Dominic's POV I chose not to publicly reject Lila in front of the pack because I didn’t want to humiliate her.Despite my efforts, word somehow got out, and she became the target of mockery.Who gave them the right to treat her this way? It had to end—it was an affront to me as the Alpha.I quickly mindlinked Jonathan, asking him to address the issue. I wouldn’t put up with such disrespect.He confirmed my request, and I felt confident that he would handle it appropriately. Lila had already faced so much in her life, and now she was dealing with an even more perilous situation due to the unexpected turn of events. She was now living among strangers against her will; that was a huge sacrifice in itself.There wasn’t much I could do to help her feel comfortable, but her safety was my greatest concern.As I left my parents’ cabin, I intended to head straight back to the pack house when I spotted him just a few feet from my car.Instantly, my demeanor hardened.“Dominic, I see you’ve c
Lila's POV The moment she asked me not to move an inch, I knew I was dead. My heart started beating fast and all kinds of thoughts spiraled in my mind. I ignored her warning and bolted out the front yard. I could swear I was almost out before I felt her hand on my hair, fear ran through me as a shiver ran down my spine. I yelped in pain because of how tight her grip was on my hair. “Lady, we can settle things without you grabbing my hair; that’s what cultured people do,” I said nervously, fear written on my face the moment I turned to see her bloodshot eyes. Was she that angry because of me, or was there more to it? I was still lost in thought before she forcefully yanked my hair backward all of a sudden, making me feel pain like my head was about to be removed from my head. I let out a deafening scream again, “What do you think you are doing? Do you even know who I am?” Maybe I shouldn’t have said that because it only made her drag my head down further. And before I could even rea
Lila's POV I noticed the way he placed his hands on his hips, releasing a deep sigh as if he hadn’t truly meant what he just said. The silence that hung in the air after his words allowed us to hear the sound of a needle hitting the ground. My chest continued to rise and fall forcefully, but it wasn’t synchronized with my heartbeat—it was racing so fast that I couldn’t gauge its pace. They had always told me this, how they regretted ever crossing paths with me—my foster mom, my dad, my friends, my first boyfriend, and now my mate. I feared I would experience a panic attack when memories of each of them expressing their regret about meeting me began to flood in, yet I followed the advice one of my therapists had given—I counted silently from one to ten in my mind, inhaling and exhaling until my breath became steady. “I apologize for causing trouble, but I still maintain that I did nothing wrong,” I said calmly, concealing the fact that I had just managed to suppress a rising p
Lila's POV “Lila?” I heard Jonathan's voice calling out to me, sensing I was drifting away from the conversation with Dominic. Panic hit me hard the moment I read the doctor’s text.Blame flooded my mind—I replayed every harsh word I had said to my mom, warning her that her drinking and smoking might someday lead to liver damage, and all the times I should have reached out to help her with her struggles but chose to look the other way.My heart raced, and the space around me felt like it was freezing over. I staggered back, my vision turning hazy.“I think something’s wrong with her,” Brian’s voice broke through as he held onto my arm, steadying me from falling. I couldn’t make out his features, but I heard the concern in his tone. I clutched my chest, overwhelmed by the suffocating knot in my heart. Groaning in pain, I felt like I was losing everything—my mind and my grip on reality.“Breathe into this,” Judith instructed, handing me a paper bag. I looked down and realized I was alr
Lila's POV “Hold on!” I interrupted him before he could end the call. With my heart racing and my voice trembling, I pleaded, “Please let me hear her voice; I need to know how she’s doing.” I needed to know if she truly had cancer because she might not last long based on how she had been handled. “He.. he..lloo.” My mom said, her voice was extremely shaky and hoarse. She must be hydrated. I felt a pang in my chest.“Mom, are you okay? How are you feeling?” I cried profusely. I didn’t expect that a day would come when I would be the one to put my mom in danger. She was right after all, I was the unluckiest thing that ever happened to her. “Is it true, Lila?” She cleared her throat, “That you have powers and you’re marrying a werewolf? Is that why you left home?” she questioned, coughing in between her words. I saw a few men we brought along from the pack trooping in, I guessed Dominic had mindlinked them. “I’m sorry Mom, I shouldn’t have left like that.” I apologized, even though I
“Silver bullets?” I asked Dominic, shaking in fear at the scene before me. My back was still against the wall we used as cover, and I watched as he bent over to check the lifeless body before us, horror cast on Dominic’s face as he slowly closed the man’s eyes with his hand. “I bet you didn’t see that coming Dominic.” The man in the mask called out. And his voice sent shivers down my spine. “You should have just come alone, Lila,” He continued, “why did you have to bring everyone here to die.” He finished off. The thought of everyone that came along with me dying utterly terrified me, my whole body began to shake. Dominic was still beside the dead man, he seemed to be lost in touch and shocked at the same time. I didn’t know how to console or sympathize with him, since he literally lost one of his warriors.“Let them go!” I moved away from the wall and proceeded to step forward. I didn’t know what I was doing then. Call it an act of bravery, but all I wanted was to get everyone out o
Dominic's POV I expected her to crumble at the news of her mother's condition but the only thing she did was let tears roll freely down her face. The moment Brian told me about her mom’s condition through the mind link, I was already thinking of ways to console her, but I wasn’t sure if I had the right to do so given the nature of our relationship. I wanted to hug her tightly and let her cry into my chest all she wanted.I wanted to place a gentle kiss on her forehead and assure her that everything will be okay.I wanted so badly to tell her that I was there for her. But the weight of the prophecy sat heavily upon my heart. I remember my conversation with Lauren after the revelation at my parents’ house.I probed her about why she kept that part of the prophecy from me, and she explained that she omitted it because she believed we could overcome our unfortunate fate. I wish it were that simple, but this isn’t a movie or a novel. This is reality. Prevention is better than a cure.
Lila's POV I stayed with my mom for over an hour before Brian convinced me to take a rest. He saw how pale my face had become, but he didn’t know there was a reason why I had that expression. My body’s temperature was weird, so he concluded I might be coming down with a fever or other type of sickness due to stress. I didn’t see Dominic when I left the room, so I headed for the pack house, where I met Judith and Jonathan. “Lila, are you okay?” Judith rushed towards me, holding my arm before letting it go in a rush. “Why are you cold and sweaty at the same time?” She asked, her eyes held onto confusion for a while. I didn’t respond. “Lila, is everything fine, and where’s Dominic?” Jonathan asked, placing his hands on his waist. He narrowed his eyes on me as if he were trying to see if there was something wrong with me. “I’m not feeling entitled or anything, but don’t you think you are doing a bad job at watching over the elemental?” I asked Judith, air-quoting the elemental. My eye
Judith's POV “Where is Lauren?” I went straight to the point, definitely not in the mood to put up with her behavior. She can wait for Lila to get better then they continue their feud.“And how am I supposed to know that?” She folded her arms over her breasts with her gaze matching mine.“Don’t mess with me, I don't have the patience for that,” I warned, my voice instantly turning cold.She scoffed, stepping closer. “I don't know where Lauren is, if I were you I'd be worried about much bigger things than trying to get an innocent lady upset.” The way the words rolled out of her mouth felt so wrong. Like she knew something we all didn't. Something is wrong. Her confidence, everything.I arched an eyebrow, “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”She shrugged nonchalantly, “I don't know, we'll see.”Her eyes sparkled with something deadly, something darker. Something beyond my understanding. I watched as she walked away, swaying her hips, my self-control slipping by the second. The s
Judith's POV I watched her struggling to hold them off, her arms vibrating as they stretched forth holding the already breached barrier in place. A stray tear rolled down the corner of my eye at the sight of her fighting to keep her eyes open.“Lila,” I called softly, a little whimper involuntarily escaping my mouth.I didn't think she could hear me, but she did; her eyes searched everywhere until they found me, her formerly lively face now paler by the second.“Lila,” I called again, feeling a little helpless at her current state. She's all alone out there, scared, drained. Fighting for the people who once treated her as an outcast because she was birthed by a witch. For the people who had wanted nothing more than to throw her out of the Packhouse.“Judith,” She whispered weakly, “You shouldn't be here.”I shook my head, tears spilling from my eyes. Tears I didn't want to shed for the fear of making her weaker. Tears I fought to hold back just so I could give her some kind of motiva
Brian's POV Saying I expected those words from Judith would be a blatant lie. I was taken aback myself. Didn't she break down a while ago when they got separated? Now she's throwing it all under the bus for some heroic move? Is this how quickly it is with women? The mood swing thing?“Excuse us,” I pulled her to the side, maybe I could talk some sense into her, just maybe. “What are you doing?” “Staying here to help. Isn't it obvious?” She asked back, feigning confidence even though I could see through her eyes that she wanted to be with him more than anything else.I sighed, shaking my head slightly.“There's nothing left for you to do here. Go to your mate.” “No.” She replied bluntly, making no attempt to comply, her eyes holding mine as if this was a staring competition.My hands moved until they settled on my waist, maintaining that posture for a while, just peering intently into her face. “You know, you and Lila, I'm starting to wonder who is more stubborn.”She shrugged casua
Judith's POV I staggered backward until I crashed to the ground, my legs suddenly finding it difficult to carry my body.Fear gripped me, my eyes taking in the gruesome scene before me.My ears suddenly became alert, realizing that the killer might still be lurking around waiting for the next victim.My heart throbbed vigorously against my rib cage, fear clouding my senses at the thought that there was a murderer in our midst and on the loose. And we had no idea who it was.I sprang up to my feet with determination, sprinting out of the room as fast as I could. I had to warn the others. Whoever it was that had managed to penetrate the Packhouse and eliminate Morinda was dangerous. They had to be alert.My legs descended the stairs rapidly, my steps were as light as a feather. It felt as if I was flying over them. “There's a killer in the building!” I announced breathlessly. My intention wasn't to scare anyone, just to keep them alert, but my approach was wrong. They stared at me wit
Judith's POV The ache in my body threatened to rip me apart. It was too much, too intense. This is probably the end of it for us. How did we not know it was the full moon tonight? Now we're all a wrecking mess, praying for some kind of miracle to happen.“Urgh!” My throat cracked along with the bones of my body. Why did this have to happen now? Has the moon goddess forsaken us? Is this how we perish?I would never have thought that the witch could harness the full moon’s energy to resurrect the dead. I've heard that it was possible. Only heard, not really believed it. And this was said to have happened over two hundred years ago. When witches were still allowed to coexist with werewolves. It all seemed like a nightmare I wanted to make up so badly from.“We have to leave now.” Jonathan’s voice interrupted my train of thought as he wrapped his arm around me, nudging me to move. His eyes burned with contained pain. He was trying his best to be strong for me. For us.Shaking my head in
Lila's POV I found it difficult to sleep after my encounter with the witch in that memory lane. For some reason, it scared me; I feared that she would reappear in my dream and trap me there. I've been trapped before, it's not a funny experience. Not something I wish to experience again.Her presence felt oddly familiar and I feared what that could mean. In the library, I searched for a book on ancient spells; I was bent on finding out how she was about to touch me in a trance. Despite looking for a while, I couldn't find anything tangible, but I kept looking, keeping my mind open for possibilities.Then the lights went out and I found myself stuck at the library. It was just me there, nobody else. A feeling of fear washed over me as my heart thumped rapidly against my chest as if it could explode at any minute.Luckily I was with my phone, so I was able to keep my corner illuminated until the saved energy was restored. I was going to return to my room when I met Judith and the rest.
Brian's POV “Where's your phone?” I demanded, my voice calm and measured despite the crawl I felt under my skin. I needed to find mine but I couldn't see a thing. The darkness thickened, increasing the tension in the air.“Wh– why should I give you my phone?” I could hear her shallow breathing through the silent night.“I need to find my phone!” A frustrated groan left my throat. What did she think I was going to do with her phone? Couldn't she see that I need even a flicker of light to help my vision? Moreover, I was losing patience. I needed to be with Lila. I needed to make sure she was safe.The feeling of uneasiness clung to me like a second skin, triggering my senses.Her phone's screen shone softly on her face, making her the only glowing spot in the dark. Slowly, the flashlight came on and I immediately spotted my phone. Without hesitation, I reached for it.The screen was cracked but it was manageable. At least the flashlight was working.I dashed for the staircase, determin
Juliana's POV It's been one week since I got disowned by my only surviving parent. This increased my hatred for Lila; since her arrival to the pack, things have gone the direct opposite in my favor. She has taken everything from me.This was the height of it all. I couldn't take it anymore. I could kill her if I got the chance. She's a bad omen and doesn't deserve to live among people.She carried trouble with her everywhere she went, effortlessly emitting bad luck like a transmitter, inflicting everyone within reach.‘Just wait until I'm done with you.’ I said in my mind as I glared at Lila from across my table as she ate with Brian and a little girl. Today is the night of the full moon. I can't wait to finally put her in her place.As it stands, I don't care about the details. I only cared about eliminating Lila. She's the biggest threat to the existence of wolves and the supernatural world. I sat patiently, waiting for Lauren's signal or role designation.Over the past few days, w
Juliana's POV There's something strange about the determination in Lauren's voice that piqued my interest. There was a hint of disgust in her voice if I'm not mistaken.“Are you already giving up on Dominic? Deep down you know he belongs to you. You know she hasn't done anything to deserve him.” She spoke steadily, peering intensely into my eyes. I fought the urge to scoff. “What should I do when he already chose someone else instead of me?”He made his choice. Despite the pain that comes with admitting to this fact, I've come to accept it.“Their union is a disaster, I'm sure you've heard that. Would you rather intervene now or stay apartheid and watch the worst come to Blackwood? Even if Dominic might die in the process?” Her eyes never left mine as she spoke.If she was aiming to scare me, then she was definitely doing a great job at it because a dreadful shiver overtook my body for a split second after the words left her mouth.Luther had mentioned the same, now Lauren. There ha