Shantel's POV.I reached the route to the house of the new witch I planned to meet for a long time.My heart was thumping in fear, but I knew I needed to do it anyway.I thank the Alpha for almost catching me, if he didn't, I wouldn't be this motivated to reach the witch's house.I stared at the building, wondering if she was in, and why. It was dark outside the windows and there were no cars parked or pedestrians walking around.No signs of life other than the light inside and the lights that were on upstairs. When she opened the door, I stepped forward hesitantly."Hello, my name is Shantel and I came for a reason." I said immediately."Come in." I went in, my nerves suddenly on high alert."The witch will be back soon." I blinked in surprise at the lady who opened the door, I was surprised she wasn't the witch.I swallowed nervously as my eyes scanned her house."Where is she?" I asked.She smiled at my nervousness. "You'll see her in a bit." Her accent was strange but familiar. I
Shantel's POV."I've been waiting for days." I said immediately the witch came."Sorry, I had business to attend to." She smiled."I'm a busy witch." She added."I want someone dead." I said immediately, her eyes met mine."Wow, you don't waste time." She said,"I've wasted enough time." I replied, the memory of Leila possibly being the Luna hit me.I clenched my fists immediately, the old pain returned again, the anger was towards the fact that all my plans failed."And it'll be an added bonus for you." I added immediately."What is the added bonus?" She asked."She has unbridled powers." I said."The witch who directed me here told me so." I added quickly."Then I'm more interested than ever." The witch said."I'll do anything to add more powers to mine."I smiled, relieved that what I planned will happen, I couldn't wait to see Leila dead, couldn't wait for her to disappear.That way she'll no longer be a threat in our future. "So, how will you make her disappear?" I asked."I do
Darren's POV."So I promised you a massage." She said immediately we went into the room.My heart thumped excitingly, I couldn't wait for the massage.She pulled me to the bed, walking into the bathroom she came back with essential oils.I just watched her with an amused expression on my face, my heart a little too happy.But I couldn't blame myself, I was with my mate and she made me extremely happy."So should I undress?" I raised my eyebrows."Nah, I'll do everything." She said making me sit on the bed again.She began taking off my clothes, her hands gliding across my skin in slow, smooth movements. When my shirt was taken off, I felt so comfortable, it was like she caressed every single part of my body. The air that rushed to my bare chest tickled my lungs, causing me to inhale more deeply. My eyes drifted closed as I relaxed while she touched me.I was completely naked, she stared at my body, her cheeks flushing.She had a sweet smile on her lips as she started kissing me al
Shantel's POV.Everything about her, everything she did enraged me.I just couldn't stand her, seeing her everyday in the training room made my head spin like crazy.I just wanted her gone immediately, my wish to see her dead or disappear increased so much.And it was only getting worse. She would be there every time I turned around and I could already feel the anger boiling up inside me.If I could get rid of Leila immediately, I wish the amount of hatred I had in me could make her disappear.I could be free from that burden. From that pain that always plagued me when she was near me.I was happy when I came back from the witch's place, but right now, I'm not.I wanted her dead immediately, my wish to see her dead or disappear increased so much.The hate, and the desire to hurt her were eating me alive with every passing second.Her name didn't even sound right when it was coming out of my mouth, it was just a curse word.It felt like someone was burning my heart.And I couldn't han
Shantel's POV.I decided to meet Dean, he must have been in hiding.And I needed to know if he'd help me, so I stared at the area.I made sure the guards close to his room were totally out.I opened the door slowly and cautiously, and walked towards him. He was still sound asleep, but he looked peaceful.I tapped him and he stood up immediately, his eyes scanning the room.I gasped when I saw his body, he had a bandage wound and it was bleeding from the bandage.He looked so pale, almost as if he didn't eat. His hair is also messy, some of it even reaching his shoulders. It looks like there are some dirt stains on his clothes. I now realized he was actually hurt and I couldn't see it earlier because he covered himself with a duvet.I rushed to his side, as he groaned, immediately slipping on the floor."Are you okay?" I asked.Fear crept my whole body as I saw him shaking."How did you get hurt?" I asked."I ran from the guards who almost caught me." He said breathing hard.I made hi
Shantel's POV.I didn't expect to end up taking care of Dean, but I really needed an ally in the pack.I watched him as he slept deeply, after he gave me that scare.I couldn't even believe I was scared for him, but I got attached to him, and more than ever, I needed whatever plans I would make run smoothly.And he was good at making plans run smoothly, so I tapped him, hoping he'll wake up soon.I don't know who was knocking on the door earlier, but I hope they left.My screams may have alerted them, and I knew they'll soon break down the door.I watched him again, hoping he'll wake up, so we'll think of what to say. The guards will definitely ask him why he hasn't appeared for duty for a while now.I tapped him gently at first, my hands feeling his temperature for a while,all I could receive when I tapped him was a grunt.I tapped him again, harsher this time."Yeah." He sighed."Wake up, I think they are still waiting outside your door." I whispered."Who?" he asked with a frown,I
Shantel's POV.Meeting with Dean made me feel better, at least I knew that whatever plans I formed while relaxing here would fall into place soon.I thought of the way I could lure Leila out and call the witch, but I knew it wouldn't happen.I could see it failing already, we didn't like each other and she definitely won't follow me.I needed her alone at a particular place for her to be taken.Leila won the heart of every pack member already, not my heart but anyone but me and Dean liked her.This was why it was so hard to think of a way to take her to a place free from any pack member.I knew the Alpha hasn't made an official announcement of her as the Luna, but everyone knows she's his mate and they even call her the Luna.I was hoping he wouldn't make an announcement, because that made me know they have not mated yet, but I knew it was too late to hope he won't announce or mate with her.I rolled my eyes as I thought of even joining a celebration with Leila as the Luna, I know it'
Leila's POV."I think I'll get going." I said to Beta Aidan after I felt exhausted.My day went out as I planned, and I was tired from the little race I had with Beta Aidan."You need to rest, you ran with me today and not the Alpha." Beta Aidan laughed, his eyes held a teasing glint to it."Yeah I will, I hope he has finished." I stared at the moon already forming to its fullest form."Yeah me too.""I'll get going,I need to rest, you've shown me that the Alpha was simply cuddling me." I said and he threw his head back laughing. "You're his mate, he'll definitely take it easy on you, he doesn't want you tired easily, but he definitely stresses me out.""Bye." I waved as I quickened my steps to the room.I opened the door slightly, staring at his back from where I stood.He was ransacking papers recklessly, not bothering to look up when I entered.I smiled, "You're still busy." I walked to him, wrapping my hands around his neck.He smelt so nice, like he just took a shower, "Yeah, I'
Leila's POV.I followed him, I was too giddy and excited.He kissed me, ruffling my hair, as I giggled in delight. He told me how proud he was of me and we both laughed at it. His face formed into a smile that didn't exist and it made the butterflies I felt in my stomach go wild again. I loved it when he smiled at me or made me happy.I felt so good, everything was lovely and wonderful, and then he looked down and whispered, “We have to go or we won't see the sunset." He said.I followed him, feeling like I was floating on air, as he carried me up.I couldn't stop thinking about everything that happened and how I felt now.I was filled with so much happiness, love, adoration. I wanted more than anything else to spend my life with this amazing man who had given me all I had ever wished for.He gave me protection, love and care, and I couldn't ask for anything more."We're almost there." He whispered.He covered my eyes as I stumbled trying to find my balance."Be careful." He said
Leila's POV.I groaned as the incessant knocking on the door jolted me awake from my peaceful slumber. Rubbing my eyes, I stumbled out of bed and made my way to the door, struggling to shake off the lingering remnants of sleep.I swung open the door to reveal a young maid standing on the other side. Her hair was neatly pulled back into a tight bun, and her eyes darted nervously around the room. She curtsied before me, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke."By Alpha's orders, I have been sent to get you ready for the celebration, ma'am," she announced, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's the mating ceremony today."Confusion washed over me like a cold wave, and I frowned, trying to gather my thoughts. Mating ceremony?"What... what ceremony?" I stammered, my voice still laced with drowsiness."The mating ceremony, ma'am," the maid repeated, her eyes widening. "You and Alpha Darren's he had been preparing for it all day"My heart skipped a beat at the realization. How could I h
Darren's POV.I stepped into the kitchen, the savory aroma of freshly cooked food wafting through the air. It had been a long day, but I wanted to make sure Leila had a proper meal.She deserved something special, something that would nourish her body and lift her spirits. As I glanced around the kitchen, my eyes settled on the ingredients neatly arranged on the countertop. It was time to create a healthy and delicious dinner for my mate.I started by selecting a vibrant array of vegetables. Bright red tomatoes, crisp green lettuce, and vibrant orange carrots caught my attention.I carefully washed and chopped them, the sharp knife slicing through the vegetables with precision. Next, I reached for a head of cauliflower and broke it into florets, ready to be roasted to perfection.With the vegetables prepared, I turned my attention to the protein. I had bought fresh salmon, knowing that the omega-3 fatty acids would be beneficial for Leila and our unborn child. I seasoned them with a d
Leila's POV.I woke up with a pounding headache, my temples throbbing as I tried to make sense of my surroundings. Slowly, the fog lifted from my mind, and I realized I was in my own room. Relief washed over me, mingling with confusion.How did I get here? Why was my head hurting so much? And then, like a dam breaking, my memories flooded back, crashing into my consciousness with the force of a tidal wave.I remembered meeting the healer and all, I just know the memory didn't leave. Shantel. The name echoed in my mind, carrying with it the terror of the past few days. I had been kidnapped by her and the witch, held against my will in a nightmarish ordeal.Tears welled up in my eyes as I allowed myself to fully comprehend the gravity of the situation. The Moon goddess had spared my life, and for that, I was eternally grateful, I'm sure she sent the blasting moon to kill them.The room seemed simultaneously comforting and alien. The familiar sights and sounds of my sanctuary took on ne
Leila's POV.Opening my eyes, staring at the healer as she cleaned off my bruises, applying ointment on it as the memories of Shantel's wickedness dawned on me.I felt so proud of myself for surviving all the pains and all the torture I received in the hands of that monster Shantel.I remembered how the Alpha carried immediately when he saw me there.She made my life a living hell, my child was my hope and my strength so I had to survive.I would have been devastated if I had lost my child to Shantel's torture, even at the expense that she doesn't know that I'm pregnant her torture was enough to kill a mother and her child."Whoever did this to you must be hell bent on having you dead" The healer said as she slowly rubbed the ointment on my legs."Oh she's definitely hell bent on killing me and Alpha Darren, she's a monster. You should have seen what she did to me. This is just because the wounds were healing." I uttered hastily, trying hard to shade off the thoughts of Shantel becau
Darren's POV"We have to go and find Leila, if anything happens to her I wouldn't forgive myself" I uttered, wondering what Leila must be passing through in the hands of Shantel, the fact that I wasn't there and I don't know where she could be filled me with the thoughts of incapabilities.I've got to find Leila to shade off my thoughts of incapabilities and also to prove to Shantel that she can't get away with her plans, her obsession is quite killing her. "It's dangerous out there,we got hurt when we came back."Aidan stuttered, knowing that his words would get me pissed. Truly his words got me pissed to some point, I lost my appetite for even eating this beautiful meal."I don't care... Besides it's the reason I want to rescue her out of the hands of Shantel" I retorted in a manner that he understood that he had to think about his words before saying it to me to avoid my wrath."Having you in the hands of Shantel would mean her gaining full victory over you and her plan could be to
Leila's POV.I was tied up on top of a stone, my hands behind my back.I was nervous, wondering how the ritual would be, when I woke up, I saw myself here.I was about to become a sacrifice for a greedy witch, and here I was.I couldn't move, I felt paralyzed, everything in me was frozen, unable to respond to anything other than the cold.The sensation spread throughout me like ice, freezing every part of my body. There wasn't enough air in my lungs, and yet I could feel nothing, no air moving through my throat. My stomach turned uncomfortably and I started to gag involuntarily.The nausea came in waves, and it took all of my will power to fight them off until they subsided again, slowly returning to a normal state.I was terrified, my heart beating so fast I thought it might explode.My mind went blank, my breathing slowed, and the world stopped spinning around me, just as my body was starting to slow down from its frantic heartbeat.In an attempt to distract myself, I began counting
Leila's POV.A scream rips from through my throat as ice cold water cascades down my body."Get up" Shantel hisses at me in a harsh tone, I can see her silhouetted figure in the room, my mind is in a haze and I try to focus, to regain my bearings. Her voice pierces my ears but all I see are blurry spots, "Get up" she repeats with more emphasis, I can't move, my limbs are shaking violently, "Stand up at one and do not waste my time, the ritual is happening elsewhere. " She snaps at me, it takes my brain a few seconds to process this, the ritual she speaks of means death. They are going to kill me and take my powers, I try to stand, and immediately I am hit with another wave of dizziness.Fear shoots through my spine in a hot wave, gripping me, my mouth goes dry, my throat clogs up and my eyes water. I feel my knees give out, they give way beneath me, and I collapse on the floor once again, a sob tears from me as I curl up into myself, wrapping my arms around my shivering body.
Shantel's POV.I shivered, fear filled my body, and I could barely breath for a second. It wasn't because of the cold due to the rain. No, this was more than fear and pain.I couldn't believe what I heard from Dean, the Alpha was suspicious of me and I didn't know what to do.I was so terrified and Dean wasn't picking up his calls, or even texting me like he usually would. He's not picking up his calls, I wonder if the Alpha caught him already.I paced the corridor, trying to figure out what to do.I called his line again, and it was switched off.I bit my fingernails, my whole body shook, but my eyes stayed glued on my phone as I waited for another text message or a call.The witch came back already and she was doing her final preparations as she told me.I really didn't care about that, all that mattered to me was seeing a reply from Dean.I kept looking at my phone, waiting for anything, any kind of notification. My hands were shaking as I tried to text him again, my mind raced