Ella’s eyes widened as they locked onto something glinting a short distance away. Her pulse quickened, and hope flared in her chest. Finally, she thought. She cautiously approached the object, her heart pounding with anticipation. If this was what she thought it was, it could prove someone else was here—someone other than her might be responsible for the vampire’s murder.But as she drew closer, her hopeful smile faltered. The object lying on the ground wasn’t just any trinket. It was a pendant—her pendant.Her breath caught as she picked it up, her fingers trembling. The intricate design was unmistakable, and the tiny gemstones around the locket in the center and the initials S.C at the back of the locket were burned into her memory. She had worn this as a child, a small token of comfort during her turbulent years. Her stepmother had taken it away when she was older, claiming it was sold. But here it was, lying at a crime scene. How? Why?“Are you going to transform or not, Ella?” Mo
Derek approached Ella cautiously, his expression guarded but determined. He studied her face as she stood amidst the crowd that had begun to disperse. The tension between them was palpable, but Derek could no longer ignore the turmoil swirling in his chest.“Ella, it seems you're not welcomed here, and someone is trying so hard to prove that point,” Derek began, his voice low and controlled.Ella looked at him, her lips curling into a bitter smile. “Derek, I appreciate your concern, but I can handle myself. This isn't the first time I'm facing threats. I’ve faced betrayal, humiliation, rejection… so what more could I possibly be afraid of?”Her words cut through him like a dagger. Guilt surged within Derek as he recognized her statement wasn’t just about the others—it was about him too. And it holds a clear meaning; She wasn’t just unsafe here; she wasn’t safe with him either. He sighed, his voice softening.“Ella, I understand you're still mad at me, but please… I need a chance to ma
Morgana paced the room, her heels clicking against the cold marble floor. Her face was pale, her mind racing as she thought about the failure of their plan to frame Ella. If Valen were to discover what they’d done, the consequences would be disastrous.She clenched her fists, her frustration boiling over. “Sandra! I knew that working with a werewolf was definitely a wrong idea”She takes out her phone dialing a number as she walks out.***The moon hung high in the night sky, casting an eerie glow over the quiet woods where Morgana waited impatiently. Her sharp eyes darted toward the road, her red lips pressed into a thin line. She loathed dealing with Sandra, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Ella’s escape from the frame-up had turned the tide against them, and now Valen was investigating. If she didn’t act fast, everything would unravel.Morgana paced restlessly, her long cloak billowing in the cold breeze. She had arranged the meeting in secret, away from prying ey
“Ella, you need to stop them from always wanting to tear each other apart,” Lila’s voice echoed in Ella’s mind, steady yet tinged with concern.Ella paced the length of her room, her fists clenched. “And how exactly do you suggest I do that, Lila? They’re both so… so stubborn!” Her voice cracked with frustration, and her wolf sighed. “They’re adults, Lila, not children.” Ella continued, her tone carrying the irritation she’d been holding in.“Did you see what almost happened at the field earlier” Lila asked“I think Derek should head back to avoid all this.” Ella responded non-challantly.“I understand you’re still angry with Derek—after all the betrayal and pain he had caused us, it's justified. But don’t forget that Valen isn’t innocent either. There are still secrets he’s keeping from us, and though he’s also our mate, I don’t think he fully trusts us,” Lila replied, her tone firm but soothing.Ella stopped, her chest tightening. She didn’t want to admit it, but Lila was right. Sec
Lila's paws pressed against the soft earth as she approached the manor, the glow of her silver fur shimmering in the moonlight. Her wolf form moved with quiet elegance, but her sharp eyes caught the figures standing at the entrance. Derek and Valen.They were standing side by side, their intense gazes fixed on her as though they’d been waiting all night.She let out a low chuckle, amused by the sight of her two mates standing together—awkward yet commanding. Well, isn’t this a welcoming committee.“This is funny,” she muttered inwardly.Lila, responded, her tone playful. “Funny, indeed. Two grown men waiting like lost pups. Should I shift?”Ella scoffed. “And stand naked in front of them? Not happening.”Lila’s laughter echoed, teasing and full of mischief. “They’ve both seen your nakedness before, haven’t they?”“That was different, and you know it,” Ella hissed. “Don’t even try it, Lila.”“Fine, fine.” Lila paused for a moment before adding slyly, “You wanted a conversation, though
Ella glanced back at the two men before turning toward her room. Her expression was calm, but her gaze carried a quiet authority that couldn’t be ignored. “I’ll be waiting,” she said, her voice even but firm, her eyes meeting theirs in turn. Her words left no room for argument. They couldn’t avoid this, and they both knew it.As her figure disappeared down the hall, Derek and Valen exchanged uneasy glances. The weight of the past—and what was about to be revealed—hung heavily between them. Both knew there was no escaping this moment, but neither wanted to go first.Finally, Derek let out a breath and straightened his posture. “I’ll go first,” he said, his tone resolute. There was no hesitation in his steps as he walked toward Ella’s room. He didn’t care about whatever misunderstanding existed between her and Valen. All he wanted was for Ella to understand his actions and, if possible, forgive him.This time, Valen didn’t argue or try to stop him. He stood in silence, watching Derek’s
Valen sat down, his movements slow and deliberate, as if afraid one wrong step would break the fragile air between them. Across from him, Ella sat rigidly, her eyes rimmed with the evidence of tears she had yet to completely hide. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, clearing her throat.“I’m sorry,” she said softly, her voice still hoarse from crying. She straightened her back, trying to project a calm she didn’t feel. “You can… you can go on.”Valen’s chest tightened. He wasn’t sure where to start, or if he should even start at all. But the weight of unspoken truths was suffocating him. He took a deep breath, his crimson eyes fixed on the table between them.“I had a mate once. Her name was Lydia.”Ella’s brow twitched, but she didn’t interrupt, simply leaning forward slightly, her posture attentive. Valen paused, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. Memories he’d locked away clawed their way to the surface.“She was my everything,” Valen said, his voice tinged with a bitt
Ella sat on the edge of her bed, staring into the mug of coffee she wrapped in her hands. The room was quiet, save for the soft buzz of the heater and the faint rustling of the curtains swaying with the breeze from her slightly opened window. Her sleepless nights were taking their toll. Dark circles shadowed her tired eyes.She sighed deeply, her thoughts muddled with the weight of everything Valen and Derek had said to her. It felt like a heavy storm brewing within, and no matter how hard she tried to steady herself, she couldn’t escape the uncertainties before her.“Now you know the truth, so what next?” Lila's voice broke through her thoughts, gentle but firm.Ella sighed heavily and took a sip of her now lukewarm coffee. "I don’t know," she whispered, her voice low and weary. The night had been long, she hadn't had a good night's sleep. The nightmares aren't helping matters either, it's becoming more frequent lately. She had mostly stayed up all through the night."You can’t keep
The moon shone brightly casting an ethereal glow on Ella and Valen as they stood at the Manor's front yard admiring the night.Ella stood facing the moon and rubbing her now visible baby bump, a peaceful smile gracing her face. Valen stood behind her, his strong arms wrapped around her waist pulling her snugly against himself.Ella leaned into him, feeling the warmth of his embrace. Her bright, beautiful smile deepened as she chuckled softly."Can't believe you're scared of being a father," she teased, her voice laced with amusement.“It's not a crime to be scared,” Valen murmured against her ear, his breath warm and teasing. “I'm just speaking my mind. And besides I have never been a father before.”His lips brushed against her exposed neck, his voice turning huskier.Ella stretched her neck, giving him more room to nibble on them as she smirked. “You will definitely make a great father Valen.”A low growl rumbled from Valen’s chest as his fangs gently grazed the marked spot on her n
Sebastian had managed to fight through the warriors on him, leaving Scottie injured and some others dead. One look at the war and she could tell they were evening out on the battlefield. There was only one thing to do now. Something inside Ella snapped. She turned, her murderous gaze locking onto Sebastian's. He growled, as if beckoning her. With a deafening roar, she transformed into Lila, but this time Lila moved with a blinding light enveloped around her massive form. She had tripled in size. She possessed the speed of an ancient vampire and the strength of a powerful warrior Alpha. Nothing like anyone had ever seen. Even Sebastian was momentarily taken aback at her transformation. Her eyes were of two colors—crimson and Silver. She launched herself at Sebastian. The ground shook in her wake. Her claws glowed and her wild Lila had the force of the Moon Goddess herself surging through her. Warriors gave way in fear as she approached. Sebastian
The battle erupted in a blur of fangs, claws, silver, and wooden daggers. Sebastian tore through warriors, his monstrous strength overwhelming both vampires and werewolves. A vampire leaped at him but he crushed his skull in one swipe. A werewolf lunged at him but Sebastian ripped out his throat without hesitation. Valen and Derek fought side by side, cutting through anyone coming closer to the Manor, where Ella was tirelessly healing those being brought back with injuries. Despite their efforts, It was obvious to the two men that they were losing. But in war, no one says it’s over until the very end so they fought on. Ella looked up from where she was, the scene before her was pure terror, there was blood everywhere, the air was thick with death. Ella’s heart tightened as she saw warriors falling. She heard movement beside her, she held onto the dagger by her side, a part of Scottie’s war gear. It was Sandra. “Oh! You think healing can help you in this case?” Sand
Maxwell strode through the gates of the manor with a practiced ease, despite his expression being unreadable, there was no way to mask the gait in his walk. He envisioned the death and destruction of all the mutts involved and when they were done with Valen and Derek, even Alpha Kevin and his own mutts would be annihilated. He trusted Sebastian not to maintain any alliance against the vampires. Immediately he stepped into the manor, Alpha Kael and Dorian approached him. “We need you,” Kael said, his voice firm. “We need the exact coordinates you found Ella. We’re planning a search for Sebastian’s whereabouts.” Maxwell kept his expression neutral but within him, he smiled. The fool suspects nothing, he thought. “Of course,” he said smoothly. He followed them deeper into the war room, already planning to lead them astray. His plan was simple—give them false coordinates, and send them chasing ghosts while preparations for the war raged on, unnoticed. But the moment
Kael had followed Maxwell closely after his angry exit and deadline for finding Ella. No matter how great he was as a tracker, it wasn’t possible that he would find her as quickly as he said he would.Unless… He already knew where she was. He had followed Maxwell closely moving through the shadows like a ghost, Maxwell was fast but he was versed in stealth. Finally he had seen what he needed to see and now he had to speak to Derek. “I have something you’d need to hear,” Kael whispered urgently.He took Derek aside to explain what he had seen to him. “Okay. What is it?” Derek asked sharply, his mate was unconscious inside and there was an impending attack.According to Valen, Ella had been having nightmares about this war revealed to her by the Moon goddess and now it's finally coming to pass. He wasn’t thinking about being subtle or calm at this point. Kael inhaled. “After Maxwell left, I followed him and I think he knew where Ella was all along. I couldn't match his speed but h
Maxwell’s grip tightened around Ella’s unconscious human form as he moved effortlessly through the forest. The night air smelt of pine but he couldn’t enjoy the smell because of the werewolf stench in his nose. He hated them, the annoying mutts were everywhere now, walking freely in their territory, their putrid odor made his stomach turn. If it were up to him, every single one of them would be dead by now, especially her. But he couldn’t risk it, he had to deliver her to Valen himself as his task and promise but soon enough he wouldn’t be taking orders from a mutt lover like Valen. He’d never thought he’d see the day when a vampire as powerful as Lord Valen would willingly align himself with werewolves but here he was. One thing was certain, betraying your own kind comes with a death wish no matter how powerful you were. Maxwell scoffed, wasn’t it an irony that Valen had foolishly aligned with the werewolves and now a similar alignment will be what would end him? As he was los
“You're just what I need. Your blood holds the key to unlocking the secrets of immortality.”Sebastian smirked as he stared at the weakened and unconscious body of Valen's mate—Ella. He would destroy everything that Valen holds dear, starting from his mate. It's quite unfortunate he couldn't kill her yet, but he would use her to show to Valen what it meant to be hurt.He didn’t want to underestimate her powers. Though she was surrounded with silver, he still made sure she wasn't fed so she would be too weak to resist what he intended to do.Murmurs and whispers of why Valen hadn't arrived yet, despite his mate being captured, were already spreading amongst his allies and he knew he needed to act fast before their impatience ruins his plans.He watched as Ella slowly regained consciousness.“Finally you're awake” Sebastian chuckled dryly.Ella slowly opened her eyes, her vision blurry at first, she shook her head to regain some clarity. A sharp throbbing pain in her wrist had pulled he
A heavy silence immediately filled the room after Alpha Kael's outburst.Derek's eyes narrowed slightly as looks at Maxwell, waiting for his reaction. He knew Kael had struck a nerve.Maxwell didn't disappoint, but one thing he didn't know was that Alpha Kael wasn't just an ordinary werewolf or a ‘mutt’ as he just called them.His fingers twitched, his sharp fangs peeking out as his eyes darkened. The anger in his gaze was unmistakable. Then, without warning, he charged at Kael, his speed as fast as lightening but dark.He aimed for Kael's throat, but Kael had seen so many battles to be caught off guard. Before Maxwell could strike, Kael twisted his body slightly and slammed his elbow into Maxwell’s side. The force sent the vampire stumbling back, his cloak fluttering as he steadied himself.Maxwell's eyes widened in shock. His jaw tightened. He was fast—faster than some vampires, faster than most creatures. But speed meant nothing if your enemy could predict your moves.Kael smirked
Valen stomped into his office, slamming the door heavily behind him. Dorian was lucky enough not to be hit by the door as he followed behind Valen.“Useless!” Valen muttered, rubbing his hands against his hair and jaw.Dorian stood at a safe distance trembling slightly. He was doing it again, releasing that powerful aura that brings people to their knees.Clearly Valen was so mad, he has unleashed this aura just twice. This was only the second time Valen had ever let his emotions slip so much that his power surged uncontrollably—the first time was when Ella came into his life and now that she had disappeared.Dorian could see from his clenched fist that he was fighting so hard to control it. His crimson eyes were now a darker shade of red.“Did she just vanish into thin air? Are you trying to tell me there are no leads? No clues?” Valen asked, his voice filled with rage.Dorian stood speechless, he swallowed hard, his throat dry. He had no answer that wouldn't further enrage Valen. He