NICKOLAS
I make my way back upstairs from the maid’s quarters, my mind consumed by thoughts of Amelia’s healing wounds. The image of her battered body fills me with a sense of anger and helplessness. I always knew Ember was cruel, but I never imagined she was capable of such wickedness. The fact that she wanted to whip Amelia while she was still recovering is beyond comprehension.
If it weren’t for one of my trusted guards informing me that Amelia had been dragged to the dungeon, I shudder to think what might have transpired if I had been a minute late. It’s bad enough that I wasn’t able to prevent Ava from hurting her. Another torture was the last thing she needed.
I need to find a way to keep Amelia away from Ember before she kills her and ruins my plans. I have come too close to my revenge to lose it. The mere thought of Amelia’s injuries has my insides churning and my jaw clenching in frustration. I fucking need to keep Ember away from her.
A knock on my door interrupts my thoughts, and I remove my glasses, settling back in my chair as I invite the person in.
“Good day, Your Majesty,” Lord Easterlin Callum greets as he enters my office.
“Hello, Callum. How may I help you?” I inquire, gesturing for him to take a seat.
“I came to ask when you plan to announce to the kingdom your engagement to my daughter,” he asks, sitting across from me.
His question didn’t come as a surprise; I had been expecting it ever since returning with Amelia. Callum must be eager for the kingdom to know so we can proceed with the wedding before the mate bond complicates matters.
“Soon,” I reply, attempting to reassure the man.
In truth, Callum has nothing to worry about. Despite the intense pull of the mate bond, I am sure that my feelings for Amelia will never extend want to rip Amelia’s panties and fuck her till she can’t walk. Her face is a constant reminder of a time I’d rather forget, not to mention her familial connection to my father’s murderer. There are countless reasons why I could never fall for her, and Callum need not concern himself with any romantic entanglements.
“When, Your Majesty?” Callum presses on, clearly worried.
“Soon,” I repeat. The day I agreed to marry that bitch Ember, I knew there was no turning back from it. It was undoubtedly the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my life. But it was a necessary sacrifice, a strategic move in the ongoing war against my half-brother, Austin.
My half-younger brother, Austin, ruled over the lycan kingdom a few years ago. His reckless actions nearly drove our nation to extinction, with countless wars waged against the werewolf nation. He lacked proper preparation and strategy, resulting in defeat after defeat. Yet, he continued to send untrained lycans into battle, resulting in needless bloodshed and loss of life. Also, Instead of serving his people, he only fucked every pussy in the kingdom. The kingdom was in turmoil, with no end in sight.
In desperation, some of the lords of the court sought me out, begging me to take over and save them from my brother’s tyrannical rule. Austin was displeased by their request and refused to step down for his elder brother, a bastard. Some lords also refused to accept a bastard as their king. Thus, a civil war erupted. They provided troops for Austin, giving him a greater chance at winning the fight until Lord Easterlin came to my aid.
He is one of the kingdom’s wealthiest lords, and with him providing troops, the tide of the war turned in my favor. However, it came at a cost. In the heat of battle and the desperate need to save our kingdom, I agreed to marry his daughter, Ember. It was a decision made out of necessity, a sacrifice I made to ensure the survival of my people.
“What about the night of The Bloodmoon Gala? Lords from all covens will be present, and it could bring more joy to the people to know you don’t wish to betray them by mating with the enemy,” Callum suggests.
“Sure,” I reply, resigning myself to his request. I couldn’t continue to refuse him without a valid reason.
“Great, I will arrange everything and make sure my daughter looks her finest that day,” he says, rising from his seat. “Goodbye, Your Majesty.” With a respectful bow, he exits my office.
As Callum exits my office, leaving me alone with my thoughts, I spin around in my chair and face the windows, gazing out at nothing in particular. There’s no denying it now. Ember could very well be my queen. The inevitability of it all hits me like a ton of bricks. I knew this moment was coming, but the reality of it is still hard to swallow.
Ember, my queen. The mere thought of it makes me want to gag. She’s the most condescending, evil bitch I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting. There’s no one more unfit to be queen than her in this entire world, and yet I’ve just agreed to announce our engagement in two weeks’ time. What the fuck did I just do?
I start to realize that perhaps I’ve been subconsciously stalling all along, unable to come to terms with the horrifying truth. Fuck! I need to find a way to push back. Ember cannot be my fucking queen. Never!