AsherAs more people filed into the hall unwelcomed, I felt a mix of trepidation and aggression fill me.No matter how hard I tried, my anxiety nor the quiet dread that filled my stomach hadn't left for a single moment. Once I let eyes with Ariezel, I thought it could all fade away and I was only imagining things.And then this happened.My eyes darted around to every single one if them, questions filling my mindWhy were they here?And most of all, who sent them?My mind instantly went to the one Alpha that made my blood boil. But no. It couldn't have been Derek. Not to mention that the men…they seemed faintly familiar…Shock filled me as my realization came too late.Amidst the soldiers that pooled and now surrounded the hall, only one person stood out. The rest of them separated in river-like fashion, creating a road through which only him passed through. As I spotted the look of my pack members, I could tell that they recognized his presence and his title. Just as I did.He stood
AsherImmediately that word was said, all hell broke loose.The pack was in a frenzy as without hesitation, his men began to attack.Swarms of the men began pouncing as screams filled the room.I watched as some fled, particularly those with children, whilst other men and women were holding their own.The entire hall was filled with mayhem, the crowds of people difficult to break through.And amidst them, I spotted Serena and her father moving towards the exit along with others whom I was sure was from their pack.The urge to chase them and punish them for his betrayal was overwhelming, but the crowd was too much to scale through, and I knew no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn't get there on time.Cold, butter rage filled me as they dissapeared from view. I shifted my focus to the present.The chaos was slowly treading across the large hall and I knew that in no time, it would also engulf this place.I turned around, meeting Ariezel's blue eyes wide with shock and horror and panic fi
Asher‘No’ The thought left me as my mind slowly went blank.Ariezel…gone… those words didn't match. They didn't make sense.Ariezel couldn't be gone or missing.I took a step back, ignoring anything and everything even as I faintly heard Harriet's voice calling. I focused my gaze to the pew of the hallway which was now damaged and stained.Only hours ago she was facing me on that pew, ready to spend her life with me. Moments after I had led her away. Told her to run. She ran. She escaped before any harm could have come to her.She couldn't be missing. There was no way on earth that was possible.But as I turned to Harriet, there was only apology and sadness in her face. She looked like she was sure.But maybe she wasn't? What if Ariezel had run before she could find her. Maybe she had found somewhere secret to hide. Or perhaps Harriet hadn't checked properly.Lifting my head up, I called out for the nearest guard who bowed.“Alpha Blackwell -" I interrupted him, short of any patienc
AsherMy knees collided onto the floor as I wrapped my hands around myself. The sobs that I hadn't felt in a long time racked me with every breath.She was gone.I wasn't so impsive, but now it felt like my world had completely toppled over and I couldn't see a thing.I reached out for the first drink I got unkorkingI was choking. I was drowning. But I didn't care. None if that mattered to me now.Because if she wasn't here there was only one other choice.That she was-I gagged. The thought of blood even near her was enough to make my insides churn and the urge to let everything out of my stomach to intensify. I swallowed it all, bringing the bottle of whiskey to my lips. The stung eased the feeling only by a little, but it wasn't enough.I drank and drank until my vision blurred, and my thoughts were blank, yet there weren't blank enough to get her out of my head.I walked out of the office in a haze. Filled with suck grief, I barely understood where I was going until I fell onto s
AsherSilence reigned, but I watched as my beta fought within himself before he finally spoke.“She fought amongst the other's.” he croaked out, “And then she got injured. Badly."“The last time I saw her she was soaked with blood everywhere. She hasn't woken up since.”I shut my eyes so tightly I could see stars.“I'm sorry.” I apologized, heart heavy for my friend's pain and grief. I was so embroiled in my matters that I was blind to this.Footsteps came closer before I felt Ambrose's hand on my shoulder. I looked directly into his eyes.“You have every right to fall. But not now. Not when the pack needs you most.” He said.His words struck me hard. Swallowing thickly, I nodded.As he let go.“Ariezel isn't here.”The certainty with which he said it made me look back up at him, a question and surprise in my eyes.He stared at me with the same certainty written on his face as he continued.“I've checked the deceased and the pack doctor has also identified them. None of them are Ariez
Ariezel“Mmm"Every part of me felt weightless yet heavy. I was suspended in a limbo. In space.But now as my consciousness was slowly revived, all I felt was heavy.Every part of me felt difficult to raise, especially my eyelids. Whilst a part of me was still dragged down to the heavy darkness, the feeling of something made me resist.And after an arduous struggle against the lethargy in my bones, I finally opened my heavy eyelids.Everything around me was a blur as I was dragged down into closing my eyes again. This time I tried harder, trying to sustain the weight of my eyes so I could see properly.It took minutes before the heavy feeling lifted by a but, and I was left to stare at the single wall.I turned my head to the side groggily, looking to find the entire room. It felt so similar. Why was it so similar?The clearer the picture became the more my mind pounded. Regaining mobility, I managed to sit up, only to look down in surprise.I was on a bed. Not the one I was used to w
AriezelThe sole sign of the days passing were the constant illumination of the lights and the times that the maids would come in as well as the type of food they brought. So far I had only counted up to two to three days since I arrived.The maids had a schedule, coming with a washcloth and bucket in the mornings followed by a change of clothes. No matter how much I cleaned up, I never wore the restrictive clothes, sticking to the same cream and green dress I had.(And ever so often, I would thumb across the dress, thinking of the excitement and anticipation of the event. One that was cut short.)Some bore vaguely familiar faces I had probably seen or talked to once upon a time, whilst others were total strangers.It didn't make a difference. They never spoke as they came, also bringing a tray of food and carrying it back. They didn't even look at me whenever it came untouched.The stubborn side I had gained won over. Aside from the baked goods such as the occasional bread, I didn't
AriezelStaring.I loathed staring.A part of me had begun to embrace it. I had to get used to it as the next Luna of course.But this moment simply reminded me of why I hated it so much.I stayed silent as the young women wrapped my body, slowly cleaning and bandaging the wounds and bruises I had suffered thanks to Derek. My gaze remained focused on the walls, unwilling to lock eyes with any of them.It was the third time they had come since the beating, and I wasn't letting up.The one time I had accidentally locked stares with one of them, I saw what I had expected.Pity.I looked away quickly, never sparing a glance after that. Yet I still felt their stares piercing me, filling me with an irritation so bone deep that it felt worse than the injuries I suffered.Just like the horrible stare of the pack doctor that I had suffered through for the past two years, but even worse. A part of me would have preferred the familiar indifferent stare of one person compared to many.Relief fill
Ariezel “Look out there! It's a pretty bird!"I looked in command, spotting the bird Camilla spoke of.Rubbing her hair gently, I shifted my gaze to face her.“Yes. It is a lovely bird." I said, smiling at her giggle.She turned back, her red curls bouncing along with her.She was the youngest out of the two of my half sisters, nine years old, although she continuously argues that she was turning ten.After getting to know Florian, he introduced me to both of them with joy. Although for now they only saw me as an aunt and the future Luna, in spite of our resemblance.It hadn't taken long for her to grow used to me, although Jolene, the older one, was more reserved.I turned to look at her in the hall we were staying in. She lounged in a chair, short blonde tresses resting on the couch as she read a book. She was the sole outlier out of us, and she was mostly quiet, always analyzing whenever I was present.It was okay, I didn't mind staying for as long as it took for her to get used t
143: AriezelIn the end, Alys and Harriet left us alone in the room. We stared at each other for what seemed like ages.I couldn't believe my eyes as I stared at the man in front of me. It seemed more like a dream as I looked at him over.I felt him doing the same to me, awe and surprise written over his face.But we couldn't stay in silence for long. Not as it stretched to the point of awkwardness. Finally regaining a bit of my senses, I parted my lips to speak.“Hello." Both our voices chorused.I blinked in surprise. As it seemed we had both spoken at the same time.The single word seemed to sway through the tension that was presented. I cracked my lips in a small smile.“Please sit down." I said, gesturing to the chair which Alys once sat in.I was sure Alys must have been grilling Harriet by now. After all, she hadn't kept this from just me but from her as well.I waved the thought away easily. Alys and Harriet were the last thing on my mind as he sat down.It was even more uncan
Ariezel“So one of the members said that she insulted her butt, so the other- her name was…Amber I think? Proceeded to shiver her own butt in my face just for comparison.”My stomach hurt badly solely from the amount of times I laughed. It was so difficult to catch my breath from the words Alys was saying.Thankfully, she waited till I was done before she spoke again.“In the end," Alys sighed despondently “The fight turned into a butt comparing contest with people as the audience and I being the judge. All I could think of at the moment was that this wasn't what I had prepared for."I howled again in laughter, the humor of her deadpan words further aggravated by the resigned, almost haunted look on her face. In my laughter I vaguely heard Alys laughter follow as minutes passed.My breaths heaving for air I looked at Alys to find an amused look on her face.“I glad that my misery could make you a little bit happy.” she said.I shook my head quickly in response .“I'm so sorry." I apo
AriezelI was weightless, swimming in darkness without a care in the world. It felt like there was nothing holding me back. It might as well have been true.Like wisps of smoke, memories and voices came to me, only to fade away the moment I tried reaching out for them. In the end, I remained floating.I didn't know how much time I had spent, but soon, everything began to fade. The weightless darkness I floated in materialized until a firmament grew below, carrying me. The weightless darkness faded into something else. Something more material.Like a disk, I was drawn out of my water and the peaceful darkness, into something more material.And slowly but surely, I opened my heavy eyelids to see blinding light.It took me time to adjust, squinting and blinking against the harsh brightness. Once I finally did, all my other senses came back.A soft but firm surface below me, the scent of comfort that wafted over and ceiling I felt familiar in.Where was I?My memories then came back and
AsherI focused on her, taking her hand in mine in spite of everything in me that resisted.“Hello Serena." I said in a gratingly low voice, looking into her eyes.She sighed, looking awestruck as she looked at me.She, just like all the others who had once fought and scrambled to force me to mate with them, only saw what I was from the outside. A ruthless alpha and a powerful one.There was only one who didn't.Thoughts hammered in my head, coaxing me to go back and fix what I had done. I stayed firm however and brought the blonde woman closer.It was only a matter of time.“Let's go inside Serena.” coaxing her away, I led her inside, eyeing the rest of her guards who moved away, paving the path for us.Together, we moved through the forest with her and I at the forefront whilst the rest of my soldiers and hers followed from behind. Our arms were linked as we walked while she spoke ravingly. She kept on rambling about how she knew that I was going to come back to her and all her :sac
Ariezel My breath caught as those words reverberated through my brain long after they had gone.‘What?'My heart stuttered the moment I heard them, confusion filling my senses as I looked at him.It wasn't an illusion. Those were the words that came out of his mouth.‘Why?’What was he thinking? Why would he say that?I tried to look at him, praying that he would look at me and tell me that it was a hoax or something. Anything.But he kept his eyes away, focusing on Serena.“Asher." I cried out. I struggled against their grip, uncaring at that moment. It was only when I felt the threatening cool metal pressing against me in warning that I stopped.I didn't stop looking at him however, hoping that my call would finally make him focus on me.To my relief, it did.When he looked at me, I didn't expect to see his gaze so cold and shuttered.I was thrown aback by the sudden stare. This wasn't my Asher. The distance in his stare reminded me of back then, when he suddenly left me.My blood t
Ariezel “Relax. He'll be back in no time.” Alys said.I smiled at her in turn, yet I couldn't focus properly.Under the protection of soldiers within my room, Alys and Harriet stayed to keep me company throughout. Hours had passed, yet with no news, we stayed in place with more worries than not.Alys had left the hospital and held the same worried gaze in spite of her constant assurance. It was especially more of a necessity for her considering that Ambrose had gone along with Asher. Now we were both waiting and hoping that all went well for the sake of our mates.“I…I actually have something to tell you guys." Harriet spoke hesitantly.I was grateful for any distraction that could take away the churning anxiety.I had never expected what she would say next.“I found my mate."My jaw dropped.“Oh my…oh Goddess." Alys was the first to move forward, taking Harriet's hands in hers.“That's so good. I'm happy for you.” Alys gushed out.I knew that in spite of her carefree attitude, she
Asher The night was still, without so much as a cricket sound.My gaze swept the place. As I had expected, the security was lax.‘How foolish of them.’We had left the pack by evening, marching and moving until we hid close to the border of the Pack.When I told Ariezel of the sped up plans, she was worried, kissing me goodbye on the forehead.“Be safe." She whispered.My heart skipped a beat for her, knowing that she was out of my reach, filling me with anxiety.But there was no reason for me to be so worried about her this time. I had placed several guards under her to watch.Now? It was already midnight. We had trailed the path, waiting inconspicuously for hours. Whether or not Derek was here, at least I would be able to finish off one thing.It was soon time. My instincts were on overdrive, pumped with adrenaline. I could feel the weight of the celrescent moon above us.They wouldn't see this coming.I rose my hand to signal them all.This was the same thing they had done to us.
Asher “199…200.” I grunted out, pushing my body up.Only a day was left before the attack was launched. Until them, I had to continuously put myself in prime condition for certain victory.That involved constantly working out day by day, straining myself to the limits within the span of time I had.My days had only been limited to those two things; training and Ariezel. I wasn't shy to say that the majority of my time was spent with Ariezel, whether it was from taking walks with her to watching over her in the nights till early in the morning. I remained constantly by her side.Nothing was going to happen overnight, much less after two days. She was still reeling from my acceptance and remained hesitant. My heart still ached as she woke up with nightmares.But unlike before, she never faked a smile like before. She spoke openly about her nightmares before she slipped back into sleep. Even when she stiffened at the mention of her condition, whenever I was there, she relaxed. This tim