Deva watched as Adamarius warmed himself in the hearts of everyone she cared about. Izzy couldn't get enough of him. Marcus was railed in by the impeccable adventure stories Adamarius professed to have. Deva couldn't be sucked in. She felt like every words out of Adamarius' mouth was a stretched lie.

Therefore she chose to ignore him. Everyone else was mesmerized by his charm and conniving exaggerations. Deva could swear he was fooling everyone but didn't know why. What was he really trying to gain?

Through the long corridor Deva made her way towards the kitchen. It had been awhile since she had seen Antonio and figured there was no better time than the present.

Walking closer to her destination she heard strange noises coming from one of the rooms.

To her left in one of the many living rooms Deva made out the noise as small annoying moans coming out of a girl's mouth.

Deva's curiosity forced her to peek inside and find out who was making all the unnecessary commotion that was both disturbing and perplexing. Inside the room she saw big broad shoulders facing away from her that could only belong to one very irritating lycan.

He was holding a girl up against the wall. Her stubby legs rose up around his torso while her hands roamed over every muscle on his back and then through his light brown hair.

Her deep out of breath moans were the most annoying sound Deva had ever heard.

She watched as Adamarius hungrily kissed Evie with a fierce madness. She was surprised he hadn't sucked her face off yet.

Deva knew he knew she was there. With his vampire and lycan hearing there was no way he didn't hear her come in.

"Oh please get a room. No one wants to see you guys going doggy style."

Adamarius pulled away with a wicked smirk on his face, turning to look at Deva. Evie whimpered.

Deva kept her eyes narrow with complete disgust.

"Is that jealousy I sense?" He asked in mockery.

"Wow, your senses are really off, aren't they?"

His evil chuckle filled her ears as he set Evie on the ground. Deva couldn't believe this was the same Evie. She thought Evie was a respectable innocent girl not another one of the blonde flimsy types. She was way wrong. Evie struggled pushing down her tight green skirt.

"Go to my room," he told her in a sickly sweet voice that made Deva cringe. "Perhaps we'll finish this."

Evie quickly nodded with excitement before walking away from him.

Deva coughed, "Slut." As Evie passed by but the skanky girl just glared back and flipped her hair." Classy, really you are. It's a wonder why the Queen likes you so much."

His smirk grew wider as he moved closer to her. Deva wanted to step back but knew better than to submit to a crazed lycan. Her dignity wouldn't let her.

"Don't try to deny it pet. I saw lust in your eyes when you were watching us."

Deva almost choked. "More like repulse. You've spent so much time as a dysfunctional mutt that you've forgotten the emotions of the human form. You can't even tell the difference from lust and disgust. How sad."

Deva was already by the doorframe leaning against the wall when he finally reached her, only a few inches separating them. Deva felt her heart racing from the heat radiating off of his muscular built body.

"I know what I saw. Jealousy, lust the things you crave most." His voice was low, sensual, and very alluring.

"You're delusional."

Adamarius closed the gap between them forcing Deva's hands up over her head. She fought his hold. He was much stronger than her and she knew she had no chance.

His very warm touch burned her with a fire of rage and vulnerability.

"Get your nasty paws off me you stupid mutt." She yelled in an anger she had saved up just for him.

His laugh was vile with mischief. "Oh puppet I can't let you go. You see my alpha blood is very dominant and doesn't take well to being ordered around. So anything you say I will simply do the opposite."

Deva felt more animosity surface as she tried raising her knee to the spot she knew he would surely have to loosen his hold. But before she could try to hit him in the crotch he harshly parted her legs with his own knee. He forced his rock hard body in between her legs, separating them before she could try anything. She groaned in frustration.

"Let me go asshole."

"Now pet that's not going to get you what you want."

His hot breath tickled her ear as he whispered. She felt foreign heat on the places he rested his soft cheek on. She couldn't believe how hot he was. Was it normal for a lycan to have so much heat?

"GO TO HELL." She hissed pushing herself against him but it only triggered more friction.

She felt his bulge pressing on her lower stomach. The flow of sensations made her feel sick.

He slammed her head back against the wall. Slight pain erupted through her body but she kept it concealed.

"Puppet," he said amazed. "I can do this all day."

"Aww but then you'll miss doggy style with Evie." Her cold sarcasm was an attractive quality he enjoyed.

His green eyes turned a shade darker as he dropped his gaze to assess her body, unraveling her with his eyes.

"Then I'll just use you instead."

"Fuck you."

He wouldn't rape a queen and Deva supposed that was the only thing keeping her from panicking.

He brushed his hot cheek against her skin. "Then ask me puppet. Ask me to touch your body. It's the only way to get what you want."

She had no idea she could hate someone so much. He was a manipulator. That was how he was stealing everyone else's heart. She would never let him control her again.

Deva slipped her hand under his shirt and ran her nail deep into his back, clawing her way down like a savaged animal. Adamarius tugged on her hair, restraining a sick, pleasurable spasm.

She felt the tightness, the desire. Like any man he responded to a physical sensation. Deva took back control in order to make him her puppet.

"I want you..." She had a strange fascination and desire to touch his blazing skin with her lips.

Deva skimmed the edge of his open neckline, dragging her lips higher and higher. His breath got sharper as she ventured promiscuously. His fiery skin sent her down a weary path of combustion.

"Touch my body," she begged the passionate pursuit of getting him to let her go.

His sharp teeth grazed her soft cheek when he sighed. His head dodged to the side and her eyes followed.

Darius had walked through the door. His stern expression was etched with shock and grief.

"I thought you'd never ask." Adamarius wanted to provoke Darius.

Without anything to say Darius quickly turned taking long strides to leave them in privacy.

Deva jerked out of Adamarius' strong hold. He backed away with a satisfying grin on his face.

"You knew he was coming."

"And what if I did?"

She shoved him. "When I become queen you'll be the first thing to go."

Deva ran out in search of Darius. She had to find him and explain. There was no way she was letting him walk around with that image in his head. She spotted his tall figure turning the corner at the end of the hall.

"Darius! Wait, please wait."

Her heart was pounding as he slowed down. When she got close he finally turned around to face her. His dark eyes concealed his sadness.

"Darius that wasn't what it looked like."

"You don't need to explain Deva. You can do whatever you want with whomever you want. I won't stop you. You're not mine anymore." His voice was emotionally hidden.

"Darius that wasn't me. He manipulated me." She didn't want him to have the wrong impression.

His eyes softened but held some hurt. She wanted to continue pleading her case but they were interrupted by Jeffrey.

"My prince, your father wishes to have a word with you."

Darius nodded not taking his eyes off her. "I have to go Deva." He turned to leave but she called out his name.

"Dar."

"I'll see you around."

Why did it hurt her when she knew she did nothing wrong? Darius would eventually get over and Deva would move on.

Deva was fuming by the time she reached the kitchen. She stomped over to the stool while Antonio continued to stir his pot of stew.

"Too bad you don't kill your own meat because there is a perfectly huge dog out there who seriously needs to be chopped up and could easily feed a family of ten."

"I'm not sure what you mean but I made you your favorite dinner." He pulled out a plate of pasta and placed it before her.

Antonio watched her with a fatherly admiration. When she was almost finished with her plate she was washed with questions. How come she didn't know more about him?

"Antonio, were you ever married? Do you have any kids?"

"No, my dear belle. I've never been married but I did have a daughter. She passed away seven years ago."

Deva could see the fresh pain. "How did you get here?"

"They didn't force me here if that is what you are thinking. The Queen was in the human world one afternoon and she happened to stop into my small cafe in Rome. She loved my cooking and offered me a job."

"Did she tell you what she was?"

He leaned back against the counter recalling those days. "Yes. I didn't believe her at first but of course she proved it to me. I was scared but she reassured me no harm would come to me ever."

"What made you come?"

"I just lost my little girl and found it difficult to stay where I was. I wanted to leave, I had to leave. It just seemed like the right opportunity."

He bared his loss openly and she saw courage in that.

"I'm glad you came because I got to meet you." Deva got up from her stool and went to hug the amazing Italian man she had grown to love. "You are an incredible person and I feel honored and blessed to know you."

He pulled her tighter and kissed her hair. "Oh my little belle I am the blessed one to have met you."

She spent another hour in the kitchen just talking to Antonio while he made dinner for the rest of the people in the castle.

Jeffery came into the room looking faintly exhausted. "There you are princess. The Queen wishes to see you."

"Where is she?"

"I believe she is in the ballroom."

Deva kissed Antonio on the cheek and left in better spirits. True her morning was horrific with the lycan trying to ruin her life but for a moment she had the chance to forget about it.

The ballroom was an odd place for a meeting with the Queen. Her inside coiled to new extremes when she spotted a tall dark and handsome figure standing next the Queen. Of course at first glance she thought it was one of the triplets but alas it wasn't. She wanted to punch herself for gawking at the undeniable gorgeousness Adamarius possessed in his black slacks and tight burgundy shirt.

"I'm sorry I didn't know you were looking for me."

Queen Emma pulled on her arm, motioning her closer. "That's alright."

"What's happening?" She couldn't help looking at Adamarius with suspicious eyes. What was this all about?

"You're meeting with the council today. They're eager to work with their future queen."

It didn't seem too awful but of course that was before she heard the catch.

"Adamarius has even volunteered to accompany you."

"I'd rather die." Deva spoke truthfully knowing it would hurt the Queen. "I don't want him anywhere near me."

From the start Deva had given the Queen incentive to question her motives. Deva had always been impulsive, blunt, and ambiguous in her own way.

"Deva I know how you feel about Adamarius but you are just going to have to get over it."

She couldn't believe what the Queen was saying. "He tried to kill me."

Why was the Queen so blind to his faults?

"I know Deva and I'm so sorry," his fake sweet voice almost made her gag. She turned to face him and he was already in puppy forgiving mode. "I didn't know what I was doing. I couldn't control it."

"Like hell you couldn't." His eyes sparkled a fraction of a second before covering it up again.

Deva believed the sick mutt was playing a game.

"I promise Deva I didn't mean it. What can I do to make it up to you?" He pleaded.

"Drop dead."

"Deva!" The Queen emphasized with disappointment. "Soon you will be Queen and Adamarius will be your family too. It's time to start over. Forgive your future brother in law and move on."

The cold distant tone was a foreign thing on her tongue. Deva had never witnessed Queen Emma so remorseless and ambitious.

The mental anguish Deva was going through was dragging her to oblivion. No one believed her and everyone was trying to control her. She was afraid she was becoming exactly what Adamarius mocked her about, a puppet.

Did no one see through his mask but her? He wasn't sorry. He was a manipulator.

"Alright. I forgive the mutt but I promise next time you try to tear my head off I won't just sit there and watch you do it." Her threat excited him with a challenge.

"Thank you so much pet for giving me a second chance. I won't let you down."

"Right," she couldn't trust anything out of his mouth.

"Good now the car is waiting for you both outside."

Deva automatically turned with a scowl. It was going to be one long ride.

They didn't speak in the car and Deva was practically clinging to the side of the door to get as much distance in between them as possible. The driver pulled up in front of a large city hall building. It looked incredibly old fashioned so she guessed it had to be authentically ancient. There was no telling how old since vampires had existed for centuries.

They were led in by a man shorter than Adamarius. His navy suit was crisp and pressed to perfection. He bowed.

"My princess it is so good to finally meet you and have you here with us today."

The man was very beautiful with kind light green eyes and strong facial features.

"I'm happy to be here."

"My name is Nathan Cole. I am the Prime Minster. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask." His attention went to Adamarius, extending his hand. "I've been briefed about your peculiar situation. It's always nice to meet another royal."

Adamarius was charitably kind and polite. Nathan led them inside the massive and elegant building. The inside was just as magnificent as the outside. They were greeted by council members and ministers of state. Every man in the room wore a tailored suit looking younger than thirty years old.

They sat in a decorated room with a round table informing her on new and old laws.

"So this is an absolute monarchy?"

The Prime Minister nodded placing documents in front of her. "Yes."

"That means the King has ultimate say." Deva should have figured it out on her own.

"Yes. The royal family has all the power."

"He's not limited by laws or a constitution. King Asher has unrestricted political power." Adamarius surprised her with his knowledge.

"Aren't you well informed?" She was guessing there was a motive behind it.

Adamarius shrugged. "I'm educated. I went to school."

"Obedience classes? I might need to send you back." She snickered at another doggy joke.

"We were extremely excited to meet you Adamarius." Prime Minister Nathan interjected before there was any bloodshed. "We had never heard of a hybrid before."

"You probably haven't seen a lycan in years either."

"Why are they hiding?" Deva figured their personal war was over.

"They fear for their lives. Lycans are treated unjustly." Adamarius was the voice of his people.

"Still?"

"They don't have equal rights." One of the ministers cleared the air.

Deva leaned back in her chair perplexed, sad. Even though Adamarius was the only lycan she had ever met she was disturbed with the unfair acts against an innocence race.

King Asher had his own personal motives for slaughter the lycans. It was a vengeful vendetta against a vampire king and an alpha. Innocence people were caught in the crossfire.