night if she hopes to take her worthless little boys out of here alive.¡± Fiona¡¯s teeth gritted, and she almost reached for her hair for calling her sons worthless, but she had to restrain herself and stay under control. She was as vile as a snake, and the trick was to not give her the reaction she desperately needed. ¡°Yes, I get that, and amongst the two of us, she has cured over two hundred Lycans of gue since her arrival at the Pack Estate.¡± He said, stepping in to defend her. This was something Fiona hadn¡¯t experienced because she had always had to fight her own battles. So, this now feels like a dream. ¡°Also, do not speak evil of children; only monsters do that. Perhaps someday, when you have children of your own, you will understand.¡± If Marion knew a little of what Fiona knew about Vivian, he would know she was the ideal definition of a monster. She had tried to kill her in the dungeon five years ago, despite knowing she was pregnant. That¡¯s what monsters do. Vivian nodded, and her eyes became dramatically remorseful. ¡°I am sorry; I just cannot stand the thought of our people dying while she does nothing about it,¡± she said, taking a step back from them. ¡°It¡¯s just so hard to imagine. ¡°She isn¡¯t doing nothing, and yelling isn¡¯t doing something, Ms. Jackson.¡± He said, his tone still not light with her, ¡°As the supervisor of the settlement, I will tell you that you are wee to stay as long as you promise not to make a scene.¡± He said, and with that, he led Fiona out of the hall. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Fiona woke and found herself in her wolf form. It was a surprise to her because she didn¡¯t think her wolf form would take over control without first making it known to her; that wasn¡¯t the way she operated. However, she was a wolf, and whatever Ona wanted to do, she wasn¡¯t done because she didn¡¯t look interested in giving her back control. She got down from the bed and stood before the mirror.. Ona was a pure white wolf, just like every other female wolf, but she noticed a change after going to the human world. Yes, she had kept her wolf hidden for thest five years while in the human world, but she had shifted nine months into the twins¡¯ pregnancy. She needed the strength, and Ona was the only way she could. get a little. Shifting into her wolf form will help her gain and maintain that strength until her delivery. Fiona noticed the change in her wolf then, but she didn¡¯t have the luxury of keeping her out in the open. She didn¡¯t want to be spotted; that would spark trouble she wasn¡¯t ready for. Since then, she hadn¡¯t shifted into her wolf form, and that was over five years. Standing before the mirror now, she noticed Ona, although dormant, had grown and changed beyond her very imagination. Ona now, unlike other female Lycans, had silver fur around her neck, wrists, and thighs. She had wondered, having noticed it, if it had to do with her healing abilities since she didn¡¯t have them before. There was no one to ask or answer, and so she took it as such. Five years ago, when she shifted, the fur was a thin line on her wrist and her neck. and thighs, but now they had be wider. Years ago, she wondered if it had anything to do with her healing ability; now she knew it did. It had grown because her usage of her healing ability had tripled in thest few days alone. However, was this increase a good thing or a bad thing? Was that what Ona wanted to show her? She couldn¡¯t tell because her wolf withdrew, and she shifted back to human form, n*ked, staring at herself in the mirror. Fiona shut her eyes, ignoring her pounding head, and stayed still in bed. It was the dawn of another day, and she didn¡¯t want to get up. In truth, she didn¡¯t want to go anywhere. She was exhausted and tired. She knew she was doing this for her sons, but she wondered how long this would carry on before she finally broke down. To say she was being overworked would be an understatement; she was being used worse than an animal on the farm. She knew this wasn¡¯t going to be easy, but she didn¡¯t think it would be this hard. It¡¯s been a week since Fiona¡¯s arrival in the werewolf world, specifically the Lycan King¡¯s Pack estate, and a lot has changed since then. Ever since Mario confronted Vivian and defended her, Fiona felt tension. There was no reason for her to feel that way, but knowing the person Vivian was, she knew how much the snake hated confrontation and would do anything to eliminate anyone that would stand in her way. She told her five years ago in the cell that there could only be one Ms. Jackson, and she seeded in making sure she was the only one with thest name. Fiona feared Vivian would also do the same regarding the exchange of power at the settlement. Sure, she wasn¡¯t a health practitioner, but she was closer to the Lycan king and could get her way through maniption. Mario noticed her restless mind while they drove that day, and when he asked, she told him it was about Vivian¡¯s appearance and what it meant. He then assured her that as long as he was at the settlement, he would make sure to protect her against the likes of Vivian. The next day, which was four days ago, Mario got transferred to Handfield, amunity far north where Beta Keh had been carrying out the orders of the king. The king had given the orders shortly after he received news that his beta needed medical support. Fiona wouldn¡¯t say Vivina had a hand in this, but how fate yed its card in her favour because the very day, Vivian would take over as acting supervisor until Mario¡¯s return. Mario came to her door the night before his departure to break the news to Fiona, promising to return as fast as he could. Fiona couldn¡¯t sleep; she stayed awake, thinking about the nightmare the next day would be. Just as she feared, the next day was hell for her, and she couldn¡¯t even catch a break. Vivian sliced her break time between each healing into half and the long break, which she usually used to stretch her leg: Vivian only gave it when she felt like it. Doing things Vivian¡¯s way brought a lot of results; they broke the records every day for the gue cure. With Mario, the highest gue she cured in the two days they worked together was two hundred and ten. With Vivian, the least she had cured was three hundred. They went to the settlement earlier and closedter, and she didn¡¯t have any time to herself. She also hadn¡¯t seen her sons in a week, which felt wrong. She went to bed every night thinking about them, but she knew she couldn¡¯t have them or go to them. She wanted to speak to the Lycan king because going this way would kill her in the long run, but the only way to get to the Lycan king was to go through Vivian, and she wasn¡¯t ready to do that yet. Every day she woke up, hating the very idea of leaving the house. Knowing she had to face Vivian without ripping her hair out didn¡¯t sound or feel fair. The only thing that gave her strength in all this was knowing that when all this was over, she would tak her sons and they would leave this ce. A knock came on her door, and she pulled herself onto her elbow, ignoring the aching in her head. ¡°Good morning, Sky,¡± she greeted, closing the door behind her. ¡°Good morning, Be, How are you?¡± ¡°I am fine. How do you feel, Sky?¡± Be, who had seemed toe inst night, looking horrible, asked. Fiona shed her a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°I have to survive. She answered and sat down. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I asked Pedro for a few of Dr. Mario¡¯s herbs; I heard they work wonders; perhaps I could.¡± ¡°You care too much.¡± Fiona told her. ¡°I do, I am an omega, but even if I do not get worked this way, the Lycan king wouldn¡¯t allow it.¡± Be had told her about the Lycan king. He was a just and honest man and always. tried to do things the right way. Her words also matched the ones Mario had once. told her about the liking. ¡°If he is such a good man, howe he doesn¡¯t see through Vivian¡¯s treachery?¡± she asked with a raised brow. ¡°Because he trusts her and believes she only has the best interests of the people at hand.¡± She told her. Fiona rose from the bed and said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t. If Vivian cared even a little about the people, she wouldn¡¯t be trying to work the only healer they have into the ground. There is another motive at work here.¡± Be pressed her l*ps together and remained silent. Fiona noticed the look on her face, and her brow raised. ¡°What?¡± Be shook her head. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing; don¡¯t mind me.¡± ¡°You know something; tell me.¡± ¡°Its rumours and gossip mainly, but many believe the reason Vivian does all these in the name of the Lycan king is because she got her eyes on him as a suitable mate.¡± Fiona¡¯s eyes grew wide, and when she told her maid to speak, she didn¡¯t expect this much revtion. Her head still ached, but she didn¡¯t want this to pass her by; she wanted to know more. ¡°How do you mean?¡± ¡°Come, we can¡¯t be standing around doing nothing while we gossip. We should draw you a warm bath.¡± Be said that and led the way to the bathroom. She turned on the tub water, and as it filled the bathtub, she began to speak. ¡°Well, as we all know, the Lycan king is yet to find his true mate.¡± Fiona raised her hand to interrupt her with a question. Be nodded for her to speak. ¡°The Lycan king has a mate.¡± Be shook her head. ¡°Well, he has a partner, but everyone knows that¡¯s not his mate. Unlike the rest of us, the Lycan king can choose his mate, and it will be granted to him by the moon goddess, and then he can im them. He hasn¡¯t imed Lady Nina despite having spent a few years with her already.¡± ¡°So when will he choose his mate?¡± Fiona asked, needing more information. Be shrugged. ¡°We do not know what is missing in Lady Nina to take this long to make her his mate, but Ms. Jackson is happy about all of it because this way she believes she can sneak her way into his heart.¡± The biggest mistake the Lycan king would make would be to look her way. After what she had done so far with the little power she had, Fiona knew making her the Luna of the werewolf world would be a horror show. ¡°We all believe Lady Nina has all the qualities that the Lycan king needs; they believe the dy has to do with the gue, which has wrecked a lot of lives and properties. The King cares about the people and would always put them first, even ahead of himself. Vivian wants power and would do anything to get it, even if it means presenting herself to the Lycan king as the best man on his team.¡± With Be¡¯s words, it all made sense. Vivian couldn¡¯t have sent Mario away, but she used his departure to her own advantage. Being in charge, she has outdone the deeds of Mario; they had healed more, and everything was moving smoothly to ride the world of the gue. She was indeed presenting herself as the best yer on the king¡¯s team; she hoped to win him over and show herself as a worthy person. It was appalling to think about, but this was Vivian, and there was nothing impossible for her to do. She would do anything to please the Lycan king and work her way into his heart. If that was her n, Fiona only hopes she and her sons were far away from here before that happened. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 ¡°You are three minutester than the time set out for your resumption at the settlement.¡± Vivian said as she approached Fiona with her hands crossed over her chest. ¡°Do you have an excuse for that?¡± she asked, raising her brow. Fiona knew the best response to her was silence, but Vivian lived on response; she would starve to death without it and would do anything to get it, even if that meant doing something cruel to her. ¡°I had a headache and had to take an herb for it.¡± She answered. If Vivian believed her, it didn¡¯t show on her face as she stared at her. She just turned around and made her way into the building in the settlement. Fiona silently prayed that Marion would return as soon as possible. The day, just like the others, was hectic; she hardly got any breaks. It was the seventh hour since she began working, and she hadn¡¯t had a break for more than five minutes. She could tell if this continued into the next week, she would be able to count her rib bones. She had emaciated greatly, and it was growing, ¡°May the goddess richly bless you.¡± The older woman whom she just healed told. her with a grateful smile on her face. Fiona tried to give her a small smile back, but it came out weary. ¡°Thank you.¡± As she departed the healing room, Fionaid her head on the desk, and her eyes. shut from weakness. She didn¡¯t know how long she slept, but she heard a loud bang on the desk she had rested her head on, and her head snapped up. Her eyes found Vivian, and what she saw told her the snake was yelling. The impact of the bang had robbed her ears of their ability to hear for a few seconds, so even though she was yelling at the top of her lungs, Fiona couldn¡¯t hear a thing. After a while, the feeling faded, and she could hear her annoying voice. Everyone in the healing room with her minded their business as they all avoided. Vivian. She had little regard or respect for them and their work here. Her hand travelled up to rub against her temple as her head throbbed against her skull. It could be because she had been woken in an abnormal way, because she was tired, or because the snake¡¯s voice was revolting. Whichever one it was, she wanted the aching to go away. ¡°The people are already waiting; you have no right to keep them waiting. How dare you? How dare you be so selfish and think only about yourself?¡± She yelled at her. Fiona couldn¡¯t believe she was hearing those wordse out of her pile hole. She had gone out of her way and her hatred of the woman before her to do what she needed to do, and she did all that because she had developed genuine love and care for the people. She carried on with her task, ignoring how tedious it was and bing selfless in all. How dare Vivian say that to her? ¡°I am literally dying here!¡± Fiona exploded on her, and the heads of everyone in the healing room with them turned to her. ¡°All I have done in thest five days has been to put everyone else before myself. I am worn, I am exhausted, and I barely get enough sleep or rest every day. I do this, and for what? So that a cruel and inconsiderate person like you can take credit before the Lycan king? You dare speak to me about being selfish?¡± ¡°You are done speaking.¡± Vivian pointed her finger at her. ¡°Oh, I am just getting started.¡± She shoved her vile hand away from her face. ¡°None of what I or the physicians here do for the people is easy, and you dare call me selfish? If you had my powers, you wouldn¡¯t even help the moon goddess, because that¡¯s just how selfishy are, Ms Jackson.¡± Fiona only realised all she had said when she finished speaking, but she didn¡¯t regret any of the words that came out of her mouth. These were the words everyone wanted to say but didn¡¯t have the mind to. Vivian raised her hand to strike her. ¡°Hit me, just one time, and I will heal no one else for the rest of the day.¡± Fiona threatened. Of course, someone who cared about the lives of the gue wouldn¡¯t want to hurt the healer, but that wasn¡¯t who Vivian was. She did not care about the people; she only cared about herself and her feelings. So she struck Fiona in the face, causing a tear at the side of her mouth. A gasp went around among those who were in the healing room watching, and all eyes were on Vivian. They all knew who the viin in this story was, and it was Vivian. ¡°You will do only what you are told, or you will answer to the Lycan king.¡± Vivian snarled at her, but she didn¡¯t move an inch. Her teeth clenched as the cut on the side of her l*p healed up. ¡°I would rather die. # Even the invocation of the Lycan king¡¯s name wasn¡¯t going to make her change her mind. Even the moon goddess¡¯ name wouldn¡¯t suffice at this point. It was over, and it showed on her face, and she stormed out of the healing room. and out of the settlement. No one dared to stop her ore after her. They let her walk, and she didn¡¯t stop. She knew her way; she had followed this way over the course of the week and could tell her way even if it was on foot. She knew where the pack estate was, and she would take herself home. While going, she saw the convoy of Vivian drive past, and she paid no mind to them. She knew Vivian would tell the Lycan king about the affair and confrontation that took ce at the settlement. She also knew the snake would twist the story in such a way that the Lycan would hate her guts. Still, it didn¡¯t matter to her. She didn¡¯t care about anything or anyone¡¯s opinion of her; she only cared about her sons, and they were the ones she wanted to see. Vivian had seeded in keeping her sons away from her in thest week using her rigorous schedule, but no more. She would see her sons today or die trying. It took a few hours walking on foot and in her condition, but she finally arrived at the pack estate. She stood before the gate just like she did a week ago and rang the gate rm. The guard on duty, Uryu, walked towards her. ¡°Yes, can we help you?¡± She swallowed shakily. She wondered if the Lycan king had given charge to not let her into the estate after hearing Vivian¡¯s side of the event that took ce today. Was the Lycan king such a man that he would cut a mother away from her children because of a disagreement? All she has heard about him so far has told her he wasn¡¯t. Besides, the guard didn¡¯t say, ¡°Go away;¡± he was asking who she was. ¡°I am Sky Lawson; I am the healer at the settlement, and I stay on the Lycan king¡¯s estate.¡± She introduced herself. Another guard walked up to meet them, and this one seemed to know her. ¡°Ms Lawson.¡± He said it with a smile on his face, and she exhaled, grateful that the questioning was over. ¡°Thank goddess, you remember me.¡± ¡°Oh, I more than remember you, ma¡¯am.¡± He said with a brow raised, ¡°I am back on my post because of you. You healed me of my gue, as well as my mother and brother. I am Dario.¡± This made her happy. Knowing that this young man was whole and back to his life as a guard was a brightener for her day. She didn¡¯t retain the faces of those she had healed in thest week, but it seemed they had retained hers, and if there was a time to be grateful, it was now. ¡°We thought you came home with the convoy; why didn¡¯t you?¡± He asked, but had already opened the gate to her. ¡°There was a disagreement.¡± She replied and stepped through the gate. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± She bowed her head and walked away. She could locate her mansion. easily from here, so she didn¡¯t have to tell the guards at the gate to help her. However, she wasn¡¯t heading towards her mansion. Though she had visited her sons only once, she Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. had retained the direction of their house in her head. She wanted to go to them. She wanted to see them. Yes, she was tired and extremely exhausted from the day¡¯s struggle, but she would be happier seeing them than getting rest. After another seven minutes¡¯ walk through the estate, she approached the mansion the Lycan king had given to her sons. There she heard noises and shouting, and she knew those voices belonged to Jashin and June, Her heart doubled in its beat, wondering what could be happening to the boys, and she took to her heels. The guard in her way didn¡¯t stand before her as she ran past. She entered the mansion and raced upstairs to their room, but she found no traces of her sons. Their lingering scents told her they still lived here. She heard cacklesing from downstairs, and she ran towards where she heard. the noise. She stepped into the kitchen and realised there was another door that led to the back. ¡°Stop it; fine, you win!¡± She heard a voice that wasn¡¯t familiar to her. ¡°No, let¡¯s do it again.¡± June said, and that took her breath away because June was the least fun among her sons. Who was with them, and what the hell was happening to her babies? She wondered. Whoever it was must really be a nice person. The joy in their voices showed they werefortable around this person, and the boys hardly getfortable enough around anyone. She stepped out of the kitchen door to the backyard, which she now saw had green grass all around. Squatting beside her boys was none other than the Lycan king. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Fiona hadn¡¯t seen him since her arrival at the estate, and this was her first time seeing him in over five years. Her heart sk ipped a beat at the sight, and she wondered what it meant. Did he discover something about them? There was no way to ascertain that he had done anything in such a manner, and she didn¡¯t want to worry. She couldn¡¯t help worrying; the Lycan king was with her sons-ying with them and having fun-that spelt worry to her. There was no such thing; he wouldn¡¯t know. Staring at him now, she realised the boys didn¡¯t look like him, and everyone who had seen the boys since they were able to walk told her they looked so much like her. She had held on to that saying since then, and even now, staring at the Lycan king and them, they looked nothing like him except for their thick ck hair, and that was a relief for her. Perhaps this was a scheme; he would warm his way into her sons¡¯ hearts while making her work herself into an early grave. Or make her sons love this ce so much that they will rebel when it is time to leave. Was that his n? If it was, then it wasn¡¯t cool. Jashin¡¯s cackling pulled her out of her panicking mind and into the present. Her sons were having fun, and this is the happiest she has seen in a long while. They were ying warriors, and both Jashin and June were dressed in grey uniforms and red cloaks. The Lycan king, who was likely ying the role of a civilian, wore his casual clothing. The boys fought each other with their stic knives and then together attacked the Lycan king. The real viin remained unclear to her. She had so many images of the Lycan king and what he should be like and how he should act; this, however, wasn¡¯t one of them. This left her confused about how to go about who he was. ¡°Mommy¡± June called, and her eyes moved to find him staring at her. He tossed the stic knife in his hand to the ground and ran towards her. She dropped to getting inthe ground with her arms stretched out to him, and he wasted no t getting into it and making it his home. Jashin ran towards her secondster, and the force of the hug took her off her bnce, and she copsed on the ground. She didn¡¯t have enough strength to begin with, so she couldn¡¯t sustain herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mom,¡± Jashin¡¯said, rising from on top of her. June did the same. She shook her head as she pulled herself up. ¡°It¡¯s fine; do not be sorry. I lost bnce because Icked strength to hold onto you,¡± she told him, and he stared at her with worried eyes. ¡°Are you okay, mommy?¡± he asked. She nodded. ¡°I will be fined said. promise. I see you two are having so much fun!¡± she ¡°Yeah, we are; Julian lets use out to y every two days.¡± Jashin said. She didn¡¯t know that. She also didn¡¯t know they also took his name. ¡°Oh, that is so nice of him. Did you tell him thank you, though?¡± she asked, staring at her sons. They nodded. ¡°Did you tell him thank you today?¡± They shook their heads and turned to the Lycan king, who had be silent since she brought herself into the backyard. ¡°Thank you.¡± They said it in unison. The Lycan king shook his head and stepped towards them with his hands stuffed into his pocket. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He said, and a smile came to his face, and for a few seconds, she saw the much resemnce he shared with her sons. stopped breathing. He was such a His eyes then moved over to her, and sheline, and a beard that beautiful man, with piercing green eyes, a defined gave him a dreamy look. His long hair was in a neat bun, and though its wildness felt. tamed, a hint of it lingered. He didn¡¯t look as intimidating as she thought he would be, perhaps because she saw him here and not in his court. Just then, she realised she hadn¡¯t even given a formal greeting to the Lycan king since stepping into the backyard. He might have been ying with her sons like amoner, but he was still the king and deserved to be treated as such. She rose to her feet immediately, and she almost cked out from how light her head felt. ¡°Good evening, my king.¡± ¡°Good evening, Ms. Lawson; the twins have told me so much about you.¡± He said it, his voice as calm as the night wind. What did they tell him about her, and how would she be able to know it? She barely had time with her sons anymore, so she could not ask them. It would even be correct to say they spent more time with him than they do with her now. It also seemed that Vivian hadn¡¯t gotten the news of her rebellion at the settlement over to him because Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. he seemed in good spirits. If he had gotten the news, he would have been furious. Or not. It was a probability, and she wanted to think of the worst oue. She held onto a small smile and said, ¡°I hope those were good things.¡± This made him smile as well, and he nodded. ¡°Yes, they were.¡± He assured her, and she nodded a little relieved. ¡°They are good boys and very decent. They remind me of my younger self, but I was in no way that smart. You are doing such an amazing job with them, Ms Lawson.¡± She took thepliment with joy in her heart. The Lycan king reminded her of Marion, and she felt the same calmness with him as she did with the physician. ¡°Thank you.¡± She bowed her head only to have it pound harder in her skull, and her hands ran up to rub against it. She needed food, sleep, and rest, but she couldn¡¯t say that here. Her eyes fluttered for a second and only came back open when June began to speak. ¡°Mommy, why didn¡¯t youe and visit us after thest time? It¡¯s been many days, and you never came back? And why do you look so skinny? Have you not had any food since then too?¡± June demanded, and she knew how straight-forward her son was. That would be the fault of the man you¡¯re ying warriors with, she thought to herself. She tried to smile at him, but his eyes were dead serious for a five-year-old. ¡°Work hasn¡¯t been easy these past few days.¡± Was all she could say in return. It was the truth, and though the Lycan king was here, it didn¡¯t change it. They deserved to know why she hadn¡¯t had time for them. It was all beyond her control. If she could, she would havee to visit them every day, but she couldn¡¯t. The tight schedule they had ced on her since Marion¡¯s departure didn¡¯t even give her room to breathe. June¡¯s heads swirled to face the Lycan king, who was yet to take his leave. ¡°You told us she worked for you and does it from morning till dawn; why are you starving her? She¡¯s so skinny now.¡± usations were present in his voice, and his eyes didn¡¯t make it easier either. She swallowed, nervous a little. ¡°June, do not speak to Mr. Julian that way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, mom,¡± Jashin joined in. ¡°You look so skinny; you look starved of food. Do they not feed you anymore? We get fed every day; maybee to our ce before going to work and have food.¡± She couldn¡¯t believe the signs of starvation showed on her that much, but if her sons could notice it, then it meant it was so obvious. Was that what Ona wanted to show her when she stood before the mirror? Perhaps it was. She pressed her l*ps together and bowed her head. ¡°I am sorry; I have indeed worked your mother beyond her limit.¡± The Lycan king spoke up, taking the me. It wasn¡¯t his fault though; she knew this because when Marion supervised the settlement, he made sure there was enough food for her. It all stopped four days. ago after Vivian took over supervision. She had cut down on her breaks and food, calling her a glutton even though she knew the food was how she survived. Fiona was willing to bet a hand that the Lycan king had given Vivian a full supply of food. She would even say he doubled the food supply after realising the number of gues being cured doubled, and the witch withheld it for her own selfish gains. ¡°No one deserves to be treated that way, and that is why I will give tomorrow to her for her break. I know this wouldn¡¯t make up for the mistake made, but it¡¯s a start. She will stay home with you boys.¡± June and Jashin looked excited for the news, and she was too. If there was no work for her tomorrow, that meant she would be able to rest and sleep for as long as she wanted. She would eat a decent meal and not have it sn atched away by the gue. The people needed a healer, though. Taking tomorrow off would be a selfish. decision, and her heart pr icked her for it. ¡°The gue, my king,¡± she began, but he shook his head. ¡°The healer needs her day of rest. The gue will end on another day. Tomorrow is for you and your sons; it is the least I can do.¡± He told her. She smiled at him, ¡°Thank you, my king.¡± She said happily. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Ms. Lawson.¡± From the corner of her eyes, she could have sworn she saw Vivian, but when she turned in that direction, she saw no one there. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 ¡°Mommy!¡± She heard Jashin¡¯s voice call, and for a second, she thought it was in her dream, but the voice came again: ¡°Mommy!¡± She felt her bed dip the next second, and she knew she was no longer alone in bed. Her eyes opened, and theynded on Jashin and June on the bed with her. It was her day off; the Lycan king had given it to her. And so even after waking up to take her bath and have breakfast, she wanted to go back to sleep. So she did. She didn¡¯t know if what she saw right now was real or her dream. ¡°What?¡± She rubbed her face. She wasn¡¯t dreaming. They were real. ¡°Mommy!¡± June called, and her son moved forward and pulled her hand away from her face. His actions confirmed her reality. ¡°Wake up already, mommy!¡± Jashin told her, cackling. Her sons were here, in the same room as her. ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°June.¡± She said it with a smile, and the little boy holding onto his hand smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, it is me, mommy, and that is Jashin.¡± He exined. ¡°How did you find my house?¡± If she remembered correctly, their mansion was a little away from her, not less. than a five-minute walk. They had also never been here, so there was no way they could have rightly guessed where she lived and barged in. ¡°Be came this morning to bring us; she¡¯s in the kitchen now making breakfast, and she told us where to go.¡± Jashin told her. Though it took a while for her brain toprehend what he said with how fast he spoke, she did. ¡°They allowed you out of your mansion?¡± she asked the one question that has been unanswered in her mind since all this started. Jashin nodded his head, and so did June. They then dragged her out to the kitchen, where they met Be, confirming their words earlier. They all joined in, helping to make lunch. She couldn¡¯t call what they did helping because the boys sat on the counter cheering them on as they cooked. Lunch was ready and served, and when Be tried to take her leave, Fiona didn¡¯t excuse her. Instead, she drew out a seat for her. ¡°No, Sky, I am an omega; I could never,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°We are all omegas because we take orders and follow them, so please join us. This might be thest time I¡¯ll ask you to.¡± She added because she didn¡¯t know when she would get another day off work. Be sat beside them and ate quietly. After eating, Fiona decided to take a tour of the backyard. She didn¡¯t know if her mansion had one, but having seen the Lycan king and the boys in the backyard, it sparked her curiosity. Just as she anticipated, she found she also had a backyard resembling the one the twins were in yesterday. She remembered yesterday and the events that took ce. Falling out with Vivian, finding her way home alone, going to see her sons, and then meeting the Lycan king ying with them. The day was one she wouldn¡¯t have sessfully guessed. It ended memorably-except for the appearance of Vivian. She knew she saw Vivianst night, even though she took herself out as fast as possible before being spotted. She knew the witch saw the Lycan king speaking to her in a kind and friendly tone and didn¡¯t look to like that very much. If it were up to Vivian, she would have been a doormat. It was so much relief to know that many weren¡¯t like her. Jashin and June ran around in the backyard, chasing each other. They seemed to have so much fun. As she watched them, she feared they might have even forgotten Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. about the human world where they came from-where they had lived all their lives. Yes, this was where they belonged, but after what she went through, she knew better than to make the werewolf world their real home. They would never be epted. She would never raise her sons in a ce where they were not wanted or seen as worthy. She would die before she saw them pass through the bullying and maltreatment she went through growing up. They were wanted by her, and that was the most important thing. ¡°Mommy,e y.¡± Jashin waved at her, and his eyes narrowed, not knowing what exactly they were ying or how to join in. ¡°What are you ying?¡± she asked, her curiosity peaking. ¡°Warriors, but without the costume.¡± He answered and shoved June back. Caught off guard, the other boy lost bnce and fell to the ground, cracking his elbow wrongly. Her eyes widened at what had just happened, and June cried out in pain and held his elbow. ¡°June!¡± Fiona came to him and took him into her arms. She ced her hand on her son¡¯s dislocated elbow, and she tried to calm his cries and alsopose herself. Her head was still unstable from the shock that came from seeing Jashin hurt him. After a while of tender attention, June stopped crying, and she ced her hand on his elbow and adjusted it. The adjustment made him cry out in pain once again, and she ced her hand on him. The warmth in her hand moved on him, and the little bruise he sustained disappeared. She turned to Jashin, who hadn¡¯te close to June, and instead stood shocked and remorseful at what he had done. She didn¡¯t have to yell or get offended at him; he looked miserable at what he had done already. There was no need to beat him up with her words anymore. ¡°Are you going to say anything?¡± She raised her brow at the quiet boy. Yes, they were boys, and they yed rough with each other, but this was the first time Jashin had hurt June, and even he was surprised at how hurt his brother was. ¡°I am sorry.¡± He said, and a tear ran down his face. Fiona stretched her hand out to him, and he slowly made his way towards her. He still felt remorseful, and she wanted him to know that she still loved him despite not liking what he did. She pulled him closer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, June.¡± He told his brother. June shook his ¡°It¡¯s fine; I feel fine now. Momm fixed it.¡± He reached out and wiped the tears off his brother¡¯s face. Jashin nodded and sniffed back the rest of his tears. Fiona felt so lucky to have these two angels as her sons. ¡°Ms, Lawson,¡± she heard her name called, and she looked up to see that she wasn¡¯t alone in the garden with her sons as she thought she was. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Jace, the envoy of the Lycan king who had kidnapped her sons and brought them here, stood before her. She hadn¡¯t seen him since the first time he came to meet her in the hospital, and now, looking at him, she had no words for him. She rose to her feet and asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± He shook his head. ¡°I do not want anything. The Lycan king would like to speak to you in his court.¡± He said that and then headed out, as if expecting her to follow him. Of course, she didn¡¯t want to follow him; she still hated the cruel act of kidnapping her sons, which he did to bring her here, but the Lycan king hadn¡¯t done anything to demand disrespect yet, so she had to bury her bad blood and go with him. She left Jashin and June in the care of Be before leaving the house. Before her mansion were two ck jeeps, and she knew these probably came with the envoy sent by the Lycan king. Was the Lycan king¡¯s residence that far away from here? She wondered to herself but said nothing as she followed them and entered the car. It was a twenty-minute drive through the estate before they arrived at the residence of the Lycan king. The car stopped, and they got out of the car. Fiona¡¯s jaw almost hit the ground while she stared at the magnificent white structure standing before her. It was a castle. This looked more like a pce than a house. This was where the Lycan king lived, and this indeed looked fitting for him, being the ruler and strongest being in the werewolf world. The wealth, influence, and ss hemanded were ones she ere didn¡¯t think she had seen, both in the werewolf world and in the human world. Fiona remembered the man she had seen with June and Jashin in the backyard ying yesterday and told herself this was where he lived. He had brought himself low to y with the boys despite not knowing them or being on the same level. He was indeed noble. Jace led the way, and she followed behind. They stepped into the house together, and the inside was just as glorious as the outside, and Fiona¡¯s mouth did not close up. She had never seen such elegance, such beauty, or such a fine array of perfection and ss. The area which she saw had more traditional outlook with expensive mahogany wood and a touch of gold. ¡°Follow me, Ms. Lawson,¡± Jace said and walked away. She followed, and they made. their way through the hallway, then used the stairs that led up. She figured this was where the Lycan king¡¯s court was, and she noted. After almost a minute of walking, they took a left turn and came to stand before the third door on the left. Jace knocked on the door slowly and waited for a beckoning from within. It came soon after. ¡°Enter.¡± The single words caused chaos within her and goosebumps erupted all over her skin. Her heart also tightened in her chest, and she knew she was nervous. Nervous to be before him. Jace pushed open the door and stepped into therge room. Fiona looked surprised. When Jace said court; she had expected something rather small, but this was just as wide as the living room of her mansion on the estate. Jace stepped out of her way, and she didn¡¯t see the Lycan king in the courtroom as she had expected to. The seat was empty, and it made her wonder where he had taken himself. If he wasn¡¯t in the room, then who told them to enter? ¡°You look better than yesterday.¡± She heard the voice of the Lycan king speak from behind, and she immediately turned around to find him standing behind her. Unlike yesterday, he had his guards beside him, and she didn¡¯t know who was more terrifying, him or his guards. His presence made her weak, and she knew it had to do with the respect hemanded from being the Lycan king. This was how he normally appeared, and she remembered it from over five years ago when he came to Langfield. Yesterday he must have decided against it since he was spending time with the boys. She forgot to breathe, and everything around her seemed to have alsoe to a standstill. All her senses shut down. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, his brow furrowing as he stared at her, frozen on the spot. She regained control of her senses, and she shook her head. ¡°I am fine; I am sorry about that.¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°I said you look so much better than yesterday,¡± he repeated the words he said first when he made his presence known in the courtroom. She nodded. She had stared at herself in the ss window of the castle when She had regained all she lost with rest, sleep, and good food. It felt like magic or sorcery, but it was all real, and she did nothing to trigger it. Her head dropped. ¡°I am. I want to say thank you.¡± It was because of him that she got time to be with her sons, and it was more than he would think. Yes, this timest week, she needed no one¡¯s permission to see her sons, but now she did. Yet she had to be grateful because he could have chosen not to and she would have done nothing about it but to do her part. He smiled, and that made his green eyes flicker. ¡°In thest week, we have recorded over three thousand cured gues. I think I should be the one thanking you. I didn¡¯t say this yesterday, but I want to say it now.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She bowed her head humbly at his words. ¡°You are wee, my king.¡± He walked to the seat and sat, and for a moment the room became silent, which she couldn¡¯t understand. Did he summon her here to thank her? That didn¡¯t feel like it, and she wanted to know what else ¡°I was told you wanted to see me.¡± She asked, her head lifting, to meet him in his seat. He nodded. ¡°Tomorrow is the full moon,¡± he informed her. She didn¡¯t realise it was already tomorrow. In the human world, she paid little attention to the moon, but here she knew she had to. Thest full moon she had in the werewolf world, she spent in the dungeon with a giga around her neck. ¡°I gather you had spent many years in the human world and so might not want to shift tomorrow. However, it is the full moon and many affected by the gue and afflicted shift to build strength and endurance. Would you want to be a part of that?¡± She thought for a second; she had heard wrongly, but the Lycan king just gave her an invitation. ¡°You want me to shift with the rest of the pack?¡± She didn¡¯t even consider herself one of them, having only been here for a week, but his words told. her he considered her one of them. ¡°Many would get to shift tomorrow and strengthen themselves, and it is all because you healed them. If you do not want to shift with the rest of the pack, I would understand, but if you do, then know you are wee.¡± Chapter 23 Chapter 23 All the way home, Fiona thought about everything the Lycan king had told her. The full moon was the most celebrated day in any Lycan¡¯s life, and so many good things happened during those times. Lycans discovered their mates and imed them on these days, or at least that was how it should be. She never experienced that. Every full moon brought her to points where she regretted life, and before leaving her adopted parents, she stopped shifting all together. She saw no point in it. She was an omega, and those who shifted with nothing better to do made it a duty to frustrate her. Instead of strength, what she got was weakness, pain, and sadness. Many of the scars she got during the full moon stayed on her and would never leave. This shift would be different because she was asked to join in by the Lycan King, and he wouldn¡¯t let her go through anything bad. He was the most powerful man in this world, after all. It was an offer she wanted to ept more than anything, but doubt always lingered. in her mind, so she gave herself time to think about it.. The Lycan king didn¡¯t rush her either; he told her to think about it. She didn¡¯t have such a long time, though; the full moon was tomorrow, and she had to give him her answer before the end of it. The next day kicked off slowly, and she arrived at the settlement at her scheduled time and began healing. She expected much work, having missed a day here, but to her surprise, the number was less. She immediately feared the worst had happened to those with the gue. However, when she asked Jose, the physician on duty, he told her the Lycan king had given orders to send those with mild cases of the gue home. This way, she could focus only on the severe ones. He also told her the instructions were to finish the day before the hour of four, so they could all go home and rest for the uing shift. All this she heard left her in a state of confusion. Why would the Lycan king even care this much about her? She couldn¡¯tprehend what was going on because she had grown ustomed to being abused and neglected by her kind. Perhaps he was a good person, and this was the most noble thing to do. ¡°That is so nice to know, then.¡± She replied, ¡°Where will you spend your shift?¡± She asked, trying to carry on small talk. She hadn¡¯t even had the time to speak to anyone since Vivian took over supervision. The witch was always breathing down her neck on those days, which made it even harder to concentrate. Speaking of which, she hadn¡¯t seen Vivian since she resumed work here, and she wondered where she had taken herself. Knowing the person she person she was, Fiona knew the witch wouldn¡¯t quit. They all knew what to do and didn¡¯t need her around, anyway. After the fourth hour, Fiona took a break to stretch her legs and to get enough. food. She sat in the cafeteria, munching on what the cook had served her. Just then, she noticed Ted Miller, the chief guard ced on duty guarding the settlement, and he approached her. He had a disapproving look on his face, and she didn¡¯t know what that was for. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here when your office is over there,¡± he told her in a reprimanding tone of voice. She didn¡¯t pay much mind to him, knowing she didn¡¯t answer to him or any other guard stationed at the settlement. Having counted the numbers of those with the gue today, she had divided them so she could take her break and still be on time for the closing. She didn¡¯t see why she couldn¡¯t take the break. ¡°I am speaking to you.¡± He said that and took a step closer to her. He was giving himself the authority he shouldn¡¯t possess, and she couldn¡¯t stand that. ¡°I do not answer to you, Ted. Like I told the supervisor, Ms. Jackson, I am not a sl ave; I am the healer.¡± She told him, ¡°So, I advise that you return to your post and carry on with your duty.¡± Sure, he was the chief of the security around the settlement, but that didn¡¯t give him any control over Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. her. She didn¡¯t answer to him; she answered to the Lycan king. He clenched his teeth, angry; perhaps he already knew he didn¡¯t scare her. Having seen and conversed with the Lycan king twice, she knew she had nothing to worry about. He was more understanding and kind than his subordinates were. They were not a reflection of him, and the one who came close so far was Marion. He turned and walked away angrily, mming the door behind him. She returned to work in the healing room, attending to the rest of the gue. She noticed Jose¡¯s gaze on her, and she turned to him, wondering what he wanted this time. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked. ¡°I heard you had a fallout with Ted Miller,¡± he said, his voice so low she almost missed it. Did everyone also hear about their fight? There is no such thing as privacy here. ¡°I won¡¯t call it a fallout, just a slight misunderstanding.¡± She answered. ¡°Ted isn¡¯t the best at handling himself; he has been cruel and violent in the past, especially to physicians.¡± He told her. She didn¡¯t know that; she wanted to ask what led to such an attack. She also wanted to ask if that was how he normally exercised his authority, instead she asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell the Lycan king about it?¡± The king seemed like a reasonable person who wouldn¡¯t let such injustice slide.. ¡°We did, but Ms. Jackson interceded for him. She told the Lycan king that he had acted in self-defense. Ted has been in the king¡¯s force for many years and had fought side by side with the king when the rebellion rose. That gave him a footing, and Vivian built on that. She also told the king that the physician he had killed had the gue and would have infected many with it if he hadn¡¯t stopped them. That was a lie, but the Lycan king believed her, and he was released without punishment.¡± He exined the sad tale to her. If that was the case, it was safe to assume that Ted was working alongside Vivian. It made sense now why he came in angry that she had taken the break. This truth told her Vivian wasn¡¯t the only one she should avoid, but Ted, too. ¡°Just be careful and avoid him at all costs.¡± ¡°I cannot let him order me around when he isn¡¯t the boss of me, but you are right; I will be more careful and cautious with my words.¡± She promised him. Yes, she could tell the Alpha King if he harmed her, but from what she had heard, she knew men like Ted wouldn¡¯t even leave her alive to tell the tale. ¡°Thank you, Jose.¡± He nodded, not seeing anything in the advice he just gave her. As she closed from work, she had one thing on her mind: the offer the Lycan king had made to her. The offer to shift with the rest of the pack tonight. She didn¡¯t have an answer this morning when she went over to the settlement, but now she did. She wanted to be stronger after confronting Ted and learning about his brutality and the likelihood of his alliance with Vivian. Shifting under the full moon would help her harness her strength. A part of her knew the earlier confrontation wouldn¡¯t be thest of Ted. He probably worked for Vivian and would want to do her bidding. Thest thing she wanted to be when he came at her was weak. She sent her escort back to the Lycan king with the answer to his request after getting home. She would shift with the rest of the pack. She paid a quick visit to her son¡¯s mansion after showering and eating. As usual, she was happy to see them, and so were they. They asked her how her day had been, and she shared the boring tales with them. Jashin wanted to get to the good stuff, but June listened quietly throughout. They were happy that she was back with them. Just like she did yesterday, she tucked the boys in bed and read them to sleep. They were excited about it, having already had dinner. She read to them, and by the time she finished reading, Jashin was already asleep. She turned to June and found his eyes struggling to stay awake but failing miserably. She rose to her feet and walked to the door when she heard June¡¯s voice. ¡°When will we go home?¡± His question surprised her. With everything that had been happening around them so far, she didn¡¯t think they would remember home, but she should have known June would be the one to ask. ¡°Soon, June, I promise.¡± He nodded, and his eyes shut, and she turned off the light before exiting the room. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Fiona stood outside on the field, and she didn¡¯t stand alone; many of the pack members who lived on the estate stood beside her. They all awaited the arrival of the Lycan king. She did too. The moon was almost at its apex, and agitation as well as excitement could be felt throughout the field. among those standing around. She had never felt happiness or a sense of belonging on the full moon before. She never had that luxury, but now she feels it. It was hard to trust it, though, because she knew the life she had lived, but for tonight, she wanted to trust it. The scent of the Lycan king engulfed her nostrils, and turning around, she found him approaching them, and beside him were Lady Nina and Vivian. The joy she felt earlier died a little at the sight of them, not really because of him or Lady Nina, but because of Vivian, the snake.. The Lycan king¡¯s eyes moved to her and rested, and a smile made its way onto his face. She forgot how to breathe, surprised at the fact that he noticed her first among the hundred out here in the field with her. ¡°Ms Lawson.¡± He walked over to her, his smile not dimming. ¡°My king,¡± she said, bowing her head in respect to him. ¡°I¡¯m d you decided toe. You don¡¯t know how happy I was when I got the report,¡± he revealed, to her surprise. She didn¡¯t know why he was so happy; she couldn¡¯t heal in her wolf form, and so she didn¡¯t know Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. exactly why his joy had no bounds. Lady Nina walked over to them, and Julian wrapped his arms around her waist. ¡°I see you are with the healer now.¡± She said, and her tone was calm for someone whose partner was excited to see another female. He leaned in and k*ssed her hair before turning to her. ¡°This is my partner, Lady Nina, and Nina, this is Sky, the healer.¡± He introduced the two of them. Nina smiled warmly at her. ¡°It¡¯s so nice to finally meet the healer.¡± She stretched her hand out for a shake, and Fiona took it in to hers. Despite her cheerfulness, Fiona stayed calm and weary. There were a few people she had learned to trust sinceing here, and Lady Nina wasn¡¯t one of them. Perhaps she was truly genuine in her show of appreciation, but she couldn¡¯t trust it -not immediately, not yet. Fiona took her stretched-out hand for a firm shake before releasing it. ¡°Listen everyb*dy. You all know how the session of the full moon goes. No wandering, no crossing territories, or you will be left to the mercy of those you crossed into their territory. We might be the strongest pack in the werewolf world, but we terrorise. and bully no one.¡± He said, his voice strict. If only the members of his pack followed his words, things would be so different. Life would be much easier. The good thing was that a few did, and those were the true members of his pack. ¡°The full moon is for us to strengthen ourselves, find our mates, and bond as brothers and sisters. I will frown at anything that differs from that. Is that understood?¡± He spoke with so much authority that it caused chills all over Fiona. ¡°Yes, my king,¡± the pack members said in one voice, already knowing the drill. ¡°Spread out.¡± Everyone followed hismand and spread out in sixes, fours, and twos until there was no one left in the field except for her and the Lycan King squad. She didn¡¯t know who to go with; hence, she didn¡¯t move to join anyone when they departed to carry on with their shifting. The Lycan king¡¯s gaze stayed on her as she stood still, not moving or saying a word, and his brows narrowed. ¡°You do not have a group.¡± She pressed her l*ps together, and her head dropped. ¡°Finding where to fit in has never been my strongest virtue,¡± she admitted. ¡°Would you want to stay on our team then?¡± he asked, and when she nced up at him, she saw he was serious. He now stood on the field with not less than a dozen. others, and he had thergest team so far. She opened her mouth to speak, but Vivian cut in, shutting her up. ¡°Do not worry about her, my king; I¡¯ve got her. She will shift with me and my team.¡± Fiona didn¡¯t want to go anywhere with Vivian and her brood of viper teams. Her team consisted of Ted Miller, the head guard who had challenged her at the settlement, Sussan and Caroline, and Rufus. She didn¡¯t want to conclude about the rest, but she believed anyone on Vivian¡¯s team was as vile as her. She didn¡¯t know if she was right. ¡°Is that okay with you, Sky?¡± the Lycan king asked, seeking her response in all of this. Perhaps she should have told the Lycan king the truth-that she didn¡¯t feelfortable around Vivian. Especially after what she put her through in thest week at the settlement. But doing that would mean insisting she stay on the Lycan. King¡¯s team. Lady Nina was there, and she wanted to give the couple their privacy. She pressed her l*ps together and nodded. ¡°Yes, sure.¡± How bad could it be, and what harm could Vivian do her? The answer was a lot, and she was st upid to think otherwise. Vivian and her team headed in a directionpletely different from the Lycan King¡¯s team, and she assured him Fiona was in good hands. The moment the Lycan king was gone, Fiona expected her to turn cold and vile as usual, but she didn¡¯t; instead, she kept a kind approach. Fiona knew only a fool would believe this act of hers, and her guards stayed up even as they proceeded. They all shifted as the moon came to its apex. Vivian and the women beside her shifted to their wolf form, white, tall, and graceful, while the two men shifted to a big, ck furry wolf. Fiona shifted, and though white, she had her silver fur, which glowed under the full moon. Vivian¡¯s wolf was surprised to see her in her form, and she could smell her jealousy. She turned away from her and led the strength chase, dashing through the path swiftly. Ona found keeping up a challenge, as she hadn¡¯t been let out in many years, much less to hunt at full speed. ¡°What is wrong?¡± Vivian taunted them as she took longer to catch up with them. ¡°You seem so slow.¡± ¡°She¡¯s been in the human world for so long that she now runs like one.¡± Fuss, the wolf of Rufus, teased, and the restughed. It didn¡¯t offend Fiona; she knew the truth way before it was pointed out. ¡°Your powers need to be fully released, or you will not be a match for the least in this pack, Sky.¡± Viv stepped towards her. Sky wasn¡¯t the name of her wolf, but Fiona didn¡¯t n to tell them her real name, so she told them her wolf¡¯s name was also Sky. Ona kept to that truth, even in her wolf form. ¡°I am not in apetition with anyone; I am okay the way I am,¡± Ona answered with a scoff. ¡°Yes, the moon goddess made you a healer, and that is an amazing gift. I will not lie, but it is not enough.¡± She took hold of her hand and said, ¡°If the rebellion. attacks the Lycan king¡¯s estate, they will kill you with ease.¡± She told her and released her hand. ¡°You need to train and harness your strength, which you have tamed for so long.¡± Fiona wanted to know what exactly her end game was because she knew Vivian didn¡¯t care about her. Far from it, the snake cared only about herself, and that was the truth. Besides, she didn¡¯te here to fight anyone; she came to heal, and only that. you do She snapped out of her thoughts when Vivian continued speaking. ¡°I know not trust me, and that¡¯s fine; you might also not like me or the way I do my things, and I don¡¯t me you. Not a lot can keep up with me, and those who have tried have failed, but know that what I tell you now is for your good. The gue got out of control because of the rebels, and they might have withdrawn for now, but do not think they will stay gone forever. Take the moon to your advantage.¡± She said and raced into the woods, and her team ran behind her. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Ona knew it would take a lot of work to match up with the speed, strength, and stamina of those she had teamed up with, but she did her best to keep up with them. The glow on her fur served as a strength preserver for her, and despite running for hours on end trying to keep up, she didn¡¯t feel tired. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She didn¡¯t match their speed; that was likeparing a jet to a helicopter, but she had her strength intact. They had wondered further away from the Lycan king¡¯s estate, and they were probably almost out of his territory, and she didn¡¯t feel right about that. She spoke up about her scepticism about crossing territories, and Vivian told her that the entire werewolf world was the Lycan king¡¯s to rule over and have dominion over, and that was true. Yet, the same Lycan king spoke about the need to maintain territories and not be bullies. If only the members of his pack followed his instructions, things would be so much better. ¡°I would like to go no further.¡± Ona said, ¡°Enough running for the sake of building strength.¡± The others grumbled at her decision, but Vivian agreed with her, which came as a surprise to her. ¡°You are right; we cannot build the strength you have lost, but we still have a few more hours until dawn. I suggest we do other things.¡± ¡°How about we hunt?¡± Ed, Ted¡¯s wolf, suggested. Ona had never hunted on a full moon before. Others who took pleasure in her suffering were always on the hunt for her. Otis taught her a few things about hunting, both in human form and in her Lycan form, but she never used those trainings. She didn¡¯t want to hunt. Not until she had done it on her own and knew to go about it while putting what Otis taught her into practice. the way ¡°What do you say about it, Sky?¡± Vivian asked, staring at her. ¡°Why are you asking for her say in it? This is our usual full moon routine, and we already gave racing up.¡± Ed¡¯s wolf growled from behind her. She shivered a little in fear. ¡°Sure, then, we can hunt.¡± They followed Vivian¡¯s direction, and though they didn¡¯t go further, they ventured to another path for their hunt. When they arrived at the spot where Vivian and her team always hunted, she let Ed take the lead to instruct them on how the hunting was done. He told them the hunting game on the full moon was simple: whoever returned with the biggest kill would im all the others. The first two set out to hunt and returned with their kill, and Sussan¡¯s wolf, Susy, had a better kill than Caroline¡¯s wolf, Roli. So, Sussy devoured both kills. Then it was time for Ed and Fuss to head out. They dashed into the woods to hunt, and after half an hour, Fuss and Ed returned with their kill. Surprisingly, Fuss had a better kill than Ed, and so he imed the two kills. Ed didn¡¯t like that very much, and he grunted around like someone who wanted to fight for the sake of it. ¡°It¡¯s our turn,¡± Vivian told her, and her stomach coiled in a weird way. She didn¡¯t want to do it again. ¡°Don¡¯t tell us you¡¯re about to change your mind,¡± Roli snarled at her from behind. She saw the eyes of the other, and they looked like they would harm her if she changed her mind now. She remembered what Jose had told her about Ted. He was dangerous; everyone on this team was, and in their wolf form, they would do worse. She knew that if she didn¡¯t do what they wanted here and now, they might kill her. She swallowed and shook her head. ¡°No,¡± she answered. Vivian smiled, and she saw through her smile that there was nothing good that woulde from this. She muttered a silent prayer to the moon goddess to protect her even as she set out. They both went their separate ways to hunt for their prey, and she didn¡¯t find anything at first. She didn¡¯t even want to hunt, just as she didn¡¯t want to be on Vivian¡¯s team to begin with, but somehow, she found herself here. She knew this would be herst time on Vivian¡¯s team, and she would do anything to never be back here, even if it meant yanking her own arm out of its socket. After endlessly searching, she came across an antelope, and she waited to study it. She needed to be sure she could match up with its speed and also have enough. strength to kill it. After examining it for a while, she realised she didn¡¯t have the strength. She then waited for another toe walk by. She waited for a few more minutes, but a squirrel came walking by on the same. path. She knew she could hunt and kill it with ease, so she chased it and caught it after a few seconds. She had a kill, and she headed back to meet the rest. It didn¡¯t matter the size because she cared less about thepetition; she just needed something so she would not get on their bad side. Arriving at the spot where the rest of the team were when she headed out to hunt, she found no one there. Their scents lingered there, but they were so faint that it told her they left a long time ago, perhaps immediately after she stepped out. Where did they go, then? She wondered. ¡°There it is!¡± she heard an unfamiliar voice say from far away. Her heart sk ipped, and she turned away, trying to hide, but she heard another voice speak from behind her. ¡°She is trying to escape!¡± These words made her heart sk ip, and not in a good way. She heard footsteps on the ground, and she knew they were not less than a dozen people heading her way. From what she had heard already, they didn¡¯t sound happy with her. What was happening? Who were thoseing? Before her brain could even process the action to take next, she felt a hand grab her, and the grip was so strong she couldn¡¯t break out of it. She nced up and saw a big ck wolf, bigger than Ted and Rufus when they had shifted earlier. She instantly knew he was an alpha wolf because his eyes glowed. red. ¡°What do you think you are doing, crossing into territory that isn¡¯t yours and hunting and killing its wildlife?¡± The angry, red-eyed wolf snarled at her. This was another¡¯s territory! Vivian and her team lured her here; they had crossed over territories to hunt, knowing fully well that this was no longer the Lycan king¡¯s. The witch had nned. this out so well, and she was st upid as always and fell into it. The Lycan king gavemands even before the shift began, and they drew her out and made her vite thosemands. They abandoned her here to suffer in the hands of the alpha of this territory, knowing well that the Lycan king would note for her. Her breath cut in her throat, and she shook her head immediately. ¡°Do you deny it?¡± He growled, ¡°You have a squirrel caught between your fangs!¡± He grabbed hold of the squirrel and yanked it out from between her fangs. She almost lost a fang at the force used. ¡°She¡¯s a freak! Look at her fur!¡± an angry wolf growled at her. All their eyes moved to her silvery, shiny fur, and they analysed it with hatred and anger while murmuring amongst themselves. The silver fur had been her pride since she shifted hours ago, but now she felt ashamed of it. She wished to hide it away. ¡°Crossing territories is a serious crime, and those who do it will be punished, but not only did you cross territories, you also killed.¡± ¡°I am sorry,¡± she apologised weakly, feeling remorseful to have been a part of the vition. She didn¡¯t ¡°Your apology will do nothing here.¡± He told her, wrapping his ws around her neck. ¡°Who do you belong to? Tell us so we can know where to send your corpse.¡± He asked in a terrifying voice. She was going to die; she didn¡¯t want to, not yet. Her eyes grew blurry, and Fiona could feel Ona withdrawing from the surface. ¡°Answer me. Who do you belong to?¡± The wolf roared at her. He demanded, tightening his ws around her neck, and she choked. ¡°She belongs to me.¡± She heard a voice say it from behind the angry mob, and it sent chills through her. She knew that voice; it belonged to the Lycan king. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Julian¡¯s POV He should have noticed something would go wrong with her shift. He had been the reason she came out to shift. He told her it was essential, and he should have carried her with his team When Vivian suggested taking her with her team, he noticed the uneasiness within her. He brushed it off and told himself it was because she was new to all of this, so he let them carry on. As the shift ended, he and his team returned to the field for numbering. Doing that was essential in order to know if anyone had wandered into another territory and gotten caught in it during the shift. Vivian then informed him how Sky had wandered from the team, and they couldn¡¯t find her after searching for a few hours. He panicked. She was thest person he expected to wander off. He needed to find her. He knew his stand on crossing territories, but this was different for so many reasons. This was her first time shifting in a long time, and she was also new to their world. Last, she was the healer of the gue. The punishment for crossing territories on a full moon varies, and some territories pay death to such Lycans. He couldn¡¯t let them harm her their world still needed her, and even if they didn¡¯t need her, he couldn¡¯t leave her there He asked where theyst saw her, and Vivian told her it was around the territory of the retaliation pack. He didn¡¯t think about it before dashing through the forest of the estate and towards the Retaliation Pack estate. They shared a border, and it was so obvious no one could miss it, but Sky had, and now he had to save her. He arrived just in time to save her from the ws of death, and he was grateful Alpha Lukas hadn¡¯t given into his rage and killed her. Julian had always been one to respect thew and encourage others to follow it. He despised anyone who broke thew and always told them to bear the punishment. But thisw, he had to break in order to save the lives of thousands. They didn¡¯t know who she was, and when they did, their anger subsided. Sky¡¯s work at the settlement wasn¡¯t limited only to the Lycan king¡¯s estate; it involved everyone from all parts of their world; she was their saviour. They didn¡¯t race it back; he figured that after what she had been through, she wouldn¡¯t have the strength for a race, so they walked. They would walk for the one and a half hours it took to get to the estate. Her silence was loud as they made their way back home, and he wanted to know what she thought. He wanted to know what went on in her head. The silence was also something he didn¡¯t like but had to endure. He wanted to know what happened and how she found herself in the retaliation territories. Vivian had Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. told him she wandered away from them, but something in him didn¡¯t believe it. Sky didn¡¯t seem like one who would wander around, and he was certain her wolf wasn¡¯t either. After over an hour of walking, he could now see the pack estate field, and that made him ask ¡°How did you get there?¡± He needed rity on this. ¡°Vivian said you had wandered off, and they couldn¡¯t find you.¡± He added. She didn¡¯t answer him, and he nced at her to find her head down and her tail fallen. He knew what that meant; it was a state of defeat and shame. He had experienced that at some point in the past, and he didn¡¯t want to add to it. They arrived at the pack estate¡¯s field, and he saw a few of those he had left to go had Sky still waiting for him. Vivian was one of them, and Nina was as well. Then he remembered that he didn¡¯t even ask for Nina¡¯s permission before he dashed off to go save Sky. Yes, his actions were ountable to no one, but she wasn¡¯t no one. She was his partner in all this. Nina didn¡¯t look offended, though, and he knew he would give her an apology as soon as they were alone. Sky shifted into human form, and her maid, Be, wrapped her up in woollen cloth. Nina also held out a coat for him, and he shifted back to his human form, giving her a grateful smile. His attention moved when he heard Vivian¡¯s voice. ¡°I¡¯m so d you are safe,¡± she said, walking towards Sky, but she shunned her and walked away from the field, not looking at anyone before leaving ¡°The other territories will hear about this, and they will not be very happy that you have broken thew and your words to them¡± Nina said as they stepped into the room, and he shut the door. He sighed and rubbed his hand over his chin. ¡°I know, I did not expect the one who would be caught crossing territories to be Sky.¡± ¡°Did she say why she did, though?¡± He shook his head. ¡°She hasn¡¯t said a word since I rescued her. He told her, ¡°I feel guilty; I shouldn¡¯t have paired her with Vivian and her team.¡± ¡°You think there is more to Vivian and her clueless act?¡± Nina asked. He didn¡¯t know what to make of Vivian and her team. She imed Sky had wandered away from their team, but the possibility of that was very slim, especially since Sky was weaker and slowerpared to them. Ted was themander of security, Rufus was in charge of defence, and Susan and Caroline were both skilled hunters. The only advantage Sky had was being a healer. There was no way she would have gotten away from them, and so he couldn¡¯t trust what she told her. Also, with her scent, he found her with ease. He stepped towards her and said, ¡°I will need to find out, and before that, I want to say I am sorry for leaving the way I did without getting your consent. Yes, saving the healer was important for our world, but we are a team, and your consent is important.¡± He wrapped his arms around her. ¡°Do not worry; I wouldn¡¯t have stopped you.¡± ¡°I know, but I promise, I will never do that again.¡± He vowed, and softly k*ssed her l*ps. They pulled away, and Nina turned towards the door. ¡°You got to see her in her wolf form; do you think she¡¯s the one?¡± He didn¡¯t get the chance to properly analyse her fur. She had been through enough trauma, and he didn¡¯t want to add to it, so he didn¡¯t. From what he got a glimpse of, he knew he stood a good chance with her ¡°I think she is. He answered in a confident tone Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Fiona¡¯s POV Be drew her a warm bath after they came into the room, and when the water was ready, she urged her toe have her bath. She obeyed and did as she was told. Be had never offered to help her bathe herself, but she must have seen her trembling hands while holding the bar soap because she asked if she needed her help. Fiona shook her head as a sign that she had it under control. Be didn¡¯t argue; instead, she gave her space and went to get her clothes ready. The event of the day still affected her, and she knew it would take a while to get over it. If the Lycan king hadn¡¯t stepped in when he did, she would have died at the hands of Alpha Lukas. The thought of leaving her sons terrified her and made her want to adjust a thing or two.. The major me fell on her shoulders; she should have known the type of person Vivian was, and tagging along with her team was her first mistake. Once that mistake was made, she could no longer pull out of it She got dressed after bathing, and Be brought her a bowl of cereal. It was easy to eat, and she epted and ate. After eating, she got into bed and shut her eyes, wanting to get a litle sleep before anything came up today. Her eyes fluttered, and she found herself back in the midst of the angry mob, and they yelled hateful and angry words at her. This time, unlike thest ones, she was on an execution block, and the mob raged beneath her. ¡°She deserves to pay!¡± one yelled out. ¡°This is the justice she deserves!¡± another said in a furious voice. She nced down at her hands and found they were in chains. The chams weren¡¯t strong enough to hold her captive, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to break out of them. She didn¡¯t know why until it hit her; they had tamed her powers. Her hands travelled up immediately, and she felt the giga around her neck and her breath cut in her throat. This was the end for her, and there was no escaping this hell. ¡°For the crime of crossing territories, you, Sky Lawson, are found guilty and therefore sentenced to death.¡± Alpha Lukas said. and the angry mob cheered her sentence. Her eyes blurred up, and just then she spotted someone from the corner of her eyes, and as her attention moved to them. she saw it was Vivian. She had a victorious look on her face, having aplished her goal. ¡°Anyst words?¡± Alpha Lukas asked. ¡°No!¡± Fiona cried out bitterly, and her eyes snapped open in bed. Sweat broke over her face, and her heart raced rapidly in her chest, trying to steady itself. In the same seconds, the door opened, and Be stepped into the room. Her eyes moved to hers, and they were filled with worry. ¡°Are you okay, ma¡¯am?¡± Fiona was too gone to ask why she had taken her title instead of calling her name as agreed upon. She shook her head. ¡°I will be fine.¡± Be nodded, trusting her response. ¡°You have a visitor.¡± She informed her. Fiona¡¯s eyes narrowed at her words, and her eyes narrowed. She had been here for over a week, and she never had one, so who could it be? ¡°Who is it?¡± she asked. ¡°The Lycan king.¡± Be replied, and Fiona¡¯s heart sk ipped in her chest, and they speeded up. What did he want? Surely he didn¡¯te to talk about what happened, did he? It seemed to be the most obvious reason he was here. She never answered his question this morning. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. In truth, she did not speak to anyone. She didn¡¯t have the strength to. She almost died, and that was the only thing she thought about. If he were back now, wanting to see her, it meant he wanted to know the truth and get to the root of what happened. ¡°Did he say why he¡¯s here?¡± She raised a brow. Be shook her head. ¡°He didn¡¯t.¡± Even if he had a reason for visiting, which she knew he did, he wouldn¡¯t tell Be. He didn¡¯t have any reason to answer to her or anyone else. She nodded and rose from her bed, wanting to head out, but Be¡¯s confused look left her with a question. ¡°Your hair.¡± She pointed it out, and she quickly arranged it before heading out with her. They came into the living room, and there they met the Lycan king standing there, alone, without his escort. Her breath cut in her throat at the sight of him: it felt strange to her. His eyes lifted, and they met her. They softened a little, and she thought she saw a smile cross his face. ¡°Good morning, my king,¡± she bowed her head humbly. Be paused and whispered afternoon to her. ¡°Good afternoon, my king.¡± She corrected herself. He chuckled, not taking offence at her first mistake. ¡°It¡¯s the 1 guess I must have woken you up from sleep,¡± As much as he wanted to take responsibility for it, it wasn¡¯t his fault. She had woken up because she had had a nightmare. The dream was already a nightmare before she saw Vivian in it, and seeing the witch in her dream doubled the impact it had on her. She shook her head. ¡°You didn¡¯t, I was already awake when she came in to call me.¡± She replied, being honest. ¡°Alright, good then. I am d you are speaking now,¡± he said, reminding her of her silence this morning. ¡°You look so much better as well Be bowed her head, humble, and the king¡¯s gaze moved to her. ¡°I seek your permission to leave, my king¡± He nodded his consent, and she took her leave immediately. Fiona wanted to hold onto her hand and tell her not to leave her with the Lycan king. There was something about him that triggered a weakness within her, and she didn¡¯t understand what it meant. She felt it this morning while they made their way back to the estate and couldn¡¯t understand it. She didn¡¯t want to feel that way again, but she couldn¡¯t speak. Be exited, leaving them alone. Her head remained lowered and her eyes fixed to the floor. ¡°I am sorry for what happened today.¡± He began to speak. ¡°I should have never allowed you to go with Vivian¡¯s pack: they are advanced and tend to neglect others Was that what he thought happened? Their neglect led to her wandering off Well, that was the only truth he had, and he was going to draw on it. ¡°If you had shifted with me, it would have been different, and I do not want you to think this is what the full moon is like. It is fun, it is fulfilling, and it is a great bonding moment. I wish you had experienced that, and on behalf of the rest of us! want to say I¡¯m sorry!¡± Would he believe her if she told him Vivian had taken her into the other territory? He seemed to trust his subordinate and believe her words above others. Still, she was going to tell her truth, whether he believed her or not. ¡°I didn¡¯t wander off; I was taken there, and I was abandoned just in time to get caught.¡± She answered, and this made him frown. ¡°It was all nned from the very beginning. Ed, Fuss, Sussy, and Roli were led by Vivian,¡± she said. ¡°Vivian?¡± he asked, not sounding like one who believed her words, She didn¡¯t me him, but that would not stop her from speaking her truth. ¡°She crossed us into the other territory, and when I told her we would disobey your orders if we crossed territories, the entire werewolf world is the Lycan king to rule over and have dominion over. Those were her exact words. I told her I didn¡¯t want to go further, and that made her suggest hunting. Ed led the way, and he told me the rules. The team was split into two, and they would go out in pairs to hunt. He said. Whoever catches the biggest will eat both theirs and their opponent¡¯s kill.¡± The Lycan king listened to everything she said, and though she didn¡¯t know if he believed a word she said, she continued. ¡°Fuss and Ed went first, and then Sussy and Roli, Vivian and I were thest, and I could only kill a squirrel. When I returned, I didn¡¯t find any of them; instead, I found a mob of angry Lycans. That was how it all happened. You may not believe me, but that is the truth.¡± ¡°Vivian and her team gave the same detailed ount, and in all of it, you wandered off after failing to match up with their speed.¡± He told her. ¡°They are right. I couldn¡¯t match up with their speed, but I didn¡¯t wander off; they always waited for me until they finally abandoned me in the strange territory. This is my first time shifting in five years, and so I couldn¡¯t match up to their speed or strength. So how did I manage to escape from them without being found? How did I manage to kill four massive wild animals? That makes no sense. I know you have known Vivian and her team for years, but I am not lying; this is the truth.¡± If he believed her, it didn¡¯t show in his eyes. ¡°I believe you, Ms. Lawson.¡± He told her, and for a moment, she thought she had hallucinated those words. It was her words against five others, and he was choosing to believe her. That was something she had never experienced before or thought She chose to tell the truth, and it didn¡¯t matter to her if he believed her or not; it was more to get the truth out, but he had chosen her side of the event over the others. Perhaps he said that to make her feel better about herself. ¡°You do not have to say the words you think I want to hear, my king.¡± He shook his head and took a step forward. ¡°I believe you because everything you have said matches what I had earlier suspected. You have also gotten a few people on your side who swear you aren¡¯t capable of breaking thew or disobeying my words. And it is all based on the actions you have disyed since your arrival at the estate, I cannot tell you what the punishment for Vivian and her team will be, but I am d you are safe. That is what is important. I know the events of the morning were terrifying, but it will pass.¡± Her eyes grew ssy, and she bowed her head to conceal her tears. She had never had justice work in her favour before, so this was so different. She didn¡¯t know how to react. ¡°We are better people than what you saw, and I hope you will let us show you that.¡± He was just as noble as everyone said he was. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Fiona couldn¡¯t think of those who had spoken well about her to the Lycan king, but she was grateful to each of them. ¡°You do not know what those words mean to me, my king. Thank you,¡± she said, ying with her fingers. ¡°I am d I know the truth, and thank you for being honest.¡± He told her. ¡°Since it¡¯s the day after the full moon, you will get to stay home and visit your sons when you want.¡± His words lit up her eyes, and she nced up to see if he was joking, but he looked serious. Her hands travelled up to cover her gasping mouth. ¡°Thank you; I do not know how to repay you for all you have done.¡± ¡°I do.¡± He answered, and her eyes narrowed a little. ¡°Come have dinner with me and Lady Nina.¡± That wasn¡¯t payment for everything he had done, but this was the payment he was asking for. She nodded, epting his offer without dy. ¡°Yes, I will.¡± He smiled, and the sight of it made her stomach flutter. ¡°Great, then I look forward to seeing you at dinner.¡± He said that and walked away, but she spoke, making him halt in his step. ¡°I never got to thank you for saving my life, so thank you, my king. She bowed her head. He said nothing before walking away. The day went on better than she expected; yes, it had begun gloomy and filled with terror, but it had gotten better. It was all thanks to the Lycan king, whose presence in her mansion had made everything better. June had once asked whether their father was a bad man and she couldn¡¯t answer then. She didn¡¯t know the man five years ago. Now, having spent this time with him and heard so much goodness about him, she had an answer when she visited them earlier. She told them about their father, and she told them he was a good man. A man of noble character, integrity, and value. She saw how happy the boys were to learn about him, and they asked her if they would get to meet him when they left here. She wanted to tell them they had already met him, but she couldn¡¯t The Lycan king already had his life with the woman he loved and would someday make his mate. She didn¡¯t want to destroy that. It wouldn¡¯t be fair. Besides, the truth might ruin everything. He might want to keep his sons here, and she wanted to leave as soon as she finished her assignment here. That would bring conflict, one she will never win. This was selfish thinking, but she didn¡¯t care. The pack estate wasn¡¯t the safest; after what happened to her, she knew her sons would never be safe as long as they were here in the same ce Vivian and her team were. She owed him her life, so she would do all she needed to do and fix what needed to be fixed before leaving. ¡°Which do you think is better?¡± Fiona asked Be, who was searching through the wardrobe, to find the most appropriate pair of shoes, She turned and found her holding onto her peach dress and the emerald dress. ¡°Oh, this is hard; they are both lovely dresses.¡± ¡°Well, I will meet the king and hisdy in less than thirty minutes; which do you think is appropriate?¡± She raised a brow. She didn¡¯t want to put in much effort, but she also didn¡¯t want to appear like the worst at the table. *Then I would suggest the emerald; the sweetheart disys elegance and ss,¡± She exined, Fiona beamed at them. ¡°I knew I could count on you.¡± She got ready in the emerald dress, and Be handed her the silver heels as aplimentary style. She stared at herself, loving her look. She barely ever yed dress-up. Her line of work didn¡¯t permit it. Seeing herself now like this, she admired what she saw, Her short red hair rested on her shoulders, and she had a silver ne around her neck. Her blue contact lenses created eyes that stared back at her and her rosy cheeks. She was barely the girl she once was, and that was okay. ¡°Oh, this looks so good,¡± Be gushed from beside her. ¡°Do you think I am overdressed for dinner?¡± she asked, immediately bing self-aware Be shook her head. ¡°Wait till you see what Lady Nina will wear¡­ No one outshines thedy of the Lycan king,¡± she told her, and that pacified her a little. The horn of the car went off outside, and Fiona knew it was the ride sent over by the Lycan king to pick her up. She didn¡¯t want to keep them waiting, so she picked up the silver clutch that matched the shoes and made her way out of the Toom Jace was out there waiting for her, and though she was not happy at the sight of him, she got into the car, and he drove her away. They spent the first half of their trip to the Lycan King¡¯s castle in silence, but Jace soon spoke. ¡°I know I Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. might be toote in saying this, but I am sorry for the misunderstanding we had in the beginning, Ms Lawson, I do not want that to be the thing that will cross your mind whenever you see me. She stayed silent, not knowing if she was in the right ce to ept his apology and forgive him yet. Yes, the king gave the order, and he had to carry out his king¡¯s orders, but what he did. raking her sons, was wrong ¡°I lost my wife to the gue, and I would have lost my daughter too if you hadn¡¯te. Drew has lost his entire family in thest five years. It still doesn¡¯t excuse what I did, but it exins my desperation. I hope that someday you will get to forgive me.¡± He said, and the car came to a stop. He got down and came over to her side, holding the door open for her. She thanked him and got down. He led her, and she silently followed behind him to the building Chapter 30 Chapter 30 She had been here before, days ago, when she came to officially meet the Lycan king, but the shivers she felt on stepping in made it feel as if it was her first time. The house was beautiful, beyond the words in her head. It was a paradise of its own, and the very idea behind it made her marvel. Jace reached a side of the house and didn¡¯t go further; instead, he handed her over to the se rvant in the house to lead her over to where she needed to go. She didn¡¯tin or say anything as she silently followed the se rvant behind. It was a two-minute silent walk to get to the main area of the house, and just as she came to a stop, she found the Lycan king climbing down thest stair. He was in white long sleeves and ck trousers. His hair was in a neat bun, and his beard, unlike earlier, seemed to have been trimmed alinle to give his face a neater look. His choice of clothing was simple, but it looked sophisticated on his b*dy. His shape and fit made the clothe hug all his b*dy, and she didn¡¯t mean to gawk, but that was what she did. His eyes met hers, and a smile appeared on his l*ps. She smiled back warmly, and again she felt the butterflies in her stomach make themselves known. She tamed the feeling and focused on the night and the people she came to meet. Speaking of which, she didn¡¯t see Lady Nina beside him as she should, and this made her raise a curious brow. ¡°Where is Lady Nina?¡± she asked, her curiosity and expectancy of her presence showing in her voice. He pressed his l*ps together, and she could already tell thedy would not be joining them, and now she wanted to know why. Did she not approve her arrival? Was there a dispute between them that triggered her absence? Did it have to do with her? It couldn¡¯t have been about her, could it? ¡°May I ask why she is not here?¡± She rephrased her question. ¡°She went to be with her family,¡± he told her. ¡°It¡¯s the wedding ceremony of her sister, and she needed to be there to give her away, and she had to leave immediately.¡± He told her, and this countered her initial thought, which was a good thing. Thest thing she wanted was to be the reason that would disrupt this wonderful union. ¡°I would have told you, but I didn¡¯t want to go back on my words.¡± For a moment, she didn¡¯t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. She looked forward to officially meeting thedy of the estate, but now she knew it would be some other time. ¡°Oh, was all she said. ¡°You don¡¯t look very happy about that, he pointed out, as if reading into her thoughts. She wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he could; he was the Lycan king after all. ¡°I am happy to be here; I was looking forward to having her.¡± At least her presence would have helped stop her from fantasising about the man before her. Knowing he belonged to someone and knowing that person was at the table would have been a calming force for her raging emotions. Now she had to tame her d¨¦sires on her own. She didn¡¯t know if she could do that sessfully, especially with the way the king looked tonight. He smiled. ¡°Perhaps some time in the future, you will get the chance to,¡± he assured. She nodded, and he led her towards the dining room. He helped pull out a chair for her, and once she wasfortably seated, she thanked him. He moved to take his seat as well. It felt awkward because when she got ready for the date, she didn¡¯t envision being alone with the king, she envisioned three people at the dining table, and now she didn¡¯t know how to act. The cooks soon walked into the room with steel trays and tes and ced them on the table before moving away. ¡°I didn¡¯t really know what you might like, so I made them cook a variety of food. He said and moved to serve himself his meal. She wasn¡¯t really picky with food; as long as it was good and well prepared, she would eat anything, so he shouldn¡¯t have bothered making the cooks make so much. But the deed was already done, and Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. there was no changing it. ¡°I¡¯m not very picky, my king.¡± ¡°Good then, because I am.¡± He answered. She opened the tray in front of her and served herself, and she ate quietly. The cook had done an excellent job-preparing the steak and macaroni, and it tasted heavenly. She didn¡¯t think she had ever had anything like that in all her life, She heard a chuckle from the side of the Lycan king, and she realised he was looking at her. Her cheeks heated up, and she kept her head down, not wanting to meet his eyes. He had seen her fanning over the food; how embarrassing. ¡°You can still have more if you want.¡± He urged her, and she took more to eat, and after the second te, she was filled. She picked up the tablecloth and wiped at her mouth. ¡°It is really good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you enjoyed it. He said, and from the corner of her eyes, she saw his eyes on her, and they strayed from her face and down to the dress she wore tonight. For the first time, she felt ufortable because of his stare and also because of her choice of clothing. She felt she had overdressed for the night. When she picked but this choice, she didn¡¯t want to appear underdressed at the table. She believed Lady Nina, in all her grace and elegance, would overshadow her look at the table, and so she had nothing to worry about. Lady Nina wasn¡¯t here, though, and her dress now felt like overkill: With the Lycan king¡¯s eyes on her, she couldn¡¯t tell what was going through his mind. She knew he wouldn¡¯t S**ualise her, though; he wasn¡¯t that type of man. He wasn¡¯t like Henry; he respected hisdy too much to do that. She could S**ualize him because she didn¡¯t have a partner, hence, she wasn¡¯t cheating on anyone with him. She nodded. ¡°Yes, I did; thank you.¡± She yed with her fingers under the table, not knowing what else to do. ¡°Why did you invite me on a date?¡± she asked before she could stop herself. ¡°You never told me. His eyes flickered, and she didn¡¯t know if he was offended by her question. He stayed silent for a while, and she almost opened her mouth to tell him he didn¡¯t have to answer if he didn¡¯t want to when he spoke. ¡°Lady Nina and I wanted to get to know you; we wanted to tell you a little about ourselves in the hopes that you would do the same. We believe this is a way to build trust between us and break down any wall of confusion that might have existed before, but only if it¡¯s okay with you.¡± She felt the nut in her stomach tighten. He wanted to know more about her; what exactly did he want to know, and what did he hope to use that knowledge for? She nodded after realising she hadn¡¯t given him an answer to his suggestion. ¡°Fine, then, I am Julin McQueen, the Lycan king. I was born in Rayfield, and my father was Kol McQueen, the formal Lycan king, but he died trying to protect and preserve this world from the gue two decades ago. I became his sessor immediately after and have worked to keep the gue out just like he did. I thought I seeded fifteen years ago, as we seeded in isting the gue among us, but I didn¡¯t, and there was an outbreak five years ago, I almost failed at the task of maintaining the werewolf world like my father and his fathers before him did. I try to keep the peace, and I try to enforce the rules just like my father did. I have done things in the past, things I wasn¡¯t proud of, but I try to make it up by correcting my ways and doing what is right now.¡± ¡°How has that gone so far?¡± she asked. He smiled and said, ¡°Well, there will always be rebellion and disobedience. But I only hope the good outweighs the bad.¡± He answered, ¡°What about you? What is your story?¡± She hesitated because she didn¡¯t want to say anything about herself, but then realised the Lycan king had crossed the line of vulnerability just to tell her his story. The least she could do was tell him a little about herself. Besides, it wasn¡¯t as if he knew her story; only Alpha Carl and Luna Bianca, her biological parents, did. ¡°I don¡¯t know where I was born, but I was raised in Reign by two amazing couples. I never really fit among the other Lycans in this world, and as an omega, I suffered a great deal of pain and discrimination. It was from one nightmare to another, and it was that way until I left for the human world. There I started over, and though I thought I would be hated and discriminated against, I wasn¡¯t; I was treated like an equal. Everyone was. I¡¯m not saying there is no evil in the human world, but I am saying it was what I needed. They gave me the hope I never had.¡± He smiled, but it wasn¡¯t a happy smile. ¡°I am sorry you went through that. I understand now why you didn¡¯t want toe and help us, even though we were your kind.¡± Her head dropped. ¡°I didn¡¯t make the right decision then. It didn¡¯t matter what I had been through, my healing ability wasn¡¯t given based on my merit. It was a gift from the moon goddess, and I shouldn¡¯t have said no.¡± She couldn¡¯tpletely me herself for making that decision. She didn¡¯t know the Lycan king would be such a person. A man of integrity and noble character. ¡°Thank you for everything you have done, and thank you for proving yourself better than the world that hurt you.¡± She smiled and said, ¡°You are wee, my king. ¡°What about your sons?¡± Her smile vanished. ¡°What about my sons?¡± she asked, returning his question with another question. Her tone had also changed to a defensive one. That was a line she didn¡¯t want anyone crossing into. ¡°How did theye about? Who is their father?¡± Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Her breath cut half way when his l*ps covered her left nipple and her back arched into him. A long moan left her mouth, and her eyes rolled to the back of her head. She bit on her l*ps harder. He pulled away and moved up to capture her l*ps between his. ¡°Mine! You¡¯re mine.¡± He growled into her ear, and her b*dy squirmed against him, unifying with him in this moment. ¡°I am yours.¡± She replied, and she meant those very words. She wanted to belong to him and only him. His hands moved between them to spread her legs apart before pushing into her, following his words with actions. ¡°I¡¯m yours,¡± she heard herself repeat as he drove her into the space of pleasure and satisfaction. ¡°Ms Lawson.¡± She heard the voice of the Lycan king, and she snapped out of her thoughts. She found him staring at her with wide eyes. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Her face flushed; she had wondered into a memory she had of him, and that was the first andst time she was with him. That was how the twins came about, and he was their father, but he didn¡¯t need to know that. He had a happy life here with Lady Nina, and keeping the truth wasn¡¯t wrong; it was the right thing to do. She had to keep reminding herself of that. She pressed her l*ps together and said, ¡°I¡¯m okay, but I do not want to share information about my sons. If you do not mind, I would like to decline answering that.¡± He nodded in understanding ¡°I understand. I am sony Tasked. He said, and they returned to silence. ¡°When will Lady Nina return?¡± she asked, trying to start up a little talk ¡°As soon as the wedding ceremony is over, she will be back. He answered, and there was no trace of a grudge or resentment in his voice. This gave her peace. ¡°I¡¯ve heard so many wonderful things about her His eyes flickered in fascination. ¡°What about her did you lear?¡± ¡°I heard she is kind, patient, andplements your personality. You two are a great match,¡± she finished. He smiled. ¡°She is amazing,¡± was all she said, and his eyes showed he told the truth. He rose to his feet and offered her his hand so he could help her up. She took it, and at the contact, she felt a spark charge through her, causing a chaotic jolt within her. Goosebumps sc attered all over Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. her skin, and she shivered inwardly. All this she felt at first contact with him. She wondered if she felt it alone, but ncing up at him, she saw a red re in his eyes before it disappeared. He felt it just like she did, and she wondered what it meant. She couldn¡¯t be feeling this for another¡¯s mate, could she! He cleared his throat, wrapped hisrge, warm hands around her small ones, and pulled her up to her feet. ¡°Thank you¡± She said and forced a smile onto her face. ¡°I should be the one thanking you for honouring my invitation.¡± He was the Lycan king; did she really have a choice in this matter? Well, he just told her that she did. ¡°I know I have said this in the past, but our workd owes you a great deal for what you have done for her so far. I do not know how to repay you.¡± The initial deal of letting her have her sons when this was all over was okay with her. ¡°I am only doing what I hope someone will do for me in times of trouble.¡± Yes, she came here because they used her son¡¯s to threaten her, but so far, she has healed the gue because she wanted to. Just like he said earlier, there were good people just as they were evil, and the good didn¡¯t deserve to suffer because of the sins of the evil ones. They stepped into the living area of the castle, and once again, she got lost in the elegant array of everything in the room. Everything here was a work of art, just like the man who lived in it. What did she just think? ¡°There is something I want to reveal to you.¡± He said,ing to a halt at the centre of the room. ¡°As we get to know ourselves better, I want toy a truthful foundation. I was going to wait for Nina to return because we both wanted to tell you, but it¡¯s better now.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but think of the worst of his words. ¡°I also have the gue.¡± She stopped in her tracks and pulled her hand away from his hold. ¡°What do you mean you also have the gue?¡± He didn¡¯t look like one with the gue; she had been around those with it and could always tell those with it apart from those who didn¡¯t have it. He didn¡¯t have it; it didn¡¯t look like he did. ¡°I mean, I also have the gue.¡± He repeated the same thing he said before, and there was no trace of humour in his voice. What was he talking about? ¡°You do not have the gue.¡± She said it stubbornly. ¡°If you did, I would have known.¡± ¡°I am the Lycan king; I have the strength to subdue any sickness or infirmity. I also have over a dozen physicians to take care of me; hence, I do not look like the rest. You are aware there are different stages and different manifestations of the gue, right?¡± He was right; there were different manifestations, and some in the early stages looked as normal as every other healthy Lycan, but after a while, the signs manifested, and there was no way to hide them anymore. She stepped away from him. You were around my sons!¡± she said in an using tone. She didn¡¯t mean to be judgmental, but if he knew he had the gue and it spread through contact with others, unaffected ones, why did he go to her sons? Was he hoping to infect them? Was that the endgame? He hadn¡¯t given her a reason to doubt his intentions, but now she couldn¡¯t help thinking the worst. ¡°You were around my sons, knowing well you had the gue! Did you intend to infect them as well?¡± She snarled at him. That was the lowest of the lows he could stoop to. He was too nice to be true, and he wasn¡¯t true. Vivian would do such a thing, but she didn¡¯t think he would. He shook his head. ¡°No, no. I would never do something that cruel to children. Yes, I have the gue, but I do not infect others with it.¡± She found it hard to believe him, and it showed on her face as she stared at him. ¡°If my gue could spread, do you not think everyone who works for me would have had it already? I have been out and about, and I have also carried out shifting, travelling, and consulting with many others. These people would have also gotten the gue if it spread like the others.¡± *Then how does this work?¡± He did not hesitate: ¡°It stays with the host and feeds on them until they can no longer function, then they die.¡± How long have you had it?¡± ¡°Almost a decade.¡± Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Julian¡¯s POV His smile lingered as they spoke about Nina, and he rose to his feet. The dinner was over, but the day wasn¡¯t There were a few things he wanted toe out straight, and he could only hope she would understand without casting judgement. He offered her his hand so he would help her up, and she took it. There and then, he felt it at their touch. The spark was almost like an electrical volt rushing through him. It fueled his wildest desire, and a part of him-a dormant part of him- knew that feeling so well. It felt as if he had been with her in the past or in another life. It felt so real and genuine. He had not felt this level of attraction and desire for anyone, not even Nina, who had his heart. No, these were physical and carnal emotions; they defined nothing and shouldn¡¯t be built upon. He told himself and brushed the feeling to the side. Just as he did that, he felt it underneath the spark; he felt her powers; itid underneath; it was just as strong as he expected. She was stronger than he thought she would be, and if he could feel it, it meant it was time to tell her the truth. She nced up at him while he was still lost in the war in his head, and he slowly regained himself, wrapped his hand around her, and helped her to her feet ¡°Thank you.¡± She said, and a smile pulled onto her face. ¡°I should be the one thanking you for honouring my invitation. He meant every word he said. She had no idea the level of gratitude he had for her. ¡°I know I have said this in the past, but the werewolf world owes you a great deal for what you have done for her so far. I do not know how to repay you ¡°I am only doing what I hope someone will do for me in times of trouble. She said, and once again, her nobility showed. He knew he could trust her with the truth, no matter how much confiding in just anyone scared him. She was the help he needed. They stepped into the living area of the castle, and he found her looking around with a mesmerised gaze. He chuckled inwardly because he was used to it at this point, but she wasn¡¯t, ¡°There is something I want to reveal to you?¡± He said this,ing to a halt at the centre of the living room He ced his hand on top of her, and this made her nce up at him. He almost lost the words to say as she stared at him. He had to concentrate, or he would never get the words he needed to say out loud. That was true. ¡°As we get to know ourselves better. I want toy a truthful foundation. I was going to wait for Nina to return because we both wanted to tell you, but it¡¯s better now.¡± The more he approached the truth, the more agitated he became, and he did his best to keep that hidden from her. ¡°I also have the gue.¡± She said nothing for the first half a minute that passed, and it felt as if she didn¡¯t even hear him at all. Did she not hear him? Or was this too much for her to take? His mind raced with questions She pulled her hand away from his hold, and he immediately felt as if he had lost a part of himself. ¡°What do you mean you also have the gue?¡± she demanded, confusion making itself known in her voice. Yes, his words might have been confusing because no one who saw him would think he had the gue, but they were true. ¡°I mean, I also have the gue,¡± he repeated. ¡°You do not have the gue. She said it stubbornly. ¡°If you did, I would have known.¡±~/ He understood where she wasing from, but that wasn¡¯t it; he had to make her see the truth. ¡°I am the Lycan king; I have the strength to subdue any sickness or infirmity. I also have over a dozen physicians to take care of me; hence, I do not look like the rest. You are aware there are different stages and different manifestations of the gue, right?¡± Once again, she became silent, and he knew she was thinking about everything he just told her and trying to fit it into reality. She stepped away from him. ¡°You were around my sons!¡± she said in an using tone. He didn¡¯t think that was where her mind was going to go first, but he should have known. She was a mother and a mother¡¯s instinct would be to protect her children first from every threat that she perceived. He saw the look on her face; it wasn¡¯t as bad as he had anticipated, but it wasn¡¯t good. He knew she probably considered him a monster for being around her sons while harbouring the gue. ¡°You were around my sons, knowing well you had the gue! Did you intend to infect them as well?¡± She snarled at him. She had every right to be mad at him and even upset, but he would never do anything that would ce the lives of her sons in danger. ¡°No, no. I would never do something that cruel to children. Yes, I have the gue, but I do not infect Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. others with it.¡± She didn¡¯t believe him, and he couldn¡¯t me her. ¡°If my gue could spread, do you not think everyone who works for me would have had it already?¡± He asked with his brow rising, ¡°I have been out and about, and I have also carried out shifting, travelling, and consulting with many others. These people would have also gotten the gue if it spread like the others.¡± ¡°Then how does this work?¡± she asked with a calm voice, She was doing a difficult job of staying calm. ¡°It stays with the host and feeds on them until they can no longer function, then they die.¡± ¡°How long have you had it?¡± ¡°Almost a decade.¡± He answered, and she once again became silent, and he didn¡¯t know what was going through her head. She nced up at him, her emotions and confusion increasing. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡° ¡°I want you to take a look at it and see if you can heal me. He said, ¡°And if you can, I want you to.¡± He knew she could heal him; he felt her power and knew she was strong enough now, but he still wanted it to be her wish. She nodded, already epting his terms. ¡°I will do that, but I ask one thing in return. ¡°What is it? Say it, and I will do it.¡± ¡°You will promise to stay away from my kids.¡± She said. He pressed his l*ps together and nodded, ¡°If that is the payment you want, then it is what I will do.¡± ¡°Thank you and good night, my king.¡± She bowed her head and took her leave, Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Fiona¡¯s POV She couldn¡¯t sleep. She tried to, but she couldn¡¯t shut her eyes. There was just so much she knew and couldn¡¯t stop thinking about. The Lycan king had the gue. He had had it for over a decade. He had it before they met over five years ago, before their affair, which brought about the conception of the twins. He was right; he would have infected everything that crossed paths with him in thest ten years if his gue was like the others, but it wasn¡¯t. At least that was something good. He couldn¡¯t have given the gue to her sons in the time he spent with them. That was physical touch and closeness. Did they also have the gue since they were a product of him? They didn¡¯t have the gue; they couldn¡¯t Her theory was that they either didn¡¯t take that from him or they did, and she cured them with her powers while they were still in her belly. In any case, they were as safe as they should be. She had wanted the night-her first dinner with the Lycan king-to be memorable, and now it was. She would never forger everything that had happened. She would take it to her grave. She didn¡¯t know what to make of him-the Lycan king. After everything so far, she didn¡¯t know if he was a good person or if there was evil lying underneath that goodness. There was so much she needed to know-so much truth that had to be uncovered. She needed to know how his gue came about and if his father had it. Her work here just doubled. Since she agreed to heal him, she would have to fix hum into her time at the settlement. It wouldn¡¯t be easy, but it was a responsibility she had to take on. She had to figure out a way to do everything quickly and put this ce behind her. A few minutes past midnight, her eyes fluttered. The next day started roughly, and it was expected considering the activities of the night before. The gue hade out in their hundred, and the sight of them terrified her. It felt as though the more she healed, the more the numbers grew. She had to find a way to deal with the gue faster. Seven hours into the day, Jace came to the settlement to inform her that the Lycan king demanded her presence in his court. Her heart sk ipped a beat at the mention of his name, but she said nothing before rising from the healing room and following him. They arrived at the Lycan king¡¯s castle, and he silently took her inside. They stepped into the king¡¯s court, and she picked up his scent. She had beep around itst night, and it was warm and alluring. They stepped in together, and without waiting to be dismissed, he took a step back and exited the door. She now stood alone, watching the Lycan king in the room alone. He was in his seat, and he closed the book in his hand as soon as Jace took his departure. ¡°Good day, my king He set the book down before him. ¡°You do not have to call me by my title. My name is Julian, and I think you already know that. She did, but that didn¡¯t mean she had to take the name. They didn¡¯t have an informal rtionship, so she didn¡¯t want to take his name. ¡°Is that a suggestion or amand?¡± She asked. His gaze narrowed and lifted to lock in hers. ¡°It¡¯s a suggestion; there are nomands here. I would like to see you more than the healer here to heal mynd of this evil gue. ¡°That is what I am, though.¡± She argued. ¡°Being a healer is part of who you are, but that isn¡¯t what defines you. You are still a being of intelligence, strength, and integrity. He exined. Did shee here to work or to be wooed? She wondered to herself. ¡°I am highly ttered that you see me as such. I will call you your name when I feel I have to,¡± she answered. He nodded and raised his hand in surrender. ¡°As you wish, Sky¡± He told her and rose to his feet. She drew a sharp breath. He was seated earlier, and somehow she didn¡¯t notice the man she spoke to, but now that he stood, she did. He had a ck long jacket on his khaki trousers and a sky-blue shirt. His shirt had a few buttons undone, and she could see a tease of the hair on his chest. The sight of them caused a tingle within her.. She shook the nasty thought out of her head; she didn¡¯t want to S**ualize him that way anymore. He took a step towards her, and her heart picked up in pace. If he noticed the change in her with his movement, he didn¡¯t bother. He took another step, and he was covering up much space with his step. She calcted two more steps, and he would be right in front of her. His scent will engulf her and steal her senses away. ¡°Come with me,¡± he said, and as she snapped out of her thought, she saw him on the left side of the court with his right hand ced against the wall. He pushed slowly, and the wall parted to reveal a passage. ¡°Where are we going?¡± she asked, although she was already walking towards him. He didn¡¯t hesitate in providing the answer to her question: ¡°I call it my meditation room. There, you can have a good look at my gue.¡± She didn¡¯t ask any more questions as she followed behind. The first thing she felt as she got close to the meditation room was the heat and scented herb oozing out, and they were mind-numbing and created a form of case for her brain. He called it his meditation room, but it was a healing room. She could already tell. He stepped in first, and as she entered, the door shut. She turned back, rmed that she was trapped with him, but he chuckled lightly. There are many entries and exits, do not worry, there are other ways out She nodded, and turning around, she found him taking off his jacket. She held her hands up as a shield to prevent this g od- like man from defiling her eyes as her heart ski pped a heat once more. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she demanded in a panicking tone. Heughed. ¡°You need to first take a look at my gue, and that is what I¡¯m doing. I¡¯m taking off my clothes so you can have a look at it.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± she said, her hands dropping, realising she was the one overreacting. Was she, though? N*kedness. It wasn¡¯t something new to her. She was a nurse in the human world and had seen patients in their worst forms. Even before she began the healing in the werewolf world, she had examined them to see the extent of the gue N?velDrama.Org is the owner. This felt different, though; she was never alone with those people, nor had she had dreams of those patients in the past. That made her unsettled, ¡°You do not need to bepletely n*ked, do you?¡± He nced up at her, a smirk dancing at the corner of his l*ps. ¡°Why? Do you want to see me Her throat ran dry at his words, and she dropped her head. ¡°That was not what I asked, my king.¡± He chuckled; he seemed to be enjoying this: ¡°Do not worry about anything; I will not be n*ked.¡± She nodded. ¡°So what do you do in this room?¡± She asked, trying to change the subject to a less tense one. ¡°Marion created it seven years ago. He was the first to know about my gue, and after running many experiments, he noticed heat seemed to be the one that worked the most on the gue. So, I built this room, following his every direction.¡± He answered. The room is a collection of natural herbs in heat, and the more I inhale, the less the pain of the gue is.¡± ¡°You never told me about the pain of the gue,¡± she said. She found a look on his face that told her he was struggling to reveal it. ¡°It doesn¡¯t happen always, but once in a while, it feels like my heart is being ripped out while the rest of my b*dy feels on fire. It used to be a nightmare before the meditation room was created. Now following the directions Marion listed out, though my b*dy feels the same torture, it recovers faster having already absorbed enough strength in this room,¡± he exined. ¡°It didn¡¯t cure the gue, but it helped tame it. Without this room, I would have dropped dead already. Its purpose was to keep it subdued until we found the cure. ¡°Now you have.¡± ¡°Now I have. His hand was on hisst button as he said those words. Having it undone, he pulled the shirt off his b*dy and tossed it onto the stand at the corner. Her eyes for the first time saw him from his wrist up to his shoulder, he was ripped and built up just like she had imagined. She didn¡¯t mean to lust after him, but she couldn¡¯t help it. She felt ashamed of herself and her own desires, but she couldn¡¯t tame them or subdue them. past five She hadn¡¯t been with anyone since the night she spent with him. It felt wrong, and though that wasn¡¯t the case, she felt marked by him, never to belong to another man. Her desires, just like her wolf form, had stayed dormant for the years. They wereing back to their full awakening, and she didn¡¯t know if she had the strength to tame them. She nodded. ¡°Will I return to the settlement after I¡¯m done here?¡± She raised her brow. ¡°I don¡¯t think you will have the strength to return when you¡¯re finished here. His words were harmless, but she read a different meaning into them, and she felt shivers rushing through her. This will be hell. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 ¡°Do not worry; the physicians at the settlement will take charge until you return tomorrow,¡± he assured her. He took hold of his ck singlet and yanked it over his head, leaving him n*ked from the waist up. She silently stared at him with eyes filled with intent. His shoulder was broad and defined, with muscles she had only seen in movies in the past. This was her weakness, and it will be hell keeping a focused mind through all this. ¡°This is the most n*ked I will be with you.¡± He said, breaking her out of her thought. As if it made things any better. She was in hell, and the sweat tickling down her face told her she was. How was she going to bear being close to that literal. hotness without losing control and doing more with her hands than she should? What was wrong with her, and why was she acting like a h orny teenager? ¡°Alright then, let me take a look,¡± she said, and she stepped towards him, shoving all the dirty and profane thoughts away from her mind. She came to stand before him and then examined the skin of his upper b*dy. From afar and without concentration, everything looked fine, but the closer she got and the more intent she looked, the clearer the changes in his b*dy became. It took over an hour of careful examination, and she learned a few things. What he had wasn¡¯t a gue; from what she had studied and learned so far, the life span of a gue was three years, and that was in rare cases; most didn¡¯t make it past their first year. Yes, he was the Lycan king: he could indeed subdue it, but there was more to it.¡± ¡°I think this is more than just a gue, she told him, taking a step back for the first time in over an hour of close-up examination. ¡°It has a few simrities with the gue of the other Lycans, but this is so different from what they had. Yours moves differently from theirs and also feels differently. She had touched him andpared the extent. She stared at him after he became silent and didn¡¯t respond to her observation. Is there something more I need to know?¡± She saw a flicker in his eyes, but before she could discern it, it disappeared. ¡°You¡¯re right, this is more than a gue; it is at curse,¡± he answered. Once again, he had seeded in leaving her in a state of confusion. ¡°You said it was a gue?¡± She reminded him of the words he had used to describe his ailment yesterday. She didn¡¯t appreciate hisck of forwardness with her, and it was making it very hard to trust the words he was saying now. ¡°Yes, it is a gue, but it sprouted as a result of a curse. Most gues in the world¡¯s history are the result of a curse.¡± ¡°What sort of curse is that, then?¡± she asked. ¡°A curse cannot be ced on the Lycan king by any other living being, and so the schr deduced it was ced by the moon goddess herself.¡± It turned out that the more he answered her questions, the more confused she became, and that wasn¡¯t good. ¡°You were cursed by the moon goddess?¡± she eximed, and her eyes were wide with disbelief. She didn¡¯t think such was even possible to begin with. The goddess loves her children, and thest thing she would do is allow any to suffer, so why did she do this? He pressed his l*ps together and nodded. ¡°What did you do?¡± She didn¡¯t want to sound judgmental, but the goddess ways were always pure, and she wouldn¡¯t ce a curse on her child if he didn¡¯t do anything to deserve it. She was the perfect representation of justice and fairness. ¡°I made a mistake. I was young. I was foolish, and I made a terrible decision that brought about the deaths of over three hundred lives, and as payment, the goddess ced this curse on me,¡± Fiona crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°You are going to have to do more than this summary you have given me,¡± she told him. Yes, she was asking for much here, but she deserved to know. If she was going to try and find a way out of his curse, then the least she needed was the entire truth that led to this point. He sighed and nodded. Fine, then you should sit because it is a long story¡± She obliged and took her seat on the mahogany bench in the room, which was far from him, yet she could hear him. ¡°I lost my parents fifteen years ago, and I was barely fifteen. They lost their lives fighting the gue and the rebels, and after getting the gue, they didn¡¯t return home and instead continued fighting the gue till theirst breath. While they were battling the gue, my father gave instructions for fortifications around each pack estate-a way to keep the rebels out and also to keep the pack members in. At his death. I became the Lycan king, the youngest to ever be, and the responsibility passed to me. I had to make sound decisions about the gue and the rebels, and for the first five years of ruling, we did our best to tame and control the gue and the rebels as well. They moved from towns and battling the rebels, and I kept losing men and people while trying to save eachmunity they attacked. With every loss, it took a while to recover, and I didn¡¯t know what to do. So, ten years ago. I made a n: the nextmunity they attacked would be theirst.¡± ¡°How did you do that, then? Fiona asked, knowing that was not something that could be done without endangering a lot of innocent people. ¡°We had gotten information about where they would attack next, and I instructed the king¡¯s force to stand down, and when they entered Freefield, a southernmunity, the king¡¯s force would lock the Fiona gasped and covered her mouth, knowing what that meant. His decision to tame the rebels and the gue had led him to condemn the innocent along with the guilty ¡°We had victory over the rebels for a while, but at the cost of over three hundred lives in the Freefield that made her heart go out to him. ¡°The king¡¯s force returned and told me how it all went; many were traumatised by the experience. They told me they heard. the cries of children and babies within themunities, and they couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Many of the king force killed themselves just to stop the nightmare and the evil they had done. I grieved and mourned my wrong. If I had taken another route and sought better counsel, then perhaps there could have been another way that would have saved the lives of the innocent. I was desperate, and in my desperation, I ended an entiremunity. He paused and pressed his l*ps together. ¡°It was my pain, my wrong, and I knew it. These marks appeared on my b*dy shortly after. I believed it was the tears of the moon goddess. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end of the rebels, though. We enjoyed peace and thought we had put an end to them, but we didn¡¯t They were only kept at bay, recovering from their loss and taking their time. They attacked again five years ago. First, they attacked the Langheldmunity and then carried on from there. They have since been rampaging and causing chaos in themunity. Out of the one hundred and fiftymunities in the werewolf world, they have afflicted over one hundred and twenty. It was a lost battle, and we needed help, so we came to you.¡± what to ¡°I do not know what to say. She told him, and he didn¡¯t look as though he med her. ¡°A part of me wanted to protect this truth and keep it hidden, but I can¡¯t. You need to know what you are dealing with. He confessed, ¡°There is a way out of my gue, and only the healer with the silver fur can help me,¡± He was right; this truly was a lot of truth revealed, and many would have kept it hidden in order to protect their image before others. He had chosen truth over it all, and though the act he hadmitted in the past was horrible, he was a much different man from who he was then. From everything he had told her, she knew he still carried the guilt of his actions from teb years ago. He was not a perfect man, just one with many scars that have be a part of him. He was like everyone of them, with pain, guilt, and shorings. ¡°I do not know if I can do anything, but I will do whatever I can,¡± she assured him with a nod of her head. ¡°Thank you. That is all I need,¡± he told her, and he put all his clothes back on. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, surprised that he was wearing his clothes instead of starting her healing. ¡°You need me half-n*ked to heal me?¡± he asked, a brow on his rose. She pressed her l*ps together and remained silent, realising he was right. He didn¡¯t have to be half- n*ked for her to heal him. She didn¡¯t mind if he was, though. ¡°No, you do not have to be n*ked; I can do what I need to do as long as I hold your hand.¡± She replied. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, then.¡± He smiled at her. His gue was nothing like what she had dealt with in the settlement. Yes, she discovered she could heal him after close examination, but the cost of it was great. He was right when he said she wouldn¡¯t have the strength to do anything else. Healing the gue of the other Lycans at the settlement made her hungry and a little weak. Healing his left her in a state of hunger, hallucination, and extreme exhaustion, and she wasn¡¯t even taking away the entirety of his gue. She had to heal him at a slow pace, or she would die if she attempted to take it all upon herself. In total, she had spent three hours with him. One hour for his examination, and the two hours that Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. followed to heal a portion of his curse. In those two hours, she took breaks every five minutes just to eat and regain her lost strength. It was necessary, and he understood. Hallucination was thest thing she expected, as she had never had that side effect before, but it came with it. After the session ended, she asked him if he felt any change, and he told her he did. He told her a part of him he thought had died hade back to life. ¡°You do not have to bring me out, my king; you can easily tell one of your se rvants to do this while you stay in,¡± she told him. Yes, she was healing him and breaking his curse, but that didn¡¯t make her more than she already was. She was a healer, and he was the Lycan king This is the least I can do for what you are doing for me. He told her casually. They stepped out together and approached Jace, who stood beside her car. Her escort immediately stepped forward, took hold of her hand, and helped her into the car. ¡°Take her home and help her into the house; she is really exhausted. He told Jace, though his gaze remained on her in the CAT. ¡°I will,¡± Jace answered before entering the car. After they arrived home, Jace helped her get into the mansion and then into her room. She told him she could help herself from then on, and he understood and tumed to leave when Fiona called to him. Jace.¡± He hatred and turned to her. ¡°I forgive you for what you did,¡± she told him, and she saw the look of relief wash over his face. ¡°We do not make the best decisions when we are desperate, and I understand why you did what you did. You are not a horrible person. I see that now! He bowed his head, grateful for her words. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Lawson: She smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re wee, Mr. Cruise! Chapter 35 Chapter 35 ¡°Got space for one more?¡± Fiona heard the voice of the Lycan king. She nced up and saw him standing before her. His eyes mesmerising and his locks falling into his face, creating that wild look she loved. Desire showed itself in his eyes as he stared at her, and that look made her shiver on the inside. Her longing also grew with every second that went by. His brow raised as she returned his question with silence. Then she realised she hadn¡¯t given him an answer. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± He climbed onto the bed with her and crawled over to her. Her heart paced faster with every space he covered. Shey on her back, and he towered over her, his eyes filled with want, and his hand came up to stroke her face. She shivered at his touch, and he smirked, loving her reaction. ¡°You¡¯re mine.¡± He leaned in and took her l*ps between his for a deep k*ss, and as she k*ssed back, her eyes snapped open. She had stopped dreaming about the Lycan king after the birth of her sons, and she has moved on since then. It, however, came back a few days after her session with him and had be a reurring event. She didn¡¯t want him in her dreams; he wasn¡¯t supposed to be there. He had a mate whom he would im soon. Yet he had imed her in her dreams and called her his own and no one else¡¯s. She first attributed it to her hallucination, but now, after many days, she knew it wasn¡¯t. Something had changed, and her subconscious had wired itself to the dreams of the Lycan Kinging and taking her. It had been a week since she first started her session with him, and that meant she would have to go back to visit today. She didn¡¯t know if she was me ntally ready to deal with him. The first week had left her me ntally unstable, and she didn¡¯t know what the second week would bring. She carried on with her work at the settlement, and after the seventh hour, Jace arrived to take her to the Lycan king¡¯s castle. Unlike the previous week, he led her into the king¡¯s court, and there she realised he wasn¡¯t alone. The meeting with others took an extra thirty minutes, and so Fiona and Jace had to wait until they were done. She did not appreciate it, though; nevertheless, she waited for them to finish with their discussion. It would have to end for her session to begin. The door opened after thirty minutes, and out walked Vivian and her team. Fiona stood frozen at the sight of them, and it was something she didn¡¯t think she would see. They were walking away freely after what they had done. Vivian had a mischievous smirk on her l*ps, and though the rest didn¡¯t even look at her. Ted turned his head to re at her Her heart beat unsteadily at the sight she saw, and for a moment, she heard nothing else. The Lycan king had told her he would deal with them for their offence, but it seemed he did nothing and instead allowed them to walk. This made her angry. ¡°Ms Lawson, we should go in now,¡± Jace said, and she snapped out of her thoughts and followed behind him. They stepped into the court together, and there the Lycan king sat. He seemed invested in the report before him, and seated before him was Lady Nina. Fiona didn¡¯t know thedy of the Lycan king was back, and also, seeing her with him was a sight she wasn¡¯t very used to. Lady Nina, from what she knew, always had her own affairs to attend to, so she was hurdly ever seen beside him. It was nice to see, though. Perhaps this sight would make her stop dreaming about him. ¡°My king, Ms. Lawson, as instructed,¡± Jace announced, bowed a little, and stepped aside. He nced up from the report before him, and his eyes settled on her. He nodded at Jace, who took the dismissal and exited the room, leaving her with the king and hisdy. ¡°Good day, my king,dy Nina,¡± she greeted, her voice low, and she didn¡¯t hold any form of cheerfulness in her countenance. ¡°Ms. Lawson, how was your day at the settlement?¡± he asked, folding the report and cing it on the desk before rising to his feet. He didn¡¯t look in the best mood either. If she were to judge, she would say he was upset ¡°It was great, my king,¡± she quietly responded. ¡°Tired?¡± he asked, and his eyes began their investigation of her. She was a little tired, but that wasn¡¯t something she wanted to tell him, not with hisdy here. And not after seeing Vivianing out of his office and holding that mischievous smirk on her face. It was unsettling, and she wanted to keep everything formal. ¡°Il deal my king,¡± she answered in a less friendly tone. His N?velDrama.Org is the owner. is eves narrowed at her. ¡°Are you okay? No, she wasn¡¯t, she wanted to know what Vivian and her team were doing in the court and why they were free to walk. She wanted to know if she was safe on the estate or if she had to always be on the lookout. She wanted to know all this, and she wouldn¡¯t rest until she got all the answers she was looking for. Even if she wasn¡¯t okay, she would not tell it to him. She tried a smile; it wasn¡¯t genuine, but he said nothing about it. ¡°I would like to examine the gue on your skin and see the progression in thest week, my king.¡± She said to him. He nodded and then turned to Nina, who had been silent throughout this exchange. She shook her head and rose to her feet, and this gave Fiona a view of her yellow sundress, which she wore with her ck stiletto. With her hair in a bun, this was a simple but elegant look. Lady Nina knew just how well to pull that off. ¡°I do not want to get in the way. I will carry on with the rest of my duties around the estate, She answered and stepped towards him. ¡°We will meet in the evening when all this is over¡± She ced her hand on his chest and k*ssed his l*ps slowly. He k*ssed back before pulling away, and his attention moved to Fiona, who was now looking anywhere but at them. ¡°Yes, sure, we will.¡± He said, rather coldly, and Fiona couldn¡¯t unhear it. Lady Nina yed it off with a smile and nodded before taking her leave. Only when the door shut did Fiona realise Nina had never returned her greeting or said a word to her. She brushed it off and told herself she was just too busy with other thoughts to notice her. It was nothing to think too hard about The Lycan king took the lead, and she followed silently as they made their way to the meditation room, all that they did in silence. Just like the study, the court also had an opening that led to the meditation room, and that was what they used. They stepped inside, and the door shut from behind. ¡°You may proceed.¡± She said this and moved to the other side of the room, trying to keep as much distance between them as possible. ¡°What is wrong?¡± he repeated the question he asked in court earlier. She turned to him with a confused look on her face. ¡°Nothing is wrong.¡± ¡°I might not know you well, but I have been around you for a while to know that this isn¡¯t your usual self. You have had a different aura around you since you stepped into the court,¡± he pointed out to her. He was right in his observation, but she didn¡¯t have to tell him why that was. ¡°Tam fine.¡± She answered, sounding a little grumpy at his adamant question. He nodded, not wanting to push any further into finding out what was wrong. ¡°Alright, Ms. Lawson. What do you need me to do?¡± ¡°Please take off your clothes, my king¡± He took off his clothes and kept them on the bench closest to him, and he did the same for his singlet, leaving him n*ked from the waist up. She made her way over to him, and she stared at the pattern of the gue on his skin. She remembered what it looked likest week. His curse appeared as shapes of little tears all over his skin. After their first session together, she checked to make sure there was a difference, and there was. His left rib side, which had the shape of the tears all over it, no longer did. It was further proven that she did well. The rest of his b*dy still had the curse. Her examination today was different from the onest week. She wanted to see if the gue had remained gone or if it had metamorphosed into something else. After close examination, she realised the healed gue stayed healed. The sight gave her much relief, and she knew she would only have to carry on now. ¡°Your gue didn¡¯t spread.¡± She told him. ¡°That is a good thing, right?¡± She nodded, and a little smile came on her face. ¡°Yeah, that is a good thing.¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 She did her duty and took away what she could of his curse in this session. Just like the first time, it came with hallucinations, exhaustion, and hunger. Her b*dy seemed to be used to this already and had also gotten better at resistance, especially against the hallucinations. It was much better thanst week, when she had hallucinated k*ssing him. She didn¡¯t want a repeat of that After the first hour of treating his gue, she took her third break to eat. The meditation room had different corners andyers. She had picked the left corner to stay and eat heat and incense reduced. He normally would remain in the main area, having much heat and incense, until she returned. The room was still a wonder to her. From its structure to the little details, it showed a lot of knowledge, and knowing Marion had drawn out the idea blew her away every time. She kept her focus on her meal; she needed to finish and return to her work. Usually, the Lycan king kept himself busy with something, as he had always done, but this time he didn¡¯t. He came to the left corner of the room to stare at her. She didn¡¯t take notice of his gaze as her hunger had overridden her other senses. However, after a while of eating and stuffing herself with the delicious food provided, she noticed him quietly staring at her. Startled, she slowed down and gulped the food in her mouth. It almost choked her out, as she hadn¡¯t chewed properly before swallowing. Her eyes watered. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, a little rmed at her difficulty. She nodded and wiped off the tears from her face. I am fine; I¡¯m okay, she told him. She wasn¡¯t okay; her throat was sore from the huge swallow it just took He didn¡¯t seem to believe her, though, but said nothing, instead, he rose from his seat and approached where she sat at the table, eating. He picked up a ss of water and handed it to her. She took it from his hand and gulped the entire content. She felt instant relief and wondered why she didn¡¯t think about it after swallowing that much. Also, why was he watching her eat? ¡°Thank you; I shouldn¡¯t have swallowed as quick as I did.¡± She told him, feeling embarrassed that he had seen her go through that ¡°It¡¯s fine; it happens to the best of us.¡± ¡°Well, it wouldn¡¯t have happened if you didn¡¯t stare at me.¡± She mumbled to herself, but he seemed to have heard it. He gave her an apologetic look. ¡°I am sorry I robbed you of privacy by staring, but I wanted to figure out what was wrong She sighed, annoyed. They were back to this again: ¡°Nothing is wrong¡± ¡°You do not have to lie, I can tell something is wrong. It¡¯s all over you.¡± How could he tell something was wrong with her but couldn¡¯t put it together that perhaps, seeing Vivian and her team, could have triggered it? Maybe he did and wanted confirmation. She didn¡¯t know if he was being genuine in his concern, but so far, he had only shown genuine care for her. ¡°You said Vivian and her team would get punished for what they did. I saw theming out of the court earlier, and they didn¡¯t look like they had suffered any punishment. Help me understand, then. Because I¡¯ve tried to and can¡¯t understand why they looked untouched ¡°The decision and the punishment they deserved were carried out by the council¡± he told her. ¡°In the fout ther council allotted pusschnitt. But they damessed fit so them, with the gue would have time had the hand of Nipha Lakan. I woul del that will not change the rapped and he hack to Hedded and blowed her. The seat her dry spinner and dough Faded to mid Aleve he knew why she was silent all this me When she fed with her bring desk of the gur. Her joli for the day was dotie Unlikest week, the Lacan king called ja Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. had done wording right by selling him the h answer to the I she hated the Jace arrived and took her out of the healing some de the th May did thing in bringing my ba made her wonder if she herself¡± She didn¡¯), know the not weakness. They will always have his thee to the dogs She had to bacio san than t dels thr They And as fo ble. That way Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Julian¡¯s POV Julian stood before the mirror, staring at himself, taking notice of the scars on his b*dy and the change he had experienced so far. There has been a lot of change within him since the healer began her session. He couldn¡¯t ignore it His gue hurt less than it used to. He had used the meditation room throughout thest week, as he always did. When the manifestation of his gue came, he noticed it gave him less pain and difort aspared to before. He knew soon he would be back to the way he once was, filled with strength and without the soul-crushing pain that came as often as possible. She was a blessing to him and to them all. She didn¡¯t even ask for anything in return but that her sons be given to her. He would have dly given her anything else she wanted. He would have given her up to a quarter of his world if she had demanded it. That wasn¡¯t the kind of person she was, she wasn¡¯t seeking payment for doing the right thing. She reminded him of Marion and Keh. Although their Lycan king, after everything they had been through together, considered them his friends. She was kind-hearted and considerate, and she had an optimistic view of things, at least from what he¡¯s seen so far. She believed the best in everything and always had a cheerful smile to make it up. Her presence has brightened everything since arriving a few weeks ago, and there has been no regret in having her. He sensed her the moment she stepped through the portal and knew she was special. It hurt him when she told him he might not consider her life worth anything. That was the worst thing she could have told him, and he didn¡¯t have a response for her. She had told him in the past that she never fit in growing up in this world. He had wondered if it had something to do with the very fact that they did not value ber life as much as others. It seemed to have been the case, and if it was, he felt bad about it The council had chastised Vivian and her team, not for crossing territories and getting Sky into trouble, but for abandoning a member of the team to wander off. That was all they knew about the situation, because he did not tell the council the truth Fiona told him. He had hoped there would be others who woulde up and testify against Vivian and her team, but no one did. So, their trial went in their favour, as many came forward to testify to their goodness. One of them was Lady Nina He didn¡¯t even know about her testimony until the five came into the study to thank her specifically for more for their world to be punished for a silly mistake. He didn¡¯t like the fact that Nina had testified for them, and he didn¡¯t like that she called what they did a silly mistake. It wasn¡¯t a silly mistake. Their disobedience got Sky into trouble, and she would have lost her life at the hands of Alpha Lukas had he not stepped in. They had abandoned Fiona there to suffer, while she told him she had wandered off on her own. Since no one testified against them for bad behaviour, they couldn¡¯t be kept for long. They were released earlier today after being chastised for a day. A lot of things felt off to him, including Nina¡¯s testimony and the fact that no one testified against any of the five on trial. No one was that clean, and it led him to believe they had terrorised those who may have wanted toe forward into silence. He had never had a reason to see them in a barl light. The healers at the sanctuary had used Ted in the past, but Vivian came to his defence, and he believed her. She had held a clean record since joining his estate five years ago. Now he doubted everything and wanted to know the truth about everything The door opened, and he turned from the mirror to find Nina stepping into the room. He didn¡¯t feel the excitement he used to have at her sight, and he knew it stemmed from her testimony at the council court. He thought he would get over it, but it had been many hours, and he still hadn¡¯t. It felt as painful as betrayal. Since he suspected the five on trial had terrorised many into not testifying against them, he wondered if they had threatened her into testifying She smiled upon seeing him, and he gave her a forced smile back. ¡°There is so much life in your eyes, and I am so happy to see it.¡± She stepped up to him and ced her hands on his chest. She touched him, and his b*dy responded, but he didn¡¯t experience the same spark.. He nodded. ¡°All thanks to Sky, the healer.¡± ¡°All thanks to you.¡± She said and leaned in to him. Her soft l*ps took his in for a deep and longing k*ss. Her hands roamed over his bearded chest, down his stomach, and over his trousers. He felt the jolt within him, and it was his desire for her. It built, regardless of how he felt about her. Despite her betrayal, he still wanted her. She took hold of his trousers and undid the button before unzipping the zip. She sl*pped her hand in to palm his growing erection, hidden in his boxer briefs. She broke the k*ss and palmed him even more. He felt his skin crawl at the thought of her betrayal. He took hold of her hand and pulled it away from his b*dy. She stared at him, and her eyes had a confused look on them. He couldn¡¯t let her keep touching him. After everything, it felt like a vition, and he didn¡¯t want it. He pressed his l*ps together and turned away from her. It hurt having to say no to her, but he had to; it was necessary. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Julian?¡± she asked. He drew a sharp breath and ran his hand through his hair. ¡°Why did you testify for the five before the council, knowing very well I ced them on trial?¡± He raised a brow at her ¡°Because I didn¡¯t see the point of keeping them there when their error was taking Sky along on their shift. They didn¡¯t cross into territory: Sky did, and yet she wasn¡¯t the one on trial, she said defensively. He stared at her, and he couldn¡¯t believe the words she just said. ¡°Are you saying that because you believe that, or is there another reason? She frowned. ¡°Is that worth being cold towards me and rejecting my advances to be intimate? Is Sky the special one now!¡± He couldn¡¯t believe she was turning this around and nung someone who had no part in it. That ¡®special one¡¯ saved your mother and over two thousand Lycans in our world so far. She¡¯s currently saving my life and bringing restoration, which my b*dy hadn¡¯t felt in over a decade. She would have lost her life if I hadn¡¯t rescued her when I did. The healer of our world and the one healing me now would have lost her life at the hands of Alpha Lukas, and you called it a silly mistake earlier in court. Fiona didn¡¯t cross the territories alone; she did with the live on trial. They, not Fiona, were the ones who killed those wild animals. Theyid a perfect trap for Fiona to fall into, not caring that this might take her life. They knew she was the healer and the answer to the cries of the many with the gue. Yet they ced her life in danger, and you call that a silly mistake?¡± His words told her to tread lightly because, as much as she was pi ssed, some words will never be taken back Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Are you in love with her now? Is that what this is?¡± sheshed out. He felt his anger build at her attempt to divert the question. ¡°This has nothing to do with Sky but the five you boldly defended before the council!¡± he snapped at her, and she flinched back. He dragged a sharp breath, realising what he just did. He had never done that in the three years they had been together. ¡°The only way they would have gotten you to testify for them is if they forced you. You are mydy, and no one can force you to do anything, so I will ask, what do they have on you?¡± Her teeth gritted, offended by his usations. ¡°I did what I believed was right. No one forced me. Besides, we do not know what really happened.¡± He red at her, and his fist clenched. He did not like that she kept lying and turning the situation around. He opened his mouth to speak out of anger, but he knew he would regret it soon after. It was best to stay in control. He shut his mouth and took a deep breath. He couldn¡¯t stand the sight of her, so he turned away from her. ¡°I would like to be alone now.¡± He sighed and rubbed his head tenderly. She walked to the door but turned back to him with her face filled with anger and bitterness. ¡°I knew it was all about the healer. You haven¡¯t been yourself since she brought herself into our lives; do you deny it?¡± She bit out. ¡°Keep her out of this; she had nothing to do with it,¡± he said, spinning around to face her. ¡°Oh, she has everything to do with it,¡± she insisted. ¡°You have be apletely different man since she brought herself into this estate, and you can deny it all you want, but I know the truth, and you cannot lie to me.¡± ¡°This is about your betrayal. You went behind my back to testify against those I ced on trial. You disobey me, your king.¡± He couldn¡¯t remember thest time he referred to himself as her king. He always considered her his equal, but now he no longer does. She frowned at him. ¡°And you will lose everything if you let her rule your mind. You should ask yourself if your healer is only healing you or turning you against your people as well,¡± she replied before storming out of the room and mming the door behind her. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Fiona¡¯s POV ¡°Here is the chronicle of the gue outbreak and its progress so far¡± Jose said that and handed Fiona a big, hard-cover orange book She had requested the chronicle so she could have as much information about the gue as possible. She hoped to finish up her assignment in the werewolf world soon, and she knew one way to make sure the gue wouldn¡¯t return was to get to the very root of it. The chronicle would have records of the location of the first outbreak, the deadliest encounter, as well as the most affected region in their world. When she asked Jose if it was possible to get a hold of the chronicle this morning he told her it was in the uppermost part of the settlement where records were kept for research purposes. He told her he would get it for her as soon as possible, and seeing it here and now, she felt happy. ¡°Thank you. Jose: you¡¯re really a lifesaver. She beamed at him. He smiled and nodded. ¡°What do you hope to do with it?¡± He raised a brow as he took his seat on the other side of the healing room. ¡°Well, I need all the information about the gue: like where it originated from. I think that region would be the most affected among all, and I want to prove my suspicion. This way, I can get to the root of it.¡± She told him. He nodded. ¡°Fair enough,¡± he replied. ¡°Plus, knowing all this will help me finish up the work here and return to the human world where I belong.¡± She added. Jose became silent, and for a strange reason, she knew he wanted to speak ¡°What!¡± ¡°This is where you belong; your kind are here in this world.¡± She smiled and understood where he wasing from, but they didn¡¯t hold the same sentiment for the werewolf world. If things were different, maybe she would have reconsidered. Things were the same as always. Where the bad guy wins and the good guy suffers. She realised that reality after seeing Vivian step out of the king¡¯s court and still didn¡¯t know what to make of it. It wasn¡¯t worth it. She would never be safe here. ¡°I do not belong here, I never have, and I know I never will.¡± She replied, and they said no other word before turning their focus to their work. After the fifth hour, Fiona took her long break, where she would get to move to the cafeteria, and there she ced an order for bacon. She had begun craving that after her session with the Lycan king yesterday. Bacon was one of the meats served to her, and the taste, smell, and tastiness stuck in her mind. She had made a request for it this morning, and the chef in the cafeteria told her they would have it ready when she came. When she came in a few minutes ago, she didn¡¯t have to remind them; that was what they brought. Honestly, the one she had at the Lycan King¡¯s court tasted better, but this wasn¡¯t so bad. and she would make do with it. She had her mouth stuffed with thest piece of bacon she picked from the te when the cafeteria door opened, and the Lycan king walked in dressed in a white long-sleeve shirt and ck trousers. She froze at the sight of him, and within seconds, his smell overcame her senses. She assumed she was hallucinating in the first few seconds that went by, Slowly, she shook her head to regain her senses, but still before her stood the Lycan king, and he didn¡¯t look like one who would leave any time soon. He was here, and she had her mouth stuff with bacon. She probably looked like a clown, Embarrassment wasn¡¯t evenpared to what she felt in this moment. She silently prayed that the ground would open up and swallow her. That didn¡¯t happen, though. She forces herself to chew the meat in her mouth and swallow it. This was also his first time at the settlement, and this was how she presented herself to him. Shameful. She also realised that in thest two minutes she had been lost in her thoughts; the Lycan king had been in the same cafeteria with her, and she hadn¡¯t properly greeted and weed him. She had gawked at him like an idiot. ¡°Ms Lawson.¡± He called and nodded his head. Her eyes raked over his neatly sh aved face, and his hair was in a neat bun to give him a formal look. She rose to her feet, her eyes filled with panic. ¡°My king¡± was all she could say. ¡°Can I sit?¡± he asked, and her eyes took notice of the seat very close to her. Her stomach fluttered at his request, and she didn¡¯t know what to say in response. The Lycan king was here with her, asking if he could sit beside her. Yes, it wasn¡¯t something that should have left her awestruck or confused; she had been to his medication room twice in thest two weeks, and in those times, she had her hands all over him. However, those were private and in thefort of his home, and this was public and would draw attention. Not only was he at the settlement, he also wanted to sit beside her. ¡°So. may I!¡± he asked again, and this snapped her out of her thought. She nodded, though she didn¡¯t think her response should even matter here since he built this settlement and hence owned everything inside, the cafeteria included. He was a gentleman, and that was the right way to behave. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. He took the seat beside her, and she also sat, feeling more confused about what was happening. ¡°It¡¯s my break,¡± she said. She wanted to point out that the reason she was here was because it was time for her break and not because she was running away from work. He nodded. ¡°I know that; I was told. He replied. She entwined her hand under the table to keep herself under control. I wasn¡¯t expecting your visitation,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s okay; I didn¡¯t announce my visitation to anyone. I just got ready and came over.¡± He answered. ¡°Oh,¡± she said, wandering into silence. ¡°Is there a reason you¡¯re here?¡± She raised a brow. ¡°Do you not want me here?¡± His words were using, but his tone wasn¡¯t She shook her head, her heart picking up in its beat. Thest person she wanted to be on their bad side was the Lycan king. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. I figured you would have more important things to attend to at the estate.¡± The more she opened her mouth to speak, the harder she made things. He didn¡¯t take offence at her word, and that came as a relief. ¡°This is just as important, and I haven¡¯t visited as often as I should have, and that is on me.¡± Fiona saw from the corner of her eyes the cook stealing nces at them, and this was the kind of attention she didn¡¯t need. Words will fly, and they will not be good words, for sure. She wanted to put an end to that as fast as she could. She didn¡¯t know if she was up for having him in the settlement. ¡°Do you need me to call in the security so they can show you around?¡± She was already up on her feet as thest words left her mouth. This was the best way to keep the distance between them and show everyone there was nothing going on here. He chuckled, and that took her by surprise. ¡°I know the settlement like the back of my hand; I do not need security to find my way. You can sit,¡± he insisted. That n just went out of the window. She reluctantly sat ¡°I came to see you.¡± He said, his finger on the counter, drawing circles over and over again. ¡°I am d to find you in such a high spirit after everything that happened yesterday.¡± He said, and his words took her back to the event that took ce at his castle. ¡°Oh,¡± was all she said once again. ¡°You were wrong when you said you were not a part of the pack or my estate and hence had no say in the things happening. Your life is just as important as anyone else¡¯s, Sky, and I did not appreciate the thought that you aren¡¯t.¡± He said, and his tone showed his displeasure with her words and use of words, Was that why he said nothingst night? Did she offend him with her words? His words told her she did, even without intending it. ¡°I am sorry, my king¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He said, turning to nce at her, and their faces came so close that, for a moment, she forgot to breathe. ¡°You¡¯re one of us now: never think otherwise.¡± Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Vivian¡¯s POV ¡°The Lycan king is at the settlement.¡± Ted informed Vivian over the phone. ¡°What is he doing there?¡± she asked, overridden with confusion, gates, but the ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ms. Jackson: I couldn¡¯t follow him into the building as my post has now been changed to the p words I¡¯ve gathered from listening to other people¡¯s conversations are that he is with the healer, Ms. Sky Lawson.¡± He replied. Her hands balled into a tight fist, and she wanted to hit something, preferably the st upid face of Sky, the healer. ¡°That little wh ore is warming her way into the heart of the Lycan king. I know how wh ores like her operate.¡± Her anger took over, making her see red. ¡°What do you want me to do, Ms. Jackson?¡± he asked. ¡°There is nothing you can do yet; you can¡¯t leave the gates, and I cannot go to the settlement. This was the Lycan king¡¯s way of punishing them for what they did to the wh ore. The Lycan king threw them at the mercy of the council because he believed Sky¡¯s story over theirs. The council, however, couldn¡¯t sentence the five of them. Since they didn¡¯t have any incriminating evidence, and no one darede out to testify against them. After Lady Nina came to their defence, they had no choice but to discharge them. Since the king had delivered them to the council, they had to be punished, hence a day¡¯s punishment. Though innocent before the council, they weren¡¯t innocent in the eyes of the Lycan king, and he stripped them of anything that would bring them close to Sky. He removed her from the post of acting supervisor of the settlement, and Ted was removed from his role as head of security at the settlement. The announcement wasn¡¯t public, but they knew better than to go against the Lycan king¡¯s words for the second time, Her ns of winning the Lycan king¡¯s heart had fallen through the window in light of what had happened. She knew it would now take a lot of work and good behaviour to get back on track. Learning that the Lycan king was at the settlement meant he was spending more time with Sky. The wh ore had bewitched him, and that was the only exnation for taking her side and now going to meet her. She couldn¡¯t let that happen. The decision to go and thank Nina when she was with the Lycan King yesterday was hers. She did it to nt the seed of distrust between them, and it worked. What she didn¡¯t expect was Julian turning his attention to the healing bi tch! Her ns had backfired in her face, and she needed to do something It had taken her many years just to get this close to the Lycan king. The wh ore had been here for only a few weeks, but she had already wed her way into Julian¡¯s heart. ¡°If she had died as intended, none of this would be happening, but she survived like a f**king co ckroach,¡± she hissed out and ended the call. Her ns to have the Lycan king might have fallen through the roof, but there were still a few cards to y. Vivian visited the ranch, where Nina spent most of her time supervising. This was her contribution to the estate; she had vast knowledge of food and agriculture, and so the Lycan king made her the supervisor of the farmer¡¯s council. They reported their day-to-day operations to her, and she brought their report to the king. This way, the only cases in which the king intervened were ones beyond her control. She had done this job way before the king developed an interest in her over five years ago, and so the story went. After Vivian¡¯s arrival at the ranch, she informed the escort she wanted to see Lady Nina. They told her to wait and took her message to thedy. ¡°What do you want?¡± Infuriated at the very sight of her, Nina questioned. t Vivian held her hands up in surrender. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the length I went to get you before the council, but it was out of desperation, and I promise I will not do it again.¡± ¡°Am I supposed to believe you?¡± she demanded as she stepped towards her. ¡°Do you want me to believe that all this isn¡¯t your doing?¡± ¡°You do not have to believe me, but I swear to you that the Lycan king will never know that on a wild night out of the estate five months ago, you got drunk, gave into your dark desire, and f**ked an omega to death.¡± Vivian told her, holding up her hand to vow. Nina¡¯s hand shut out, and she grabbed Vivian by the neck and pulled her closer. She tightened her grip around Vivian¡¯s neck, making her struggle just to breathe. ¡°You listen to me; this is thest time you will say that in my presence. The next time will be yourst. And if you even think revealing that to the Lycan king will give you a better chance with him, you are delusional¡± She released her grip around. Vivian¡¯s neck, and she dropped to her knees before her, coughing and trying to regain her breath. ¡°The Lycan king will never be mine; I understand and ept that now,¡± Vivian lied while she struggled to regain the strength lost at the hands of Nina. ¡°However, I am the least of your worries.¡± Nina¡¯s eyes narrowed, but she didn¡¯t interrupt her. ¡°I think a part of you already knows who it is. The healer wh ore has had her eyes on the Lycan king, and now she is getting her ws around him. She visited him in the castle while you were away the evening after the full moon.¡± ¡°I know about her visitation during the full moon, Vivian. It was unfortunate I did not meet her, but Julian told me about her arrival.¡± She replied, and Vivian knew there was more to her visitation, but Nina didn¡¯t reveal it to her. She didn¡¯t push, that was secondary to her aim. ¡°Well, do you know that the Lycan king is also at the settlement as we speak with the healer?¡± She raised a brow. Nina¡¯s silence gave her the answer she needed, and she built on it. ¡°Believe it or not, your prospective mate is spending more time with the healer, creating bonds and memories. What do you think is going to happen?¡± ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Nina asked in a defeated tone. Vivian smirked, ddened that this had gone the exact way she wanted it to. ¡°You have to fight for the Lycan king. He is your mate, and you will not let that wh ore take away the man of your dreams. You will take her out before that happens¡± Nina¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I cannot do that. She¡¯s the healer, and she has done so much for us, our world would have fallen if she hadn¡¯te.¡± ¡°And the payment for that is the Lycan king?¡± Vivian demanded. ¡°The Lycan world gets a saviour, and you lose your mate. Sometimes sacrifices have to be made. Nina pressed her l*ps together and said, ¡°I cannot do that. If Julian were ever to find out, he would never forgive me, and he has detached himself from me since finding out I testified in your favour. Stay N?velDrama.Org is the owner. away from me, Vivian, and nevere back.¡± Vivian groaned inwardly: Nina wasn¡¯t as desperate as she hoped. She had her st upid moralpass guiding her despite everything, and than didn¡¯t help her n. ¡°Fine, mydy, you know where to find me if you change your mind.¡± She bowed her head humbly and took her leave. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 ¡°You have nothing to fear; no harm wille to you, not as long as you¡¯re here under my protection.¡± The Lycan king¡¯s words resonated in her head as she carried on with the rest of her assignment at the settlement for the day. He stayed longer than she expected him to, and though she didn¡¯t like the attention his presence brought her way, she didn¡¯t want him to leave. It was strange how she felt around him. Safe and at peace. She had only felt it around another person all her life, and that was Henry. After his rejection, she never felt it with another. It didn¡¯t surprise her. Lycans like herself got only one chance at getting their true mates, and after Henry¡¯s rejection, the fate of finding another was sealed. She had lived in contentment with having her sons, knowing well she would never get to experience trise love and affection. It didn¡¯t matter to her; she had the love of her sons. However, whenever she was with the Lycan king, she felt the part of her that had been dead for so long gorgeous beyond words, but what she felt exceeded mere attraction. She felt it deep in her bones, deep within her very soul. It couldn¡¯t be real. He already had a partner, and she would never be the woman who stabbed another in the back. No matter how much her soul longed to be around the Lycan¡¯s king, she would not do it. She heard a gasp go through those outside the healing room, and she wondered what could have been happening. The thought didn¡¯t leave her head when the door opened, and in walked Marion, the physician who had left over two weeks ago, to the north. A gasp of excitement went around in the room, and a few of the physicians around made their way over to him. Fiona sat in her seat, staring at him with eyes filled with joy and surprise at his arrival. Her hand was now covering her face. She expected his return, but as the days went by, her expectation slowly withered and soon died. Marion finished with those he was with and then stepped towards her seat. She rose to her feet immediately, her surprise still lingering. ¡°Wee back, Marion,¡± she said, her smile lingering. ¡°Oh, thank you, Ms. Lawson.¡± He replied. ¡°I know I have missed a lot, but I have felt the impact of the work you do all the way in the north. Our world gets another chance, and it is all because of you.¡± He told her. She bowed her head humbly. It was nice to have him back and hear all these wonderful words The door opened from behind, and another person stepped in. Keh Snowfall. Fiona knew that face well; she couldn¡¯t forget it. He was the one who delivered her from Vivian¡¯s hands of death over five years ago. She had looked forward to meeting him when she arrived and heard of him. He wouldn¡¯t know her because a lot had changed, but she wanted to say thank you. He was only following the king¡¯s orders, and if the king hadn¡¯t sent him, he would have been there. True, but if he had arrived a minujeter than he should have, she would have died at Spencer¡¯s hands. Keh looked around, and his eyes soon came to rest on her. ¡°She must be the one right, Marion.¡± He said this, stepping towards her with a warm look on his face, Marion nodded in agreement. ¡°She¡¯s the one.¡± ¡°She¡¯s indeed pretty¡± He said that, and his brown eyes danced over her in fascination. She didn¡¯t know what to say in response to two men revealing that they had been talking about her all the while they were away. ¡°Do not worry; it was a harmless conversation between men. I already have a mate, and so does he. Most healers aren¡¯t the best-looking people the moon goddess makes. I mean, look at Marion here¡± He said it with a chuckle and ced his hand on Marion¡¯s shoulder. Marion pped his hand off and Keh justughed. Fiona couldn¡¯t helpughing along. ¡°Thank you, beta Keh. ¡°Call me, Ken,¡± he insisted. ¡°I would like to say thank you for the work you are doing here. Sky, you have no clue how much of a saviour you are to us.¡± The Lycan king has never failed to tell her how much of a saviour she was and how much they appreciated her presener here in their world. The only one who had downyed her work here was Vivian ¡°You are wee. I would also like to thank you, Ken. She said this, and this made the taller man¡¯s bros narrowe ¡°Whatever do you want to thank me for?¡± ¡°You saved my life once. Many years ago. When I was much younger. He thought for a while. ¡°You sure that was me?¡± he asked, then added. ¡°Because I cannot remember saving you He wouldn¡¯t be able to recognise her, not this way, but she knew him; she remembered his face, and that was what was important. She didn¡¯t want his kindness to go unappreciated. I remember you, and I want to say thank you.¡± He smiled and nodded. ¡°Then you¡¯re wee¡± While Ken left the settlement to report his arrival to the Lycan king, Marion stayed behind to see what he could do to help everyone around him. Though they told him to leave, he insisted. ¡°would like to go to Grandfield,¡± she began as she came over to Marion¡¯s desk. Marion paused what he was doing and turned to stare at her with panic-filled eyes. He rose to his feet. ¡°Why would you want go there! It¡¯s a graveyard,¡± he demanded with a voice filled with worry She had buried herself in deep reading of the chronicles and learning about everything she could. With her knowledge, she knew there was only one way out of this. She had to get back to the very beginning. ¡°Because that is where the gue started twenty-five years ago.¡± She exined. If she hoped to end this gue, she had to eet to the rout of it. He looked worried, and a little terrified for her. ¡°That is the rebels¡¯munity. Sky; going there is like throwing yourself into the den of lions¡± Although now isted, Grandfield used to be the epitome of beauty in this world. It was known for its prosperousnd, hospitabile people, and never-ending feast. That changed after the gue hit. They were disconnected from the rest of the world and left to fend for themselves, and that brought about the rebellion. In her book, every part of this world was a lion¡¯s den, some just more dangerous than others. ¡°They are parts of this world, and until we treat then and offer a hand of help, there is no guarantee that we will ever get rid of this gue. From my calctions, it shouldn¡¯t take longer than a week¡± She answered. ¡°What if the rebel see you and decide to attack: What then? We lose the healer and the battle against them.¡± *I believe the reason they became tebel in the host ce wascratise of the abandonment and segregation they faced when the affliction came. I read the chronicles of the werewolf world and it had always treated people who were different. unjustly she defended her caus Marion wanted to speak, but paused and pressed his l*ps together. She hoped he did that because he saw the sense in what she was telling him. ¡°We are not free until everyst one of us is free¡± She told him. ¡°Have you spoken to the king about it?¡± He raised a brow at her. She shook her head. She figured if she could convince one person to see sense in her n, then she would take it up with the Lycan king. Now that Marion did, she knew that the Lycan king would as well The king didn¡¯t ept the proposal at first. He didn¡¯t understand why anyone would walk into enemy territory, and so it made little sense to him. He considered Grandfield enemy territory, and he had pronounced harsh judgement. She wasn¡¯t willing to leave his court without being heard, though. ¡°They have been our enemies for decades. There is no way they would not attack you,¡± he said in a dismissive tone. ¡°I have gathered information about the gue and my stay here so far.¡± She told him. ¡°Since my arrival, those with the gue from all one hundred and forty-ninemunities have found their way here, all except the Grandfield.¡± She told him. ¡°They need a healer just as much as everyone else, but for some reason, they cannote. They will note, not as long as they are seen as terrorists and evil and shut off from the rest of the world.¡± Marion, who had followed her to help intercede, couldn¡¯t even say a word at this point. The king and the healer were in a heated argument, but she was more passionate about defending her case. ¡°Because they are, they steal, kill, and terrorise the neighbouringmunities and wreak havoc wherever their feet touch.¡± ¡°It was not always so, my king. She argued. ¡°The Grandfield was one of the most weing and loving little things, and then the gue struck. Those who had means of escape ran away from the in to do something about it, but instead he shut them up when he received words of how deadly the ¡°Do not speak about my father like you know, the sacrifice he made for our world, He risked his very life,¡± he said, his tone bing defensive. ¡°Yes, but that was at the very end. In the beginning, it wasn¡¯t. Crandheld only turned to rebellion as a heartbreaking way. Their alpha and many of their elders abandoned them, and even the Lycan king turned his back on them. They rebelleil because they had nothing to lose. It is all in the chronicles of the gue, my king and it is not a lie. Being abandoned in times of trouble can bring the worst to people. You brought me so I could heal your world; that is what I am trying to do. He pressed his l*ps together and rose to his feet ¡°I cannot guarantee protection where you are going.¡± She nodded. ¡°I know that: I just need your permission.¡± A look of defeat crossed over his face, and she felt happy that she had seeded in convincing the Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Lycan king to do what was best. ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°From what I gather, there are less than two hundred people in themunity, and about the same amount as the gue. That would take 3 days to one week, and that is because I would like to go to the very root and know as much as I can before finding a cure.¡± His eyes travelled over 16 Marion, who was still yet to speak after the first few words he uttered when they stepped into the king¡¯s court ¡°She discussed all this with you, and you saw sense in it?¡± he asked. Marion hesitated. ¡°She is very good at tabling her case, my king.¡± He answered, ¡°If she only heals the gue and doesn¡¯t get to the root of it, there is certainty that there might be another outbreak in the near future. This way, getting to the root, our world will never have anything to fear again.¡± He stayed silent, thinking about everything. ¡°If that is the case, then I will alsoe with.¡± He said, and he didn¡¯t sound like he left room for debate. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 The Lycan king¡¯s agreement with this was something she hoped for, as it was for the best for everyone. His decision toe along wasn¡¯t expected. Yet she couldn¡¯t say anything about it. He didn¡¯t give room for debate or dispute, She took all the things she needed for her journey to the west, where Grandfield was. It would be a week at most, and if things worked in their favour, it would take a few days. She prayed for thetter. She pushed open the door to the boy¡¯s room. Their thoughts were the only ones that made her want to reconsider her decision. A week away from them would be hard. Yes, she had spent a week without them in the past, but it was against her wish. But this was her decision. Doing this will help cement their departure from this world, and they will never return ¡°You will be gone for a week?¡± She nodded at Jashin and said. ¡°But I will be back. I am almost done with my work here, and we can leave together. She smiled at him. ¡°When you get back, will we finally meet him? Our father?¡± Junie asked. At his words, she thought about their father, the man she would spend the next few days with The man she had developed strange but powerful feelings for. She had spent so long trying to take the boys out of this world to realise one thing they needed was here. The Lycan king their father. At first, she wasn¡¯t so sure, but now she was. He was a good man and deserved to know the truth. The truth might take them away from her, but they deserved to know. ¡°When Ie back. I will let you know who he is.¡± Their eyes lit up, and it made her heart flutter with joy. Everything was ready for their departure, and from her calction, the journey would rake no less than a day to get there. The Lycan king had other ns, so he had the movers take over. They createil a portal using their abilities so they could pass through and be in the south in under a few minutes. She remembered that she hade through one of them. There was a portal connecting the werewolf world to the human world, and she received instructions from Jace to follow it. Doing that had reduced the length of the journey and made things much faster. They stepped into the portal, and only seven people in total came through along. with her. The Lycan king: her escorts Jace and Drew; Marion, Jose, Harvey, and Nath; the movers; and then herself The Lycan king had set Keh in charge of the pack estate in his absence. She didn¡¯t know what Lady Nina¡¯s opinion abouting to the south was, but Fiona was certain it would not be good. This was reckless, but if all went well, it would be for the greater good. As expected, themunity was iplete ruin. It wasn¡¯t to bepared to any of the other houses around looked old and abandoned, and the air was harsh. It wasn¡¯t the best ce to live, but people still did. A little boy with a dirt¨Ccovered face, not older than six, tossed a small round ball their way, and he ran over towards his ball to pick it up and saw them.. His eyes widened in panic, but he couldn¡¯t move. He felt stuck, unable to speak or even blink his eyes. It was the power of the Lycan king; it was an all¨Cconsuming power, and she felt it when she first stepped into this world many weeks ago. She had gotten used to his presence since then. Perhaps notpletely used to him. He still affected her even in this moment. She smiled, bent, picked up the ball, and handed it over to the boy. He broke out of the trance and stepped towards her. He took the ball from her and returned her smile. ¡°Luc¡± she heard a feminine voice call out, and the next second, a woman wearing almost rags ran out towards her son. She saw them standing around, and her eyes grew wide with panic. ¡°Please do not harm him. He is a child.¡± Tears ran down her face as she wrapped her hands around the boy. Fiona rose to her feet and shook her head. She would never do that to him, ¡°No. you are safe you do not have anything to worry about. We came to harm no one. She assured her with a smile. Her panic reduced, and she nodded, believing her words. $1.58 Moil & Jay CCA Chipire si ¡°We want to find the sanctuary.¡± She spoke The woman picked her son into her arms and rose to her feet. ¡°It¡¯s straight down this road,¡± she pointed ahead. Fiona knew where to go, but she wanted confirmation and also to make the woman realise they were not here to hurt anyone She bowed her head and said, ¡°Thank you, have a good day, and please take good care of Luc. They walked past her, heading in the direction given. ¡°Why did you ask her for direction when we already know that?¡± The Lycan king asked as they carried on. ¡°Something I learned in the medical world while in the human world. When someone is anxious, the best way to stop that is to ask them something they would likely have an answer to. This makes them forget their panic for a moment and Instead focus on giving you an answer. It had worked on sick and panicking patients in the past! She told him They headed for the sanctuary first so they could get permission here. Yes, they didn¡¯t have to since the Lycan king was here, but this was the right way to do things. They arrived at the sanctuary, and Fiona and Marion stepped inside despite already picking up the awful smelling from inside. They were surprised to find a man in the sanctuary looking to be in his forties. He looked sickly and worn. He had to be the elder of themunity and the only one left. Fions and Marion stepped towards him, and as they came to where he sat, she spoke. ¡°Good day, sir.¡± He said nothing, sitting almost as still as the dead. She knew he wain¡¯t dead because Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. she could hear his faint heartbeat. ¡°We are healers, and we havee to heal thismunity of the gue.¡± Something must have been funny in the way she made her delivery because the man liughed and said, ¡°I think it¡¯s already twenty¨Cfive years toote! She knew all that, but the most important thing was doing what was needed now. ¡°It¡¯s betterte than never. We are here, and we will only leave when our job is done. We came to ask for your permission to carry on with our responsibilities¡± He rose to his feet, and standing, he was not less than six feet two inches tall. He turned around to face her, and Fiona saw his eyes. They were red. He was an alpha. He didn¡¯t look to have the gue, though, but he had suffered a great deal. ¡°Who are you, and what exactly do you want?¡± he demanded. Fiona hesitated. ¡°We are healers, and we havee to heal Grandfield of the gue.¡± the lycan king by Glory Tina Chapter Chapter 42 Chapter 42 ght about them.¡± She kept silent, as she didn¡¯t know how to respond to his words. ¡°You are right, my father did the bare minimum. He betrayed thismunity. and I followed in his footsteps.¡± He didn¡¯t seem proud of that decision. ¡°Is that why you came with me?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t stay back anymore; they were my responsibility as their king, and I have yed the ming game for too long. You were right; they turned to rebellion as theirst resort, and they only did so because we turned our backs on them when they needed us the most. How can I call myself the Lycan king? How can I call myself the ruler, knowing what I know?¡± 1:57 Max & Jan 4 Chapitre 47 He was breaking down right in front of her, and she didn¡¯t know what to do to help him. She ced her hand on his, which was on the balcony¡¯s railing, and she felt a spark within her. He stayed still, and he must not have felt the spark, so she kept her hand there. ¡°You are still the Lycan king: your errors and past shorings don¡¯t change who you are. What matters is that you want to be better for the sake of everyone you rule over. You came with us because you are better than your father and your past mistakes. That is the king this world needs. He turned to stare at her with eyes she couldn¡¯t read, and she hoped she hadn¡¯t said something out of context He smiled and nodded, believing her words. ¡°Thank you for everything, Sky.¡± He said, his eyes filled with adoration In this moment, she wanted to tell him her name was Fiona and not Sky. She wanted him to know the real her, but she couldn¡¯t do that. There was so much, and it was more than her desire for him. She broke out of her thoughts when he wrapped his hand around hers, which was first on his, and gave it a firm squeeze. Then he silently returned his gaze to the sky, and she followed him. ¡°I will not be able to deal with your gue this week, my king,¡± she informed him. He nodded. ¡°I understand, and I ept that on one condition.¡± ¡°What condition?¡± ¡°That you no longer call me by my title but by my name. My name is Julian McQueen and I¡¯ll want you to call me that.¡± There was no alternative for her. She would not bnce doing her work here and also healing him of his gue, and that meant she would have to give in to his demands. She had to call him by his name. The numbers of those with the gue in the camp on the outskirts had doubled greatly, which took Fiona by surprise. She knew they couldn¡¯t ovee her since she had five men with her. She spotted the Lycan king on the other side of the camp, approaching where she sat, attending to those outside the camp. Seeing him startled her because this camp was so different from the settlement. It was filthy and not well organised aspared to the settlement. It took a lot of effort for her to get used to it, and she 1197 Mon Jon Chopine 12 didn¡¯t even expect him toe close. She rose from her seat and approached him, hoping to stop him halfway. His scent engulfed her, and it made her tremble from where she was, but she had to go closer and speak to him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked. He had taken notice of her as she drew closer to him, and his gaze didn¡¯t waver as he watched her draw near. ¡°Visiting the camp on the outskirts of themunity where those with the gues are?¡± That was not the question she asked. ¡°You do not have to be here. It is nothing like the settlement or what you¡¯re used to He smiled and, in his eyes, stayed confusion. ¡°I want to be here; besides, you¡¯re here? ¡°It¡¯s different; you¡¯re the Lycan king, and I am a healer. This is my job, not yours.¡± He ced his hands on her shoulders, and her legs almost gave up on her at the touch. Goosebumps scattered all over her skin, and her nipples hardened underneath her bra. His smile turned into a sly smirk. ¡°You are really cute when you get protective, Sky, but I want to be here. Yes, I am the king, but that is even more reason why I should be here She couldn¡¯t argue anymore, and she returned to focus on her duties¨Cthe few that were left before the day would end. Julian wanted to restore the broken rtionship. Many of them hated the Lycan king because they thought he had abandoned them. He didn¡¯t want that anymore and wanted to be a true ruler for his people. He also instructed the movers to return to the pack estate and carry words to Beta Keh, who was ruler in his absence. They were to bring food and amenities through the portal to themunities; they were to have not less than fifty ment on this task. Grandfield had around three hundred living souls in it, and this food and amenities would aid them until they could function on their own. The movers bowed their heads and departed. ¡°We have over one hundred and twenty people here today, which is four times the number it was yesterday.¡± Jose said, returning to them after going to count the number of gued Lycans present on the outskirts. The number was a surprise, but it wasn¡¯t more than she could handle. She had done three times that number in a day in the past. She was also grateful that people wereing out to be healed. It would make her work here very easy. At the eighth hour, she was done healing thest gue. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She returned to the sanctuary to speak with the elder. She needed to find the fountain of death, which was said to be the root of the gue in the werewolf world. Being an elder and older, he would have knowledge of it Elder Rio knew about the ce and was more than happy to help. But he insisted it was best to visit the spot during the day, and so they retired to the vi to prepare for their third day. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Warning: Triggering chapter Fiona woke very early to get ready. She got reatly as fast as she could, not wanting any dying from her. She prepared herself mentally and physically for what was ahead. They were going to the fountain of death, which was the source of the curse. The ¡°fountain¡± was actually a waterfall whose water connected to other bodies of water around themunity and even beyond. How the name came about, she didn¡¯t know, but she was certain there was more to it. She only encouraged herself that this would be doable, just like the rest of them Unlike what she had dealt with in thest three weeks, the source of the gue wasn¡¯t a person; rather, it was a ce, and she didn¡¯t know how that would go. She stepped out of her quarters of the vi, and she spotted Julian also stepping out. She felt shivers at his sight, and she tried to work through it. He would be with her like he was yesterday, and she would do well to not let his presence affect her ¡°Good morning, Sky¡± ¡°Good morning, my Julian,¡± she said, and that made it sound weird because she had now called him hers. She bit down on her l*p. He chuckled, finding no fault in it. ¡°I see you¡¯re dropping the title, and I am proud of you.¡± He said and winked at her, and that didn¡¯t make things better because she squirmed on her stand. Was he flirting with her? Because if he was, it was getting to her. They arrived at the sanctuary and met Elder Rio, who was already waiting for them. He seemed ready, but not very excited about the adventure. ¡°Good morning, my king and healer.¡± He bowed his head. ¡°Good morning, elder Rio,¡± Julian said that and nodded at him. ¡°Good morning, elder Bio,¡± she said, and it echoed the same. ¡°We are all ready¡± There was no time to waste, so they followed him, and he led them to the fountain of death. They arrived after a half¨Chour walk from themunity and there was the waterfall. It had a mixture of green and dry grass around it, and it didn¡¯t look us prosperous as a waterfall should. It indeed attested to its name because it carried the presence of death, and doom lingered in the air. She knew Elder Rio had brought them to the right location. ¡°It was called the Fall of Life since the foundation of themunity, but twenty- five years ago, the name changed to the Fountain of Death, which is what everyone calls it now.¡± Elder Rio told them. ¡°Everyone has felt the dark presence and kept away from the waterfall for safety¡± Elder Rio continued in his path, and Fiona followed behind him. ¡°Sky.¡± She heard Julian call to her after a while, and she paused and turned to him He looked a little helpless, and that made her grow worried as she stared at him. ¡°What is wrong?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go further,¡± he told her. Her brows narrowed. ¡°Why? Are you okay?¡± Her voice turned into a protective one immediately. He smiled at her concern. ¡°Yes,¡± he nodded. ¡°I just can¡¯t go further; I feel stuck here, and I guess it means I cannot enter further.¡± he told her. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. She didn¡¯t doubt him. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Be careful¡± He looked concerned for her now, but it was out of his control at this point She nodded. ¡°I will be.¡± Marion followed behind, and so did Jose ¡°The waterfall has always had fortifications, so only those with pure blood cane in.¡± Elder Rio said, and he must have noticed the confusion in her face as to why Julian couldn¡¯te with her. They said no other word as they continued. They had to go up to the crest, which was the top edge from which the water fell. It was a long and stressful climb for her, but they made it up. Fiona spotted an out¨Cof¨Cshape tree nted in the centre of the flowing river at the brink. The closer she came, the stronger the negative feeling she got. She felt something terrible happen here, and this must have triggered the curse that flowed into the waterfall. They came closer and found a carcass hanging around the tree with a dagger in their heart and a blue diamond pendant around their neck. The pendant told Fiona it was a woman. This woman had hung herself there Chipie 4 with a silver chain around her neck, which was also connected to the tree, and died. ¡°Something terrible happened to her to trigger the curse.¡± Fiona said and drew close to where the tree now stood, having the carcass hanging on the tree. ¡°Do you have any idea who that is?¡± Elder Rio stared closely at the b*dy, and his eyes lingered on the blue diamond pendant around her neck. He took a sharp breath. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡± ¡°Do you know who it is?¡± Marion asked. ¡°I was much younger, but there was a rumour of Yi, the white healer, who lived amongst us twenty¨C five years ago. She was very beautiful¨Cthe most beautifuldy ever to live¡ªand it was said she was the daughter of the moon goddess herself. It was rumoured that she filed a petition against the alpha of Grandfield. She imed he abused, maltreated, and raped her, but no one believed her. The council, bribed by the alpha, branded her a witch. She wasst seen heading towards the waterfall and never returned. It was always a rumour, and no one believed it. A few believed she had ended her life, while others believed she ran away because she was unable to take the shame. Shortly after her disappearance, the gue broke out.¡± He exined to them, ¡°I know she¡¯s the one because she is famous for her blue diamond ne This was payment for the injustice she faced. The gue was a result of a curse that came upon this My father was on the council that sentenced her, and when the gue broke out, The knew it was a punishment from the moon goddess. While the council sought refuge in othermunities, my father remained. He said he would stay here and face the punishment. He never had the gue, but everyone in the council seat that ran away did. They were the first to carry it out to the other ¡°Your father repented of the evil done to the healer Yi, and the rest didn¡¯t because her soul never found rest. She needs to find rest. Fiona told him, and he didn¡¯t argue When she headed here this morning, she didn¡¯t think this would be what she would discover. This world has always been cruel, but those suffering now have nothing to do with it. It had to be stopped. ¡°What do you think we can do?¡± Marion asked, confused. She was lost as to what needed to be done, but the first thing that came to her Chapire at mind was bringing down the b*dy of the healer. ¡°She needs a proper burial.¡± She told them. ¡°We need to get her down from there.¡± Jose moved towards the edges of the brink, where water flowed down and around the tree. ¡°Be careful,¡± she pleaded. He transformed into his Lycan form and leaped off the floor with his hands spread out. He grabbed the branch of the tree and he climbed up. He wrapped his hand around the silver chain around Yi¡¯s neck and took it off. With a firm grip, he took the carcass into his arms and leaped off the tree. Hended on the safe, dry ground, not far away from them. He walked towards them with Yi¡¯s carcass in his arms. Elder Rio took off his cloak and helped cover Jose up, and Fiona took off her cloak and covered what she could of Yi¡¯s b*dy. Her hand touched her dry bones, and she moved into a trance. She found herself standing in the same position, but not on the same timeline. He found the now¨Cdead Yi moments before her painful death. She was in her silver wolf¡¯s form on the tree, sobbing into the flowing water, and she couldn¡¯t tell how long she had been there. In her hand were silver chains and an oak wood shaped into a pointy mouth dagger. She threw the chain around the branch of the tree, and then, when she had it around her neck, she threw herself off the tree. The same second, she drove the dagger still in her hand into her chest, piercing deep into her heart. She bled out, and the blood dripped into the flowing water. Immediately, the fresh tree was emaciated and turned dry. ¡°Sky?¡± Jose called, and she snapped out of the trance and found him before her. She withdrew her hand from the healer¡¯s carcass and turned to Rio. ¡°Where can she be buried?¡± ¡°Come with me: I will show you.¡± He said that and led Jose away from the waterfall¡¯s brink Marion stood staring at the tree in the centre of the flowing water for a while before turning around to Fiona. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Her blood activated the curse, and her death cemented it.¡± She replied. She stepped towards the edge of the flowing water. Getting to it, she transformed into a wolf. She leaped off the ground, and she stretched her paw out to grab the branch and keep herself from falling into the water. Once she achieved that, she climbed onto the tree, and she dug her w into her palm deep enough so that she bled. Then she held up her hand, and her blood tricked down her paw and dropped into the water flowing. After the second drop, she felt the tree she held onto shake, and this told her the blood had taken effect on the roots. She then ced her still bloody palm on the tree branch, and she leaped off the branch, stretching her leg so shended on the side of the flowing waters. She stood from there, watching as the dry and almost dead tree came back to life before her very eyes. ¡°Sky?¡± Marion called to her, and she turned to find him holding out his cloak for her. ¡°Thank you.¡± She took it from his hand and wrapped it around her b*dy. ¡°I should thank you.¡± He bowed his head to her and said. ¡°The curse has been broken, and this is something I will never forget as long as I live.¡± BB ose ¡°The waterfall has always had fortifications, so only those with pure blood cane in.¡± Elder Rio said, and he must have noticed the confusion in her face as to why Julian couldn¡¯te with her. They said no other word as they continued. They had to go up to the crest, which was the top edge from which the water fell. It was a long and stressful climb for her, but they made it up. Fiona spotted an out¨Cof¨Cshape tree nted in the centre of the flowing river at the brink. The closer she came, the stronger the negative feeling she got. She felt something terrible happen here, and this must have triggered the curse that flowed into the waterfall. They came closer and found a carcass hanging around the tree with a dagger in their heart and a blue diamond pendant around their neck. The pendant told Fiona it was a woman. This woman had hung herself there th a silver chain around her neck, which was also connected to the tree, and died. ¡°Something terrible happened to her to trigger the curse.¡± Fiona said and drew close to where the tree now stood, having the carcass hanging on the tree. ¡°Do you have any idea who that is?¡± Elder Rio stared closely at the b*dy, and his eyes lingered on the blue diamond pendant around her neck. He took a sharp breath. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡± ¡°Do you know who it is?¡± Marion asked. ¡°I was much younger, but there was a rumour of Yi, the white healer, who lived amongst us twenty¨C five years ago. She was very beautiful¨Cthe most beautifuldy ever to live¡ªand it was said she was the daughter of the moon goddess herself. It was rumoured that she filed a petition against the alpha of Grandfield. She imed he abused, maltreated, and raped her, but no one believed her. The council, bribed by the alpha, branded her a witch. She wasst seen heading towards the waterfall and never returned. It was always a rumour, and no one believed it. A few believed she had ended her life, while others believed she ran away because she was unable to take the shame. Shortly after her disappearance, the gue broke out.¡± He exined to them, ¡°I know she¡¯s the one because she is famous for her blue diamond ne This was payment for the injustice she faced. The gue was a result of a curse that came upon this My father was on the council that sentenced her, and when the gue broke out, The knew it was a punishment from the moon goddess. While the council sought refuge in othermunities, my father remained. He said he would stay here and face the punishment. He never had the gue, but everyone in the council seat that ran away did. They were the first to carry it out to the other ¡°Your father repented of the evil done to the healer Yi, and the rest didn¡¯t because her soul never found rest. She needs to find rest. Fiona told him, and he didn¡¯t argue When she headed here this morning, she didn¡¯t think this would be what she would discover. This world has always been cruel, but those suffering now have nothing to do with it. It had to be stopped. ¡°What do you think we can do?¡± Marion asked, confused. She was lost as to what needed to be done, but the first thing that came to her Chapire at mind was bringing down the b*dy of the healer. ¡°She needs a proper burial.¡± She told them. ¡°We need to get her down from there.¡± Jose moved towards the edges of the brink, where water flowed down and around the tree. ¡°Be careful,¡± she pleaded. He transformed into his Lycan form and leaped off the floor with his hands spread out. He grabbed the branch of the tree and he climbed up. He wrapped his hand around the silver chain around Yi¡¯s neck and took it off. With a firm grip, he took the carcass into his arms and leaped off the tree. Hended on the safe, dry ground, not far away from them. He walked towards them with Yi¡¯s carcass in his arms. Elder Rio took off his cloak and helped cover Jose up, and Fiona took off her cloak and covered what she could of Yi¡¯s b*dy. Her hand touched her dry bones, and she moved into a trance. She found herself standing in the same position, but not on the same timeline. He found the now¨Cdead Yi moments before her painful death. She was in her silver wolf¡¯s form on the tree, sobbing into the flowing water, and she couldn¡¯t tell how long she had been there. In her hand were silver chains and an oak wood shaped into a pointy mouth dagger. She threw the chain around the branch of the tree, and then, when she had it around her neck, she threw herself off the tree. The same second, she drove the dagger still in her hand into her chest, piercing deep into her heart. She bled out, and the blood dripped into the flowing water. Immediately, the fresh tree was emaciated and turned dry. ¡°Sky?¡± Jose called, and she snapped out of the trance and found him before her. She withdrew her hand from the healer¡¯s carcass and turned to Rio. ¡°Where can she be buried?¡± ¡°Come with me: I will show you.¡± He said that and led Jose away from the waterfall¡¯s brink Marion stood staring at the tree in the centre of the flowing water for a while before turning around to Fiona. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Her blood activated the curse, and her death cemented it.¡± She replied. She stepped towards the edge of the flowing water. Getting to it, she transformed into a wolf. She leaped off the ground, and she stretched her paw out to grab the branch and keep herself from falling into the water. Once she achieved that, she climbed onto the tree, and she dug her w into her palm deep enough so that she bled. Then she held up her hand, and her blood tricked down her paw and dropped into the water flowing. After the second drop, she felt the tree she held onto shake, and this told her the blood had taken effect on the roots. She then ced her still bloody palm on the tree branch, and she leaped off the branch, stretching her leg so shended on the side of the flowing waters. She stood from there, watching as the dry and almost dead tree came back to life before her very eyes. ¡°Sky?¡± Marion called to her, and she turned to find him holding out his cloak for her. ¡°Thank you.¡± She took it from his hand and wrapped it around her b*dy. ¡°I should thank you.¡± He bowed his head to her and said. ¡°The curse has been broken, and this is something I will never forget as long as I live.¡± BB Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Marion led the way back from the waterfall, and Fiona followed, and she stayed quiet even as she followed him on the way. They returned down from the fountain, and there they met Julian and Jace, waiting at the very spot where they had ended their journey earlier. They were waiting for their return. When she saw Julian, she found him with an agitated look on his face, even as he waited for them to Marion nodded and bowed his head in respect to Julian. ¡°Yes, it is. Sky has saved our world by healing the gue at its root.¡± He answered with a voice filled with so much joy. Julian¡¯s eyes travelled over to Fiona, and they warmed with adoration and appreciation. ¡°I do not know what to say.¡± He said and his tone held honesty. ¡°You do not have to say anything.¡± She replied, ¡°This needed to be done; the innocent have suffered enough.¡± Thank you. You have no clue how grateful I am.¡± She knew just how much because she could see it all over his face. She shed him a small smile. ¡°We should go now; our work here is done¡± She wanted to leave because the look on his face wasn¡¯t keeping her fragile and gullible heart from longing. She had never seen him hold this level of adoration on his face in the past. She didn¡¯t want to get used to it. They returned to the rest of themunity, and Jose came and joined them. telling them they had conducted the burial rites of the healer before she was buried. This would create a proper passage to life beyond. As they arrived, they met over two hundred of the residents of themunity waiting for them, and the sight surprised Fiona They dropped to their knees, showing their gratitude. ¡°The people want to show their appreciation to the Lycan king and the healer foring to restore their the curse has been broken. They know it could only have been with your help¡± 18 Mon Chupity 4t BAN 50% ¡°Thank you for healing ournd, the woman in the front, whose son they had met whening into the son, Luc. ¡°Thank you for healing ournd.¡± The rest of the people behind her echoed. ¡°May the moon goddess bless and make your days great.¡± She said. ¡°May the moon goddess bless you and make your days great,¡± those behind her echoed. Julian turned to her, and although he didn¡¯t say anything, she knew he was silently asking if she had anything soothing to say to the people. She did. She took a step forward, her hand still tightly wrapped around her cloak. ¡°We only did what we thought was right. We can only hope and pray that Grandfield will return to what it once was, a home of peace and prosperity.¡± The next few hours that followed, Fiona spent healing those with the gue. She returned to the vi, got dressed, and then resumed her duties. There were still a few dozen that came to the outskirts of themunities, and she attended to them all. The message Julian also sent to the estate was honoured as the movers returned with two trucks of food and provisions for themunities. He gave charge to elder Rio to supervise the entire process, and he did so because the older man had shown himself to be a lover of his people That was the true quality of a leader. Rio didn¡¯t argue, and he took charge, appointing a few of those who would assist him in this duty. The people gathered themselves at the sanctuary to receive this help and begin their journey to restoration and newness Fiona had a few more to heal from the gue, and with the numbers left, she knew they would return home today if they wanted to. It was still a few hours before evening came, and they still had time. ¡°Thank you.¡± The woman whom she had just healed of her gue thanked her with tears in her eyes. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°You are wee, ma¡¯am.¡° ¡°Your parents must be so proud.¡± Fiona said nothing in response, she just watched her leave Julian also arrived at the camp, and he moved to assist and provide help in the best Chupity 41 way he could. Just like yesterday, he didn¡¯t take on the role of ruler andmander, but instead just another one of them. She could barely concentrate as Julian¡¯s gaze moved to hers once in a while, disrupting her focus and attention. He watched her closely and intently, as if she had taken something that belonged to him. Or could it be that he was figuring out who she really was? There was no such thing. She was no longer the same person she once was, so she had nothing to worry about. Maybe it wasn¡¯t because he wanted to figure something out, but he was still looking at her, and that made this weird. She forced herself to finish her duties, and they all returned to the sanctuary, where the rest of those that came with them on their journey were aiding elder Rio in the distribution of relief packages. Their job here was done, and the only thing left was going home. She climbed the first stair that led to the sanctuary when she heard loud noisesing in from not so far away. She turned to Julian and saw him already standing alert. He also heard the noise and probably knew who they were. ¡°Stand behind me.¡± He told her, and his hand protectively shot out to pull her behind him. Jace and Drew, the envoys, took a stand, as did Marion and Jose and the few that came with the dispatch team of movers. The rebels areing,¡± she heard from behind, and the voice was filled with terror and agony. Her heart skipped in her chest. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 The next minute, the noises of the rebels filled the entire space outside the sanctuary. The rebels in their multitude circled around them, looking like they were about to attack. Fiona¡¯s heart was hammering at a fast pace at this point. She knew about the rebels, and she had heard stories about them from the Lycan king and a few others. They had gone around, causing terror and infecting othermunities with the gue. And no matter how hard the king worked to stop them, they always found their way to return and terrorise the more. Fiona saw their numbers, and they were over forty. Those with the Lycan king were less than ten. It would not be a tough fight to subdue the rebels, as they looked ready to make trouble. They had to find another way around this that would involve less bloodshed and chaos. Thismunity had been N?velDrama.Org is the owner. through enough already. One of the rebels stepped forward, and he seemed to be their leader. ¡°I heard that Julian McQueen, the Lycan king, had invaded Grandfield.¡± He said, taking another step forward. He didn¡¯t seem to share the same sentiment of respect that those around the Lycan king held for him. He couldn¡¯t be med for it; those in Grandfield didn¡¯t consider Julian their king; he hadn¡¯t been a king to them in years. ¡°And who did you hear that from?¡± Julian asked. ¡°Someone,¡± he replied, not going into the details. ¡°That someone lied,¡± he replied. ¡°And I am supposed to believe the words of the Lycan king who turns his back on his people and sits in his white castle?¡± he demanded, his brow furrowed. ¡°You will speak to the king with respect, you worthless piece of trash!¡± Jace growled at the leader, already wanting to attack. Julian ced his hand in front of Jace to stop him, and he shook his head in disapproval of his actions. ¡°I do not care what you think of me, and I cannot make up for what has been done in the past. What matters now is what we are doing here. His brow rose. ¡°And that is?¡± fusion to surprise as she came to stand beside the Lycan king and Fiona Fiona recognised her. She was the woman she had healed earlier at the camp who asked about her parents. ¡°Chad!¡± She climbed down the stairs and over to him. ¡°I thought it was the rebels, and we were scared inside until I heard your voice. Since when do you speak that way?¡± She demanded in a reproving tone of voice ¡°I am sorry, mama¡± He said, before adding. ¡°You no longer have the gue.¡± The older woman nodded with such a radiant smile on her face, staring up at her son. The wonderful youngdy over there beside the Lycan king healed¨Cme today.¡± She said this and pointed to Fiona, who still stood beside the king. ¡°I feel so good. I haven¡¯t felt that in years. I wanted you toe home so I could show myself to you.¡± ¡°That is wonderful news, mama.¡± He said, and he looked so different from the man who had charged into themunity earlier. ¡°It is She also healed so many others. Come and say hello.¡± She took his hand and led him up the stairs towards where the king and Fiona stood ¡°Do not yell at anyone. Do you hear me?¡± 11:38 Mom DA. Chapite as He nodded. ¡°Yes, mama.¡± He answered in a small voice. The two came to stand before them, and the older woman began to say, ¡°My king, this is my son, Chad Chad, this is the Lycan king and the healer,dy Sky.¡± Fiona wanted to tell her that she didn¡¯t have the title ofdy, but Julian had already begun speaking, ending that train of thought. ¡°Hello, Chad. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± He extended his hand to him for a shake. Unlike earlier, there was no grudge in Chad, and he took Julian¡¯s hand into his for a firm shake. ¡°It¡¯s so nice to meet you, my king.¡± Then he turned his attention to her and said, ¡°Thank you for healing my mother.¡± Fiona shook her head, seeing it as nothing. ¡°You are wee; your mother is a wonderful woman. Please take care of her.¡± He nodded. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Do not punish him for his outburst earlier; he is really a good boy. The older woman pleaded on his behalf. Julian smiled, and this made Fiona realise he had a dimple that only appeared when he smiled deeply. ¡°I understand, ma¡¯am; you have nothing to worry about. No harm wille to your son. You have my word.¡± She bowed her head. ¡°Thank you, my king¡± Julian advised that Chad lend a hand of help to Elder Rio and the rest, distributing the amenities brought in. Chad picked one of his men to aid him as well. He then revealed that he and his men had gone out to look for food¨Cthe little they could find¨Cbut returned when they heard news of his arrival. Julian then promised he would aid themunity with whatever they needed until they were back in their functioning state. After all was said and done, Fiona returned to the vi to get ready. It was the third day ofing here, and they had seeded andpleted their assignment. It had gone even better than she had imagined; she could only hope she could finish with the rest of the assignment waiting for her at the settlement and deal with the king¡¯s curse. She knew she was reaching thepletion of her job here in this world, and she didn¡¯t feel the joy she hoped to feel. The joy she thought she would feel when she first began this journey. A small knock came to her door, and she made her way over and opened it. There stood Julian, and she drew a quick breath at his sight Mar Jan Kimmpene 45 ¡°Can Ie in?¡± She nodded, although her mind screamed no. ¡°Sure,e in,¡± she said, stepping out of the way. This was his first time corning to her quarters since he had been here, and she wanted to know why. ¡°We are done with the distribution of the food and supplies. It will take them at least a week. The rain will soon be upon us, and their grounds will be able to yield food supplies. Until then, we will keep them fed.¡± ¡°You are doing so much for them; I do not think they will ever forget you.¡± ¡°Tam only following your lead. If you hadn¡¯t made your point so loud and clear, I would never have seen the errors of my ways. So, I owe you thanks as well.¡± He told her. ¡°I guess you are wee.¡± She said and turned away from him, trying to avoid locking eyes with him. ¡°When do we leave?¡± He pressed his l*ps together and stuffed his hands into his pants. ¡°The people of Grandfield are grateful for all our help. And they insisted on throwing a feast of dance in our honour,¡± he answered, adding, ¡°Elder Rio told me they had begun preparation yesterday.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± she asked. He scratched his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t given my answer yet; I would like to know what you think about it BB Chapter 46 Chapter 46 The people¡¯s offer was too good for Fiona to turn down. Julian had told her to corner her against a wall. He was the king, and his words were final. Yet he wanted her to be the one to decide. ¡°Why does it have to be up to me?¡± She asked with a raised brow He took a step towards her, and like always, her heart skipped a beat. He reached his hand out, and her breath cut halfway through her throat. She blinked rapidly, not knowing what he wanted to do. He didn¡¯t stop until his hand came on her hair and he drew out something before pulling away. He showed it to her, and it was white wool, and she exhaled upon seeing it,ughing a little. ¡°Well, it was your idea we came here in the first ce, and I couldn¡¯t give an answer unless I knew you were okay with it as well.¡± His reasoning made sense and showed that he was being considerate. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she mumbled to herself, and turned away from him. She said so, not because she didn¡¯t want to be here, but because she wanted to return and see: her sons. ording to her calctions, her stay here would have taken three days to one week, and this was her third day here. She could spare the rest of the day and celebrate with the people. ¡°if you still want to head back today, we can do that.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I would want to stay and celebrate with the good people of Grandfield,¡± she answered. He exhaled in relief. ¡°Oh, good, because I already told them yes.¡± He blurted out. Her eyes widened at his words. How dare he tell her it was up to her when he had already made the decision? Her l*ps scrunched up. She folded her arms over her chest. ¡°It was never my decision, was it?¡± He pressed his l*ps together and said, ¡°It is a feast of dance; I haven¡¯t had that in many years, and I couldn¡¯t turn it down. It is still your decision because if you had said no, I would have ordered Jace and Drew to take you home.¡± He told her, and a part of her believed him. She had never been a part of a dance feast before, and it was something she wanted to experience. ¡°Fine then: I want to be a part of the celebration ¡°Good, girl,¡± he purred, and shivers went through her at hispliment. Something about being called his good girl made her happy, and she knew she wanted to be his good girl. ¡°The venue is a few blocks from the vi, and the time is seven when the moon is out.¡± He winked at her and took his leave, leaving her alone with millions of butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. She was dressed and ready at six fifty p.m¡­ and Jace was at her door to pick her up, She wore a simple red, asymmetrical dress that stopped above her knees and felt right for the night. She had on a pair of sl*p¨Con, and she had no time for makeup or extra care for her hair. The night was chilly, so she picked up a ck jacket from the ones she came with and threw it over her shoulders. They made their way from her quarter at the vi over to the third street, where the feast was taking ce. The first person to catch her attention was Julian McQueen. He was in a grey long sleeve and ck trouser, which was a casual selection, yet it was enough to mess with her head. He turned around almost immediately, as if reading her mind, and his face broke into a wide smile. It was a genuine smile because it affected his eyes and showed his dimples. Everything around her paused for a moment as he gave her his attention. His eyes strayed from her face down to the clothes she had on, and there was no disappointment in them as they came back up. She burely did a thing, and he looked impressed regardless. ¡°You came,¡± he said, breaking the silence. ¡°I gave my word that I would.¡°¡± Tm de.¡± He took her hand and led her further to where they would stand and see everything clearly. His grip felt firm on hers. It wasn¡¯t soft or hard, it was perfect, just as she had always remembered it to be. It would be so right on other parts of her b*dy. Shit When the Lycan king called it a dance feast, she thought it was a feast with dance as a bonus. It was after arriving and seeing the setting of the open space that she realised that wasn¡¯t it A feast of dance was a feast with only dance. At this feast, nothing other than dancing is done. There are music and musical instruments to aid the dance, and whatever choice you make, the hand will y it for you so you can dance. As many gathered here would take their turns in a dance, it would keep going in circles until 1132 Mar Jan midnight. An hour passed by, and the feast was at its apex at this point, with dance and cheers and so much fun. It was all a fun and happy feeling until she realised the circle wasing towards them, which meant she would also have to dance. She didn¡¯t know how to dance, though. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to dance.¡± She whisper¨Cyelled to Julian, whom she stood beside. He nced at her, and his eyes warmed adorably. ¡°I will show you.¡± She almost busted outughing, then realised he wasn¡¯t joking. She almost face- palmed herself when Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. she realised all the dances had happened in pairs. Even Jace and Drew had danced earlier as a pair, and that meant she wouldn¡¯t go out alone. How did she watch the dance for so long and didn¡¯t know this? ¡°Are you okay with that?¡± He raised his brow, waiting for her answer. She nodded, knowing her voice would fail her if she decided to speak. How bad could it gett ¡°It¡¯s our turn.¡± He whispered into her ears, and shivers ran down her spine. He didn¡¯t let her recover from that because he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her forward. How her legs followed was still a miracle. The ps and cheers were all she could hear as she stepped into the centre, and the eyes of everyone rested on her. ¡°What song would you like to dance to?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t dance,¡± she whispered to him because she thought she had already told him that. She had danced around in the past, but it was always in thefort of her home, not to the amusement of others. She would be a disaster and probably get a shoe in the face ¡°I know, you told me, but what song do you like?¡± She didn¡¯t have any to go with; she did, but she couldn¡¯t think it up now, nor while everyone waited for her. ¡°You choose; I will pick the next one¡± She told him. He picked a pop song, and no, she couldn¡¯t dance, but he could. His movesplemented the ces shecked, and that was a lot of ces. She was more distracted by his hands on her back and waist, and sometimes her 1138 Men H face. It was hot and intense, and it took her breath away every time he drew her against his b*dy. Their time ended, and the people gathered around to cheer and p as they returned to their stand. His hand stayed on her waist the entire time, and she nced up at him to meet his gaze. Her throat ran dry, and she couldn¡¯t say a thing, so she just stared at him. Lost in the world of his gaze, her heart was racing faster, and perhaps he could hear it despite the music and people cheering around. It beat that way because of him. There was no way to tame it. Not one she knew of She broke the gaze to think about their next song because, in the next hour or so, they would be back on the stage to dance. ¡°It¡¯s Lovely by Billie Eilish,¡± she said, and he must have heard because he asked. ¡°Uhi She nced up at him, and once again, she got lost in the strength of his gaze, but she forced herself to speak. ¡°Lovely by Billie Eilish. That¡¯s my favourite song, but it is not danceable.¡± She told him. The song got her through hard times in the past and had a ce in her heart. A smile came to his face. And oh, how much he reminded her of June and Jashin right now. ¡°There is a dance for every song.¡± He answered, and there was something in his voice because she found herself believing him. An hour passed, and it became their turn once again. Julian took hold of her hand and pulled her towards the centre while everyone watched. ¡°Lovely by Billie Eilish,¡± he told the band, and they took the cue. ¡°Have you heard it before?¡± she asked, after remembering how certain he was that It was danceable: He smiled but didn¡¯t answer the question before the band began to y. The song yed, and Julian ced his hand on her waist expertly and took a ballet stand. She didn¡¯t need to be told twice to know he had this dance under his control She knew a little ballet. Her parents had put her in the ss when she was seven. She got bullied our of it eventually, but that was after one month of training. She would like to think she still has a few of those moves within her. He spun her around, and she twirled around and around before he caught her by the hand and pulled her back to himself. There was a gasp from the crowd watching, and they swooned and made small noises. They danced around, and she had to admit she had never felt this alive in a very long time. The most joy she had felt had been around her sons. But here now, in the arms of Julian, the Lycan King, dancing and wishing it all away, she felt happiness and excitement as well. Isn¡¯t it lovely, all alone? Heart made of ss, my mind of stone Tear me to pieces, skin to bone Hello, wee home. He pulled her to himself once more, and the song came to an end. The crowd busted out in cheers and sps, but Fiona couldn¡¯t even focus on any of that. Her face was incredibly close to Julian, and his and k*ss his l*ps: they were full and so red, and she knew they would taste so good. She fought against the thought as her heartbeat became unsteady and her b*dy lost all the little strength she had. Sweat broke over her face, and she couldn¡¯t understand what was happening or why the closeness to him was triggering her this way. She buried her face in his chest, basking in his rich, alluring scent. MATE It clicked within her, and she knew what that word meant. It couldn¡¯t be. He was her second chance mate, and it confirmed everything that she had felt, leading to this very moment. Oh no. She pulled away before she could take a turn that she wouldn¡¯t be able to escape from ¡°I should go home.¡± She muttered loud enough for him to hear. She wouldn¡¯t be able to stop herself if she were to dance again with him. She might end up doing something she regrets. He nodded and released her from his hold. ¡°Alright, I will walk you home.¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Fiona didn¡¯t think Julian would offer to take her home. The reason she wanted to leave was because she wanted to be away from him and try to control the truth she had just found. The emotions within her were overwhelming, but she couldn¡¯t reject his offer. She nodded, and he led her away from the centre and from the people. Jace and Drew walked over to them, already knowing their duties and wanting to carry them out, but Julian shook his head. ¡°I will take her home,¡± he insisted. The two men nodded and stepped away from them, returning to join the party. They walked in silence for a minute, and the only sounds Fiona heard were thoseing from the feast. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you knew how to dance. He pointed to the words she had repeated and told him while they were at the feast. His words helped ease the tension she had felt since the dance as it took her mind away from it. ¡°I don¡¯t, she mumbled. His brow rose. ¡°You know ballet. He pointed it out. She scoffed, ¡°That is a joke for a ballet.¡± ¡°You sell yourself short. It needs a bit of brushing, but it is great.¡± She stole a nce at him and realised he wasn¡¯t joking with what he said. ¡°I am far from good. All I knowes from the lessons I took when I was seven. I didn¡¯t know you knew ballet. She fl*pped the question back to him. ¡°There are a lot of things about me that many people have no idea of.¡± He said that and smiled a little. The things she knows about him so far have left her impressed. She couldn¡¯t wait to learn more ¡°Well, you dance better than me she pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s from five years of dance lessons. He answered, and now he was showing off. It was a pleasant sight to see, though. They got to her quarter at the vi, and they climbed up the stairs that led to her door. She paused and turned to him, but stayed silent. ¡°I¡¯m d you stayed for the feast.¡± He said, and his eyes dimmed as that hypnotising smile appeared on his face. Her eyes left his and wandered down to his l*ps, wet, full, and red, before returning up. ¡°I am d I stayed; if I hadn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t have known you had amazing dance moves.¡± She chuckled nervously. ¡°It was nice¡­.¡± She couldn¡¯t get the rest of the words out of her mouth because he closed the space between them and took her l*ps between his for a deep and soul¨Cseeking k*ss. She forgot to breathe the first few seconds that passed, and everything around her stood still as well. She couldn¡¯t believe this was happening, but it was. His l*ps tasted so good and soft, seeking out passion from her and holding so much within. It was just as she imagined a k*ss from him would taste, if not better. She k*ssed him back before she could stop herself and wrapped her arms around him to deepen the k*ss. He pulled her closer, and her b*dy pressed against his. She felt him lying there, thick, throbbing, and stretching inside his pants. He wanted her, and she wanted him. She needed him just as much as the air in her lungs. She needed him to im her as his mate. Her breath cut into her throat at the thought, and she pulled away from the k*ss and stepped back from him. She shook her head. ¡°This is wrong. This is so wrong and should not happen.¡± Sky Guilt ate her up. I can¡¯t feel this way, and neither can you. It is wrong. You have a mate, and it is not me.¡± She knew what it felt like to be cheated on, and she was helping him do that to Nina, someone who had never harmed her before. Why would the moon goddess make him her second chance mate, knowing very well she had a partner¨Ca prospective mate? That wasn¡¯t fair to her or him. Yes, she had fantasised about him since she found him again, but there was a fine line between imagination and reality. Was he even her mate, or did she make him that with her unending fantasies? He had a partner Nina was the perfect match for him. They bothplemented each other, and they were the perfect match. 139 Man Han ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here. Your partner will not be happy to know you¡¯re here in the same room as the one you cheated on her with.¡± She said, and she thought what she said would be an indication for him to take his leave, but it wasn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t make a move to leave; instead, he took a step closer. ¡°Nina and I are not together anymore.¡± He told her, and that took her by surprise. They didn¡¯t break up because of her; they couldn¡¯t have. She wanted to ask a lot of questions because his answer had thrown her into a sea of confusion that needed rity. ¡°The truth is, you are not alone in how you feel. I haven¡¯t been the same since you stepped into our world. I thought I had everything I needed in a mate, and if you had note, I would have believed that.¡± That meant he didn¡¯t cheat, and that meant it wasn¡¯t wrong. Not being with Lady Nina anymore didn¡¯t mean she had a shot with him. He was the Lycan king: he will always be that, and she was a runaway criminal with a past so horrible that she changed everything about herself just to move on from it. There was just so much truth hidden that she couldn¡¯t risk it being revealed. He might mean a lot to her, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for him. What he felt could be just carnal desires, and she had so much to lose. She wouldn¡¯t bet herself on that anymore. He was the Lycan king, and to him, she was just another fleeting fling. She would never mean much to someone like him, and that was the truth. In what world would Julian, the Lycan king and ruler of the entire werewolf world, bat an eye at her? What was the probability that he would take her more than just someone fuckable? Sky, say something¡± I can¡¯t do this, Julian He stepped towards her, and she backed away from him, and her hands shot forward to stop him. ¡°I am sorry, I know what this is, and I cannot let it go on¡± She told him, and a tear ran down her face. ¡°Do not She stepped into her room, shut the door behind her, and ced her back against it. Her heart clenched in her chest, and she didn¡¯t know if she had made the right decision, but she had escaped to breathe. She was the outsider. That was who she had always been and who she would always be. Once she 139 Mon 8 Ja DGA behind her. She moved to the bed, not bothering to take anything off; she didn¡¯t have the strength in her. Getting on top of it, she curled into a ball. ¡°Someday you will find your mate, and he will be everything you ever wished for in a mate. He will love you for you. Those were the words of Otis to her many years ago, and she believed them for so long until she couldn¡¯t anymore. Not after the one the moon goddess gave her. Henry rejected her in the midst of her tribtions after cheating on her. There was no such thing. There was no match for someone like her. ¡°The moon goddess has a great h for everyone of us¡± Dorothy¡¯s voice echoed in her head, and she twisted around in bed. Could she believe that? The thought of her parents crossed her mind. Her parents were and will always be Otis and Dorothy Lawrence. She had grown up wanting their kind of love story. Fluffy, kind, and patient. They were the ideal definition of lover and mate. She needed to visit them; more than ever, she wanted to see them. She didn¡¯t go back to them five years ago because she knew that would put them in danger, but now there is no more danger She wanted to see them, and she didn¡¯t want to be in disguise; she wanted them to see her¨Ctheir baby. To know she was still alive and had survived everything She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard footsteps in the room. Her heart skipped thinking about who could be in her room. Did Julian follow her into the room even when she told him to leave? She wondered, but knew that wasn¡¯t the type of man he was. Even if he followed her, he wouldn¡¯t enter unless she let hirm Whoever was in her room wasn¡¯t Julian¨Cthat¡¯s if there was anyone in her room to begin with. She pulled herself to sit down, knowing the sound of a footstep she had picked up wasn¡¯t in her mind. ¡°Who is there?¡± she demanded. ¡°Hello, Sky.¡± She heard the voice she knew so well, and her heart skipped in fear. It was Ted, and he was in her room. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Fiona feared for the worst. How was he here? How was he in her room when he didn¡¯t even follow her to Grandfield? She wondered to herself, but had no answer to the questions. She tried to run off the bed, but he was on top of her in a second, pushing her harder into the bed and pinning her hand above her head, while the other hand covered her mouth. ¡°You will die before you get that solund out of your mouth.¡± He told her with certainty and pulled his hand from her mouth. Her heart raced in her chest. There were eight men that came to Grandfield, and he wasn¡¯t one of them. Perhaps he came with the relief team. That was the only exnation that made sense. He also nned out the perfect time to attack. Her escorts were at the feast and wouldn¡¯t even know about what was happening to her. Julian had also gone, as she had told him to leave before entering the room. It was dark, and the feast going outside would rob everyone¡¯s senses; they wouldn¡¯t even hear her cry for help. Slowly, Fiona¡¯s lower b*dy felt numb from the weight on top of her, and her struggles decreased Her eyes blurred up. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°Because I want to,¡® he replied, but she knew better. ¡°Vivian put you up to this, didn¡¯t she? She didn¡¯t want to dirty her hands, so she sent you to do her work. She has always wanted me dead. Do not deny it.¡± Vivian had always wanted the worst for her. She was a threat to getting the one thing she desired. Julian, the Lycan king. ¡°Stop talking¡± He snarled at her. ¡°Why? Because I speak the truth.¡± He smacked her in the face, and she saw ck for a moment. ¡°Shut up! And that bitch does not tell me what to do!¡± He tightened his grip on her hands. Then why do you hate me? Why are you here hurting me when I have never done anything to hurt you?¡± 11:29 Mana Chuppies 4t He growled at her, ¡°Because you have angered someone, and they are not happy with you. I am here to carry out their wishes and kill you. Do not struggle, and it will be quick¡± He told her. Perhaps this was how she would die. Far from help, far from her boys and the Lycan king. She sobbed. She didn¡¯t deserve this kind of death. She deserved better. ¡°Stop crying, you are making things harder than they need to be,¡± He hissed out in frustration, and his hand came up to touch her face. She threw her face to the side, and tears ran down onto her pillow. Hershes fluttered, and she saw the rod on the nightstand beside her bed. ¡°I know you do not want to kill me. Let me go, and I will leave this evening. I will go away, and I will nevere back ¡°What happens when the truth about you being alivees out?¡± he demanded with his brow raised. ¡°It will not; I will stay gone forever He paused, as if to think about it, before speaking. ¡°That sounds like a deal; what do I get in return if I let you go?¡± he asked, and he adjusted himself on top of her so that she could feel his crotch pressed against hers, which caused him to release her right hand. Her skin crawled at the contact, but she found her voice to ask. ¡°What do you want?¡± A smirk appeared on his face. ¡°You¡± She wrapped her hand around the rod and smashed it against his head, and he fell off her. She took advantage of the chance she saw and ran for the door. Ted recovered faster than she expected, and being faster, he raced to her and mmed his fist into her head from the back. She fell, and a painful cry left her mouth as she came crashing onto the cold floor. She felt wetness, and she knew he had cracked her skull open with his fist. He turned her around on the floor, so she was now looking up at him and got on top of her. ¡°I was going to let you go easy, and you did that?¡± He pped her face repeatedly until she felt numb. ¡®you whore! I know you love to whore yourself out.¡± He said that and pushed her dress up. His hand ran over her legs, up her thigh, and then pulled at her pants. She wanted to fight him back with all she had, but she had no strength in her she 11:59 Min) Dani couldn¡¯t even lift her hand up. She was barely keeping her eyes open with how heavy they felt; all she could do was pray for rescue, or at least death. ¡°I bet this is what you hope to offer to the Lycan king.¡± He growled, and his hands invaded her most intimate parts. His hands pushed her legs further apart so he could settle between them and undid his zip. Tears ran down the door, and her vision blurred. She bit down on her lower l*p to keep the sob concealed. She could feel life sl*pping through her fingertips, and she wanted death toe even faster. She heard the door fly open, and the next second, someone stormed towards them, his footsteps heavy on the ground, and hauled Ted off her immediately. She wanted to see what was happening, but s, she couldn¡¯t. Her senses were finally shut down, and she couldn¡¯t stop it. She heard a loud m, and soon after, hershes shut. Hershes fluttered a little, and she found herself in Julian¡¯s arms, and he seemed to be taking her somewhere she didn¡¯t know. He looked terrified, as if about to lose something very important, but she wouldn¡¯t think of what it was before hershes shut again. ¡°There, there, my child,¡± she said, hearing the voice she knew so well. Dorothy. ¡°Mom?¡± ¡°My child, my beautiful, perfect little baby¡± ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°Take my hand, child; do it quick. Dorothy said, and the next second, Fiona saw a hand reaching out to her. She took hold of it, and she was quickly pulled out of the ce she was in Her eyes fluttered, and she found herself in a room alone. She hadn¡¯t been here before, and staring at her surroundings, it was white. She couldn¡¯t have died and gone on to the life beyond, could she? The question stayed in her mind. She couldn¡¯t be in the life beyond. What she learned as a child about life beyond showed it was a ce of beauty, and the first face all those arriving would see was the face of the moon goddess. She hadn¡¯t seen that, and so she knew this wasn¡¯t it. She had no memory of how she got here, and the harder she tried to remember, 11:39 Mon 8 Jah GA * the farther away it drifted. She tried to pull herself up, but she couldn¡¯t do that. She felt stuck and weak, even to her bones, and she knew whatever had happened must have been severe. The door cracked open, and Be walked into the room. She recognised her immediately and once again tried to pull herself up, but failed miserably. ¡°Ma¡¯am, you¡¯re awake. She said, and she looked much relieved. She didn¡¯t approach her; instead, she stepped out of the room. Probably to inform others she was already awake. The door opened again, and this time, the Lycan king stepped into the room. At his sight, she remembered thest thing she did with him¨Ck*ssing him Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She grew hot at the recall of that memory, and she dropped her gaze from him. but not before seeing the relief look on his face. ¡°Sky, he called, and stepped towards her. ¡°Be told me you¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°Yes, I cannot remember how I got here.¡± She said she was staring at everything her eyes could find as she turned her head. ¡°Oh,¡± he muttered and took a step forward, and he must have heard her heart pick up at a faster pace because he paused and didn¡¯te any further. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked, and she summoned enough courage to look up at him. ¡°Ted attacked you in your quarters at Grandfield¡¯s vi.¡± He said that, and at the mention of Ted¡¯s name, the memories ran back into her head. She remembered seeing him in her room and then fighting to set herself free, only to fail. She remembered being forcefully hit in the head, falling to the floor, and having him climb on top of her while she prayed for death. This was all she could remember. Tears wolled up in her eyes, and they ran down before she could help it. Her stomach curled in a painful way, thinking of what Ted had done to her. She remembered thinking about how she didn¡¯t deserve what he was doing before everything faded. ¡°How did I get here, then she asked, sniffing and blinking back the rest of the Tears! ¡°I felt you were in danger and came to help. But I wasn¡¯t fast enough because he 8 had already done enough damage to you.¡± he said, and his voice took on a tone of regret. ¡°I am sorry.¡± Her l*ps trembled at his words, and her hand wrapped around herself underneath the sheets. She felt horrible, being reminded of what happened. She hated how weak she felt¨Cthat she couldn¡¯t even help herself. It made her angry at the same time. ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± She frowned at him. ¡°You were not the one who tried to rape me, not the one who sent him; that was Ted and Vivian. She is the only one who has wanted to hurt me since I can remember.¡± She didn¡¯t mean just three weeks ago. Vivian had always wanted to harm her, and that would never change. Yes. Ted never told her Vivian sent him, but she knew better. Only that witch was capable of such a cruel act. ¡°What happens to Ted now?¡± she asked. ¡°He¡¯s on trial, awaiting his sentencing¡± He replied. She couldn¡¯t trust their trial. She remembered thest one Ted was on: he had walked away along with hisrade as if they had done nothing. This would just be like that time. There is no real justice in this world. Not for the likes of her. Pain ate her up once again. She wasn¡¯t safe here: she would never be safe. ¡°The council will do the right thing, but Vivan didn¡¯t send Ted to attack you.¡± He said, and she couldn¡¯t believe he had taken her side on this. The evidence was clear. Ted was Vivian¡¯s puppet, and he would do anything she told him to do. Should she be surprised that he was taking the witch¡¯s side? She was a master maniptor, and she could have told him a lie that was so true that he believed it. ¡°And you believe her.¡± He nodded, and she threw her face to the side, unable to stand looking at him. How could he be so gullible? ¡°Yes, because it wasn¡¯t Vivian who gave Ted the order to kill you, it was Nina.¡± Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Julian¡¯s words threw her into a sea of confusion, and she couldn¡¯t help it. Lady Nina wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. The words she heard about the Lycan king¡¯sdy since her arrival were good ones. She was too good to stoop so low. ¡°Why would she want to kill me? I have done nothing to her.¡± She said in a small, confused voice. ¡°That¡¯s not how she sees it. She med you when I ended things with her. I never thought she would go this far just to retaliate. Ted confessed she had approached him when I sent for relief for Grandfield. She gave him orders to follow. He was to kill you and make it seem like the rebels had done it. That way, there would be no way to trace it back to them. I think Nina believed that killing you would return my affection for her. You got caught in all of this because of me, and for that, I am sorry. His head dropped remorsefully. Fiona had thought Nina was kind, generous, and always had good intentions for people. She never thought she would let jealousy drive her to the point of taking another¡¯s life without a cause. From everything the Lycan king just told her, she did. She had sent Ted over to Grandfield to kill her. The impact of the blow you suffered had already done havoc on your system, and the reason you survived was because of your powers. Marion, however, isn¡¯t sure you will be able to use your healing abilities as effectively as before.¡± Her heart clenched in her chest at the revtion he just told her. If she couldn¡¯t use her abilities as effectively as before, it meant she may not be able to help heal the Lycan king of his curse. She shook her head, and once again, her eyes blurred up. ¡°No.¡± The thought of not being able to help him or the people as she used to hurt more than death. ¡°That can¡¯t be true.¡± She reached for him, ignoring how weak he was and the pain she felt. She took hold of his hand, but she felt nothing. Tears ran down her face, and she let go and turned away from him to mourn her Joss The final day of the trial was set, and Ted didn¡¯t stand alone on trial: Nina stood as 11 40 Mon Jan G Copierss well. Ted had allegations brought up against him, and this trial helped uncover the many atrocities he hadmitted in the past. All were levied against him. Unlike Ted, Nina only had this attempt against her, but judging by how gruesome and cruel it was, they had no form of escape. The council sentenced Ted to death and Nina to life in the dungeon. Their sentencing didn¡¯t change what happened to her. Ted¡¯s death wouldn¡¯t make her forget, but she took sce in knowing that she had two less evil to worry about Julian gave her orders to see her sons and removed the restraint on visitation. It meant that she could sleep over at their ce, and they could sleep over at her ce when they came visiting. With her powers almost gone, she couldn¡¯t return to the settlement and finish up her assignment with those having the gue. Nina stole that chance from the people she imed to love when she gave orders to have her killed.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She didn¡¯t know what that meant for her and her children. The promise was that she would heal this world of the gue, and then the Lycan king would release her and her boys. She couldn¡¯t fulfil her part anymore after what had happened, and she didn¡¯t know what that meant. She had stayed at the estate for a few days, recovering and being around her sons. They were the only cheerful things that happened during these horrible times. They were not happy to find her hurt, and June didn¡¯t believe her when she said she was fine. She didn¡¯t look fine, and he could see that. She then assured him she would be fine in time. The doorbell went off, and Be raced to the door to open it. She soon returned to the room with guests behind her. ¡°Sky!¡± She nced up and found her colleagues from the settlement in her room. Marion, Jose, Gia, and five others whose names she had forgotten Her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth in surprise. Their visitation was thest thing she expected to see; nevertheless, she was grateful for it. ¡°You came to visit me. Is this real?¡± she asked. ¡°We came to see you because we missed you, and we wanted to show our support to you,¡± Marion answered, and they all spread around the room. She knew she couldn¡¯t return to the settlement, but she wanted to. The people she Chipth: 11 had worked with sinceing to the estate were all there, but she knew what that meant. Going there would mean finding the expectant eyes of those with the gue. They knew her and would want her to help them, but she wouldn¡¯t be able to. So, she chose to stay back, even though that decision saddened her. Her smile remained, and she asked them what they would want to have as refreshments. She didn¡¯t know what the mansion had, as she hadn¡¯t been to the kirchen sinceing home, but she knew there would be something. ¡°Water would do for me.¡± Jose said. The rest of them gave Be what they wanted, and they set out to bring it to them. They all sat around and spoke, filling her up with what she had missed, and she asked if any of them had seen Vivian in a while, but none had. She didn¡¯t ask because she cared much for her; it was, however, strange that she had disappeared from the estate without a trace. Julian would probably know, but she didn¡¯t want to ask him. After their second hour of being here, Jashin and June barged into the room. They didn¡¯t even take notice of the men in the room because they headed straight for the bed where she sat She made quick signs for those in her room, asking for pardon, before turning to the boys. ¡°What is wrong?¡± she asked, seeing the dull look on their faces. ¡°June wouldn¡¯t let me y with his Legos. Jashin reported. She turned to June, who looked anything but sorry. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you let him y?¡± she asked with her brow raised. ¡°He lost it thest time I gave it to him.¡± June replied, and Fiona turned to Jashin ¡°Is that true?¡± The boy nodded, confirming June¡¯s words: ¡°But I looked for it and found it.¡± ¡°After firee days, mommy, three days.¡± June emphasised, holding up three small fingers Fions pressed her l*ps together to suppress herugh. They were always headstrong with arguments. ¡°What if he promises not to lose it? Will that be alright?¡± She asked, and June, the Shopfre #4 soft¨Chearted boy, nodded. She turned to Jashin and said, ¡°You have to promise not to lose it this time¡± ¡°I promise I will not lose it.¡± ¡°Fine, then, you can have it.¡± Jashin smiled, and that made June smile as well. ¡°Alright then, go y, but first say hello to my colleagues¡± ¡°Hello, colleagues,¡± Jashin said, still holding onto his smile as he exited the room. ¡°Hello, Jashin¡± They echoed back in response. June looked around at each of them and said, ¡°Hello, all.¡± ¡°Hello, June,¡± they responded. Her colleagues didn¡¯t stay for much longer. They had to return to the settlement and continue their work for the rest of the day. They all wished her a swift recovery. She walked them to the door, and while the other stepped out of the house, Marion took hold of her hand and pulled her back a little. His action startled her, and she quickly drew her hand out of his hold. He must have sensed her fear because he held his hands up in surrender. ¡°I am sorry, I should not have done that.¡± ¡°Then why did you?¡± she demanded. Jashin and June are Julian¡¯s, aren¡¯t they?¡± he said, going straight to the point. Her heart dropped at his words and how certain he sounded. How did he put it together? Yes, the boys shared a few simrities with the Lycan king, but was it that obvious If it was, who else knew? She turned away from him. ¡°I do not know what you speak of¡± ¡°The first time I saw them. I knew they looked so close to home¨Ctoo close to home. But after seeing them today, I know they are his. Their smiles, their faces- it¡¯s obvious. A casual observer might miss it, but I have been with Julian since we were little boys, and I can see that those boys are a reflection of him.¡± She had thought about the truth, and she had thought abouting out with it. Julian needed to hear the truth from her. She couldn¡¯t continue with her lie. Marion knew the truth, and he looked too convinced to want to change it for her lies. She stayed silent, not knowing what else to say. He continued to speak, ¡°I know it is not my secret to share, and I don¡¯t know the story, but Julian would be more than happy to know this truth. Please consider giving him a chance at being the father to those wonderful boys.¡± Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Finding Julian at her door that very night came as a surprise to her. He hadn¡¯t returned since she regained consciousness a few days ago. She didn¡¯t expect him to, despite the intimate moment and k*ss they shared in Grandfield. There was no tag to it, and she couldn¡¯t read meaning into anything. She feared at first that Marion had told him the truth. Marion wouldn¡¯t take that choice from her, not unless he had to. He wasn¡¯t that type of person. She stepped outside to meet him where he stood. ¡°You usuallye inside,¡± she told him, remembering thest time he came to visit her. He had entered inside before she even got the information. ¡°Yes, but I learned your boys are in the house, and you told me to stay away from them.¡± He reminded her that, though she might have forgotten, he didn¡¯t. Her eyes dropped; he was a better person than she would ever be, and her sons were lucky he was their father. ¡°Why did youe?¡± She asked, changing the subject ¡°To check on your progress so far, he answered, and his tone held honesty in it ¡°I¡¯m getting better. I feel so much betterpared tost week, and I have you to thank.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°I did nothing.¡± He told her, trying to act clueless. ¡°I know you initiated the visit I received from the physicians at the settlement,¡± she told him. ¡°I didn¡¯t initiate it,¡± he corrected. ¡°I permitted.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She smiled at him. He said nothing; instead, he leaned in to k*ss her, but she drew back. She wanted to k*ss him more than anything right now; her entire b*dy yearned for it, and she wanted to give herself over to him. It felt right, but she couldn¡¯t, not until she knew there were no more secrets between them. This was much moreplicated for her than it was for him. She had so much to lose, and he didn¡¯t, so she had to be careful. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asked, even though she knew he just tried to k*ss her. Finding Julian at her door that very night came as a surprise to her. He hadn¡¯t returned since she regained consciousness a few days ago. She didn¡¯t expect him to, despite the intimate moment and k*ss they shared in Grandfield. There was no Tag to it, and she couldn¡¯t read meaning into anything. She feared at first that Marion had told him the truth. Marion wouldn¡¯t take that choice from her, not unless he had to. He wasn¡¯t that type of person. She stepped outside to meet him where he stood. ¡°You usuallye inside,¡± she told him, remembering thest time he came to visit her. He had entered inside before she even got the information. ¡°Yes, but I learned your boys are in the house, and you told me to stay away from them. He reminded her that, though she might have forgotten, he didn¡¯t. Her eyes dropped; he was a better person than she would ever be, and her sons were lucky he was their father. ¡°Why did youe?¡± She asked, changing the subject. ¡°To check on your progress so far,¡± he answered, and his tone held honesty in it ¡°I¡¯m getting better. I feel so much betterpared tost week, and I have you to thank ¡°I did nothing.¡± He told her, trying to act clueless. ¡°I know you initiated the visit I received from the physicians at the settlement, she told him. ¡°I didn¡¯t initiate it,¡± he corrected. ¡°I permitted.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She smiled at him. He said nothing; instead, he leaned in to k*ss her, but she drew back. She wanted to k*ss him more than anything right now; her entire b*dy yearned for it and she wanted to give herself over to him. It felt right, but she couldn¡¯t, not until she knew there were no more secrets between them. This was much moreplicated for her than it was for him. She had so much to lose, and he didn¡¯t, so she had to be careful. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asked, even though she knew he just tried to k*ss her. MORE Jan & A Chappy 10 ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing, but I know that I want to be here with you. It feels so right, and I do not want to lose it¡± He confessed and tried to k*ss her again, but she pulled away and took a step back. He had just ended things with Nina, and he still needed time to regain himself. A part of her felt it was too soon, and she didn¡¯t want to be his rebound. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t do this.¡± She couldn¡¯t ascertain why he wanted her; he didn¡¯t really know her. He knew Sky, not Fiona, he wanted Sky, not Fiona There was also no guarantee that these feelings would stay the same the minute he learnt about the truth of her sons paternity. I¡¯m sorry, but can we at least start somewhere?¡± he asked. There was so much happening, and she needed to prepare herself. In thest few hours, she had the chance to think about the truth and what it entailed. Did he deserve to know the truth about his sons? He did, but revealing that truth meant telling every truth, including who she was in the past and why she had to change everything Marion, who spoke to her about her sons earlier, told her it wasn¡¯t as hidden away as she thought it was. She suspected Be already knew the truth, and soon. everyone would also know it. It was her decision to make, her truth to reveal, and she wanted everything to go the way she nned it. She had to also trust that Julian wouldn¡¯t change or treat her differently when he learned the truth. It was a risk she had to take. ¡°Say something, please.¡± Julian said, and she snapped out of her thoughts to find him staring at her. ¡°You said Nina med me when you ended things with her. I never really understood what that meant. Why would she me me?¡± She asked. He sighed. ¡°She said I ended things because of you. She wasn¡¯t wrong; you were a part of the reason, just as I told you before, but it wasn¡¯t all you. I felt a disconnect after I learned she had gone behind my back and testified in Vivian and her team¡¯s favour. It felt like betrayal, and I couldn¡¯t move on from it. I couldn¡¯t trust her. 1 felt there was something she was hiding from me, and I couldn¡¯t stomach it. When I asked her for the truth, she wouldn¡¯t tell me. So before leaving for Grandfield, I ended things with her. I wasn¡¯t going to make it public because I had respect for her, what she stood for, and the good she had done so far. I told her she would take the lead on how the announcement would go; it was my way of still treating her with a bit of respect. My failure was not seeing her for who she was. She had hoped that by killing you, I would return to her and we would be back to how we were. There was no going back, though.¡± ¡°What made you believe she was hiding something?¡± She asked with a raised brow ¡°She testified in favour of Vivian and went behind my back to do it. The only way they could have gotten her to testify was if they had something on her,¡± he answered. ¡°I was right; they did¡± Fiona¡¯s eyes narrowed at him as he said those words to her: ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Ted knew something terrible she did many months ago, and he told it at the trial. That was what he used to get her on their side.¡± ¡°What was it?¡± Fiona asked, finding herself drawn into getting more of the details. ¡°She was with another.¡± He answered, and his voice sounded a little bruised. ¡°She had an affair with an omega and killed him during their act. Ted was her escort on the trip, and he witnessed the entire thing. He has had it over her head ever since. The truth was even more horrible than she thought it would be. She had thought the formerdy had Her l*ps pressed together, ¡°Oh, I am sorry¡± He casually shook his head and said, ¡°There is no need to apologise. It hurts to be betrayed and lied to. I would have forgiven her if she hade forward with the truth immediately, but she let it drown her. Her mistake has robbed not just me, but many other good people of the chance of getting healed of the gue. I do not feel sorry for her. Not one bit. She made her bed of lies, and now she lies in it. He answered. Truth Lies. Honesty. These were things that were so hard to hold on to He might think she is any different from his former partner, but that was because he didn¡¯t know the first thing about her. Her entire life was a lie, and yes, she didn¡¯t cheat, but she was hiding the truth about her sons from him. She was denying him the chance to get to be a father, and that made her the same, if not worse than Nina, He might never forgive her if he were to find out the truth about his sons on his own 141 Mon, Jan Chippy 30 She wondered what he would do to her if he were to find out she had kept the truth from him. He didn¡¯t seem like someone who would be harsh with judgement, but she had to assume the worst. Without her healing abilities, she was of no use to him, and he might not be kind with his judgement of her. She might never get her freedom once the truth is out, and there were a few things she wanted to do before then. ¡°Tam sorry¡± She apologised again, but this time it wasn¡¯t because of what Nina did but rather for what she had done. He turned to her and gave her a small smile. ¡°You have nothing to be sorry about.¡± ¡°I would like your permission.¡± She said it in a small voice. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°I would love to see my parents onest time.¡± She told him, ¡°They live in Reign, themunity in the east.¡± ¡°I know Reign,¡± he told her with a smile, and she remembered she had also told him about her She nodded. ¡°You have visited there in the past.¡± She reminded him, because that was how this entire tale of her life started. He stayed silent for a while, as if trying to remember it. He must have forgotten. Well. Reign was one of one hundred and forty¨Cninemunities in his world, and so he would forget. ¡°I remember Reign,¡± he finally said. ¡°I visited there close to six years ago and stayed for a few weeks. It wasn¡¯t a formal visit, but it was a pleasant experience.¡± He said that, and his voice appeared a little clouded. He remembered¨Cmaybe not the night because she still had a hard time remembering it in detail¨Cbut he did. ¡°I need to visit them. I haven¡¯t seen them in many years. ¡°You have my permission to visit them then. He answered before adding, ¡°Do you need me toe with your She shook her head, she wanted this visit to be as private as it could be. Her n was to meet her parents and reveal her true self to them; she didn¡¯t want him there to see it yet. ¡°No, I would rather go alone. Perhaps Jace and Drew cane with me for protection if you deem it necessary.¡± He looked reluctant, but nodded. ¡°Alright then, they wille as your escort. When do you n to leave, and how long will you be gone for?¡± ¡°I will leave at dawn tomorrow.¡± She answered. ¡°I should be gone for a day, two at most.¡± He stepped towards her, and the little space that existed between them disappeared. He tilted her chin up so she could look at him. ¡°I would have loved toe with you and take care of you, but I will wait for you. Please think of what I said.¡± He wasn¡¯t rushing her into deciding, he wanted her to take her time. That was considerate. He leaned in, and she didn¡¯t back away anymore,cking the will to. His l*ps touched her forehead for a soft k*ss before pulling away. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 At the dawn of the day, Jace and Drew were already waiting in front of her door. She also woke up early to prepare because she knew the journey would take over five hours to drive to Reign. She had a little talk with the boys, whom Be would be in charge of in her absence, about their best behaviour. The look on their faces told her they didn¡¯t want her to go anywhere, but she had to. Someday they would meet their grandparents, and this was the first step in ensuring that. She couldn¡¯t wait to see the look on her parents¡® faces when she revealed to them that they had grandchildren who were absolute angels. They would be ecstatic, for sure. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She k*ssed both their heads before walking our of the house. She stepped onto the balcony and paused when she saw Julian standing not so far away. He didn¡¯te close, but he had woken up early just to see her go, and she waved at him slowly. ¡°Shall we go?¡± She turned to Jace. He nodded and led her towards the waiting car, which Drew had opened for her. She got in, and they shut it and drove off She had her diary, and in it was every question she wanted to ask and have her parents answer. She had stayed uptest night, writing every one of them down so that she would not forget. Her heart leaped for joy at the thought of whaty ahead for her. Her parents waited for her. Their arms would be open to her as always This visit was five yearste, but it was betterte than never. Drew¡¯s phone rang after the third hour, and he picked it up and ced it against his ear. ¡°Hello,¡± he said, and he stayed silent for whoever was on the other end of the phone to speak. ¡°Yes, my king¡± He said this and turned around to hand her the phone in his hand before adding. The Lycan king wants to speak to you.¡± Her heart sped up at his words. She took the phone from his hand and held it against her ear. I promised I would give you as much privacy as you need, but I wanted to hear your voice. I only then realised you do not have a phone, and I had to call Drew. She nodded, then realised he couldn¡¯t see her. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°I know this is a bother, and so I promise this will be myst call to you¡± He vowed. ¡°I miss you, though, and I wish you were here with me. Funny how, despite being miles apart, she could still be affected. ¡°I miss you too. She admitted, then realised she wasn¡¯t alone in the car. The men in the car beard every word she spoke. He became silent, as if not expecting the words she told him: ¡°I will be waiting for your return. He said with much anticipation in his voice. She wanted to believe in his words, but knowing what the truth might bring kept her heart in a state of doubt, confusion, and pain. ¡°Okay,¡± she replied. ¡°Take care of yourself.¡± ¡°You too.¡± The call ended, and she handed Drew¡¯s phone back to him, and they all returned to silence. However, unlike earlier, Jace turned on the music. Another love by Tom Odell yed, and it sent her into a state of imagination. She wondered what her life would be like in a perfect world. In a perfect world, she would never have gone through the torment and cruelty she went through growing up. Her biological parents would never have turned out to be such monsters, along with her first mate. In a perfect world, there would be no need to lie or hide her true identity in order to survive because justice would exist and would be delivered with all fairness and mercy. Such a world was the one she wanted to give her sons. Where they would be treated as equal and not less because of situations beyond their control. Three hours passed by quicker than she expected, and she got down from the car after it pulled up in front of the house that once was her home with her parents. It looked the same as it had always been: quiet and calm, with a warm and weing feeling. A few things were out of ce, the flowering at the front of the house was dry, and though it wasn¡¯t its season, she never saw it once not being green Dorothy always made it a duty to take care of them all and water them so that they were always green, despite the season. She approached further, and she picked up a smell, which was one that lingered in houses not inhabited in a while. She got to the door, and it opened for her when she slowly pushed it. Inside, she saw that the house was now a shadow of its former self. Their scent was also barely here, though everything was untouched; it was covered with cobwebs and dust. She was wrong; the quietness she had heard arher was because no one was in here. It made her wonder where they were. Did something bad happen to them? Dorothy and Otis weren¡¯t people who fancied abandoning their homes. So she couldn¡¯t ce it together where they were or what could have chased them out. Did they run away? They were too old to run away. Were they dead? No, she shook the negative thought away from her head, and she held on to optimism. Perhaps they moved because of the gue. They sought refuge somewhere else. That exnation made a lot of sense. It wasn¡¯t the truth, though, as Reign remained one of themunities unaffected by the gue, ording to research. Many affectedmunities sought refuge with them. She didn¡¯t like this. ¡°They are gone.¡± She told Jace, who was standing not so far away from her. ¡°I don¡¯t know where they could have gone. The rebels never invaded Reign, did they?¡± Jace nodded. ¡°They never invaded Reign.¡± ¡°Then where could they be?¡± She wondered, but had no answer for the question. They stepped out of the house, and Fiona approached their neighbours, the Hunters. They were not the best neighbours growing up, as they had contributed to her horrible childhood. Yet, now, she needed answers, and unlike the Lawrences, the Hunters still had noisesing from their house. After a third knock, the oldest son, Pete, came out. ¡°Can I help you?¡± She nodded. ¡°Hello, I am Sky, and I knew this couple in the past. I came to visit them, but it seems they are no longer there. Do you know where they could have gone?¡± His eyes flickered with remorse and a little pity. ¡°They didn¡¯t move; they died. Over five years ago¡­ He answered, and she lost her hearing after he said those words. Her eyes welled up, and she pressed her l*ps together. ¡°What happened to them?¡± she asked, needing rity. Five years ago, there was an invasion, and they were dragged out and branded enemies to the Lycan king for helping Fiona, their daughter, escape justice. Alpha Rode of Reign tried to step in, but he was told to stand down, as a challenge against him would bring the wrath of the Lycan king, who was much stronger than he was. Chipley M The had no choice but to back out, just to protect the rest of us. They dragged them away and brutally killed them. A youngdy who carried out the execution was the daughter of Alpha Carl Jackson, Vivian. The entiremunity mourned the loss. having known the Lawrence for many years as good and honest people. We have carried on, but on the eve of their deaths, we still gather around and tell the tales. Unable to control the pain anymore, Fiona turned and ran away from him and towards the house. She hurried away as fast as her legs could take her. She didn¡¯t reach the house before her tears began streaming down her face. She couldn¡¯t take the pain anymore. Her heart squeezed in her chest at the thought of everything her parents had gone through before death came for them. They were treated so horribly, all because of her. They died the deaths of criminals, and it was all because of her. Vivian had carried out the execution, and she couldn¡¯t imagine the twisted pleasure she felt ending the lives of her parents. She wanted her dead, and when she couldn¡¯t get it, she took it out on her parents. She was indeed a monster, the worst of her kind. Otis and Dorothy Lawrence didn¡¯t deserve what they got. They deserved so much better. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Vivian¡¯s POV Vivian knew it was only a matter of time before the seed she had sown in Nina took effect. It was barely a week after her talk with the Lycan king¡¯sdy that she came back to her. ¡°I will do it¡± Nina told her immediately she came to where she stood. I have no clue what you mean by that.¡± Vivian said, keeping her focus on the students ying in the field. This was her new post as punishment from the Lycan king for the event that took ce at the full moon. He kept her in charge of supervising the nursery section in the orphanage school at the estate. Vivian hated it, yet she had to carry on with her responsibility. ¡°I will do whatever you suggest about Sky: I am about to lose Julian to her. I can¡¯t have that: I would rather die.¡± She said in desperation. Vivian smirked inwardly, knowing her ns were pushing through. ¡°I do not want to be a part of this. I am sorry, but I have had the chance to reconsider, and what I wanted to do was wrong and out of spite, but I no longer resent the healer.¡± She lied and turned from Nina ¡°I came to your aid when you needed it. You owe me; I need your help now.¡± She spoke, her tone filled withmand. ¡°I might be in a rocky state with Julian now. but a word from me can still make or break you,¡± she threatened. ¡°I can¡¯t help you, Nina, even if I wanted to.¡± She turned to her, ¡°However, you can speak to Ted, I heard he¡¯s good at doing such things.¡± She suggested, hating the sight of the little children running around. She didn¡¯t lie, but she couldn¡¯t help Nina. She was still under scrutiny from the Lyean king since what happened at the full moon. Her goal would end if she was caught in anotherpromising state. Her suggestion had worked because Nina left and didn¡¯te back to her. However, things didn¡¯t go as they nned because Ted and Nina ended up on trial. Ted¡¯s chances of survival were slim, and Vivian knew he would not survive this time. She quickly put in an excuse to visit home and took her leave. The Lycan king¡¯s estate was too hot for her, so she knew she needed some distance from it, at least in the meantime. Every attempt to hurt the healer has been rendered void, and it seems she has be harder to kill than even a cockroach. She reminded her very much of Fiona Jackson, whom she had gone the extra mile to put an end to years ago, disappeared five years ago. All her ns and strategies have backfired on her. She needed the space to regroup and think up her next move, and the estate wouldn¡¯t do that for her. She returned to Langfield¨Cwhat was left of it. She hadn¡¯t been back in over four years, and she didn¡¯t miss it. Thismunity would have held her back, so she had to choose. They were disposable and couldn¡¯t stand before her dreams¨Cher dream of forever with the Lycan king. She had always wanted to be a Luna and a ruler of many, but what was being a Luna of Langfieldpared to being the Luna of the Lycan king? Many judged and even hated her, but it didn¡¯t change her end goal; she deserved a better life, and she deserved more than her parents gave her. She deserved even more. It seemed as if she had lost everything, but she knew she would get it back. The healer¡¯s presence had ruined a lot of things for her and scattered a lot of her ns, but it didn¡¯t matter. As long as she lived, there was still hope. ¡°Why are you here, Vivian, daughter of Alpha Carl Jackson and betrayer of the people of Langfield?¡± Giai, the shaman and seer, asked as soon as she stepped through the doors. The shaman was a very old woman who had lost most of her hair and teeth; she was also without legs but somehow found her way around her dirty and unkempt tent when people came visiting. She was said to be able to predict the future and even change it. Vivian never believed any of it, but now she wanted to hear her out. She was desperate. ¡°I came to seek for your sight.¡± She replied. The older womanughed out loud in disbelief. ¡°And why do you think I am going to help you with anything after what you have done to your people?¡± she demanded. ¡°Because if you are a true shaman, then you will not turn anyone away despite what they have done, as long as they have what you want: gold.¡± Vivian dipped her hand into the back pocket of her jean trousers, pulled out a few pieces of gold, and tossed them to the ground, not so far away from Giai. The shaman crawled over to the gold so fast that it startled Vivian, and she hurried back, Giai picked up the pieces and held them up to have a proper peek at them. using the sun shining in as an aid. TUZ Moran DGA Shapehe 22 ¡°They are real gold.¡± ¡°Everything about you is fake, and you want me to believe this won¡¯t be as well?¡± She said it with an evil cackle. Vivian red at her but kept quiet, letting her do whatever she wanted. After a moment of examining the gold with her, she turned to her and asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± I want you to look into my future and tell me what you see.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an easy thing, all I see is darkness¡± She replied and sl*pped the gold into her rag attire. Vivian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I meant with the Lycan king, do you see me with him? 1 knew he was my mate when I firstid eyes on him five years ago Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. The older womanughed hysterically. ¡°You sacrificed your people in the hope of being with a man that will never be yours unless you turn yourself intoplete darkness. What a waste!¡± Vivian didn¡¯t believe her, and she groaned inwardly. She thought the old woman would have a better insight into things, but she was just as clueless as the rest. Her gold couldn¡¯t go to waste. ¡°And Sky, what about her? What is the truth about her? What is in her future?¡± ¡°Siky?¡± Giai asked, looking confused. ¡°Yes, Sky, the healer.¡± Vivian barked at her ¡°I cannot tell you what her future holds; it is for me to reveal it to her alone, but the truth of the healer is in Reign.¡± She replied and turned her back to Vivian, walking into the inner part of her room. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± she asked, but the old woman gave no response to her. Her hands balled into a fist. She was just as worthless as everyone she had been around all her life. She had no clue where she would start. Reign was amunity smaller than Langfield, but it was still so big that she wouldn¡¯t be able to cover it on her own. She had to, though, if she needed to find out the truth. 11:42 Mon 9 Jan DGA Chapler by Thest time she came to Reign was to execute the parents of the criminal called Fiona Jackson. The event made her realise how much she needed power¨Chow much she needed to wield power that was beyond this world. The kind that would make people tremble in their seats. She made the people fear her, and she wanted to relieve the moment once again. She arrived after a few hours of journeying, and she lodged at the hotel on the outskirts of town. It was still a wonder how the gue had affected many it began. A few days went by, and she was yet to find out what the shaman in Langfield had told her. The truth about Sky, the healer, seemed to be hidden under a rock; that was the only exnation that made sense. She made it past the temple of rites in themunity where the matrimonial rites took ce, and she remembered thest time she stood here. She had the lives of the parents of Fiona in her grasp, and she did them justice. She paused when she saw a ck Prado jeep drive past her, and she knew it belonged to the envoys of the Lycan king. She stood confused, wondering what they were doing far out in Reign She followed behind, doing well to keep herself hidden from their sight. The car came to a stop not so far away from the doorstep of Otis and Dorothy Lawrence, Fiona¡¯s parents. Drew opened the door, and out came Sky, the healer. She stood looking around the house for a while before proceeding into the house. She paused, wondering what she would be doing here, and why she was going into the house. Then she remembered the words of the shaman: The truth of the healer is in Reign.¡± She would also learn this truth if she stayed close. She knew that. After a while, Sky came out of the house with a confused look on her face and approached the next house close to the Lawrences and knocked on it. A younger man stepped out, and Sky introduced herself and asked about Lawrence. It didn¡¯t make sense to Vivian why Sky was asking about the Lawrences when she didn¡¯t know them. What exactly was she missing? What was it? The neighbours exined the death of the couple to her and told her that Vivian had carried out the execution following the orders of the Lycan king. Sky turned away from the younger man, and Vivian saw that her eyes were filled with painful tears. She looked heartbroken and grieved by the news of their Ungite 32 deaths, as if Otis and Dorothy were her very parents. Vivian¡¯s heart dropped into her stomach as it finally hit her. It had been before her all along, and she didn¡¯t see it. Now she saw it, and she couldn¡¯t unsee it or go back to the time when she had no knowledge. Sky, the healer, was Fiona Lawrence. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Julian¡¯s POV He said the truth; he wished she was with him; here, but he could wait; he would have to. She was worth the wait It felt like a dream, and the way he felt he couldpare to none other. It was real and intense, and being able to even express it was a privilege. He wasn¡¯t alone with how he felt; he had seen it in her eyes as well; he knew she had feelings for him, even desires. That gave him a little hope. After her attack and recovery, he knew she would not be able to take away his curse anymore; her powers were gone, and that meant his curse would never leave. That didn¡¯t matter to him; she mattered to him. Since the dance feast, he knew she was his mate, and he was made for her. Nothing could change that now. ¡°I miss you. Take care of yourself,¡± he said, ending the call. At the same moment, Ken stepped into his courtroom. He must have overheard thest part of his conversation, because his brow arched. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I would say you have fallen in love again.¡± Julian pressed his l*ps together, not wanting to admit or deny anything. He was his friend and would know the truth, no matter how he spun it. The way he felt about her still scared him. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Your silence says a lot.¡± His eyes sparked with interest. ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°Sky Lawson.¡± He answered. His brows furrowed. ¡°The healer?¡± He nodded, and his cheeks warmed at the very thought of her. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s the one.¡± ¡°How do you know she¡¯s your mate? You were with a lot of others before her; Nina was one of them.¡± He pointed out, adding, ¡°This could just be you taking things out of proportion He nodded, agreeing with Ken¡¯s words. ¡°You are right, I have taken things out of proportion in the past, but that was because I was desperate to find a mate. I believed I had to find one. I should have believed in the moon goddess¡¯s perfect n and timing, but I didn¡¯t and made a few bad decisions.¡± He answered, ¡°But this is different.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I felt it,¡± he confessed, moving to stand by the window. ¡°Nina told me I changed the moment she stepped into the estate, and she was right; I did. I didn¡¯t even realise it until muchter.¡± He turned to Ken and said, ¡°You knew how you felt when you met Lily, right?¡± Ken smiled, and his eyes glittered with a show of love. Funny how the most brutal and feared man in his pack after him could be so affected by the love of a mate. It was a miracle¨Cone of the finest the moon goddess ever created. ¡°I was sweaty and giddy: my heart raced like it was climbing the mountain, and my feet felt light on the floor.¡± He revealed. ¡°I felt a couple of those when I was with her, I thought it was wrong because I had Nina.¡± He revealed. ¡°For her, I went against my own words and was ready to fight for her. That wasn¡¯t normal, and I knew that. She didn¡¯t have to do anything; she just had to be herself, and I still fell¡± So, you never felt any of this with Nina?¡± Ken asked, with a confused look on his face. Saying he didn¡¯t feel many of those emotions would be a lie, because he did. Hence why, for the longest time, he thought she was his mate. The feelings they shared were strong, and if this gue hadn¡¯t persevered, he would have made her his mate. ¡°I did, but something I felt for Sky, I never felt for Nina.¡± He could remember the moment he knew she was the one¨Cthe moment his soul. became entwined with hers. Thinking about it now still sent tingles within him, and he had relieved those moments over and over, and it felt the same way. Powerful and unique. It was in Grandfield, it was at the feast while they danced. ¡°Like what?¡± He didn¡¯t hesitate to give an answer. ¡°Like knowing deep down in my soul, she¡¯s my mate/I have never been more certain of anything. He had spoken no words truer before. ¡°And her sons? What will you do with them?¡± Ken asked. He bonded with her sons long before he did with her, and though he was not permitted to see them yet, he knew they would add much colour to his life, just like their mother had so far. Chipfry St He smiled at the thought of them. ¡°I will make them my warriors¨Cif their mother lets me.¡± Ken scoffed. ¡°You have everything figured out, I see.¡± He hard. He was counting down the hours until her return. He would ask her to be his mate, his Luna, to rule with him from now until this gue takes him to the life beyond. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I would say this after what I saw with Nina, but you are in love once again, and I am happy for you. He felt happy too, happier than he thought he would ever be. He couldn¡¯t wait to have her back. He spent the next day in his court deliberating with the council about changing thews regarding specific crimes in themunity. His ns were to understand, implement them, and then doing the same for the rest of the surroundingmunities. He picked up Sky¡¯s scent; it was a little different, but he couldn¡¯t miss it. He knew it was hers, and he rose from his seat at the table and begged to be excused. He walked outside, more like he ran. As he came outside, he saw the Prado Jeeping to a stop just before his mansion. Jace got down and opened the door for Sky, who came out, and the door shut. Julian paused when he realised the one stepping towards him looked different from the Sky that left here yesterday. She had the same length of hair, but hers was brte, not red, and her eyes were amber, not blue. He knew she was Sky: Jace and Drew would not bring her here if she weren¡¯t. He knew they were the same person because he still felt the pull and tug on his heart. Yet, the change he just witnessed made him question a lot of things. ¡°Sky?¡± he called out, consumed with confusion. ¡°My king,¡± she said in a very formal yet bruised tone of voice. She also took his name, which told him she now saw him as an authoritative figure and nothing more. That wasn¡¯t good. She continued to speak, pulling him out of his thoughts. ¡°I am Fiona Lawrence The orders you gave five years ago brought about the execution of my parents, Otis and Dorothy Lawrence her revtion came in a bitter tone. 11:10 Moru & Jan His heart squeezed a little in his chest despite being lost with everything happening. ¡°I do not understand.¡± He spoke the truth. She shook her head, and tears ran down her face. He could tell she was in pain, and she believed he was responsible for it. ¡°I was the criminal on trial in Langfield over five years ago, and after my escape, you gave Vivian a charge to kill my parents At her words, his memories took him back. He was indeed in Langfield, but only because he heard rumours of the rebels intent on invading themunity, these rumours were proven true after his arrival. There was little he could remember, but he still remembered that there was a trial before his arrival. He had sent for her, but she managed to escape from Ken because of the rebels¡® invasion Vivian informed him that Fiona Lawrence worked with the rebels, hence her trial. His anger kindled against the traitor, and he gave Vivian the charge to find and take any means necessary for her execution: Learning that Sky was the same Fiona on trial left him not only in shock but also in guilt, and he didn¡¯t know what to tell her. ¡°They were good people; they didn¡¯t deserve what you did to them.¡± More tears streamed down her face. Fiona Lawrence.¡± ¡°That was the name of the runaway criminal. He knew it well. ¡°If you meant what you said about me being important, then you will stay away from me.¡± She said that and stormed away from him. He couldn¡¯t go after her, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to move; the weight of his guilt held him down. This wasn¡¯t how he thought her return would go. Oh, how badly he has wronged her. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Fiona¡¯s POV Fiona¡¯s eyes were fluttered in bed, and she didn¡¯t want to get up. It had been days of finding out the truth, and it didn¡¯t feel better. She felt heavy with the truth, but she knew she had a lot to live for. Her sons were at the top of the list, but she still felt down. The truth she met in Reign wasn¡¯t what she expected. The death of her parents was thest straw of the wrong this world had done her. They didn¡¯t deserve what they got, not after being good people all their lives She didn¡¯t think they would be hunted for her disappearance, but thinking about it now, she should have. She kept away from them in the hope they would be safe. How wrong she was She knew they were in the life beyond and in the bosom of the moon goddess, and no ce could be better than there, but she felt cheated. Learning the Lycan king had given the order broke her heart. She didn¡¯t think he would be able to consent to such a cruel act. He had told her he had done things he wasn¡¯t proud of in the past, but she did not think this was part of it He didn¡¯t deny her usation days after her return; he knew what she spoke about. He gave the orders¨Cthe ones Vivian followed¨Cand hurt her innocent parents. Coming out with the truth she knew wouldnd him in trouble, but she didn¡¯t care. She was done with hiding. It had done nothing for her. If he hoped to execute lier for her crimes, then he could go ahead, but she couldn¡¯t forgive him. Her sons were surprised to see her new look even though they had seen her with her natural colour a few times in thest year, and her eyes were also back to their original colour. June asked her if she would continue to look like this; she told him yes, and he smiled and said, ¡°Good.¡± She wanted to leave with her sons, but after everything, she doubted she would have that luxury anymore. The truth about them was the only thing left. A knock came to her door, and Be stepped in before she could ask who it was She slowly shut the door behind her and turned to face her with eyes clouded with uncertainty. ¡°What is wrong?¡± ¡°The Lycan king is here to see you.¡± She answered. Hearing he was here to see her came as a shock to her. She had thought he would just send Ken and a few of his men over to drag her out by her hair and bring her to face judgement before him, so this was a little different from what she expected. It didn¡¯t change anything, though; she didn¡¯t want to see him or even be in the same room with him. ¡°Tell him I do not want to see him.¡® She replied and turned to the other side. Fiona thought the door would open to signal her departure, but it didn¡¯t. Be didn¡¯t leave, and this made her turn back to look at her. The maid had a look of fear on her face. ¡°I can¡¯t do that; he is the Lycan king.¡± She replied, and Fiona realised her error. She might be angry with him for what he did, but he was still the Lycan king and, as such, deserved respect. ¡°Fine.¡± She said this and pulled herself up from the bed. She made her way into the living room, and there she found the Lycan king. He was standing with his hands in his pocket, and that pose would have been intimidating if she wasn¡¯t already angry to begin with. He also looked well and was very decent, and she was d for him, but she, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t the best, physically or emotionally. ¡°What do you want?¡± she demanded, folding her arms across her chest. ¡°I came here to talk to you.¡± He replied. ¡°Well, I do not want to talk to you.¡± She said stubbornly and tried walking away from him: He took hold of her hand that very second and stopped her steps. It surprised her how he was able to move so fast without her noticing it. She didn¡¯t want to have his hands on her; she wanted to be so far from it. ¡°Let me go, let me go right now!¡± she yelled at him, struggling to set herself free, but she felt as if she were struggling with a brick wall. Then she realised she was messing with the Lycan king. Her anger didn¡¯t make her an equal match for him. ¡°Let me go, damn it!¡± she snarled at him, her eyes glowing in a show of her anger. ¡°No, I will not let you go!¡± He snapped at her, tightening his grip around her. ¡°Not until you stop fighting and start listening¡± She stilled, knowing it was a lost battle to begin with, Just as he promised, he released her as soon as she stopped struggling. He stepped back from her and she took a step back as well, then she crossed her arms around her chest stubbornly. Fiona Lawrence, you were the one who escaped from Ken,¡± he began. I knew you the moment you called your name. I haven¡¯t forgotten the runaway criminal from five years ago. Thest part of his words hit her harder than she wanted it to. L¡¯she began, but he nced at her, and she forgot the words she wanted to say, beingpletely overwhelmed by his gaze. ¡°I am still speaking, Fiona: He frowned at her. ¡°You ran away from Ken; why?¡± It was probably her turn to speak because she didn¡¯t feel as tongue¨Ctied as she did before. ¡°Because I knew I would die if I stayed, and I was right. I do not regret my decision. His brow furrowed. ¡°Ms. Jackson told me you worked with the rebels, and that was why you were on trial. You ran away to escape the judgement and justice you deserve.¡± That witch! Fiona cussed under her breath. Of course, she had done more, even after what she did to her then. She wanted her dead, and she wasn¡¯t going to stop. If framing her with the rebels would bring about her death, there was no reason not to do it. ¡°Vivian lied, she has always been so good at it, in case you haven¡¯t noticed it yet.¡± She growled, angry at Vivian for her lies and him for believing her. What happened to checking the facts and making sure it tallied? ¡°I am the biological daughter of Alpha Carl and Luna Bianca Jackson of Langfield. I was on trial N?velDrama.Org is the owner. because I was pregnant? She wasying all the cards on the table, and there was no turning back. ¡°I was disowned, rejected by my mate, and ced on trial for ying the whore. That was my only offence, hence why I ran. It was to save my life and the lives of my sons. Your sons.¡± She said thest part before she could stop herself. His eyes narrowed at her at her words and what they meant: ¡°What do you mean my sons?¡± She pressed her l*ps together and remained silent, but that seemed to trigger him in the wrong way. He stepped towards her. ¡°What do you mean my sons?¡± He demanded, his tone grow rigid and cold. Her eyes grew ssy, knowing that this might as well be her breaking point. She had to go back to the memory she had buried away, the root of the even more cruel treatment she faced for five years. ¡°You do not remember, and that is fine, but I remember a few details of that night. I woke up in a strange bed with no knowledge of how I got there, but I was n*ked and wrapped in your arms. You were also n*ked, and that only meant one thing. I ran away before you could wake up because I was ashamed and wanted to put that event behind me, but I was wrong. I discovered a monthter I was with your child, and that was how I ended on trial.¡± She had told him the truth, and she knew what it meant. Her sons would no longer be only hers, but theirs. She would no longer decide about them on her own. It meant that she might return to the world of humans without them. They were her world, her everything. Life without them was like death. She had sacrificed her chance of being with them for the truth, and she had to ask herself if it was worth IL He stayed silent while staring at her with eyes void of emotion, and that was thest thing she wanted from him. She wanted him to speak, now more than ever. Her heart clenched in her chest from pain, and a tear rolled down her face. ¡°Say something.¡± He ran his hand through his hair, confusion and uncertainty showing in his eyes. ¡°I need to see them.¡± She couldn¡¯t deny him his rights anymore. She nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Julian¡¯s POV ¡°It was to save my life and the lives of my sons. Your sons.¡± She said thest part, to his surprise. A part of him didn¡¯t want to believe what she had told him, but there was nothing to gain for her. He needed more rification on her words. His eyes narrowed at her at her words and what they meant: ¡°What do you mean, my sons?¡± Her silence angered him. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®my sons?¡± He demanded, his tone growing rigid and cold. Her eyes grew ssy, and he saw this might as well be her breaking point. Still, she spoke, ¡°You do not remember, and that is fine, but I remember a few details of that night. You were in Reign, and I woke up in a strange bed with no knowledge of how I got there, but I was n*ked N?velDrama.Org is the owner. and wrapped in your arms. You were also n*ked, and that only meant one thing; we had been together the previous night. I ran away before you could wake up because I was ashamed and wanted to put that event behind me, but I was wrong. I discovered a monthter I 1 was with your child, and that was how I ended up on trial. I didn¡¯t even know you were the Lycan king until I found you in the council court in Langfield.¡± The memory was vague, but he remembered waking up one morning in Reign and finding himself alone in bed. He didn¡¯t know what happened the night before. but he knew he was with someone, and she had left before he could wake up. He soon moved on from it because he came to strengthen the forces of Reign against the rebels¡® attack and couldn¡¯t halt that mission to find the one he had spent the night with. He didn¡¯t know anything woulde from that night, but it did. He had felt a bond with June and Jashin from the very first day he set his eyes on them, but he never thought more about it. They were his sons. This was why she ran away from the werewolf world: she was pregnant. He remembered interrupting the trial and finding her there, but he assumed that she hadmitted a grave offence to be there, and when she ran away from Ken it further confirmed it. Vivian, who had bravely helped them fight off the rebels, told him the rebels came Choppy So for the criminal on trial, as she was one of them. He believed her; he had no reason not to. She told him that with his orders, she would rally around until Fiona was found, and he gave her his permission. Ken didn¡¯t like that he had given her the go¨Cahead, but he told his beta and friend that they needed as many allies as possible. Vivian had proven herself to be an ally, and that was what they needed now more than ever. He should have done more investigation to find out the actual cause, that was on him. A tear rolled down Fiona¡¯s face, snapping him out of his thoughts. ¡°Say something.¡± He ran his hand through his hair. He had gotten more truth than he came for, but he had to see it through to the end. ¡°I need to see them.¡± She nodded without any argument from her. She led the way, and he followed behind. The journey to the twins¡® mansion was done in silence. He didn¡¯t know what to say, and she didn¡¯t seem to have anything else to say. They arrived at the mansion belonging to the boys, and she entered with him behind her He heard noises, and he felt incredibly nervous and unsure. It had been a long time since he felt unsure about anything, but now he did. He wondered if he would be good enough for the boys and be a real father. They came into the room allocated to the boys, and on sight of her, they ran from their bed over to her. She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around them, just as they did for her as well. ¡°Mommy!¡± Jashin called with a happy tone. ¡°You are here.¡± She smiled, and leaning in, she k*ssed their heads and said, ¡°I am. June looked away from her, and his green eyes settled on him. His expression was unreadable, and for a second, he forgot how to breathe. ¡°Julian. ¡°June¡± He replied. The little boy¡¯s brows narrowed at him. ¡°You stoppeding, and you never told us why,¡± he said, and his voice held a level of disappointment in it. He opened his mouth, but he couldn¡¯t speak. He couldn¡¯t tell them their mother had told him to stay off, and he had to obey her wishes. ¡°I am sorry.¡± ¡°That was all Fiona turned to him and then back to stay away.¡± She confessed to them, taking responsibility for her actions. June frowned at her. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I did it because I wanted to keep you safe.¡± She revealed and sniffed. She had told him to stay away after finding out about his gue. She did it to keep them safe. The boys didn¡¯t doubt her words, and they nodded. ¡°Remember when you asked about your father, and I told you Isyould tell you when the time was right?¡± They nodded, and she continued. ¡°Well, your father has been with you all along.¡± The twins held confusion in their eyes, but she turned from then and to him again before adding, ¡°He is your father.¡± The eyes of the boys turned to him, and they didn¡¯t leave. He could see that they were still yet to process the truth just revealed to them. Fiona got up from beside them, and he took that as his cue to draw closer to them. He took a step closer, and when he got to them, he stooped low so he coulde close to their small statures. ¡°Mommy said you are our father.¡± June said in a quiet tone. He nced up at Fiona and found her eyes ssy, and she blinked back the tears. He turned to the boys and nodded. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°Then why did you stay away for so long?¡± Jashin asked. ¡°Did you not want us?¡± June added in a small voice, and that broke his heart. He shook his head. That was so far from the truth. ¡°I never knew you two existed.¡± ¡°You saw us when you came visiting back then, we existed.¡± Jashin reminded him, knowing the boy¡¯s understanding of words was still small. He chuckled a little. ¡°Yes, I did. But I never knew you were mine? They didn¡¯t say anything, and he took it that they believed the words he spoke. ¡°I am sorry I haven¡¯t been in your life, but I promise that I am not going to leave again.¡± He vowed, before adding, ¡°Can I get a hug?¡± he said in response Fiona turned to him and then back to the boys. ¡°I am sorry, June, Jashin; I told him to stay away.¡± She confessed to them, taking responsibility for her actions. June frowned at her: ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I did it because I wanted to keep you safe.¡± She revealed and sniffed. She had told him to stay away after finding out about his gue. She did it to keep then safe. The boys didn¡¯t doubt her words, and they nodded. ¡°Remember when you asked about your father, and I told you I would tell you when the time was right?¡± They nodded, and she continued. ¡°Well, your father has been with you all along.¡± The twins held confusion in their eyes, but she turned from then and to him again. before adding, ¡°He is your father.¡± The eyes of the boys turned to him, and they didn¡¯t leave. He could see that they were still yet to process the truth just revealed to them. Fiona got up from beside them, and he took that as his cue to draw closer to them. He took a step closer, and when he got to them, he stooped low so he coulde close to their small statures, ¡°Mommy said you are our father¡± June said in a quiet tone. He nced up at Fiona and found her eyes ssy, and she blinked back the tears. He turned to the boys and nodded. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°Then why did you stay away for so long?¡± Jashin asked. ¡°Did you not want us?¡± June added in a small voice, and that broke his heart. He shook his head. That was so far from the truth. ¡°I never knew you two existed.¡± ¡°You saw us when you came visiting back then; we existed.¡± Jashin reminded him, knowing the boy¡¯s understanding of words was still small. He chuckled a little. ¡°Yes, I did. But I never knew you were mine.¡± They didn¡¯t say anything, and he took it that they believed the words he spoke. ¡°I am sorry I haven¡¯t been in your life, but I promise that I am not going to leave Again.¡± He vowed, before adding, ¡°Can I get a hug?¡± The boys didn¡¯tin, and they ran into his arms. He felt wholeness at the simple act, and his b*dy received strength it didn¡¯t think he needed. He had missed so much: five years was such a long time, and he would never get it back, but he would make sure to stay for as long as necessary with them. He wanted them with him always, and he wanted the world to know they were his SOLLE Were you ever going to tell me about them at some point?¡± he asked,ing to where Fiona had stayed, staring at them quietly for thest couple of minutes. He couldn¡¯t me her for the decision she made, but he needed to know the truth for himself. ¡°At first, I wasn¡¯t.¡± She found her voice to say, ¡°You had a perfect life here with Lady Nina, and I didn¡¯t know if telling you the truth would make things better or worse. I knew how far the pain of rejection could go; I lived it as a child. I didn¡¯t want the same for my boys. Yes, it was selfish, but it didn¡¯t matter. Vivian was also here, and I knew what evil she was capable of. I don¡¯t want my sons to grow up around such evil¡± ¡°I am sorry about your parents.¡± He said, not knowing what better way to say those words. She pressed her l*ps together, and sadness showed itself in her eyes. She shook her head and said, ¡°It was all Vivian¡¯s doing. I should have known from the very beginning He shared equal me with Vivian for the deaths of her parents, and he would carry this guilt to the grave. ¡°I am just as responsible for what happened. I didn¡¯t do as much as I should have Vivian will face justice, and it won¡¯t be long,¡± he assured her in a certain tone. She bowed her head, and when she smiled, it reached her eyes. ¡°Thank you. ¡°I understand if you hate me, but what you have done for my sans is something I can never repay you for ¡°They are my sons as well,¡± she pointed out. He agreed, ¡°You¡¯re right. My life can never be the same after today. I am not just the Lycan king: I am also a father, and I don¡¯t know the first thing about being one. He revealed it with honesty. She shook her head. ¡°No one knows how to be a parent. It is an every¨Cday journey with readiness to learn.¡± ¡°Will you help me?¡± Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Fiona¡¯s POV Julian¡¯s request that day showed Fiona he wanted to be a good parent to the boys, but from what she had witnessed so far, she knew he had it covered. It felt like magic watching him, but he was better than what she expected, and the boys looked happier with him¨Cperhaps even more than they ever were with her. She still wanted to be there for her sons, but they bonded so well with their father, it could be because they were boys. She knew she lost them the day she revealed the truth to Julian, but it was the right thing to do. It wasn¡¯t what she wanted, but there was no changing it. It was jealousy: she knew how it worked. She had never had topete with anyone for her sons¡® affection, but now that their father was in the picture, she felt she had to. She had never been the best atpetition, and this one was one she would never win. Julian was the Lycan king, and so he could easily provide the boys with whatever they needed. She couldn¡¯tpete with that; it would only leave her exhausted and bitter in the end. A part of her wanted to return to the human world, but that decision was beyond her control. She doubted he would give her the boys to return with, and she didn¡¯t want to leave them here. He took a step three days ago to bring them to live with him in his mansion, and the boys were excited. Fiona didn¡¯t want to ept that; taking them to his castle would make it harder to visit. She wanted to visit without worrying about seeing him, but there was no such option. They deserved this happiness, and she was happy for them as well. Julian had taken her boys to live with him since then, and she hadn¡¯t gone to see them. She knew there was no excuse, but she had fear and doubt every time she thought about going to them and ended up staying back. She summoned enough courage and got dressed to visit the Lycan king¡¯s castle and see her sons. She had stayed away for long enough, and she needed to see them now. She arrived at the castle, and she was allowed into the house. She didn¡¯t know her way because the few times she had been here, someone was her guide, but here on her own, she didn¡¯t know where to go. She decided to make use of her senses to listen for the voices of the boys, but that was interrupted when she found Julian standing above the stairs, staring down at her. Her heart skipped at his sight, and she paused her l*ps to stay in control. He descended and made his way towards her in silence. This was what she wanted to avoid. She didn¡¯t want to have to see him whenever she came to visit her sons. ¡°Fiona,¡± he called, and his eyes danced all over her. His eyes made her feel ufortable and insecure. He was the Lycan king, and she was Fiona, no longer a healer and barely a mother. ¡°I came to see my sons.¡± She informed him in a small voice. ¡°Our sons,¡± he corrected, but his eyes lingered on her l*ps. She didn¡¯t want to correct her word. They were her sons; there was no need to use ¡®our. They were his just as much as they were hers, but his eyes on her l*ps were working on her, tricking her into Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. submission. ¡°June and Jashin.¡± She rephrased but didn¡¯t give him the satisfaction of surrender. He smirked, and his eyes came up to lock on hers. ¡°Bad girl.¡± he purred. ¡°You love being disobedient and not doing as you are told.¡± He was scolding her, and somehow his words had an effect on her in a S**ual way. Or was that what he expected? ¡°I want to see them.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t visited them since they came to stay with me. That was 3 days ago,¡± he pointed out, and his voice had let go of the smoothness it had earlier. He had gone back to Julian, the Lycan king, no longer Julian, the flirt. ¡°Why?¡± They were at his castle, and she wanted to avoid him as much as she could. ¡°You.¡± His eyes fightened at her words before they furrowed. ¡°Me.¡± ¡°You brought them here to live with you. First your envoys took them from the world of the living without my permission, and then you took them out of their mansion without my permission.¡± ¡°I told you I wanted them to live with me.¡± He reminded her with a frown. ¡°You told me, just like you would to a subordinate, not a mother and equal parent. Chapter Sel You needed my permission.¡± His frown lingered. ¡°I am their father, am I not?¡± She opened her mouth to speak but snapped it shut when she realised the words she wanted to say were ortes that she would regret muchter. ¡°Does that stop you from asking for my permission!¡± He didn¡¯t seem to grasp that concept because the frown on his face remained; she didn¡¯t expect him to understand. ¡°You do not want to see me.¡± And perhaps he did understand. ¡°I want to see my sons without having the thought of also seeing you at the back of my mind.¡± ¡°Our sons. She wanted to cuss at him, but she pressed her l*ps together and nodded. She couldn¡¯t let him tease her into losing control; he would win that way: ¡°Yes, I came to see them.¡± ¡°The maid will show you to their room.¡± He replied and walked away from her. The sight of him infuriated her, but she couldn¡¯t help watching him go. Even his departure carried grace, and there was no way ofpeting with that. A much younger girl, whom she assumed was the maid, walked towards her not long after and took her to where the twins were. The boys were just as happy to see her, and they told her how everything had been. with them and their new home since moving in. She saw the happiness and excitement in their eyes as they spoke, and she always wanted it to remain. ¡°Will we still go back?¡± June asked, staring at her with curious eyes. In the past, she would have answered the question in a heartbeat and told him they would. Now, however, she knew she would have to first have a discussion with their father, and she knew Julian would rather die than let them go back. He nned on keeping them here¨Cevery one of them, including herself. There was no negotiation. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she replied truthfully. ¡°Do you want to leave?¡± feeling she had denied for thest few weeks rushed to the surface. That is what you want, isn¡¯t it? To fuck me,¡± he growled, and his breath fanned over her face, making her toe curl. ¡°You want that so bad, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Let me go, let me go, you asshole,¡± she struggled with him, but he didn¡¯t let go. She wanted to fight against his words and against the truth. She wanted him. Yes, she was afraid of losing her sons, but more than that, she was afraid of losing herself to him. She couldn¡¯t even tell how she felt at this point; a part of her wanted to stay this way. She nced up, and her gaze locked in his. She regretted her action as she found his eyes brewing with much desire for her, which made them re red. He wanted her, too. His head dropped, and it came so close to her that she could already feel the softness on her l*ps. He came no closer, and instead he muttered, ¡°Come out with me tonight.¡± She swallowed and said, ¡°Okay,¡± before she could even think of what he just said. He smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Your response ddens me, Fiona,¡± he said, and he stepped away from her. Her heart was racing, and she realised what she had agreed to. She had agreed toe out with him tonight on a formal date. He must have seen the look on her face because he added. ¡°There is no going back,¡± before walking away. B Chapter 57 Chapter 57 to her. ¡°Yes,¡± she admitted. He smiled. ¡°Good girl,¡± he purred, and shivers ran down south, wetting her making her core clench. up and Once again, she found that being called his good girl was a huge turn¨Con for her, and she couldn¡¯t control her response. His head lowered and his l*ps almost rested on hers when the car came to a stop, and Julian pulled away to adjust himself. He got down on his own while the driver came to her side of the car and opened it for her. She stepped out, trying her best to put the event that almost took ce in the car behind her. She drew a sharp breath upon seeing the beautiful triangr structure standing before her. ¡°Is this the pyramid?¡± she asked after a while of silently staring at the structure that looked like the one she had read about in the past. His smile deepened, and his dimples came on disy. ¡°Yes, and I am d you know about it.¡± Know about it? She had dreamt ofing here since she first read about this ce as a child. The pyramid was one of the most exotic ces in their world. Although it was 11:47 Mon, 8 Jan called the pyramid, there were three triangr¨Clike structures on the site, not just one. The first was a restaurant with an open roof space, while the two others hotels. Were Each of the buildings had a triangr structure illuminated with white lights, which gave it an outstanding appeal to beholders. The one they now stood in front of was not only a restaurant; it had an open¨Ctop view that disyed the cities far and wide to those who could afford it. The inside she Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. heard was more endowed than the outside, and she never thought she would even step inside in a million years. ¡°It had been shut down for the past five years. But it began runningst month, and so far, it has been smooth.¡± He spoke, pulling her out of her thoughts. She immediately felt edgy and out of ce. She nced down at herself and realised she was underdressed for the night. It wasn¡¯t her fault; how was she to know he had nned to bring her to the Pyramid? She wrapped her arms around. herself, and he must have noticed because heughed. ¡°Do not worry. You are with me.¡± He assured her, taking her hand in his. Just like hypnosis, the worry disappeared. They stepped into the pyramid, and the eyes of everyone inside turned to them. She calmed herself, knowing well that everyone knew who the Lycan king was, but she found many eyes on her as well, and she didn¡¯t know why that was. ¡°You seem edgy.¡± He pointed out the obvious, and she nced up at him. ¡°They are staring at me.¡± ¡°Many of them know who you are,¡± he replied without hesitation. ¡°You are the healer of our world, and many are here today because of you. In fact, the pyramid came back to functioning after you came, and we learned the gue could be defeated. They owe you so much, and they would have already been all over you if I weren¡¯t here She had no clue she was this well known, but listening to him made her understand that he spoke the truth. For the rest of the night, Fiona did her best to focus on Julian and the night. They were served food and ate quietly. She wanted to enjoy the night, but she didn¡¯t understand a lot of things. Like why she was here and where it was all heading. She kept it all to herself. Julian walked with her to the front steps of her balcony as they returned to the 11:47 Mon, 8 Jan A estate. He had taken her hand and led her all the way up the stairs, and she didn¡¯t want him to let go. She was getting used to being treated this way already, and she wanted it tost even longer. Julian told her he had ced Alpha Jax of Fellfield to lead the trail for Vivian and bring her to justice. The alpha was the best for this job, and Julian sent it to him immediately after he learnt of Vivian¡¯s disappearance. He told her alpha Jax, then handpicked a few he wanted to be on his team. Beta Yao, beta Styles, and Gemma Rogue were the three he chose, and they left together over a week ago. Fiona didn¡¯t think their search would prove faithful, as Vivian had a thing for maniption. Yet she prayed that the witch was found and an end was put to her schemes. They got to the front of her door, and this was where Julian released her hand. ¡°I really enjoyed the night,¡± she said in truth, turning to look at him. He smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m d you do.¡± They became silent, and she wanted for him to say or do something, but he stayed the same way¨Cno words, just staring at her. She felt uncertain and a little ufortable, as she didn¡¯t know what he was hoping to see. She also didn¡¯t know what his n was, and he didn¡¯t seem ready to reveal it. She took a step back and wrapped her hand around the doorknob. ¡°I should get going then,¡± she muttered. He nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± She turned around, then paused and turned to him. ¡°What is your end goal? There must be something you¡¯re after, andst I checked, I cannot heal your gue. anymore, and there is no reason for doing this or keeping me.¡± She wasn¡¯t saying the words she wanted to say or the words she needed to say. She wanted this man standing in front of her, and it seemed he didn¡¯t feel the same way and only loved seeing her desperation for him. ¡°You think this is about me getting a cure for my gue?¡± he asked with a wounded look on his face. ¡°I already epted my fate, Fiona.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°Because you are my mate, and I love you.¡± He said it in a calm tone of voice, and she didn¡¯t have to believe him; he believed the words he spoke to her. ¡°And because I know you deserve so much better than you have gotten so far. You deserve so much more than the man you got six years ago, much more than the mate and family you found, and I want to make it up to you the best way I can.¡± Her heart leapt with joy and love at his words. Just when she thought she couldn¡¯t love this man harder than she did, it turned out that she could. It was seven when the doorbell went off, and Fiona knew who it was. Be left for Broxhay, her hometown and amunity in the south, a few hours ago, and she will be there for a week visiting family. She walked to the door and opened it, and there she found Julian. He stood there dressed in his white long sleeve and ck trousers. His hair was in a near bun, and his beard was neatly trimmed. He always had a way of stilling her breath with his charming look. She didn¡¯t have to let him know that, though. A part of her still resented him. He smiled upon seeing her, and she felt butterflies in her stomach. ¡°You look amazing,¡± he said, and he stepped closer to where she stood. Her breath hitched when his head dipped, and for those few seconds, she forgot how to breathe. He leaned in and k*ssed her cheeks before pulling away. She drew a deep breath and nodded. ¡°You look decent yourself.¡± He looked better than decent; he looked great, even gorgeous. She looked decent, but he must have exaggerated this. ¡°Decent,¡± he smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll take that. Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes, I am,¡± she replied before adding, ¡°And the boys?¡± ¡°I already gave charge to the maids to watch them and take them to bed once it¡¯s past nine.¡± He answered. ¡°You do not have to worry. I am on the path of being a good father,¡± he winked at her before extending his hand out to her. She dragged a deep breath and took it. She did not know whaty ahead, but she had always trusted him and knew he would never hurt her. It was easy to believe; he was Julian McQueen, the Lycan king Their destination was far away from the Pack estate, and this was the first time she was leaving the estate for something that wasn¡¯t her work at the settlement. This world had so much to offer, but she had stayed restricted for over a month of being here. There were so many things and ces put up that were beautiful. She didn¡¯t want to ask, but as soon as they stepped out of the pack estate, she wondered where they were heading. ¡°Where are we going?¡± she peaked up at hire. He turned to her, and his usual charming smile appeared on his face. He didn¡¯t give the details, though; instead, he said, ¡°You¡¯ll see. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 th her knowledge of medicine, she would be useful to the other physicians. She meant every word she said, and she hoped he did as well. He did not hesitate before giving her the go¨Cahead she wanted, but he asked one. thing in return. Tomorrow was the full moon, and he wanted her to shift with him. and go beside him while he led the pack. His request took her by surprise; he wanted her to stay beside him while he led the pack. Anyone who stayed beside the Lycan king while he led the pack wasn¡¯t just a nob*dy; they were someone special to him. This meant one thing. He wanted to show her as his partner to the rest of the pack. The news will fly, and in no time they will know she¡¯s his partner and prospective mate. Was she ready for this change, though? She needed to think, and so she told him she would give him an answer tomorrow. The next morning, she returned to her usual routine. She got up to prepare for the day. She wore a simple grey dress thatplimented her looks. Thest time she was at the settlement, she was Sky Lawson, and now she was Fiona Lawrence. She contemted her decision to stay or leavest night. Her home was here now, and with Julian, it would only get better. She also missed the human world and sometimes wondered how their day was and if all was alright with them. She missed them, and though the chances of her return had grown slimmer, she would visit someday in the future. She stepped out of the car and approached the settlement. Everything still went on as it used to when she was here. Yes, the physicians couldn¡¯t cure the gue, but they could slow its effect on the host and, doing so, extend their lives. This was the -same¨Cmethod the Lycan king used with his gue, and they had developed a sort of meditation room in the settlement to take care of all that. There were a few hundred with the gue left here, and knowing she wouldn¡¯t be able to heal them stung a little, but there was nothing she could do about it. She took satisfaction in knowing there would be no outbreak of it in the future. She stepped into the healers¡® room, and there she found Marion and a few of the 11:47 Mon, 8 Jan A. BOA physicians who worked at the settlement, carrying on their duties. She stayed silent in the room, staring at them in silence and saying nothing until they took notice of her presence. ¡°Sky!¡± Marion called and stepped towards her. His eyes flickered a little. ¡°I learned that your name isn¡¯t Sky, but Fiona.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s fine if you call me Sky; I have used it for over five years now, so it sticks.¡± She chuckled. ¡°You also told him the truth,¡± he said, and his voice dropped towards the end to tell her which ¡®truth¡® he spoke of. ¡°Yes, it was only a matter of time, and thank you for trusting me enough to keep it to yourself until I came around to revealing it.¡± He shook his head and said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t my truth to reveal.¡± Her eyes took notice of a strange face, which she had never seen in the healing. room when she was here weeks ago. Her attention lingered, and Marion must have noticed because he spoke. ¡°That is Jolene, my mate and wife. Shees to the settlement and assists in the best way she can most days now.¡± She turned to him. ¡°She is really pretty.¡± She said, and that was the truth because the brtedy on the other side of the room looked breath¨Ctaking. He grinned and nodded in agreement. ¡°She really is. The moon goddess must have thought highly of me because I don¡¯t deserve her.¡± Her heart warmed up upon hearing his deration. Jolene must have overheard their conversation because she drew near to them with a smile on her face, which disyed her perfect sets of teeth. ¡°You must be Fiona, the healer. I am Jolene Rivers,¡± she said, stretching her hand out for a formal shake. Fiona took her hand in hers but said, ¡°I am no longer a healer.¡± She rolled her adorable brown eyes. ¡°The many you have healed, including our daughter, would disagree with you.¡± She told her. Thisdy was just as sweet and kind as her husband. ¡°Well, thank you, I am here conversing with your husband, and he had no idea why he got so lucky with you.¡± Fiona revealed, and Jolene turned to nce up at Marion, who had gone silent. 11:47 Mon, 8 Jan ¡°Marion always sells himself short, but he is amazing.¡± Jolene didn¡¯t have to tell her; she had witnessed how amazing he was. Marion ran his hand over his face, trying to rid his face of the smile on it. ¡°Thank you, Fiona.¡± He said, his smile lingering. ¡°You are wee; now please put me to work.¡± The next few hours flew by faster than she expected. Thesest few days, she watched the time pass slowly, but here now, the time has moved faster. Maybe because now she had a purpose and wasn¡¯t just shut up in the house. ¡°This should sustain you for the next week.¡± She told the woman who had just stepped out of the meditation room that she looked much better than when she went in there. ¡°Thank you.¡± She told her and walked away, and Fiona moved to the next on the line to see her in the healing room. ¡°This would be thest we will attend to today. Inform the rest, please.¡± Marion told her before leading the gued man into the meditation room. She came outside the healing room to the camps at the settlement to ry the information she just received to them. Their eyes had so much hope of being attended to, knowing they wouldn¡¯t make her heart clench. Still, she had to do ast she was told. ¡°The physicians will carry out your healing tomorrow.¡± ¡°But we have waited all day.¡± She heard from the back, and the people gathered around agreed with whoever just spoke. ¡°The physicians are out of strength; if they break down, they will not be able to help you the way they should.¡± ¡°You are the healer. Why don¡¯t you heal us?¡± Another spoke from the back, and they all agreed. ¡°Because I lost my healing abilities after getting attacked by Ted and left at the point of death,¡± she told them, struggling to stop her voice from cracking. ¡°I survived, but I lost my healing abilities, so as much as I want to, I cannot heal anyone.¡± They didn¡¯t say anything anymore, and she turned to leave when she felt someone grab her hand. Startled, she turned to see a young boy with the gue, looking to 11:47 Mon, 8 Jan be around eight years old, holding onto her hand. He took her hand and ced it on his head, with his eyes closed. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°I am sorry. I cannot heal you.¡± She told him, but he didn¡¯t listen to her. He held onto her hand and kept it there. Her eyes welled up, and the people gathered around her stared at her. She wished. she could help him. Her tears fell, and she felt warmth go through her hand. It was not as prominent as before, but it was there, and she felt it. When her eyes fluttered back up, the paleness in his skin had reduced drastically, much to her surprise and the surprise of those with the gue. The boy, being healed, stepped away from her, happily knowing what had been done within him. The next moment, they all surged towards her to take her down. She knew she had to get away, but shecked the strength she needed to move. They would drain her of the little strength she had left and might kill her. She felt a hand pull her back, and immediately someone stepped before her. ¡°Stand down!¡± Julian roared at them, and they all slowed down and backed away from them. He turned to her, and he looked concerned as he stared at her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, his eyes already inspecting her. She nodded and said, ¡°I am.¡± all that had happened to her still surprised her. She knew what would have happened to her had he note to her aid. ¡°You are sure,¡± he said, reaching out to stroke her face, not minding that they were not in a private ce but rather before not less than a hundred people. He was showing affection regardless. She didn¡¯tin, either She nodded. ¡°I am. What are you doing here?¡± She asked with a raised brow. ¡°I wanted to see you.¡± He said it with a little smile. ¡°I am sorry it came as a surprise.¡± She shook her head, not angered by his presence; if anything, she felt happy. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± She wrapped her hands around him and ced her head on his chest before saying, ¡°I will shift with you tonight.¡± This was the answer to the question he had askedst night. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 The entire pack stood in the open field as they all awaited the moon to reach its apex. Julian was yet to around bonded with their families and 1 let it all friends, and just like always, Fiona stood alone. She did her best to get to her. She had been here for almost two months and still had a hard time blending in. Apart from Julian, Marion, and Jace, she had yet to cement a rtionship with others. She didn¡¯t try to before because she didn¡¯t see herself staying, but now knowing she might stay, she had to do more. She heard footsteps approach, and lifting her head, she found Ken walking towards her, and beside him was a beautifuldy, looking a little older than her. She had blonde hair like that of Vivian, but hers was shorter. Staring at her, Fiona knew she had seen her at least once since being here, but she had never thought much of her; now she wanted to. ¡°Fiona,¡± Ken called,ing to stand before her. ¡°Ken.¡± she replied before turning her attention to thedy whose hand he held. onto. ¡°This is Lily, my mate. She worked at the ranch until recently, when she got promoted to supervisor,¡± Ken informed her with a proud smile. ¡°Lily, this is Fiona, the healer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I have seen you a few times, but never got the chance to introduce myself.¡± She was a graciousdy with the sweetest voice, and she spoke with a bright smile on her face. ¡°The pleasure is mine, Lily.¡± Fiona said it with a smile on her face. Just as they had yet to speak, Julian stepped into the field, and his presence so overwhelmed her that she froze and forgot to breathe. Was it the impact of the full moon? She wondered because she remembered being in his presence earlier and not feeling this way. She was also out on thest full moon and didn¡¯t feel this way. She couldn¡¯t wrap her mind around what was happening. She turned her attention to Julian, who stood in his white, round¨Cnecked shirt and ck trousers. The full moon, almost at its apex, shone on him, and his face glowed. It was nothing she had ever seen before, and she didn¡¯t know what to make of it and wondered if she was the only one feeling it. She stood trapped, unable to speak or move; she just stared and blinked, and Lily 11:48 Mon, 8 Jan and Ken, standing beside her, took note. Julian approached her slowly, but each move felt calcted. He came to stand before her, and his nearness now seemed to have broken her out of the freeze mode she was in before. ¡°Fiona.¡± He called with a smile and took her hand once again, not bothered by their surroundings or those standing by and watching. Julian.¡± ¡°I, Julian McQueen, take you, Fiona, as my mate, before the moon goddess and the people gathered around. You are myplete piece. You were made for me, and I was made for you. I take you to be mine from this time forth and until the very end.¡± As he finished speaking, Fiona realised what was happening: he was taking her as his mate, his one and only person here before everyone. ¡°Julian.¡± Her eyes welled up, and she pressed her l*ps together, not knowing the right words to say. She never saw this happening, at least not yet. She knew he was her mate, but she didn¡¯t know he had the intent of epting her this night. This was way beyond what she wished for¨Cbeing mated to the Lycan king of all men in the werewolf world and hearing him dere his love and affection in the eyes of more than three dozen people out on the field. It was just too much. A tear ran down her face, and before she could think about it, Julian reached out and wiped the tear away. ¡°What do you say?¡± he asked, his eyes filled with excitement and love. ¡°Yes, I ept you, Julian McQueen, as my mate,¡± she replied with a wide smile on her face. He closed the space between them and took her l*ps in his for a deep and fevered. k*ss. Those on the field cheered and pped their hands as if celebrating the moment with them. Fiona barely paid attention, getting lost in the love and affection shown to her by Julian. Nothing had ever felt truer. The full moon reached its apex, and everyone paired up with their team, heading out to shift and strengthen their bond. Julian led Fiona, and she followed without saying a word. In their teams were Brock, a beta, and second after Keh, in terms of strength, and then beta Isaac, 11:48 Mon, 8 Jan Cupter 59 the fourth. They also had beta Hanna, who ranked second in terms of hearing and smell, while beta William was the fastest after the Lycan king. These were all on the Lycan Kings¡® team. Ken wasn¡¯t on the Lycan king¡¯s team; he had his own team to lead along with his mate, Lily, with Julian¡¯s permission. These men, however, were loyal to the Lycan king and carried out his wishes and Julian transformed into a big ck wolf as soon as they set out, and the rest followed suit. Yet he stood taller andrger than all of them. Fiona, however, noticed that there was a slight difference now than the rest of them, there was a difference, and she noticed it. She didn¡¯t get , though; Han was a beta and the finest in her rank, which took years of hard work, dedication, and determination. Ona¡¯s only advantage was being mated to the Lycan king. Thinking about it now, he would have had a much better and finer option with Beta Han. Yet he chose her. Ona snapped out of her wild thoughts to find the eyes of everyone on her, including Jules. She stood with her head upright, staring at the others around her, wondering why they were looking at her. ¡°What?¡± she demanded it when she couldn¡¯t bear the silent stare anymore. ¡°You are silver,¡± Jules said, stepping towards her. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 This made her look down at her paws and feet, and indeed, her fur was silver. She nced up at him with confused eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Thest time she transformed into her wolf, there was no single trace of silver on her fur; she had be aplete white¨Cfurred wolf. Ona felt so ashamed that she couldn¡¯t even stay in her wolf form for more than a minute. It was a testament to the power she lost, and she mourned it once again. She hadn¡¯t considered shifting to regain strength since then, and when Julian asked her to shift with him, she felt ashamed and would have said no if he hadn¡¯te to the settlement.) Seeing him there confirmed he loved her regardless of her ability, and that gave her the confidence she needed to say yes. Seeing this now left her in an ocean of confusion. He took her hand in his. ¡°We were wrong; the incident didn¡¯t take away your healing powers. It can only take away what you have, not what you are. Fiona, Ona, you are a healer; it¡¯s in your blood, and it will never go away.¡± His words registered in her mind, and she tried to ept them as the truth. The next few hours into the shift, Ona did her best to ept this new truth and also enjoy the shift as N?velDrama.Org is the owner. much as the rest did. It was a hard thing to do. She had a lot to unwrap and consider. She had begun modelling herself to adjust to a life where she no longer had her healing powers; knowing they never left and now were at their apex worried her. ¡°Take over the leadership,¡± Jules told Rock, who did so without asking a question. Confusion dawned on Ona as soon as Jules took hold of her hand and led her away from the team. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Taking you away so you can shift with me.¡± He answered the obvious. She wanted to ask more questions, but she pressed her l*ps together and maintained silence. He took the lead, and she followed. He showed so much -strength and speed that it made her feel like a baby. The difference between them was massive, yet he considered her cute in all her attempts. She won. He had poked her nose, wanting her to chase him and promising to k*ss and make up for it if she caught him. She knew her speed was no match for him, but a 11:48 Mon, 8 Jan A chance to be k*ssed by him was one she couldn¡¯t pass up. So she did. She chased him, and though he slowed down a few times to let her catch up, he picked up the pace once she got close. The end of the shift came before she knew it, and a part of her didn¡¯t want it to end. She wanted to remain like this with him forever. That was asking for too much, but that was what she wanted. They shifted into their human forms and reached for clothes hanging around on the ropes in the field. She noticed Julian¡¯s eyes on her even as she tried to get dressed. She turned around, but he quickly looked away and pretended not to be looking, which made herugh and shake her head. She wanted to tell him she was his and there was nothing to look away from, but more than that, she wanted him to k*ss her. Yes, she never caught him during the shift, but it didn¡¯t matter; she knew he wanted to k*ss her. It was all over him. She dressed up in the big polo she saw and a pair of shorts and turned around to find Julian in a green, furry sweater and ck trousers. He tied his long ck hair into a messy bun, and the sweater¡¯s colour This man knew how to make anything gorgeous. ¡°Why did you take me away from the rest of the pack?¡± She asked and raised a brow at him. ¡°You are barely with us, and I could feel it. I figured if I took you away and focused your mind on other things, you would enjoy the rest of the shift, and 1 guess it worked.¡± He replied with a smile that she found charming. She nodded and confessed, ¡°You were right; there was something on my mind, and your intervention worked.¡± If he hadn¡¯t done what he did, she would have spent the rest of the shift thinking. about everything. ¡°Do you want to share what was on your mind?¡± She went back to a few hours ago and what had taken her into that state to begin with. The problem was that she didn¡¯t know where to start. It would have been so much. easier if she was marked by him; that way, she wouldn¡¯t have to exin because he would just read her mind and know what she was thinking. ¡°Everything I have discovered tonight would be a start. I thought I had lost it because I was no longer silver. No, I saw I lost it, and now I¡¯m seeing I didn¡¯t. It¡¯s still so much to process.¡± She rambled off. ¡°Take your time; it¡¯s not going to go away from the look of it, and oh, how beautiful you look as silver.¡± He gushed. Her cheeks warmed, and under her feet, she grew sweaty. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, genuinely appreciating hispliment. ¡°As much as it makes me beautiful, it means I can heal you.¡± She beamed at him and took his hand in hers. She tried to concentrate and channel her powers so she could feel the warmth, the same one she felt when the boy with the gue took her hand yesterday, but she felt nothing. She tried again and again, and after the third time, she let go and looked up with confused eyes. ¡°I do not understand; I am aplete silver wolf now; I should be able to heal you.¡± She mumbled thest part to herself, and she sounded so disappointed. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he told her with a smile, and she couldn¡¯t believe he took that line with her. Nothing about not still being able to heal him while being a healer was fine. ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± He took her face in hisrge hand, his smile not dimming. ¡°It¡¯s fine; look at me.¡± She didn¡¯t want to, but as soft as his voice was, it had amand to it that made her do as he said. ¡°It¡¯s fine; it changes nothing, not who you are, how I feel about you, or how you feel about me. He leaned in and took her l*ps between his for a soft k*ss. She k*ssed back immediately and wanted him to make her his, not caring where they were. They, however, pulled away from the k*ss when they heard footsteps approaching them. They turned to face them, and they found Alpha Jax and his team, who Julian sent on the mission to find Vivian. Julian¡¯s expression changed into a diplomatic one, and it almost felt like a different person. He was indeed the Lycan king. ¡°So, you have any news?¡± He asked and raised a brow. Alpha Jax nodded. ¡°We have found Vivian, my king; she is now in the council court¡¯s dungeon.¡± He replied. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Julian¡¯s POV It has been five far. Alpha Jax son since Vivian¡¯s trial began, and a few things have happened so far. Alpha Jax soon returned to Fellfield to continue his rule as alpha and lord. Alpha Jax informed him that they had found Vivian, Caroline, Rufus, and Beta. Dean trying to escape into the world of the living. They didn¡¯t know what their ns were, but they had a few bags of gold, which they spected they were going to use and exchange for cash once they arrived. On the day of Vivian and her minions¡® arrival at the court, their trial began. Julian charged her on the grounds of the uwful execution of Otis and Dorothy Lawrence and that alone. However, when the trial started, other usations came up, which included theft, maniption, and extortion, all of which she did in the name of the Lycan king. It was, to his surprise, as well as that of the court. Not less than fifteen testified against her, and some called her evil, as she had done nothing to help those in Langfield when she had the chance. This proved Fiona¡¯s point when she said that if he looked hard enough, he would find the truth right there. The more he looked, the more he saw. How could he have been so blind? Fiona didn¡¯te to the courtroom where Vivian stood on trial; instead, she returned to the settlement and tried to help heal as many as she could with the gue. It only showed him how pure¨Chearted she was and how she didn¡¯t want to gloat at her enemy¡¯s downfall. Marion kept him updated, and he learnt that the numbers she healed weren¡¯tpared to before, but unlike then, she didn¡¯t need to eat to rece her lost energy. He told him she only took breaks and, once in a while, drank water. Julian didn¡¯t know how it worked, but he knew it had to do with her silver fur. A part of him wanted her to heal him, as he felt the pain of his gue more than before, but another part didn¡¯t mind, as long as he got to heal others. Whatever happened, this world would be in excellent hands, which he was certain of. Though he asked her to be his mate days ago, the happenings made it difficult to proceed with all the necessary rites that needed to take ce, one of which was the deration. He wanted everything to be perfect, just as she was to him. They had carried on with their activities, with Fiona at the settlement and himself at the council court presiding over Vivian¡¯s case. They would discuss how their days went and share a fewughs. When he would ask her why she wouldn¡¯t testify, she told him because it would not change what had already happened. Vivian¡¯s final hearing would be today, and the council would reach a unanimous verdict. He knew she would receive the worst deal under thew. She deserved it and more for what she had done to his mate and his sons, and he wanted Fiona there to witness it. He woke early, got dressed, and arrived at Fiona¡¯s mansion. He knocked on it, and it opened to reveal Be. ¡°Is Fiona still home?¡± The words barely left his mouth when Fiona walked to the door, already dressed for the day. Be stepped away and gave them room. ¡°Hey,¡± he said, reaching for her and k*ssing her immediately. They pulled away, and he smiled at her. ¡°How was your night?¡± ¡°It was great, and yours?¡± ¡°It would have been better with you beside me. You look amazing, I must add,¡± he said. ¡°Thank you. You¡¯re here early,¡± ¡°Today is Vivan¡¯sst hearing; I want you there to witness it¡± ¡°Okay.¡± she answered without putting up any form of argument, and though that took him by surprise, he appreciated it. They arrived at the council court and took their seats¨Cwhile Vivian was dragged out to take the stand like she had done thest few days. The others she had run away with ¨C Rufus, Dean, and Caroline ¨C also stood trial, but they were being tried by another court to ensure fairness. She didn¡¯t look the least remorseful for her action all the while she stood on trial, and it was good because this way, the elders in court wouldn¡¯t go easy on her. She took notice of Fiona seated beside him, her teeth clenched, and the look of hate clouded her face, the like of which he had never seen anyone have for another. She growled, and if not for being under the control of the giga, Julian knew she would haveunched at Fiona. Fiona sat beside him, unmoved by Vivian¡¯s action, despite seeing the same thing 11:48 Mon, 8 Jan he was seeing. She didn¡¯t let it get to her. Julian entwined his hand in hers before turning to the seated elders. ¡°Have the elders reached a verdict?¡± Elder Kane nodded and rose to his feet, ¡°We have, my king.¡± He answered and stepped forward to hand the scroll in his hand over to him. As custom demanded, in a trial of elders, the highest in rank always gave the verdict, and that responsibility now fell on Julian¡¯s shoulders. Julian released Fiona¡¯s hand, and he felt weakened immediately. Still, he had to do this. He broke the seal over the scroll, and his eyes scanned the written words. There was grave silence in the court as he began to read the verdict presented by the elder. ¡°After a thorough examination of all the witnesses and their testimony, we have no doubt in our minds that Ms. Vivian Jacksonmitted all the crimes. levied against her. We, the elders of the council of truth, thereby find her guilty of fraud, terrorism, coercion, and maniption of justice in the years she has served under the Lycan king.¡± He paused when he felt his eyes blur for a second, and he became unable to read further. He shook his head, and the haziness disappeared, restoring his vision. He continued to read the R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only verdict: ¡°The council also finds her guilty of takingws into her hands and for the death of Otis.¡± He stopped mid¨Csentence as he felt a piercing pain shoot to his temple, and it was the most painful feeling he ever had. His eyes fluttered for a few seconds as he tried to calm himself. He heard Fiona¡¯s voice ask, ¡°Are you okay?¡± He nodded, and his eyes fluttered back up. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± he apologised to those around him, and his eyes returned to the verdict in his hand. ¡°The council also finds her guilty of takingws into her own hands and for the deaths of Otis and Dorothy Lawrence, whom she had killed without a fair trial. Therefore, this. council, with the permission of the Lycan king-¡± He stopped speaking when he felt the piercing pain return, but this time it was so painful that it left him in a state of numbness, unable to move, speak, or hold himself up. ¡°Julian!!¡± He heard a fear¨Cfilled cry, and he knew it was Fiona¡¯s voice. He wondered. what had thrown her into such a state; he didn¡¯t get the answer before being tossed intoplete darkness. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Fiona¡¯s POV Fiona didn¡¯t even know how she had survived the rest of the day. Thest thing she expected to see was the fall of Julian McQueen, the Lycan king, while giving the verdict. It shook her entire being, and she did her best not to think about it too much for fear of not recovering from the trauma of what she saw. She had noticed his difficulty, but what she didn¡¯t expect was him losing bnce and going unconscious. Something was happening to Julian, and she didn¡¯t know what it was. The court session ended immediately, and the guards dragged Vivian away to her dungeon, but Fiona put no mind to that. Her focus stayed on Julian. Marion was the first toe in and examine him. He told her it was what he feared. Fiona didn¡¯t understand what he meant at first. then be exined to her that since she had begun her healing on him, the meditation room had stopped having its effect on his b*dy. He told her that since she stopped her healing three weeks ago, his b*dy had begun umting the impact of the gue and doing its best to fight it off on its own. However, with theck of healing measures, he had no chance of survival. He told her Julian hade so far only because he was the Lycan king, but he couldn¡¯t guarantee Julian¡¯s survival going past a week. He apologised and took his leave, and Fiona turned her attention to Julian, who was still unconscious in bed. She had held a firm face while Marion was here, but as soon as the door shut, her tears fell. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Her l*ps trembled, and she shook her head, not wanting to ept it as true. She took his hand in hers, but nothing happened, and she cried out even more. Julian must have known about this somehow. He had to have, yet he kept her in the dark. Perhaps he knew she couldn¡¯t help and didn¡¯t want to burden her. Jashin and June came to see Julian, as they usually visit him after the end of every day. She didn¡¯t allow them in; she couldn¡¯t. They only got their father, and seeing him in that state and being told they might lose him as well didn¡¯t sound fair. They asked when they woulde and see him, and she told them She held onto his hand as she sat beside him, not because she wanted to heal him, but because she wanted him to know in his subconscious that she was here with him. Julian¡¯s eyes soon opened while she sat beside him with his hand in hers, and he squeezed down on her hand, bringing her attention to him. ¡°Julian,¡± she called out with a tone of relief. ¡°Hey, love.¡± He smiled at her. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve been through hell.¡± That was because she had been through hell in thest few hours of being beside him. She had thought and feared for the worse. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter; you are awake now.¡± She answered with a smile and reached out to stroke his face. ¡°I can¡¯t feel my legs. Are they still there?¡± Sheughed and nodded. ¡°They are still there, but the gue has gotten out of hand, and it is robbing you of all your strength. His eyes dropped, and he lost a little of their light. ¡°Oh, sh*t! I thought I had more time.¡± He mumbled to himself, but it was loud enough for her to hear. He knew about his condition, but thought he would have a longer time. ¡°I am sorry.¡± She said that, and her eyes grew ssy. His eyes narrowed at her. ¡°What are you apologising for?¡± She sniffed weakly, ¡°Not being able to heal you. I should have healed your gue before going to Grandfield. If I had done that in order, this wouldn¡¯t be happening.¡± ¡°How were you to know this was going to happen?¡± He asked with his brow furrowed. ¡°Besides, you did your best. ¡°Healing, you made the meditation room effect null,¡± she said with a whimper at the end. ¡°You would save still been fine and using your meditation room if I didn¡¯t start and abandon that raak. Amy Daddy & The Lycan King O +5 vouchers kow is that you healed me even when you didn¡¯t have to.¡± Foninformed Marion about Julian¡¯s awakening and invited him in to examine Julian and see if there were any sustaining medications that he could receive. She gave them roomy to do what they needed to do and went over to tick the boys into bed. rock An hourter, she returned and saw Marion taking his leave, and she asked what his findings were. told her the rest of Jalian¡¯s b*dy was still active, but only for the use of his legs. He couldn¡¯t gustance anything, but he promised to do his best. She returned to Julian¡¯s side and spent the rest of the night with him. This was their first time together, and though in his worst state, he telt giddy and happy to be sharing the bed with her. He then asked her if she would love to move in with him. Thus wasn¡¯t how she thought it would go, but it would keep her closer to her sons and her mate, the man she loved. She wanted to be with him more than ever, and so she agreed The next day, she visited the council court and met with Kane, the chief elder. She revealed Julian¡¯s state asked if they would proceed with Vivian¡¯s sentencing. He told her they could not and needed the Lycan king¡¯s presence to carry on with everything else. Rumours had gone around already in the past few days, and many had a thing or two to say about what was happening Some said it was the moon goddess¡® wrath because the Lycan king didn¡¯t ept the role be yed in Vivian¡¯s evil doings. Some said it was his punishment for abandoning Lady Nina and choosing the healer as a mate instead. Others suspected Vivian had outside forced poisoned the Lycan king when he wasnt watching. None of it was true Many didn¡¯t know about Julian¡¯s curse. hence, this came as a surprise to them, and it was best to keep it that way Fiona couldn¡¯t go back to the Lycan king¡¯s mansion yet, so she visited Vivian. Julian had asked why she the trial from the first day and she told him the truth. It wouldn¡¯t change what had happened; the truth. However, knowing the motive would help her find sce. n the head guard at the dungeon saw her approach and bowed his head. ¡°I want to see Ms. Jackson¡± She told him, and he nodded and led the way. They arrived at the dungeon, and Vivian sat on the dirty floor with her head on her legs, and she kept humming to herself, probably to iescape her reality. ¡°You have a visitor. Vivian the guard said, and she raised her head to see her. Unlike yesterday at the court, there was no look of hatred in her eyes, just pity. Fiona didn¡¯te for her pity, though. Vivian¡¯s gaze moved to n. ¡°I do not want to see her.¡± ¡°Well too bad because you cannot give orders from behind the cell and you cannot make me leave.¡± Fiona answered This made her teeth clench. Fiona nodded at n, and he took his leave. She turned her attention to Vivian ¡°So, are you here to gloat at me?¡± Vivian asked. ¡°You should know that¡¯s not who I am.¡± She grunted. ¡°Then why are you here?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Vivan frowned. ¡°Why what?¡± ¡°Why did you hate me from the first day you saw me? Why did you want to kill me in the dungeon while I was on trial? Why did you kill Otis and Dorothy when they did absolutely nothing to you?¡± Vivian became silent, and she returned her head to the way it was before she was interrupted. ¡°Answer me, damn it!¡± Fiona mmed her hand against the cell bars, and it echoed far away. Vivian didn¡¯t flinch, but she slowly looked up at her. ¡°Because threats are to be eliminated as fast as possible. The longer they stay alive, the more chances they have of getting stronger and overthrowing you. You were a threat I failed to terminate, and here you are.¡± ¡°That was a lie; I was never a threat to you. I would have been your sister and even your friend. You made me up as a threat in your mind,¡± she answered. Vivian scoffed. Likewise, I am a threat to you, and I think you should know that. You know what to do. You should eliminate use as fast as possible Shuce you¡¯re already here, you cane in and snuff my light out. I won¡¯t put up a tight, the gigs is arousal my neck. And if you do not want to get your hands ality, you can ask n of Knox to do it. This is your chance to eliminate the greatest threat you have She leaned against the wall bon dicht look away from her. ¡°Julian is weak and will die soon. If I were you, I would eliminate anothing and everything that might be a treat to his demie, starting with me.¡± She said it with a devilish sinile on her face Fiona¡¯s hand balled into a fist, and she wanted to wipe that smile off her face. ¡°Tamm not you, and I will never be you¡± She smirkest, and with a certain voice, she spoke, ¡°You will not get this chance again.¡± Fiona took a step closer to her dungeon and said, ¡°Julian will get better. Vou will return to trial, and you will get the punishment you deserve¡± With that said, she turned her back and walked away from Vivian¡¯s dmgeon Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Fiona stopped by the temple, where she met a few people offering prayers to the moon goddess. She joined them and did likewise. She prayed for patience and strength at this time, and she prayed for the Lycan king gue, which was something she had never done. Her carnest desire was to heal him, but she was weak, so she prayed for strength. She returned to the Iycan king¡¯s estate and made her way to his room, already knowing where to go without needing directions. She had left a few hours ago for the council of truth, and her mission there seemed unfulfilled. She pushed aside Vivian¡¯s words, which ran around her head. There was no remorse in her for everything she had done, and if she had a chance, she would do it again Killing her would have ended everything, and she was right about that, but that would make them the same. She wouldn¡¯t dirty her hands or conscience; she wasn¡¯t worth that. Vivian¡¯s day wasing, and with every day, it drew closer. ¡°You came back. Julian said picking up on her scent. ¡°Your side is where I belong.¡± He smiled. ¡°I like the sound of that,¡± he told her, stretching his hand out to her. She stepped towards the bed where he was and took it. ¡°How do you feel?¡± The maids hade in when she was about to step out earlier. He seemed to have gotten cleaned up. changed for the day, and smelt neat. ¡°Better with you here. You left early.¡± She nodded. ¡°I went to the Council of Truth to inquire about the sentencing proceedings. They won¡¯t carry on the sentence until the Lycan king is back in court.¡± ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t know that was thew. I must have fallen asleep or zoned out when that was being taught to me.¡± He said that and chuckled. ¡°Those are the rules. He brought her hand closer to his l*ps and ced a k*ss on the back of it. ¡°You would have been able to affect that rule if you were my Luna queen.¡± He told her. ¡± ¡°It should wait,¡± she said, pulling her hand away from his, knowing exactly what he was talking about. If he didn¡¯t like her withdrawal, he said nothing about it. It has waited since the trial began, and here we are. ¡°Marking me in this state would show desperation, not sound decision¨Cmaking or credibility. No one will look at me as the true Luna queen; that is not what I want.¡± ¡°What if you, being my Luna queen, is what I want?¡± He asked, ¡°Look, you are already my Luna in promation; only in rites are you not. We do not know how this will go or how long I have left, but 1 want you to be my Luna.¡± She didn¡¯t know what to say. She wanted to be his Luna queen, but she wanted to be Luna queen to a living Lycan king and not a dying one. This was never part of her prayers. ¡°I don¡¯t know anymore.¡± ¡°I do, let me be the one to make this decision.¡± He said that and pulled himself up to sit down. He stretched his hand out to her, and she took it, and she felt a charge shoot through her, and at the same second, she felt a warmth in her hand. She gasped and nced up at Julian, knowing what it meant. Her healing powers were having an effect on him without her thinking about it. This meant she wouldn¡¯t be saying goodbye to him anytime soon. It meant they still had many more years of love, happiness, and family. His eyes held a level of shock as well, but he didn¡¯t let go. She didn¡¯t want to let go, either. She was healin? him, and she would do whatever it took to make itst. Her vision blurred, but she smiled. Isted for a few minutes before the warmth disappeared. Fiona lost the strength in her legs and would have dropped to her knees if Julian hadn¡¯t caught her in time. Heid her on the bed and came to stay beside her. Her eyes were barely open, and her b*dy trembled, the felt happiness and satisfaction from what had happened. Mommy, Daddy Is The Lycan King +5 vouchers He stroked her face, making her shiver in response to his touch. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± he asked, with eyes of concern. She felt weak, but not hungry or thirsty, as she used to feel whenever she healed his gue. She had lost the use of her legs, which meant she had taken on his weaknesses and only needed time to recover. ¡°Keep touching me like,umbled to herself, and he must have heard because he started. He nodded and kept stroking her face. ¡°Sure, I will touch you like this, and 1 will also k*ss you like this.¡± He leaned in and k*ssed her l*ps slowly. She moaned into the k*ss and wrapped her arms around him to deepen the k*ss after regaining strength. in them. She didn¡¯t want to stop k*ssing him. She didn¡¯t want this to end She wanted the man she was with and wanted to be hispletely. Take me, Julian: mark me.¡± He stared into her eyes, wanting to know if she was certain of what she wanted. She wanted this. He took their clothes off and returned to im not just her b*dy but her mind and soul as his. She was responsive; she hadn¡¯t been touched this way since thest time she was with him. How had she even survived those years without any form of intimacy? She couldn¡¯t exin it. She knew now that would change from this point; he would be here to take her and show her things about herself and her b*dy she didn¡¯t know. Her legs soon picked up sensation as he ran his hands over them, moving them up so he could wrap them around his waist. He sank his length into her, and she buried her face in his chest to control her response and cries. It hurt, yet it felt so good She clung to him, trusting that he would be gentle and loving to her b*dy, and he was. Every touch, every caress, and every tender k*ss showed it. It yielded her b*dy to bing one with him and lowered her defences He kept his pace steady, driving deep into her and making her see stars with every thrust. She cried out, and her eyes glowed yellow as he hit a spot buried in her. Upon discovering it, he drove in the same direction over and over again until she wept from too much pleasure. He picked up the pace, going at a gradual speed and then proceeding to a much faster one, which pushed her towards the edge of release with ench thrust. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Mine!¡± he growled, and he captured her l*ps between his for a passionate k*ss. She k*ssed back and clung to him, and as they pulled away, his eyes glowed red. He took her l*ps between his one more time, and then he trailed k*sses down her chin and neck and then onto the point where her neck and shoulder met. His teeth grazed over the spot, teasing and edging her. She immediately knew what he wanted to do. His fang grew, and they dug into her flesh the next second. She growled out in pain mixed with pleasure, and her eyes glowed once more, but unlike the yellow they showed before, now they showed red. He picked up the pace, driving deeper and deeper until he had his entire length buried in her warm tightness. Her legs curled and her b*dy shuddered as her release built up and came surging forward like a strong tide. One more thrust, and she hit her release, shuddering against him and reaping nothing but pleasure at its apex. He followed right after, and he released inside her beforeing to lie by her side. ¡°I love you.¡± He said this while struggling to catch his breath. She knew that. ¡°I love you too.¡± Fiona was the first to wake up from her short slumber, and he turned to face the still¨Csleeping Julian and just watched him. What happened between them wasn¡¯t a dream; it was real, as real as the air in their lungs. He had taken her, not just as anyone, but as the woman he loved. He had marked her as his mate and his equal. He was the man of her dreams¨Ca man of patience, integrity, andpassion. A man who, even in the face of death, sought her best interest was the type of man she wanted her children to grow up to be. Mommy, Daddy Is The Lycan King Knowing he wouldn¡¯t be leaving them soon ddened her heart. ¡°You are staring¡± Julian said, and his gaze fluttered to lock on hers. ¡°I can¡¯t help it; you¡¯re gorgeous both inside and out, she admitted with a wide smile. +5 vouchers This made him smile, and he pulled her close so his b*dy pressed against hers. ¡°Are you sure these She nodded. ¡°Yes, no one elsees close.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Now that¡¯s an exaggeration. It is the aftereffect of a powerful love¨Cmaking session with me.¡± He told her. ¡°I knew this before we made love, so it can¡¯t be,¡± she pointed out. She didn¡¯t want to undermine the power of the S** they had, but this was different. He k*ssed her neck and said, ¡°Then I ept yourpliment.¡± ¡°Good,¡± she said, and then sat up. ¡°We should see Jashin and June before they go to sleep; it¡¯s still early into the evening, and we can spend an hour or two with them before they sleep. I couldn¡¯t let them see you after we came in from the court.¡± She turned to look at him. He nodded and pulled himself up to sit as well. ¡°You are right. Can you walk though?¡± he asked with a brow of concern raised. Her cheeks warmed up. ¡°Yeah, they are getting there.¡± not long after she healed him. However, he had key, Ould feel her legs; she had regained sensation in an ufortable position when he made love to her earlier. She hadn¡¯t tested their strength since then. ¡°But stay beside me in case they give up 1. me. He smiled and nodded, ¡°Sure.¡± on Julian firmly knocked on the door, then pushed it open and stepped in. The boys were watching cartoons. and it was their favourite, Megamind. They took notice of their presence, and they ran up and towards them. Julian dropped to his knees and took them into his arms. ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re alright!¡± Jashin said and buried his face in his father¡¯s shoulder, sounding relieved. ¡°Why did you think I wasn¡¯t?¡± he asked after they pulled away. ¡°June heard people talking outside; they said you were very sick,¡± he revealed. ¡°I was sick, but I am fine now; your mom healed me,¡± he told them, and their eyes travelled over to her. ¡°Mommy!¡± They came to her, and though they hugged her, it wasn¡¯t with the same excitement they did for their father. She didn¡¯tin; she was happy that they were happy. They stayed with the boys, and they watched their cartoon together until their sleep time.. ¡°You are not leaving again, are you?¡± June asked Julian, who was in charge of putting him to sleep.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I am never leaving, I promise you.¡± June nodded, believing him, and Julian leaned in and ced a k*ss on his forehead. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 They stepped out of the boys¡® room feeling fulfilled to have done what they did, and they returned to the bed. Julian suggested showering together, and she agreed, and they stripped n*ked and stepped into the bathroom together. They stayed silent for a while, both having the hot water descend on their skin. Julian offered to wash Fiona, and she allowed him. His hands were perfect on her, and they gave her the relief she needed, and she did the same for him. They returned to the bedroom and got ready for bed. They tucked into bed, and she snuggled closer to him, cing her head on his chest and hearing his steady heartbeat. She realised she loved this; it was simple yet meant so much more. They stayed that way for a while before Fiona spoke, taking her mind back to seeing Vivian this morning. ¡°I went to see Vivian this morning when I visited the court,¡± His gaze moved to her, and they were narrowed. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± She turned to look at him, and their gazes locked. ¡°I wanted to know why she hated me so much.¡± ¡°And did you?¡± She turned away from him to the ceiling before speaking. ¡°Well, she said it was because I was a threat that needed to be eliminated. She still believes she should have taken me out when she had the chance.¡± ¡°She is never going to harm you again. Tomorrow we will return to the council court and hear her sentencing.¡± He said it with assurance and k*ssed her forehead. ¡°She asked me to kill her,¡± Fiona said in a small tone. ¡°She told me I had an advantage since she was in the dungeon and had the giga around her neck, and she told me it would be myst chance to do it. She said you were weak and would die, and I needed to eliminate all the threats in my way, starting with her.¡± ¡°She said all that?¡± Julian asked, a little surprised. Fiona nodded. ¡°She did; I guess she was trying to help me.¡± ¡°No, she wasn¡¯t trying to help you; remember what you told me before? People like Vivian never think about helping anyone but themselves, so this offer was a trap. Perhaps she knew there was no escaping this and wanted to go by your hands. You are a pure soul, and taking justice into your hands will taint your conscience and eventually turn you into someone like her.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t do it; I didn¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°And you made the right decision.¡± He said. As nned the previous night, Fiona and Julian got ready for the sentencing of Vivian for her crime. Unlike thest time, Julian will have enough strength to give the verdict. Fiona had offered to heal a portion of his gue in the morning after they woke, but he refused. He told her if she took his gue, the weakness would be upon her, and he wanted her beside him in court just like thest time. It was a reasonable suggestion, so she didn¡¯t push it. The elders were already seated before their arrival, having already received information about the Lycan king¡¯s presence in the court today. The elders all rose to their feet at the sight of them, and Julian told them to sit while he also took his seat, with Fiona beside him. ¡°It is a delight to have you here in our midst today, my king.¡± The chief elder bowed his head. am d to be here, but I have to admit that I would not have been able to if Fiona Lawrence, bealer, hadn¡¯t intervened. The moon goddess took pity on me and granted her the powers to heal a portion of my illness. She is who you should thank.¡± He said that, redirecting their attention to her my king and healer Flora: we count it a blessing from the moon goddess ho bowed his head humbly, would want anyone to do for me, so you Mommy, Daddy Is The Lycan King ? +5 vouchers thank¨Cyou to him. The court¡¯s door was pushed open, and unlike the three people who should have stepped into the court, only one did. Killian, the guard sent to bring Vivian, had a look of fear and horror in his eyes as he came to stand in the midst of the court. Fiona¡¯s heart tightened, already fearing for the worse, She could already feel it, and so could Julian, because his grip on her hand had tightened. ¡°Why do you look that way, and why are you alone? Where is the prisoner? Answer this minute!¡± Elder Madi asked, rising to his feet to speak to the guard, who still had a horror¨Cfilled look on his face. ¡°The prisoner has escaped, and the guards ced around her dungeon are dead. All five of them.¡± He answered, and the entire court erupted in mummurs. Fiona¡¯s mind travelled to Vivian and the discussion they had yesterday. She had told her it would be her made her heart ache, fearing the worst yet to happen. She should have taken the chance when she had it. ¡°What false news is that? Fidler Kane, the chief elder, demanded, rising to his feet. ¡°You are saying the prisoner killed the guards from inside the cell?¡± Killian shook his head. ¡°No, my lord, but someone had aided in doing this,¡± he replied. While he still spoke, the door opened, and another guard stepped in. His face showed he had bad news as well, and all eyes turned to him. ¡°My king and lords,¡± he bowed his head before rising and speaking. ¡°My fellow guards who were positioned in the prisoner Nina¡¯s dungeonst night are dead. I came to resume my morning duties, and I found them all dead¨Call four of them¨Cand the prisoner, Nina, gone. Julian rose to his feet, releasing Fiona¡¯s hand, and it immediately became cold. ¡°What is this? Some n to make me out as a fool?¡± he demanded. He barely got those words out when the door opened, and two others who came in to the court looked as shaken as the first two guards bearing bad news. ¡°My king and lords,¡± they bowed their heads. ¡°The prisoners, Caroline, Dean, and Rufus, have escaped from their cells, and they killed the guard on watch before they left.¡± The guard on the left told them. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. The court session ended in chaos and with unanswered questions. Julian and Fiona returned to the estate, but not before he set his guards off after the runaway prisoners. The examination of the bodies of the prisoners in the dungeons showed that they had escaped at dawn. With the best men to hunt on their trail, they wouldn¡¯t get far. Julian was certain of that. ¡°Do not worry, we will find them.¡± He assured her as they stepped into the house. Fiona nodded, putting faith in his words to her. ¡°Yeah.¡± Be stepped towards them with a slightly confused look on her face. ¡°My king, mydy.¡± She greeted and bowed her heads. ¡°Be,¡± Fiona smiled at her. ¡°What is wrong?¡± ¡°Where are the boys, mydy?¡± she asked, and that took Fiona by surprise. Her eyes narrowed at her. ¡°What do you mean ¡®where are the boys? Are they not in their room?¡± ¡°No, shortly after leaving for the council court, you sent words to bring them. Beta Brock came, bearing the message, and I didn¡¯t want to object to his instructions.¡± The young maid spoke, and her confusion still lingered in her eyes. Flona¡¯s heart clenched in her chest, and she said no more words before dashing to the boys¡® room. Just like Be had told her, they were not in the room. Their scent lingered around, but it also bore witness that they had been taken. Julian was behind her, and she turned to him with her eyes bing ssy. He looked just as torn as the was, and he pulled her to himself to console her, but she didn¡¯t want to be consoled. shoved him off her and shook her head while her entire b*dy trembled. ¡°Nol Where are my sons!¡± she demanded, followed by a loud and painful cry. ¡°Where are my sons? No!¡± She trembled uncontrobly ¡°Fiona-¡± ¡°No, no, no! Jashint June!¡± She cried in a loud voice that made the entire house shake, and her eyes glowed red while more tears poured Vivian had done this; she knew in her gut that this was all part of her n. It was one thing to hate and want to harm her, but her sons had nothing to do with any of this. Killing them would be nothing but cruelty. She should have killed the snake when she had the option; she should have abandoned all morality and done what needed to be done. Vivian wanted to hit her where it hurt, and she just delivered a death¨Ccausing blow because, without her sons, she was as good as dead. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Julian¡¯s POV Julian turned away from her to hide his pain, and he ran his finger through his hair, gripping it tightly. He never thought anything would make him feel this lost, but right now, watching his Lana cry out in agony at the loss of her sons made him feel lost more than ever. In silence, he stepped out of the room. He needed to think, gather his thoughts, and figure out a way out of this mess. This wasn¡¯t how he thought the day would go, but it had taken this turn, and they had to go with it. Vivian was behind every one of these ill¨Cfated happenings. After hearing about Vivian and Nina¡¯s escape from their cell. he wondered who had aided their escape. Whoever it was, he had to be strong enough to take on five guards ande out victorious. He also couldn¡¯t be just anyone. The guards were lower¨Cranked betas, and many were omegas, yet they were trained as soldiers before being appointed as guards. So, whoever took them on had to be a highly ranked beta in the estate. All the way back, he tried to decipher who it was. He couldn¡¯t be trusted every beta that was highly ranked because they had dignity and loyalty to him. He wouldn¡¯t have known who it was if Be hadn¡¯t said his name. Brock He had joined the team almost the same time Vivian did, and he had worked his way up, being diligent and loyal to the cause. At least, that was what he once thought. Putting it together that he worked with Vivian all this while scared him because he was one of those he trusted. No. he didn¡¯t tell him everything because only the elite, which were Ken and Marion, knew personal details about him. However. Brock knew him; he knew his strengths and weaknesses from the him question everything. He also took his sons, which meant he had drawn the line of battle. He didn¡¯t care about his intentions; he hadmitted an unforgivable sin. His sons were the line that not even the moon goddess would cross without a fight. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Fiona asked as he almost stepped out of the mansion He turned to find her behind him. Her eyes looked puffy and red from grieving her sons, but she looked calmness, but she had pushed him away, and he had to give her space. Now he had to do his duties as a father and protect his children. He couldn¡¯t leave it to the men he sent out anymore; this was his responsibility. ¡°I am going to find our sons.¡± He replied. ¡°I aming with you,¡± she said, stepping towards him. ¡°No, you can¡¯t. Listen to me, I will find them, and I will bring them back to you. You have my word,¡± he vowed. His words didn¡¯t help because she frowned at him. They are my sons, too.¡± He knew that, but he feared her emotions might just get in the way of the mission ahead. ¡°This might be the most brutal scene you ever witnessed,¡± he said, but he didn¡¯t get to finish because she spoke. ¡°Good, you will need help cleaning up.¡± They stepped outside together, and there they found Marion, Ken, and Yao standing as if waiting for them. hat are you doing here?¡± Julian asked. mes of the appearance of your sons, as well as Brock¡¯s betrayal, had reached us all. We are here p you find your sons, Ken answered. king¡¯s force no lon o longer exists, and this is my fight,¡± he told them. belief, not buying that line. ¡°It has everything to do with us. Your pont are future leaders of our world. It has everything to do with us.¡± ¡°The clouds are heavy, and it looks like it¡¯s going to rain soon. I gather they are heading east. We should get going while their scent is still strong. Yao spoke up, bringing their mind to the weather. They headed out, following the scent of June and Jashin. Fiona would have been the weakest had he not marked her. Now she was able to keep up, and her healing ability helped heal her and keep her from wearing out. The scent, just as Yao pointed out, led them eastward past themunity of Reign. They found the gigas, which were around the necks of the prisoners at the border of Reign. They must have taken it off longer and only thrown it away now. This meant they were back to their full strength. They also found the bodies of the men sent first to capture and return the runaway prisoners, torn to pieces¨Call twenty of them. He had sent them out without knowing Beta Brock was on their side. The guards were no match for him, and it was a known fact. Their deaths, however, will be avenged. He was certain of that. They have split up; I think they know we are fast closing on them.¡± Yao raised the rm after a few minutes. ¡°I picked up the footsteps of two, and I will follow their lead. One of them belongs to Brock.¡± Julian knew Brock was stronger, and more brutal than Yao would ever be. Yao excelled at hearing just as Chad did, but that would not save him if he were to meet Brock inbat. ¡°I wille with.¡± Ken said before he could speak up in his objection, and he followed Yao behind. Ken was stronger than Brock, but Julian still had a lingering fear. They were to expect the worst from a betrayer, and he didn¡¯t want to lose anyone. ¡°Be careful¡± Ken nodded. ¡°We will be you too. Be careful.¡± They continued on in their trail, and it didn¡¯t stray from the east even after passing by Band, which was thestnd before they would exit the werewolf world, Julian didn¡¯t want to ept that this was where they were going at first, but it was so obvious now They came to a thick forest, almost void of any lights or life. Julian felt his strength reduced, but he kept going, his sons were there, and he would not leave until they were returned to him. With every pace they covered, they drew closer, and with every pace, his strength reduced. ¡°What is happening?¡± Fiona asked, and her tone wasced with confusion. ¡°We are entering the realm of the dark world.¡± Marion, who also had knowledge of it, answered. ¡°What does that mean, and what does it have to do with my sons?¡± Julian couldn¡¯t exin, even if he wanted to. It was a whole lecture. ¡°The dark world is the third world in creation. Just like the name implies, all forms of darkness exist in this world; hence, only a few know of its existence. Because of its darkness, it subdues the majority of our powers as long as we are within its territories. I believe Vivian and her minions brought June and Jashin here to offer them up and gain passage.¡± Her eyes paled, realising the answer he gave was the truth. ¡°No!¡± she screamed and took to her heels, running as fast as her feet could take her. Julian and Marion followed behind her, knowing she wouldn¡¯t be able to take the enemy alone, no matter how angry she was. They soon arrived at the entrance of the dark world and found Rufus and Caroline holding onto June and Jashin, while Vivian stood at the entrance with her hands stretched out. There were many others standing behind Caroline and Rufus, but Julian couldn¡¯t make out their faces because of how dark it was. This surprised Julian because he never thought Vivian had this many people supporting her ¡°Mommy! Daddy!¡± Jashin called out, looking terrified and shaky. ¡°Daddy! Mommy!¡± June called out, his eyes not disying the fear that Jashin had. Vivian turned around to them, and her teeth clenched. ¡°Do note any closer, or they will die,¡± she threatened. That wasn¡¯t enough to stop Fiona, because her motherly protective instinct kicked in. Sheunched at Rufus, who held onto Jashin, and ripped his hand out of its socket. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She attacked Caroline without looking out for the ones behind her, hidden in the shadow of darkness. They came out to attack, and Julian moved in to fight them off. Jashin and June were safe and kept under the protection of Marion while they moved to face the rest. They took down the dozen that came on to attack them. Even without their powers, they could still put up a good fight, and they did. Buy the scan King ? +5 vouchers Meghe Nga on Ken¡¯s team, but before she could speak, Fiona thrust into her stigat berbau has the back. The lite in her eyes went off, and Julian released her lifeless The most was a Mann tacsown on the ground, and Vivian had her ws around the boys¡® pulled bom towards the entrance of the Dark World, which was now opening up. gresied at her with glowing red eves and stepped forward, but Vivian¡¯s hand. UsNks, making ber halt. see noc in the ce ve que den pice to she enters 1 1:|: 1:|:|: out or should I say Luna?¡± she mocked. Her eyes used be the boches on the ground and then back up at him. ¡°If I¡¯m being honest, I never really the Sys So thank you for taking them off my hand. Now I no longer have to. ween these we meg ser ces for the passage I need. Do not worry; I am not as heartless as you would be think ons wood one lite to cross over. Pick which of your sons you love the most, and I vil selguse hum 1 Nach ¡°That¡¯s not the Stad is if she were being considerate. ke them choc hoose between one of the boys, knowing fully well they loved equally seated at her and ber eves grew ssy swer I want to hear. Vivian answered ber of them¡± Julian said in amanding tone. butan Freworst in hun. You are not my king not here, not anymore. Choose now, or they bothe rously close to the entrance, her hands still around their There was no way to counter her and save the boys: she had their backs against the wall. Julian saw red, and his hands balled me a st this ok momme une said, I be fine. Take care of Jashin Avilen back hand came from inside the entrance of the dark world and wrapped around Vivian to guiller in while she wrapped her ws around their necks. Elena Na Firma ched our, and they raced towards her ¡°Now¡± Jashim wold June, and he nodded, and together they stomped their heels hard on Vivian¡¯s feet. Woman growled, and the same second she released her hold on them, Julian and Fiona took advantage of agovettumite and wrapped their arms around the boys. They moved them away from her reach The realision of what had just happened dawned on Vivian, even as she was being pulled into the dark werd. Fear set in because she knew that without her peace offering of pure blood, the creatures in the duck world would feast her upon. ¡°NO¡± she cried out in beere, and it was a deafening fear¨Cfilled sound. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 It had been a week since Fiona and Julian rescued June and Jashin from the ws of death. After Vivian was dragged into the dark world, a whirlwind came forth from the opening and began to blow, Julian knew how it worked; this wind wanted to take others into the dark world to be feasted on, whether dead or alive. Julian told Fiona that the appetites of the dark creatures were never filled and that they needed to leave. With thest of their strength, they ran, taking Marion with them. Not until they got to ey could Fiona have a look at Marion¡¯s wound and realise it was made with an wak wood dagger. Vivan didn¡¯t drive it into him hard enough to pierce his chest, and that was why it didn¡¯t kill him, which was good news. Fiona healed him, and he became strong enough to walk back home with them. Ken and Yao returned with Susan and Nina as captives. Ken had to kill Brock, as he had said he would not return alive. Susan and Nina returned to trial. This trial would be added to the previous sentence. They both pleaded guilty and agreed that they had gone along with the ns because they wanted to be free. The trial by the court continued until yesterday, and the two were sentenced to life in the dungeon with hardbour in the field, and they ced the giga back on their necks. There had been silence since then, as Julian had taken the time to reflect on everything that had happened so far. The betrayal and rebellion made him realise his world wasn¡¯t as perfect as he had thought. There were traitors in their midst. For now, it was Vivian, but no one knows who the next will be. June and Jashin have spent the past week sleeping in his and Fiona¡¯s room. He couldn¡¯tin; the incident had really affected them all, as they hade so close to losing the boys. Julian knew it would take time to get back to the way things once were. But Fiona and their boys were fighters and would beat this just as they had in the other trials they faced. He also prayed that this would be thest they would face. ¡°The boys are asleep. She whispered to him, and together they stepped out of the room. It was their afternoon sleep, and she had trained them to take it so she could have a little rest in the afternoon. ¡°You said you came to see me?¡± He nodded. ¡°Yes, would you minding with me?¡± He raised a brow. She didn¡¯t hesitate to say, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t.¡± He took her hand and came outside to their car, waiting on them. Jace stood beside the car and opened it to them as they approached. ¡°I hope it is nowhere fancy. I don¡¯t think I am well dressed for fancy.¡± She said, and her panic showed. Julian smiled at how cute she sounded. She was always fond of giving herself less credit than she deserved. It didn¡¯t matter if it was up to him to let her know just how perfect she was; he would. Trust me, what you look like doesn¡¯t matter where we are going.¡± He assured her. They arrived at the settlement, and when the car came to a stop. Julian got down and came to open the door to Fiona. She came down and smiled at him, mumbling a thank you. There was something about his presence that pacified her. It wasn¡¯t something; it was the mate bond, and only he could make her feel safe. He came to her and took her hand before leading her up the stairs of the settlement. All the while she climbed, she wondered what he had waiting for her at the settlement. What was it he wanted to show ber? They got to the top stair, which was the balcony, and he stopped walking and took her other hand. A smile came on his face, and it didn¡¯t leave. ¡°I love you, Fiona Lawrence, and the moon goddess couldn¡¯t have given me a better mate. I have known this for a while, but this past week further confirmed it.¡± Fiona didn¡¯t know where he was headed with this, but she didn¡¯t want to interrupt him. I love you, and even in life beyond, I pray I will get to love you there again. Mommy, Daddy Is The Lycan King +5 vouchers She heard cute noisesing from the right, and for the first time, she took her attention from him to look around, and behold, there were multitudes gathered in front of the settlement, staring at them. Her heart skipped, not knowing if what she saw was real. How did the car get through this crowd? How did she not see it? She was so engrossed by Julian¡¯s presence beside her that she forgot everything else. ¡°Fiona, Fiona, look at me.¡± He snapped her out of her thoughts, and she turned to him. ¡°They are real.¡± She whispered to him with wide eyes. they He smiled and nodded. ¡°The people know the story of what took ce, are here to show us support. They want to let us know they are here to support us with whatever we need. You are their healer, the one who came and saved them when no one did.¡± She nced at them once more before turning her attention to him. ¡°What are they doing here?¡± ¡°They came to hear me speak.¡± He said this and turned to the people who were gathering and watching them. Fiona silently listened because she was just as lost as they all¨Cmaybe even more. ¡°Many of you may have known the woman beside me as the healer, and you are right, but she is more than just a healer. She is Fiona Lawrence, daughter of Alpha Carl and Luma Bianca, scorned by her family and abandoned by her people. She had risen above it all to be the woman she is right now¨Ca fighter and a survival. Fiona had been my Luna in deration for a while now, butst week, before the terrible abduction of our sons, she became my Luna in rites.¡± He said, and his tone was filled with pride and adoration. ¡°The same respect and allegiance you give to me as the Lycan king. I expect you to give to her as your Luna queen, He turned to Fiona and bowed his head in respect for her. ¡°Before this great multitude, I call you my Luna queen,¡± he dered. ¡°Luna queen,¡± they echoed, and they bowed their heads as well. Fiona smiled nervously as she stared at the crowd of happy faces staring at her. For a second, she R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only thought she saw the bitter face of Vivian. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight, but as she blinked, Vivian was no longer there. She was hallucinating, and whoever she saw couldn¡¯t have been Vivian. She saw Vivian dragged into the dark world. She was gone, and she would nevere back. Julian pulled her closer to himself, and his smile removed the fear she had in her heart. ¡°I love you.¡± This was real: Julian, and the multitude gathered together to dere her queen and Luna. This was beyond anything she ever imagined being mated to the Lycan king, the father of her sons. It would only get better from here. She smiled back at him. ¡°I love you too.¡± Chapter 67 Chapter 67 A.N. This is the only author¡¯s note Part #2 will have, so please read it. Hello, wee, and thanks for sticking around. There is a pre-story that would set the tone for Part #2, and I would love for you all to read it. I wrote a book called ¡°The Alpha King Ugly Bride Series,¡± which spoke at length and gave insight into how the dark world (previously Dark Dimensions) worked. You can read it if you want, but please read The Note of the Dark World, and I hope you enjoy this book as much as you liked the first. THE DARK WORLD. The third world in all of creation, which was not created by the moon goddess¡­ All forms of darkness exist in this world; hence, only a few know of its existence¡­ In the beginning, the moon goddess had a lover who was her first partner; his name was Doom, and she created him to differpletely from her. Heplimented her. Since she couldn¡¯t be evil or experience any negative emotions, he would feed off her goodness to know what it was like. She also fed on his evil, sadness, and anger, which were what she wasn¡¯t. And so, things worked perfectly. The moon goddess then created life on earth. Among the first children of the moon goddess, Doom saw Chaos, a fair and beautiful maiden whom he had specially helped the moon goddess create, and he desired her. He took her and made her his lover, and together they massacred all the first children the moon goddess created. The moon goddess found out what they had done and banished Doom and Chaos into the Dark Dimension to live there for all eternity. Then the moon goddess created children again. However, she realised some of her children differed Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. from others, and so she created a barrier to keep the stronger from invading and harming the weaker ones. Two worlds were created: the werewolf world and the human world. Though the Dark Dimension existed, it was only known to a few, and those who could ess it were fewer, as ess to it required an unlimited amount of power. In thest three thousand years, more than a dozen have entered the dark dimensions in a quest for powers for selfish gains. Each time they entered, Doom gained a little ess to the world of the living, and this ess grew with every entrance of supernatural creatures. Over four hundred years ago, Doom gained enough power to move the Dark Dimension from a spiritually inessible point into the earth. III 07:31 Wed, 17 Jan B D Just like the moon goddess did for humans and the werewolf world, she created a barrier for the dark dimensions on earth and called it the Dark World. Then she erased the memories of her children so they wouldn¡¯t locate the Dark World. This she did to keep the werewolf safe from the very being that wanted nothing but their destruction. These barriers hadsted for four hundred years, but the werewolf in thest hundred years discovered the existence of the Dark world¡­ Fiona¡¯s eyes barely opened when she felt a pair of lips on hers, softly iming her lips. While she tried to think of what was going on, she felt a tongue pro d her lips apart. She moaned, and her hand came up to feel the one k*ssing her-the man of both her dreams and reality. ¡°Good morning, my love,¡± he mumbled as he pulled away to k*ss the spot where her neck met her shoulder, and she tingled helplessly. ¡°Good morning, gorgeous.¡± She replied, and a low moan left her mouth. He paused and pulled back to stare at her, and this time, hershes pulled apart, and she saw Julian¡¯s alluring green eyes on her. ¡°Gorgeous?¡± he said, raising a brow. It was the first time she had called him that since they had been together, and that had gotten to him more than she thought it would. She tried to y it cool. ¡°Well, you are gorgeous, so¡­¡± ¡°You have never called me gorgeous before, so what made today special?¡± She pressed her lips together, and she wanted to pull away, but she also wanted to finish what she had started. ¡°You have always been gorgeous to me, Julian. I might never have said it, but it is true,¡± she answered sincerely. His cheeks heated. Now she understood why he was taken aback. Herpliment affected him. He was more endowed than anyone she had ever met, physically and m entally. It came to her as a surprise that none of the women he was with before her had ever told him how beautiful he looked. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t their ce to make it known. Seeing him blush wasn¡¯t something she was used to seeing regrly, so this was special to her. ¡°You are a gorgeous man, Julian. I bet you know it, and if you don¡¯t, then I¡¯m d I was the first to tell it to you.¡± He said nothing; instead, he leaned in and k*ssed her lips hungrily. His hand pulled III O away the bed sheet she had around herself, and she moaned when his hand moved under her red silk nightgown that stopped mid-thigh. Lifting it came with ease for him, and he slipped two fingers into her even as he k*ssed her lips gently. Her hands tightened around his neck as his fingers explored her. Her breath hitched in her throat when he added the third and began moving it in and out at a faster pace. Her eyes rolled to the back, and hershes fell while being invaded and assaulted. ¡°Open your eyes,¡± he said in a low growl. It was amand, and she had no choice but to obey what he just said. Hershes fluttered open, and her desire-filled, glowing eyes remained open as his hands took what belonged to him. ¡°Perfect.¡± His lips moved to her shoulder and then down her chest and over her breast, hardening her nipples. He k*ssed the tip before curling his tongue around it and getting the reaction he wanted out of her. Fiona¡¯s feet coiled as she felt her releaseing in strong, like a wave. ¡°Julian!¡± she panted, letting him know she was closing in on her release. He pulled away from her left nipple and smiled at her. ¡°Come for me then?¡± he said, and once again, his voice held so muchmand in them that she had no choice but to do as he just told her. Her or gasm rocked through her, and she shook on the bed, and the only thing that kept her in position was his firm hold on her waist. Her or gasm cleared up, and there was much silence after. She saw Julian as her eyes opened back up, and he was still on top of her. She knew he was yet to be done with her. She knew this because of the ring hunger in his eyes as he beheld her now. Her eyes trailed down his shoulders, chest, and stomach, and down to the point of his intimacy, and there she found him, throbbing, looking ready to invade and take what was his. ¡°I need to have mine.¡± He told her, and she didn¡¯t even deny it. He deserved it. She wrapped her hand around him. He growled, and she kept her hand firm around him, moving it up and down. She pulled herself up a little as she k*ssed his lips, even as her hand pleasured him the best way she could. He moaned, loving what she was doing, and she felt tingles within herself, and she was getting turned on once again, just by the mere fact that she was enjoying this moment, ||| O this act, and she wanted to make itst for as long as she could. His hand came up to fondle her breasts, and she arched into him to get more, and she must have gotten greedy while seeking attention because her hold on him grew weak as he fondled and pleasured her two sets perfectly. It was her weakness, and he knew it too, and whenever he touched them, she caved and gave him whatever he wanted. He wouldn¡¯t have touched her this way if he wanted her to finish what she had started; he wouldn¡¯t distract her this much and make her focus on getting her own pleasure. He didn¡¯t y a fair game with her. She felt it. Her release was building up again, and she knew she would have it if he continued this. She would have two releases and fail to give him one. Julian hated when she kept scores, but that was what it was. She wanted him to be satisfied, but she couldn¡¯t think straight while his hands fondling her the way she wanted. ¡°I¡¯m gonna cu m, Julian.¡± He smiled at her. ¡°Go for it, gorgeous,¡± he said, and her head fell back onto the pillow. She wasn¡¯t even being fingered or taken properly, and she came again. GIFT III O Chapter 68 Chapter 68 ¡°Turn around.¡± He moaned into her ear, not giving her the time to recover. Although worn and numb in her senses, she began pulling herself up from the bed. He must have seen how weak she was because he wrapped his hands around her and supported her transition. He leaned in and k*ssed her shoulders, then over to her back, trailing his lips and tongue down her spine all the way. His hand came up from behind to touch her. From her legs, up her thigh, and then up her wetness. He cupped her, and her breath cut in her throat at the assault, but she pushed against him harder to get more. She dug her teeth into her lips, and her head fell on the pillow as she lost strength in her hand as he invaded. ¡°So wet, for me.¡± He moaned as he buried his entire length into her. Her entire b*dy responded, but she could not speak. He thrust into her, burying his entire length in her. Then he leaned in and k*ssed her back before picking up the pace. She moaned, and her head lifted as she pushed back against him, even as he drove. faster. He wrapped his fist in her hair and pulled her up while his other hand held her shoulder. He pulled her to himself so that her back pressed against him. The hair on his chest sent tingling sensations down her feet while he drove faster and harder into her, iming her as his and no one else. He k*ssed her lips. It was shallow andcked depth, but it was enough to fuel the me of emotion shooting through both of them. His hand on her shoulders moved down, and he cupped her left breast and gently fondled it while he drove faster and harder into her with all his might. ¡°Julian, I¡¯m close.¡± She said so, and her eyes grew teary from too much pleasure. As her org asmic sensation dissipated, he came and released his seeds into her. They both panted in bed. She shivered and writhed in oversensitivity, and she struggled to calm herself and her breath. Sat, 20 She felt Julian¡¯s arms around her waist, and the next second, he hauled her against himself. Their hearts raced unsteadily, and they slowed down with every second that passed. ¡°I love you.¡± Julian mumbled and then k*ssed her forehead. ¡°I love you too.¡± She said it through trembling lips. They stayed silent, listening to each other¡¯s heartbeat, and then Julian said, ¡°I will be gone for a few days to Band.¡± ¡°You are going to Band?¡± She asked, peaking up at him. ¡°Why am I only hearing about it now?¡± Whenever she heard of Band, the first thing she thought about was the incident that happened two years ago with Vivian and her boys. Though that was all gone and put behind her, it still terrified her to this day, and she felt chills all over her b*dy just at the mention of themunity in the east. She had to remind herself that Vivian was dead and would never harm her anymore. Her boys were safe, and so was she. She snapped out of her thoughts when Julian began to speak. ¡°Because I just decided a few minutes ago. I¡¯ve sent Keh thest three times, and he believes my presence would have a greater impact. It will be only for a few days at most.¡± Perhaps Julian¡¯s presence was what Band needed now. Three months ago, there was an outbreak that led to a riot, but Julian sent men in to keep the peace. Since then, he has sent Keh there twice. ¡°Then was that farewell S**?¡± She frowned at him while referring to what they just had. This S** feltpletely different from what they were used to. He chuckled and said, ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t. You called me gorgeous, and that got into my head.¡± He leaned in and k*ssed her lips. ¡°You coulde with me to Band.¡± She wanted to say yes, but she had to consider a lot of things first. ¡°It is so far east.¡± He nodded. ¡°I know; I will leave with the movers. Has that changed your mind?¡± She sighed, and her eyes dropped. ¡°I want toe with you, but I haven¡¯t been away Dreame from June and Jashin for that long in thest year. Besides, the citadel needs me.¡± He nodded. ¡°I understand. You have responsibilities here, and it won¡¯t be fair to take you with me just because I want to be with you and do all the nasty things I have in my head to your b*dy.¡± She giggled and thought about what that would be like. A part of her wanted to go with him; they had always gone together, but this time would be different. ¡°This will be the first time you will go without me in two years. I really wish I could ¡°It¡¯s fine. Stay here and rule in my absence. I will bring you tales of the visit while we make love. It is still a win for me.¡± The rest of the day, they spent taking care of affairs like they usually did. Since he would leave for Band this evening, everything had to be in ce for a smooth transition. She stayed beside him throughout the entire day. He ced Keh inmand, and he was to report directly to Fiona on all his affairs and findings. In the afternoon, Julian visited the Rayfield Academy to pick up June and Jashin from school. The boys had a lot of gossip to offload, and he indulged them in it, listening attentively to them all. When they finished, Ophelia came over to take charge of the boys. Fiona had reconnected with Ophelia after they began rebuilding Langfield, Fiona¡¯s biological parents¡¯ being alive was a gift from the moon goddess to Fiona. The older woman apologised for her inability to Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. do more for her when she stood on trial, but she told her it was all good. It was in the past now, and they were moving on. When the time came to leave Langfield, Ophelia came with her and became a nanny to June and Jashin. The boys bonded with her, and it was just as easy as breathing. Since then, Ophelia has taken care of them just like she once did for her. Fiona and Julian retired to their room together, and he asked her to shower with him. Just like this morning, he made her see stars before they stepped back into the bedroom to get ready. She helped Julian adjust his white shirt before handing it to him as he put on his khaki trousers. ¡°Thank you.¡± He said and pecked her lips quickly before pulling away to put it on. Dreame 07:49 Sat, 20 Jane S He finished dressing up and came over to where she stood, watching him. ¡°You look so handsome.¡± She gushed. He smirked. ¡°Not tempted to tell me to take my clothes off and take you to bed, are you?¡± He co cked a brow at her. She shivered on the inside as the thought of them tangled up in sheets rushed into her head and didn¡¯t leave. She still had the image of him between her legs in the bathroom stuck in her head. ¡°No,¡± she said, shaking her head and fighting off the smile that arrested her face. ¡°I will wait for you to get back to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think of you all the while I¡¯m gone.¡± He said that and k*ssed her lips again. She broke the k*ss. ¡°I know you are the Lycan king, and they are to wait for you; still, you shouldn¡¯t keep the movers waiting.¡± He smiled and nodded. ¡°You are right; walk with me.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for her response because he took her hand and walked them out of the room and onto the outside balcony. There, the movers stood waiting for him, just like she had suspected. His hand came up to stroke her face tenderly. ¡°I will be back before you know it.¡± She huffed under her breath, but it was loud enough for him to hear it. ¡°You better.¡± She told him in a t tone. ¡°I will miss you.¡± ¡°I will miss you too.¡± His hand fell from her face, and she missed it immediately and wanted it back. She held herself together and watched him walk off with the movers. She knew her decision to stay behind was for the best, yet in her heart, she felt as if she had just made the greatest mistake. She tried to shake the feeling off and think positively, but she couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°He will be back.¡± Ophelia said, and she turned around to find the older woman behind her. ¡°I know,¡± she answered with a nod. Dreame 07:49 Sat, 20 Jan le What she didn¡¯t know was how different he would be when he returned. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 ¡°If I knew you were visiting, I would have done a better job at getting ready to receive you,¡± Cam said as she handed Fiona a ss of milk, which she knew she used to like whenever she visited. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I would visit either. Julian had gone to Band on matters of peace,w, and order. Now, more than ever, that is what we need. Julian asked me toe along, but I said no. There was so much to do in the capital, and I couldn¡¯t abandon that for a sudden three-day trip.¡± After everything was restored in the werewolf world two years ago, she came to visit Cam along with her boys. Cam was delighted to see her and the boys alive and well. She told them how worried she had been in the months of her absence. Fiona didn¡¯t go into every detail, but she highlighted the important ones. She was getting married to the Lycan king of the werewolf world, the father of her sons. Cam was more than delighted at the news and begged for an invitation, and Fiona didn¡¯t deny her. The visit was also to ask her to be her maid of honour. She was her only true female friend, and Fiona needed her presence. Cam promised to give her a yes if she promised to return the favour when the time came. Fiona gave Cam her word, and they sealed the promise. Since then, their friendship had only grown stronger, and she had visited as often as she could whenever she came to the human world on protocols. Cam had always been a good friend to her, and so though her status has changed to that of Luna, Queen of the werewolf world, they will remain friends. ¡°Then why do I sense regret in your voice as you speak?¡± Cam asked and sat beside her. ¡°I don¡¯t know, just a bad feeling I have had since he left yesterday. I have no idea why I have it; he will be back tomorrow.¡± ¡°He will, and you have nothing to be worried about.¡± She reached out and tapped her knee gently before getting up and moving to the shelf in the living room, where the books were neatly arranged/ ¡°I guess you are right,¡± she said. ¡°How is Peter?¡± Dreame ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± she answered in a small voice after a long pause. ¡°Why do I feel like there is more to this story?¡± Fiona raised a brow at her. She sighed and turned to her, lifting a ring in her hand. ¡°He asked me to marry him.¡± Fiona¡¯s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped. ¡°Really? Congrattions! What did you say?¡± ¡°I said yes, but now that I have thought about it, I don¡¯t feel like ¡®yes¡¯ should have been my answer.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? The two of you are so perfect for each other.¡± Fear shed in her eyes. ¡°He is perfect for me; I don¡¯t think I am perfect for him.¡± Fionaughed in disbelief. ¡°You are. I have seen you a few times; I think you are afraid, and that is okay.¡± ¡°We are rushing things.¡± Cam said,ing up with another excuse. Fiona rose to her feet and stepped towards Cam, who still stood with an uncertain look on her face. ¡°I was engaged to the Lycan king after six months of serving on his estate.¡± ¡°That is different; you said he was your mate, and you two already have history.¡± Cam argued. She took her hands and said, ¡°We had a one-night stand. When it is right, time isn¡¯t the most important factor. You are afraid, and that is okay, but this is good for you. You two were friends before you started dating, and that was two years ago. Peter loves you, and you adore him; this is a good thing.¡± Cam pulled her into a tight hug, and smiling Fiona hugged back, providing as muchfort for her friend who needed it. Three dayster Julian had said he would return after two days, but it had been three days since his initial date of return, and he had yet to return to Rayfield. She would have been afraid and thought the worst if she didn¡¯t have the mate link. The link was stronger than ever. She didn¡¯t want to go looking for him because they revealed the timeline of his stay in the east to no one else. She had to give him time. Not to moan, but she had given him time three days ago, and there was still no sign of Dreame 07:50 Sat, 20 Jane S his return. It was evening, and that made it five days since he left for the east. He had always called whenever he was away, and he did four days ago, and he told her everything was going ording to n. That was thest call she got from him. She handled her affairs at the Citadel and also kept a close eye on the Hightower. Today, unlike when she started, she closed thetest. After finishing her duties, she retired to the mansion to rest, but she knew rest was something she hadn¡¯t had for three days now. ¡°We go again tomorrow,¡± Ken asked as they made their way to the door. Julian had kept him in charge of protecting her. She nodded and replied, ¡°Tomorrow.¡± He nodded and turned to take his leave when she called to him, ¡°Ken.¡± He halted and turned to her. ¡°You were in the east, and you took longer to return; I believe it was a day.¡± Last week, Julian told her Keh had stayed a day longer than he should have, which wasn¡¯t part of their n. Perhaps he would know a thing or two about Julian¡¯s dy now. ¡°It was twenty-three hours.¡± He answered, giving the specifics. She nodded. ¡°Why did you stay longer than necessary?¡± He remained silent, and that didn¡¯t feel right to her. His silence was thest thing she needed now. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Keh?¡± ¡°Something came up, and the n changed.¡± He answered, and his gaze moved from hers. And that was suspicious. ¡°What came up, Keh?¡± she asked. He stepped back. ¡°I cannot reveal anything to you. I am sorry.¡± ¡°I am your Luna queen; you do not keep anything from me. You ord me the same level of respect and loyalty as you do the Lycan king and ruler of the werewolf world.¡± ¡°I am sorry, my queen,¡± he bowed his head. She stepped closer to him and said, ¡°I do not need your apology; I need the truth. What happened in the east? Did you tell Julian this? Did you tell him something came up to Dreame 07:50 Sat, 20 Jan le change your n, or did you lie?¡± she demanded. He stared up at her as if he didn¡¯t know what to say. He knew something; it seemed he knew a lot. She wasn¡¯t going to let him go because there were a lot of things he wasn¡¯t revealing from the look of things. Keh was the most trustworthy and loyal man on the Lycan King¡¯s team, and if that had changed, she wanted to be the first to know about it. ¡°Speak, Keh, while you still can.¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would say there is fire on the mountain.¡± Julian said from across the balcony, and Fiona broke her gaze with Keh and turned to him. Relief washed over her face, and she ran over to him and threw her arms around him for a tight hug. They stayed that way for a while before pulling away. Her small hands came to cup his face. ¡°I was growing weary; you were to return three days ago, and when you didn¡¯t, I became worried.¡± She revealed it to him. He smiled and took hold of her hands. ¡°I know. The n was to return as fast as I could, but something came up and the ns changed. I had to stay and fix it all before returning.¡± She frowned at him, realising it was the same line Keh had used earlier with her. ¡°You could have called and told me that. My worry grew because you didn¡¯t think to call and keep me up to speed with everything.¡± ¡°My bad. Ken was doing exactly what I told him¡ªto say nothing.¡± He said and then turned to Keh, who still stood quietly behind, ¡°You are dismissed, Ken; I will carry on from here.¡± Ken nodded and took his leave without uttering a word. Though her mind wanted her to ask questions about what happened in the east, she was d he was home and just wanted to spend the night with him in quietness. ¡°The boys will be so excited to see you.¡± ¡°The boys?¡± He repeated it and looked a little lost. Her brows narrowed at him. She had always called June and Jashin the boys since she could remember, and he always knew what she meant. Dreame E ¡°The boys-your sons. June and Jashin.¡± She told him and saw his eyes light up at the rification. He ran a hand over his forehead, and hisshes fluttered briefly before exhaling. ¡°My mind was a little clouded.¡± Her heart went out to him. ¡°It must be from stress.¡± He nodded, agreeing with her words. ¡°It is. I cannot wait to see them too, but it is alreadyte; I do not want to go to them looking this exhausted.¡± ¡°That would be tomorrow. Come inside, and you can shower and have a good rest.¡± She didn¡¯t wait for his answer before taking his hand and pulling him inside. ? 0 Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Two weekster ¡°Luna Fiona!¡± ¡°Luna Fiona!¡± ¡°Luna Fiona!¡± Fiona snapped out of her thoughts at the mention of her name, and she saw the eyes of every one of the physicians at the citadel on her. The citadel, which was the former settlement, finished its reconstruction a year and a half ago. It became the capital of medical research in the werewolf world, and Fiona and Marion supervised it. Every two weeks, physicians all around the werewolf world meet to discuss their findings and any progress they have made in science. Six months after the citadel began running, Julian and Fiona took a step to meet up with the head of the World Health Organisation, along with his elders in the werewolf world. They propose a pact to share findings regarding the human world-if the humans promise to do the same. It was a fruitful step, and Julian handed over the werewolf world¡¯s findings on cancer treatments and their permanent cure. That was a year ago, and since then, the two worlds have shared resources not only medically but financially. It was all in an attempt to create a better world. Fiona supervised the citadel while Julian oversaw the High Tower, which was the financial caliphate in the entire werewolf world. The two never interfered with each other¡¯s running unless there was reason to. Fiona, in Julian¡¯s absence three weeks ago, kept a close eye on the Hightower, and he did the same for the Citadel whenever she visited the human world. They did visit each other at their workces. She couldn¡¯t count the number of times Julian had entered her office and backed her against her desk. Nor did she keep a record of the number of times she showed up at the High Tower unannounced and without any pants on. Those were the good times. There was no such thing anymore, and those memories felt like ages ago. ¡°I am sorry. What did you say?¡± She asked, turning her attention to Marion, who had called her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, and his eyes narrowed on her in concern. She nodded her head and forced a smile on her face, ¡°Oh, I am fine, Marion. You do not have to worry about me.¡± She lied, and it was something she never had to do before. She never did because she never had a reason to. It was two weeks, and Julian had yet to tell her he loved her, To anyone, that would be a light thing, but it wasn¡¯t to her. It was something that meant the world to her. A day had not gone by since they became official without him dering his feelings for her. Even when he was away, he called and made sure he reminded her of those words, and so she got used to them. He always made it his duty to tell her how much he loved her, in case she forgot. She didn¡¯t want to remind him that he had yet to tell her that he loved her. That would make her look pathetic and maybe desperate, and she didn¡¯t want to look that way. He should know that, but it had been two weeks since his return, and he didn¡¯t seem to remember. That wasn¡¯t the only different thing about him; he was no longer the way he used to be. Not with her, and not with her sons. He barely had time for them, and when he did, he was barely there. The old Julian always made time, but since his return, he has be a different being. Her senses didn¡¯t pick up any changes. He felt the same, and whenever they were alone, he couldn¡¯t take his hands off her, and she didn¡¯t stop him, but these changes had gotten to her. They were not little to her. She had asked him if all was right with him, but he had swept her away with his charming smile and told her all was fine. He made his excuse using work and the change in structure of the Hightower. She also had work, but she still prioritised him and her sons above all things, but she didn¡¯t push him. She carried on through the rest of the day, doing her best not to zone out again. When the day ended, she came home, hoping to see the boys at home, but when she came home, she was told they were yet to return. It was a Wednesday, which meant it was Julian¡¯s turn to pick them up. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. They were one hourter than their usual home time. Did he forget? Was that even possible? She couldn¡¯t y the wait game with her sons still in school, so she called him. The Hightower was closer to Rayfield Academy, so he would pick them up ande home. Thirty minutester, Julian¡¯s Jeep pulled up in front of their mansion. The boys came down along with Julian, and he held onto their hands, and they made their way inside. Fiona stood upstairs watching this and noticing the errors in the scene he was seeing. She came out of the bedroom to meet them, and the boys ran over to her to hug her tightly. ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°My babies.¡± She stooped and wrapped her arms around them for a tight hug before letting them go. ¡°You two must be exhausted.¡± June nodded. ¡°Yes, mommy.¡± ¡°I am so hungry.¡± Jashin announced dramatically, and Fiona chuckled. ¡°Good thing Ophelia is making your favourite. Spaghetti and vegetables.¡± The boys jumped around in excitement. ¡°Go freshen up and thene downstairs for your food, okay?¡± She didn¡¯t get to finish before the two boys took to their heels, running as fast as their little, weary legs could take them. Sheughed and then turned to Julian, who had been silent since he stepped into the room. ¡°I guess work was hectic?¡± She picked up his most famous line. He sighed. ¡°You are upset with me, and you should be; I should have done better, but I didn¡¯t, and I am sorry.¡± She nodded. ¡°It¡¯s fine then; just don¡¯t make a habit of forgetting to pick up your children. They will interpret it and say you do not care about them.¡± She expected him to counter herst statement and tell her that making a mistake today didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t care about them. That was what the Julian she knew would have done, but he said nothing. He remained silent, and that came as a surprise to her. He k*ssed her cheek and headed for the bedroom when she spoke. ¡°You also should carry them more. I noticed you haven¡¯t done that since you returned.¡± ¡°They are big boys, and they grew bigger with every passing day. I will wear myself out when carrying them.¡± ¡°They are seven, Julian.¡± She argued. ¡°They are big seven-year-olds.¡± He countered. ¡°And you are the Lycan king; that makes you the strongest man alive.¡± She didn¡¯t want to go back and forth with him; she just wanted to make him see just how faulty his argument was. ¡°What sort of interrogation is this?¡± he groaned, and he looked displeased. She sighed and rubbed her forehead. ¡°I do not want to argue with you.¡± ¡°That is not how I¡¯m receiving it.¡± He spoke, and his tone told her his guards had gone up. There was no need for that; she was just worried. She pressed her lips together and stepped towards him. ¡°I am sorry then; I want to know if you are okay. That is all. You will tell me if something is wrong, won¡¯t you?¡± She came to him and ced her hands around his waist to ease the tension his b*dy had created. Her gaze locked on his green ones, and there she saw him trying his best to keep his emotions as far away as possible. There was so muchmotion in his eyes, and she didn¡¯t know what to make of them. ¡°I am fine.¡± He finally replied and drew a sharp breath: ¡°Hectic day as always, but I am fine. I promise. I will not forget to pick the boys up again.¡± away. She nodded and shed him a smile. He leaned in, k*ssed her lips, and walked ¡°You shoulde along; showering together is one of my favourite things.¡± He called to her. She followed behind. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 08 Fiona¡¯s eyes opened, and she turned to her side to see Julian fast asleep. She spent the first few moments staring at his face. She didn¡¯t do this to see if there was something wrong with him physically because there was nothing to find. He looked the same as always. He also felt, talked, andughed the same way. Hell, he even made love to her the same way he always had. A little better each time. Their mate bond was still as strong as ever, and her senses didn¡¯t pick up any change within him, either. Yet she knew there was something wrong. A lot of things differed from how they used to be; it was a subtle change, but it was there, and it caused her heart to ache. Her heart ached not just for herself, but for the entire werewolf world. Perhaps she was overthinking it. Was she? First, he spent more time in Band than he told her he would. Then Keh acted strangely the day he came back. After his return, he disyed much change, despite it being subtle. He spoke to himself. He wasn¡¯t the same with her sons. He forgot to pick them up and then imed they were too big for him to lift. Their parent-teacher meeting was this past Friday, and he called her at thest minute and told her he wouldn¡¯t make it. He apologised when he came home, but it was another thing she didn¡¯t understand. Something was wrong with him, and that meant that the entire werewolf world was in danger. ¡°You know, when you stare at me this way, I feel like I have been a bad boy.¡± Julian¡¯s sleepy, h oa rse voice said it, and it sent shivers down her spine. ¡°Well, have you been a bad boy?¡± She yed along with him, tucking her hands under her head but not breaking her gaze from him. 1 His lips paused for a while as he gave himself a quick thought. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have been. I listen to you, I apologise when I am wrong, and I fall short on my responsibilities. The S** is still good, but I don¡¯t know; I might be wrong.¡± Well, he was right about that. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She got on top of him and said, ¡°You have been a good boy, and good boys get rewarded.¡± She ran her hand over his hairy chest and then trailed his shoulders and up his neck. ¡°Oh, I love the sound of reward.¡± He said, and his hand came to take hold of her waist. She smiled at him as he prated and began thrusting into her slowly. She ced her hand on his head, and hershes fluttered. She tried to see if there was something wrong with him. Something she could figure out. Their bond would show her the truth if she focused, and if something was wrong, she could heal it. For this to work, she had to concentrate, and he had to stay still, but she doubted he would want to do that. She couldn¡¯t do this while he slept because it wouldn¡¯t yield the same result, nor could she tell him the truth, so this was the best time. There was nothing wrong with him on the surface, and that meant she had to go further. She didn¡¯t know how long she could keep her hands on him before he noticed what she was up to and stopped her. Darkness invaded her senses, and she thought she saw the face of a pretty blondedy before his hand took hold of hers and broke her concentration. Her eyes snapped open to see him. ¡°Turn around.¡± He said, but he didn¡¯t wait for her to move because he flipped her so that she was on her hands and knees. He knew what she was doing, and this was his way of interrupting that. She couldn¡¯t stay concentrated on what they were having because the only thing on her mind was figuring out what happened to the man beside her. When Julian got ready for work, Fiona didn¡¯t. ¡°Are you not going to the citadel today?¡± he asked as he wore his ck trousers. ¡°No. I will stay home today. I do not feel too well.¡± She replied. It wasn¡¯t aplete lie; she didn¡¯t feel well emotionally, and she didn¡¯t want to go to the citadel and zone out like she didst week. ¡°Do you need me to stay home with you?¡± he asked,ing over to the bedside where she was. She shook her head and smiled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want that. We do not have that luxury.¡± He k*ssed her lips and said, ¡°You are my Luna; I can afford the luxury.¡± % Her hand came up to stroke his face. ¡°I do not want you to. I will be fine. All I need is rest.¡± Three hours after his departure, she summoned the movers. These, however, were different from the ones that went to Band with Julian a month ago because she wanted secrecy. She needed to go to Band if she wanted to find out what happened to Julian. The movers arrived, and together they departed for Band. They arrived at the far cast, which was Band, and to Fiona¡¯s surprise, the entiremunity was in ruin. Band wasn¡¯t as prosperous as the othermunities, but it wasn¡¯t as ruined as it is now. The houses were burned down, and the ones that were not burned down were abandoned. The fields were dry, with barely anything growing. There was no trace of life there and the sun and earth were harsher than shest remember. Everything here reeked of death. Julian told her he had restored the peace, but this didn¡¯t look like a restoration. If themunity was now in ruin, it meant he had lied to her. What did he do here? What did Keh do here? Why did they stay longer than they were supposed to? What were they hiding? She returned home with more questions than she thought she would have. She couldn¡¯t leave her room or speak to anyone, and when it was time to pick the boys up from school, she asked Ophelia to bring them home. The older woman obeyed without asking questions, and even when her sons returned, she couldn¡¯t go to meet them. Julian arrived home, and she stood at the window, watching him drop from the car. She watched him enter, and a few minutester, he opened the door of the bedroom and stepped inside. The door closed, and Fiona didn¡¯t turn around to see Julian. She knew her eyes would tell tales of the horror they had seen today. ¡°Wee home.¡± She found her voice to speak after he tossed his suitcase onto the bed and stepped towards her. ¡°Thank you. How do unwell this morning. you feel now?¡± He asked, and she remembered telling him she was ¡°I feel much better, thanks.¡± He came close to her and k*ssed her hair while his hand went around her waist. ¡°You are wee, and you do not have to ask me; work was stressful as always.¡± He released his hold on her and stepped away to sit on the bed. Now she wondered if the stress came from the guilt of what he did in Band. Or the lies he had told her in the past month. ¡°I can imagine.¡± She said, turned around to face him, and saw him taking off his shoes. His head lifted, and he saw her eyes, and worry took hold of his entire being. ¡°What is wrong?¡± he asked. Was this an act? It looked genuine, but she couldn¡¯t trust it; she couldn¡¯t trust anything. with him. She didn¡¯t answer his question; instead, she asked, ¡°What happened in Band?¡± His eyes narrowed at her, and she knew he was going to y the clueless game with her. ¡°I do not understand.¡± ¡°Okay, let me rephrase: What did you do in Band because what I saw didn¡¯t look like restoring the peace? It was the annihtion of an entiremunity.¡± ¡°What you saw?¡± He repeated and rose to his feet. ¡°You went to Band?¡± She stepped towards him and said, ¡°I had to; you have bepletely different since your return, and you lied to me. You told me everything was fine in Band, but what I saw told me nothing was fine, and nothing will ever be fine there. The lives destroyed can never be gotten back. How did that happen, Julian?¡± His hand balled into a fist. ¡°You do not know what you talk about.¡± He shut her down and turned away from her. ¡°What is wrong? What happened in Band? Who is a blonde woman in your mind? You can tell me, I will understand and we will figure it out together. Like always, I promise.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± he snapped, and his voice shook the entire room, making her jump in her stand. It was clear he had lost it with her unending question. ¡°The only thing wrong with me is you! You and went behind my back; you undermine my authority and question me in my house!¡± he growled at her, and she felt a shiver, and this was a terrifying sight for her. How she was able to speak after that came as a surprise to her: ¡°I am your Luna; it is my ce to have your best interests at heart. I have to ask questions when things are out of ce.¡± His cold gaze lifted, and they locked on hers. ¡°I need you to leave this room and don¡¯te back.¡± He pointed to the door. Her heart clenched in pain, and she covered her mouth in shock. ¡°Julian¡­¡± ¡°Do not make me repeat myself!¡± Chapter 72 Chapter 72 ¡°Mommy, when are you going back to your room?¡± June asked as Fiona got them ready for school. Since her fight with Julian, she has stayed here in her son¡¯s room, and it has been weeks. Yes, she could have chosen another room to stay in. The mansion had about seven rooms, and since Julian sent her out of their bedroom and not from the mansion, she could have gone to one of the rooms. She couldn¡¯t stay in any of those rooms because she couldn¡¯t stand the idea of being alone. It was a weakness, but after the destruction she witnessed in Band, she didn¡¯t have the courage to go to sleep alone. The burned bodies and the dried blood on the streets, the houses set on fire, and the parks and sites turned upside down. Burnt cars flipped upside down, with those in them trapped and burnt to death. Mother and child speared into the wall. It looked like something she would see in a horror movie, but it was reality, and she saw it all. Julian knew about the ruin or had a hand in it. She had seen him every day since their fight. Since she stayed in their son¡¯s room, he saw her every time he came to check up on them. He would casually greet her and then carry on as if she wasn¡¯t in the room. It hurt every single time. She had tried starting a conversation with him, but he didn¡¯t give her the time. He was still angry at her, and it showed. She wanted them to findmon ground, though, for the sake of their sons. ¡°I don¡¯t know; do you not want me here?¡± She asked, raising a brow at him. ¡°Do not listen to June; I am happy that you are here.¡± Jashin said, smiling cheekily. She smiled at Jashin and helped him put on his tie. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°I am also happy she is here; I just asked a question.¡± June grumbled. She helped June put on his tie as well. ¡°Okay, June, how about this? I will leave your room when you tell me to leave.¡± He nodded, and a smile came onto his face. ¡°Deal.¡± They were ready, and so was she, for the citadel. She was still the chief supervisor of the activities in the citadel, and her disagreement with Julian didn¡¯t change that. She carried out her duties every day with a brave face and head held high, leaving no room for spection. She opened the door, and she saw Julian standing at the door, looking ready for work. He came to see his sons, as he always did. ¡°Good morning, Julian,¡± she greeted and stepped out of the way so he could greet his soris. ¡°Good morning, Fiona.¡± He replied, and his eyes lingered on her for a longer time before moving on to his sons. After a few minutes of greeting, he stepped aside, and she took them out. The day went on as it usually did. And after the first few hours were spent doing much research, it was break time. Deciding against her usual routine, which was to have lunch brought to her office, she decided to eat out. At the citadel¡¯s cafeteria, she wanted to sit with Jolene, Marion¡¯s mate, and her group of friends, who ate at the other table when she saw them. They seemed to be whispering and shaking their heads before they saw her. ¡°Luna Fiona!¡± Jolene called, and a look of guilt showed on her face. ¡°Jolene,¡± she replied and smiled at the older woman. ¡°Can I sit here?¡± Jolene nodded vigorously, which felt suspicious. ¡°Yes, you can.¡± She sat with her tray and began to eat. The three women who were at the table became silent, and they were no longer whispering amongst themselves. ¡°You do not have to stop speaking because of me, you know,¡± she told them, her eyes moving from one woman¡¯s face to another. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Luna Fiona; it was an inappropriate talk.¡± Elise, the second woman, said. This caught her interest. ¡°Oh,¡± she said, biting into her cucumber. ¡°What was it, then?¡± Elise¡¯s eyes widened, and she shook her head. ¡°You will be mad.¡± ¡°Is it about me?¡± Elise¡¯s head dropped in shame, and she nodded. ¡°Yes, Luna.¡± ¡°Then tell me about it.¡± ¡°You will not be happy about it.¡± Jolene cut in, trying to save them all. She red at Jolene. She had always had great respect for the olderdy, but finding out she was gossiping about her and then trying to bury it annoyed her. ¡°Let me be the judge of that, will you?¡± she said and turned to Elise, ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°There is a ruumour about the Lycan king.¡± She began and then tried to downy it: ¡°It is very silly.¡± ¡°What rumour is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a rumour that the Lycan king has a mistress.¡± She quietly revealed, as if the Lycan king were in the cafeteria with them. ¡°A mistress.¡± She repeated in disbelief. When they told her there was a rumour, she thought it was about the fact that Julian sent her out of their room or maybe even what happened at Band, but it wasn¡¯t. It was this. There could not be any truth in this. They were going down a rocky road. Julian was hiding a lot of things, and he needed toe out with them, but it wasn¡¯t a mistress. ¡°I told you it was silly.¡± Jolene spoke, and that pulled her out of her thoughts. ¡°Silly yet you entertained it, Jolene. I am quite disappointed.¡± She said that and rose to her feet with her tray of food. She just lost her appetite. ¡°I am sorry, Luna; like I told them when they told me, I don¡¯t think there is such a thing.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡± Fiona said it tly, shutting down the rumour. ¡°We know better now. The Lycan king and the luna are happier than ever, and all is better than ever. I am sorry, and I will do better.¡± Fiona carried on the rest of the day, counting down the hours before she would have to leave and pick up her sons. Jace greeted her as she approached the car, whose door he held open for her. She nodded at him and N?velDrama.Org is the owner. entered, and he shut the door for her. He took the route he usually took whenever he drove her to the academy to pick up her sons. Today, however, she told him to take the road that would take them to the Hightower to meet Julian. Somehow the rumours Jolene and her clique of friends spewed around earlier had gotten to her, and now she wanted to see if there was any truth to any of them. Julian had sent her out of their matrimonial bedroom a few weeks ago after she confronted him with the truth. She thought it had to do with Band, but if the rumours were true, then he had someone else in line waiting to take her ce. She would also be the one responsible for his unexinable change. She was Luna; no one could take her ce. Yet, a part of her believed someone could. He was the Lycan king; he could do whatever he wanted. ¡°Luna, you want to see the Lycan king?¡± Jace asked, giving small talk an attempt. ¡°It has been a while since I showed up unannounced.¡± She said even though that wasn¡¯t her reason for wanting to visit the tower today. She thought they would have to go to the Hightower for her to prove the rumour, but she was wrong because she spotted Julian at the park outside the Hightower building. He looked brighter than she had seen him these past weeks, and whatever was going on had to be good. She almost asked Jace to stop when she saw Julian take what looked like ady¡¯s hand and k*ss the back of it tenderly. Fiona¡¯s heart tightened in her chest at the sight. Julian didn¡¯t k*ss the hands of anyone; those privileges were reserved for her alone. So seeing this felt the same as seeing him k*ss her lips. Her eyes blurred at the sight of Julian swooning over thedy whose face she failed to see before the car drove past. The car slowed down as it approached the Hightower¡¯s entrance, but she spoke before it could stop. ¡°I change my mind; please take me home.¡± She came for the truth, but she wasn¡¯t ready for it. The rumours were true; Julian had a mistress. C 0 Chapter 73 Chapter 73 ¡°Mommy, when are you going back to your room?¡± June asked as Fiona got them ready for school. Since her fight with Julian, she has stayed here in her son¡¯s room, and it has been weeks. Yes, she could have chosen another room to stay in. The mansion had about seven rooms, and since Julian sent her out of their bedroom and not from the mansion, she could have gone to one of the rooms. She couldn¡¯t stay in any of those rooms because she couldn¡¯t stand the idea of being alone. It was a weakness, but after the destruction she witnessed in Band, she didn¡¯t have the courage to go to sleep alone. The burned bodies and the dried blood on the streets, the houses set on fire, and the parks and sites turned upside down. Burnt cars flipped upside down, with those in them trapped and burnt to death. Mother and child speared into the wall. It looked like something she would see in a horror movie, but it was reality, and she saw it all. Julian knew about the ruin or had a hand in it. She had seen him every day since their fight. Since she stayed in their son¡¯s room, he saw her every time he came to check up on them. He would casually greet her and then carry on as if she wasn¡¯t in R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only the room. It hurt every single time. She had tried starting a conversation with him, but he didn¡¯t give her the time. He was still angry at her, and it showed. She wanted them to findmon ground, though, for the sake of their sons. ¡°I don¡¯t know; do you not want me here?¡± She asked, raising a brow at him. ¡°Do not listen to June; I am happy that you are here.¡± Jashin said, smiling cheekily. She smiled at Jashin and helped him put on his tie. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°I am also happy she is here; I just asked a question.¡± June grumbled. She helped June put on his tie as well. ¡°Okay, June, how about this? I will leave your room when you tell me to leave.¡± He nodded, and a smile came onto his face. ¡°Deal.¡± They were ready, and so was she, for the citadel. She was still the chief supervisor of the activities in the citadel, and her disagreement with Julian didn¡¯t change that. She carried out her duties every day with a brave face and head held high, leaving no room for spection. She opened the door, and she saw Julian standing at the door, looking ready for work. He came to see his sons, as he always did. ¡°Good morning, Julian,¡± she greeted and stepped out of the way so he could greet his sons. ¡°Good morning, Fiona.¡± He replied, and his eyes lingered on her for a longer time before moving on to his sons. After a few minutes of greeting, he stepped aside, and she took them out. The day went on as it usually did. And after the first few hours were spent doing much research, it was break time. Deciding against her usual routine, which was to have lunch brought to her office, she decided to eat out. At the citadel¡¯s cafeteria, she wanted to sit with Jolene, Marion¡¯s mate, and her group of friends, who ate at the other table when she saw them. They seemed to be whispering and shaking their heads before they saw her. ¡°Luna Fiona!¡± Jolene called, and a look of guilt showed on her face. ¡°Jolene,¡± she replied and smiled at the older woman. ¡°Can I sit here?¡± Jolene nodded vigorously, which felt suspicious. ¡°Yes, you can.¡± She sat with her tray and began to eat. The three women who were at the table became silent, and they were no longer whispering amongst themselves. ¡°You do not have to stop speaking because of me, you know,¡± she told them, her eyes moving from one woman¡¯s face to another. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Luna Fiona; it was an inappropriate talk.¡± Elise, the second woman, said. This caught her interest. ¡°Oh,¡± she said, biting into her cucumber. ¡°What was it, then?¡± Elise¡¯s eyes widened, and she shook her head. ¡°You will be mad.¡± ¡°Is it about me?¡± Elise¡¯s head dropped in shame, and she nodded. ¡°Yes, Luna.¡± ¡°Then tell me about it.¡± ¡°You will not be happy about it.¡± Jolene cut in, trying to save them all. She red at Jolene. She had always had great respect for the olderdy, but finding out she was gossiping about her and then trying to bury it annoyed her. ¡°Let me be the judge of that, will you?¡± she said and turned to Elise, ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°There is a rumour about the Lycan king.¡± She began and then tried to downy it: ¡°It is very silly.¡± ¡°What rumour is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a rumour that the Lycan king has a mistress.¡± She quietly revealed, as if the Lycan king were in the cafeteria with them. ¡°A mistress.¡± She repeated in disbelief. When they told her there was a rumour, she thought it was about the fact that Julian sent her out of their room or maybe even what happened at Band, but it wasn¡¯t. It was this. There could not be any truth in this. They were going down a rocky road. Julian was hiding a lot of things, and he needed toe out with them, but it wasn¡¯t a mistress. ¡°I told you it was silly.¡± Jolene spoke, and that pulled her out of her thoughts. ¡°Silly yet you entertained it, Jolene. I am quite disappointed.¡± She said that and rose to her feet with her tray of food. She just lost her appetite. ¡°I am sorry, Luna; like I told them when they told me, I don¡¯t think there is such a thing.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡± Fiona said it tly, shutting down the rumour. ¡°We know better now. The Lycan king and the luna are happier than ever, and all is better than ever. I am sorry, and I will do better.¡± Fiona carried on the rest of the day, counting down the hours before she would have to leave and pick up her sons. Jace greeted her as she approached the car, whose door he held open for her. She nodded at him and entered, and he shut the door for her. He took the route he usually took whenever he drove her to the academy to pick up her sons. Today, however, she told him to take the road that would take them to the Hightower to meet Julian. Somehow the rumours Jolene and her clique of friends spewed around earlier had 13:05 Tue, 23 Jan 6 ? gotten to her, and now she wanted to see if there was any truth to any of them. Julian had sent her out of their matrimonial bedroom a few weeks ago after she confronted him with the truth. She thought it had to do with Band, but if the rumours were true, then he had someone else in line waiting to take her ce. She would also be the one responsible for his unexinable change. She was Luna; no one could take her ce. Yet, a part of her believed someone could. He was the Lycan king; he could do whatever he wanted. ¡°Luna, you want to see the Lycan king?¡± Jace asked, giving small talk an attempt. ¡°It has been a while since I showed up unannounced.¡± She said even though that wasn¡¯t her reason for wanting to visit the tower today. She thought they would have to go to the Hightower for her to prove the rumour, but she was wrong because she spotted Julian at the park outside the Hightower building. He looked brighter than she had seen him these past weeks, and whatever was going on had to be good. She almost asked Jace to stop when she saw Julian take what looked like ady¡¯s hand and k*ss the back of it tenderly. Fiona¡¯s heart tightened in her chest at the sight. Julian didn¡¯t k*ss the hands of anyone; those privileges were reserved for her alone. So seeing this felt the same as seeing him k*ss her lips. Her eyes blurred at the sight of Julian swooning over thedy whose face she failed to see before the car drove past. The car slowed down as it approached the Hightower¡¯s entrance, but she spoke before it could stop. ¡°I change my mind; please take me home.¡± She came for the truth, but she wasn¡¯t ready for it. The rumours were true; Julian had a mistress. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Fiona stayed in bed, unable to sleep. There was another woman in Julian¡¯s life, and what she had seen today confirmed it. She had believed this was a phase that they would move out of as time went on, but today¡¯s truth told her there was no going back. Or at least, Julian didn¡¯t want to go back. He was moving on. How was that possible? She was his mate. She had repeated those four words for over a month now, and every time she said them, they held less weight. She believed the mate bond was unbreakable. Even with everything that had happened so far, her bond with him still existed and was as strong as it always had been. If hers was strong, it meant he hadn¡¯t broken his. So how could he have another when she was here? How could he feel anything for someone else? Her eyes blurred up, knowing this was not the life she saw for herself two years ago. She thought everything would be better from then on, but the reverse has been the case. She missed him. She missed everything about him. Hisugh, his frown, and hiszy face when he didn¡¯t want to do anything. She also missed his presence. The way he k*ssed her, held her, and touched her. She missed letting go in his hands, knowing he would keep her safe. Seeing him every day but not being able to have those things crushed her. Knowing that these changes were because of another woman made her angry. Why was she so special to him? When did the affair start? What did his new woman give him that she didn¡¯t? She sank low with each question. He was across the hall, and she could go and ask him to tell her the truth. The old Julian would tell her everything in a heartbeat as soon as she asked, but this new Julian wasn¡¯t her Julian. He would either lie or tell her she had no right to ask him questions. He had the utmost authority and would implement it if he saw fit. Such authority included sending her away from the mansion so she would be far away from her sons. She didn¡¯t want to risk that. She needed to thread carefully. She barely had enough sleep before the rm went off and her eyes snapped open. Ona growled within her, and she knew her wolf wanted more time to sleep. The full moon was fast approaching, and so she felt Ona¡¯s presence more than ever. She couldn¡¯t go back to sleep, though. She had to get her sons ready for school. This 13:05 Tue, -3 0/% used to be Ophelia¡¯s job, but since she began staying with her sons two weeks ago, it has be her duty. She loved doing it, but today she felt so tired and needed to shut her eyes. Regardless of how tired she felt, she pulled herself up, took her shower, and moved to wake the boys up to have their bath. Having gone to bed earlyst night, the boys woke up without fuss. She bathes them and dresses them up for school. As she wore June¡¯s red tie to match his uniform, a knock came on the door, and her senses picked up the scent. It was Julian, and her heartbeat ski pped in her chest. She knotted the tie, moved over to the door, and opened it to him. She took a deep breath at the sight of him. ¡°Good morning, Fiona,¡± Julian said casually. ¡°Good morning, Julian.¡± She replied. This had be their way of talking to each other. It was also the only time they spoke to each other most days now. How things changed. She thought. ¡°Good morning, Daddy!¡± the boys echoed in excitement. Julian turned his attention to June and Jashin, and a smile came onto his face. ¡°Oh, I see you are ready for school.¡± The boysughed and nodded, ¡°Yes, daddy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Ready to go?¡± He asked them, and they nodded. He took their hands and was about to leave the room when June spoke. ¡°Are you and mommy still fighting?¡± His question took Julian by surprise, and Fiona covered her mouth, as she didn¡¯t see iting. ¡°What made you think we were fighting?¡± ¡°She has been sleeping in our room for thest two weeks. That is strange, and you two no longer talk as much as you used to. You do not smile at each other, and you don¡¯t k*ss her. She was also crying Fiona¡¯s eyes grew ssy at June¡¯s questions, which were fueled by much observation. Julian¡¯s gaze moved to Fiona, and she looked away from him. ¡°We are not fighting, June; we just have our disagreement. Adults have those once in a while.¡± ¡°Will you two agree soon?¡± June didn¡¯t seem to be done yet. Julian nodded, but Fiona knew that was a lie. ¡°Yes. We will work it out. I promise.¡± With that said, June said nothing as Julian took them to school. She didn¡¯t go to the citadel; she had more important things to do. So she called in and told them she would not being in today. Marion asked if she was okay, and she told him that she was, then told him there was something she had to do. He asked no further questions before ending the call. In the past, she would have believed she was better than this, but she wanted to know the woman who was with Julian yesterday. She had very limited information, but with her level of determination, she was certain she would find a needle in a mountain of haystacks. She arrived at the spot in the park where she had seen Julian and the other woman yesterday, and she waited there. She was in a ck hood and trousers. This meant she would be able to move around freely without being spotted or called the Lycan king¡¯s Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. mate. A part of her felt this was the wrong way to go about it. She could not stand here and wait forever. She also didn¡¯t know what the other woman looked like, but she knew she would be back. If thisdy was the Lycan king¡¯s new interest, then she would definitely lurk around more often than most. After an hour of waiting, she was about to give up when she saw a figure walking out of the high tower in a white pencil skirt, stopping above her knee with a long sleeve tucked into the skirt. Fiona noticed the same purple amethyst bracelet the woman who stood with Julian wore yesterday. She was the same woman. Fiona didn¡¯t move closer; there was no need for interrogation or anything. She just wanted to know the woman who now had Julian¡¯s attention. The woman turned around, as though looking for someone, and Fiona saw her face. She was pretty, blonde, had hazel eyes, and had a high cheekbone; it felt as if she had seen her before. Fiona¡¯s heart sank into her stomach as the face clicked in her head. She was the same woman whose face she saw when she ced her hands on Julian¡¯s head. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Fiona¡¯s first thought after everything dawned on her was to go home and confront Julian about his affair and betrayal. She wanted to ask him what thisdy¡¯s connection to Band was, but she already knew how that conversation would go. He would tell her how she had no business meddling or following him, and there would be no progress in her pursuit. She had seen her face in Julian¡¯s mind two weeks ago, and that told her there was so much more to her than she knew. Fiona remembered the ruin she saw in Band, and if Julian¡¯s mistress had a hand in it, she wanted to know. The first thing that crossed her mind was taking Jashin and June and running away. They weren¡¯t safe in the werewolf world, not with their father ensnared in what she called a trap from hell. Where could she go, though? There was no ce on the face of the entire earth where Julian would not find her, especially if she left with her sons. He would drag her back and have a good time doing it. The man she had lived with these past weeks didn¡¯t care about her; it showed in his demeanour and tone that he could careless about her life and safety. He would harm her and not think twice about it if she crossed him. Going against her better judgement, she followed thedy who now approached the ck Jeep with tainted ss, which was just parked at the side of the road. The jeep drove her to the Tarmack head office, which waspleted a few months ago. This b*dy oversaw conflict and crisis, and it seemed Julian Mistress worked here. She followed her into the building, and when she entered the office area, Fiona followed as well. The closer Fiona got to her, the greater the presence of darkness she felt. Still, she kept close. If there was darkness within her, then she could have done something to Julian. Perhaps she ced him under her spell. Anger surged through her at the very thought. ¡°Why are you following me?¡± thedy asked as Fiona stepped into the office area, and for the first time in a few minutes, they were alone. Panic disyed itself in her eyes, but Fiona did not let that stop her. ¡°I know who you are, and I know what you are doing.¡± Fiona cut to the chase. ¡°I would ask why, but there is a darkness within you, and I can feel it.¡± She didn¡¯t say thest part, to scare her; it was the truth. She noticed it after she started following her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about, Luna Fiona.¡± She said it with a trembling tone of voice. Fiona stepped towards her, and she stepped back. ¡°I know you work for the dark world. You had a hand in the ruin of Band, and you have Julian under some evil control.¡± Isis took a step back, and her trembling b*dy came into contact with the desk. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you speak about. I am Isis North. I am a crisis manager, brought onto the Lycan King¡¯s team to help navigate the way forward for our kind,¡± she replied. Fiona couldn¡¯t let Isis¡¯ pretentious fear deter her goal; she knew what she felt. It was darkness; she wasn¡¯t innocent. ¡°Liar! I know who you are; I saw you with the Lycan King yesterday, and there is more to it than you being on his team. You will undo whatever evil you did to him.¡± Fiona said and stepped towards her. At these words, Isis stopped trembling. The look of panic that was in her eyes before vanished, and a corny one appeared on her face. She stepped forward to stand toe to toe with Fiona. ¡°What you know doesn¡¯t matter; what matters is what Julian believes. You are crazy, rebellious, and a mistake for a mate; this is what he believes, and the best you can do is to be an obedient little Luna and stay in yourne.¡± Isis bit out, and her eyes glowed blue. Fiona lost control and mmed her fist into her jaw; this took Isis back, and she hit the table behind her. She didn¡¯t let her recover because she grabbed her by the hair and pulled her forward. ¡°You want me to be an obedient little Luna? Does this look obedient enough?¡± Fiona snarled at her as she delivered multiple punches to her, and blood trickled down Isis¡¯ mouth. She shoved her knee into her stomach, and Isis¡¯ attempt to shield was pathetic at best. She grabbed Isis¡¯s neck and tightened her grip around it. Isis struggled with her in an attempt to set herself free, but it was futile; she would choke her to death if it meant she would get her mate back. She watched as life faded from Isis¡¯ eyes as she had her pinned on top of her table. Fiona¡¯s w dug into her flesh, and as they came into contact with her blood, she saw herself standing at the gates of the dark world, and she knew she was in a trance. It wasn¡¯t a coincidence that she was here; she knew Isis had connections to the dark world. Julian had begun acting differently many weeks ago, aftering back from Band. The dark world was up to something evil, and it had everything to do with her. 13:05 Tue, 23 Jan Jb The gates opened to her, and she was about to enter when the office door flew open. The very second Fiona¡¯s senses picked up the scent, and it was that of Julian. He was thest person she wanted here. He would read everything wrong and think she was the crazy one since she had her hands wrapped around the now unconscious Isis¡¯s neck. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He roared at her, and the vein on his forehead popped out angrily. ¡°Let her go.¡± Hemanded, but she didn¡¯t obey; she didn¡¯t want to. Isis needed to die, and he didn¡¯t understand it now, but soon he will realise she did all this for him. ¡°Let her go now!¡± He thundered at her, and his voice shook the entire office,pelling her to let go. She released Isis from her grip, but before her b*dy could hit the ground, Julian rushed to her and wrapped his arms protectively around her. ¡°Julian, listen-¡± she began, but didn¡¯t get to finish. ¡°You will stay there and say nothing,¡± hemanded. His eyes glowed, and his words took effect on her because she found herself unable to speak. This has never happened to her. He had never used his powers on her before. He ced his hand on her face and slowly shook it to wake her up, and after half a minute passed, Isis¡¯ ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asked with a soft tone. She nodded weakly, and Fiona wanted tounch at her again, but Julian¡¯smand had left her pinned to one ce. He released her, and she leaned her weight heavily on her desk. Then he turned to Fiona, his eyes zing with furious fire. ¡°Can you tell me what you thought you were doing?¡± he demanded. The same second, she snapped out of the hold he ced on her and spoke. ¡°Listen to me; she isn¡¯t who you think she is! Isis works for the dark world!¡± Fiona said, but he didn¡¯t seem to believe her. ¡°She told me so,¡± and then her eyes moved to Isis, who now stood heavily protected by Julian. ¡°Tell him what you told me. Speak, will you?¡± ¡°I have no clue what she speaks about, my king.¡± Isis¡¯ weak and maniptive voice came up to speak. Fiona¡¯s teeth clenched, and sheunched at Isis, but Julian stepped in her way, making her back down. She grew frustrated. ¡°Why are you protecting her? She is evil.¡± ¡°No, you are crazy.¡± Julian said. His words took her by surprise, since he had never called her crazy before. ¡°You made her an enemy in your head. You were willing to kill her, even though she has done nothing to hurt you. That is the definition of insane and evil.¡± Thatst word hurt. Her eyes blurred, but she blinked back the tears from falling. ¡°That is not true, Julian.¡± ¡°It is true, and I see it now.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Listen to me, Julian; there is something happening. The dark world has somehow dug its ws into the world of the living, and it will wreak havoc on everything alive. I do not know how they intend to carry it all out, but Isis knows this. She is here, sent by them.¡± She took hold of his face and said, ¡°This is not the time to be fighting each other; this is the time to unite and fight our ¡°We are not one because you are no longer my mate.¡± He shoved her hands away from his face, irritated by her touch. She forgot to breathe after he said those words to her, and it felt as if he had just drove a dagger into her heart. They had hit a rocky road this past month, but she always held onto hope that it would get better and they would move past it, but that was no longer the case. Something snapped within her immediately, and she tried to reach for it and put it back together, but she failed miserably. It was the mate bond. It was what made her one with him. With the loss of the bond came the loss of R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only her will to continue. A tear rolled down her face. ¡°You do not mean that,¡± she said, still choosing denial. She was not the enemy; she was fighting for him and for them-but there was no them, not anymore. She didn¡¯t anticipate his next words, but she should have. ¡°For your continuous defilement and rebellion against me as your mate and king, I, Julian McQueen, reject you, Fiona Lawrence. I reject you from being my mate and my Luna and banish you from this world, never to return.¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 ¡°I will not ask for your execution because you are the mother of my children, but I do not want you around me or my sons.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t do this, Julian,¡± She sobbed and tried to reach for his hand, but he drew it back. ¡°You are dangerous and rebellious, and I will not let you stay and cause harm to this world. You have today to gather everything that belongs to you and leave. If you are seen anywhere in the werewolf world after today, I will have the grounds to haunt you down and kill you.¡± The memory of how her entire existence came to an end yed over and over in her head for the next few days that passed. She kept going back to it. She went back there to see if there was something she could have done differently to make Julian see the truth. There was no showing the truth to someone who was willfully blind. Isis said it best: she was crazy, rebellious, and a mistake for a mate; this was what he believed. She had believed Julian wasn¡¯t himself to keep herself from epting the truth. He didn¡¯t feel the darkness she felt around Isis because he didn¡¯t try to know who she really was. She had made excuses by saying Isis did something to him, but in reality, there was no truth to that. The dark world might have done something, but they wouldn¡¯t have been able to affect him this much if he didn¡¯t let them. She saw how he looked at Isis; she saw how he stared at her like she couldn¡¯t harm a fly. He was her knight and shining armor, ready to save and defend her. Then he stared at her like he was seeing monster in the flesh. It hurt so much, and she couldn¡¯t find the words to exin. Everything she did, she did for him, to keep them safe from evil. Because she loved him. Now she had lost not only her mate but her sons and the ce she once called home. Exile was too cruel a sentence for what she did. She knew thew and she knew for exile to happen one had to stand trial before the council and be found guilty on all counts. Julian didn¡¯t only rewrite the Why he¡¯d go that far made no sense and the only thing that did was that he hated her. 111 V He no longer wanted her and he knew to bring his new lover into his bed, he would have to get rid of her. That¡¯s what he did. It had been two weeks since she left the werewolf world for the human world, and she hadn¡¯t been able to pick herself up yet. Starting over felt like death. She didn¡¯t even know if that was possible. A small knock came at her door. It opened almost immediately, and Cam stepped inside. This was the only ce she could think of after she left for the human world. This was her haven, and Cam weed her in without questions. The first three days that went by, she spent crying her heart out, and though she didn¡¯t cry anymore, she was still mourning her loss. She was also yet to leave her room. The full moon came and went, and though Ona wanted toe out, she was too broken to let her. ¡°I know that you are a wolf and don¡¯t need as much care as we do, but pleasee and let¡¯s have breakfast. It¡¯s been two weeks already, and you haven¡¯t taken a step out of this room.¡± Cam checked up on her every day, even without saying anything other than calling to her to have food with her. Her friend also announced whenever she was leaving for work and whenever she came back home. She did this every time, even though she received no response from her. Last week, Peter came over, and she told her, and though Cam told her, she didn¡¯t go down the stairs to see him. Coming downstairs would mean she was ready to tell them what happened, but she wasn¡¯t ready to. Cam didn¡¯t ask for details, even though she knew something had happened. Being a good friend, she wanted her toe out in her own time, and she appreciated her patience. Fiona sighed and turned away from her, still curled in a ball and wrapped in sheets. ¡°Please go away.¡± ¡°I want to, but I can¡¯t. You are my friend; you have been a good one in thest eight years. I cannot watch you give up on yourself like this. This can¡¯t be the end.¡± 111 ed, 24 Her eyes moved to Cam, and they settled on hers. ¡°But it is the end. It is the end for me. I lost everything, Cam. I lost Julian, I lost my ce amongst my people, and I lost my sons. There is nothing left for me; I lost, and I would rather be dead.¡± ¡°You do not mean that.¡± Cam said and stepped over to the bed to sit down on it. ¡°Yes, you might have lost many things, but you are still here, and I am still here, so giving up isn¡¯t an option. I do not want to believe you will give up on your children aftering so far.¡± Tears streamed down her face, and her heart bled as her mind went down memoryne. The anger and disdain Julian had on his face wrecked her and caused an ache in her already shattered heart. ¡°He sent me away. Julian, the man to whom my soul belonged, rejected me and exiled me from the werewolf world when all I did was try to protect us. He took away my son, and he told me I¡¯d die if I came back, and he meant it.¡± Cam stayed speechless, and she stared at her with pity. Fiona turned away from her, not wanting to see the look on her face. ¡°I am sorry.¡± She shook her head and wiped the rest of her tears off her face. ¡°It is not your fault, but even if I tried to live, I couldn¡¯t. Being rejected by one¡¯s true mate is the worst fate a Lycan can ever face. It is cruel, and soul-crushing. It¡¯s a fate worse than death.¡± ¡°That cannot be true, Fiona,¡± she said, and a loud scoff followed right after. ¡°I know little about the Lycan world except the fact that they have so many handsome hunks over there, but your life cannot be meaningless just because you were rejected by another.¡± Fiona wanted to tell her that humans and Lycans were far apart but she allowed her to carry on. ¡°You have to live, if not for anything, then for your sons. Those warriors look up to you, and you have never abandoned them before, and you wouldn¡¯t do it now. Life is so much more than you.¡± Cam took her chilly hand into hers for a tight squeeze. ¡°Remember when we met? You were fleeing death and harboring the pain of your first mate¡¯s rejection, and I was barely living. See how far we have live as long as you can. Your sons will somedaye looking for you, and you have to live for that moment.¡± Chapter 77 Chapter 77 The door opened, and Marion stepped into the Lycan king¡¯s office with a stack of files in his hand. He bowed his head as he greeted him, stepped forward, and dropped the files on his desk. With no other word uttered, he turned to take his leave when Julian spoke. ¡°Is this how it is going to be? Greet and nothing else.¡± He turned around to stare at Julian, who was seated across from him, finally beholding him for the first time in two weeks. ¡°I do not understand.¡± ¡°You did this thest time you came; you brought the report over in the same manner. You greeted me, ced the documents down, and then took your leave.¡± He pointed it out. ¡°I do not know what else you want me to say.¡± Marion stated tly. Julian signed and adjusted in his seat. ¡°You are my friend, or at least you used to be. You could ask me how I¡¯m doing. I know you¡¯ve heard the news about Luna Fiona.¡± ¡°Okay, how are you doing?¡± he asked, forcing an interested look onto his face. Julian groaned, frustrated. ¡°This feels forced; forget it.¡± ¡°What exactly do you want, my king?¡± ¡°I want my friend, and I haven¡¯t had him since Fiona left.¡± ¡°Whose fault is that?¡± Julian opened his mouth to speak, but snapped it shut and exhaled. ¡°You may leave, Marion.¡± He said instead and pulled the files Marion submitted closer to have a look at them. Marion didn¡¯t leave like he told him to; he stayed and spoke. ¡°You have done highly questionable things in the past, but none of them made me look at your character with disdain, because I knew that deep down there was goodness in you. But what you did to the Luna shouldn¡¯t even be done to one¡¯s enemy. She was your mate and also our Luna. She saved your life and that of the werewolf world all on her own. Even when it was to her detriment, she did what was necessary. She was the backbone of the settlement andter the citadel, and this is how you repay her?¡± ¡°You will thread carefully, Marion; I am still your Lycan king.¡± He told him through gritted teeth, mming the files shut. Marion red at him. ¡°Or what? You will exile me and take away my position like did to her? Go on then; if that is what your new mistress wants, then do it.¡± you Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Julian¡¯s hand balled into a tight fist on the desk. ¡°You should leave, Marion. I will not repeat myself.¡± ¡°I hope you have a good reason for everything you have done to our Luna and this world, my king.¡± He said, bowed his head, and took his leave. Julian had watched as Fiona took her leave with the movers who took her out of the werewolf world two weeks ago. He couldn¡¯t forget the look on her face when he rejected her and exiled her. It haunted him every day. It wasn¡¯t what he wanted, but it was necessary for the survival of his world, which was his only way of protecting her. He was the Lycan king, and it was his job to save his people through every means necessary. She had be a target, and she needed to leave. He knew it since the first day he saw the vision in Band; Isis had shown it to him. She told him to send her away for her protection, but he didn¡¯t believe the dark world could get to her. That wasn¡¯t even an option for him. Just like Isis showed him, Fiona had taken herself to Band without his permission and returned with her report filled with errors. She used him of things he knew nothing about. Isis told him that by disobeying him, Fiona had exposed herself to Doom, the master of the dark world, who had his ws sunk deep in themunity, hoping to create havoc. The pathway of the dark world had expanded, and with it came all the evil desires and cruel intent that gued themunities closest to it, poisoning those that lived there. This brought a surge in rebellion, which Julian had to deal with. Again, Isis told him the best way to protect her from Doom was to send her the werewolf world, where no one would reach her. He had gotten angry at Isis and told away from her never to suggest that to him ever again. Sending her away from the bedroom was already hard enough on him. Pretending that she wasn¡¯t in the same room with her killed him, and not being able toe out with the truth to her, drowned him with every passing day. Yet, he knew what he saw. Theplete and utter annihtion of the entire werewolf world by the Dark World, aided by Fiona. If the dark world got to her, then he had failed. Fiona¡¯s attack on Isis told him she was now under the influence of Doom, and she wouldn¡¯t be safe anywhere in their world. He could not keep her because the longer he did, the more Doom would gain control of her mind and use it to his will. Fiona wasn¡¯t a violent person, and she had never had the cause to attack without a justifiable cause, yet she attacked Isis and would have killed her had he not stepped in.- He could have told her the truth, but he knew she would not believe, and even if she did, she would argue they could find another way to avert it. There was no other way. This was the only way. His decision was rash, but it was necessary. He saw the way his pack members stared at. him this past full moon in the absence of their Luna. Many of them had questions in their eyes when he introduced Isis to them as a member of his team. They wanted to know what was happening, but he couldn¡¯t fully exin it to them yet. Fiona might also hate him, but everything he had done so far, he had done for her and no one else. To save her and everything else he loved, he had to hurt her. He couldn¡¯t even tell June and Jashin what he had done to their mother. They would never look at him the same way again. Since her departure, they have asked him when she would return more than a hundred times, and every time, he couldn¡¯t answer. Until they could ascertain and put a stop to Doom and his maniption of the Dark World territory, Fiona was better away from here. Isis ced her hand on his shoulder, and he snapped out of his thoughts and turned to her from the window where he stood. ¡°I did not hear youe in,¡± he said, his senses calming when he realised who it was, but his eyes lingered on her hand with a lot of questions in them. She withdrew her hand and raised them up in surrender. ¡°I came to check up on you, my king; I hear you barely step out of this office whenever youe to work. Youe, and you stay in until the end of the day. You have also cancelled all the appointments and moved the meetings ahead.¡± His brow furrowed. ¡°So, you are watching me now?¡± ¡°I am not watching you, my king.¡± She said, and stepping back, she bowed her head to him, ¡°I was just worried about the leader of our world.¡± ¡°I am fine; you can go,¡± he said dismissively. ¡°I know this isn¡¯t easy for you, but this is what is necessary,¡± she told him. your ¡°And I have done what is necessary. I have chosen you, your visions, and prophecies over my mate. I have exiled her from the werewolf world, just like you asked. Now it is time for you to do your part and make sure everything goes ording to n.¡± He ordered her. She nodded her head. ¡°Yes, my king.¡± She bowed her head and walked over to the door before pausing and turning to him. ¡°Do you want to see her?¡± He frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked, and his brow furrowed. ¡°I meant if you want to see Luna Fiona.¡± She told him. ¡°I know this is very hard for you, and I know it is for her too, but it might bring youfort to see how she is doing in the human world.¡± He wanted to see Fiona, but he also knew what he would have to do if he wanted to see her. His lips were meant for one woman¡¯s b*dy, but this was the only way he would get to see the one he loved. He wanted to see her; he had longed for it for so long. Without uttering a word, he stretched his hand to her, and she gave him hers. He took a deep breath and ced his lips on the back of her hand, and he was immediately moved into a trance. There he saw her, Fiona, lying in bed. She looked pale, weak, and down, and her countenance didn¡¯t hold any positivity in it. He had done that to her, and the guilt ate him up. He withdrew his lips from the back of Isis¡¯s hand, and he snapped back to reality. ¡°You may leave, and I do not want to see you until the next full moon.¡± Isis bowed her head, and without uttering a word, she left his office, leaving him alone with his guilt, pain, and questions. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 The talk had helped Fiona deeply. Cam¡¯s words sank into her and helped her see clearly. The pain in her heart still lingered, and it always would, but she had to move on, not just for herself but for her sons. She had faith deep in her heart that she would see her sons again. June and Jashin will both have a massive smile on their faces as they run to her. The idea of beginning again scared her, but she wasn¡¯t dead, so she had to keep moving. She tried moving out because she didn¡¯t want to be a burden to Cam. She had her old ount and would reactivate it and live on the fund there in the meantime. while finding her foot. Cam told her there was no need; she had enough room here, and there was no problem if she stayed. Fiona agreed only if she¡¯d get to pitch in with the rent and other bills around the house. Cam agreed. She had gotten so much better at forging a path for herself. At first, it seemed impossible, but with every day that went by, she gave herself the reason to continue pushing on. She missed Julian, and a part of her would always belong to him, but he betrayed her and threw her away when she needed him the most. She deserved better than what she got from him. She would never return to the happy person she once was, but she would live the best way she could. Cam spoke to her about moving her engagement party to a month ahead, since she was still grieving. Fiona had initially promised to be by her side on both her engagement and wedding day, but with everything happening, Cam wanted to extend the date to her convenience. She told her there was no need to do that, and she promised she would be avable. It was her day, and Fiona would dly put herself aside just to make it as grand as it needed to be. Their engagement party was tonight, and she was already dressed in a neon blue gown that she had gotten a few days ago. Though it didn¡¯t disy her curves, it was still a perfect choice. Her long, wavy brte hair fell over her shoulders. For the first time in a month of being in the human world, she looked put together. A knock came on her door. It opened immediately to reveal Cam in her silver mermaid dress that sparkled all over and hugged her in all the right ces. She looked amazing, and with her brte hair tied into a neat ponytail, it gave room for h o diamond ne and earrings to shine. It allplimented her dress and ||| Thu, 23 Jan made her look gorgeous. G ¡°You look amazing.¡± She said and hurried over to Cam with her hands stretched out. She took it and smiled. ¡°Thank you. Peter has already beaten you to thatpliment. He video called me two minutes ago and couldn¡¯t keep his mouth close.¡± She revealed it with a beam on her face. Fiona smiled as well, consumed by her friend¡¯s happiness. ¡°I am d that was the reaction he gave.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have it another way.¡± ¡°Well, before anyone else tells you this, I want you to know that you deserve the very best in life. You are an amazing human being, and I wouldn¡¯t give up knowing you for anything in the world.¡± Cam pulled her into a tight hug. ¡°Thank you so much, Fiona. I can say the same thing. for you. If I hadn¡¯t met you when I did, I would have made the greatest mistake of my life. I also wouldn¡¯t have met the amazing man called Peter, who is now the love of my life.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I did nothing.¡± She said, ying the noble card. Cam pulled away and rolled her eyes. ¡°You know you did, and hopefully you find someone tonight.¡± Fiona smiled, warmed by her friend¡¯s wishful thinking. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work that way for us, Lycan. I told you already. Besides, it is only a month.¡± ¡°And I am telling you, I wished upon a shooting starst night that you meet someone nice today. Do not worry; they aren¡¯tplete strangers. I can vouch for the men from my family, and the men from N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Peter¡¯s side are all adorable.¡± Lycan mating worked differently. Fiona got two shots at getting a mate. That was more than the opportunity most Lycans have received. Julian was her second chance mate, and she lost him. Her luck had run out, and she wouldn¡¯t get it back, and that was fine. She had epted her fate. ¡°You will not take no for an answer, will you?¡± Cam shook her head with a big grin on her face. She didn¡¯t want to dash her friend¡¯s hope to the ground by shutting it down, so she indulged. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Good.¡± She pulled her into another tight hug. They pulled away when they heard a loud hunk from outside; their ride was waiting. Thu, 25 Jan , 61%* Fiona noticed Cam had teary eyes, and she smiled and helped her wipe them off. ¡°No crying, okay? Only good things from now on.¡± Cam nodded, believing her. They arrived at the engagement party, and Peter was waiting at the entrance for Cam¡¯s arrival with a wide smile on his face. He looked the happiest, which was expected because Cam was the best thing that happened to him. He reached for her, and pulling her closer, he k*ssed her lips tenderly. ¡°You look even better than the video made you out to be,¡± He whispered into her ear. She giggled, mumbling, ¡°I¡¯m d you liked it.¡± back to him. Fiona remembered how Julian was with her. How he would alwayspliment her every morning while they got ready for work. He never failed to tell her just how beautiful she was and how he felt blessed by the moon goddess to be her mate. He knew the right words to say, and his words always got her every time. Peter entwined their hands together and said, ¡°We should go in.¡± Cam nodded, and together they stepped into the engagement hall, and Fiona followed behind. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Everything about the engagement party was perfect from top to bottom. Though it was a moderate gathering of a few friends and families, the entire preparation was done with perfection. Fiona didn¡¯t expect anything less from Peter. He wanted to show her off to the world, but since Cam loved a quiet event, he promised to go with her flow. Their parents seemed to go so well with each other, and the mothers seem to have bonded over a few fashion world gossips. Their fathers had a little wall between them when the party started, but having taken a few sses of wine, they had be chat- pals. The to-be-wed couple stood at the corner of the hall in a tight embrace, and each held a ss of wine in their hands. They sway to the slow jazz being yed by the musical band they invited. It was the kind of feeling that would take her down memoryne, even though she didn¡¯t want to go back there. ¡°Where are you taking me to?¡± Fiona asked as Julian dragged her along with him through the narrow pathway that led them away from the reception hall. He stopped walking and looked behind them, then back at her. ¡°Somewhere a little. private where I can do this.¡± He said that and k*ssed her lips tenderly. She smiled but k*ssed him back, and for a moment their tongues fought for dominance, but his won, and he deepened the k*ss. ¡°You brought me here just to k*ss me?¡± she asked as he pulled away, and she found his eyes glowing with desire. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Yes, and I wanted to do this.¡± He said, dropped to his feet, and slowly lifted up her high-slid golden dress. He buried his face between her legs, mumbling, ¡°Your smell has been killing me all night.¡± She immediately looked around to make sure no one wasing to where they were because she was worried about his act. Her b*dy wanted this, but her senses feared they would be found. ¡°Julian, I would suggest we wait until the night is over so we do not do anything that will draw attention.¡± Yes, they had been together a few times, and he had always been bold about what he wanted, but it had never been this way or in public. He pulled back and looked up at her with mischievous eyes. ¡°Terrified that you might like it?¡± Partly. ||| O But that was not the point. ¡°Julian!¡± Her breath cut into her throat when his mouth met her softness, and her legs trembled from weakness. Her eyes fluttered, and she pressed her head against the wall. He moved her leg up and ced it on his shoulder to give him further ess to her while he concentrated on what was before him. Tongue and lips moved into actions, eating, sucking, and licking her most intimate parts. She fought to receive this pleasure- filled attention while keeping her leg from giving up. She threw caution to the wind and moaned in response to the pleasure she was receiving from him when he slipped a finger into her. Her hips bucked up, and as if expecting that response from her, his tongue ttened against her. She grabbed a fist full of his hair and ground her hips against his face, taking matters into her own hands. Her b*dy trembled, and with every second that passed, her moans grew louder. She thrust her hips into his face and hands faster, needing the release she knew only he would give her. He wanted everything she had to give, and she wanted to give it all to him. The time, the ce, and the man all aided her release and made it an explosive one. Julian didn¡¯t get up quickly; he stayed on his knees with his face buried between her legs as if that was where he belonged. He rose to his feet, and he k*ssed her lips deeply. She k*ssed back, despite shivering and fighting to take as much air into her lungs as she could. ¡°Did you enjoy it?¡± he asked as he pulled away to look at her. She tried to look away from him, but his hand seized her chin and made her look up at him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it was if it wasn¡¯t.¡± Her cheeks heated up, and she couldn¡¯t break her gaze from his. ¡°I enjoyed it, Julian. Very much more than I would love to admit.¡± He smiled, k*ssed her forehead, and pulled her against himself for a tight hug. ¡°That¡¯s good. That¡¯s all I needed to hear.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± she asked, her curiosity getting the best of her. ¡°You do not have to worry about me. Seeing you weep from so much pleasure is the reward I need for now.¡± Her hands tightened around him, wanting them to stay this way for a little while longer. Maybe even forever. 111 O 25 Jan ¡°Oh, wow, this is the most awkward encounter I have ever had in my life. Not only will she not answer me, she won¡¯t even acknowledge my presence with a reaction.¡± Fiona heard a deep voice say from behind her, and something sparked inside her. She turned around to find a man standing there and staring at her. She spent the first few seconds gazing at him without uttering a word, struck beyond belief at how good-looking he was. ¡°Great, she has zoned out on me once again, What is it exactly about me that makes women do this?¡± He said it again, and she snapped out of her state and shook her head. ¡°You are back.¡± He said with a tone not so delighted since she had ignored him. ¡°That is good, I will carry on now.¡± ¡°Lam sorry.¡± She said and broke her attention from his face, which she knew she would be awestruck by if she kept looking at it. ¡°Oh, you have nothing to be sorry about outside the fact that you first ignored me as if I didn¡¯t exist and zoned out once again after seeing, my face. Such a boost of confidence it is.¡± ¡°The first wasn¡¯t intentional, and the second was due to ack of preparedness.¡± ¡°Lack of what?¡± he asked with an arched brow while adjusting his sses. ¡°You are good-looking, and I didn¡¯t expect that.¡± She blurted it out before she could stop herself. He stared at her like she had justmitted the worst offence with her words. ¡°That is clearly a joke, right?¡± Why would he think being called good-looking would be a joke? He must have looked in the mirror at some point and discovered that he looked better than the average man. He was a tall man with medium-length curly hair and a decent stubble on his face. He also had a defined jawline and a pair of sea-blue eyes that could drown anyone. Thought he had a pair of sses on, it didn¡¯t take away the beauty of his eyes. His sense of fashion wasn¡¯t the worst, but it wasn¡¯t the best. Still, he was better-looking than average. She shook her head. ¡°I am not joking.¡± She wished she could exin what happened to her, but she couldn¡¯t. He had struck her in a weird way; it was warm and nice, and he was good-looking. ¡°But I also didn¡¯t mean to offend or add to any insecurity you already had about yourself.¡± He did not lookpletely convinced. ¡°You really mean what you just said, right? It¡¯s not the hotdy telling the guy what she thinks he wants to hear, right?¡± 07:49 Thu, 25 Jan Her stomach fluttered at hispliment about being hot. What was happening to her around this weird, good-looking guy? ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Because if it is, I can handle it.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t; now shut up about it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He said, and they both became silent, and while she kept her gaze on the still- swaying couple, she felt his gaze on her. ¡°S hit, I am sorry; I just realised I haven¡¯t officially introduced myself.¡± She chuckled and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°I am Cillian Omale, a friend of Peter.¡± ¡°I am Fiona Lawrence. I am the friend of Cam.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so nice to meet you.¡± He stretched his hand towards her for a shake. She took his hand into hers, and she felt warmth therein, and something about it told her she could trust him. ¡°We will see.¡± She replied before pulling her hand away from his. < Chapter 80 Chapter 80 The preparation for the wedding began immediately after the sess of the engagement. The wedding was two months away, and though it looked far away, it wasn¡¯t. It had been two weeks since the preparation began, and that left them with six weeks more. Being the maid of honour, Fiona retired to bed most days exhausted, and the only thing on her mind was sleep. She also woke up knowing there was a lot before her, so there was no time to wander around with her thoughts. ¡°I have a favour to ask you.¡± Cam said this over the phone as Fiona stepped back into the apartment and shut the door. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, and when Cam hesitated, she grew curious. ¡°Spit it out, girl. I do not have all day.¡± ¡°I promised Peter lunch, and I just realised I didn¡¯t take it with me to work. It is probably still on the kitchen counter, and there is no way I could branch and drop it for him, and he is probably waiting for it. Can you¡­?¡± She didn¡¯t let her finish before moving to the kitchen. ¡°I am on it.¡± ¡°You are a lifesaver, Fiona, and I love you.¡± Fiona found herself beaming at thepliment: ¡°I know.¡± She replied cheekily. ¡°I have found the lunch box.¡± ¡°Oh, great! I will send you the address.¡± She said. Fiona¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Peter used to be my colleague, remember? Or did he change workces?¡± There was a pause on Cam¡¯s end, and she knew she was thinking. ¡°He didn¡¯t; sorry, I totally forgot. Call him when you get there; he wille pick it up.¡± She nodded. ¡°Yes. I will do that. Later.¡± She said that and ended the call. Fiona arrived at the hospital twenty-seven minutester, got out of the taxi, paid, and then headed in. She made her way up the stairs where the residents were, and since Peter was a fourth-year resident, she knew she would meet him there. It would have been the same for her if she hadn¡¯t left for the werewolf world, but she left for a reason. She sighed. She just ruined the little wonderful moment she had. She dialled Peter¡¯s number after pulling out her phone. He didn¡¯t pick at first, so she did again, and this time he picked. O ¡°Hello, Fiona.¡± ¡°You still have my number, good. I thought you wouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Nothing. I am here at the hospital.¡± D Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°What? Why? Did something happen to you?¡± He asked, already sounding worried. ¡°No, calm your horses, sir. I brought you lunch; Cam forgot to grab it and asked me to bring it.¡± She told him. ¡°Oh,¡± he said, and the worry his tone held seconds ago was gone. ¡°Give me five minutes.¡± He said that and hung up. Sure, she had five minutes to give; there was no ce she would rather be, certainly not in bed resting. She prayed she would not run into Dr. Victor Yang while she waited. He was a thorn in her flesh three years ago, and leopards do not change their spots. She slipped her phone into her pocket when she heard her name from behind, and the voice that just called her sounded familiar. ¡°Fiona Lawrence.¡± She turned around immediately, and she saw Cillian Omale standing behind her in a navy blue long sleeve tucked into his ck trousers. His sses sat proudly on his nose giving him that dorky look. His piercing blue eyes locked on hers, and it seemed they were reading into her very soul. His face, unlike at the engagement party, had a clean sh ave, and that made his face bolder and more intimidating, which struck her as strange. ¡°Cillian Omale.¡± ¡°You remember my name,¡± he said, and there was a cheeky smile on his lips. ¡°You made an unforgettable first impression. It is hard to forget such.¡± She revealed. His eyes flickered with emotion, and they looked away from her. ¡°Oh, here we go again with thepliment. You know your way into a man¡¯s heart, don¡¯t you?¡± That wasn¡¯t true, or she would still be with her mate, but he didn¡¯t have to know that. ¡°What are you doing here? Did youe to pay a visit to someone?¡± she asked instead of answering his question. Was someone waiting for him? He couldn¡¯t just be here without a reason. Perhaps his III 15:50 Fri, 26 Jan 170. 3 # wife? Because someone as smooth as he was would not suffer while searching for a mate or someone to love. Yes, he moaned andined about how he wasn¡¯t good enough, but those eyes held mysteriousness in them, and she couldn¡¯t trust them. He opened his mouth to speak when Peter arrived, speaking even before he reached where she stood. ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t keep you waiting too long. I had to attend to the patient, and I needed to finish with her before leaving.¡± She turned to him and shook her head. ¡°No, it is fine. Here is your lunch. Don¡¯t forget to call Cam and tell her you got it.¡± Peter smiled widely. ¡°I will do just that, Fiona.¡± Then his eyes moved to rest on Cillian standing behind her, and his eyes narrowed a little. ¡°Dr Omale. I didn¡¯t know you came in today.¡± He said, and he seemed to ord Cillian the respect one would give a boss. And that cancelled her initial thought that he hade to visit someone. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I would, but here I am,¡± He replied and smiled a little. Peter shook his head. ¡°I am sorry I should introduce you. This is Fiona Lawrence, my fianc¨¦e¡¯s best friend, and Fiona, this is Cillian Omale; he is the CEO of the hospital, and I do not know if I should consider him my friend or my foe.¡± ¡°We already met.¡± Fiona answered, and this made Peter even more confused. But before she could speak to rify his confusion, Cillian did. ¡°We met at your engagement party two weeks ago. We were each other¡¯spany for more than ten minutes.¡± Peter nodded in understanding. ¡°Oh, well, that is surprisingly nice. I have to go; some of us do not have the luxury of exceeding our lunch time at the hospital yet.¡± He said that, smiled at Fiona, and left. With Peter gone, Fiona turned her fun attention to Cillian and said, ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t tell me; you were the CEO of the hospital.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you made headlines with the WHO a year ago for discovering the cure for cancer.¡± He counter-argued and pushed his sses up his face. Fine, they both didn¡¯t tell each other enough information about themselves, and he wasn¡¯t the only guilty one. ¡°It wasn¡¯t important.¡± She answered. < ¡°So was my status as CEO of the hospital Peter worked in,¡± he yed along. She felt like it mattered to her; a part of her felt her case and his differed. ¡°I would say they are different. You came to me, going about how women didn¡¯t give you the time of day because of the way you looked when all the while you were not even horrible looking.¡± ¡°All that doesn¡¯t matter when you do not get the attention of the one you really want.¡± He said, and she had to agree with him on that. There will always be something money can¡¯t buy. ¡°You are the CEO of the biggest hospital in the state and the third biggest in the country.¡± His status should give him some form of leverage. ¡°So does being CEO increase my chances with you?¡± He raised a brow. She opened her mouth to speak, but she pressed it together to think about what he just said slowly. She realised she didn¡¯t have the answer to his question. He was asking her out, and she knew whatever she said, if done in a hurry, would be something she would regret. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she said in a small voice. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy, safe even, and her senses weren¡¯t ring off with warning signals yet. However, she couldn¡¯t go out with him; that would mean setting herself up for downfall. She had a lot of baggage she had yet to deal with. She needed to heal first. ¡°I understand,¡± he said with a smile, but there was a flicker of the pain of rejection in his eyes. He stretched his hand out to her for a shake, and she took it. Just like the first time, she felt warmth, which provided a sense offort for her being, and she couldn¡¯t understand what was happening or even exin it. ¡°It was so nice meeting you once again, and you look amazing.¡± He said and released her hand, and she immediately felt cold grip her at the loss. She could not exin it, but a part of her felt it would be a mistake to let this man go. He walked on, and she turned to him and said, ¡°Just one drink.¡± He halted and turned to her immediately, and there was a wide beam on his face. She had never seen anyone that excited to go out for a drink with her before. ¡°That is all I ask.¡± III 111 Chapter 81 Chapter 81 =3 ¡°You are being paranoid.¡± Cam objected to Fiona¡¯s demand for a thorough background check on Cillian Omale. There was nothing like a ¡®good guy¡¯ and that was what he was. She needed to trust more than her senses. She wanted to know what it was about him that made her feel good; she couldn¡¯t be left vulnerable. All stone had to be turned. ¡°I am not being paranoid, Cam; even Peter said it¡¯s weird that he¡¯s friendly to every staff member at the hospital; thest CEO was a mean bas ta rd.¡± ¡°Why am I involved in this?¡± Peter, who had sat quietly since thirty minutes of arrival, asked. ¡°Because he is your boss, and I would like to believe that he has been your boss for a while now.¡± ¡°One year and two weeks, to be precise.¡± He answered. ¡°Can I go now?¡± He tried to get up, but Cam pulled him, so he sat back down. ¡°Why did hee to the engagement party?¡± Peter shrugged. ¡°He found out about it and said he had nothing going on and wanted toe. He was my boss, and he was nice; I couldn¡¯t say no.¡± ¡°You are looking for faults and problems where there are none.¡± Cam groaned. ¡°Do you want Cillian to be a mean ba st ard?¡± She liked that he was charming and said the nice things, ¡°No, but-¡± ¡°No buts!¡± Cam rose from beside Peter and stepped over to her. ¡°It¡¯s less than thirty minutes before this man arrives to pick you up, and you are not yet dressed because you are afraid.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just been two months since then.¡± She replied. She didn¡¯t think it was enough time to move on yet. ¡°You said it yourself; Julian already has a mistress. He has already moved on. So why should you have to wait and not live your life the best way you can?¡± she said and turned to Peter, ¡°Support me here.¡± He nodded. ¡°Yes. What she said.¡± ¡°It is just one drink, and it was your idea. If you don¡¯t like him afterward, you can tell him no. The least you can do is honour your word and not waste the man¡¯s time and effort. Take the advice you gave me three years ago; you deserve love.¡± 15:50 Fri, 26 Jan D¡¤ ¡°You deserve love,¡± Peter repeated, and it was hard to tell if he meant it or if he was just supporting his fianc¨¦e, like she asked. It took an extra ten minutes after Cillian had already arrived for her toe out, but he waited outside beside his car. ¡°I am sorry I kept you waiting.¡± ¡°You were rethinking your decision toe out with me.¡± He said, and his assumptions were ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°You will not be the first. I told you, I have had terrible experiences. I rub people off the wrong way. And it can be a scary feeling. I have had women change their minds at thest minute, and others stand me up. There is something about me that chases women away. So, I would have understood if you called it off.¡± She felt bad for him; everyone deserved to be given a chance. For someone who seemed to have a lot of power in his ce of work, that didn¡¯t work to get him a partner. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t change my mind, even though I wanted to,¡± she mumbled thest part to herself. ¡°And I appreciate that you took the chance on me.¡± He said, and a warm smile appeared on his face. ¡°You look absolutely gorgeous.¡± Hispliment made her stomach flutter, and she moved her eyes from his to the Bentley he stood N?velDrama.Org is the owner. beside. The full moon was two weeks away, and it had to be the reason why her b*dy reacted this way. ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied, taking another look at what she had on. It was a simple sundress and a pair of sandals, which matched the peach hair tie she had around her hair. There was nothing absolutely gorgeous about it, but it was his opinion. And it affected her greatly. ¡°Shall we leave?¡± He nodded and opened the door for her to get in. ¡°Yes, we shall.¡± He drove them to the Chanzis restaurant down south, which only sold drinks. He had kept her suggestion in mind. She wanted them to go for a drink, and that was what he nned for. She made her order, a bottle of red wine, and when the waitress asked what he wanted, he told her he wanted a ss of sparkling water, O 15:51 Fri, 26 Jan D The waitress took her leave, and Fiona noticed Cillian¡¯s gaze on her. ¡°Is there something on my face, or are you just fascinated by it?¡± She asked, and thest part was her attempt at being funny. ¡°I am fascinated by you.¡± That was weird: ¡°You do not want a girl to get up and leave; there are some things you will keep to yourself.¡± She answered. ¡°Was that offensive?¡± he asked, and his eyes were already wide and apologetic. ¡°Not offensive, but ites off creepy, since you barely know me.¡± She answered. ¡°You are right; I do not know Fiona Lawrence, the woman, but I know Fiona Laurence, the brilliant scientist who led her team in the discovery of the cure for cancer.¡± He said and pushed his sses against his face. When he said it like that, it was less creepy. It also told her he knew her work, he had to, he ran a hospital, and he had to be madly intelligent to get to such a position at such a young age. The waiter arrived with their order and set it before them, and she took her leave. ¡°Well to that, I say, thank you.¡± He shook his head, reached for the already-opened bottle of wine, and poured it into her ss. ¡°There is nothing to thank me for. I spoke the truth.¡± She wrapped her hands around her ss of wine and took a sip, remaining silent. ¡°Peter told me you began running the hospital a year ago.¡± She said, taking up the conversation in another direction. He nodded. ¡°Yes, my father was getting old, and he called me and asked if I wanted to run the hospital, and I said yes,¡± He replied. ¡°Is that how it works?¡± Having worked in the hospital and known how the governing b*dy operated, she knew he was either lying or leaving out a lot of other details. ¡°No,¡± he said,ughing a little, and that made herugh in relief. ¡°That was an obvious joke, but it seems I need to do better.¡± He wrapped his hand around his ss of water and took it to his mouth for a sip. He put the ss of water down and tried again. ¡°The truth is, I seduced the entire board of directors with my good looks and charms, and they had no choice but to make me the CEO His second attempt made his first out to be much more believable. 1 15:51 Fri, 26 Jan She giggled and yed along. ¡°You have good looks and charms.¡± His eyes widened. ¡°See? Even you can see it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± # 5 ¡°Well, good looks and charms can only get you so far as a man. I did my residency at the hospital fifteen years ago before leaving seven years ago for the Nethends. I left to help my father start up and run another in his hometown. It had always been his dream, and so I abandoned everything here and moved there. Six yearster, we switched ces; he left for the Nethends while I took over here. The board members voted in agreement when they saw my hard work and achievement, and that is the truth.¡± She believed this over thest two. ¡°Your father must be very proud.¡± He shrugged. ¡°He has his days.¡± He entwined his hands on the table and rested his gaze on her. ¡°What about you? What other scientific breakthroughs have you embarked on in thest year? You pulled cancer off so well, so you can be sure other health practitioners are looking for the next big thing.¡± His eyes of curiosity danced all over her. She stayed silent. ¡°You cannot say.¡± He said it and smiled. ¡°I am married.¡± She dropped a truth she knew would save her from a few questions. Cillian¡¯s eyes narrowed at her, and she knew he thought she was joking. After a few seconds went by and she didn¡¯t take back her words, he realised that was the truth. The table became quiet. Fiona realised that in her attempt to save herself from giving away too much information than was necessary, she might have ruined what would have been a good night. ¡°I would have preferred it if you stood me up.¡± He spoke after a minute of silence went by. ¡°Cillian¡­¡± she tried to speak, but he shook his head. ¡°There was no ring on your finger, and so I didn¡¯t think there was,¡± he said, clearing his throat and adjusting his sses. ¡°You should have told me at the engagement party or at the hospital. You didn¡¯t have to bring me here to tell me. That is cruel, and you don¡¯t seem cruel.¡± His voice was barely holding it together, and he struggled with every sentence he made. 111 O < 15:51 Fri, 26 Jan D ¡°I am sorry.¡± ¡°Yeah, me too.¡± He said this and nced up at her with a wounded look on his face. ¡°We had issues-my husband and I. And I don¡¯t think we will ever get back together.¡± She exined what she felt he deserved to know. ¡°I am still married, but we are never getting back together.¡± It was the easiest way to tell the truth. This way, she didn¡¯t over- share or have to lie. Once again, the table grew quiet. He reached over the side of the table and squeezed down on her hand, and the wounded look he had on his face lingered. ¡°I am sorry. I do not know the pain of losing the one you once loved.¡± Once loved was the wrong way to put it because she was still in love with Julian despite everything. ¡°Hopefully someday you look back on everything with a smile.¡± His words made her feel so much better. She lifted the ss up and tilted it towards him, saying, ¡°To the future.¡± He smiled and held his ss up as well. ¡°To the future.¡± Chapter 82 Chapter 82 ¡°You know, when I told you that you were a decent guy, I didn¡¯t say it so you coulde stalk me in my Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. house.¡± Fiona said as she stepped out to the balcony with her arms folded across her chest. Cam informed her someone was at the door waiting for her, and picking up his scent, she knew it was Cillian. She had a lot of questions, and what he was doing here stayed at the top of the list. Cillian raised his hands in surrender and took a step forward. ¡°I know, but it has been a week since our reach out to you. So, I wanted to make sure you were okay. I am sorry if it came off wrong to you. I never intended it that way.¡± ¡°If I wanted to reach out to you, I would do so by asking for Peter¡¯s help,¡± she reminded him. He nodded in agreement. ¡°That is true. I guess I will go back to waiting.¡± It was best to keep him waiting in Fiona¡¯s book, but telling it to his face didn¡¯t sound fair. The time they spent together on theirst date was one of the best she¡¯s had in a while, and she knew it was the same for him. She wanted to reach out to him the very next day, but she wanted to make sure she was doing it because she wanted to and not being influenced by the forces of nature. By the forces of nature, she meant the full moon, which was a day away. She felt it in every fibre of her being. She was so ready to shift-perhaps more than she had been in a while. The full moon came with its own emotions and vulnerabilities. It made Lycans extra sensitive to words, touch, and attention. While that can be a good thing, it bes bad when you get it from the wrong person. She didn¡¯t know if whatever she felt around Cillianst week would be genuine emotions or heightened ones. So, it was best for her to keep up in an attempt to save herself. It was selfish because she had ¡°Wait,¡± she called to him, and he halted but didn¡¯t turn back to her. He probably already had a devastating look on his face. She didn¡¯t like being the viin in their story. ¡°I should have found a way to reach out, and I am sorry I didn¡¯t.¡± He turned around to her; his emotions stayed tamed. ¡°I hope you are okay, though. That is all I care about.¡± O 15:51 Fri, 26 Jan Q Cillian always had a big heart. She nodded. ¡°I am fine; I have no other choice but to be fine.¡± He smiled warmly at her, and now his eyes flickered with emotion. ¡°It¡¯s so nice seeing you, Fiona.¡± ¡°I am not going to invite you inside,¡± she said tly, shutting down the giddy feeling she had in her stomach at the sight of him smiling. ¡°But we can take a stroll if you are up for that.¡± His smile deepened. ¡°I will take time with you over anything else, Mrs. Lawrence.¡± And so they walked. This time, Fiona told him a few other things about herself. She did not go into much detail at the time about her marriage, but now she told him about her sons. ¡°You miss them?¡± She nodded and pressed her lips together when her eyes grew ssy. ¡°Every f ucking day. I miss them so much, and it hurts. I should have hugged them tight when I had the chance.¡± She revealed, and for the first time, she showed a little vulnerability. She didn¡¯t think she needed it, but he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug. ¡°I am sorry,¡± he said softly, while stroking her hair. She held onto him, drawing herfort from him, even though she never thought that was possible. After about a minute, she pulled away from the hug and cleared her throat. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°There is nothing to thank me for.¡± He said. They kept walking. There was silence for a while before Cillian spoke again: ¡°How about your work with science? Did you give that up because of the break from your husband?¡± She hesitated to answer the question because she didn¡¯t know if he deserved to know that information, but after deciding against it, ¡°Yes,¡± she answered. She found no reason why she had to ce herself under limitation when she knew Julian wouldn¡¯t do the same. The blinding sense of loyalty she still had for him wasn¡¯t fair to her. ¡°I had to give it up and leave. It was for the best.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe your husband had a diamond for a wife, but threw it away. Pardon my manners, Fiona, but he is a dumb as shole.¡± 15:51 Fri, 26 Jan 10 She paused, and he paused as well, and his eyes flickered in panic over what he just said. She burst outughing at his weird form of insult. Howe this good-looking man was only good ace? Cillianughed along, a little relieved at herughter. ¡°You are horrible at insults.¡± She told him and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°I know, but that had to be said.¡± For what Julian did to her, he was. ¡°Your departure from science is such a loss to the world of science.¡± He told her in a serious tone of voice. ¡°I don¡¯t think that is true.¡± ¡°Well, I do,¡± he insisted, ¡°and if I am not overstepping my boundary, I would like you to join my team at Harmony Hospital.¡± She paused, surprised by the bold offer. ¡°I can¡¯t take it.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Because then she would feel like she was betraying the citadel. Once again, she was letting her past dictate her present. She was no longer a part of the werewolf world, and she might never get the chance to go back. This was her chance to help change the world in the best way she could. It shouldn¡¯t matter where she was doing the work as long as she was working and making life a better ce. That was the reason she joined the nursing field years ago. ¡°Do I get the time to think about it?¡± She asked, staring up at Cillian, and her heart raced away in her chest. ¡°Well, I am not going anywhere, so you can take as much time as you need.¡± She was getting her life back together; this was a good thing, and she was happy for the journey ahead. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Julian¡¯s POV ¡°Mommy knew how to knot a perfect tie!¡± Jashin whined as Julian tried to knot his tie for school. ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡± ¡°Well. Mommy isn¡¯t here, Jashin, and I have to do it, or would you rather Opheliae to help?¡± he asked. Jashin calmed himself, and Julian put the tie around his neck. Ophelia was a disciplinarian and has always enforced the rule since Fiona¡¯s departure. She didn¡¯t have to say things twice to get their attention. It came to her as a gift. He had to repeat himself over and over, and the boys always threw tantrums when they didn¡¯t get their way, which was almost always the case. He could enforce authority, but he didn¡¯t want them pulling away from him. Fiona wasn¡¯t here to keep the bnce, and so he couldn¡¯t lose his cool. Every day, beforeing into their room, he would take a deep breath and ask himself what Fiona would do. That gave him a little courage. Julian knotted the tie the best way he could and moved to do the same for June, who had be quieter since Fiona left. He still disyed rebellion and attitude, but he only said a few words. He didn¡¯t know how to reach him, but he wanted to. ¡°My friends in ss said their parents said you sent Mommy away. Is that true?¡± June asked, staring him straight in the face. He opened his mouth to speak, but no word came out; he couldn¡¯t lie or tell the truth. His back was against the wall, and he wished it was so easy. ¡°It isplicated, June, believe me.¡± ¡°Math isplicated; this is just a question. A yes and a no question.¡± June insisted, and this was the most he had spoken in one day since Fiona left. ¡°Did you send Mommy away?¡± Jashin asked, surprised by the question itself, and that told him no one had said such to Jashin in his ss yet. ¡°There is a lot that you do not understand now, but when you grow older, you will understand. We have to make hard decisions to protect the ones we love. Sometimes that hard decision involves hurting the ones we care about.¡± He exined as he finished knotting June¡¯s tie. ¡°So, you sent mommy away.¡± June said, putting together everything he just said anding up with his own conclusion. < ¡°Yes, I sent your mommy away, but I did it to protect her.¡± Julian said, but they stopped listening the moment he told them he had sent their mother away. ¡°Bring her back, daddy; you need to bring her back.¡± June said and stepped away from him. He needed a little more time. He would fix everything, but he needed a little more time to do it¡­ The door to the study opened, and Keh stepped in and walked towards the desk where he sat. ¡°How is she?¡± he asked, going straight to the point. He had instructed Ken to keep an eye on Fiona because, although she was away, he wanted nothing happening to her. It was his duty to keep her safe, despite everything. He could have easily asked Iris to show him Fiona, but then he would have to k*ss the back of her hand, and he didn¡¯t want to bring himself to doing that again. Yes, Ken had better things to do in the werewolf world, especially at the Watchtower, but he was one of the few men he trusted to have his back, and that made him the right person for the job. ¡°She is fine,¡± Keh replied. ¡°She barely goes out or tries to make friends, but she is okay; once in a while she does, and that is good.¡± It hurt his heart to know Fiona was going through pain-pain caused by him. But like he told the boys this morning, sometimes to protect someone, you have to hurt them. Once the dark world entrance was n, and it was still the n. ¡°There is someone around her now.¡± Keh added. ¡°She seems to be happy whenever she is with him.¡± Julian had never considered himself jealous, but learning that someone else was Fiona¡¯s source of happiness didn¡¯t sit well with him, and his senses surged in alertness. Iris had assured him that they would reunite after all this was over, and he also saw it as confirmation. He just had to concentrate and do what needed to be done, and in the end, it would all be worth it. So, there was no need to fret or give himself too much thought. ¡°Is he one of us?¡± He asked. Keh shook his head. ¡°From my observations, I do not think so. He looks like them- humans, fragile, and he smiles a lot.¡± He exined, ¡°But he took the luna out a week ago 111 O and visited her yesterday.¡± ¡°Keep an eye on him. I want to know everything there is to know about him.¡± ¡°Yes, my king.¡± He bowed his head and took his leave. Q It was the full moon, and Julian had to ce his focus on growing his strength. Sealing the entrance of the dark world needed more strength than he currently possessed, and he needed to harness as much as he could. He did so on thest full moon, and Iris spected that three trials were all he needed to seal the entrance. This was for Fiona; this was for the woman that he loved. Everything he had done and was still doing was for her. For them, their children, and the werewolf world. To keep them safe and away from the clutches of the masters of the dark world, Doom and Mischief. He missed her; to say he didn¡¯t miss her would make him a liar. Every fibre of his being longed for her- longed for just a little touch, a little attention. Iris told him he had to starve himself of her so the dark world wouldn¡¯t find a weakness, and even before he sent her away, he began starving himself. shback¡­ ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Fiona¡¯s voice came up from behind as she wrapped her arms around him while he stood under the cold shower in the bathroom. Her lips pressed against his back, and he sighed in relief at thefort her presence had just brought him. ¡°Just thinking.¡± He began and turned around to see her. ¡°About what?¡± Her curious amber eyes stayed on his even as the shower water descended on both of them. ¡°The settlement. With the gue gone, there is no longer a use for it, and so I do not know what way to go about it.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Just because the gue is over doesn¡¯t mean the settlement is now useless.¡± She said, and her hands rubbed over his b*dy from his shoulder down to his waist. ¡°I know,¡± he answered, and a moan escaped his mouth as she wrapped her hand around his growing co ck. ¡°I just need to think of what would be beneficial to the people.¡± ¡°There are other ways to put the settlement to good use,¡± she revealed as she cupped his balls. He growled and pressed his head against the wall, trying his best to keep his mind 19.32 Fri, 26 Ja focused on what she was saying more than what she was doing. ¡ñ 38% ¡°You have physicians all over our world making the settlement their meeting ce. Humans call theirs the headquarters.¡± She revealed. ¡°There are many physicians in Rayfield, and many of them are dedicated to their field; let them continue their work. Yes, the gue is over; there are other sicknesses and diseases killing our kind. The wandering sickness is one of them.¡± ¡°So, what do you suggest?¡± He asked with a desire-filled voice. She was rubbing him so well and pulling him into the world of bliss while giving him a way out. This was the best hand job he had ever gotten. ¡°ce Marion in charge; he is more than capable; discuss your ns with him.¡± ¡°Our ns.¡± He corrected. She nced up at him and smiled. ¡°Discuss our ns with him and hear his take on it.¡± He took her by the shoulders and turned her around so that her back was now pressed against the wall. ¡°You are a genius. Did I ever tell you that?¡± He said and lifted her up to wrap her legs around him. She shook her head and giggled. ¡°You haven¡¯t, but you can start saying it from now on.¡± He pushed the head of his co ck into her, and they both moaned, ¡°I am never making another decision on my own again; you will always be with me to add your thoughts and directions.¡± He vowed and took her lips between his for a deep k*ss. He had never made a decision without involving her since then; not until he went to Band. Every decision he made after his return was without her, and though he had a justifiable reason, he could only pray he wouldn¡¯t regret it. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Julian¡¯s POV ¡°What are we doing here?¡± Marion, who had been elevated to the Lycan King¡¯s team for the full moon, asked. The movers, on Julian¡¯smands, had brought Julian, Keh, Isis, and Marion to the extreme east of the werewolf world, which was far away from Band. This was the path that led to the entrance of the dark world. Julian knew Marion could recognise it from two years ago of being here. The moon was almost at its apex now, and Julian felt strength surge through every fibre of his being, breathing in and out strength. ¡°You wanted to know why things are the way they are with me and why I sent Fiona away. You wanted to know what my rtionship with Isis is; well, this is it.¡± ¡°This is the entrance of the Dark world.¡± Marion rightly pointed this out, and Julian nodded. ¡°Yes, the Dark World, in thest two years, has expanded its territory, and soon, it will consume the entiremunity around it, and nothing will be left. Band is one of thesemunities. Their forces are already manipting their way into the hearts of men and women in the nearbymunities and making them do their bidding. If I do not stop it, we might never be able to, and the werewolf world as we know it will be the Dark World¡¯s territory. The wrap can only be seen during the full moon, and I can only use my abilities during the full moon. So this is the only way out.¡± Julian exined. ¡°What can we do?¡± Marion said and turned to the rest of them. ¡°You are here to keep watch and fight in case there is an attack from those already under the influence of Doom and Mischief. Isis revealed a way for us to permanently seal the dark world and keep it that way for all time toe. Since thest full moon, I have done that. We need three tries to seal the entrancepletely, and this is the only way.¡± He said that and dismissed Keh and Isis, who already knew their duties. ¡°You could have told Fiona.¡± Marion pointed this out. ¡°There was no need to exile her.¡± Julian halted and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, Marion.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Because Fiona is who Doom, the master of the Dark world, wants. If heys his hands on her, then we are all lost. I had to make sure to keep her as far away from here as possible. It was for her good and everyone else.¡± O Attempting to seal the dark world already came with its risks, one of which was Julian losing his abilities as a werewolf. The territories of the Dark World had always subdued the abilities of werewolves or R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only other supernatural creatures, all but on the full moon. Being able to use his abilities during the full moon ced him at risk of losing all of thempletely, but it was something he was willing to risk to protect those he loved. Julian knew if Fiona had found out what it took to seal the entrance of the dark world, she would try to stop him from doing it. She would have argued there was another way to do it, and even if they did, they were out of time and options. This was the only way out. ¡°So, she ising back.¡± ¡°When all this is over, yes, she will return.¡± He answered, ¡°Nowe and let me show you where your post is before the full moon hits its apex.¡± Marion followed without saying another word, and Julian showed him where to stand and provide aid. This was where he had been attackedst week and needed to defend himself while pulling the entrance wrap back. The moon hit its apex, Julian transformed into Jule, and Marion shifted into Rio. Jules was about to leave when Rio spoke. ¡°Thank you for telling me; I know you didn¡¯t have to.¡± Jules turned to look at him before dashing off towards the entrance at full speed. With his strength tripled under the full moon, he knew he would be able to achieve more than he did under thest time. His eyes spotted the wrap of the dark entrance, and it seemed to have extended from the ce he had pulled it during the previous full moon. The Dark World probably knew what their ns were and was not going to allow that. He gripped the wrap tightly and began pulling with all his might as he could to close it up. Then he moved to the other end of the entrance, and he pulled at the wrap when a creatureunched at him from within. The attacks he faced thest time were from the outside force, so Julian didn¡¯t prepare for this. Still, he fought it off, but it had shed his arm, and he bled. Keh, who came to the rescue, fought the creature, and Julian focused on the wrap. Although he was at his full strength because of the full moon, he couldn¡¯t heal the wound; those were some of the disadvantages. With his arm already shed open, the strength he needed leaked out with every drop of blood. This cut was worse than the one he sustained during the previous full moon. Then, it was a scratch. Still, he did what he needed to do for the hours he needed to do it. He knew the strength he was losing he would never get back, even after the full moon, O but stopping wasn¡¯t an option. He kept pulling at the wrap, pulling for as long as he could until he no longer could. His heart beat away so loudly that he could hear it in his ears, but he kept the thought of his sons with him and the thought of Fiona as well. Knowing that at the end of it all, he would be reunited with her. He lost his strength and dropped to his knees. Marion ran over to him and ced his arms around him to help him up. Meanwhile, Ken and Isis fought the creatures that crept out of the Dark world as the full moon came to an end. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Fiona¡¯s POV ¡°Will you shift this night?¡± Cam asked, and Fiona turned from the window, where she stood staring out, to her. She nodded. It was essential for him to shift tonight under the full moon. She needed to gain strength, and this was the one way the moon goddess made it possible for her children to do it. ¡°I need to, but this is the human world; I would probably be the only one shifting. The human world is more than weing for our kind, but I need to find a territory that is conducive enough to allow shifting and hunting.¡± ¡°We live in the city, but there are rural sides that are far away.¡± ¡°I have to go there.¡± Cam held a look of worry on her face as she stared at Fiona. ¡°Will that be safe, though?¡± She smiled, touched by her continuous worry for her. ¡°I am a werewolf; I can defend myself against any human that might want to attack.¡± Fiona set out an hourter, and Cam promised to have the door opened to her when she returned. Taking Cam¡¯s direction, she raced to the countryside, which provided the territory needed for her to shift. Though it wasn¡¯t hers, if she was careful and calm enough, she knew no one would see or want to harm Ona. She kept her focus on the moon, almost at its apex, and continued racing towards the countryside as she shifted into a wolf. Her silver fur shone under the full moon, and she knew there was no way to hide who she was or keep attention away. It was one thing to be a ck wolf, like the males of their kind, and another to be a white wolf, like the females of their kind. The males could hide away quickly, and the females could blend well into the night, but she was a silver wolf that shone under the full moon. If anyone was outside, they would easily spot her and turn her into their prey. She barely got those thoughts out of her mind when she heard a voice from behind. ¡°Silver wolf, that is the first.¡±, She spun around quickly, moving into defence mode. She saw a red wolf, and this was her first time seeing someone like that in her life. ¡°Who are you, and what do you want?¡± She asked, and her tone was anything but friendly. O The big red wolf behind her raised his hand up in surrender and said, ¡°Calm down.¡± She growled at him because of his words: ¡°You do not get to tell me to calm down.¡± He stepped back from her, his hands still up. ¡°Fine, do not calm down, but I am not here to attack you. As you can see, I am just like you.¡± ¡°Being a Lycan makes you nothing like me,¡± she corrected him. ¡°It is the full moon; I do not think we should be fighting. I am certain there is a crazy hunter who shoots first and asks questionster; we should get to safer territory.¡± That was what she was doing when he rudely interrupted her. Without answering, she took to her heels, running just as fast as her strength could take her. She was no match for the stranger; he was already ahead by a wide margin, and she couldn¡¯t even keep up. It didn¡¯t matter to her; she was in nopetition with him, and she didn¡¯t bother herself. She arrived at an uninhabited territory, and she knew this was a safe ce for her to carry on with the rest of the full moon, hunt, and kill. However, she was reminded she wasn¡¯t alone when she heard the clearing of the throat. She turned to the other side and saw the red wolf standing there and staring at her. ¡°I will assume you are new here, so I would suggest you follow my lead.¡± ¡°Why on earth will I want to do that?¡± she demanded, and her eyes narrowed at him in a frown. The red wolf took a step towards her, and for the first time, she saw him under the full moon and realised he was twice her size. Yes, she wasn¡¯t the weakest wolf out there, but she knew size mattered when it came to Lycans. The bigger they were, the stronger their abilities, and this Lycan was the same size as Julian, if not bigger. How was that possible? Julian was the Lycan king and was the biggest, but if this Lycan was bigger, then who was he? ¡°Well, just like you are not as alone as you want to be, there are also others who are here. There are many like us in the world of the living, and this is one of those ces for them to shift. I believe you know that when there are more than two werewolves in a territory, there will be a power struggle. Stay with me, and I will protect you the best way I can.¡± ¡°How will you protect me?¡± ¡°I rule this territory, in case you are wondering, and I¡¯ll protect you by telling them you are with me.¡± ||| < ¡°Why should I trust you?¡± He turned away from her, ¡°You don¡¯t have to, but I have no pleasure beating down a female Lycan tonight, no matter how much she pushes me to.¡± Fiona felt chills all over her b*dy, and she knew that was fear. It was best not to push her luck. She didn¡¯t ask any more questions and instead followed beside him like he told her to. She didn¡¯t trust him, but one untrustworthy wolf was better than two or three. They made their way to the other Lycans, who had already shifted and stood as if waiting for them. ¡°I see you haven¡¯t begun your hunting rampage,¡± the red wolf said, and he sounded pleased. ¡°You killed Lian because he went on ahead without you thest time.¡± A ck wolf, almost the same size as herself, spoke. ¡°Ah!¡± the red wolf said as if just remembering, ¡°Well, it is good you waited for me, Amor. We have a new Lycan in our midst. A female,¡± He said and stepped from before her so everyone of the five standing around could see her. Fiona swallowed, and she was certain her fear showed on her face. She expected three, but they were five. They were all big, massive wolves, all bigger than her except for one. The red wolf was the biggest of them all. ¡°She is silver.¡± A grey-haired wolf said. ¡°And you are grey. I think you will get along just fine.¡± ¡°What is her name?¡± another wolf asked. ¡°I forgot to ask.¡± The red wolf said and turned to look at her, ¡°What is your name, little wolf?¡± She hated the nickname, but she bit down on her tongue to stay silent. She had to stay on his good side; he was the alpha of these fives, after all. ¡°Ona.¡± ¡°Ona.¡± He echoed it as if he had heard it from somewhere. ¡°Why are you silver and shining?¡± another wolf asked. She stayed silent, unable to find the answer to give. After a few seconds, she opened her mouth to speak, only for the red wolf to beat her to it. ¡°I do not think she owes any of us that answer.¡± ||| O His interruption saved her frorn giving answers to what she wasn¡¯t ready to. ¡°Ona, it is nice to meet you. I am Dion; that is Dexter,¡± he said, pointing to the one who, asked why she was shiny. ¡°This is Sante,¡± he said, and he pointed to the wolf that asked for her name. ¡°The grey wolf is called Zayn, and these two are Colton and Billy, and the little one here is Jasper. These are the only wolves in this territory. We meet here every full moon, and if you stick with us, you will be safe.¡± Fiona nodded, not finding the courage to speak. She had a lot of questions about them, though, like what their real names were and why they were here instead of in the werewolf world. Were they exiled as well, or were they born in the human world like her sons? She wanted to know how long they had been on the city side. But, like Dion said, they only met during the full moon and might not even know anything else about each other. Perhaps that way was better, and she wouldn¡¯t have to tell them what she wasn¡¯t ready to. ¡°It¡¯s time to hunt.¡± Dion announced it, and the wolves howled in excitement. ¡°Remember,¡± Dion began, and they joined in. ¡°We are Lycans; we are not monsters.¡± Then the five dashed off into the woods, running as fast as their paws could take them. Dion turned to her, and she felt chills. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± he asked, as if he expected her input. After a while of silence, she realised it was not a rhetorical question. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Thank you.¡± ¡°You look so tiny; I have to believe you have been starving yourself from both food and nature, and we N?velDrama.Org is the owner. need to change that. Come with me.¡± He said that and took off ahead of her, and without having to be told, she followed him. The night wind brushing through her fur and the earth underneath her paw caused excitement, and she did her best to keep up with Dion¡¯s fast pace. He was also a skilled hunter and applied patience to every one of his pursuits. She watched him for the most part and followed his lead; he was also attentive to her. He didn¡¯t have to be; she could handle herself. She was under his pack now, and so was his responsibility. He gave her a few of his kills before letting her hunt by herself towards the end of their shift. She wasn¡¯t the best, but she gave it her all and came back with a deer caught between her fangs. ||| r Mon, 29 Jan Dion looked impressed and didn¡¯t downy her effort. She felt pride that she still had it in her despite everything. She had him to thank for that. When she had thought about tonight¡¯s shift, she thought she would shift alone, but she was d she didn¡¯t have. 10. The full moon ended, and the other Lycans that had run off into the woods to hunt and explore territories returned, and Dion dismissed them. ¡°Wait!¡± Fiona called to him as he tried to take his leave. ¡°Who are you?¡± She asked even though it wasn¡¯t in her ce to. He paused but didn¡¯t answer her before dashing off into the night. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Julian¡¯s POV Julian stood at Jashin and June¡¯s door and dragged a deep breath for courage to go in. Since Fiona left, doing this has be the hardest responsibility every day. Staring his sons in the face when they look sad, knowing he was responsible for it. After learning from their ssmate that he had chased their mother away, the boys¡¯ emotions changed from sadness whenever he was around to anger. It grew worse with every passing day. Now going in and looking at them scared him. more than anything else. They were his sons, and this was part of the responsibility of being their father. He will be with them and keep them safe until their mother returns, and that will be soon. One more full moon. He pushed open the door and stepped into the room, and the boys were on their beds reading, but no one acknowledged his presence. ¡°I see you both already tucked yourself into bed.¡± He began a small conversation. ¡°Mommy taught us how to do that.¡± Jashin answered in a grumpy tone, and June stayed silent. ¡°That is great. So how was school?¡± ¡°Great,¡± again, only Jashin answered. He didn¡¯t take it much to heart, but he missed how excited his sons were whenever they saw him, and now they couldn¡¯t care less. ¡°When are you going to bring mommy back?¡± June finally asked, but his gaze stayed fixed on the storybook in his hand. ¡°In three weeks.¡± He said honestly, ¡°I will leave in three weeks to bring her back, and I will not return without her.¡± This made June stare at him, but he didn¡¯t seem to believe him. ¡°Okay, I cannot wait to meet her again.¡± He wasn¡¯t the only one. He wanted to see Fiona as well. He had missed her so much that he thought he would go insane. Her smile was his charm, and herughter was his medicine. Since her departure, a part of him has died, and it will note alive until she returns to him. III O E He had to always remind himself that this was for the better. He k*ssed their foreheads before leaving the room. He approached the bedroom when he saw Tyler, one of the betas in charge of security watch at the estate, walking towards him. He had no permission to be here, and that told him that something could have brought him all the way. ¡°My king,¡± he said when he got close enough and bowed his head. ¡°What are you doing here and at this time?¡± he asked with a furrowed brow. ¡°I came for you because you are the only one who can intervene, my king.¡± He answered honestly, and Julian knew something was wrong. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Beta Keh and Marion got into a bl oody fight. From what I gather, it began at the Tamack, and it got bl oody at the entrance of the Pack estate.¡± He answered. ¡°None of us at the watch can put a stop to the brawl because they are higher than us in rank. Keh is your second inmand and Marion the third, and you are the only one who can step in, my king.¡± Julian didn¡¯t need any other information; he dashed to the entrance to the Pack Estate, and it was just as Tyler said. Keh had Marion pinned to the tarred ground with his w dug deep into his shoulder. However, before Julian coulde close, Marion had manoeuvred his position so that now he had Keh¡¯s hand locked behind him. Both men were in their Lycan forms now. Without speaking, Julian pulled Marion off Keh and pushed him aside. Marion came back immediately, trying to swing for Keh while Keh moved for a counterattack. ¡°Enough!¡± Julian thundered, and his eyes glowed red,pelling them to give it up. Their eyes turned to him, and none had any form of remorse or apology in his gaze. They shifted into their human forms, and the guards on duty at the gate raced to bring them their clothes to put on. ¡°What the f uck is going on here?¡± Julian demanded it after both men got dressed. ¡°You ask your crazy doctor, he attacked first and bit me. I was only defending myself from his crazy as s.¡± Keh answered with a scowl on his face. Julian¡¯s attention moved to the now calm Marion, who had menace in his eyes directed at Keh. If Keh hadn¡¯t just given his side of the story, Julian would have thought ||| O Keh stole Marion¡¯s mate. ¡°Marion, why did you attack him?¡± ¡°Because he is working for the dark world.¡± Marion answered, and Kehunched at Marion to take him by the neck, but Julian stepped in between them. The guards standing around began murmuring amongst themselves. Julian cast them a re, and they became silent immediately. ¡°First you attacked me, and now you use me of working for the dark world?¡± Keh foamed, and if Julian wasn¡¯t here, he would have had enough reason to kill Marion. ¡°If there is anyone under the influence of the dark world, then it is you. You were exposed to the dark pathwayst moon, and you are already a different person.¡± Keh used. Julian turned his attention to Marion, whose tone didn¡¯t quiver when he made his usations. ¡°Those are serious usations, Marion. You should really think about them before using them.¡± ¡°I know, but it is the truth, my king,¡± he answered. ¡°And what proof do you have?¡± ¡°I do not have any proof; I have my gut.¡± Julian never thought he would see the day when Marion would utter a ridiculous statement, but he just did. ¡°Your gut. I am to abandon all sense of reasoning and trust your gut.¡± ¡°That is the truth,¡± he answered. ¡°That is not how truth works.¡± ¡°That is how the truth works, my king. The facts, on the other hand, are different. Keh is under the influence of the dark world, and who knows what bidding of them he has carried out since then?¡± ¡°And what about you?¡± Julian raised a brow. ¡°What about me?¡± His gaze/narrowed. ¡°Who is to say you are not the one doing the bidding of the dark world?¡± Marion opened his mouth to speak and shut it, then shook his head. ¡°For all I know, you might also be under the control of the Dark World, and the only one who can find ||| out the truth is Fiona, and that witch made you send her away.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± ¡°Someone has to say it; do you know who she is or where she is from? How do we trust her over all else? We might be doing the Dark world¡¯s bidding blindly.¡± ¡°You will speak no more!¡± Julian snarled at him and took a step forward. ¡°I do not need further proof; I see your aim is to create division, and who are the authors of division and confusion? Doom and mischief are masters of the dark world. I think the one working for them is you, Marion Rivers, and until I can prove that you are not, you will stay confined in your quarters. This is mercy.¡± Marionughed and ced both hands on his head. ¡°This is what Doom wants, and if you are giving it to him, you will lose this battle because he is so much smarter and ahead of you. You are fighting the wrong enemy, and the right ones are in your face.¡± ¡°Silent, Marion! I am sorry; I shouldn¡¯t have exposed you to the dark worldst moon, and I bear that N?velDrama.Org is the owner. responsibility. It wasn¡¯t your fault, so I will not punish you for it; however, this is for the best. Do not go out looking for trouble or starting a fight, or you will incur more punishment for yourself. Your duty now is to your wife and children. Go home and be a good father to them.¡± Julian said, cing his ¡°Take him away.¡± Hemanded the guards, who immediately came and led Marion away from his presence. Once gone, Julian turned his attention to Keh, who seemed to be favouring his shoulder. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He shook his head and said, ¡°No, but I am fine; I¡¯ll heal.¡± ¡°Come with me; I have an assignment for you. It is about Fiona.¡± He said that and walked away, and Keh followed behind. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 ¡°I am so d that, despite everything, you decided to join my team as a scientist.¡± Cillian said as soon as Fiona stepped into his office. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was joining your team.¡± She told him, and his lips paused in confusion. Her response took him aback. ¡°Oh, I thought it¡¯d be a clear yes since you came to the hospital and wanted to see me.¡± ¡°In what world is that a clear yes?¡± She raised a brow at him. ¡°In the world in my head.¡± He said it with an unsure look on his face. ¡°My bad for jumping to conclusions; I was just excited to see you.¡± ¡°I see that.¡± He offered her a seat, and once she sat, he did the same. ¡°If you are not here to give your answer to my proposal, it means you are here to see me. What would you like to drink?¡± he said, already picking up the phone on his desk and looking excited. ¡°Nothing.¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°Nothing?¡± ¡°Yes, you can drop the phone. I didn¡¯te to see you.¡± The little hope he had in his eyes faded, and the sight pr icked her heart a little. ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯te to give me a yes, and you didn¡¯te to see me. So why are you here?¡± he entwined his fingers on the desk. ¡°You asked me to join your team, but I have no idea who is on your team. I cannot give a yes without knowing what I am up against.¡± She said. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°My team of scientists?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I doubt you would know them.¡± ¡°I was a nurse here three years ago. I know a thing or two.¡± His eyes narrowed at her, but he spoke, ¡°Dr. Phillip Dube, Dr. Bridge Yellow, Dr. Kia Cruz, Dr. Alexander ck, and then there is me and you.¡± He was right; she didn¡¯t know any one of these people. She should have just taken his word for it when he said it. ||| O ¡°You have grown awfully quiet. Is there something wrong?¡± he asked. ¡°You are right. I don¡¯t know these doctors.¡± She agreed with him. He didn¡¯t gloat over the fact and instead proceeded to exin it to her. ¡°Two of them came with me from the Nethends a year ago, and the others transferred here within thest year. And you do not have to worry; they are qualified scientists skilled in their various fields. So, what is your answer?¡± She took a deep breath, taking the first step towards a better future for herself. ¡°Then yes, I would love to be a part of your team.¡± He smiled and rose to his feet with his hand stretched out. ¡°It is an honour to have you, Mrs. Lawrence.¡± She was introduced to the group almost immediately, and her office was assigned to her at the hospital. Cillian told her he would speak with the board of directors at the hospital about her role there, meaning he had yet to inform them. He had taken the risk without first informing them. He told her it was because he didn¡¯t want to bring them into something without knowing the full assurance of it. When she asked what he would do if they voted no, he smiled and told her he¡¯d make them say yes. That was a week ago, and things have gone well since then. She would love to call it that. ¡°Do not lurk around my door; I know you are there.¡± Fiona spoke up after a while of picking up Cillian¡¯s scent and having him still stay there without knocking. He had done this for three days straight, and it was cute, creepy, and annoying at the same time. She had never acknowledged his presence, and those times he had spent about ten to thirty minutes there before leaving. The door was pushed open secondster, and Cillian stepped into the office. He stuffed his hands into his pocket and did a little stretching while staring around. ¡°I am sorry for lurking.¡± She ced the pen in her hand on the research file before her and turned her attention to him. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I wanted to see how you were handling your first week. Research shows a person¡¯s first week usually determines the drive and energy they would put into their work at an organisation.¡± She arched a brow at him. ¡°Who conducted that research?¡± His lips paused, and he pulled his hands out of his pocket to fold them over his chest. ¡°I did.¡± ||| O This made herugh, and she shook her head. ¡°That is crazy.¡± ¡°It got you tough,¡± he said, feeling satisfied with himself. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t beughing; I am here to work, not to be flirted with or wooed.¡± She stopped speaking before frowning at him. ¡°That is why you brought me here, right? To work, not to be wooed.¡± ¡°You are here because of your brains, but it is fair to admit your beauty cannot be dismissed.¡± He stressed out and adjusted his sses. She rolled her eyes. He was such a smooth-talking, ear-pleasing man. He knew the right words to say, just like Julian did. She felt sick to her stomach, and it was a bitter feeling. The thought of him took away the little happiness that was just inside her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t flirt with me.¡± He threw his hands up in surrender. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I overstepped then.¡± ¡°What is your endgame here?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°What do you hope to achieve? A girlfriend in the end? I would like to know the angle you are working from and at.¡± A nervous smile came onto his face, but it didn¡¯tst long. ¡°The one of friendship, and you never know what mighte from it.¡± ¡°Is that how you are friends with every female that works with you, or am I just that special?¡± ¡°We were friends before you came here; I thought we could carry it on. But I see that is not the same case for you.¡± Fiona sighed and rubbed her forehead as she felt a migraine settle in. She had moved into attack mode even though this man had shown her he could be trusted over and over again. ¡°I am sorry.¡± ¡°You do not have to be sorry. I should be honest. Look, I have never done this, and that might sound like a lie, but I haven¡¯t, and it isn¡¯t a lie. I like you. From the moment I set my eyes on you, I knew there was just something about you that drew me closer. Now I find myself wanting to do all those things I thought were unimportant before. Like taking a walk while cracking old, boring jokes. Even though I know you are married and in aplicated situation with your husband, I still find myself wanting you and no one else. But I have to remind myself that I don¡¯t get to have you just because I have the power to. That is not how it works. This might just be what I get, and I am okay with O that. I will do my best to not add to your burden while you work here.¡± Cillian, being brutally honest, even at the detriment of himself, would never cease to amaze her. ¡°Thank you.¡± He nodded and turned to leave. ¡°If you could have something when you ask, what would it be?¡± She asked, getting up from her seat and walking towards him. ¡°I will ask you toe out on a second date with me.¡± He replied without hesitation, and it felt as if he knew what she wanted to ask and prepared for it. She opened her mouth to speak, but she felt a wave of nausea, and her mouth shut. She tried once more, and as the words almost left her mouth, her vision blurred. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Fiona¡¯s eyes fluttered, and she found herself in a rather strange room without knowing how she got here. The bed gave littlefort for her b*dy, and the beeping sound of the heart monitor beside her head sent her senses into a frenzy. She immediately sat and looking around, she realised she was in a ward at the hospital. up, Why was she in a hospital bed? What happened to her? She felt an ache in her head, and her hand ran up to rub against it slowly, trying to ease the pain. Then she remembered that she had experienced a slight headache while Cillian was in her office, and that was thest thing she could remember. Cillian was in her office. What did he do to her? Why was she here? She ced her legs on the floor to get down, and she winced at how cold it was. They took off her shoes as well. The question still ran around when the door opened, and Peter walked in, holding a report sheet in his hand and staring at her in a worried way. ¡°What am I doing here?¡± she demanded, staring at him. ¡°You passed out.¡± He informed her. ¡°For how long?¡± ¡°A few hours.¡± He answered, ¡°We ran a few tests and got their results back.¡± He stepped towards her and handed her the result paper. She took it, and her eyes scanned over the number of tests run and their results. Her eyes moved down towards the end, and they caught the only test that stood out. Pregnancy¡­. positive. She would haveughed out loud, but her headache still had her in a tight grip. ¡°I am not pregnant.¡± She said this and rubbed her forehead to ease the pain. ¡°The test result says you are,¡± Peter insisted. This had to be a joke because there was no way she could be pregnant. She red at him and said, ¡°Then check again, Peter; I am not pregnant.¡± O < 07:54 Tue, 30 Jan K ¡°I ran the test myself, and I did it three times. You are indeed pregnant-13 weeks, to be precise.¡± She stayed still, knowing that if Peter¡¯s result was true, she would be able to hear the heartbeat of the child. It didn¡¯te until the first few seconds passed, and then she focused again. This time, she heard it. It was barely noticeable, but it was there. Her eyes grew ssy, and she ran her hand over her face. How could she be pregnant and not even know? Her head aches even more. The head ache had begun for thest two weeks and wasn¡¯t a constant thing. She thought it was from dehydration, stress, or fatigue; she never thought it would be linked to pregnancy, but she should have. The fatigue, the nausea, the headache, and the change in her taste for food. This was her field, and she should have known. She didn¡¯t need to wonder whose it was; she had been with one man and only one man all her life. Julian McQueen. She was carrying his baby while in exile. This news didn¡¯t bring her joy. It reminded her of the man she had been doing her best to get over-the man who was anything but a mate to her now. Of all the times to be pregnant, it had to be now. Julian and she had looked forward to having another child, and while she wanted another boy, he Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. wanted a girl. She remembered the many times she caught him with his head on her stomach, telling her he was waiting to hear a heartbeat. She called him crazy because that was not how having a child worked, but she also thought it was cute. A tear dropped on the test result sheet in her hand, and she cleared her throat and wiped off the tears, then looked back at him. ¡°Is there something I can do?¡± he asked. With the news of her pregnancy came a new reality: she couldn¡¯t live like she had before. She had to restructure her life now so it would amodate the child. Everything will change, even her role as part of the research team. She shook her head and said, ¡°No, there isn¡¯t anything. I will be fine.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to believe her, but he didn¡¯t argue. He nodded and made his way to the door, but paused and turned back. ¡°Dr. Omale has been outside since he brought you in. Do you want to send him in?¡± Was she ready to see him, though? She would have to at one point. ¡°Send him in,¡± she replied, and Peter nodded and took his leave. Tue, 30 Ja The door opened slowly, and Cillian walked in. He held the utmost look of worry on his face as he stared at her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked in a gentle voice. She nodded, touched by his tender show of affection. ¡°Yes, I still have the headache, but I mean, it is part of the process.¡± His eyes narrowed at her confusion, but he didn¡¯t ask her to exin what she meant. ¡°I was scared.¡± He revealed, taking another step forward, and she couldn¡¯t imagine how he must have felt seeing her lose consciousness while talking to him. ¡°I am sorry,¡± she said, folding the test result still in her hand. He got to her bedside and sat. ¡°I thought I did something.¡± His eyes fluttered, and a shy smile appeared on his face. ¡°I am st upid for saying this, but I thought I ced you under too much pressure and your b*dy couldn¡¯t take it.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t; none of it was your fault, Cillian, I assure you.¡± He turned to stare at her and said, ¡°I am d you are okay, and I want you to know that whatever happens, I am here for you.¡± He assured her and then took her hand in his for a tight squeeze. At his touch, she feltfort and ease, and she knew that she was safe with him. She pulled closer and ced her head on his shoulder, and they both stayed silent. She wanted him to hold on to her this way and never let go. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± She said in a small voice after a while of silence went by. He stayed mute, and she wondered what he was going to say. She wouldn¡¯t me him if he stood up and left here and now. It was his decision, and if he didn¡¯t want her and her baggage anymore, she wouldn¡¯t hate him. He didn¡¯t get up to leave like she expected; instead, his hand on hers tightened. ¡°I¡¯m here. It will be fine.¡± Her eyes blurred up at his response, as it wasn¡¯t what she expected. This man was what she wanted and more, and it was just too good to be true, but he was true. She never epted his offer for a date before passing out earlier, and now, thinking about it, it doesn¡¯t seem like a bad idea. It was a good one. She pulled her head away from his shoulder and gazed up at him. The same moment he turned his head, his eyes met hers, and she felt herself swept away by the intensity of his gaze. Her gaze drifted from his eyes to his lips, and her b*dy lit up at the thought of k*ssing him. As if knowing what she was thinking about, he leaned in and took her lips between his for a soft and passionate k*ss that took her breath away. She pulled back, realising what had just happened. She just let him k*ss her, and she liked it. ¡°I am sorry.¡± He began, pushing his sses further into his face, but she shook her head. ¡°If you could have something when you ask, what would it be?¡± She said that, and he knew where she was going. This was the conversation they had never ended before she passed out. ¡°I will ask you toe out on a second date with me.¡± He replied without hesitation, just like before. ¡°Okay,¡± she said, smiling at him. His own smile came out, strong and unwavering. ¡°Okay.¡± He said that and k*ssed her lips once again. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Julian¡¯s POV Julian¡¯s knee hit the ground as he pulled the wraps around the Dark World entrances and forcefully closed them. The opening sealed up as he finished his work here, but hisst strength was gone. Just like the previous full moon, the attacks came, but unlike then, there were fewer men to fend them off. With Marion confined to his quarters with his wife, Julian had to rely on himself, Keh, and Isis. He thought he would die tonight; perhaps knowing he had done what was right would be his constion in all of this. He coughed out blood and spat out the one still in his mouth. He bled from all over, and the strength he kept losing, he would never get back. His strength gave up on him, and he fell to the ground, staring up at the moon in the sky, which was at its exit now. Without the full moon, he wouldn¡¯t have any strength, and he would die here at the pathway of the Dark world. Keh came over to him, ced his arms securely around his mid-section, and helped him up to his feet. ¡°Thank you, Ken.¡± Julian mumbled, and that was thest thing he remembered before his senses faded. ¡°My king,¡± he heard Marion¡¯s voice call to him, and his eyes snapped open to find himself in the meditation room, lying on the floor. He tried sitting up, but all he felt was pain in response. He ced his head back down on the floor, unable to gather up the strength to sit. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t move.¡± Marion said that and came over to him with a small wooden bowl in his hand. Dozens of questions ran around in his mind, but he couldn¡¯t speak. Marion came over to his head and supported him so he could lift his head and take a sip of the content in the bowl. Thest time he saw him was when he sent him to his quarters to remain there. Seeing Marion now told him he had left his quarters, and that was against his orders. Why was he here? Was he about to kill him? Did he think his sentence was too harsh and wait for the perfect moment to strike? Was that it? These thoughts flew around him in his head, but there was no answer to them, nor did he open his mouth to take the contents of the wooden bowl in. ¡°You still believe I am here to hurt you.¡± Marion spoke as if reading into his thoughts. He wasn¡¯t wrong in his assumption. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to believe. Why are you here?¡± ¡°Because contrary to what you want to think, I am here helping you.¡± ¡°Where is Keh?¡± he asked, and his eyes darted around. ¡°I don¡¯t know; I haven¡¯t seen him.¡± That made no sense. ¡°Then how did I get here?¡± ¡°I brought you here from the pathway, where Keh and Isis left you to die after you closed the entrance of the Dark world. If you had stayed there after the full moon, you would have been stripped of all your werewolf abilities. Without the little strength left in you, you would have died a few hours ago. The meditation room was the only ce that I knew could sustain you until you regained consciousness, and so I brought you here,¡± Marion answered. ¡°Keh would not leave me there; he brought me here.¡± He said this even though he had heard Marion tell him he had brought him here. He knew who he saw. ¡°Keh wouldn¡¯t do that, and you are right, he wouldn¡¯t, but he is under the influence of the Dark world. He was exposed to them in Band and hasn¡¯t been himself since. Whatever he does, he doesn¡¯t do it on his own. I spoke to Lily, Keh¡¯s mate, and she said he had changed from the man he used to be. He has no will of his own anymore.¡± He stayed silent, thinking about everything Marion had just told him about Keh and Isis. He had been a fool in their hands; he let down his guards with Isis because Keh told him she was trustworthy, having known him since they were children. He had never had a reason to disbelieve Keh before, so he thought nothing of it. And even when what he needed to do became difficult, he told himself it was for the good of the kingdom. Fiona tried to tell him that, and he thought she was the one under the influence of the Dark world. He sent her away to protect her when he should have kept her closer than he ever did. Fiona was right; N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Isis was the connection to the Dark world. She was their agent. His heart ached, and his anger grew, but his strength failed him. He had sacrificed every ounce of strength left in him to pursue the wrong cause. How stu pid he had been. ¡°You need to take this if you want to heal faster and live.¡± Marion said, bringing his mind out of his thoughts and into the present. ¡°You should have left me there to die.¡± He said this and turned his face away, ignoring the pain that it had caused him. ¡°Why?¡± Marion asked, ¡°Because you made a mistake like every one of us?¡± He didn¡¯t just make a mistake, though; he made the biggest one; he yed right into the hands of Doom and Mischief, masters of the Dark world. He might have as well handed the werewolf world over to them. ¡°I didn¡¯t just make a mistake, Marion; I made the mistake. I deserve to die,¡± he revealed bitterly. ¡°You do not need to beat yourself up. You yed a game against the masters of the Dark world, the cleverest creatures ever created. Doom is known as the firstborn in existence for this very reason. He supersedes us in wits, craft, and evil. Whatever evil you think you are good at has its master.¡± ¡°But you knew,¡± Julian said in a small voice. ¡°You saw through Keh.¡± ¡°That is because I decided not to lie to myself, Julian. Someone once said the lies we are told stick because we¡¯ve already lied to ourselves. You told yourself everything you did was for the kingdom, your sons, and Fiona, and so even when it didn¡¯t make sense, you carried on because you already believed. They didn¡¯t have to do it to you; you did it to yourself.¡± Marion was right in his assessment. He lied to himself when he thought Fiona couldn¡¯t handle the truth. He lied to himself when he thought Fiona wasn¡¯t strong enough to protect herself and fight the evil and maniptions of the Dark world. The only one who wasn¡¯t strong enough was him, and now he has lost everything. ¡°What will the people say when they find out I aided their destruction? They wouldn¡¯t want a king like me, and I can¡¯t me them.¡± ¡°If you refuse to give up and instead rise to fight, they will say you were the Lycan king whose path wasn¡¯t defined by his mistakes. Your sons, your mate, and your people depend on you to make things right, to bring back their luna, and to put a stop to the ns of the Dark world. So, are you going to lie down and die, or are you going to rise and fight?¡± Julian opened his mouth, and Marion poured the content into his mouth. It was bitter and sweet at the same time, and it burned his throat, yet he had no choice but to drink it. He still had a choice. He couldn¡¯t give up. He had to heal, and with whatever strength he had left, he would fight. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Fiona¡¯s POV Fiona stood in front of the mirror, staring at her figure in the navy blue silk maid of honour dress. It had grown tighter than thest time she wore it, which was two weeks ago. She didn¡¯t put on any other weight, but there was a baby growing within her, and it grew with every day that passed. ¡°You look so pretty,¡± Cam, who was being made up, said from behind her. She turned around with a pout on her face and said, ¡°I look like I swallowed a whole turkey!¡± Fiona gave her a funny eye. ¡°You look pregnant; that is the right word.¡± Fiona made a face at her and said nothing else. She told Cam about her condition as soon as she got home that day. Cam promised to give as much emotional support as she would need. She was lucky to have her as her friend. epting her reality wasn¡¯t easy, but it was the choice she had to make, and she stood by it. It didn¡¯t get better with the days that passed, but she had the love and support of those around her. It was her fourth month, and the baby was as healthy as ever. She shifted the past full moon but didn¡¯t explore territories; she spent it on a farm. Cam informed her that the neighbours across had given her the keys to their ranch, which wasn¡¯t far away, and asked if she wanted to shift there instead. It would give her privacy and the ability to shift and strengthen herself, especially now. She epted it with gratitude. Shifting, like she expected, was everything and more. An hourter, the makeup artist finished his work on Cam¡¯s face. The wedding dresser helped set her into her dress, and Fiona was d to be a part of this wholesome moment. They arrived at the Rose Garden, which they had selected as the venue for their wedding. Cam got down, and Fiona was behind her. Cam¡¯s father, Pedro Rogers, walked her down the aisle, and Peter the groom and Cillian, his best man, waited for them in the front. Fiona followed behind. Peter had the happiest look on his face as he waited for Cam, and Fiona noticed Cillian¡¯s cheerful face on her as if he had seen nothing better. 08:10 Wed, 31 Jan le Since their first k*ss, they have taken things slower. There was still nobel on what they were, but she felt a strong connection and sense of safety being with him. It was enough to bet on, and that was what she did. The baby in her had yed a key role in the progress of their rtionship, but it was good. She continued her job as part of the research team. Every three days, they met to bring their ideas together and then to see which of those ideas could be executed. Fiona shed light on the work she did in the werewolf world, which was extensive research into the wandering sickness. Which was also known as Alzheimer in the human world. The presentation of this sickness was very different in humans and Lycans, but itsmon factor was that it fed on brain power. Without her journal and documents on the steps so far, she couldn¡¯t bring them up to speed, and that meant they would have to start all over. Cillian told her there was no rush and she could take as much time as she needed, and she promised to be with her all the way. ¡°You look so beautiful,¡± Peter murmured into Cam¡¯s ear as they reached where they were, and she smiled. Pedro stepped out of the way after handing her over to Peter. ¡°You look great.¡± Cillian whispered to her. ¡°It is not your moment.¡± She whispered back to him. After the vows were taken, the couples proceeded to their ¡®I dos¡¯ The reception kicked off an hourter, and though it was at the same location, the reception was in the Rose Garden Hall. Peter and Cam sat in front, while those who came to celebrate with them on their day sat around. The friends and families of the bride and groom took turns telling what they were grateful for, and Fiona was among the first. ¡°I am grateful for the day that my path and yours met Cam. You saved my life despite your own not being in the best ce. I consider you more than a friend; I consider you a sister, a counsellor, and a mother. If I could go back, I wouldn¡¯t change a thing.¡± She said, and Cam made a love sign using her hands. She smiled and then turned to Peter. ¡°To Peter Yates, you are a wonderful man, and I am d you found someone who wouldpliment you. You have a big heart, and I pray it never changes. The two of you deserve the best of everything, and I wish you only the happiest.¡± 0 She said that and saw Cam wiping away her tears. She only hoped her friend believed she meant every word. ¡°You look exhausted,¡± Cillian said as he came to stand close to her. She sighed. He had guessed correctly. ¡°My legs are killing me; I want to go home, but the day is far from over, and so I have to sit and wait until it is; my friend deserves that at the very least.¡± ¡°What can I do to make it better?¡± he asked. She stared into his eyes, and a small smile came onto her face. ¡°Be yourself.¡± She said that and ced her head on his shoulders. He ced his hand on her waist. ¡°I can do that,¡± he mumbled into her hair while stroking it. ¡°Do you see yourself ever being there?¡± he asked in a small voice. She pulled her head off his shoulder, and her eyes followed his, and she came to meet Cam and Peter in their seats. He was asking her if she saw herself getting married again. The truth is, she didn¡¯t see herself getting married again, but then again, she didn¡¯t see herself feeling anything for anyone, but here she was, with her feelings for him growing every day. She wanted to tell him she didn¡¯t know, but she immediately felt nauseated. Her hands ran up to cover her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m going to throw up,¡± she said before hurrying away from him. She pushed open the bathroom door, ran to bury her head in the toilet seat, and threw up into it. She understood morning sickness, but she didn¡¯t understand afternoon sickness. She finished, wiping the water left on her face away with the tissue paper before tossing it into the bin close to the door. Feeling much better, she returned to the reception venue and made her way towards Cillian, who stood where she had left him and he waited for her. She smiled a little and then approached, but she came to a stop when she saw that she shouldn¡¯t be here. Julian. Her breath cut in her throat at the sight of Julian, and she stood stuck, unable to move or speak. Their gazes stayed locked for longer than they needed to and longer than she wanted. 08:10 Wed, 31 Jan D le 3 . 86% Cillian found her standing still and overwhelmed, and he took a step forward towards her. He ced his hand on her shoulder, and she broke out of the frozen state she had stood in for over a minute after seeing Julian. What was he doing here? Why was he here? She had wanted him to return. The first week after her arrival in the world of humans, she wanted him to return, tell her it was all a mistake, and take her back. She was even willing to put everything behind her and return. That was how willing she was to not let go. He didn¡¯t return, though-not in the first month, not two monthster. It had been over three months and he was back, so why was he back? She nced up at Cillian, and she forced a smile at him, but he already sensed something was wrong, and his eyes were already protective. If only he knew just how much. ¡°What is wrong?¡± he asked with a worried eye. She stared back at where she had seen Julian, but he had already left. ¡°He is here.¡± She said it with a hollow voice. Cillian¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Who?¡± he asked. Her gaze returned to him, and the weariness in them didn¡¯t leave as she said, ¡°My husband.¡± He turned around as well, but didn¡¯t seem to see anything. ¡°Where?¡± he asked, his hand tightening around her protectively. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. She pressed her lips together and said, ¡°He is gone.¡± Chapter 91 Chapter 91 The guest sent the newlyweds off on their one-month honeymoon trip to Scond. It turned out that Peter¡¯s grandfather was from Scond and owned a ntation and castle there. He had willed it over to Peter after his death. Cam was so excited when she shared the news with herst night at her bachelorette party. Fiona waved at them, knowing a lot was about to unfold for her. She didn¡¯t bother telling Cam about the sudden appearance and disappearance of Julian; thest thing she wanted was to be the main character on Cam¡¯s wedding day. So, she said nothing, and when it was time to leave, she kissed Cam and wished her only the best. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She heard Cillian¡¯s voice from behind her, and he came to wrap his arms around her waist. She eased into his hold and sighed. With Julian¡¯s appearance, she knew okay was far from her list of words. She would never be okay; she would never have a calm and normal life. Yes, he had disappeared without a trace hours ago, but she knew what she saw; she knew reality from imagination, just as she knew night from day. It was him, and his presence didn¡¯t bring her anyfort. She wondered why he was back-why now? What did he want? It was certainly not her. He sent her here because he believed his wh ore over her. He sent her here because he was tired of her and needed a way out. He sent her away so he could be with his wh ore. She smiled up at him and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Cillian offered to take her home, and she epted. She was too exhausted and consumed with thoughts to think or do anything on her own. He drove them off from the Rose Garden venue and back home. He turned off the car when they arrived at the door of her house, but they stayed in the car silently. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked again, and this time she didn¡¯t give any smart answers. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± This was the truth. He nodded and didn¡¯t push her to say anything else. ¡°I will not ask you to invite me in. So, I would ask if you would rather spend the night at my ce?¡± ||| 08.12 Thu, 1 Feb This was so far from what she thought he was going to say, but then again, with Cillian, she didn¡¯t know what to expect from him. He was always looking out for her safety, sometimes even above his own. She had never slept somewhere that wasn¡¯t Cam¡¯s ce sinceing back here. Then again, she didn¡¯t want to be alone tonight. She dreaded it, and his offer seemed like the rescue she needed, but she was too conflicted to demand it. ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded. His eyes lit up as if he didn¡¯t expect her reply, and a smile came onto his face. ¡°Great then,¡± he said, turning on the car before driving them off. The drive to his ce took seventeen minutes, and Fiona realised he lived in a quiet part of the city. He packed his car in front of the penthouse and got down. He came over to her side of the door and opened it to her. It was a gorgeous design, and it left her amazed. She stepped down from the car, and he closed the door. ¡°You live here.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. His eyes grew weary. ¡°You don¡¯t like it.¡± He had gone for the worst reaction possible. She shook her head. ¡°I never said that,¡± she said with a frown. ¡°It is beautiful. I mean, I can see why you are here.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quiet and private, with a touch of perfection, and it gives a sense of nature even though it¡¯s far from it,¡± she said and didn¡¯t know if she was correct in her assumption. She was never a good guesser with him; that was his job. ¡°I like the quiet life,¡± he nodded. ¡°You are correct. As for privacy, I don¡¯t think that is true; hence, it¡¯s called a penthouse.¡± He offered her his hand, and when she took it, he led them into the house. The inside was just as elegant, and this man took minimalism to another level with the designs and frames he had on the wall. There was only one couch in the living area, and it was white. The emptiness told her he was probably waiting for someone to fill it up. ¡°It is beautiful.¡± She gushed. ¡°It is iplete.¡± He corrected her, ¡°I would have said you wouldplete it when you move in, but I am not so sure.¡± He revealed this to her, walked into the area she guessed was the kitchen, and walked back out with a bottle of water and two sses. O Why did you say that?¡± she asked. Your husband is back. He poured the water into the ss and handed it over to her. ¡°I saw the look on your face, underneath that fear is the need for closure, and most times when people get closure, they look for the reason it didn¡¯t work out, and then they try to work that out.¡± For the first time in a long while, he was wrong on his assumption. ¡°What if I am not looking for closure?¡± ¡°Everyone needs closure. I am not everyone. She took a sip of the water and stepped towards him. He stepped back. ¡°What do you need?¡± To stop talking and thinking¡± She said. There must have been something in the water because she felt so alive-more alive than she had been before. ¡°I want sex. She said that and ced her hand on his chest, feeling the unsteady beat thereon. ¡°Did you figure that out before or after you saw your husband?¡± ¡°Stop f ucking talking about my husband already!¡± She exploded and turned away from him. ¡°This has nothing to do with him and everything about the fact that I have wanted to do this for so long, but always felt guilty and felt like a cheat for wanting another man, even though that was what he did.¡± She growled and wrapped her arms around herself, as she immediately felt cold. She meant what she said. but he was right. This was about Julian. The very reason she was here was Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. because he brought himself back into her life. He ruined her for men seven years ago, and now, when she was slowly finding someone whom she liked, he had brought himself back. This was what he did best. Yet she had no right to drag Cillian into this mess. He had been the best thing that happened to her sinceing into the world of humans, and she didn¡¯t want to throw it away. He stepped towards her, took her by the shoulders, and turned her to himself. ¡°I want you, Fiona; you know this already, but I do not want you doing this because you want to prove something. You do not have to prove anything to me. And if I have to wait for the moment when you will give yourself freely to me, because you want to and not because you want to get back at your husband, then I will happily take you to my bed and make love to you.¡± He kissed her lips slowly and pulled her against himself. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back, giving back just as much affection as she was getting. Feb He deepened the kiss, and his arms around her waist pulled her closer. He meant what he just said; he didn¡¯t want to be used as meat, not when the emotions and intentions behind the act weren¡¯t mutual. He showed her to her room, and after showering, she went to bed. The only thing on her mind before she found sleep was Cillian. Cillian was gone the next day when she woke up. He left a note, telling her there was an emergency at the hospital and he had to see to it. He made breakfast in the kitchen and had already called her a ride that would be there in two hours. Men like Cillian don¡¯t exist in real life. They existed in books and fairytales, and even if such men existed in real life, did she deserve someone like that? She came downstairs, had breakfast, and then took her bath before leaving when the driver came. She had a wide smile on her face all the way back home. She dug her hand into her pocket when she got to her door, opened the door, and stepped in. She was still in her maid of honour dress because she checked if Cillian had women¡¯s clothes in the wardrobe and he didn¡¯t. She moved to the bedroom, released herself from the bondage of the dress she had on, and changed into a grey t-shirt and ck tights. She didn¡¯t have work today since it was the weekend, so she would stay home and bezy. On days like these, she usually had Cam to keep herpany, but her friend was gone on her honeymoon, and she now had only herself. ¡°I stayed up waiting for youst night,¡± she heard Julian¡¯s voice say from behind, and her heart dropped in her stomach. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 ¡°You are not here.¡± Cillian said, and Fiona turned to find his eyes and a few others in the room on her. Her hand came up to rub at her forehead, and she couldn¡¯t even remember what they were talking about before she wandered away with her thought. ¡°You seem too tired to hear anything we are saying here.¡± He pointed out, and his eyes showed his concern. ¡°Meeting dismissed,¡± he said to the others seated, and they rose to their feet and exited the room, leaving both of them alone. Cillian rose from his seat and towards her, and she stared at him silently. ¡°What is wrong?¡± he asked, but she gave no response to him. ¡°I know I make up excuses enough for you, and it¡¯s always been for a good cause, but you have to tell me what is going on, so I do not feel as if this is a lost cause.¡± She felt guilty; they had made no progress in thest two meetings because she had either zoned out of the meeting or forgotten her speech mid-sentence. Cillian had been an amazing boss and partner and covered up for her every time it happened, like now. There was so much progress to be made, and she wasn¡¯t helping. She couldn¡¯t stay home because she feared Julian would return, and when she returned home, she stayed awake thinking about what to do or say the next time she ran into him. This gave her less sleep and helped her focus the next day. All this started after he came to her house, and she didn¡¯t know how to stop it. ¡°I am sorry.¡± ¡°You do not have to apologise, but you need to exin.¡± Cillian replied, and his hand came up to stroke her face tenderly. ¡°Can you do that?¡± She would try her best. ¡°I can¡¯t stop thinking about him,¡± she revealed in a small voice. He pulled his hand away from her face, and she immediately felt cold. ¡°I will assume that the ¡®him¡¯ is your husband.¡± He said this, and his eyes betrayed his attempt to stay calm andposed. She nodded. ¡°Yes, since he came back. I have been thinking about him, wanting to know what he Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. wants, but I cannot figure it out. I know I wanted him at some point in thest three months, but now I wish he didn¡¯te back; I wish he had stayed away.¡± She didn¡¯t tell Cillian everything that happened because he was not in the ce to know, but she thought this was enough for him. ¡°You do not want to go back to him,¡± he said, and their eyes locked. O 08:12 Thu, IFeb ae D ¡°Once I did, but not anymore: I do not want to,¡± she replied. Not with the truth she now knows. Cillian exhaled in relief. ¡°Okay,¡± he said, leaning in and kissing her forehead. ¡°Have you tried speaking with the police about him?¡± ¡°Police?¡± she repeated, not knowing how they could help. ¡°You can tell them your husband scares you, and you fear for your life and safety and want them to protect you. It is a part of their job. I could call a few friends of mine and put them on your guard.¡± Cillian¡¯s innocence still warmed her heart. She needed to keep him this way. ¡°The police can¡¯t do much; he is just too powerful.¡± She would do a better job protecting herself than the police would. Their casualties would be great, and she didn¡¯t want their blood on her hands. ¡°Thank you for your suggestion, but I will be fine, I promise.¡± ¡°Alright, then, would you want to move in with me? I could protect you.¡± She didn¡¯t want tough because he was being serious, but it was funny. ¡°I do not doubt that, but I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Because he couldn¡¯t protect her. And if she wanted to move in with him, she would do it because they had gotten to the ce where they wanted to live together, not because she was afraid of her husband. ¡°You do not think I can take him on?¡± He wouldn¡¯t like her answer, so she remained quiet. ¡°What?¡± ¡°My husband can get really beastly when he fights.¡± That was the safest way to put it: ¡°Besides, I am just paranoid he hasn¡¯t shown his face since the wedding, so I doubt.¡± She rose from her seat and came to stand before him. 1 She ced her arms around his neck, and his arms immediately wrapped around her waist. ¡°I will not worry you anymore, I promise.¡± She leaned in and kissed his lips. Cillian suggested a few things to her that would help take her mind off Julian: one of them was taking up a yoga ss, and another was running for at least twenty minutes III every evening, two hours before bedtime. She chose to run because she needed the exercise, especially in her condition. The first two days of doing it, she slept quickly, not having the strength to speak up and think. This helped her stay productive the next day at work. She was grateful to Cillian for his amazing suggestion, and she didn¡¯t fail to tell him that. She stepped out of her house in grey joggers and a ck sport bra, and she had a sweater around her waist in case it became cold on her way back. She plugged in her headset and took off with no hesitation. She didn¡¯t use her werewolf ability; instead, she relied only on her normal strength. This was what kept her worn out for the rest of the night. After twenty minutes of running, she stopped to catch her breath and turned to the shop, making pap around the corner to ce an order for corn pap. This was the sealing deal that would aid quick sleep. She wore her sweater as her body grew cold, and she approached the shop. The human world had so many exceptional inventions, and she never even tried to find them when she lived here years ago, She smiled at the kind mister at the front of the pot and handed him her cash. He took it and filled her cup with the thick corn pap, adding sugar and milk to taste. She thanked him and turned around, only to find Julian across the road from her. Her heart sk ipped in her chest, and it took a moment for her to get back to normalcy. She pulled the hood of her sweater on, pretending not to have seen him, as she walked on with the hope that he would go away. She noticed him following behind from over her shoulder, and she turned to walk through the alley that she had never gone through in the night. If this would make her lose him, then she would dly take it. She just had to get home and shut the door. ¡°Fiona, wait. Wait for me.¡± He called to her, but she did not slow down; instead, she hurried. Usually, she would take the pap on her way home, so she would just shower and get to bed on arrival, but she couldn¡¯t do that, so she hurried away as fast as her legs could take her. She spotted four thugs standing around the corner, staring at her as she walked. They left their position and made their way into her path as she got closer, and she immediately wanted to turn around. Julian followed behind, and she didn¡¯t want to go back towards him. She would keep moving, even if that meant going through them. ¡°Hello, little angel, what do you have for us?¡± one man with a h oa rse voice said to her. ¡°It¡¯s corn pap.¡± Another said it with a small giggle. 08.12 Thu, 1 Feb IF The third man reached out and took the cup from her hand and took a sip. Fiona wanted to reach out, but she kept herself calm. ¡°It tastes so delicious.¡± He told the rest. Fiona¡¯s teeth gritted, and her anger showed in her eyes, but she wasn¡¯t angry at them; she was angry at the man who made her take this path. ¡°If you want more, he will give you more; he has a lot of money, and with it, you can get anything you want.¡± She told them, and the four men¡¯s eyes moved from her and over to Julian, who was approaching her. The men pulled out their knives, and she wished good luck to them, knowing it would be their funeral. With their attention going towards him, she walked away, knowing that sleep would be thest thing she would see tonight. Perhaps she would give yoga a try from now on. She walked on, but didn¡¯t hear the scream of the men that went in to attack Julian, and that didn¡¯t seem right. Julian was the Lycan king, so of course he could take four human thugs on without breaking a sweat; hell, he could take on forty, and it wouldn¡¯t mean anything to him. Then why weren¡¯t these men screaming and running away? Why did it feel like they had a chance against him? She paused and turned around and found Julian had tackled thest onto the ground, and his hand was around the man¡¯s neck until he became as still as dead. He then rose to his feet. She should not have worried about him; he was the Lycan king. She didn¡¯t get to finish her thought process because Julian¡¯s legs gave up from under him, and he fell face-down onto the cold, hard ground. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Minutes went by, and Julian stayed in the same state, face down on the cold, hard ground. Fiona didn¡¯t know what kept her standing there. She told herself over and over that he was the Lycan king and there was nothing these men could do to him that would hurt him, but she couldn¡¯t leave. Deep within her, she knew something was wrong, and she couldn¡¯t ignore it or ignore him. Abandoning her anger for a moment, she ran over to him and lifted him into her hands. He was unconscious, and it left her confused and worried at the same time. ¡°Julian. Wake up. Wake up and quit ying now!¡± She called to him, but she could barely hear his heartbeat. He wasn¡¯t ying. The men she had sent on him had hurt him badly. She felt a cold substance on his clothes, and she knew it was blood. His blood or theirs? She couldn¡¯t find the answer to that, so she searched with her hands. They wandered on his chest, which had suffered a few cuts, and then down his rib side. Her breathing grew rigid; he had been stabbed multiple times. She swallowed hard; he should be healing. Why wasn¡¯t he healing? What was going on? She needed to do something. What could she do? She almost asked before realising she was a silver-furred wolf for a reason. She had healing abilities, and she could heal him. She ced her hand on his chest area and tried to focus while her heart beat away like a man on the run. Nothing happened. She wasn¡¯t surprised. Her mind was a mess, and she could never heal anyone when she was like this. Focus Fiona. She took a deep breath and ced her hands on his chest. She felt his life force, and it had grown so thin that her heart broke in her chest. She tried to focus again, but so much had happened around her that she couldn¡¯t push it to the side. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She mumbled, still unable to hear him, and her eyes grew ssy. She needed to get him out of here. Out of this environment to a calmer, quieter ce. Somewhere, trouble wouldn¡¯t lurk when she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about enemiesing in and attacking them. ¡°Do not die on me, Julian; do you hear me? Do not die on me, or I will never forgive ||| O 07:25 Fri, 2 Feb you.¡± She rose to her feet. She didn¡¯t want to rely on her Lycan abilities, but that was what she had to do. If she wanted to get Julian to her home, she would be able to help him. She arrived home in under two minutes, and Julian was on her shoulder. She moved him over to the couch in the living room andid him there. Then she pulled off his blood-soaked shirt and kept it on the side of the couch. He still bled from the stab wound, which was strange. Whatever was happening, she needed to make sure he was stable first before finding out. She ced her hands on him once more, and unlike before, she felt a warmth in her hands as she ced them on him. Secondster, his bleeding stopped, and his first wound healed up. And then the second, the third, and then the cut on his shoulder. She watched it all happen. Tuje Sinceing to the world of the living, she hasn¡¯t used her abilities, and they have stayed dormant with her. Unlike the citadel, where casualties could happen on a daily basis due to their line of work and experiments carried out, the human world was not like that. The scientists she worked with at the Harmony Hospital were as cautious as ever and made sure to protect themselves against anything they were undertaking. They were humans, so they had a lot to worry about. Since she had not used her strength, focus was harder to grasp today, and she was grateful Julian stayed with her until she got to a better ce. After those healed, she didn¡¯t release her hand; she let it stay because she felt an injury underneath. It wasn¡¯t new, and so it wasn¡¯t inflicted by the thugs that attacked him. tonight. These seemed to have been here for at least a week. It didn¡¯t matter; she had to heal him, and she did. She withdrew her hand from his chest and sat quietly. This was the man she wanted to forget. The man she had started running to keep out of her mind, and here she helping him stay alive. was, If they were keeping scores, he had saved her life many times in the past three years; she owed him this. Her eyes caught the heart-shaped tattoo on the side of his rib. It wasn¡¯t her first time seeing the tattoo, but it was her first time seeing names in it. me It had Fiona first, followed by June and Jashin side by side. There was a little space at the bottom, and she knew it was because they wanted another baby, and its woulde there. That would make the heartplete. Her hand travelled down to her stomach and slowly rubbed it. He had the tattoo of the heart when she was still with him, but it had no names in it O then. He got the names in them after she left. Perhaps he got it as a reminder of what he was fighting for. Or he got it after getting betrayed and wanted to use it to guilt-trip her into taking him back. She got up from beside him and made her way to the kitchen. Moving to the sink, she picked up a ss, filled it up with water, and took a sip. shback¡­ ¡°Was there a change made to the bedroom I didn¡¯t know about or something?¡± She asked as Julian shut the bedroom door after stepping in behind her. He had dragged her away from her friends, Laura and Davis, who were visiting the mansion. He told them he wanted to borrow her for a few minutes, and they couldn¡¯t say no because he was the Lycan king. They let them leave, and Julian took them upstairs. He caught up with her and kissed her neck seductively. ¡°Tell me this isn¡¯t why you told Davis and Laura you had something special to show me.¡± She demanded as she pulled back a little to look at him. ¡°I missed you; that was important.¡± He said it as if that were such a good reason. ¡°Julian! You are better than this.¡± She scolded him and tried wiggling away from his hold. ¡°Better than what? Wanting my mate? Desiring her more than anything else in the world?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± she scowled at him. ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Make me the bad guy.¡± ¡°You are the bad guy,¡± He stressed. ¡°That is what makes this all the more interesting.¡± He caught her bottom lip between his teeth and slowly nibbled on it. ¡°I¡¯ll be quick.¡± She groaned, half frustrated, half turned on by him. Seduction was one of the abilities the moon goddess gave him. ¡°You won¡¯t be quick, and I will return to them smelling of you.¡± She whined, even though she was already rubbing herself against him. He smiled and said, ¡°You want this just as much as I do. You just don¡¯t show it much.¡± ¡°Julian,¡± she started, but he ced a hand on her lips to silence her words. ¡°No talking. Take off your clothes.¡± ||| O She obeyed, took off all her clothes, and stood naked before him. ¡°Are you going to take off your clothes?¡± she asked with an arched brow when he wouldn¡¯t stop looking at her. He grinned, ¡°Sure.¡± He grabbed his t-shirt, pulled it off, and tossed it to the ground. Her eyes caught a tattoo on his rib side, and they narrowed because she hadn¡¯t seen it before. It was a ck heart. ¡°You inked yourself?¡± she said and stepped towards him. He nced down at his side. ¡°Yeah, I always wanted to do it, and I found the chance tost night. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± She didn¡¯t mind, because they had talked about it. She told him that as long as he was able to make the ink stick to his body, she had no problem with it. ¡°This was what you wanted me to see.¡± He smirked coc kily and took off his trousers. ¡°Yes, and I also had this thought of pinning your back against the wall while f ucking and making you scream. Then I¡¯d take you to bed and finish the job there.¡± As arousing as the image he just painted with his words was, she had a few questions. ¡°What does it mean?¡± Her eyes lingered on his ribs, even though he stood naked before her. ¡°The ck heart is basically me.¡± She scoffed because she thought there would be a poetic meaning behind it. He continued as though he didn¡¯t hear her. ¡°This isn¡¯t the end of the inking. This is just the first step.¡± ¡°What is the next step?¡± He stepped towards her and said, ¡°Filling it up with Fiona, June, and Jashin and the name of the child we are about to make.¡± He lifted her into his arms, and she her legs around him. shback ends. wrapped Her phone rang, breaking her out of her memoryne, and stopped ringing. She pulled it out of her Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. pocket and saw Cillian as the ID. He told her he would be travelling to the Nethends to see his parents for the weekend and would be back on Monday. He had promised to call as soon as he got sorted out. He picked up after the second ring, and his voice came through. ¡°I wanted to call to hear your voice, then I realised our times were now a little mixed up and you were O < 107.2 reb probably asleep. Did I wake you?¡± She shook her head, then figured he couldn¡¯t see her. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t gone to bed yet.¡± She replied. Silence dwelt for a few seconds before he asked. ¡°Why? Did you go for your run?¡± She nodded, but he couldn¡¯t see her. ¡°I just got in from running, and I came home with the one I was running from.¡± She said thest part to herself. ¡°I will be asleep in no time.¡± ¡°So, I do not have to worry?¡± ¡°No, you do not have to worry, Cillian; I am fine. I miss you, though.¡± She didn¡¯t have to see him to know he was grinning from cheek to cheek. ¡°I miss you too. I will call you in the morning; your time.¡± ¡°I will look forward to it then.¡± The call ended, and Fiona drew a sharp breath and ced her head against the counter. She returned to his side on the couch and sat there. She listened closely to his heartbeat, but it didn¡¯t sound as strong as it should be. It was fragile, and it reminded her of three years ago, when he still had the curse. He told her Isis deceived him and left him for death, but he didn¡¯t tell her this. He didn¡¯t tell her he was just as vulnerable now as he was three years ago. ¡°What did you do to yourself, Julian?¡± she asked in a small but terrified voice while staring at him. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Fiona¡¯s POV Fiona retired to bed for the night, and it did not take longer than three minutes to fall asleep, despite Julian being in her living room and her couch covered in his blood. She didn¡¯t fear; perhaps it was because she knew where he was. There was no reason to fear him. There was so much she wanted to ask and so much she wanted to know. Yet she also didn¡¯t want to. Knowing might influence her stance with him in all this, and she wanted things to continue this way. Her eyes fluttered to see the dawn of day, and she turned to the clock on the nightstand and saw it was already a few minutes past seven a.m. She had slept for eight hours. Realising that left her in shock for a while. She didn¡¯t remember thest time she slept for that long, and it made her happy. She needed it. Her child needed it. Her child. She sighed; she would have toe out with the truth about it to him. She was carrying his child. This was something he always wanted, and now it was here, but they were no longer a family, and it hurt. Her phone began beeping on the nightstand, and she quickly reached for it. It was Cillian calling, and she answered and ced it to her ear. ¡°Good morning. This is morning, like I promised.¡± Cillian¡¯s radiant voice boomed through the phone. ¡°I didn¡¯t wake you up, though, did I?¡± The energy he disyed a moment ago has now withered. She smiled and rubbed her head as a slight headache set in. ¡°You are a man of your word. And no, you didn¡¯t wake me up; good morning.¡± ¡°I hope it isn¡¯t too early.¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t too early. How are you and your ¡°The old man is still alive and kicking.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± dad?¡± ¡°I know. I promised him I wouldn¡¯t touch a hair on his head.¡± He mumbled to himself, but she heard it. A frown appeared on her face. ¡°What do you mean?¡± She asked because the Cillian she had grown to know wasn¡¯t a violent person or one willing to hurt another, especially someone as old as his father. O 07:25 Fri, 2 Feb B ¡°Ah, you heard that,¡± heughed. ¡°Yeah, I did. What did you mean? Who did you promise?¡± ¡°His brother.¡± He answered. ¡°Sadly, his brother doesn¡¯t trust me. They seem to have a thing against ba stards and always believe they are up to no good. But harming him was a joke that I didn¡¯t deliver well. I will do better.¡± Fiona remains silent, remembering that Cillian told her how his father had gotten him when he was fresh into college and how he never knew his mother. He had grown up being treated differently and was sometimes called a ba stard by those outside and some family members. His father didn¡¯t always stand up for him, and that created a strain in their rtionship. It got worse after his father got married and started a family. Leaving for college was the best thing that Cillian experienced. His rtionship with his father only became better during college, and they were still working through it. Of course, Cillian wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone, especially his father. He also had a horrible taste for jokes, which wasn¡¯t a surprise at this point. ¡°I can imagine wanting to hurt him back.¡± She said a lighthearted joke: ¡°I know what growing up as an outcast felt like. Somedays you just want to set the entire world on fire and watch it all burn while you sip your ss of martini.¡± ¡°Ah, you get it.¡± ¡°I do; the thought went through my head a couple of times growing up.¡± She admitted. ¡°I¡¯m d I no longer have to deal with that, and do not worry; you will be back here in no time.¡± ¡°I missed you.¡± His revtion was made in a calm but hypnotising tone. ¡°I wish were here.¡± She turned to the other side of the bed. ¡°I miss you too, and the same here.¡± He took a sharp breath. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to hear that,¡± he revealed to her. you If she had gone with him, she would have been able to avoid the man called Julian, who was now on her couch. If she had followed him, he would be cracking thoseme, old jokes for her, and she would be giggling in response and gettingic relief. She didn¡¯t go with him; she stayed back here, and now here she was. ¡°Is there something you want to tell me?¡± Perhaps he knew Julian was at her ce. O How would he know, though? It was just a question. ¡°Like what?¡± she led him on. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he mumbled. ¡°There is nothing new here; Cam is still on her honeymoon with Peter, and you are still in the Nethends, and I am here, waiting for you to return.¡± She didn¡¯t want to lie or leave out this much detail, but she had no choice; he would worry, and she didn¡¯t want him to worry, especially since he was with his family. It was only for two days. Silence went by. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to get back to you too. I should let you go on with the rest of your day. Talk She wasn¡¯t ready for thest part, so she didn¡¯t know what to say. When Julian asked if she loved Cillian, she got defensive, wanting to avoid the question. Now she felt trapped. She liked him a lot, and falling in love with a man like Cillian was something that shoulde naturally, yet she didn¡¯t love him. She had Julian in her life, and she had too much on her te. She wanted to be with him; she cared for him more than anyone else-except for Julian. Cillian provided room for growth and encouraged her to be her own person. He was kind, affectionate, and, most of all, a patient lover. Loving him should havee easy, but it didn¡¯t. She knew this day woulde, though; she saw how he looked at her like a valued possession. As if he had never seemed something better. She knew it was only a matter of time before he confessed. She knew, yet she wasn¡¯t ready for those words. ¡°Cillian¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine; you do not have to tell me anything you do not mean. I just wanted you to R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only know. Take care of yourself; we will talkter.¡± He said in a low voice and ended the call. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Julian¡¯s POV Slowly, the light crept into Julian¡¯s senses, and it banished every trace of darkness in his being. He had thought he saw himself at the gates of Hades for a moment and thought he went in, but it turned out he didn¡¯t go in. If he had gone in, there would not have been any light. He couldn¡¯t be in the life beyond; he wasn¡¯t sure the moon goddess would let him in after what he had done-after ying into the hands of Doom and Mischief. The moon goddess was probably just as mad at him now as she was when he activated his curse. So, this wasn¡¯t the life beyond, and that meant he had somehow survived the attack he fell intost night. It was a huge relief, but it came with a lot of questions. His senses grew sharp, and he sat up, knowing where he was. He was at Fiona¡¯s home. She had saved him. She had sna tched him away from the gates of Hades and brought him back to life. He pulled himself up from the couch so he could sit down, and the covers he had over his body fell to hisp. He was naked from the waist up, and every one of his wounds had healed. He also felt a deep internal wholeness. She healed him of the afflictions he suffered while attempting to seal up the dark world. He felt so much better than he had been in over a week. She had done it for him-to save him and make him better. He did not want to think too deeply into it, but he couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°You are up, good.¡± Fiona said from behind, and he turned around and found her holding a pair of clothes in her hands. She moved closer to the couch heid on and set the clothes down on it. ¡°You are bigger than Peter, but these are the only male clothes we have in this house, so you will have to manage them. The guest bathroom is to the left, down through this passage. There is a new brush and toothpaste in there, so you can clean yourself up, change, and take your leave.¡± She said that and turned away from him. This was not how he thought their first conversation after she just saved his life would be. ¡°It can¡¯t be this way.¡± He murmured loud enough so that she could hear. O G Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. 10:50 Sat, 3 Feb G She halted and turned to him with a stone-cold face. ¡°What did you think was going to happen? I brought you home and healed you, and all is well and forgiven? I¡¯d jump on yourps and let you ride me into happiness?¡± He rose to his feet, ¡°I never said it should be the way you were putting it.¡± ¡°I helped you because I sent those thugs on youst night, and I felt responsible. There is nothing more to it. Now that you are back on your feet, I want you out of my house and my life.¡± ¡°I am sorry.¡± These were the only words he could say. ¡°Sometimes, sorry isn¡¯t good enough.¡± ¡°What do you want me to say then? What do you want me to do?¡± he asked, his frustration disyed on his face. ¡°Tell me, and I will do it. Tell me what I need to do, and I will f ucking do it.¡± ¡°I once wanted something from you, but now I want nothing. I just want you gone.¡± She turned to leave, but he caught her by the arm and pulled her to himself. Their faces came awfully close to each other, and unlike what he expected, she didn¡¯t struggle with him. She just stared at him. As his gaze locked in hers while holding onto her, he saw it deep in her eyes: pain and brokenness. Her pain was grave, and that was enough to make him let go and pull back. ¡°This is all my fault. I did this to you. I did this to us, and it might be hard for you to believe this, but it is the truth. I am sorry for everything. I am sorry for not believing you when you wanted me to. For thinking you were not capable of handling the truth and abandoning you. And chasing you out of our matrimonial bed. I did all I could to protect you, but I should have seen that the one who needed protection first was me.¡± He paused and drew a sharp breath. ¡°The dark dimensions were only able to use me that long because I had already lied to myself. I thought you wouldn¡¯t understand. You were right, and I was wrong. I yed right into the hands of Doom and Mischief, and I lost my strength and abilities and might never get them back. It is all my fault, and I want to make it right. And I will die trying to correct all the wrongs I have done. All the tears I made you shed. All night, you felt alone. That is why I came-to make things right.¡± A tear slid down his face, and the guilt of everything weighed on him. Fiona stayed silent, and even after he finished speaking, emotions roamed around on her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can be this person you want me to be.¡± ¡°Let me take you back.¡± ¡°It is not that simple.¡±/ 10:50 Sat, 3 Feb G? ¡°Because of your boyfriend?¡± He asked, and her silence said it all. .5 His heart hurt greatly knowing the only woman he wanted now felt strong emotions for another. It felt impossible when he first thought of it, but seeing her now confirmed it. ¡°Do you love him?¡± She turned away from him to hide her emotions. Thest time he asked, she told him it was none of his business, and she was right, it wasn¡¯t. Still, he wanted to know-he needed to know. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She finally answered, and even her answer told him she was trapped by how she felt. She felt strong emotions for him; it showed. ¡°Do you still love me?¡± he asked. He wasn¡¯t in the ce to even ask all this, but he wanted to know. He wanted to know if he still had a chance with her. She stayed silent while turning away from him. ¡°Fiona.¡± She turned around to look at him, and her eyes held so much truth in them. ¡°I still love you, Julian.¡± He exhaled in relief and almost consoled himself when she added, ¡°But I don¡¯t know if I want to be with you anymore.¡± Chapter 96 Chapter 96 The cold shower descended on Julian¡¯s skin, and he stood there, thinking about everything that happened a couple of minutes ago. Fiona still loved him, but she didn¡¯t know if she wanted to be with him. It was a bitter, sweet feeling. Her affection for the other man was deeper than he wanted and deeper than he expected. She still loved him, and that was what he had to stack everything on. If he hoped to get her back, he had to keep his faith. It didn¡¯t matter what he would have to do; he had to do it and get Luna his back. He wanted to tell her about Doom¡¯s n, but he hadn¡¯t because Isis had been the one who showed him that vision, and after her betrayal, he didn¡¯t know if it was even true to begin with. A part of him still believed in the vision he saw. Not because Isis showed it to him, but because Fiona had seen something simr when she visited Band on her own months ago. In the vision he saw, she had aided Doom in the destruction of Band and the rest of the werewolf world. Fiona saw the ruins as well, but she believed he had done it. The truth was that they both yed a part in the fulfilment of that vision. He already yed his. Doom¡¯s agenda had something to do with her, and that was why he wanted her in the human world and him dead and out of the way. He couldn¡¯t tell Fiona this; telling her this would send her running the other way unless she asked. He had to find other ways to reach out to Fiona and get her back without bringing Doom into it. He wasn¡¯t here because of Doom; he was here for her and no one else. He wanted her back because he couldn¡¯t bear the thought of losing her or living without her, and he would fight to get her back. He stepped into the living room with a towel around his waist. He had spent over thirty minutes in the cold shower. It was because he wanted to rid himself of the dry blood that lingered on his body despite being cleaned upst night by Fiona. He no longer had his strength and speed, but his hearing and smelling abilities were still as strong as ever. And he used that sense of smell to make sure he was clean before stepping out. He dropped the towel around his waist and picked up the joggers and t-shirt. They were smaller than he was and would be torture to have on. 1 ¡°For f ck¡¯s sake, put on some da mn clothes already.¡± 10:50 Sat, 3 Feb G 5 O Fiona cussed, and he turned around to find her shielding her face from across the room where she stood. ¡°They are too small.¡± He answered, which was the truth. ¡°Then put your towel back on. There is no reason for you to be butt-naked. This is the living room!¡± She groaned. She used to love him when he was butt-naked in the past. Past. The word made his heart ache. He reached for his towel and wrapped it around his waist. ¡°The towel is back on; you can uncover your face,¡± he told her, and she did. Her eyes came to rest on his, and her cheeks were as red as roses themselves. ¡°I told you before that those are the only male clothes we have. You should put them on. I already have your trousers in the washing machine since they weren¡¯t badly destroyed. Once those are dried, you can wear them.¡± He nodded and smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± She smiled back at him, and the sight was pure perfection. ¡°You are wee.¡± ¡°I will go put them on in the bathroom.¡± He said that and picked them up before leaving the room. It was a struggle, but he put the clothes on and returned to the living room, but she was gone. He didn¡¯t have to wonder where she was because the smell of beef filled his nose, and he knew she was in the kitchen. The meal had her signature all over it, and his mouth watered. He came to the kitchen but didn¡¯t step in. He found her chopping carrot, and her concentration stayed fixed on that. He marvelled at how amazing she was, even if he couldn¡¯t get to tell her that. He could tell her, but she wouldn¡¯t believe him. He would do a better job of showing her. ¡°Can I help you with that?¡± he asked from the kitchen door, and Fiona¡¯s head lifted to find him standing there. Her eyes stayed on his face for a while before moving down his polo vest and joggers and then quickly back to his face. ¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± she assured him, but he wasn¡¯t going anywhere or taking that as his final answer. ¡°Put me to use, Fiona. It¡¯s the least way I can repay you for saving my lifest night.¡± E 10:50 Sat, ¡°You do not have to repay me for anything. Like I told you, I got you into that situation when I told those thugs to take a go at you.¡± She had a guilty tone of voice. ¡°I thought they would be a distraction so I could get away; I didn¡¯t know your condition. I am sorry.¡± He stepped further into the kitchen, ¡°You have nothing to be sorry for.¡± She kept her focus on the carrot she worked on. ¡°You almost died, though. It doesn¡¯t matter how I feel about you; you are still the father of my sons, and they almost lost that.¡± With her exnation came further understanding for him. ¡°How are they? June and Jashin?¡± ¡°They are great; they miss you a lot, and they hate me, as they should. They know I sent you away, and so I do not me their reaction to it all. I would have brought them along, but I am not physically able to protect them if the need arises. They were safer in our world, under the supervision of Ophelia and Marion.¡± ¡°I miss them.¡± She exhaled, and a smile crossed her face. ¡°They miss you too, a lot. They never fail to remind me of the things you do better and I do wrong.¡± Sheughed and shook her head, and if only he could always get her like this. Happy. He would take that over everything else. She handed him the knife, and he took it and got to work on the carrots while she tended to the food on the stove. He chopped all the carrots, and when he asked if he wanted the onion diced too, she nodded, and he worked on that. He was on thest set of onions when she began to speak. ¡°You no longer have your strength or your abilities. Does that have anything to do with Isis?¡± She turned off the stove. He finished and kept the knife on the chopping board. Her question told him she was ready to listen; she wanted to know the truth, and he was d he waited for her. ¡°Yes, it has everything to do with Isis.¡± He answered, but he needed to exin. ¡°We had embarked on the quest of sealing the Dark World entrance, and we had three trials to aplish this task. That was how much Isis¡¯ ritual could give us as the entrance grew with each passing day. I was the Lycan king, hence the only one who could do it. I needed the strength of the full moon because that was the only time a Lycan¡¯s power would work on the pathway of the dark world. She told me the three trials were three full moons toplete the sealing, after which Doom and Mischief would no longer extend their territories or afflict the neighbouringmunities around the border.¡± 10:51 Sat, 3 Feb ¡°You closed the dark world¡¯s entrance?¡± 3 He nodded and moved on to exin how the attacks that led to the loss of his abilities happened. ¡°I would have died, but Marion saved me. When I realised I had been a fool to Isis¡¯ scheme, I wanted death.¡± He revealed. ¡°That was what I deserved after what I had done. I turned on everyone for her. You and Marion. I chose her truth over the truth, and I really didn¡¯t deserve mercy. I can¡¯t even forgive myself for what I have done, but I just hope I can make it right. Marion told me sealing the Dark entrance was probably part of Doom and Mischief¡¯s agenda, and they needed someone stu pid enough to do it. My n all along was to bring you back when it was all over and you were safe from the Dark world¡¯s reach.¡± She took a step towards him. ¡°You think I am in some way connected to whatever it is that Doom and Mischief are nning?¡± He wanted to lie and tell her she wasn¡¯t, but he realised they were in this mess because he kept her in the dark. He needed to tell her the truth; she deserved to know it. ¡°Yes. I remember when the movers took you to Band and you saw the ruin. I believe you saw the R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only future. You were right to ask what I did. I got upset because, back then, I had not done anything and also wanted to protect you from Doom¡¯s influence, but now I know what I¡¯ve done. To bring about this destruction, they needed the two of us, and I already yed my part. But it doesn¡¯t matter because, unlike me, you have a strong sense of judgement and will never do anything to aid the Dark world. I have faith in you.¡± Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Fiona¡¯s POV She took a step towards him. ¡°You think I am in some way connected to whatever it is the dark world is nning?¡± Julian hesitated. He was contemting telling her the truth; she saw it in his eyes, but then he looked up at her. ¡°Yes. Remember when the movers took you to Band and you saw the ruin? I believe you saw the future. You were right to ask what I did. I got upset because, back then, I had not done anything, but now I know I did. To bring about this destruction, they needed the two of us, and I already yed my part. But it doesn¡¯t matter because, unlike me, you have a strong sense of judgement and will never do anything to aid the dark side. I have faith in you.¡± His answer wasn¡¯t what she had expected. And as his hand touched hers, she felt a spark within her, igniting the feelings she had not felt in months. When she said she was happy here a week ago, it was not the entire truth, but it wasn¡¯t a lie either; she loved here, her new life was here, Cam and Peter were both here as well as Cillian. This was why she couldn¡¯t just leave. Yet a whole new world waited for her. Her work, her people, and most importantly, her sons. ¡°Then he told me to bring you along the next time Ie visiting.¡± Cillian narrated the tale of his visit back home to her while they sat to eat lunch at the cafeteria of Harmony Hospital. Fiona struggled between listening to him and reminiscing about the moment she had with Julian days ago in her head. It was a struggle. She felt guilty because he had paid close attention when she told him about her weekend, in which she left out a lot of details. It was only fair that she returned the favour to him, but she wasn¡¯t doing that. She was thinking about the words her husband told her before leaving days ago. ¡°He wants to see me?¡± she asked the question because she heard thest part of his words. ¡°Yes.¡± He said, smiling. ¡°What did you tell him I was?¡± ¡°A friend.¡± He answered. ¡°And he still wants to see me?¡± She asked, and her eyes caught a basket of apples on the counter behind him. He nodded, excited. ¡°I have never had a female friend, and that got him curious. So, what do you say?¡± ¡°I want an apple.¡± She blurted out at the same time he asked his question. Her hands ran up and covered her mouth, knowing how annoying what she did was. He turned around and saw the basket of apples on the counter, then turned to her. ¡°Wait here.¡± He said and rose from the seat, going over to the counter where the basket sat. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. He greeted the attendant at the cafeteria and then picked up an apple, but as he turned around, someone got in his way, so he was unable to get through. Fiona recognised him. Blond hair, mas-sive in size, six¨Cfoot tall. Keh. All the hairs on her body stood alert, and she immediately rose to her feet, startled at his presence. Julian had told her about his betrayal and falling into the hands of the dark world. He told her he was now under their control, and that made him a threat to her and she cared about. anyone ¡°I am sorry.¡± Cillian said and tried to step away, but Keh once again stepped in the way, so he couldn¡¯t get through. ¡°Can you let me through? My friend is waiting for me.¡± Cillian asked, trying to be reasonable. Keh just stared down at him without saying a word and instead reached and took the apple from his hand and took a bite. ¡°Dude, there are like twenty in this basket. You could have picked one from there.¡± He stressed out but held no anger in his voice, and instead, he turned and picked another apple. Again, Keh collected the apple from his hand and bit into it, smirking down at him and taunting him. She wasn¡¯t Luna anymore, which meant her strength was in no way a match for Keh¡¯s. She, however, couldn¡¯t stand back and do nothing while he pushed Cillian around because of her. She stormed over to them, only stopping when she got to where he was, and she ced herself between him and Cillian. Keh¡¯s attention moved to her when she got close, and he had an emotionless look on his face. It seemed almost as if he didn¡¯t know her. Marion and Julian were right in their assumptions. This wasn¡¯t Keh¡ªat least not the Keh she knew. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s nothing. Fiona, he just wants an apple.¡± The oblivious Cillian said so, and he stretched his hand out, trying to reassure her. She knew what she saw, and Cillian did not know what he was dealing with. If he knew half of it, he would run the other way. She did not answer Cillian, and instead she kept her attention on Keh, who was still yet to break eye contact with her. ¡°Trust me, you do not want to make a scene here, Keh.¡± She told him with a stern look. She couldn¡¯t afford to make a scene here. It had been over a month since she resumed working here again, and she had already heard enough rumours about herself. Many believed she only got the job because Cillian liked her, not because she was any good. It was mean and disrespectful to everything she stood for, but people will always talk, and so she consoled herself. Here now, a scene wasn¡¯t on the list of things she could afford. Keh took a step towards her so that now they stood inches away from each other, and she had to willfullypel her heartbeat to remain calm. He will capitalise on any sign of fear she shows him, and that would not be good. A smirk appeared on the side of his face, and she saw darkness all over him before he stepped back and walked away from them. She turned around to Cillian, and he looked to have a lot of questions waiting for her. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 WhatsApp Fiona opened the door, and to her surprise, she found Julian standing there. It had been only three minutes after she called him and told him she needed to see him, and he was already here. That raised her suspicion because he no longer had his strength or speed. ¡°You came here so fast. I thought it would take you a little more time.¡± She trailed off as she closed the door behind him. It was none of her business, but she had to ask. ¡°Where exactly do you live?¡± He stayed silent as he followed her further into the living room, and she frowned. ¡°Do not tell me you live on the streets.¡± ¡°I live in the house across the street.¡± He answered, and it took her a moment, but it finally clicked. ¡°How long have you lived there?¡± ¡°Since I came to the human world,¡± he answered. He had been across the street all this time. She could never get away from a man like Julian, with or without his abilities. ¡°What did you do to the old upants?¡± She crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°There have been none since you came into the world of humans. I bought the house so I wouldn¡¯t be so far away from you.¡± So, on thest full moon, when the upant gave Cam the key to their ranch, that was Julian¡¯s doing. He had been here, even though he was far away. She couldn¡¯t dwell on this; there was something much more important to deal with, and that was why he was here. ¡°Keh is here.¡± She began, and he immediately looked around, bing extremely alert. She had given slightly inurate information. ¡°He is not in my house; he is in the world of humans, and if he is here,¡± she didn¡¯t get to finish because he did. ¡°Isis is here.¡± She had thought about it and came up with this same conclusion earlier, but hearing him call her name now made her blood boil. She nodded. ¡°And Keh came to Cillian.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Why? He has nothing to do with this, does he?¡± Julian asked, and he seemed rather slow at putting it together. She released her crossed arms and rubbed her forehead. ¡°Of course he doesn¡¯t; he is with me, and they want me and will go through anyone I care about just to get to me.¡± He understood better with her exnation, and he nodded. ¡°What do you want to do now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, and that is why you are here.¡± She answered with a frown on her face. He nced at her, and their gazes locked. ¡°I think you already know what you need to do, but you do not want to do it.¡± She turned away from him. ¡°No.¡± She brought him here to figure out a way out, not to tell her what she already knew. ¡°It is the only way, Fiona; you have to break up with him.¡± She shook her head; that wasn¡¯t the suggestion she wanted. ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°You said you didn¡¯t love the guy in sses.¡± She turned to re at him. ¡°His name is Cillian, not ¡®guy in sses¡®. I may not love him, but I like him a lot.¡± Cillian had shared his experiences with her, and doing this now, ending things with him and not telling him why, seemed unfair. She would hurt him just like everyone else. Yes, she would save his life, but he would never know that. Julian looked hurt by her words, but he pushed through to speak. ¡°And he will die because of your feelings for him. Is that what you want?¡± Her eyes grew ssy, and she turned away from him; she didn¡¯t want him to see her this way. She would lose the one good thing that came to her in the world of humans. She also didn¡¯t want any harming to Cillian¡¯s hair all on ount of her; she¡¯d never forgive herself. ¡°No, it is not what I want.¡± She answered. He rose to his feet and took a step towards her. ¡°Then you know what you have to do. You are protecting him and keeping him from bing a casualty in thising war. And if it is still what you want, you can go back to him once all this is over.¡± She saw how much hurt lingered on his face as he said thest part to her, but he was being supportive. As supportive as he needed to be for her. She nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± Leaving everything behind was an almost impossible task, but it was what was necessary. Her work is here, Cillian, Peter, and Cam. It was all necessary. Fiona stood in the parking lot of Harmony Hospital, and there she waited for Cillian toe meet her. She had called him and told him she waited for him here. He asked why she wouldn¡¯te up, and she told him because she thought this was better. ¡°Hey, Fiona. How are you?¡± She did not reply to his greeting, and he continued. ¡°I know you are pregnant and working, and that is aborious task; believe me, I know, but you did not resume work on your schedule, and now you won¡¯t evene up. I know I am the boss, but there is so much power move I can make regarding a staff before I step on a few toes.¡± He said,ing over to where she stood. Again, silence, and this made him pause and stare at her with worried everything alright?¡± eyes. ¡°Is She handed him a letter, and he took it and nced at it before looking back at her. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°I am resigning.¡± She replied. His face dropped at her word, and she rehearsed this line over and over, and now it was harder to say. ¡°What? Why? Is it because of the pregnancy?¡± He asked, ¡°We can reduce the number of days you and under a lot of pressure.¡± He tried to bargain with her and took a step forward. ¡°I can¡¯t; I am sorry, Dr. Omale.¡± She stepped back from him. ¡°Dr. Omale?¡± he repeated. ¡°Since when do you call me that? Wait, are you breaking up with me?¡± He was already putting together what was happening, and brokenness shed over his eyes. Her heart tightened in her chest. ¡°Fiona. Did I do this? Did I do something wrong? Tell me, and I will fix it. Please.¡±/ Her eyes grew ssy, and she wanted to tell him he was perfect, but she couldn¡¯t. This had to be done to protect him from thoseing for her. She blinked the tears back. ¡°There is nothing to fix; I can¡¯t do this anymore. It is best to end it now.¡± He stepped towards her and took hold of her hands. ¡°Is it because of the man in the Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Cillian¡¯s POV Cillian wanted an exnation; her decision was too sudden, and because he didn¡¯t anticipate it, he R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only didn¡¯t really prepare himself for the impact of it. He needed an exnation; perhaps he would find sce in that. He would never find peace until he knew why. ¡°Fiona, you can talk to me. Help me understand what is happening. Help me understand why you do not want to be with me anymore.¡± ¡°Because I still love my husband.¡± She answered, and he released his grip on her. ¡°No matter what I do, I can¡¯t stop how I feel. He is the one thing on my mind before I go to sleep and the first thing on my mind once I wake. And no matter how much I fight myself, I can¡¯t fight him. No matter who I love, it wouldn¡¯te close to how much I love and want to be with him.¡± He knew this would happen when she told him her husband came back. Then he wanted to take her away from here to a ce far away where her husband wouldn¡¯t find her. A part of him knew Julian¡¯s return was his loss, but hearing her say it to him broke his heart. It felt wrong. She was his perfect match. He did everything right, and still he lost her to him. He had never fought to be in someone¡¯s life before, but for her, he would have, if only she wanted to be with him, too. She didn¡¯t. That was the difference. It was out of his control. He sniffed and nodded his head. ¡°You do not have to be sorry. I mean, you never agreed to be my girlfriend. A part of me knew how this situation would go and still got myself involved in it. I loved you, and I thought in time you would love me too, but that will never happen.¡± A tear rolled down her face. ¡°You are a good man, Cillian Omale, and I am sorry I ended up hurting you just like everyone else. I hope that one day you will find those who will truly love you the way you deserve.¡± She said, and turning away, she walked on without looking back. He watched her go, unable to go after her because she had told him what she came here to say. For the rest of the day, he could not focus on anything. He made a mistake by letting her go. He thought. Perhaps letting her go was a mistake on his side. He shouldn¡¯t have given her that go. She could have wanted him to chase her down. He saw how hurt she was when they first met, and it was all due to her husband, Julian. Why would she go back to such a man? What did he say? A promise to change? Do men like him change? Fiona deserved better. She deserved someone who could offer her more. She deserved him. He picked up his phone and dialled her number, but it rang to voicemail. After three tries and no response, he ced his phone down. She was gone and nevering back. She was going back to her husband, the man she loved. The man she would always love. They would live together and have a happily ever after. It made him furious. He was thinking too much, and if he kept this up, he would be a bitter side piece. He picked up his desk phone and called Carly, his PA, instructing her to clear out his appointment for the rest of the day. He rose to his feet and took his leave. He needed to clear his head¨Cto get away. He needed to figure out a way ahead. A world that Fiona wasn¡¯t a part of. He came down to the parking lot where hest saw Fiona, and he approached his car, only to pause when he saw a woman standing there. She had short, curly blonde hair, and her body rested against his car with her head bowed. She had on white zers and in trousers, and she had a blue shirt on the inside. He took his steps carefully because he wasn¡¯t in the mood to speak to anyone. Not today. She must have taken notice of his presence despite his careful attempt to not alert her, because her head lifted and her blue eyes rested on him. A smile came onto her face as she stared at him. She pulled herself off the car and stepped towards him. He stood still and watched her. ¡°You must be Cillian Omale.¡± She said and stretched her hand out to him for a shake. Although sceptical, he took her hand into his for a firm shake. ¡°I am. Who are you?¡± ¡°I am Isis.¡± She answered, still holding his hand in a tight grip. He tried pulling his hand out of hers, but it was a tight lock. ¡°Hello, Isis, what for you?¡± may I do ¡°There is nothing you can do for me, but there is a lot you can do for my master.¡± His brow raised. ¡°Who is your master, and what do they want with me?¡± She tilted her head from side to side. ¡°Well, you will only know if youe with me.¡± ¡°And what if I do not want toe with you?¡± He asked, with a frowning onto his face, ¡°What then?¡± ¡°Then I will have to make youe with me.¡± She said, and her voice showed her seriousness. There was no way out of this; he couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°Fine, then, I wille with you. Now let go of my hand.¡± He ordered, and she smiled and released his hand. ¡°Come, my car is over there,¡± she said, and she began walking off. He followed her, and she walked over to a ck Lexus, and beside it stood a tall man with brown hair and a ck long sleeve looking the other way. The man turned around to him as he got close, and he was the same man in the cafeteria yesterday. He halted his step. ¡°What is he doing here?¡± ¡°You are not in ce to ask questions.¡± Isis answered, ¡°Get in the car.¡± Shemanded, and he obeyed silently. Once in, the brown¨Chaired man turned on the car, and they drove off. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Warning! Triggering chapter: violence. Fiona¡¯s POV Fiona opened the door and stepped into the house. Julian rose to his feet immediately, and a look of worry lingered on his face. ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°Bad,¡± she answered, and she didn¡¯t know how she was holding herself up at this point. He silently walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her forfort. ¡°I am sorry.¡± She didn¡¯t know how much she needed his arms around her until they were there, holding her. The him, weeping at her loss. Pain and guilt ate her up. She had done what was right, yet she felt much more guilty than anything else. She never understood Julian¡¯s side of what he did to her until now. Everything he did, sending her away into this world, must have hurt him like hell, but he did it because he believed that was the right thing to do. He wanted to protect her; he wanted to be safe, and even when that meant hurting her, he didn¡¯t weaver. She understood now, because she just did the same. She pulled away from him and stepped back from him. ¡°There is something I haven¡¯t told you.¡± She began with a small voice. His eyes lingered on her, waiting for her to speak. She released a long breath. ¡°I am pregnant, and it is yours.¡± Silence was what she received as a response for the first few seconds. Julian¡¯s eyes wandered from hers and dropped to her slightly protruding belly, then back up at her. She saw his struggle to keep himself from reaching for her. It warmed her heart and gave her sce in this chaos. ¡°My bump is barely visible for a four-month pregnancy, but you can feel it if you want,¡± she told him. He hesitated, still taken aback by what she just told him. This was something he wanted for the longest time, and now he stood ovee with shock and unable to do anything. ¡°I didn¡¯t know if I wanted the baby after I found out about it. I was still furious with you, and I also knew you woulde and take her away from me once you found her,¡± she revealed as she stepped towards him. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to have to give her up the way I did June and Jashin. But the more I thought about her, the more I knew she was what I wanted. I have wanted another child for the longest time.¡± She stood before him, took his hands, and ced them on her stomach so he could feel the baby inside her. He gasped, overwhelmed by the truth and the reality that came with it. ¡°You will be a father again, Julian.¡± His eyes grew ssy as he stared back up at her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say, Fiona. I have looked forward to this day for a while, but now I don¡¯t know what the right thing to say is. But I promise I will defend and protect her with everything that I have or die trying.¡± He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead tenderly. She smiled, believing every word he just uttered. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Thank you for telling me.¡± ¡°You are wee.¡± ¡°What is the next step, then?¡± she asked the lingering question. 15:04 Wed, Feb/ ¡°We need to leave. There will be so many casualties if the war is to happen here. In the werewolf world, we stand a better chance of fighting. We have the strength, numbers, and abilities. She had other choice. There was nothing left for her here, but there was so much she needed to protect. Cam, Peter, and Cillian were at the top of that list. ¡°Tomorrow, we leave.¡± Fiona was still deep in her sleep when she heard footsteps around her door, and her eyes snapped open in bed. She sat up, already knowing she wasn¡¯t alone, and immediately preparing herself for the intrusion. She would have said Julian, but he wasn¡¯t the one. They had worked out an understanding that if he wanted toe over, he would have to inform her. This was an intruder, and her senses warned her against not being on alert. She pulled herself off the bed and towards the door, then waited for it to open, but after a while, the footstep faded They left. Who could it be? She would have said Keh, but the scent wasn¡¯t one she was familiar with. Not in a while. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. It wasn¡¯t Keh, but she knew whoever was there wasn¡¯t her friend. away. After a minute of waiting and not getting any sound, she opened the door and stepped out, only for her hair to be yanked and herself thrown onto the cold, hard floor. She groaned in pain at the impact, but she didn¡¯t stay longer. She was being attacked, and she needed to get up and fight. She jumped back to her feet, her senses kicking in, and she turned around and found Isis standing before her with menace in her eyes. Anger surged through her veins at her sight, and her hands balled into a fist. The one out to kill her was the one who took everything away from her. Isis made her look crazy when she was right all along. ¡°You!¡± she growled, and her hands balled into a tight fist. Isis smirked. ¡°Same old me, hello.¡± Oh, she would enjoy killing this whore, Fiona thought. For everything she did to her family, she would make her pay. Fionaunched at Isis, her hands transforming into sharp ws as she reached her, but Isis rubbed her bracelet and vanished from her sight. Before she could decide where Isis went, a punchnded on her ribs. She groaned and staggered a little. He growled in anger at Isis¡¯ petty tricks, but she was determined to beat her at her game. ¡°I don¡¯t care what tricks you have up your sleeves; my face will be thest one you see.¡± She growled and turned around to find Isis standing behind her. ¡°May the best Lycan win because I said the same thing about you? Isis replied, her smirk still on her face, and she wanted nothing more than to tear it away. ¡°Then fight like you mean it and stop running away.¡± Fiona charged at her, and once again she vanished before her eyes after rubbing at her bracelet, and the next strike Fiona felt was to her left knee. She dropped to one knee, and her hand shot out when Isis¡¯ leg swung to kick her stomach, so her leg mmed against her chest area instead, and this took her down, rolling down the stairs. She didn¡¯t stay down for long because that would mean death for her. She ran to her feet. ¡°What? Are you tired already?¡± Isis asked with a small pout disying on her mouth as she followed her down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, after I kill you, I will make sure to take out your lover as fast as I can. What is his name again? Cillian?¡± Fiona¡¯s teeth clenched at Isis¡¯s words about hurting Cillian, who had done nothing to hurt her. 15:04 Wed, Feb / (45 This was Isis¡¯s taunting skill, and she couldn¡¯t win this battle if she yed into her tricks. She would die if she let her emotions dictate her ability to put up a good fight. Isis wanted her to fight with emotions because that was the only way she would lose. Fiona spat out the blood in her mouth onto the ground and wiped the rest on her lips. ¡°Do not worry about me; I didn¡¯t learn how to fight using cheap tricks. One thing I learned is to always kill when I fight, and you will die tonight.¡± She said, and sheunched at Isis once more, but as she vanished from before her, Fiona swung back at the same time, and her fist collided with Isis¡¯ face. She reached where Isis stood in a sh and yanked the blue bracelet out of her wrist before she could get to vanish. The jewel broke apart and fell to the ground, and shock took over Fiona as she saw Vivian standing before her instead of Isis. How was that possible? How was Vivian here when she saw the dark world pull her in and close up over two years ago? She had seen Vivian even after her alleged death, but she always thought her mind yed tricks on her. She had been out doing the bidding of the Dark World for who knows how long. ¡°So, you didn¡¯t die. ¡°It will take more than that to kill me,¡± Vivian answered, a smirking onto her bruised lips. Fiona had to agree with her. ¡°You are right. I never thought I would say this, but I am d you didn¡¯t die in the Dark world. I am d you are here, giving me the honour of putting an end to you.¡± Fiona said andunched at her, and the two fell into a brutal fight. Fiona pinned Vivian to the floor with her w around her neck. Vivian struggled, but she was incapacitated and unable to do anything else but take the assault. Fiona¡¯s eyes glowed. ¡°The Dark World wanted to take me out, and they sent you?¡± She growled, dug her w into Vivian¡¯s chest, and pulled out her heart at the same time. She watched the light in her eyes vanish. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Warning! Triggering chapter: violence. Julian¡¯s POV Julian didn¡¯t sleep. He stayed awake on the bed, thinking. He had prepared for a lot of things when he ventured into the world of humans. Rejection, anger, resentment, and rebellion-he expected all these. Fiona¡¯s pregnancy was something he didn¡¯t prepare for. He was once again about to be a father. Unlike the first time, he wanted to be very present; he wanted to provide her with everything she needed. He would do a good job of being an exceptional father. The news of her pregnancy was the silver lining in all of this. It was a second chance, and it gave him hope in everything else. Nothing put him faster to sleep than hearing the steady heartbeat of Fiona. It was his muse, and though he had never focused on another, he tried to listen to the baby¡¯s heartbeat even though he was far away. He heard it and fainted, but he heard it, and it brought him satisfaction. Tomorrow, they will return together to their world. He would fulfil the promise he made to June and Jashin to return with their mother. He couldn¡¯t wait to see the look that would be on the boys¡¯ faces upon her return. They¡¯ll be the most ecstatic when they find out they have a babying. They will get something he never had growing up, siblings. They would be the best big brothers. They were already protective of each other; how much more for a younger sister? His ear stayed on the heartbeat, and he was about to go to sleep when he heard a crash, and he knew where that came from. Fiona was under attack. He ran up to his feet, rmed, and his senses kicked in. He hurried out of his room, wanting to be there for Fiona now, when she needed it most. The thought barely left his mind when a hard punch collided with the side of his face, almost cracking his skull open. His vision darkened, and he fell to the floor,cking strength and life. His vision cleared after a few seconds, and he saw Keh towering above him. He had a nk look on his face and stared at him like he had never seen him before. They were not of equal strength; Julian knew this. He would die if he were to stand and fight, but he had no other choice. If Keh was here, it was for one reason. To finish the job of killing him. ¡°Keh, listen to me; you do not have to do this. You do not want to serve the masters of the Dark world or be their puppet. That is not who you were meant to be.¡± He spoke, but Keh reached out and pulled him up by his hair, gripping it so tightly that he feared he would yank the hair out of its T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. root. Julian wrapped his hands around Keh¡¯s, and with all his might, he pulled his finger out of his hair, losing so much hair in the process. He was yet to recover from that loss when Keh mmed his fist into his stomach, taking him off his feet and back to the floor. He spat out blood, and every bone in his body ached and trembled at the assault. ¡°Keh, I know you are not in control of your mind right now, but you are my friend and second in and there was a crack. Blood poured out of his mouth, and his hand ran up to cover his split lips. He swore a few teeth fell out. Keh followed up with his attack and tore him through with his ws all over. He cried out in anguish andid, groaning, on the floor, unable to move or do anything else. 15:05 Wed, Feb / This was his end. He wouldn¡¯t be able to keep to his words of protecting Fiona, his sons, and the werewolf world. He failed. It hurt him, but he failed. Keh got on top of him, and his hands wrapped around his neck. The next second, there was a snap before Julian cked out. ¡°When the strength of a Lycan king fails him, then he falls back on his authority. Everything in the werewolf world is subjected to his voice. Even the trees and seas. As long as he can speak, it isn¡¯t over.¡± Kol McQueen, Julian¡¯s father, said to him: ¡°Do you understand this?¡± He nodded. ¡°Yes, dad.¡± ¡°You are the Lycan king; never forget what that means.¡± Julian¡¯s father¡¯s words echoed in his ears, and his eyes fluttered open while hey on the floor in a pool of his own blood. He knew these words were true, but he always thought what his father spoke about was only applicable in times of battle when there was no way out. This was a battle with no way out, and his strength had failed him. This was the only way left for him to live. He coughed out blood, and Keh halted on his step, realising he hadn¡¯t finished his job. He walked back to where Juliany, dropped to his knee beside him, and Keh¡¯s fingers transformed into sharp ws. Keh thrust his ws to dig into his chest and pull out his heart, but Julian¡¯s hands shoved it off, and he threw Keh off on top of himself. With thest of his strength, Julian pulled himself onto Keh¡¯s back. He manoeuvred and wrapped one arm around Keh¡¯s neck and the other around his head, keeping his grip as solid as he could despite his weakness. Keh fought to get rid of him, but Julian¡¯s grip and attack stayed strong. ¡°I am your Lycan king; you answer to me. The only wishes you are to carry out are mine, Keh Snowfall.¡± Julian growled out in pain and authority, and his eyes glowed, as red as the crimson, even as his grip on Keh stayed tight around his neck. He felt a raspy intake of air, and Keh dropped to one knee. Julian, knowing the hold on Keh had been broken, released his grip on his neck and rolled onto the ground, groaning in pain and aching all over. Keh turned his face, and his eyes met Julian on the floor, and they grew remorseful. ¡°My king.¡± He called and ran over to him. The door opened immediately, and not long after, Fiona stepped out and towards them. Their eyes moved to her, and she had a lot of questions on her face as she stared at the chaos that took ce around them. ¡°They sent him here to kill me,¡± Julian said, breaking the ice of silence. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to kill you anymore?¡± She asked, and her eyes held a lot of questions in them as she stared at them. He smiled, and the muscles in his face ached. ¡°He just called me his king, so I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°What happened to you?¡± He asked because her face had no trace of hurt and her nightgown had a bloodstain. The realisation that she was in trouble had sent him running off his bed earlier, but he looked untouched now. ¡°Isis is Vivian, and she came to kill me.¡± She replied. G. ¡°I hope you are okay.¡± He sat up immediately, on rm, but he regretted his action as more blood gushed out from his side. Hisshes fluttered, and he groaned out in pain, lying back down. Fiona hurried over to him and ced her hands on his body to ease the difort. ¡°I am okay; she is dead now.¡± He drew a breath of relief. ¡°I¡¯m d you are safe. I don¡¯t know what I would have done if something had happened to you.¡± He mumbled. ¡°I am fine; you took much beating than I did.¡± He nced down at himself and then said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± He shrugged it off casually. She rolled her eyes but smiled, which was a win for him. ¡°Cute,¡± she said. He felt shivers surge through him at her words, despite his horrible state. Seeing her smile and receiving apliment made it all worth it. It took her thirty minutes to heal him of all the injuries Keh had inflicted on him, and Keh kept himself busy cleaning up the blood stain he had left. ¡°You are all fixed now.¡± She said that and tried to pull her hand away, but he held onto it, wanting it to stay there for a while longer. She stared up at him with a narrowed gaze, but she didn¡¯t pull her hand away. She had brought himfort, and that awakened feelings of desire for her. He pulled closer to her to kiss her lips. He expected her to pull back, but she didn¡¯t, and slowly, he took her lips between his. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Fiona¡¯s POV Julian had asked Keh if he ever saw Doom when the dark masters had him under their control. Keh told them that though he worked under their control for months, he only answered and took orders from Mischief. Then he told them that Isis, who in truth was Vivian, would have known who Doom was since she took orders from them even when they were in Band. Julian asked if he had any knowledge of what their n was, and Keh told him it was the complete dominion over both worlds. Humans and Lycans. Mischief left Keh oblivious to a lot of things, but he had heard her speak about breaking the seal. Without more to back that information up, there was nothing to make of it. With the entrance of the dark world sealed, there was no sending Doom and Mischief back there. And they wereing. They didn¡¯t know what that meant, but they had to prepare themselves, regardless. Marion stood waiting for them, along with the elders and a few alphas of the neighbouring communities, as they came close. ¡°Wee home, my king.¡± Marions said and bowed his head. The eight elders and alphas standing behind him also bowed their heads in respect. ¡°Thank you, Marion and every one of you, for keeping faith for my return. We are back now, but this isn¡¯t the end; there is a waring, and we all have to prepare for it. Anyone can be under the influence of the dark world, so keep an eye out and sound the rm.¡± While the elders and Marion scattered to write and bear the news of the Lycan king¡¯s arrival and theing war, Marion stuck around. His eyes moved to Keh, who now stood beside Julian. Julina noticed the stare and moved to speak, but Marion beat him to it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know he is different.¡± Marion knew the difference even without being told. Lily arrived at the Lycan King¡¯s Estate¡¯s gate, where they still were, and her eyes travelled to Keh. The words of her mate¡¯s arrival must have gotten to her. She stood quietly. It took a few seconds for Keh to take notice of her presence, but when he did, he left their side and hurried over to her. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, breaking down in his arms and crying. Marion also took his leave, with his excuse being that he needed to prepare himself for the news the Lycan king had given. This left Julian alone with Fiona, and they made their way towards the mansion. Julian saw the look on Fiona¡¯s face and knew she was eager to be there. It was obvious she wasn¡¯t eager because she missed the house, but because of those in it. Her sons. ¡°Nervous?¡± Julian asked, attempting to start small talk. Fiona sighed. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be back. So yeah, I am a little nervous.¡± He nced up at the mansion. ¡°I can tell you that they are also excited to see you.¡± He said and stretched his hand out to her. She took his hand, and there was a spark, but neither of them focused on it because they proceeded towards the mansion where their sons waited for them. Fiona pushed open the door for June, and Jashin and the boys were in bed reading their storybooks, not bothered to look up at who it could be. ¡°Are you both going to ignore me all day?¡± Fiona asked and crossed her arms over her chest. Their books fell from their hands the same second, and they sat up with eyes filled with joy and excitement at her presence. They ran off the bed and towards her. ¡°Mommy!¡± Jashin reached her first, and she dropped to her knees with her arms open. ¡°Mommy!¡± June got to where she was, and he hugged her. ¡°Daddy said he was going to bring you back.¡± He said, grinning. She nodded while hugging them harder. ¡°He did; he brought me back.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°You will not leave again, will you?¡± She hadn¡¯t thought about this truth. Julian had told her she could go back to Cillian when all this was over two days ago, but that would not be as easy as it sounded then. Her first responsibility was to her sons and her world. She could not put another one above it. Besides, her feelings for Julian, which were once dead, grew stronger with every passing day, and her feelings for Cillian withered away like the leaves during winter. She thought about the kiss they shared earlier this morning in the world of the living. The softness, genuineness, and affection it held. ¡°I am not leaving you two ever again.¡± She promised them, and they hugged tightly. They helped tuck the boys into bed for the night, and they made their way out of the bedroom. Julian, though present in the room while she talked with the boys and put them to sleep, had yet to utter a word. The boys also didn¡¯t speak to him. Yes, he had brought her back as he promised, but they were mad that he sent her away. ¡°I am sorry.¡± He said this to her as soon as Fiona shut the door to the room. ¡°For taking you away from them and them from you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine; we will work through it,¡± she assured him with a certain tone, casually brushing it off. ¡°I miss you.¡± He blurted out while staring into her eyes. ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t say it, and it isn¡¯t in my ce, but I miss you a lot.¡± Shivers ran through her at his bold deration, and she stayed mute for a moment. ¡°I miss you too.¡± She replied, to her own surprise. He stepped up to her, and she didn¡¯t step away. She missed him, and she wanted this-maybe more than she would love to admit. He closed the space between them with his long strides, and she drew a sharp breath when their bodies touched. She gasped, and her eyes dropped from his. She missed him so darn much. His touch, his voice, his affection, his strength, and his manliness. Despite their mate bond being shattered, the feelings didn¡¯t leave. It was present now more than ever. It left her vulnerable to him. His hand tilted her jaw up, so her eyes locked on his. ¡°Do you want me to kiss you?¡± He asked, his head already dipped and his lipsing incredibly close to hers, so that she felt the breathing from his nostrils on her cheeks. 10:44/ Fri, Feb 9 GJ Why did he need permission to kiss her now when he did so in the human world? Well, he apologised immediately, which made her a little angry. Maybe this time he didn¡¯t want to apologise after kissing her, hence the question. ¡°Julian.¡± ¡°Do you want me to kiss you?¡± he asked again, and this time his lips grazed over hers. Her body lit up with desires, but it was a fleeting touch that made her desperate for more. ¡°Yes, Julian, I want you to kiss me.¡± Her desire got the best of her ¡°I want you to touch me all over. I want you to make love to me.¡± Chapter 103 Chapter 103 He asked if he could kiss her, and she just gave him the green card for everything else. Her cheeks burned, but before she could take back what she had said, he imed her lips. The kiss was passionate, with a hint of desperation in it. His hands were also relentless as they imed her, pulling her closer to his body than she thought was possible. She felt small against him, but she clung to him even as he hungrily kissed her. He throbbed underneath his trousers, with need and desire just for her and only her. He rubbed off on her while having her pinned against the wall of the hallway, and she moaned in desperation. His hands were on her butt, squeezing just right enough to make her moan and long for more, and his tongue invaded every part of her mouth. She would throw away any form of reservation she had and let him take her here in the hallway if this continued. Her willpower grew weaker as his desires grew stronger. ¡°Take me inside.¡± She said in a raspy tone as she pulled back from the kiss. She was desperate, and so was he. He lifted her into his arms, and she wrapped her legs around him. He found the door blindly because his lips were locked in hers. Still, he brought her into the room and lowered her into bed before getting up to take off his clothes. She did the same, panting and desperate in her want. They were both naked in under a minute, and each took a moment to stare at each other. There had been a massive change in him. He looked leaner than thest time she saw him naked, and his body bore more scars and ink, but she already knew this. It didn¡¯t change her love or desire for him. With or without his scars, she wanted this man, and she wanted him to take her. She beckoned to him as she pulled further into the bed, and he obliged, climbing onto the bed with her. His hard and throbbing member dug into her stomach as he gathered her into his arms to kiss her. She wanted to be taken, but he had other ns; he wanted to pay keen attention to the rest of her body. He kissed her jaw as his lips strayed off hers and down her neck, shoulder, chest, and then over the hard bud of her left nipple. The first thing she felt on it was his warm, soft breath against the bud before he took it into his mouth to savour it. Her toes coiled, and her eyes rolled in delight, enjoying this act. She wanted this for so long-to have her body worshipped and taken care of. By him especially. He knew just what to do, His left hand blindly found her right breast and slowly fondled them, making her moan in response and arch against him. His right hand moved below to cup her wetness before slipping a finger in. Her body weed this and eased into his touch, and her hand swam through his hair to pull and grip. She missed this-what he could do to her in bed when he was in control. This always kept her desperate for him. Having not given herself this much attention in many months, it wasn¡¯t a surprise when her release came, rocking through her like the tides. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Her vision cleared a few secondster, and she found Julian¡¯s eyes on hers and a look of satisfaction on his face. He came up and kissed her lips tenderly while slowly fingering her. Oversensitivity made her shiver at first, but she didn¡¯t stop him, and he didn¡¯t stop, not until her body came back to life in his hands. He leaned in and kissed her already-showing bump, and his left hand rubbed over the little swell of it. His emotions made themselves known as he rubbed her stomach tenderly. He didn¡¯t tell her how much he desired her, but she saw it in his eyes. She helped herself up to sit down as he made love to her with his fingers, and her head fell back over her shoulder. GJ ¡°Look at me,¡± hemanded, and she had no choice but to do what he just told her. He added the second finger and twirled them inside her to hit a spot deep within. Her eyes rolled to the back, and hershes. shut. ¡°Keep those eyes on me, Fiona.¡± He called to her, and her eyes flutter to find his ring with desires. He stared at her as if he could see her very soul. She reached up to stroke his arm and what she could of his shoulder. His hand kept on with his tender assault. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you; I¡¯ve missed touching you like this. So fucking much.¡± He revealed this while pushing his finger further into her and then leaning in and kissing her lips. ¡°Take me.¡± She moaned as she pulled back from the kiss. He was painfully hard and throbbing, and she saw it. He had ignored himself to take care of her. She loved that about him, but she wanted him to take care of himself as well. # He pushed her down onto the bed and pulled his fingers out of her to have a taste before bringing them to her mouth. Her lips parted, and she took his finger, covered with her juice, into her mouth, and immediately he pushed into her warm tightness. She moaned, and her hands clung to his hand while she sucked hard on the finger he had in her mouth. He pulled his hand out of her mouth and leaned in to kiss her lips passionately, taking her breath away as he fucked her. ¡°I love you.¡± He muttered, pushing all his length into her. She clung to him like her life depended on it. ¡°I love you too.¡± She returned and meant it. She loved him; every fibre of her being and every part of her loved him, and that would never change in this world. He picked up the pace, fucking her like they were both running out of time, and all she could do was cling to him like her life depended on it. She feltplete in his hand, and she didn¡¯t want him to let go. He loved her. He loved everything about her, and even if tomorrow she decided she wanted to leave, he would still love her. She took his hand and moved it to her breast and gently squeezed down on it, silently telling him what she wanted even as they made love. He obliged; he fondled on her perfect sets and watched how affected that left her. This brought him more satisfaction than she even thought. ¡°So gorgeous!¡± He moaned and noticed she shivered now more than earlier. She drew closer to her release, and so did he. ¡°You are close, I can tell.¡± He informed her, and a smile came to his face. ¡°Come for me. I¡¯m waiting.¡± 1 She couldn¡¯t even say a word, as a secondter, she came, and her warm wetness coated him. He groaned and followed right after. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Julian¡¯s POV Slowly, Julian returned to consciousness and realised he was alone in bed. He had gone to bed alone for more than three months, and that was normal, but this didn¡¯t feel right. Because he had gone to bed with Fionast night, waking up without her beside him felt wrong. He pulled himself up to sit down with a slightly aching heart, but before his mind could wander too much into negative thought, he found her standing beside the window and staring out. He took a deep breath, relieved that she wasn¡¯t gone yet. ¡°Do not worry, I am still here.¡± She said, as if reading into his thoughts. ¡°I thought you left.¡± He wouldn¡¯t me or hate her if she did, but it would hurt like hell. She turned around, and her eyes locked on his. ¡°Thest time I was in this room, you sent me away.¡± His eyes dropped. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Those memories don¡¯t go away, no matter how hard you try.¡± She mumbled thest part to herself, but he heard her. ¡°I am sorry.¡± He said that, got down from the bed, and approached her. He had no clothes on, but what he had to say was important, and he couldn¡¯t pause and start looking for clothes. ¡°I am sorry, Fiona. For the many nights you went to bed alone and cold, you needed me to hold you close and tell you I would never leave. I am sorry for the tears you shed nonstop because you couldn¡¯t understand the things that were happening to me. Things I wouldn¡¯t let you in on. There is no way I can take it back, but I promise that I will do better and be better. If you give me a chance again, I will never put anyone above you, and you will never have to wonder what¡¯s wrong because you will always know.¡± ¡°You swear?¡± she asked. He nodded. ¡°I swear to the moon and stars and everything in-between, Fiona.¡± She leaned in and kissed his lips tenderly. He didn¡¯t think of getting a kiss for this, but now that he had gotten it, he couldn¡¯t take advantage of the moment, even though he wanted to. It was her moment to make it count. Her hand trailed over his skin, sending shivers all through him and making hime alive. He kept kissing her, allowing her hand to freely range and control. ¡°I want you¡± She made it known to him as he strayed down towards his slowly rising cock. ¡°You can have me¡± He replied. She pushed him back into the bed and took off her shirt, but she didn¡¯t join him, instead, she let her hands have control and touch whatever they wanted on him. From his chest, over his nipples, down his abs, and down his thigh,p, and legs. There was something about her being in control that turned him on so much. She knew just where to touch him, to make him into her obedient lite servant, ready to obey and do as he was told. He was ready to be her obedient little servant She got on top of him and took his lips between hers for a deep seductive kiss. She pulled away before he could return the kiss and moved to his face his jaw, his neck, and over his shoulders. He shuddered in response as her mouth touched many nerve-wracking spots on him. She wandered down his chest and over tos teh nipple, and her lips closed over it to delicately suck A long desire-filled growl left his mouth as her hand trailed over his throbbing cock while teasing his nipple with her tongue. His heart throbbed from too antich attentions He wanted to take her, every thre of his being wanted this. He wanted to flip her around, pin her against the bed, and fuck her nice and good just the way he knows she likes, but he couldn¡¯t. She was in charge now, and he was subjected to her control and care. ¡°Fiona. Don¡¯t tease.¡± She pulled back to stare at him, and her eyes told him he didn¡¯t get to tell her what to do. Then she moved to the right nipple to apply the same torture, kissing, licking, and teasing. When she felt satisfied R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only with her torture, she kissed his abs, his waist, and the narrow part of his hips. She adjusted herself on the bed to give her room, and he prepared himself for what was toe. Her hand wrapped around his thick member and began to pump him. He drew a sharp breath, and his head fell back onto the bed as she rubbed him into hardness. ¡°Like that,¡± he growled, without control. ¡°Just like that! I¡¯ve missed this; I¡¯ve missed you.¡± She dropped on her knee and ced a tender kiss on the head of his cock, just the way he liked it. Their gazes locked, and her lips parted to take him into her mouth. He moaned, moved greatly by her show of seduction. She was a master in the craft, and she could get him to do anything in this state. ¡°Fuck!¡± he cussed, and his head pressed into the pillow when she cupped his balls and slowly fondled them while sucking him. He ran his hand through her hair, and his hips began to bulk up to thrust more of his length into her mouth. She didn¡¯t stop him; she seemed to want it. Her moans said it all. Staring at her this way between his legs, giving him the best head he ever had, was heaven. She was his heaven, and he would go to her every day. He woulde soon if she continued this if she allowed him to use her mouth the way he pleased. He wanted to dy it; he needed to bring her along with him, which would give him the ultimate satisfaction. ¡°I am sorry, Fiona!¡± He apologised, pulled her up, and kissed her lips immediately while flipping her around so that, this way, she was under him. ¡°I need to take you, my love. I need to bepletely buried in your warmth.¡± He pushed into her, and they began to move together. She would lift her hips to meet him halfway whenever he thrust into her, and she kept her gaze on him, wanting him, trusting him, and desiring him. ¡°Then take me; I am already yours.¡± The moment, the intimacy, the warmth, and the wetness that engulfed him from within-they made it all the more mind- blowing. He had never experienced such a thing in his life. ¡°I love you.¡± He mumbled as he kissed her lips deeply, and his orgasm rocked through him, leaving him panting and sensitive. ¡°I love you too, Julian.¡± When the wave of release cleared over her, he realised she had yet to get her release. He needed to give her a release; she deserved it. He pulled out of her and reced his cock with his fingers. It wasn¡¯t the same thing, but he had used it so many times that it sufficed. ¡°Touch yourself.¡± He told her while adding the third finger. ¡°Fondle those gorgeous sets the way you know I do.¡± She obliged, cupped her breasts, and fondled them together while he fingerfucked her. He moved to settle between her legs, lifted her left leg, and ced it on his shoulder as he licked over her and kissed her other lips while his fingers drove in and out of her. She moaned and thrust her hips up to meet him and take more. She was desperate and taking matters into her own hands. He kissed her again, this time with his tongue, licking, eating, and kissing. She tasted so good. He couldn¡¯t help himself. The pace started slowly, but he soon set them in a fast space, driving in and out of her as fast as he could while his thumb rubbed over her erected bud. le ¡°I¡¯m close.¡± ¡°Thene.¡± He encouraged her. And a few licks followed before she exploded, writhing out in pleasure. 27 He stayed in his position between her legs, cleaning up whatever came after before returning to her side and gathering her to himself. ¡°You are a fucking work of art,¡± hemended, taking her lips between his for a loving kiss. ¡°Thank you.¡± She muttered, still panting for air. He owed her all the thanks for being here, despite everything. ¡°No, thank you.¡± She was in his arms when he woke up the next time, sleeping soundly the way she deserved. He smiled, leaned in, and kissed her temple. She moaned and turned around; hershes fluttering to reveal her adorable amber eyes. They stayed on his for a while before she asked. ¡°How long have you been away?¡± Her tone was sleepy and tired, and he understood why. ¡°Now for very long.¡± ¡°Come back to sleep with me.¡± It was an order, one he dly followed. She scooted closer to him, and he wrapped his arms around her for warmth andfort. She moaned lightly, and not long after, she fell asleep, and he followed. The road from here was straight; whatever wasing, they would face together as one Chapter 105 Chapter 105 The sound of a firm knock on the door woke Julian up from sleep. He almost thought it was his dream, but he also saw Fiona awake and adjusting. The knock came again, and it further confirmed it was real. He kissed Fiona on the forehead and then made his way over to the door to find out who would knock this early morning. He opened the door just before Marion could knock again, and a scowl of displeasure settled on his face. ¡°What? Why are you here so fucking early?¡± he demanded. Marion opened his mouth to speak but snapped it shut and nced at him from head down, then back up. His eyes grew wide with apology. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t mean to interrupt, my king, but you need toe down; there is terrible news.¡± He told them and walked away from the door. Julian turned to Fiona and saw her putting on her clothes without saying a word. Seeing her get ready gave him no room to be slow. He reached for his clothes on the floor and put them back on. They arrived at the living area, and there they found Marion standing there with Alpha Jose of Band and Keh. Alpha Jose had once been a physician at the settlement three years ago, but after his father died in Band, he had to return home and take over his role of being the new king. He still involved himself in the citadel¡¯s affairs, but his prime responsibility was to Band now. They all bowed when they saw theme in. Julian¡¯s eyes lingered longer on Keh because, unlike the others, there was a bloodstain on his shirt and on his hands. Rage and sorrow also showed themselves in his eyes. That didn¡¯t look or feel good. ¡°What is going on?¡± Julian asked. ¡°There was an attackst night,¡± Marion began to say. ¡°The elders of the council of truth are all dead.¡± Julian didn¡¯t want to, but having seen Keh before Marion began speaking, he immediately suspected he might have had a hand in what happened. Yes, he broke the spell the Dark World¡¯s masters ced on him to carry out their bidding, but maybe they got him back and he was now doing their bidding from the inside. ¡°It isn¡¯t him, my king.¡± Marion jumped into Keh¡¯s defence as if reading his mind. His eyes moved to Marion. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°Because they killed Lily and forty-nine other alphas in theirmunities, including alpha Jax.¡± Marion answered. Hearing Lily and Alpha Jax¡¯s deaths, having seen both of them yesterday, felt wrong. He didn¡¯t know how Keh was holding on through all this. ¡°I am sorry.¡± He said that, and Keh nodded, trying his best to keep his emotions under check. ¡°Thank you, my king¡± ¡°All their deaths have the hand of Doom in them. This is how he operates. He ising for us all, and he wants us to know,¡± Marion said. ¡°He wants me; why didn¡¯t he juste for me?¡± Fiona asked, and their eyes turned to her. this ¡°I do not know why Doom does what he does, because we have never had to deal with it since our world began. I will say when a predator wants to attack. He would cut down everyone around you; his primary aim is to make you feel as powerless as possible.¡± Marion answered. ¡°Forty-nine alphas, eight elders, and Lily, what do you think this death means then?¡± Julian asked. ¡°It is the seal that separates the werewolf world from the world of humans,¡± Alpha Jose answered, and all eyes in the room O turned to him. ¡°I have devoted thest few months to reading the chronicles of the creations.¡± 27%. Julian had read the chronicles of creation growing up; every future Lycan king needed to know the story about how the world came into existence. This was not in-depth knowledge, but the very basics. To have in-depth knowledge, one had to dedicate time to studying the chronicles of creation, and only a few did. ¡°After her first loss, the moon goddess created children again. However, she realised some of her children differed from others, and so she created a barrier to keep the stronger from invading and harming the weaker ones. Two worlds were created: the werewolf world and the human world.¡± Fiona repeated the tales Julian had told her about the two worlds. ¡°Yes, Luna. That was how the two worlds were created,¡± Alpha Jose answered. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t as simple or basic. The moon goddess needed pirs to hold on to this barrier, and those were the number of times she bled before separating the two worlds. Most schrs in thest hundred years believe she used the blood of eight stronger and forty strongest, while others argue it was her blood. To take down the barrier, there had to be a bnce to override the first order in ce. Doom knew this, and that was what he did.¡± ¡°He needed forty and eight; then why did he have to take Lily?¡± Fiona asked after Jose finished exining. Jose nodded. ¡°This was probably a way of getting back at the Lycan king for taking Keh back. Losing one¡¯s mate is a fate worse than death, and so they took her.¡± Keh¡¯s teeth clenched and his hands balled into a tight fist, but he remained silent. ¡°The masters of the Dark world hope to get back at the moon goddess, and what better way to spit in her face than to kill her children? Stomping on as many as they can on the way to their goal is all they want. They areing, and all we can do is prepare for the inevitable fate.¡± ¡°Why would Doom and Mischief need to bring the barrier down if they already prated it to kill so many?¡± Fiona asked. ¡°Because this massacre, as gruesome as it might be, is not the doing of Doom and Mischief but that of those under their control. Unless the barrier we have falls, Doom and Mischief cannote in; they can only manipte those under their control from outside.¡± Marion answered. ¡°When you say under their control, you mean like Keh was?¡± she asked. Marion nodded. ¡°Yes, Luna Queen, anyone can be under the influence of the dark world, and we wouldn¡¯t even know.¡± ¡°You knew Keh was under their influence after the second moon.¡± Julian pointed this out to Marion. ¡°Those who are close to them can spot the difference; as much as they are the same person, there will be a change in the their drive, and their goal. Isis must have ced them under the dark masters¡¯ control while she was still here, and they all waiting for the signal to strike. They probably got itst night. Marion replied. Fiona drew a shaky breath from beside him, and he could see how conflicted she was by this truth. She N?velDrama.Org is the owner. was ming hersel for everything that had happened so far; he could read it on her face. He took her by the shoulders and made her look at him. ¡°None of this is your fault.¡± Her ssy gaze locked on his, and he saw her struggling to believe him. ¡°Doom wants me; this is his way of winning everything. He already killed so many; he already won.¡± ¡°No, that is what he wants you to believe. The only thing he wants is to rule this earth and spite the moon goddess. With or without you, he would have done this because he is the master of all forms of evil,¡± he said, and he prayed to the stars above that she believed him. She nodded, cing faith in it. He pulled her to himself and wrapped his arms around her tightly. ¡°When is the barrier separating the two worlds supposed to fall, then?¡± Fiona asked as they pulled away a few momentster. Jose shook his head, he didn¡¯t have this information either. ¡°We are still calcting how long this should take,¡± he began, but he didn¡¯t get to finish because Keh spoke. ¡°In the next two full moons.¡± He said it with certainty. III Jele Julian¡¯s eyes narrowed at him as he asked. ¡°How do you know this?¡± He didn¡¯t hesitate to speak. ¡°Mischief spoke about going the natural route the day she sent me to kill you. She called it the reaping and said they had to wait for two moons. It didn¡¯t make sense to me then, but it does now. The barrier that separates us from the world of the living will fall, and it will fall in the next two full moons. Then they wille for us all.¡± ¡°We need to find those under their control, everyst one of them.¡± Julian turned to Marion and said, ¡°I ce you in charge of this task.¡± ¡°We need as much information about what we are up against as we can. Alpha Jose, I call on your wisdom and expertise. Research the chronicles of creation and see if there is anything we missed. Gather up everything you think it¡¯s important, and we will look at it together.¡± Jose nodded, already knowing what he was to do. ¡°Fiona and I will visit the affectedmunities and send a preparation team to help prepare the pathway for the dead to the Life beyond.¡± He said it dismissively. ¡°What about me?¡± Keh spoke up, and their eyes turned to him. Julian had purposely left him out of the task at hand because of the tragedy that had happened to him. Thest couple of months had been the worst for him. First, he fell under the control of Doom and Mischief, and he finally broke free, only to lose his mate the very day he came home. It was a fate cruel to man; he had lost too much. He gave him a pitiful look. ¡°You need to go home and mourn the loss of your mate Keh. I give you my deepest condolences.¡± Julian said. Keh shook his head, and pain took over his face. ¡°No, my king, please do not send me back there.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a punishment; this is for you to heal.¡± ¡°I will heal when our world is safe. Please do not send me home. He begged again. ¡°He cane with me, my king.¡± Marion said. ¡°I will need his help and knowledge.¡± Julian stared at Keh, who was yet to speak. ¡°Is this what you want? You can only run away for so long.¡± He nodded. ¡°This is what I want, my king.¡± Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Fiona¡¯s P¨®V Five dayster 27%- They were currently in Rockville, themunity to the south where the nowte Alpha Zyon ruled. This was the ninthmunity they visited today and theirst to visit. They had begun their visitation five days ago, and as the days went by, it became harder. Harder because thesemunities were devastated by the sudden loss of their alphas. Perhaps the weight rested on her more because she knew she was very much involved and responsible for this, even without knowing how. She would have been able to heal them if they had been afflicted or hurt, but they were dead, and she couldn¡¯t bring back the dead. Seeing the pain of the people in themunities and the sorrow on the faces of their mates and children did not make things better. The entiremunity was in mourning, and the only thing they could bring were words offort. Fiona wished they could do more, but the enemy they faced now was worse than any they had ever faced. The words of assurance that the loss would never be forgotten were all they had to offer. They couldn¡¯t tell the families ormunities of the dead the reason behind these unfortunate circumstances. They only said it was an attack, and they would bring those who perpetuated it to justice. Julian said it was best to not spook those under the control of the Dark world. This would give them leverage, which they would use to their advantage. So until then, they would keep the truth away from them. Staring at them and not being able to tell them why wasn¡¯t fair. It ate her up every day. Two days ago, Alpha Lupe brought back the findings he had gathered so far. He told them that Doom needed a pure heart in order to rule the entire world. He had lost the aura of purity that gave him control over what the goddess made after he killed all the second born. Choosing Mischief and doing such great evil made the goddess take back what she gave him; without it, he would never rule. The masters of the Dark world do not have pure hearts, so they need someone who does. When Fiona asked what that had to do with her, he told her being the silver wolf meant she had a pure heart, and the enemy knew it, too. They needed her heart and wanted her to give it to them. This was why they wanted her at all costs. Her heart would serve as the aura of purity. ¡°I see you are tired.¡± ¡°I am.¡± There was no reason to deny it; he saw through her most of the time. ¡°But this has to be done.¡± The pain she saw all around her got to her, and it wasn¡¯t easy. Julian had suggested she stay back, but she needed to be here; it was part of her responsibility. Luna or not, this was her world; they were her people, and that would never change. ¡°Of all the times to be pregnant.¡± She sighed. ¡°This is the perfect time.¡± Julianpleted, and she stared up at him and saw he was being serious. A brow of interest arched. ¡°You do not think this puts us at a disadvantage?¡± ¡°This is a war against the masters of the dark world; pregnant or not, we would have been at a disadvantage.¡± He answered. ¡°Smooth talker.¡± She mumbled under her breath and turned to look outside the window. His hand rubbed over her stomach for a while, and then he took er hand into his and brought it up to ce a kiss on the back. ¡°I¡¯ll rub your feet when we get home.¡± She smiled a little, and that was something to look forward to. His foot rubs were magical and helped her rx. ¡°That will be a very nice treat, thank you¡± ¡°We are here.¡± Jace announced as they arrived at the alpha¡¯s court, where they received words that the luna and elders of the le Drew got down and opened the door for her. She thanked him and stepped down, moving to Julian, who was waiting for her, and making their way towards the alpha¡¯s court. The court had the elders, families, and friends as expected, and they all sat around to console the Luna for the loss of her mate. She wore a ck dress and a ck veil over her face to signify her widowhood. Doom and Mischief had robbed so many families of their joy and left so many fatherless and widowed. And this is only the beginning. Those in the court rose to their feet in respect to their presence, and those who couldn¡¯t rise bowed their heads. ¡°ept our condolences, Luna Dalia.¡± Julian said as they stepped towards thete alpha¡¯s grieving mate to meet, surrounded by distant families and friends. ¡°Keep your condolences to yourself!¡± The bitter and angry woman snarled at him in a painful voice. ¡°You brought this evil upon us, and now, because of you, we are all going to die.¡± The eyes of everyone seated in the court turned to them, and it immediately told them they were unwee. Fiona¡¯s heart tightened, and her panic showed on her face. ¡°Do not give into your grief, Dalia. We need to unite in this moment and seek a way forward.¡± Julian spoke in a calm and controlled tone of voice. Since their intentions foring were for peace and to console the families, there was no need for fighting or force. ¡°We do not need a way forward! Leave ourmunity; you have brought a curse upon ournd once again. Four years ago, I lost my son to the gue, and now I have lost my mate and husband. A king is supposed to protect us, and you have failed to protect us, which means you are not our king.¡± She said that and charged at him and the people behind her. Everything happened so fast, and Fiona didn¡¯t prepare for this much outrage. Anger was a part of pain N?velDrama.Org is the owner. and grieving, but they didn¡¯t experience any of this in the forty-eightmunities they visited in thest four days. They didn¡¯t take protection because an attack from the family grieving was thest thing they expected. Jace moved to shield Julian from Dalia¡¯s attack, and the others in the house also rallied behind her. ¡°It is best we leave.¡± Drew alerted them and pulled them out of the house. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Fiona asked with her heart skipping in her chest as they came outside, which was so much safer than the inside. ¡°That was an angry and grieving woman looking for who to me for her loss and, with her, the people.¡± Julian answered. ¡°We need to leave, my king.¡± Drew¡¯announced to them. ¡°What about Jace?¡± she asked. ¡°We need to get him out of there.¡± She said, but Julian ced his hand on hers. ¡°Jace knew the price.¡± He told her, and she shook her head. ¡°No. We are not losing anyone else.¡± She struggled with him, and her eyes grew ssy. He held her close to his body, and she sobbed into his shirt. ¡°Fiona, there is nothing you can do here. Going back there will bring more death, and we can¡¯t afford that. I am sorry. We need to leave.¡± She pulled away from him, and his hand came to rub off the tear stains on her face. He looked just as miserable. Lacking the will to keep up the fight, she gave him her hand, and he led her ay. She had no strength left to fight him; she was already losing, and the war was yet to begin. How were tliey to face this enemy? How could they win? Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Julian¡¯s POV This was breaking her. It didn¡¯t take much to see the effect of it all. It was all over her. Julian wished there was something he could do to take her out of this. He wished he could assure her that it would all be fine, but there was no telling if it would be fine. What wasing was worse than anything they had faced so far, and they were weaker than ever. Fiona stayed silent all the while Drew drove them home, and there was a lot of thought raging through her head. He knew because he had the same. They arrived back home, and Fiona helped herself down, not waiting for the door to be open for her. She also headed inside, not waiting for him. He didn¡¯t stop her or call after her; this wasn¡¯t the time. They needed to be in thefort of their homes and perhaps talk. If she didn¡¯t want to talk, then he would wait until she wanted to. He delivered duties and tasks to the guards on standby around the mansion. He finished and followed her into the bedroom, and he rounded her, pacing around uncontrobly. He stood and watched for a while before taking a step towards her. ¡°Don¡¯te any closer, please.¡± She said. She already knew what he was about to do. He halted his movement and nodded. She paced around, mumbling things he couldn¡¯t understand at first, but then he did. ¡°Eight purest and forty-nine strong.¡± This was the pattern by which Doom ughtered the men he needed to break the barrier. These men died, and they weighed on Fiona¡¯s heart. She ran her hand through her hair and tugged at it. ¡°Eight purest, forty-nine strong, Lily and Jace.¡± ¡°Eight purest, forty-nine strong, Lily and Jace.¡± She repeated on and on. She was breaking down, and it was painful to watch her go through it alone. He knew what she said, but he couldn¡¯t stand back and watch this. If she lost it, that would break him too, and he would never recover. ¡°Fiona.¡± ¡°Give me a moment; I am almost done!¡± She yelled at him. He couldn¡¯t give her a moment, so he stepped towards her and ced his hands on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. She leaned in and took his lips between hers for a soft kiss. It was unexpected, but it affected him, making him long for more. He pulled away and shook his head. ¡°No, this isn¡¯t what you want now, Fiona.¡± She kissed him again, ignoring his protest. She took his hands and ced them on her waist. ¡°I want this,¡± she answered. ¡°I want you.¡± She said that and kissed his lips again. ¡°I want you to make me R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only forget it all.¡± Fiona.¡± ¡°No, this is what I want. I promise you that this is what I want. Do not deny me,¡± she pleaded, kissing his lips again while her hands roamed over his body to cup him through his trousers. He sighed and returned her kiss, taking a hold of her face and deepening the kiss, his tongue invading and intruding on every part of her mouth. She moaned and begarrundoing his trousers with shaky hands. Take them off. Take them off, Julian.¡± She groaned in frustration when she failed to unhook his trousers. He took hold of her hands to calm her down, and he unbutton his trousers just like she wanted. He pulled down the zips and shoved them down his legs. Fiona grabbed her pants and pulled them off at the same moment. He kissed her again, and this time it was filled with lust. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his body. His cock throbbed against her, revealing his desire for her. ¡°Take me to bed; take me there.¡± She said and stepped back towards the bed, pulling him along with her. He followed obediently behind her. She got onto the bed, and he got on top of her. He spread her legs apart to amodate him, and he kissed her lips. He wanted her to feel desired, and loved. Everything that had happened so far was overwhelming, but he wanted her to know he was here and never leaving. He pushed in with ease, and she moaned, turning her head so her face was pressed against his hand close to her head. He wanted to make love to her, but she had other ns. She flipped them around and got on top of him, taking matters into her own hands and riding him instead. Her hands imed his body, and her nails dug into his skin. Usually he¡¯d be all for her aggression and wildness, but something about this felt different. There was no intimacy, just hunger and the desire to be in control. He had never felt pain when they were together, but now that was all he felt. She didn¡¯t stop-not until she hit her release. He couldn¡¯t look at her. She pulled away from on top of him andid by his side. They stayed silent, and he didn¡¯t know what to say, but he wanted to say so much. He forced himself to say the words, fighting to keep his voice calm. ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡± She nced at him while taking in sharp breaths, but said nothing. He continued. ¡°I¡¯m d you are, because what just happened was not normal.¡± ¡°The sex?¡± ¡°If you will call that sex, then yeah. It felt like you needed me to get your release, and that was the only thing you cared about.¡± ¡°Julian.¡± He pulled himself up onto his elbow, finally looking at her. ¡°We were supposed to talk, not have sex.¡± ¡°I told you I didn¡¯t want to talk.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t stand by and watch you crash without doing anything. I am here for you, to share the burden with you. And I would have preferred talking over what we just had. I am sorry for all this, Fiona. Ltruly am, and I wish there was something I could have done to make things different. There isn¡¯t, and I have to live with that truth.¡± A tear slipped down her face, and she quickly wiped it off. ¡°I am sorry I took advantage of you like I did. It¡¯s overwhelming to think about everything that has happened, much less talk about it.¡± She revealed. ¡°I just want you to be fine; that¡¯s all I want¡± ¡°I know, and I¡¯ll be fine,¡± she assured him before adding. ¡°Cuddle me.¡± He pulled closer to her. They stayed this way, silent-in each other¡¯s arms, and the only sound being made was their still-raging heartbeat. Fiona was the first to fall asleep, and he followed soon after. When Julian woke up, Fiona was no longer in bed, and unlike other times in the past, she wasn¡¯t in the room. It was a rainy night, and the pping of thunder didn¡¯t make things any better. These kinds of nights he wanted to keep her in his arms the most, but she was gone. He walked out of the bathroom, and she wasn¡¯t in here either. He checked in the boys¡¯ room, but she wasn¡¯t there. He made his way outside the balcony, and there he saw her, sitting on the ground under the rain. She had her arms wrapped around her legs and her head resting on her knees. His heart tightened in his chest at the sight of her. He stepped down from the balcony and into the rain as he hurried towards her. ¡°Fiona,¡± he called, but the loud rain deafened the sound he made. ¡°Fiona, you shoulde in,¡± he said when he came closer to her. She didn¡¯t answer him. He stood to her level, and there he heard her mumbling words. He didn¡¯t understand at first, butter figured it was themunities Doom had attacked. ¡°Rand, Fellfield, and Strongville. Rocky, Reign, Yale, and Scalefield. Mountain rich, udis, Crane Valley, and Octave.¡± ¡°Fiona,¡± he called, cing his hand on her shoulder, and she snapped out of her thought and turned to see him. T A weary look appeared on her face as she stared up at him, even as the rain poured harder on them. ¡°We couldn¡¯t save them; it made sense because we were so far away from them when it happened,¡± she told him and rose to her feet. ¡°But we couldn¡¯t save Jace too, and we were right there.¡± He rose to his feet as well and said, ¡°Fiona.¡± ¡°It will be worse.¡± She said, cutting him off, ¡°What Doom wants to do will be worse than this. And he is going to use my to get it done.¡± heart She reached out and took his hands. ¡°We have a chance to be one step ahead of him,¡± she told him, and he paid attention. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°We stop the heart before he can get to it.¡± He drew his hands away from her hold and took a step back. ¡°You are not dying, Fiona.¡± He turned away from her. She stepped towards him, and lightning shed behind her. ¡°It is the only way to beat Doom and Mischief at their game. We cannot take them on; that would be a lost battle. They will kill us while we are breathing, and it will be so easy for them. from They killed all the second born of the moon goddess; what do you think they will do to us? We take the chance away them; we take the heart away from them and ensure they never get it.¡± Her argument was thoroughly thought through, but he couldn¡¯t give in to it. There was no ¡®we¡¯ in this. Perhaps he was being selfish; this could be the only way out for them in all of this, but he couldn¡¯t take it. He didn¡¯t want to take it. He will not lose her again; he couldn¡¯t. ¡°I am not sacrificing you to win.¡± ¡°Then Doom will, and we will lose everything. Our world, our children, and then our lives.¡± He ran a shaky hand through his hair and turned to her. ¡°We will figure out another way, Fiona. We will figure out another way out that doesn¡¯t involve you dying. Do you hear me?¡± Her lips trembled. ¡°There is no way out.¡± ¡°Then we will create another, goddamn it!¡± he snapped. ¡°We have from now till the next full moon to figure a way out, and we have always found a way out.¡± He wanted her to trust him now more than ever: ¡°I know Doom seems to have the upper hand, but we will not allow him to win.¡± He took hold of her face and made her look at him. ¡°We will fight with everything we have. That is how we will win.¡± She nodded, exhaling in religt. ¡°We will win ¡°Yes, but you have to do one thing¡± He said, and her eyes narrowed a little. ¡°What do I need to do?¡± ¡°Let me take you back as my Luna.¡± He answered. He needed to be one with her now more than ever. ¡°Let me share in your pain and in your grief. Let me share in your weaknesses and strengths as a mate would. You do not have to carry it alone Chapter 108 Chapter 108 A weekter. H Marion and Keh stood in the Lycan king¡¯s court, already waiting for them as they arrived. They bowed in their presence, showing respect. ¡°You should havee over to the mansion.¡± Julian said as soon as he stepped into the court. ¡°There are many ears I would like to keep out of the truth. The king¡¯s court was created to provide the utmost privacy to the king and his affairs, and that is what we need.¡± Marion answered. Julian nodded, not willing to debate him. There was no time. Marion¡¯s eyes travelled over to Fiona, and they warmed up. ¡°Luna.¡± He called, and a smile appeared on his face. She nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°We called for this meeting to discuss the progress of our investigation so far.¡± Marion said, stepped over to Julian, and handed him a file. Marion had returned four days ago to deliver his first findings, which were about the deaths of the elders of the council of truth. At first, it seemed they had each been killed by someone close to them, but further investigation showed they were killed by one of their own. Elder Zaki; he too was under the influence of Doom. His families found him dead in his study with his heart ripped out, and so they believed someone had broken in and killed him. Marion¡¯s investigation showed he had ripped his own heart out. After thoroughly examining the robe he had on the day he died, they found the blood of the seven others on it. He had returned home and killed himself, following the orders he received. With the case of the elders closed, Marion moved onto the forty-nine and one. Keh aided him in uncovering this truth. Julian epted the file and opened it to reveal the names and faces of the people in it. ¡°What is this?¡± he asked with a furrowed gaze. ¡°Those are the details about the ones we have been able to get so far, my king. The ones we¡¯ve captured are in the dungeon of the council of truth, and they have a giga around their necks to subdue their abilities. We lost two of them because they attacked, and Keh had no choice but to kill them.¡±. He pointed to the file as Julian opened it to nce through. ¡°These are the ten we have gotten so far. A few of them were second inmand, and others were omegas. Those 09.30P 13 Feb ones we had no trouble taming, but-¡± Marion said this and pressed his lips together to stop himself from speaking. In his silence, Julian¡¯s attention moved to him, and a frown appeared on his face. ¡°You are in the presence of your king; you will say everything you know.¡±¡± ¡°We fear there are also a few alphas under the control of the dark masters,¡± he answered. ¡°And if they are, the only one with the authority to bring them in is the Lycan king himself.¡± ¡°There is no pattern to the way Doom chose these men. If he wanted control, why not influence all their second inmand and seize power once they are gone?¡± Fiona asked because she couldn¡¯t wrap her head around it all. Julian shut the file in his hand and said, ¡°Doom doesn¡¯t need power; we are a joke to the level of power he seeks.¡± ¡°The king is right,¡± Marion said. ¡°There isn¡¯t an ulterior motive to his attack from what we have gathered so far. He used elders, betas, gemmas, alphas, and omegas. I am not one to believe in random urrences, but I think this is what it is. He needed the numbers, and that was what he got. There is nothing more or less. As for any other of his ns, we are still yet to find out. The only loophole left is Beta Lily; we have yet to find her killer, but we will not stop.¡± Julian¡¯s eyes travelled to Keh, who stood quietly at the back, before returning to Marion. ¡°We need to find the rest and break the strong hold Doom has on them before the next full moon.¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Yes, my king, and we need your help as well as the Luna in bringing these Alphas under subjection again.¡± ¡°Do you have the names of these alphas? Or how are we to find them?¡± Julian asked. ¡°All the information we need is in there. From our findings, there are about eleven alphas under the control of Doom. We have narrowed it down to the ones we believed would have done it through testimonies, but you have to step in and assert yourself as their Lycan king and true master.¡± Julian opened the file once again, and Fiona drew closer to take a look. These were themunities to the south: Alpha Gerald of Freedom, Alpha Blue of Montana, and Alpha Vixon of Vanes. These were themunities in the north: Alpha Kox of York, Alpha Nate of Town, and Alpha Uryi of Pillot. These were themunities in the west: Alpha Halle of Jupita, Alpha Leon of Birdtown, and Alpha Dane of Grandfield. These were themunities to the east: Alpha Noh of Crimsonville, Alpha O 09:30 Thu, 15 Feb ti Yao of Wanderfield, and Alpha Cooper of ytown. ¡°We have to bring them out of the Dark Masters¡¯ stronghold because thest thing we want is to fight ourselves instead of fighting Doom and his creatures.¡± Fiona said. ¡°Are you able to do this?¡± Julian asked and turned to stare at her. She opened her mouth to speak, but her words failed her; she didn¡¯t know if she had what it took to ce anyone under subjection. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She replied honestly. The task got moreplicated with each passing day. ¡°You have to be sure of yourself before we take on anyone. We do not want one alerting the others in the case where you fail to subject them.¡± She understood, and that made her even more unsure. ¡°I can¡¯t do it on my own.¡± She revealed this, and she felt ashamed of saying it. She felt ashamed that she couldn¡¯t be of much help to him, even though that was what he needed now. He understood and, without hesitation, spoke. ¡°It is fine; you don¡¯t have to do anything you are not ready to. Okay?¡± She nodded, and he leaned in and kissed her lips. ¡°We will head out tomorrow.¡± Julian said that and dismissed them. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Q 25% * With the information already given to them, Julian took her along to ytown, located East Central. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. They took Drew along, and instead of a car, they went with movers. Alpha Cooper looked surprised to see them, as there was no formal visit notification, but weed them into his court. ¡°Your visitation is unexpected, my king and Luna.¡± Cooper said as they stepped into his court along with Drew. ¡°We have to be very careful with our movements, especially during these times.¡± Julian answered. Cooper sighed and nodded in agreement with the Lycan king. ¡°It is still a shock how we could lose so many of our own; it begs the question, are we really safe in this world?¡± He asked. ¡°We will be safe when the enemy is defeated.¡± He told him. ¡°Whatever it is I can do to help, please let me know, my king.¡± He bowed his head in respect. ¡°Actually, you can.¡± Julian stepped towards him, and he took a step back. ¡°You can surrender control back to your one true king and master.¡± Cooper¡¯s face narrowed at Julian, as though he didn¡¯t understand what he was telling him. ¡°My king¡­¡± Julian didn¡¯t let him speak. ¡°I know who you are and what you did, Alpha Cooper Rice. Your loyalty isn¡¯t with your Lycan king; it hasn¡¯t been in a while. You answer to the masters of the dark world.¡± Julian took another step towards Cooper, and he stepped back. ¡°You broke your oath to defend and fight side by side with the other one hundred and forty-nine alphas in our world.¡± Cooper shook his head, trying to deny the usations Julian levied on him. ¡°My king, I didn¡¯t.¡± He looked so innocent that Fi¨®na almost believed that this might just be a misconception. ¡°Julian.¡± She called, and as Julian turned to look at her, Cooperunched at him. ¡°Look out!¡± she told him in fear. Julian¡¯s reflex kicked in, and he tackled Cooper and mmed him to the ground with his hand wrapped around his neck. The guards standing in the court moved to defend their alpha, but Lunamanded them to stand down with her eyes glowing, and they 09:30 Thu, 15 Feb immediately dropped their weapon. Cooper growled and struggled on the floor, but Julian didn¡¯t release his grip around his neck. ¡°You obey my voice and my authority alone. You belong to no one else except the king who blessed your reign. I am your Lycan king, and you will answer only to me.¡± Julian¡¯s eyes glowed red, and Cooper¡¯s eyes turned ck for a second before they faded into their natural hazel colour. Julian unwrapped his arms from around his neck and rose to his feet. Cooper stayed down, unable to stand, but now, unlike then, he had a guilty look on his face. ¡°I killed Kaen,¡± he said of his own ord. Alpha Kaen was the former alpha and ruler of Mountain Rich, themunity in the south-east. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to; he was my friend, but I couldn¡¯t stop myself from doing it, anyway. I ripped his heart out while he slept. His blood is on my hands.¡± Julian stretched his hand out to him, and though reluctant, he took it, and he pulled him onto his feet. ¡°This isn¡¯t on you, and you shouldn¡¯t beat yourself up. You were under the control of the masters of evil and deception. You are not any less because you fell; the strongest of us would have also fallen into their hands. You need to forgive yourself.¡± Julian ced a hand on his shoulders. ¡°The war ising, and we need as many soldiers as possible if we hope to win.¡± Subjecting the alphas under the control of Doom back to the Lycan king was easier said than done. It was easier with Cooper, but the more they progressed, the harder it became. Other alphas had hurt Julian just because he revealed to them that he knew who they worked for. In Julian¡¯s weakened state, many of these alphas were stronger than him and so had the advantage of hurting him. Most times, Fiona had to heal him after he finished subjecting them. Thest alpha they faced this week was the alpha Leon of Birdtown, and he would have led Julian if she didn¡¯t step in and force him into submission. She then healed Julian, and he regained his strength to finish what he had started. So far, they have seeded in bringing five alphas back to their former authority, and now they have five more to think about. Fiona didn¡¯t want to fear, but she couldn¡¯t help it. She feared for Julian. Afterpleting her research, she revealed it to Julian. He didn¡¯t seem to trust the process and expressed foremost concern regarding it. She didn¡¯t me him; the n was to take her powers and give them to him. She < 09.30 eb believed that if she lost her powers this way, she would regain them faster and heal herself. Julian worried about the effect the ritual would have on her, but she worried only about the result. That was the only important thing. For the ritual to work, they had to be one, and that meant he had to take her under the full moon while she surrendered everything to him. She would not only surrender herself to him, but her powers as well. This was not the only way of surrendering, but losing one¡¯s powers while being taken made it easier to cope with the loss. It would ce one¡¯s attention on something other than the loss. This was the best choice. ¡°Are you rethinking shifting?¡± Julian asked as he stepped into the room. That was far from it; this full moon was the only chance he had to regain what he had lost. After the massacre of the purest and strong, there was a shift in the atmosphere. Everyone in the werewolf world felt it and knew because the full moon, which should have taken ce two ago, didn¡¯t show. Schrs spected it was the goddess weeks mourning the loss by not giving her light. This further confirmed that she knew what was going on. A weekter, the moon came up in the sky, and the experts calcted that the full moon would be today. Fiona thanked the stars because the dy had given her weeks to read up and utilise the full moon to her advantage. She turned to him and smiled, shaking her head. ¡°No, there is no rethinking this,¡± she replied. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck a little. ¡°Okay, just know that whatever your choices are, I will go with them.¡± He said, walking towards her. ¡°I know you have already given up hope, but I want you to hold on to it for me. Tonight, we shift into new strength.¡± She said, ncing up at him. ¡°I will hold on to it for you.¡± He said. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 The moon was at its peak, and it was like he had done thest three full moons. He ced Beta Isaac and Hanna inmand. He couldn¡¯t lead the shifting because he would be with Fiona. Marion, and Keh couldn¡¯t because they were in the south. Isaac and Hanna had done a great job leading the team in thest three shifts, and Julian trusted their decisions. Fiona and Julian left the team and wandered through the territories, further away from the rest of the packs, still in their human form. Getting to the spot they believed would be the safest, Fiona took off the bag on her back and bent to bring out the things inside. ¡°You still have doubt; I see it in your eyes.¡± Fiona said, and Julian didn¡¯t even try to deny it. He bent to help her with the candles, incense, and light after speeding out the mat he came along with. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this to you.¡± She paused and looked up at him. ¡°You are not doing this to me; I am doing this, and I am doing it of my own free will.¡± ¡°What if your powers go away and never return? You just regained full strength as Luna not so long ago.¡± She brought out the sticky white powder and drew things all over the mat where they were to stay. ¡°I am not a child; Julian, I know what I am doing.¡± She answered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look so.¡± She red at him and said, ¡°You said whatever choice I made, you will stand by me; did you mean it when you said that or were you telling me something you thought I wanted to hear?¡± she asked. He exhaled in frustration, ¡°I meant it.¡± She handed him the lighter. ¡°Then shut up and help me. Whatever happens from this, I made the decision, and I will be okay with it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s reckless, though, to sacrifice yourself this way.¡± He grumbled and lit up the scented candles. ¡°I learn from the best.¡± She winked at him, finished with her drawing, and rose to her feet. ¡°Remember, we never stop talking; we have to make sure I do not lose my ability to speak, feel, or hear as we do this.¡± She exined the process to him once again as she began undoing her buttons. ¡°You also have to want this, or you will not take it,¡± she told 10:10 Fri, 16 Feb u GG him. He nodded while doing the same. ¡°I understand.¡± She pulled off her shirt and did the same for her trousers, so that she stood under the full moon wearing only hercy bra and pants. He took off his clothes, and now he wore only his boxer briefs. She took off her bra and then proceeded to do the same with her pants while he pulled off his boxer briefs at the same time. They both stood naked, staring at each other. ¡°You are not excited to see me,¡± She said this with a small pout on her lips as she stepped onto the drawing made on the spread-out mat. ¡°I am; I just have a lot of worry. ¡°I would rather hav what I have than nothing at all,¡± he answered, taking a step onto the mat. ¡°I do not want what we have. The constant fear that I might lose you. I almost lost you to Leon.¡± She answered, ced her hands on his shoulders, and felt the surge in her being. He kissed her lips and pulled back to speak. ¡°Almost.¡± She broke the kiss, and her hand trailed over his shoulders and down his chest and abs, but her eyes remained locked on his. ¡°You think that makes me feel any better? You think that is what I want? To always be afraid, thinking I could lose you anytime.¡± ¡°Fiona,¡± he called, but stopped speaking when she wrapped her hand around his co ck. ¡°I just need you to trust me. For once.¡±/ R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°I trust you now more than I trust myself.¡± He replied and kissed her lips deeply, and his hand moved down to grab her buttocks firmly. She moaned into the kiss and rubbed herself against him. ¡°I don¡¯t care what happens to me; I trust you with my abilities because I know you will do well with it.¡± She pulled away to kiss his neck down, and her fangs came out, and they dug into the spot where his shoulders and neck met. He did the same to her immediately, mimicking her action, and the same second, she felt strength leave her. It was a surge she didn¡¯t expect, but it wasn¡¯t enough to knock her off her feet. Julian felt it too because he drew a sharp breath. ¡°You trust me too much.¡± He said this, stroking her face tenderly. A smirk came onto her face at his words. ¡°Sit and let me show you just how much I trust you.¡± She said to help him sit on the mat. She came on top of him and began to kiss, Fri, 16 Feb suck, and grind on top of him. Her hand wrapped around him once again, and she began pumping him faster than the first time. He moaned, his eyes rolling to the back, and his release came faster than they expected. ¡± S hit! I shouldn¡¯t have.¡± She silenced him with a kiss. ¡°It ruins nothing.¡± She assured him and adjusted herself on top of him, cing her co ck between her entrance while staring him in the eyes. ¡°I love you, Julian.¡± She said and settled onto his length, moaning as his length stretched her to prate deeper. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her secure and close to him. ¡°I know; I love you too, Fiona.¡± He moved them, so she nowy underneath him while they made love. Slow but passionate love under the full moon. She knew she had to keep talking, but Julian looked so breathtaking under the moonlight that she didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°We have never done this before.¡± He started the conversation while thrusting into her. She nodded, trying to find the words to say but once again failing. Was the ritual already having its effect on her and seizing her abilities, or was this just Julian¡¯s natural effect? ¡°Say something gorgeous,¡± Julian encouraged her. ¡°You are so hot.¡± She blurted out, and her cheeks burned at how direct she sounded. Heughed, and his eyes became warm. D amn, he looked so beautiful, it hurt. ¡°Well, you should see yourself as gorgeous. Nothing created by the moon goddesses close.¡± He shot back and thrust his entire length into her. She hissed, her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and her hips arched up to take more of what he was doing. Her blood rushed faster through her veins as she felt every trace of strength she had within her. Her eyes grew blurry, and they were going to shut and keep ¡°Stay with me; I love you,¡± he told her, and her eyes regained their attention. He took her hands and ced them around his neck, kissing them tenderly, and she tickled in response. ¡°Tell me you love me, Fiona.¡± She opened her mouth, and the words came faster than she expected. ¡°I love you, 10:10 Fri, 16 Feb G G ¡¤ Julian.¡± She told him. ¡°Don¡¯t stop telling me you love me.¡± He leaned closer and kissed her lips. Q She smiled and said, ¡°I love you, Julian McQueen II. I love you more than life itself.¡± He ran his hands over her legs, which were around her waist, and it was to turn her on as well as to make sure she still had the sensation in them. ¡°I love you, Julian.¡± He picked up the pace and began thrusting into her at a fast pace that knocked her breath out each time. ¡°I love you.¡± She kept the chant up, repeating it over and over until her release came, rocking through her. ¡°I love you so much, Julian. I love you.¡± She cried as she trembled against him while her hands and legs stayed tightly wrapped around him. His eyes glowed a blo ody red as his release hit, and it was so much bloodier than when he marked her earlier. He fell beside her to catch his breath and entwined their hands in each other. He brought it to his lips and ced a deep kiss on it, and her stomach fluttered. ¡°Luna,¡± he called. She turned to her side to have a look at him. ¡°My king. How do you feel?¡± ¡°I feel stronger than I have in a long while.¡± He replied and kissed her lips passionately. He broke the kiss abruptly, and her eyes fluttered with questions in them, only to find his hand holding an arrow he seemed to have caught. Someone had attempted to kill him out here. Thest thing she thought would happen tonight was another attempt. Three arrows came flying towards them, and Julian caught them, and his hand darted out to shield her from the third, which the attacker had aimed at her. The arrow pierced through the skin of Julian¡¯s arm. It was an arrow with a silver tip dipped into wolfsbane. Whoever wanted them dead knew who they were and knew they would be here. She couldn¡¯t ce her mind on who it could be because there were so many under Doom¡¯s control. Julian groaned, pulled the arrow out of his skin, and shifted into his werewolf form, Fri, 16 Feb C bigger and stronger than ever. He immediately moves to stand before her in protection. ¡°They are gone,¡± Jules said, and he turned to her to make sure she was okay. ¡°Are you okay? Are you hurt in any way?¡± he asked. ¡°No, I am fine.¡± She replied, but she was terrified now more than ever. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 The full moon ritual was a sess, and Julian ended up gaining more than they expected. It was as if he never lost his strength to begin with. It was something that made her happy despite everything that came with it, including the loss of strength. He was now the Lycan king, with the strength and power that came with it. Since the attack during the full moon, Julian has assigned guards to watch over her and be with her everywhere she goes. With her strength gone, she couldn¡¯t go along with him to subject the other alphas under his control and didn¡¯t need to. He had the strength to take on as many as necessary and prove himself not just in name but in action. She was yet to regain any strength she had lost, not in hearing, sight, or speed. It didn¡¯t bother her; she still had her healing abilities and was still the silver wolf. Ona had ignored her since thest full moon, and she knew her wolf was not happy with the turnout of things. Staying home gave her time with her boys. She missed them, and having time with them now felt like a blessing to her. They had so much to feed her. They still went to school, even though Julian wanted them back home. She told him there would be no harming to them and reminded him how Vivian had taken them from home three years ago. With that, he agreed to keep them in school. ¡°Matt says we are all going to die.¡± Jashin said as they walked through the garden at the back of their mansion. Fiona paused, taken aback by his blunt words. ¡°Why would Matt say such?¡± she asked with a furrowed brow. ¡°He heard his parents say it while he was ying in the living room.¡± Jashin exined further, and it didn¡¯t help Fiona feel better about such a topic being discussed around children. ¡°Mommy, are we all going to die?¡± June asked in a small voice. She shook her head and opened her mouth to speak, but realised she would be lying to them about a lot of things or willfully ignoring the truth. ¡°Are we in trouble?¡± June asked after seeing her remain silent. She stooped, so she came to be almost the same height as her sons. ¡°Trouble times will exist, always, but we will find a way out of them. We always do.¡± She assured them. Fr, 16 Feb ¡°So, we are not going to die.¡± Jashin said it in confidence. ¡°I¡¯ll never let any harme to you. I promise you that.¡± ¡°How did it go?¡± Fiona asked as Julian stepped into the room. E His eyes warmed up as soon as he saw her, and he made his way over to her. ¡°Hello.¡± He kissed her forehead and said, ¡°It was great. How did your day at the citadel go?¡± ¡°Fine, Hanna has been of much assistance to me. I came home early with the boys.¡± She said. He nodded and stepped away from her to take off his clothes. ¡°Do we stand a chance in theing war?¡± She asked in a small tone, but he heard her and turned to her. ¡°Fiona.¡± ¡°No, I am not nning on taking my life; do not worry.¡± She assured him, then asked again. ¡°I ask because losing one¡¯s powers gives a whole different perspective. And now, without mine,¡± she didn¡¯t get to finish because he did it for her. ¡°You are afraid.¡± She nodded. ¡°Rumours are flying, and these rumours say we are all going to die. I do not want to believe it; we have survived a lot of things over the years, but we have never faced anything faced anything like this. I can¡¯t help being afraid.¡± ¡°I want to hold you, but I am filthy and sweaty.¡± He pointed out as he stepped towards her. Fiona hurried into his arms, ignoring what he just said. She needed thisfort more than anything. He held onto her, ¡°We never faced anything like the gue before it came, and we survived it. Trust me, it is okay to be afraid. Every day I step out, I hold this assurance that we will see this through. We will win, and our daughter will be born in a free and good world.¡± He assured her. She held on to him because she wanted to believe his words. Every fibre of her being wanted to believe him. ¡°Remember what the goddess told the luna queen Ainsworth over four hundred years ago? There is nothing the moon goddess created without a way out. The moon goddess created Doom, and so there is a way out of this.¡± She nced up at him, and she met his eyes filled with hope and confidence. He meant every word he said, and she believed in his ount. To Fed They moved in to shower, and she let him wash her. She did the same for him, and she asked him how his day went. He had sessfully subjected two alphas under his authority, and even though these two didn¡¯t know what Doom¡¯s n was, they only knew what their duties were. They had three more alphas to subject, and once that was over, they would return focus to preparation for theing war. Fiona had already sent word to Band to inquire about the information sourcing of Alpha Lupe, and she was still yet to receive a report from him. The information was on Doom and everything they needed to know about him. This information would help them assess their strengths and tactics in the ¡°And your strength, is there any change?¡± Julian asked as they stepped into the living room to get ready for bed. ¡°I do not think so; I can¡¯t lift anything heavier than fifteen kilogrammes, and I can¡¯t run for two minutes T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. without feeling like I¡¯m about to pass out.¡± She revealed, pulling out her red nightgown and putting it on. Julian chuckled, and she red at him. ¡°Oh, I see it is funny now.¡± He stillughed even though he shook his head, and this made her frown. ¡°It is not. Believe me, it is not, but you are adorable, Fiona, and that warms my heart.¡± She rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Bulls hit.¡± She sat before the dressing mirror to put her hair in a neat bun. ¡°It¡¯s not bull s hit; it¡¯s the truth. Rememberst week you could not lift more than ten kilogrammes, and now you are able to lift that? As for your other abilities,¡­¡± he stayed silent before calling out. ¡°Catch!¡± Her hand shut out, and she caught the needle he just threw at her, making her let go of her hair. ¡°Your reflexes are kicking in,¡± he said, and his voice told her he was impressed with her quick move. She red at him. ¡°And if I wasn¡¯t fast enough?¡± She demanded with a furrowed brow. ¡°You would pierce me with it?¡± He shook his head, terrified at her usation. ¡°No, I knew it wouldn¡¯t hurt you.¡± ¡°No, you at him. shouldn¡¯t have done it, but I am d you did.¡± She said that and threw the dart He didn¡¯t anticipate the action, and yet he moved out of the way when it was close enough, and it pierced the wall behind him. ¡°Now we are even.¡± He said that and pulled the dart out. ¡°I am happy to say, your speed 10:11 Fri, 16 Feb GG. u is so much better.¡± ¡°Yours too.¡± Came her sassy response. He came up to stand behind her, and he ced his hands on her shoulder to gently massage her there. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I have said this before, but thank you. For taking the risk and believing in me. You don¡¯t know how much that means to me.¡± She knew, but she loved hearing him tell it to her. ¡°You are wee, Julian, and if I could go back, I wouldn¡¯t do anything differently.¡± Chapter 112 Chapter 112 A lot of things happened differently at the citadel without Marion¡¯s supervision. Fiona had to take on full responsibility for both his role and hers. There was no one better than him at the job, though, and so she didn¡¯t seek to rece him in his absence. It wasn¡¯t even an option. She did what she could, following Julian¡¯s advice, and left the rest for the next day. She also worked closely with Hanna, and the beta proved to be much more helpful than she expected at the beginning. It was the right call to bring her onto the team. Today, like a few other days in the past, she found herself thinking about the human world. Cam and Peter were back from their honeymoon, ording to her calctions. They were now back to their jobs and daily lives. Before leaving, she left Cam a message, telling her friend why she had to leave. Cam didn¡¯t know about Julian¡¯s return, so she had to exin why she needed to leave the best way she could. She promised to keep in touch, but she had not kept true to those words. She couldn¡¯t. The werewolf world suffered a massive loss on her return, and it has not gotten any better since then. It might never get better, and she had to ept that fate while hoping for the best. She picked up her phone, dialled Cam¡¯s number, and waited for a few seconds to hear it ring. She had hope that it would ring into voicemail and she would have reasons to end the call, but her friend picked. ¡°Fiona.¡± She called. ¡°Cam.¡± She answered. ¡°How are you?¡± She didn¡¯t know how she was doing, but Cam couldn¡¯t know that. She would never stop worrying if she found out. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you.¡± ¡°And June and Jashin, how are they?¡± ¡°They are alright; they asked about you too. I told them you got married. How is Peter?¡± ¡°He is fine. Back to work, saving lives.¡± Fiona¡¯s eyes fluttered. ¡°I miss you.¡± O ¡°I miss you too,¡± her response came almost immediately. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to leave, not after everything he put you through.¡± ¡°I had to, and it wasn¡¯t about Julian; it was and still is the only way to protect everything. I care about in the human world.¡± ¡°I hope you are right.¡± She was, and when the time came, Cam would know too. ¡°Has Peter said anything to you about Cillian?¡± she asked, and her tone held curiosity in them. ¡°Thest time he spoke about him, he said he hadn¡¯te to work. He said the board said something about him returning to the Nethends.¡± She answered. ¡°You should call him when you can.¡± ¡°I will.¡± She answered, and that was a lie. Her guilt and shame wouldn¡¯t let her call him, not after what she did to him. ¡°Do take care of yourself, okay? And send my regards to Peter.¡± ¡°I will; please take care of yourself and send my regards to the boys.¡± The call ended, and Fiona thought to Cillian. She wondered what he could be doing now. Hopefully, he will be moving on at this point. Someday she would meet him, and he would be a much better man. The day ended, and she drove over to pick up June and Jashin from their school and take them home. Just like always, they were excited to see her, and she was excited to see them too. ¡°Mommy, we learned about the full moon!¡± Jashin said, and they got into the car. ¡°Really? Well, what else did you learn?¡± ¡°When we turn eighteen during the full moon, we will find our mates.¡± Jashin looked so ecstatic. Sometimes that wouldn¡¯t happen; she didn¡¯t find her mate, and even the mate she got wasn¡¯t her true mate. Everyone¡¯s fate differed from the rest, but the exception wasn¡¯t always the rule. ¡°I will be mated to ke.¡± Jashin continued. ¡°ke.¡± She repeated, and he nodded. ¡°Yes. We are meant to be, and that is why, when I turn eighteen during the full moon, I will take ke as my mate.¡± He said it with assurance. Fiona wanted to tell him that was not how mating worked, but she didn¡¯t want to kill his O B hopes and dreams. A boy could only dream so much. Eighteen years was ten years toe, and they had a lot of time to learn who ke was because this was her first time hearing the name. She turned her attention to June, who had remained silent through all this discussion. ¡°What did you learn in ss today?¡± ¡°The chronicles of kings.¡± June replied, adding. ¡°We learned about the full moon yesterday.¡± ¡°So have you found someone you want to make your mate?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want a mate.¡± He said it tly. Fiona¡¯s eyes narrowed in concern. ¡°Why not? Everyone deserves a mate.¡± ¡°Yes, but Jashin already wants ke, and I don¡¯t want another.¡± ¡°You want ke as your mate as well?¡± June nodded. ¡°But Jashin wants her, and I will not stop her from going to her true mate.¡± She had never thought her sons were crazy before, but here they were, making lifelong decisions when they were barely eight-year-olds. ¡°The moon goddess will give both of you the mate you deserve,¡± she assured both of them. Julian was still a man she never thought she could or should have, but here they were nned out by fate. ¡°But I already picked ke,¡± Jashin started off. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°I know, but her ns are best, so trust her.¡± She thought about her own words. Julian had spoken about the moon goddess n, and here she was talking about it, despite her growing doubt. She had to hold on to this belief that the moon goddess had a n for all of this. They arrived home, and she took them into their rooms, but Ophelia didn¡¯te out to wee them. Usually, that was her move. As soon as the door opened, she woulde carry the boys into their room so Fiona could freshen up, but not getting that today felt strange. She didn¡¯t let that change anything, and she led the boys up to their room. ¡°Any home work?¡± Fiona asked, closing the door behind them. ¡°I have two,¡± June replied. III Jashin opened his bag and searched through it before saying, ¡°I have three.¡± ¡°Okay. Get to work, then. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± She said that, stepped out of the room, and made her way through the hallway. Her mind wandered to where Ophelia might be; she didn¡¯t go home to visit her family because she didn¡¯t take such permission, so it meant she was around here somewhere. ¡°Ophelia?¡± she called out to her as she made her way down the stairs into the living room. Once again, she met silence from the older woman. She sighed, getting a little frustrated. She also couldn¡¯t see the guards Julian had ced as protection around the house in their station earlier. It seemed they too had gone somewhere she didn¡¯t know. Fiona stepped into the kitchen, and there she found Ophelia on the floor, covered in her own blood, choking and close to death. Her neck, face, and ribs were shed open, and she wasn¡¯t healing; she was dying. ¡°Ophelia!¡± She cried in rm and ran to her, getting on the floor and taking her into her arms. She had the older woman¡¯s blood all over her hands, but she didn¡¯t care. ¡°H¡­..e is¡­. sti-ll her..here.¡± She said with ssy eyes, but Fiona couldn¡¯t understand what she said. ¡°Do not speak. Okay, do not speak. I will heal you. I will heal you.¡± She said even though she trembled all over and could not bring herself to focus. Ophelia¡¯s hand took hold of hers in a tight grip, and this made her look back up at the older woman. ¡°He is still here.¡± She said, and this time, Fiona heard what she said clearly. Her heart ski pped in her chest, and she immediately looked around the kitchen but found no one there. Then she turned to Ophelia. ¡°Who is still here?¡± she asked. Ophelia¡¯s eyes remained on hers, ssy and apologetic. ¡°Alpha Uryi of the Pillotmunity.¡± This was one of the alphas Julian was on the way to subject, and he was here. If he¡¯s here, she knows what he came for. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 ¡°You have to protect them,¡± Ophelia said. ¡°I am sorry,¡± Fiona began, but Ophelia cut her short. ¡°Forget about me. You have to protect them.¡± Fiona let her go, rose to her feet, and raced to her son¡¯s room without even thinking about it. She needed to protect them from the dangers in the house. She had to protect them, even with her life. She hurried to her son¡¯s room, and on opening it, she found them on the floor with their homework. They were still in the same position she had left them. That told her alpha Uryi had not gotten here yet. The boys turned and looked at her. ¡°June, lock the door and do not open until I say so.¡± She told June who was the closest to the door. The boy ran up to his feet and over to shut and lock the door from inside without asking questions. Fiona then dug her hand into her pocket and pulled her phone out. She dialled Julian¡¯s number, and he didn¡¯t pick up at the first ring, so she tried again. This time, he picked up the call. ¡°Fiona.¡± His voice came through immediately. ¡°I am on my way home now, my love; Uryi was nowhere to be found in Pillot, and so I¡¯ming home.¡± ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± She whispered to him, hoping that he would hear her. He became silent, and she knew he heard and understood what she had told him. She blinked and saw Uryi stand at the end of the hallway, and she gasped in fear of the unknown. ¡°Uryi!¡± she took to her heels, running to the other side of the hallway where her sons¡¯ room was. Alpha Lupe had told her Doom needed her heart, and everything that had happened so far showed that was the truth. Doom needed her alive if he hoped to rule this world someday. He needed her alive until he could get her heart. He wouldn¡¯t kill her and lose his only chance in the next hundred years. This told her Uryi wasn¡¯t here for her, at least not to hurt her; he was here for her sons. If Uryi were here for them, she had to protect them the best way she could until Julian arrived. She reached the door and took a stand, using herself as a wedge against it. Uryi came to stand before her,rge and tall, almost like Julian, and he towered over her, making her shiver on the inside with unexinable fear. Facing these alphas, who were under Doom¡¯s control outside, didn¡¯t scare her as much as facing them now. It was because he was here to hurt her and her sons. He stared at her with cold eyes and uttered just one word: ¡°Move.¡± His word confirmed what she had sensed earlier: he was here for her sons. Perhaps seeing Julian hunt them down in full strength had told them something had happened. The exchange of power took almost all the strength she had. With her strength gone, she was as vulnerable as ever and wouldn¡¯t put up much fight against him. She shook her head and said, ¡°No, I am not letting you go in there; I will not let you hurt my sons. You will have to go through me.¡± He told her. After the death scare they experienced at the hands of Vivian three years ago, she vowed to protect them from anyone who would want to harm them. Uryi grabbed her by the hair and threw her onto the floor. Shended hard and cracked her elbow. He tried to open the door using the k nob, and he realised the door was locked from inside. He tried to push at the door, but it didn¡¯t open for him. He tried again, but it wouldn¡¯t open. She chuckled on the floor where shey in pain, and this brought Uryi¡¯s attention to her. ¡°The door is made of oak wood and the bars are silver; there is no way you are getting inside, you as shole.¡± She spat at him. He didn¡¯t attempt to keep kicking the door; he wasn¡¯t st upid, and so he stepped towards her. She pulled back on the floor, and the pain she felt wasn¡¯t close to the terror that ate her up from within. She shouldn¡¯t have spoken. Her back hit the wall behind her, and she inwardly cussed. He got to her, and his hand reached out and grabbed her by the hair. She groaned in nd grabbed her by the hair. She groaned in pain as he lifted her up, and she struggled to set herself free from his hold, to no avail. ¡°Let go of me! I am your Luna. Let go!¡± Shemanded, but he didn¡¯t let her go, as she said. ¡®Call your sons,¡± he said instead. ¡°You can¡¯t kill me; your master needs me alive when he gets here.¡± His head tilted, and he nced at her chest area, where her heart was. ¡°He needs your heart, Luna. I can break every part of your body, and as long as it stays intact, my master wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°F uck you!¡± She spat into his face and mmed her head against his. She felt a cra ck, and the next second, her eyes blurred up even as blood ran down her face. Her bodynded on the floor, and shey there, unable to move, and she could do nothing but pray for her sons. ¡°Mommy,¡± she heard Jashin¡¯s worried voice from inside the room. ¡°Your mommy is badly hurt, and she needs your help.¡± He told her sons. ¡°What is wrong with mommy?¡± Jashin asked, already sounding worried about her. ¡°I don¡¯t know; she took a terrible fall, and she is bleeding; it would be best toe outside and see her.¡± ¡°Is that why you have been pushing at the door?¡± Jashin asked. ¡°Yes, she is hurt, and she needs your help.¡± He answered. ¡°Mommy said not to open the door, no matter what. So, unless she tells us to, we cannote out. Call Ophelia; she will give you everything you need.¡± June¡¯s still calm voice said. Ophelia, Fiona thought, even as the heaviness dawned on her mind. She was probably dead now. She tried to stay alert to everything happening while Uryi mmed against the door, attempting to kick it down, but she couldn¡¯t. ¡°Fiona!¡± she heard the voice of Julian call. The next second, she felt a pair of hands take hold of her face. ¡°Fiona! Fiona!¡± he shook her, and her worry. ¡°Fiona, I am sorry I wasn¡¯t here on time.¡± She looked around, and she was no longer on the floor in the hallway; rather, she was on the bed in their room. She sat up abruptly; ¡°The boys,¡± was the first word she could utter. They were the only thing on her mind before her senses faded away. She regretted the sudden action because the pain shut through her. When Julian helped E her lie back down, she didn¡¯tin. ¡°They are here.¡± He told her, and that brought so muchfort to her bones. ¡°They are still with us.¡± ¡°And my baby?¡± she asked with weary eyes. She knew the trauma she had just went through and wanted reassurance that she didn¡¯t lose her pregnancy. ¡°I can still hear two heartbeats.¡± He reassured her, and she exhaled in relief. ¡°Ophelia.¡± She trailed off, and Julian¡¯s eyes dropped remorsefully. ¡°We lost her. I am so sorry, my love.¡± He broke the news to her. Her eyes blurred, and pain and grief engulfed her once again. She would have saved her if she had more time, but Ophelia wanted her to protect her sons. Tears rolled down the sides of her face. Ophelia didn¡¯t care about her own life, only that of her sons. Memories they had made together over the years shed through her mind. She had hoped Ophelia would grow up with the boys and perhaps get to see them mated and counsel them on how to be a proper man. Ophelia was the closest thing she had to a mother, and June and Jashin had a grandmother. The boys will miss her. She would miss her greatly. ¡°And Alpha Uryi?¡± she asked, staring up at him. He was still trying to get into the boys¡¯ room before she went unconscious. ¡°He escaped, but I promise you will not stop searching until he is found and subjected.¡± Julian said and brought her hand up to ce a kiss on it. Uryi wasn¡¯t the enemy, and as much as possible, she wouldn¡¯t want any harming to him. He had no control over his mind, just like Keh, for a long time. Doom wanted division; he wanted them all to see each other as enemies. That way, they wouldn¡¯t have enough time to fight him. They were all victims of Doom¡¯s evil scheme and needed to know their true enemy. ¡°He wanted the boys because Doom wanted them.¡± She began, ¡°Why would he want my babies?¡± ¡°Leverage,¡± he answered before adding, ¡°something to break your spirit with. That will not happen; we will not let him, and I am not leaving anywhere without you again.¡± He reached out and stroked her R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only head. ¡°We have to be there for Ophelia¡¯s rites of passage to the life beyond. She deserves that, at the very least.¡± ¡°Yes, and she will get the funeral of a hero,¡± he assured her. She tried to give him a smile, but her aching head didn¡¯t give her much choice. ¡°I am d you are still here with me, Fiona. I don¡¯t know what I would do if I lost you.¡± Her hand lifted, and she stroked his face. ¡°I am not going anywhere. I promised.¡± He believed her words. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Telling the boys that Ophelia was gone to the life beyond and not with them anymore was difficult. They wanted to know why she left, even though she had promised she wouldn¡¯t leave. Fiona told them she didn¡¯t leave for anothermunity; rather, she was killed by the bad man who attacked them two days ago. June asked why she didn¡¯t bring her back, and she had to tell them that though she could heal, she couldn¡¯t raise the dead. Ophelia wasn¡¯t dead when she came home, but she died while she was protecting her sons, but they didn¡¯t need to know that. She told th¨¨m instead that their nanny was in a better ce and that they would get to see her one day. Ophelia wasn¡¯t the only casualty of that day¡¯s attack; they also found the bodies of the three beta guards Julian had ced on her. Uryi had killed them before going inside to attack Ophelia. Fiona would have sensed it and probably helped, but she had given all her abilities except her healing to Julian and was still getting it back. There was little she could do. They held rites of passage of the guards yesterday, and Julian was in attendance after cing Keh to watch over her and the boys. ¡°Is that why we are wearing ck?¡± Jashin asked. ¡°It is proper to wear ck during the rite of passage.¡± Julian answered while he finished knotting their ties. He had taken over the responsibility of the house and also left the tower after his return from Pillot. They were his first priority. ¡°Is today the day we will go and see Ophelia?¡± Jashin asked, already excited. He shook his head. ¡°No, but today is the day we will say our farewells to her. We will still see her someday when we are really old.¡± ¡°Like a hundred years?¡± He nodded. ¡°Yes, maybe a hundred to two hundred years toe if we are lucky, but years toe if we are lucky, but we will see her someday.¡± They arrived at the passage at Langfield, where Ophelia was born, and to Fiona¡¯s surprise, she saw so many in attendance. Some of those present were the nine alphas whom Julian had returned to their former state of mind. They all stood around, paying theirst respects to Ophelia. When they and the boys arrived, they received warm reverence from them, and they followed Julian¡¯s lead to pay theirst respect to her. After Julian spoke, it was Fiona¡¯s turn. She didn¡¯t want to speak; she didn¡¯t think goodbye would be so soon, but these things had to be said. She moved to the spot where Ophelia¡¯s bodyy, and her eyes immediately blurred up. ¡°You were the one thing that felt like a mother and home to me. You never made me feel like an outsider, even though you could have.¡± Her lips trembled, and her eyes grew ssy as she spoke. ¡°When you found out I was pregnant, you treated me with much more understanding andpassion than my parents did. Coming back into my life was a breath of fresh air, and, oh, how excited I was to see you were alive. Even when you were about to die, your focus remained on June and Jashin. You wanted them safe and protected.¡± Tears rolled down her face, and she wiped them off. ¡°Your losses harder to me than you will ever know. My sons will no longer hear your old wives¡¯ tales, and you won¡¯t be here when they finally find their true mates. A part of me wishes you never came back into my life, but I am d for the times you spent with us and the memories we made. I will not forget you, Ophelia, and I will make sure the boys know your name. Goodbye, for now, meet again.¡±, until w She returned to stand beside Julian, and he took her hand into his for a gentle squeeze. Alpha Cooper came to meet them as they set out to leave, and the eight other subjected alphas stepped up towards him. ¡°My king and Luna, I would like to extend my condolences to you and your family in this hard time. I and the alphas behind me want you to know we owe the both of you the return of our minds. You will never know the length of his hold on us or how much it ate us up from the inside. The only thing that stayed on our minds was doing the bidding of the dark masters, and now we are freer than ever, and we owe it to you. Whatever you will need in theing war, we will be here to make it happen. We will remain loyal to yourmands, now and forever.¡± He said, and they all bowed their heads to them in respect. Following the burial, he also withdrew them from school and kept them home, where he would always have eyes on them. The week that followed, they dedicated themselves to appointing new elders to the counsel of truth. It had been a month since their gruesome deaths, and this was the time to do it. Julian, as always, had to take the lead in this. He needed all the information he could get to carry this out. The death of all the elders of the counsel of truth had never happened before. They had been among the oldest in the werewolf world, and even when there was a loss, the elders knew how to rece their own. Now that they were all gone, that responsibility fell on him. Julian devoted himself to more reading, and Fiona helped out in the best way she Q could. Working side by side with him kept her mind from wandering or thinking too much about what was ahead. Thinking about anything would not save them from what wasing. The report of the to-be elected elders came up to them, and they read through it. The Council of Truth came with a lot of responsibilities. They had to be men of integrity and virtue, men who would uphold the truth above everything and everyone else, including the Lycan king. Since they would also check and bnce the Lycan king¡¯s doings and affairs, this needed to be so. They had to be honest, strong- Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. willed, and loving, and they had to be able to bnce all these qualities. They also had to love their Luna and children because how could they check and call to question the doings of the king if they couldn¡¯t check their families? Last, they had to have had studies under the former elders and knowledge of the council of truth, how it operated, and how the bnce of power flowed. Julian and Fiona dedicated their attention to finding them, and after a week of thorough research, they found the eight best suited for this responsibility. ¡°What do you think of our selections?¡± Julian asked her, as if she wasn¡¯t involved in the decision- making. ¡°Anyst suggestions?¡± Her attention moved from the mirror, where she stood staring at her dress, over to him. ¡°I have none, do you?¡± He looked conflicted, unsure, and every other synonym close to it. ¡°I do; how do I trust that I have made the right decision?¡± # She walked over to him and ced her hands on his shoulders for reassurance. ¡°We don¡¯t, but we know the men we have chosen to wield this power, and we know their record and what their families report says about them. We can trust all that and not ourselves.¡± She answered. ¡°I love you. I don¡¯t know if I have told you that today, but I do.¡± He rambled off. ¡°Believe me.¡± She smiled and said, ¡°I do. I love you too.¡± Chapter 115 Chapter 115 The swearing¨Cin of the eight elders happened in the presence of the one hundred and forty¨Ceight alphas in the werewolf world, all but Alpha Uryi of the Pillotmunity. The eight elders took the oath of being not only diligent but also respecting the position they had been called into, being the most important, and their council being the highest in the werewolf world, Julian bestowed power and authority on them by cing the mantles of truth, which belonged to the old elders, on their shoulders. The entire court of the council of truth erupted with cheers of joy as the swearing¨Cin ended, With this task over with, Julian dedicated his focus to the thirty¨Csix of the thirty¨Cnine puppets of the dark world. The two they had been searching for, just like Alpha Uryi, had escaped and returned to their now¨Cmasters. This was Marion¡¯s conclusion, as all searches around their world proved abortive, Capturing thirty¨Csix was a great win for them, so he focused on only this and nothing else. They still had the giga on their necks, and that meant they were still under Doom¡¯s control. Fiona, though, stayed in the part of the dungeon where they wouldn¡¯t be able to break out and attack her if it got to that point. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Julian had taken the keys to the gigas from the guards and came into the dungeon with them. He tossed them into the cell of each of the prisoners held inside. ¡°Unlock your gigas.¡± Hemanded, and all of them scrambled to the floor, trying to find and pick up the keys. Everyone in the dungeon opened their giga, and some unlocked it before others. Those who unlocked the giga first began mming against the bars of the dungeons, and those who didter followed. The dungeon echoed with the loud sound of their bodies. mming against the bars. The desperate violence of it could be felt. They didn¡¯t care about themselves or the affliction they were causing their bodies; they only wanted to get out, ¡°Enough!¡± Julian thundered, and they all became as still as statues, so the only thing that could be heard was their raging heartbeats. ¡°Now listen to what I have to say: you do not own yourself, nor do the masters of darkness own you. They don¡¯t get to control you because you do not belong to them; you belong to me and answer only to me! I am your master, I am your Lord, and I am your Lycan king¡± He said, and his eyes glowed bloody red, just like the crimson moon. Fiona stood, silently watching it all in awe of Julian and the authority he wielded. All thirty¨Cseven of them bowed in acknowledgement almost immediately, having been 16:09 Mon, 19 Feb BB broken out of the control of the dark masters. ¡°My king,¡± his name echoed in their mouths over and over, and every one of them dropped to his knee. Julian took Fiona¡¯s hand and led her out of the dungeon., The now freed captives unlocked their cells and came out one after the other at his instruction. The look on their faces showed they were expecting some form of punishment, knowing what they had done. ¡°You already know what you have done. I say this because I have also spoken to Alphas who fell under the influence of the dark masters. You do not agree with what you did; you just couldn¡¯t stop yourself. That is why you get grace. We all deserve grace; I deserve it more than most of you. There is a war on our doorstep, and most of you may already know this. For those who don¡¯t, Doom and Mischief escaped out of the dark world and into the world of the living. Their mission is to subject us all and rule over us -those of us who live through this war. We are standing up and saying no, and we need all the soldiers we can get. After everything you have gone through, I would not ask you to fight for me because I am your king. I ask you to fight for your fathers and mothers, your wives, and your children. I want you to fight because the dark masters have wronged you, and they deserve to pay.¡± Silence dwelt in their midst once again, and after a while, one man standing in front dropped to his knee, another followed, and then another. In under a minute, they were all kneeling down before Julian, swearing allegiance and vowing to fight beside him in theing war. ¡°We bring you bad news.¡± Sir Kai, one watcher assigned to hunt down the one who had attacked them during the full moon, said, ¡°The guns submitted to our inspection were checked out, and they belong to Alpha Lupe of the Bandmunity. We have him in the dungeon with your instructions. He surrendered on his own will.¡± Theypleted their report. Julian turned to Fiona, as if wanting to know what she thought. It was simple for her; he didn¡¯t do it. Whoever did it had set him up to take the me. If he had, he wouldn¡¯t have helped with the further search into the chronicles of the kings, the elders, and every other thing he had done to help their cause. They followed them to the dungeon, where he was kept with a giga around his neck and silver cuffs around his wrist. ¡°Take them all off.¡± Juli¨¢nmanded immediately. 16:09 Mon, 19 Feb GBB D The guards didn¡¯t question him before taking them off and stepping out of the cell where the alpha sat. ¡°Is that a wise choice?¡± Lupe asked with a raised brow. 5 Fiona stepped towards where he sat on the interrogation seat. ¡°Of course it is. We know you didn¡¯t do it,¡± she answered. ¡°I remember little of what happenedst full moon. I was unwell, so I could not shift. That was because of exhaustion. I had devoted myself to too much reading and passed out under it, as it had worn me out. I woke up in the same position the next day, but my feet were covered in mud and dirt. That told me I was out the previous night. I tried to find answers on my own. I never knew there was an attack on youst full moon, or I would have spoken up about it earlier. When the raiders came to my house, I gave my full consent, and when they found the gun and bullets, I had to turn myself in. I don¡¯t know if I did it, but if I did, then I deserve to stay here.¡± ¡°Whose voices are in your head now?¡± ¡°No voice.¡± ¡°Do you want to harm your king, my sons, or me?¡± she asked. He shook his head, rmed that she would even say that. ¡°No, I would never do such a thing; I would ¡°He is telling the truth.¡± Julian, who had been rather quiet, spoke what she already knew, and their attention turned to him. ¡°I know. It is all over his eyes.¡± She supported him and then turned to Lupe. ¡°We won¡¯t keep you here. Whoever attacked us is out there, and they have to know we didn¡¯t take the bait; they need to know we areing for them.¡± Lupe nced at Julian as if asking if he too was in support of this act. He looked terrified; anyone would be, especially since he couldn¡¯t remember what happened and still feared the same thing repeating itself. ¡°We are letting you go because you do not deserve to be locked up for something you didn¡¯t do.¡± Julian said in confidence, ¡°There is a waring; we need as much strength. and brains as we can get.¡± Lupe exhaled in relief, ¡°Thank you, my king, my luna queen.¡± He bowed his head. Fiona smiled and said, ¡°You are wee.¡± Chapter 116 Chapter 116 With Alpha Lupe¡¯s deduction, Doom would certainly not need to go to the othermunities in the werewolf world since there was nothing he needed there. He needed Fiona, and she was in Rayfield, so this would be where he would bring the fight. Since he would being here, Fiona knew this wasn¡¯t the safest spot to be for the boys. He might once again try to use them for leverage. She needed to take them away to a ce that would be safe. She discussed her ns with Julian, who nodded a go- ahead and then asked who she would want to entrust the care of her sons to. It took her a few days of thinking toe up with the answer, but she told him she wanted Elena in charge of them. She would be the sole carer for the boys, but she would not be alone. Alpha Cooper¡¯s mate, Luna Katy, was also a strong ally, and Elena would move over to themunity and watch over the boys until the war was over, and if they lost the war, they would remain there. It wasn¡¯t easy thinking all these things through, but luckily for her, she had Julian. He never stopped being beside her and reassuring her that all would be well. They both kissed the boys and ced them in the car, reminding them how loved they both were. Then she waved at them as they drove off with Drew. This might be herst time seeing them and theirst time seeing herself and their father, and she wanted it to be something they would not forget. Her eyes blurred up as the car drove away from her sight, but she felt Julian¡¯s arms around her for ¡°They will be safe.¡± Julian reassured her. ¡°But will we be safe?¡± She asked, ncing up at him. This was the time he would tell her not to worry and to keep their heads up, but he couldn¡¯t speak; instead, he pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. ¡°We have found our ways through a lot of things, and I am certain we will find our ways through this too.¡± He assured her, even though there was not much conviction in his tone. She clung to his words and needed the boost of confidence they gave her. She pulled away from him, and they made their way back to the house. ¡°Teach me how to fight.¡± His brow narrowed at her. ¡°You already know how to fight.¡± He told her and this was true. ? ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. 2 3 65%L He had taught her how to fight over three years ago, so she needed to rephrase. ¡°Teach me how to fight again. You taught me how to fight with my abilities still in tact; now I can¡¯t defend myself without them. If I am going to be of any help to anyone in thising war, then I need to know how to fight without them. I need all the training and tools I can get, and who better to teach me than the Lycan King himself?¡± ¡°Fiona.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s not like you have work or something.¡± He sighed deeply after much thought, ¡°You are right; I am the Lycan king, and with the exchange of power, I am the most dangerous person to train with.¡± She stepped towards him with a flirty look on her face. ¡°You know it is really hot when you let me know your title.¡± She said that and pulled him closer with his shirt. Heughed, ¡°Fiona.¡± ¡°I will heal.¡± Hisughter died, ¡°Fiona.¡± ¡°Doom is the firstborn of all creations, and that means he will be much more stronger than you, and he ising for me. I am not asking you to train me, Julian; I am telling you.¡± He sighed in deep frustration. ¡°Are you sure you do not want to just run away from all this?¡± ¡°Where can we go that Doom won¡¯t find us?¡± She asked, but his silence told her he too had no clue. This left him with no excuse but to train her. Fiona readied herself for her training. There was a training room in the mansion that could withstand all their m and tossing around. Julian was right; he was the Lycan king, and that made him dangerous, and that danger was what she needed. She needed him to push her to the edge and help build her response and counterattacks. She had gotten back around fifteen percent of the strength she exchanged with Julian. With the pace it moved, she wouldn¡¯t get it back before the year ended, and so she knew she was as good as dead in thising war. Training herself was the only other option she had aside from ending/her own life. Julian would hate her in this life and even into the life beyond if she did that. She finished and made her way into the training room, and on entering, she met Julian already there, waiting for her with his back turned. He was serious about this, and that 16.09 Mon, 19 Feb G B 0 3 65%g 5 was good. Yes, he had left the room before her, but he could have gone anywhere else. Maybe finally, he realised she needed this. He sensed her presence and immediately turned to her. ¡°Before we begin, I would like to apologise. In the case that I hurt you at any point in the match-¡± She didn¡¯t let him finish; she did him the favour: ¡°It¡¯s not because you want to, but because you have to. I know.¡± She stepped into the ring where he stood waiting, and against him, she looked really small. His size had never scared her before but, knowing he would use it against her without holding back, it did. She swallowed and asked herself if this was what she really wanted. Of course, it wasn¡¯t. She trained with him three years ago, and even with her strength, she couldn¡¯t put a scratch on him despite being tossed around and about. The only advantage she had now was her ability to heal fast, because Ona would not lend her strength after what she did to her. She knew his strength in the bedroom; he had shown it to her many times since she lost her abilities; this strength, however, she had yet to witness. ¡°Ready?¡± he asked. She wasn¡¯t, but he didn¡¯t have to know that. ¡°I have no choice but to be.¡± She said it with nervous ¡°Okay, then,e at me.¡± He told her, and she did. Maybe she shouldn¡¯t have told him to teach her, and yes, he warned her against what training with him meant, but she wanted to challenge herself. All her attempts to swing at him were futile. He was faster, stronger, and had not just a block but a counterattack. He withdrew his fist whenever he was about to hit her and saw she wasn¡¯t protected, and he showed a lot of control. Yet she ached all over and felt her attempts were pathetic at best. It didn¡¯t make her feel better. Not in the slightest way. ¡°Here,¡± Julian handed her a wet towel to wipe the dried blood stain on her head. He did that when he first threw a fist she couldn¡¯t block, and since then he has started pulling back when she can¡¯t block him. He sat beside her in the ring. ¡°I am sorry.¡± ¡°Do not apologise for doing exactly what I asked you to do.¡± She told him and wiped the towel against her head, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have asked you to; it was a weak attempt, and I put you in a ce that would leave you with guilt regardless.¡± ¡°You were not weak. For someone with slightly more strength than humans, you hit hard.¡± he She rolled her eyes, but that didn¡¯t stop him from speaking. She wanted to hear what he had to say. ¡°And you showed persistence when you didn¡¯t even have the strength to lift your hands. You kept standing until the end. I know what it feels like to be without any power. I faced Keh that way, and he wiped the floor with me.¡± He said that, and she couldn¡¯t helpughing. ¡°I think I died at some point, and so believe me when I say that you put up a brave fight until the end.¡± ¡°I believe that you really mean every word you just said and not just saying it to make me feel happy and get into my pantster on.¡± His mouth twitched to the side; he was probably stuck on thest part of her sentence. ¡°I still want to get into your pantster on, but I really mean what I said.¡± She nodded, ¡°Fine, then, you can get some.¡± His face lit up at her words, and he immediately kissed. her lips. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Making love could not be any better. Julian made love to her like they only had today, like they were running out of time and this was their only way to make it up. That was right; they were running out of time. Today might as well be theirst day on earth. Theirst moments together. Julian entwined their fingers as he thrust into her onest time before they both copsed from the heights of ecstasy. They stayed snuggled up on each other, not saying anything but instead listening to each other¡¯s soft heartbeat. This moment was wholesome and unique in its own sense. It gave her hope that no matter what happened, they would have this hope of a better tomorrow. This was the first time since this whole chaos stared that she had felt this way, and she clung to this new-found hope. Whether in this life or in the life beyond, they will have each other. She loved Julian, and if this was the end of the road, she was d she spent it with him. Fiona didn¡¯t want to get up from the bed as dawn came; shey still beside Julian, unwilling to move or do anything. She counted down the hours before the full moon, and it was fourteen hours before its peak. She felt a pair of soft lips on her shoulders, and she knew Julian had woken morning, my love.¡± His h a se, morning voice vibrated against her shoulders and made up. ¡°Good her shiver and turn to him. ¡°Good morning, gorgeous.¡± She smiled. ¡°Gorgeous, huh?¡± he said, and his green eyes flickered adorably. ¡°You are still gorgeous to me.¡± She answered with a smile that turned into a beam. ¡°You don¡¯t like being called gorgeous, I can tell.¡± She poked his cheek with her finger. His mouth twitched to the side as if thinking about her words: ¡°As long as you are the only one calling me that, I love it.¡± ¡°Good, then you will be my gorgeous mate until the end.¡± She told him. He kissed her lips deeply, and smiling, she kissed back. His hand came to rub at her protruded stomach, singing his fingers over and around it and causing tingles within 1 A ? her. ¡°And you will be my beautiful mate.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. His hand gently wrapped around her neck and up into her hair in a tender caress. Her head fell back, and a moan escaped her mouth before he kissed her deeply. A knock came to the door. It was loud and unexpected, and they both pulled away from the kiss, and their attention turned to the door. ¡°Who is there?¡± Julian asked. ¡°It¡¯s Marion, my king.¡± He answered, and his tone was filled with worry. Julian rose from the bed and walked towards the side of the door wearing nothing but his boxer briefs. It was out of shape because he was already turned on before the knock came, and it would take a longer time to make it go away. He got there and slowly opened it, but he didn¡¯t widen the door. ¡°What is wrong? Why are you here this early?¡± Fiona sat up and reached for Julian¡¯s shirt on the floor. Putting it on, she made her way towards the door as well. I have terrible news,¡± he answered, and the anguish in his voice remained. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, growing impatient. ¡°Luna Katy is dead, Elena is gone, and so are June and Jashin.¡± He answered, looking equally miserable. Fiona¡¯s heart sank at his words, and she immediately lost the strength in her legs. She leaned her weight against the wall for fear that she would fall otherwise. Julian noticed the condition she just got tossed into and turned to Marion, ¡°I will be right down.¡± He said and shut the door. He turned his weary eyes to Fiona, whose vision was already blurry and unable to say anything. ¡°My sons are gone, she cried bitterly, and tears streamed down her face and her lips trembled. ¡°I sent them away from here, thinking I was keeping them safe. How foolish was I? Doom has my sons,¡± she said with a deep conviction. ¡°We don¡¯t know that,¡± he tried to say, but she cut him off. 23 10:17 Wed, 21 Feb GG ¡°Luna Katy is dead and Elena is gone; it only means one thing: Doom has my sons; he has had Elena under his control for so long and we didn¡¯t even know it.¡± She sobbed bitterly. ¡°I handed my sons to him. I gave him what he wanted without a fight.¡± Julian pulled her into his hold to tightly hug her, but she didn¡¯t want to be calm; she didn¡¯t want the She pulled away from him and took a step back. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be consoled; I do not want to be told it will be okay!¡± She screamed at him, and her head hurt. ¡°I want my sons back; I want them back from Doom; that is what I want; that is the only thing I want!¡± Julian sighed in frustration, and it showed on his face, but she didn¡¯t care; at this point, she didn¡¯t care about anything. Not for her life, not for her safety. She wanted only her sons to be brought back to her. There was no way of winning this war without her sons, and without them, she already lost. She couldn¡¯t imagine what they were going through. She had promised to protect them and make sure what they went through with Vivian never repeated itself. How na?ve she was. She had yed right into Doom¡¯s hand. They arrived downstairs, where Marion and Alpha Cooper, thete Luna Katy¡¯s mate and husband, stood waiting for them. ¡°I am sorry to have delivered the bad news the way I did.¡± Marion began to speak immediately after he spotted them. ¡°Do not be sorry; June and Jashin are our sons. We deserved to know everything about them, and you did the right thing.¡± Julian then turned his attention to Alpha Cooper, who looked almost miserable but held onto a brave face. ¡°And the body of Luna Katy?¡± ¡°We found herst night swept on the shores of Jupita,¡± he answered. ¡°I am deeply sorry for your loss, Alpha Cooper.¡± Sorrow arrested his eyes, and he bit down on his lower lip. ¡°Thank you, my king.¡± Julian¡¯s attention moved to Marion. ¡°Where was Elenast seen?¡± ¡°Heading south of the border, which leads to the human world after killing Luna Katy and the driver. She abandoned the car, and we specte she could have gone to meet with Doom and Mischief with the twins.¡± Fiona¡¯s lips trembled, and her eyes welled up. ¡°We need to get them back.¡± Julian said. ¡°What are our chances?¡± ¡± Wed, 21 Feb ? ¡°If the masters of the dark world aided their disappearance like we believe he did, there is no getting your sons back, my king. I am sorry.¡± He answered. Tears streamed down Fiona¡¯s face, and she turned away from them, unable to take the pain anymore. It was unbearable. ¡°I feel this is also on me, because I should have known she was different if I paid close attention, but I haven¡¯t. I have been too invested in everything else, but my mate. My failure was not seeing it right in my face. I was sleeping with the enemy, and now I have Nost her, and you have lost your sons and Alpha Cooper, his Luna. For that, I am sorry, my king and Luna queen.¡± He bowed his head to them, while Julian followed Marion outside and Fiona stayed inside. She thought of a way out. It was half an hourter when Julian returned to the room, and Fiona was already bathed, dressed in her ck jeans and red vest. She picked up her face cap and put it on as well. ¡°What is going on?¡± Julian asked, pausing his steps upon seeing her. She brushed past him and made her way outside. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Leaving? Where are you going?¡± He asked, following her and looking utterly confused. ¡°To the world of humans, I am going to bring back my sons,¡± she answered, still walking away. ¡°We do not know where they are, and this would just be a suicide mission.¡± She paused and turned to him. ¡°You are just saying this to make me stay. But guess what? My sons are gone, and I¡¯d rather be dead than without them.¡± ¡°They are my sons too, Fiona, and you are my mate. I do not want to sacrifice one for another, not now when we are in this position.¡± ¡°That is the difference between me and you, then, I will sacrifice anything to get my sons back.¡± sacrifice anything to get my She turned and walked away, descending the stairs, and he followed behind her. He probably thought she was being reckless, but this wasn¡¯t her first time losing her sons; it wasn¡¯t her second or third. She couldn¡¯t be reckless. She had to find them. ¡°You find them with Doom, and then what? You are going to fight him? With what strength? You already know we do not stand a chance against him if we are not united.¡± He said, but she didn¡¯t stop or look back at him; she didn¡¯t want him to convince her. She came down the stairs and moved to open the door that led out of the living room, but Julian took hold of her wrist. ¡°Let me go; let me go now!¡± she struggled with him. ¡°No, not until you listen to me.¡± He told her, but she didn¡¯t stop struggling, and he didn¡¯t let her go. Fed up, she red at him but stopped struggling with him. ¡°I know you want to get June and Jashin back; believe me, I want that more than anything. You have to believe me that I am doing all I can to find our sons. I will go out there and find them, but we are good as dead, and all this if Doomys his hands on you. We cannot let him win; we cannot let him have you and gain dominion over the two worlds. Her teeth clenched as she stared up at him. ¡°And I don¡¯t care.¡± He exhaled in regret. ¡°Then I am sorry.¡± Those were thest words she heard before cking out. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 When Fiona woke up, she was in a rather dark room, and she barely saw anything. She couldn¡¯t remember what led to this point, but she knew something had happened. How was she here? Where was Julian? As his name crossed her mind, the memories ran back into her head. She sat up. He did something that made her ck out. He wanted her under control, and he knocked her out. She ran out of bed and towards the door, which she made out despite her dim vision. She knocked hard on it, as hard as she could, and she heard it echo. There was a hallway outside the door, and the echo meant it was empty. ¡°Open the door. Is anybody out there?¡± She asked, struggling with the doorknob, but it was locked. She hit the door over and over when she received no answer. ¡°Let me out of here! Let me out!¡± She picked up a steady heartbeat outside the door. It wasn¡¯t very far away. ¡°Who is out there? Answer me.¡± ¡°Luna queen.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am Kali. I am on the squadron guard team.¡± ¡°Where am I?¡± she asked, looking around and not recognising anything. This wasn¡¯t a room in the mansion; she would have known, and the sounds and echoes around were not so there. ¡°You are at the court of truth.¡± Kali answered calmly, adding, ¡°The king believes the aura of truth and light will protect you from being seen by the masters of the dark world. This is the safest ce in our world right now.¡± ¡°Let me out of here, Kali.¡± ¡°I am sorry, Luna Queen, but the Lycan King gave explicit instructions to keep you here. I have no other choice but to do what hemands.¡± His apology and voice stayed low from the beginning to the end. Her stomach turned in anger, and a growl left her mouth. ¡°I am your Luna queen; you cannot keep me here!¡± She mmed her hand against the door, but she got no response 3 10:18 Wed, 21 Feb u GG from Kali, who had gone back to silence. She ced her head against the door, and she slid down to the floor. How could Julian do this to her? Once again, he had gone against her; he had shut her out. How could he do this? She couldn¡¯t stay here; she needed to get out. Her sons were gone, and she needed to get them back. ¡°I want water.¡± She said it with a faint voice as her head ached slightly. ¡°I need water, Kali? Did you hear me?¡± ¡°There is a mini fridge there in the room with you, Luna Queen.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see.¡± She said, looking around to find what he said. ¡°Reach for the light; the switch is above you. Once it is turned on, you will see.¡± He answered. ¡°I am hungry too. Is there food here for me to eat?¡± She demanded. He stayed quiet for a few seconds before saying, ¡°I will get you food.¡± He said that, and she heard footsteps departing from the door. She rose to her feet, reached for the light, and saw the room and the cement of things in it. She made her way over to the fridge. The fridge was in the left corner of the room, and the window was in the right corner, close to the bed. She opened the fridge, and in it, she found a bottle of water. She reached for it and took a long gulp, quenching her thirst and emptying the bottle. She finished and set the cup down, giving herself time to think now that she had quenched her thirst. Once again, she tried the door, but soon figured she couldn¡¯t break it down. She needed to get out, and she needed to capitalise on Kali¡¯s return, since she couldn¡¯t open the door on her own. Twenty minutester, there was a soft knock on the door: ¡°Luna queen, I have the food you requested. I wille in to set it down.¡± He announced this before inserting the key into the door. Fiona moved to stand behind the door, wanting to use that to her advantage. The door opened, and Kali stepped in, and he paused at the door, looking around but not finding her. He stepped further into the room. ¡°Luna queen.¡± He called, but before he could calcte it, she charged out at him, swinging at him with all her strength. The te fell out of his hand and sca ttered onto the floor. She used his surprise to her advantage,unched at him, and took him down. There was a surge in her strength, and she needed to use that and her training with Julian to her advantage. ¡°I am sorry; I do not want to do this, but Julian gave me no choice.¡± She said and kicked him in the face, knocking him out. She took the key from his side and ran out of the room, making sure to lock the door with Kali in it. She ran towards the entrance as fast as her speed could take her, and there she found Julian standing there with a disapproving look on his face. Her heart doubled in its beat, knowing there was no way out. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She slowed down her speed and stopped not so far from him. ¡°All I asked was for you to trust me, and you cannot even do that.¡± ¡°I have trusted you, Julian; I gave you my abilities because I trusted you, and what did I get from it?¡± she demanded. ¡°You locked me up like a prisoner.¡± ¡°It is the only way to keep you safe. Can you not see that?¡± Anger surged through her veins. ¡°I do not see that. I do not need you to keep me safe. I can protect myself and will do that if you step out of my way.¡± ¡°Now is the least time to fight each other, Fiona.¡± He said, stepping towards her. ¡°YOU LOCKED ME UP LIKE A COMMON CRIMINAL!¡± she roared at him. ¡°You were acting recklessly and without thinking things through. We already lost the boys; I will not lose you as well! I needed to do what I did. I will do anything to keep you away from the ws of Doom. Tonight is the full moon, and tonight is the night hees for us all. I would rather watch the two worlds burn than hand you over to him.¡± ¡°You will sacrifice our sons¡± He didn¡¯t answer her question; instead, he stepped towards her and took the keys from her hand, saying, ¡°You can return to your room, or I will take you back myself.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare touch me? She snarled at him, her eyes glowing with rage and frustration. A ? Without saying anything, he stepped up to her, picked her up on his shoulder, and carried her back to her room. She kicked, screamed, and punched him over and over, but he didn¡¯t budge. He opened the door to the room she had run out of and then set her down inside. Then he reached behind and pulled out a giga he seemed to have had all along. He hoped to subdue the power she had gotten back with it. ¡°This has to be done.¡± He said and ced the giga around her neck, and she didn¡¯t even try to stop him. ¡°I hate you. I wish I never gave you my strength!¡± She said in a low tone. ¡°You do not mean a word you say, and in time you will realise I am doing the right thing.¡± He said, and his voice remained calm even at this point. Then he turned to Kali, who was now standing on his feet. ¡°I will not be here to save her next time. Keep her here and guard her with your very life.¡± Kali bowed his head in understanding. ¡°Yes, my king. I will do a better job.¡± His eyes once again returned to Fiona, and they bore anguish in them and a hint of fear. He reached out and touched the side of her face tenderly. ¡°This night, I will do all I can to fight for you, protect our world, and get back our sons, or I will die trying. This, I swear to you.¡± A tear slid down her face as she watched him leave, knowing this would be thest time she would see him. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 shback¡­ ¡°I do not want to go,¡± June whined as Fiona got him to wear his blue jeans. ¡°I want to stay here; why can¡¯t I stay here?¡± he asked. June hardly everined about anything; this was always Jashin¡¯s go-to move, but seeing June Julian wasn¡¯tpletely on board, either. He suggested the court of truth as the best ce to keep them, along with the other children who might not leave Rayfield during the battle, but she couldn¡¯t have it. Doom would level the entiremunity if he so wished, and she couldn¡¯t risk them being near here when that happened. ¡°Because this ce isn¡¯t safe, June, but where you would be going will be. You will be taken care of and protected, so you will have nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°But you and Daddy will not be there,¡± he said with a sad pout. She reached out and stroked his face. ¡°No, we will not be, but if all goes well, we will be there with you too in no time. You two will take care of each other in the meantime.¡± He nodded, but he didn¡¯t look happy. He didn¡¯t want to leave, and she should have just listened to him instead of thinking her way was the best and only way. ¡°Jashin, you will take care of June, alright?¡± She said this and turned to Jashin, who stayed oddly quiet. ¡°Yes, mommy,¡± he nodded. ¡°I love you two so much; never forget that.¡± shback ends Fionay on the bed, crying her heart out and grieving her loss. She would never see Julian and probably never see her sons again. What would be the point of surviving if she lost everything she ever cared She had already lost enough. Her parents, Ophelia, her sons, and now Julian. What joy was in her life from here on? about? She never wanted rebellion; she just couldn¡¯t sit back and lose everything. The pain will consume her. She didn¡¯t want Julian to sacrifice himself because his sacrifice would be in vain. Hers, however, wouldn¡¯t be; Doom needed her heart, and with it, she could bargain for her world, her sons, and Julian. They would have continued without her; they would have had a chance, and now they no longer do. She felt weak and hungry, but she didn¡¯t know if Kali would bring her any food after the stunt she pulled hours ago. She had to try, though. ¡°Kali?¡± she called, her voice weak, and her head was pounding in pain. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± ¡°Luna queen.¡± He responded to her call. ¡°I am sorry for what I did to you earlier. You were following the orders of the king, and I shouldn¡¯t have attacked you like I did.¡± ¡°It is fine. You were in a desperate spot. What can I do to help?¡± ¡°I am hungry. Genuinely this time.¡± She added thest part. ¡°Can you get me something to eat?¡± ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± he asked almost immediately, without thinking. ¡°Anything good. I am not much of a chooser.¡± ¡°Alright, Luna Queen, I will go ask the kitchen what else they have.¡± He said that, and his footsteps departed from the door. Shey still in bed and didn¡¯t even know how long it took before he returned. ¡°They had pork and the steak they reserved for the elders; I was able to bargain for steak because you are the luna queen¡± He said and entered the room. She chuckled and pulled herself up to sit down. ¡°Thank you.¡± He nodded, set the tray down, and turned to leave when she called to him. ¡°Do you have children?¡± ¡°I have only one.¡± He answered. ¡°And your mate?¡± He pressed his lips together, and pain shed in his eyes. ¡°She died when Alpha Greg of Montana was killed. She was a casualty in the attack.¡± 10:18 Wed, 21 Feb ? 3 Her heart went out to him. ¡°I am sorry. Kali, that means your daughter is all He nodded. ¡°She is the only reason I haven¡¯t ended it all yet.¡± you have.¡± ¡°My sons are gone, and I can¡¯t get them back.¡± Shemented bitterly, and her tears fell. ¡°It is all my fault. Now we are going into a war we have already lost.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Do not beat yourself up; you just have to believe and keep the faith that it will all be fine.¡± ¡°Thank you, Kali; you are really a nice man.¡± ¡°You are wee, Luna Queen; you should eat now.¡± He said that and stepped out of the room. She wiped her tears and made her way over to the table where Kali had set her food. She stayed there and ate, and when she finished, she drank the water on the table, and her strength returned. Her eyes spotted the time on the wall, and it was already evening. The full moon was just hours away, and with it, the end of everything they knew. She returned to bed, curled herself in a ball, and wept for the end. She soon heard a small rumble at the door, and her eyes snapped open. Again, a small knock came on the door momentster. ¡°Who is there?¡± She asked, a little startled. Kali would not knock; he would just call to her, so whoever was there wasn¡¯t Kali. ¡°It is I, Zac.¡± A different, hushed voice spoke from outside the door. ¡°I came to bring you out.¡± He answered. She shook her head and pulled up to sit down. ¡°I am not supposed to be out. The king insists I stay in here for my own safety.¡± The door opened, and Zac stepped into the room and towards her bedside. ¡°The king doesn¡¯t understand who we are up against, my queen, Doom and Mischief will u ghter everyst one of us without even batting an eye. We need you out there. You are the only one who can put an end to this war.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I do not have the strength to take anyone on.¡± She answered. ¡°You are the silver wolf, my queen; it is in you.¡± He said that and moved towards her, taking off her giga, and she felt her strength return in a massive fold. 10:18 Wed, 21 Feb u 5 He tossed the giga to the side of the room and stretched his hand out to her. She didn¡¯t take it, but she got out of bed, and together they came out of the room. Fiona turned to the other side of the door, and she saw Kali on the ground, bleeding from his head with a silver dagger thrust into his side. ¡°What did you do?¡± she yelled at Zac and immediately dropped to her knees. ¡°It was the only way to get you out, my queen. I did what I had to do.¡± He answered. ¡°He was only following his king¡¯smands!¡± She snarled at him. She thought about her discussion with Kali earlier. He had a daughter at home who probably looked forward to her fathering home. She had to make sure Kali returned home to her. She ced her hands on Kali¡¯s neck, and she saw he was still alive. She pulled out the silver dagger Zac had thrust into his side. Then she ced her hands on him, and she healed him of his wounds. Though he still remained unconscious, he would wake without a scratch, as if it were all a dream. She rose to her feet with the silver dagger still in her, and she turned to Zac and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. The full moon is almost at its peak.¡± Zac nodded and led the way while she slipped the dagger to her back and into her trousers. Fiona ran through the council court, and the young guards soon caught up with her. ¡°Luna queen, you need to remain in your room; those are the orders!¡± The young guard began to speak, but Zac attacked him and took him down. ¡°Run, my queen, run away; I will be behind you,¡± he told her, and she took to her heels, running as fast as her legs could take her until she arrived outside the council court. She stared up at the dark cloud in the sky, and she saw the full moon was almost at its apex. If only Ona would listen to her and lend her a little strength, Sadly, she was still angry about everything and wouldn¡¯t lend her a thing, Coldness gripped her skin as the night was as chill as ever, and she wrapped her arms around herself and ran to meet up with Julian. From the information Julian gave her yesterday, they would await Doom in the field, which they believed would give them some sort of advantage. Though her breath failed her, she kept running. She wouldn¡¯t stop running until she got to where she needed to be. This war was about her, and she would not hide away. 10:18 Wed, 21 Feb G She would fight with all she had. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 shback¡­ ¡°I do not want to go,¡± June whined as Fiona got him to wear his blue jeans. ¡°I want to stay here; why can¡¯t I stay here?¡± he asked. June hardly everined about anything; this was always Jashin¡¯s go-to move, but seeing June Julian wasn¡¯tpletely on board, either. He suggested the court of truth as the best ce to keep them, along with the other children who might not leave Rayfield during the battle, but she couldn¡¯t have it. Doom would level the entiremunity if he so wished, and she couldn¡¯t risk them being near here when that happened. ¡°Because this ce isn¡¯t safe, June, but where you would be going will be. You will be taken care of and protected, so you will have nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°But you and Daddy will not be there,¡± he said with a sad pout. She reached out and stroked his face. ¡°No, we will not be, but if all goes well, we will be there with you too in no time. You two will take care of each other in the meantime.¡± He nodded, but he didn¡¯t look happy. He didn¡¯t want to leave, and she should have just listened to him instead of thinking her way was the best and only way. ¡°Jashin, you will take care of June, alright?¡± She said this and turned to Jashin, who stayed oddly quiet. ¡°Yes, mommy,¡± he nodded. ¡°I love you two so much; never forget that.¡± shback ends Fionay on the bed, crying her heart out and grieving her loss. She would never see Julian and probably never see her sons again. What would be the point of surviving if she lost everything she ever cared She had already lost enough. Her parents, Ophelia, her sons, and now Julian. What joy was in her life from here on? about? She never wanted rebellion; she just couldn¡¯t sit back and lose everything. The pain will consume her. She didn¡¯t want Julian to sacrifice himself because his sacrifice would be in vain. Hers, however, wouldn¡¯t be; Doom needed her heart, and with it, she could R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only bargain for her world, her sons, and Julian. They would have continued without her; they would have had a chance, and now they no longer do. She felt weak and hungry, but she didn¡¯t know if Kali would bring her any food after the stunt she pulled hours ago. She had to try, though. ¡°Kali?¡± she called, her voice weak, and her head was pounding in pain. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± ¡°Luna queen.¡± He responded to her call. ¡°I am sorry for what I did to you earlier. You were following the orders of the king, and I shouldn¡¯t have attacked you like I did.¡± ¡°It is fine. You were in a desperate spot. What can I do to help?¡± ¡°I am hungry. Genuinely this time.¡± She added thest part. ¡°Can you get me something to eat?¡± ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± he asked almost immediately, without thinking. ¡°Anything good. I am not much of a chooser.¡± ¡°Alright, Luna Queen, I will go ask the kitchen what else they have.¡± He said that, and his footsteps departed from the door. Shey still in bed and didn¡¯t even know how long it took before he returned. ¡°They had pork and the steak they reserved for the elders; I was able to bargain for steak because you are the luna queen¡± He said and entered the room. She chuckled and pulled herself up to sit down. ¡°Thank you.¡± He nodded, set the tray down, and turned to leave when she called to him. ¡°Do you have children?¡± ¡°I have only one.¡± He answered. ¡°And your mate?¡± He pressed his lips together, and pain shed in his eyes. ¡°She died when Alpha Greg of Montana was killed. She was a casualty in the attack.¡± 10:18 Wed, 21 Feb ? 3 Her heart went out to him. ¡°I am sorry. Kali, that means your daughter is all He nodded. ¡°She is the only reason I haven¡¯t ended it all yet.¡± you have.¡± ¡°My sons are gone, and I can¡¯t get them back.¡± Shemented bitterly, and her tears fell. ¡°It is all my fault. Now we are going into a war we have already lost.¡± ¡°Do not beat yourself up; you just have to believe and keep the faith that it will all be fine.¡± ¡°Thank you, Kali; you are really a nice man.¡± ¡°You are wee, Luna Queen; you should eat now.¡± He said that and stepped out of the room. She wiped her tears and made her way over to the table where Kali had set her food. She stayed there and ate, and when she finished, she drank the water on the table, and her strength returned. Her eyes spotted the time on the wall, and it was already evening. The full moon was just hours away, and with it, the end of everything they knew. She returned to bed, curled herself in a ball, and wept for the end. She soon heard a small rumble at the door, and her eyes snapped open. Again, a small knock came on the door momentster. ¡°Who is there?¡± She asked, a little startled. Kali would not knock; he would just call to her, so whoever was there wasn¡¯t Kali. ¡°It is I, Zac.¡± A different, hushed voice spoke from outside the door. ¡°I came to bring you out.¡± He answered. She shook her head and pulled up to sit down. ¡°I am not supposed to be out. The king insists I stay in here for my own safety.¡± The door opened, and Zac stepped into the room and towards her bedside. ¡°The king doesn¡¯t understand who we are up against, my queen, Doom and Mischief will u ghter everyst one of us without even batting an eye. We need you out there. You are the only one who can put an end to this war.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I do not have the strength to take anyone on.¡± She answered. ¡°You are the silver wolf, my queen; it is in you.¡± He said that and moved towards her, taking off her giga, and she felt her strength return in a massive fold. 10:18 Wed, 21 Feb u 5 He tossed the giga to the side of the room and stretched his hand out to her. She didn¡¯t take it, but she got out of bed, and together they came out of the room. Fiona turned to the other side of the door, and she saw Kali on the ground, bleeding from his head with a silver dagger thrust into his side. ¡°What did you do?¡± she yelled at Zac and immediately dropped to her knees. ¡°It was the only way to get you out, my queen. I did what I had to do.¡± He answered. ¡°He was only following his king¡¯smands!¡± She snarled at him. She thought about her discussion with Kali earlier. He had a daughter at home who probably looked forward to her fathering home. She had to make sure Kali returned home to her. She ced her hands on Kali¡¯s neck, and she saw he was still alive. She pulled out the silver dagger Zac had thrust into his side. Then she ced her hands on him, and she healed him of his wounds. Though he still remained unconscious, he would wake without a scratch, as if it were all a dream. She rose to her feet with the silver dagger still in her, and she turned to Zac and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. The full moon is almost at its peak.¡± Zac nodded and led the way while she slipped the dagger to her back and into her trousers. Fiona ran through the council court, and the young guards soon caught up with her. ¡°Luna queen, you need to remain in your room; those are the orders!¡± The young guard began to speak, but Zac attacked him and took him down. ¡°Run, my queen, run away; I will be behind you,¡± he told her, and she took to her heels, running as fast as her legs could take her until she arrived outside the council court. She stared up at the dark cloud in the sky, and she saw the full moon was almost at its apex. If only Ona would listen to her and lend her a little strength, Sadly, she was still angry about everything and wouldn¡¯t lend her a thing, Coldness gripped her skin as the night was as chill as ever, and she wrapped her arms around herself and ran to meet up with Julian. From the information Julian gave her yesterday, they would await Doom in the field, which they believed would give them some sort of advantage. Though her breath failed her, she kept running. She wouldn¡¯t stop running until she got to where she needed to be. This war was about her, and she would not hide away. 10:18 Wed, 21 Feb G Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Julian¡¯s POV ¡°So, you think the truth court is the best ce to keep Luna Fiona in?¡± Marion asked as he fell in line with Julian, who exited the court building, ¡°It is the purest sanctuary in our world; there is no better ce.¡± He answered. ¡°I know that, but as much as it can keep the dark masters out, can it protect others from going in?¡± he asked. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Julian slowed his pace and turned to Marion with a raised brow. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What is to stop those under the influence of Doom from going in and bringing her out?¡± he expanded on his question. ¡°We cannot go to such extremes; we have so much to worry about today. We need fortification; we need preparation and readiness. There are guards outside the court and within; those should be enough to keep her safe.¡± He answered and began walking away. He couldn¡¯t think about negativity. If he gave himself to such, then he would never face thising war with all he had. Keh hadn¡¯t reached out since he set out to track June and Jashin. The elders linked his blood to his sons and tell Keh where to go. There was still no news about their search so far. He held on to hope. He looked forward to Keh¡¯s presence in this battle, but it seemed that wouldn¡¯t happen. If only Fiona wasn¡¯t so hell bent on throwing herself into this reckless mission, they would have been able to figure out a way together. He needed her; he needed her wisdom more than ever, but she was not the most stable right now, and that left him alone to do this. As long as she was safe and far from this, he had nothing to worry about. He would keep up this war, knowing Doom would nevery his hands on her. ¡°Show me to the garrison.¡± He said this to Beta Isaac and Hanna as he arrived at the training ground. Isaac nodded and led his way through the many men and women ready for theing battle. The numbers were impressive, but this wasn¡¯t what Julian needed. They didn¡¯t need numbers; they needed hearts more than anything. And that was why he was here. He ||| didn¡¯t want to give Doom any loophole to go through this night, and to ensure that, he had to do this. ¡°Many of you already know what or who we are up against. This night, Doom will step foot in our world, and he wants one thing and one thing alone: Luna Fiona, the silver wolf. He needs her heart if he hopes to rule over the two worlds, humans and werewolves.¡± There was a mumble amongst those standing around, and Julian expected it. ¡°The Luna queen is safe and kept in a ce where Doom will not spot her, and so the battle will be between you and him. Our numbers are great, but we have all witnessed what power Doom wields and how he can manipte. He is the master of evil, and so he knows how to wield evil to his advantage. That is why I want every one of you to look inward now. Is there pride, anger, jealousy, fear, or any emotion that isn¡¯t pure or goodness within you? If yes, then I will need you to step forward.¡± He said. There was silence and no movement for the first few moments that passed, and then, one after the other, they began to step out. This continued for over five minutes, so those left standing without any of these emotions were not even up to a hundred and fifty. A few alphas also stepped out after realising they fell short of the requirements. This realisation made Julian sceptical about the battle before them, but it was still better than walking into a battle with men that Doom would manipte into carrying out his desires. Thest thing they needed was to turn on each other during the battle. ¡°Thank you all for being honest about your feelings and stepping out. You might not believe it, but you are helping us greatly. You have my deepest gratitude.¡± Julianmended. ¡°You will return home, and you will live simple and peaceful lives there. Your duties will be to protect yourmunity and people. This is amand from your king.¡± They all bowed their heads in reverence as he finished speaking. As they counted down the hours, Marion led the ones who had stepped out away from the Rayfield estate to find their way home. The full moon was already up in the sky, almost reaching its apex at this point, and it was the countdown until Doom¡¯s arrival. Julian felt the surge of energy through his veins, and the full moon effect was already telling on him. Standing out on the field under the, full moon with the remaining hundred and forty-five with them, they prepared for what wasing. ¡°It is almost time, my king.¡± Marion said,ing over to where Julian stood. He nodded. ¡°It is; fear wants to creep in, but I have to keep it out.¡± III ¡°I may not get another chance to do this, so before this battle starts, I want you to know it has been an honour serving under your leadership as Lycan king.¡± Marion said and bowed his head to him in respect. Julian didn¡¯t think he deserved any respect after everything, after the many mistakes, but he didn¡¯t stop his friend. ¡°It is an honour to have had you beside me, Marion Rivers.¡± Julian¡¯s phone rang, and he pulled it out of his pocket. Looking at it, he saw the caller ID was Keh. ¡°Any luck?¡± were the first words that came out of his mouth. ¡°No, my king, I did not find them at the location where the blood link pointed. Elena isn¡¯t here as well, and neither are Doom and Mischief or his minions. It¡¯s as empty as the Dark world itself.¡± He answered, and Julian drew a shaky breath. ¡°They were here, though; their scent is all over this station, so it¡¯s safe to say they are still alive.¡± Julian immediately felt a dark presence draw near, and he knew what it meant. ¡°They areing.¡± He said. ¡°What do I do, my king?¡± Keh¡¯s voice came through the phone. ¡°Return home.¡± He said that and ended the call. ¡°Ready yourselves! They are alreadying.¡± Julian sounded the rm, and everyone on the field took a stand behind him. Julian¡¯s attention shifted when he picked up the scent of Fiona. His head turned around in confusion, trying to trace the scent, and there he saw Fiona running over to them. He stepped away from those already awaiting the Dark Masters¡¯ arrival and towards Fiona, who ran towards him. ¡°Fiona, what are you doing?¡± He said, getting in her way. ¡°I am here to put an end to all of this. That¡¯s what I have wanted to do from the very beginning.¡± She answered. ¡°I alone can stop this, but you wouldn¡¯t let me.¡± ¡°We still cannot find June and Jashin, and you shouldn¡¯t have left the court of truth. That¡¯s the only ce you can truly be safe.¡± He said, before asking, ¡°How did you get out?¡± Fiona opened her mouth to speak but didn¡¯t get to because darkness overshadowed every one of them on the field so that they could not see anything in the field for a mile away. Arguing and disagreeing with each other was thest thing they needed. They needed to be together and of one mind now more than ever. 10 32 Thu, 22 Feb ¡ï 87% Julian shifted, took hold of her hand, and, relying heavily on his sense of smell, led her over to where the rest of the people stood on the field. ¡°Do not panic, because this is what he wants. For us all to be afraid.¡± Julian sounded the encouragement to those on the field. Uncertainty reigned over him, as he had never faced an enemy this powerful before, yet he stood bravely. ¡°You give me too much credit than I deserve. Julian McQueen. Your fear has nothing to do with me. It is a mere response to the inevitable fate, which is my victory over the world of humans and werewolves.¡± Doom¡¯s deep, authoritative voice came charging through the darkness, and immediately the darkness ceased. Julian looked ahead and saw him standing there-a big red wolf with eyes as red as crimson and ws as long as knives. Doom was bigger, much bigger than Julian, and that sent a fearful chill through him. This was the first time he had felt it in a while. Behind him were six other Lycans, including a grey Lycan. None of the six was as big as Doom was, but they all looked dangerous. They were also Lycans on Doom¡¯s side whom Julian recognise. These were the ones still under Doom¡¯s control and every one on Doom¡¯s side all had glowing eyes. Elena and Mischief were absent, and that meant they were with the boys. ¡°Dion?!¡± Fiona called out in a small voice from beside him. ¡°You know him?¡± Julian asked and turned to her in confusion. ¡°I met him in the world of the living,¡± she answered. ¡°Dion is one name I go by along with a thousand others, Hun. It is nice to know you still remember me.¡± He said, and a sly smile appeared on his face. ¡°I will not want to waste any time here; we havee a long way, and I hate bloodshed as much as you do, so I will make this simple. Come with me, Fiona.¡± He said that and stretched his hand out to her. Julian stepped before Fiona protectively. ¡°You want her? You¡¯ll have to go through me.¡± He growled. Dion¡¯s shoulder slumped in defeat. ¡°I tried the easy way, but have it your way.¡± He turned his head to those he came with and said, ¡°Bring her to me.¡± At hismand, the minions and others that came with him ran out at them. Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Fiona¡¯s POV Warning! Triggering Chapter: Brutal Violence. Seeing Dion on the field sent Fiona¡¯s mind into a spiral. He was Doom? She always believed Doom would carry a certain dark aura that would give him off if he were toe around her. How na?ve she had been with such thoughts. She had seen him, hunted with him, and even spoken to him without knowing it. He was indeed a master of deception. When she first saw him in the world of the human, she had questions about how he was so big, and terrifying and strong, yet no one in the werewolf world knew him. She had asked him who he was the night of the full moon when they first met, but he never answered before leaving that morning. She had wondered why he was bigger than Julian, who happened to be the Lycan king of the werewolf world, and now she understood why. Dion was Doom, the first-born of all creatures. Behind him were his minions, whom she had seen months ago in the world of the living. Dexter, Sante, Zayn, Colton, Billy, and Jasper. Alpha Uryi also stood behind them and a few others who were now under Doom¡¯s control. Their eyes also glowed despite being different colours which felt strange and terrifying at the same time. ¡°Come with me, Fiona.¡± Dion said that and stretched his hand out to her. Julian stepped before her protectively, so this way, she could no longer see Dion. ¡°You want her? You¡¯ll have to go through me.¡± He growled. Dion¡¯s shoulder slumped in defeat. ¡°I tried the easy way, but have it your way.¡± He turned his head to those he came with and said, ¡°Bring her to me.¡± At hismand, the minions and others that came with him ran out at them. The Lycans standing beside Julian shifted, and many others came to stand as a shield before her as protection. As the dark minions ran to attack, the Lycans ran to her defence, protecting her with all they had. She was the only one left in her human form, as she couldn¡¯t reach out to Ona. That left her the weakest and most vulnerable. Julian was right; she shouldn¡¯t have left the truth court. It was the safest ce, and Doom would never have gotten to her there. She thought she could somehow save everyone, but now she would watch them ally their lives down to protect her from C /70 Doom. They would sacrifice themselves to fight a lost battle. The dark minions were swift and brutal, cutting down and through everyone on their way. There was no recovery for them; they had no chance. Alpha Uryi attacked Lupe, but Marion joined forces with Lupe, and they subdued Uryi so that he could no longer move. Dexterunched at Marion and ripped him open, and while Alpha Lupe trieding to his rescue, Zayn struck Lupe in the face and yanked out his heart. Both men fell to the ground, dead in a second. It happened so fast that she didn¡¯t get the time to recover from it all. She gasped, watching it all take ce without being able to do anything to stop or prevent it. Her lips quivered in pain and anguish as she saw the bodies of their men drop on the field one after the other. It felt so easy for the minions to wreak such havoc. They would not stop; they would kill everyone just to get to her. Colton, the Lycan on Doom¡¯s side with long iron-like ws, attacked Julian, but Julian subdued him and ripped out his heart after breaking his jaw. Sante, seeing what just happened, also ran in to attack Julian, who subdued him and broke a few of his bones. Billy and a few Lycans who were puppets of Doomunched at Julian, and Fiona ran in to protect Julian and fend him off. Billy struck her in the face, and she fell to the ground. Alpha Rory, the alpha of Springfield, ran to help her up, but Billy attacked in full force, maiming him on the floor. Billy walked over to her and grabbed her by the shoulder to take her along with him, but Julian shoved him away from her. He had also subdued the Lycans that came against him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, looking at her face. He had a cut on his face, and it still bled. There were also a few injuries sustained to his chest, neck, and shoulders. She should be the one asking if he was okay after that. She shook her head and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°As long as you are here, I am fine.¡± He answered, and a smile almost crossed his face when sharp ws thrust into his back and came out in the front. She screamed out in horror and disbelief. Blood gushed out of Julian¡¯s mouth the very second. The hand pulled back immediately, and there was now a hole in the chest where his heart once stayed. 10.32 Thu 22 Feb Julian dropped to his knees right before her, and his body hit hard on the ground. She dropped to her knees in front of him as well, her hands trembling as she ced them on him. She wanted to bring him back. She needed to heal him and bring him back. Life faded from his eyes despite her attempt, and she cried out in anguish at the reality before her. She couldn¡¯t heal him; she couldn¡¯t save him. ¡°Julian! No!¡± she screamed at the top of her lungs as he died in her hand. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°I am sorry I had to do that, but I came for you, and I am not leaving without you.¡± Dion said, and Fiona looked up at him and saw his hand still stained with Julian¡¯s blood. Her teeth clenched in hatred, frustration, and anger. ¡°I am going nowhere with you,¡± she replied, reaching for her side immediately, drawing out the silver dagger, and thrusting it into her chest. She felt the tip of it pierce her throbbing heart in her chest a bit before it was pulled out. Pain took over her, not at the impact but at the loss. She wasn¡¯t as fast as she wanted to be or as fast as she needed to be. Death had also been taken from her. The thought barely left her mind when she felt an acute pain shoot through her chest, and she drew a sharp breath. Her back hit the ground, and cold gripped her body. Maybe she was fast; maybe she aplished her goal of ending her life, and she would be reunited with Julian in the life beyond, as it should be. That gave her peace and a sense of aplishment. A smile came onto her face before everything faded into ckness. Fiona¡¯sshes fluttered as she found herself in an empty room. This looked nothing like the life beyond. She thought. Her head ached. She tried moving around, but she felt restraint in her hands and legs. She looked down, and she saw her hands and her legs in silver chains. Her eyes cut the sight of her clothes. They were the same ones she had worn on the battlefield. She was not dead; she had survived somehow and was probably kept as the prisoner of Doom. Thest sentence caused her sorrow. Her mind went back to Julian on the field. He had died in her hands, and her could not save him. There was nothing worse than that. They never stood a chance, not powers against Doom or his minions. The door opened, and in came Zac. He saw her awake, and a smile came onto his face. ¡°My queen.¡± He called and hurried over to her. 32 Thu, 22 Feb 1 870 15 ¡°Zac, where am I?¡± she asked, but he didn¡¯t answer; instead, he came to look at her face and then her chest area, where her heart was. ¡°Get me out of these chains.¡± He pulled back and shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t do that; my master wouldn¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°Your master? I am your queen,¡± she snapped at him. He ced his hand against her chest. ¡°You are my queen, true, but my master will get furious if I follow your orders instead of his.¡± He answered, withdrew his hand, and stepped back. ¡°Your heart is healing; that is good. It should be back to normal in no time.¡± She should have known Zac worked for the dark masters. He had gone against the instructions of his Lycan king to keep her in the truth court and attacked the guards ced on standby. She had gone with him because she believed him when he said she was the only one who could win this war. Who he took orders from never crossed her mind because she wanted to escape. She was so na?ve. Now she had yed right into the hands of Doom. He had killed everyone she ever cared about and will kill her too. Her eyes blurred up, grieving the loss of Julian and Marion, Lupe and Rory, and the many others who gave their lives to protect her. Their death was for nothing. Tears of pain and regret ran down her face, and she sobbed her heart out. She didn¡¯t know how long she stayed that way, but she soon heard a rather familiar voice speak from not so far away. ¡°I am sorry for your pain, and believe me when I say I wish there was another way.¡± Her crying ceased, and slowly, her blurry eyes cleared up. She saw Cillian standing in the same room, staring down at her. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Cillian stood in a ck long sleeve tucked into his white trousers. His blonde hair appeared to be a little longer than thest time she saw him, and his eyes were as bright and piercing as ever. He didn¡¯t look bad; in fact, he looked so much better than she expected, which was a good thing. For a moment, she thought she was hallucinating, but after a while, she realised she wasn¡¯t. He was thest person she expected to find here, in this evil, horrible ce. Yet, here he was. ¡°Cillian.¡± She called, confusion clouding her senses. ¡°What is this? What is happening? What are you doing here? How did you get here?¡± Did Doom get to him too? She wondered. She couldn¡¯t get up, but she wanted to run to him-and tell him to get as far away from here as possible. ¡°Cillian.¡± He repeated before adding, ¡°That is another name I go by.¡± His response took her back to the field. When she called him Dion, he said he went by many other names. Doom, Cillian, Dion, master of the dark world. ¡°You are Doom.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question; it was a statement, the fact of it. The man before her was the very evil they had prepared to face and failed. Her heart slowed in its beat, and the hair on her skin stood alert, fearing the worst. A smile crossed his face. ¡°I always knew you were the smart one.¡± She stayed silent, thinking about everything she just realised. Doom had taken over Cillian¡¯s body and, with it, his mind and soul. Was there ever a Cillian? ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°What did you do to Cillian, then?¡± She asked, ¡°Did you kill him and take over his body, or was Cillian one of your many personas?¡± He took a step forward. ¡°Cillian is real; everything about Cillian exists; you just never met him. Every time you saw Cillian, you saw me; every time you spoke with Cillian, you spoke with me. Every touch, every kiss, and everyugh. That was me.¡± She took a deep breath. All those times she was with him, she was with Doom. The times she kissed him, she let him hold her and wanted to have sex with him. She did all that with Doom. She thought she escaped Julian and found someone who understood her-someone better. It was Doom all along, and she blindly yed his game. If Julian hadn¡¯t returned when he did, she would have given herself to him. She would have given her heart to him because she feltplete with him. He did all the right O things, and she almost fell in love with him. Julian came for her just in time. ¡°You took over Cillian¡¯s body a year ago.¡± She was putting two and two together. She remembered him telling her he had moved over a year ago to manage the hospital. He spoke about forcing the board to make him the CEO. Back then, the story was unbelievable, but now she knew it was the truth. He escaped the Dark world longer than they thought he did, and he nned everything out. It was perfectly thought through. He knew where she would go once Julian sent her away and made everything else fall into line. ¡°You wanted my heart.¡± She said finally. ¡°You would have taken it that way if Julian hadn¡¯t returned.¡± ¡°And there would have been no need for this much bloodshed.¡± He replied, taking another step towards her. Her heart sk ipped at his nearness, and she didn¡¯t want him close. ¡°Where did you keep Cillian, then? While you ride around wearing his body and using his memory, voice, and life as a cover, where did you keep him?¡± ¡°He is in here with me, untouched and unharmed, like I promised him.¡± She scoffed at his attempt to y it as though he were the good guy. ¡°You want me to believe he knew who you were and epted to let you in?¡± He stayed quiet, and that told her he took over Cillian¡¯s body by force. If Cillian was everything Doom made him out to be before her, then the man had a good heart and would never let this much evil in. ¡°You lied to him, just like you lie to everyone you influence.¡± Sheughed and shook her head. ¡°You are evil, a monster, and the greatest mistake in all of creation. That is who you are, and there is no changing it.¡± He watched her for a few seconds while silence roamed. ¡°You do not believe that; you got to know me, and a part of you knows you are wrong.¡± She red at him and shouted, ¡°I knew a lie. I knew Cillian, and he never existed. You are the master of evil and maniption, and you manipted me with your kindness and good words, but there is no good in you. You killed Julian! You took my sons and who knows what you have done with them!¡± ¡°If things had gone the way I first nned out, I would have avoided all of this,¡± he said, walking to her and stooping when he came close. Her heart ski pped a beat at his nearness. He heard it but said nothing about it. His hand moved to touch the skin of her chest where she had driven the dagger through, and he slowly caressed it. Goosebumps sca ttered all over her body in response to his touch, but she threw her eyes away. He didn¡¯t withdraw his hand and instead slowly moved it to her neck and up to caress. the side of her face. His breathing changed. He desired her, and it showed. Her skin crawled at the very thought of being touched and desired by him. ¡°Take your hand off me, Cillian.¡± She said it through gritted teeth. He pulled his hand away, obeying her words. He grabbed her by the face instead. forcing her to look at him. ¡°You want me. I see it all over your face. You might call me evil, a monster, and all the other names in your little box of conscience, but I know one thing: you want me.¡± She spat on his face, and his hand ran up to strike her across the face, and her heart raced in fear. He withdrew his hand, dropped it by his side, and rose to his feet. He dug his hand into the pocket of his trousers and pulled out his handkerchief to wipe her spit off his face. Her heart still raced in her chest, and she wondered why he did not hit her. Why did he stop? He couldn¡¯t have stopped because he didn¡¯t want to hurt her; she didn¡¯t want to ept that as his reason. He turned to leave, but she spoke. ¡°What are you waiting for? Kill me already; isn¡¯t that why you have me in chains? So that I won¡¯t fight you when you rip out my heart?¡± ¡°Killing you now would be such a waste of time and everything else. Your damaged heart needs to heal before I can use it. You will be here until then. But do not worry; your death is inevitable. And it won¡¯t take too long.¡± He said and walked away from the room, mming the door behind him. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Julian¡¯s POV Julian¡¯s eyes opened in another realm. It was filled with utter darkness and void of life. or sound. He looked around, trying to make out where he was, but the harder he tried, the darker this realm became. Only one realm felt this way. Hades. He was dead. This was the realm before life beyond. All the deade here before their families conduct proper passage for them into the life beyond. Without these rites in ce, families and friends will wander in Hades for many years and never find their deserved rest. He remembered how he died and where. He died fighting on the field, defending Fiona. Fiona. He looked around and about in search of her. She was thest face he saw before his eyes closed in the world of the living. He was trapped here, though, and couldn¡¯t move on. His body was probably still on the field, and it might remain there for a long time. Light shone as he thought about everything, and his hand came up to shield his face from the impact of it. The light soon reduced, and his hand dropped slowly away from his face to see a figure standing This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. clothed in white apparel with a gold crown on her head. Her hands glittered just like the star dust, and her face was like a refined diamond. She was the moon goddess. This was how those who had been fortunate enough to see her described her. She was the image of perfection andpleteness. He would have been in awe at the sight of the moon goddess if he hade here another way. She stepped towards him, and he didn¡¯t step back; he didn¡¯t tremble; he didn¡¯t move. What was the worst that could happen? He was already dead. Doom had already sna tched his world from him. ¡°Why are you here?¡± he demanded. ¡°I am here for you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it is a little toote for that?¡± he asked with a frown. O < 10:34 Fri, After he closed the Dark World entrance, he thought about how he had failed and how he had disappointed the goddess, but after everything, he didn¡¯t care about what she thought of him. Fiona was right. The moon goddess was responsible for all of this. The loss of everything he ever cared about, and then his life. She had failed him; she had failed every one of them. Her amber eyes grew weak, ¡°I owe you an apology. For everything that has happened and for not doing anything, I am sorry¡± He scoffed in disbelief and shook his head. ¡°I am sorry, but sorry isn¡¯t enough. Your apology isn¡¯t enough, not after sitting in your little pce called the life beyond and watching the world you created all fall into the hands of your firstborn. Sorry doesn¡¯t change the fate we have suffered; return the ones we¡¯ve lost. Sorry doesn¡¯t undo sh it. So, with all due respect, goddess, keep your sorry to yourself.¡± ¡°You might not believe me, but everything-¡± she began, but he didn¡¯t let her finish. ¡°Do not dare tell me everything you created was for a purpose¡± Julian foamed in anger, and his hands balled into a tight fist. ¡°What purpose was your lover Doom for? To bring evil and darkness into the world! You know we all grew up thinking Doom was this evil creature we were to avoid, but after everything I realised, you are the evil. You created him to be evil, to be darkness, and to be the sent him into the dark dimensions instead of killing him. You then moved on and created other lives and live like this perfect being without dealing with what you made. Now your children are paying for your mistake, and they are paying with their blood, their children¡¯s blood, and their father¡¯s blood. Fiona was right. You are the monster; you are the real evil.¡± He finished speaking and drew a sharp breath. The moon goddess stood quietly, watching him struggle to put his emotions back under control. ¡°You are right,¡± she finally began to say. ¡°This is all my fault. I created Doom because I did not want to be alone and because I didn¡¯t want anyone else to be like me. I wanted him different because I believed that would bring much beauty to our union. I was wrong, and creating him has been my biggest mistake in thest ten thousand years. After I began creating the second-born, I neglected him and cast him aside. He grew jealous and u ghtered all the second born, after taking one of them to be his lover just to spite me. I let my rage rule, and instead of being better, I chose the easy way out.¡± ¡°I do not feel sorry for you.¡± Julian said. ¡°I do not look for your sympathy.¡± She replied, ¡°I created Doom to be evil and then hated him when he became the very thing I made him to be. I couldn¡¯t kill him; he was 111 LI 24 67%8 and still is a part of me.¡± At her words, Julian¡¯s anger red. ¡°You came to tell me there is no way out of this for my world and the world of humans?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she answered. ¡°Doom cannot be killed because trying to kill him would be trying to kill me, and that is absolutely impossible.¡± Julian stayed silent, even though he was visibly enraged at her words. ¡°Doom doesn¡¯t want to rule the two worlds; like he did over three thousand years ago. He just wants to spite me. The heart of the silver wolf is the closest he will ever get to how he felt when he was with me in the beginning. His hatred is born out of betrayal- my betrayal. You cannot kill him, but you can, however, bring him back.¡± Her words didn¡¯t help him understand anything, and so he stayed quiet so she could rify what she meant. She opened her hand, and in it was a silver amulet that shone brightly. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, despite knowing what it was. ¡°This is the amulet; it produces an aura of purity and goodness. I took it away from him after he and Mischief ughtered my children. With this in his possession, he will remember what he once felt when he was with me. He will know he is wee back home.¡± She stretched her hand to him so he could take it. He didn¡¯t take it. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything here. I am dead in case you haven¡¯t figured that part out yet,¡± He told her. ¡°I will breathe life back into you and everyone who has lost their life on the field as well. It isn¡¯t your time yet, and I cannot wee anyone of you home.¡± she said. ¡°I can¡¯t do this because I took an oath to never interfere in the affairs of my children, and I am bound by it.¡± Julian reached out and took the amulet from her hand, and he felt a surge of utmost goodness, which banished the anger and resentment he had for the moon goddess. ¡°Doom already has his hands on Fiona, and by now it is already toote.¡± Julian spoke. Doom probably took Fiona after killing him. ¡°It isn¡¯t toote, because Doom has notid his hand on the silver wolf¡¯s heart yet. That will not be for long, and so you have to hurry. Your time is limited, Lycan King. I already engraved the silver wolf¡¯s location into your heart. You will know where you need to go and how much you need. It is all on you now.¡± She said and vanished from before his eyes. O Julian¡¯sshes fluttered, and his gaze fixed on the bright morning clouds. Marion came up to stand over him. ¡°We have a lot to do, my king.¡± He said that and stretched his hand to Julian. He took it, and Marion pulled him onto his feet. Julian felt he held onto something, and ncing down, he saw the amulet in his hand. They had another chance-another chance to end it all. Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Fiona¡¯s POV ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯te back.¡± Fiona said as the door opened and Doom stepped in. ¡°I guess you cannot keep away.¡± The door shut behind him. ¡°I am sorry for earlier.¡± He said in a small voice. His apology was thest thing she expected. Apologising wasn¡¯t in his nature, at least not the one she read about in the Chronicles of Creation. Also, he did not hit her, so there was nothing to apologise for. Yet, here he was. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have had my hands on you, and I know you probably think the worst of me, but this is for the best.¡± ¡°You need my heart to heal. Once it heals, you will rip it out and feast on it to gain control of the two worlds and rule. Tell me how that¡¯s for the best?¡± ¡°I told you; you didn¡¯t give me any choice.¡± He answered, leaning his weight against the door. ¡°Where are my sons?¡± she demanded. ¡°They are safe.¡± ¡°Why should I believe you?¡± ¡°Because I have you here with me,¡± he simply answered. ¡°This has everything to do with you and nothing to do with anyone else. If you had fallen in love with me and given me your heart of your own free will, all this would not have been necessary.¡± She scoffed in disbelief. ¡°It is my fault for not falling in love with you?¡± ¡°I never said it was, but things would have happened differently that way. A lot of things would have been avoided.¡± ¡°Do you want to know how to avoid this madness? Abandon this evil quest of proving yourself to the moon goddess.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a quest to prove myself to the moon goddess.¡± She gave him a ¡®really,¡¯ look. ¡°Anyone with two brain cells knows this is a quest to prove yourself to the moon goddess. Besides, that is basic psychology. You are like the child who chooses rebellion just to spite their parents. In this case, the moon goddess is your .? ¡± A mother and lover. So, this is a lover¡¯s quarrel and mommy issues that have built up over thest three thousand years. You know the moon goddess will never give you the attention you desire; thest three thousand years have told you that. She had moved on to create more life and beautiful creations, perfect or imperfect, but beautiful regardless. All these she did while you were locked away in the dark dimensions. You ughtered her second-born because she had starved you of the attention you wanted and gave it to them. Even now, you know the only way to get her attention would be to touch what she cares about the most. This fight has nothing to do with us and everything to do with wanting attention from your lover.¡± ¡°You talk a lot.¡± He pointed it out and moved closer to her on the bed. He lifted the clothes covering her chest area to have a nce at the wound. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I tell a lot of truth, and even you cannot deny it.¡± She replied, ¡°You do not have to do this. I know the sole purpose for which you were created was to bring evil to the world, but doesn¡¯t it get exhausting after three thousand years?¡± He smirked and pulled his hand away from her. ¡°It is the one thing I have wanted in three thousand years, so no, it isn¡¯t exhausting. You are right; all this is to spite her, and I cannot wait to see her face when I wipe out more than half of her children in a day. That joy will make up for thousands of years in exile.¡± She stayed silent; there was nothing to say to change his mind; she should, at this point, just give it up. ¡°How did you know that my heart was what you needed to gain have and dominance over the two worlds?¡± He stayed silent, unwilling to answer. ¡°I am already going to die; the least you can do is tell me the truth, Cillian.¡± ¡°Vivian,¡± came his response. ¡°I always kne, the key to dominance was the heart of one close to that of the moon goddess, but I never thought that existed until two years ago when she came into the dark world. Usually they die on arrival, but Vivian had something important to trade. She traded information for her life, and I listened. The rest is history because here we are.¡± Vivian, the snake, and Fiona hissed under her breath, and her teeth clenched angrily. If she could, she would kill her over and over again. ¡°I would like to believe that it doesn¡¯t bother you tomit all manner of evil, but that wouldn¡¯t be true. You chose to inhabit Cillian because his story looked so much like yours. He was created without his consent and then hated for who he was, which he had no control over. You saw yourself in him, and that was why you wanted to kill his father, but you made Cillian a promise not to touch a hair on his father¡¯s head. You might be a walking evil, but you have a hint of goodness in you, and that is all you need. I know you wouldn¡¯t want to kill Cillian after everything he has been through and all the wrong < A he has endured. There are more than a million Cillians in the human and werewolf worlds. You might believe you are fighting for your justice, but you are taking away theirs,¡± His eyes flickered with emotion, and he turned away from her, She had gotten to him. It wasn¡¯t something to rejoice over because anything could still happen, but it was nice to know there was a part of him that could be reached, He straightened and walked out of the room, leaving her alone. When the door opened, Fiona¡¯s head turned over to see who it was. No one stepped in the first seconds that went by, and she wondered if it had opened of its own ord, She heard clicks on the floor, and it told her who wasing, Mischief. Confirming her words, the red-haired beauty stepped inside the room, and the door shut behind her. Her grey eyes moved over to Fiona, and she stared at her with slight resentment and menace, She was in a body, just like Doom. Fiona knew this because the Chronicles of Creation described Mischief as having long, silver hair, wless fair skin, red full lips, and glowing blue eyes, She had heard tales about Mischief from others in the past. Old folklore painted her as the seductress. It was also believed she had charmed Doom into many of their decisions he made and the rebellious path he chose. There was no proof of that, but it was enough to be weary of her presence. ¡°I hear you have been a handful.¡± She said after a while of silence went by. ¡°It depends on what your definition of a handful is.¡± Fiona answered and turned her face away from the sinful seductress. She stepped closer to her bed. ¡°That witty, smart tone might work with Doom, but it certainly won¡¯t work with me.¡± ¡°So you are immune?¡± ¡°Because I am Mischief and the cleverest being in existence.¡± She answered. ¡°I¡¯ve been in existence for thousands of years, and I can see the cheap tricks; I know it all.¡± Fionaughed aloud. ¡°I am sorry; I do not mean tough, but you said the cleverest being in existence, which just can¡¯t be true. If you were as clever as you make yourself ||| O A out to be, you would have known this is a loss battle; you would have known you would lose.¡± ¡°And who will bring about this victory? Your mate is dead; your sons will soon follow, and you are here. You cannot even save yourself, so how are you going to bring about this loss, silver wolf?¡± She asked with a raised brow. Fiona shook her head. ¡°It must really be exhausting to have lived for thest three thousand years, knowing the reason you were chosen was to spite the moon goddess. You were the perfect addition to Doom¡¯s rebellion, and it wasn¡¯t because he loved you, but because he could use you. You know what I say is true; you see the way he looks at me; if he could have me, he would. It makes you wonder what you get from all of this.¡± She must have struck a nerve because Mischief¡¯s hand shot out and grabbed her by the throat, choking the air out of her lungs. With her hands tied and legs restrained, Fiona had no means of defending herself. She choked, unable to breathe, and her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Darkness almost took hold of her when the grip loosened from her neck, and she inhaled deeply. ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± Doom roared at Mischief, taking hold of her shoulders. ¡°You could have killed her. You could have killed the only thing I have.¡± Mischief red up at Doom and shoved his hand away from her. Without speaking, she stormed out of the room, mming the door shut on her exit. Silence reigned for a few minutes, and Fiona struggled to steady her breathing. ¡°Why did you stop her?¡± she demanded, still panting. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have stopped her.¡± ¡°You need to stop talking.¡± Doom said before stepping out of the room. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Julian¡¯s POV Julian stood on the field, watching as thest Lycan drew a breath of life and rose to their feet. The moon goddess had done just as she had promised. She had brought back everyone who had lost their lives at the hands of Doom and the dark minions. The bodies of the ones who came with Doom did not receive life. Julian ordered that they be gathered up and buried. A few others, like Alpha Uryi, who were once under the control of Doom and were subdued during battle, were now back to their former selves and aided the ones who needed it on the field. Marion moved to examine thest few ones now awake, checking their me ntal state to confirm that they were all responding adequately. When all that was done, Julian took a stand before all the men, alive and strong. ¡°We lost the first battle, but the moon goddess has given us a second chance to make it right. Doom needs Fiona¡¯s heart in order to have absolute dominance over everything. We have to stop that.¡± He told them. ¡°I have asked you to sacrifice yourself, and you already did, so I wouldn¡¯t ask you again. I, however, need a few men who will go with me to rescue the luna queen from the hands of the masters of the dark world. We saw the minions of the dark world, and we saw how brutal and calcting they were; their attacks were precise and direct, and they barely missed any target. Killing one of them took a lot of effort, and there are about five others, excluding Doom and Mischief. That ces us at a disadvantage, and I would not want to walk into it blindly. I want you to search your heart and be sure that this is what you want to do.¡± He finished, and the entire field became silent, just as it was when he asked for the first separation before the battle. Alpha Cooper was the first to step forward; Beta Hanna followed. Then Alpha Cruz stepped forward, and Beta Isaac followed behind. Alpha Lukas joins in, and then Marion. Julian shook his head at the sight of Marion. He stepped forward and moved in to stop him. ¡°You cannot join this battle.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Marion asked with a frown on his face. ¡°You already risked your life the first time around; it would be best to sit this one out.¡± A Sat, 24 Feb 64%| ¡°With all due respect, my king, I can¡¯t. My mate is nowhere to be found, which means she¡¯s still a puppet in the hands of Doom and Mischief. I will not sit by and do nothing while she serves them against her will. Then I would have failed as a mate.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Julian gave in to defeat and turned to look at the faces of those still gathered around. ¡°Anyone else?¡± After a while of silence, no one else apart from the six stepped out, he said. ¡°Meeting dismissed. Return to your homes, to your mates, sons, and daughters.¡± The six who had stepped forward remained on the field along with Julian and Alpha Lupe, who stood waiting for his orders. Julian then turned to Lupe. ¡°We will not be able to face the minions of darkness in our current state. We need the help of the elders of truth.¡± Alpha Lupe nodded and bowed his head. ¡°I will petition them for help and return with whatever conclusion I get,¡± He said and took his leave. Julian then turned to the rest, standing in the field. ¡°We all need to clean ourselves of the filth and dirt of the first battle. We should use this hour we wait to get ourselves ready.¡± Julian departed the field and went over to the mansion, which was now void of life. He didn¡¯t want to step foot here because of how empty it had be, but he also needed to prepare himself. He entered the bathroom, turned on the shower, and the water descended on his skin, washing off the dirt and bloodstains from his body. He stayed there for as long as he needed to get cleaned. He returned to the bedroom and got himself dressed in his ck jeans and polo when he heard a noise Alert to the noiseing from the room, he stepped out. ¡°Who is there?¡± he asked as he came into the living room. ¡°It is I, my king,¡± Alpha Uryi said from behind. Julian turned and found him there with his hands up. He had taken notice of the Alpha on the field earlier, but gave it little thought. Now, seeing him here, he didn¡¯t know what to make of it. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I came to apologise for harming the Luna queen while I was under Doom¡¯s control.¡± ||| J A 5 Julian shook his head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t you. And I know that. Go home. I am certain your mate and children will be d to see you alive and well.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Julian¡¯s brow narrowed at him. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I know where your sons are,¡± Uryi answered. Julian covered the space between them in a second and grabbed him by his shirt. He didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°I know where your sons are,¡± he repeated, adding, ¡°and with your permission, I want to leave to bring them back.¡± Julian released his grip on Uryi¡¯s shirt and stepped back. He told the truth, and this news was a silver lining in this chaotic time. ¡°Where are they?¡± ¡°In the human world, we left them at an abandoned factory beforeing here,¡± he answered, giving further details. If Uryi¡¯s information was true, they needed to act as fast as possible. ¡°Okay, then the movers will go with you.¡± Julian wanted to double up the rescue team, but that would take time. They didn¡¯t have time. Uryi also believed he could find the boys on his own, and he had to have faith in him. Uryi bowed his head, ¡°Thank you, my king,¡± and took his leave. ¡°Did we win or lose?¡± Keh asked as soon as Julian stepped onto the mansion¡¯s balcony. Keh wasn¡¯t able to bring June and Jashin back like he set out to do, yet Julian was happy to see him. ¡°We lost, and they have Fiona, but the moon goddess granted us a second chance, and we are going to get Fiona back.¡± Julian answered. ¡°Then I want to be a part of it,¡± he said without hesitation. ¡°I cannot ask you to do that.¡± III §à < ¦¤ 12 15 Sat, 24 Feb ¡°Then don¡¯t; just let me be a part of this,¡± he answered. ¡°I lost Lily, and this is my only way of finding purpose in life. Do not deny me.¡± Julian couldn¡¯t say no to him. ¡°What is the conclusion?¡± Julian asked as Lupe, who had left for the truth court to seek the elder¡¯s help close to an hour ago, returned, The moon goddess told him she would ce Fiona¡¯s location in his heart and mind, and she did. He also felt an immeasurable amount of strength, and he would use it to his advantage in this rescue, He, however, needed to fortify the others that woulde with him to rescue her and defeat Doom and Mischief. The moon goddess had given them all a second chance, and they would utilise it the best way they could. Of the hundred and forty-nine brought back to life, Julian only had seven strong, including Keh, to follow him into thisst battle. This wasn¡¯t a battle of numbers, but of unity and one mind. Julian saw the attack formation of the dark minions; it was quick, brutal, and calcted; it gave them no This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. room to think twice during the first attack. The minions were just as deadly, and they couldn¡¯t be underestimated. ¡°The elders poured in as much pure energy as they could into them.¡± He said this and opened his palm to reveal the pendants that were therein. Julian ced his hand on the palm and closed his eyes. ¡°On the authority of the Lycan king, I decree that whoever wears this will have the same strength as the Lycan king until the battle is over.¡± He said that and pulled away. Alpha Lupe moved to hand over the pendants to the seven who had stepped forward to join the final battle. Beta Isaac, Alpha Cooper, Alpha Cruz, Beta Hanna, Alpha Lukas, Beta Keh, and Marion. Julian gave onest instruction to Alpha Lupe. ¡°If Uryi returns with June and Jashin, swear to me you will protect them with your very life.¡± Lupe bowed, vowing. ¡°I swear to you, my king.¡± The seven men set out being led ording to Julian¡¯s intuition, which he believed was ced there by the moon goddess. It took them two hours of extreme speed, but they arrived at the abandoned warehouse in York, a ¡°We are here. Remember, no matter what happens, we will not stop until we save the Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Important Note!!! These chapters onward will have a violent theme in them; please take note. For rification, the creatures that came with Doom from the Dark World are called minions; there are five left. Those under Doom¡¯s control are called puppets. P.S. Puppets and Minions all have glowing eyes. Third POV Keh wanted to check through the warehouse¡¯spound and see what they were up against, but Julian grabbed his hand and didn¡¯t let him go. Keh nced up at him, confused as to why he had stopped him. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Julian said instead, taking the lead. He was the Lycan king, and this was the time to lead by example. He moved over to the gate, making sure his footsteps came off as undetected as possible. He nced through thepound, but he saw nothing. There was no guard, no defence, and it felt almost as if they didn¡¯t expect them. Theck of security surprised Julian because he knew Fiona was here, but then he realised the Doom and his minions had annihted themst night. They probably didn¡¯t think there would be any confrontationing from them. He returned to the seven waiting for him. ¡°There is no form of security in thepound, but we cannot be too certain.¡± He said, and turning to Keh, he asked, ¡°What would be your best strategy?¡± Keh didn¡¯t hesitate to speak. ¡°We do not go in through the front; it might look like weakness to not be in the front, but the minions of the dark world are highly alert. We cannot give off our presence, no matter our advantage. We do not have enough manpower.¡± With Julian¡¯s instruction, the team split into two and made their way through the back. The first team consisted of Julian, the Lycan King, Beta Hanna, Alpha Cooper, and Beta Issac. Beta Keh, Beta Marion, Alpha Lukas, and Alpha Cruz were on the second team. Every one of the seven had the pendant around their necks, giving them equal power with the Lycan king until the battle and rescue of the Luna queen ended. B0% IVIUII, 20 FED A direct attack on the masters of the dark world and their minions with their level of power would still not be enough, and so they needed wisdom. The two teams went through the back entrance to keep their presence as hidden as possible.. Keh and Marion¡¯s team stepped into thepound, and they spotted a puppet standing guard with blond hair and glowing blue eyes. Marion nodded as Keh moved in from behind, wrapped his hands around the puppet¡¯s neck, and tackled him to the floor. The two struggled for a while, but Keh subdued the enemy. However, just as he was about to pass out, his legs shut out, and he hit the wall, and there was a spark there, telling them he had triggered something. Keh snapped his neck immediately, and the blue, shiny eyes died. Keh rose to his feet, and the rm went off immediately, ring a loud sound and warning red signs. Keh turned his attention to Marion, who looked confused, thinking of the best course of action. He then signalled for Keh to join the fold so they could stand together and see when their enemy approached. Keh took a step forward, only for Dexter to step before him with glowing green eyes and a massive Lycan form. Marion¡¯s hands balled into a tight fist, and his teeth were clenched. This was the minion responsible for killing him and Alpha Lupe in the fieldst night. He deserved to die by his own hands, not Keh¡¯s. He thought, and he stepped forward. ¡°Leave him to me, Keh; the rest of you go!¡± Marion told them, and they nodded and took to their heels. Dexter didn¡¯t seem to mind the trade; he looked ready to have fun either way with the look on his face. Marion wanted him to bring all the fight he had to give. ¡°I remember you.¡± Dexter said, and a smirk danced on his face. ¡°I killed you.¡± ¡°Well, surprise, bas ta rd!¡± Marion said, storming towards him, and his eyes glowed. yellow. He shifted into Rio, his Lycan form. The two began exchanging fists and fighting, hitting each other as hard as the other person could take. Rio¡¯s strength, although heightened, could not take Dexter on. ¡°I am impressed.¡± Dexter began to speak after mming Rio onto the hard ground. ¡°You didn¡¯t really put up this much fight yesterday, so I will say you came back to life with an additional power wired to your being.¡± He concluded and added, ¡°Shame, it still isn¡¯t enough. Do not worry; after I kill you for the second time, I will divide you into many parts and present you to Elena as a peace offering.¡± He said this and took hold of Rio¡¯s. 10:16 Mon, 26 Feb GA hair, yanking him onto his feet with it. Rio cried out in pain and kicked Dexter in the jaw, and it took him down. Hearing him take Elena¡¯s name had pushed him off the edge. ¡°Get up!¡± Rio roared at him. ¡°There is no fun in beating a man who¡¯s down.¡± Dexter rose to his feet, and Riounched at him with full force; his fist collided with Dexter¡¯s face a few times, and thest upper cut sent Dexter into the wall first and onto the ground. Rio got on top of him, and he didn¡¯t give Dexter the time to recover because he thrust his long ws into his chest and yanked out his heart, but he met nothing there. He was the definition of a heartless creature. Dexterughed hysterically and threw Rio off. ¡°You want me dead? You should have gone for the head; sad, you will not get that chance again.¡± Dexter had the advantage now, and he used it well, hitting him over and over until Rio¡¯s sight diminished and he could only see figures. ¡°Like I said before, I will send your package to your mate as a present.¡± He mocked. Rio growled in frustration, and his w shot out, and he shed it through the figure he saw. The next second, he felt something roll off and onto the ground, and the body of Dexter dropped beside him. Everything became silent around him, even though he could hear footsteps running from a distance and growls and ms. Rio stayed still, waiting for his vision to return. He would sit here and regain his sight, and if his strength came back, he would join the rest. ¡°Marion.¡± He heard his name and his heart sk ipped in his chest. ¡°Elena.¡± Julian pushed open the entrance and stepped into thepound, and he spotted one of the puppets standing by. He signalled to the others following behind, and they fell in, making their steps as unnoticeable as possible. They soon ran into a puppet who wasn¡¯t a part of the five minions, but still under Doom¡¯s control. He had blue eyes that glowed in the dark, and before Julian could take the lead and attack him, Alpha Cooper had already dashed out and tackled him onto the floor. It wasn¡¯t for long, and the puppet stopped struggling, and that showed that Cooper had seeded in taking him out. 0:16 Mon, 26 Feb ulian appreciated his quick reflex, but he didn¡¯t want them moving without formation. You move on my orders, okay? I will not have your blood on my hands.¡± Cooper nodded, understanding his words: ¡°Yes, my king.¡± The words barely left Cooper¡¯ mouth when they heard a ring sound and a red light shining all around, and they immediately moved to stand on alert, preparing for what wasing. As expected, someone stepped through, and his eyes glowed green. ¡°You all should be dead.¡± ¡°Well, then surprise.¡± Julian replied sarcastically. He huffed, ¡°You will regret not staying dead the first time.¡± He said and charged towards Julian, but Beta Hanna got in to stand before him. ¡°Go get the Luna queen, my king,¡± she told him, and he nodded, and they hurried away, leaving her with him. ¡°A girl.¡± He growled, and he seemed insulted. ¡°What is Billy to do with you? F uck?¡± ¡°No, but this girl is still grieving and angry, so you are f ucked!¡± He shifted and charged at her, forcing her to shift into Han, her wolf form. Han relied on her speed, as she hoped to wear him out before attacking and taking him out. ¡°Did youe to fight, or did youe to run away?¡± He demanded it with a low growl. His frustration and weariness lingered in his tone. ¡°Why? Are you tired already?¡± She asked, but when she tried running away, he caught her by the wrist and mmed his fist against her face. She fell to the ground, and blood ran down her nose, but she got up but she got up before he couldnd another blow to her face. Her face ached from the impact of his fist, but she promised the Lycan king to take him down, and that¡¯s what she would do. She owed it to Martin Rovena, herte mate. ¡°I see you¡¯re back up.¡± He said, smirking. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that was not hard enough to keep me down, big guy; try againter.¡± She winked at him, and that made him growl in annoyance and Storm towards her. She ducked his attack, but unlike before, she doubled back with a swift m of her leg against his knee. Her attack was so quick and calcted that Billy dropped to his knees immediately. 10:16 Mon, 26 Feb G ¡°Already down on one knee?¡± She teased, adding, ¡°This better be for a good cause, like a diamond ring!¡± Her taunting and words were getting to him and wearing him down; it showed all over him, and she wanted it this way. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only He ran to his knee, angry, but he favoured the leg, and Han knew that would be hist weak spot for her future attacks. She also wanted to join in with her former team, so she wanted to end this as fast as possible. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this like women, shall we?¡± She made a kissy face at him and swung her left leg at him. He caught it, and a smirk appeared on his face, but she switched attacks and kicked his jaw with her right leg. Taken aback by her attack, he threw her off, but she flipped, supported herself with her hand, and ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you,¡± Billy cried out as his blood poured down his face from the kick she gave him. ¡°Correction, try. You will try to kill me.¡± He stormed at her, and she miscalcted, causing her to miss a step, and he took her down so that her left hand shifted in its socket joint. She ran up, but he had mastered her move, and he threw a body-shattering fist at her shoulders, and everything within her crashed. He turned around and raced towards her to take her down. She would die if she took this impact, and so, with thest strength she had, she pulled away from there in time, and he ran into the wall. She took advantage and got on top of him, wrapping her hands around his neck. Her grip tightened, and she pulled until she yanked his head off his shoulder. Billy¡¯s headless body dropped on the floor, and Han fell to the floor as well, panting and unable to move. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Keh slowed his step as they came through the door in the warehouse, and all that he could see was the hallway passage. He hesitated, but he knew every second counted. if they were going to save Queen. With Marion down, he needed to lead this team and make sure they were still standing and able to save the Queen when the time came. Keh spotted Zayn, the grey wolf with glowing red eyes, standing at the end of the hallway, in front of the door they would have to go through to continue their journey. From the look of it, they would only get through that door after defeating the one before it. ¡°You see him too, right?¡± Keh asked those with him. ¡°Yeah, he is standing right ahead.¡± Alpha Cruz answered. This told Keh that the Lycan standing before them was real. ¡°Do you think he wants to fight?¡± ¡°I know he wants to fight,¡± Keh said in a matter-of-fact tone. ¡°I will fight him. Once the two of you find any opening, take it and run through the door.¡± Keh instructed, and they nodded. ¡°Our biggest priority is the Luna queen.¡± Keh stepped towards Zayn, standing before them. ¡°Will you be willing to grant us passage, or do we have to fight our way through?¡± The wolf standing growled, and from his nostril came steam. Chills ran down Keh¡¯s spine at the sight. ¡°I will take that as a no, then,¡± Keh said, and the grey wolf took the first step towards him. ¡°Does this mean I have to fight you?¡± he asked, although he began stepping back with Lukas and Cruz with him. ¡°Please, I would like to negotiate because I believe everything can be done without using violence.¡± Keh continued to speak; he meant every word he spoke. Zayn was one of the six minions of the dark masters. Keh met him once in the world of the living while under Doom¡¯s control. He didn¡¯t talk much, and he always stayed in his wolf form. Keh never got to know the reason, because it wasn¡¯t in his ce to ask the question, but he took a keen interest in him. The minions didn¡¯t always get along; they always fought for dominance and other 0:16 Mon, 26 Feb apter 128 hings. Basically, they all hated each other, but they all had one thing inmon: they erved amon master, Doom. ayn was said to be the first Lycan to ess the dark dimensions two thousand years. go and agree to do the bidding of Doom and Mischief. He was also the strongest. hough Zayn said a few words, he was sharp and calcting and could take on both Dexter and Billy at the same time. Knowing all this made Keh sceptical about taking him on. He had a brutal attack, and the only thing he cared about was blood and battles. Facing him now meant facing death himself, but there was no turning back. Lukas saw an opening, and he took the lead to run past, but Zayn already took notice. Keh knew what this meant, but he couldn¡¯t run in to save Lukas, because that would mean death for them both. Zayn¡¯s fist collided with Lukas, and it sent him flying off and crashing into the ground. ¡°Lukas!¡± Cruz called out in panic and tried to go help the alpha, but Keh took hold of his shirt to stop him. ¡°You will die!¡± Keh said it with the utmost certainty in his voice. ¡°Do you hear me? You will die if you try to go close.¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°We are going to run.¡± Keh answered, and Cruz looked at him as if asking if he was joking, but he wasn¡¯t. Running might look like a cowardly act, but it was the bravest thing to do in this spot. They turned their backs, and they ran. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Just as Keh expected, Zayn chased after them, and that left the post empty. ¡°Listen to me, Alpha,¡± Keh began, even as they ran. Cruz¡¯s eyes turned to look at him. ¡°In three seconds, we are going to turn around, and we will run towards him.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that suicide?¡± True. One of them might die, but the both of them charging at him at the same time would give them an advantage, and he had been running for a while, which meant his strength would not be as concentrated as it was before. This was all based on luck. ¡°Yes, but this way we will both have fun.¡± He answered with a happy smile on his face. ¡°Ready?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Good. One, two, three.¡± They both halted at the same time, and they turned around to face Zayn, picking up their pace. Their sudden change of stance took him by surprise, and it didn¡¯t click until they were close enough. His fist lifted, and he threw them at both men. ¡°Duck!¡± Keh yelled to alert Cruz. Cruz ducked, and the punch barely grazed him, but Keh couldn¡¯t duck in time despite sounding the rm. Keh saw Cruz slow down in his pace, and that sent him into a panic mode. ¡°Get out of here!¡± he yelled before Zayn¡¯s fist collided with his stomach and sent him flying. Cruz nodded and ran through the door, and at the same moment, Keh¡¯s bodynded on the ground. The impact wasn¡¯t as terrible as he anticipated, and as he expected, Zayn¡¯sck of concentration had saved his life. His bone began to heal from the impact of the punch, and before he could deliver another, Keh raced to his feet, and Zayn¡¯s fist met with the ground. This blow had much concentration, and it caused an eruption of the floored ground. ¡°Can we make a new deal?¡± Keh asked, his hands raised above his head in surrender, even as Zayn stepped towards him. ¡°I feel like you will like this one. I promise. It¡¯s simple: surrender, and I will let you live.¡± Zayn stepped forward, and it didn¡¯t seem like he took the deal. ¡°Well, I tried,¡± Keh said and charged at Zayn, and as he got close enough, he dropped to his knees and slid through Zayn¡¯s legs. With no one there to hit, the force with which Zayn had thrown the fist worked against him and took him to the ground. Keh capitalised on it, shifting into his wolf form, Neth, andunching at him. His size was not as big as the grey wolf, but it gave him an advantage. His ws shed through Zayn¡¯s ribs and then up to cut off his head. Zayn stopped his paw before they coulde close, and he threw Neth off and rose. 10:17 Mon, 26 Feb Ga Now on his feet, taking him back down would be difficult, but Neth needed to do that if he hoped to put an end to the menace called the grey wolf. Zayn¡¯s eyes glowed, and a growl left his mouth. Neth felt chills once again at the growl, and he didn¡¯t see when Zayn took to his heels and charged towards him. A second earlier, he was there, and the next, here. That was how he felt. Neth didn¡¯t know what happened; he knew, though, that he saw himself flying, and hended on the floor. He couldn¡¯t feel his hands or his legs. Hey, almost as dead, and the only thing he could use were his eyes and his ears. He heard the footsteps, but he couldn¡¯t move. He knew death was approaching, but he stayed still. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Lily in a white silk dress. Her blonde, wavy hair fell over her shoulder, and she had the happiest look he had ever seen on her face. ¡°Keh!¡± she called to him. His eyes grew ssy. ¡°Lily.¡± ¡°You look horrible, Keh. What happened to you?¡± A concerned look came over her face as she stared at him. ¡°Life happened, Lily; you left me.¡± Her face dropped. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to leave. I had to; he came for me. He came for me and took me from you.¡± She said, and she ran away. He followed behind her, and he soon found himself standing in their bedroom. He saw Keh on the bed, and Lily slept soundly beside him. This was the night she was killed; he knew this because he saw the ruby ne on her neck. He had given it to her when they came home together. The ne was a promise to never leave again, and the joy in her eyes told her she believed him. Just as they slept, the east wind blew, and the curtain raised, and there in the room he saw Zayn, the grey wolf, standing at the corner. Zayn moved over to the bed and ced his hand over Lily¡¯s mouth. Her eyes snapped open, and panic stayed on her face upon seeing him, but he thrust his hand into her chest the very second and pulled out her heart. The light in her eyes faded, and that was how she died. He had woken up a few hourster and found her in a pool of blood beside him, her 10:17 Mon, 26 Feb u GA heart missing. He med himself. How could he not have heard footsteps? How could they have killed her while he was in the same bed, yet he felt nothing? He couldn¡¯t forgive himself because he didn¡¯t know the one who took her from him. He never thought he would find them, but he was going to find sce in fighting for his world. Lily¡¯s murder wasn¡¯t connected to the others; it was a malicious attack carried out by Zayn. He thought he was on hisst road, but knowing Zayn had killed Lily gave him a reason to stay and fight. He will avenge her death, even if it was thest thing he did. His eyes snapped open as he felt Zayn¡¯s w dig into his chest, and he delivered a hard and swift punch to his jaw, which took the grey wolf off his feet. Neth had only one goal as he stared down at him. Vengeance for his beloved Lily. This was the least she deserved for everything. Zayn charged at him again, and Neth calcted his steps and charged at him. Zayn threw a fist, but Neth swerved and threw an uppercut instead. This took the off his feet and onto the floor. grey wolf Nethunched at him with his sharp, extended ws. He dug it into his neck, and with a loud growl, he shed his head off. Zayn¡¯s head rolled off to the corner of the hallway. Neth rose from on top of him and approached the entrance where the body of Lukasy. He tried stepping through the door, but he heard a soft groaning from there, and he knew Lukas was still alive. He hurried over to him and got down on his knees before him. ¡°You¡¯re still with us.¡± Neth called to him. Lukas¡¯ eyes opened, and he nodded. ¡°Sadly, I am.¡± Neth smiled and stretched his hand out to him. Lukas took it, and he pulled him onto his feet. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 :79% ¡°Your heart needs a few more-minutes toplete its healing; once that¡¯s over, my master will proceed with his rites of power.¡± Zac told Fiona as he pulled his hand away from her chest. ¡°You have only one master; his name is Julian McQueen, and he is your king. You have gone against him because you¡¯re under the control of Doom, but the Lycan king is your true master.¡± ¡°If the Lycan king was my true master, I would have known.¡± He said after a brief pause, ¡°He¡¯s not my master or king. ¡°Zac, you know the truth. Search for yourself.¡± ¡°I will stay here until you heal, and once your heart is fixed, I will inform my master.¡± Just then, they heard a loud kick at the door, and it opened to reveal Alpha Cruz. Seeing him put her in a confused state. She saw him fall and die on the battlefield yesterday, so there was no way he could be here now. She couldn¡¯t be hallucinating, though, because even Zac looked startled by the intrusion. Alpha Cruz was alive. If he was alive, that meant the ones she thought she had lost might also be alive, Julian included. Her heart swelled in her chest as hope built itself within. Alpha Cruz felt different. Something about the aura around him now reminded her of Julian. That couldn¡¯t be possible, could it? These questions stayed rent-free in her mind. Alpha Cruz ran through the door, into the room, and didn¡¯t stop until he arrived at another door. This was locked, but he picked up heartbeats and voices from inside. He pulled back, and with force, he kicked at the door, and it opened. Inside, he saw Fiona in the left corner of the room, with silver chains around her wrist and ankle, restrained in bed. A puppet stayed beside her; he seemed to be checking up on her and speaking to her. As soon as the door opened, the puppet stood upright and turned to him. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± He said, ¡°My masters said no intrusion.¡± He ran to attack him. Cruz caught him by the shoulder and almost broke his neck when Fiona raised the rm. ¡°He¡¯s just a puppet under Doom¡¯s control!¡± So instead of breaking his neck, Cruz mmed his fist into Zac¡¯s face. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Zac¡¯s body dropped to the floor, and Cruz hurried over to Fiona. He broke off the silver chains they had ced on her, ignoring them even though they burnt his hands in the process. ¡°Be careful.¡± Fiona said to him as he broke the other chains off her hand. Fiona¡¯s hands became free, and Cruz moved to her legs when Mischief stepped into the room. Fiona¡¯s heart ski pped in her chest, knowing what could happen. Mischief would have killed her if Doom hadn¡¯t stepped in earlier. ¡°Who do we have here?¡± Mischief asked, with a smirk appearing on her lips. Cruz turned around, his gaze locked on hers, and he froze. ¡°Alpha Cruz!¡± Fiona called to him, but he didn¡¯t hear her. He was already under the seductress¡¯s control; his mind and body were now hers to control. Come to me,¡± Mischief called to him, and her eyes glowed green. He walked towards her, and without thinking about it, he stepped over Zac¡¯s unconscious body, lying in his path. He came over to Mischief, and he paused when he got over to her. ¡°What is name?¡± ¡°Cruz,¡± he replied. your ¡°Alpha Cruz!¡± Fiona screamed at him, wanting to influence the initiation in the best way possible, but it seemed all hope was lost. She struggled with the chains around her legs to take them off and make a run for them. ¡°Cruz, you will be mine now. Is that okay with you?¡± ¡°Yes, master.¡± He replied. She stretched her hand to him so he could kiss the back of it. He took it, and as his lips came on the back of it, his hand changed into fur, and his w grew. He thrust it through her chest and ripped out her heart. She gasped in surprise and then nced up at him with eyes of shock. 10:17 Mon, 26 Feb G ¡°How?¡± she asked as she dropped to her knees. ¡°We knew who we were up against.¡± He answered and stepped away from her and back to Fiona. Fiona had a lot of questions in her head, but she couldn¡¯t ask or even dwell on them. He broke the silver chains off her legs and helped her to her feet. With the chains off, a little of her strength returned. ¡°Is Julian with you?¡± She asked him. He nodded and replied, ¡°He¡¯sing for you, too.¡± This made her heart swell with hope, but it didn¡¯tst because, as they turned around to leave, the body of Mischief, which was on the floor seconds ago, had disappeared. The heart he had tossed onto the floor was now a red apple. Fiona turned to him, and he looked equally shocked and alert. ¡°You believed it was that easy to kill me?¡± Mischief¡¯s voice echoed in the room, and it was so different from the one she came into the room with. ¡°I am the second-born of all creation. I am Mischief,¡± she said, and she stepped out to reveal apletely different body. This was her true form because the old folklore depicted her this way. Long silver hair, wless fair skin, red full lips, and glowing blue eyes. Mischief stood before them, and she looked pis sed. In a sh, she ripped out Alpha Cruz¡¯s heart, giving him no time to recover. Fiona¡¯s eyes widened in panic, and she screamed and covered her mouth as Cruz¡¯s body dropped to the floor. Mischief brought his heart, now in her hand, to her mouth and took a bite of it. Her tongue licked at her lips. ¡°Not the sweetest, but it¡¯s got a taste to it.¡± She said, then tossed it onto the floor. ¡°You were going somewhere?¡± She asked, turning her attention to her. She stumbled back and shook her head. Fiona immediately thrust her w into her chest, and it came over to her own heart. ¡°Stand back!¡± Mischief ordered, and she obeyed. She heard footsteps run in, and she saw Julian. 374 With the slight move of focus, Mischief capitalised on it and dragged her hand out of her chest, hitting her on both shoulders so she no longer felt strength in both hands. ¡°Fiona!¡± Julian called out to her in a loud voice. Mischief threw another fist, and it was aimed at her stomach. Fiona knew what the impact of a hit to her stomach would mean, so she dropped to her knee, and Mischief¡¯s fist collided with her forehead, cracking it open. She fell backward, and her body hit the ground. She felt blood trickle down her face before everything faded. Even the sound of voices. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Trigger warning! Triggering Ghapter: Violence Julian and Isaac raced through the hallway. They had been swamped by puppets earlier, and Cooper chose to stay back and fight, helping them escape. It was a sacrifice he was willing to make for their cause, and Julian looked forward to seeing him again. Standing before the exit of the hallway, Julian saw a minion, the youngest he had seen, with ck hair and the most innocent, glowing hazel eyes. He would have called him a puppet if he hadn¡¯t picked up his scent yesterday on the battlefield. He was the dark master¡¯s minion, and that made him dangerous.. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this, my king.¡± Beta Isaac spoke up and stepped forward. ¡°Saving the queen is most important right now, and that is what you need to go and do.¡± ¡°Be careful, and do not underestimate him.¡± The smallest of the minions could be the most dangerous. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Isaac vowed. With Isaac facing Jasper, Julian had no man with him. He stepped through the door and took to his heels, running as fast as his legs could to where he had picked up Fiona¡¯s scent. He hade this way to rescue her, and he couldn¡¯t fail now. ¡°I know you are in a hurry, but I cannot let you through. I am sorry.¡± Julian heard, and secondster, a minion in a grey shirt stepped out of the shadows; his eyes glowed. purple. ¡°I must stop you because that is what my master wants.¡± Julian paused. ¡°What is your name? If you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡± ¡°Sante,¡± he replied. ¡°Is that what you want, Sante? To stop me?¡± Julian asked with a furrowed brow. ¡°What I want is to make my master happy, always.¡± He replied, telling Julian there was no way around this. He had to take him on if he hoped to get to Fiona. He stepped forward and said, ¡°Do not worry; this will not be long.¡± Julian wasn¡¯t counting on it. The two fell into a fatal brawl, fists colliding and punches flying. Neither of the two shifted into their wolf form, but their fight was nheless intense. Julian overpowered D Dreame FREE Installed Open Superpremios Goodreads Fiction disponive 10:17 Mon, 26 Feb WG Sante quicker than he expected, and he shoved him into the wall. Santeughed and coughed out blood. ¡°You win, kill me, and let¡¯s get it over with.¡± Julian wanted to kill him here and now; he came from the dark world and shouldn¡¯t be allowed to live, but there was a difference in Sante that made him reconsider. The minions of the Dark world were once like them: Lycans, werewolves, and witches. Their desire for more power made them seek out the Dark dimensions and make deals with Doom and Mischief. A few could uphold their deals with the dark side and regain their souls. Many others couldn¡¯t keep to their deals, and they lost their souls, forever bing the minions of the dark masters. ording to what Julian knew, the minions lost their desire after bing trapped in the Dark world. While some who sought more power carried out orders from a ce of greed, others did it from a ce of helplessness. Julian remembered tales of Prince Edward Ainsworth, who made a deal with the dark. dimension many centuries ago. He did it because the Wah kingdom was on the verge of losing to the enemy. Siding with the enemy was wrong, but he did it with the purest motives. It meant not everyone who made the deal with the Dark dimensions was evil. Staring down at Sante¡¯s eyes, Julian knew he wasn¡¯t evil; Sante did what he did because. he had no other choice. Julian pulled his hand away, stepped back, and walked away. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Away,¡± he answered, still not looking back. ¡°You haven¡¯t killed me yet.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t given me a reason to kill you yet,¡± He replied. He didn¡¯t expect an attack from Sante, and he didn¡¯t get it. He ran through the hallway and increased his speed when he heard Fiona¡¯s voice. ¡°Stand back!¡± He hurried over to the door and pushed it open. He stepped in just in time to see Fiona with her own hand thrust into her chest. She wanted to kill herself, and in the room with her was Mischief. 9x D Dreame 44 FREE Installed Open Superpremins Goodreads Fiction ¡®sponivels 10:17 Mon, 26 Feb G * 79% At his arrival, Fiona¡¯s eyes travelled over to him, and Mischief capitalised on that moment of deviation and delivered a numbing attack on both of her shoulders. She then threw a punch aimed at her stomach. Fiona dropped to her knee, and her fist collided with her skull and cracked it open. ¡°Fiona!¡± He ran towards her and saw the lifeless body of Alpha Cruz on the floor beside Mischief. Mischief stepped in front of him when he got close to Fiona. He took another step forward, and her hand shut out, mming against his chest, and that sent him flying off and crashing into the wall. ¡°You are not taking her away. Do you not get that?¡± Jules rose to his feet, filled with anger and menace directed at Mischief, but she took advantage of his rage and gave him a beating that left him almost dead. Her strength was ten times that of the minions that had confronted them. She was faster, stronger, and a menace, and she enjoyed every pain she inflicted on him. Despite all this, Mischief was not a match for Doom in strength, brutality, or speed; he was the firstborn. There was no way to win except for some miracle. Neth and Lukas ran into the room and tried toe into his defence, but Mischief attacked them head- on, giving none of them the time to recover. She grabbed Neth by the hair and pulled him up to look at her. ¡°You know, I had high hopes for you,¡± she said, kicking him in the face. Neth dropped to the floor, unconscious. ¡°The thing about you all is your inability to see when you have lost the battle.¡± She snarled at them with a loud, annoying voice. Jules tried getting up, but Mischief mmed her leg against his chest and kept him pinned to the ground. He groaned out in pain and spat out blood. She got on top of him. ¡°You should have known this was a lost battle from the beginning.¡± Mischief dug her ws into Jules¡¯ chest to yank out his heart when Fiona wrapped silver. chains around her neck and pulled her off him. Despite the assault she took at the hands of Mischief, she had gotten herself up after healing a little. Dreame FREE Installed Open Superpremios Goodreads Fiction disponiveis ¡°Rip out her heart!¡± She yelled to Jules, and he scrambled to his feet, ignoring all his aching bones. He ran over to do as he was told, failing to calcte his moves. Mischief grabbed him. by the neck and smashed her head against him, and a cr ack came into his. She did it again, and the cra ck deepened, and blood gushed out. She then tossed him off onto the ground. Fiona¡¯s strength did not match Mischief because she pried her hands off the chains. She broke every Done with that, she yanked the silver chain from her and threw it away before turning around and grabbing her by the neck. Fiona struggled with her, trying to pry her hand away from her neck even as he choked the air out of her lungs. ¡°Pathetic, how did you ever get your ws into Doom?¡± She snarled at her and threw her off. Fiona¡¯s body mmed against the wall, and the sharp iron in the wall impaled her. There, she hung with blood dripping down her mouth. Fiona¡¯s eyes caught sight of Neth incapacitated on the ground and then over to Cruz¡¯s lifeless body, not far away from Jules. She didn¡¯t know those outside, but she knew others came and gave their lives, trying to save hers. The second rescue attempt was all in vain. It would have been better if they hadn¡¯te. Her eyes blurred at the thought of it ending, but knowing this was the end brought her peace. The hope of seeing them again in the life beyond gave herfort amid this chaos. Her mind grew heavy and foggy, and she thought she had hallucinated things when the door opened and Doom stepped into the room. Doom, not Cillian. Doom in his actual body. His skin had a natural glow, and it was anyone had seen before. He had the perfect jawline and nose and long, golden hair that fell over his shoulders. He had a pair of glowing silver eyes, and they flickered every time he blinked, and it was hypnotising. D Dreame Open Mon, 26 Feb Chapter 130. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. *.79% Everything was quiet, as it should be. Mischief alone had caused all the chaos and defeat of the extraction force. Doom nced around, taking note of everything and everyone now on the floor. ¡°What happened?¡± was all he asked, and he did so in a calm tone. ¡°They attacked me.¡± Mischief answered. ¡°Even her?¡± he asked, pointing to Fiona. Mischief nodded. ¡°Yes, she wanted to strangle me with the silver chains.¡± She answered. Doom became silent. He went to where Fiona hung on the wall and unhung her. ¡°You do not believe me, do you?¡± She asked before scoffing. ¡°Of course, you would not believe your innocent little silver wolf would try to hurt your lover.¡± ¡°You had your hands around her throat while she was in chains earlier, and I told you not to touch her again.¡± He said calmly while stroking Fiona¡¯s head. Fiona¡¯sshes fluttered, and he smiled a little at her and then helped her sit down. ¡± are awake; that is a good thing; for a moment, you gave me a scare there.¡± Mischief fumed, angered at the sight of him showing affection to the bruised and battered Fiona. ¡°Since when do you care about these bl oody creatures?¡± You Doom didn¡¯t answer; instead, he rose to his feet and turned to her. ¡°Since when do you get to question me?¡± he demanded, his voice still low and unshaken. Her eyes red angrily, ¡°I am Mischief, your lover; we have been partners for thousands of years!¡± ¡°And?¡± he demanded, taking a step forward. ¡°Does ten thousand years with you change you from being the second born of creation and me from the first?¡± Mischief remained silent. ¡°Speak, Mischief, while you still can.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t,¡± she replied, and there was a trace of weakness in her voice. ¡°Then why did you question me?¡± Doom asked and bent to pick up the silver chains tossed on the floor. Mischief, seeing the opportunity, ran towards Fiona, hoping to snuff the little life she had away before Doom would step in and stop her. Weak and battered, Fiona could not move and instead sat and watched her. Open Superpr¨¦mios Goodreads Fiction d¡¯apanivers 26 Feb Doom swung the chains around and threw them as her hands almost touched Fiona. The chains wrapped around Mischief¡¯s neck and held her in ce. He pulled, and it yanked Mischief far away from Fiona and over to stand before him in a second. Mischief gasped. ¡°Your rebellion sometimes is the most arousing thing in all creation.¡± He said that and kissed her lips. She kissed him back and wrapped her arms around him as the kiss. deepened. Doom pulled away, and a smile came onto his face as he added, ¡°And sometimes it is the most infuriating.¡± He ripped the chains still around Mischief¡¯s neck apart, and they decapitated her head off her shoulders immediately, and her body dropped to the floor, lifeless. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Fiona¡¯s heart tightened in her chest at a fast pace as she watched what had just taken ce before her eyes. Doom just killed Mischief. They had been lovers for over three thousand years, and he just killed her like she was nothing. Doom turned his concentration towards her, and his flickering silver eyes had no emotion in them. Yes, he saved her from Mischief, but that didn¡¯t mean she was safe. His end game had always been her heart, and he would want to get that more than anything else. He stepped towards her, and she crawled back onto the floor, shaking her head. He took another step, covering the space she had created between them. She tried running back, but her back came into contact with the wall. Her heart dropped in horror at what was toe, and her eyes blurred. ¡°Please, no,¡± she pleaded, but he took another step and stretched his hand towards her. She shook her head, trembling all over. ¡°No, please, Cillian.¡± She knew using the name would make no difference, but she had no choice. She didn¡¯t know a thing about Doom, but she knew Cillian; she had known him for months and knew he wouldn¡¯t hurt her. She might be wrong in her assumption, but she wanted to believe it more than anything. He grabbed her by the shoulder, forcing her onto her feet. Tears streamed down her face, and her lips trembled helplessly. Her body ached all over, and her bones were barely holding themselves together at this point. This made her wonder if death wouldn¡¯t have been the better option. ¡°You wille with me now.¡± He said and took hold of her hand, and they turned around to leave. Jules stood in their way. He had pulled his worn and battered self onto his feet somehow, and this was a protest to Doom, who wanted to take her away. Jules wasn¡¯t in the best shape or strength. His body bore wounds and suffered affliction at the hands of Mischief. He had a cut on the left side of his face that went from his temple down to his jawline. Holding himself up was a sign of bravery, but he had promised her he wouldn¡¯t stop fighting until there 111 10:34 Wed, 28 Feb GG was no breath in his lungs, and he kept to his words. His hands balled into a tight fist even as his legs trembled to hold him up. ¡°If you want to take her, you have to go through me.¡± Tears streamed down her face, seeing him fight for her with all he had. Her hands ran up to cover her mouth. This was her fate, but he didn¡¯t have to die again for her. She would lose her life today, but he didn¡¯t have to lose his. Their sons deserved one parent, at least. ¡°Jules, no.¡± ¡°Listen to your Luna and step out of the way, Jules,¡± Doom advised, not looking the least threatened by ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Julian. Jules¡¯ teeth clenched, and he stormed towards Doom with hisst strength. Fiona couldn¡¯t stand and watch him kill himself, so she positioned herself before Doom. This way, Jules had to go through her. Julian slowed down, realising what she had just done, and he stared at her with the utmost confusion and a look of betrayal. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You are not dying today. Julian McQueen, listen to me. This is the end of your fight. Do not fight this; do not fight for me. This is for the best.¡± She spoke to Julian, the king, and Jules, the Lycan. ¡°Best for who?¡± ¡°For me.¡± She said to herself, and he heard her. ¡°I cannot let you do this. Go home; you shouldn¡¯t have At her words, Jules lost the strength left in him to fight. He pressed his lips together to tame the sorrow in his eyes, then stepped back. Doom tightened his grip on her wrist, pulling her along with him. Jules¡¯ gaze lingered on her until she left the room. Doom stopped walking when they stepped out of the warehouse. ¡°Why did you stop him?¡± he asked. ¡°Because I do not want him to die at your hands again. He is no match for you. None of us are. It is a lost battle, and epting it is the only way to forge on. He doesn¡¯t have to die because of me; he has a lot to live for. He might not see it now, but he will. It was a lost battle from the beginning.¡± He stared at her as if to see if she had told the truth. It was the truth, and she had O 20 red nothing to hide. She was happy with every decision and would die with contentment. Doom pulled her to himself so their bodies pressed together, and he lifted her from the ground with ease, going higher above the warehouse and the terminal pole. They entered the clouds, the height she had never reached on her own, and Doom moved them through them. She feared looking down or asking her where they were going. She was not in the right ce to ask these questions. She stayed silent, enjoying the little life she had while it Jasted. He descended after a long while of just travelling through the clouds, and soon she felt earth underneath her feet, but it wasn¡¯t the ground. They were both standing on top of Mount Eve, the highest mountain in their world, in Forthrich, the North Eastmunity. Fiona had heard tales of Eve, but she had never been here and never thought she would, Mount Eve had its head so far up in the cloud that even the Lycan with the best sight couldn¡¯t see the top of it. She stared around and found on the t surface to the left a ritual arrangement. White silk sheets spread out on an altar-like tform with scented candles around it. This was where he nned to take her heart. He had everything in ce for the harvest. He was absent when the rescue operation started because he was here. Her eyes still stayed on the altar when he spoke. ¡°This is the highest point in this world, the point where life meets the realm eternal. This is where you die.¡± ¡°This is why you were not in the warehouse when Julian came for me.¡± ¡°Yes, I only came down when I heard your voice,¡± He answered honestly. ¡°I knew you were in danger, and I had to save you. The only one that gets to kill you is me.¡± This didn¡¯t make her feel better. Her heart was now whole. She felt it, and mischief wouldn¡¯t let her afflict herself earlier, so nothing would dy this ritual. She drew a sharp breath but remained quiet. ¡°This is where you die.¡± He said it casually. ¡°This is where I take your heart and ascend to be like the moon goddess.¡± The moon goddess-it was always about her, of course. It was all part of his scheme to get back at her. They were just coteral damages. ¡°Is that what you want? To be just like the moon goddess? To spit in her face forever, O Wed, 28 Feb neglecting you and creating other children?¡± ¡°Yes, I want to be like her, but this is not about her or what she has done; this is about me,¡± he denied. ¡°How is it not about her? You want to be just like HER; you want to rule over HER creation to spite HER. Your existence has been about HER, and even now, it still is. You can deny it if that helps you cope better, but this is true, and you can¡¯t change it.¡± ¡°She cast me aside to create life; that¡¯s the truth! She created me for the sole purpose of being her better half, but she wasn¡¯t mine. I wanted to mean more; I wanted to be more than just the evil that could only find goodness in and from her. She created her secondborns so they would not need or depend on her, as she did with me. They had no clue how lucky they were.¡± His eyes flickered with emotions for the first time since stepping into their world, and he turned away from her. ¡°You took Mischief so the goddess would notice you and show you the affection you needed, the one she once showed you.¡± He pressed his lips together and nodded. ¡°I never loved her, but she was what I needed. I took her to be mine, but the goddess didn¡¯t notice; she didn¡¯t care, which only got me furious. She didn¡¯t care about me; she only cared about her children, and they were the ones I needed to go for. I killed them, all seven thousand two hundred and sixty-nine of them.¡± He said that, and there was no triumph in his voice as he spoke. ¡°This brought her attention back to me, her cast-aside lover,¡± heughed bitterly. ¡°She couldn¡¯t believe what I had done with Mischief¡¯s help. Angered, she took her amulet of purity and goodness from me and exiled me into the Dark Dimension, where I remained until seven hundred years ago. You already know the story.¡± ¡°She never acknowledged that her neglect drove you to do the things you did. You wouldn¡¯t have taken Mischief or killed the secondborn if she only spared a little time for you.¡± He nced at her, and a look of surprise showed in his eyes. Perhaps he didn¡¯t think she would see things from his point of view. His teeth clenched, and he remained silent. ¡°That¡¯s why you want my heart. Using the power thates with it, you can do the one thing you¡¯ve always wanted: tell her she betrayed you first.¡± ¡°She should have killed the evil she created and put it out of its misery, but she kept it alive, far away from her. Exiled for thousands of years without goodness and referred to as evil by the children she ¡°I am sorry for what you went through, but you are not an absolute evil.¡± ¡°I am.¡± O < Wed, 28 Feb ¡°Cillian¡¯s father wouldn¡¯t be alive if you were absolute evil. There is goodness in you despite everything, and there is love because you still love the moon goddess despite everything. And you love me.¡± Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Fiona would have brushed it off if she had thought of it yesterday, but now that she saw it, she knew. He loved her, and that was why, despite what he wanted to do to her, he wouldn¡¯t let Mischief harm her. This was why Mischief hated her and wanted her dead. She witnessed the truth: he loved her, an emotion he didn¡¯t have with Mischief. She told herself that he killed Mischief for his own gain, but there was no gain in it; he killed Mischief because he loved her. ¡°I don¡¯t love you.¡± He denied the truth in his eyes. A small smile crossed her face. ¡°You do not have to deny it; I die here, remember? I know it wasn¡¯t a part of your n when all this started, but you can ept the truth about yourself and who you love.¡± She told him. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Fiona-¡± ¡°I will give you my heart, but I want you to swear you will not harm Julian or my sons. Swear you will not deal cruelly with my world. We are just casualties, fighting to survive in this, too.¡± ¡°I swear.¡± He answered, and he meant it. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, nodding and walking towards the altar. She came there and helped herself onto it. Sheid on her back, and her eyes fluttered as she awaited him to do what he had brought her here to do. He stepped over to her and moved to work, and he drew over her exposed skin with a cold and sticky substance. She didn¡¯t open her eyes to see him do what he did; she knew if she did, she would no longer be brave. Her mind wandered to Julian. He would probably never know why she went with Doom; he would never know she did it for him and everything she loved. She thought about June and Jashin, her little warriors. She won¡¯t see them be good men and find suitable mates. Her mind wandered to Cam and Peter, remembering her promise to be there for their future children. Last, she thought about her world and everyone she had gotten to know and met. Marion, Keh, Alpha Lupe, Beta Hanna, Beta Isaac, and Alpha Lukas, to name a few. She would remain brave. So that when Julianes to meet her in the life beyond many, many decades from now, she will speak of today. She would tell him how she did not fear death while she stared him in the face. She would tell him this while weing him. They will be together and never be apart. O 10:34 Wed, 28 Feb Doom drew his hand away from her, and she felt a cold grip on her skin. Ease came to all her aching bones, and with this ease came the strength she hadn¡¯t felt in a while. Perhaps this was a part of the ritual of harvest. ¡°You are right,¡± he began, and going against her better judgment, hershes fluttered to see him seated beside her on the altar. ¡°Right, about what?¡± ¡°I love you.¡± He answered, then added, ¡°And I never wanted any of this. Telling myself I did gave me purpose and the will to continue. I love her despite everything, and all this is to get her attention. Theck of it has been the worst punishment she could have given.¡± He turned to her, ¡°I needed your heart; I needed it because it¡¯s the only way I can exist without longing for what I once had with her, but I don¡¯t want it anymore.¡± Fiona¡¯s heart swelled at thest line; it felt almost like a dream. He didn¡¯t want to kill her; he changed his mind. ¡°I came into the world of the living with one goal: to get the heart of the silver wolf and subdue the two worlds with Mischief by my side. Then I met you, and a lot of things changed. I love you, and I do not want to harm you.¡± ¡°Then what did you do to me?¡± She asked, because his hands were all over her body. And the white ink was still on her. ¡°I healed you and restored your abilities,¡± he replied without hesitation. ¡°You now have the power you gave up for your mate.¡± She pulled herself to sit down instantly, as confusion held her tightly. ¡°Why?¡± He nced at her and smiled. He smiled though and that was the second most perfect sight, first being Julian. He looked away. ¡°Because I want to believe that I am notpletely evil.¡± She exhaled in relief, but she still couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°What are you going to do now, then?¡± She asked. ¡°I do not want to return to the dark world, and even if I want to, I can¡¯t. The gates are forever closed, and no one can go in or out. Closing its gates was a part of my n, but now I don¡¯t know where I belong.¡± he chuckled adding, ¡°Cillian is just like me, trapped in the warehouse, wondering where he is. Perhaps we were never meant to fit in.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe that.¡± She rejected hisst words. O 10:34 Wed, 28 Feb w He nced at her with glowing eyes, but said nothing. ¡°What will you do from here on?¡± she asked after a moment of silence went by. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought that far yet.¡± 3 ¡°Whatever you n, I will support you.¡± She said that and ced her hand on his. He nced up at her, and their gazes locked. They both remained silent, and though she wanted to speak, she couldn¡¯t. With no words uttered, he leaned in and slowly took her lips between his for a tender kiss. He pulled back secondster, and she was yet to recover from the shock of being kissed by Doom, the master of the Dark world. ¡°We should return.¡± He said and rose to his feet. She rose along and took his hand when he stretched it to her. He held her tightly, and they descended. Doom released his grip around her waist as their feet touched the ground, and Fiona took to her heels, racing into the warehouse. She ran into the room where she had left everything. There she found Julian and the rest of his men still alive-Keh, Marion, and Elena; Hanna; and Cooper and Cruz in their human form. Most sat with their heads bowed, while others stilly on the floor, minding their afflictions. Julian was in the left corner of the room, leaning against the wall with both hands. He had a defeated pose, and it stung her heart a little. He turned around swiftly secondster, picking up her scent, and his eyesnded on hers. ¡°Fiona.¡± ¡°Julian.¡± He swallowed shakily and asked, ¡°How?¡± Y She didn¡¯t let him finish before running to him and wrapping her arms and legs around him. Confusion still had him, but his arms wrapped around her, and he leaned in and kissed her temple. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± He inhaled. ¡°You are here.¡± ¡°I am here.¡± She said, and he held her tighter, Staying this way with their hearts and minds synchronised, her healing aura charged through her, and she felt warmth all over her body pressed against him. 9.64% ¡°I thought I lost you for good. I thought I¡¯d never see you again. I was so afraid,¡± he confessed, and his eyes stung with tears. Her hands stayed around him while she kissed his neck. ¡°I¡¯m never leaving again.¡± Chapter 133 Chapter 133 They pulled away from their embrace as his healing ended, and she moved on to the others who were severely hurt on the ground, and she healed them also. ¡°What happened?¡± Julian finally asked as she finished healing Keh. ¡°Why did he change his mind?¡± ¡°Because he wants to believe he isn¡¯tpletely evil.¡± She answered, ¡°He needed my heart for his ns to work, but he doesn¡¯t want it anymore.¡± ¡°What are his ns now?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t know yet; with the entrance of the Dark world closed, he¡¯s trapped in the world of the living.¡± She answered. ¡°Well, not really,¡± Julian said, and her brows furrowed at him. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Julian dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out the amulet of purity and goodness, which glowed silver, and showed it to her. ¡°This is.¡± ¡°The amulet of purity.¡± Hepleted with a nod. ¡°The goddess took it away from Doom before sending him into exile over three thousand years ago.¡± ¡°Then how do you have it?¡± ¡°Long story: the moon goddess wants Doom to have it. I thought it would be a struggle to put this around him, but after everything, I don¡¯t think it will be.¡± He stretched his hand towards her. She hesitated but took the amulet from his hand and said, ¡°You want me to give it to him.¡± ¡°Not me, the moon goddess.¡± He answered. ¡°Do you want to do this, though?¡± ¡°Doom saved my life and then spared it. I want to.¡± She said and kissed his lips deeply. They pulled away, and Julian¡¯s eyes strayed from hers, and they flickered with confusion and fear. O Fiona turned around immediately, finding Doom standing not so far away, and her heart picked up a beat. His eyes dropped to the amulet in her hand, and they became stony and glowed red. She hadn¡¯t thought of what to say as an exnation and expected the worst from his demeanour. ¡°Where did you get that?¡± Doom asked, but his attention was on Julian. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Seeing the amulet had triggered him, and now there was a dark aura around him. She felt it. That could not be good. ¡°The moon goddess gave it to me,¡± Julian replied. He dashed to him, brushing Fiona out of the way immediately and pinning Julian against the wall, Julian¡¯s men in the room tried to move into defence, but Julian¡¯s hand shot up to stop them. They did not have to get involved; they all wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against Doom, anyway, ¡°I will ask you again: where did you get it from?¡± Doom snarled at him. Fiona shook her head. ¡°Doom, no!¡± He red at her, and she lost the ability to speak. ¡°The goddess gave it to me before she brought me back to life. She should never have taken it away from you; that¡¯s what she told me.¡± Julian forced himself to speak. ¡°That¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth.¡± Fiona jumped to his defence. Doom shook his head. ¡°The moon goddess doesn¡¯t want me back; she would never give you this. Did she forget how evil I am?¡± ¡°She hasn¡¯t, but she created you this way. She¡¯s equally responsible for everything you have done.¡± Julian struggled to say the words, Doom unwrapped his hand from around his neck, and Julian dropped on one knee. Fiona ran over to him and got to her knees. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He nodded, and she wrapped her arms around him protectively. 29 Feb ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Doom said from behind calmly. Fiona pulled away from Julian to look at Doom, who had just spoken. ¡°This is the goddess¡¯ chance to do what she failed to do three thousand years ago.¡± Somehow, he had a look of contentment in his eyes. He stretched out his hand to Fiona. ¡°Give me the amulet.¡± n She hesitated, understanding what he had just said. Perhaps the moon goddess wanted to kill him. Killing him would mean killing a part of herself, and maybe after everything, that won¡¯t be so bad in her case. ¡°This is what you want?¡± Fiona asked. ¡°It needs to be done. It is high time I return to my creator.¡± He answered. Fiona handed him the amulet, and he ced it around his neck. The amulet glowed a bright gold as soon as he locked it in. The brightness of it increased with every second that passed until they could no longer behold him. Everyone shielded their eyes to protect them from the effects of the glowing amulet. Its brightness was sharp enough to blind everyone if they didn¡¯t protect their eyes. The light shining from the amulet ceased after a few seconds, and they uncovered their eyes to find Doom gone from their midst. He was gone to the moon goddess in life beyond. Fiona wrapped her hands around Julian tightly, celebrating their victory. His arms came around her and tightened. They were alive; they survived it all, bringing them so much joy and gratitude. They came outside the settlement, and there they found a body face down on the ground, and he looked unconscious. Fiona knew it was Cillian. Doom had told her he was somewhere in the settlement, and he spoke the truth. She ran over to him and took him in her hands. She ced her hand on him and picked up his faint heartbeat. He was still alive. ¡°Cillian.¡± She called to him. His brow furrowed before hisshes fluttered, and his blue eyes settled on hers. O 29 Fe ¡°Fiona,¡± he called in a lighter tone than when Doom inhabited his body. He smiled. ¡°You know me,¡± she said, smiling at him. He nodded. ¡°Doom was an as s, but he didn¡¯tpletely shut me out.¡± He answered, ¡°Since I¡¯m back in control, does that mean he¡¯s gone?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she answered. There was a flicker of sadness in his eyes at her response. ¡°Oh,¡± was all he said. He tried moving, but she held him down. ¡°Stay still; I need to heal you.¡± She told him. ¡°You think he will be happy for you to do that?¡± He asked with an arched brow. She turned her head a little, and she found Julian¡¯s eye fixed on Cillian, silently watching him, and she looked back at him. ¡°I am a healer. It¡¯s my job to help, and he understands that.¡± She replied. Cillian said nothing else before Fiona returned his heart and weakened muscle and bone, which Doom had crushed by dwelling in his body. ¡°You¡¯re fine now, Cillian.¡± She informed him and withdrew her hands. He pulled himself up to sit down. ¡°Thank you, Fiona. I see why he changed his mind for you. You have a pure heart and will help even an enemy in need.¡± ¡°You are not an enemy.¡± She stressed it to him. ¡°I am d I could help.¡± She returned to Julian, and he wrapped his arms around her. ¡°Do you think he will evere back?¡± Cillian asked as he rose to his feet. That was a question no one had an answer to. They could only hope that even if he returned, it would be on grounds of peace and not dominance. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 They all returned to the Lycan king¡¯s estate and met more than a thousand people standing in the field, waiting for their arrival. When the people saw them draw close, they all dropped to their knees. Seeing them came as a shock to Julian, who had sent many back home before the first battle and then again after their resurrection. ¡°You all shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± he said after getting to where they were. ¡°We couldn¡¯t be anywhere else, my king,¡± Alpha Lupe said, his knees still nted on the ground and his head bowed. ¡°This war was for every one of us, just as it was for you. We all came here in one ord, with hope for your victory and return. We are d to have you back, my king.¡± He answered. Julian spoke to the people, sharing their victory and the death of Alpha Cruz at the hands of Mischief. He told them the truth about everything. Then he dismissed the people to their variousmunities and homes and summoned the movers to take Cillian back to his world. The human, though wee to stay in their midst, needed to get back to his life in the human world. ¡°Thank you,¡± Cillian said as Fiona saw him over to where the movers stood waiting for him. ¡°What for?¡± She asked with furrowed brows. ¡°Everything. I can¡¯t name it all.¡± She smiled at him. ¡°Then you are wee. Take care of yourself, Cillian.¡± ¡°I will, Luna.¡± He bowed his head to her in respect. The movers came up to meet with them, having sighted Fiona from afar. Cillian went with them, and they stepped a bit away from Fiona to create the portal. Cillian turned around to her onest time. ¡°You will look for me when youe visiting someday, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Cillian, I will look for you.¡± A smile came on his face, and nodding, he went along with the movers. They opened the portal that created faster passage to the human world, and the three stepped through it. A few secondster, it closed up. 111 O < Fiona stood watching them vanish from before her eyes, and she stayed for a while, appreciating life as she knew in Surviving it all still felt like a dream, but it was a reality. Everything that had happened would go down in history with their name on it Her joy would be perfect if only her sons were here. Julian told her alpha Uryi had gone to bring them home, and that meant they were alive, but she needed to see them to believe. Thinking I see, she heard Julian¡¯s voice from behind, and she turned to look at him. She couldn¡¯t deny the truth; her mind was with her sons, and she didn¡¯t know how long she had wandered off in thought. They were alive, she felt it in her heart, but she longed to hold them now more than ever. ¡°I am. Of June and Jashin.¡± She answered with a nod He took her hand in his and squeezed for reassurance. ¡°We will wait for them together.¡± She smiled, and he leaned in and kissed her lips. She kissed him back, his arms wrapped around her waist, and he deepened the kiss, tasting the soft sweetness of her lips. They pulled away and held onto each other¡¯s hands while waiting It took a few hours more, but already intending to wait for their sons, none of them moved until they sighted Alpha Uryi and the boys from afar. Fiona was the first to take to her heels, racing over to them, and Julian followed behind. The boys saw them and ran to meet up with them. ¡°Mommy, daddy!¡± Jashin calls out with his arms stretched out ¡°Daddy! Mommy!¡± June squealed in excitement and ran towards them. Fiona reached out when she got close and took Jashin into her arms for a tight embrace, while Julian picked June up into his big arms. They all came together for a family hug. Tears ran down Fiona¡¯s face as Julian held them all tightly. She didn¡¯t think she would get this chance, get to hold them, and get to be a family again. Here, she was doing just that. The boys were unharmed and well. This was all she ever wanted. Julian pressed his lips against her head while holding onto her with one hand. ¡°It¡¯s over now; everything is alright now.¡± He mumbled to her and kissed her forehead. They all came in, and Julian thanked Alpha Uryi for bringing back the boys as he promised before releasing him to go home. The alpha bowed his head and took his O leave, and the families returned to their mansion. Alpha Cruz¡¯s rite of passage was the next day, and many, including the Lycan king and Luna queen, were in attendance. The six others who went for the rescue also came with their families to pay their The families of the nowte alpha all bid him farewell before taking their leave from the pathway. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only His oldest son, Al Cruz, who had experienced his premier shift and was set to be the new alpha, thanked the Lycan King for everything he had done to save the werewolf world. He then vowed to live up to the bravery his father showed in governing themunity while he lived. Julian, impressed with the young man¡¯s dedication, told him he was wee to visit anytime and seek counsel. As the day ended, Keh asked permission to leave for the south, where he would get to mourn Lily the best way he knew how. Julian granted him permission and told him to take as much time as he needed. He assured him that Rayfield would be open to weing him whenever he decided to return. Marion, who reunited with Elena at the warehouse, thanked the king for giving him the opportunity to save his mate. He pledged to forever be in service to the McQueen bloodline. From here on, they could only forge on, rebuild, and get stronger as one people sharing amon goal. Julian knew nothing would be impossible, though, not as long as he had Fiona by his side. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Julian¡¯s POV ¡°I came as fast as I could,¡± Julian said, stepping into the delivery room to find Fiona in bed, covered in sweat and agony. Her eyes had pain and fear written in them, even as she held onto a brave face. He was three hours into an intense board meeting about security and advancement around the barrier between the werewolf world and the human world. With the barrier down, Lycans would easily get into the human world with little or no stress. This didn¡¯t affect the werewolf world because, though humans had advanced greatly in thest few centuries, the werewolf world was still ahead in science and strength. Lycans were stronger, and many rogue ones would take advantage of that and go into the human world to create a menace. The discussion aimed at strengthening the parameters at the borders and doubling the guards. This would remain until a permanent solution came up. He put it all on hold when Fiona called, and from her breathing and pacing heart, he could tell it was time. He rose to his feet, left the meeting room, and never returned. Fiona gave him her hand, and he quickly took it and ced a kiss on the back of it. Julian had wanted to stay home, but she insisted it wasn¡¯t time and that he had a long day ahead. She was right; the meeting was important, but it wasn¡¯t as important as the birth of his child. He shouldn¡¯t have taken her wards as final; he should have stayed despite her words. He had missed out on the birth of Jashin and June, and he wanted to be a part of this one. After everything they had been through, being present was the least he could do. ¡°It wasn¡¯t supposed to be today.¡± She told him, reading his mind. ¡°The calction said two weeks more.¡± He reached out and stroked her face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Fiona; I¡¯m here now. You can do this.¡± His presence gave her much strength, and his reassurance further aided her. ¡°I¡¯m going to need you to push,¡± the physician attending to the birth instructed her. She nodded and did as she was told, and they heard a crying baby¡¯s voice a few seconds ||| O 10:19 Thu, 29 Feb anh ¡°You did it.¡± Julian smiled at her and kissed her lips. ¡°You did it.¡± She smiled through her ssy eyes. Julian kept his eyes on her,mending her, stroking her face tenderly, and letting her know how proud of her he was. ¡°Would you like to hold your daughter, my king?¡± The physician asked, stepping closer to them. His eyes departed from Fiona¡¯s and moved to the woman holding onto the baby. ¡°Yes, please.¡± He said and stretched his hand out to take the child. His eyes blurred up at the sight of her; their baby girl looked just like Fiona, and it melted his heart. Their family was nowplete. ¡°Are you crying?¡± She asked in a weary tone. ¡°I can¡¯t help it; don¡¯t judge me. She¡¯s just so beautiful.¡± He came to stay beside her so she could have a look at her. ¡°She¡¯s just as beautiful as you,¡± he said, and the baby¡¯s eyes flickered to reveal her mesmerising green eyes. ¡°She has your eyes.¡± She pointed out, and, oh, his joy. ¡°She does,¡± he agreed. ¡°What shall we call her?¡± She asked, and her gaze moved to his. Fiona wanted to call her Lily after Keh, but then there were Dorothy and Ophelia, and these were wonderful women who had contributed one thing or another to her life. She would feel guilty if she picked one over the other, and so she told him to do the honour. She also made him promise he wouldn¡¯t disclose it to her until the baby was born, and he promised. ¡°Zeena,¡± he said. ¡°The first Lycan queen?¡± She asked, already knowing the story about the brave queen who ruled the werewolf world over eight hundred years ago. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful name.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. They returned home that evening, and June and Jashin were the most excited to see them. Their excitement turned into aplete jubilee when they saw their baby sister. < ¡°It¡¯s a baby!¡± June told Jashin and hugged him tightly. ¡°Who will carry her first?¡± Julian asked. The baby was in his arms. Jashin¡¯s hand stretched forth, and June hesitated. Julian handed Zeena over to Jashin, and as he held her, June drew closer to stare at her in awe. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± Jashin asked. ¡°Zeena,¡± Julian answered. ¡°The warrior princess turned queen?¡± June asked, and he knew his history well. Julian nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful name.¡± Jashin said, adding, ¡°Wee to the family, Zeena. You have two brothers, and we live with you.¡± Julian held Zeena in his arms, rocking her back and forth, and Fiona stood and watched. Watching his daughter slowly fall asleep was an image that seemed all too perfect. He would cherish it for as long as he could. ¡°You shouldy her in the crib and let her get used to it,¡± Fiona suggested. He nodded and came toy her in her crib, and he slowly rocked her until she fell asleep. ¡°She¡¯s sleeping now.¡± He whispered before moving to her and leaning in for a soft kiss. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°For what?¡± She asked as he pulled back from the kiss. ¡°For everything-being there that night, nine years ago, not getting rid of the baby after everything you faced just because you were pregnant. For telling me the truth and for giving me the chance to be a father to my sons. Foring back with me to save the werewolf world and giving up your powers so I could have mine. You have no clue how much you mean to me, my precious Luna queen.¡± ¡°Julian, you¡¯re going to make me cry.¡± His hand tilted her chin, making her nce up at him. Her eyes were ssy, and she was barely holding his. The tears rolled down her face, and he wiped them off. ¡°I love you so much, Fiona.¡± ¡°I love you, Julian, now and forever.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!