Azraiel, Theo, Kira and Charlotte look at Katya in awe as she finishes narrating what she experienced in the woods. Matt and Daniel are in the woods, keeping an eye on the species gathered and the white wolf.“So..my parents knew Charlotte’s mother and grandmother?” Azraiel couldn’t believe his ears. He has gone through every record he can find written by his parents and there is no trace of anything like this. Maybe the ones having information about Charlotte’s grandmother and mother got destroyed during the attack.“I think so…” Katya bites her lip. “I am not saying that what I saw in the woods happened but there surely is a connection between her ancestors and yours. Though I believe they met way later in life, you know when Charlotte’s mother wasn’t a child anymore.”“Yeah…I believe that too.” Azraiel nods. “Charlotte and I are 5 years apart in age, so my parents were likely a bit older than Charlotte’s mother but not more than a decade.” Azraiel tries to work the timeline in his
“She actually looked just like you…except she had blue eyes.”Katya’s breath gets stuck in her throat when she hears Caleb say that.It is true that she looked a lot like her mother but had her father’s green eyes. If Caleb has indeed seen her mother, then this is another chapter of mystery added to the never-ending book of mystery they have been trying to decode.“Are you sure? Do you remember anything else…any conversation or something that struck you as odd?” Theo asks the question when he sees that Katya needs some time to take in the information.“Not really…Her face was clear in my memory but seeing her made it even more evident.” Caleb says pointing at Katya. “I just remember taking sweets from her. She was kind to me as she played with me sometimes when the older kids refused to let me play with them. Other than that, I never saw her except at the park. Once I was adopted I forgot about her.”Katya nods, consoling herself that he was a kid and he doesn’t remember when all she
Matt stares at the young pup locked in the dungeons. He knows Caleb can sense his gaze as he keeps shifting from one position to another. With a sigh, he turns his head to the side.For some fucked up reason he feels bad for this pup. Maybe it’s because he lost his parents when he was young or maybe it’s just the poor state that he is in. But something tugs at his heart as he looks at the half-grown wolf.He is told that Caleb’s wolf is white. While he can’t sense anything more than human from him, he can tell that he is a survivor. The has survived till now and he will survive in the future. Even if he turned out to be dangerous, Matt doesn’t think Charlotte would let anyone touch a hair on his body.The rattling of the main door makes him look up. Theo walks down the stairs as quietly as he knows to and comes to stand beside him. “Is he okay?” Theo mindlinks Matt.“Yeah. He’ll survive.” Matt answers.“So, I came here with Katya earlier and she felt that someone was watching her when
Katya rushes to the pack office as soon as she reads the message Theo sent him last night. As per the reports, Alana is dead. Alana Seashore is dead. Apparently, she was found dead in her house. The medical reports suggest it was a drug overdose and didn’t actually mean to kill herself. Katya has seen the pictures of the dead body and it definitely looks like Alana but she still feels that something is wrong. From what she has heard, Alana was strong-spirited and a powerful witch. The chances of a person who detected strong magic on Caleb so easily overdosing on drugs are really low. She knocks on the door twice. “Come in.” Azraiel is already seated when she enters his office. Theo and Matt are discussing something. “Ah..Katya…please sit.” Azraiel says. Katya takes a seat in front of him. “What do you think about the death of Alana?” Azraiel asks as he leans back in his chair and looks up. “I don’t think she is dead.” For the next few seconds, she can feel the eyes of the o
Charlotte sighs and closes her eyes. She has a headache and it won’t just stop. She has taken the medicine but looks like it isn’t working.When she opens her eyes she sees Katya walking towards the house. Charlotte slightly smiles and stands up from the chair.“Hey! Ready?” Katya asks.“Yeah. Just give me a minute.” Charlotte says and quickly sips some water and then follows Katya out.“So…Everything alright?”“Yeah..just a headache.”“Oh..okay…we can finish the session quickly if you want to.” Katya offers.“Nah…that won’t be necessary.” Charlotte smiles gratefully.Katya has been helping her work on her intuition. Her sessions have helped Charlotte a lot. She is getting better at mindlinking and weirdly enough she is no more uncomfortable or afraid about the shift. In Katya’s words, she has finally surrendered.Katya and Charlotte walk up to their usual spot between the trees and the ground providing comfort to Charlotte that she didn’t know she needed.“Close your eyes and relax.
Theo stares down the female in front of him with squinted eyes. He is surprised by the calmness and unaffected expression on her face.She is dressed in a navy blue T-shirt and black pants. Her hair is cut short till her shoulders and dyed a platinum blond color. On her face is heavy makeup, her eyes are lined with black kohl smudged at the edges and her lips are painted red. Her eyes look pitch black, maybe lenses. Her nose and right eyebrow are pierced and rings dangle at both places. She is carrying a bag pack that looks like it has seen better days.Theo has seen pictures of Alana and the woman in front of him looks nothing like her. Maybe he’d noticed the resemblance if he met her before all this but right now he feels like someone else is standing in front of him.Theo and Kira have been waiting for her to reach the pack borders since yesterday. Theo has already informed Kira and the Alpha and they should be here any minute now. They haven’t captured Alana as an intruder since s
“His real name is Austin Jones of the Black Onyx pack.” Alana’s words send a ripple of confusion through everyone’s mind. “Black Onyx Pack?” Alpha Azraiel questions with a raised eyebrow. “I- I know it sounds unbelievable but it is true! He really is from the Black Onyx Pack.” For a moment, no one speaks. Theo and Alpha Azraiel look at each other with a knowing look in their eyes. They have most probably mindlinked their suspicions about the witch in front of them. “Please elaborate.” Theo pushes with a clenched jaw. Alana nods furiously. “So…do you remember how the fall of the Black Onyx Pack and their Alpha lead to the story that everyone from the pack died except the Alpha and the one male that turned into an Alpha?” “You are saying it’s not true?” Kira narrows her eyes at her. “No.” Alana looks down for a second and then looks at Charlotte for a moment. She then returns her eyes to Alpha and says, “Years ago, when the Alpha of the Black Onyx pack, Emmanuel Reed went haywir
Azraiel looks at the forest with searching eyes. After Charlotte identified the portrait as that of Richard, Azraiel asked Theo to have them make another one with the help of Alana. It would help them know whether Alana is actually talking about the same person.Later he also plans to put Alana and Caleb in front of each other. He wants to know more about the time these two spent with Austin aka Richard.He is just doing what he thinks is right but is it actually right though?With all that has been going on these past few days, both Charlotte and he have been busy solving this mess. They haven’t really considered what will happen next.There’s just one day left for her shift!Only one day!“Hey, Love!”Charlotte snakes her arms and locks them in front of Azraiel’s stomach. She lays down her head on his back and sighs.“Hey..you okay?” He whispers and turns his head slightly at her.“Mhmm…”Both of them silently stay like that for God knows how long.“Come on…we have a long day ahead
The silence that followed Daniel’s call was as thick as fog. Everyone sat in contemplative unease, their thoughts spiraling into the abyss of uncertainties. Silver flames had been sighted 22 years ago—just a year after the devastating fire at the king’s palace, the same fire that claimed the lives of the werewolf royalty. Could these two events be connected? The implications of such a connection were as vast as they were terrifying.Azraiel’s drawing room felt heavier than ever, the weight of worry and exhaustion palpable in the air. Kira shifted uncomfortably, her gaze moving to the grandfather clock ticking loudly in the corner. Every second seemed to stretch into eternity.Suddenly, the sound of a door creaking open broke the tension. Everyone’s heads snapped toward the staircase, alert and apprehensive.Theo and Matt bolted to their feet, rushing up the stairs.“Azraiel?” Theo’s voice carried a mix of relief and worry as he spotted the Alpha slowly descending the stairs.Azraiel w
The weight of responsibility bore down on Daniel as he leaned back in his chair, rubbing his face with calloused hands. The room around him was dimly lit, with the flickering glow of a solitary desk lamp casting long shadows against the walls. The soft hum of the ceiling fan was the only sound accompanying his tumultuous thoughts.He had just returned to his office after a grueling day spent ensuring the security of the forest surrounding the Blue Orchid pack. Every minute had been a whirlwind of meetings, coordination, and checks, with one goal in mind: to eliminate any potential threats before the ball. The gathering of so many Alphas and Lunas in one place was a political and logistical nightmare. It was a powder keg waiting for a spark.And now this.The phone call from Caitlyn had left him shaken. He stared blankly at the pile of papers on his desk, unable to focus on any of it. The words "silver flames" echoed in his mind, each syllable slicing through his thoughts like a blade.
Aunt Caitlyn sat on the plush sofa in Azraiel’s drawing room, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. The rich, dark wood of the furniture glinted faintly under the muted glow of the overhead chandelier, and the scent of pinewood from the hearth lingered in the air. She had rushed over in her nightclothes, barely taking the time to throw a coat over her shoulders when Ayleen’s desperate call came.The sound of Ayleen’s sobs still echoed in her ears, and Caitlyn’s heart clenched at the memory. The young woman had flung herself into her arms the moment she stepped through the door, her body trembling with unspoken fears.Now, as she sat in the center of the tension-filled room, Caitlyn couldn’t help but notice how heavy the atmosphere was. Matt and Theo stood to the side, their postures rigid, their expressions grim. Siobhan sat beside Ayleen on the loveseat, murmuring soft reassurances while rubbing her back gently. Ayleen, her eyes red-rimmed and swollen, leaned her head against Siobhan
The moonlight cast a faint, silvery glow on the forest path leading to Alana’s house, illuminating the route just enough for Kira to navigate without stumbling. Her boots crunched softly against the dirt, the sound oddly loud in the stillness of the night. She glanced up at the looming trees, their dark branches intertwining above her to form a canopy that swallowed most of the moonlight. It felt like the forest itself was holding its breath. Alana’s house came into view, a small structure perched on the edge of the pack’s territory. Its isolation was deliberate—an unspoken acknowledgment of the unease the pack felt around the witch. Even as she approached, Kira couldn’t help but feel the weight of its placement. It wasn’t just physical distance that separated Alana from the others; it was a barrier of mistrust and fear. Kira slowed her steps, her hand instinctively resting on the hilt of the dagger strapped to her thigh. She didn’t expect trouble, but being cautious never hurt. The
Katya tossed aside another of her mother’s journals, letting it fall to the floor with a defeated sigh. The thick stack of ancient leather-bound books was strewn across the room, each one filled with spells, enchantments, and writings about flames of every imaginable color—blue, black, green, even a rare purple. But nowhere, not a single line, had mentioned the mysterious silver flame. It felt as though the answers she sought were just beyond reach, buried beneath years of her mother’s guarded knowledge.Katya rubbed her temples, feeling a growing frustration behind her eyes as she got up from the floor, carefully stepping over a couple of loose pages that had scattered during her search. She wandered into the kitchen, her bare feet padding softly on the wooden floor, where the hum of the refrigerator and the ticking of the wall clock punctuated the otherwise heavy silence of the night. She reached for the coffee pot, her hands moving almost mechanically, measuring out the coffee grou
For the next two hours, various tests were conducted on Charlotte to determine the cause of her condition. They wanted to be certain that she was physically fine before drawing any conclusions. Some of the test results came back normal, and now they were awaiting the others.Dr. Humphrey had checked Charlotte’s vitals earlier—her pulse, heartbeat, blood pressure, and brain activity were all normal. Yet, despite these signs of life, Charlotte remained unconscious, as though trapped in a deep slumber. Azraiel lay beside her, his body healing slowly from the burns, but his heart was heavy with worry. The others had left the room to give them space, gathering downstairs in the hall.Katya had left the house altogether, determined to search her mother’s books and journals for anything related to the mysterious silver fire and its effects. Ayleen, who had been inconsolable earlier, reluctantly joined the others after Dr. Humphrey insisted they needed the room to monitor both Charlotte and A
Azraiel’s scream tore through the night as the silver flames licked at his skin, searing his flesh. The pain was unlike anything he had ever felt—blinding, all-consuming—but he pushed through it. His grip tightened around Charlotte’s limp body as he lifted her into his arms, ignoring the fire that burned him down to his core. Every breath was a struggle, coming in short, agonized puffs as the heat smothered him, but he refused to let go.He summoned his true-blooded wolf, the primal strength buried deep within him, and let out a howl of pain and anguish that echoed through the walls. The wolf took over, guiding him with a singular focus—protect Charlotte. His feet moved on instinct as he hurried into the room, the flames still biting at his skin, and laid her carefully on their bed.As soon as her body touched the bed, Azraiel collapsed, his knees buckling under the unbearable pain. He hit the floor with a thud, the flames finally retreating, but leaving him scorched, his body covered
Azraiel felt her pain before he heard her voice. The intensity of the headache that slammed through the mindlink sent a sharp jolt of panic through his entire body. He was at the pack border, inspecting the security for Charlotte’s introductory ball with Kira, Matt, and Katya, when it hit him like a physical blow. The agony was overwhelming, and it wasn’t just his own—he could feel Charlotte’s fear pulsing through their bond.Without a word, Azraiel spun on his heels and sprinted towards her, his heart racing with dread. He knew something was wrong, terribly wrong, and he couldn't waste another second. Behind him, Matt, Kira, and Katya followed, their footsteps pounding through the woods as they tried to keep up with his pace.Matt’s voice cut through the rush of wind and trees as they ran. “Charlotte left the banquet hall a few hours ago. Ayleen left for home not long after. They must be at your place.”Azraiel heard him, but he couldn’t respond. His mind was racing too fast, his hear
Charlotte stood on the balcony, her arms wrapped around her middle, deep in thought as the cool night air played with the loose strands of her hair. Below her, the maze in the garden glowed with a soft golden hue. Yellow-golden fairy lights had been draped intricately along the maze's borders, casting an ethereal glow that illuminated the neatly trimmed hedges. The lights flickered gently in the breeze, their glow stretching out like long fingers that traced across the stone walls of the estate, spilling golden shadows across her face. Her reflection caught in the glass door behind her, her expression drawn, her lips pressed into a thin line of unease.Azraiel had taken charge of the preparations for her ball—her introductory event. As usual, he was meticulous, ensuring every detail was perfect. Charlotte had been busy too, focusing on the decorations and arrangements, but her mind was not with the party. Hours ago, something had happened, something that had shaken her in ways she cou