'My mate has left me."

Holding his head in his hands, Julian was wailing before his house. When he came back home after midnight, only emptiness welcomed him, seeping through his veins.


Hearing his cries, the entire colony was gathered around him, the absence of Alpha Eric worsened his condition.

'I thought that she forgave me."

Jason and Mathew were the last ones to join the grieving crowd, Mathew sat beside him.


'Did she pack all of her stuff and left? And didn't you mark her? Don't worry, we will sort this out."

But Julian's heart rendering tears fueled the fire of loneliness in his heart, his helplessness watered everyone's eyes.


'Ramla wrote a note for you. Read it."

Jason looked for Ramla in the house and came out with a paper. He handed him her last letter, but Julian threw it away.

'I have read it. This is a lie. She made an excuse to leave."

Jason glared at his tear-streaked face for a while and counted to ten before bursting out.

'After reading her goodbye note, you are crying for some nonexistent betrayal. You are such a drama queen, Julian. Ramla has clearly stated that she is going to take revenge on her enemy. Why are you creating a scene here?"

Julian raised his head and clenched his jaw; the words came out of his mouth with a growl.

'Is it a joke to you?"

He launched at Jason, grabbed his neck and disappeared with him in a flash. Gamma Mathew's heart dropped to the stomach.

'Jason!"

He went inside the house and searched for him frantically. The dumbstruck crowd panicked about this new issue. They also ran in different directions to assist him. Finally, Madam Lily reached the warrior's colony and controlled the situation.

'What's going on here? Where is Julian?"

Her stern voice forced Julian out of hiding, it then revealed that he was right before them.

'Why is Jason with you?"

She freed that horrified bunny from Julian's deadly claws, his wolf was offended at Madam Lily's interceding.

"It's about lady warrior."

A warrior briefed her about the situation, she nodded her head.

'Your soulmate is an experienced witch. Ramla knows better than anyone else what she is doing? The heavenly mate-bond teaches us to trust our other halves, Julian.

Stay put and pray to the Moon Goddess. SHE will keep her safe."

Mathew was the next in line to complain about Julian's mischief, but his turn was robbed off by Beta Noah's wolf.

'Danger!"

He screamed in the mind-link and shifted into his human form in front of Madam Lily.

'I saw an army of rogues and sired vampires marching towards our border. They are equipped with the modern weapons too."

'We should inform Alpha."

A distressed voice suggested swiftly, Madam Lily stepped forward and raised her hand.

'Go to your duties and fight for the safety of your land. I will lead the warriors, no one will call Eric about it."

Julian rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and instructed his warriors.

'We will not back out until the end of every single rascal who has dared to attack on us. Secure the sick and kids, everyone will defend their home today."

…

Unaware of that situation, Charlotte and Eric stayed awake late, participating in different arrangements with Casper.

'This is my bachelor party, the one I thought I would never have."

They drank and played poker together. Sophia was the first one to leave, as Johnny woke up in the middle of the night.

'This is not the end of the celebration. You guys are staying after the coronation."

Casper warned them before going to his chamber, Eric texted Charlotte.

'Dream on!"

Then they were escorted to the cozy chamber at the end of the corridor, Charlotte's eyes welled up to scent her mother's perfume.

'It's lady Scarlet's chamber. His Majesty ordered to open it for you. It was locked after the lady's death, but everything is in its place, we haven't changed the setting."

The Royal butler gave them a long speech about Princess Scarlet's life. It was a brand-new experience for Charlotte to listen about her mom's life.

'Dad used to say that my mother died due to child's birth, as she was a fragile human. I never imagined that she was a brave lady. Mom did so much for us."

In the morning, Charlotte woke up and found her side empty. She instantly picked up her cell phone to call him, Eric's video message subsided her fright.

'Casper texted me that I would be his best man. So, we are at the reception Hall practicing for speech and all that. Get ready and join us."

The enthusiastic smile on Eric's face calmed her soul, it was nice to see him enjoying something like a common man. The word entertainment was removed from his dictionary after his dad's death. Usually, he remained tensed, buried under the weight of duties.

Charlotte remembered Liam, who told her that once Eric was also a carefree teenager.

'It would be great if I had met you before."

She talked to herself and laughed, as meeting him as a little girl would never start a love story.

'I am an emotional fool."

Suddenly, her door knocked, a polite voice questioned.

'Are you up, Princess?"

'Ava!"

Charlotte ran to open the door; her best friend was there with a company of maids.

'What a pleasant surprise, Ava? Aren't you on security duty?"

Six maids set the breakfast table and placed a dress with accessories, Ava explained in detail.

'The Royal guest duty was offering five percent more pay than a usual guard. As you know, we are saving money for our kid. Every cent matters, Star."

During breakfast, Charlotte checked out the red gown keenly and assured her.

'We will buy a pet for our little baby. Don't worry, your sister has covered it."

Ava's gratitude filled her heart with warmth, she asked her.

'What about this dress? I have brought a gown for me."

'This dress is an antique piece from the Royal collection. His Majesty has instructed us to help you dress up."

With that, she ignored Charlotte's verbal protest and pushed her to the bathroom for a bath.

'Hurry up, Star. We don't have all day for you."

'I am not lazy like before."

She spat out of the bathroom, the mysterious silence outside alarmed her.

'Hey! I didn't mean to..."

She quickly slipped into that red gown and came out. Charlotte gasped at the dressing table full of makeup and jewelry. Seeing that, she took back her words at once.

'Now you are asking for a war, Ava."

She was puzzled that why her best friend was bothering with so many accessories when she clearly knew that she was not interested in the girly stuff.

'It's our master's order."

This time Ava spoke quite seriously and gestured the maids to start their work.

'I will talk to Casper. It's not a big deal."

Charlotte brushed off her grave tone and tried to comb her hair, but the maids sat her down before the mirror forcibly.

'Are you out of your mind? Get off."

She jerked their arms away and got up. This was getting out of her hands.

'You, you are crossing your limits."

In a jiffy, all of them pounced on Charlotte, Ava didn't give her a chance to retaliate and chained her hands to the bed.

'What are you doing, Ava? Free me..."

Her words died down in her mouth as she noticed their stagnant pupils, the door of her chamber flew open with a loud thud. They all bowed before the person who had just entered the room. Charlotte felt that her world stopped moving at once, and the surrounding air became heavy suddenly.

She was not expecting to meet him again here.