Anna's POV The ground beneath Neron trembled as the shockwave from his mana expansion rocked the place.The monster was completely vapourized, making the dungeon that was once noisy with growls and battle cries now silent. ~FWOOSHHHHHHH~Neron floated down gently, his feet touching the stone floor as he surveyed the scene. His Original Magic had worked—perhaps even more effectively than he had anticipated.But there was no time to relish the victory as his thoughts went to his comrades.He went over to Serah and Legris who were both unconscious from their earlier battle. He could still feel the mana coursing through his veins which made him feel invincible, but the sight of their battered bodies brought him back to the reality of the situation. They were both alive, but barely. He could see their chests heaving slightly as he studied it.Guilt gnawed at him. He really hadn’t meant for it to go this far. Even though they hadn't trusted him with their lives, he felt somewhat responsi
Anna's POV “Neron!”Lily shouted out as he got to his feet and fell down again.She rushed quickly to his side and held him while he coughed out blood.It was clear that she was distressed over his condition as she threw caution to the wind not caring that she was in the midst of a battle.“Are you okay? How's your breathing? How many fingers am I holding up,” She inquired as she looked him over.Neron didn't know which of the questions to reply to as he found her reaction to be over the top.Even though he was hurt, he wasn't at the point of death or anything to warrant the care she was showing.He appreciated her concern but he wanted to tell her to concentrate on fighting but he couldn't bring himself to form the words.As she busied herself with inspecting him, the scarf on her head came undone and her red hair flowed freely.Below her, Neron gasped in surprise as he saw her face clearly for the first time.She quickly grabbed the scarf back and put it on but the secret was alrea
Anna's POV Lily shouted out as he got to his feet and fell down again.She rushed quickly to his side and held him while he coughed out blood.It was clear that she was distressed over his condition as she threw caution to the wind not caring that she was in the midst of a battle.“Are you okay? How's your breathing? How many fingers am I holding up,” She inquired as she looked him over.Neron didn't know which of the questions to reply to as he found her reaction to be over the top.Even though he was hurt, he wasn't at the point of death or anything to warrant the care she was showing.He appreciated her concern but he wanted to tell her to concentrate on fighting but he couldn't bring himself to form the words.As she busied herself with inspecting him, the scarf on her head came undone and her red hair flowed freely.Below her, Neron gasped in surprise as he saw her face clearly for the first time.She quickly grabbed the scarf back and put it on but the secret was already out.I
Anna's POV As the group finalized their plans, Legris introduced his companions more formally. “This is Lira,” he said, nodding toward the tall woman with the scar. “She’s our frontline defender, best at blocking attacks and holding the line.”Lira gave Neron a curt nod, her sharp eyes assessing him with the gaze of a seasoned warrior.“And this is Aldric,” Legris continued, gesturing to the archer. Aldric was a lean man with sharp features, his bow slung casually over his shoulder. He gave Neron a half-smile. “I’m the one who’ll be keeping the monsters at bay from a distance. Good to have you on board.”Neron returned their nods, keeping his expression neutral. He appreciated their skills, but he wasn’t here to make friends. This was a job, nothing more.Legris seemed to pick up on Neron’s cold demeanor but didn’t let it deter him. “Don’t worry,” he said with a grin, “I vouched for you. They trust my judgment.”Neron simply shrugged. “Let’s just get this over with.”Legris chuckle
Anna's POV He nods . "The training will help you to defend yourself and your pack in case of attacks."Marcus doesn't go easy on me. Each time he wins me in a combat ,he makes me run across the almost shallow spring.I'm beginning to detest the river ,my sole aches and so does everything in me."Let's keep going Suzy. Trust your senses and make good use of your speed"Damn you Marcus. Damn you .We take a break by past mid-day."Let's go grab lunch and we will continue. " "Is there even anything consumable in the cabin" I ask while trying to catch my breath." Yup , there should be."The only thing edible are pack of cereals and canned food." So Wesley own the place"Marcus " He owns a whole pack, what's a cabin house.Offcourse,I didn't think of that."How long have you know him""We grew up together . I was always going to be his Beta"."And Eve? Did she grow up here"He frowns." Going on a questioning spree"The room remains silent with only the music of the waterfall."I'm sor
Marcus waits for me as I rush the toast and coffee. I overslept and when I woke up it was almost 10am.Wesley had left some bread for me. I helped myself with eggs from the kitchen and prepared my breakfast.Marcus came when I was halfway through."I'm done""Okay, let's go"He directs me through a different route, going further into parts of the pack I didn't know existed.Whosoever designed the architect of the pack must be a controversial art lover.I'm distracted by the unusual patterns ,that I forget to ask Marcus where we are going.We pass a few pack members and the wave to their Beta who in turn horns to acknowledge them.The car comes to a stop near the woods. I finally break out of my trance."Where are we going?""You'll see." We continue our short journey through the woods. I can hear the unmistaken music of flowing water.When it finally comes into view I'm awed." Beautiful, I know. Still gets me everytime" Marcus chips in Crystal clear water falls from the fountain, g
Beth's POV“I can imagine. How did you do it?” Nico asked while dusting his blazer.“I tipped him off on your plans for the girl and to push him further, I told him that you tried talking me into usurping him. He acted like we knew he would.” I could see Dante behind them getting worked up by how he was being ignored and his face grew more red by the minute.“Traitor. At least have the decency to look me in the face while you're talking. You're going to help the pup to power, I can only imagine how the rest of the family would react when you do so.”Antonio turned back towards Dante and dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “Please, Dante. You've been out of touch for a long time. Your time is up. The men see it, and even you must know it. I didn’t even have to convince them. The family needs a change. Due to the respect we have, we'll only exile you if you step down willingly but I doubt you will do so.”“Being my confidant and friend from childhood, you must be crazy to think I'll
SOPHIE POVHe sighed, clearly torn between his protective instincts and my desire for freedom. "Sophie, it's not just about your safety. There are political rivalries, old grudges, and secrets that could put you in danger.""I understand that, but I can't let fear control my life," I replied, my voice steady. "I promise to be careful, I already have a guard with me who communicates back with you in real time about my whereabouts."Magnus regarded me with a conflicted expression. "Alright, but I'll choose the guard who'll accompany you. I don't trust Erik of a person. And you'll report to me about your activities every day. I can't afford to lose you again."I shook my head in disagreement. "That's not fair. I already chose him. There's nothing there to fear about him, Magnus. You should have more trust in me."He shrugged his shoulders, his sign of reluctant consent which gladdened me a bit. It wasn't easy winning a verbal battle against Magnus of all people. I had gained a measure o
Anna's POV "You were meant to be an experiment," Dr. Reinhardt said to me leaning over to emphasise his words.I wondered what I had done to warrant the attention of this mad German scientist. I knew though that it had to be because of Dorian mixing up with the wrong crowd.The heavy door behind Reinhardt hissed open and a guard in a black uniform stepped in and Reinhardt nodded toward me."Prepare her for transport."I yanked at the restraints with all the strength I could summon. I wasn’t going to let them win like this.The guard moved closer and just then the lights flickered.The sudden dimming made Reinhardt pause and looked up at the overhead lamps which buzzed as if it was struggling for power. Then, in a blink, red emergency lights flooded the room.A low alarm groaned through the facility and the pitch kept increasing.Something was wrong.Reinhardt’s expression tightened as he turned toward the guard. "Find out what—"~BOOM!!!~The entire room shook and dust rained down
Sophia's POV Before I could react, hands grabbed me from behind, yanking me backward. I thrashed around but they were too strong. A sharp sting burst across my skull as someone struck me, my vision blurring with pain."Dorian—" I barely managed before they forced me down.I caught a glimpse of him fighting, moving like a blur—until a taser’s electric crackle filled the air. His body convulsed, muscles locking up as he collapsed.“Dorian!”A thick bag was shoved over my head, muffling my scream. Then—darkness.When I came to, my head throbbed like I’d been hit by a freight train. My body was heavy, sluggish. I tried to move, but resistance met me—straps. Thick, unyielding. My wrists, my ankles, even my torso were pinned to a cold metal table.Panic surged through me. My breath came in ragged gasps as my mind raced. Where was I? Where was Dorian?Footsteps. Slow, deliberate.A shadow passed over me, the dim overhead light shifting. Then, a voice—smooth, practiced, unsettling.“Anna.”
Anna's POV The train rocked gently as it sped through the tunnels and Dorian and I were pressed into a corner near the doors, heads down as we tried to blend in. My heart was still beating rapidly as I was jittery from what we had gone through.Across the car, a man in a dark jacket shifted slightly, glancing at his phone. I stiffened. Was he watching us? Or was my paranoia getting the best of me?Dorian must have noticed my tension because he leaned in, voice low. “Stay calm. If they had people on the train, we’d know by now.”I nodded, but the tension coiled in my chest refused to ease. The train rattled through the tunnels, fluorescent lights flickering overhead. Everything felt like a threat and I hated how jumpy I felt, not that I could help it.Dorian’s grip on my wrist tightened—a silent reassurance. “Breathe,” he murmured.The man in the dark jacket stood, heading for the next car. I tracked his movements until he disappeared.Still, the unease remained.“We need to get off
Anna's POV The neon light of the rundown motel flickered as Dorian parked the motorcycle behind the building, out of sight from the main road. My legs were shaking as I came down, barely catching myself before my knees gave out. Every muscle in my body ached, but I forced myself to move. We couldn’t rest yet.Dorian scanned the empty lot, his sharp eyes searching for threats. When he was satisfied we weren’t being followed, he gestured for me to follow. The motel’s chipped paint and broken sign told me everything I needed to know—no security cameras, no questions asked.Inside, the air smelled of stale cigarettes and mildew. The receptionist barely glanced at us as Dorian handed over cash, securing a key without a word. He didn’t ask how long we’d stay, and I was grateful for that.The moment we stepped into the room, I locked the door and sagged against it, pressing my forehead to the cold wood. The adrenaline was wearing off, leaving only exhaustion and the lingering terror of how
Anna's POVThe cold night air was too much for me as we ran past Berlin’s darkened alleys. The city lights were particularly bright but we kept to the shadows so we wouldn't be seen.My heart pounded as I ran but I kept moving. Dorian’s grip on my hand was firm, pulling me forward, guiding me as if he could sense the safest paths.We barely spoke, just exchanged quick glances as we wove through the streets. Dorian tried calling the organization’s emergency line, his jaw tightening when no one answered. A second call. Nothing. The third went straight to voicemail. He cursed under his breath. We were on our own.The weight of that realization pressed down on me. Whoever had attacked us knew exactly where we were. They had planned this. And now, with our protectors possibly dead, we had no backup. No weapons. No safe place to go. I shuddered as I feared what they'd do if they caught us. A distant shout echoed behind us, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps. My stomach twisted. The
Dorian's POV That night, as soon as we were alone in the hotel room, words became unnecessary as we rushed at each other. The tension and the raw emotions that had been simmering beneath my skin all burst free the moment I kissed her. Anna melted into me, her fingers threading through my hair as if afraid I would disappear.I wasn’t sure if this was real or some cruel illusion, but I didn’t care. She was warm, solid, alive—and that was all that mattered.We spent the night tangled together, whispering each other’s names and relearning the feel of one another’s bodies. Every touch was urgent, every kiss desperate, as if making up for lost time. And when exhaustion finally claimed us, I held her close, unwilling to let go even in sleep.The next morning, sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains, casting golden patterns on the bed. Anna stirred beside me, her bare skin warm against mine. I watched her face for a moment, memorizing the peaceful rise and fall of her breathing, the way
Dorian's POV I stared uninterestedly at the runway as the plane shuddered to a stop, and the seatbelt sign dings off. I stood up, unbuckled and lurched forward, only to be stopped by the wall of bodies cramming the aisle and I was almost pushed over.I scowled deeply when people began yanking their bags from the overhead compartments like it was a race, the same way Americans did. It was everything different from what I thought Germany to be.Someone’s backpack swung dangerously close to my face and I ducked. I gripped the armrest, exhaling through my nose as I waited for the madness of the economy class to die down.I glanced at my phone—no signal yet. The flight attendant was smiling that tired, practiced smile, reminding us to be orderly. No one listened. The line inched forward, the guy ahead of me struggling with an overstuffed duffel. I shifted my weight impatiently, my carry-on wedged between my feet. The air was hotter and stuffier, like the plane itself was urging us to lea
Beth's POV I woke up the next morning pensive and annoyed, partly because I had a restless night punctuated with brief dreams and overthinking. I was motionless for a minute as I tried to remember the details of the dream but gave up when I couldn't recall it.I looked at my phone and groaned as I saw the time. I had overslept which was something that happened rarely as I was a stickler for routine. With a manic burst of energy, I got up and began preparing for work. I needed no one to tell me that my day was only going to get more weird.Once my schedule was broken, it was only natural that the rest of the day became shitty. I knew that much from experience.My pensive mood continued as I drove to the office and I only heard my name after I had been called at least thrice. I snapped at Brenda when she got in my business then asked her to call a mandatory meeting for all employees.She didn't hurry to do it but hesitated a bit and I knew she was curious as to why I was calling a me
“What do you think about all this, Aldred?”As Rey’s question echoed in the air, Aldred gave a knowing smile—as if he already expected the question.“It’s probably a ruse. The actual Warehouse must be hidden underground.” Rey made a slight grimace underneath his mask.‘Just as I suspected…’Even with this discovery, it didn’t change what they had to do. ‘We still have to invade. The entrance to the underground passage must be here somewhere.’Rey almost felt like he was invading the territory of a mafia group or some sort of cartel. He hadn’t done it before, but it seemed like this was how it would feel.“This establishment is run by Evals Redart, the biggest guy in business in the South.” Aldred went on, his tone still retaining the same hint of amusement from earlier.“I don’t imagine that we’d run into him here, but if we do, then the KariBlanc Group would like to stay out of it.”Rey let out a sigh and shrugged lightly.“I hadn’t planned for both of you to come inside with me a