Grand, magnificent, and fancy are Mrs. Cruz's event keywords for this year. A documentary will be screened, we'll promote Mexican education, do a recital, and we'll organize a global speaking competition in addition to discussions on various jobs. The speakers are listed below.As Li-lah revealed who would be speaking, the crowd was filled with shocked gasps."They are at the top of their fields, and Mrs. Cruz's initiative to also invite lecturers from other countries. On this list, most of the names are verified. So that our kids might establish connections for the future, these folks will be listed as honorary alumni. Li-lah grinned as she concluded the lecture.Applause broke out in the room."It makes sense why she is always the parent's voice. She is quite effective." "yes! she deserves the Post."the mothers present sang the praises of Maria.After the meeting, Maria and Li-lah sat still. Maria appeared to be thinking deeply.Li-lah needed to explain something that was on her m
Li-lah stared at her phone for a very long time. She'd promise herself not to involve anyo else in her plans and be was the last person she wanted to get involved in this but she had vowed to do anything to get her revenge and she was going to stick to her guns no matter what, she dialled up the number and waited.'Hello?''Hello-' she paused again, weighing up her options. This wasn't going to be easy."Hello? This is Delilah Sanchez."Diego immediately dropped the files on his hand and stood to his feet. How can this not be Amelia? Even the voice sounded the same, it only got deeper."Mr Diego, are you there?" the voice said again."Hello, Ms Sanchez, can I help you?""I am calling to ask for a favor. I don't know if you'll be willing to help or not but it's very important."As soon as he heard the pangs of pain in her voice, Diego knew he had to help her."What sort of favor would that be?"Li-lah paused for a while, convincing herself that this was the right thing to do. If she wa
The drive back home was a quiet one. Even though Maria was boiling and felt like venting out but she didn't want to do it while Alma was with them.The moment she was alone with Mateo in their room, she let it all out."Uuuhhh... Do you see it now? Do you see why I hate going to your parents house? Imagine the humiliation."Mateo did not respond. He acted like he did not understand her, like she was speaking in a language that he did not know."Mateo? How are you so calm and quiet about this?""What do you expect me to do? Shout and rant like you're doing? Does it solve the problem?""At least you know there is a problem, hi so you intend to solve it? It's like you don't know the severity of this. If your brother gets a boy child first, you will loose everything. You will loose the company, loose your respect, loose everything."Mateo did not respond. Instead, he took a soft sip of water from his glass."MATEO?!" She yelled."What?""My God! You really aren't concerned. are you?""I w
From the gate down to the main door of the mansion was magnificent, there was an ornate wrought iron fence, with carved stone tops.They passed by several statues, and statues lined the main path as far as the eye could see.The personals on these lawns were amazingly in order, many of them adorned with exotic flowers and trees, and flowers with no specific design to them.Most were surrounded by gardens, and birdbaths, and ponds.It was beautiful, amazing, and just a touch overwhelming.Li-lah couldn't help but gasp in awe once they entered the living room.It had a high ceiling, tall windows, marble floors, and a sweeping staircase that went to the second floor.But it was the furniture that grabbed her attention.It was all top quality, and was in a slightly lighter color to complement the walls.There were also pictures of what Li-lah assumed were the older Greencloaks on some of the walls, and all sorts of other information that she couldn't make out.She was surprised, and almos
Mateo sat in his study, his mind occupied by just one woman.Not his mother, not his daughter, not even his wife but a total stranger. A woman he knew very little about and had only met a few times had found a way into his mind, into his heart, into his soul. She was kind, caring, gentle and beautiful.She was odd in the best possible way, eccentric, and unusual.He could still remember her blue eyes as if they were still holding his gaze. He tried! Oh he tried so hard to stop himself from thinking about her, from her thoughts invading his every waking moment. He could not get her from his mind.It seemed she was everywhere.There was something about her that made him think she was watching him.And when he would close his eyes he could see her face as if he were looking through a window.This time his hand had slipped from his forehead and was resting by his lips.He kept touching them unconsciously, not knowing why.An image of her followed, his mind creating a world where she woul
Mateo awoke with a start, panting and hard.He'd had the dream where Maria and caught him together in bed with Li-lah and she had shot him in the head with a stolen gun.Mateo rolled over onto his back, sweating, and sucked in breath, trying to slow down his heartbeat.This was a warning.This was something Maria was capable of doing. He had to kill whatever feeling he was having for Li-lah.* * * *The trio were enjoying their time in the spa as they stood together in the centre of the bathroom while they enjoyed the blue berry cleanse.Seemingly engrossed in conversation, the group spent some time taking selfies in the natural light of the room before settling back in for a well-earned lunch."a contest for bachata dancing? Qué va. How come I would want to do that? That doesn't interest me." Added Natalia."Nor I." Julia echoed this."Oh! Maria, however, declares that she will participate."They were naturally interested when Maria's name was brought up."Maria? Why? Is she really s
Diego closed his eyes and inhaled heavily as he stood in front of the door. His whole body screamed for him to go back but this is for Amelia, this was for Alexander, this was for Roberta.He felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned to face Olivia. "Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked.He nodded. He'd been preparing for this. "Yes, let's go in."Olivia knocked and the door to the meeting room was opened. They had agreed to meet at fuego's elementary.He saw Li-lah, Maria and the school principal present."I'm sorry for coming late, I had to settle other affairs" he said The principal smiled. The excitement of having a top government official, a presidential candidate at that, In her school was apparent to all. "You don't have to apologise sir." She said smiling. "We know how politics can take up your time. Please sit.""Mr Diego Gomez, it's a very big honor to finally meet you." Maria said."The honor is mine" Diego said giving a forced smile. He turned to look at Li-la
The giggles of Julia and Natalia filled the room as they enjoyed dancing with their partners.It was another day of rehearsal and Li-lah had brought the men that would assist the ladies in learning the bachata dance.Maria from where she sat, looked at Natalia and Julia with disdain and disgust. "Look at them. How vulgar." She said distracting Lilah from her phone."What do you mean?" She asked."I mean Julia and Natalia. Look how happy they are to be dancing with other men. Isn't that quite unsophisticated and vulgar?""Wait," Lilah said, noticing Maria's subtle tone. "They are having fun. Maybe you should too?""Huh? No way!" She laughed."I am serious." Li-lah said. She sat thoughtfully for a minute before she continued. "Do you know that dance is a form of rebellion? Of taking back control of their own bodies?"Maria took another sip of her drink before answering. "I don't follow what you're saying.""It is said that those who obey and adhere to order can't dance." Li-lah said as
Chapter 5: The Binding SpellKayla laid on the floor, unconscious. Somewhere inside her mind, she felt herself drift into nothingness. In her mind's eye, she was perched in a corner, her arms around her, with her knee drawn to her chin. She rocked back and forth, unable to shake the feeljng that she was trapped in her own mind. She tried to scream but words refused to form and her very self seemed to fade. The words she wished to utter only echoed in her mind's mind. "Kayla." A small but firm voice called. "Its Lena, your wolf."She heard it, the voice she'd longed to hear for so long."Listen to me kayla. I know you're angry about what happened to your mother, but there's so much you don't yet know. You can't destroy the Redstone pack."Her mouth didn't move but she communed with her wolf. "You show up now? After all these years? You spoke to me once and disappeared after that. My own wolf abandoned me.""I was only trying to protect you, as was your mother. She never meant for
4The room smelled of burning incense and melting wax. It was not a large space but was enough to fit in a brown mahogany table, two wooden chairs and a small bed at the corner. An old clock ticked away on the wall, the sound waking Kayla up from her seeming slumber.Kayla's eyes widened as she realized the strangeness of the environment. She looked around, her blank mind trying to fill in a very important piece of information that was missing from her mind. " where are we?" She asked how the hell did i get here?" "There's an old friend of mine I'd like to talk to." The devil's voice rang from within her. "We need to talk about some boundaries.." She stopped, realizing she had no idea what to call him. "Do you have a name?""Kael." He said after a brief silence and his voice echoed inside her brain."How do you make me do what you want without even realizing it kael? The last thing I remember was waking up in the forest.""Well, we both share your body now, vessel..""Kayla..my nam
Chapter 3: A Second ChanceKayla opened her eyes quickly and cried out for air. Everything around her was spinning, and for a brief moment, she believed she was still in a horrible place. But no, this was not the same. The air was warm and smelled like cooked meat and flowers. She opened her eyes and surveyed the area. She found herself in the staff rooms of Alpha Luther's large property. From a tiny window, she observed the vast courtyard where the biweekly Alpha meeting was happening.Her heart skipped a beat. It was all familiar. Not the staff quaters alone - she'd lived here for the most part of her life- but this night felt like deja vu. This was impossible, but considering that she'd just died in the woods and met with the devil, everything was pretty much possible. This night - this exact moment - was burned into her memory. It was the night her mother died. "No," Kayla whispered, clutching her chest as the realization hit her. "This can't be real."But everything was as sh
chapter 2: a deal with the devil Kayla laughed. It was not a nervous laugh or a soft giggle - it was a loud, unstoppable laugh, the type that comes when things around you are just too strange to understand. She grabbed her stomach, shaking her head."You expect me to believe this? she said between fits of laughter. "You? The devil? And me your avatar? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever -"Before she was done, a loud noise filled the room. The air got hot as fire burst from the person's hand, forming a bright ball of flames. Suddenly, he threw it at her.Kayla yelled, lifting her hands up to protect herself. The dark object stuck to her hand, shining brightly as it created a shield around her. The fireball hit the shield and bounced back at the figure. He lifted his arm to block it, clenching his teeth as the force of the hit sent waves of energy across the room.The room fell silent, the only sound the crackling of the still-burning flames surrounding them. The devil's eyes
Chapter 1: meeting the devilHer breaths came in gasps as she pushed herself forward, one foot after the other in a speed she never knew she possessed. "Lena please." She begged, calling to her wolf but she didn't respond. She hadn’t been able to get through to her for years. But in this desperate moment, she tried. She had no other choice. The silence greeted her, just like it did when they lost contact. It had been that way ever since. She didn't see the huge log In front of her and she tripped on it, falling. A sharp wood pierced her through on her side and her hand flew to her mouth to muffle her screams. She shut her eyes tight and opened them again, blinking back tears. While one hand pulled out the wood, the other one pressed against the wound. It did no much good since the blood kept seeping out. Tears flowed freely from her eyes now. She couldn't do this anymore. She'll give up and let them catch her but her mother's voice rang in her head. "protect it with your life. You m
The winds of change swept through the air as Amelia stepped onto the plane, her heart heavy with the weight of all that she was leaving behind. Mexico had been a place of love, betrayal, heartbreak, and redemption. It had shaped her in ways she could never fully explain. But it was time to move on. She leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes as memories of her family, of Mateo, and of everything they had endured together, flooded her mind. She thought of the quiet moments she had shared with Mateo—the stolen glances, the tender touches, the unspoken words that had once bridged the distance between them. Those moments would forever be etched in her heart, but they were not enough to keep her tethered to a past that no longer served her. Her family—her mother, her father—had been the driving forces behind her fight. Their memories were now the foundation of her resolve. She would honor them by living a life that was not shaped by the darkness that had consumed them but by the stren
The tension in the warehouse was unbearable, the air thick with fear and desperation. Maria stood at the center of the room, her gun trembling in her hand, her child clutched tightly in the other arm. The sound of her erratic breathing echoed in the otherwise silent space. Amelia could feel the weight of the moment, the gravity of everything that had led up to this point. She glanced at Mateo, standing to her left, his face a mix of anger and concern. They had cornered Maria—this was it. The endgame. “Maria,” Amelia called, her voice steady but urgent, “put the gun down. You don’t want to do this. You’ve already lost.” Maria’s eyes darted around the room, panic and defiance battling for control. “You have no idea what I’ve lost!” she hissed, her grip tightening on the weapon. “You’ve taken everything from me. My power, my family… my future.” Amelia took a slow, deliberate step forward, her heart pounding in her chest. She could see the desperation in Maria’s eyes. She could se
The day had arrived. Amelia stood at the podium, her heart racing as the cameras flashed in front of her. The press conference was set, and today, Maria would be exposed for the monster she truly was. Amelia had prepared for this moment for weeks—gathering evidence, making connections, and ensuring that nothing could be dismissed as a lie. This was the moment of reckoning. Amelia glanced down at the folder in front of her. Inside were the irrefutable documents that would bring Maria to justice—details of her illegal activities, her involvement in her father’s crimes, and the horrifying truth behind the murder of Amelia’s mother. Every piece of evidence was meticulously organized, every lie Maria had spun unraveling before her. As she looked out at the sea of reporters and cameras, Amelia felt the weight of what she was about to do. Maria had taken everything from her—her family, her love, her peace of mind—and now, it was time to take it all back. She took a deep breath before beg
The night was heavy with unspoken words as Amelia walked into the private ballroom. She had agreed to meet Mateo under the pretense of settling their differences, but deep down, she knew this meeting would be anything but peaceful. This was the final chapter of their story—the last time their paths would cross before the consequences of everything they’d done came crashing down. Mateo stood by the grand windows, his back to her, staring out at the city below. His shoulders were tense, his profile etched with the weight of everything he had lost. The moment Amelia stepped into the room, he turned to face her, his eyes meeting hers with a mix of pain and longing. “I didn’t think you’d come,” he said softly, though there was a trace of relief in his voice. “I couldn’t let it end like this, Mateo,” Amelia replied, her voice steady but betraying a flicker of emotion. “We have unfinished business.” He took a few steps closer, his gaze never leaving hers. “You’ve made your choice, Am