Author's POVSandra's breathing was ragged, blood trickling from a wound on her side as she ran forward and raised a trembling hand. Summoning that burst of air to snuff out Pierce's flame took great more energy than she had ever imagined. But if she did not act now, there would never be a second chance.Her exhausted eyes settled on Pierce, who blinked in shock. Before Pierce could react, Sandra muttered an incantation under her breath. She only managed to graze her forehead though, as Pierce threw out a hand and shoved her away.But the incantation was enough. A shocking pulse of energy rippled outward, knocking everyone back a step. Pierce gasped, her entire body rigid. Her arms froze, suspended in mid-air, and the flame that had flickered there went out at once. Her mouth opened in a snarl, but no sound came out—only a harsh, shallow gasp, as if she'd just been deprived of all her power.Sandra lost her footing, falling against the wall. She could not hold herself up because the
Christina's POV"The Hex is wearing off already!" I said, astonished, as Pierce started to move her hands."You all have to go now," Luna Sandra said. She gripped my hand, and I stopped myself from pulling away. I didn't want to be anywhere near this woman; I didn't want anything to do with her schemes."You just have to transform. Once they see you in your wolf form, they will know—""Know what?" Marcel and I said in unison."Just transform," Sandra urged."I can't!" I snapped, defeated. "I've been trying. I can't transform, it's not working!""You have to try harder. It's your only chance at winning this battle and finally being accepted.""What do you mean?" I asked, really confused now. She was talking in parables.“Guys we have to do something”. Becca said, drawing my attention. I followed her gaze to Pierce, who was now starting to sit up."I see it now, even though I didn't see it before, you know," Sandra said. She reached up and touched my hair lightly, and I was too stunned
Christina's POV"I'm sure I just gave an order," Marcel said, taking a step forward and glaring down at all of them. I wondered if he hadn't seen the problem at hand yet.I wanted to reach out to him and explain what I could sense going on in the people's minds, but I stayed rooted to the spot."Why the sudden hesitation?" he asked.At his words, some people bowed their heads and knelt, but others remained standing with defiant looks on their faces.I watched as Elder Garrick stepped forward and began to speak. "Alpha Marcel, we serve you, there's no doubt about that," he began. "But we cannot serve her." He looked pointedly at me, and I hung my head, in shame, causing my cheeks to burn."She's an Omega, and even though you have mated her, we cannot accept her as our Luna."Hearing him voice out my fears made them real. The rejection stung. Alpha Marcel glanced sharply, from me to Elder Garrick, his brows furrowed in anger or confusion—I couldn't tell.I was suddenly hit with the urge
Christina's POV"I'm sorry," Becca told me, rubbing me on the back as I held the ice pack to my face. The cold was seeping into the pain that was aching there, and that would have been okay if it were the only part I was injured.As it happened, our little attempt at making me angry and threatened enough to shift only gave me a black eye and bruises on my face and body.My sisters had warned me when they saw that I was getting hurt and nothing was happening, but I urged them to continue, holding my hopes that if I was pushed far enough, I would eventually shift.They were the ones who forced me to stop this in the end, and for some reason, I only started to feel the full force of the pain when it ended.Now they sat beside me, their expressions filled with guilt."I swear, we didn't mean to hit that hard," Becca muttered for the third time.I sighed. "I know.""You shouldn't have hit her at all!" Melissa snapped. She had been going to Becca since she saw the aftermath of our spar. She
Marcel's POVChristina wasn't telling me the truth. I saw it in the way her eyes shifted, unable to meet mine, and it made me curious.I thought that I had established a certain level of trust with her, but apparently, I thought wrong.I was going to let the matter drop, but I just remembered the way she screamed—the look of pure agony on her face as she clutched her hair—and that broke my resolve.I reached out and held her wrist when she started to turn away. "Christina, talk to me. Tell me what you saw.""Stop!" she cried, shaking her head. I let go of her hand, feeling rather awful. She looked like she was about to melt down in tears."I don't want to remember. Please don't make me say it.""You’re not afraid of shifting," I said it like a fact, watching her reaction carefully. "You’re afraid of what happens when you do."Her eyes widened slightly before she masked it, but I caught it.Her jaw clenched, and for a moment, I thought she would tell me. But then she took another step
Christina's povI hadn't left my room yet. It wasn't because I couldn't—my room door was not locked. However, I had no strength to deal with whatever was happening outside. My mind was preoccupied with everything that happened between Marcel and me yesterday night.When I made it back to my room last night, I was exhausted, and that didn't make sense because I barely did any physical training. I guess the mind does have a way of affecting the physical body.And now I had a lot to think about. I woke up with Marcel's words echoing in my head: "It's time to make peace with your past."If that were all that was bothering me, I would not be so stressed, but he also made me anxious about something else. I had to choose—stay here or not, by my will or not.I missed the days when my parents, or rather my foster parents, would make choices for me. Now that I had to make them myself, I was confused as hell.At least the walls there were safe. They didn't expect me to make decisions, didn't whi
Christina's povThe world beyond the estate walls was quite different from the world within. It seemed everyone here was busy. All around us, people moved quickly, carrying bags and supplies wrapped in plastic bags, making calls, whispering to one another, some just lurking in corners.There were even kids here, running around and talking in groups. A few were with their parents.I huddled closer to my sisters, feeling like a stranger to these people. I was the only one nervous though my sisters walked with such confidence as though they were used to seeing this amount of activity, while all I wanted to do was run back to my safe and quiet abode."At this rate, you're going to give yourself away," Melissa said, a smile in her voice as she turned to me. She pulled her cloak a bit tighter over her head.Becca had suggested we come out in disguises, especially on my behalf because I was well-known. However, Melissa had decided to go overboard, actually getting a cloak that covered most o
Christina's povBoth of my sisters shouted at once. "What!"Even people in the crowd were murmuring loudly now, agitated and not knowing where this would lead. No doubt they were shocked by my sudden decision.I smiled. I liked the fact that they didn't see that coming, and neither had Reynolds.A look of shock flashed across his face, but then it was replaced with a grin. "Very well, then."Melissa snatched at me, forcing me to take a step backward towards her. "Don't do this," she said, raising her voice this time. Heads were turning in our direction, but she didn't care."He could get you killed!""If I keep running," I snapped, "then this pack will keep crumbling. It's high time I step up and do something real."She let me go with a stony expression on her face. "I was just... I'm just trying to look out for you."Okay, maybe I shouldn't have snapped at her. After all, she did care for me. I felt sorry for the hurt look she gave me. "Trust me on this one. I'll be fine. I need to
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