The Werewolf King Series Book 2
Autor
Elle Chipp
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241K
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37
Rory, a wedding planner, is thrust into a world of werewolves and supernatural intrigue when she takes on a last-minute wedding job at a luxurious estate. As she navigates the complexities of planning a high-profile wedding, she discovers her own dormant werewolf genes and a fated mate in Darius, the werewolf king. Amidst danger, romance, and the awakening of her true nature, Rory must balance her human life with her newfound responsibilities in the supernatural realm.
1: Aryaās Story
ARYA
The hardest thing Iāve ever had to do is sit here, smiling, pretending my heart isnāt shattering into a million pieces. Our families, friends, and packs have gathered to witness the Royal Mating Ceremony of the century. But itās not mine.
It should have been.
It would have been if the Moon Goddess and fate hadnāt decided to turn against me. Instead, the mate I fell for turned out to be a monster.
Actually, he was worse than a monster. He was a rapist, an abuser, a liarā¦and Iām relieved that heās finally dead. Sounds harsh, right? But itās the truth, and I see no point in sugarcoating it.
When he drew his last breath, I realized he wasnāt my true mate. The relief that washed over me is indescribable. After all, mates canāt harm each other, yet I was the one who pulled the trigger to end his life.
Being the kingās only living relative made me a prime target for his deception. A witch supplied him with a spell that tricked me into believing he was my mate.
And I fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.
For weeks, I was smitten. I was blinded by his smiles, his sweet words, and the mate bond we were taught to cherish above all else. I remember how it used to pull at me, and Iām grateful that itās just a memory now.
Iāve always been a hopeless romantic. Growing up with parents who were as in love as mates could be, it was hard not to want that for myself. So, when Stella, my wolf, told me he was the one, I didnāt hesitate.
Embarrassingly, the only reason our mating ceremony didnāt happen was because he attacked my wedding planner the day before, intending to do more than just kill.
At first, I was in denial. My wolf reacted violently. Iāll always regret how we behaved that night. It wasnāt until my brother, my protective big brother, spelled it out for me that I finally understood.
How do you move on from something like that? I thought the Moon Goddess had paired me with the worst possible mate, and unless I wanted to lose my soul, he had to live.
I would have had him killed if it were up to me, but my brother vetoed the idea. He cared too much about me, still does, and his concern allowed the bastard to live long enough to escape and find me. To find us.
But itās over now. I did what I had to do, and heās no longer around to poison the world.
It just hurts to know how close I was to what I thought was happiness, and now Iām sitting alone, wondering if Iāll ever meet my true mate. My brother waited twelve years, and honestly, I donāt have that kind of patience.
I want to be loved, cherished, seen as more than the spoiled princess doted on by her brother, the king.
But itās starting to feel like a pipe dream.
***
Iāve lost track of how many glasses of champagne Iāve downed, but itās not enough. I want more, especially now that the first dance has started, and I canāt tear my eyes away from how stunning my friend looks in my brotherās arms.
She was right to decline my offer to wear my dress. The simple silk gown sheās wearing suits her better than I could have imagined. Itās a shame itāll be torn to shreds when she starts to turn.
Her wolf is different from ours. Sheās what my grandmother used to call a servant of the moon, stronger than even our fiercest warriors.
I used to think her kind was a myth. Who could be stronger than my brother Darius? But when she showed me her wolf, Darcy, last month, I was awestruck by her size and power.
I ran.
Tonight, Iāll be brave. Her wolf will be too overjoyed to care about anything else on her mating day. Itāll be a nice memory to bring up if my brother ever needs to be taken down a peg.
Some of the guests have already started to turn on command. Our kind has more control over our gift and doesnāt store as much energy as a result. I almost lost it when one of Roryās pack members called us the weaker breed. Sheās lucky I love her like a sister, or her ācousinā would have lost an eye.
āNo dancing?ā I turn to see Helena sitting next to me.
Sheās the witch who confirmed that my soul wasnāt tied to a monster, granting me my freedom. I just wish she had pointed it out sooner.
Sheās wearing a long emerald gown that hugs her waist and pools at her feet. For a woman nearing sixty, she moves with a grace that belies her age, and her red hair hasnāt faded a bit.
āI think my brother and Rory will forgive me.ā I force a smile, raise my glass to the happy couple, and drain it.
Helena narrows her eyes at me, reminding me of how my mother used to scold me when I was a pup. It doesnāt surprise me when she swats my arm lightly in irritation.
āWhat are you sulking for, child?ā She takes a bite from one of the strawberries Iāve left untouched on my dessert plate.
I canāt help but laugh, signaling the waiter for another drink. Heās already made a pretty penny off me tonight, and Iām far from done.
āYouāre already half in the bag. Donāt you have any shame?ā she chides again, seeing her first attempt didnāt take.
āShame? Iāve got plenty of thatā¦ā I accept the glass from the waiter. āEspecially considering who I almost ended up with.ā I nod towards the blissful couple.
Why else would I be hiding out here? The few whoāve spotted me havenāt been shy about their whispers and pointed stares. Iām the butt of the joke, and the worst part is, I agree with them.
āYou know this isnāt your fault, right?ā Helenaās voice shifts from irritation to sympathy, and I wish sheād stuck with the former.
āDoes it matter? Iām the one who brought him here, Iām the one who looked the other way. I shouldāve known.ā My voice wavers, and I take a quick sip to cover it up.
Helena rubs my back in a comforting gesture, her face a mix of emotions.
āIt seems our debt to your kind is still outstanding,ā she murmurs more to herself than to me, but with my heightened hearing, it might as well be a shout.
āWe donāt owe you a thing. Your kind put me in this mess to begin with,ā I retort, remembering how she told my brother he owed her a favor the last time we met.
āIām not talking about your brother. Iām talking about youā¦we owe you.ā She sighs, as if explaining this to a child.
I guess itās not a bad thing to have in my back pocket. Witches arenāt known for their generosity, especially towards non-humans. We usually invite her to these events because sheās the only witch whoās ever shown us any kindness, thanks to a favor Darius did for her. She can be quite entertaining when she wants to be.
But what should I ask for? Wealth? Got it. Beauty? Pointless. Immortality? Useless without my other half.
āI thought you were smarter than this.ā Helena shakes her head, popping another strawberry into her mouth.
Iād forgotten about her mind-reading abilities, especially when emotions are running high. The alcohol probably isnāt helping either. āSo what should I ask for?ā I challenge, matching her tone.
āYour mate. Ask me, and Iāll tell you where he is. But then weāre square.ā She holds up a finger, emphasizing the gravity of her offer.
I bite my lip, knowing I should think this over before jumping in.
āHow do I know you wonāt lie?ā I donāt need to mention her kindās past betrayals. The implication hangs in the air.
āBecause I like you, dear, and I donāt take to wolves easily.ā She gives me a small, genuine smile. And even if it makes me a fool, I believe her.
āWhere is he?ā
