LOGINAriana’s POVThe morning after Kael walked away from my room, I did not see him.I sat by the window, staring at the palace garden below, the flowers danced with the wind, servants hurried across the stone paths and soldiers changed shifts at the palace gate.Everyone seemed to know where they belonged, everyone except me.A light knock came from the door.“Come in.”A young maid entered and bowed.“My Lady.”I looked behind her.No Kael.My heart sank before I could stop it and she carried breakfast toward the table.“The King sent your meal.”I forced a smile.“He didn’t come?”The maid shook her head.“His Majesty has been in meetings since sunrise.”I nodded.“I understand.”She placed the tray down.“Will you need anything else?”“No.”She bowed again before leaving and the room became silent and I looked at the untouched food.A few weeks ago, I had refused every meal.Now…I missed the person who always brought it and then I sighed.“What is wrong with me?”I picked up the spoon
Ariana’s POVI heard the old man’s voice before I could open my eyes.“My King.”His voice shook.“Her blood carries the mark of the old moon.”I lay still and my body felt heavy like stone, I wanted to move but nothing worked and I could only listen.Kael’s voice came next, low and sharp.“What mark?”The elder did not answer right away and I heard cloth move, like he was bowing lower.“I cannot say more tonight, my King.”“You will say it now.”“No.”Silence filled the room and then the elder spoke again, and it was softer this time, but every word landed heavy on my chest.“Protect her with your life, Kael. That is all I can tell you.”My heart rang. Protect her from what?Kael’s voice turned sharp again.“Give me a name, a reason, something.”“Not yet.”“Elder…”“Not yet, my King!”The old man’s voice cracked like a whip and even Kael went silent after that and footsteps moved away slowly. The door creaked open, then shut and I finally forced my eyes open.The room looked differe
Ariana’s POVSilver light burst out of my body and the room shook violently.The bed slid across the floor, the candles exploded one after another and glass shattered.I screamed.“What is happening?”The light became brighter and I looked down at my hands.Silver lines moved beneath my skin.“No…”I tried to stop it.“Please stop!”The light only grew stronger and the palace trembled.Outside my room, people screamed.“Protect the King!”“What is that?”“The walls are shaking!”The door burst open.Kael ran inside.“Ariana!”His eyes widened and silver light surrounded me like a storm.The curtains flew into the air and the chairs crashed against the walls.Kael took one step toward me.“Ariana, look at me.”“I can’t stop it!”I was crying now.“I don’t know what’s happening!”Another wave exploded from my body.Boom!The windows burst opened and the cold night wind rushed inside.Kael shielded his face with one arm.Still, he kept walking toward me and servants gathered outside the
Ariana’s POV“The King is falling in love.”The guard’s whisper stayed inside my head and I stepped away from the window.“No.”I shook my head.“That’s impossible.”Kael was the Lycan King, he was powerful, feared and respected.A man like him would never fall in love with someone like me.A rejected mate, a divorced wife a woman carrying another man’s child.I sat on the edge of the bed and buried my face in my hands and my heart felt heavy.Everything around me had become confusing, Damien was my mate and Kael was my protector.I loved one and I feared the other.Yet every day, the line between fear and safety became harder to understand.A knock came at the door.“My Lady.”It was the maid again.“Dinner is ready.”“I’m not hungry.”There was silence and then she spoke again.“My King said you must eat.”I closed my eyes.“I’ll eat.”A few moments later, she entered quietly and placed the tray on the table and she bowed before leaving.This time, I did not throw it away.I slowly
Ariana’s POV“The child already recognizes your aura.”The healer’s words echoed inside my head long after the voices outside disappeared.I slowly wrapped both arms around myself.“That isn’t possible,” I whispered.The child belonged to Damien and not Kael.So why did those words make my heart feel uneasy?I closed my eyes.“No.”I refused to think about it anymore.And then a knock came at the door.“My Lady?”One of the maids stepped inside with a bowl of warm water and clean cloth and she bowed.“The healer asked me to clean the cuts on your feet.”I pulled my legs closer.“No.”She blinked.“My Lady?”“I said no.”She looked nervous.“But the wounds may become worse.”“I’ll do it myself.”She hesitated.“My King ordered us to take good care of you.”“I don’t want anyone touching me.”The maid lowered her head.“As you wish.”She quietly placed the bowl beside the bed and hurried out and then I stared at it.I wanted to clean the wounds but bending over made my back ache and I si
Ariana’s POV“Blood.”The word left Kael’s mouth like a warning and I frowned.“What?”His eyes stayed on my legs and I followed his gaze.A small red stain spread across the hem of my dress and my heart stopped.“No…”My hands began to shake.“No, no…”Kael was already moving and he turned toward the door and shouted with a voice that shook the room.“Healer!”The palace seemed to wake at once, footsteps rushed through the hallway and doors opened, people shouted and I stared at the stain, unable to breathe.“My baby…”Kael knelt in front of me.“Look at me.”I couldn’t.“My baby…”“Ariana.”His hands held my shoulders.“Look at me.”My eyes slowly lifted to his.“Everything will be fine.”“You don’t know that.”“We’ll find out.”Fear swallowed every other feeling. What if my escape had hurt the baby? What if I had been selfish?What if…The door burst open and an elderly woman hurried inside carrying a leather bag.Two young assistants followed behind her and they all bowed quickly.







