CHAPTER 16MARCEL'S POVRiver Bay Pack. I gazed at the huge welcome sign board in the distance. My eyes remained expressionless as the car zoomed past. Half an hour ago, I received a call from the Alpha. My omega is supposed to be here. My fingers tightened on the wheel. Over the past years, I had to endure a series of fake leads. To the extent that now, somehow I didn't feel the thrill of a victory near. For all I know, it could be another fake lead, another desperate attempt for attention.But then why was my heart beating in anticipation? I forced the thought out of my head and focused on the road. That's when I noticed the unusual absence of people. The guards in the back seat grunted like they noticed the same thing. And just as I was about to think deeper into it, we arrived at the packed square. Just as my car pulled up, two guards began walking towards us.I opened the door of the car and stepped down, scanning the surroundings. I saw lifeless bodies that lined in place, a hug
CHRISTIANA'S POV"Peter!" I yelled, my eyes blinking open."Christian!" someone shouted. I felt a hand on my shoulder, a loud noise in the corner, and the shuffling of feet. Everything around me was plain white; I couldn't see through so much brightness.Then suddenly, the voices in my head got too loud. I slumped back on the bed, my eyes shut. Out of the myriad of confusion in my head, the only thing that seemed to be constant was a man, his face bloody and eyes indignant even in the face of death.Peter... The only father I knew. How was I supposed to survive now? Even the image in my head seemed to fade away.I thought I had drifted back to my unconscious phase when everything seemed to clear around me."Christina, Christina..." I heard Becca's voice next to me as her gentle hands shook me.My eyes finally opened, and even though I still felt dizzy, I could see people kneeling around me."What's going on here?" I asked weakly. My first instinct was to try to stand up, but just as I
Christina's povThe words hung in the air, sharp and unyielding. Marcel's voice was calm, but his eyes blazed with the promise of destruction if I refused.I turned my head sharply, breaking his hold on me, and I looked at Melissa and Becca, remembering all that they had done for me so far. They didn't even know me properly—in fact, they probably had reason to hate me since I was their half-sister—but so far, all they had done was protect me.Now he was threatening me with their deaths. My death I could deal with; after all, a life with him wouldn't be much of a life at all. But I couldn't let them die, not after all they had done for me.It felt as though he had threatened me with Peter. I was unable to save him, but maybe I could save them.Becca had her eyes shut, her face ash-white with pain as she struggled against the guard holding her. He was hurting her, I could tell, but he did not care. If he was ordered to kill her, he would not hesitate.Melissa was glaring at both Marcel
Christina's povWell, speak of the devil! There, Alpha Xavier was standing before Alpha Marcel. The minute I saw him, I stiffened.Suddenly, the stench of blood and ash in the air did not irritate me anymore. It filled me with a deadly instinct directed towards Alpha Xavier. Suddenly, all the men I had killed today who were being dragged out early now did not fill me with remorse anymore.They deserved every bit of what I did to them. They were following their Savior's orders, and I had no choice but to eliminate them. It was either them or me, and I was glad I chose myself.Alpha Xavier hadn't seen me yet. He was barking out orders to the men around him to clear up the debris.What were the odds of me transforming now and ripping his throat? I didn't feel physically up to it, but surely my wolf would be stronger.As I thought of it, Isaac stopped beside the guards and cleared his throat. "They are ready, Alpha."Alpha Marcel turned, and so did Xavier. I felt an odd satisfaction at hi
Marcel's povThe drive to the Black Moon Pack was long and silent, but I didn't mind. I wouldn't have had it any other way; after all, what was there for me and the lady beside me to talk about?Christina was her name—a weird name for a werewolf, but who was I to judge? She was shifted as far from me as she could, squeezing herself against the door like she couldn't stand being in my presence, and yet I knew she felt the electricity sizzling between us.This would certainly be a fun adventure with her. I would love to watch her fight her attraction to me and know that, in the end, she would bend to my will. Everyone always did.I took the last bend, the gates of our pack house looming before us—tall and imposing against the backdrop of the setting sun. That was how long it took to get here.A glance in my side-view mirror as I sent a mind link to whoever was guarding the gates to open it. The other car was right behind me; there had been no incident so far. Her sisters were wise enoug
Marcel's povAs we entered, the hallway echoed with the shuffle of footsteps. A few servants who had witnessed the scene downstairs watched us with weary eyes, even as they went about their business.I disliked our slow movement, but Christina could not go any faster. The guards were short of dragging her now, and I didn't want that to happen, so I let us walk at her pace. Her sisters were trailing behind us, the guards flanking them with their hands hovering over their weapons.It was good that they were wary and ready for any attack. Becca's fiery glare and Melissa's defiance were unmistakable, but they were smart enough not to act. I wasn't fooled into thinking they would not try something later, though.We reached the point where the hallway branched into three, and I stopped, turning to the guards. "Take them to separate rooms," I ordered. They're not to leave until I give permission."Melissa stepped forward. "You can't just do that!"I cocked my head in her direction. Normally,
Christina's povI barely noticed the hands guiding me down the hallway. All I knew was that I was moving. It was a miracle I was still on my feet because I couldn't even feel them anymore.It took me a lot of effort to look to my side to see who was guiding me along, and I was met with a kind smile from a woman in a blue and black checkered uniform—a maid, just like the ones Elsa and I used to imagine living in castles. Go figure.I smiled back at her, but I doubt it came out as a smile. Probably a grimace. The thought of Elsa only made matters worse and brought the flashbacks to me as vivid as they were some minutes ago.All I wanted was to stop, just for a moment, to sit down, to breathe, to process the nightmare I was forced to live and relive. But apparently, no one cared about what I wanted.As I was led towards a destination that I had no interest in, I kept seeing them flashing before my eyes like a blur:My mother's lifeless body on the floor, blood pooling around her, blood d
Author's povI hate this place, was all Becca could think as she sat at the dinner table. Even with all its grand hallways, sculptures in the courtyard, and the priceless tapestries on the walls that were to die for, she still didn't like it.Becca glanced at the massive chandelier that cast a golden light across the mahogany table, remembering when she was younger and wished to visit the Alpha King's pack house. Well, be careful what you wish for, for her wish had been granted at the worst moment and in the worst way. Now, all she wanted to do was return home with her sister.But she could not turn back time, so she wouldn't agree to go on the mission to get Christina. And even if she could, what was the guarantee that she would disagree? Christina was also her sister, albeit illegitimate, but she couldn't just let them kill her.She cleared her throat, deciding to focus on the present. "We need to discuss our release," Becca said firmly, her gaze directed at Marcel sitting on the ot
Christina's povMelissa added the last silver hairpin to my elegant bun and took a step back, admiring her work. "Well, look at you. Some months ago, you were stomping around refusing to be a Luna, and now you're glowing with confidence."I laughed with them. The funny part was that they were right. Suddenly, I felt so sure of whatever I wanted to do and the way forward for me. I felt so sure when I said yes to Marcel a week ago.I stood in front of the mirror while smiling as I turned to observe my reflection. The formal robes felt soft against my body while the silver clasp kept the gown in place.The dress was marvelous itself—drab white shot through with silver embroidery in lacy moon patterns down the bodice and sleeves. It cinched at my waist before cascading away in airy, weightless folds. And to crown it all, a silver circle rested on my head.I looked divine. I would never know how Marcel managed to have this dress custom-made for me within a week, but I was grateful for it.
Author's povJust as the words left Pierce's mouth, a sharp pain erupted in Becca's throat. The chains around her hands tightened so much that she had to scream. Her feet hung inches above the floor, and she had never felt so powerless.On the other side, Melissa was not doing any better. Pierce curled her fingers by her side between them as though she were holding on to an unseen rope. Something about her younger sister being tortured just like she was—by their mother, no less—made Becca snap. She ignored the intense pain and cried out, "Mother, stop!"To think that this was the person they refused to give up on, the person she went through the risk of bargaining with the alpha just to reach. How naive she was.Christina found herself screaming at the pain in her expression. "What are you doing? Stop it!"Pierce only smiled, not bothering to listen to her daughter's words. "Do you think you could betray me and walk away unharmed? You chose her over me, you both, and your father. Don
Marcel's povThe air in the patio was thick with tension, as I stared at each of the four elders sitting around the table. They met my gaze expectantly, even though I figured they already knew the reason I had called for the meeting.A day ago, I let Becca and Melissa leave with Isaac, not because he wanted to take his mate away, but because they have a greater purpose to serve, speaking with Pierce.They had until today to give me an update and change the course that I knew this meeting would inevitably reach, and yet they were silent.All I got to indicate their existence was a call from Becca to tell me that they had arrived at their destination. And since then, there has been nothing. I didn't like that. If they brought bad news that their mother refused to listen to reason, I would appreciate it better.I wasn't one to go back on my words. The ultimatum had reached its end, and the council meeting would hold, and so would the war. In my head, this meeting was basically to draw as
Christina's povAll I noticed initially was the heat of the flames around me. The colors surrounding me were not blue but aggressive orange and they pervaded the entire space. Multiple screams pierced the environment similar to tones while I held my head with my hands to block the noises from entering.A heavy odor of burning fur combined with blood filled the air while the sky turned strangely into a sickly red hue. Ranges of wolves escaped in all directions while their struggling bodies produced the sounds of wounded howling. I stood in the middle of a battlefield. I sensed a presence then I turned to my side and saw a radiant figure. The figure appeared completely unfamiliar without any recognizable characteristics because its flowing garments obstructed my sight. I only understood that the figure shined silver yet this surprised me."Christina," a soft voice whispered. I turned around in a full circle, but there was no one else around me.No one but this glowing person. When I r
Christina's povMy breathing became uneven while my heart raced but the feelings had nothing to do with fear or anger. I was completely unfamiliar with the source of my sudden nervous state.I sat up, unable to sleep. For the last few minutes I had been tossing on my bed while trying to relax my mind but every attempt resulted in more tension swirling through my thoughts. What was going on?Perhaps I was worried because of Marcel. He had brushed me off when I tried to stop him from leaving. Maybe that was good since I had no idea what I was going to say to him anyway, but it hurt nonetheless.I erased some of the cold sweat from my forehead. It was extremely strange that I was sweating despite the coolness in the air. This was much more than a misunderstanding with Marcel. Something was off.Unable to bear it anymore, I pushed off my bed and rushed towards the window. Both of my sisters were still fast asleep, so I was not interrupted. When I opened the windows a thick black cloud fro
Marcel's povWithout an answer, I carefully turned my body to look at her. At that moment Christina stood with her lips slightly open as she panted irregularly. During that moment the forceful wind simply vanished but the surrounding environment remained entirely unrestful.I asked her a simple question. Since she was so hell-bent on convincing me before I even talked with Isaac, answering shouldn't be hard.But her hesitation told me everything. Christina refused to let them depart from her side. The fiery defiance showed her unwillingness to accept their leaving.I scoffed, unable to believe what was going on right now. She accused me of being heartless, of keeping them here against their will, and yet she couldn't even find the strength to do the opposite. How hypocritical of her.I turned away, deciding that I would not repeat her mistake and say something I would regret. It would be better if I just left. Just as I started to walk away, I felt her hand brush my wrist slightly, bu
Christina's pov"Close your eyes and take deep breaths," Marcel's deep voice rumbled through my mind. "Focus."Easy for him to say. We found ourselves in a private spot where the fresh air mixed with gentle wind made it ideal for meditation. However, my mind was everywhere. How could I focus like this?Becca refused to tell us the reason behind her sudden change of mind. She just said it made sense that she should go with her mate when she had the chance to go with him, and that settled it.Well, it didn't. I could sense something amiss, but what it was, I had no idea, and it was killing me. Melissa seemed quiet, neutral, curious but also willing to go.That also worried me. If both of my sisters left, I would be alone. I did not wish to be alone, not yet."Christina," Marcel's voice cut through my daydream, and I opened my eyes. He was frowning at me, arms crossed over his chest."Do you want to do this, or not?""How can you tell that I'm not focused?" I demanded, indignant, that he
Author's povWarm sunlight from the afternoon bathed the patio while it created shadows that extended over the wooden floor. The gentle wind brought distant voices from another part of the estate while this isolated area maintained a peculiar tension in the air.Becca was probably the only one feeling the tension since her sisters beside her looked just fine and moved with as much ease as usual. Well, from the moment she set her eyes on the man standing a few feet away under the shade, she couldn't feel relaxed.Not much had changed about him, she noted as he locked his gaze with hers. He still had the same piercing gray eyes, the same strong jawline that made him look dominant and the kind tilt to his eyes were still there. Here was the subject of all the silent nights here at the blood moon pack.Becca took her final few steps to position herself next to him while feeling a mix of betrayal and excitement.A deep breath escaped from Isaac when he saw the stunning woman standing in fr
Author's pov"No!" Christina was saying. "No, I'm not with you on this one."Was Becca being serious right now? That insane woman had burned the house down in anger, and she was ready to kill both her and Marcel! She might be their mother, but she had no trait in common with them and that meant that Christina wanted no involvement with her.Reasoning with her? Pfft. That sounded like a plan that would fail. Perhaps in the end, the woman would turn Becca and Melissa against her, and now they would be a three-woman army all out to take Christina down."Becca, are you sure about this?" Melissa asked in a small voice. She should have sided with her sister immediately, but she doubted if their mother would listen for any reason.She had seen her angry before and caused a lot of wreckage, something she did not regret one bit after doing so. It was like when the witch took over, every ounce of good nature left her and she became worse."Are you serious?" Becca demanded. "So you're going to l