Rose only managed to take two steps forward. Others would be excited to see their mother after such a long time passed. But she was not like others. Besides, she couldn't recall the last time she had any memory of her mother. If not for her father, Vanessa wouldn't have crossed her mind, not even by mistake. “What am I doing here?” she asked. “Why did you kidnap me away from my luxury home to this shithole?” Vanessa was expecting an emotional moment. “I thought you’d be happy to see me.” “Who the hell are you?” Vanessa rolled her eyes. “I am your mother. Or isn't that clear enough?” It was. First was the blonde hair, then the sharp jawline and pointed nose. No sane human or spirit would see these two and not recognize there was some connection between them. “No. If you were my mother, I wouldn't have to meet you in this smelly bunker, dungeon, or whatever you call it! If you were my mother, you wouldn't have run out of my life. You would have looked for me,” Rose said
Chapter 95Shocking Revelations “Grim?” Rose asked, wanting to make sure she was heading in the right direction. “Yes. He was one of the warriors at the time. He has also been a good companion of ours. But he went behind me and poisoned the mind of the pack against me. He was vying for the throne, and the only way he could get there was to go like me or you. With you in the picture, he has just seen the perfect excuse.” You mean that it was Grim who had gone around spreading all those rumors about you?” Her mother nodded. “He wouldn't do that. The man I know is kind-hearted. He might have been reckless in the past, but believe me, a lot has changed since the last time you saw him.” “The last time I saw him, he had a knife to my throat, threatening that I should flee the pack or else he would murder me and you. That's why I left and went into hiding. I would have carried you along, but I knew damn well that you were safer with your father.” She grabbed Rose's hands. “I had no
Chapter 96Grim stood by, pacing around the shrine. The sorceress sat across from him, legs crossed and silent, watching him scurry about the room in an indefinite whirlwind. "When you are wise enough to scrape off the filth upon your floor, you better bet you meant to fix it." He paused, turning sharply to glare at her with reddened, sleep-deprived eyes. "Is that what you're worried about? It's been two days since I have not seen Rose, and you're worried about the damn floor?!" He scoffed. "For someone who claimed to be her best friend, you seem too relaxed about all this. Maybe you didn't care about her after all." The sorceress hissed. "That was a low blow, even for you. You know that there is nothing more important to me than finding her. But acting restless isn't going to help. How about you sit down, and we can try to figure out a way out of this? Did you even get any sleep last night?" No, he hadn't, and it showed. He had the men searching deep into the night, and his
Chapter 97 Vanessa cleared her throat. "That is a matter that you shouldn't let yourself get involved with for your safety. That is something you shouldn't seek answers to, or else you're going to get yourself in trouble." In trouble? Why the hell was he out here if it wasn't for trouble? "You didn't have to say it that way. Just answer my question. Since you claim to be so perfect, I want to know why you stole the Orb of Power." Rose wanted to find some fault in this woman. She had come here without the intention of satisfying her reputation. But so far, she seemed to be spotless, without a blemish. It was almost like she had proved Rose wrong. "I did it for the future judgment of the world. If I didn’t, that orb would have fallen into the wrong hands, and it would have caused the greatest chaos the world has ever seen," Vanessa explained, her eyes widening. "Along with the world. Can you just get straight to the point where you hit the nail on the head? Or is that to
Chapter 98 Rose scanned around the room for the closest thing to a weapon. No, it was not for defense. It was definitely for the attack. “Hand me a knife or something—I need to kill someone,” she said in ragged breaths, heading towards Vanessa. It was hard to slow her down, but her mother eventually managed to challenge her. “Slow your roll. I want to put an end to him as much as you do. But we should at least hear what he has to say.” “It has been lies all his while. Anytime I gave him an audience, I got back nothing but deceit. Who is to say that this time will be any different?” She drew in a long breath. “You know what? Maybe I should answer the door.” Vanessa already knew what was going to happen if she agreed to that wish. She would have to get Judy to clean up the blood of the helpless fool off her doorstep. That would help no one but further her wrath. “Settle down, Rose. Let me handle this.” Rose watched her mother walk to the door. The urge to disobey her g
Chapter 99 Grim carried his burden of shame and disappointment as he trudged back home. His last string of hope had been snipped off. He had lost the orb, and he had lost his wife. In the next two days, he was about to lose his pack as well. There was nothing else he could lose—except for his life, of course. The pains from the attack were biting him from all angles, but he wasn't concerned in the slightest. There was a greater pain that muffled the itching and bleeding. Losing Rose hit the hardest. There was no winning without her. And even if there was, he didn’t want it. He wanted her. But Vanessa wouldn’t let that happen. Over her dead body. “What the hell did I ever do to annoy that woman? Why is she so pissed at me, even after all I had done was punish her for her wrongdoing? Did she expect me to keep shut and let her go on causing damage and breaking the rules?” he asked the Sorceress. He had gone straight to her domain after he had returned from his eventful journe
Chapter 100 They say karma is a bitch. This afternoon, it has come back to bite Grim in the ass. The scenes of Vanessa's impeachment, which he was very much involved in, kept replaying in his head. It was in this same manner. Everyone stood by him while he gave them reasons to kick her out. His argument had been based on the fact that he believed that she was in the wrong, and that was the same mentality of the man trying to kick him out. Now he knew how Vanessa felt, why she never got over what had happened to her. You do your best for a pack, only to be kicked out because of allegations. Regret washed over him. Maybe he should have apologized regarding the cabbage with her. Experience is the best teacher, and he has been taught that what he had done to her was wrong. “Is that how you all feel?” The men broadened in response. Most of them were taking sides and believing Alistair with the cause of kicking him out of office. “Indeed. So after all I have done for you
Chapter 101 A few of the magnitude obeyed the order. But as you would assume, it was only a handful, a handful that was an insignificant number compared to the ten or twenty others that had voices weaker. Alistair cleared his throat, turning to Grim. “Lord Grim. I think with this, you have just been outvoted enough. We need you to broadcast the decision to the people. It's time you make it easy and hand over the mantle. There isn't time for a formal ritual of handing over, but we will have to make do, especially with the incoming battle. It's time you get the hell out.” He was in disbelief. It's one thing to take away his rulership seat, but it was another thing to kick him out of the coven. “Are you chasing me out of the pack?” Grim asked with fury. “You have been nothing but detrimental to the coven. I can't have the people walking about and having to live in constant terror of you. It's best for everyone if you leave and never return.” The man took a moment to let out a
Chapter 112The Twist After the gruesome demise of Jaxon in the hands of Reed, the Solemn Roar Pack had finally accepted the bitter truth that there was no one else who could stand up to their new Tyrant. It had seemed that as Jaxon died, the last spark of resilience and bravery left with him. A cold void that would later be filled by the most unlikeliest of persons.~Sequel to Chapter 58Jaxon's blurry vision was followed by a weary mind. An expression of the weight he carried with him to the afterlife, or so he thought. Unfortunately, his journey to peace was far from over, and just above what seemed like a cliff shone a bright light on the horizon."Jaxon." A voice so subtle yet familiar called out to him from behind, chills struck down his spine as he suspected that it would indeed be the voice of his judge. The wolves believed that the herald of the Luna goddess was the one tasked to give the verdict of one's destination."Alpha Vale. How is... this possible?" His tone trembled
Chapter 111 Grim had already seen the scheme play out. Even before she could move the sword, he had already felt his head roll off his shoulder and his throat wastes hastily to the floor. It was not new news that he hated him and would not make it less so if this opportunity had just been bestowed on her. She drew the knife on one fast love arm, and he gasped. “You’re lucky my daughter seems to find something in you.” He kept checking his name. And when he had concluded that it was still whole, he breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you for sparing my life,” he said, leaning against the pile once again. “I shouldn’t have. Now I’m regretting why I didn’t, now that it’s too late. With the way you ruined my life, who wouldn’t if the same thing was done to them?” “I regret it as well. I regret leaving you like that because now I know how it feels to have someone so close betray you like that. I had the self-reflection I needed, and I’m here to say I’m sorry.” It felt great h
Chapter 110Vanessa’s breath came in sharp, ragged bursts as she stepped onto the battlefield. The air reeked of scorched earth and blood and was filled with something fouler, something *alive*. Magic. Wild and hungry. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a drumbeat of fury and fear. She’d felt it was the moment Rose lost control. That shockwave of power, tearing through the night like a scream. It had iced her veins, screaming one truth: *Too late, too late, too late—* And now, as the chaos unfolded before her, her worst nightmare took shape. Rose hung limp over Reed’s shoulder, her hair a tangled curtain, her body too still. Vanessa’s chest caved in. *No. Not her. Not my girl.* Rage erupted inside her, white-hot and vicious. It begged for violence, for teeth and blood and fire. But she choked it down. This wasn’t the time for fury. This was the time for precision. One misstep, one reckless move, and her daughter was gone. Her eyes locked onto Reed. He stood there, smug, *v
Chapter 109 A touch from Rose was all it took to put Grim in a good mood. Suddenly, the pain didn’t matter. All his senses were heightened, and a couple more strands of strength were added. This was a reminder of what he had been fighting for. She was worth it. She was worth every bruise, every scar, every drop he had spilled in the war. He would do it all over again for her and only her. “Is this because I talked about your father?” “Don't do this, Reed! She said no!” Grim said, leaning forward. He was trying to avoid the dark side of her coming to the fore. “Stay out of this, Grim. She is just being stubborn and needs to be reminded of what happens to people who think they can mess with me and get off free.” He slowed his tone, focusing his gaze on Rose alone. “I absorbed their necks right in front of their daughter. I ripped their hearts out.” Rose was fighting hard, but the image of her father’s face, begging in his last moments, wouldn't stop popping up in her min
Chapter 108Rose sat on the porch stairs, gazing into the distance. She could see it. The flames rising into the sky, the screams for help. Yes, the scent of blood had gotten to her as well. She could thank her hidden vampire sense of smell for that. It was just her and Vanessa at home. She had been sensing something was coming. Rose was waiting for her. She wanted to be the first to get the news of Judith’s return. Why hadn’t she snuck out yet? She was afraid of getting caught. It was an easy path to take back to the palace. But what could she do if she got there, huh? Werewolves now hated her. If she showed up, it would mean no surprise that they would either tear her to death or put the blame for what they were facing on her. To avoid that, she had stayed put. This was not a time for her tricks. The war was serious. Her mind kept wondering if Grim was still alive. Was he safe? The place she had seen him seated looked familiar to her. It was in Noetvelle, and that me
Chapter 107If looks could kill, Reed would have been on the floor, spirit unbound, blood-filled. That attack would not be from the thousands of people waiting patiently to see him for his downfall. It could be from Grim. If not for the sorceress keeping him in check nothing would have stopped him from reaching out his hand and blocking both of its eyes. it might not have been successful but at least they would have tried. He had heard the stories about how Reed had treated Rose, how he had tortured our father and chased her from the pack. On top of that he had the guts to call her his wife?“I have no idea who you are talking about,”* Grim replied, picking up a piece from the floor. “Oh, man. I love that vase,” he said, running his hands along the vase. “You’re going to have to pay for that.” He was stalling. If you thought the man was interested in an average deal with his villain, you were terribly wrong. It was a clever and subtle attempt to stall, and he was doing it on purp
Chapter 106Talk about chaos and bloodshed. It quickly puts you in the direction of the battle. Why, you ask? Why was this very revered place suddenly turned into a battlefield for survival, where very few could make it out? Well, I'm going to tell you. Because it started with a... "Bang!" The sound of the metal gates falling to the floor as they heralded the enemy. The sky over Nostville burned red with fire and chaos. Smoke billowed from the rooftops, filling the air with the acrid scent of destruction. It stretched as far as the horizon, and by the time Tom and his people arrived, no stone had been left unturned. Everywhere was hit. Every crevice was blown right open. Screams cut through the darkness—desperate cries of men, women, and children who ran blindly, their eyes wide with terror. The once-proud streets of the coven had become a battlefield, littered with bodies—some writhing in pain, others eerily still. Yes. Clearly, a spell was put on everyone. Shadows mo
Chapter 105Grim could hear the bangs and yells from a distance. But he didn't move a muscle. Gormee was the only one he could see. Excited to go wherever that would go. On a good run of days ago, he would have snuck back into the coven just to see how he could help them. But he was tired of fighting for a group of people who didn't give a damn about him.“Come on, Grim. How can you be here and watch your people scream and beg for help when they are calling for you?”He sighed. “I can’t say I ever agreed with their choices, but they had the chance to make the right choice. They didn't. They have to learn a lesson. Alistair is capable, right? Well, they could count on him to save them.”He took a sip of the root beer. It was his only company, the only thing that made him feel welcomed.“Don't be heartless, Grim. You know that man has no idea what he is doing. He is just being manipulated, and if you don't stop it soon enough, he is going to ruin the whole coven. You don't want that, do
Chapter 104 The sound of beating drums and people faintly whispering was the scene that woke up all of Nostville. That was the minute number who were able to get any sleep the previous night. As far as everyone else was concerned, their eyes were wide open, absorbing the gates in wait of the approaching battalion. Everyone was indoors. Rocking chairs sat alone, unoccupied, swinging with every tug from the violent wind. Even the windows remained still. For a community of people who were always fetching for gossip, everyone seemed settled in the inner parts of their households. It was better not to be aware of what was going on than to afford to be the first one that suffer the massacre that was brewing in the air. Their homes still stood the chance of getting attacked, but at least it was the safest they could be. Meanwhile, Reed was ever so comfortable in his seat. His eyes could sweep across his surroundings. “It’s just a matter of time,” he said to Jael. “History is