Arthur“Say it. Say it now.”My Lycan Maximus is having a riot in my head. He knows how close I am to Arya and what I just said, and he wants me to say more.He wants to me say the thing that I have been hiding for a long time and could never begin to explain.I like Arya. That’s the secret.I liked her the first time I laid my eyes on her. I remember training some people that time and feeling her presence from afar. I felt her looking at me and I glanced at her when she was talking to the King.And it was just game over. It was like something big had taken over my body and all I want to see is her. So I went in and introduced myself, and of course I made an absolute fool of myself in her presence.That was embarrassing and frustrating for me, because I wanted to make a good impression. I wanted to show her that I was cool and strong but my little display of arrogance made her hate me instead.Maximus never let me live down that moment.He teased me about it night and day, until I dec
AryaAll thoughts leave my body. All of it.It thought I would be shocked. I thought I would be surprised. But no. The moment Arthur’s lips touch mine, I feel nothing but relief.And even though this is our first time, even though I have no idea what I’m doing, I put my hand behind his neck and kiss him back.I don’t know what came over me. He would probably think that I’m bad at this and refuse to kiss me again, but right now I can’t stop. I can’t pull away. The gravitational pull that he has on me is undeniable.The world vanishes, gets reduced into this tiny space between us, right down to the movement of our lips and the warmth of our breaths. I can smell him, the sweet scent of something I can't quite put my finger on. I graze the back of his neck with my palm, my fingers digging into his hair, and he reaches out to cup my face, his thumb resting on my cheekbones. His touch is light, as gentle as the wind and as soft as the traces of water teasing the soil.The flutters in my sto
Arya"Arya! You're home very late!"Queen Helena rushes to the door as soon as I come in, looking like she's worried sick and a little bit angry."We were messaging you nonstop," she continues as I take off my coat and hang it on the rack. "We've been trying to call you and Arthur. Were you not out with him?"The sound of Arthur's name is making me smile. I think back to all the things that happened to us earlier and I just can't help but glow inside.We're finally together. Arthur and I. Just like my friend predicted we would.And I can't believe that I'm actually the girl he's been talking about for weeks! I don't know how I didn't notice or feel anything. I guess I was just too caught up in my own life and worrying about what he felt for me. The signs were all up in my face all along.I let out a little giggle and the Queen looks at me like I have just grown corn out of my ears. "Are you drunk? Is this what you're doing with your friends on a Friday night?""Mom!" I look up at her
Arya“It’s my honor,” I tell Arthur in a low voice, but butterflies are fluttering inside my chest. I look into his eyes and it was as though a spell is cast on me.I can’t look away.He leans forward and I find myself hoping that he’ll just go all the way and kiss me. The memory of that kiss is still very much fresh and I want it to happen again. I put my hand on his chest, hoping that’s enough of a sign to make him do it. . . .But then he pulls away and whispers, “We can’t.”And that’s what makes me snap back to my senses. “You’re right.” I shake my head to get rid of the daze. “We’re still out and people might see us.”“I know.” He sighs and I feel his frustration. “Your parents . . . they’re not from here, are they?”“No,” I say after a beat. I almost told him that my parents were the King and the Queen, and I don’t know what kind of trouble that would get me in. “They’re from another place . . . another Lycan kingdom. They sent me here to study and train because . . . well, it’s
LeviMy alarm rings but my eyes are already open. I press the snooze button and close my eyes again, but I can no longer sleep.One month has passed. I still haven’t found my second-chance mate, and I’ve been all over the different packs with Daniel trying to find that special connection that Theo experienced. I talked to probably a hundred girls, wanting to see us click, but I don’t get any of that.All I feel is this sinking emptiness knowing that Arya was the one and I blew it.I get up and get ready for the morning, showering and taking a quick breakfast before heading to the office.And Daniel was already there, staring into sheets of paper in front of him.“Good morning,” I greet him, but he barely looks up. “Are you alright?”Only then does he look up at me and nod. He rubs his eyes and looks around like he doesn’t realize where he is. “Oh. Um, yeah. Good morning. I’m okay, thank you for asking.”I sit on my desk and I stare at what he was looking at. I manage to get a glimpse
Arya“What?” I ask urgently. I stand up and stare into her eyes as she looks up at me. “What do you mean by that? Is something bad going to happen?”“I don’t know yet, Arya,” Nancy says, her voice low and a little shaky. “I can’t really see anything clearly. All I have are vague flashes and ideas and I don’t really know how to make sense of them.”“Can you try?” I say.I know that sounds off. I know that’s too much to ask from someone I don’t really know well and it’s very demanding of me, but the way she said it . . . it just feels ominous. Like something bigger and more threatening is going to come and ruin everything, not just my relationship with Elliot.My heart is hammering inside my chest now, so fast that I have to take pauses to catch my breath.Nancy must have noticed that I’m basically hyperventilating, because she stands up and puts her hands on my shoulders. Her eyes are wide with concern but I can’t bring myself to stare back at them.“Hey, calm down, Arya,” she whispers
Arthur“What?” is the only I can ask.Duke Richmond and my dad exchange glances like they can’t believe I have the audacity to ask them a question, but I don’t care. My heart is racing from what I heard and I can’t believe they would suggest something like that to me. I can’t believe what I just heard and I refuse to hear any more until I get my piece out.“I’m not marrying someone I don’t know,” I declare, looking at my dad and the duke and even the King and the Queen. “I refuse to do that.”All the adults are exchanging glances now. My dad pulls me by the arm towards a corner and whispers in my ear, “Don’t you dare embarrass me, boy.”“Then don’t dare make me marry a stranger,” I say back, staring into his eyes even though he looks like he’s about to murder me.King Samuel must have heard of our little exchange, because he comes right in between us and says to me, “You don’t have to decide now, but I’m telling you, the Richmond heir is a beautiful young woman with lots of talents an
Arya“You will be marrying my daughter.”The words from Duke Richmond are playing over and over in my head and I have no way to make them stop.When Arthur walked out, the little gathering immediately ended and I get taken home by my parents, who are talking about the whole ordeal on the way home.“I wonder why Arthur refused,” King Samuel says. “I met the duke’s daughter, and she is quite a lovely person.”“Perhaps they just need to meet and get the ball rolling,” Queen Helena points out.My heart hurts. I can actually feel it with every beat, screaming at me to end the conversation by screaming that Arthur is mine and we have been together and in love for quite some time now.But how will they react? Will they get mad at me for getting into a relationship behind their back? Arthur is of noble birth and they should be happy, right? But what if they don’t want me to be with anyone because they already set their sights on someone else for me to marry too?The thought makes me sick. Lik