It was already getting late when I decided to see Peter off. He insisted on being the one to see me off, but I had to convince him to leave it for our next meeting.When we both passed my parents house, I felt her presence. She was in the house; that witch is in my house. I felt anger consume me. How dare she enter that house after destroying my life?“Lilly, are you okay? You seem too quiet; is there something on your mind?” Peter asked, and I quickly smiled, hiding my anger.“I'm fine, Peter; you worry too much.”“Do you want to come in and say hi to my mum? You can even sleepover; we have extra rooms for guests.”“I had love to, but not today. I promise I will come by another time.”“Come visit soon, okay, and stay safe.” He hugged me before saying goodbye. I turned and started walking down the street. Even though the street was lit up with street lights, I still felt like I was being watched.I hastened my footsteps, and so did she. She was hiding in the shadows, so I couldn't see
I woke up to the sound of someone sobbing beside me. It was Lilly; why was she crying so much?"Lilly,” I called her. My voice was so weak, and so was I."Lilly,” I called her again, but she shook her head continuously with her eyes closed. Her hands held mine tightly."Lilly, open your eyes.”“Eric?”“Why are you crying?”“I'm sorry”“Then open your eyes." I managed to push myself up and lean close to her. Her cheeks were all flushed. How long has she been like this?“Then open your eyes." But she shook her head, refusing to."Lilly, please just open your eyes.” I cupped her cheek, wiping her tears off her face. I was glad when she opened her eyes and stared at me. There was disbelief in her eyes for a moment.“Eric?” I smiled at her. She caught me off guard when she rushed into my arms, wrapping her arms tightly around me as she sobbed.“Lilly, why are you crying?” I asked again, not understanding why she was crying so much. It breaks my heart to know that she is hurting.“I missed
I watched her sleep as I tried to ponder what happened between us earlier. Should I even say it was between us since I wasn't in control of my own body? The dragon’s spirit is taking over me little by little, but I'm still amazed.It has never hurt Lilly from the get-go, but now it is trying to be intimate with her. Why do I have this feeling that I'm not the only one who loves having her around? I pressed a kiss on her cheeks before laying her back on the bed.I went into the sitting room and met Jess and Alex. I wasn't expecting to see them awake. Alex had his head resting on Jess’s shoulder with his eyes closed. I never knew they could stay this close without bickering over each other's heads.“Hey guys,” I said, calling for their attention. Alex was the first to come running to me. I wasn't surprised when he hugged me and started faking a sob.“You scared me. I thought you were going to die!” He said. He tightened his hand around me, holding me closer to himself.“Either you let m
I couldn't sleep all night. I was the first to get off bed while leaving Eric behind. I went to the kitchen to grab a glass of water before heading back to my room but was surprised to find Jess in the sitting room.She looked so lost in thought that she didn't notice me standing behind her.“Hey Jess,” I called, drawing her attention.“Lilly, you're up?”“Yeah, I couldn't sleep.” I sincerely told her.“I understand; I couldn't even sleep either. I know we didn't have the chance to discuss Mr. Philip, but today is the day we have been waiting for.I need you to prepare yourself; it's either we bring him down today or nothing.” I just want you to know that there will be reporters. Do you think you can handle that?“I have come this far to let a few people with cameras stop me,” I replied, forcing a smile to my face.“How come your cheeks are all flushed, and your eyes are also swollen? I told you not to cry too much.” Jess said with a worried expression on her face. She walked up to me
When we arrived at my dad’s company, I was so tensed. I was scared of facing Uncle Phillip after all these years, but most of all, I was raged with anger.He was involved in what happened to my family, but yet he lived a comfortable life while I suffered.“Hey, are you okay?” I turned when I heard Eric's voice behind me.“Yeah, I'm good. Are the reporters ready?”“Yes, we just need to wait for Jess to give us an entirely permit."“Okay, I can do this,” I said to myself as I kept taking a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves down.“Hey, relax; you look so tensed.” Eric said, holding my hand in his. I looked up at him and found him staring at me with nothing but concern in his eyes.“I just don't know how to face him. It has already been eleven years, but it still feels like it all happened yesterday.”“I know it's difficult, but I want you to know that I will always be by your side.” He said, pressing a kiss on my cheeks. I smiled at him as I stepped into his arms, lovin' the warmth I
"Congratulations, Lilly,” Jess said as she pulled me in for a hug.“Thank you so much, Jess. It wouldn't have been possible without you three. I bless the day Alex found me.” I said, hugging her back.“I made a fist,” she said and dragged me to the dining room while Eric followed.“I also helped,” Alex said, raising his hand like a child seeking permission to talk.“I know Alex, and I'm very grateful.” I said and hugged him. He hugged me back as he slightly patted my back.“You are welcome, Lilly, but I think it is time we pull away because someone's eyes are shooting daggers at me.” He said as we pulled away from our little hug. I found Eric glaring at Alex and couldn't help giggling.“Guys, let's eat; our food is getting cold.” Jess called after us as we all took our seats. Anna helped us in ditching out the food as we gisted and talked over our success.I have never been this happy in years. It almost felt like a dream. When we were through with dinner, Alex insisted the men do the
She was wearing my oversized shirt, her hair dripping wet and tangled from the shower. The fabric clung to her curves, accentuating her feminine form. Her eyes sparkled as she gazed up at me, a hint of mischief dancing in their depths.She padded softly across the floor, her feet bare and her movements graceful, as if she were gliding towards me. I couldn't help but be drawn to her, my heart racing with anticipation. I set my laptop and glasses aside, watching her every moment.As she moved closer, I could see the faint outline of her legs beneath the shirt and the way the fabric hugged her hips. Her hair dripped water onto the floor, creating a tiny puddle that reflected the light. She didn't seem to notice, her eyes fixed on mine with a playful intensity.I felt my pulse quicken as she drew nearer, the air between us electric with tension. The shirt was unbuttoned just enough to reveal a hint of her chest, and I found myself wondering what lay beneath. She stopped in front of me as
I sat on the bed with my legs hugging my chest. He was fine, and we were both perfectly fine until that side of him showed up.He is probably angry at me; I never should have pretended not to know what he was going through.I know he told me to stay away, but I don't think I can. I need to talk to him. It's been over twenty minutes since he went to the bathroom, and I just can't help being worried.I summoned my last courage and went in search of him. I stood at the bathroom door without knowing what to do. Should I knock or call out for him?With how quiet it's in there, he could hear me. Wait a minute, why is it so quiet in there? He usually has the shower on whenever he is going through this, or else he passes out. My eyes widened in shock as I started banging at the door after noticing it was locked from the inside.“Eric! Eric! Please open up.” Just like I thought, there was no response. I panicked and continued banging and pushing the door with all my strength.I don't know how,
“Lily, Lily, wake up!” A voice whispered in my ear. My eyes fluttered open, and I was met with nothing but darkness. A sharp pain throbbed at the back of my head.I couldn't understand what was happening or where I was. Looking around, I couldn't pick up a single sound or light. But the strange thing was—I was still floating. Then it hit me. I was still beneath the sea. Panic shot through me as I immediately swam up to the surface, but that only made my fear intensify.Nothing made sense. When I reached the surface, the moon that once shone brightly on the sea’s horizon was gone, leaving me and the vast body of water swallowed in total darkness.But the moon wasn’t the only thing missing—the storm had vanished too, leaving the sea eerily silent. A chilling stillness settled over me, and worst of all, I was completely lost, with no way of finding my way back to shore.I turned left, then right, but all I could see was endless water stretching around me. A shiver ran down my spine as pa
“Lily, stop! Please!” Eric’s voice was desperate as another wave slammed into me, knocking me back for the tenth time. I was exhausted, but I didn’t care. That was until Eric stepped directly into my path, blocking me.“Move out of my way,” I said, my voice laced with warning.“No, this is insane!” he shot back, but his words only stoked the fire of my anger.“Why is it insane? Let me guess—you don’t think I can make it to Terranovae, do you?” I asked, staring him down. He avoided my gaze, and that hurt more than the waves ever could. He didn’t even have a shred of faith in me.“Lily, I’m just worried about you! I don’t know what that dragon told you, but the skills he taught you? They’re useless! He’s just setting you up to get yourself killed. Let’s go back to the shore. You’re soaked, you’re freezing—please!” He reached out to touch me, but I stepped back, anger flaring.I stared at him in disbelief. How could he say that to me? “I don’t need you to worry about me, Eric! Worry abou
I walked into the sitting room and found Lily on the couch, her figure slouched as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. She seemed lost in thought, so much so that she didn’t notice me enter.It took a moment before she finally looked my way, and the exhaustion in her eyes hit me like a punch to the chest. Guilt twisted inside me, sharp and unrelenting, as I realized how much pain I might have caused her. I opened my mouth to apologize, to say something—anything—but the words refused to come out.“I see you’re ready. Let’s go. I’m sure Jess and Alex are already waiting for us,” she said, her tone flat, her eyes distant. She didn’t wait for a response as she walked past me and headed outside. All I could do was quietly follow her, the weight of her coldness pressing down on me.When we reached the car, I moved to open the front passenger door for her, hoping she’d sit beside me. But instead, she slipped into the backseat without hesitation, creating an invisible barrier
I stared at him, utterly confused. What is he talking about?“How do you usually do that?” he asked, his eyes scanning me intently.“Do what?” I replied, unsure of what he meant.“How do you always walk in without me hearing you? You did it in the bathroom, and now again. I wouldn’t even have known you were standing behind me if it weren’t for your scent calling my attention to you.” His words made me frown as I instinctively sniffed the air and glanced toward the bathroom, trying to understand what he was referring to.“You smell so good, and I can’t help but admit that your scent was the first thing that kept me grounded—especially the night we met. You know, after witnessing the death of Eric’s parents, it awakened a fierce, protective side of me. A side that always wants to keep him safe. A side that wants to keep us safe.”His confession didn’t just leave me stunned—it set a whirlwind of thoughts racing through my mind.“What? Did you just say you witnessed what happened to Eric’
I stood in front of the mirror, fidgeting with the hem of my swimsuit. It felt like it exposed far too much of my body, leaving me vulnerable and self-conscious. Maybe I should’ve ordered something more modest, but it was too late to change that now. With a deep sigh, I grabbed my bathrobe and headed to the pool, knowing Eric’s dragon side was already waiting for me.A part of me wished Eric, the calm and composed version of him, was in control. But deep down, I knew this was my chance to connect with his dragon side, no matter how intimidating he could be.When I reached the pool, he was already in the water, sitting casually with his back to me. The tattoo on his back drew my attention immediately, as it always did, its intricate details glimmering in the dim light. He must have sensed my presence because he turned to face me, his glowing green eyes locking onto mine. A smirk curved his lips, an expression so different from Eric’s usual demeanor that it made my heart skip a beat.Hi
“Lily, is not going to be easy,” Jess said, but that was not what I wanted to hear.“It has never been easy, Jess, and I’m done waiting around for some miracle when we can end this. What I need right now is everyone’s support. With you, Alex, and Eric, I believe I can do it,” I said, taking her hands in mine. I needed her to see how much I wanted to get this done.“Lily, I believe you can do this, but we don’t have much time. We need to make it back to Terranovae before Eric’s second transformation. I spoke to Eric’s dragon side, and it wants us to find the heart before the second transformation, or both the dragon and Eric will be lost. If that happens, a beast shall be born. It doesn’t matter if Eric or the dragon is in control—they will both go wild because they’ve been together since birth,” Alex said, leaving Jess and me staring at him.“Okay, I’ll help you, but first, I need to heal myself. I can’t help you if I’m this weak,” Jess said, and in that moment, all I wanted was to hu
Just as I suspected, Lily was still sitting in the exact spot she had been when I left earlier. But now, she looked far worse—her face blotchy and swollen, as though she'd been crying the entire time.Eric stood silently at the doorway, his eyes fixed on her. He looked utterly heartbroken, his pain written plainly across his face as he watched Lily in her despair. She hadn’t noticed our presence yet, lost in the dark cloud of her thoughts.And then, her head lifted, her glassy eyes locking with mine for a brief moment before shifting to Eric. Recognition flared in her gaze, and in the next heartbeat, she flew into his arms.Understanding they needed this moment, I stepped out of the room, giving them the space they so desperately needed. I headed toward the sitting room in search of Jess.When I walked in, I found her curled up on the couch, her legs hugged tightly to her chest. Even in sleep, exhaustion clung to her like a heavy weight, her face taut with tension. The sight of her vu
I watched as an enraged roar tore from the dragon’s mouth, reverberating through the water like a violent storm. His massive body shifted with a rippling motion, scales shimmering ominously from his head down to his long, spiked tail. In one swift movement, he swung the deadly appendage toward me.The sharp, menacing spikes aimed my way forced me to dart aside, narrowly avoiding his weapon. He charged at me with terrifying speed as I swam deeper into the sea, frantically searching for a place to hide. My gaze landed on a large rock near the ocean floor, and I surged toward it. But before I could reach it, the dragon beat me there, cutting off my escape.His wings unfurled, creating a shadow that enveloped me, while his spiked tail lashed menacingly through the water. Those piercing green crystal eyes locked onto mine, burning with fury. The intensity of his glare was suffocating, a silent declaration of his rage. He didn’t just see me as prey—he saw me as an enemy.I had nowhere to ru
“No, no, no, we need to find him! Alex, do something!” Lily's frantic cries filled the room. Her face was a portrait of horror, her pale skin only adding to the starkness of the moment. Tears streamed down her face, and her breath came in sharp gasps, the kind that made my chest tighten with worry. I feared she might pass out if she didn't calm down.“Lily, please, look at me. I need you to calm down!” I pleaded, my voice trembling with urgency as I reached for her. But she recoiled, her body trembling violently, only intensifying my concern. I turned toward Jess, who had been standing behind me, silent and distant. The look on her face told me she was too devastated to help.Why is Eric doing this to me? Everything is spiraling, and I'm losing control. How am I supposed to handle Jess, let alone Lily?Before I could even try to speak, Jess moved toward Lily, gently approaching her before pulling her into a tight hug.“It’s okay, we’ll find him. But I need you to calm down,” Jess said