I stood up hurriedly and looked back. I felt my breath hitched as I stared at the Lycan King in front of me.
He was way younger than I expected. I had imagined an old graying king not this perfection in front of me. He was tall and majestic and there was a powerful magnetic aura that compelled respect radiating from him.
Before now, I had thought Jax was the most handsome male werewolf. But he paled before Magnus. He had raven black hair just like mine which offset his pale complexion. His piercing blue eyes and regal air made him look older than he was. He blinked and I came back to my senses. I had been staring at him open-mouthed without saying anything.
"Umm, thank you for catching me. It's an honor to meet you finally, King Magnus" I quickly mumbled, wishing the ground would swallow me. I hoped he couldn't hear my heart racing from here.
He nodded expressionlessly.
"Nice to meet you. I assume you're Sophie. Did a little research on you, always do that to know my hosts. Cloris hall is quite lovely and the packs are pleasant folks" He said then turned to Jax who she noticed was lacking his natural haughty attitude.
"Would you start the conference now or I should give you time to settle your family issues?" He said firmly.
"There's no problem, King Magnus. I will start the conference" Jax said reverentially. He went over to Nikini and whispered in her ears. The only words I caught were "Alright", "Coming back" and "Deal with it later."
"Let's go, Sophie" He said finally, glaring at me.
I walked behind him, feeling King Magnus' eyes on me. I'm self conscious and didn't look back. I noticed people staring at him as we passed by. This was the first time he was coming to our local annual gala and I heard whispers around the place.
"He's the youngest Lycan king ever yet he doesn't have a mate. He came here to find one" Someone whispered to his neighbor nearby.
"No Bruce,you got it wrong. Lycans are special, unlike us that have fated mates, they look for people they love, "Another person said.
"That's all hogwash. Bruce is right. Lycans have fated mates but they're precious and rare to find"
I smile at the banter, slowing my steps to hear the reply. I envy the normal werewolves for their friendly arguments and easy lives.
Jax looks back and notices I'm not beside him. He drags me by the hand with a loving smile on his face purely for the crowd.
"That Jax. He's one that looks out for his woman. You don't see such loving couples these days" The one called Bruce said, behind us.
"Aye, aye, you don't see em anymore" The men around him agreed in unison.
I sighed inwardly as we walked in to start the ceremony. If only they knew.
***
The gala was in full swing as I hurried away from the event to gather my thoughts. Jax had given a rousing welcome address that had captivated everyone. I had plastered a smile on my face throughout the whole thing, beaming at dignitaries and doing my duties as the presiding hostess. Everyone around looked happy, attendants went around holding up trays of steaks and sparkling wines in tall glasses. It was a vegetarian nightmare, the main cuisine was meat which was everywhere.
I smiled politely and waved to the Beta mate of our pack. She and the Beta were dancing. They were doing a foxtrot and seemed happy in each other's arms. The music went up higher and couples around linked hands to dance.
I looked around for Jax, but I couldn't see him, which was a good thing. I wasn't ready for his problem. I couldn't see King Magnus either, he was probably hunting for an eligible lady around. This was my cue. I needed to relax in a nearby garden that I had seen while coming here.
I slip out the door, unnoticed again. On my way, I thought of an opening to confront Jax and Nikini. What if they went public about their relationship? I was past crying about it, I didn't know what to do. It had to be a decisive action but I couldn't think up a way to approach that matter.
"Oof" I cried out as I missed my steps and tripped. I felt a hand catch my elbow once more and I looked up to see King Magnus once more.
"Once again, thank you, King Magnus" I said, with a nervous smile looking down.
"It seems you have a habit of falling down. That's twice now in such a short time. You should have a chaperone, I don't know if there'll be a third incident."
I muster the courage to look up at him and I see his eyes crinkle in amusement at me. My cheeks turn red at his gentle words, our proximity is not a good thing.
His hands are still around my waist and I wonder how we will appear to people. I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea.
"Could you let go now" I said, gently entangling his hands from my waist.
"What the hell"
We both looked back, startled by the voice. I jumped back knowing it was Jax.
"What are you both doing here?" He asked, looking murderously at King Magnus and I.
I exchanged an uneasy glance with King Magnus. There was no emotion visible on his handsome face though. We had both caught off guard by Jax's sudden appearance and I could feel the tension in the air. Jax's voice rang out, filled with anger and disappointment, as he directed his intense gaze towards King Magnus and me. Startled by his sudden appearance, my heart raced, realizing the magnitude of the situation.
"Jax, I can explain," I began, my voice trembling with a mix of anxiety and desperation. "I tripped, and King Magnus helped me up. It was an accident, I swear."
Jax's face twisted with rage, his eyes blazing with an intensity I had never seen before. "Don't you dare lie to me, Sophie!" he spat, his voice dripping with bitterness. "I can't believe you would allow him to touch you like that."
"Watch your tongue, she speaks the truth" King Magnus said in a low but stern tone. I did not miss the unmistakable threat in them. However, I saw that Jax was past caring. He was always reckless when he was in such a mood. Instead he sneered at him.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I tried to reach out to him, to make him understand. "Jax, please, it wasn't what you think. It was a careless gesture, nothing more. You have to trust me."
His laughter was filled with bitterness and hurt. "Trust you? How can I trust you when you're cozying up to another man right in front of me?"
I felt King Magnus bristle beside me, his powerful aura permeating the surrounding, it was feral.
Feeling the weight of Jax accusation, I turned to King Magnus and pleaded on his behalf, my voice choked with emotion.
"Your Majesty, he didn't mean what he said, forgive him."
"Jax, I never meant to hurt you. It was an innocent accident. Please, let me explain."
But his anger only seemed to intensify the more I talked, his gaze hardened as he glared at King Magnus. "I trusted you both. I thought you were different, that you would never betray me like this," he seethed, his voice laced with a mix of pain and anger.
"Forgive my outburst, my Lord. You just saved me the trouble of getting rid of her" He said with a cackle as he walked away from me.
Desperation washed over me as I realized the extent of the damage done. "Jax, please don't say that. I never wanted to hurt you. You mean everything to me," I pleaded, reaching out to touch his arm.
He jerked away from my touch, his face contorted with a mixture of anguish and resentment. "Spare me your explanations, Sophie. I've witnessed all I need to. I no longer want any part of you. I reject.you as my mate."
As the weight of his words settled upon me, I watched in agony as he stormed off, leaving me behind in a whirlwind of shattered trust and broken hearts. Tears streamed down my face as I stood there, feeling the weight of his absence and the pain of our fractured connection.
King Magnus, who had been silent throughout the exchange, stepped forward, his expression a mix of sympathy and concern. "Sophie, what are you going to do now"
I looked up at him through tear-filled eyes, my voice barely a whisper. "I don't know, you were not exactly helping matters. It's not your fault though, King Magnus. This is my mess to clean up."
Taking a deep breath, I gathered my resolve, wiping away my tears with a determined swipe of my hand. I knew I had to face the consequences of my actions and work to repair the damage I had caused. With a heavy heart, I turned away from King Magnus, leaving the gala behind as I ran after Jax , hoping against hope that he would find it in his heart to forgive me.
I found the bitter truth though on reaching the house a while later.
As I reached the house, panting and out of breath, I came to a stop at the sight before my eyes. I could hear my own heartbeat echoing rapidly in the silence, the weight of Jax's rejection heavy on my heart. I knew that what had transpired between King Magnus and me, regardless of its innocent nature, had irreversibly damaged my relationship with Jax but it didn't prepare me for what was before me.My belongings were strewn carelessly around the doorway. It was like a whirlwind had entered my room and deposited my things outside. I had an idea who the whirlwind was.I found him in his study engrossed in a book. He definitely heard my footsteps but feigned deaf ears to it."Why are all my belongings thrown outside? Some of them are fragile and are surely broken." I said."Isn't it obvious, I rejected you. We're divorced. There's no need to stay here anymore" He said, finally dragging his eyes away from the book."You're not innocent yourself" I said with sparks in my eyes, finally tire
I woke up the next day feeling refreshed and uncertain of where I was. My memory came back gradually as I yawned. The unfamiliar setting had confused me for a moment. I wasn't waking up in my bed. The Lycan king had carried me to the hotel he had booked for his stay here in the upper part of town.I looked around the expansive room, it exuded wealth and opulence. No doubt the stay here was very expensive. The sheets were so soft and had a feathery warmth to it. My wolf, Ryka was loving it as I felt our insides curl at the treatment we were receiving. It had been a long time I had slept this long. My failing marriage with Alpha Jax had always been on my mind these past days. I reflected on the events of the past day, my life had changed so quickly that it was becoming a blur in my mind. After the shocking twist at the grove, I had gone home to get my belongings. I expected Nikini to feel triumphant at getting Alpha Jax all to herself. That wasn't what had happened. If anything, she w
This should only be in fairy tales, I thought to myself as we got down from the limousine. The castle was straight out of a Gothic story. Its towering spires clawed at the darkening sky and was shrouded in an eerie mist that seemed to have settled over it for centuries. The black stone walls rose ominously from the earth, casting long, twisted shadows in the daylight."I know that look, it's ugly" King Magnus said with a chuckle, joining me to study the place."No, I wouldn't say that, more like Gothic" I said lamely trying to praise the place."Blackwater castle was built by the first Lycan King, King Grimwick. Not much has changed in the structure since then". He said, then turned to talk to the driver.He must have mind-linked his pack members because just then three young men opened the heavy metal doors of the castle which creaked open with an eerie groan, as if warning us of its mysterious depths. The entrance was adorned with grotesque stone gargoyles, their twisted forms addin
The massive doors swung open, revealing a hall that was as grand as it was intimidating. I looked sideways to see the guards' implacable faces. I took a hesitant step into the room, feeling like a rabbit surrounded by wolves. Gleaming tables were arranged neatly in three rows. They indicated that banquets were held here sometimes. One of the guards pushed me forward roughly."You bow in front of royalty," He hissed at me."Treat her gently, she's yet to learn our ways" A high feminine voice piped from the far end of the hall. I realized my mistake, in my eagerness to study the hall, I had failed to recognize the people sitting there. The lighting at their end was poor too, they saw more of me than I did of them. Slowly my wolf abilities made my eyesight get accustomed to the light and I could pick their outlines clearly.The Queen mother sat on a lavish throne-like chair with a regal air about her. She was a woman of striking beauty despite her age, her silver hair cascaded framed he
Magnus POV.Another sleepless night as usual. The rhythmic ticking of the clock in my room was the only sound around. It was early dawn of another day and I had not slept a wink because my mind was occupied.The events of the past days has been nothing short of unexpected. I had gone to the Blood Diamonds pack for the Gala event alone but had unexpectedly brought back a mate. The Blood diamond council had been surprised but no one had been more surprised than I was. I took the decision in a spilt second. I'm usually more logical than that. My business successes and conquest as the Lycan King are a result of thinking through on decisions before acting on them. I had first taken an interest in her at the party. Even then, I had seen the tension in their marriage. I saw it as providence or the workings of the moon goddess when he later rejected her.My first instinct when Jax had talked insolently to me outside the party was to rip out his throat. Elena had been the only person who coul
The days had been monotonous, nobody told me that a castle could be so boring. But then, I was always inside so I couldn't complain much. For the past two days, my routine was mostly reading novel paperbacks, eating and sleeping.It was the early hours of the morning and I knew that my maid would soon be here to get me started on my day. I had asked the housekeeper for another maid since I couldn't get along with the previous one. I had not gotten into details about it, I just told her I wasn't comfortable with her. Whatever her fault, I didn't want Daisy sacked because of me. The new girl, Sarah was more polite and quiet. We had gotten along just fine.Technically, there was no law against me going out, I just assumed I wasn't to leave. From what I had gathered, King Magnus was always busy. We didn't see much of each other which was strange for people getting married in a few days. But then, the circumstances surrounding our relationship was different.I got out of the bed and went
"You two know each other" King Magnus said as Luke and I were still transfixed on seeing ourselves."Yes," he mumbled. "I never thought I'll see her again."King Magnus looked at me and I knew he wanted an explanation. His eyes narrowed as he looked at both of us."We were childhood friends," Luke said before I could open my mouth. I nodded confirming his words.I knew I needed to add more details to what he said for his benefit but I was still stunned on seeing him. Life was so unfair."Right." King Magnus said. "I'll leave you two to catch up. Luke, show her around too. I need to finish up training," He said and walked back to the training room.We watched him go and I twisted a lock of my hair as I stood hesitant.I didn't want to be left alone with Luke, my insides were in a turmoil. His face had matured over the years to a more sharper profile but he still retained his boyish look."How are you…" I started to say to fill in the silence. It was strange just standing there."Not he
It was a bright morning. I was in my room with the housekeeper, Miss Prisca and we were both poring over a magazine that featured wedding dresses. We were trying to select my outfit for the wedding and we had been at it for an hour now, i was so indecisive because they were all beautiful. There was a knock on the door. Three rapid knocks, I knew it was one of the guard at the door. The three knocks was their trademark."Come in" I said tearing my eyes away from an especially seductive curvy wedding gown.Ever since the incident two days back in the training arena, King Magnus had increased security outside my door."You have a visitor, Luna" The guard said, popping his head halfway through the open gap."Alright, send the person in,"I said, wondering who it was. Maybe Luke had come to see me. I hoped that wasn't the case, I didn't want wicked rumors circulating around."How long would I be kept waiting. Out of my way" I heard someone say, pushing roughly past the guard.The magazine