/-Melucia-/
At the end of the fourth month, I had utterly resigned to my fate. Nine heads were already enough to crush whatever flicker of hope I had. However, the gods seemed to have seen my plight. My eyes watered as I stared at the doctor’s smiling face. “Congratulations, miss. You're one week pregnant!” He announced and I literally jumped off the bed in excitement. I was pregnant! Finally! After three months of unending violation and annihilation, I was going to give the cruel man a son. After being locked up in a room surrounded by iron bars with my only connection to the outside world as the windows, I was finally going to be free. My people were turned into slaves and although it was good to see them alive, the nine heads I have been forced to see haunted my dreams. It was a relief to see that all that was about to end. “Are you certain?” Ezra walked into the room. I shot him a glare. She was a doctor, why on earth wouldn't she be certain? He was just looking for a reason to kill more people. “Yes, Alpha. She is indeed pregnant,” she affirmed. He didn't even smile to show if he was happy or not. His face remained expressionless as usual. “Good. Any precautions?” He asked. “You should let her out once in a while for fresh air. If she feels claustrophobic, it might trigger a lot of nauseous reactions. She needs to do some light exercise too and take lots of rest. Her diet is okay for now, although she might not have much of an appetite,” she said. “Alright, you may leave,” He dismissed her. Once she was gone, I stood. “You heard her. You'll stop the killing now, right?” I asked. “I gave you my word. Lucky for you, you get to leave with the majority of your people,” he shrugged. “Right now, I just want my baby to be safe and sound.” “My back hurts; I need a massage,” I said, and those beautiful eyes narrowed at me. It was quite a shame that such a beautiful man had such a dark heart. If he wasn't ruthlessly beheading my people, I might have fallen for him. “So what?” “So do it. I am carrying your seed, remember. I need to be as comfortable as possible,” I said. His lips contorted in a deep frown. “Don't think you will get this every day,” he scowled, walking to the bed. “Get on it.” I smirked inwardly. It was a test to see if I could get to do whatever I wanted and now that I had gotten my answer, I was going to enslave and punish him for all the nights he made me cry. The joy of punishing him, however, was short-lived. Nine months had gone by and although they weren't the best days of my life, the thought of freedom was elevating. Ezra made sure all my wishes were granted except for leaving the room. No matter how many times the doctors advised him and how many tantrums I threw, he kept me locked in. No wolf or witch was to know I was pregnant and when the time for delivery came, the goddess blessed me with twins. They had his beautiful eyes and hair. My heart tugged at the thought of leaving them. “Our deal is done. You will be allowed to leave with your people at dawn,” Ezra said coldly to me. “Already?” I asked. “I just gave birth, they need to be breastfed and…” “That will be taken care of,” he cut me short, disregarding the fact that I was still weak from labour. He wanted me gone. My heart ached. These last few months, I had grown attached to him even when it was bound to end in heartache. He was cold and brooding but he made sure I didn't lack anything. Everything I wanted, be it care, attention, emotional support or physical contact, he was available for that. It was mostly for his baby but still. It hurt to think it was coming to an end already. “You're right. A deal is a deal, but the deal was for a child not two…” I started when he cut me short. “You are not leaving with any of my children. They belong to me. They are both mine!” The possessiveness in his voice startled me. “But I carried them! I felt them kick! I went through the pain and discomfort. I am only asking for one, why can't I have that?” I asked weakly. Tears were already falling off my cheeks. My heart was breaking and I didn't know how to stop it. “You know what you were getting into. You picked your people over your children. You have no right to claim any of them! Leave now, while I am still willing to keep to my part of the bargain,” Ezra growled. There was no use pleading any longer. He was right. It was me who chose to give up my child for my people. It was too late to take it back. Yet, my heart refused to let go. “What if I stay back? To nurture them as a slave or whatever. You can let my people go but please…” “Melucia!” He thundered. “Get out!” Tears streamed down my cheeks and I pushed myself weakly off the bed. I kissed my sons goodbye, caressing their faces softly as I memorised their small beautiful faces. The doctor came to support me as I walked to Ezra weakly. “Take care of them, please,” I sniffled. “I intend to.” I took in his features as well. He was, after all, the man who took my virginity and my first fruits. I didn't want to forget him either. He shifted his gaze to the nurse. “Escort her to the pack borders. She will meet the rest of her people there. Make sure she never returns,” he instructed. “Yes, Alpha.” For the first time in a whole year, I stepped out of the room. The doctor led me into a secret passage that led outside the pack. Just as Ezra said, my people were waiting for me. “Priestess!” Eli exclaimed running to me. “You're alive!” They gathered around me, all trying to support me at once. It was so heartwarming. “I… I told you… diplomacy always works,” I said with a weak smile. “What happened to you?” He asked worriedly. “You are covered in blood!” “It was a little accident but I am fine, trust me,” I smile. “But your stomach…” another muttered. There were so many questions, but I couldn't provide answers to any of them. “Trust me, I am fine. We should leave now,” I told them. “Eli, can you portal us out of here?” I was too weak to perform any magic. “Yes, Priestess,” he got up and walked away from us a little but before he could do anything, an arrow struck him in the neck. “Eli! No!!” I screamed but then, a giant iron net dropped on us, trapping everyone inside. Screams of agony followed and before we knew it, wolves emerged from the shadows. It was there and then I realised that I had been tricked. Ezra Maverick used me and went back on his words. Eli was right. I was just too naive to think he would let me go after I helped him. I was nothing but a fool. While I thought I was saving my baby, I had actually given up my babies for nothing. Tears brewed in my eyes as more shoulders emerged with rubbers of fuel. “For the glory of the BlackClaw! To honour our Alpha!” They chanted emptying the cans of fuel on us. I looked at my suffering people. The pain in their eyes tore me apart. He lied to me! He took my children from me and now he was going to take my coven away from me! Ezra was a liar! A liar who didn't deserve to live! Anger coursed through my veins. I will make him pay! For the agony he had caused me, I will make him suffer! For every blood he shed today, he will suffer in tenfolds. “Join your hands, brethren,” I urged them, but they were too weak to move. “I know you are afraid, but I promise our pain will not be forgotten. Hold the hands of your brothers and sisters. Find strength in your pain!” “Burn the witches! Burn the witches!” They chanted as we joined hands. I felt a surge of energy through me, and grabbed the sands with my hands, eyes blazing with hatred and pain. They lit a wooden stick. “Burn the witches!” They threw in the burning wood and we went up in flames. With the fire burning through my veins, I screamed the spell. "By the flames that take my flesh, I rise anew from fire’s breath. Your hate shall feed my wrath untamed, In death, I live, your souls I claim. As I burn, so shall you, From this pyre, my power grew. The smoke you breathe, the ash you tread, I will return, the unforgiven dead. My blood, my bones, your fuel to light, But in your dreams, I shall ignite. Curse your lands, your lives, your kin, From my ash, the dark begins."/-Ezra-/I sat at my desk, going over the reports for the day, but my mind kept drifting back to her. The witch. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get her out of my head. Melucia. Yes, our deal was done. I didn’t just have a son—I had two. That was all that mattered now. She was gone, and so were her people. She had been a breeder, nothing more. I couldn’t afford to think otherwise. I just hoped she wouldn’t cause any trouble for me. I pushed the reports aside with an exhausted sigh. Why couldn’t I stop this troubling feeling gnawing at me? Is it that I’ve made a mistake? Should I have kept her with me? I shook my head, reminding myself that I had made a deal to let her go. She had given me two sons—Axel and Dani. Now my focus needed to stay on them. Just then, a knock at the door pulled me out of my thoughts and I looked up. “Alpha,” the guard's voice came through. “You need to come outside. The sky... it’s bad.” “Bad?” I grunted before pushing the chair back, rising t
/-Ezra-/The drive back to the pack was silent. No one spoke, not even Carden. My hands were gripping the steering wheel harder than necessary as I kept glancing at the side mirror. I could still smell the smoke, still see that twisted sky, and that damned anklet burned into my mind.I decided to drive because some men had stayed back to clean up Carden’s mess. I had privately given orders to one to bury Melucia’s body in a separate grave and it was to be marked because in spite of everything, she was still the mother of my sons.When we pulled up, a crowd was already gathering near the meeting hall. They knew something was wrong. There was obvious tension in the air. I stepped out of the vehicle, and the crowd parted like a wave, their eyes full of questions. I didn’t give them any answers.Inside the hall, Carden stood in front of me, his face blank. Behind him, the elders were lined up. They were like a wall of stoic faces, ready to defend him. They looked like they already knew wh
Ten Years Later/-Melucia-/I woke up to a steady beep and a sharp sterile smell. My head was throbbing painfully and I felt a dull ache behind my eyes. I shifted a little, but everything felt heavy, like I was weighed down. I could hear voices whispering, but I couldn’t make out the words. I decided to force my eyelids open but I immediately shut it. The lights were too bright, the ceiling above me was white and I figured that it was a hospital. I turned my head just enough to see a machine blinking next to me, with wires connecting it to my arm. My throat felt dry, and I swallowed, but it didn’t help. Why was I here? What happened?The throbbing in my head made it hard to think, and I squinted at the blurry surroundings, struggling to piece together anything that made sense.“Thank you nurse,” a woman squealed. “Oh, thank goddess.”“I’ll get the doctor,” I heard a younger woman say.Nothing felt right. I felt like I’d been pulled out of one life and shoved into another because
/-Melucia-/The doctor had just finished his examination when the door flew open, banging against the wall. I was worried that it was the handsome frightening man again but a man and woman rushed in, their faces etched with worry. The woman’s eyes were red, like she’d been crying, and the man looked like he hadn’t slept in a while. “Annabelle!” the woman gasped, rushing to my side and throwing her arms around me in an embrace while the man stood at the foot of the bed, obviously relieved to see me.I flinched, pulling back from the woman. “I’m sorry, but…” I said. “But I don’t know who you are.” The woman’s face fell and she exchanged a confused glance with the man she had just come in with. “Oh, sweetheart, it’s me. It’s your aunt Elyss.” Her voice cracked on the last word, almost making me doubt what she was saying.The man’s eyes narrowed at me. “You don’t recognize us?” I took a deep breath, before answering. “No,” I whispered. “I’m sorry.” The room went silent. I could fe
/-Melucia-/Days passed since I woke up in that hospital room, and I was taken home to a large house I didn’t recognize. The walls were decorated with family portraits—faces of people I should have known, yet I felt no familiarity at all. Mimi and my father insisted I look at the pictures to jog my memory, but all I saw were strangers.It was when I was looking through a photo album that I saw her—Nephtar. A girl who looked so much like me, yet I had no recollection of her. My mind swirled with questions and when I asked, I was informed that I had a sister. I was curious about why hadn’t I met her? Why hadn’t I known I had a sister? And why no one mentioned her before.When I asked Mimi where my sister was, all she said was that I’d meet her soon. That answer wasn’t enough for me so I stood up so I stood up from the sofa and headed to my fathers room because I couldn’t shake the need to know more. The curiosity gnawed at me until I found myself standing outside my father’s room. His
MELUCIA His voice made me shudder. Mimi put a hand on my back, gesturing that it was better we took our leave, but I was too adamant. I might not remember much but I wasn't going to let anyone suffer a loss because of me. “I–I know you don't trust me, but give me another chance. I promise to be good,” I pleaded with him. He closed his eyes, almost as if he was considering his words. “If you don't get out of here this instant, I promise I'm going to do something we'll both regret,” he threatened. His voice was calm and gentle but yet, it frightened me to the core. “It's better we go, Annabelle. I don't want you causing any more trouble,” Mimi told me. I reluctantly agreed. After bidding goodbye to Alpha Ezra, I was back in the car, lost in thoughts. I stared outside the window, different thoughts going through and fro in my mind, it wasn't until Mimi touched me I realized that she was still there with me. She looked at me with a worrisome expression on her face. “What are you thin
EZRA There was something wrong with Annabelle. That girl was beyond crazy and to make it all worse, she bounced in here, demanding another chance and acting like it was just that easy to dismiss what she had done. I do not joke with my sons, not after what it took for me to have them but she abandoned them in the middle of nowhere. I was unsure if I could ever dismiss that and forgive her or leave her around my children again. “Was I not clear enough the last time or perhaps I should repeat it again?” I asked in a cold voice, trying to contain my anger. The boys were here with me and I wouldn't want them to see me in a bad light. Annabelle blinked her eyes a few times, as though she was considering what to say. “I know you don't want me here, but I'm not really here for you. I’m here to make it up to the boys because I guess they’re the ones I really wronged.” Before I could catch what she said, she went over to my boys. The soft and affectionate smile she had on her face shocked m
Ezra POV From my peripheral vision, I saw a wide smile grace Annabelle’s face as she drew the chair out and sat down on it, making herself comfortable, “Thank you so much,” She looked like she belonged in it. I shook such thoughts out of my head and called the maid to dish her food, hoping that once she starts eating she would keep quiet and I won’t have to hear her speak again. After her food was brought, she also began to eat and silence descended but it seems like she did not like it. She must also have observed that I was in no mood to speak with her because she focused all of her attention on the boys and began to ask them how they were. Alex who seemed to have warmed up to her, answered all her questions but Dani, who was more introverted and found it difficult to interact with people, didn't flow with her as much. He took part in the conversation though, only making a few statements, and that was it. I wanted to snap at her to shut the hell up and remind the boys that there
I did not have time to think much because as I was dropping the phone Ezra was returning from wherever he went to.I stood up when he got close, “Mary from downstairs called. She said the event planner for the ceremony is here to see you,”“Tell Mary to send her up,” he said before walking into his office and closing his door behind him.“Okay,” I murmured to his closed door before dropping back into my seat and calling Mary. I was not even done talking when she slammed the phone down, ending the call.I did not even know how to feel about her actions. I just pushed it behind me and went back to responding to emails. After a few minutes the elevator opened and a woman in her late twenties stepped out and walked towards me with a calm expression. She was putting on a bright yellow dress that hugged her body and stopped right above her knees and a black stilettos. Her dark hair was slicked back in a high ponytail and her lip was a bright shade of red.“You can go in. He is waiting for y
ANNABELLE I sat ramrod straight, my breathing barely audible in the silent car as I rode with Ezra to work. We have not spoken a word since breakfast and if it were to be in the past, I would have tried to get him to talk, this morning was different.I was feeling different emotions so I was lost in my thoughts. Breakfast had been fun with the kids, Ezra did not make any comments when we kept talking while eating and for a moment, I forgot about the nightmare I had and what happened between Ezra and I last night until breakfast was over and I was in a confined space with him.When the car came to a stop in front of his office building, I got down at the same time with him and we walked in together, I was two steps behind him.I stood at the far end inside the elevator, my back pressed to the wall, my hand clutching the strap of my bag as we rode up and then we stepped out together and I followed him to his office. I stood in front of his desk, moving from one foot to the other as I
ANNABELLE Run!Hide!Bang!Gut wrenching screams pierced the air, the sound filled with deep pain and anguish. Fire burst out from all corners and chaos filled the air as people screamed for their loved ones that were gone too soon, yanked from their hands without so much as a warning.A dead bodyTwo bodies So many corpses littered the floor.The ground opened, swallowing people whole.Wolves tore into people. Chants filled the air. The smell of smoke, piss, human waste, blood and gore.I stood in the middle of it all without any way of escape. Then a wolf, big and strong came for me. Its canines glinting in the dark, gold eyes dark with a spark of hunger for my flesh, tongue lolling in its mouth. Big giant strides as the wolf drew closer and closer.I tried. I tried to run but my foot remained stuck to the ground. An agonizing scream left my mouth when the wolf finally pounced upon me.**I jumped awake in my bed. I was soaked with sweat and my hands were shaking, the same could b
ANNABELLE I kept my eyes on Ezra, hoping that the expression on my face was neutral and did not betray any of my innermost thoughts.“You should learn how to knock. It’s common courtesy. You don’t want the kids picking bad habits from you, do you?” I knew what I’d said would rile him up and that’s exactly what I wanted but his reaction was the opposite of what I desired. He raised a perfect nonchalant brow at me as he moved inside and kicked my door shut. He’s just stepped in but my room suddenly felt overcrowded and he was only standing at my door and not close to me. His presence was taking up too much space, it was almost suffocating that I had to remind myself to breathe.“You want something?” I asked when he refused to say anything and just stood there, watching me with those dark eyes as if he was a predator and I was his prey. Maybe it was like that.He finally opened his mouth and what he said was exactly what I thought must have brought him into my room even if I did not wa
ANNABELLE I found nothing.After breakfast with my parents that we filled with tension that slowly dissolved into laughter, I retired to my room to search for whatever it was that my mind kept telling me that I was forgetting but I found nothing. Only old novels, clothes and my laptop which I decided to take along with me.When I wanted to leave later in the afternoon, my parents still told me that I did not need to go along with the marriage. I could always pull out of I wanted to and they would find another solution but to me, it was already too late to back out of it.I wonder what alpha Ezra would say if I were to return and tell him that I wanted nothing more to do with the engagement. I bet that he might think it’s all been a plot on my part and I was playing with his kids. He might just kill me. He would sneer at me and say he knew that I could never change no matter how much I tried and that he had been right to call of the engagement in the first place.I shivered at the tho
ANNABELLE Nephtar was supposed to marry alpha Ezra No one knows where your sister is, Annabelle . We woke up one morning and she was gone.The engagement was supposed to be in two weeks. I don’t know which part of all this information was troubling me the most. If it was the fact that I was going to marry my sister's fiancé — had even kissed him recently and had wet dreams about him — or if my sister’s disappearance, even if I can’t remember a damn thing about her, was what was more disturbing.My head felt heavy and swollen with the information I’ve gathered today and I was happy I felt the need to ask all of this instead of just moving blindly. I should have asked them in the first place. Doctor’s orders or not, I should have asked a little about myself. Knowing all of this did not trigger my memories in any way. It almost felt as if everything I’d been told was about another person’s life and not mine. Almost. There was a dark feeling threatening to cloud my chest but I kept pu
ANNABELLE “She was supposed to marry Alpha Ezra?” I squeaked in shock.Mimi had a solemn expression on her face as she nodded, “Yeah.”“But.. but I thought I was his fiancé?” A certain thought entered my mind and I felt my throat go dry, “I was not his first choice, was I?“No, Annabelle, you were not his first choice.”I moved closer to Mimi on the bed, my heart thudding fast and hard even if I was not running or doing any hard labor.“Did I..?” I licked my suddenly perched lips, “Did I snatch my sister’s fiancé?” Mimi looked taken aback and a small laugh left her, “Of course not. You never wanted anything to do with this engagement in the first place,”A sigh of relief left me as the same time it occurred to me that I’ve just asked a foolish question. Since I opened my eyes at the hospital, it’s been clear that the old Annabelle had been running away from alpha Ezra and the engagement. I was really glad that it was not the case of me taking my sister’s husband to be, so what happe
ANNABELLE “Dad, what’s with the contract you signed with alpha Ezra. I want to know all about it.” I went straight to the point after exchanging a little pleasantries with my father.We’ve spoken only on the day I got here. Mom had called to know how I had settled in and if I was having any problems and wanted to come back home. Today was Sunday and I was not going to start work until on Monday so I decided to take Ezra’s instruction to heart and call my father. I was almost like a blind fool just going on with the little information I’ve been able to hear and arrange in my head.The doctor might have told the me not to force me to remember things or fill my head with memory but it did not stop me from feeling like a stranger in my own body, like I was living another person’s life and I was forgetting something important. I hated feeling this way and I wanted it gone.“Annabelle, is there a problem?” Father sounded surprised at my question and he took a whole minute to respond to me
ANNABELLE “Let’s discuss my salary then and other things that come with working for you,”“Get out,”***He agreed! I left Ezra’s room with a light foot and a giddy feeling as I went in search of the kids. Following Ezra’s clear direction of where Carden’s office was, I did not miss it.I lifted my hand to knock when the door was thrown open and a man with a mass of red curls and baby blues eyes was standing in front and staring down at me. A feeling of anger and bitterness hit me from nowhere, seeping into my bones. I reared back in shock at the harshness of this surprising feeling. Where had that come from? Why did I get angry from just laying my eyes on this man? Why does it also seem like this particular emotion was not mine?I shook off the feeling of anger and buried it deep, putting it at the back of my mind to analyze it later. For now, I needed to take the kids home.“Miss Annabelle. Is there anything you want?” His voice was clipped and there was hostility in his eyes or w