Xenos was executed within a week of returning to the palace. Amira was there but didn’t watch the execution after it reminded her of her fathers. The weight Amira had been carrying around lifted even at the expense of Zayyan’s father’s death. Zayyan wasn’t there to witness it due to the new position he held as the only leader of the rogues. Alpha Dashiell’s name was also cleared, and his name and pack reinstated, though there was none to accept it besides the last living pack member, Amira Desai, their Luna and Alpha Queen. The land that had been abandoned and weakened the kingdom since was given to the next Desai heir- Amira- who wanted to give it to Zayyan. Her cousin refused the offer and remained in the Wildlands, not wholly trusting the government or the rogues and remaining neutral within the ongoing politics. After Amira’s coronation and introduction to the kingdom as their new Queen, the rules were established for packs and rogues to coexist peacefully. Zayyan ensured his p
Sneaking into the king’s palace was never going to be easy. But years of planning and waiting for the opportune moment made slipping into the banquet hall piss easy. Amira walked inside, her attire like the other guards, she was a little on the smaller side, but nobody took notice. The guests were abuzz with the ongoing ball. Women were dressed to impress, all hoping to attract a suitor or the rarity of finding a mate. They were all like peacocks preening themselves with fans, flaunting their busts in their dresses and proving their worth for a potential partner by dancing. Amira rolled her eyes and continued to walk at the edges of the grand banquet hall. She’d missed the Alpha King’s entrance by a few minutes. Yet, she remained calm because she knew his routine for such events. Her cousin, Zayyan, observed the king from afar for weeks before the pieces of their plan finally came together. And here she was. Set to kill the tyrannical Alpha King, Rhys Quintrell. Amira followed h
~ Rhys ~ There it was again. The scent of orange and cinnamon. It was mouthwatering. Rhys smelt it on the balcony, but Baltir kept him from searching for the culprit with the alluring scent. His wolf almost tugged him forward in excitement like the unrestrained beast he was. The fucker never got excited, not unless it was spilling blood. What made his vicious wolf act like some sappy pup? Rhys burst through the doors locating Jasmine ahead at the far end of the grandiose bed chambers. She sat calmly at the end of the four-poster bed. Her eyes were lowered, long lashes brushing the top of her cheeks. Rhys licked his lips; the scent was almost suffocating, urging him to go to her. For once, he would show restraint because he had a gut feeling that he would be heavily rewarded for taking his time to deflower this princess. It was hard, though. Jasmine really was breathtaking. With long raven locks falling in waves around her face and chest, the sheer dressing gown was tight agains
~ Amira ~ Amidst the excruciating pain coursing through her body, the sounds of the guards charging towards the bed chambers signified her time was up. Amira glared at the king’s motionless form. He was not dead. There was only enough aconite in his system to render him unconscious for a few days at most. She could finish him off right then and there, even with the injuries she sustained and the pain of the rejected mate bond her wolf was whining about, but there was no guarantee she would make it out alive. This was mostly for the good of the kingdom, but she wasn’t selfless or a martyr. This was also an act of vengeance. There would be another time and place. Hopefully. Amira sprinted towards the king’s walk-in wardrobe and the secret passageway, letting her bones break, and her body shift as she did so. Overwhelmed by the intense pain, a wave of nausea washed over her, threatening to plunge her into unconsciousness. Her fur sunk back inside her pours as she returned to her
~ Rhys ~ Seated on his dining chair by the rounded table of his balcony in the connecting parlour to his bed chamber, Rhys glared at his arm resting on the glass top. He sat in his breeches, legs wide, back resting against the chair with an intimidating air. Only a few hours had slipped away, yet those hours were far too long in such a vulnerable state of unconsciousness. While Amira may have dealt a potentially fatal blow to Rhys, the opportunity was ripe for others to exploit his weakened condition. He had many enemies. Fortunately, Rhys proved more robust than most believed, regaining consciousness after mere hours rather than enduring days of incapacitation. The royal physician attended to his ribs, stitching the last of his injuries. Rhys’ teeth ground together every time he heard the wheezing of his breath. “Punctured lung and neck, not to mention the aconite in your bloodstream. The assassin was close this time,” the physician commented, watching him warily. Even if the ki
~ Rhys ~ “Rhys, that was your chance-” “Don’t,” Rhys warned his friend. The Alpha did not need reminding of what he’d lost from rejecting the she-wolf. But he would rather tolerate that than accept someone so unworthy. A rogue! What was the Goddess thinking? They were enemies. Surely, the deity knew they'd be at each other's throats. Literally. Rhys tenderly grazed his throat, the very spot where Amira had plunged her blade. He pondered how she fared following his retaliation, his claws sinking into her flesh. He hoped her escape was a fucking struggle. His eyes gleamed in fury. Nobody escaped the king's wrath. Yet he allowed her to slip out. It was no skill of hers. He refused to admit to it. Baltir sighed, dragging his hand over his face and leaving it there. “The Moon Goddess will not be pleased-” “Fuck her,” Rhys growled his blasphemy. “What has she done for me and my family?” “You shouldn’t-” “Enough,” Rhys cut off his friend again. “Send in Eden.” His balls were still a
~ Amira ~ A cold shiver stirred Amira awake, though, through her grogginess and injuries, she merely peeked through her lashes, noting the change in scenery. She was no longer in the forest, and the rumbling noise of gravel beneath wheels and the motion rocking her body alerted her to the carriage she was in. She relaxed, feeling safe from the blanket wrapped around her body and the smell of spices. “Rest, Amira. Gather your strength before meeting Xenos.” The mention of his name should have startled her to alertness, but she did not want to wake from her dreams. Even if they were nightmares. It was better than her reality. She’d failed to kill the Alpha King and returned alive to face Xenos' wrath. Amira’s eyes drooped shut again, too tired to care. Her sleep was restless, her eyes occasionally slipping open to see the passing of streets under the silver hues of the moon that escaped the clouds. At one point, Amira sensed her body being lifted and moved, but exhaustion and the s
~ Rhys ~ Sighing, Rhys rolled onto his side. His breathing came easily, devoid of pain in his lungs, and his throat felt a little uncomfortable, but the sharp stinging sensation had vanished. He felt… refreshed. Was the aconite out of his system so quickly? It had been some time since he was last poisoned, but he never recovered this fast. Unless he slept for longer? Rhys was about to drift off to sleep once more, satisfied his recovery was quicker than he anticipated, until he noticed the consciousness of another being. It did not feel like his feral, ferocious wolf, Demon. His eyes snapped open, concerned with this strange feeling. He blinked as the musty, dark room came into focus. A frown formed on his face as a sense of disorientation washed over him. The bed beneath him lacked any trace of luxury or comfort, and the presence of two meagre pillows and a thin blanket startled him, revealing that this was most certainly not his familiar opulent abode. Rhys remained prone, care