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 POVI lay in the pink bathtub with my hair dipped in the water, and my eyes staring blankly at the vibrant golden ceiling.“What do I do now?” I said to myself, thinking.My thoughts were a jumbled mess, and I couldn't seem to bring them in order.I closed my eyes and asked myself again, speaking softer, “What do I do?”In the stillness of my mind, I heard that quiet voice whisper, “Are you going to let her get away with everything?”I admit that last night was an even bigger mess, and I didn't want to think about it. I decided to let it die down as the sun rose in the east that morning.“Bloody hell,” I cursed, sitting upright with my knees pressed against my breast and my hands circled around my legs.I inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet aroma of rose petals and eucalyptus-scented candles that filled the bathroom air, providing comfort and calm to my chaotic mind.I'd noticed over time that my black hair dye had faded and the grey curls I'd tried so much to hide were retur
GINA'S POVThe council chamber felt suffocating, the air thick with disbelief and suspicion. Gasps rippled through the room, all eyes fixated on me, their expressions a mixture of shock and hidden conviction.They believed I had betrayed them. They believed I had freed the prisoners. My teeth chattered in fear as I fought the urge to bite my tongue. “You don't believe them, do you?” I turned to Van, desperation clawing at my voice, but his expression was as hard as a rock.Nobody was talking on my behalf. Infact, nobody was talking at all. The silence was madness on its own. I could hear the frantic thump of my heart, each beat echoing in the oppressive quiet.The weight of their stares pressed down on me; each glance felt like a f**king dagger in my chest. I looked around at the faces I thought I knew. Beta Bernard and Corolla avoided my gaze, their stern looks like a cold wind.“Luna Gina is the traitor,” Atlan’s words echoed in my mind, a cruel mantra. My throat went dry. Then, c
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