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CHAPTER 23

Author: Luciana Ink
last update Last Updated: 2025-02-19 23:16:55

DEREK

As I walked through the village, I heard Selene’s voice behind me, her tone laced with amusement.

“Well, it’s being said that she was in the village looking really cozy with a tall, sexy man,” she taunted, her tone dripping with faux innocence. “So, just how confident are you that she’s on the same page as you?”

I clenched my jaw, my footsteps heavy against the hardwood floor. I had already heard the whispers, felt the weight of unwanted eyes on me as pack members exchanged knowing looks. The rumors about Ava and Seth had spread like wildfire, each retelling twisting the knife a little deeper.

“Leave me alone, Selene,” I growled, but she only quickened her pace, keeping stride with me.

“How can she not want you?” she pressed, her voice curling around the edges of my patience like a snake coiling around its prey. “You and her don’t bear a mark yet, and she’s flaunting around with another man. How’s that going to look when you two come out as mates—if you do? Won’t it be the same
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    AVA The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. The moment Derek and Seth took a step toward each other, I knew this wasn’t going to end well. A collision of raw power and unspoken challenges was imminent, and I wasn’t about to stand by and let them rip each other apart.I leapt from my seat, moving quickly to intervene, but before I could, Adrian stepped in my path like an immovable wall.“Move, Adrian,” I demanded, my voice sharp with urgency. I tried sidestepping him, but he mirrored my movements effortlessly, blocking me again.“Adrian, what are you doing?” Panic laced my voice as I glanced past him, my heart pounding.He exhaled slowly, shaking his head. “Ava, you need to let them handle this. They were always going to fight eventually, so it may as well be now. And if you get hurt trying to stop them? Derek, Seth, and the Alpha would tear me apart.”A sharp voice cut through the thick atmosphere.“This pack is ignorant! She isn’t safe here,” Seth snapped, his a

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  • BOUND BY FATE, TORN BY CHOICES    CHAPTER 25

    DEREK The sunlight filtering in through the windows of the room cast a soft glow on the worn wooden table, its surface slightly scarred from years of use. Seth leaned back in his chair, his fingers tracing the edge of his phone with a casual air that didn’t quite match the tension in the air. He looked up at me, his eyes steady but guarded, as if he knew what was coming next."You said you’ve been keeping tabs on these warlocks," I said, my voice low, cutting through the quiet. I wasn’t in the mood for games. My mind raced with thoughts of the dangers ahead—warlocks, witches, powers that I could barely comprehend—and yet, Seth was just sitting there like it was a regular Tuesday.Seth nodded, his gaze turning distant for a moment, as if weighing his words carefully before speaking. "Yeah, but it’s not as simple as knowing where they are. They can vanish without a trace, one place one minute, and then somewhere else entirely the next. We have a witch back home who tracks them. She ke

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  • BOUND BY FATE, TORN BY CHOICES    CHAPTER 26

    AVA My body felt like it had been submerged in ice water. The vision had been stronger this time, more vivid—more real. I could still see them, the shadowy figures wreathed in swirling darkness, wielding the four elements like weapons. Fire licked at the edges of their robes, water coiled around their fingertips, the earth trembled beneath their feet, and the wind howled in response to their command. They had been hunting me, and this time, they had almost reached me ."Ava!" Derek’s voice pulled me back to reality. His hands were firm on my shoulders, grounding me. "What did you see?"I swallowed hard, still catching my breath. "Them," whispered. "The two shadowy figures. They were closer this time."Silence filled the room.Seth stepped forward, his expression dark and unreadable. "They’re getting closer to finding you," he said, his voice low but urgent.I gazed at him. "What?"He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, and a

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  • BOUND BY FATE, TORN BY CHOICES    CHAPTER 27

    DEREK The tension in the air was suffocating. The entire pack stood gathered beneath the raised porch, eyes flickering between me, Ava, and Selene. A storm was brewing, one I could feel deep in my bones.I stepped forward, my gaze locking onto Selene. My voice came out as a growl, low and commanding. “Watch your tongue, Selene.”She didn’t flinch. Instead, she slowly turned her head, her eyes cutting from Ava—whom she had been smirking at—back to me. A wicked gleam flickered in her gaze, a satisfaction that set my teeth on edge. “Oh? So we’re not allowed to speak now?” Her voice rang out, carrying across the gathered wolves. “First, you tell us how to think and feel about this whole mess, and if we don’t fall in line, we’re cast out. And now, we can’t even speak?” She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head as her arms crossed over her chest. “Is that how this works now? Are we all meant to walk with our heads bowed, never questioning anything? Maybe you’d like us to stop breathing

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    The cool night air carried the scent of pine and damp earth, wrapping the estate in a quiet stillness. Beyond the main gathering area, where the pack had been discussing our next steps, I found him. The wooden back porch, slightly secluded and enclosed by a rustic fence, provided just enough privacy for hushed conversations.Seth leaned against the railing, his broad shoulders relaxed in a way that seemed too casual for the tension crackling in the air. Opposite him stood Vee, her arms crossed as if bracing for an argument.I stepped onto the porch, my boots making a dull thud against the worn wooden planks. "Hey," I greeted, my voice cutting through the thick silence.Both Seth and Vee turned to face me, their expressions guarded, wary. A strange stiffness hung between us, an unspoken understanding that whatever conversation they’d been having wasn’t meant for my ears.I shoved my hands into my pockets, tilting my head slightly. "What are you two doing out here?"Their responses were

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  • BOUND BY FATE, TORN BY CHOICES    CHAPTER 29

    AVABlake poked his head around the door, his familiar smirk easing some of the tension in my chest. “You got everything, sis?”I exhaled, glancing at the half-packed bag on my bed. “I think so? Honestly, I’ve never packed before. Never left here. I don’t even know what’s necessary to bring.” I ran my fingers over the worn fabric of a sweater I’d barely worn. How did you prepare for a journey when you didn’t even know what you’d be at the end of it?Blake stepped inside, his towering frame casting a shadow over my bag. “Want me to grab anything else from home?” His voice was light, but I could hear the unspoken weight in his words. Was it even home anymore? Was anything still the same?I shook my head. “No. This’ll do.” Zipping up my bag, I hesitated before asking, “What’s happening downstairs?”I had heard raised voices earlier—voices I knew all too well. I had stayed upstairs, unwilling to walk into the storm brewing between Derek and Seth.Blake leaned against the doorframe. “Your

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  • BOUND BY FATE, TORN BY CHOICES    CHAPTER 31

    The drive led us along winding coastal roads, where towering cliffs plunged into the restless waves below. The scent of salt and damp earth drifted in through the cracked windows, mingling with the crisp ocean breeze. The sun was beginning its descent, casting long golden rays over the rolling waves that shimmered like liquid fire.When we finally arrived, I recognized the place instantly. I had been to this town once before when we collected supplies from a nearby lumberyard, but this time, we had come to a far more secluded spot. Seth had driven us to a hidden cove, where the rocky shore stretched out into the sea like an open embrace.Beyond the surf, a large vessel rocked gently with the tide, it's dark hull cutting a stark silhouette against the horizon. Closer to the shore, two sleek speedboats bobbed up and down, their hulls gleaming as they caught the last golden light of the setting sun.We left the vehicles behind in what looked like an abandoned barn, its wooden walls weath

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    " She looked at me dead in the eyes , and I knew she was right. But the thought of ever coming face to face with them again terrified me. " Go find your mate " she smiled , before she turned back on herself and headed back.I walked aimlessly for a while. Thinking , my mind runs like crazy. Mum has most likely already seen me here , now that Sabrina wasn't in my body anymore. Mum seeing the future was not always correct. Choices change and she only sees hints of the future, small little snippets. Mum and dad met out of sheer evilness. Not love or fated mates. And that was one of the things they wanted to stop, that they were completely against. Fated mates , they saw it as having too much power. The whole concept of mates. They wanted to eradicate it. They also believed that good witches were a hindrance , wolves were mutants , along with other animal shifters. My mother and father wanted to eradicate half of the paranormal species. It was funny. The only ones that made their list t

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  • BOUND BY FATE, TORN BY CHOICES    CHAPTER 87

    I was snapped out of my daydream by loud sounds of fighting. The fight from the opening had somehow made its way down here. Wolves and panthers ran everywhere between the houses. " What are they doing down here ? " I snapped at no one in particular. I watched in horror and absolute misery as some of my men , my brothers who I had trained with my whole life, fell. And I was hopeless. " Something must have happened. Derek wouldn't have let them down here ", the former Luna said behind me. I caught sight of a wolf I knew well. " Damian," I shouted. The wolf had just put down a panther. He looked my way and I motioned him to me. He shifted as he got to the border of the protection spell. " Adrian, what are you doing in there ? "he asked , out of breath.I shook my head. "Don't ask , I am not pleased by it. What has happened? Why are you all down here ? " he looked back up towards the opening. " The dragons took their fight to the floor , and that bitch got hold of the luna. The alpha orde

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  • BOUND BY FATE, TORN BY CHOICES    CHAPTER 84

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