KING KIAN'S  POV
We all pace anxiously in the hall, waiting for our trusted advisor to return with news about our mate from the old man who claimed to have seen her.
"What's taking him so long?" I mutter under my breath, unable to contain my frustration.

I have never in my wildest dreams thought that I’d feel this kind of worry. All I want to hear is that Ella is safe and unharmed. I've never cared for someone this deeply before besides my brothers. I have never wanted to hold someone so fiercely again. The utter panic I had when that servant revealed that Hellen harmed our mate wasn’t planned. None of this was. It was supposed to be easy, deceive her, get her blood, and reject her once more. Only it didn’t happen that way. Instead, irresistible love for our human mate crept it's way inside me and I didn't realize how much I cared for her until she was gone, leaving us with the wicked witch.
I hated it, hated every moment of it with that fool. . . but I didn’t stop.
I convinced myself that Hellen was what we needed. As awful as she was, we needed a strong she-wolf as our partner, and in the process, we lost the most precious thing.
I finally spot our advisor rushing down the hallway towards us, holding a folded note in his hand. I step forward, wondering where our assistant William is? This is supposed to be his work. I haven't seen him for a number of days and he never leaves without informing us first.
"My kings, I have news about Ella. She sent an old man with this note." He informs before even reaching where we stand.
"And where is she?" Aleric inquires eagerly.

The advisor hands him the letter. "She didn't come herself, my kings. She sent this note to you."
"Did you inquire with from the man she sent about her whereabouts?" I question, and the advisor nods.
"The man claims he was given the letter by a male friend of hers but has no knowledge of where Ella herself is," he answers.
"So he has no idea where our mate is? Did he not claim he saw her physically?" I exclaim and the advisor shakes his head. How can we even be sure the note is from her then?

"What does the letter say?" Reagan inquires and Aleric opens the letter and reads aloud.
"I understand your desire for my return, it appears you want my help, again! Which also means I call the shots from now on. I am not as naive as before, just so you know. If you want to get healed we will meet and agree on what I get back in exchange, and we meet at a place of my choice." Aleric reads aloud
My eyes widen in shock. Impressive move, Ella. Sounds like the note is from her indeed and she is not playing around.
Reagan frowns. "She's setting the terms of meeting with us now? This is unlike her."
I nod thoughtfully. "Yeah, that's definitely doesn't sound like the sweet, kind Ella we had." A lot must have changed after she left of course. She certainly now knows how to play the game. She's making it clear that she won't be manipulated.
Aleric Smirks. " I must say, I'm impressed by her boldness."
"We must agree to her terms. We need her back, and if this is what it takes, then so be it." Reagan says gravely.
"Agreed. We will meet her at the place of her choosing and hear her out." Aleric nods and scribbles at the back of the note before handing it back to the advisor.
I nod approvingly. "Let's prepare to meet her then. Ask the stable guards to prepare our hoarses." I order the advisor and he nods and bows before rushing out.
Ella has certainly surprised us all.
ELLA'S POV
"Don't blame me if your plan fails and Alpha Ethan slaughters your little family." Sir William sneers sacastically as he continues to pace back and forth across the little room. He has been doing so since I refused to go along with his plan to go and beg my mates to stay in their palace in exchange of healing them.
I demanded we do it my way and sent a note to my mates, demanding they meet my conditions if they want my help.
I knew a time will come when I will make them regret treating me wrong, and that time is now. Because no matter how much I want to steal that crown I'll make them sweat for the healing as much as they made me suffer trying to make them love me. I felt so loved by them that I believed everything they told me, then they ripped my soul apart. I didn't deserve that, no one deserves that.
"Sorry I was not planning on staying cooped up in that carriage while you negotiate my life with those despicable idiots," I fire back.
William might have helped save my life before but I scarcely know him and after everything that had happened to me, everyone betraying me and hurting me, can you really blame me? I know he has some kind of hidden agenda too, because I know there is something he wants out of this too, just that I don't know what it is yet.
Frustration flickers across his face. "My plan was simple and clear," he insists, his tone laced with resignation. "You ask to stay in their palace for a few days in exchange of healing them. But now you have turned this into a game of pride. They never lose at that."
My heart thuds in my chest.
"You said they are desperate enough to do anything," I remind him.
"No Alpha king will drop their pride for a mere human servant," he retorts like I am an idiot.
What if he is right? What if they won't take up my requests. But I refuse to beg for scraps of kindness from them. Whether they accept my terms or not, I will not bow to them.
I tap my fingers on my knee as I count in my head, trying to stay calm. Breathe, I tell myself. They are desperate for the healing.
The clicking of the door startles me out of my despairing thoughts. I spring up from my seat as the old man we sent walks through the door. William moves to stand behind me.
"What did they say?" I demand in anticipation.
The man wordlessly hands me the note I had sent, his expression inscrutable, crushing my hopes in an instant. They have turned down my requests!
My hands tremble as I unfold the note, my eyes scanning it.
"Behind," the man says simply, pointing to a small, neatly written message at the back bottom of the note.
A  grin stretches across my face immediately. "We're thrilled you've decided to return to us love. We will of course honor your request, just tell us where you want to meet."  The note reads.
"Love!" I scoff.
"I hope you're prepared for this, Sir William," I say, passing him the note with a smile. "Because now, it's my turn to play the game." I snatch the note back from him and crumple it in my hand.
Every time I try to be heartless, my heart always screams, "This isn't you," but not this time. This time, it's definitely me. I'll make them feel what it's like to be used like a doormat.
"Let's see how they like it when the tables are turned." Sir William's eyes widen in realization as he sees the anger in my gaze.
He tosses a few coins to the old man and gestures for him to leave before walking over to me. "Revenge will ruin your chances of stealing the crown," he warns. "You only have five days. I understand you're still hurt, but you need to forget about revenge until we get that crown."
"Who said I can't kill two birds with one stone?" I retort, defiantly. Sir William's eyes narrow.
"You may be brave, but you're also foolish," he sneers. "You actually think you can get revenge on them!"
"Watch me," I snort. Things are finally shifting in my favor.