CHAPTER TWENTY NINE ROXANNE “What are you doing here?” I asked in an unsteady voice as memories of the past flooded my mind. I tried to steady myself but I was failing at retaining my calm composure. Zane chuckled like the ingrate that he was. Oh how much I hated the sound of his voice. But as I gazed at him I realised he was looking robust and appeared healthier. Shame engulfed me as I looked everywhere for a place to hide but there was none.I was ashamed of my appearance.“You don't sound pleased. Now I'm offended,” he said and pretended to pout. “I came all the way here to see you and that's what I get? A cold welcome?”I searched around frantically for a weapon of some sort to protect myself with just in case he had intentions of hitting me. “Stay away from me.”“That's no way to talk to a family. Most importantly, an Alpha,” he said, pride in his tone as he approached me with hatred in his eyes. “My God, you stink!”I swallowed, crouching lower as he towered over me.“Are you
CHAPTER THIRTY ROXANNEMy meeting with my brother was the absolute worst, and Ryker? I loathed him with every fibre in my body. All I wanted was to break out and tell him what a horrible person he was.Although he knew that.I tried not to think about the mean things Zane said to me but the more I pondered on it, the more I saw the reality. Was Ryker really keeping me here to die because I was worthless?He should have killed me. He's always wanted to know what was keeping him from doing it? If I was dead, I would have been fed grapes by angels while I told them how horrible earth is.Without notice, Ryker walked into the room, almost too calm for someone of his nature. I desperately wanted to turn away from him but the damn cuffs wouldn't even give me freedom of movement. Perfect.He hovered over me, eyes looking me over and settling on my eyes. I swallowed, “Do you do anything other than stare?”“That's the second best thing I've heard today. Thank you,” he said grinning before pul
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE RYKER Guilt.It was a feeling that consumed my entire being and made me shut myself from the world for three days. Okay that was exaggerated. I didn't shut myself from the world but I didn't go to see Roxanne.I was already having a tough time dealing with Selina, and Roxanne— she just had to make it worse. It never got better with her.Was she a curse from the moon goddess? To ruin my life? Was that why she was given to me as a mate to make me insufferable? She didn't know anything about me other than the rumours but the way she had spoken about my mother terrified me.Roxanne terrified me. She looked like my mother. Behaved like her.And my mother was someone I never wanted to talk about. There were memories about her that I tried to bury away but Roxanne, she just seemed to wake it up.But if Roxanne had seen my mother, then it meant one thing; Roxanne was a seer pretending to be a white moon clan. White moon packs were the healers and blue Moon were the only
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO ROXANNE I watched Ryker intently as he removed the cuffs. “I'm sorry,” I whispered. He didn't answer me though. He just kept removing the shackles that restricted my movement and I couldn’t be more grateful. “You were having a nightmare,” he pointed out.I nodded shyly, embarrassed that I had slapped the Alpha Lord. I was getting closer to my death. Closer than I imagined.“Were you just watching?” I ask as I try to shield my chest, uncomfortably aware of how damp my clothes were from sweat. “I was coming to check on you and you looked like you were ready to break out of those so I came in. It's none of my business really, I just didn't want you hurting yourself.”“This is the hundredth time that you've checked on me since you kept me in this room,” I said flatly. “That's because I can hear whatever noise you make. You don't have to be so lousy you know!”I nodded, “Heavy on peace and quiet eh?”“Hang in there,” he murmured as he helped me sit up.I rolled my e
CHAPTER THIRTY THREEROXANNE “Good morning Ma'am and this is your breakfast tray,” An handsome man said as he placed the tray on the bedside chest.“Oh my days. Are you real?” I whisper as I reach out to touch his cheek.“Um err yes ma'am,” he said as he stepped away from me, bewilderment evident on his face as he watched me.Screw Ryker. Who knew he had gorgeous people up here and he had been hoarding them.“You're beautiful, almost surreal,” I said to him and I could see him go pink in the nose.Talk about them, the sorts of people you bite on their lips and they feel the pleasure in their neck instead. Now I'm not even judging.“Thank you ma'am.”“Nah those credits have to go to your mom or something. Not me. I stated the obvious,” I said.I took the tray that was covered in all sorts of beautiful foods and held it close to me. My eyes welled up with tears as I gazed at all the meals that seemed to have been made by Artemis herself.It felt good to perceive good food again and by
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR ROXANNE “You again,” I blurted out before I could stop myself as I opened the door to reveal the cute man from yesterday. “Do you have a problem with it Ma'am?” He asked as he watched me. I smiled softly , “No I don't. What…Your…Um…I can swear I remember the first alphabet. It's an M right. The problem is I can see it in my head but I can't just remember.” He chuckled. “It's Miles.” “Ah, thank you!” I whispered gratefully. “I forgot.” “It's okay. Are you ready for your tour?” He asked. I shifted uncomfortably in my dress and nodded reluctantly. “Although I'd rather stay in bed and shut myself from the world, but of course the Alpha would remind me of how irresponsible I am.” Miles smiled at me. It was a genuine smile. “See, Alpha Ryker is really hard working so sluggishness irks him. He's hard on everyone. He likes when everyone is busy, you know?” I nodded. “Ma'am there's a towel on your head.” I froze and quickly removed it before closing the door of
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVERYKERI scrutinised her for a while as I mulled over her request, contemplating if I was going to give in or not. I wasn't the man who asked for time to make decisions.Before I leave a room, my mind is made up.“So what do you say?” She asked as she fiddled with the hem of her dress.I shrugged. “You don't have the strength. You look as though your hand can be snapped in two , with a tight grip.”She licked her bottom lip and I stared against my will. “You don't want to know what these hands can do, Alpha. They handle knives, pens, guns, every weapon. Just name it.”“One can't have a proper conversation without you bringing in your murder instincts?” I asked.She pulled out a bag of chips from her drawer.“That's because I can't do half of what I say, trust me.”“Says the woman that stabbed someone to death with a fork.”“You say it as though it's the first new thing to happen.” She muttered.I stared at her dumbfounded. Why did she make it sound casual? “Roxanne
CHAPTER THIRTY SIXRYKERShe took in ragged breaths and pushed back her hair from her face. She had just showered and the scent of vanilla filled my nostrils. Perhaps it was her shampoo but it smelled like what could be eaten.She pulled her legs up to her chest. “My parents were really good. I don't know about how they treated the people. I was quite young then.”“But I know they loved my brother and I a lot and they taught us to look out for each other.”I nodded as I listened, scared to interrupt for she might stop talking. “Zane loved me a lot. I would show him all my dumb paintings and drawings and he would tell me that's the most creative thing he had ever seen,” she chuckled and stared into space as though the memories had come flooding back.“I was neve scared. I had my big brother around and no one dared bully me but yes I was weak. I've always been weak. I couldn't do what kids younger than me were doing. It was that bad. But Zane told me it was because I was young that whe
EPILOGUE (THE END)ROXANNE A YEAR LATER.It’s shocking how a year has passed, yet the souls of the dead remain with us, their memories fresh and haunting. The pain, the struggles, the healing—none of it has come easy. Losing someone you knew is like losing a part of yourself. It leaves a hole in your life, a constant ache that never truly fades. Each day feels like a battle to keep your sanity, to remember who you are without them.I walked slowly, each step heavy with sorrow, to the graves of Lilith and Kara. The ground was soft beneath my feet, the scent of damp earth mingling with the fresh aroma of the carnations and lilies I carried. After much contemplation, we decided to bury Lilith in Red Moon, beside her dead mate. Tears slipped down my cheeks, but I brushed them away quickly. Ryker mustn't see me cry.As I laid the flowers on the graves, memories of Lilith’s fierce spirit and Kara’s gentle smile flooded my mind. The pain of their loss was still raw, a wound that had not yet
CHAPTER SEVENTY FOURROXANNE Anger boiled inside me, hot and relentless. I didn’t like Lilith, but she was still my sister. War had been declared, and now swords clashed against swords, claws ripped into flesh. The three packs—White Moon and Red Moon—united against Blue Moon, turning the battlefield into a bloody nightmare.I watched as Colin joined Beta Miles, their ruthlessness clear. We clashed, our bodies moving in deadly grace. The anger and betrayal fueled my every move and for the first time I felt the extent of my powers. I fought with a strength I never knew I had.Miles plunged a knife into Ryker’s stomach, igniting a fury within me that I couldn’t contain. I wolfed out, throwing myself at Miles, my claws tearing at his flesh, my teeth sinking deep.Gasps echoed around me as everyone saw the size of my wolf form. But Miles was fast. He grabbed a knife and stabbed me, forcing me to morph back. Blood poured from my wound, but it wasn’t mine. It was his. Smiling through the pa
CHAPTER SEVENTY THREEROXANNEI'll let Beta Miles continue his side of the story but first let me tell you how we connected,” Lilith said and beamed at me. “Kara was a chatterbox and she couldn't keep secrets to herself. So she got so happy one day and told Beta Miles that she knew the prophecy, not caring that it could put me at risk. She told him it was Roxanne and me and they were faraway.”She sounded disappointed. “Beta Miles got interested and wanted to work for me so I could get what I wanted and he could get what he wanted. All of us wanted something and we burned for it. For me, it was revenge, for Kara it was peace.” Lilith touched my shoulder but I shrugged her hands off. “I knew kara was going to fail me someday. She stopped writing to me after receiving my letter, then one day, she said she couldn't kill you because she liked you and you were nice.”Tears slipped down my eyes. Kara… she had always told me she would never hurt me. It wasn't a promise, it was the truth. Sh
CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO LILITHWe all gasped back to reality and took indrawn gasps while the necromancer removed the needles from our foreheads. Roxanne and Zane stared at me like they were seeing a ghost and I motioned for the necromancer to stay with me and not leave yet.“Mom– oh my God,” Roxanne whispered in disbelief as she placed a hand over her head.Zane stared at me with pity. An expression I loathed with my being.“I know it's hard to decipher,” the necromancer said. “It's also overwhelming. Your mother sacrificed Lilith’s life to save you because you were a powerful child, Roxanne. You were the prophecy blue moon had years ago and I knew I had to seal your powers. Your mother was in so much pain that day but she had to do what she needed to do.”Roxanne shook her head as tears slipped down her face. “She had a choice.”“But she still had to make a choice from both,” the necromancer said. “You were chosen, Roxanne. Sealing your powers away was what made you weak. You were neve
CHAPTER SEVENTY ONEROXANNE What do you do when you're face to face with the demons that have been lurking in the dark, hurting you, whispering fear and terror in your dreams? What do you do when the secrets of the past, the secrets you've longed to know, are finally before you? Do you turn away because you know it won't end well, or do you stay because you've been kept in the dark for too long?My eyes darted to a corner, and there he was—Ryker, bound with chains. Just like my vision had revealed. He looked exhausted and in pain, his clothes stained with blood, and wounds covering his skin. A raw gasp escaped my lips, and my heart clenched.The girl smiled and approached me. My heart thumped loudly in my chest, as I watched her movement. There was something hauntingly familiar about her.It scared me that we looked exactly alike. It was as if I was staring at a reflection of myself, except this reflection had blue eyes while mine were hazel."What's going on?" Zane demanded, his voi
CHAPTER SEVENTY ROXANNE Selina briefed me on the plan as we moved quickly towards the area where Ryker was.She told me that she could trace the way they went since Beta Miles was her mate, but I couldn't scent Ryker since he had rejected me. If my wolf had surfaced earlier, I would have been able to sense that he was in danger, but now I couldn't. My heart pounded loudly as I thought about the battle. I was unsure about myself. I had no idea if I could defeat Beta Miles.We headed towards Blue Moon. Confusion sprawled on my face as I wondered what had brought the Beta and Alpha here. It must be his way of reuniting the three packs so they could turn against me. After all, I was a threat.As we neared the location, the air grew tense. The sound of battle echoed through the trees.“Stay close,” Selina whispered, her eyes scanning the area. “We need to find Ryker and get him out of here.”I nodded, my senses heightened. The scent of blood and fear filled the air , and I could feel th
CHAPTER SIXTY NINEROXANNE As I traipsed through the unfamiliar terrain, everything began to make sense. The reason for everything that had happened. The clues were there from the beginning but they had been ignored.Of course, no one paid attention to things that didn't involve them, just like I hadn't.The paths where wolves once danced, the willow tree, the freedom in your hands. It was all in the book. Ryker's mom had known it would happen someday, and that's why she wrote, hoping it would reach the person who truly needed to see it.The key to freedom in your hands wasn't what I had thought it was. Back then in the dungeon, I had thought the key to freedom was an actual key that could take me out of the dark place and out of Red Moon. But it wasn't. It was about realising who I was and accessing my powers. The willow tree at the cliff was what I needed to find first, for everything to make sense.And I guess it found me. And the prophecy… I still didn't know how I was the chosen
CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT ROXANNE I plunged deep into the sea, the icy water turning crimson around me. The stab of betrayal cut deep, the cold blade intent on ending my life. I couldn't fight the water, couldn't fight death. I struggled, but every gasp drew more water into my lungs. My heart slowed, each beat fainter than the last, ticking away my final moments.As the cold seeped into my bones, I thought about when I was thirteen. Yet again I was living my nightmare and facing my worst fear. Zane, Ryker, and Beta Miles. The people I loved. The people I trusted. How did it all come to this?Desperate for survival, I kicked towards the surface. My vision blurred, but I could see a faint shimmer of light above. I had to reach it, had to see the sky one last time before darkness consumed me. With a burst of strength, I pulled the knife from my throat, the blade slick with my blood, and clutched it in trembling hands.But the sea seemed intent on claiming me. The more I fought to stay afloa
CHAPTER SIXTY SEVEN ROXANNE I was stupefied, staring at Ryker in utter confusion. Anger, sadness, and pain engulfed me as I tried to understand what was going on, but I couldn't make sense of it. Ryker was my mate? How? Memories flooded back—how he lashed out at me when we first met, telling me I had no wolf. Subconsciously, I touched my neck. Was that why he kept touching it, searching for my wolf mark? Was that why he brought me to the Red Moon pack? It dawned on me then—I had just been rejected.Since I had no wolf, I couldn't feel the mate bond or the pain of rejection. But Ryker could. He groaned in agony, placing a hand on his chest. Selina squealed in delight, clapping her hands together."Finally, I won't have a mentally deranged woman for a sister-in-law," she jeered.Anguish washed over me. This was Selina's endgame. She had set me up so I would be rejected and chased away. But I didn't utter a word. Instead, I turned to Ryker."If that's the situation, why didn't you tel