The Faye queen

Szilvia.Bodis

Kyndryl [Company address]

The Faye Queen

Contents
Chapter 1 Bellehaven Isle............................................................................................................................5
Avalyn......................................................................................................................................................5
Chapter 2 VARS (1)......................................................................................................................................8
Avalyn......................................................................................................................................................8
Chapter 3 VARS (2)....................................................................................................................................12
Avalyn....................................................................................................................................................12
Chapter 4 VARS (3)....................................................................................................................................16
Nikolai....................................................................................................................................................16
Chapter 5 Dragonfly and Teddy Bear.........................................................................................................18
Nikolai....................................................................................................................................................18
Chapter 6 Spartacus (1).............................................................................................................................23
Chapter 7 Spartacus (2).............................................................................................................................23
Chapter 8 VARS 4 (1).................................................................................................................................23
Chapter 9 VARS 4 (2).................................................................................................................................23
Chapter 10 First Business Meeting (1).......................................................................................................23
Chapter 11 First Business Meeting (2).......................................................................................................23
Chapter 12 – What happened? (1)............................................................................................................23
Dimitri....................................................................................................................................................23
Chapter 13 What happened? (2)...............................................................................................................28
Avalyn....................................................................................................................................................28
Chapter 14 Retribution and Liberation (1).................................................................................................34
Avalyn....................................................................................................................................................34
Chapter 15 Retribution and Liberation (2).................................................................................................34
Avalyn....................................................................................................................................................34
Chapter 16 Honouring the saviour (1).......................................................................................................38
Nikolai....................................................................................................................................................38
Chapter 17 Honouring the saviour (2).......................................................................................................56
Avalyn....................................................................................................................................................56
Chapter 18 Morning blues.........................................................................................................................58
Nikolai....................................................................................................................................................58
Chapter 19 King of Fire (1).........................................................................................................................67

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 Avalyn....................................................................................................................................................67
Chapter 20 King of Fire (2).........................................................................................................................70
Nikolai....................................................................................................................................................70
Chapter 21 The bird...................................................................................................................................77
Nikolai....................................................................................................................................................77
Chapter 22 Glorious Poziarne....................................................................................................................96
Avalyn....................................................................................................................................................96
Chapter 23 The Power of Fire (1).............................................................................................................120
Avalyn..................................................................................................................................................120
Chapter 24 The Power of Fire (2).............................................................................................................126
Nikolai..................................................................................................................................................126
Chapter 25 Scholae Pythinissam..............................................................................................................142
Nikolai..................................................................................................................................................142
Chapter 26 Selection...............................................................................................................................148
Nikolai..................................................................................................................................................148
Chapter 27 Strenght of Unity...................................................................................................................153
Avalyn..................................................................................................................................................153
Chapter 28 Strategies and Jokes..............................................................................................................161
Nikolai..................................................................................................................................................161
Chapter 29 Soare Luna (1).......................................................................................................................176
Chapter 30 Soare Luna (2).......................................................................................................................192
Chapter 31 Healer Stealer (1)..................................................................................................................204
Nikolai..................................................................................................................................................204
Chapter 32 Healer Stealer (2)..................................................................................................................217
Avalyn..................................................................................................................................................217
Chapter 33 Hospital.................................................................................................................................238
Avalyn..................................................................................................................................................238
Chapter 34 Mothers and Orphanages.....................................................................................................264
Chapter 35 Set up....................................................................................................................................277
Chapter 36 Ocean Waves........................................................................................................................277
Chapter 37 Pythinissam...........................................................................................................................277
Chapter 38 Neos Army............................................................................................................................277
Chapter 39 Mozog...................................................................................................................................277

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Chapter 40 Greenstone (1)......................................................................................................................277
Chapter 41 Greenstone (2)......................................................................................................................278
Nikolai..................................................................................................................................................278
Chapter 42 Queen of Water....................................................................................................................290
Nikolai..................................................................................................................................................290
Chapter 43 Secret Tunnel........................................................................................................................316
Chapter 44 Heat......................................................................................................................................316
Chapter 45 Bomb (1)...............................................................................................................................316
Andrei..................................................................................................................................................316
Chapter 46 Bomb (2)...............................................................................................................................330
Avalyn..................................................................................................................................................330
Chapter 47 Faye King...............................................................................................................................338
Chapter 48 Heat......................................................................................................................................338
Chapter 49 Mate Pact..............................................................................................................................338
Chapter 50 Holy Blood (1).......................................................................................................................338
Chapter 51 Holy Blood (2).......................................................................................................................338
Chapter 52 War.......................................................................................................................................338
Chapter 53 Bellehaven Cemetery............................................................................................................338
Chapter 54 The big fight..........................................................................................................................338
Chapter 55 Duel to Death (1)...................................................................................................................338
Chapter 56 Duel to Death (2)...................................................................................................................338
Chapter 57 Funeral (1).............................................................................................................................338
Chapter 58 Funeral (2).............................................................................................................................338
Chapter 59 Blood.....................................................................................................................................338
Chapter 60 Bellehaven Isle......................................................................................................................338
Chapter 61 Bloodbath.............................................................................................................................338
Chapter 62 Heavenly...............................................................................................................................338
Chapter 63 Make me sin red...................................................................................................................338
Chapter 64 Birthday Date (1)...................................................................................................................338
Chapter 65 Birthday Date (2)...................................................................................................................338
Chapter 66 Doctor...................................................................................................................................339
Chapter 67 Crazy Ruse.............................................................................................................................339
Chapter 68 Long night.............................................................................................................................339

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Chapter 69 Faye Dimension.....................................................................................................................339
Chapter 70 The hard way........................................................................................................................339
Chapter 71 Being there............................................................................................................................339
Chapter 72 Blook Pool.............................................................................................................................339
Chapter 73 Bloody While.........................................................................................................................339
Chapter 74 After......................................................................................................................................339
Chapter 75 Bonsai Tree...........................................................................................................................339
Chapter 76 Fire and Ice............................................................................................................................339
Chapter 77 Red Heart..............................................................................................................................339
Chapter 78 Night over.............................................................................................................................339
Chapter 79 Bedtime Story (1)..................................................................................................................339
Chapter 80 Bedtime Story (2)..................................................................................................................339
Chapter 81 Breathe.................................................................................................................................339
Chapter 82 Nightmare.............................................................................................................................339
Chapter 83 Apologies..............................................................................................................................339
Chapter 84 Crown....................................................................................................................................339
Chapter 85 Walk......................................................................................................................................340
Chapter 86 ATV........................................................................................................................................340
Chapter 87 Slave (1)................................................................................................................................340
Chapter 88 Slave (2)................................................................................................................................340
Chapter 89 Taafiete.................................................................................................................................340
Chapter 90 I forgive you..........................................................................................................................340
Chapter 91 Revenge................................................................................................................................340
Chapter 92 I’ll protect you.......................................................................................................................340
Chapter 93 Protect the King....................................................................................................................340
Chapter 94 Death....................................................................................................................................340
Chapter 95 The Truth..............................................................................................................................340
Chapter 96 Explanation...........................................................................................................................340
Chapter 97 Mating...................................................................................................................................340
Chapter 98 Epilogue................................................................................................................................340

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Chapter 1 Bellehaven Isle
Avalyn
The whole week flew by in a blur. Nik and Vladimir were busy discussing the upcoming meeting of all the
kingdoms.
Nat and I took it upon ourselves to help Sofiya feel at home.
The first day, we only managed to show the west wing. It included one main living room, two smaller
living rooms, a sitting room, a library, an indoor swimming pool, an indoor-outdoor gym, dining room,
kitchen, a theatre, a gaming room, an armoury, a wine cellar, a few studies and numerous bedrooms, of
course. There was a staff quarters as well but we left it out of the tour.
Sofiya was tired after that so we continued the tour of the rest of palace on the next day and of the pack
on the day after that.
Sofiya was still off, as Nikolai put it.
"I'm a bit tired, I'll go take a nap." Sofiya stood up and left to go to her bedroom.
"What's up with her?" Nat frowned.
Today was our last day here and then we were leaving for Bellehaven Isle.
The main pool of the palace was the best pool ever and since Sofiya loved swimming, we decided to
come here.
"I don't know." I sighed and then sat on a built in stool. "She has been this way ever since we went to
Mozog three months ago."
"Is she mad at you for some reason?" Nat asked and took a seat beside me, flailing her legs to swish the
water around.
"I don't think so. I haven't done anything to make her upset." At least I don't think I have.
"You should talk to her." Nat told me.
"We haven't been alone since she got here. I'll talk to her as soon as I get the chance." I promised.
"Good." She nodded and then pushed me in the water.
I sputtered as I came to the top, only to hear her laughing at me. I pulled her leg, making her fall in the
pool too and then I continued to laugh at her.
We heard the doors opened and we turned to look at the wolf who came in. He bowed before looking at
me. "The Alpha has asked for your presence in his office."
"Thank you, Karl." I smiled and he blushed before bowing and then left hurriedly.
Nat snickered. "Literally everyone in the palace has a crush on you."
"What?"
"The fact that you care enough to remember everyone's names and are so kind and caring towards
everyone makes them like you instantly. Plus you give out this energy that makes people gravitate
towards you. That makes people like you more." She grinned. "It's cute."
"Really?" I vaguely remember Dimitri had told me something along the lines of the pack members
wanting me to to like them. But I didn't know that they gravitated towards me.
"It's more cute because you are absolutely clueless about your charms, Avalyn." She rose out of the
water and I followed.
"It won't be very cute when Nik knows that so many people have a crush on me." Poor souls.
"Oh yes. He's going to be growling and exerting dominion on everyone who even looks at you." Her eyes
grew mischievous.
"Don't you dare!" I pointed a finger at her. I just know she will subtly tell him just to pull his leg.
But then it will get in his head and he will probably order everyone to not look at me or something
absurd like that.

5
She started laughing and then we both went to the changing rooms and changed out of our swimsuits
after a quick shower.
We parted ways after that and I went to Nik's office.
"Took you long enough." Nik commented when I entered.
"I was swimming." I smiled and pecked his lips.
"Fine." He said and I moved to stand behind him and gave him a shoulder massage to lighten his stress
while he worked on his laptop.
"You called for me?" I said after a while.
"Just a second." He finished typing something and then shut his laptop before he pulled me on his lap.
"We will be leaving for Bellehaven Isle tomorrow morning, we will reach by late afternoon and then
have the rest of the day to rest. The VARS starts at midnight. It is a two part meeting and will be there
for two consecutive nights. The first night will be discussions about the happenings in Kingdom. The
second night will be the discussions about the businesses among the kingdoms." Nik explained and I
nodded along.
That shouldn't be too complicated.
"Sometimes it also extend to three nights if the time isn't enough."
"Why do you look so worried?" His face was impassive but I saw the worry he was trying to conceal in
his eyes.
"Bellehaven is a beautiful island. I have a little... tiff with the High Council. But it's nothing we need to
worry about, this meeting is going to be professional and the...tiff is personal. What I'm really worried
about is that the rulers of the Kingdoms are not... kind." His told on my waist tightened. "You may see
things you don't like. Scratch that, you will see don't like."
"Things like?"
"Violation of slaves. I'm talking about abuse, torture, debasement, molestation...things that don't
happen in Soare-Luna." His steelish grey eyes were fixated on mine, keenly observing me.
"Can't we do anything about it?" I asked softly, playing with the buttons on his shirt.
"Bellehaven Isle is neutral ground for all supernaturals. No fights on the island—it's one of the few rules
no one breaks. Not unless someone want to declare war. Those kingdoms are rigid in their own ways
and take offence at the slightest hint of threats. Vladimir and Sofiya have recently regained peace in
Mozog and not without difficulty. With a baby on the way, we do not want to create problems for them
and create an atmosphere of war." He stilled my fretting hands by holding them.
"But that does not mean we tolerate disrespect of any kind. We won't be the first one to issue the
threat of war but that does not mean I will step back if someone oversteps." His eyes held a dark
promise. A promise of bloodshed. "I don't mind killing a couple dozen of vampires with a wrong sense of
superiority complex."
"I don't want a fight." I told him. I really, really don't. Especially when we've just gotten over with one.
No one truly wins a war, both the sides loose, just one more than the other.
"Neither do I." Nik nodded. "Which is why I wanted you to warn you about this so you aren't shocked
when you see something and get angry. And under no circumstances will you use your powers," he
ordered firmly. "At least not unless you need to defend yourself, which will be highly unlikely because
people tend to refrain from attacking the Queen."
"Thank you." I told him. "I'll take care."
"I need your promise Avalyn."
"I promise." Anything to stop a war.
~~~
Next day
Bellehaven Isle.

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We had flown to the beautiful island of Bellehaven, which was a little off the eastern coast of the main
Supernatural Island. As the name suggested, it was the epitome of beauty and heaven on earth. I hadn't
seen a lot, just from the window of the horse carriage that had come to pick us up from the airport.
The place looked like the only season they had was spring. It was green all over with the most beautiful
scenery with wild horses, deers, rabbits here and there. The only sound I could hear was of our carriage,
chirping of multiple birds and of the nature. I had a hitch that no modernisation had taken place here.
The only humans on this island were slaves. And I think they liked it that way. They wanted to keep their
old ways intact. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The best thing about it was that the land was pure and
beautiful.
From what I had heard, Bellehaven had two palaces. One was for the High Council where visitors were
strictly prohibited. And the other one was specifically for meetings and visitors. The explanation Nik gave
me that 'the old bats consider themselves too superior to fight and they are paranoid that everyone is
always out for their blood. That's why the three old warts don't gather in the same place outside of their
private palace. They don't want all three of them dead together, in case of attack.'
He clearly wasn't their fan, for some reason. He had once mentioned that they didn't stop Adrik or help
Montana, which is why he didn't like them. But I believed that they had their reasons. And the overall
work they were doing was good, their cause was good, so I didn't mind them.
The enormous palace was made out of purple bricks-tones with red roof tiles with yellow windows and
arches. It was beautiful. The tallest column had a huge golden bell hung inside it. The pathway was also
made out of yellow bricks, place in a circular pattern with an open green expanse on either sides of it.
There were multiple bird fountains and benches for people to sit on.
Slaves walked around leisurely with baskets on their hips, collecting apples from the trees and cherries
from the bushes. All of them had a thin collar made out of twisted vines around their necks, claiming
them as a property of the high-council. They didn't look troubled or tortured in any way, in fact, they
looked like they were in heaven. It made me realise that the people of Bellehaven must be good people.
Our carriage came to a stop at the entrance of the palace. Nik helped me get off and extended his arm. I
took it and we walked down the deep purple carpet and into the high arched entranceway.
On either sides of is were glass walls and encased in them were men and women like mannequins. What
shocked me was that all of them were making out, giving each other pleasure of some kind or having
sex. They seemed aware of our presence but they simply didn't care. None of them met out eyes, they
were too engrossed in their acts.
"King Nikolai, Queen Avalyn," a old man who clearly held a lot of authority greeted us with a smile on his
face. He had a white beard that reached his knees, kind blue eyes and a welcoming smile. He was also
wearing a red cloak with deep purple designs on it. It was look. "Prince Vladimir, Princess Sofiya, Prince
Dimitri," he smiled at the couple who were following us and now stood by our sides. "It's an honour for
us to have you come and bless our home with your presence."
I had asked Nik why the rest of our family hadn't come and he said that even though Soare-Luna was for
both werewolves and vampires, according to the High Council, we were a pack. So they would be
attending WARS—Werewolf Annual Royal Summit instead. The only reason Dimitri was here was
because he was Sofiya's brother and Nikolai's beta.
A smile slid across my lips, "the honour is ours..." A blush coated my cheeks, I didn't know who he was.
"Forgive me for not introducing myself, Queen Avalyn. I am Elder Orlando," he said, not offended in the
least. "I am the Head of the Vampire High Council."
"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Elder Orlando." I smiled. "Bellehaven Isle is beautiful."
"You floor me, Queen Avalyn," he gave me another smile and then his eyes slid to Nikolai before quickly
shifting back to me, "forgive me for cutting our chat short but I need to greet all the incoming guests.
Slave Oliver will lead you to your apartment quarters." He motioned towards the slave towards his right.
The slave bowed.

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"Thank you," I nodded and then Oliver silently led us past multiple hallways before he stood in front of a
set of double doors that were guarded by two warriors.
"This is your apartment quarters, your Highnesses." Oliver bowed. "The meeting starts at twelve am. I
shall come back to show you to the Council Room." And with another bow, he left.
Nikolai let out a breath and then the guards opened the doors for us.
The space was very similar to the apartment quarters back in Mozog. It must be a vampire thing—the
similarity in their housing structures.
Apparently the Lords and Ladies of Mozog had arrived before us because I caught Rhazien, Jessica and
Ezra engaged in a conversation with two other men. All of them stood up when we entered and then
bowed.
"Rise." Nik uttered his words since we landed on Bellehaven. What was up with him? I'll talk to him later.
They stood straight again and smiled.
"These are the new Lords that I have appointed," Vladimir walked further in and motioned towards the
man with the mahogany skin tone, "this is Jester, Lord of Treasure," he said and Lord Jester tipped his
head with a smile. I smiled back, "and this is Marc," he motioned towards the man who was packed with
muscles and looked like he was void of emotions altogether, "Lord of Arms of Mozog." They were the
ones who replaced Leikos and Darius.
"It's a pleasure to meet to, King Nikolai, Queen Avalyn." Both of them said.
"Likewise." Nik and I said with a smile.
The men and Ezra left to do some final preparations for the meeting so Jessica, Sofiya, Tessa and I
grouped together for a good old spa day, sweets and gossip.

Chapter 2 VARS (1)

Avalyn
"Wait! Mistress!" Tessa stopped me.
I turned around and looked at her in question. That's when I saw that she was dressed up too—or
maybe dressed down.
She was wearing a see through, barely there red lace bra and matching panties. She was wearing sky
high heels I couldn't even imagine standing in.
Her hair was braided stylishly and two loose tendrils framed the side of her face. And for a change, she
had applied makeup too. And again, what shocked me was that she was wearing gold ornaments but
they looked more like chains. A thin gold chain went around her neck, one went around the small of her
waist and both of them were connected by another chain that passed from between her breasts. She
had chains around her wrists and ankles too.
"What is this?" I asked her.
"Today is your first ever Royal Summit, Mistress. All the Kings and Queens will be attending and with
them will be their slaves. I have learned that having a perfect slave with you is very helpful and is a
status symbol for the elites. With your permission, I would like to come with you. I promise I will be a
perfect slave and make you proud." She replied with a hopeful look in her eyes and a anticipatory smile.
"You don't need to do this, you are more than just a status symbol, Tess." I shook my head. I know how
much she doesn't like people ogling her. And though the clothes she had worn were more than what a
normal slave would wear, it was still far too less than her usual clothing which was a normal top and
shorts except when it got cold.
Nikolai wrapped his arm around my waist and pressed my back against his chest. He kissed the shell of
my ear. "She's going to be fine. Let her do this for you."
"You knew about this?" I asked him.

8
"Yes." He replied. "Open that box." And then motioned towards the jewellery box that laid on the
bedside table.
I picked it up and opened it. Inside, rested a thin collar entirely made out of diamonds and the middle, a
blood red ruby stones encrusted in the shape of the crown which were bordered with gold. A delicate
but strong gold chain leash was attached to it too. It was beautiful.
I picked the collar up with gentle hands and placed the box aside. "You had this made for her?" I was
utterly shocked.
"She's served you fairly well."
"Thank you." I smiled with gratitude before I looked at Tessa. Her eyes were lowered. "Look at this,
Tess!"
Tessa looked up at my words and her eyes widened when she looked at the collar in my hand. "Is this for
me?" She whispered in awe.
"Yes." I grinned at the shocked girl. "Nik had it made for you. And now you won't have to worry about
anyone else touching you too."
Tessa bowed down deeply in Nik's direction. "Thank you, King Nikolai."
"You're welcome." He nodded and she rose.
"Take your hair aside." I ordered gently and she collected her hair to the side and quickly turned around.
I put the collar around her neck and used the key to lock it from behind her neck.
I also noticed that the panty she had worn was actually a thong. I felt a little bad but then I let it go.
I handed the key back to her. She looked confused as to why I did that.
"I don't expect you to wear it all day. It's your collar, your life, your choice." I caressed her cheek.
She leaned in my touch. "Thank you Mistress."
"You're very welcome." I smiled.
She bowed and then kneeled down next to me.
"You don't need to crawl, you can walk." I told Tess.
"No." Nikolai shook his head. "A slave crawls next to her Mistress, Ava. Especially in formal settings."
"But we can made our own rules now, Nik." I told him. We were the King and Queen, we could surely do
that.
"We are already pushing it by taking only one slave. Please, just trust me, okay?" He pecked my lips.
"Okay." I kissed him back. If this would have been earlier, I would have argued with him about it. But
now, I knew that he knew something I didn't and he was worried about me. I remember what he said
back in his office but it can't be too bad, can it?
"Have I told you that you look beautiful?" Nikolai whispered against my temple.
"You can say it again." I smiled. He had been a little distracted ever since we arrived but I jotted it down
to nerves. It was our first official outing as the rulers of Soare-Luna after all.
"You look beautiful, Moya Lyubov. You are the most beautiful woman in the entire universe." His voice
was soft and full of love when he said that.
"Thank you." I pecked his lips. I had worn a deep red strapless satin dress that flared from my waist. The
upper bodice had intricate gold designs in it. I had specifically told the designer to make it like that of the
designs on the walls that was made out of my and Nik's blood. My hair were curled but I had kept my
long locks open.
Nik liked them open better.
My makeup was done by Tessa who had obviously done it to perfection with a bold red lip. I had worn
my Queen's mantel, the belt at my waist held the scabbard and my red ring matched my outfit. I had
ditched the sceptre but Nik had taken his.
And of course, my crown.
And then I whispered against his lips, "you look handsome, Mi Alma."
He did.

9
He had worn a full sleeved black tunic with red and gold embroidery that matched mine along with black
pants. He looked every inch of the King he is with the crown that sat on top of his head, the robe, the
sword at his hip, the ring that matched mine in his finger and the sceptre.
"Thank you." He kissed my cheek. "I see you've been working on your Spanish?"
I nodded, "Papa is teaching me during our daily runs through the trails. He says that we shouldn't forget
our roots. And it means 'My Soul'." I smiled but scrunched my nose.
"He's absolutely right. What is it?"
"Doesn't sound quite right. I think I should keep looking." I explained.
"You can call me whatever you want." He tucked my lock behind my ear with a smile.
"I love 'Moya Lyubov'. Nothing can top that." I pouted.
"How about 'Mi Amor'?" He suggested and my eyes lit up. It meant 'My Love', which was the same as
'Moya Lyubov'.
"It's perfect!" I grinned, nodding happily.
"Let's go then." He extended his arm and I took it. I tugged Tessa's leash and she got on her fours and
then we all walked out in to living room where we had decided to meet.
Everyone was already here, except Vladimir and Sofiya, and each one of them had a slave too. It made
me uncomfortable but I didn't say anything.
I wished our family was here too but they weren't related to Mozog so they couldn't come to VARS. Only
Dimitri came because he was Sofiya's brother. Our Kingdom included vampires too but Nik had said that
according to the High Council, we were a werewolf pack. So would be attending WARS instead, which
stood for Werewolf Annual Royal Summit. He said that this would be the first year we would be invited
because we were now a 'true pack' and not just an 'unofficial rogue pack'.
"I'm ready!" Sofiya came in the living room along with Vladimir.
We smiled at her. "You look amazing." Her bump was enhanced since her pale pink dress which was
form fitting. She had the healthy pregnancy glow and it suited her well.
"Thank you." She smiled and looped her hand through Vladimir and towed him out of the apartment
quarter.
Nik extended his arm towards me and I took it.
I saw Vladimir stop Sofiya at the door and made way for us to go first.
Oliver was helping us to get to the Council room and Tessa was doing a good job of keeping up with us
but I made sure our pace was a little slower. The rest followed after us.
'Ready?' Nik asked me.
'Yes.' I replied. I had drilled it in my head to ignore everything other than the discussion and keep my
emotions in check.
'Good girl.' He replied. I gave him a smile.
When we reached the Council Room, the guards opened the door for us and we entered. The council
room was a circular room and the thrones were placed in such a way that every single person could see
everyone else. Elder Orlando sat on the highest level which was across the room and right in front of the
doors. A level lower than that was for the Royals and floor level was for the Lords and Ladies. A deep
purple mat ran straight down from the door to Elder Orlando's throne and another mat ran in a circle
around the room, along thrones.
Just like the entrance, the council room also had a glass wall in front of the normal stone wall, in
between which slaves covered entirely with purple body glitter were engaged in sex. Some in pairs of
two, some were having threesomes and foursomes. I bit my lip. What was it with supernaturals and
PDA?
We were the second group of Royals here. We passed multiple Lords and Ladies and walked towards the
front. Our Kingdom's Lord and Ladies settled in that section as well. A little further down the aisle,
Vladimir and Sofiya took their thrones too. Nik and I continued walking ahead. According to what Nik

10
said, the seating arrangements were according to the hierarchy. Oliver gestured us to our conjoined
throne.
"Elder Orlando," Nik said formally before Nik we sat side by side. I tugged Tessa's leash and she kneeled
beside my throne, half facing me. Her head was straight but her eyes were lowered. Her knees were
spread apart and her hands were on her thighs. Perfect slave position.
On the throne in besides us, sat a couple. The lady had mahogany coloured skin tone. Her ears, neck,
wrists, waist and legs had jewellery all over them— all of them delicate and more beautiful than
anything I had ever seen. Her vivid green eyes popped out and they were focused on us. The man who
sat beside her had a skin colour darker than her's, his long dreads were half tied at the back of his head
and he too had green eyes. The couple were a sight to behold.
'That's King Ciro and Queen Rhapsody of Kingdom Krajini.' Nik mind linked me. 'The Kingdom with
affinity with Earth.'
They nodded at us in sync. A sign that they have been together for a long, long time. "King Nikolai,
Queen Avalyn. Pleasure to meet you."
"Pleasure to meet you too, King Ciro and Queen Rhapsody." Nik said and I smiled at them warmly. They
seemed really nice and I liked them. Queen Rhapsody's eyes softened at me a bit and she inclined her
head at me.
"King Josias of Kingdom Voda incoming." The guard at the door announced before the doors opened.
'Kingdom with affinity with Water.' Nik told me.
Nat had once told Sof and I that a Lord from Voda kingdom had cursed her because he didn't do
anything for her down there. It surely won't be the King or else we would have known but I'm curious to
know who it will be.
Inside came... Papa?
What?
Why does he look exactly like Papa? A deep pit started forming in my belly.
Nik stiffened.
He walked down the aisle and sat on the throne in front of King Ciro and Queen Rhapsody's. It was made
for a single person, which meant he didn't have a mate.
"Elder Orlando," he inclined his head before taking his seat. His head snapped to us. "Avalyn," King
Josias said, his voice cold and his ocean blue eyes held a glint of recognition in them. He wasn't Papa. I
know that.
He is Papa's twin.
Papa has a twin?
Why didn't I know this before?
He looked like he hated me. But why?
I have so many questions.
"Queen Zakyra of Kingdom Poziarne incoming."
"It's the kingdom with affinity with fire.' Nik informed me.
The doors opened I bit my tongue at what I saw.
Eight slaves walked in, carrying a palanquin made out of gold over their shoulders. Four were on each
side as they carried the palanquin to the middle of the aisle. The palanquin It's was so large that it
should have been a carriage instead. Plus it was made out of gold so it must be heavy, way too heavy for
humans to carry, especially with a person inside.
Another slave appeared from the back and went down on his hands and knees besides the palanquin.
The door of the palanquin opened and Queen Zakyra stepped on the slave like he was a step, wearing
pointy heels, and then stepped on the floor.

11
She had thick red hair and had only worn a red lacy bra that hid nothing and a translucent skirt with a
veil over half of her lower face— much like what belly dancers wear. She gracefully strode ahead, "Elder
Orlando," inclined her head and sat on the throne next to King Josias' throne.
Her yellow eyes that were thickly lined with kol snapped towards Nik and a sultry smile formed on her
lips. "King Nikolai," and then her eyes flickered to me with disinterest, "Queen Avalyn", and then slid
back to Nik, "a pleasure." She purred.
I stiffened.
It was hate at first sight.
"King Xillian of Kingdom Ovzdusia incoming."
'The Kingdoms with affinity with air.' Nik said, his voice dripping with disdain. I wasn't sure why.
The doors opened and King Xillian stepped in. Unlike every man in the room, King Xillian was shirtless
and only wore black leather pants and had adorned the normal kingly accessories like the mantel, the
belt with the sword and the sceptre. The entirety of his thick arms were covered with black tattoos. But
what bothered me was that the air in the room shifted. It became... darker.
I immediately understood that King Xillian was a man everyone feared and was not to be taken lightly.
He leisurely walked over to the front. "Elder Orlando." With a nod, he took his seat on the throne next
to Queen Zakyra's.
He took in a deep breath, as if he was breathing in all the scents and then his...silver, almost translucent
eyes snapped to me and he smiled a deadly smile. "Pleasure." His eyes raked over me and darkened.
I felt Nik's boiling anger but he masked it very skilfully.
Elder Orlando stood up and looked at all the people gathered. "I, Elder Orlando, the Vampire Head of
the Supernatural High Council declare The Vampire Annual Royal Summit inaugurated," his gravelly but
strong voice echoed in the council room.

Chapter 3 VARS (2)

Avalyn
I sat quietly in my seat as the discussions began.
I did not hear a single word.
All I could hear were quivering breaths of the slaves. And the smell of their fear was the only thing I
could smell.
All the slaves present in the room were naked but wore expensive jewellery as shackles.
I saw a female giving a Lord a blowjob in the middle of the meeting. Her face was red and she was crying
without making a single sound. She was clearly having trouble breathing.
The Lady next to him was having her slave lick her high heeled boots clean. He was was doing it eagerly.
But it was so wrong. Was he doing it because of fear of punishment or did he actually want to do it? All I
could think was how wrong it was.
I heard Tessa's heart go erratic and I saw her look up, somewhere near the end of the room. I followed
her gaze and saw a man stroking himself as he looked at stared at her. He licked his lips hungrily, his
fangs showing. Tessa let out a shuddering breath.
I'm not going to have her look at this bullshit. I placed my hand on top of her head and her eyes
automatically lowered but her fear grew.
I tugged her leash and she looked up at me in question. There were tears in her eyes. I patted my thigh
silently, motioning her to rest her head on me but her eyes furrowed, not knowing what I meant.
I've never given her such commands, I've never had to train her. Now I wish I had.
I wasn't going to just pull her leash to yank her closer, it would hurt her. I extended my hand and hooked
a finger her collar and gently pulled her closer to me, enough for her entire body to touch my right leg. I

12
released her collar and then placed my hand on her cheek. I guided her to rest her head on my thigh so
that she was facing me and me only.
Now she would only be able to see me.
A soft sigh left her lips and her arm coiled around my leg after she mouthed a 'thank you'. I gave her a
soft smile and kept caressing the side of her face, hoping to give her a slice of peace in this hell. Her eyes
closed and her heartbeat went back to normal.
I tried to focus back to the meeting but I couldn't hear a word.
My eyes fell on Queen Zakyra. She had a slave crouched beneath her throne and she used him a
footrest. The way he was so still, I knew he had been doing this for a very long time. But since I was so
focused on him, I could hear the slight change in his breathing patterns that he tried very hard to control
and how he would shift his knee very so little. It had to hurt.
She had another young girl kneeling besides her throne and she used her head as a hand rest and her
fingers would caress her hair, almost unknowingly. The girl, unlike the boy looked new and was clearly
terrified— her heart rate was a dead giveaway.
My gaze fell on a Lady seated further down the room. She too used a slave like her personal footrest.
She had another well built slave standing besides her and she was stroking him, her long nailed fingers
lightly teasing him. He was already wearing a cock ring and his shaft had turned almost blue. He was
standing besides her and his hands were placed at his sides, tightened into fists. He was clearly trying
very hard to control himself.
She must have been doing this to him since the meeting started.
My eyes flickered to the clock. Almost two hours had passed. Fuck.
I felt Nik's wolf trying to calm me. It wasn't working very well.
All I could focus was on the poor slave on the stool. I couldn't even imagine what punishment he will
receive if he looses control.
I could hear his shuddering breaths and wildly beating heart. Sweat was beading down his forehead.
My heart felt for him. I need to help him.
My eyes flickered to Nik. He looked focused on something King Josias was saying. I need to listen to
them too.
"....we took care or the attacks... Verdura Pack...Alpha Alphonso....fucking asshole....won't bother us
again...." I barely caught the words.
I could feel the blood rushing through my veins, ready to unleash the power I yielded.
"Thank you, King Josias." Elder Orlando concluded. "Let's take a break for an hour and then we can finish
with Kingdom Krajini and then Kingdom Ovzdusia." He rose. Which meant our turn was done. I
completely missed it.
I patted Tessa's cheek and she quickly shuffled away a little before I shot up from my seat.
I need to get out of here before I kill these people.
"Go back to our living quarters with Dimitri, I will be there in some." Nikolai didn't need to tell me twice.
I tugged Tessa's leash before I stalked out of the Council room. Dimitri walked on my other side and
both our slaves easily kept up with our stride.
Once we were out of the Council Room, I released Tessa's leash. My hands shook.
"Mistress?" She sounded confused and hurt.
"Stand up," I snapped and she scrambled to her feet, looking at me with wide eyes. "Walk," I strode to
our living quarters.
"Avalyn," Dimitri called, I turned to glare at him. Why did he want to stay here? Why was he making me
wait here a second longer?
He was holding Tessa's leash along with his slave's too. It pissed me off further. His eyes flickered to a
woman passing by us. She was looking at us in curiosity and then at Tessa with dark, lustful eyes.

13
Dimitri gave me a smile which was extremely fake, "thank goddess I caught your slave from running
away, Queen Avalyn. You must punish her."
A hiss left my mouth. "Why would I p—," he interrupted me by slapping her ass hard. A shocked gasp
left my mouth and Tessa whimpered but remained silent, tears growing in her eyes.
How fucking dare he?
"Good job," the woman nodded and twisted her lips. "These humans should be disciplined. How dare
she run away from the Queen?"
"She's new and is being a brat because she hasn't been broken in yet." Dimitri lied through his teeth
with a believable malicious grin, "I guess we will be having fun after the meeting ends."
The woman raked her eyes over Tessa in hunger, "I believe I can brake bratty slaves fairly quickly. We
still gave two days here...," she swiped a tear off Tessa's cheek with a finger and her tongue darted out
to lick it clean, "I would be happy to help." Her eyes flickered red when she looked at Tessa again.
Tessa looked terrified but stayed rooted to her spot, like she was scared that one move will be the end
of her.
"I'm not sure if a fair Lady such as yourself will be able to stomach what I'm about to do to her." Dimitri
flirted with the Lady.
And she let out a fake ass laugh and placed her hands with freakishly long nails on his chest and trailed
them down to his crotch suggestively, "oh, you underestimate me, Prince Dimitri. I believe that we could
punish this slave as foreplay and then we can have our own fun," and then she circled Tessa's breasts
with the tips of her nails, "and maybe she can join in the fun later too."
Anger surged through me like wild fire.
Dimitri wants to fuck this vile nymphomaniac? Fine. I'm not going to tolerate anyone disrespecting Tessa
like this!
But before I could open my mouth, Dimitri opened his trap.
"Look at her all scared now," Dimitri laughed and grabbed Tessa by her waist and pulled her against
himself, "but unfortunately for me, she belongs to Queen Avalyn," he motioned towards my pissed off
form and then his smile brightened. "She's extremely pissed at her slave, as you can see. I don't believe
we will get the opportunity to touch her slave as of now."
Is he really dumb enough to believe that I'm pissed at Tessa instead of him?
I let out a growl of warning, stalked to him, wanting to take Tessa away from these two people. I can't
fathom that Dimitri would be like this!
I couldn't stop staring at him. This is not Dimitri. What is wrong with him?
"I believe it's time to go, Lady Pesre. It was a pleasure meeting you," Dimitri inclined his head towards
her, tossed Tessa over his shoulder and then walked towards me before I could make it to him.
'We need to leave, Avalyn. Let's go to our quarters and I promise I'll explain everything.' He mind linked
me.
I pressed my lips together and then whirled around and strode there.
Dimitri entered just behind me and shut the doors after us. He placed Tessa on the floor and her
trembling legs gave out, after which she fell down to her knees.
She scrambled close to me, clutching my legs as her body vibrated with controllable sobs. "I'm s-so
sorry, Mistress."
"There is nothing you need to apologise for." I placed my hand on her head, assuring her that she was
safe and nothing would happen to her.
"Explain yourself, Dimitri," I demanded quietly. "I'm fucking pissed. You better have a good explanation
or else we are going to have a problem."
He sighed and rubbed his hand over his face, much like Nik did when he was tired and frustrated. "A
slave not kneeling next to her Mistress in bad. Her standing away from her with a loose leash is even
worse, Avalyn. It looks like she ran away, and runaway slaves are brutally punished or killed."

14
"But she didn't! I left her leash! Voluntarily!"
"That's even worse. You releasing her leash in public as good as saying that she isn't your slave anymore
and she is fair game to anyone else," he explained and my jaw dropped. "Why did you release it
anyways?"
"I was pissed! She shouldn't have to kneel, or crawl or wear a leash like a dog." A scowl formed on my
face as I pulled Tessa to her feet and immediately unhooked her leash.
"Did you see how those people were treating those slaves? It makes my skin crawl! It makes me want to
kill every single person who so much so even looks at them the wrong way." I hissed. "I know all of you
believe it's your 'culture and tradition' to have slaves but I'm not going to follow it anymore. I am done. I
don't care, Tessa is not coming out anymore. And I fucking dare you, Dimitri, you are not laying another
hand on her to make yourself look 'cool' or 'get a piece of ass'," I said, menacingly, "you won't like what I
would do."
"I was just trying to protec—" he shut up at my glare and lowered his head, "I'm sorry."
"What happened?" Nikolai asked. I didn't even realise he had arrived.
"Ask your brother." I snapped.
Dimitri recounted the events to Nikolai who kept nodding and then looked at me, "he was right. One
little slap is nothing, anyone else would have punished her on the spot and let others participate just for
the heck of it."
My jaw dropped. Was this really the norm? Is this how everyone truly behaved?
I am disappointed.
"I did it to stop you from saying something that would have gotten Tessa in trouble. She was clearly
interested in her," Dimitri justified in a gentle voice. "That was the only motive behind my words and
actions."
I understood his reasoning, I got what he was saying. This was more like the real Dimitri I knew. But I
was just so angry!
"But-but you said—"
"We are the people in powerful positions, Moya Lyubov," Nik's words were soft as he circled his arms
around me, "our actions speak for the Kingdom. And they can affect Vladimir and Sofiya. These people
see kindness as weakness. Especially towards humans. And once you show a single weakness, just see
just how ruthlessly people will drill it to bring you down."
I knew this.
A pack is only as strong as their weakest link. That was why Nik had every single people in our Kingdom
train hard. Even our omegas were as strong as a healthy wolf in another pack. Dimitri and Andrei were
as strong as normal Alphas. And Nikolai was stronger than any vampire or wolf I had ever seen.
And yet, all these men trained every single day. That's why other packs were scared of Soare-Luna,
that's why they thought not twice but multiple times before crossing us. And if word got out that we
care about our slaves that much, about weak, defenceless humans that much, we would be an easy
target.
I melted against his embrace and then fought against the tears that threatened to rise up my eyes. "I
hate it, Mi Amor," I whispered. "I wish it wasn't like this."
His hold on me tightened. "One day, it won't be. We will work hard for it. Just have patience, my Love."
The way he said that... it seemed like he had a plan. And it scared me.
I got out of his embrace and hugged Dimitri, "I'm sorry. And thank you for what you did."
"It's fine, Avalyn." He hugged me back. "And just for the record. I didn't want a 'piece of her ass' as you
put it," my cheeks flamed up at my crass words, "I have better standards than that." He smirked.
"Point noted." I giggled.

15
Chapter 4 VARS (3)
Nikolai
We went back to the Council Room after that.
Everyone were back to their places when we entered so we simply walked down the aisle and took our
thrones.
"Kingdom Prajini, you may begin," Elder Orlando said.
King Ciro got up from his throne. "Prajini is a peaceful Kingdom, we do not partake in attacking other
Kingdoms," he shot a glare towards King Xillian.
"The internal peace of my Kingdom in incomparable. Six months ago, we set up numerous Redressal
Courts throughout the kingdom that maintain peace throughout the kingdom. Through the Redressal
Court, the justice is quick, just like it should be. Grievances are settled in under forty eight hours of the
complaint registered. Punishments are issued according to the law. If in case anyone is not satisfied,
they may forward the complaint to my court and I review the decision of the Redressal Court and make
changes if necessary."
This is actually not a bad idea at all. This way the pressure on the Royal Court is lessened and people
won't have to wait weeks to seek justice.
"What if one of the judges is handing out unjust punishments?" Elder Orlando asked.
"I check into the matter if I observe that a lot of people are forwarding their case to the Royal Court
after it has been through a particular Redressal Court. I change the judge if necessary."
"You can set up a committee at the palace that reviews the sentences doled out by the judges at all
times. They can notify you immediately if a wrong judgement is passed." I suggested. That way, no one
will have to suffer. Not everyone forwards their case to the Royal Court.
"Thank you, King Nikolai. I shall take the suggestion into consideration." He nodded.
I nod back.
"The external peace of my Kingdom, however, is another matter. King Xillian has been sending people to
attack and loot my country." He shot King Xillian a look.
"King Xillian?" Elder Orlando prompted him for an explanation.
"King Ciro owes me three million dollars. He had taken a loan from me and is unable to repay it. I had set
up a funding in my Kingdom for everyone who to wished to give Prajini a loan and earn a profit out of it
after a year's time. One year was finished three months ago and he has yet to pay me and my people
back. The Kingdoms is restless and angry. The attacks are solely made by personal individuals and not by
my country." A smirk formed on Xillian's face.
I knew he was lying but there was no calling out his bluff. There is no way for us to prove otherwise.
Vladimir had told me about King Xillian's debt trap policy. He gives out large amounts of loans to those
in need but gives them a ridiculously short amount of time to repay the large sum. This makes the
receiver of the loan indebted to him. And then he asks for the atrocious ways of repayment.
"I have told you that I need an extension of time." King Ciro thundered. "And you should learn how to
control your people. You might just ask for a war you can't win."
It was no secret that the Prajini army was one of the best armies out there.
"Is that a threat?" King Xillian's eyes darkened.
"Depends on if you can control your people or not." King Ciro hissed.
"You are in no position to make demands." King Xillian shot out of his seat.
"Everyone will remain seated." Elder Orlando commanded. "The first person to attack someone else is
directly issuing a threat of war to all the Kings present here and the great Enforcer Army. I'm sure you
don't want to fight a war against six armies, King Xillian."
He hissed in anger.
Yes. Fucking asshole. Sit your ass down.

16
"Take your seat, King Xillian." Elder Orlnado ordered. I smirked as he sat his ass back on the throne.
"We will discuss business tomorrow night." He hissed at King Ciro.
"Bring me a slave." He snarled. "No. Bring me two."
A low growl escaped my throat.
King Xillian was infamous for this.
I couldn't stop him because it wouldn't be my slaves he would use. He brings an entire entourage of
them from his own kingdom.
Two slaves walked in, holding a chest. Which probably held all the equipments. And then behind them,
two terrified young females entered.
I felt a burning in my chest and then realised it was Ava.
I saw Vladimir take Sofiya out of the room. She could be excused because she wasn't the Queen and was
pregnant.
Ava will have to stay put for this. It isn't break time so her excusing herself will be considered an insult.
'Don't cry.' I told Ava. It was an order mixed with a plea.
It will be considered a weakness. She will be a target of attack if people think that she is weak.
Xillian grabbed a female by her hair and threw her on the floor. Then he opened the chest and took out
a whip.
I felt Ava tremble with anger.
'You will stay still, Avalyn.' I said through the mind- link. 'No emotions and no magic at all. And
absolutely no healing the girl.'
And then he began whipping the girl. Her cries and screams were loud in the room. Blood sprayed on
Xillian's body and more blood started pooling on the floor as the more whips licked her body and life
started draining out of her.
'Ava, please.' I pleaded. 'I need you to maintain your composure.' Her heartbeat and breath was
accelerating with an alarming speed.
'I c-can't.' A whimper escaped her.
A gut-wrecking scream escaped the female when he lashed her particularly harshly. Her sobs and
screams increased and the smell of blood was pungent in the air.
And then her screams ceased.
She was dead.
Thank goddess.
Xillian dropped his pants and grabbed the other female and shoved his dick inside her and then began
fucking her.
Elder Orlando watched on as Xillian did what he did, without flinching. It wasn't a news for me. I know
from personal experience that these old shits were sadistic assholes.
I heard a loud moan and saw Queen Zakyra holding a slave's face to her pussy, forcing her to lick her
out. She was actually turned on by this act.
And her eyes turned to me invitingly.
I almost gagged.
A sharp stabbing anger shot through my chest which was Ava's jealousy. I guess she saw that too.
I would rather look at Xillian than Zakyra.
And that's what I did. I watched Xillian defile the young female as she cried, sobbed and screamed.
'Just a little bit, Ava.' I tried to soothe her but her link was shut and her eyes were angry. But her anger
was bled through even though she had closed off our connection.
After he was done, he threw her away before he pulled his pants up.
"There is peace in my Kingdom, internally and externally. Nothing has changed since last year." He
smirked. "Thank you for watching my show." And with that, he shot a last glare to King Ciro before he
walked out.

17
Elder Orlando stood up. "Thank you all for attending today's meeting. We have a little amusement show
organised at eight pm tomorrow, right before the second night of the summit. I will see you all then.
Have a good day." And then he left.
With that, Ava shot out of her seat and we both walked out of the council room.
I know she is absolutely furious. I was too. Because I knew that was wrong. And I couldn't do anything
about it. And because Ava had to tolerate this nonsense.
We were silently making our way back to our living quarters when Rhazien called me. "Nikolai."
I turned around. "What?"
"Javier is here. The Council Room. Now." He told me, his eyes anxious.
Gritting my teeth, I nodded. "Go with her." I motioned to Ava who hadn't stopped along with me.

Chapter 5 Dragonfly and Teddy Bear

Nikolai
"What the hell is happening here?" I growled at Javier and Josias who were about to get into a fight.
What he hell was Javier doing here anyways? From the looks of it, he was here to pick a fight with his
twin whom we knew nothing about up until five hours ago.
Dimitri and Marc held Javier back and Josias's men held him back.
"Stay out of this, Nikolai. This is long overdue." Javier hissed.
"You want to fight, go ahead and fight, I don't fucking care. Just not here." Javier fell under my
jurisdiction. Him attacking someone will mean that I commanded it. And there is no way I'm giving Josias
a chance to get all the Kingdoms together to attack me.
We won't stand a chance.
"I'm not a fucking pussy who will run away." Josias hissed at Javier and then looked at me. "My fight will
remain my fight. No one else will get involved."
"I said no!" I growled.
Josias flashed me his fangs.
I brought my wolf forward and Josias's anger lessened. I flashed him my canines and he tore his eyes
away from mine.
"I didn't run away." Javier said, his voice impassive as he talked to his brother. "You will understand the
day you meet your beloved." And then he shrugged out of Marc's and Dimitri's hold, turned around and
left.
'Nikolai you need to come here right now.' Rhazien said, urgency clear in his voice.
'I'm coming.' I replied.
"Javier is family. The next time I see you threatening my family again, you will see my army at your
doorstep. It's not a threat, King Josias. It's a promise." I sneered before I too, walked out.
Ava's burning anger was only growing.
I heard a crash and then the walls vibrated.
Wrenching the door open, I stepped inside our living quarters.
Ava was spitting fire in all her silver haired and blue eyed glory.
The foyer was half destroyed and the banister was half hanging.
Rhazien was standing in front of a wall that had a dent— probably from where she threw him.
It pissed me off. How many fucking times have I told her to not use her powers like this?
She never fucking listens.
And then she apologise after she has released her anger, whilst making false promises that she never
adheres to.
I cracked my knuckles. "Get back, Javier."
He was directly in the line of fire right now.

18
"You!" Her finger rose and she pointed it at me. There was so much anger in her that her entire body
vibrated with it.
"Vladimir, take Sofiya back to your room." They were looking down from the living room and this is no
place for a pregnant woman. Things are about to get ugly.
Knowing what was to come, Dimitri pulled Rhazien, Jessica, Ezra, Jester and Marc to the side.
Javier was confused but he too remained back.
I look at Ava.
Now I was the only one who was the focus of her anger.
Good. I was fucking angry too.
"You didn't do anything!" She screamed. "You are just as bad as all of them!" Her hands came up and
she pushed them, making me fly behind.
The shelves on the wall crushed under my weight and some collapsed, falling on me.
Fuck.
I stood up again. "You have seen nothing. What you saw was nothing!" I growled. "You have no idea
what goes behind closed doors."
"Then do something!" She growled. "Or let me do something."
"What will you do huh? Fight five armies together?" I took slow measured steps towards her.
She always says that she will not use her powers when she is angry. That she doesn't want to hurt
anybody. Hurt me. But all those promises are forgotten when she's angry. Because goddess-forbid if
anyone pisses her off. The world does not revolve according to us. We need to accept the way things
are, especially those things that are not under our control. She knows this. She knows we cannot afford
a war right now. We are not in a position to deal with the repercussions. This isn't our land, it isn't our
kingdom. We are here as guests. And unfortunately, here, what we say, doesn't just happen.
I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. It was only my anger that I couldn't shake off. And if I don't
manage to bring Ava's anger down, it's going to be a problem for us.
"If I have to, yes!" She flashed me her canines. "Not that you would know anything about defending the
weak."
She flicked her hand, sending me flying back again.
"All you care about is revenge!" She yelled.
"I did it for you!" I seethed.
Her hand raised again and the glass flower vase came flying at my face.
I caught it in the air and smashed it against the ground.
"Stop this fucking nonsense, Avalyn. I know how to throw things at you too."
Her eyes widened and it pissed her off further.
The next thing that came flying towards me was the couch.
A growl left my mouth. I caught it and threw it aside. It crashed against the wall, making it crumble. The
couch fell on the floor, making a loud noise.
"Have you ever asked what I wanted?" She jabbed her finger in her chest.
I stalked towards her again, mad as fuck now.
"That is not what you were saying when you were stabbing Emilio in the chest and bathing in his fucking
blood!"
She froze me in my place before I could reach her.
I grunted in annoyance.
"That's not what you said when I told you I would make you a fucking palace." I tried to move my body
but except of slight movements, it was difficult.
"Tell me one thing that you wanted and I denied you!" I demanded.
"I want you to stop slavery!" She vibrated with fury.

19
"Fine!" I growled in anger. "Let's start the good deed right away, okay?" And then my eyes snapped to
Dimitri. "Slash the necks of every fucking slave we have in Soare-Luna the second we land home. Start
with Tessa."
"No!" Ava thundered. Jessica protested too but I paid her no attention.
"Why?" I snarled. "We can't let them go free. You don't want them. And I'm not keeping fucking humans
in my pack for your amusement."
She snarled in anger.
"What do you want, huh? What do you want from me?" I shouted.
I'm tired of her fucking nonsense. She doesn't understand. She never understands me. She doesn't know
the kind of position will be in if we actually do end slavery.
Tears grew in her eyes.
"Don't fucking cry!" I hissed. "Name it. What. Do. You. Want." I pushed myself harder and then suddenly
I was free.
"I -I want—" a shuddering breath left her body.
I walked to her again, daring her to use her powers on me again.
Her body began vibrating with anger. The floor shook. The walls shook. Everything started rattling and
things started falling on the ground, crashing and breaking.
Her hand raised up and I braced myself but nothing happened.
Her eyes widened.
"Step back." Both her arms came up, trying to stop me.
But nothing happened.
Glass pieces from the window behind her came at me and I crossed my arms in front of my face and
ducked.
A growl reverberated through my chest.
I stood up straight again and crossed the foyer to get to her.
Her hands came up again.
"Stop." I growled in my Master tone.
And in the split second she instinctively stopped, I lunged on her.
I grabbed her wrists and spun her around, holding them tightly against her back so she couldn't move.
I pushed her against the cabinet so her front was pressed against the flat surface.
"Calm down, Avalyn." I said in a soft voice.
"I am calm." She smarted and I pressed her down harder, ignoring her efforts to shake me off.
"I said, calm down." I commanded, my voice hard.
She went limp but her anger remained. I decided that I would try different methods to try to calm her.
Let's try the breathing technique this time.
"Take deep breaths. Inhale." I said, gently but with command in my tone.
When she didn't, I squeezed her wrists till she did.
"Exhale." She breathed out.
"Again." I ordered.
She took a deep breath in and then let it out. I felt her anger simmer down. But just a tad bit. I could still
feel the waves for her anger. A lot gentle than before but it was still present. And angry Ava is volatile.
"Release me right fucking now!" She screamed, thrashing in my hold now.
This isn't fucking working. And the last thing I fucking want is destruction of this palace. So I decided to
use the most effective method that I knew would work.
"Tessa!" I shouted so she could hear me from wherever she was. The scared slave came rushing down
the stairs. She had tears in his eyes, presumably because of the show was witnessing.
"Kneel." I ordered and Ava started struggling again.
My eyes snapped to Tessa and she jumped to his knees.

20
I released Ava and she stood up straight and shielded Tessa from me. She brought her hands up to do
something but it didn't work. So she placed her hands on my chest in an attempt to push me away from
herself and her slave. I didn't move an inch. But it pissed me off a lot more.
"Use your powers again and I will drop her heart at your feet." I hissed.
Her hands clenched into fists.
"You asked me to end slavery. I want you to start with the good work. End her." I commanded.
Tears gathered in her eyes at my words.
"No." She whispered.
"Do it." I shouted.
"No!" She shouted back.
"Why not?" I cocked my head. "You asked me to end slavery. I don't like to not fulfil your wishes. Do it or
I will."
She placed her hand on Tessa's head and for a split second I thought she will actually do it, that she will
actually snap her neck.
Tessa's heart was beating so fast that everyone in the room could hear it. But outwardly, she was
perfectly still.
"No," Jessica hissed as she darted to protect her sister.
I growled, asserting my dominance on her till she stopped in her spot, "you have no say in this. She is
Avalyn's property now. Stay the fuck out of this." I swear to god this woman lacked a few brain cells and
a had little too much courage.
"You can't jus—"
"I can't kill her." Ava whispered, her response the one I had expected. Her eyes flickered between blue
and brown before they settled to brown.
"Why not?" I crossed my arms.
Her hair turned back to brown.
My Ava is back.
"Because— because she is innocent." She whispered, her fingers caressing Tessa's hair. Her eyes closed
in relief.
"As opposed all of us," I motioned towards everyone standing in room, pressed against the wall, "how
exactly?"
"Have you all never in your entire life tortured someone for your own amusement?" She fired with a
snarl, not breaking eye contact with me.
"Humans, no." Wolves and vampires who are threats, hell yes. We don't bother ourselves with measly
humans.
Her mouth opened but then closed again. She did not expect that.
And thank fuck Max isn't here right now. I know for sure that he's gotten his hands dirty a couple
hundred times.
And then her eyes flickered between blue and brown again. "You pushed April off the tree. Dimitri
whipped those girls."
"Was it without merit? Was it for our personal amusement?" I demanded.
"But they didn't deserve it!" She growled.
"And we deserve this?" I spread my arms across the room.
That's when she snapped into reality. She saw the destruction she had caused. She saw how the people
she loved had pushed themselves into the corners, afraid to get into her line of sight and face her wrath.
Her eyes teared up.
And then her eyes fell on Javier who was in shock. She didn't expect him to be here. And I don't think
that he had realised just how dangerous Ava could be until now, if his expression is anything to go by.
His little firefly was actually more of a dragonfly.

21
"I —" she started but she stopped and her eyes closed in deep regret.
She staggered and in a flash, I caught her.
Her head rested on my chest and her hands fisted my robe. She's done now. Her anger has finally
submerged.
"Do you have anything so say to Rhazien?"
"Sorry." She whispered.
And she then broke down, sobbing and crying uncontrollably. My hands tightened on her waist and
before I picked her up.
"Get someone to clean the mess. I suggest everyone to get some rest, we have another sleepless night
ahead of us." With that, I carried Ava up the stairs and to our bedroom.
I placed her on the bed but she rose into a sitting position, her cries dimming eventually.
"Leave us." I ordered the two slaves that were kneeling by the walls.
"No wait." Ava called softly, brushing away her tears. "You are hurt."
My eyes followed her gaze and I saw that some shards of glass had pierced the skin of my hand.
"Bring me a first aid kit." Ava ordered.
A female quickly got up and handed her a box before all of them filed out of the room.
She patted the bed next to her and I took a seat there.
She folded my arm so she could see the cuts and then began plucking out the glass pieces with a pair of
tweezers. She winced every time she thought it would hurt me.
"Won't use your powers now?"
She flinched but then replied softly. "My powers scare me. They have hurt you more than they have
helped you."
"You control your powers Avalyn."
"I'm not even sure if I want them anymore. What good are they if they keep hurting people?" A tear
slipped down her cheek, which she promptly wiped away.
"Your powers can be your greatest strength or your biggest downfall. The decision rests in your hands,
Ava." I watched her clean the wounds.
They were small and would heal in an hour.
She looked down at her hands. "I -I get very angry, Nikolai. And it feels like the power is bleeding out of
me and I feel this... urge to release them, or I will combust."
"You are a strong woman, Avalyn. But you need to grow strong mentally. Only then you will be able to
control your anger and your powers. Until then, they will control you."
"And how do I do that?" Her tear filled eyes look up at me with hope.
"It won't happen over night. It takes practice and patience. You have a very long way to go." I grabbed
the back of her neck and pulled her into a soft kiss.
She rested her forehead against mine and closed her eyes and her plump lips parted. "I -I want you to... I
want you to punish me."
"No, Avalyn," I said softly. We were past that stage. We aren't moving backwards, only forward.
"Never ask me that again."
"I —we aren't alone. The responsibility of a lot of lives rest on our shoulders. I need to do better, I need
to learn how to do better. I'm scared that one day I won't be able to control myself and I will be the
reason for the death of many people. Many innocent people." She chewed her bottom lip. "I won't be
able to live with that, Nikolai." She shook her head crying and slid her arms around my shoulders.
I lifted her on my lap and hugged her to me, letting her cry it out. I buried my face in her neck let her
scent calm me down and she did the same. "You're right. But punishment isn't the way to learn how to
do better. Practice is. I'll help you."

22
"Okay." She whispered and then remained silent for a while before she asked, "They think of me as a
monster now, don't they?" My arms tightened around her waist. I loved that she was so small that she
would easily fit in my arms.
"No, Love. You are the most compassionate person I've ever known, Ava. If anything, I'm a monster."
She would not be saying this if she knew the sins of my blood.
"You're not a monster, Nikolai." She whispered against my neck. "If anything, you are a...you are a teddy
bear." Her shoulders shook with light laughter.
"Teddy bear, huh?" I ticked her sides and she squirmed. "Let me show you how I'm not what you
claimed I am." I slid my hands down her back and moulded her ass before slapping it.
"That's exactly the kind of spank a teddy bear would give." She giggled.
I flicked my claw out and ripped her clothes before attacking her mouth with mine.
"I'm all wolf, darling."

Chapter 6 Spartacus (1)

Chapter 7 Spartacus (2)

Chapter 8 VARS 4 (1)

Chapter 9 VARS 4 (2)
Chapter 10 First Business Meeting (1)
Chapter 11 First Business Meeting (2)
Chapter 12 – What happened? (1)
Dimitri
The sky darkened.

Nikolai growled a deep, rumbling, heartbreaking growl as he clutched Avalyn to his chest.

She was shot.

I saw her bleed in his arms and I froze. I fucking froze. My heart was breaking in pieces and I didn’t know
what to do. We were tethered together with the blood oath. I could feel Avalyn’s pain. I felt like I was
the one who was dying instead. I can’t even imagine how much pain Nikolai must be in right now.

The ground I stood on shook.

Nikolai growled angrily at the sky and lighting struck the tree nearest to us and the clouds roared with
thunder. Louder than I had ever heard.

And then suddenly, Queen Zakyra caught on fire. Along with the twenty men she had brought along with
her.

23
She started screaming. Along with all her men.

Queen Zakyra, the Queen of Poziarne, who had the affinity of fire, the Unburnt Queen – who yielded fire
at her finger tips and was burning in fire.

The smell of rotten corpse burning spread in the air and their blood curling wails intensified.

Avalyn’s heart had slowed down. She was bleeding way too much. Her mouth was open and a drop of
blood leaked out and a sob lodged in my throat. Her eyes were open and were loosing it’s light.

No. No. No.

Nikolai was crying, hugging her to his chest as he rocked her in his arms. Mumbling incoherently. My
heart broke further. I hadn’t seen him cry in years. Fuck, I was in tears. I don’t know what I will do if
something happened to Avalyn. Nikolai will loose himself.

Sofiya was crying.

I snapped out of my daze and ran to Nikolai, falling on my knees next to him.

“You need to get the bullet out.” It’s a wooden bullet. I can smell it. And a wooden bullet with the right
carving on it can kill a supernatural under a minute. We didn’t know if the bullet had the carving or not
but we couldn’t take chances.

I tried to get him to release Avalyn and he snarled at me, his eyes pitch black.

“Remove the bullet. Her heart rate is falling.” That snapped him out of it.

He placed Avalyn’s head in his lap before he slowly dug his fingers in the bullet wound, caught the
bullet, pulled it out and threw the bullet on the ground.

His pitch black eyes shifted to me. “Get me a doctor.”

“Step aside.” Zora walked in.

“She said she can help.” Marc said, who was walking besides her.

I looked at Nikolai, waiting for his command.

He gave me a sharp nod and I immediately stepped aside.

Zora kneeled down next to Avalyn and I watched her like a hawk, looking for any signs of threat Luna
might have from her.

She opened a small box and took a pinch of powder from inside it and sprinkled it over Avalyn’s wound.

“Open her mouth.”

Nikolai opened her mouth with gentle hands.

She took out a leaf from another pouch and placed it in her mouth and then closed it.

“She should wake up in twelve hours.” Zora claimed.

A breath of relief left me. She’s going to be alright.

24
“If she does not?” Nikolai’s black pools for eyes focused on Zora.

She stood up. “You insult me by doubting me, Alpha.” And then she turned around and left.

That girl is seriously weird. But something about her makes us trust her. And I can’t pinpoint what it
exactly is.

Nikolai stood up with Luna in his arms. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him be this gentle with anybody. Half
his clothes were soaked with blood and so were his hands.

But after whatever concoction Zora sprinkled, the bleeding had decreased considerably.

“Take care of everything.” He spoke and then left.

“Go with him.” I told Andrei who nodded and left with Nikolai.

I looked around. All that remained of Zakyra and her troops were heaps of ashes.

“What the hell happened here?” Rhazien, Jester and Jessica approached.

“Queen Zakyra shot Avalyn.” Marc replied.

“No.” Sofiya sobbed. “She shot at my baby. Avalyn traded places.” She sobbed louder.

A hiss left Vladimir.

“Jessica, take Sofiya back to the living quarters.” I ordered.

“Vladimir, talk to Orlando about what happened. And that Poziarne comes under Soare-Luna now.
Anyone who has a problem can come take it up with me.” I growled.

“No one will have a problem.” Vladimir said with a dark look on his face. I gave him a nod.

“I’ll take care of him.” Jester pointed at Eliyah who was lying in a pool of his own blood, bit his wrist and
put it against his mouth, squeezing out more blood. “Drink.”

Eliyah released a pain filled groan.

“Drink!” He snapped and Eliyah started swallowing his blood.

“Marc, talk to Sofiya about what happened and write a detailed report,” I ordered, “and Jester, take
Eliyah back inside with you.” He should wake up in a couple of hours.

With a quick nod, he put Eliyah over his shoulder and left with Marc.

There was only one person on my mind that I immediately contact.

“Miss me already, fucker?” My eldest brother greeted jovially. Normally, I would joke back. But nothing
about this was normal. I couldn’t even bring myself to smile.

“What happened?” Max’s tone turned serious in a second, sensing my mood. I told him everything. I
could feel his anger through our bond.

“You sure she is a hundred percent dead? If you need help, I’m catching the next flight out.” He said,
pissed.

25
I looked at the heaps of ashes. “Positive. Told you. Lightening. Thunder. She burned to her dead. I’m
looking at her ashes right now. Along with her guard’s ashes.” I muttered.

“Queen Zakyra – the Queen who literally cannot burn, burned to her death.” He stated as he digested
the fact.

“We figure out what just happened.” I muttered. I kick a little ash and saw it spread further on the
ground. “Queen Zakyra should not be affected by fire, Max. And yet, she burned to her death.”

“Nikolai and Avalyn aren’t affected by fire.” Max said thoughtfully. “They might have an affinity with
fire.”

“Maybe.” I replied. “Avalyn did not start this fire.” I looked around. “She passed out before that.”

“Nikolai?” He asked.

“Yes.”

“You think that he started the fire at the beach house too? The one where I was training Talia?” He
wondered.

“Possibly.” I replied. “He was furious right now and he was furious that day. And his anger lit up the
fire.”

“But Avalyn put that fire out.” He reminded me.

“Only after Nikolai told her to do it.” I pointed. I clearly remember it. “Maybe he put out the fire
subconsciously while all of us thought Avalyn was doing it.”

“It’s quiet possible.” He agreed. “You said lightening struck first and then it thundered and then the fire
started?”

I made an affirmative noise from the back of my throat.

“The same thing happened at the beach house.” Max said thoughtfully. “Avalyn must have been too
weak right now. It has to be him.”

“So the sky agrees with his mood?” I asked. It felt ridiculous to even say it out loud.

Max did not reply.

I looked up at the dark sky. And then it started pouring. What the fuck? The weather here is controlled
by old magic. It’s always spring and it never rains!

“The sky is dark and it suddenly started pouring.” I informed him. “Bellehaven Isle has has old magic. It’s
always spring here. It’s impossible.”

“It has to be Nikolai.” Max murmured thoughtfully.

“We would have noticed if this happened before.” I told him. “We have known him forever.”

“He hasn’t known Avalyn for long. It’s been what, six-seven months? Maybe being with her has unlocked
something inside him.” Max said.

26
That made me realise that she hadn’t even had her heat yet. Every she-wolf gets her heat about six
months after they meet their mate. But she didn’t shift until after a month they met. It must be late
because of that. But as nature ruled, it would happen when it would happen. No point in worrying about
it.

I focused on Max again.

“The same thing has happened with Avalyn. The longer they are together, the stronger her powers get.”
Her powers are a lot more stronger than in the beginning.

“And the weaker her wolf is getting.” He added. I agreed. None of us said anything but we could feel it. It
was almost like… her wolf was dying. Maybe that’s why she hasn’t gotten her heat.

“Mary told me that she had cast a spell on Valerie which transformed half of her powers into a wolf. This
was so that she could have a better control of her powers and not feel like an outsider in the pack.” Max
said. “What if the spell got weaker in the next generation? Avalyn has a weak wolf and that is getting
weak every day and powers that are getting stronger every day.”

“Are you saying that she is turning into a full faye?” I whispered. I don’t know if it’s good or bad.

Max remained silent.

He didn’t need to say it out loud.

We both knew.

“What about Nikolai then? Will they still remain mates?” I asked. The wolf part of ours had mates, not
the human part.

“I don’t know, Dimitri. I don’t know.”

Fuck.

“How is she?” I asked quietly as I entered Nikolai and Avalyn’s bedroom along with Vladimir. We had
been doing the paper work of Poziarne being a part of Soare-Luna since the last few hours and were
finally done.

Nikolai was sitting against the headboard and caressing Avalyn’s hari who was lying besides him. It
always amazed me to see the transition of brown to silver. Her strands kept flickering to different colour
as Nikolai’s fingers moved.

Tessa was seated by her feet, tears flowing down her cheeks silently. I saw Max on the couch, Mihail and
Andrei next to him. Of course they were here. They needed to see for themselves that Avalyn was alive
and safe. Javier and Josias were sitting in a chair each. By the bed. Family means unyielding support and
undying love. All of them were glaring at the wound on Avalyn’s stomach, which had healed
considerably.

“Her heart rate is back to normal.” Nikolai replied, his voice hollow.

Nat was sitting on other side of Avalyn. I took a besides her feet.

I closed my eyes and prayed to the moon goddess to help her regain her health.

27
After a couple of hours, a crying Sofiya entered along with Jessica and Marc.

Nat got up and offered Sof her spot. She held on to Avalyn’s handed and continued crying while Nat sat
on Max’s lap. It was a waiting game now. She should be up any minute.

I heard Jester talking to someone and I walked out so find him talking to Avalyn’s slave Eliyah.

“…but I died.” Eliyah pressed his hand against his chest.

“I healed you.” Jester replied.

“Why? You should have left me to die.” His eyes lowered. “I shouldn’t be alive. The one time I wanted to
fight and win… I lost.” His voice was self depreciating.

“Yeah well, believe me, having so much blood sucked out of you to heal someone isn’t fun. Blood
transfer is personal to us. But Queen Avalyn won’t be happy to find you dead.” Jester said and dug into a
slave’s neck, drinking her blood. He’ll have to regain his strength after so much blood loss.

“She’s dead anyways.”

A growl escaped me, “she’s fucking not, alright.”

His head snapped to me, only now realizing that I was here. “What do you mean?”

“She’s not dead. She’s healed and is resting. She should wake up in a couple of hours.” I replied.

A relieved breath escaped him. “Can I see her?”

I nodded, “I’ll take you.”

Chapter 13 What happened? (2)

Avalyn
My eyes fluttered open and I made our voices around me.

“Ava.” A breath of relief.

Nikolai.

That’s when it hit me.

Sofiya.

Queen Zakyra.

Bullet.

My hands flew to my stomach, where I had been hit. But I was met with smooth skin.

What?

I looked around and found everyone here. Nikolai, Sofiya, Dimitri, Andrei, Mikhail, Vladimir, Jester,
Marc, Max, Natalia, Ezra, Tessa, Eliyah, Papa and Papa Again?

No. It was King Josias.

28
My entire family was here. For me. Because they cared. Something deep tugged at my heart. I had never
had so many people care about me. It finally feels complete.

I looked up at Nik and a smile cracked on my face.

“Hi.” He smiled through his worried features.

“H-hi.” I blushed.

I heard a few snickers around the room.

Nik helped me up so my back was resting against the headboard and offered me water. Only then I
realized how parched I was. I drank the entire glass.

My eyes fell on Eliyah. My eyes widened. “How?”

He was dead…

“I healed him.” Jester replied.

“Thank you.” I whispered. He nodded in return.

“I would like to apologise for coming in between.” Eliyah spoke gently.

“It’s okay. Thank you, actually.” I smiled. “I appreciate your intentions. Yes, it was foolish but your heart
was in the right place and that’s what matters to me.”

He nodded hesitantly. He looked uncomfortable.

“Who healed me?” I feel no pain. At all.

“Zora.” Nik replied.

“She did a wonderful job. I feel perfectly fine now.” I said. I wanted to talk to Zoya, I hadn’t even
thanked her for handing Dimitri the cure for Max’s possessions by the Devil. “Where is she?”

“She left.” Sofiya replied. “She comes and goes according to her will.” I nodded. Zora was different.

“You have some visitors.” Ezra knocked opened the door.

Elder Orlando, King Ciro, Queen Rhapsody, Princess Nazia and a man I didn’t recognize filed in the room.

“It brings us great pleasure to see you in good health again.” Elder Orlando said.

“And it brings me great pleasure to see you all here.” I smiled. “Thank you for visiting me.” I looked at
the royal family. I hadn’t expected it.

The three of them smiled.

“We wanted to see you in good health before we took our leave.” Queen Rhapsody said. “I’m pleased to
see you’re doing better now.”

“Thank you.” Warmth spread in my heart. “So much.”

29
“You’re very welcome.” She smiled. “I apologise to cut our meeting short but I believe we must take our
leave now. This is for you.” A slave stepped forward and brought in a vase full of white roses on the
night stand besides the bed before he stepped back. “We hope you stay healthy and safe, Queen
Avalyn.” With a nod, they left.

“This is General Jonathan, Queen Avalyn. He wanted to make a personal apology for the accident,” Elder
Orlando motioned towards the mountain of a man whom I was seeing for the first time.

“Apologies for this being the first time we met, Queen Avalyn.” General Jonathan said. “And apologies
that you were harmed because of our negligence of security.”

“Think nothing of it. I’m perfectly fine now.”

“No. Think everything of it!” Nikolai growled. “I shall come to your court and make sure this matter is
looked into.”

“Nikolai, don’t…” I touched his arm. I know he would have the person responsible executed.

“Now that you’ve made your fake apology, get out.” He snapped at them and my jaw slackened at his
rudeness. We were in their house for heaven’s sake! But apparently, that was a minor technicality
Nikolai didn’t care about.

With no words and a small bow, the two men left.

His tortured eyes met mine. “An attack has been made on the Queen, the Princess and the unborn child
of the Princess because of some twat who took his duty as a guard lightly. Justice shall be served.”

I knew he wouldn’t budge on this, regardless of what I say.

“He is right.” Papa said, his voice hard. “The one responsible for this has to pay.”

Murmurs of agreements filled the room and I eventually sighed, giving in. I knew they were right.

“What happens to Kindgom Poziarne now?” I asked.

“It’s now a part of Soare-Luna.” Dimitri said, his voice dark.

“The change had been relayed to the rest of the Kingdoms.” Vladimir said. “And there were no
objections. Except the one that has been taken care of.”

I knew he meant King Xillian.

“What do you want to do about Poziarne now?” Vladimir asked.

“We will discuss that later.” Nikolai replied. “Now everyone get out. Avalyn needs to rest.”

My mouth dropped open at his brashness, once again but I remained quiet. Truth be told, I needed
some alone time with Nik.

Once everyone had filed out, Nik grabbed my waist and pulled meg on his lap so my legs were on either
sides of him.

His eyes fell on my stomach.

30
“You have a scar.” He brushed the hardened pad of his thumb over it.

Goosebumps rose on my skin and when I looked down at my stomach, I realized that there was indeed a
scar. A small, light one, but it was there. Right below my belly button.

“I hate that I wasn’t there to protect you.” He confessed and he had a haunted look in his eye. “I didn’t
make it to you in time.”

I grabbed his face with both my hands and forced him to meet my eyes. “It’s not your fault, Nikolai.” I
said assertively, wanting him to understand. “You made it there in time. You saved me from further
harm. I’m alive because of you.”

“Because of Zora.”

“Yes, Zora. But you too.” I pulled his head forward and kissed his lips. “She could have hurt me further
but you were there in time and killed her.”

“About that.” He gulped. “I didn’t kill her.”

“She’s alive?”

“No!” A growl tore through his mouth. “I just… I didn’t physically kill her. Or her comrades. They
themselves caught on fire and died.”

“The Queen of fire caught on fire and died?” I raised my brows. “Be honest. What did you do to them?
Are they in a cell where you want to torture them?” I demanded.

“I wish.” He mumbled under his breath. “But I’m telling you the truth. She caught on fire and burned to
her death. In front of my eyes. In front of everyone.”

However crazy it might sound, I believed him.

“How is that possible?” I whispered. The fire will have to be very powerful for it to kill the fire queen.

“I don’t know. And I don’t give two shits. She’s dead. Period. The only thing that matters to me is that
you are well and alive, here, with me.” He squeezed my waist, almost like he was assuring himself that
I’m here.

“I’m here Nik. I’m here to stay. I’m not going anywhere.” I kissed him.

He pushed me back gently. “You don’t understand Avalyn.” He shook his head. “I held you in my arms
and rocked your dying body. I saw you bleed. I saw your life drain in front of my eyes. Do you know how
powerless that made me feel?” He demanded.

It was only then I realized how heavily this incident laid on him.

“I removed the fucking bullet from your body, Avalyn. The wooden bullet with the carved symbol on it. It
would have killed you had it stayed another minute inside of you. All this money and power were
useless when in came down to actually protecting you and saving your life.” He shifted me on the bed
and got off, pacing around the room in frustration.

“What good is everything if you are not here with me?”

31
Tears rose in my eyes at how troubled he look. It broke my heart. I have never seen him this…
distraught.

“I thought that you had powers and could protect yourself. And you could go out without protection,
without looking over your shoulder in fear. I had promised you that you could do that one day. I clearly
failed.” He shook his head as paced around.

I scrambled off the bed and planted myself in front of him. I grabbed him by his broad shoulders and
brought him to a halt.

“I’m alive and safe, Nikolai.” I asserted. “I need you to calm down.”

“I can’t!” He shouted.

“Don’t you realise it Avalyn?” He screamed in my face, his hold tight on my shoulders. “You almost died!
Does that mean nothing to you? Does us being torn apart mean nothing to you?”

“It does, Nik, it does.” Tears rose in my eyes.

“I’m sorry. Don’t cry. I’m sorry.” He said softly and brushed away my tears.

I held on to his hands that cupped my face, keeping them there. “It will drive you crazy if you keep
thinking about the what ifs. You need to stop, we can’t live in constant fear of what will happen in the
future. You need to live in the present.”

“How can I not?” A tremulous smile formed on his face. “I am terrified of losing you.”

“I’m here, Nikolai.” I kissed the inside of his palm. “I don’t know how to convince you of that fact.”

“It’s my fault.” He whispered. “I left you alone.”

“You can’t be with me every second of the day.”

“I should have assigned a guard.” He took his hands away from my face and gripped his hair, pulling
them. “Stupid mistake on my part. You should be angry at me. You should want to punch me. Hit me. I
know I do.”

Where is all this coming from?

I took his hands in mine, trying to stop him from hurting himself. “Nik, stop. Look at me please.” I
pleaded. He refused to meet my eye.

“Nikolai look at me.” I said firmly and his grey eyes snapped towards mine.

“It’s not your fault. The only one who is at fault is Zakyra.” I don’t know how to get through to him.

I need to assure him I’m here.

I pulled him towards the bed. “Come, make love to me.” I’ll show him just how real I am.

Nikolai didn’t move an inch.

“Did you ask the guards who were supposed to be there to not to be there? Hell, you don’t even know
the guards who were supposed to be there! You didn’t ask Zakyra to do it! You didn’t know she was

32
going to do it. You didn’t even know where she was!” My hands gripped his tighter. “How on earth is
this your fault?”

“I’m responsible for you.” He said softly. “And I failed you.”

“But you didn’t, Nikolai. You didn’t.” I don’t know how to make him understand. I don’t know what to
say or what to do to make him understand. “I’m responsible for my own self. You didn’t fail me. You
saved me.”

I slid my arms around his waist and placed my head on his chest, against his heart. It was beating too
fast.

“What can I do for you?” I whispered.

“Nothing that will help, at the moment.” He rested his head on mine and his arms came around me too.

“Where is all this coming from?”

He remained silent for a while before I heard him speak. “My mom.”

I sucked a breath.

My eyes slid shut tight.

I should have known!

I’m so stupid!

“This entire scene was so much like what happened to her. She was shot in the stomach with a wooden
bullet too.” He squeezed me to himself tighter, like he was reassuring himself that I was here. “I couldn’t
get to her in time. I could hear her heartbeat slow down before it stopped. And they had taken her away
before I could get to her.”

“When you told me that Zakyra has a gun, the same scene played in my mind and I feared something
similar might happen to you.” He kissed the top of my head. “I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if it
happened to you too.”

“But I’m alive, Nik.” I said softly.

“But you dying or you being taken away was a huge possibility. It was a close call Avalyn. One that I can’t
afford.” His hand caressed my back. “I can’t afford to loose you. I would give all of this way – the fortune,
the power, the pack, if it came down to choosing between you and those things. You’ll at least be in less
danger like that.”

He actually sounded like he was considering it!

“No way.” I pinched his butt. “You can have everything you want. And I’m not loosing those things, I
enjoy them quite a lot. And I’ll be in danger regardless. Everyone is going to die one day. You can’t spend
your entire life being so protective.”

He pinched mine right back. “I can try. My motto in life is to live with you forever. So far so good.
Almost.”

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“I love you, Nik.” I kissed over his heart.

Chapter 14 Retribution and Liberation (1)

Avalyn

Chapter 15 Retribution and Liberation (2)

Avalyn
“May I come in?” Sofiya asked from the door.

I had directly woken up early in the morning to find Nik gone. The doors of the bedroom were guarded
by Mikhail and Marc and they were given strict orders to not let me leave the bedroom, or the bed, for
that matter. Even yesterday, Nik had refused to let me get out of bed. He said that I had lost a lot of
blood and I needed to recuperate, even though I felt perfectly fine.

And he claimed that to make sure that I was resting, he would not move from my side. And he didn’t.
Not that I minded him. It wasn’t everyday that I got to spend an entire day with him. He always had
something or the other to do. But yesterday, he had ‘absolutely nothing to do’. And I know that the real
reason for him to stay with me – it was because he couldn’t bare to let me out of his sight again.

He was scared.

And to be honest, I was scared too. It was only after I woke up today without Nik, terrified that
something had happened to him and I had slept through it, that I realized the seriousness of the
situation.

I had been attacked. It was the question of national security. I’m not just a normal person now, I’m a
Queen. Strict measures were taken, according to what little I heard.

Everyone kept the business out of the room. But Andrei told me a couple of things when I pestered him.
Nik had left to demand retribution, to punish the ones because of whom Sof and I were in danger in the
first place.

Max, Nat and Andrei had left to go to Kingdom Poziarne to re-establish peace. They would be back after
they made sure everything was up and running once again. New rules and regulations were to be made.

“Please.” I smiled at Sofiya.

“Can I talk to you? Alone?” She eyed Jessica, Tessa and Eliyah who were keeping me company. Eliyah
hadn’t talked to me or anyone else at all but had pretty much refused to leave when he came to know
that Nikolai wasn’t here.

“Sure.” I nodded and taking that as a sign, the three of them left, closing the door before they did.

More meekly than I had ever seen Sofiya do anything in her life, she entered the bedroom and took a
seat besides me.

She remained quiet for a while, looking down at her fiddling fingers.

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I took her hands in mine to stop her fidgeting. “What is it?” I know something is bothering her.

And then suddenly, her chin started quivering before a tear dropped down her cheek and then another
and then another, followed by many, many more.

“Hey, hey!” I squeezed her hands to call her attention. “Why are you crying?”

That caused her to sob and cry more.

I tried to wipe her tears but she just pulled me into a hug and started sobbing into my shoulder. “I’m
sorry!”

“I’m so, so, so sorry, Avalyn” She sobbed.

“It’s not your fault, Sofiya.” I coaxed. “I wouldn’t have let her hurt your baby. I’ll do it all over again if I
have to.”

That caused her to cry more.

I was freaking out now. Why is she crying? She had to know that it wasn’t her fault right?

“Goddess I’ve been such a bitch!”

I rubbed her back. “Why are you saying that?” I frowned.

“Hey Sof? Sofie? Sofiya!” I needed her to talk to me. And not cry.

I didn’t want to cause her any stress. It’s not good for her or the baby.

“Yes?” She released me and looked at me through her tearful green eyes.

“Talk to me.” I gave her an encouraging smile.

She chewed her lips.

Sofiya isn’t the one to worry about what other people will say about her.

“It’s me, Sof. We’re bestfriends slash sisters, right? Like you told me when we first met.” I guess that was
the wrong thing to say because she teared up more. “You can tell me anything.”

I’m worried now.

Is everything okay?

“The reason I didn’t talk to you much wasn’t because I was busy. Or moody. Or tired.” She said softly,
her eyes lowering.

“Then what was it? I know I must have done something and I’m very so – “

“No, Avalyn.” She cut me off and her eyes snapped to mine.

There was a glint in them. Like she finally gathered the courage to talk to me. “The reason I didn’t talk to
you was because I was jealous.”

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

35
“Mozog was Vladimir’s birthright. It was supposed to be our daughter’s birthright.” She said softly and
then realization hit me.

“I’ll talk to Nikolai. We don’t need to have it Sof.” I would happily give it up if it made her happy.

“It’s not just that, Avalyn.” She shook her head, her blond curls bobbing with it.

“Then what is it?”

“I’m jealous of you because you have everything. You have Nikolai who is literally the greatest leader to
walk this earth. You have the Rogue Pack, the Montana Pack and everyone there clearly loves the both
of you. They literally worship the ground you walk on. You have a loving father – a father who is a much
better man than all of our fathers combined. You have powers. You are half faye and most probably the
only heir of the Faye Kingdom.”

I didn’t know what to say to that.

“You have a palace that is the best palace in the entire world – human and supernatural. You are a
natural Queen, Avalyn. People are naturally attracted to you and you give off the power that makes
them want to submit to you. Irrespective of who their Alpha or King is. It’s the same with Nikolai. And
you know what’s the worse? Both of you don’t even realise it! You don’t even have to try!” Her face was
scrunched up as she shook her head. “And I try so hard. Vladimir tries so hard. But it’s just not the
same.”

“Sof…”

“I know it’s not your fault, Avalyn. You are the most compassionate, loving, humble and selfless person.
Ever. You didn’t even wish for any of it.” A humourless chuckle left her. “And it makes me feel so much
more shitty because while I love you with all my heart, Avalyn, I’m so very jealous of you.”

My mouth was dry.

This was the reason she hadn’t been talking to me properly these past couple of months. This is the
reason I had been worrying myself. I thought I had done something wrong.

Her thinking like this hurt. I didn’t know what to say.

It seemed to petty to me. But it must have been bothering her a great deal if she had been behaving this
way all thus while…

“And even after I was such a bitch to you for months, you protected me and my daughter. Without a
second thought. Without thinking about yourself.” Her hands fell on her belly and she caressed it. “You
did it all for her.”

“I’m sor – “ Yes, I was hurting but she was hurting too.

“Stop Avalyn. Just stop!” I was taken aback by her tone. “For once in your life stop apologizing. It’s not
your fault. I should be the one to apologise. Not you. This isn’t your fault!”

I kept quiet. She needed to vent all of this out.

36
“I feel an even bigger bitch now.” She covered her face with her hands. “When did things get so messed
up? We used to be so close!”

“We are close, Sofiya. In my heart, you hold the same place. At the end of the day, all of these things are
materialisti. The ony thing that matters to me is my family and my people. If they are happy, then I am
happy. And I just want you to be happy, Sofiya. I’ll talk to Nikolai. You can have Mozog.”

“No.” She whispered, shaking her head. “It’s your’s. By right.”

“Doesn’t matter.” I shrugged. I just want her to be back to being the Sofiya I had first met.

“Exactly, it doesn’t. what matters is that all of us are safe and healthy.” Her hand caressed her belly
again. “This whole incident finally put everything into perspective. I know what is actually important.”
She soft smile covered her face. “And you are more important to me, Avalyn. Very much. I’m sorry. I’m
truly, genuinely, deeply sorry. Will you forgive me?”

A smile developed on my face too. I threw my arms around her neck. “Of course I forgive you, Sof.” I
kissed her cheek. “You’re my sister.”

A sense of relief radiated from her.

“Thank you.” She whispered and I could feel the gratitude.

“You are always welcome.” I smiled. “And it’s okay if you don’t like it here, you can always come and
stay at Soare-Luna with us again. It’s okay if Mozog doesn’t feel home to you. I’m sure Vladimir will
understand. The men know the meaning of family. And home is where the family is. We would all be
very happy to have you.”

“I mean I like Mozog. It’s not bad at all. The people are nice. But it’s not home. It isn’t the same.
Vampires are different than us werewolves. My wolf craves to be in a pack again. And I constantly feel
like I’m missing out on everything. I miss spending time with you and Natalia. And pranking Mikhail and
shopping with Dimitri and training with Andrei and annoying Nikolai. Hell, I miss Adrian and Vanessa too.
So ya, Mozog is nice but it’s not home. And I want my daughter to grow up around a big family with all
her aunts and uncles and people who love her like her parents.”

“Talk to Vladimir, I’m sure he will understand.” I told her, already excited at the thought of living with
Sofiya again.

“Yes, I’ll talk to him.” She smiled warmly.

“Goo – “ the door swung open and Nik walked in.

“Hi.” I grinned at him. He grinned and walked over to me, leaned over the bed and kissed me. “Hi.”

“Ahem.” Sofiya coughed.

“Hello to you too.” Nikolai chuckled.

“What about her?” Sofiya pointed to her belly.

“Hey, baby.” Nikolai touched her belly.

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Sof winced slightly and Nikolai grinned. “Damn that was a hard kick.”

“She just likes me too much.” He winked as he took his hand away.

“Like mother, like daughter.” Sofiya winked back. “I should get going.” And with that, she left.

“She apologised?” Nik asked.

“Yes, sh – how did you know?” He knew? He knew all this time I spent worrying about what was wrong?

“I know everything.” He smirked arrogantly.

“Careful there Nik, your head might not fit through the doorway.” I chuckled.

“The only head that needs to fit somewhere fits perfectly.” He winked and heat flared across my cheeks.

I swatted his arm in a lame attempt to reprimand him. He simply laughed at that.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I demanded.

“I figured it out two days ago. But it wasn’t my place to tell. And she needed to come clean on her own.”
He replied and then a scowl set on his lips. “And it fucking pissed me off. You have been through so
much and now that you are finally getting what you deserve, she is being a bitch.”

“Nikolai!” I reprimanded.

“It’s true.” His eyes turned dark. “It took you risking your life for her to realise her mistake. Forgive me if
I’m not too thrilled about that.”

I sighed. “Can you let it go, please? I forgave her.”

“Of course you did.” He snorted. “You would forgive Emilio if he asked for it.” And the second he sait it,
guilt clouded his face. “I’m sorry, that was a wrong thing to say.” He said softly.

“But it was true.” I shrugged. “I had forgiven him. I only killed him like I did because he pissed me off
with his stupid reason.”

“You can’t forgive someone who isn’t sorry, Avalyn.”

“Yes you can, Nikolai.” I interjected softly. “Forgiving is just as liberating to you as it is to other people.
You should try it sometime.”

“The world is too harsh, Love. It doesn’t work on forgiveness. You have to face the consequences of
what you did.”

“I hope that one day,” I told him, “it does.”

Chapter 16 Honouring the saviour (1)

Nikolai
“Have some time?” Javier asked me before we were about to sit for breakfast. Our flight was on standby
and we were leaving in two hours.

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Avalyn was feeling a lot better now. And I was finally able to somehow convince my wolf that nothing
was wrong with her anymore.

“Yes, of course.” I looked up from my cell phone to see King Josias besides him too.

“I presume you two have sorted out your differences?” I inquired.

“Not entirely.” Josias said. “But we are working on it.”

“For which I need to go back to Voda Kingdom.” Javier replied.

“For how long?” I asked. Ava will be upset.

“I don’t know.” Javier sighed. He didn’t look too pleased to leave too. “I need to talk to my mother and
father. It’s been long over due.”

“And they are not the ones who will forgive you easily.” Josias muttered. “And it’s not like you are even
willing to apologise.”

“I told you I haven’t done anything wrong!” Javier snapped.

“So leaving your family behind for a girl isn’t wrong?” Josias snapped back.

“She was not just a girl!” Javier snarled. “She was my beloved!”

“Wha – “

“Shut up.” I growled. “Both of you.”

I’m sick of this shit.

“Stop being a dick.” I told King Josias. “Javier made his decision to go and you made yours by cutting him
off.”

He remained quiet.

“And you.” I glared at Javier. “Valerie was your mate, yes. But they are your family. Stop being a piece of
shit and be grateful that you have one. Not all of us have that privilege. You don’t need to apologise for
leaving but you need to apologise for hurting them like you did and for not trying to make amends all
these years.”

The twins silently fumed. Because they knew I was right. Of course I was right.

I would do anything to have my mother back. And he has both of his parents who clearly care about him
but he has too much of an ego to fucking apologise. If my mother came back to life by a small apology, I
would say it a million times over.

“He’s right.” King Josias said, his voice hurt. “We didn’t hate you or Valerie. We hated Jerome and Mary
for forcing you two to stay there. You were supposed to be the King. But you chose to be an Alpha
instead. The whole Kingdom mourned your loss along with us when you left. And we mourned your loss
again when the news arrived that you were dead.”

39
“Mother and father were devastated. Not that father would accept it.” A smile lifted King Josias’s lips
and Javier snorted. “They don’t know you are alive. No one except the ones who came here does – so
most the Kingdom, really. And all of us are happy to see that you are. You just need to come back
home.”

“My home is where my daughter is, Jose.” Javier replied. “I will come to Voda but don’t expect me to
stay for long.”

“Two months, Javier.” I replied. “Then we will need you back. We have a war to win.”

He gave me a sharp nod and stood up.

“We shall take our leave right away.” King Josias stood up too.

“But first, join us for breakfast.” I invited them and then smirked,“ and have fun breaking the news to
Ava.”

“Oh, man.” Javier grumbled but his lips twitched up in a smile.

Both of us knew how attached she was to him. At least once in a day, she needed to have some sort of
bonding time with him. I believed that since she had missed him not being there for her as a kid, she was
making up for it. Not that Javier complained. I knew both of them loved it. They usually went for a run in
the evening when he would teach her some Spanish and then he would train her a little bit. It was the
perfect arrangement. Because when it cam to exercising, Ava was lazy. Except when it came to having
sex. She had a libido to match mine. Which was having sex every night – multiple times, and during the
day if we got the chance.

But the point was that Javier was important to Ava. She thought he hung the starts and the moon in the
sky. He is the only man other than me I would let her think that about.

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Chapter 17 Honouring the saviour (2)
Avalyn
There is a deep sense of peace you feel when you step into your home after some time on foreign lands.
And I’m extremely glad to be back home.

Adrian had dragged Nik away to talk about something and with Max, Nat, Papa and Andrei gone, we had
our work cut out for us. There were a few changes I wanted to make in the Kingdom after the amazing
ideas I heard during VARS. There were a few places I needed to check upon in the pack and I needed to
look into the new company I wanted to start, which reminded me that I needed to get into touch with a
lawyer and then King Ciro.

“This is your home?” Eliyah seemed baffled as he kept looking around us and then at the high arched
ceilings and then around us again.

“Yes.” I smiled. “It is now your’s too.”

“Come, I’ll show you to our side of the palace.” And lead him to the west wing. “The entire palace has
four floors and four wings – north, south, east, west. The west wing is our private wing, no one other
than family is allowed there. The north wing holds the Royal Dining Hall, the Throne Room, The Council
Room, a smaller council room and then a few living rooms and numerous offices and conference rooms.
Basically all the work related areas. Then the first floor of east wing have recreational areas like the gym,
swimming pool, indoor garden and greenhouse, a theatre, multiple ballrooms and all that. The second
floor has guest rooms and quarters. And the third and ther fourth floor will be for the council members
that are yet to be chosen by the way. And the south wing has more guest bedrooms and the main
kitchen from where most of the food comes for the entire palace but mainly it’s for the staff.”

“You mean slaves.” Eliyah said.

56
“Yes.” I nodded. He looked disgusted by that fact.

“Why a separate wing? Are they ‘untouchables’? you need to have them far away from you so you gave
them an entire separate wing? What about when you want someone to do your work or punish them
huh? Not so gross then, are we?” He spat bitterly.

My heart went out for him.

“I don’t know what you’ve been through, Eliyah. And I pray to the Goddess that all the slaves in Prajini
aren’t treated the same way. Once you see the different it is here from there, you’ll know that we don’t
believe in whatever you just said. I know you won’t believe my words, which is why I want you to go
exploring today. Roam around in the palace and see for yourself. Go to south wing too. If you want to go
outside, you can. If someone asks, just give them my name and you should be fine. But I’ll prefer it if you
don’t go outside just yet, no one knows you or that you’re – you’re mine,” I said softly, knowing he
doesn’t like being owned, “but it’s your wish. Stay out of other people’s way and you should be fine.”

“Mistress,” Tessa came rushing towards me, a piece of paper in her hand. “Alpha asked me to give this
to you. Also, a lawyer is here to meet you. He is waiting for you in your office.”

“Thanks Tess.” I took it from her hand and quickly scanned it. It was the minutes of our meeting with
King Ciro and Queen Prajini. And on the bottom of the page, Nik had written in his bold handwriting ‘the
lawyer is here to help you form your company. Tell him whatever you have in mind, he’ll do it for you.

All the best. I know you’ll kill it 😊 – Nikolai’. I smiled at his thoughtfulness.

I looked up to see Tessa staring at Eliyah with wide eyes. But unlike most males, she wasn’t scared from
him. She was… taken by him. And Eliyah was staring at her blinging collar. He seemed pissed. He didn’t
notice Tessa’s staring and nor did Tessa notice his anger. But I sensed some potential so I decided to butt
out and let it play out on it’s own.

“I’ll be taking my leave. Tessa, why don’t you give Eliyah a tour of the palace? And then if he’s up for it,
take him outside too.”

Her wide eyes snapped towards me. I gave her a smile, an encouraging pat on the shoulder and then
walked away. I turned around the corner and stood there, my curiosity taking the best of me.

“I’ll be taking my leave. Tessa, why don’t you give Eliyah a tour of the palace? And then if he’s up for it,
take him outside too.” Eliyah mimicking in an exaggerated high pitched, shrill voice. Which I guessed was
his impersonation of my voice.

I almost gasped at that. I do not sound like that!

“What was that?” Tessa snapped at him, out of her daze now.

“You’re ‘Mistress’!” He rolled his eyes.

“Your’s too.” Tessa said. “You should be grateful to have such an amazing Mistress. You shouldn’t mock
her!”

“Ooo, I’m scared. What will you do? Snitch and get me punished?”

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“If you think she will ever punish you, then you’re stupid!” Tessa said. You go Tessa!

“Whatever. Why do you care anyways? You’re a slave. And she’s given us free reign to leave. I say, let’s
run away.” Eliyah suggested, sounding like he was seriously considering it. For some reason, it hurt.

“Why would you want to belong to someone, huh? Why would you want to follow someone’s orders all
day? Why would you ever want to wear a collar?” Eliyah demanded with a scowl.

“Becoming a slave wasn’t my choice. Alpha Nikolai saved me. And then he sent me back to my sister
who lived in a vampire kingdom too. But vampires are cruel and I couldn’t live there for one more day.
Mistress was kind enough to take me in. And not once has she made me feel like I’m less than any other
person in this palace.” She fumed.

“And open your eyes, you live in a kingdom. You’ll always have to follow your King and Queen’s orders.
Regardless of you being a slave or not. And this collar –“ she tugged at it, “I love it, okay? It is a well
deserved and rightfully earned gift. I’m proud to be owned by her and this is a proof of that.” And then
she took out a chaing that was hidden underneath her top. A key was looped through it. “This is the key
of this collar. She gave it to me when she collared me because she believes that my freedom is mine.
And I choose not to.” She tucked the chain safely back inside her top.

“You’re delusional.” Eliyah rolled his eyes after a beat. “You can go back to doing your slave work. I’m
leaving this hell hole. See you never. Peace out.” And then he turned around and left.

Tessa stood there, watching him leave. I could feel her anger, sadness and longing and pain. It tugged at
my heart too. And seeing him leave hurt me too. But I didn’t do anything to stop him. I figured it
wouldn’t do any harm, would it? I was sure he wouldn’t tell our secret to humans. He knew that much.
And he would be happier this way. It wasn’t what I had wanted but not everything went according to
our wishes.

I turned around and walked to the west wing for the meeting with the lawyer, disheartened about what
happened to Eliyah. But the only reason I had taken him away from Adira was to free him. And if he felt
like he was trapped here, then that was defeating my purpose.

Chapter 18 Morning blues

Nikolai
I tried to wake up Avalyn early in the morning at my normal time. Key word – tried, because it’s not easy
at all. Ava loves to sleep.

“No.” She groaned and turned around, snuggling with the pillows and the blanket.

“We are training with the pack today.” I told her and pulled the blanket away from her. She was holding
on to it pretty tight.

“This is my last warning, Ava. Wake up.” I crossed my arms.

“And this is mine – leave me alone.” She mumbled groggily.

“You sure you aren’t going to wake up? “ I got no reply because she was already asleep again.

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Chuckling softly, I picked her up and started walking in the bathroom. Her hold on the blanket was so
tight that she dragged it with her too.

She squinted her eyes open in confusion. “Wha -“ I threw her in the pool.

I saw her struggle to come up to the surface because of the blanket. She coughed out the water and
glared at me.

“You’re finally awake!” I grinned.

“I am going to kill you, you sadist.” She threatened.

My head tipped back as I laughed. Her hair turned silver and I braced myself because I know she would
throw me in the water too.

But nothing happened.

I saw her frown and concentrate harder but I didn’t move an inch. A scowl formed on her face.

“Why is it not working?” She growled. And then a basket full of rose petals kept in the side rose in the
air and emptied itself in the water.

“Why are my powers not work on you?” She looked irritated and annoyed.

I guess she really wanted to throw me in the water.

“Maybe I’m immune to your charms.” I smirked, shrugging and turned around to walk out. “We need to
go train. Get dressed and come out quickly.”

“Immune to my charms, huh?” She appeared in front of me and placed her hand on my chest, stopping
me.

Her hair was all messed up, most of them had escaped the bun she had put them in last night. The hair
poor tie was barely hanging on. She had bags under her eyes from waking up hours before her normal
time. And there was a mark of drool on the corner of her dry lips. But she looked just as beautiful as she
did when she applied makeup.

Her baby hair were curly and they framed the edges of her face delicately. Her eyes that were spitting
fire at me right now were narrowed slightly and the chocolate brown colour that I loved was turning
darker by the second. Her cheeks were flushed because of the soft breeze floating in through the open
door and her pointy chin was tipped up in defiance.

But slowly, the fury in her eyes melted into a heated glaze, her touch on my naked chest turned inviting.
She shook her head slightly and then her hair tiw fell out and her thick long brown hair tumbled down to
her waist in slow motion. The lips that were set in a scowl slowly moved to form a seductive pout.

And I knew I was a goner.

She stepped closer and kissed my throat, the pink tips her breasts grazing my diaphragm. My head tilt
back in pleasure and my eyes slid shut. Sparks coursed through my veins and my heart-rate spiked. And
then she began sucking on the juncture between my neck and shoulder, where she would mark me one

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day. Fuck. A shiver went down my spine. And by the time she nipped me lightly and pushed her breasts
against me, my dick was throbbing.

“Maybe not completely.” My eyes flew open and I grabbed her waist, feeling the need to feel close to
her and feel more of her soft, velvety skin.

“You aren’t sure?” She kept sucking on my skin, leaving burning trails as she moved down my chest. She
ground her hips into my erection and grabbed my ass.

“Umm…” My eyes focused on her lips as she rose on her toes to kiss me. Her lips were just about to
touch mine. And then suddenly, I was flying backwards before I was flying backwards before I was
drowning in the pool.

She pushed me in the freaking pool.

My little minx.

I rose to the surface to see her flat face and mirthful eyes. “You expect me to seduce you after you woke
me up at,” her eyes fell on the clock and widened dramatically, “five thirty in the morning?” She
shrieked. “Keep dreaming!” And with that, she stalked out.

I laughed as I got out of the water and followed her. “You’re cute when you are mad.”

“I’m always cute.” She flipped her drenched hair back, splashing more water on my face.

“That you are.” I grabbed her waist and pulled her into me. I dug my nose in her neck and took a deep
breath of her scent. Damn I need to calm the fuck down. We have things to do. Important things. “Get
dressed, Ava. Please. We need to be there in five minutes.” I said softly but seriously and kissed her
neck. She turned around and smiled, “only because you asked nicely,” pecking me on the lips. “And
because you’re hot.” She grinned.

I winked back and smacked her ass before squeezing it, “right back at you, Love.”

We both quickly dried ourselves and I wore a pair of shorts and loose tee. Ava wore a sports bra and
tights before we made our way to the training ground.

Andrei wasn’t here so his responsibility went to Mikhail. He stood in front of the pack, on the stage
while Ava and I stood with the people. My brothers and I normally trained after everyone or we trained
separately because no one really matched up to our level. So they were definitely surprised to see us
standing with them. Also, Ava had never really trained with everyone since we came here so that was a
bigger surprise.

“From now on, every Saturday, we will have a sparing competition of males versus females. Each of you
will be assigned a partner according to your level and once you defeat them, you will move to the next
level and you will be assigned a new partner. Each person will participate in two fights a day.” Mikhail
announced. “To make things more interesting, I will keep score of each match. One point will go to your
team for each win. We will do this for four Saturdays, that is to the end of this month. If the females
loose, they will throw a party for the males and vica versa.”

Determined grins spread across everyone’s faces and the excitement of the crowd grew.

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“We will start with the warm up first. Start with hundred lap around the ground. The last fifty to
complete the laps will run fifty laps extra.”

After he said, everyone started running, not wishing to come last. Ava and I shared a look and we took
off too. I maintained my pace with Ava.

Twenty rounds in, she was panting and sweating way too much.

“Come on Ava.” We were among the last few people.

“I can’t do hundred.” She panted. I know that. Her wolf isn’t strong enough to do a hundred laps as
warm up and then do the training too. But I didn’t expect her to get tired so quickly.

“Yes you can.” I encouraged her. “Use your inner strength. You can do it. Focus on pulling out your inner
strength.”

She took a deep breath and after a couple of seconds, her pace steadily started increasing. Her panting
had reduced and she wasn’t sweating as much. We also started passing more people.

She turned to look at me and her eyes were electric blue.

Huh?

Is she using her powers to run faster?

But I didn’t feel her wolf at the forefront. Instead, I felt the energy her powers normally radiated when
she used them.

Then suddenly, it clicked.

Instead of using her wolf strength, she is using her faye strength.

I wanted to see just how strong she is.

I increased my pace further and she kept up but with a little difficulty.

“Faster Ava. User your strength. You are their Luna Queen. Show them.” I encouraged further and her
strides grew stronger.

We started passing more people.

I increased my pace more and then Ava’s hair turned silver as she kept up with me. In a minute after
that, we were the ones leading everyone.

“Faster?” I asked.

“I can do it.” She nodded and then we both increased our pace. My wolf was at the forefront as I ran at
my top speed and Ava ran besides me, a proud grin splitting her face.

We both completed the lap and passed everyone again, and again till we were done with the hundred
laps.

We came to a stop at the finish line, where Mikhail was standing.

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“Nice one, Avalyn.”

“Thanks.” She panted. Both of us were breathing heavily. It has been a long time since I ran so hard.

Ava sat down on the ground and a slave rushed to her with a bottle of water. Ava started downing it
quickly.

“Slowly.” I told her and her pace decreased a bit.

I too, took a bottle and drank some water.

Once everyone had finished, we got a break till the last fifty people finished their extra laps.

“We will be quick with the warm up so all you have to do is five hundred pushups and five hundred sit
ups before we move on to sparing.” Mikhail announced.

“This is way too easy for you. You have huge muscles and you do this everyday. Not fair.” Ava poked my
biceps.

“Yes, not fair Alpha!” Eveline appeared besides Ava and grinned at me. Ava winked at Eveline.

All the females gathered around Ava and agreed with her.

What is she doing? Is she trying to get herself out of training today?

Not on my watch.

Ava gave me a slight smile and then I got it. She wanted to make things fun and challenging.

“What do you suggest?” I asked. “We men can do anything.”

“Yea!” Everyone agreed unanimously.

“Ya ya.” She waved it off and then grinned, “I think I should make it more difficult for you.”

“What do you want us to do then?” I looked at her and she stood up.

“You will do five hundred pushups but with me on your back for extra weight.” I laughed at her demand.
She hardly weighs anything at all.

“Fine.” I agreed. “Let’s start.”

I got on the ground and Ava climbed on top of me and folded her legs.

I started doing push ups and I saw everyone around us started doing it too.

Some men were struggling while some were having fun showing off. And all the women were having
fun.

Ava was trailing patterns on my back, trying to distract me but I finished my pushups easily anyways.

Ava got off and pursed her lips. I jumped to my feet and grinned at her.

We waited from everyone to be over. Once they were all standing, I looked at Ava. “Now since you
made it harder for us, we should return the favour.”

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The men unanimously agreed, excited at the prospect of doing something different and fun.

Ava narrowed her blue eyes. “Bring it on.”

“Yeah!” The females cheered.

“I believe that men and women are equals. So if you all sat on us, we will return the favour.” Shock
masked everyone’s faces. “However, considering that your training has started recently, I will reduce the
pushups from five hundred to one fifty.”

Before anyone had the chance to say anything or protest, Ava nodded her head. “Sounds fair.”

“Do you all agree with your Luna?” I smirked.

They all begrudgingly affirmed.

“Good. Go back to your partners then.” I told and then motioned Ava to lie down.

She lied down in position and I climbed on top of her. But I kept my feet on the ground on either side of
her instead of taking them off the ground like she did.

“Fat ass.” She muttered and started her pushups.

I pinched her ass. “You love my ass.”

Her hair were silver as she did pushups and I was very proud of her. She was learning how to control her
powers. I wasn’t even holding my weight up. She was carrying me all on her own. Seeing her small
frame, no one can say she can pick me up. But it’s a new surprise with Ava everyday.

She was panting at the end of it but she completed the last pushup and rested flat on the ground. I got
up chuckling. “That was good.”

“I know.” She replied, panting.

I motioned a slave to get me some water. I took a water bottle and opened it before handing it to Ava.

She sat up and drank it. “ I can’t believe you do this everyday.”

“It’s fun.”

“You’re crazy.”

“You’re lazy.”

“I have powers which do my work for me.”

“They won’t help you do sit ups. So start.” I smirked at her frustrated pout and we both laid down side
by side and did five hundred sit ups. I completed before her and then sat there, watching her do them.
She sat up once she was done.

“Tired?” I asked.

“No.” She replied, taking her silver hair out of the ponytail she had tied them in and put them up in a
tight bun. She means business now. “I’m ready to fight you.”

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My eyebrows shot up at her confidence. “Let’s go then.”

We walked to one of the circles and stood in the middle. “You will fight in skin, okay?” She is stronger in
this form.

“Okay.” She nodded.

With her confirmation we both took a couple of steps backwards.

“Start.” Mikhail, who had just appeared, announced.

I waited for Ava to make her first move. Realizing that I wasn’t going to make the first move, she ran
towards me. Before she even touched me, I moved.

Turning around her, my arm shot out to grab her from behind but she turned around and tried to punch
me. I ducked and swiped her feet off the ground, making her fall down. Grunting, she jumped to her feet
and then started doing a combination of punches and kicks I forced her to practice everyday in the gym
because she didn’t train in the mornings. There were a few moves that I hadn’t taught her too. They
must be Javier’s doing.

She didn’t even touch me.

Her guard lowered and I kicked her side, making her fly back on the ground. She winced as she stood up
and focused the heat of her glare on me.

I gave her a bright smile, taunting her.

Her eyes narrowed and then she disappeared and then I felt a hard kick on my back, making me fall on
my hands and knees.

Getting back on my feet in an instant, I saw her motioning to me come at her with two fingers.

“You’re going to use your powers?” I asked.

“What’s the point of them if I can’t use them to win a fight?” Fair point well made.

I took off my tee and threw it aside. I clenched my abs and saw her eyes lower. In a flash, I ran to her
and grabbed her head in a choke hold but she disappeared and was on my back, holding my head in a
deadlock. I grabbed her arms, opened them and then threw her on the ground from over my head.

I circled around her, thinking of all my possible options. Ava with powers can be a dangerous opponent.
What she was doing right now is nothing in comparison to what she can do. Both of us knew that.

I could feel the eyes of people around us on us. They were all watching the spar with unconcealed
interest. I waited for her next move.

In the blink of an eye she was in front of, throwing a punch at my face, I blocked it. And then one came
from the back. And then my left. And then my right.

She would disappear and appear in the blink of an eye, attack and then disappear again. I could barely
see her so I focused on my senses to judge where she would attack from.

I defended most of the attacks but she got in a couple of good ones.

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Then I started punching and kicking too. But didn’t pack a lot of strength in them. I didn’t want to hurt
her.

It was like a dance. She would appear, attack. I will defend and she would disappear. I would sense
where she is, attack, she will defend and disappear.

Over and over.

I need to brake the cycle.

Apparently Ava thought so too, so this time, she appeared on my shoulders with her legs locked around
my head and then in the next second, I was on the ground and she was holding me down in a chokehold
with her legs.

“Shift.” Mikhail said.

But I didn’t shift. In this case, I will be at a disadvantage in my fur. I will have a longer body to protect
and it will take me time to turn around. Also, there is no way I’m biting her with my teeth or wounding
her with my claws.

I grabbed her legs and twisted. The moment her hold loosened, she appeared on my chest and was
straddling me.

I was so focused on her legs that I didn’t sense this and she got in a good punch on my jaw. A smile grew
on her face. Using her slight distraction as my opportunity, I brought my legs up from behind her and
locked them around her neck and twisted her so she revolved around herself and fell down, her butt on
the ground.

Now, I had her on the ground with my legs wrapped around her body, and I grabbed her head that
rested on my thigh.

Like this, I could have easily snapped the head of my opponent.

The crowd broke into a round of applause and lots of cheers. The females who were rooting for Ava
were cheering too.

I pecked her lips Spiderman style and released her before we both stood up.

“You did good.” A lot better than I had expected actually, considering she does not train everyday.

“Thanks.” A wide grin stretched across her face.

“The winner of this match is Alpha Nikolai. So one point to the males.” Mikhail motioned towards the
slave who stood on the stage and he wrote one in the male section.

“That’s alright. My females will make me proud. Won’t you all?” Ava asked loudly to all the women who
cheered in return.

“Let’s see who wins. Now go to your partners and begin. You will go to the stage with your partner and
mark a point for the winning team. If you don’t go with your partner, the point won’t be marked to
avoid cheating. I will be keeping an eye. Disperse.” Mikhail announced and everyone bounced on their
heels in excitement as they went off to spar.

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“What are you planning?” Ava asked me.

“What?”

“Creating competition that motivates people to fight and train harder.” She said suspiciously. “I don’t
think this is the normal way you train everyday.”

She is too smart for her own good.

“Just wanted to change things up a bit.” Mikhail smiled. “A healthy competition never did anyone bad.”

She eyed us both and we gave her innocent looks.

“It’s my turn to fight you, Luna.” Dimitri appeared.

“You’re late.” Mikhail told him.

“I slept late. I was… working out.” He grinned. The asshole was getting laid. I know my brother. I can bet
my life on it.

“Two hundred laps around the grounds.” I ordered. He gave me a salute before he took off.

We spend about half an hour making rounds, ckecking on different fights. I could see that our presence
made a difference, they fought harder.

Then Dimitri came in to spar with Ava.

This should be interesting.

I watched them walk into a circle.

“Start.” I commanded.

To Dimitri’s surprise, Ava attacked immediately.

Dimitri and my fighting techniques were very different. While I directly went in for the kill, Dimitri made
a show out of it. While sparing, I focused on making my opponent submit, Dimitri dragged it out by tiring
his opponent and then brutally killing their ego by making a show of him dominating the fight and
winning in the end.

The only person Dimitri hasn’t defeated yet is me. But he gives a darn good challenge. The major trick up
his sleeve is tiring the opponent because he is quick on his feet. Ava has the same technique which
makes this fight much more interesting.

Dimitri started dancing around Ava, throwing punches and kicks here and there. Ava calmed down and
watched at him move around her and blocked around half of his attacks.

After a couple of minutes, Ava started using the same technique she used on me of disappearing,
appearing at a different place, attacking and then disappearing again.

That threw Dimitri off his game. Apparently, Ava had observed his patterns and attacking style and was
using it against him.

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For a good amount of time, Ava dominated Dimitri in the fight, getting in good punches and kicks. So
much so that his side was injured enough to slow him down and his nose was bleeding.

Slowly, Dimitri caught up with her and used his wolf to sense her instead of trying to look for her, exactly
what I did. But then suddenly Ava was on his back and was about to grab his head in a dead lock, Dimitri
grabbed her and threw her in front of him.

But Ava grabbed him too and brought him down with her. She appeared on his chest and managed to
punch his nose again before he threw her off him.

A resounding crack hit my ears.

Ava broke his nose.

She lay on the ground and looked at him with wide eyes. I don’t think she intended to do that.

He stood up and popped his nose back and motioned her to come at him.

A smile formed on Ava’s face and she lunged at him. She realized her mistake a little too late. Attacking
Dimitri from the front when he was much stronger and experienced than her was a bad idea. Dimitri
moved, grabbed her arm and spun her so his arm caged her body and her back was against his front and
his other hand came up to grab her neck.

Everyone was stunned at that.

There was a possibility that Ava would have won if she had continued to use her powers.

Dimitri released her and she turned around. She swiped her hand over his face in the air and his nose
was fixed again and it stopped bleeding. Then, she showed him her tongue, making a face. “A couple of
days of training and I will win.”

Everyone cheered again and chuckled at that.

“We will see about that.” Dimitri called and I chuckled.

Ya, it definitely bruised his ego.

Chapter 19 King of Fire (1)

Avalyn
‘You are needed in the Throne Room, Avalyn.’ Dimitri mind-linked me.

‘Is everything okay?’ I’m a little shocked that Nik wasn’t contacted in case of a problem. He was much
more equipped to solve one than me.

‘I’m not sure.’ He replied which confused me.

‘I’m coming.’ I rushed to the Throne Room. The guards opened the door and I saw two guards standing
in the middle of the room. And between them, stood a man with his hands cuffed behind his back. All I
could see was their back since they were facing the front.

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Dimitri was standing in front of them, talking to the guards in low voices but he wen silent when I
entered.

“What is it, Dimitri? Who is he?” I asked.

“I knew it,” a guard hissed as they turned around.

I was shocked to see that the captured man was Eliyah. There were a few small cuts and scrapes on his
body along with a little dirt here and there, but otherwise, he looked fine.

“What is going on?” I demanded. Solemnly, Dimitri came and stood besides me. This was totally out of
character for him.

“This slave is a runaway, Queen Avalyn.” The other guard added. “And that you have given him the
permission to roam around freely in the pack. We are aware that your only personal slave is Tessa.” He
said and then quickly added, “and April but she is just the nanny of Prince Adrian and Princess Vanessa.
The reason we are here is that the slave wasn’t wearing a collar. He told us the reason but we weren’t
sure so we decided that it would be best to bring him to you first.”

“Thank you so much,” I smiled, “and yes, Eliyah belongs to me. I got him recently and this morning, I
send him in the town so he would be familiar with it for when I send him to do any task.” Eliyah looked
up at me in shock. “And his collar is still being made.”

The guard believed my answer and smiled. “I knew no one would be foolish enough to throw your name
around like that or run away from you, Queen Avalyn.”

“Why was he wandering in the woods? Those woods were a little too far from the town. I still believe he
was trying to run away, Queen Avalyn.” The first guard said earnestly. “He isn’t admitting the truth to
escape punishment.”

“I’m sure he just got lost, right Eliyah?” I asked.

He nodded, his head lowering again.

I smiled at the guards, “thank you so much. Both of you. You are doing your jobs spectacularly. And
thank you again for finding him and bringing him back.”

Both of their smiles grew, “thank you, Queen Avalyn,” and then they took off Eliyah’s cuffs and then
lowered their heads before they left.

“Familiar with town? Got lost? Why would you lie?” Dimitri asked, shaking his head, “I expected better
from you.”

He sounded deeply hurt and my heart constricted. The last thing I want is to hurt my family. And my
actions actually could have hurt tens of thousands of people. “I did send him out to get familiar with the
pack.” I wasn’t lying about that part. “But it was yesterday afternoon.” My eyes lowered.

“Why didn’t you tell us he ran away?” He asked.

“I knew about it.” I murmured contritely.

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“You knew?” His eyes reflected disappointment. And it cut deep. Dimitri has never looked at me that
way. He has never looked at me with anything except love and utmost respect. “He could have exposed
our existence to humans. He cou – “

“I wouldn’t have, okay?” Eliyah cut in. “And there is no need to make her feel bad. It’s not her fault. It’s
on me. You can punish me if you want.”

Dimitri ignored him, his eyes on me. “We are your people, Queen Avalyn.” I gnawed on my lip as my
eyes burned with new-formed tears. I hated him calling me with my title. “And you risked our entire
race’s welfare and safety for one human.” He shook his head and said possessively. “You’re our Queen.”

Eliyah opened his mouth to argue but I shook my head at him and he fell silent. There was no point in
defending me. I need to take responsibility for my actions. I know what I had been doing was wrong but
I still went ahead and did it. I shouldn’t have done that. It wasn’t even just wrong, it was betrayal to all
supernatural races. It easily could have led to a crime of the highest order.

“I’m sorry.” I said, feeling genuinely extremely remorseful. I’m the Queen. Only the best is expected of
me. And I let everyone down. “I’ll do better now.”

“It’s fine,” Dimitri smiled but it looked strained. “But I have to tell Nikolai.”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to be the one to tell him.” He nodded at that. “Also, next time, please don’t
say it like that. I’m your Queen, yes. But I’m their Queen as well. They are my people too. They are a part
of our Kingdom and this is their home too.”

He smiled, almost as if he had expected me to comment about it. After a final nod he took his leave. I
knew he was still hurt. And I realized that I did put Eliyah’s wishes over the safety of thousands of
people. It was wrong. I should do better than that. I am better than that. I know I am.

Eliyah looked at me and said quietly, “sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. You behaved like anyone else would have.” I replied. “I want to know why you did it.
Did I do something? Was it something I said that you didn’t like maybe?”

He shook his head dejectedly. “You’ve treated me better than anyone else in my entire life.” And then
added with a snort, “even my own mother.”

I took a seat on the step that led to the thrones and patted the space next to me. He looked at me and I
knew he was thinking – why was I, a Queen, sitting on the floor. But he sat down besides anyways.

“Talk to me, Eliyah. It will help you ease your pain. And maybe I’ll understand you better too.”

He released a breath. “You want to listen to my story? A slave’s? Won’t that be a huge waste of time?”

“Let me be the judge of that.” I smiled.

“I’m actually from the Slave Island.” What the hell? Slave Island? He must have seen the confusion is on
my face. “It’s one of the islands of Ovzdusia. There, the slaves are bred. They stay with their birth-givers
till they are five and then they are taken away from their ‘homes’.”

My eyes widened. What the hell?

69
“The boys are sent to train in different types of fighting techniques. And the girls are sent to learn about
housekeeping stuff. And the ones who grow up to become beautiful are forced to become sluts and
whores.”

I winced at his crudeness.

“Sorry.” He said softly. “After our training is completed, the strongest ones are turned into vampires and
the rest of us are re-trained to do different tasks. And then we are sold to the highest bidder. It’s
Ovzdusia’s biggest income. I’ve had one Master and two Mistresses – three, counting you in four years.”

“Adira was a Lady and was much more demanding than the others. Thank you for buying her for me by
the way – she is the only person I enjoyed killing. She had an entire house where strong male slaves
were trained to become gladiators. And I was always the winning bet – I’ve never lost a fight. Which was
why I was her favourite. Also because… because I was the best at – at giving pleasure.”

He turned to look at my tear streaked face, “why are you crying?”

“Oh I’m so sorry this happened to you, Eliyah!” I hugged him. “I’m sorry you’ve had such a tough life. I’m
so sorry you had to kill all those people when you didn’t want to. I promise that you will never be
treated like that here. You don’t need to carry the burden of their lives. You did what you had to do to
survive. It’s okay.”

His arms come around me awkwardly, “it wasn’t your fault. And thank you.” He held me for a second
before his hold tightened as he repeated, “thank you.” His voice was thick with emotions this time
around, but resolute.

I smiled and backed up, “so you don’t want to leave anymore?”

“I don’t have anywhere else to go,” he shrugged and then added in a kinder tone, “and I don’t think I’ll
find anyone else who will be nice to me after I’ve been nothing but rude to them.”

There was a sadness in his tone that I wanted to erase. I wanted to make him smile.

“I am pretty nice, aren’t I? I flipped my hair and said with a teasing smirk.

His eyes warmed up as if he knew exactly what I was trying to do. And he smiled, “nice isn’t a term I’d
use for someone who has built schools and hospitals and orphanages and old-age homes. Or someone
who no one has a single bad thing to say about, or someone who is loved and respected by all.” He had
definitely done some roaming around the pack. ”I’d say you’re awesome… Mistress.”

Chapter 20 King of Fire (2)

Nikolai
“There is something important I need to tell you,” Dimitri entered my office. “Well actually it’s just my
and Max’s theory but we’re pretty sure it’s true.”

“What is it?”

“Do you remember the beach house Max was training Natalia in? The one that caught on fire?” He
asked. Why is he bringing that up right now?

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“Where are you going with this?” Why is he beating around the bush?

“We think that it’s not Avalyn who did that. It was you.” He said.

“Did you fall off your bed this morning and hit your head too hard on the floor?” I rolled my eyes.

“Think about it, Nikolai.” He said, ignoring my question. “That house didn’t catch on fire until after you
came there. You were furious too, remember?”

“You do remember that Ava is the one with the magic, right? Or did that fall made you lose your
memories too?”

“Magic yes. But elements, no. You’re the one with fire. Remember when Avalyn was shot and Zakyra
and her men started burning?” He asked and I nodded. Ava was shot. I can’t forget it even if I want to. It
has burnt a hole in my brain, that image is here to stay. “Don’t you think that’s odd? She had affinity
with fire. She controlled fire and was immune to it, like you and Avalyn are. But she burned to her death,
Nikolai. And Avalyn had passed out by then. You were the one who was conscious and furious.”

I can’t believe he was actually implying this…

“Come on, don’t give me that look, brother. Let’s try it – light this desk on fire,” he pointed to my desk.

I turned around to face it. “Abracadabra, desk, light yourself up on fire.” I said flatly and obviously,
nothing happened. I looked back at my dumbass younger brother, “see, smartess?”

“Do it like you mean it!” He said in a serious tone. And you don’t take Dimitri lightly when he uses that
tone. I turned back to the desk and concentrated on lightning it up on fire, like how I often tell Ava to
concentrate to use her powers. Slowly and then all at once.

I opened my eyes and there was nothing, just as I had expected. I looked back at Dimitri and he was still
staring at my desk. And then his lips parted and his trembling finger raised to point at it.

My nose detected the smell of fire. I whirled around and true to his word, my entire desk was on fire
and it was only getting worse. Fuck. “No, no, no!” My desk has very important papers on it! I imagined
the fire extinguishing without any harm. And that actually happened! The fire was out instantly, leaving
the desk behind with not a single mark.

I walked forward and placed my hand on the surface. It was hot but it didn’t bother me. The fire surely
happened, I hadn’t imaged it.

“You’re hair was blond and a little orangish and red. It was the colour of … fire. Like it is when Avalyn
touches it. And your eyes turned golden.” Dimitri spoke in awe.

What the fuck.

“I’m just a werewolf, Dimitri. This isn’t natural. And we don’t have powers like this, only royal vampires
do.” I whispered.

“But you’re a werewolf with the purest alpha bloodline ever. It’s got to mean something.” He replied.
“Have you noticed something else? Everyone kneels in front of you when you do something big – fire

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related. Every time. You give out too much power and energy to not submit to you. Hell, Max knelt too.
And at that time, he wasn’t a pack member either.”

I had no idea.

“Also, I know it sounds ridiculous but the sky agrees with you. Whenever you’re angry , it thunders and
then lightening occurs and when you’re sad, it’s gloomy and it rains. But it’s all nice and sunny
otherwise. Hell, we are on the top of the tallest mountain of this fucking dimension and it’s spring,
Nikolai. We should have been freezing our balls off in these clothes!” He motioned towards the shorts
and the plain t-shirt that we were wearing. Everything that Dimitri was spewing out of his mouth was
true. It just didn’t make sense. And I liked logic. I liked it quite a lot.

This is too much information to take in.

I looked down at my hands. I can control fire. Technically, I should be able to control it after I kill Zakyra.
You obtain the powers of people you kill. But I could do it even before that. It does not make sense!

If there was one person who could answer my questions, then it was a witch. And old one who knows all
about this stuff. Most old witches do. And there are no witches in Soare-Luna or Mozog. They were a
rare species. And then Adrian’s words echoed in my mind. Adrik has witches. And if what Adrian is
saying is the truth than he’s up to no good. As always.

I called Max and asked without any preliminaries. “Does Poziarne have a witch? An old wise one who
probably knows everything.”

“Poziarne has a few witches for sure but I’m not sure about the knows everything thing.” He said, “what
is it?”

“I need some answers.”

“Okay. Give me some time, I’ll call you.” And then he cut the phone.

At night, when I got back to my bedroom, Ava was sitting on the swing out in the balcony, with both her
legs folded up, reading a book. And she was wearing her little silk and lace nightdress that ended just
below her butt.

It must be a little nippy – it usually got a lot colder after sundown. So I bundled up a blanket, slid open
the window and walked out. She looked up and immediately gave me a sweet dimpled smile.

I saddled up besides her and covered our legs with the blanket. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder
and she snuggled into me. “Had dinner?”

Both of us had a lot of work today and I got the notice that she had been out and about in the whole
pack today, doing random checks of various supplies and talking to people. She nodded. “At a cute café
opened up recently. We should go together sometime.”

“Sure.” I nodded. “It’s a date.” I kissed her forehead. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

“I need to tell you something too.” She mumbled, closed her book and gave me her full attention.

“You first.” I said.

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She told me the entire situation with what happened with Eliyah, why she did what she did and what
she was thinking at that time. And then she told me about the talk she had with Dimitri and then the
one with Eliyah.

“Well if you know what you did was wrong then I don’t see the point of saying anything.”

“Really? I thought you’ll be mad.” She said softly.

“Your intentions weren’t wrong. But the way you went about it was. And you’re the Queen, Love. You
need to make your own decisions and you need to know that every decision of yours is going to affect
the entire kingdom. And this one could have affected all the supernatural races.”

“I’m sorry.” She said in a small voice. “Will I be punished? I broke a very important law.”

“No, Love.” I told her hand in mine and kissed her knuckles. “Technically you didn’t leak the secret. Your
actions could have led to it. But nothing happened, so no. you’ve got to be careful though. Your reason
was good but it doesn’t justify your actions. Things could have gone real bad real fast. When you make a
decision, I need you to think not only about the person you’re dealing with but about everyone else too.
You need to do better than that. You can do better than that.”

“I know.” She whispered.

“What would you have done if you could redo it?” I asked.

“I would have stopped him from leaving. Forcing him to stay would be wrong but it would be the right
decision. And then I could have talked to him and tried to make it better.”

“See? You’re the perfect Mistress and Queen.” I smiled, caressing the soft skin of her arm with my
thumb. “This was the correct course of action.”

“I’ll do better next time, Mi Amor.” She replied. “Now what did you want to tell me?”

I showed her instead.

I placed my palm in front of us and lit it up on fire. I saw the reflection of fire in her mesmerizing eyes.
They looked amber in colour because of the reflection of fire.

“How did you do it?” She whispered in awe after I extinguished it. It still difficult for me to comprehend
too.

“Remember how I told you that Zakyra burned to her death?” I asked and she nodded.

“Zakyra was the Queen of the Fire Kingdom. She was the Queen of Fire. She yielded fire at her will, she’
the unburnt Queen – which means that just like us, fire doesn’t affect her. She doesn’t burn in it.

“But she did.” She frowned.

“She did.” I agreed. “And remember when Max was training Natalia at the beach house and you went
there to give food? And you ended up getting very angry at what you saw?” She had caused a lot of
destruction but it wasn’t fire. I also realized that if she really had affinity with fire, she would have
burned Max to his death. She was that mad.

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Thank goddess that wasn’t the case.

She winced at the memory but nodded.

“And then the house caught on fire when were going back and forth?”

She nodded again.

“It wasn’t you. It was me.” I told her.

“I don’t understand.”

“Remember during the battle I asked you to light those people on fire at the beach behind our house
and you couldn’t do it? But then I helped you and only very few caught on fire?”

“Yes.” She nodded.

“It’s because you don’t have the affinity with fire. I do. I also believe that I was the one who burned
those people because while asking you to do it, I was thinking hard about it too.” I explained.

“Let’s try it out. Light the coffee table on fire.” I motioned towards the table a few feet away from us.

She brought her hands up and turned her palms towards the table, concentrating on lighting the table
on fire.

Nothing happened.

“Now let me try.” I murmured and then the surface of the table was swept in fire for a couple of seconds
before it extinguished. Her lips parted. I could feel her pride through our bond – the pride to have a
powerful mate like me.

“Nikolai Volkov, the King of fire.” She tested and it rolled of her tongue perfectly. “I like it. A lot.”

“I do too.” I pulled her on my lap so she was straddling me. She squealed at the suddenness but then her
eyes turned hooded upon seeing my heated expression.

Her long hair were covering the little dress from me. I pushed them behind her shoulders, marvelling
how they turned silver under my touch as always.

I groaned when my eyes fell on the little number she was wearing. It was a deep v-neck, coming down to
the middle of her cleavage. The top part was all lace, the design teasingly showing the hint of her
nipples. And then the almost translucent silk part started from just below her breasts.

This was definitely a new one.

I licked my lips hungrily. All mine. She was all mine. My hand reached under her dress only to feel her
sopping wet folds.

Fuck. She wasn’t wearing an underwear.

She bit her lip and a little moan slipped out. The thin little string holding the dress over her shoulder
slipped down, exposing the upper swell of her breast.

She hadn’t even moved.

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But the seductive look on her face told me it was her plan all along. Come and get me, it said.

The look alone set me ablaze. How can anyone have so much power over someone? She has to be sent
by the gods. She’s made for me.

How can I love her so much? Every night I fall asleep thinking that I can’t love her possibly more than I
do. But then when I wake up in the morning and see her sleeping besides me peacefully, I fall a little
deeper. With each smile she gives me, each touch she bestows me with, each kiss she blesses me with, I
fall for her all over again.

My heart felt so full with love, I couldn’t take it anymore.

“You’ve got to know what you’re doing to me, Love.” I whispered, my voice thick.

She tilted her head a little, a knowing smile formed on her lips. And then she placed her hands on my
shoulder and played with the hair on the nape of my neck.

I shivered as tingles spread across my body.

She leaned closer, brushing her breasts against my chest and purred in my ear. “What am I doing to you,
Master?”

My breath hitched and my hold on her waist tightened. I’m sure my fingers were digging in her flesh a
little painfully but I couldn’t stop for the life of me.

Ava rarely took control. And it was always a pleasurable game because it was so new to me. To us. A
game of who will give in first and jump the other, of who will win the honour of being in control for that
round. And right now, Ava was in the mood to play. So we would play.

“You, my little slave, are a minx.” I rasped, my lips grazing her ear. She trembled under my hold.

“Is that a bad thing, Master?” Her nails grazed the back of my neck and her lips brushed my ear.

A deep moan rumbled from my chest. Goddamn this woman. She’s it for me. She’s always been it for
me.

“A very, very bad thing.” I growled softly, “how do you plan on making up for it?”

“I was thinking…” she rubbed her breasts against my chest, “maybe you could punish me? And then I
could make you feel good.” She grounded her hips against my raging hard on.

“How?” Goddess, my voice was thick.

“Maybe you could gave me a good spanking,” she placed her hand on my own and slid it down till it was
cupping her ass, “right here.” My fingers dug in her flesh and she rested her head on my shoulder as she
breathed hard, as if she was having trouble controlling herself. “And then,” she was breathless, “after
I’ve paid thoroughly for being a minx, I could show you just how much fun you can have with a minx.”
She rasped, I’ll be a bad, bad girl.”

My eyes slid shut as a wave of pleasure passed through my whole body. My control was slipping. My
mind was in haze but I knew I needed to end this quick so we could do all that she said and more.

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“I don’t know what bad girl you’re talking about. My mate is an angel.” I swiped a finger between her
folds and she jumped with a gasp before she tilt her head back and moaned.

She grabbed my hand and brought it up. Her juices glittered under the moonlight. Her eyes sparkled and
I knew she was going to slay me with her response. “I’m an angel in the streets and Master’s bad girl in
the sheets.” She sucked her juices off my finger before releasing it with a pop. Her lips looked
irresistible.

Fuck. She drove me fucking crazy.

Fuck this game. My fingers plunged in her hair and I yanked her head to mine before I plundered her
lips.

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Nikolai

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Chapter 22 Glorious Poziarne
Avalyn

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Avalyn

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Nikolai

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Chapter 25 Scholae Pythinissam
Nikolai
“Yes?” A ginger opened the door with confusion on his face. He didn’t look over twenty. He had freckles
peppering the bridge of his nose and his skin was paler than most people here which made his blue eyes
pop. In a single glance, I could tell that he was a skittish person.

“Who is it Lloyd?” A female shouted from the inside and then I heard footsteps. The female’s – who was
also a redhead – eyes widened and she pushed the boy aside with her elbow. “It’s the King, you idiot!”
She whispered harshly and the readhead’s eyes widened.

Both of them bowed.

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“Rise.” For some reason, the pair amused me.

“Apologises, King Nikolai.” The Lloyd said fearfully.

“Oh God.” The girl groaned. “Apologies, Alpha King Nikolai.” She corrected.

“Apologies, Alpha King.” Lloyd bowed again, blush rising on cheeks. I heard a muffled laughter behind
me. Max.

“It’s alright.” I told them.

“Please, come in.” The girl said and the pair lead us inside.

The house was well furnished but didn’t look very lived in. maybe they just moved here.

“We would like to meet Arrow.” Lady Bea spoke.

“Oh,” the girl said, “he isn’t here. He’s out” – a thump came from the ceiling above – “shit”.

And then a part of the ceiling gave out and a heavy chest fell down and fell on the floor with a deep
thump. A boy poofed besides it and groaned looking at the broken ceiling, “oh man.”

The girl – Anna groaned and slapped her face. “I live with idiots.”

“Arrow, I would like to introduce you to Alpha King Nikolai, Prince Maximilian, Princess Natalia and Lady
Bea.” Anna motioned towards us.

Arrow turned around and his eyes widened and then blush rose his cheeks out of embarrassment before
he hastily bowed.

“Rise.” I smiled.

“Please have a seat, there will hopefully not be any more problems.” Anna smiled, discreetly giving the
boys a pointed glare as we all took a seat in the spacious living room.

I sensed that Arrow, Lloyd and Anna were witches so then why did Lady Bea only tell us about Arrow?

“I wanted to ask about black magic and witch sacrifices.” I jumped in.

Now that shocked all of them.

“Black magic, including sacrifices is forbidden, Alpha King.” Anna said slowly.

“I know, but there are some problems in Soare-Luna and I need to gather as much information as I can
about it.”

“Can you tell us more?” Arrow leaned forward. He knows something.

I showed them the recording. “The three people being killed are witches and so is that old lady in the
black cloak. And there are many more who are killed this way. It is the reason so many witches are
disappearing all over Jivan.”

The three of them looked pissed as they heard that and saw the entire video carefully till the end.

“From the look of the dagger, you can tell is enchanted.” He noticed.

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“We believe that the one who kills with the dagger is able to control the witches after they come alive
again,” I said.

“We haven’t been taught about this.” Arrow mumbled. “The library at my school is very vast, I’ll see if I
can get anything. The only books we are allowed to see about black magic are the ones that tell us the
meaning of different sacrifices, I won’t be able to tell you the spells or how to do it.”

“But we can’t go to there.” Anna frowned.

“Yes but we need to do this.” Arrow said. And I knew that he understood the gravity of the situation
better than the other two kids. “Or else chaos will unleash.”

Anna and Lloyd remained silent.

“Will the books tell us how to stop it or reverse it?” I asked.

“I’m not sure.” Arrow looked uncertain. “May I know who is performing black magic?”

“I don’t know who the old woman is but everything is happening according the orders of Alpha Adrik of
Mystic Lupus Pack.” I replied.

Silence ensued at that but the tension among the three was evident.

“We shouldn’t mess with Mystic Lupus.” Lloyd looked at his feet.

“But what they did was wrong! We have to help Alpha King so we can free them.” Anna said.

“Free whom?” Max asked.

“Arrow’s parents.” Lloyd answered silently. “His entire coven was abducted by Adrik when he was a kid.
They have many more covens too.” Which means all of them are zombie witches now.

“They keep attacking Scholae Pythonissam too – which is the School of Witchery by the way, and kidnap
graduated students.” Anna scowled.

“If this is not stopped, every single race in Jivan will be in mortal danger.” I told all of them.

“I’m in.” Anna immediately said.

“You’re not going anywhere Anna.” Arrow told her firmly.

“But I can – “ Arrow shut her up with a look. I thought Anna was the one who called the shots here.

“You haven’t even finished school and you are not allowed to practice magic outside of Pythonissam.”
He told Anna. “Both of you,” he gave Lloyd a look who looked worried. So that’s why Lady Bea hadn’t
considered them.

“We can’t let you do this alone.” Lloyd argued softly.

“I can send guards with you who will ensure your safety.” I told Arrow.

“Only witches are allowed to enter Scholae Pythonissam. And no offence, but we have kept it’s location
a secret from everyone but witches. It ha obviously gotten out but I’d rather not everyone know it,” he
told me, his words firm but respectful. “And I can’t let you come with me. Headmaster Malone will not

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allow it.” Arrow shook his head at Anna and Lloyd and looked at me. “I will get the necessary
information from Pythonissam and come back as quickly as I can.” Arrow told me.

“I’m not staying here. A day, at the most. Come to Soare-Luna directly.” I told him.

“I will.” He bowed before the started chanting something and then a circle opened up and disappeared
after he walked inside of it.

“Thank you for your time, have a good day.” I told them and with that, we took our leave.

“At least something good came out of this.” Nat muttered.

“I wouldn’t say that before we get some real answers.” Max said.

After we reached the palace, Max and I headed to his office and he handed me a file.

I read through his report about the army. Damn.

“There is a high probability that Ovzdusia will attack if we take a major chunk of army with us when we
go return home. The two countries haven’t fought for centuries but King Xillian might attack just
because it’s under your rule now.” Max sighed. “We can’t leave the country unprotected.”

“Of course.” I replied. People should safeguard their own land first, before protecting other land. “What
do you suggest?”

“Ovzdusia’s numbers are greater than ours. But they can’t attack without causing a significant harm to
themselves too. So take a part of the army with you right now, just enough for Xillian to think twice
before attacking and then when it’s actually war time, we can call in reinforcements. But at any cost, at
least half of the army has to remain to defend the country in case of invasion.” Max replied.

“This will work for now. Until Arrow comes and we have some solid answers.” I said.

“Did you talk to Javier?” He asked.

“I did. He said that things still aren’t going too well with his parents but he is working on it. He said it will
take some time but it’ll be fine. He will also get the army.”

“Did you tell him about the sacrifices?”

“Yes. He said he’s doing his own research too. He will let me know if he finds something important. The
number of witches have reduced drastically everywhere though.” I hoped that Javier came through.

“Don’t worry, it will work out,” he said and took out a couple of glasses and a bottle of whiskey.

My lips twitched into a small smile.

He poured it for both of us and we clinked our glasses before we gulped down the entire liquid, as per
tradition. He poured again and we drank slowly this time around, actually relishing it.

The door opened and Natalia walked in. “I had a word with Lord Zed. Arrangements to send the warriors
are being made as we speak. They should arrive in Soare-Luna in a week’s time. As for us, all the
preparations are done and the plane is waiting for us.”

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“Good. Let’s go.”

It’s time to go home.

Ava was still not feeling well and Andrei said she had been sleeping ever since we left. Not wanting to
wake her up, I carried her throughout the journey.

I know Ava loved to sleep so I didn’t even question how she slept through the car ride, the plane ride
and the helicopter ride.

I was getting worried when the helicopter landed back in Soare-Luna, on top of the palace.

“Ava.” I patted her cheek to wake her up. She’s still warm.

When her eyes didn’t move, I got worried. Her blood pressure and her breathing was fine so that was
good.

Werewolves don’t really get sick. Our immune system is quite strong.

But she’s not a werewolf. She hasn’t been one since a long time.

We had just been avoiding it. I know for a fact that she hadn’t shifted in a month. It wasn’t normal. A
normal wolf needs to shift one in every three days at the least to remain sane. Also, day by day, I could
feel less and less of her wolf.

“Avalyn.” I patted her cheek again.

“Is she okay?” Andrei, Max and Natalia looked worried. Eliyah and Tessa were standing quietly but
tension radiated from them.

“Love, wake up.” I used our mate bond to feel her.

Her presence was faint but her eyes fluttered open slowly.

“We’re home, Love.” I forced a smile on my face.

What the hell is happening?

“Oh.” She mumbled and got off my lap and she staggered before standing straight again and then
climbed off the helicopter.

I followed after her and caught her limp hand in mine as we walked side by side. “Are you okay?”

“My head aches, Nik. I don’t feel good.” She whispered.

I scooped her up in my arms and carried her to our bedrooms. As soon as I placed her on the bed, her
eyes fluttered close again.

I squatted down so my face was in level with her’s. I pushed her hair off her face and caressed her warm
cheek. She has a fever.

“Love?”

“Hm?” She thankfully replied.

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“Can you heal yourself?” I asked.

“I tried. Not working.” She mumbled, taking a hold of my hand with both her hands and resting her head
on it.

“I’m worried for you. I’m going to call a healer and a doctor.”

Pack doctors are just normal werewolves or vampires who had studied medicine. They were only
capable to tackle the sickness of human side of our bodies. It was because we had an education system
only till high school. Further studies required them to go to human colleges who knew nothing about us.
While healers were those who had the gift of healing powers given by Goddess Luna or God Sol. They
had a lot of information about nature and possessed the powers to ‘sense’ the healing flora and fauna.
Healers were rare, we had like only a handful of them in our kingdom. I decided to call both – a healer
and a doctor, just in case.

“I’m just sleepy right now. Call one tomorrow if I’m not well by morning.” She kissed my fingertips
sleepily. “Now come cuddle,” she demanded in a small voice.

Without moving my hand in her hold, I somehow managed to strip out of my pants and climb over her
and on the other side of the bed. Ava immediately backed up till her back hit my chest and then she
snuggled up in my hold. Her hair were in my face so I just lowered them. Her breathing evened out and
then she was asleep.

‘Talk to Nat and Max to fill you all in with everything.’ I mind-linked my entire family.

‘Dimitri, run stats on how much quantity of stones, animals and plants will be required for every person
and every house. After that, Mikhail, call King Ciro and tell him to send everything Raela said in bulk, for
our pack and for Red Moon Pack and Wintercrown Pack too. The raw forms will do and ask him to send
the invoice along with it. I want everything delivered in under a week. Andrei, the army is working hard,
take a look and begin setting ranks and the salaries of all. You and Nat will look after everyone’s training
from tomorrow.’

‘Dimitri and Max, the Alphas are coming tomorrow in the evening. Prepare for their arrival and the
meeting. And then all of you begin drawing up war strategies.’ I said. ‘I want a basic plan – a first draft
ready for tomorrow’s meeting, include the points I made earlier too. Also, tonight, I want those who
have been selected as eligible to be a council member present in the Throne Room.’

Ava turned around and snuggled further, digging her nose in my neck and took a deep breath. I kissed
her forehead.

‘Mystic Lupus inhabits fifty percent of the werewolf population and I am sure that most of them don’t
know about Adrik’s deviant behaviour. Our goal is not to kill the masses but to kill Adrik, the zombie
witches and the high rankers. The rest of the army will surrender. But be prepared for the worst. If it
comes down to it, the last resort plan should include total annihilation of Mystic Lupus.’

‘Yes, King Nikolai.’ Came their unanimous reply.

‘How is Avalyn doing?’ Nat asked, still keeping everyone in the loop. I guess all of them are very worried.

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‘A little better than before. She’s sleeping right now and if she isn’t okay by morning, I’ll need to take her
to the hospital.’ I could feel their worry at this point.

‘Stay with her, Nikolai. We wil take care of everything.’ Max replied and then severed the link.

I really am grateful to have such an understanding and caring family. I took a short nap and caught up a
little on sleep before I had to wake up for today evening’s meeting.

Chapter 26 Selection
Nikolai
“I’m going to announce the Councilmen today in the Court. This is not the right time to party so the
official announcement ceremony will be on hold till peace is established. I will however expect everyone
to start their jobs without delay.” I told the people seated in the throne room – half of whom were my
family. “I need people that I can trust and there is no one I trust more than all of you.”

There was an atmosphere of anticipation in the room. The future of the entire Kingdom was at stake.
History was about to be written.

The two most important thing I needed to keep in consideration when I made a choice was that I could
trust the person and that the person was worthy of the position. The next thing would be fairness.

And there was no one I trusted more than my family. “Mikhail, step forward.”

He did with a bow.

“I proclaim you to be the Lord of Foreign Relations.” He was the best scout I had ever seen, he knew
every language there was to know, he was good with formalities and I trusted him with my life. He was
the most worthy for this position.

He graciously accepted with a grin and another bow. “You may take your seat again.” I motioned
towards his throne.

“Those interested in the position of Field Marshal and Army General, step forward.”

Andrei stepped forward and so did a man and a female vampire. I was surprised that Natalia didn’t.

“Stand in the order of your strength.” I said and they rearranged themselves. Andrei was naturally the
first, then the woman with a scar down the side of her face and then the man. I had seen her before and
knew that she was a part of the rogue pack.

“Andrei, I proclaim you to be the Field Marshal and the Lord of Warfare.” He graciously accepted with a
bow.

And then I looked at the other two contenders.

“A war is coming up. Your thoughts and what you would do.” I demanded.

“Mystic Lupus has always been a trouble for us,” the man started. “But I believe that not everyone in the
pack is bad. We should target those who work for Alpha Adrik and those whom we know are our
enemies. But in any case, we should be ready to kill if it comes down to protecting our own. First, I

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would increase the training hours of our pack members and then draw strategies to kill our opponents.”
He gave the standard reply.

“What would your strategy be?” I asked.

He faltered. I knew this was too short of a time to come up with a strategy but a good warrior works
best under pressure. “Mystic Lupus is a traditional pack and doesn’t have guns. We could get train our
army with more guns. And we could ask the help of the other Alphas and Kings.”

“Humans are already suspicious. Ordering so many guns will do nothing but create more problems.” I
said and his head lowered in shame. “But it was a good answer, thank you.” It was a generic one as well.
Not what I was looking for.

“I agree with Smith, King Nikolai. Not everyone in a pack is bad. We should target our enemies and not
warriors who are simply following orders. Targeting and killing only those people will be difficult, if not
impossible. But with the right strategy, collateral damage would be minimum.” The vampire answered.
“A true warrior follows orders above anything else. So as for what I would do – I would follow the orders
given to me by my King and the Field Marshal.” This was as good as an answer could get.

“What if you disagree with the order given to you?”

“I will follow it. I would only be thinking of the situation I am in. My superior would be thinking of the
entire Kingdom.” She replied with the perfect answer. But I didn’t need a mindless machine as the Army
General. I needed someone who knows how to follow orders and can think for themselves. If this
doesn’t go well, we will need to keep searching.

“You’ve been assigned to look over a case where you need to retrieve five kidnapped children. Your
team goes to the location and you get the news that it’s an ambush just before they are about to enter.
What will you do?” I asked.

She didn’t hesitate. “Call back the team and find another way to retrieve the kids.”

“If you’re ordered to come back? Because getting twenty full grown trained warriors killed in attempt to
save five weak little pups isn’t worth it.” I leaned forward with interest. I wanted to know if she will
speak the truth or lie too.

She took a minute. “I’ll save the kids. My team would have the liberty to choose if they want to come
with me, save five lives and get punished for disobeying orders, with the possibility of getting killed in
the process, or follow orders and leave with life in their body.” Right answer. And she spoke the truth
too.

“Very well. Your name?” I asked. She was almost six feet tall, dark skinned, broad shouldered and
strongly built woman. Her eyes had the look that she had been through quite a lot of dark days – the
scar running from her hairline down to her chin was a proof of that. And most of all, she had the steely
glint in her eye – the glint that only those had who wanted to change the world for the better.

“Chiara, King Nikolai.” She replied.

“I proclaim you, Chiara, to be the General of the Army of Soare-Luna.” Her face remained impassive but
a flash of pride and happiness passed her eyes. “You are under probation for the next three months

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during which you will work closely with Andrei. Your work will determine if you deserve the title or not.
You may take your seat.” With a deep bow, she took a seat which was next to Andrei’s.

“The ones interested for the position of the Treasurer, step forward.”

Three people stepped forward and bowed in front of me.

“Rise.” I allowed and they stood tall.

“What is the GDP of our pack?” I asked the most basic question. They should know this answer like the
back of their hand.

Two gave the right answer immediately. I motioned the one who answered a little late to leave with a
jerk of my head.

“We recently took over Poziarne. How much profit will it earn for Soare-Luna?” I asked.

One started calculating in his mind, I could see the gears turning in his eyes. That’s the second he lost.

The second one simply smiled. “Nothing. Poziarne is a part of Soare-Luna now, King Nikolai. Poziarne
won’t earn us profits. We will get tax, sure, but a lot of it will be spent after them too. So no, we won’t
earn profits. But tax, yes” Correct.

“You can leave.” I told the first guy and then turned to the vampire who gave the right answer. “What is
your name?”

“Algebrus, Alpha King.” He bowed deeply before standing upright again. The name rang a bell but I
didn’t remember where I had heard it.

“Where are you from?” I haven’t seen him around here. Where did I hear this name?

“I was from the Montana Pack but ever since Emmanuel took over, I left and have been travelling ever
since. I recently got the wind that Emilio was killed and there is a new King now. I came back home to
see for myself.” He replied.

There was an air of knowledge around him, like he has seen a lot of things, been through a lot of things.
Like all of my brothers. And I decided that I liked him. He had light brown hair and ocean blue eyes that
contrasted with his tanned skin. He was a little above six feet, the same as Mikhail.

“What made you decide that you want to stand up for the position of the Treasurer?” I asked.

“I want to make a difference.” He replied honestly. “Both my parents died protecting Alpha Javier.” I saw
his eyes darken with sadness before they cleared again. “It is from them that I learned that a good
leader can change the world and it is our duty to help the leader be a good one.”

“Wise words,” I murmured. “I proclaim you, Algebrus to be the Lord of Treasure of Soare-Luna.” He let
out a breath of relief and bowed before standing up again.

“Also, Javier is alive.” His eyes flared with shock but his face remained neutral.

He gulped and remained silent for a moment before speaking again. “Can I see him?” His voice was
controlled.

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“He is in Voda Kingdom. He is expected to return in a couple of weeks.” I replied. “You are under
probation for as long as I say otherwise. Dimitri will hand over you your duties and brief you about the
pack. Good luck.” I told Algebrus. “You may take your seat.”

I motioned towards the throne dedicated to the Lord of Treasure. With another bow and a smile, he
turned around and took his seat.

“The ones interested for the position of the Lord or Lady of Societal Welfare, come forward.”

Only Symon came forward.

“To choose the one eligible for this position, we had taken the votes of the people. He won
unanimously.” Dimitri explained.

I nodded. Symon was the most important factor that helped us reach Montana in time. He had also
helped many people by smuggling food and other essential items in the pack. It was illegal but it was the
right thing to do. The people clearly remembered that.

“Very well. I proclaim Symon to be the Lord of Social Welfare,” I announced and he bowed down before
standing straight again. I motioned towards his new throne and he took his seat.

“Those interested for the position of the Hand of the King, step forward.”

“Damn, that sounds to much cooler than Beta.” Dimitri grinned and stepped forward.

“And it will sound much more cooler after my name.” Natalia stepped forward too, much to my surprisel
I didn’t know she was interested, I hadn’t even considered her. I had thought she would try for the Field
Marshal or the Army General maybe. When she didn’t, I simply thought she didn’t want that kind of
responsibility or something.

Dimitri’s head snapped to her and his eyes narrowed upon the sight of competition. He had expected to
win the title without having to contend. This changes things and it’s going to be a good challenge.

All this while, Max was standing on the sidelines, looking at us with slightly narrowed eyes before he
feigned disinterest. I had initiated him into Soare-Luna months ago but, Max wasn’t officially a part of
the workings of the Kingdom. He was just working under me, doing what I told him or what he thought
was right. He didn’t have a post but he was doing all the work of a Beta. And he knew it. But I guess the
past was catching up. Maybe that was the reason he didn’t want to stand up for a post. But Soare-Luna
is not the Rogue Pack anymore. It has equal place for both Werewolves and Vampires. And I’m not the
old Nikolai anymore, I knew my mistakes and wouldn’t ever repeat them again.

I didn’t say anything yet. I wanted to see if he would say something first.

“…I would like to be the Hand of the King too.” Natalia sneered at Dimitri and then looked at me. “I’ve
been training my whole life and I have been training harder now more than ever to apply for the
position.” She looked determined and then turned to look at Dimitri. She gave him a once over. “I can
take him.”

Dimitri looked amused.

I’m not sure about that but I’m sure that she will give him a tough fight. Especially if Max is training her.

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“Being the Hand of the King isn’t just about being the strongest.” I said. “It’s about being the bravest and
the smartest too. Which, without doubt, both of you are. In all the things that matter, you both are
equals. So I will make the decision by asking you both one question.”

“Whom would you choose between me and your mate?” Your King is where your duty lies and your
mate is where your heart lies.

Both of them started thinking, not knowing what to say. They can’t say they will choose their mate
instead of their King, least of all in front of me. And neither can they say they choose their King instead
of their mate because their wolf wont let them, nor will they truly want to.

When my eyes fell on Max. The slight tilt of lips told me he knew the answer. I raised my brows at him,
challenging him to answer. Say something, brother.

“The answer is simple. There is no choice. A true King will not make you choose between him and your
soulmate, just like a good mate won’t make you betray your King.” Max answered correctly.

I looked at both Dimitri and Natalia who lowered their eyes. They should have known this.

I looked at Max. “I would have offered you the position of my Hand but I have a better position for you,
if you are up for it.”

“What is it?” He asked.

“My advisor.” I smiled at my older brother. I think he is the best person for this job.

His eyes gleamed and I knew I got him. I wanted him on board. Because if he wasn’t, there would be no
reason for him to be in the council meetings. He would not be allowed to attend them. And Max has
insights about things that most supernaturals don’t. it’s one of the major reasons why I respected his
opinions. Max is wise.

But I will shoot myself in the ass before telling that to him. The asshole will never drop it.

He dipped his head, silently agreeing to it. “For the first advice as your Advisor, I suggest you select both
of them as the Hand. The King and Queen are equals so both of them should have their own Beta. It will
also help you administer the Pack better. One will be the hand of the King and the other will be the hand
of the Queen.”

I took a moment to consider. He was right.

“I proclaim you, Dimitri, to be the Hand of the Queen.” He was tied to Avalyn with blood. He will always
be more loyal to her than to me, and I know there were times when torn up on whose orders to follow.
This will be good in the long run. “ I proclaim you, Natalia, to be the Hand of the King.” They bowed
deeply with huge grins.

“And by the way, you totally would have lost if we were to fight.” Dimitri poked at her.

“Oh yeah?” Natalia grinned at the challenge.

“Not now.” I said, stopping their banter. I actually wanted to see who would win. Dimitri had muscles
but Nat was fast as hell. I guess I’ll make them spar later. That should be fun. “Dimitri will start handing

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you over everything, starting tomorrow morning. You will remain under probation and Dimitri will help
you with anything you need. Once I deem fit, I’ll lift the probation period – it should take about three
months at the most. But it would be better if you pick things up quickly because Dimitri will start his new
duties from tomorrow itself.” I told her and she nodded, her eyes determined.

“Dimitri, I want you to help Ava with the business with Kingdom Prajini. She wanted to set up Redressal
Courts in all the towns and a well-structured Initiation System for those who wants to join our pack,
especially now that Vladimir isn’t here. She also wanted to do something about the slaves. That will be
the main things you will be working on as far as I know but you need to talk to her.”

He gave me a sharp nod. “As you command, Alpha King.”

Chapter 27 Strenght of Unity

Avalyn
My eyes fluttered open and I looked around the darkness. Nik wasn’t here but he had closed the drapes.
I sat up and a wave of dizziness crashed against my head. I sat still, taking deep breaths until it passed.
When I finally felt better, I stood up. I was still feeling a little light headed but I knew it was because of
dehydration and because I hadn’t had food.

I walked out of my bedroom only to find Eliyah standing guard besides the door. He immediately turned
to look at me. His eyes searched my face for signs of distress before he met my eyes, “are you feeling
okay?”

“I feel better than I did yesterday, thank you for asking.” I smiled and then asked, “why are you standing
here?” We didn’t need guards. He knew about the powers of our palace. There was never going to be a
problem of intruders.

“So that you don’t keep wandering out when you should be resting. What do you want? I’ll get it,” he
demanded. It amused me to see him care about me so much that he was ordering me to take care of
myself. “Mistress.” He added after a second thought.

“I feel fine, Eli.” I smiled. “I need something to eat and water.”

“I’ll get it. Don’t get out of your bed.” He opened the door for me, motioning me to get in. “Go rest.”

“I’ll go crazy if I rest more. But I might rest in a chair in the dining room.” I said and he narrowed his eyes
at me in annoyance but nodded anyways. I walked towards the dining room and he followed. I could feel
his burning gaze. He was looking for any small sign which could indicate that I would collapse so he
could catch me before I did. It was endearing. “What time is it?”

“Four pm.” He replied. Wow. I was asleep for a long time.

Tessa was carrying the laundry when she saw me and immediately rushed to my side.

“Go get her food and water. Dining room. Now.” He ordered Tessa, making her frown. I gave him a look.

“Please.” He added.

Tessa ignored him and looked at me, “you look better than yesterday, Mistress. I’ll ask the cooks to whip
up some porridge quickly. Alpha ordered me to do so.”

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“I’d like something solid please. I’m famished. Something spicy and something sweet.”

She looked doubtful but she nodded anyways, “right away, Mistress. Please go have a seat. I’ll be there
shortly.” She took out a phone from her pocket and dialed a number while I kept walking forward.

When I entered the dining room, a porridge was waiting for me at the head of the table and Dimitri was
in his usual seat with a full bowl in front of him as well.

Why is he here?

I took Nikolai’s seat and instantly dug in. I almost gagged. It tasted horrible.

Dimitri snickered. “It’s porridge. Sick people’s food. Tastes like elephant shit, I tried it.” Eliyah sat on my
other side which was usually my seat and silently laughed with Dimitri.

“Do I have to eat it?” I whined. It was chunky.

“Yup. Doctor’s orders backed up by Nikolai’s. only then you’ll get your solid food.” He said and I groaned
but started eat and drinking it.

“Doctors orders?”

“Nikolai had the pack doctor came in the morning to check up on you. You were sleeping like a dead log
but he did his thing.” He said and a maid came in and placed chicken nuggets in front of him. I looked at
it with hunger.

He covered his food from my gaze with a taunting smirk. “Eat your own.”

“Ass.” I grumbled but did as he said. How can something that tastes so bad be good for you? “I hate
being sick. What did the doctor say anyways?”

“He said your wolf is weak. Basically you need eat, sleep, repeat.” He said, licking his fingers clean after
he ate his nuggets.

I was half way done with my porridge when the maid came in with Indian curry and rice. My mouth
watered. I pushed the porridge away to make space for delicious food. I ate so fast that I was practically
inhaling it. I hadn’t had anything in almost one entire day and my stomach was about to eat itself up.

Dimitri and Eli waited patiently till I finished everything and was finally full. The maids came in with a
choco lava cake which I also finished.

I looked up to see an amused Dimitri and Eli. I glared at them, “problem?”

Both of them quickly shook their heads. Smart.

“Anyways, I’m here with important information.” Dimitri said. “The nuggets were simply an added
bonus.”

“And here I thought that you wanted to enjoy my unparalleled company.” I joked.

“That too,” he winked. “Nikolai is boring. He doesn’t joke and nor does he flirt back.”

“I can’t promise if I’ll flirt back either, Dimitri.” I laughed lightly. He is such a man child.

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“But that’s fine, I’ll know I’m the only man in your heart.” He winked and then grinned, “also,
congratulations.”

“Why?” Did something happen? What had I done?

“You are bestowed with the honour of having me as your Beta. I’m officially the Hand of the Queen.” He
said cheekily.

My eyes widened and I grinned. “Really?”

He placed his hand over his heart, “I swear on Nikolai’s life. Let him die if I’m lying.”

“Don’t joke about that!” I smacked his arm and he chuckled. “Sorry. But honest to goddess, Avalyn. The
kingdom has grown a lot and so have the responsibilities. So it was decided to have two betas. Nat is
Nikolai’s.”

I smiled. I knew she was secretly training for this since a long time and I was extremely proud of her. She
finally accomplished her goal.

“Wait, when did this happen?” Where was I?

“So yesterday evening we had a meeting. The council men are chosen.”

Realization struck. “Wait. Meeting. A meeting with the Alphas is about to happen right now!” I just
remembered and he nodded, “Nikolai said that it’s okay if you don’t attend. You’re sick and that you can
be officially excused.”

“But I want to attend.” I stood up. I had talked to them on the phone multiple times and I wanted to put
a face to the name too.

His eyes glazed over for half a minute before he looked at me and nodded. “The Alphas are freshening
up in their bedrooms and the meeting starts in thirty minutes.”

“I need to get dressed. We will talk after the meeting and then you call meg whatever that you were
about to.” I said, already moving towards the door. I needed to shower and get dressed and apply make
up in thirty minutes. I didn’t have time.

“Sure. Nikolai says don’t be late.”

“I won’t!”

I took a shower in a record time of ten minutes while Tessa rushed to pick a dress for me and ready all
the jewellery and makeup along with it. I had told her to keep it simple but stylish. I didn’t want to look
sick or like a slob but I also didn’t want to look like I was flaunting our wealth or being extra.

I ended up wearing a pale blue dress that was fitted from the top and then flowed freely from below my
waist. The soft material brushed against my calfs. Tessa put on a pair of pearl earrings and necklace and
a set of matching heels. She did a natural makeup and since there wasn’t much time for doing my hair so
she left my long, straight strands as it is and just put in multiple small pearl pins that kept my hair half up
and half down.

After she was done, I rushed to the Council Room – where the meeting was being held.

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The guards smiled and quickly opened the doors for me. I realized I was late. Nik was sitting on his
throne. An older Alpha couple was seated on one side and a younger wolf – in his early thirties was
seated on a seat besides theirs. He was their son. And then on the other side of Nik, a young couple –
around our age sat with a young boy – around thirteen at the most sitting the seat next to their’s with a
girls around the age of five or six.

I had talked to all of them multiple times with Papa but I hadn’t actually seen them.

Nik stood up for me, his face instantly lighting up. Everyone else stood up, too. I smiled at him and then
the rest, “thank you for waiting for me.”

“You’re just in time, Moya Lyubov,” Nik pecked my lips and helped me sit besides him.

“Let me introduce everyone to you. This is Alpha Ralph and his mate Luna Iris of Red Moon Pack.” Nik
motioned towards the older couple and then the son who was around our age. “And this is their son
Logan.” As Nik said their names, they nodded in acknowledgement and they sat after I smiled back.

He shifted to the other side of the room, “this is Alpha Zayn and his mate, Luna Belle,” he motioned
towards the younger couple. They nodded with warm smiles and I smiled back in greeting. “And that is
Zion, his brother, and Zoe, his sister.”

I had thought they were their children. But then where were their parents? Did something bad happen
to them? I hope not.

I gave the kids a smile and they sat down again.

“I have called for this meeting because we have a crisis at our hands.” Nik started. “Alpha Adrik has been
a menace for all of us. One by one he has taken over pack after pack. He has been doing this since the
last century and holds fifty percent of land of our supernatural island. He is the Alpha of about thirty
eight percent of totally werewolves of Jivan. About fourteen percent don’t even live on our island. And
the rest of the woves are ours, including Verdura Pack. But Alpha Alonso is friends with Alpha Adrik.
Which means he is safe.”

Everyone listened to him attentively as Nikolai just went on listing the stats. Trepidation grew in
everyone’s eyes but no one showed it openly. All of us had been aware that Adrik is taking over more
and more land but no one had listed down every fact and looked at it as a whole. Which was why it
seemed more daunting as Nik went on.

“…he isn’t just increasing the size of his pack. He is creating an army.” Nik went ahead to tell them about
the Zombie witches.

I could feel the dread rolling off of them in waves.

“Do you really think I will believe your bullshit?” Alpha Ralph crossed his arms.

“No. But you best believe your eyes.” He said and at the snap of his fingers, four slaves pushed in a large
screen on wheels. It turned on and then a video started playing – a video I hadn’t seen before.

A man was standing next to an old woman in a black cloak. “That’s Adrik and a witch – an extremely
strong one.”

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In front of them kneeled three people, their hands cuffed behind their backs. They were thrashing,
trying to get away but it was impossible. “They are witches – few of many who have been getting
kidnapped from all around the world.”

The old witch started chanting something and the she threw red dust on them. There was no audio but I
could see from the movement of her lips that her speed was increasing. And then suddenly Adrik
stepped forward with a dagger in his hand and one by one, he sliced their throats and then fell down,
dead.

My heart slammed in my chest. Poor witches.

“We believe that the dagger is enchanted. When looked upon closely, it has inscriptions on it,” Nik said
and then the old witch’s chanting speed increased further.

And then suddenly, the three dead witches’ eyes snapped open and they started standing up, as if they
were in a trance. I heard a couple of gasps around the room, one of which was mine. This is why Nik was
calling them zombie witches. Crap.

And then Adrik’s lips moved and the three witches bowed down deeply. And then he smirked. “We
believe that they will do anything Adrik tells them to do – since he killed them with that enchanted
dagger.” They were struggling earlier, trying to defy him but now they bowed deeply, willingly.

And then the video changed into a different one. It was dark and night vision was used to record it. The
scene was of inside a cave. I could see endless rows and rows of people. Standing straight, silent and
immobile. “These are a few of the zombie witches.” The angle of the video moved in circles on top of
their heads. Nobody moved, they didn’t even tilt their heads. It was… unnatural.

And then the video changed again. This time, the camera was moving from between what looked like
rocky hills. And then a filter appeared. Only the outline of the hills could be seen and then red spots
were visible. “This is the infrared view of the insides of the hills. Each red spot is one witch.”

“Oh Goddess!” Luna Belle gasped. My jaw dropped. Everyone was in shock. I mean I knew all of this but
actually seeing it… it terrified me.

That is why Nik had come in my office that day, needing me like he did. He was scared. He needed
reassurance that I was here, next to him. And it would stay that way. Always. I needed the reassurance
now. I needed to feel him. His hand suddenly encased mine, squeezing, ensuring me that he was here.

And then the video turned black before the slaves took the screen away.

Nik turned to look at Alpha Ralph who gulped.

“Ten years ago, there were a total of seventeen packs on our island. After five years, only nine
remained. And now, there are only five, including Verdura Pack and Mystic Lupus. We are the only ones
standing because of our geographical advantage of being away from the original boundaries of Mystic
Lupus. But that’s not the case anymore. He owns half of the island. And he will stop at nothing to
achieve it.” Nikolai said, breaking the silence with has sharp as a whip words. “We need to unite to stop
him before he can do further damage.”

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“Alpha Adrik…” Alpha Ralph’s voice shook before he cleared his throat. “I have a deal with him. My pack
is safe.”

“Really? What’s the deal?” Nikolai asked, his voice dry.

“When he had recently attacked and acquired South Claw Pack which used to be my neighbouring pack,
I knew our time was close. So I approached him and we cracked a deal. I gave him the southern belt of
my pack along with a little percentage of the taxes of my pack and he promised to leave me alone. He
has even sent a group of his warriors to my pack for our protection. From… rouges. From you.” Alpha
Ralph said.

“So you gave him the only escape route from your pack, all the docks of your pack from where he could
do any business he likes and rendered yourself landlocked?” He turned to look at Alpha Zayn, “he now
has access to your pack too.” And then he turned back to look at Alpha Ralph. “The Rogue Pack didn’t
even touch your borders, nor would we have ever gotten the permission to pass through either
Montana Pack or Wintercrown Pack to reach your pack. And even if we did, we didn’t have nearly
enough numbers to attack your pack and win.” Nikolai said and I slowly saw realization hit Alpha Ralph.
“And rest assured, Alpha Ralph, we have absolutely no interest in your lands. I have more than I need
already.”

“Not only do you give him free money, but he also has his men in your pack to do all his spy work for
him and report back each and everything to him, all the while mingling happily with your pack members
and pretending to be their friends.”

“A-Adrik isn’t going to harm us. We are safe.” He stupidly repeated. He was so arrogant and stuck in his
ways, so sure of himself that he couldn’t see that he had messed up. And if he didn’t do anything right
now, he was going to be in deep shit.

“Don’t be so stupid, Alpha Ralph.” Nikolai hissed, visibly offending the old Alpha. “He is going to attack
you first. And then Wintercrown is going to be next.”

“How are you so sure he won’t attack you? Oh right, his son’s pack is his pack, right?” Alpha Ralph
taunted.

“Oh he will attack me. But I’ll be last,” Nik’s voice turned lower yet turned hard, “and it is because I’m
his son. Because he wants not only to kill me but to crush me with the mammoth sized army he will gain
control over once he kills you all.”

“I’ve had small cases of loots and a few light border breaches. Is that his work?” Alpha Zayn pressed.

“Most definitely.” Nik nodded. “He will keep doing it until it becomes the new normal. And people don’t
pay attention to small crimes. Then he will start spending spies who will infiltrate houses or work places
of high rankers and try to extract information about you and your pack.”

“I’ll handle it.” Alpha Zayn nodded and Nik nodded back.

“We’ve had multiple cases of small crimes too.” Logan said, ignoring his father’s glare.

“That is nothing!” Alpha Ralph stood up in anger. “I have a deal with Alpha Adrik and I want absolutely
no part in your schemes. Thank you for calling us but it is time we leave.” He grabbed his mate’s hand

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and then glared at his son who paid him no attention. A growl escaped his lips and then the older couple
stalked out of the Council Room.

Nik sighed.

“We stand with you, Alpha Nikolai.” Alpha Zayn stood up and so did his family. “We need to work
together to face a mutual enemy and nobody knows him better than you.”

“Thank you,” Nik nodded and both of us stood up. “You are welcome to stay the night. It will be our
pleasure if you have dinner with us. I already have a meeting scheduled with my councilmen to discuss
war strategy after that, you are welcome for that as well.”

“It will be our pleasure.” Alpha Zayn agreed with a smile.

“If you don’t mind, I would like to stay as well.” Logan said. “My father is old-fashioned and has difficulty
accepting his mistakes. He knows he fucked up. I’ll talk to him. I will stand by your side when the time
comes and if things so well, so will my father and our pack.”

“It would be our pleasure.” Nik nodded.

It was almost dinner time anyways so we directly moved on to the Royal Dining Hall. I felt a small tug on
my dress and I looked behind me to see no one. With one more tug, my eyes shifted down to see Zoe
looking up at me with big beautiful hazel eyes. “Your hair turned silver and then brown and then silver
and then brown again. Why?”

I smiled. “I don’t know either. But it happens when he touches it.” I pointed towards Nikolai who was
walking in front of us, engaged in a conversation with Logan and Alpha Zayn.

“Alpha Nikolai!” She called loudly, making everyone look at her. Alpha Zayn looked worried as he looked
at her sister. “Can you touch her hair please? It’s pretty when it’s silver. She doesn’t look like a grandma.
She looks pretty.” My jaw dropped. I didn’t know if I should be offended or take it as a compliment.

Alpha Zayn’s eyes widened and Nikolai laughed at that. Laughed.

“Yes, she’s very pretty. Will you be my girlfriend?” Zion tried to wink, key word – tried. Both of his eyes
closed and his face scrunched up comically.

This time, I was the one who laughed. Nikolai looks amused.

Alpha Zayn whacked his little brother behind his head, “apologise!”

“Oops. Sorry.” He said and then Alpha Zayn gave me an apologetic smile, “please forgive him. He lacks
filter and sometimes a working brain,” he glared at his brother who looked down in shame.

The men continued their talks again and Zion looked up at me relentlessly, “so what do you think?” I
know I’m young now but give me a couple of years, I’ll grow taller and stronger than him too,” he
whispered, pointing at Nikolai. So the shame he showed earlier was feigned. “We ca-ngwt” Luna Belle
came up from other side of him and put her hand over his mouth, “sorry.” She chuckled.

“It’s fine, really.” I smiled. “I love kids.”

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“Ew.” Luna Belle took her hand from over his mouth and rubbed it over his shirt – he had licked her
palm. Zion showed her his tongue before he ran away. Pink coated her cheeks when she looked at me.

“If kids don’t behave mischievously then who will?” I chuckled, hoping to make her more comfortable.

She smiled gratefully, “you’re going to be a great mother one day.”

A dagger pierced my heart but I smiled through it, “thank you. So will you. You handle them
wonderfully.” I looked down at Zoe who was still subconsciously holding on to the skirt of my dress, her
eyes moving around the palace.

“It’s not as easy as it looks, trust me. But the kids are wonderful. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She
said.

We entered the Dining Hall.

“Your Palace is beautiful, Luna Avalyn.” Belle whispered in awe as she looked around at the grandiosity.
“I mean I’ve heard stories… but this….”

“Thank you.” I smiled. Our family entered from the other entrance. The place was a little chaotic
because of so many people but I made sure to introduce Luna Belle and Zoe to everyone. Zoe, Adrian,
Zion and Vanessa became fast friends, despite the difference in their ages. They were playing chase in
the dining room, running from between two people conversing and laughing and squealing loudly as
they did so. I was happy that they made Adrian play with them too. He needed to be a kid more often.

I also came to know that Alpha Ralph and Luna Iris had departed and Logan had decided to stay the
night despite it.

When things started calming down, we began taking our seats. There was obviously a change in the
seating arrangements. Nik sat at the head of the table with me on his right, Luna Belle besides me and
then Dimitri, Andrei, a man I didn’t recognise and then a woman with a scar on the side of her face –
another person I didn’t recognise. They must be the new councilmen Dimitri was trying to tell me about
earlier. And then on Nikolai’s left sat Alpha Zayn, Logan, Nat, Max, Mikhail. The kids sat at the end of the
table with April and a couple of more slaves to make sure the kids ate properly.

More slaves came in, bringing in entrees after entrees. From the looks of it, we were going to be fed a
twelve course meal. I didn’t mind. I was getting hungry again. I could sense Luna Belle getting
overwhelmed by everything – so much incoming food, many family members and… fanciness. She
clearly wasn’t used to this. Nor were Alpha Zayn and Logan but no body voiced it. I decided to take
matters into my own hand.

“I would like to raise a toast.” I said, picking up my champagne glass. Nik looked at me with a smile and
picked up his glass. The rest followed.

“I have talked to all of you on the phone along with my father Javier.” I smiled, “and this isn’t how I had
imagined our first meeting would go. We have been doing business for a couple of months and now it
has turned into a partnership – and hopefully a new friendship,” I smiled towards Luna Belle who
grinned back. “We are going to stand untied in the face of adversity. It’s not going to be easy but I hope
that we will be able to survive all the obstacles thrown our way.” I raised my glass, “to new unions.”

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“To new unions.” Everyone cheered and clinked their glasses together before downing their drinks.

Nikolai took a spoonful of the entree and fed me first, after which I fed him, marking the start of our
hearty dinner.

Chapter 28 Strategies and Jokes

Nikolai
“Okay, tell us what we got.” I said and then Andrei stepped forward.

We were in the Small Council Room right now. The women and children had been excused from the
meeting. We were too many people already and we could tell them the plan later anyways. And this was
in no sense the final plan. This was just the rough draft my brothers had made on a short notice.

In the middle of the room was the 3D model of our supernatural island along with the vampire
kingdom’s islands around it.

“His plan is world domination but he will start with our island first. This is where the rocky hills of his
pack is located,” Andrei showed on the map and placed a figurine of a witch on top of the rocky hills.
“And this is the main town of Mystic Lupus,” he placed the figurine of a wolf head. “We will take the
worst into consideration so let’s assume Verdura is supporting him. This is the main town of Verdura
Pack.” He placed another wolf head figurine.

“There are two scenarios – he either attacks the packs one by one or all of them together. But if he does
it together, he has to divide his army and the risk increases. So we think that he will do it one by one. At
first, Adrik will attack Red Moon Pack – the pack it shares the most boundary with, next to ours. He
won’t need Verdura’s wolves for that. They are too far anyways. Once he does that, it is common sense
that Alpha Zayn will approach us for help. So he will attack both our packs together. His wolves will
attack Wintercrown and the witches will come here. An uphill fight is simply wasting good wolves. His
witches can just poof here and kill us.”

“What about the Verdura wolves?” Logan asked.

“They will first attack Silverwitch Bay, then a few of them will kill the humans and the rest will spread to
cover and conquer the land or travel to Wintercrown if help is needed.”

“If his goal is world domination, he will need the vampires as well. What are we going to do about that?”
Alpha Zayn asked.

“Mozog and Poziarne belongs to us,” Natalia said. “Avalyn’s father Javier is the brother of King Josias of
Kingdom Voda. Which essentially means it is our ally. And so is Kingdom Prajini. Every Kingdom has a
strong army of its own. A small part of each of their army is going to come here to help us. Javier has
promised to make it impossible for anyone to travel through water once we give him the signal. And as
for King Xillian – Ovzdusia is a recluse Kingdom and hates Adrik, they aren’t going to team up. He will
start attacking the vampire kingdoms after he has complete control over the main supernatural island.”

“Seems like you’ve got it all covered – how we’re all going to be dead. Tell us how we’re going to live,” I
said. Everything they said made sense and as far as I could think, all bases were covered. I knew I still
had to study everything in detail made sure that all bases were truly covered.

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“You’re funny, Love. You’re fucking hilarious.”

Chapter 29 Soare Luna (1)

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Chapter 31 Healer Stealer (1)
Nikolai

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Chapter 32 Healer Stealer (2)
Avalyn

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Chapter 33 Hospital
Avalyn

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Chapter 34 Mothers and Orphanages

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Chapter 35 Set up
Chapter 36 Ocean Waves
Chapter 37 Pythinissam
Chapter 38 Neos Army
Chapter 39 Mozog
Chapter 40 Greenstone (1)

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Nikolai

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Chapter 42 Queen of Water
Nikolai

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Chapter 43 Secret Tunnel
Chapter 44 Heat
Chapter 45 Bomb (1)
Andrei

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Chapter 46 Bomb (2)
Avalyn

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Chapter 47 Faye King
Chapter 48 Heat
Chapter 49 Mate Pact
Chapter 50 Holy Blood (1)
Chapter 51 Holy Blood (2)
Avalyn
Imporia

“Oh my god.” I heard a distant voice that broke me out of my sleep. My eyes fluttered open and I saw
Max staring at me, wide eyed.

Eliyah was standing behind him, he too was shell shocked, looking at me with wide eyes.

My eyes snapped to Nat and I saw that she covered in something white and was sleeping peacefully. I
rubbed my eyes to clear my vision and saw that the white thing were feathers. Beautiful, long feathers
that were attached to wing.

Wing.

I turned my head, looking to the source and realized that the wing was attached to me. Correction, two
wings were attached to me. Magnificent, long white wings with a golden undertone.

How is this possible?

Was this what caused the pain? It has to be.

The wings were huge. They moved like I could move my hands. I stretched them and they hit the wall on
one side and the other side expanded up to over seven feet. The part connected to my back was golden
and then it slowly shaded into a pure white colour. They looked… heavenly.

My hands reached out to touch them. Soft. So soft. They were the softest thing I had touched in my
entire life.

A whimper broke me out of my awe. It was Natalia, she looked like her pain was growing again. The
clamps were still on and so was the vibrating dildo. But she slept peacefully through it, almost like
nothing was bothering her. My wings were covering her, I realized. I covered her with my wing again and
she quietened down again. I let out a soft sigh.

“Avalyn.” Max called, still staring at me and my wings, not able to take his eyes off. “What the fuck?”

“I don’t know,” I whispered, “I was in a lot of pain one second and then I passed out. I woke up in front
of you.”

“You’re not a werewolf anymore.”

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I nodded. “I’m a faye now.” I looked at my wings. They must be a faye thing. Like werewolves had
wolves, fayes had wings. “And a vampire.”

“What? How?”

My heart ached in pain at the thought of Papa. But I didn’t have time to mourn right now. My energy
was back and I felt better than I have ever felt. And Nik needed me. I needed to go help him win the war.
I couldn’t hear what was going on because the rooms were sound proof but I knew it was bad.

Max was cut up in multiple places and he looked worn out. He had streaks of blood all over his body and
his t-shirt as missing, he was wearing only a pair of shorts. “Long story,” I simply replied. “How bad is it
outside, Max?”

A dark shadow crossed his eye, “pretty bad.” Which means it is extremely terrible. “I barely made it
back.”

“I must go.” Nat was in trusted hands now and since I was a hundred percent healthy, I could go.

“Avalyn,” Nat called out weakly. I turned to look at her in worry.

“They-they’ve got a cure for the witches. Hold off killing them for as long as possible.” I knew they would
come through.

“Thank you,” I breathed. Thousands of life will be saved now. She smiled through her blurry eyes when I
kissed her forehead.

I walked towards the balcony and stretched my wings, ready to fly.

“Do you even know how to fly?” Max was right behind me.

“I’ll learn,” I replied. I’ve seen birds do it, it can’t be that hard.

I flapped my wings and the air around me started moving. I continued flapping and slowly, I began rising
higher and higher. I looked at Max once I was a couple of feet off the floor, “take care of Nat and don’t
worry about the war. I will take care of everything.”

And then I turned around and took off.

Chapter 52 War
Nikolai
Imporia

I’ve always had a one track mind. I can multitask pretty well but when I’m doing one thing, it has my
entire focus. And the only thing in my mind right now was kill. Kill every zombie witch that crossed my
path.

And it wasn’t that hard to be honest. They weren’t as strong or fast as normal witches. And they used
black magic. The ruby ring that I had worn made them powerless in front of me. And since most of them
were just a bag of skin and bones, ripping them apart was as easy as it got. Actually, it didn’t even come
to that actually, I simply used my powers and burned those who came near me.

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We had limited amount of stones that would protect us so I developed a strategy the moment I saw the
worsening conditions. They had even entered the palace compounds. The only place they couldn’t enter
was the palace, because of its own powers that warded off those who wanted to hurt us. The zombie
witches were killing my defenceless people left and right. And they were huge in numbers so there was
no chance they could fight them off.

I ordered the few people who had stones to form parallel defence lines starting from the gates of the
palace to the doors of the palace. And then small groups of warriors would save pack members from
their homes and then help them get through the zombie witches and drop them safely inside the
defence line or inside the palace gates, from where they could get into the safety of the palace. Those
who were strong enough to fight were given any and every jewellery we had back home that could be
used as a defence stone and then they came back outside to join us in the fight.

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Chapter 53 Bellehaven Cemetery
Chapter 54 The big fight
Chapter 55 Duel to Death (1)
Chapter 56 Duel to Death (2)
Chapter 57 Funeral (1)
Chapter 58 Funeral (2)
Chapter 59 Blood
Chapter 60 Bellehaven Isle
Chapter 61 Bloodbath
Chapter 62 Heavenly
Chapter 63 Make me sin red
Chapter 64 Birthday Date (1)
Chapter 65 Birthday Date (2)
Chapter 66 Doctor
Chapter 67 Crazy Ruse
Chapter 68 Long night
Chapter 69 Faye Dimension
Chapter 70 The hard way
Chapter 71 Being there
Chapter 72 Blook Pool

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Chapter 73 Bloody While
Chapter 74 After
Chapter 75 Bonsai Tree
Chapter 76 Fire and Ice
Chapter 77 Red Heart
Chapter 78 Night over
Chapter 79 Bedtime Story (1)
Chapter 80 Bedtime Story (2)
Chapter 81 Breathe
Chapter 82 Nightmare
Chapter 83 Apologies
Chapter 84 Crown
Chapter 85 Walk
Chapter 86 ATV
Chapter 87 Slave (1)
Chapter 88 Slave (2)
Chapter 89 Taafiete
Chapter 90 I forgive you
Chapter 91 Revenge
Chapter 92 I’ll protect you

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Chapter 93 Protect the King
Chapter 94 Death
Chapter 95 The Truth
Chapter 96 Explanation
Chapter 97 Mating
Chapter 98 Epilogue

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