LIORA'S POV “Where are you coming from?” I halted abruptly, my heart pounding as though it had skipped a beat. Sneaking around had never been my forte; Anakiyus had always been one step ahead, and tonight was no different. His presence here, waiting in the shadows, confirmed he’d been searching for me. I turned slowly, my breath catching as I faced him. Nas, standing across the room, flashed an awkward smile that did little to ease the tension. “Anakiyus,” I said, forcing a polite tone, though my pulse quickened. “It’s been a pleasure meeting you, but I must be going now.” As I moved to slip past him towards my room, his voice cut through the air like a blade. “Don’t you dare make a move, young miss.” The stern command made me freeze, my hand halfway to the door leading upstairs. The flickering light from the nearby lamp cast sharp shadows across his face, highlighting the intensity in his eyes. It was as if I could almost feel the weight of Anakiyus's disapproval pressi
NARAH'S POVI yawned lightly, waking up to the gentle, rhythmic sensation of someone stroking my hair. As my eyes squinted, slowly adjusting to the brightness of the room, I saw Sharon’s beautiful face and Hanadin’s warm smile.“Hey, you’re awake,” she said softly, her voice filled with affection. She glanced back at my hair and lowered her voice saying, “Your roots are obvious. You need to retouch them.”A wave of self-consciousness washed over me. I had completely forgotten about that detail. The last time Benny had helped me with my hair, it felt like a lifetime ago. I managed a nervous smile, trying to mask my unease.Hanadin’s voice broke through my thoughts. “What were you doing out in the woods by yourself?” His concern was evident, his brow furrowed with worry.That means they didn’t see Liora. Thank goodness they didn’t. Hanadin said I’d been gone for hours yesterday, but it seemed I had only been away for a couple of minutes.I must have walked a long distance because Sharo
LIORA’S POVAfter successfully leaving the house, I got into a bus heading to Vaelothor, it was an hour drive from here. We now lived in a nearby village, safe from Van’s reach, that’s what Anakiyus had said.But ever since I discovered my connection with Narah, I’ve found myself visiting the woods at the mansion quite often, calling for her with the sound of my music. And today, I decided to go back again.I had my harmonica in my hoodie’s pocket, and was ready to call her when I arrived, hoping she’d hear and respond quicker this time. I don’t use a cell phone; Anakiyus said it’s against the rules and that we could be tracked down easily. As I approached the woods, a car drove by with Narah inside. With a mix of relief and anticipation, I hailed a taxi and instructed the driver to follow. The car stopped at a restaurant, and I saw Narah with a man and a woman.“Can you pay now?” the driver asked as I watched Narah and her companions enter the restaurant.“Sure,” I replied, reaching
NARAH’S POV “Thank you for the breakfast,” I said to Chris before stepping out of his car. “Hey, Chris, thank you so much,” said Sharon, dragging me away. Chris drove off as we waved goodbye to him. While we were walking down the driveway, I caught a fleeting glimpse of Liora hiding behind an oak tree, peeping at us.Goodness! She’s really persistent. I couldn't meet her now because I was with Sharon. We both walked into the estate. The scent of flowers filled the atmosphere; the gardener was mowing the lawn, and I could see Cindy watering the garden.“I’m sorry if I was being too nosey earlier,” Sharon apologised quickly, breaking the silence between us. “I mean, I know Doctor Rowan is super gorgeous; it doesn’t mean you guys are together or anything.”I didn’t want to hear any more of it, so I cut her abruptly and told her it was fine. She smiled and swung her arms around me playfully. As we walked into the mansion, James and Jeremiah were seated in the living room, having a disc
NARAH’S POVDon’t trust him.Those were Liora’s words to me about my brother. It didn't surprise me much that she suspected Chris also had something to hide. I knew Chris better than anyone, but after that night, the things he said really made me doubt.Just as Liora was about to speak, a loud laugh pierced the air behind us. We exchanged glances and quickly got on our heels, running in the opposite direction where we heard footsteps approaching. We both hid behind a thick cluster of trees, holding our breaths as a man and a woman stood near the stream we had just left.They didn’t notice they were not alone. I gestured for Liora to stay quiet and leaned out slightly to get a better view. The tall grasses partially obscured my sight, but I could still see their silhouettes entwined, lost in each other’s embrace.They couldn’t get enough of one another as they ravished each other in kisses.Upon hearing their loud moans and wet kisses, Liora nearly laughed but caught herself, pressing
GINA’S POVHaving to marry Alpha Van was not the problem since it was my destiny. The problem began when I met Liam.(Flashback)(Eighteen years ago, two weeks after the lunar bonding ceremony.)I sat alone in the garden. Wearing a hat to shield my beautiful face from the sun, I applied sunscreen and put on my dark sunglasses. Then I opened my magazine, flipping through Ellie’s new summer collection. One of the maids approached me, interrupting my peace, although, I had sent her earlier to get me a glass of lemonade and some snacks.“Anything else you need, Luna Gina?” She asked after setting the tray down on the table in front of me.I looked at the pile of chocolate cake and cookies she had brought; they looked tempting. After taking a sip of the cool lemonade, which was satisfying, I dropped the cup and nodded, pleased with what she had offered.“You can go,” I ordered her, and she left.Just as I swiped a page of my magazine, I heard a black Porsche skid to a stop in the driveway
ALPHA VAN’S POVI was sitting in my office. I had my back leaned in my chair with my fingers steepled under my chin, listening attentively to Jeremiah, Yet, in the depths of my mind, Narah lingered, a haunting distraction.What good was it to dwell on her when a witch was out there, a threat to us all?I’d been ignoring her because I feared for her safety. If I got close enough to her, I might just lose her, like I lost my fated mate.Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a silver glow across the room. Jeremiah stepped forward, dropping an old compass on my desk.“The witch you’re looking for often crosses borders. This compass, given to me by an old mage, only responds to magic. We can use it to find her.”Beta Solomon’s forehead creased with concern, while Beta Henry stood by the large oak table, his expression serious as we discussed our approach to Anakiyus and his rogues.Bryan leaned against the wall, arms crossed, while Kacy paced restlessly. The air was thick with urg
NARAH’S POV I had gone to meet Alpha Van to tell him about Gina, but I couldn’t bring myself to do so. Truth was, I didn’t even know how to begin— where exactly do I start? Bryan had disappeared, and no-one knew where he was. Kacy, Rachael and I had slipped out of the mansion into the cool night air, which felt both refreshing and suffocating; our mission was to look for Bryan. Kacy said she knew where he would be and asked Rachael and me to accompany her. This wasn’t something to make a fuss about, she had told Alpha Van, assuring him that she’d bring Bryan home. This wasn’t how I imagined spending my weekend—searching through the woods for Bryan and worrying about Liora. I was worried about Bryan too, but let’s face it: If Jeremiah truly found out where Liora stayed, she’d be in deep trouble. I didn’t even want to think about the horrible things they might do to her. She didn’t have a cellphone to be reached; how the hell do I contact a young witch in this modern age?
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