AryaMy heart freezes inside my chest for a whole moment. I stare at the doorway and blink repeatedly, not wanting to believe exactly what I'm seeing.It's Levi. It's really him.I don't know why, but it felt like I would never see him again when I blacked out. I was worried that he was hurt trying to protect me. I didn't know how the fight between him and Connor went on exactly. I was scared that he would be gone.And now seeing him walking closer to me just feels like a dream.I want to smile but my face feels too stiff. He looks at me and his whole face lights up."You're awake," he whispers, approaching my bed. "You're finally awake.""I am," is the only thing I manage to say.Levi makes a move to step forward and hug me, but he stops and looks at Arthur. He just steps back then and nods politely at him.Arthur frowns, though. "What's wrong? You saved her life. I think you deserve a hug."Levi chuckles, along with everyone. "I just want to make sure that the mate agrees. I don't w

AryaTheo didn't have to tell me. Levi didn't have to either. The moment Levi told the room that his parents have been taken by Connor and Lauren, I immediately knew that it was an exchange.And my first instinct is to tell him to take me to them. I wanted to sacrifice myself if it meant freeing everyone who have been taken.But I know I can't do that. There's no guarantee they will be freed if they get me, and I still have no idea what they want to do to me exactly.So, what I chose to do is get up despite everyone's protests and find Levi in the forest.It didn't take long for me to find him. I could hear the trees being broken and I can hear his howls. Seeing him distressed and angry like that broke my heart. Even though I was worried and guilty, I came to him. And I didn't expect him to break down like he is doing right now.Still, I hold him close to me as he tries to let it out, making sure to make him feel as safe as possible. I know I don't have much to offer, but right now, a

AryaFor an entire moment I thought that this is indeed Daphne and something has been done to her, but then I remember the strange story that Levi has about me when he was in the dungeon of the palace, when I held him captive.The melting creature who looked like me, but isn’t me. The creepy thing that took my form and tried to trick him.This creature is exactly like that.Melting and taking the form of Daphne, down to the last detail of her in my dream.My heart starts to pound fast inside my chest. I try to run, but the thing grabs my legs and looks up at me.“Don’t go,” it says, still in Daphne’s voice. “Take me with you.”If I didn’t know better, I would think that this is indeed her, that she’s just terribly hurt and burnt in this place, but I can feel that it’s not her. There’s some sort of dark energy emanating from it, and it’s making it hard to breathe. Right now I feel suffocated just standing close to it.I know I should just run. That would be the smartest thing to do rig

AryaI was about to come give Gammie a hug when her words stop me completely. “What do you mean, Gammie?”She hesitates and shifts her weight from one foot to another, her gaze flitting from me to my mom. She also looks at the door of the infirmary and says, “I will go see my granddaughter first.” With that, she looks at my mom. “Your Majesty, I would like to ask for some assistance for Nancy. Please, her parents are out of the country for a convention, and I need her to be back in my home so I can look after her.”Mom looks a bit surprised because of her sudden request, but she immediately nods and calls on the guards, whispering commands.Soon enough, Nancy is being carried on a comfy bed to one of the big vans that the kingdom owns. Arthur gets behind the wheel and me in the front seat, with Mom and Gammie in the back with Nancy.“I apologize for all of this,” Gammie says, and for a moment I wonder what she’s apologizing for, exactly. “I didn’t mean to bother all of you like this.

AryaThe silence in the whole room is almost deafening. My heart doesn't seem to be beating even at this point. I feel like I'm going to die. I can't breathe or blink or even move.For a long while none of us speaks. Gammie looks away and is just staring into the distance now, while Mom is fighting down tears.The only one who doesn't seem to be staying still and silent is Arthur, who just shot up to his feet and looked at Gammie."What do you mean Arya is the mate?" There's apparent anger and frustration in his voice, but I don't think it's directed at Gammie. "She's my mate. I marked her. I mated her. That would not happen unless she's been marked by someone else. And hell, she was supposedly Levi's mate. They had a mate bond. Why the hell is that irrelevant now?"Gammie looks at him with a pitying look in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Arthur. I hope you don't think I'm making this up. Arya is his mate. Look at her neck. Your mark has been erased. It's never permanent because she's already