ALPHA VAN'S POV Moisture glistened softly in the corners of my eyes as I jolted awake, my heart pounding from an awful nightmare. Anakiyus's wolf tearing into Bryan's flesh, devouring his heart, and like a Kitsune, consuming his liver as well. The images were grotesque and vivid, and they left me gasping for breath. Sweat dripped from my body as I frantically yanked my cell phone from the drawer by the bedside. My hands were trembling, and I could barely dial the hospital number. I was finally able to dial the hospital line where Bryan was admitted. I had seen him the previous day; he was alright, but I insisted he stay so the doctors made sure he was completely fine before releasing him. “Hello, Doctor June,” I managed to say, my voice shaking. When Doctor June answered, her calm voice did nothing to ease my panic. “Alpha Killian, I was just about to call you,” she said. Without wasting a second, I blurted out, “Is Bryan alright? Did something happen to him?” “Yes… he—” Her vo
ALPHA VAN'S POVDoctor June’s worried expression made my heart race even faster. “What is it, Doctor? Is Bryan’s condition worsening?” I asked, my voice tied with concern.“It’s not about Bryan’s condition, Alpha Killian,” she said, her voice low and serious. “It’s about the attack on him. We’ve found something... unusual.”My mind raced with possibilities. “What do you mean?”Doctor June hesitated before speaking. “When Bryan was rushed in here, there was a wound in his chest,”“Yes, I remember.”“Well, it’s not just a physical injury, Alpha Killian. The wound has some sort of dark magic in it.”My heart sank. “Dark magic? What do you mean?”“Bryan’s condition was better, but then, he got worse. I had to call in the famous Doctor Rowan. I explained the situation, and he agreed to come see Bryan. That's when he confirmed that an enchantment had been used in the attack.”What else was I expecting when dealing with a witch? A sudden fear of losing Bryan engulfed me once more. “I need y
NARAH'S POV The morning sun cast its yellow glow upon the estate's exquisite surroundings, creating a small rainbow over the fountain that stood majestically in front of the mansion.As usual, I was already awake, along with the other maids, getting ready for our morning routine. After cleaning Gina's bathroom and fixing her bath water, I made my way downstairs to join Abigail in cleaning the living room.The sweet aroma of freshly baked croissants, smoked salmon, and cream cheese bagels swoon around like a spell, drifting up my nose and causing me to salivate.The chief cook, Mrs Flora, was indeed good.“Can you get me a new rag from the store?” Abigail asked, cleaning the table.“Sure, I can,” I replied. I left the living room and entered the kitchen.Its spacious layout had multiple work areas. The beautiful rectangular island, made of glass and seated in the middle, also served as a fish tank. It's usually where the chefs sometimes prepare for the meals, and we use it as our casu
GINA'S POV“What are you doing here?” I asked softly, feeling the alcohol, doused in a little bit of wolfsbane, course through my veins. F**k! What was he doing in my room at this hour? I wondered “He's here for us,” My wolf Ria stated, smiling sheepishly at the man she loved. I staggered and gently settled into the plush grey couch beside the bed, cradling the glass of amber liquid in my hands and staring at him as he slowly walked up to me, a soft growl building in his chest.The soft glow of the fireplace danced jubilantly, casting a fine, warm ambiance across the room, while the flames flickered on the walls and ceiling.I took a sip of my drink, feeling the alcohol and wolfsbane mix take full effect. The tension in my head increased, and decreased simultaneously. As it fluctuated, my mind began to unwind.Ria stirred within me as he leaned close and nuzzled my ear.“What—what are you doing?” I mumbled, a pang of heat riveting within my thighs and a sense of desire within my he
NARAH'S POVI walked briskly down the hallway, my mind in a tumultuous whirl. The sight of Gina and Van together earlier was etched into my mind, replaying like a cruel, unending loop. The intimacy between them was undeniable, and while I understood their bond, it left me feeling an aching sense of isolation.I tried to shake off the feeling of sadness and focus on my tasks at hand. It rested at the back of my mind that if I didn't get them done on time, I'd get a scolding from Luna Tauriel and Gina.Why did I even care about Alpha Van and Gina? I wondered. My role was to ensure that I served her and her home, even if it meant dealing with my personal sorrows silently.The sight of the broken glass in her room had been an unwelcome reminder of the boundary I had crossed by witnessing Alpha Van going into her room last night. I had been a fool for thinking he felt something for me; for ever thinking that he could ever love…I knew the signs well enough now—Van and Gina’s love was eviden
ALPHA VAN'S POV The room was quiet, except for the gentle rustling of blue curtains as the morning sun poured in. I’d been lost in thought, wondering why Gina was elated and why Narah had that look on her face. Letting the warmth of the light chase away the shadows of my worries, the lingering weight of last night with Gina still pressed upon me–– that's why I had gone to see her this morning. But I’d tried to push that thought aside and focus on my impending meeting with Beta Solomon and Henry about the young witch. As I stood by the window, gazing out into the serene field, the gardener was mowing the field, and Kacy was walking with James. My peaceful silence was abruptly shattered by the sound of the door opening. My heart skipped a beat when I turned to find Narah standing there, her eyes wide with surprise. She seemed momentarily frozen, and I couldn’t blame her; I was quite literally in my most vulnerable state. Her reaction was immediate and involuntary, her gaze lingerin
NARAH'S POVThe day went by slowly, dragging on like a tortoise. My cheeks turned bright red whenever I reminisced about the kiss Alpha Van and I had both shared. But I refused to be pulled into his web of lies and deceit. I refused to let a man use me for his games, even though he made me feel alive.To let a strong man hold me like he did? No! I stopped myself from thinking about it any further and discarded the thoughts. At least, the only good thing that came out of the day was having to see my brother. He and the Alpha went outside for a walk.I had served him a cup of water and exchanged contacts before Alpha Van came downstairs. I kept smiling like I had just won a lottery all through the day.Still, my thoughts lingered on the kiss… and on last night between the man I loved and my sister, who had murdered me. Avoiding Alpha Van like a plague, I finally retired for the day around midnight, after helping Vanessa decorate the house for Luna Tauriel's birthday.Hanadin didn't talk
NARAH'S POV My feet pounded against the marble floor, echoing up to the high ceiling. The faces around me seemed to blur as I ran into the mansion, ignoring the ache that my body was feeling. But nothing compared to the ache I felt in my heart.What hurt the most was that I couldn't hate her. I couldn't hate my own sister. Step-sister, but still, I loved Gina, and seeing her treat me this way hurt like a knife.‘She murdered you, you dare forgive her for that?’ I heard that voice in my head tormenting me at my weakest point.I gave no reply, running as fast as I could while James and Hanadin kept calling and running after me. I went into the kitchen and bolted into the storeroom, locking it instantly as the aroma of different spices and herbs welcomed me.“Narah, open up. Please,” James yelled, banging on the door.I tried to control my ragged breaths as tears rolled down my cheeks. I repeatedly shook my head, unable to believe what I had seen. I just refused to believe it.I wasn't
GINA'S POV “Reina is back, she's back.” The words stumbled out of my lips, as tears filled my eyes.“This is bad, really, really bad,” Ria cowered.As I lay helplessly on the narrow metal-framed bed, staring blankly at the cold, cream-coloured walls of my prison cell, all I could think of was how I had been such a weakling and a fool.I couldn't even control my own mind and all this time, I thought I had been in control of a situation, whereas I had been a mere puppet. My father and mother had been the ones controlling my life, pulling the strings however they liked. I had my fair share of evil in my blood, but looking back, I wasn't always like this.I admitted that the first mistake I ever made was sabotaging Reina’s relationship with Arthur by setting him up with her cousin, Dahlia.I did it out of pure jealousy. I hated Reina. That was what I thought. The truth was I never hated her. No, I didn't. She was the best part of my life until she wasn't. I had the most fun with her whi
LIORA'S POV Clearly, I was overthinking it. It was a door that led to the kitchen, and maybe the maids had to use it often. Okay, maybe it was a trap. As we entered the hallway, the darkness enveloping us, panic surged through me. The air was thick with the scent of savoury dishes that clung to me like a fish on a hook. At the end of the hallway, a door stood in the center, slightly ajar. Lights flickered above, and sent shadows dancing across the walls. The distant sound of faint voices, talking over one another, escaped from behind the door, filling the creepy hallway like haunted ghosts. As we marched onward, a few feet from the door ahead, we saw another wooden door by the side of the wall, old and rugged. It felt out of place compared to the others. Though wooden, the door we had just walked through and the one ahead were made of strong oak and had fine engravings of different patterns on them. Whereas this particular door was thin and as plain as day. Nas proposed we shoul
LIORA'S POV “So this is the Moonlight territory? Not bad,” I said, impressed. “Hey, keep your eyes on the guards,” Anakiyus ordered. I wrinkled my nose in disapproval and mimicked him in a quiet, disturbing mockery of a voice, which sent Nas chuckling. “What is it?” Anakiyus asked, oblivious to the shenanigans going on behind him as we walked through the bustling street which led to the Alpha's house. “Nothing.” Nas croaked immediately. Anakiyus looked between Nas and me, his expression grim, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. As his gaze landed on me again, my shoulders rose and fell in a lazy shrug, my hands drifting up to accompany the notion, as if to say, “I swear it, I have no idea what's going on.” I flashed an innocent smile to convince him, and he still didn't buy it. He shook his head and slowly turned away, his eyes scanning the street ahead. Nas and I exchanged a quick amused glance. I let out a sigh, thanking the heavens I wasn't caught imitating the humourle
NARAH'S POV The air seemed to vibrate with tension, and I could feel the weight of Gina's gaze on me like a physical touch that made my skin crawl.“Hope you've been well?”“You're the last person I thought I'd see,” she said, her voice soft as wool.“And yet, here I am.”“Isn't it a coincidence?” I've been doing a lot of thinking. Earlier, I was just thinking about you, and guess what? I found something weird.”I cocked a brow. “Really? What did you find?”“You're not just a stinky maid. When we first met, my intuition about you was right,” she breathed slowly, savouring every word. She seemed to find it interesting, basking in her own words, like a puzzle she had just solved. “And what intuition is that?” I asked dryly.She smiled in a knowing manner. “You're wolf-less, like someone I used to know, someone who you remind me of… someone DEAD,” she said. “You see, when I was a cub, about ten years old, there was something I read in a book once that fascinated me. I dreamt about it
NARAH'S POV “The Alpha has fallen into a coma, but there's nothing wrong with him scientifically. There’s absolutely nothing I can determine,” I heard Doctor June confirm. “That's because it's a witch's enchantment,” I said, stepping into Alpha Van's room, my footsteps echoing in the stillness. They all turned back to look at me. Miss Kiara's eyes narrowed. “An enchantment?” she asked. She was sitting beside Alpha Van, her hands clasped around his. Tears had dried on her face, and her eyes had turned red as velvet. She had been away for a long time, so she definitely didn't know anything about her children or the things they were going through. “Yes, an enchantment. Alpha Van had complained about this to Doctor Rowan, and it's not new that he's been having seizures and needed medications to stay well.” The words escaped my lips freely, and I didnt even care to stop there until Kacy interrupted. “Narah's right,” she declared. “Van talks about a woman in his dreams and voices in h
GINA’S POVAs Jeremiah carried Van on his back, Beta Solomon, Kacy, Kiara, and some of the Pack guards went along with them. Jeremiah was taking him into the house, while Kacy was outside on a phone call with Doctor June.The heat of the tension pulsed through my veins. I thought Van suddenly passing out was an excellent distraction from the bone of contention—Liam and me.“What's going on?” my wolf, Ria, asked, afraid. “Gina, did you feel that? Van has broken free from the enchantment. How's that even possible?”Nothing was impossible. I was scared he would have broken free sooner, and that was why I had Chris as a backup plan, giving him those stupid magic pills to keep him in check. Although, since Van had stopped the medication, he was bound to break free from the spell sooner or later. He was tremendously strong, after all. I hated to admit that I was impressed.He whispered something to Narah while struggling to breathe. What did he say to her? At that instant, her eyes met mi
NARAH'S POV “He didn't tell you the truth?” “No, he didn't,” Sharon said, wiping her tears. I didn't expect Liam to actually tell her, but when Sharon had a slight change of mind about proceeding with the plan, I asked her to speak with Liam. If he told her the truth about him and Gina, then she could leave peacefully, as she wanted. However, since he didn't tell her, the plan was still on. The entire wedding party would have to see who the Luna had been having an affair with, and for Liam… well, he'd have to deal with his brother afterward, just as Gina would have to deal with him too. I held Sharon's hand, squeezing it gently, I said to her, “Let's go. You've tried your best to give him a chance. Whatever happens now is not your fault.” She blinked several times, fighting back tears that stung her eyes. It was time to go downstairs. The guests were already waiting, and so was the groom. The weather was nice today. The cool wind carried on peacefully, and the birds sang their
GINA'S POV Today was the day I finally gave my love away. The thought of it alone sent a shiver down my spine, and I slammed my fist on the headrest of the bed, making the frame creak in protest. “I hate my life,” I groaned sluggishly, sitting up right. Last night was f**king hell, and today was… was there anything worse than hell? If there was, you could f**king bet I was living in it. I squeezed my face at the strong stench of booze that danced particularly around me. My mouth felt parched. My tongue was sticky, tasting the lingering flavour of last night's cigarettes and alcohol, a failed attempt to drown and set my sorrows ablaze. All that alcohol doused with wolfsbane and I still couldn't get drunk. The sun filtered through the curtains, and as my eyes drifted across my room, squinting, all I could think of was how miserable my present situation was. Rufus was lying next to me. I gently stroked his fur, and he opened his eyes before shutting them again. I lazily got
NARAH’S POVMy heart was still pounding in my chest when I pulled away from Van.“I'm sorry to interrupt, but I found the gloves,” Corolla said with a knowing smirk, though her expression was vaguely flustered.I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease settle deep within me. She was putting on a bra top, tights, and sneakers. Her red hair was tied up in a ponytail. She must have been working out with Alpha Van before I arrived.“You're not interrupting anything, Corolla,” I whispered, my breath catching in my throat.She took a step forward, her gaze never leaving mine. “I heard about your wedding. I'm sorry it went south.”I blinked, trying to steady my breath as I shook my head. “Thank you. I guess... It was for the best—”“Was it?” she interjected, her voice gentle yet firm as he stepped closer, closing the distance between us.Her scent—fruity, with a hint of something more primal—wrapped around me like a blanket, but her appearance darkened—something between concern and somethin