Ezekiel’s POV“This is why people fear us,” Auren’s mother said. “Because they don’t understand. They see power and assume the worst.”“But you’re not hurting anyone,” I said.“That doesn’t matter to most,” the older woman said. “Fear makes people dangerous.”I nodded slowly, trying to process everything. “So you stay hidden. To protect yourselves.”“And to protect others,”ELyra said. “Power like ours can be dangerous if not controlled.”“I see,” I said. “But Auren… he’s just a kid. Doesn’t he deserve a chance to live a normal life?”“This is normal for us,” the older woman said firmly. “It may not be what you know, but it’s what we have.”“And you don’t think the world could ever accept yoThe room fell silent. Finally, Auren’s mother spoke. “Perhaps one day. But not today.”I nodded, understanding their caution. But a part of me couldn’t help but hope that they were wrong. That maybe, just maybe, the world could change.For now, though, I knew better than to push. “Thank you for trusting me e
Kailey’s POVI couldn’t believe what Auren had done. My heart pounded as I stood in the small, dimly lit room, glaring at him.“What were you thinking, Auren?” I shouted, my voice echoing against the wooden walls. “You brought a stranger to our home! To our sanctuary! Do you understand how dangerous that is?”He stood before me, head bowed, his small hands fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. “I’m sorry, Mum,” he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.“Sorry?” I snapped, pacing back and forth. “Sorry doesn’t cut it, Auren! You saw people in the woods—strangers! And instead of staying away like you’ve been told a thousand times, you went right up to them. What were you thinking?”“I… I didn’t mean to,” he stammered. “He… he seemed nice, Mum. He didn’t seem like he wanted to hurt us.”“And how exactly would you know that?” I demanded, throwing my hands up in frustration. “Do you have some magical ability to see into people’s hearts now? Do you?”Elyra stepped into the room, her prese
Kailey’s POV“I haven’t even prepared the evening dish,” I said to Elyra, feeling the weight of the day pressing on me. The sun was beginning to dip behind the trees, and the thought of the tasks left undone made my chest tighten.Elyra chuckled lightly, her usual calm demeanor untouched by my rush. “You stress too much, Kailey. It’ll all get done.”I ignored her teasing as I turned toward the hut and shouted, “Auren! Auren, come here right now!”Moments later, Auren appeared from behind the hut, his small face lit up with curiosity. “Yes, Mum?”I placed my hands on my hips and gave him a stern look. “I need you to go into the woods and fetch some spices for tonight’s meal. The usual ones. And make sure—and I mean this—make sure you don’t branch off anywhere. Understood?”Auren nodded quickly, but his mischievous smile made me narrow my eyes. “I mean it, Auren. Straight there and back. No wandering.”“Okay, Mum, I promise,” he said, already heading toward the edge of the forest.“Chill, Kail
Kailey’s POV Elyra winced as she shifted in the chair, her hand pressing against the bloodied gash on her arm. Her usual playful smirk was still there, but it was tinged with pain.“It’s nothing, Kailey. I’ve had worse,” Elyra said, waving her uninjured hand dismissively.Kailey’s eyes narrowed. “Nothing? Elyra, that’s a deep cut. You’re bleeding everywhere!”“Oh, come on. You’re going to start mothering me now?” Elyra teased, her grin faltering slightly as Kailey rushed around the hut.“Yes, I am,” Kailey said firmly. She turned to Auren, who was standing near the door, his wide eyes darting between the two women. “Auren, get me some towels. Quickly.”Auren hesitated for a moment, then nodded and sprinted to the small cabinet where Kailey kept the linens. “Here, Mum!” he said, handing her a handful of towels.“Good boy,” Kailey murmured, already setting the towels down on the table beside Elyra. She grabbed a basin and poured clean water into it, her movements quick but steady.Elyra chuck
Ezekiel’s POV I was so tired—drained, even. My mind felt like it was fraying at the edges, and every breath I took felt heavier than the last. I couldn’t shake the thought: If the Moon Goddess doesn’t give us a response, we are doomed. We’d come so far, sacrificed so much, and yet, here we were, teetering on the edge of despair. My eyes locked onto the sacred statue before me, its stone surface glowing faintly under the pale moonlight.I stepped closer, the weight of my pack’s survival pressing down on me. “Answer me or kill me!” I roared, my voice echoing through the chamber like a desperate plea.“No, Alpha!” Luther shouted, panic clear in his tone. “Don’t go closer! You’ll die!”“Leave me!” I snapped, my eyes blazing as I turned to glare at him. “Stand back! I’ve had enough of this!”The warriors murmured uneasily among themselves, shifting nervously as I turned back to the statue. My voice dropped, hoarse with emotion. “If there’s any punishment, let it fall on me. Let my pack live.”
Kailey’s POV I was so pissed at this point that if I had a knife, I would’ve stabbed Ezekiel right then and there. The sheer audacity of him standing there, pleading for forgiveness after everything he’d done, was infuriating. But I tried to keep my cool, no matter how much my body trembled with rage. Without saying another word, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the cave.“Kailey! Wait!” Ezekiel’s voice echoed behind me, desperate and raw, but I didn’t care. He had no right to call my name like that.As I marched toward the mouth of the cave, my vision blurred with half-tears, half-fury. Before I could take another step, two guards stepped in front of me, blocking my way. Their stances were firm, unyielding.I stopped abruptly, narrowing my eyes at them. “If you value your lives, you’ll move. Now.” My voice was low but filled with so much venom that even I felt its sting.They hesitated, exchanging uncertain glances, but neither moved. My fists clenched. I was done with being corne
Kailey’s POV Auren!” I shouted into the darkness, my voice raw and desperate. My eyes darted around the dense forest, searching for any sign of movement. The chill of the night seeped through my skin, but I didn’t care. “Auren! Please, just come back!”Beside me, Ezekiel was shouting too. His voice was stronger, louder, but I could hear the same desperation in it. “Auren! Where are you?”I spun around to face him, my frustration boiling over. “This is all your fault!” I snapped, my voice shaking with anger. “If you hadn’t come back, if you hadn’t barged into our lives, he wouldn’t have run off like this!”Ezekiel stopped mid-shout, his face shadowed but clearly tense. “Kailey, I didn’t mean for this to happen. I didn’t know he overheard everything.”“Exactly,” I spat. “You didn’t know. You never know. You just act and leave chaos behind for everyone else to deal with.”He opened his mouth to reply, but I raised my hand to silence him. “Just get away from me. Stay out of my life. Stay out
Kailey’s POV Ezekiel took a deep breath, his shoulders stiffening as he prepared to speak. “It started after Kailey was banished. My father… he…” He trailed off, his jaw tightening. “What?” I asked sharply, my arms crossed. “What did he do?” “He fell ill,” Ezekiel said finally. His voice was low, almost a whisper. “Not long after you were gone. It was as though the strength that kept him going just vanished. He grew weaker with each passing day, and nothing we did could save him. Eventually, he… he died.” Auren’s expression didn’t soften. Instead, his lips pressed into a thin line as he stared at Ezekiel. “So what? He got what he deserved,” Auren said coldly. “He sent my mom away. Why should I care about what happened to him?” “Auren,” I said softly, trying to calm him, but his glare cut me off. “No, Mom! Why does it matter? He didn’t care about us. He didn’t care about you!” Ezekiel’s voice broke through the rising tension. “You’re right,” he said, his gaze fixed on Auren. “He
James pov. We have been in the forest for a long time but still there was no sign of Lydia and Auren.However the sun was starting to sink behind the hills when we finally saw it, a large, dark hole in the side of a rocky hill. I slowed my horse and raised my hand, signaling for everyone behind me to stop.“That’s it,” I said, staring at the cave. I didn’t know how I knew. I just... did. My heart was pounding in my chest. My instincts were screaming at me, Lydia was here.Jon rode up beside me. His face was serious, his dark eyes scanning the entrance. “You sure?” he asked quietly.I nodded. “I can feel it. She’s been here. I know it.”Jon didn’t argue, he trusted me, the same way I trusted him.The rest of the warriors waited behind us. Some of them looked nervous. Others just looked tired. We had been searching all day, riding hard through the forest and hills. However now, standing here, I felt a new rush of energy.“She’s close,” I said, tightening my grip on the reins.Jon l
James pov As we rode, I kept thinking about Lydia. I remembered the way she had smiled, the way she had looked at Auren like he was her whole world.I wasn’t going to let anything happen to them. Not on my watch.We had both promised Kailey and Ezekiel that we would protect and keep Auren safe. Though Auren wasn't safe, there was still a chance he was with Lydia and all I needed to do right now was find them and bring them back home to the pack house safe and sound.The tracks led us over hills and through narrow valleys. More than once, we had to stop and search when the trail grew faint.Each time, Jon was right there beside me, helping me pick up the scent again.“They’re moving fast,” Jon said after a while, wiping sweat from his forehead. “But not too fast. They’re slowing down.”I nodded. “They’re tired. Hungry, probably.”“And scared,” Jon added quietly.I didn’t like hearing that. Fear could make people careless. Lydia was smart, but if she was tired enough, scared enough, s
James pov. The whole place have already been cleaned up l, the warriors, guards and maids have done a very good job, the pack wolves too have put heads to getter in helping to make sure the pack house was back to the way it was before Although there was no way it could go back to the way it was in just a day of cleaning, it had improved.The blood on the walls of the pack house has been cleaned, the casualties l, dead bodies had been taken away, the whole place now looked like there was neve a battle at the pack house. However, the only thing that gave away the fact that there had been a battle, was the broken walls of some of the buildings around including the pack house. That was something that had already been looked into and should be in order in three to five days. Right now, I stepped out of the pack house, the cool air hitting my face. The sun was already high, but it didn’t do much to warm the uneasiness sitting heavy in my chest. Oh yes,I had a lot in my chest m, a whol
Cecilia's pov. After the chit chat with Damon, we came to a conclusion that we would carry on with the plan. Right now, The morning air was cold as I pulled the black mask over my face. The mask was part of the plan as we needed our identity hidden from the elders. I could feel the dampness of the forest around us, the ground still wet from last night’s rain. Birds chirped softly in the distance, but their songs did little to settle the nerves crawling up my spine.I looked to my left where Damon adjusted his own mask. His sharp eyes met mine for a moment, and he gave me a small nod. It was time, he didn't voice it oh yeah but I could read his expression.Behind Damon, six of his men moved silently through the trees. They were all dressed in dark clothes, their footsteps quiet on the muddy ground. I followed close behind Damon as we made our way toward the old trail that led into the deeper parts of the forest.“They should be coming around the bend any minute now,” Damon whisp
Cecilia's pov.I felt a soft touch on my hands and I jolted up immediately, my eyes wide open however, I was blinded by the sun momentarily and I couldn't see who or what was standing above me. “Cecilia” a familiar voice called, still touching my shoulder. It was at that time that my vision began to adjust to the sunlight. I narrowed my eyes as I sat up l, my back resting on a tree. “Damon?” I muttered. Damon nodded, slowly helping me back to my feet “that's right”. Immediately I stood on both feet, a sudden pain shit through my head, “ahh!” I yelled,grabbing my head with both hands as I crouched down a little It was at that exact moment that all that transpired the previous night became rushing back to my head.I had been involved in a fight with Lydia and somehow I had tried and fell, and that was the only thing I could remember, I had no idea what happened after that. I looked up at Damon, my brows furrowed “where is Lydia she is with Auren did you see her” Damon sighed, “I
Kailey’s POV, My heart still raced, and fear still crawled up my spine like cold fingers, but I turned around. I had to check,if that was my chance to find the relic, I wasn't going to miss it. And with the newly found courage, I Slowly walked back toward the sound.The trees seemed taller now and thicker, the sky above was hidden behind black leaves, and even the birds were quiet. The only sound was my breathing and the soft rustle of my steps. Then I heard it again.The loud growl. It was louder now, and closer than ever.i gulped,I had already made up my mind, and I was going to stick to my decision.I ducked behind a tree, trying to steady my breath. The growl wasn't just noise anymore, it had a strange weight to it, like it was shaking the ground. This only made it even more scary and horrific than it should have been. However, even with all of this, I refused to retreat, I had only one goal.in my head. To find the relic. I crept forward, slowly, carefully. Every step I too
Kailey’s POV.I left the area where the blood red flowers had been as fast as my legs could carry me, something at the back of my mind tells me that the illusion had to do with the area, had to do with the blood red flowers. The illusion was totally different from the ones I had when I first entered the forest.This was totally real,like I was there, like I was living another life. The whole thing played on my head once again, Ezekiel confessing to Cecilia, telling her how much he loves her, telling her how much of a mistake Auren and I were. I shook the thought to the back of my mind, I wasn't going to let an illusion cloud my judgment. All I needed to do right now was to find the relic. I couldn't help but wonder where it was. I have already lost track of time. I have no idea if Ezekiel was alright. I could help but wonder if he was still sane, if the curse hadn't turned him into a complete monster.I shook my head, noticing the wetness in my eyes. No, I wasn't going to shed te
LYDIA'S POV. Together, Auren and I cleaned the fish with a sharp rock and placed them on sticks to roast over the fire.The smell of cooking fish filled the cave, and Auren’s stomach growled loudly, causing the both of us to laugh rhythmically. When the fish was ready, we let it cool for a moment and then ate. The meat was soft and smoky. It wasn’t a lot, but it was warm, and it helped.After he finished, Auren wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and looked at me.“Lydia… where are we going now?” he asked. His voice was small, uncertain.Auren was the type who was brave and always outspoken, he wanted to be involved in fights and all of that.However I noticed that all the happenings lately had calmed him down, I had no idea if it was fear or maybe this was because his parents were not around.But still I didn't know if this was a positive or negative effect.I looked into his eyes, he was scared. I could tell he misses the pack house, he misses James, he misses his parents.A
Lydia's pov. I opened my eyes slowly and for a moment I didn't move, I just laid on the ground, I didn't move, my eyes and ears open as I listened to my environment The cave was quiet except for the soft dripping of water deep inside. I felt the cool earth beneath me, it was rough but better than the night before, it was better than how cold it had been the night before.The smell of damp stone and leaves filled the air.I raised my head and could see how vines covered the entrance of the cave. I watched as they moved slowly with the morning breeze. We made it here last night. I was grateful to the moon goddess for providing a shelter for Auren and I. I wonder where we would have slept if we hadn't come across the cave. We were already tired at the tone, exhausted and I knew just as I couldn't move further, Auren also couldn't. This little cave had been like a gift from the Moon Goddess. It wasn’t much, but it kept us safe.I turned my head and looked at him. Auren was still asl