NARAH’S POVThe soft glow of the morning light filtered through my window, and slowly, I opened my eyes and thought, was it a dream?I opened my eyes wide when the realisation hit me—it wasn't a dream. No, it really wasn't a dream.I hurriedly sat up, searching my body for marks. I knew Alpha Van had been in my room last night; his scent still lingered in here and on me. That's how I knew. And gosh! The throbbing in between my legs.“What have I done?” I cried in a soft voice, my heart racing as my mind replayed the events of last night.“He marked me,” I whispered under my breath, not completely stunned as my fingers ran over the bite behind my left shoulder.I had let Alpha Van mark and claim me. I wasn't so completely different from Gina now, was I? A tear rolled from my eyes. Why did something so beautiful hurt?Was it the fact that he wasn't mine and I had given him this chance despite what had transpired between us in the past?Or was it the fact that I was actually in love wit
GINA'S POV “What was Narah talking about you killing your sister?” Van asked, slamming the door behind us, the sound bouncing off the walls in my room like thunderclap. “I don't know what she was talking about. She was falsely accusing me of something she didn't even know. She just wanted to provoke me.” “To provoke you by accusing you of murder? Of all things, Gina, MURDER!” His voice echoed as he punched the wall behind me with a great thud, almost grazing my face. I quivered beneath him. “Does that even make sense to you, Gina?” he continued. I pushed him off and started to pace back and forth, replaying the scene from the living room. How the f**k did that serving b**ch know about Reina. How did she know that I murdered her? I'd never spoken about it with anyone and besides, Narah wasn't born in Vaelothor. She's from another town, so how did she know? The night of Reina's Lunar bonding flashed through my mind. I bit my lower lip, trying to keep calm. Yes, I murdered her
NARAH'S POV The sun reflected the gold in Zander's hair, casting away the shadows, and his smile radiated as his eyes sparkled like diamonds. He seemed so energetic, and I didn't want to spoil his mood with my gloom, so I faked a smile. Was he always this lively? Zander was wearing a white T-shirt and black denim trousers. His shiny black shoes completed the look perfectly. God! He looked dashing from every angle, and he smelled great too. He helped me pull out a chair and ushered me to sit like a gentleman before sitting down himself when we arrived at the café. I gulped hard as he took off his black leather jacket, revealing his muscular arms. “Are you good?” He asked. “Yes, thank you. I appreciate that you agreed to see me. Thank you so much,” I responded. And thank the heavens that you had arrived in time to pick me up. It would have been embarrassing had I walked all the way to the gate, I thought, but didn't say it. “Babe, I'm all yours, and you're the reason
GINA'S POV The café buzzed with chatter and the rich aroma of fresh coffee enveloped me, but I barely registered it as I slipped through the front door. I was here at that bastard's beck and call, just like every other time, caught in the web of my past choices. He had called at the wrong moment, and suddenly, I was reminded of everything I’d tried to bury. If only I hadn't been so f**king careless eighteen years ago, Arthur wouldn’t have known about Reina's death or Van's enchantment. Just because he had attached himself to me like a leech, sucking me dry for years, he was able to discover my affair with Liam as well. Arthur knew basically everything that could implicate me. He held the threads of my life in his hands; he knew about my involvement in the dark choices I had made. He knew I had enchanted Van to reject Reina and choose me as his wife and Luna. He knew I had poisoned her before the Lunar bonding ceremony so I could take her place. (Flashback) (Eighteen
NARAH’S POV“Apologise to her,” Isolde demanded, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife.“There’s no f**king way,” Gina scoffed, defiance flickering in her eyes. “Come on, Gina,” Zander interjected, his voice softer, but the authority in it was unmistakable. “This is a public place. You can’t just treat people like this. You owe Narah an apology.”Well, technically she didn't because I had spilled the drink on myself on purpose.Gina inhaled sharply, her body rigid with agitation. “I don’t owe her anything.”My heart raced at the sight of her unyielding resolve. This wasn't just about a drink.It’s about respect. Something Gina clearly didn't understand. It was about control, power, and the lengths we were willing to go to reclaim them.“Then you’ll keep looking like the villain here,” I shot back, gesturing to the crowd around us. “This is your chance to show everyone you’re not just some cold-hearted b**ch.”I could hear the hushed murmurs around us—people loved a spect
NARAH'S POV “Chris told me he's Alpha Van's doctor,” she continued. I nodded. “What about it?” Deep down, I felt I knew where this was going. “Kalimora Akila… It's Nuvolish. it's a name given to a potion that can enchant a werewolf, and I found it with him.” I felt a knot twist itself inside my stomach, tightening with every word Liora uttered while I, myself, was unable to say a thing. Disbelief gnawed at me like a friend I had come to know too well. “Your brother has been enchanting Alpha Van. He wasn't helping,” Liora choked out. “He never was.” I couldn't stare the truth in the eyes even when it gawked at me. My hands were shaking; I tried my best to contain how hurt I was feeling, but Liora saw through it. Something told me that Chris couldn't have done this even if he wanted to. What grudge did he bear against the Alpha? Absolutely none. My intuition told me that Gina was behind this enchantment, just as much as she was behind my murder. Finally, I found my
LIORA’S POV “Wait, you can mask your witch's aura, right?” asked Narah, her tone edged with urgency. I offered a condescending smile and nodded. “Is that an insult or what? Even the simplest of witches can do that.” Pride oozed from me like booze. “I've been doing that for as long as forever. And besides, it's called Velori.” I twirled my left index finger in my hair, smiling. Narah twisted her face, her brows knitted in confusion. “That's Nuvolish?” “Yes. Chris does it too. It requires moonpetal, starlight salt, Dreamweavers moss, and essence of celestial water, but in a pinch, wolfsbane will suffice. Then you say the spell.” Narah’s gaze narrowed, as if trying to read my thoughts. “The incantation?” She pressed. I shrugged, settling down on the cold living room floor across from her. She shifted uncomfortably, keeping her focus on me. “Astra velare, auras celare Mea essentia, tenebrae fare Luna's grace, mea aura celare In tenebris, mea forma fare.” The words fl
LIORA’S POV Isolde held me close, leading me away from Jeremiah until we reached right beneath the podium. “What are you doing?” She scolded, taking a seat at the first table. I didn't know what had come over me. I apologised, and sat next to her. I recognised two of the she-wolves who had attacked us the other day. They were sitting with us. Narah had told me their names: Kacy and Rachael. Isolde casually introduced me to them. Anakiyus wasn't here yet. Bryan, the boy I had wounded, came to sit with us. He turned to me, flashing a wide smile. “Hell—hell–hello,” he stammered. Kacy and Rachael laughed out loud, mocking him. His face flushed with embarrassment. “Bryan only stammers when he's nervous. You're beautiful, and it's making him nervous,” Kacy said, ruffling Bryan's hair. Rachael leaned in, covered the side of her face with one hand and whispered, “Don't worry, he's seeing a therapist for it. He's actually gotten better.” I waved shyly at him and said hello,
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