Nova The editorial team and leaders of the school's literary and press society gathered at the school hall, preparing for our social night, setting the venue and discussing the activities for the event. Tracy, the vice president who vowed to never let me rest and determined to challenge every idea I brought up and frustrated the hell out of me. As usual, I took several breaths, remaining composed and pretending that she was nothing more than a botfly. "I think it would be great to have the matron and some house mistresses attend the social night. The last time we didn't involve them, they sent us back to the dorms after lights out." Tracy crossed her arms and shook her head. "No way, Nova. That's way too boring. Think of something else." I raised an eyebrow, trying my possible best to stay calm and not explode. My mum taught me the best trick to disarm troublemakers. "Tracy, we've already discussed this. We can't keep going back and forth." Tracy scoffed and countered me, "N
NovaI was heading to the dorm and walked past the stone pathway, empty at this time of the evening.Most students were having a siesta in their dorm except for the soccer players having their practice.Speaking of soccer players. It was surreal that Vlad smiled at me in class. He fucking smiled and it did many things to my body.My legs came to a sudden stop when Vlad was approaching me, dressed in his soccer outfit and holding a jar of what I suspected was blood. He locked a grin on me, beaming and throwing me off balance."Hi, Nova. I looked for you everywhere but didn't see you."Uneasy, my mind raced to search for answers wondering why he was suddenly being nice to me."Is there a problem?"He wagged his head. "No, not at all. I wanted us to spend some time alone. "Well, I'll be damned...A sudden tightness squeezed my chest and suspected that Vlad was up to something. Not only did he smile at me all day but now he was stopping me to talk to me, wanting us to spend time togeth
RavenThroughout the morning run, I couldn't concentrate on anything. My heart pondered, wondering what mystery was behind Vlad's strangeness. His indifference and detachment messed up my head. He neither returned my calls or texts and hadn't bothered asking about the staff of authority up till now.His father's source of power.Our sadist trainer's roaring voice pulled me out of my trance. He pushed us to our limits, forcing us to take several laps and yelling like a banshee.My legs scrambled into motion, running past the sturdy oak trees. My lungs burned and I crashed to a halt. Something was wrong with Vlad. I could feel it in my heart. His eyes didn't rake boldly over my body like I was the only one that mattered, or like he was photographing me to his memory The sooner I found out, the better it would be for me. Taylor grew increasingly concerned last night when I didn't touch my dinner. Despite counting sheep, tossing, and turning like a child with the flu, I didn't catch
RavenMy feet in their motion rushed to Vlad, swirling with confusion and hurt. Vlad turned around, annoyance etched on his face. Nova seemed confused, her eyes staring at us, bewildered. Taking a deep breath, I mustered all my composure, speaking with the calmest voice I could muster."What's going on, Vlad? Why are you with Nova? Am I missing something here?"Vlad's brows furrowed, his indifference cutting through me like a knife. "I don't understand what you're talking about."The more he acted unaffected by all of this the more my heart sank. I'd never witnessed such a shift in anyone before. "What do you mean you don't understand? You're not even talking to me!"He remained mute and I cupped his face with my hands, hoping that whatever prank or spell that was cast on him would clear and my Vlad, the one who loved me would return. Tears threatened my eyes but I wiped them off with my palm."Please stop this, I beg you. We have a lot to talk about… "He brushed my hand away from
Dora's POV (DORA IS VLAD'S NANNY) Eighteen years ago Young Olivia's complicated battle for her life during labor was the most agonizing event I had ever witnessed. I didn't know what to do or how to relieve her of her pain, considering that Elvira poisoned her. I had never wanted kids out of fear of dying in childbirth and the excruciating pain that accompanied it. It was ironic that I had become a midwife, caring for countless vampire women delivering their babies. Olivia's situation was unusual. I had never seen anyone fight so fiercely, despite the plans to kill her, just as she had done. She was merely a child herself, barely eighteen years old and struggling to stay alive, fighting for every breath. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her unborn baby. King Vladislav didn't deserve to be backstabbed. Olivia's welfare wasn't supposed to cause me concern, but there was something about her that compelled me to protect her. The evil matriarch, Queen Elvira, i
Dora Three months after Olivia escaped with the other twin, I got accustomed to the routine of taking care of baby Vlad. Thankfully the boy was a healthy, peaceful baby who only fussed when he was hungry or his diaper was full. Lifting him off the changing table, I put a generous amount of baby powder in his butt, changed his diaper, and wrapped him in a plush blanket. His huge eyes locked on the spinning animals above him. I kissed his forehead before mixing his powdered formula, scooping it, and shaking it in his bottle. I lowered myself to the wooden recliner and the baby's eagerness made me laugh as he reached for my hand. He took one greedy sip, looking at me expectantly. The glow in his eyes reminded me of Olivia. You’re so adorable.” I smiled, patting his cheek and cooing at his childish antics. "I'm never going to leave your side." After he fed, I burped him, waiting for him to fall asleep. His eyes were drooping shut when King Vladislav walked in, holding a new se
LucianPresent dayAngry bursts of rain banged on the window space cascading down the earth. I was restless and paced around Vlad's fancy dorm room, thinking of the next step to take.There were a whole lot of things to be done in such a short time, most especially, pretending to be Vlad until I got the staff of authority.I thought I was prepared for this, but after the swap, I discovered I didn't have the nerve to do half of my requirements of being Vlad's imposter.For four years, my uncle, Dimitri, coached me on my twin brother's mannerisms. He made me talk like him, walk like him, use his catchphrases and even wear his signature half-smile. Vlad trusted the king to death. He did no wrong in his eyes and so, Vlad couldn't go against him. The fool didn't know that our father and his evil wife were behind our mom's death. Revenge was the driving force behind my plan to take my rightful place and have the staff of authority. Dimitri taught me to be strong, no matter how hard it see
Raven I sat in the library, toying with a calligraphy pen and pricking my thumb with the metallic nib. I had so many tests and exams coming up, but I couldn't bring myself to concentrate. All the words in my textbooks became blurry lines. I tried everything I could, from taking long walks from one end of the school to another, practicing mindfulness exercises that Taylor had introduced to me, and even wearing more makeup and dressing better, which Taylor felt could attract Vlad back to me. None worked. Vlad never looked at me more than once, and I stopped everything altogether when that bitch Ivy mocked me when I wore a stupid tank top that revealed my stomach. I didn't know what to do anymore, or even who to tell. This was getting stranger by the day, and I knew that Vlad wasn't joking when he rejected me. But it bothered me that he hadn't asked about the staff of authority that was in my custody. And from the look of things, he didn't seem like he was planning to. I had n
JalenThe overpowering smell of old, musty leather filled my dad's beat-up sedan, and the sound of his angry voice rose above the roar of the engine as he scolded me for shifting into my beast form. Tension filled the car, and my anger radiated off me in waves."Is it such a difficult task to control yourself in public? Have you never seen a girl before that you had to shift into your beast form? Now everyone in the pack will yap about how my son was aroused by a stupid werewolf.""I wasn't aroused by her," I lied, trying to defend myself, but he was too far gone in his rage to listen."Griffin, please hear him out. There may be other reasons why he shifted, and besides, Jalen can't be attracted to that spoiled brat.""Oh, shut up," my dad barked at my mom, who had stepped in to try and calm the situation. "That's all you do, make fat and silly excuses for him. He never does anything right. I'll be retiring in a year, and I don't even know the future of our pack."She sat in silence,
Clarissa I fell to the stage, surrounded by flashing cameras and concerned faces, I couldn't believe what had just happened. My heart was racing and I was hyperventilating, trying to process the fact that a Lycan was my mate.All around me, my family rushed to my side, trying to help me up and calm me down. My mother's caked-on makeup was smudged with sweat, a proof to her concern and worry. And all around, people were talking and trying to make sense of what was happening. 'Breathe, Rissa,' I encouraged myself, breathing out of my nostrils.Why was the moon goddess doing this to me? My brain couldn't process this at all. I'd been mateless for twenty-three years only to become a forbidden Lycan's mate?Fucking great!My mum squeezed my hand to comfort me. She was going to keep blaming me for months for disgracing her. "Here, sip some water," she said. My brother, Bryon, held my head while my dad checked my temperature. I felt lightheaded and was breathing quickly, inhaling and exh
Dearest gentle readers, *wink. This book is a sequel to Bound By The Lycan's Curse, which is Raven's dad amd Stepmom's love story. Kindly support by reading and enjoying the rollercoaster of emotions and unwavering love between a werewolf and a Lycan after fifty years of rivalry between both factions. Below is an expert.Chapter 1 I gazed out at the bright sun through the tinted windows of my dad's limousine, and rhe diamonds on my dress seemed to mock me, reminding me of my failure.Growing up, I thought all the males would fall at my feet because I was the Alpha's daughter, and my dad was a billionaire. But now, at twenty-three, with a first-class degree from Harvard and all the money in the world, I had no mate.To crown it all, my longtime boyfriend had been cheating on me with my best friend for months before I found out, thanks to the moon goddess, who paired them as mates.Thinking about it now made my chest tight. The two people whom I loved and trusted betrayed me in the mo
EpilogueSix years later "Raven, my love, ever since I met you, I've fantasized about this moment," Vlad's voice trembled with emotion. "I can't imagine a world without you. We have everything we need – money, a loving family, and a future ahead. Please, baby, will you marry me?"Caught off guard by Vlad's proposal, I burst into tears, turning to mush and ruining my perfectly done makeup."You naughty boy! Why didn't you tell me about this," I blubbered, hitting his shoulder? His perfect dentition broke into a killer smile, as my head bobbed in a yes. "Of course, I'll marry you," my heart sang with delight. "you own me after all.""I owe you my life," he said and I threw myself at his arms. He wrapped them tight around me, the smell of his cologne and our mating bond engulfing me and sending shivers down my spine. Gently, he slipped a Tiffany style round cut engagement ring onto my third finger, and the diamondsglinted brightly against my skin. "So this is why that silly girl, Ta
Raven The Doctor and King Vladislav walked in slowly, with the king standing beside me.I sobbed uncontrollably to the point that I began seeing spots and my vision became blurred, and I could hardly see the people in front of me anymore. The king's eyes were clouded with sadness and regret. I could feel the pressure building in my throat, making my breathing feel constricted. "Raven, please don't cry. You have done enough. Let's just say goodbye to Vlad.""Goodbye?" I spat, and he took a step back. "How will I do that? How do you expect me to say goodbye to my mate? My partner for life!""Raven, Vlad is my son," King Vladislav said with a resigned tone. "I feel so hopeless right now. But we have to face reality. Hybrids are different from humans and werewolves. The earlier we accept the reality that Vlad can never regain consciousness, the better for everyone. False hopes and delusions will get us nowhere."The king's voice cracked. "Please understand, Raven." I stumbled forward,
Raven On the night of day six, I couldn't sleep. My mind was restless like a rolling stone and I kneeled by Vlad's bedside, begging him with everything in me.King Vladislav had begun preparing for Vlad's funeral. According to him, Vlad deserved a befitting burial. How could anyone be comfortable burying their child?My tongue felt swollen. I was helpless and needed a miracle for Vlad. He was the only thing that brought joy and light to my life.The king was broken. All he did was mope and answer questions with monosyllables. Reality had begun to hit him but matter how much I begged him to extend the date, he didn't budge."Raven, there's nothing we can do. This is pure torture," his voice choked. "Let him rest.""Vlad, my love," I gripped his hand. "Did you hear your father? Is this what you want, to be buried? Talk to me. Wake up before they turn off the life support. Come back to me. Don't leave me, please. Just come back!"The answer I got was the beep of the machine and Vlad's s
RavenI couldn't sleep all night, and all I kept thinking about was Vlad. It was so bad that when I finally managed to drift off to sleep, it was filled with nightmares of them burying Vlad and all our classmates placing flowers at his gravesite. I felt even worse when I woke up, rolling over to face the wall and pulling my knees tight against my chest. The darkness of the night wasn’t comforting enough for the pain in my heart. The silence didn’t help either. What if Vlad never makes it? What if he doesn't come back to life? And then the memories from my dreams replayed over and over again in vivid detail. Taylor never left my side and even shared my bed with me. She sat up, staring at me with sympathy in her green eyesMy head rested on her shoulder as she whispered soothing things into my ear while rubbing my arms and whispering ‘It's okay’ every few minutes.At one point, she had to go out and make me some hot chocolate because I had started shivering so badly. Early the nex
Raven On day three of my stay in the specialist hospital, I had to return to school to write an important test that couldn't be written online. It was the last screening part to get admitted to college."You need to go," King Vladislav pleaded with me. "You're young and have a full life ahead of you. Vlad wouldn't want you to waste your time here and spend a year doing nothing just because you missed your college entrance exam." He paused to let his words sink and sadly, he was right. It was a good thing that I had been accepted into the best college program on campus on a full scholarship. My dad was wealthy enough to train me but that didn't mean I should waste his money on tuition. I sighed and the King begged me to stop making excuses. "you've got to graduate, Raven. I'm here with Vlad and you can always come back whenever you wish.""I don't trust you enough," I muttered. I don't know what you'll end up doing the second I step my foot out the door. You have been looking for h
LucianI'd seen too much, witnessed too many painful scenes. I returned home, terrible regrets and guilt assailing me. Vlad's condition was my fault. I let out a choked, desperate laugh. The king was so mad at me that he couldn't stand my presence. He hated me so much. Blood pounded in my temples as I felt humiliated and deflated remembering the disgraceful way he sent me away from the hospital. Not that I blamed him anyway. I deserved to be ridiculed. Everything was all my fault. If I hadn't fallen for Dimitri's stupid antics, I would have exposed him instead and saved my brother.Now Vlad's blood was forever spilled on my hands. It made me want to cry like a baby.How could I have been so stupid? How was I so careless as not to recognize how evil Dimitri really was? When I returned home, that wicked bitch, Elvira, was nowhere to be found. She could run, but she was definitely not going to hide forever. She was the mastermind of all this calamity and the reason why my mother d