Bella:Winter break had finally arrived, and although many unpleasant emotions hung in the air, I tried my best to focus on the good things. Hazel and her aunt were leaving for an island in the Western region of Moonfire, the Rune pack’s territory. This trip stirred up old memories for me. Plus, my father had called a while ago to ask if I wanted to spend the holidays with him, and I still hadn’t given him a reply. I didn’t blame him for letting me go, but his desire to have me back, knowing I would always feel like an outcast, made me unsure about going.“So, have you decided how you would like to spend the holiday?” Hazel asked, cutting through my thoughts as I placed her luggage in the trunk of her aunt’s car. “We only have about four weeks left, and we’ve wasted the last three weeks crying over my terrible relationship,” she said, and I cleared my throat.I had cried with her, but not only because of her own problems, but also mine.I wanted to see my dad, but I couldn’t face him.
Bella:The car’s tires crunched over the snow-covered driveway as we approached the grand estate. Tall, ancient trees lined the path, their branches heavy with snow, casting long shadows on the ground.As we pulled up to the house, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of awe and apprehension. The mansion stood tall and imposing with its stone walls and gothic architecture. I glanced at Kai, and he gave me a reassuring smile, though I could see the tension in his eyes.We stepped out of the car, our breaths visible in the cold air. The front door opened, and there she stood—his grandma. Her presence was commanding, her silver hair pulled back into a tight bun, and her eyes were sharp and assessing like the retired warrior she was.“Welcome,” she said in a firm voice. “I’ve been expecting you.”Kai stared at her for a moment longer before she grabbed him and pulled him close, pressing him tightly against her body with their cheeks colliding. She then let go of him and pulled his cheeks very h
Bella:I couldn’t get the fact that Hazel came from a line of witches out of my mind. Could it be a coincidence? She was weird, and she had all these odd trinkets she brought from home. It was starting to add up.“Are you still up?” I heard Kai’s drowsy voice, causing me to turn and see him with his left cheek plastered on the pillow as he faced me. “Hazel is probably enjoying her life a million miles away, and you’re trying to figure out if she is a witch by losing sleep?” he asked, sitting up and wrapping his arms around my waist.It wasn’t a big deal to him, but to me, it meant everything. What if Hazel knew I was a hybrid and kept it hidden all this while? But she was a wolf. A wolf couldn’t be a witch unless she was a hybrid, too.“Shoot!” I slapped my forehead, my heart palpitating.“What?” Kai asked, and I realized I had panicked aloud. I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck.“I thought I saw something in the sky, and I was going to say, shooting star... you know,” I said. H
Bella:I loved Kai as my mate, but with each passing day, it felt like I was suffocating. First, I discovered Hazel could be a witch, and for the past three days, Kai’s grandma had been cleansing the house of supernatural energies, which meant she was trying to get rid of me. I loved spending time with him, but I had never prayed so hard for Finn to come and get me.“The twenty-fifth is almost here, and all hands need to be on deck!” Kai’s grandma yelled as we made our way downstairs for breakfast. “We have a lot to do, and I doubt thirty hours will be enough, so everyone needs to work to earn their meal!” she added in a loud tone, and I glanced at Kai.“She hosts her children on the twenty-fifth and the twenty-sixth, so we have to prepare for this large banquet. The servants will handle the meal and the baking, while I enjoy going to the woods to get the tree,” he whispered, and I nodded, trying to understand why we had to labor to eat.Christmas with my father was always easy; all I
Kai:“Aren’t we supposed to be fetching the tree for your granny?” Bella asked as she got out of the water, her entire body dripping wet.Her words barely registered because my entire being was focused on her smooth skin, glistening in the winter sun.“Kai!” she called out, snapping me out of my trance, but not completely.I had been with her just a few days ago, but the fact she would leave with Finn in two days made me want her every second. It was freezing, and I would have loved to add having sex in a hot spring to my list, but it wasn’t private.“Sorry, I got carried away,” I said, standing up while she rubbed her arms to warm herself as she walked to the car to get her clothes.We both got dressed quickly, and I set out to cut the tree. Soon, it was loaded onto the truck, and we headed home. On our drive home, I tried to concentrate, but my mind wandered to her juicy lips and her succulent bosoms, clouding my mind with the dirtiest thoughts.I had to have her, and soon.We stopp
Bella:The constant ringing of Kai’s phone woke both of us. He wrapped his arms tighter around me, pressing me to his chest as he tried to burrow deeper into sleep, hoping to avoid answering the call. It was our last day together, and in a few hours, Finn would be here to take me away.“Just pick it up already,” I said when the caller wouldn’t relent.He groaned, letting go of me, then rolled to the other end of the bed to grab his phone off the nightstand. He said only a syllable to the caller before ending the call.“It’s Finn. He’s already on his way with our parents,” he said, pulling me closer and kissing my forehead gently. “I can’t believe you’re leaving today,” he added, a deep sigh escaping his lips.“You say it like you won’t see me in fourteen days,” I replied, feeling his grip tighten. “I might pass out if you keep doing that.”I wriggled out of his embrace and gently caressed his hair with my hand, his beautiful grey eyes opening, filling me with a pang of sadness.“You a
Bella:The ride from the Dusk Pack to the Thorne Pack was longer than I had expected. It had been four hours since we left their grandma’s house, and we were only just arriving at the boundary of the Thorne Pack. My mind couldn’t shake off my encounter with Halle, and her talk about Hazel left me curious, but there was no one to provide the answers I sought.As we drove into the pack’s territory, I saw something zoom past us with incredible speed, causing me to glance into the side mirror. There was nothing there.“What’s that?” Finn asked, his hands steady on the wheel. I shook my head, trying to dismiss it. “You must be tired from the journey,” he said, and I forced a smile.The surrounding energy grew strange, sending shivers up my spine. I immediately knew something was off about the road, making me momentarily forget about Halle.“Bella,” Finn called out again, glancing at me briefly. I forced another smile. “Do you want me to make a stop?” he asked, slowing the car. Before I cou
Bella:The next day, a sweet smell that attacked my nostrils awoke me, causing me to open my eyes to see Finn leaning on one hand, watching me with a smile. His hair was rough, but he smelled like soap, evidence that he had already taken a bath.“Good morning,” I muttered, trying to keep my eyes open while he planted a kiss on my lips.“I made breakfast,” he said, a smile creeping onto my face.I tried not to compare my time here to that of Kai. Granny had kept us fed, but Finn was keeping me fed, and it made me happy.“What did you make?” I asked, throwing my arms around his neck and kissing his lips.“You’ll have to find out,” he replied, pulling away from me. Then he got to his feet.I sat up, taking his hand, which he had held out for me, and he pulled me up, causing my face to collide with his chest, giving him an opportunity to steal a kiss from my forehead. We left the room and made our way downstairs. I was fine on my feet, but halfway down, he thought it wise to sweep me into
Third Person Pov:After a few minutes, Hazel sat up in bed as sweat clung to her skin while she stared blankly at the dark room. The thoughts of what had happened earlier still swirled through her mind, and Riley’s comforting presence next to her did little to soothe the icy knot of fear and dread settling deep in her stomach. Something about the nightmare didn’t feel right—it felt far too vivid, and too real to be just a dream. Her parents’ faces and the accusations in their voices couldn’t be figments of her imagination, and the witch in her refused to let it go.“No,” she whispered in a shaky breath.Riley’s hand rubbed soothing circles on her back. “Hazel, it was just a nightmare. It’s okay—”He tried to convince her with a sleepy voice, but Hazel shook her head sharply, pushing the covers off her body as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed.“It wasn’t just a nightmare, Riley,” she said firmly, trying to steady her voice. Her parents had never come to her, and now that the
THIRD PERSON POV:One would have thought Bella was crazy because of what she was seeing, but she was far from that. She wasn’t the only one plagued by ghosts, but no one knew this for now. While Bella was battling the ghost of Joseph Black-Moon, Hazel was in the Dusk Pack with Riley, trying to enjoy her weekend.They had spent the entire day driving from the Frost pack to his father’s mansion at a beach with a good ocean view. Finally, they got there in the evening.“My butt hurts,” Hazel groaned as soon as Riley came to a halt in the enormous mansion in front of them.Riley leaned in to kiss her cheek. “You can rest all night now, and we can do whatever we want tomorrow.”He spoke as though he hadn’t been the one driving the entire time while Hazel had done nothing but play songs, read a book, and sleep through the entire ride. They both got down from the car, and Riley took Hazel’s bag from her, grabbing her hand with his other hand, then they made their way to the front door. He sl
Bella:“What?” I asked, staring at Finn.“Is something wrong?” Finn asked, and I shook my head at once, shutting my book and getting to my feet. “Bella, is something wrong?” I felt a slight shiver as his hands grazed my skin, then I turned to face him.For a moment, I battled with my mind, wondering if I should spill what I knew to him, but if I didn’t, I would have to solve whatever this was, and I didn’t want to follow the same path I did with Fae.“He is the man from my dream last night.” The words came out of my mouth, and Finn stared with his face contorted in confusion.I sighed, then walked back to the bed.“I had a nightmare last night,” I said to him, and he sat close to me as I started narrating everything I could remember from the dream.I ended by saying, “The dream felt so real, and I have a scar from it.” I showed him the mark on my hand, and he ran his hands over it.“According to Hazel, you didn’t kill Bonnie, so why is she mad at you? She should be mad at Sebastian.”
Bella:Today was cheerful enough for most of the students at Howlstone Academy. The vibrant energy of exam prep filled the air, a relief from the tension that had shadowed the halls two weeks ago when Fae was expelled. There were no bullies lurking around to ruin the day, and for once, I didn’t have to glance over my shoulder, expecting someone to plot my demise.As usual, I walked to class with Hazel and the triplets. The sun streamed through the tall windows, casting long beams across the polished floor, but something about the brightness felt off. It was too cheerful, too perfect. As soon as we stepped into the hallway, the bell blared through the air, startling me.“That’s the bell for class,” Hazel said, her voice snapping me back to reality.“See you guys later,” I said to the triplets, giving them a quick wave as I grabbed Hazel’s hand.We made our way down the corridor, the familiar hum of conversation and footsteps filling the space. At our lockers, I grabbed the books I need
THIRD PERSON POV:CONTINUATION OF FLASH BACKAll hell was let loose when the Luna knew that the first child would be a girl, but there was nothing she could do immediately. This made her decide she would stress Evelyn out so much in order to cause a miscarriage. She started maltreating Evelyn throughout the pregnancy, but she never did this in front of Herald. She was a saint when he was around, but the moment he stepped out, the two women were at loggerheads.Herald believed that Evelyn’s constant nagging was from the effects of the pregnancy, so he provided more material things for her without waiting to hear her out each time she tried to complain to him. This continued until the Fifth month of the pregnancy when Evelyn started spotting. The stress had weighed her down so much that her body could no longer take it.She was placed on bed rest, and she feared her baby would die. That same night, she woke Herald up because she was in a lot of pain, but he didn’t believe that she would
THIRD PERSON POV:Evelyn knew that her life without Fred wasn’t going to be rosy, but she didn’t expect what her in-laws had in store for her. On her first night at the Rune pack, she asked for a room where she could be alone, but her mother-in-law laughed.“What do you think you are here for?” she questioned, and Evelyn stared at her, unsure of what she was playing at. “You just got married, and you act like you do not know what couples do on their first night together. I mean, you have done it before, so continue from…”“I didn’t sleep with Herald,” Evelyn said, but Kate didn’t care.She had achieved what she wanted, and she was certain she had secured beautiful and strong grandchildren to take over their lineage.“Lie all you want, child, but you will sleep with your husband tonight, and you both will produce an heir for this family,” she said, and then Evelyn watched the guards move her things into Herald’s chamber.Herald, on the other hand, didn’t return on time that night. The
Bella:I felt the air being knocked out of my lungs as I asked my mother the question. She hurriedly shut the door, then faced me, shaking her head.“Why would you say that, Bella?” she asked, and I shrugged.“That day in your office, when Hazel talked about things that reminded you of the past, you glanced at me. You must not like me that much, and I definitely remind you of something you want to forget,” I said, watching her shut her eyes momentarily.“I do not hate you, Bella, and I never would. Of course, you remind me of my past because you are my daughter, and I’ve had you for sixteen years plus, and—”“Mum, stop!” I cut her off, raising my tone, forcing her to fall silent.I was tired of being driven around in circles. I wanted answers.“I need to know what happened with you and Dad because it kills me every single time I think about it,” I said, and she scoffed, shaking her head.“You do not need to know everything, Bella, and it’s called the past for a reason. So, do you want
Bella:“Good riddance to bad rubbish,” my mother said, and for the first time, I felt relieved standing close to her.Emily had said a lot about her last night. She had sent Emily’s mother to rescue me, and although it didn’t seem like much, I was grateful she was willing to save me even after all her threats to hand me over when I got discovered.As soon as the Stormclaws exited the school, I turned to leave, but my mother reached for my hand.“We are going for a drive,” she said, and I swallowed hard.This time, I didn’t pull away violently. I allowed her touch to seep in, and it felt a little less cold than it always had.“It’s Saturday, and I need to study,” I said, and she shot me a death glare before cocking her head towards her car, which stood in the parking lot.I took a deep breath, walking towards it. As soon as we got into the car and the doors were locked, she placed both hands on her lap, gripping them tightly. My heart raced as I expected her to do something drastic, bu
THIRD PERSON POV:The moment Emily’s mother said this, the haze in Fae’s eyes cleared at once, but it was too late.“What?” Fae asked as the guard came after her. “Principal Evelyn, I am sorry, and I... I didn’t mean it,” Fae tried to apologize, but no one seemed to listen, and the guard grabbed her hand at once.“Take her away, and I will call her parents right away!” Emily’s mother said to the guard, but then Fae bit him in the hand, causing him to yelp in pain.“That’s it!” the man growled, grabbing both hands and putting them behind her.“This isn’t right, and if you do not unhand me, you will face my father. You will face his wrath, I tell you! This isn’t the end, Howlstone! You cannot treat a Stormclaw like this and get away with it!”Her voice vanished in the distance as the man dragged her back to the dormitory.“Go back to bed right now!” Barry yelled at the students who were still watching, and they all groaned, putting away their phones and sliding away from the windows.In