ANNEWas it one night? Two nights? A week? A month?A year?I can’t tell how much time passed. The deafening silence and the shortness of breath had my mind spinning with anxiety and something I rarely ever experienced and admitted; terror.Terror is always the first step to defeat—an exceptionally humiliating defeat. I hate defeat. But it seemed like all I was doing at that moment was losing. Against myself. Against the darkness, I was in. Against the horrifying memories playing before my eyes.I didn’t ever think I will ever plead for anything. Maybe, I would have done it for Natalie or Giana but not for myself, never for myself. I strengthened myself enough to never plead for my life or because of my suffering ever again but I did it. I pleaded for a long time when my lungs burned and I tried to move but couldn’t.It was like I was in a grave—A dark and deep grave. I was so alive, yet I felt dead. As I saw the memories from my childhood playing before my eyes like a horror mov
NATALIE “ Don’t talk to me. ” I groan when he pokes my shoulder. Ryker refused to bring Anne. And now, he is annoying me by poking my shoulder again and again. I am so damn worried thinking about what that strange man might do to her if she stays here. “ He is good to her. I swear. He will never hurt her. ” Ryke sighs when I refuse to turn around and face him after getting poked for the 29th time. “ I thought the same. But he did, didn’t he? I don’t even know what he did to her to make her scream like this. She was in pain…too much pain. I could sense it. ” I breathe, recalling how her eyes turned black as Zero’s do, and then she stopped moving. It was the worst experience of my life. First, my child was about to die and I was crying. Then, I saw my friend almost die at the hands of a man who had lost his shit. “ I made a deal with the Originals, Babylove. It’s best. For all of us. They agreed on passing the law about the hybrids and they healed Anne to avoid war with the Vampir
NATALIEStaring at my reflection in the mirror, I sigh. I am wearing an amber-coloured fascinating silk mikado dress with a geometric neckline embroidered with rhinestones and crystal. The neck is wrapped up by an imposing loop asymmetrically cut to the bies. It hugs my body at all curves, restricting me from moving too freely.When Ryker said he will initiate me as his official Luna, he was not joking. I realized this in the morning when he prepared everything in a matter of hours and asked me to get ready.I am still getting some bad vibes from this whole situation so I don’t know what to feel yet. Given that Ryker called all the hybrids he knew over so the Originals can pass the law after this ceremony today is making me more uneasy. The most bothering thing is the fact that Evangelina was not the angel I thought she was. She also stopped visiting me in the dreams just as Abraham was gone. It almost feels like she was doing all this for her own revenge or something more…I don’t kn
RYKER“ Alpha Ryker. Call everyone forth. ” The twins command as if I am dying to fulfill their demands.The large number of werewolves called over from the foreign packs watch as I gesture towards some specific men and they leave the crowd, stepping forth without any hesitance.“ I thought we all agreed on doing this after I initiate Natalie into my pack. ” I mention but I don’t have any problem with which event goes down first.“ So they all are the people we talked about? ” Kyrin and Kathie ask, malice shining behind their eyes which they can hide from almost everyone. Almost.“ Yes. ” I nod calmly.“ So, the thing is… ” The Originals don’t wait for Fredrick who disappeared I don’t know where some time ago.‘ Find him. And bring him here. He has to be here at a time like this. ’ I mindlink Zio and receive a curt ‘ Sure, Alpha. ’ from him in reply. This puts my nerves at ease momentarily. Everything is going according to the plan until now.“ Alpha Ryker here made some interesting d
RYKER“ Are you still not going to confess, Alpha Ryker? You know so many precious things are at stake here. Confess your crimes and save us all. ” Fredrick speaks in a suggestive tone.I don’t have to ask questions. I don’t even need to doubt what’s wrong. Just by his words and the smug aura, I can tell he has Natalie with him and he is going to use her to get to me.I thought the bullshit was over with Abraham’s death but…I don’t think it was all about it. Maybe, I missed something.‘ Find your Luna. They couldn’t have taken her far. ’ I can feel her close. I know she is here even if she has her connection blocked which is perhaps a result of a potion given to her by someone.‘ I am already on it. ’ Zio groans, sounding pissed which is good.Pushing past the steel wall of negative emotions and fears, I straighten up, preparing to stall time until Zio has Natalie.“ What’s the proof that she is not lying? Natalie has her place now. ” I glance at Britney momentarily who refuses to was
NATALIEI didn’t fall unconscious like I thought I will when my body lost all energy and I felt so weak that it became impossible to even utter a single word or reach out to Ryker through the bond.I started drifting away, to some far corner of my mind. I was able to see everything, feel everything, and think everything but I was unable to actually act. Fredrick picked me up and took me outside before dumping me into the outhouse, which was close to the packhouse. I saw him doing all this yet, I was unable to fight back.I stayed limp on the outhouse floor. I had no control over anything. But, I was scared. I feared the potion might be too strong for the baby and it was killing me to be so weak when I desperately needed to be strong. I have always known what helplessness felt like but I never hated myself for it. At that moment, as I was pushed back into my own mind and another entity made my chest burn with a heaviness I have never experienced before, I hated myself for being so eas
RYKERNow I know what Fredrick wanted to tell me. I do not doubt that he must be the one who did this to Natalie. But after he pulled out Evangelina, she might have betrayed him.I tried connecting to Natalie. I have a hunch she is somewhere back in her mind. I don’t know if she can hear me talking or not but I desperately want to hear her voice.Fire spreads towards me, as I watch my mate’s body controlled by an evil spirit in shock and confusion. What can I do to bring her out? What did Niyara—the witch who raised me ever tell me about this? I can’t recall, given that I never had any interest in something like this.Screams sound from around me, but I can not turn around or rush to their aid. I know they are burning and that everyone is scared of the fire. Anyone strong can fight against water, rising wood, metal, and harsh air but fighting against such a fire that consumes you, that kills you with a single touch…No one can do that. Not even me.“ What do you want? ” This is the onl
NATALIE“ How long are you going to stay like this? ” The soothing voice asks in the empty bright space.“ Am I dead? ” I question, sighing heavily and sitting up on the grass.The field around me is filled with blue, yellow, and pink flowers. It’s comforting and pleasing for the eyes. For the first time in forever, I think I can breathe without feeling like my lungs are aching.“ You wanted to die? ” The voice chuckles.I smile, glancing at the woman from over my shoulder. She is perched up on the rock behind me. I don’t know who she is or why I am even talking to her so calmly but seeing her is pleasing to the eyes and mind.Her glossy silver hair fall over her shoulders and back in waves and her silver shimmering eyes watch me closely. Her chin is placed in the palm of her hand, and her elbow is supported on her knee. The loose white dress she is wearing flaps due to the comforting blowing breeze.“ Am I really dead? ” I whisper.Does this mean I lost? Our child? The war? Ryker?“