EARLIER THAT DAY, BACK AT NICHOLAS'S MANSION.Nicholas stormed into his formal-living room, his chest heaving with control breaths. His eyes fell on Sheila, who was standing by the fireplace, pouring herself a glance of scotch from the wine bar.“Is all of these a joke to you?” He started in a low tone, the anger and disappointment evident in his voice.Sheila shrugged as she slowly gulped down the hot drink. “Dunno what you're talking about.” She answered nonchalantly, without even looking at him.“Sheila!” His voice bellowed, commanding her attention. Then he paused, clenching his teeth in simmering anger as he rested his palms on his waist, as if pondering on how to scold a stubborn child.Sheila wore a mask of disdain and nonchalance on her face. “Nicholas,” She started. “All I did was what you asked —train her. She is the one who you should be yelling at for being too weak and unable to take a couple of punches. Not me.” She stated sharply.“We both know you made no attempt in tr
11:00 PM. AT SHEILA'S DELUXE CONDO.Once again, utterly frustrated, infuriated, once again feeling betrayed, Sheila paced back and forth her balcony. Her fingers were called into ball, her claws digging in painfully into the flesh of her palm.The nights breeze did nothing to cool her temper. It blew hot air against her skin, while simultaneously, her insides churned and burned with a fiery rage that threatened to consume her. Her brows knotted, her face contorted with both pain and anger. The heat from the overwhelming emotions sent salty sweat down her forehead, her neck, and her back. Sheila felt extremely hurt, and she couldn't contain it.She felt the unnerving urge to yell, so loud that the whole world could hear. She could hear her heart pound rapidly as she paced. Her chest heaved with heavy breaths, her lips parted, gasping breathlessly. In just a week, she had lost Nicholas, her pack, her title —thoughts that raced her mind. It was too much for her. Sheila had never felt s
Kimberly woke up to the shimmering rays of dawn that cast into her room, and a melodious chirping of birds on the distant trees. She stirred, her gaze drawn to the window with its slightly opened curtains. A warm, golden glow cast upon her face, and a gentle smile spread across her lips. It was a tender expression of an unfamiliar feeling: Safety. Belonging. She felt safe in his mansion. Safe in her new room. She felt like she belonged there, in his mansion, in his pack, with him.Two weeks ago, she remembered waking up in her childhood bed in her cozy bedroom, drenched in sweat. Two weeks ago, she had turned eighteen. Two weeks ago, who could have known that it was the beginning of the end of her life as she had known it?However, as warned, her new life came with a seriously demanding schedule, and training topped the list. As if being poked by the memory of what had occured in her bedroom the last time she was late for her training session, Kimberly's eyes opened wide with urgen
Letting go of her already healed ear, Kimberly's face darkened. Clenching her teeth together, determination washing through her.“Again!” Nicholas instructed. “Take a deep breath, listen, focus. Tell me what you hear.”Kimberly stood calm, taking in a long deep breath as she listened. Once again, she could hear the overlapping waves of the ocean, but that seemed not to be enough, so she concentrated harder. Then she could hear it clearly, nothing else, just the waves but louder.Drifting her attention back to the trees, she could hear the birds singing. She paid more attention, in her head, the birds appeared to be singing closer than before. “Tell me what you hear.” Nicholas repeated, his voice a slight distraction to her focus. “I… hear… arghhh!” She yelped again, her face now burned red.“Kimberly!” He sounded like a disappointed father. “Your reflexes are too weak, too dull!”Kimberly felt an ache in her heart. “Okay, don't blame me for having to take a dozen dosages of medicati
Confusion overwhelmed her and it was evident in her deeply furrowed brows. She rubbed her eyes, in an attempt to adjust the disorientation from the sudden transition from darkness to light. But it was a futile effort. She gazed upon her empty palm, utterly perplexed. She could no longer feel the weight, or the sharp pressing of the assumed blade. It was almost like it was all in her head.“Congratulations, Kimberly, you just passed your first training session.” Nicholas announced, looking at her with an amused smirk.Kimberly's gaze lifted to meet his subtle smirk, “I.. I don't understand.” She stuttered, “I caught it. It was here in my palm, but now… it's gone.” She explained, pointing to her palm with the other hand for emphasis.Surprisingly, Nicholas seemed unperturbed and it deeply confused her. “There were no blades, there were no cuts on your skin, it was all in your mind.” He said coolly, his eyes never leaving hers. “It's one of the things I can do, you can call it one of m
Meanwhile, Sheila woke up to the piercing ringing tone of her new phone shattering the still quiet of the early morning. Groggily, she swung legs over to the side of the bed and planted her feet firmly on the ground. Rubbing her eyes, she strode to the dresser table, where her phone laid, vibrating with nuisance.Snatching her phone in a vigorous manner, she swiped right and placed it over her ear. “Hello!” She started, her voice filled with both irritation and anticipation.“Sheila Black?” A familiar masculine voice, with a Mexican-American accent, echoed at the end of the line.“Jerry!?” Sheila exclaimed in a tone that seemed angry but at the same time, relieved. “What's going on? I've been unable to reach you guys, I tried calling and messaging…”“Last night, we almost got busted .” Jerry’s bold tone responded curtly. Sheila's voice tightened. “What happened?”“We had to touch our gear —our phones, laptops, everything.” Jerry explained. “We're setting up in a new location right n
Flashback to when Sheila had terrified Madison in her car after she testified at the police station. In a frenzy, Madison raced the car home, her heart threatening to jump out of her throat. The panic gradually began to wear her down as her mind reeled with what she had seen and heard: Glowing eyes, fangs, and an animalistic growl. SHEILA WAS NO HUMAN! In her thoughts, Madison had fearfully admitted. Still, a tinge of uncertainty lingered. But she knew there was only one person who would make her feel less insane and also confirm what she had seen —her mother. Meanwhile, Madison swiftly unlocked their compound gate with the security code and speedily dashed the car inside. As soon she parked her car in the garage, she hurriedly ran for their car porch, screaming for her mother to tell her what she'd seen, having felt overwhelmed by her discovery.“Mom!” She yelled as she slammed the door behind her. “Mom!” She raced up the stairs to her mother's bedroom but found it empty.She check
In continuation from the past: At Mickey’s Pub, Margaret’s eyes followed the man who she had been following as he sturdily sauntered to a corner of the pub, where men in his same attire gathered, all engaged in different pub activities. She headed for the bar and stood before a tall, sweaty, cranky-looking bartender. “May I have a glass of champagne?” She said casually, reaching for her purse in her handbag. She heard the bartender snort in a ridiculing manner. She paused to look at him with a questioning expression.The bartender leaned forward and opened his mouth to speak while Margaret leaned backward to avoid the odor that oozed from his mouth. “We don't sell champagne here, Pretty.” He said with a smirk that exposed his yellowish-brown tooth.“What do you sell, then?” Margaret asked, her expression unyielding.Still leaning forward, He proudly listed what he had. “Beer, Gin, vodka, whiskey, tequila, rum, soda, anything but champagne for a woman of your specialty…” the bartender