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,
ALPHA VAN'S POV(A few hours before the rescue)Muscles tightened around my heart as I entered the dungeon, my least favourite place in the estate. The air was thick with a damp, metallic scent that clung to my skin like grease.I struggled to recognize Anakiyus in his current state, barely resembling the friend I had known or the rogue that had loomed over us.My father once told me that before my grandfather built this place to be the Packhouse, it was merely a gaping hole in the ground, a void that craved the souls of those who dared to venture near.Centuries ago, precious stones had been mined here, but the most treasured was the moon jade—the rare gem that allowed mages to summon the Moon Goddess and create the first werewolves of Vaelothor.Once the werewolves were born, this mine was converted into a dungeon where rogues endured unimaginable torment, bound by cursed chains that suppressed their healing abilities.Jeremiah's muscles flexed as he drove his fist into Anakiyus's s
NARAH’S POVI was born an Alpha's daughter. My life as Narah back in Lystvair faded to a blur once I remembered who I was. I'd never served a day in my life before everything I knew and was was taken away from me.Deciding to be a maid at my enemy's pit wasn’t just for the fun of it. Now that I understood their weaknesses and how their minds worked, I could use that to my advantage. Rescuing my opponent’s enemy was just the start of getting under their skin; part of it was actually helping a friend save a friend.I’d learned from Cindy about the mine in the Packhouse, rumoured to be a dungeon, and my best guess was that Anakiyus and Nas were held up there.Accepting Zander as my mate was just another step I had to climb. To reach a foe like Gina, I had to be at equal height and above her.I promised myself I would make her confess about what happened eighteen years ago, no matter the cost.“Are you alright, my love?” Zander's voice called me out of the thoughts that captured my mind.
GINA'S POV“He broke his f**king cellphone?”“Yes, Luna,” one of my mother's trusted guards replied. I had informed her of my situation, and she sent men to protect me and carry out my orders. Having to deal with Arthur and now this? “F**k!” I cursed under my breath.I turned to Chris, captured and held by two other huge guards. His lips and brows were bleeding from the little fight he had put up when I asked to have his cellphone. “F**k you, Chris. F**k you,” I cursed in a low voice, jabbing a finger at him.I knew he was hiding something. The air in the warehouse was thick with tension, tinged with the scent of rust and dust of old crates and machines. Dim light filtered through cracked windows and roof, casting eerie shadows that danced along the concrete walls. My anxiety was clearly over the f**king roof.I had called Chris earlier in the day to speak with him about Van's medication, but he refused to pick my calls. I sent my men over,and they found him and brought him here t
NARAH'S POVI wanted to go alone to Chris's apartment, but Liora was too stubborn to listen. She insisted on coming. Zander gave me one of his cars. He and Isolde stayed back with Anakiyus and Nas.As I drove speedily through the dark of night, the thought of something bad happening to Chris flooded my mind. It just frightened me that it had Gina's name written all over.It's definitely something she could do. I had underestimated her. The long drive to Chris's place added to my anxiety; I hoped he was safe. “I pray we find him home, and that the text was all a mean joke,” Liora said, taking off the hat and blonde wig on her head. She tossed them to the backseat.“I hope so,” I replied.His message said to take Liora and run, but I was taking her back to his place, where the danger might still be lurking. I only wanted to know he was safe. Unlike Liora, Chris's magic wasn't as strong; he didn't have the teachers she'd had over the years. Although he went through books and practised,
ALPHA VAN'S POV(Flashback)I pushed my door open; the pungent smell of sweat from dirty boots and uniform swirled up my nose. I cringed in distaste and slammed the door, accepting my fate as it was. I quickly changed my clothes.The morning sun filtered soft rays of sunshine into my bedroom, calm and peaceful, yet the atmosphere was charged with chaos and anger.Father and son bantered about the life choices a son should make, but I felt like a pawn in a game I never chose to play.I had just quarrelled with my father again, and I was tired—tired of the fights and the exchange of words that never favoured me. Somehow, he always managed to win.Today, I refused to serve him his victory on my own broken back. I was done trying to please him, perhaps just for today.It was always about him: “Train! Train! Train!” That was all I ever did. I could hardly remember a meal that didn’t start or end with those words.It gnawed at me, a constant reminder that my worth was tied to my performance
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