Christina’s povI don't know exactly what I expected when I entered the conference hall, but it was not what I saw. I gazed around at my surroundings, softly exclaiming in awe at how grand it was.With the high vaulted ceilings and the dark oak walls adorned with banners of the Black Moon Pack, it was an intimidating space. I felt like I had stepped into another slice of reality that was beautiful, even with its ancient feeling.Arden cleared his throat softly beside me, bringing me back to reality. A long, imposing table stood in the center, surrounded by individuals who radiated authority and experience.Immediately, I felt like a kid who had been called into the principal's office for a scolding. It did not help matters that none of them was smiling. They all stared at me with curious expressions, making me wish I had dressed in a ball gown instead.Well, all but one. Marcel sat at the head of the table, but he wasn't looking at me at all. I glanced backward to see what he was gazi
Christina’s pov I was at a loss for words. Not only was this meeting going terribly, but I also didn't know how to fix it. Becca would be so disappointed.I wracked my brain for an excuse that could shift the ceremony. Perhaps I could call in sick in a few days to the event, or I could just outright refuse to attend. None of those options seemed okay; I doubted Marcel would care if I was sick or not."We will need to think further," one of the women said.I was already trapped in a dilemma that she was about to make matters worse. What was she about to suggest now?Marcel took the words right out of my mouth. "What do you suggest, Mirabel?""After the ceremony," she said, "we'll be faced with the reality of a Luna who doesn't know anything about our traditions. I'm most certain that she didn't live her life among our pack, and this would be difficult for her."Marcel nodded in approval. "It's even worse that she spent her life among humans. She knows nothing about being a werewolf."
Author's povAlpha John sat in his study, the pale light from the morning sun streaming through the window and casting long shadows across the room. His stomach growled—he hadn't eaten and though it was not time for breakfast yet if he requested any, it would be given. But that was the least of his concerns; all his attention was focused on the piece of paper spread out in front of him on the table.It was created on many sides from much folding and unfolding, but the handwriting was unmistakable. His eyes flicked over the envelope beside it, stopping at the black moon insignia on it.The letter had arrived some days ago and brought with it the feeling of dread that he had been avoiding all this while. The same feeling of dread gripped him now as he read through the letter again:"Alpha John Brandon,You were entrusted with a single task—to follow orders—and yet you chose to defy me, hiding what was rightfully mine and harboring the very Omega I had commanded to be eliminated. This b
Marcel's povI rose from my seat, gazing down at the three men who were still awaiting my judgment. Well, their case was pretty insignificant now that I had something else to deal with."Dismiss this case now," I said, waving my hands in Rowan's direction as the guards walked up to him.Rowan scrambled to his feet, muttering thanks and bowing his head repeatedly—so much that I had to ask myself if I had told him he was going free by mistake. I would handle his case; matters like this should not go down this way, but not now. I had more pressing issues to attend to.As the guards led them away, Arden stepped out of the shadows and came to me."It seems like we have a bit of an issue waiting to happen."I knew at once that he was talking about Alpha John. Well, it would be pretty quick, for I was sure that he knew he was wrong in this case."But surely we can't judge him too harshly," Arden reasoned. "Blood is thicker than water. Surely if you were in his shoes, you wouldn't let your da
Christina's povMy training with Luna Sandra began the day after the meeting, and for two days now, I hadn't had much time to myself. She was so demanding, spending much time teaching me a lot of history that I didn't care about.Or rather, I wouldn't have cared about it a few weeks back, but in her words, "This is your world now, and so you have to know what it’s about."It wasn't that I was complaining. After all, I barely had other things to do anyway. But I detested history. Even in high school, it was always a struggle for me, and mostly, I managed to do well in exams because of revision sessions with my friends.Here, there were no friends. I wasn’t even allowed to see Becca and Melissa, and they hadn’t snuck into my room since then. I sure hoped they weren’t in trouble.Yesterday, I asked Luna Sandra about them, and she paused her lecture on vampires to look me straight in the eye. That woman always made me feel uneasy, and at that moment, I wished I hadn’t asked any questions
Christina's pov"It seems like you suddenly lost the ability to speak," he said, putting down the book in his hands.Something about the tone with which he spoke, so condescending and arrogant, lit something up in me. I always hated guys who were so full of themselves, and he was proving to be just one of them."So what if I am?" I shot back, lifting my chin.His expression changed so suddenly from silent anger to amusement. Then he did something unexpected, grabbing my chin, and taking me completely by surprise.His touch sent jolts of electricity through me, and I wondered for a terrified second if he knew the effect he was having on me. I sure hoped he didn't, the last thing I needed was something to feed his ego"I didn't think you cared enough to learn about it," he said, his voice dripping with suppressed laughter.I couldn't figure out what was so funny about this scenario, especially with how uncomfortable it was making me feel."Of course I care," I snapped back. "This so-cal
Christina's povThe mirror in front of me felt like a cruel joke. It reflected a version of myself that I couldn't even recognize. That girl looked nothing like me in her flowing white gown with delicate silver embroidery trailing down the bodice.The sleeves hung just off my shoulders, reminding me of the prom dress I had my eyes on for a while. Just that one was red, and this was white. If this was the universe's way of treating me to prom, then this was so unfair. I didn't even want to be taken by someone like Marcel, and here I was about to get married to him.Or "mated," as they called it here. My chest felt tight at the thought of it. Despite all the preparations by Luna Sandra, teaching me what was expected of me as a Luna and how to harness my authority, I felt like I was barely equipped. How did one go from having only college applications to worry about to have a whole pack to rule?For goodness' sake, I was barely 18. It would take a few more months for me to reach that age
Marcel's povThe murmurs started long before the ceremony began. I had just stepped out to the courtyard we were using, and the amount of people there was alarming. Everybody wanted to catch a glimpse of the Omega that I had chosen to be my bride.I walked off to the space set aside for the alphas, intending to pay my respects to them before it began.I could hear a lot of people murmuring, not that I was surprised. The pack had never been shy about voicing their opinions, even when they didn't dare say them directly to me.Tonight was no different. "An Omega as Luna?" someone said to the person next to her."Hush, the Alpha might hear you!" her companion replied, and they shifted farther into the crowd away from me.From where I stood, I could see the center of the courtyard where a bonfire was being set. It was symbolic of our bond for the events to be held under the full moon and everybody circled the bonfire.The chairs were already arranged, but only a few were sitting. In time,
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