Caterina
I could still feel its stare on me even as I sat on my bed at the penthouse. It felt dangerous and otherworldly, and I know it had its eyes on me. How did it know who I was?
Trying to shake off my fear, I walk towards my walk-in and scratch around for those hidden journals. I had to take my mind off of this bad feeling, and I think this will help. Climbing back onto the bed, I take a wet wipe from my handbag and wipe the leather covers to reveal a word: Волков.
I frown at this, then remove my phone from my handbag and search for a scan to translate app on the web. When I eventually found one and had the app translated, it did not surprise me at what it came up with: Volkov.
These must be the ancestor journals! When I open the books, I sigh as I realise that the owner wrote both of them in Russian. Feeling like a spy, I opened the scan-to-translate app again and started my investigation.
March 1801
Caterina I stayed up all night, wondering what Dmitry had meant by the term ‘hybrid’. Was there something sinister running in the Volkov genes? I waited for Kai to come home so I could discuss this with him, but he never pitched. Usually, he would come in late, but last night he didn’t even make it home; I wonder if something happened again. On second thought, Kai has so much on his plate already. I can’t exactly add that he might be a hybrid beast of some sort. This will only knock him down more, so I made up my mind to instead talk to Viktor about it when I see him today. It was 8 am when I eventually roused from my sleep with the knowledge that today would be the day Kai claims me as his mate. The nerves set in when I got out of bed and worsened when I stood under a cold shower. My heart sat in my throat as I dried myself off, and I tried to calm myself down, but nothing was helping. My eyes caught my reflection in the mirror, and
Caterina When I get back to the penthouse, I see a familiar body pacing the entryway and run to meet him. “Viktor!” I exclaim, wrapping my arms around his neck and breathing in his familiar scent, but something was wrong. I let go of him, realizing that he didn’t even hold me back, and when I look into his eyes, I see nothing but worry. “Caterina, I got her,” he says, then pulls me towards the powder room. We stand in front of the large windows, and he leans his head against it. I place a hand on his upper arm, and he looks towards me. “Tell me,” I say, but he shakes his head, and his face crumples up while he slides to the floor. “I can’t; you’ll be in danger as well. I thought I could trust him, but I was wrong! How could he do this to me?!” Viktor exclaims, sobbing silently. I sit down next to him and wrap my arms around him. “You need to go to Kai with this, Viktor. No matter what it is, you need to tell him.” I sa
Caterina Kai never came. It was midnight when I went to Nikolai’s penthouse with a bodyguard in tow to let him loose and help him to the bed as he passed out. Afterwards, I eventually willed myself to fall asleep, without a mate and no one to claim me. Was something out there more important than me? It seems that I am left behind yet again and this time by the man who swore to protect me and claim me as his Luna. A whimper woke me, and something warm pressed up against my back. I opened my eyes, and for a second, I didn’t remember where I was - until his scent reminded me. Kai was in bed with me, his arm a vice around my waist. I sigh and check the time on the bedside table: 5 am. So he eventually came home, but not when I needed him to. My inner wolf curls up at the scent of our mate, and I find myself feeling incredibly happy even though my heart was steeped in misery. Another whimper, then a whine, and my eyes shoot open ag
Kai I awoke to the sound of the shower running and pulled myself out of bed. Last night’s events were still fresh in my mind; the smell of death, the feeling of the pack link snapping and finding Viktor’s body. I could even still taste his blood as I devoured his heart. Some fucking Alpha I am; I couldn’t even protect my own flesh and blood. Sitting forward on the bed, I lean forward and rest my elbows on my knees before letting out a sigh. What a fucked up few weeks. The shower stops, and a few minutes later, Caterina emerges and heads straight to her walk-in without so much as a glance towards me. I know she must still be reeling from the news about Viktor, as I found out that the two of them have gotten close over the last few days. That and the fact that my beast nearly killed her. Fuck, I need to pull myself together before I genuinely lose my shit, so I walk towards the bathroom with the intent of washing some of the gri
Caterina I knew it; he forgot. As expected, I am an afterthought in Kai’s existence and no better than an omega. I understand Viktor was viciously murdered last night, but Kai couldn’t even spare me a phone call the entire day, much less a text. He spoke of a full moon ritual, but I wonder if he even prepared for it at all. What purpose is it to be mated to someone who didn’t even care about your happiness? I continue to stare out the window at the world below and start to wonder where precisely I belong. It certainly wasn’t on the other side of New York, but now I am doubting if this side is any better. Viktor is gone; my only companion in this place found out the wrong things and got murdered for it. So what exactly is the use? I’ve done nothing all my life but wonder why I was even born, purely to be mistreated and harmed. If I had to leave, I doubt Kai would even notice. As I let out a sigh, an idea occurre
Caterina There’re flames everywhere, and I hear the distinct sounds of bones being mangled and crushed between a powerful set of jaws. Screams, blended with the smell of blood, fear, and death, had me feeling dizzy. I walk towards the sound of a woman screaming, but suddenly I hear her heart stop beating and froze in place. Where the hell am I? I glance around the room, feeling nostalgic, but it is when my eyes land on the chandelier that I realise where I am: Volkov Mansion. This must be a dream, because the mansion is in immaculate condition with no traces of a past fire having broken out. Swallowing hard, I wander further inside to where the stink of death is more palpable. Why am I dreaming this, though? Is it supposed to be an omen of some sort? Another scream pierced the air, and then I could hear whimpering. Naturally, my curious, foolish self runs towards the sound, but what I see shakes me to my core;
Caterina /“You have much to learn, little wolf, and my gift will help you see.”/ This is what the woman in the woods said before she touched me. Was this her gift, to be able to see into the past or the future? I look at Kai’s troubled expression, and I am filled with remorse at the words I just spoke. As the horror gives way to disbelief, I sink to the floor with my head in my hands. “I don’t want this…” I whisper to myself, but feel Kai inching closer to me…. Reaching out to me. “Caterina-” “No! Don’t touch me! I don’t want to see it again!” I cry out, fear gripping my heart. I don’t know if a simple touch triggers it, all I know is that I do NOT want to go back to whatever it is that I saw! Kai grimaces at my reaction, which is understandable because even I don’t know what is happening right now. He holds out his hand for me to take. Then gestures to the bed. “I’m not sure what’s going on ri
Kai She knows about my past now. It’s only a matter of time before she resolves to leave and reject me. I thought this would stay buried until I was ready to confess my sin to her, but it looks like the Goddess had other things in store for us. I peer up at the woman who I keep disappointing at every turn, but instead of finding a look of disgust on her face, there was compassion. “So this is what Viktor meant about you needing to tell me what happened instead of him.” She says and moves closer to me, taking care to not touch me with her hand, even though I could tell that she was dying to. “You don’t need to tell me what happened right now. I can see you’re still struggling with it. But please realize that even if you do tell me, I will still be here, okay? You’re my mate and I will stand by you no matter what hides in your past.” She says with that beautiful smile of hers that gets my heart pumping every time. “Besides, if t
Kai Nearly fourteen years of the Convergence, with every year being as successful as the previous one. Our packs have lived in harmony for this long, with no wars or antagonising from smaller packs; everything was peaceful. However, as I look down at the RSVP in my hand, I am not sure if it is anger or fear coursing through my veins. After fourteen years of replying NO, the European Five have finally decided to join the Convergence. I have been sending invitations out of courtesy and expected a negative response, but the fact that all of them responded yes has a cold sweat running down my back. I hope it is simply nerves and that, once again, my feelings aren’t right. “What are you thinking of so intently?” The voice of Caterina cuts through the haze of my thoughts. I look up from my desk. I am almost sure that the older she gets, the more beautiful she becomes, and I find myself falling for her all over again on a daily basis. I smile as she walks over to me, wearing a tiny blac
Konstantin I look up at the mansion I used to call home and sigh. After another two years, I have returned empty-handed and with no news. Kaia is still missing, with no word and no sound even in Europe. I know I should simply let it go, that perhaps the fucking witch killed my only daughter the minute she took her, but I cannot give up hope. Not when I promised to bring her back home. She has turned eighteen now, the same age as Kai’s eldest, and I’m not sure what to think. Years spent without her parents and in the grip of a witch who has undoubtedly twisted her mind. I don’t know what to expect anymore; in fact, I don’t know what more to do. The front door opens, and the only one who hasn’t given up on me rushes out to meet me. Her eyes glisten with unshed tears, and I hear her sobbing against my chest. “No more, Kon, please…we need to stop this,” she says, then peers up at me with a heartbroken expression. “You need to come home now.” I shake my head. “I still didn’t find her-”
NikolaiI knew as soon as I set my eyes on Nova that she would change the entire trajectory of my life - and I wasn’t wrong. Not only has she changed my life for the better, but she’s added more colour to it. And I don’t mean the whirlwind that is my son, Sage.Every aspect of our lives changed drastically when we discovered that Nova’s womb had been healed and that she was pregnant with our firstborn. Her pregnancy was not an easy one, so after Sage’s birth, we decided to keep it to one child only.Yet as I watch her sleep with one hand on her swollen belly, I wonder where the hell that decision went.“Time to wake up, little Rogue,” I try to coax her awake, but she swats my hand away. “Nooo…” she complains, covering her head with a pillow. “I barely slept last night.”“Bullshit, you went to bed at seven and kept me awake by imitating a chainsaw all damn night. The one who really deserves sleep is me!” I say, ripping the pillow from her face and watching as her face reddens.“That’
DimitriI watch the sun set over Paris and sigh, knowing this would be our final night here. Arya’s paintings and art have become world-renowned, and in that, we haven’t been able to focus much on ourselves. The last few years have been a whirlwind, so much so that we haven’t been able to focus on ourselves or starting a family together. Sure, everyone back home understands, and so do I, but I can’t help but feel a sliver of disappointment at where our lives have led us.I want a family with my mate; I want us to settle down and get our lives together. However, I can’t force this on Arya. But I know that I will need to speak with her about this soon. Even as my wolf knots her each time we make love, nothing has come of it. Is it my fault? Is my body too weak?A head leans against my back. “Hey, Mitya,” came the voice of my angel, alluring as usual. I turn around to face her, about to offer her a fake smile, when I see the tears in her eyes and her bottom lip trembling. “Arya, what-”
AryaWe couldn’t do much after Kai’s revelation last night. So now we’re all standing in the Hall of the Five, welcoming guests as if nothing is wrong. So far, I’ve met Alpha Bastien and his two mates, his sister, the beautiful Alpha Azura, Alpha Ryker and his Beta Ruin and Lilith’s half-brother, Alpha Fenriz, unfortunately without his Luna Marina.They all seemed lovely, but Caterina has asked me to not let my guard down, especially after what Kai told us yesterday. Ah, I suppose I should start calling him Alpha Kai from now on, hey?I look around the beautifully decorated hall and smile, knowing the other ladies’ hard work has paid off wonderfully. With its glass ceiling so the moonlight may shine through, the red and black drapes and candles adding to the colour scheme, Autumn flower arrangements and the marble floor with the Five’s symbol delicately embedded in gold.“Everything okay on this side?” Dimitri asks as he walks toward me. He’s looking quite dashing in a custom-made Tom
Arya/“Hey, Arya, are you up yet?”//“Come on, please tell us you’re awake already! It’s noon!”/My eyes flutter open to the voices booming in my head, and I groan, trying to drown them out with a pillow to my head.“Argh, go away!” I exclaim while holding the pillow to my face. “I wanna sleep! Leave me alone!”I hear Dimitri chuckling next to me, and then he pulls the pillow from my head while I can do nothing but protest. “I think the women want your attention, Princess,” he says, shaking his head.“But I’m exhausteeeed!” I pout, folding my arms. “How can they expect me to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed after spending my wedding night with a Volkov?”He laughs again, then gets up and straddles me with a mischievous look in his eyes. I can’t help but peek up at him and run my hands down his perfectly chiselled body.“Hmm,” I say appreciatively, and he rolls his eyes.“Get your ass out of bed, Princess; we have a long day ahead of us,” He says, then plants a kiss on my forehead and
Arya They say a Volkov mating ceremony always ends in at least one death, but as I fall down on Dimitri’s chest after the fifth round, the only death that can be reported is mine. This man is insatiable, truly and wouldn’t let up after he Claimed me with his bite. The bite itself wasn’t painful at all; it felt like a missing piece of my soul being put back. After that, everything felt natural and beautiful, even our animalistic sounds that echoed all around us. The ceremony was beautiful, too; I don’t think I ever cried as much as I did when Caterina read the vows and her prayers. Apparently, ours was her very first ceremony, and it left her in tears as well. And even though I’m no longer human, Dimitri still had a tungsten ring with a black gemstone made for me. Everything is just completely perfect. “What are you thinking about so intently?” Dimitri’s voice cuts through my thoughts, and I look up at him. “Just how perfect everything has been for the last three days,” I say, bre
AryaMy heart is full and bursting right now: everyone has accepted me as part of the pack! I must admit that it’s still odd to think of myself as a werewolf or shifter of any kind. I, a once arrogant and proud Mafia princess, accepted into a great family such as this.I must be dreaming.Not only that, but Caterina removed the scars from my face! I nearly passed out from the shock when I saw my reflection! She didn’t even need to do it, since I’ve come to terms with my scars, but seeing my old face made me realise how much I have missed it!Call me vain, but I missed my own beauty. But this time around, I know that I will not be as arrogant as I used to be since every woman standing next to me is exceptionally beautiful. Although right now, I am feeling extremely self-conscious standing naked in front of them as they try to give me advice.“Okay, Arya, I want you to close your eyes and look at your wolf; make eye contact and do not blink. She will know what to do from there,”“Oh, d
Dimitri It’s a full moon in two days, and Arya has just woken up after being in transition for five days. During her slumber, everyone took turns keeping her company while I was out. Nova was incredibly overprotective of her, something that I loved and yet became extremely annoyed by. Nikolai and I agreed that Nova would be the best person to train Arya when it came to shifting since Nova’s wolf is newly acquired as well. I had forgotten the feelings of my first shift, so my advice wouldn’t match up to what Arya would feel. Now, as I watch her finishing off her sandwich, I can feel nothing but anxiety coming from her. “Hey, are you okay?” I ask, placing my hand over hers, which seems to be trembling. “What’s wrong?” She peers up at me and gives me a tight smile. “I haven’t seen everyone since the attack at the cabin. I remember being confused, and I think I said something hurtful, so I don’t know how to face them. Do they hate me?” She says, then places both her hands on her lap a