Melinda’S POV Soft, distant voices woke me up in the middle of the night; shuffling footsteps, soft murmurs, clattering of plates, exhausted huffs. Amidst the low chaotic noises, the only words I could make out were, ‘Our Princess is Back. Veronika has returned.’When the gravity of those words finally registered in my brain, I sat up with a start. Throwing the sheets off, I scrambled to my feet and rushed to the door. I grasped the doorknob and twisted it, but then froze. It was better to wait until everything had settled.After about an hour’s wait, the noises ebbed and blended into the familiar silence of the night. Pushing the door open noiselessly, I tiptoed out of my room and walked towards Veronika’s bedroom.My heart pounded in my chest as I pushed open the door. Creak! My heart skipped a beat as the annoying sound rang in the room. Why was it that these doors made so much noise when you were trying to be quiet?Letting out a shaky breath, I stepped inside. The moonlight stre
“Melinda… If you are calling me to make another random request, please don’t…” my mother said as the phone got connected. “Alpha Keith has forbidden me from entering the Pack house.”“Whoah…. Did something happen?” I asked in a voice laced with concern. “You didn’t get caught last night, did you?”“Of course not. What do you take your mother for?” There was a brief pause. “His decision has nothing to do with me sneaking into the packhouse. The message explicitly said that he didn’t want Spencers to enter the Pack house in the future because he doesn’t want Veronika to be uncomfortable.”“Wow, he is going all out, isn’t he?”A pang of jealously crept its way into my heart. The Keith I knew wasn’t someone who went overboard like this. My eyebrows furrowed together and my grip on my phone tightened. “Don’t worry, mom. I will talk to him about this when we meet in person.”“Wait! Did you say ‘In person’? Does that mean?”“My flight has just landed in Queensland, mom. I will first go to me
Keith’S POV “Keith, honey…” Veronika’s sickly, sweet voice sounded, making my stomach lurch. “Why did you send the designer away without measurements?”“I don’t have time for stupid things like that.” I snapped angrily. Veronika raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. If only I weren’t so helpless, I would have ripped her heart out. Clenching my fists to rein in my temper, I chewed out, “I am sorry.”“Now, that is like my baby.” Her lips curved into a sultry smile as she walked over and laced her arms around my neck. Pressing one edge of the measuring tape to the corner of my shoulder, she stretched it to the other end, her fingers brushing against my skin slowly in the process.Clenching my jaws to push down the feeling of intense revulsion bubbling within me, I closed my eyes. Her fingers trailed along my arms, my chest, my abdomen. Finally, her arms wrapped around my waist.‘Push her away! Push her away!’ Jake chanted in my head. ‘That bitch is just using this opp
Melinda’s POV “What matters is that the person who ruined my life is YOUR father. There is nothing else left between us, Melinda…. Only hatred.” Keith’s words kept ringing in my ears even as I stepped into my house. My father? I didn’t even know that I had one. Now, all of a sudden Keith was claiming that my father had ruined his life.“Melinda….” Mom gasped, rushing over and throwing her arms around me. “Oh my God…. It’s been so long since I saw you.” She pulled away and her gaze swept over me; her eyebrows bunching, “You have become so thin and pale. Don’t you eat properly?”Raising my head I looked at her face laced with concern. I hated to do this to her. But, I couldn’t repress the storm brewing within me. I had to know the truth.Drawing in a shaky breath, I ended up blurting out, “Mom? Is it true?”“What honey?”“That…” I swallowed hard and looked into her eyes. “That Alpha Alexander is my father?”The color drained from her face, and she staggered. She didn’t say anything, bu
Melinda’s POV Pacing up and down the room, I pondered on the way I could get out of my bedroom. I had already begged, shouted and even feigned sickness. None of the methods worked on mom. She was hell bent on keeping me locked in my bedroom till the unification ceremony.In the end, I told her everything truthfully. But for some goddamn reason, she didn’t believe me. Now, there was only one way left.Pulling out the pendant Oleander had given me, I twisted it three times, hoping that she would come to help me.‘Corel, do you think the message would reach her? I mean, she has gone to her coven….’ Biting my lower lip, I added, ‘Even if the message reaches her, will she come? What if she is imprisoned in a magical prison or something as a part of her punishment?’The only response I got was the deafening silence ringing through my head, not that I had expected a reply. Letting out a sigh of resignation, I started packing my suitcase.It was better to be prepared just in case I had to st
KEITH’S POV “Justin, any luck?” I asked, pressing the phone to my ears and covering my mouth with a cupped hand.“No, Alpha…” His defeated voice sounded from the other side. “I have practically tried everything; hacking into security systems, hiring spies. I even asked for help from those lowly Omega groups, but no use. It is like she has just dropped off the surface of the earth.”“Keep looking.” My grip on my phone tightened. “Double your efforts. There is only a week left before the unification ceremony. You need to find her before that, at all costs.”“Don’t worry, Alpha Keith. I will try my best.”A sigh of resignation left my lips, and I tore my hair. I wanted to shout at the top of my lungs. ‘Veronika! Where in the fucking world did you hide her?’ Gritting my teeth, I blocked the frustrated words from leaving my lips.‘Why don’t we just kill her, Keith?’ Jake’s spiteful words flowed into my head. ‘We can deal with the aftermath later.’‘We can’t be impulsive, Jake. Veronika ha
“Are you going to show Keith the proof now?” Oleander asked, holding my hand to stop me.“Yes…” I shrugged. “Like I said earlier; I just want to get this over with and leave.”“Do you think he will believe you?”“He would… Umm… I guess he would.”“Stop lying to yourself, Melinda.” Oleander said, a bit of annoyance seeping into her tone. “You know he is not going to listen to a word you say. There is no point in going and talking to him.”“Then?” I extracted my hand from her grip and threw it up in frustration. “Should I just sit back and watch him fall into Veronika’s trap?”“I am not saying that, Melinda….” She let out an exhausted sigh. “All I am saying is you need a better plan. Today, all twenty-four members of the council will gather for the celebratory feast, right?”“They will…” My eyebrows knit together. “So what?”“Why don’t you present the evidence to Keith in front of the council members? Keith might brush you off if he is alone. But if he is in the front of the council, he
MELINDA’S POV “What is the meaning of all this, Keith Rivers?” A booming voice drew my attention to the entrance. A middle-aged man dressed in a suit stood there; his jaws clenched, his nostrils flared and face flushed. “How can you do this to Melinda?’ He continued in a voice that was shaking with anger. “Did you forget the deal we made, or are you not afraid of being tormented anymore?”“Alpha Alex, I don’t remember inviting you here,” Keith taunted, leaning closer to Veronika. “You see, my chosen mate doesn’t like outsiders barging in like this.”Alpha Alex? Fuck! Did Keith say Alpha Alex? Does that mean he was my father? Tears welled in my eyes and a lump formed in my throat. Sensing my gaze, he looked in my direction. His eyes widened, and he gasped, “Melinda? What are you doing here?”“Melinda is here because she supports our wedding.” Veronika’s lips curved in a smirk and she turned to look at me. “Isn’t that right, Darling?”“Not at all.” The words left my lips as wisps of ai
“Alpha Keith,” the manager greeted, hurrying over to bow in front of him. “If you had told me that you were coming, I would have made better arrangements.” This stupid woman, she was pitching for her downfall and honestly, after what she did to Aldwin; I didn’t feel like saving her, either. So, I stood there, arms crossed over my chest, waiting to watch how the drama unfolds. The way she was looking at me flared Keith’s temper further. He gnashed his teeth. “That is not the answer to my question.” “My apologies, Alpha.” Mrs. Stellar’s face flushed. “We didn’t mean to cause you inconvenience.” I clicked my tongue. This woman, she still didn’t understand what Keith wanted to know. The way Keith was glaring at her, I was afraid he would shift and rip her to bits. The woman must have felt it too. I could almost hear her teeth chattering with fear. I was about to talk to Keith when Luna Aspen spoke up. “Please don’t blame her, Alpha Keith. It is all that guard’s fault. Mrs. Stellar was
Melinda’s POV “Where are Keith and Kain?” I asked, walking into the hall. “Why are they taking so much time to get ready? We are just going for shopping.”Karmen rolled his eyes, his face lighting up. “This is nothing, Melinda. Back in the days when we went to college, Keith and Kain would wake up at least an hour before to get ready.” He chuckled, “They would try out so many outfits before finalising that by the time they were done we would all be fed up.”“Kain is the kind of person who would do such a thing but Keith…” My eyebrows shot to my forehead. “I can’t imagine…”“He was the worst of us. Then again, all the girls flocked around us mainly because of his looks.” His lips pressed into a thin line. “No wonder Jessica fell so hard….” He slapped his hand to his mouth and his eyes widened. “I am sorry… I didn’t mean to stir up unpleasant memories.”“It’s okay, Kramen.” I drew closer and took his hand in mine. “Actually, I have been meaning to talk to you. But, every time I tried,
Melinda’s POV “Whether it is a few steps or an entire lifetime, you can always rely on me to carry you.” His words dripped in my ears like honey, melting my insides. I really liked this new version of Keith, who was bold, proactive and impatient.Resting my head against my palms, I looked at him, studying his features. His eyes were sunken and his cheeks had shrunken a bit, but that made his jaw bone more prominent, adding a devilish charm to his appearance.“What is this?” His words pulled me out of my thoughts. My eyebrows furrowed as I took the piece of paper from his hand. Why did it look so familiar?As I gazed at the paper, words started appearing one by one. ‘For the past five thousand years, I have lived my entire life with a deeply set prejudice against werewolves. I always thought that werewolves were selfish, ambitious, and cold-hearted, but you managed to change my worldview.While seeing your memories, I realised that werewolves are capable of being honourable and selfle
Keith’s POV “Please tell me that I am not dreaming,” my voice cracked as I looked into her deep, beautiful eyes. “Please tell me that you are really here.”Her lips curved into a wry smile, and her mesmerising eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “I am really here, Keith. I am fine.”I raised my hand to stroke her hair but then dropped it; too afraid that she might turn out to be just an illusion. “Can you tell me that you are here once more?” I swallowed hard. “This seems so surreal. I am afraid that you will vanish like a cloud of smoke at any moment.”“I love you, Keith.” She said in a voice thick with emotions and drew closer. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she cupped my face, raised herself on her toes and pressed her lips to mine. “Does this seem real enough?”I shook my head as I grabbed her arm and tugged, causing her to slam against my chest. Wrapping my arms around her in a tight hug, I buried my face in the crook of her neck, whispering, “I missed you so much, Melinda. I m
Melinda’s POV I was drowning in the sea of darkness with nothing to anchor me. There was nothing to keep me afloat, just a sense of emptiness; an eternal void.“Mellie…” A voice pierced through the haze. There was something about that voice that was deeply comforting. All of a sudden, the emptiness stopped bothering me and I relaxed.“Melinda.” The voice sounded again. “How long are you going to sleep? I really want to see the outside world.”My breath caught in my throat. Why did the voice voice so familiar? Fuck! NO! This was impossible. It couldn’t be….“Corel…” My voice came out as a throaty whisper.‘Yes, sleepyhead.’ Her voice was extraordinarily enthusiastic. ‘Miss me?’‘Am I dead?’ I thought, groaning as my stiff neck made a cracking sound. ‘Is that why I can hear you?’‘You will find out if you open your eyes.’“But, I don’t want to,” I mumbled. “This darkness is so comforting. I don’t have to worry about anything.”‘That is true… But if you don’t open your eyes, you can’t s
Keith’s POV In the elegantly decorated banquet hall, a large crowd had gathered; alphas of important packs, their families, the council members, and several other important members of the pack. We even had pacts and deals with some of them.There was once a time I was quite close to many of them. But, today, I felt alone despite the large gathering. All these ties and relationships seemed futile. They were all cheering and applauding me for my achievements, but my heart; it felt empty. There was no warmth in there, just a sense of void.Clink! Clink! Clink! Clink! My mother struck the spoon against her glass to draw our attention. “Alpha Rivers would like to raise a toast to everyone.”My father stood up and held up his glass. “Over the past few months, we have been through a lot. But, thanks to the diligent efforts of my sons and your constant support, everything is back to where it should be.” His eyes sparked with pride as he continued, “Conspiracies have been thwarted, enemies ar
Keith’s POV I sat beside the window, watching the sun rise; slowly scattering the darkness and casting a faint orange glow over everything. The flowers in the garden swayed in the light breeze, creating a peaceful rhythm.Something about the serenity of the garden irked me. The flowers, the breeze, the rising sun all seemed to be mocking me. With an annoyed grunt, I drew the curtains and started pacing in the room again, my gaze drifting to the door every few moments. When was Oleander going to return with Melinda?With each passing moment, my anxiety rose higher and higher on the scale. If this continued for some more time, I would probably explode. I increased my pace further, as if walking faster would help me reach Melinda quicker.“Justin!” Kramen gasped, and he sat up with a start. This distracted me from the spiral of anxiety and I hurried to check on Kramen.“Justin,” He muttered again, looking around anxiously, “Keith… Where is Justin… He is a traitor… He tried to kill Mom a
Keith’s POV “Dr. Stelsar,” I called out, hurrying over to him. “How is my brother?”He froze as his gaze met mine. The color drained from his face, and his lips pressed into a thin line. My heart sank when he placed his hand on my shoulder and shook his head. Everything seemed to slow down and my mind blanked out.“I am sorry, Alpha. We managed to save Master Kramen’s life, but I am not sure whether he will come out of the coma. Silver has combined with the blood cells of his body, inhibiting his healing. Unless the process is triggered again, he might never wake up.”“It’s fine. It’s okay,” The sense of dread that had formed in my heart eased, escaping my lips as a forced gust of wind, “As far as he is not dead and there is still a chance.” My eyes reddened with unshed tears and my voice got choked up. “Just tell me what I can do, Dr. Stelsar. Do you need any special herbs or medicines or maybe I can fly in some specialist? Give me the word and it will be done.”“I don’t want to gi
Melinda’s POV “We have done whatever we can, Miss Spencer. I am sorry to say this, but he might never wake up.” The healer’s words rang in my ears as I watched Kramen’s still form. “Due to the excessive amount of silver in his system, he has stopped healing. If only the treatment wasn’t delayed for so long….”My chest clenched painfully, and I slumped to the chair. “This was all my fault. If I wasn’t so quick in accusing him, Keith wouldn’t have banished him from the pack. He would have been treated on time and he wouldn’t be lying lifeless like this.”Lifting Kramen’s hand, I pressed it to my cheek, “I am sorry Kramen for being such a shitty mate…. For not trusting you more… for not giving you a chance to explain everything properly…” A choked sob left my lips followed by a whimper. This was all I could do now; apologise…“Melinda…” A familiar voice sounded as Oleander placed her hand on my shoulder. “Are you alright? I came rushing the moment you found out.”“Oleander….” My voice b