Oh Zared, help yourself by stopping referring to her is Aurum. She's told you loud and clear.
Dysnomia pov My body goes numb and I feel I’m lifted from my bed. The sensation is not like falling or what I imagine flying would be like. More like someone lifts you up and holds you close. I feel safe and wrapped in a comfortable warmth. Then I feel grass beneath my bare feet, the smell of flowers enters my nose. I don't know where I am but somehow it feels familiar like a home I never had. The forest at the edge of the field seems to call to me and I slowly walk towards it. With a pang in my heart I suddenly think about my dream with the cottage and Janus, would that be here? If I walk into the forest will I find the clearing with the cottage? Is this a dream? “It feels too real to be a dream,” Aminta sounds relaxed, she doesn't sense danger.Suddenly it doesn’t make sense anymore; it all feels safe and familiar yet I know I’ve never been here before. I feel a slight unease rise, “Aminta? Do you know where we are? How did we get here? And why does it feel the way it does?”“No
Nomia pov When we leave Zared's office we go to Janus’ cabin, to tidy it up and take some memorabilia. It’s considerably less luxurious than our quarters but also more homely. It has three bedrooms, a living room with dining area, a kitchen and a garden with shed and vegetable patch. “We could live here,” I murmur more to myself than to Ruby and Garnet. They hear me anyway and immediately agree that it would be better here than in our quarters. Janus said he was collecting clothing and backpacks for us to escape but I don’t find any, making my heart drop. Was he never planning on leaving with us? “He just hid them well to prevent people from accidentally finding them,” Aminta assures me. “We’ll find it when we move in,” I say but my heart is not really in it. To distract myself from the troubles ahead I decide to pay Ahriman a visit. Ruby and Garnet stay in our new house. This time I’m let in, I walk down the stairs and find Ahriman in the same cell as before. He’s healed
Zared pov The viciousness with which Aurum, Dysnomia, castrated Ahriman, then seasoned his testicles and fed them to him is horrifying. I never thought a woman could be so harsh, so effective at torture.Gunther and I watched, unable to move or to intervene. We actually felt empathy for him, he is an alpha, he deserves some respect. Instinctively I move my hands to protect my own jewels. The unworded threat Dysnomia outed by having me bring salt, pepper and condiments and by doing so making me an accomplice and a witness. I am more than aware that she will not hesitate to do the same to me when she feels I deserve it. Einarr will no doubt help her accomplish whatever she wants. He is not my greatest fan.Gunther and I agree that our best course of action is to give her space, earn some credits and then slowly bring her back into the fold. Once she realises that she is not fit to rule, that she doesn’t have the desire to rule when she can be a mother as well, then she will readily su
Nomia povI stand next to Ahriman who admits defeat, knowing that his life will be over. Zared will slice his throat and will give the pack two days to pay their respects before he will become their alpha. I feel Breanna and Bridget wrap their arms around my waist. Knowing that when Ahriman dies the remnants of the bond will break. “Aminta? How bad will it be?”“Honestly I’m not sure, I expect it to hurt but that we can stay on our feet with the support we have.”Anxiously I wait for the moment that Zared drags the sword across Ahriman’s throat. Zared drops Ahriman to the ground and I know that within a few seconds his heart will stop beating. The pain is sharp, cutting my breath, in the same way when you’re thrown into ice cold water. Next a searing pain rips through my chest. I am determined to show as little of the pain as I can, I don’t want people to think that I cared for him. Everyone here knows I rejected him at his wedding. The pain slowly fades, I catch my breath and smile
Zared povI watch Dysnomia march out of the office. The last few days her behavour has been all over the place. From completely shattered and heartbroken when Janus died, to insanely angry when she came to the dungeon and kicked out most of Ahriman’s teeth. Immensely cruel she while castrating him and making him eat his own testicles. Gunther and I still shudder when we think about it, the sound of him trying to chew on his own testicle with hardly any teeth but unable to swallow the thing as a whole. Then she openly stood up to me in both Golden Claw and here, making her own decisions when it came to moving to Janus’ old cottage, dismissing Brian and just now by challenging me and Gunther. Her mood swings leave me reeling. “She’s pregnant,” Gunther offers as an explanation“Yes but it seems more than that.”“It’s probably her wolf as well. I can sense she's an old spirit, maybe even older than me. My guess is they are fighting over how to do things. Even though they’ve been togeth
Nomia povTo my surprise Jasmin, Gamma Blagdan and another woman joined us the next morning. All three packed for travel. I look at Breanna and Bridget but they shrug their shoulders, I look at Zared and raise a brow, in response he gives me a lopsided grin and the bond flutters alive, making me find him attractive.“He is a fine specimen though,” Aminta puts in her two cents.“He could be handsome but all attraction is lost due that scowl that makes him look as if he is permanently in pain or at least in pain.”“Jasmin will be coming back with us so she can keep you company. Gamma Blagdan will be your new guard and chaperon. He has requested that his mate can accompany him.”I nod in understanding, “Alpha Zared, would you allow me, Bridget and Breanna to shift and run alongside our travelling party?”“I will join you, Blagdan can take my horse. The four ladies can travel in the carriage. Gunther wants to spend some time with your wolf. We don’t even know her name yet. We haven’t shi
Zared povI felt a flutter of butterflies when Dysnomia gave me the name of her wolf, ‘Pseudea,’ I silently repeated it to taste it on my tongue. It feels natural, ‘Gunther and Pseudea’, it matches. Alpha King Zared and his Luna Queen Dysnomia. I can see it all playing out in front of me. She will submit to me after the fight, she will learn to respect me. Without Pseudea’s power she will once again be the sweet and timid girl that I named Aurum. Maybe I will revert back to calling her that so we aren’t constantly reminded of this bump in the road where she insisted on being called the name her mother gave her.When Gunther walks out the packhouse after shifting I am once again struck in awe by the sight of Pseudea, her Auburn fur glossy and thick, the yellow eyes that show her dragon blood. When we approach her Gunther tries to get her to at least bow her head and acknowledge him as an Alpha. She evades his move and stands taller and prouder. Then she starts out without me, I take of
Nomia povTonight is the full moon. I woke up feeling anxious. Aminta is pacing in my head. Restless. Anxious. Eager. I feel mostly dread. What if I fail everyone by losing? What will happen to Breanna and Bridget if I lose? On more than one occasion Zared has made it clear that they are protected by me. What if I can no longer protect them the way I can now?“Triton's Trident Dysnomia! Stop that thought train! We won’t fail.”I stop pacing the room. “Why not? How can you be so sure of that?”“The Moon Goddess is on our side. She wants us to win. She sent me to you to ensure that. Everything that ever happened to you happened for a reason. Breanna and Bridget’s wolves know it, they put their trust in you. Everything has led up to this moment.”My knees tremble, “I’m not born for greatness. I’m just a slave…” my words trail. “Neptunes nipples, Dysnomia! You are a dragon princess! Your mother was fated to the dragon prince! She was taken from him. You are the product of love and destiny