LIORA'S POVAs we left the woods, the scene around us shifted from the haunting stillness to the bustle of police activity at the site where we found the deceased Doctor Rowan.Whatever power Zander wielded, it had certainly proven useful. I wondered how he had managed to direct the cops to that location and what he even told them.Narah asked Chris to take the car while she caught a bus back to the hotel. I chose to follow Chris, compelled by a longing I had never fully understood—a yearning that felt both reckless and thrilling.“Did you know what your mother was like?” I asked Chris, breaking the silence that enveloped us.His eyes, steady on the highway, flicked momentarily toward me before returning to the road. A broad smile spread across his face, and I could see the memories of his past, particularly of his mother, dancing in his mind.“She was more than amazing. She was great… super awesome,” he replied.It seemed words weren't enough to describe her. That was something I cou
NARAH'S POV My mind refused to process the shocking information at first; It was utterly unbelievable. How could the same man Anakiyus had worked for be the one who had given Liora to him eighteen years ago?Eighteen years ago Ankaiyus had started searching for the Moon jade, causing chaos wherever he went, all for a gem that was in Alpha Van's possession.“He betrayed his Pack exactly eighteen years ago when he said I was sent to him. He left me with a woman named Stella and would often visit. He used to lead the rogues even before he became one,” Liora said. “When his wife died three years later, he murdered some people and was banished.”Since the gem could resurrect, why did he need it even before his wife's death? He was never the one who needed it to begin with; his need for the Moon jade only grew after his wife died. The weight of the revelation pressed down on me, a suffocating haze of confusion and dread that enveloped my thoughts like a thick fog that refused to lift.I w
NARAH'S POV The long drive to the Woodwick's Pack territory made matters worse for me. Why did it have to feel so endless? The constant replaying of the phone call swirled in my mind, and I couldn't help but think: would he be alright?My heart raced as I imagined the worst—Alpha Van struggling for breath, the urgency in Kacy's voice echoing in my ears. “You don't have to worry too much about him,” Chris said over the line. “It's just the effect of the enchantment. Just like his seizures. It'll get worse from time to time until the enchantment wears off or he breaks free.”“Why is it taking so long?” I asked, tears threatening to spill.“The enchantment is really strong. Whoever enchanted him is powerful.”Gina! The name ignited a fire within me. I'd make sure she understood the consequences of her actions. I bet she didn't care about Alpha Van’s pain. She must be laughing and enjoying the whole scenery.Why did I love him so much? I never intended to form such a bond, but somewher
NARAH'S POV “Who's it?” Alpha Van asked.“Van, it's me,” a female voice responded. I recognised who it was at that instant. “It's Corolla,” she finished and knocked once more.I… for a moment felt nothing but pure embarrassment, forgetting everything else. Quickly, I stood up from the bed and began to put on my clothes as fast as I could, while Alpha Van just slipped on a pair of black shorts and a white polo from his closet.“I'll be right there,” he replied, waiting for me to tuck in my shirt, which I did roughly, then gave him a signal to open the door.The time we wasted only to open a goddamn door, I was pretty sure Corolla would be suspicious. Did she hear the ransacking noise and little jumps we made as we fitted into our clothes?“Wait, wait a minute,” I called Alpha Van in a hushed tone as he walked toward the door. “You should be in bed while I answer the door.”“Ahhh, that's right,” he agreed, nodding. Then he pecked my cheek and went back to bed.Immediately he covered hi
NARAH'S POV The small changing room was a cocoon of silk, lace and white fabric. There was enough space to move about and a large mirror stood behind me. The air was thick with the scent of fresh fabrics and sweet scented air freshener.“Reina, is that you?” the woman asked shakily, her voice trembling more than her hands.“I'm–I’m Narah,” I stammered.Realisation seemed to dawn on her face, and she shook her head. “Oh!” she exclaimed. “I'm so sorry. You just look so much like my cousin, Reina. I'm Dahlia, I'm to assist with your dress fitting.” “Okay, nice to meet you, Dahlia,” I replied, smiling.I swallowed hard, fighting the tightness in my throat as I began to undress. Dahlia helped me fold my clothes and hang them at the corner of the room, her movements swift but careful.“Gosh! The resemblance is uncanny,” she said, closing the little distance between us.“Is it?” I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady.“Yes, it is,” she said.A wave of nostalgia washed over me as she co
NARAH'S POVWhat if something bad had happened there? It was obvious Liora and Isolde were in danger and I needed to save them.My heart pounded heavily out of my chest as my feet slammed against the cold, tiled floors, each echoing step blending with the distant thumping of music and the eerie screams that reverberated in the air.I shouldn't have let Liora or Isolde go in there alone. It would be my fault if anything happened to them. What would I tell Zander if something happened to his sister? What would I tell Anakiyus if Liora got hurt?The corridor stretched on before me, narrow and dimly lit, shadows clinging to the walls like a sinister mist.I finally reached the door to the main room, and suddenly there was quiet. The music that had been vibrating and the eerie screams that had engulfed my mind a few seconds ago all seemed to have stopped now, replaced by a deafening silence.“Liora, hold on. I'm coming,” I mumbled, reaching for the door handle, my breaths ragged.As I ope
GINA'S POV “You failed your father miserably. How could you?” my mother snapped, anger edging her voice, biting into her words as they struck me.The scent of her perfume filled the air, making my stomach turn. I didn't know what the f**k to say to her, or if I could even think of anything to say at all.“This is all that stupid girl's fault. That whore, Narah,” Ria groaned bitterly.Was it really Narah's fault that my life was a f**king mess? My father wouldn't even speak with me, let alone see me. I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat growing larger. What was there to say?“I'm sorry, mom...I just need more—”“More what?” “...” Panic surged through me, and my voice shuddered in my throat, locked up by fear and shock. I'd fiercely wished that I had the courage to defend myself right now, but I cowered like the coward that I was at the mention of my father.I wished I could find the f**king courage to defend myself, to scream at her that I wasn’t the one who had failed—I wasn’t t
NARAH'S POV“I'll rather take a sip,” I said, looking away from James. “I'm going to take a sip, people.”I took a cup of alcohol and downed it in one gulp, feeling the burn slide down my throat. Disappointed gasps echoed around me. They’d been waiting for me to finally do a dare, to break out of my shell, but this—this wasn’t what they had in mind.“You’re getting married tomorrow, Narah,” Kacy teased, laughing. “Have fun now, while you still can.”“I knew she wouldn’t kiss him,” Sharon murmured, resting her head on my shoulder, her voice tinged with something like pity or amusement.I thought I saw the lights flickering—then they went off, only to instantly turn back on. I looked at James, his expression unreadable for a moment before he forced a smile— awkward, and tight as if he were hiding a pain only he could feel.My heart twisted.“I can't kiss a married woman. She's married already,” James said.“That's tomorrow, dude. She's not married until tomorrow,” Isolde quickly added.
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