ETHANI stare at the letter in my hand, the words blurred by the tears welling up in my eyes. Arnold has written to me again and once again I can only imagine how concerned he is for our pack's well being, and for Hazel. Even his handwriting shaky, and the thought of the possibility of my brother needing my help but not asking for it crosses my mind. I can't help but feel a pang of guilt in my chest. Arnold has always been the responsible one, the one who shoulders the burden of leadership with grace and determination. And here I am, thousands of miles away, unable to offer him any real assistance in his time of need. Just to stay out and try my best to look out for both our kingdoms. But I can't dwell on my own shortcomings. Arnold needs me to be strong, to support him from afar as he faces the challenges that threaten the survival of our kingdoms, because anything that affects his kingdom affects mine too. I wipe away the tears from my eyes and keep myself strong for the task ah
ETHANI have felt a great amount of negative emotions in my lifetime. Loneliness, anger, shame, regret, but the fear that has overcome me is something that I cannot express fully in words, or even fathom to begin with.I had to leave Hazel, and return to my kingdom to address the issue that has been threatening to take over, as the illness is not something that is happening between that one pack. This was something that we thought— we hoped, would be under control. Arnold had assured me that he would ensure that it would be under control on a few weeks at most, and then return. He didn’t return, and the situation only became worse. I grit my teeth in annoyance as I wonder why some of the inhabitants of our kingdom do not like to listen to simple instructions. For this disease to spread so far, it only means that some werewolf or a group must have found a way to sneak into the affected pack to spread. And that must have been after the law was made for no one to go into the place les
ETHANI am sitting at my desk, with a pen in my hand as I can only think about what is going on in the kingdoms. I decide to write a letter to Arnold, letting him know about the situation.The weight of responsibility is pressing down on my shoulders now more than ever, and it is not helpful to know that every word I write could mean the difference between life and death for our people. “Dear Arnold.” I start, the words flowing from my mind to the page. “I hope this letter finds you well, and that you’re doing better than last time. I didn’t want to disturb you, but it’s important, and I fear the news I bear may not make you very happy.” I pause, my frown deepening as I consider how best to let him know what is going on without causing unnecessary panic. “The illness continues to spread and people have died, not just in your kingdom, but in mine and the others.” I write, my hand trembling slightly in spite of my efforts to remain steady. “The symptoms are becoming more severe, a
ARNOLDAs I stand at the window of my given chambers, gazing out at the kingdom I've sworn to protect, a heavy weight settles in my chest. The spreading illness, the fear in my people, and the thought of Hazel's safety weigh heavily on my mind. I know I cannot stand idly by any longer. With a deep breath, I make the difficult decision to return to my kingdom.The journey back is fraught with worry and anticipation. I wrestle with my thoughts as I leave, but deep down, I know it's the right choice. Hazel needs me, and Ethan cannot face this crisis alone. And to be honest, neither can I. Once I get home, I take in a deep breath and the familiarity of the palace grounds brings a bittersweet comfort, only, there is no time for sentimentality. I find Ethan in my study, poring over maps and scrolls with a furrowed brow. "Ethan." I say, my voice betraying my anxiety. "We need to talk." He looks up, his expression going from shock to excitement as he hugs me and asks me about everything
HAZELEver since Arnold returned to the palace, our days have been a whirlwind of worry and uncertainty. Arnold and Ethan work tirelessly to find a cure for the sickness plaguing our kingdom, and I do everything I can to support them. We spend our days poring over scrolls and consulting with experts, but despite our best efforts, the sickness continues to spread unchecked. Arnold and Ethan may be kings, but they are also my mates, and I cannot stand by and watch as they shoulder the burden alone. The only thing I can do is to try my best to take care of them, and making sure the cooks make their favorite meals and making sure they get enough rest. In return, they do the same for me, offering words of encouragement and comfort when I need them most, and giving me routine massages. But no matter how hard we try to maintain a sense of normalcy, the weight of the situation hangs heavy over us. Some nights, when the palace is quiet and the weight of the world feels too much to bear, I ca
HAZELThe air in the Kingdom is heavy with despair. It's as if the very clouds overhead have been burdened with the weight of impending loss. We're all gathered around one of our own, someone who's become more than just a comrade he's family. His labored breaths echo through the room, each one a reminder of our powerlessness in the face of sickness. I watch Ethan and Arnold, their usually steadfast demeanor faltering under the weight of the inevitable. Their eyes which are usually bright with determination, are now dimmed with sorrow. He's already preparing for the worst, making arrangements for a funeral that feels far too premature. We have exhausted every avenue in search of a cure, turning over every stone in desperation. Yet, the sickness persists, relentless in its grip on our friend. It's a cruel reminder of our vulnerability, of how even the strongest among us can be brought to their knees by forces beyond our control. But amidst the despair, there's a flicker of hope, howe
HAZELI don’t think that I’ve ever been this down in my life, not even when I got bullied by Cathy, Gwen, Francesca and the rest of the maids I was working with. Not even when I was still working as a maid and the entire town hated me to the point that I almost got sold and the person who saved me did so because he was afraid of my mates. Seeing your mates in pain is a whole different kind of torture that I would never wish on everyone, and it all boils down to the feeling of uselessness. Because as their mate, I want to help them, but I cannot. Not in the way that they need now, at least. The people who can help them have tried their best, so what can I do about it? I’m on the roof, and this time I’ve taken the bold step of sitting on the edge. If I ever got married to any of my mates, or to the two of them, I would become the queen of two kingdoms. But I’ve not even done anything deserving of that kind of title, and not only that, what is a queen to an empty kingdom? The kings ar
HAZEL Ethan takes me in to my quarters and starts asking questions immediately. “What just happened out there? What did you do?” Ethan asks, the surprise obvious in his eyes. “What did I do?” I ask him, and he sighs. “This is not the time for humility. This is a widespread disease that has been taking lives for a while, and as far as I know, you’re not acquainted with medicine or pharmacy. Not even nursing!” Ethan ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “I don’t know, I’m just confused.” “If I were to tell you how I got the antidote, you wouldn’t believe me.” I tell him with a grin on my face. He looks discombobulated, and he just laughs. “I’m sorry, I’m just finding this difficult to process. How?” Ethan asks, and I shrug. “Let’s hope that the beta of the kingdom wakes up as soon as possible. His was the worst case, and I spilled a lot of it on the sides of his face and his shirt, so I’m not sure about how much got into his mouth.” I shake my head, not believi