~ NOX “Wait a minute?” She said, gaping at me breathlessly. “You’re the King?” I nodded watching her closely. I understood the reason behind her skepticism. For the longest time, no one outside of my territory had seen my face unless he or she was an Alpha. Rumors had sprung up and spread that I had become a deranged beast or a psychopathic killer with an insatiable thirst for blood. I was okay with it all as long as it served my agenda. Zora, on the other hand, seemed to be going through an array of thoughts and emotions all at the same time. I could smell her fear, sense her confusion and taste her excitement. The ritual we had just performed had made me hyperaware and alert to the changes occurring within her and I knew she was experiencing the same thing concerning me too. “And now we are mated.” She said more to herself than to me like she was reaffirming something that felt like a dream. “Bonded.” I corrected. “What?” She asked, blinking out of her daze. “Bonded.” I repe
~ ZoraThe moment I finished the sandwich Nox gave me, I immediately felt a fatigue so intense, I could barely walk the few feet it took to keep the food tray on Nox’s desk table and back to the bed. I suddenly realized I had no idea if Nox wanted me in his bed or not. Besides, if he wanted me in his bed, did that also mean we would have to get intimate?I had no idea if I was ready for that. Based on how he had acted towards me since we left the woods and the feelings of reluctance and discomfort that I sensed from him, I decided it would be best if he invited me to join him rather than assume. Summoning the last bit of strength in me, I grabbed a pillow and a blanket and got comfortable on the floor next to his bed. The moment my head hit the pillow, I was out. By the time I woke up, I felt well rested and renewed. Reluctant to get up, I snuggled in deeper to the musky scent of citrus, sandalwood and cedar. It smelt so delicious, I basically moaned out loud. Something moved and ti
~ ZoraI had no idea how long I sat there being interrogated by Roman. Being completely enveloped by darkness made me lose sense of time and place. Only Roman’s voice tethered me to the present. He asked about the pack I was from, what I did as an occupation, if I was a spy. Then he asked how I fell from the cliff and something in me began to struggle against his hold on me. I didn’t want to relive the trauma of what was done to me so I tried to shake his hold. It felt like I was glued down but I knew my body was still moving.“Shhhhh. Calm down. Relax.” I heard Roman say but the effect of his voice was no longer soothing on me. “Let me out!” I shouted. I continued to tug against the mental hold keeping me pinned until I felt a hand on my shoulder and delicious warmth course through my body. “It’s okay.” I heard Nox’s voice whisper in my ear. “You’re here now. You’re safe. I won’t let anything happen to you.”My body seemed to relax at that and my breathing evened. Roman continued
~ ZoraMy head. There was a bounty on my head and the only thing I could do was blink. Then I felt my legs move, one after the other till I was walking out of Nox’s office, down the passageway and out the main door. By now, the moon was high in the sky lighting my path. I kept walking with no plan of where I wanted to go. Someone may have called my name but I couldn’t hear anything else. I couldn’t hear past my own thoughts and raging emotions. What if I hadn’t shown up on Nox’s territory? Would I have been executed by any of the packs I stumbled into? Did my family know about this? Were they worried? Was Tyler also in on it? Did Emilia say I did something?“Zora!” Nox’s voice thundered through my thoughts. I jumped and turned around to look at him. He looked worried. I could sense his concern settling around me like a blanket. “Are you okay?”“What do you think?” I said in barely a whisper. I tried to feel something but it was like I was numb. I could only feel what Nox felt f
~ TylerI had no peace. Ever since I rejected Zora and claimed Emilia as my mate, everything within me had felt wrong. My wolf had gone restless, seeking the familiar scent of my rejected mate and the pleasure of her warmth. She had trusted me and I had betrayed her in the worst way imaginable. The thought alone haunted me as I stood beside Emilia and received congratulations and well wishes from people. My eyes had scanned the crowd for Zora but I knew she wouldn’t be there. Not coming to wish my chosen mate and I well was an act of disrespect but I hoped my father would let it slide. I could barely stay on at the party afterwards so I retreated to my bedroom. At some point, Emilia had asked to borrow my phone and I was so uncomfortable around her, I simply agreed so she could go away from me. I had no idea when I slept off but when I woke up, Emilia was in my bed as she had been for the past couple of weeks, but that morning, her scent had repulsed me. Everything about her annoye
~ Zora Roman took me to the dining room to have dinner and after that, he led me to another bedroom just as Nox had ordered. My new bedroom was on the same level as the previous room I stayed in, maybe five or six bedrooms away from Nox. I also noticed that this room was almost identical to Nox's except there was a Queen-size bed in my new room instead of a King-size and the color of my curtains and beddings were lavender instead of gold. The first thing that had occurred to me the moment I stepped in was the fact that I couldn't smell him. It felt like living in a world full of color one minute and then suddenly being ripped from it and thrown into a room with monochromatic features. How could I have only spent a day with this man and he already has such an effect on me? More importantly, how could I desire a man who has been known to be ruthless and dangerous? Still contemplating my thoughts, I noticed a blue nightgown had been laid on the bed for me and when I got closer, I re
~ Zora Nox withdrew his hand from the brunette’s touch just as his cold gaze roamed my body. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and chose to ignore him. After all, I had something to prove to myself. Roman, soon appeared by my side with his hand outstretched for me to take. In other to spite Nox, I gave Roman the brightest smile I could muster, before taking his hand. As Roman led me to the left side of the dining table, we both said our greetings. I had no idea how seating systems worked so I aimed for a chair farthest from Nox but much to my disappointment, Roman, pulled out the chair closest to Nox. Sitting at the table, I could feel Nox’s eyes on me, like fiery heat, but I refused to look at him. Instead, I focused on dishing myself a balanced meal. “I don’t think I have had the pleasure of being acquainted with you,” Roman said to the brunette as he took his seat beside me. I felt displeased that he was even speaking to her at all but then again, I reminded myself to put my
~ Nox From the moment she walked into the dining room, I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. It was like as if her very essence called to me and this way, nothing else mattered but her. Her delicious scent made my mouth water for a taste of her large bosom, her curvy hips and the treasure that lied within them. Before my mind could go astray, I looked away but then, my traitorous eyes found my way back to her again. I was able to control my lust for her until Mabel began to say spiteful things about her person, and our bond became assaulted with waves upon waves of her sadness and pain. The fact that she kept calm and gave Mabel a false name right when Roman and I were still contemplating how she would be introduced made my wolf and I feel something we hadn’t felt for someone in a while - Pride. Maybe, it was the bond between us, but I instantly became aware of her need to be comforted. Somehow, I just knew she needed physical contact and I had been right. It was fascinating the way