The gate to the mansion opened, and it seemed like I hadn’t been home for years. Everyone was waiting with my mother to welcome me.“What is this drama over just a meeting?” My eyes rolled as the driver pulled the car to a stop.Bernard was waiting there with my mom too, and as soon as the car stopped, he came to the door and opened it for me to get down while extending his hand.I looked at him briefly with disdain that only he could understand before I slowly placed my hand on his for him to pull me out. As soon as I was on my feet, I threw his hand to the side and walked to my mother’s side.The maids all bowed in unison as they chorused, “Welcome back Miss,” but I was not interested in them. They were doing what they were getting paid for and I was already used to such scenarios.“My baby is looking so gaunt. Are they not feeding you well over there? Should I work out your exemption? Even your skin looks darker than normal. Is the place uncomfortable?”Millions of questions flew o
“What am I interrupting? Don’t mind me, I will just drop the cake and leave you to it,” her giggles only made it more embarrassing.“We are not doing anything. He was only adjusting my hair!” My yell was sharp but she just wouldn’t believeHer shoulders went up with a “If you say so,” even though it was glaring that she didn’t buy my excuse.A hot glare was directed towards Bernard for putting me in such an awkward position but he ignored and made matter worse by saying, “I have your permission to take care of her, right?”“Of course! She doesn’t lack money or goods but you know we cannot provide that kind of care for her, right? I will leave you to it and trust that you will treat her right,” she winked at him and rushed out.“Mom!” my temper hit the roof as I turned to Bernard, who was only watching me throw a fit.“Relax! You need to learn how to relax those muscles. They are not meant to be stressed,” his deep voice blared.He moved forward to massage my shoulders but I just threw
|Annabel|Everything happening at once got me on the edge every time. Everything and everyone disgusted me. I kept getting irritated at every little thing for no reason. I couldn’t even control myself or find the exact reason why I kept doing that to everyone. I was on the edge because of the final exams. The final exams signified the end of the years. I could make a free choice but I couldn’t summon the courage to make one.I knew I didn’t want Bernard but I also didn’t have any other way of becoming the heiress if I didn’t get married to him. My dad loves me but not as much as his company’s stock. He would always pick options that would push his company forward. The investment from Bernard’s father was what he kept chewing on, and my mother just loved Bernard even since we met at that resort where his family brought me to mine after getting lost on the beach.“It’s destiny. God decided to bring your man to you at a very early time,” she once told me on the day Bernard’s father propo
We got to the palace just as the Alpha also drove in. We were informed that he had just arrived from a meeting with the Alphas of other packs so he wouldn’t be entertaining any visitors for now since he would have to rest.The Luna was attending to some issues in the court so we had to wait for a bit in the pavilion for her to wrap them up. We were served some snacks and tea while waiting and my father was filling me in on the changes that had been made to the palace’s environment.“The garden is now so beautiful. We got it renovated for the Alpha’s birthday last year.” He told me and urged me to see it before I leave the palace.“The second now has his training center; you know he has to practice and learn with the best martial art teachers now. He will soon be crowned the Alpha so he needs to know everything worthy and expected of an Alpha” he continued and pointed to the right side of the pavilion before adding, “You can find the training center at the side.”He kept telling me sev
As expected, Luna almost drained me with her long and boring talk. She went into all the details of all that had happened ever since I left the pack and how she had been waiting for me eagerly to come back.“You have been waiting for me to come back?” I asked, not sure what she meant by that and she nodded to confirm that she meant what she just said.“Yes! You are my talking buddy so I obviously missed you. Oliver is not around and even if he’s here, he has to train every time. Lucas is not even someone I see at will and the Alpha is busy putting everything in place for the ascension of Oliver once he graduates in a few months’ time. I am so bored, I don’t have anyone to talk to,” her mouth rained down words nonstop.I couldn’t comprehend why exactly she wanted to talk so badly. The Lunas of the pack obviously have their own responsibilities too; why was she behaving like a jobless one?“Oh I see…” My breath dragged as I reached for my neck for a quick scratch.“Do you remember the f
|Oliver|I couldn't get the incident of the library out of my head. I wondered why she was so aggressive about everything and thinks extreme for every situation.She had this aura of insecurity, and it was obvious in her words, actions, and way of reacting to things.“I wonder why she's that way. How was she raised?” I kept thinking about it as I ascended the stairs leading to my room.As soon as I opened the door, Ali showed up in front of me. He was also on his way going out but I just happened to grab the door's handle faster.“Hey! You are here,” his hand flew up in the air before he slowly dropped it when I didn't move an inch or say anything.Ever since that incident, we never talked or did anything together. The room was always quiet, with each of us doing our things separately.I was glad that I didn’t have to listen to him blabber a lot but it wasn't fun either. Even with all that, I wasn't ready to let the issue slide if he wouldn't apologize for feeding me something I never
Everything went back to normal between Ali and me after he apologized. It was as if I had been secretly waiting for his apology. He also suggested that we should visit the hospital again since it had been a while since we went to check on the boy in coma.“We will be starting the final tests soon. I can’t believe he worked hard for nothing.” He sighed as he sat on the bench across the school field.“He’s busy fighting for his life. A school test is not the most important thing right now. He has to wake up first.” I chipped in, and he nodded his head aggressively in agreement before turning to face me.“Don’t you think his parents are being too cruel? What if we call them personally and see what they have to say about his condition? I can’t believe they abandoned him in the hospital and kept sending money over only. That is the highest level of cruelty.” His eyes were filled with tears as he expressed his hurt concerning the situation.He was right, coupled with the fact that none of t
Throughout the trip, I didn’t say anything to her because I was making it obvious that I didn’t like the fact that she followed us. I didn’t want her to repeat the same thing that happened the very first day, and I knew that I had to up my guard around him so he wouldn’t be in danger.Although she claimed it was a misunderstanding, the incident was too vivid to be one. I definitely saw her hand around his neck, and it would make sense if she was trying to end him so he wouldn’t open up about Bernard’s involvement in the incident.Ali chatted with her happily till we got to the hospital and met with his doctor, who told us there had been no big changes ever since we visited the last time.“His parents?”He shook his head, “They still haven’t come to see him in person. His mother only checked him on video call last week.”An unexplainable anger arose from my inside, I was melting with anger as my fist clenched at his revelation. How could they be so cold and brutal? What could be more i
Annabel woke up to the soft hum of the hospital machines, the rhythmic beeping providing a strange sense of comfort. The room was dimly lit, the moon casting a silver glow through the blinds. It was the last night she would spend in this place before being discharged, and though she was relieved, something about the stillness of the night made her restless.Everyone had been by her side throughout the day; Courtney, Dela, Bernard, Oliver, and her parents. She was grateful for their presence, but exhaustion had weighed her down, and she had fallen asleep early. Now, as the silence stretched around her, her eyelids grew heavy once again, and she drifted off into a dream.***A familiar scent of wildflowers and fresh earth surrounded her as she walked deeper into the road. A soft glow shone from behind and Annabel turned to see her mother standing there. Although she wasn’t the one who had raised her, but the one she had lost and the last healer of the werewolf kind, she still felt the a
Annabel blinked as the warm lights of the hospital settled into her vision. She felt light, almost as if she were floating, but the comforting warmth of the blanket tucked around her reassured her that she was safe.Courtney, Dela, and Bernard sat by her bedside, her parents standing nearby as the doctor finished his check-up. The tension in the room had been thick until the doctor finally spoke."Her condition is remarkable. I've never seen a wound heal this fast," he said, pressing gently against her abdomen. Annabel winced slightly, but the pain was nowhere near what she had expected.Her mother let out a breath of relief. "Thank Goodness."Her father nodded in agreement. "So, she'll be fine? We don’t have to worry about any complications, right?"The doctor smiled. "Not just fine. She'll be ready for discharge by tomorrow morning. However, I’d advise her to take it easy for a few more days. She needs to rest a lot and avoid strenuous jobs or activities"Courtney clapped her hands
Murmurs erupted among the officials at the announcement of the Alpha’s purpose for the meeting. The Alpha had made sure the words about Lucas didn’t get out until he was ready to deal with him so they didn’t know what was going on.Oliver was at the right hand of the alpha, trying hard to calm his boiling inside so he wouldn’t ruin the meeting that his father had called.“Bring him in.”The alpha’s voice roared as the guards led Lucas in. He was tied with thick silver chains and his hands were behind his back. The murmurs that had once died down erupted with full force.Some of the officials even had to stand up to be sure they were seeing right. What could warrant a father to have his child bound in chains?“I am an alpha that has always upheld integrity because I believe that is what our pack is built on. There’s no reason for me to jeopardize this belief just because my son is involved. Today, we will be reviewing the crime of the traitor who has done everything evil to turn our pa
The days dragged by in a haze of anxiety and exhaustion. Annabel had not stirred since the surgery. A full week had passed, and yet there was no sign of her waking up. The doctors assured them that her vitals were stable, that she was still fighting, but the waiting gnawed at Oliver like a relentless beast.He sat by her bedside every day, holding her hand, whispering to her.“Are you that angry at me that you don’t want to see me? You look so upset even in your sleep,” he muttered, adjusting the bangs scattered on her face.He talked about anything and everything, hoping his voice would pull her back. He told her about the sunrise, about how the pack was restless without her, about how he needed her to wake up because he didn’t know how to live in a world where she wasn’t conscious. But every day, his words were met with the same steady beep of the monitor and the soft sound of her breathing.He clenched his fists, his exhaustion heaving out.“I need to go back to the pack,” he final
Lucas gritted his teeth as he forced himself up from the floor, his werewolf strength pushing against the poison that coursed through his veins. His muscles ached, his vision blurred for a second, but the sheer will to survive and take Annabel down fueled him. He staggered to the bed and fished out the dagger she had hidden under the pillow."You thought you could outsmart me?" he growled, his voice hoarse but filled with venom.Annabel’s eyes widened as she saw the glint of the blade. She struggled to steady herself, the poison affecting her but at a slower rate than Lucas. Her body was fighting back, her lineage granting her some resilience, but she was far from safe.Before she could react, Lucas lunged at her with his remaining strength, plunging the dagger deep into her abdomen. A sharp cry of pain tore through her lips as she stumbled back, clutching at the blade lodged in her stomach. Blood seeped through her fingers, her breath coming in ragged gasps."You—!" she choked, her
Her driver dropped her in school upon request and she went straight to her room to bid Courtney and Dela goodbye.“So you are bent on not letting us know the resort you are going to with your boyfriend? That’s a mean one,” Dela whined but she only smiled in return“Thank you both for being a good friend every single time. I enjoy doing friendship with you both. There are a lot of memories that I had swam in throughout the night and I just couldn’t help but laugh at this point we have come to,” she said with her voice thinning as she tried not to break down in tearsDela moved to her side and gave her a hug. “Why are you talking as if we won’t see each other anymore? We still have a whole month to graduation and also, we can pull up at each other’s houses anytime. Don’t make a big deal out of this.” “I know right. You are making me so emotional right now. Is there something going on? It’s too early to drop appreciation messages” Courtney chipped in“I just wanted to do it before any o
Annabel had just finished her exams after two exhausting weeks so she decided to crash in her bed throughout the day before heading out to the resort with Lucas the following day. She had packed her bag for the trip and told her friends she won’t be around for the next three days.She knew the probability of coming back dead so she decided to visit her house for the last time. That evening, she had dinner with her parents who didn’t know of her plan in advance.“Are you still going out with that nameless boyfriend of yours? I left you alone because I didn’t want to distract your exams. Now that you are done, it’s time to make your firm decision. I stand with Oliver though, since you have decided to discard Bernard,” her father poured his mind over dinnerShe just sat there quietly slicing through her steak. Her presence at home was not to argue but to pay them a special visit, incase her plan goes south.“I didn’t discard Bernard, I just let him go from the burden and shackles that th
The silence in Lisa’s house was deafening, broken only by the frantic rhythm of her own heartbeat. She moved through the darkened rooms, her hands outstretched, searching for anything that could offer a semblance of security. Every creak of the floorboards, every rustle of the curtains, sent shivers down her spine.She tried the light switches, but nothing happened. The house was plunged into complete darkness. “Hello?” she called out, her voice trembling. “Is anyone there? Where are you all?”Only silence answered her questions. She stumbled towards the living room, her hands groping for her emergency flashlight. It was gone. Panic began to rise in her throat, choking her. She knew she wasn't alone.Her parents had gone out of town for the evening so she was the only one at home. She expected Lucas to move but didn’t know it would be this fast.A sudden, sharp pain erupted in her head as she turned to find her way back to the room, and the world dissolved into blackness.When Lisa re
The morning sun cast long shadows as Lisa pulled up to the familiar café. It was a place that held countless memories, both joyful and painful, now tainted by her recent betrayal. She took a deep breath, the scent of roasted coffee doing little to calm her nerves. Today was about redemption, or at least, a desperate attempt at it because she wasn’t sure how it would turn out at the end of the day.She stepped inside, the warm, inviting atmosphere a stark contrast to the coldness that had settled between her and her friends. Carly, Amara, Jacob, and Flora were seated at their usual table, their expressions a mixture of apprehension and guarded curiosity. Lisa walked towards them, her heart pounding.“Hi,” she said softly, her voice barely a whisper.A tense silence filled the air. Carly, ever the pragmatic one, spoke first. “Lisa. You said you wanted to talk.”Lisa nodded, pulling up a chair. “I do. I… I need to apologize. I was wrong. So terribly wrong.”Amara, her eyes filled with a