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?
NARAH’S POVAlpha Van and I walked slowly back to the mansion, the crisp night air tinged with the scent of pine and damp earth. Each time his hand brushed against mine, my heart thumped loudly, sending soft smiles dancing on my lips, even as an awkward silence enveloped us.It felt heavy, laden with everything left unsaid, as if he hadn’t ventured into the woods to find me because he had feelings for me.As we entered the living room, the warmth of the fire from the fireplace crackled, contrasting with the chill outside. We spotted Bryan and Kacy; Bryan's eyes lit up at our arrival, but then quickly darkened with sadness and remorse.A storm of thoughts seemed to linger beneath his surface, leaving me wondering what was happening in his mind.I excused myself and climbed the stairs, the creak of the wooden door to my room echoing my restlessness. Back in my room, sleep eluded me.I turned and tossed in my bed, thinking of everything that had happened and that which hadn't happened ye
GINA’S POVLiam’s words echoed in my mind, taunting me—“If you dare hurt Sharon, it’s over between us.” What in seven hells did he mean by that? F**K, NO! That wasn't even possible. I knew he only said that to piss me off.His words felt like a slap. I stared at him, hurt and rage colliding within me. “So you’re choosing her over me?” “You know that's not what this is about,” he replied.I looked at him, his beautiful honey eyes piercing into mine as the ultimatum hung in the air like a storm cloud, dark and oppressive and ready to unleash a heavy rain on me. The basement felt suffocating. I couldn't shake the bitterness twisting inside of me. Sharon was everything I wasn’t—innocent, beautiful with a perfect body, and f**king naive. She didn’t deserve Liam; she was tearing us apart. How couldn't he see that?“I hope you understand what I said. If you hurt Sharon, I swear it, I will shatter our bond,” Liam repeated, not breaking eye contact.Did he really mean that? He couldn't, righ
ALPHA VAN’S POV I was glad my brother had finally settled down with someone he loved. Though Sharon might not be his fated mate, I had never seen him care for anyone as much. He truly loved her. Speaking of love, Narah’s gaze sparkled in the afternoon light, drawing my attention like a magnet. Each time I stole a glance at her, I found her gaze was not on me and my heart sank a little more; the entire time, her eyes were fixed on Sharon and Liam, laughter dancing between them. A fleeting thought crossed my mind—what if she longed for a mate of her own? If that was the case, I’d lay my heart bare for her, ready to be whatever she needed and let her do whatever she pleased with me; I was all hers. I imagined her touch, her smile brightening my world. Once I dealt with Anakiyus and the witch’s problem today, I’d take the divorce papers to Gina and finally reveal my feelings for Narah. My eyes swept through the garden, taking in the beautiful, vibrant colours of flowers and the
LIORA'S POV “What do you mean he's not here?” “He's out of the house, he's not inside. That's what I mean,” I explained sarcastically to Grandma Bessie, the owner of the building where we lived. Anakiyus, Keenan and Nas had left for their usual meetings and Grandma Bessie had come today to collect her balance for the rent. Sometimes, I thought that Anakiyus was avoiding her on purpose. “Two weeks, he has two weeks to pay up,” she said, raising the index and middle finger of her right hand like a warning. “Two weeks. That's all.” Before Grandma Bessie brought up the rent, she had talked about how she started from the bottom to the top in the days of her youth. Now I was already tired of standing on the porch, listening to her prattle on about her two grandsons and how she hoped I’d date one of them. The minute she left, I skidded happily back into the house, and as I walked down the corridor, I halted. I was all alone. Whenever Anakiyus and the others left for the evening, I usu
NARAH'S POV Arthur and Dahlia. Oh dear! Arthur and Dahlia visited and asked for forgiveness, but I had already forgiven them. Besides, I became friends with their son, Luca. He was a really nice kid. Hanadin and Rachael started dating with her father's permission. Beta Henry had a change of heart toward Hanadin. Although, he said Hanadin was weird. Bryan asked Liora out, and she responded with a big fat “No.” Good heavens, she had been avoiding him recently. He wouldn't stop accompanying her wherever she went, and he promised he would wait for her until she changed her mind. “Or until he meets his fated mate,” Liora told me when recounting the story of how he tailed her to the store when she went to get groceries with Cindy. Bryan and Jeremiah got closer and became inseparable. Beta Solomon's wife still didn't like Bryan, but Jeremiah didn’t care and told her it wasn't Bryan's fault that her husband slept with another woman and brought forth a son—Bryan. How sweet. Br
NARAH’S POV It was finally over. The Moon Jade was gone. The weight that had burdened so many for centuries had finally been lifted. I could feel the peace settling into my bones, like the calm after a storm. The power that had once ruled over so many was now nothing but dust and memory. The curse was broken, and it was over. When I focused all of my powers into extracting it from Beta Bernard, my mind was disturbed by memories of how the Jade had been passed down through generations. Many years after Jenna and Ophelia's death, the farmers working on the land to build a bridge dug up Jenna's remains from her grave, and that was how they discovered the Moon Jade. It was later passed on from one Alpha to another, a King to another, a governor, a Duke, a duchess, and they all had one name for it: “the cursed gemstone” due to the number of people who had died because of it. Many had tried to destroy the Moon Jade, but it wouldn't budge. So, it was sold to a princess who gav
NARAH'S POV I couldn’t afford to break down in front of Alpha Van, not now. I forced my lips into a smile, but even I could see how hollow it was. I wasn’t okay—nothing about this was okay—but I couldn’t let him carry that burden alone. “I'm good. Are you okay?” “My love... I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice full of raw emotion. “I can't let you fight all by yourself.” “You don't have to worry, ” I assured him, the vacant emptiness in my eyes returning, revealing the presence of my hybrid wolf. “We’ll fix this. Together.” Minisi had done her part—to protect the foetus, but now, if she didn't lend me her full strength, there would be no home for my unborn child, or the people of Vaelothor to live in. My bones groaned in protest as they stretched, snapping and dislocating with a sickening crunch. A searing pain tore through my muscles, each shift a fresh agony, my skin stretching and tearing as though it couldn’t contain the transformation. The heat from within radiated o
NARAH'S POV Van’s muscles bulged with effort as he absorbed the impact, his body seizing under the power with a coldness such as I had never seen. I could feel his pain through the bond we shared.With a guttural scream, his body surged forward, breaking through the dark energy like a battering ram. He wasn’t fully healed, but he was strong—strong enough to fight for us.Beta Bernard's eyes widened in surprise. He had expected the lethal force to end Alpha Van's life in the frightful encounter.“Thank goodness,” I muttered under my breath, taking a stand by Curtis's (Alpha Van) side.He had taken a blow meant for me. I was more than grateful that he had, but I just prayed that he was truly okay and that nothing awful would happen to him.He didn’t let Beta Bernard’s attack stop him. He was back, fighting for what was right, and I fought by his side.“Change of plan,” Beta Bernard said, blocking my kicks. “I'm going to kill both of you right here.”“I'd like to see you try,” I raved.
NARAH'S POV Standing face to face with Van's direwolf, my heart leaped for joy. As my hands slowly trailed over its soft, stunning black fur, it growled tenderly, leaning its head on my arm.Suddenly, with the speed of light, Beta Bernard grabbed me from the side, lifting me into the air, his laughter cutting through the atmosphere like a blade.“Let me go,” I shouted, the wisps of my breath curling in the air as I wriggled in his arms. I could see Alpha Van's wolf running after us, its gaze drifting toward the sky now and then. I didn't even get a moment more to rejoice at his breaking free.Although I had initially wanted to get to Beta Bernard, now that I was soaring about twenty thousand feet above the ground and knowing he had the power to throw me off at any moment, I had a change of heart.“I'll show you what real power looks like,” he said, focusing above as he rose higher.My heart was pounding rapidly, my stomach churning with every gust of air I breathed in. “Murdering p
NARAH'S POV I wiped my tears, smiling and nodding, but it was only for a split second before the creature pounced on me, pinning me to the ground. It seemed to be fighting with the voices in its head, staggering back, growling, and throwing punches at its own head.My heart hammered in my chest as my shuddering legs managed to find the strength to support me. Frantically, I dashed through the clearing once more. However, Beta Bernard was no longer in sight. The creature—Van— was hot on my heels again, a twisted shadow of the man I loved. Each desperate step felt like it could be my last, but there was no time to stop.No! I couldn't stop. Not now, not when Beta Bernard was still out there, controlling everything and planning to destroy people's lives.I glanced over my shoulder just in time to see Alpha Van stumble again, his paws pounding the earth, his body fighting against the unnatural force that gripped him.It was as if a part of him, deep inside, was beginning to take charge,
NARAH'S POV The monsters surrounding us snarled, their eyes empty of recognition, all of them bound by the same cruel will. “So that which was cursed may never be cursed again,” witch Verusia whispered, staring at Jeremiah. Then I understood what she meant. The reason Jeremiah hadn't changed along with the others was that he had been cursed by the Moon Jade, and now the curse Beta Bernard had placed on the other werewolves could not touch him. The air grew thick, making it difficult to breathe, as we shifted back slowly while the creatures approached. My eyes were locked on them, thinking of how to win this battle without hurting them. “Beta Bernard is controlling their minds,” I said, my voice firm. “I'll see how I can get the Moon Jade from him, while you guys handle our friends.” “Our friends?” Liora snapped. “Look at them. I bet all they want is to sink their teeth into our plump flesh and use our bones as toothpicks.” Jeremiah sneered, his eyes flashing with defiance.
NARAH'S POV I could see the feral grin on his face as he rose from the ground like a phoenix rising from its ashes. I expected nothing less. Beta Bernard's appetite for power seemed to know no bounds. His eyes blazed with an intense white light that radiated like a flashlight pointing in all directions until they finally rested on me. I caught Liora's body in midair just before it slammed onto the ground.“Oh my! Thank you,” she mumbled, catching her breath, disbelief etched on her face.“Are you okay?”She nodded instinctively; then her eyes darted toward Beta Bernard, scanning the clearing. His guards were getting back on their feet, along with Luna Tauriel. The flames they had held were now extinguished and the sticks tossed aside.“That old man just won't quit. Motherf**ker!” Liora cursed bitterly, glaring at him.“He looks pretty mad and happy at the same time,” I retorted.Instantly, Liora's amber eyes grew large with surprise as they focused behind me, gawking at something—or
NARAH'S POV When I created a portal to lead us to where Liora and the others were, I thought I had conjured the right destination. I was dumbfounded when it led us to a part of the woods where I saw Gina. She was holding on to dear life…barely.It broke my heart to see her like that—battered and broken beyond saving. I could sense the silver mixing like a drug in her blood. It pulsed through her veins like the rhythm of a mourning song.When I held her, the things she had done since my return were quickly erased from my mind, replaced by a gaping wound of regret and sorrow which scared my heart deeply.For the first time, I caught a glimpse of the sister I had once known and loved. The Gina that had filled my childhood with her elegance. Her sultry green eyes had lost their sparkle. They were bleary with tears, and her pupils were dilating.For Corolla—I didn't exactly know what to feel. Hurt, betrayed, and beneath it, a genuine love for a friend whom I had thought was true. What a t