As I accompanied Miss Eleanor on her usual escapades around the house, I could clearly hear the scorns and sneers of the other servants."She's so ungrateful, that one. She even dared to eat with the Masters." One of the girls sneered. I recognized her. She was always there when I was being gossiped about and she was a friend of Anne."She could have refused but she didn't.""I can't believe that I would live to serve that harlot Iris. I was so pained that I felt like stabbing her in the throat with the fork." One said with utter bitterness in her tone."The fact that she is acting all chummy with Miss Eleanor when she just tried to snatch her man is actually disgusting to me." One said and I felt that. All these while, I have claimed that I had done nothing wrong, but in my heart, I knew that I desired the unattainable. And Miss Eleanor was nothing but nice to me.I could feel their cold gazes on me as I walked around with Eleanor. She had me accompany her to the art room because she
It was late afternoon and Miss Eleanor had ordered me to get her some fruits. I hurried to the kitchen so I could ask Anne to help me slice some fresh fruits for Miss Eleanor. I walked past the corridor and I could hear the servants whispering."It's probably about me." I said to myself, so I decided to ignore them and go run my errand.I got to the kitchen and found the kitchen ladies gathered together and talking about something in a whisper. I moved closer so I could listen. I could barely hear what they were saying, I came closer but my hand mistakenly knocked down a spoon from the table and the thud from the impact of the spoon falling to the ground made them all startled."Geez Iris!" The older kitchen lady said as she held her chest. "You gave me a fright child." She said while adjusting her gown.I looked around but couldn't find Anne anywhere. "Where is Anne?" I asked."Probably somewhere gossiping." One of the ladies commented as they went back to their various tasks. "What
"Sorry, my hand slipped." She said giving me an icy stare."Madam!" I said shocked. She narrowed her gaze to the broken ceramic on the floor."Get me another bowl." She said curtly before turning back to face the mirror to continue her make-up."On it." I said as I went over to pick up the broken pieces from the ground and clean up the mess before hurrying back to the kitchen to get a fresh bowl of fruits."Oh Iris, you're back." The kitchen lady who had helped me out with the fruit previously said."Umm, I need a fresh bowl.""Of fruits?" She asked."Yes.""Has Miss Eleanor eaten up the other bowl already? Wow she has a big appetite." She said as she chopped up a new bowl for me."Thanks." I said before hurrying back to Miss Eleanor's room. I stood in front of her door for a few moment before sighing and entering."Your fresh bowl Miss." I said as I dropped it on the stool carefully next to her. She didn't look at it or at me but she just sat there admiring her reflection in the mirr
I was feeling frustrated already as I have been running around the whole day. I went back to her room but she wasn't there."Where could she be?" I closed my eyes trying to guess where she could have probably ran off to. I roamed around the house again but I couldn't find her anywhere."Where are you going Iris?" Gina said to me as she saw me going on my way to the gym. That was the last place I was going to check."I'm looking for Miss Eleanor, do you happen to know where she is?" I asked her."I did see her head towards the Masters quarters but that was about twenty minutes ago." She informed.Twenty minutes, that's probably the length of time I had spent running around the mansion. If only I had her phone number then I would have just called."Thanks," I said before going on my way. I stood at the entrance of the quarters as I looked back and forth between Chad and Leigh's quarters, she couldn't possibly be in Chad's room so she was probably in Leigh's.I sighed as I headed towards
~ Leigh's POV ~Everything was a mess. It was almost like a curse that I never got what I wanted. I always wanted a perfect family like every other person. A happy mother, a loving father and a caring sibling.My mother died of depression, my father only ever loved his gains and my brother was the biggest ass in history.I sighed as I stood beneath the scorching shower, letting the torrent of water cascade down my skin like a deluge of despair. Anger and sorrow swirled within me, a maelstrom of emotions that threatened to consume me whole. My heart ached as I recalled what Iris had said. She wanted nothing to do with me but I couldn't help my feelings for her.'You are just a coward Leigh' her words echoed inside of my head. Yes, I was a coward, always running away from the real problem and going towards the path I knew was impossible.My fists clenched, and I slammed them into the bathroom walls, the impact echoing through the tiled space like a scream of rage. The only sounds were t
If I wanted to change myself and possibly my feelings, I had to start by getting close to Eleanor. It's not like we weren't close, but only as friends. I had told her over and over again since we were kids that I wasn't into her, and she also didn't seem that interested in me too. Except that only recently, she suddenly wanted to play the perfect future mate with me and I found it cringe since we both saw ourselves like siblings."Have dinner with us tonight Leigh," her voice calm and commanding.I lowered my eyes and didn't say a word. I could feel her moving restlessly behind me but I didn't care and just kept feeding my bird. Iris had already excused herself, so it was only Eleanor and I that were present.She walked out of the balcony and moved into the room, probably examining the place. I sighed as I watched my feathered friend move around in his little cage. He was full and wouldn't eat again. I had bought the prettiest of cage for Claws, but no matter how pretty the cage was o
I sat quietly at dinner. The food looked good but it tasted so bland. Maybe it was my heart that was bland."Have a taste of the fish sauce," Eleanor said with a bright smile. I didn't respond and let her do as she pleased. Iris was standing just besides her and I couldn't bear to look at her."It's so nice seeing the both of you so happy together." Father said, distracting me from my line of thoughts."I would be happier if Leigh isn't so busy all the time and have meals with us." Eleanor pouted and father laughed."You would have to convince him then to not work so hard," he turned to face me."And make him understand that there is more to life than work," he said with fixed gaze. "Maybe you could even make him come home more often." He shifted his gaze to Eleanor and gave a smile. I rolled my eyes because I knew he was just trying to scold me indirectly."I guess I have to work hard as the future Luna of this pack." She smiled as she glanced at Iris. I caught her sly peek and I pee
I stared at the clock ticking continuously as I arranged my files in my room. The smell of freshly baked cookies filled the air as Miss Felice just delivered them to my room."You hardly ate anything my dear boy. Have these for now." She said with a warm smile and I smiled back at her. She stared at me and hesitated to speak."Do you have something to say?" I asked her."It's just that I wish you could be genuinely happy." She said with sad eyes and I smiled brightly at her as I moved closer and held her cheeks with both arms in a playful manner."Don't I look happy enough?" She sighed and pushed my hands away."At least you can still joke around. I just hope you do the right thing. I can't outrightly advice you to follow your heart, but I do hope you make the right decision that is best for everyone." She said and I contemplated her words.A decision that was best for everyone, it was probably that decision that could cost me my happiness. Oh well, I didn't have time for that thought
~ Leigh’s POV ~The world was a muffled, distorted echo. There was this constant rhythmic thumping hammering within the confines of my skull, like a relentless drumbeat that threatened to shatter the fragile remnants of my little consciousness. It was a dark and suffocating, a place where sound and sensation were twisted from reality. I was lost in unconsciousness and couldn’t seem to fight my way out of it as I kept floating without having any sensation except for pain that spread through my bones.I tried to grasp at the edges of my consciousness, to pull myself back from the abyss, but my efforts were futile. My eyelids were heavy as lead, refused to obey my commands. All I could see was an overwhelming darkness, a void that stretched endlessly before me. The thumping intensified in my brain, a relentless hammer against the inside of my skull, and I felt myself slipping further down and sinking deeper into the dark.A series of sounds began to penetrate the darkness. I heard muff
The servants led me to my chambers as they closed the heavy oak doors behind me, the soft click echoing the finality of my confinement. I sank onto the bed as I sighed. I was losing my mind at this point and I really wonder how long I can continue to suffer confinement like this. The room, though luxurious, felt like a cage, each ornate detail a reminder of my isolation. Luka Lane was keeping me prisoner and he says I’m to be his bride. What sort of bride am I even?I gazed around the room, my eyes tracing the intricate patterns of the wallpaper, the delicate porcelain figurines on the side of the room, the shimmering golden silk drapes that framed the tall windows. It was a beautiful prison indeed, a place of comfort and opulence, but a cell room nonetheless and I wanted to get out.My thoughts drifted to the upcoming mating ceremony, it seemed scary to me, an event that filled me with a sense of dread. Luka Lane, the pack master, my supposed betrothed. The very idea of marrying hi
I was feeling so frustrated and I didn’t even want to be here or do any of these. There was actually no use having me here since the head servant practically picked out everything herself. From the dress to shoes to the jewellery. I just sat there like a pile of nothing as my thoughts kept wandering around like someone lost. Well, I was lost. My memory was. After the hassle, we were finally done and the servants escorted me back to my room. It was like procession, as the servants walked in front of and behind me, as if shielding me from something dangerous. I felt suffocated and trapped here. "Could I… could I take a short walk?" I asked the head servant, my voice barely audible. I knew I wouldn’t be allowed, but I just wanted to try. "Just a brief look around the grounds? And we’ll be back.” I said innocently.But she shook her head. "I am afraid that would not be possible, Mistress Amore. Master Luka would not approve and he gave strict instructions to not let you wander."“But...
The air in the grand dressing room was thick, not with dust, but with the nerve wrenching sweetness of a hundred different floral perfumes, all battling for dominance to get to my nostrils. I was perched on a soft royal blue cushion, and I could feel the weight and pressure on my shoulders, though my mind was currently miles away, lost in the swirling, fragmented images of my dream. It was still a puzzle that I couldn’t quite piece together, so it bothered me so much. Much more than having to pick out the perfect dress for my mating ceremony.Around me, a flurry of activity unfolded, a meticulously choreographed dance of silks and laces as designers, with faces etched with practiced professional smiles and a hint of desperation, paraded their creations before me, sampling them as the best of the best for the occasion. Each gown was a masterpiece of its own, having intricate beadings and embroidery, meant to enhance my beauty for the upcoming mating ceremony. But to me, they were just…
"Betrothed?" I repeated extremely surprised, it possibly can’t be true. Isn’t he too..too old? "But aren't you… aren't you old enough to be my father?" I asked him.His eyes narrowed at me as the grey turned to ice. "You had no problems with it before. Besides, you have been betrothed to me since your birth." He sounded a bit annoyed as he spoke."But…" I tried to counter, but the words got caught in my throat as he cut me off, his voice sharper and firmer this time.“I won't blame you for the misunderstanding this time Amore. You got into an accident and lost your memory. It happens. Anyway, our mating ceremony is in a few days. I do not wish to postpone it. You better get yourself ready." He turned away and dismissed me with a wave of his hand. I stood there, completely frozen, unable to process his words. Betrothed to him? To a man who could easily be my father? He was handsome, undeniably so, with his sharp features and piercing grey eyes, but the thought of marrying him… it was
The morning light filtering through large windows didn’t make me feel as excited much. It was just like any other day, just like the rest I had spent here. Days and nights has passed by like a continuous endless cycle. A cycle of sleep, bland meals delivered by silent servants, and endless waiting. They all called me ‘Mistress,’ yet I had no recollection of who I was, what this place was, or why I was even here. All I knew was that the servants, though unfailingly polite, were also all awfully tight lipped that it grated on my nerves so much that I felt like pulling my hair some times.“The Master will see you soon and tell you everything you need to know Mistress." They would say, as their eyes evaded mine.Frustration clawed at my chest and I yearned for answers, for a glimpse of the outside world too. The door was always locked when they left, as if they wanted to mock my imprisonment. Why was I even imprisoned here? These questions I couldn’t answer. I scrambled to my feet as my
~ Iris POV ~The first thing that I was aware of was the sound around me. A low unfamiliar hum, like a distant buzzing in my ear. Then voices, muffled and indistinct, like words spoken under water. I tried to open my eyes, but they felt heavy, glued shut with heavy weights. It took a lot of effort, a desperate struggle against the thick pressure that seemed to surround me to finally peer them open.Finally, a sliver of light pierced the darkness, and I blinked, the sudden assault of bright light in my eyes making me to wince and recoil, shutting my eyelids once again. I heard a gasp, a soft, feminine voice, and then a flurry of movement. “She’s awake.” The soft voice said."Get the master quick!" another voice, sharper and more urgent commanded and I could hear clattering around as people moved about. I struggled to open my eyes again to see the people making the sounds, but the light intensified, blinding me again. I squeezed my eyes shut, groaning softly from the sudden sting
So he was dead? Everything he selfishly desired were gone just like that. I moved closer to him as I transformed to my human form. I held his lifeless body as I sobbed. I just couldn’t control the tears as they streamed down. No matter what, and no matter how I claimed to hate him, Chad was still my brother. The one I wished so badly to be close to as a child that I never doubted him. Even as I grew up, I still secretly wished to be accepted by him and father. I was bitter, and full of hatred, but I had never imagined that I would end up killing him with my own hands. I sobbed even harder, holding his lifeless body closer to me.“I hope in your next life you can have a better heart and stop thinking so negatively that you feel you would have to deceive and use others.” I said with a broken heart as I shut his eyes with my hands. I could hear the ringing of my phone at the corner, probably fell there when my clothes ripped as I transformed. I laid him carefully on the ground as I
The air crackled with an unseen energy as Chad transformed. His veins bulged beneath his skin, each muscle rippling with raw power. This was not the frail wolf he used to be, but a monster advanced by cursed medicine and as he would call it, ‘science’.The wolf let out a guttural roar, a sound that seemed to shake the very ground beneath our feet, and he charged at me with a deadly strike.I rolled, dodging the initial attack, I retaliated, a flurry of punches and kicks aimed at the beast he had become, but it was like hitting a wall of granite. He sidestepped, his movements fluid and graceful despite its size, and retaliated with a swipe of its massive claw. His body seemed to be adapting to all my attacks and countering them as he grew stronger with every strike.I barely managed to deflect the blow, the air whistling past my ear as his claws raked across my arm. A sharp pain exploded through me. I gritted my teeth, adrenaline surging through my veins.My men were also being ove