Zira’s POV
I didn’t need to turn to know who was behind me. Years of meeting her at almost every event I had, either close to home or in the capital, made Scarlett’s voice stick in my mind.
I reluctantly turned and saw her, glamorously dressed. With our packs right beside each other, Scarlett had been obsessed with Killian and had pursued him for the past few years.
And as his “betrothed,” I had encountered far too many of Scarlett’s dirty dealings and other aspects to believe her appearance was any reflection of who she was.
“If it isn’t Blood Moon’s future Luna,” Scarlett said with a mocking smile, and I squared my shoulders, determined to let her see only my strong side.
“Oops! I forgot, Ex-Luna,” she added hurriedly and then shot me a wink that had me thanking the moon goddess I had an empty stomach.
I smiled sweetly and said vaguely, “Like usual, Scar, you never seem to think things through,” and only went on when I could tell she was getting impatient.
“I was never Luna. I just happened to have been in a relationship with a man you would have killed for and then broke up.” It was my word against hers anyway; she wasn’t there, after all.
She laughed heartily one moment, then leaned in close the next, a cold glow filling her eyes. “It’s always about twisting words and trying to make yourself look good. I know your sister, who’s right behind you, awakened the bond with Killian on your wedding day, Zira,” Scarlett said, with venom slipping through her words.
“And I know how hard it can be for you to admit it despite how hard you tried”—she gave Leah a look from head to toe before chuckling—“you still lost him, Zira.”
I clenched my fists tight, determined not to lose control. It took me only a few seconds to get my mood right.
In a place like this, losing control wouldn’t do anyone any good. I could even implicate the pack with any wrong decision.
I wanted to chuckle as she added, “If it’s any comfort, I guess Killian had quite a bit of bad luck with his mate,” but instead I reached out to prevent Leah from retaliating excessively.
“You bitch!” Leah shouted. “What do you mean by bad luck?”
Even though I had her in my arms, she was trashing me so much that it was difficult to keep her still.
“Exactly what you just showed me,” Scarlett said in her superior way, “vulgar and basic.”
I whispered a warning in Leah’s ear that made her stop moving immediately, and I shifted my attention back to Scarlett.
“I’ll leave you both to your matters,” Scarlett said. “Once I become the selected bride of the Lycan king, I’ll have other ways to deal with our grudge, Zira.”
“What Lycan king bride?” Leah asked quickly, eyeing her with suspicion.
“Of course neither of you would know.” She looked down her nose at us. “Since neither of you are considered suitable for him. But we’re not here for the crowning alone. There are also plans to pick a bride for the Lycan King.”
I resisted the urge to laugh at how stunned Leah looked.
As Scarlett talked, a sweet and intoxicating fragrance drifted into my nostrils. It almost seemed to be calling out to my soul. I looked around, trying to locate the scent’s origin, but Scarlett’s voice drew me back to her.
“But don’t—” Scarlett's eyes shifted from me to someone or something behind me, and a dazed look appeared within them.
To satisfy my curiosity, I turned and peered toward the building where my father said we would see everyone later that day. My body stiffened as my eyes met with a man standing just across. He had looks that shouldn’t exist within the boundaries of the world, with a build that made me feel small, even from a distance.
However, his attractiveness was not the issue. It was how my wolf lurched inside me anxiously the moment my eyes met with the man’s own. My entire body yearned to rush him and claim him as mine. I tightened my fists to prevent myself from doing anything rash.
Was the man before me really my mate? I could feel it in my bones and from my wolf’s chant. Yet, I didn’t dare to do anything hasty. In that moment, however, I regretted not asking Leah how she had felt when she and Killian had known they were mates.
Was this how it felt?
The man broke eye contact with me, and I felt a tinge of regret. It only lasted a moment, though. Next thing I knew, he had closed the distance between us with long strides and pulled me into his embrace.
“Mate…” he growled lowly into my ear, confirming my suspicions and feelings.
I had a mate! My own mate!
Zira’s POVThe scent of the man whose arms were wrapped around me was the most wonderful in the world. Just being in his embrace made me feel so at home I didn’t want to fight the need to remain there. Every part of me kept chanting that he was my mate, that he belonged to me….So when he finally released me from his tight hold, I didn’t react, but simply stared at him.Killian had always been the most handsome man I’d ever encountered. Not only did I think he was attractive, but so did Scarlett and the females of the other packs. He was widely regarded as the hottest alpha in the area.But the man in front of me made me feel like all of us had been blind all these years. Atop a build that made me feel like he was looking down at me from his eyes, his face was perfectly sculpted like a painting.It wasn’t easy to accept that this man, who appeared to be a reincarnation of the Greek mythology gods we had read about, was actually my mate. I shook my head twice and then told my mind to c
Zira’s POVAlpha king of Eliza? “When did you get the right to bully my people? I called you here to lead the Luna of the Blood Moon packs to her hotel room,” Ronan’s voice rang out with a lot more command than when he had talked to us just now. The guard lowered his head a bit more while cupping his hands, “forgive me, your high…,” Before he could complete his words, Scarlett, who was standing next to Leah, fell to the floor with a loud thump that interrupted his speech.Her group immediately scattered as they watched her limp figure on the floor. The guards were faster instead, and two of them rushed out from the group of six and carried her away. As I watched her go, I remembered that she had boasted not too long about being selected to be a bride for the newly selected King. That was Ronan, right?!Leah looks just as shocked and keeps looking at Ronan with a dazed look; before I can even let myself process the news about his identity, I feel my wolf whining in me with fierce
Zira’s POVThe moment our lips met, it feltlike fireworks exploded within me. I had read it so many times. And felt it hadto be a lie. My first kiss with Killian had been okay. And yet, the real world was nothing closeto what the novelsmade it outto be. But with Ronan? It was my fairytalecoming awake,and I didn’t hesitate to grant him entrance into my mouth. He tasted like everything onecould call perfect!There was a splashof tequila and a minty-sweet flavor combination. There was also some third tastethat I couldn’t figure out as the loud chiming of a bell blared through everybuilding and broke the moment withhow loud it was. It was either just outside this door or high up somewhere toget to the palace. Ronan pulled away, and his handsmoved down to my arms as he tried to catch his breath. I was no better off. But withhim holding me, at the very least, my legs that felt like jelly didn’t win thebattle of having me flat on the floor. “I...I have to go. That bell s
Zira’s POVI had no idea what image my brain had conjured up when Ronan told me his Beta, Miles, was coming to pick me. But I was certain that image couldn’t resonate with you if you had been here with me. Miles was twice as huge as Ronan and just a little shorter, giving him a pretty intimidating look that had been backing me away the moment I pulled the door open for him. With a sly grin, he lifted his hands and said, “I don’t bite.” With a nod or perhaps a more emphatic shaking of the head, I gaze at his face and nod.A little bit of my fear evaporated as I realized that while his body and presence were overwhelming at first sight, his face didn’t seem that daunting and even made me feel like I could relax a little around him. “Ronan asked me to bring you over to the hall. Are you ready?” He asks and stretches his hands out. I nod but don’t raise my hand to him. Miles shrugs and chuckles at my refusal but still leads the way. With him leading the way, I realized that Ronan was r
“If I…” his words are broken by a familiar voice calling his name, and I looked behind him at the same time that Killian turned back to see Leah’s voluptuous figure walk up to us in her bright red dress.I had never been this happy to see Leah. And that had to be something.“Leah! Thank the goddess that you are saved!” I exclaim out of excitement and rush forward, planning to hug her, but I’m pushed back by Killian, who pulls her into a tight hug.“My sweet mate. I was almost scared that something had happened to you,” he crooned, then ran his hands on her back in circles.Memories of me being the girl in Killian’s arms flashed through my mind. But this time, they didn’t hurt.I had my mate now.“K...Killian… do... do you know how scary it was without you? I was all alone and got lost so many times,” Leah cried out, and I shot her a cynical look.She looked every bit fine with not a crease on her dress. It was hard to imagine that she had really been lost.Besides, she was right here
Zira’s POV I had never been one to likebeing touchy or anything of that sort. Despite how much Killian had wanted usto go all the way in our relationship, I had constantly refused. But somehow,around Ronan, I always seemed to lose any bit of restraint. “You should change,” I told him as I tried to step back. Henods and then starts to loosen all his buttons carefully. A part of me still felt guiltythat I had allowed his coronation to end with him having to jump in a pool tosave me, but I was grateful that he haddone that. I watch, entranced, as he pulls off the regalia, leaving a black shirt that wasglued to his body from all the dampness and heat. Earlier, when we met, he had been a lot more casual,but seeing him now with all his body outlines, it was easy to see that he wasone of those men that would look a lot slimmer when dressed. It was hard to look away fromit. Like every part of me seemed to want to reach out to him, I eventually pulled my gaze away. There was a
Zira’s POVI gasped in surprise as I watched myselfin the floor-to-ceiling mirror in front of me.The Royal Palace stylist certainly hadmagical hands,as I felt like my whole person had undergone some surgeries that humansloved to do so much. My hair was rolled up into ahigh bun with some curled tendrils framing myface while my make-upwas delicately done to highlight all of my features. The only thing wrong with all ofthese, with the stunning blue dress and the teardrop pearl necklace seated on mychest, and Ronan gifted, was that today, I was going to watch my mate getbetrothed to another woman. “Your beauty certainly has norival even in the capital,” Ana, the head stylist, says with an adoring smile as she looks at me through the mirror. “Thank you,” I mumble, notwanting to seem impolite. “If you are ready, I’ll lead youto the hall. Weare already quite late.” Itturns out Ana was correct; the entire buildingwas alive withmusic and conversation as soon as we steppe
Zira’s POVAtfirst, it seems like I’m the only one that notices as heads are bowed inreverence to him. But hell breaks loose the moment Ronan sits down, and theeunuchs permit us to be seated.One ofthe girls beside me nudged me in the waist with her elbow.“Whatpack are you from? Your father must be daring to have allowed you to use thesame Arlen-silk that our king has used,” she says with scorn, deliberatelymaking her voice loud enough for others to talk.“Ialready felt there was something about her dress the moment she sat down,”someone added from behind. And I wished I could understand what they weresaying more than anything.Arlen-silk?Seeing thatthe color and patterns were the same, I was more than certain that I would bein trouble. Yet, it appeared to be some unusual substance at this point.Whywould Ronan put me in such a spotlight on a day like this?The queendowager raised her glass and, with cutlery, tapped on it twice to get theattention of everyone in the ha