Avril's Point of View
So far, throughout the early evening, it had been quiet. There were the usual sounds of night creatures. I could hear the occasional hoot of a glaukē as it hunted a sika or a mus, its silent wings aiding it.
"What was that?" Tyler whispered.
"It is called a glaukē. You would call it an owl," I answered.
From the books I had read while in the Mundane Realm, there were equivalent nocturnal animals. The
Avril's Point Of View "Tyler!" I screamed, feeling his pain through the mate bond. As I watched in horror, time seemed to slow to a crawl, the sounds of battle fading into a deafening silence. With every fibre of my being, I reached out to him, my heart pounding with dread as I witnessed the severity of his wound. "Tyler!" I cried as I held him. "Someone help him!" He looked at me but seemed unable to answer. Through the mate bond, I could feel that he was still alive. He was in pain. So, so much pain, and I could feel it all. They must have stabbed him with a dark blade made from enchanted obsidian. A blade forged from lava, containing its heat. Any wounds from it burned. But amidst the chaos and despair, a glimmer of hope emerged. With a de
Avril's Point Of View "Prince Tyler will make it." Those magical words of hope kept me from the insanity of losing my fated soul mate. A small number of words, yet with so much importance and consequence behind them. The weight of the past few hours lifted off my shoulders. Tyler was going to be okay. I couldn't wait to see him and hold him, but I knew he needed rest. I thanked the healers, and they left to attend to other patients. I sat by Tyler's side, holding his hand and watching him sleep. He looked peaceful, his breathing steady. I couldn't help but think about what could have happened if we hadn't been able to save him. I shuddered at the thought. There was still a chance I had managed to conceive during my heat. What if I were carryi
Tyler's Point Of View This chapter covers some of the previous chapter, but from Tyler's point of view. I awoke in what looked like the Fae infirmary after being stabbed in the back. I wasn't sure what they stabbed me with, but by the Goddess, it hurt. It felt like I was burning up from within. Before I even opened my eyes, I could sense Avril was sitting beside my bed, her hand in mine. I opened my eyes to see Avril's worried face, her eyes red from crying. She tried to hide it with a smile, but I could feel the tension in her grip on my hand. "Hey," I rasped, my throat dry. "Hey, you're awake," she said, her voice trembling with relief and her eyes filling with tears. I nodded, trying to sit up but feeling a wave of dizziness wash over me. Avril gently pressed me back onto the bed, concern etched on her face. I told her through the bond that I was okay, but I could still feel her worry. "I know. I'm just so relieved that you are okay, but you need to rest, Tyler," she said s
Tyler's Point Of View As the day continued, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong. I tried to push it to the back of my mind, but it kept nagging at me, growing increasingly intense with each passing moment. My wolf, Echo, was also on high alert, his senses hyperaware of everything around us. We were back in our own apartment when Avril noticed my unease and placed a comforting hand on mine. It only made things worse. The slightest touch felt like a jolt of electricity running through my body, causing me to flinch and pull away. "What's wrong, Tyler? Are you in pain?" Avril asked, her voice laced with concern. "I'm fine," I snapped, my tone sharper than intended. "I just need some time alone to think." Avril's face fell, hurt evident in her eyes. I could feel the guilt and shame building up inside me, but I couldn't stop the wave of anger and paranoia that was consuming me. It felt like the world's weight was on my shoulders, and I struggled to keep my emotion
Avril's Point Of View This chapter covers some of the previous chapter, but from Avril's point of view. Tyler had been acting weirdly all day since returning from the infirmary. There was a block in our mate bond, and he was quick to anger. He wasn't very talkative over lunch, but he seemed cordial enough. After lunch and back in our apartment, Tyler and I sat on the couch. I hugged him and could feel the mini electric shocks we always got whenever we touched. It was what made the mate bond so incredible, having this electricity between us. I wasn't expecting Tyler to flinch and pull away. Nor was I expecting to feel rejected like this. "What's wrong, Tyler? Are you in pain?" "I'm fine," he snapped at me. "I just need some time alone to think." I thought Tyler and I had an unbreakable connection through the mate bond, but maybe I was wrong. I didn't want to make things awkward between us, so I tried to brush it off and act like nothing happened. But deep down, I couldn't help
Avril's Point Of ViewWhile sitting in the prison cell talking to Ruby, I couldn't help but notice that it was relatively clean and functional. Certainly, the bathroom was more than just a bucket in a corner. It was very different from the ones where the traitorous Elders were kept.Ruby told us how and why she was trying to escape Lord Umbra. It was an eye-opener to learn that not all Fae were evil. We were taught that all Dark Fae were followers of Lord Umbra, cast out from our society because they were evil. It never occurred to me to think about those on the other side of the border before the shield went up.She paused for a moment, then continued. "As for your problem, I don't know how to counteract the enchantment, but I suggest you talk to those witches who were with you. After all, Tyler should have died from being stabbed, and he didn't. That's not normal."We all looked at each other, realising that she might be right. If Tyler was still alive, there must be some kind of ma
Tyler's Point Of ViewI stood by the door of the spare room, unsure if I would find anything there. So far, all these noises or voices seemed to be in my head. I must be going crazy.Crazy or not, I wouldn't allow my fear to get the better of me. I just wished I could talk to Echo. He was there since I could feel his presence, but he wasn't answering me when I spoke to him. Something was preventing this from happening. I felt lost without him.Opening the door, I was surprised. Avril was sitting on the bed with tears streaming down her face. When she saw me, she jumped up and away from me. She looked scared and uncertain."How long have you been here?" I asked."I came back late last night and slept for a while," she replied."Why didn't you sleep in our bed?""I didn't want to sleep there without you."The last words Echo said to me were that I hurt my mate. Was that why he wasn't speaking to me? If me hurting her was the reason why Echo was ignoring me, I had to fix it if I wanted h
Tyler's Point Of View "I know, Tyler, and I forgive you. We'll get through this together," Avril said softly. I needed to hear those words. She had forgiven me, and I was elated. "So glad we caught this enchantment in time," said Daemon. The others in the group nodded their agreement. Even I agreed with that. To think my soul was corrupting because of the Dark Fae blade. The mere thought of it was enough to make me shiver involuntarily. "What do we do now?" I asked. I didn't want to sit around doing nothing. I wanted... No, I needed to get out there and bring the fight to the person responsible for this. Lord Umbra. "Well, we still need to help Aurora strengthen the borders to ensure that no more of those demonic creatures get through," said Adriana. Adriana's eyes glazed over as she mind-linked someone. I wasn't sure who, but I assumed it was Queen Aurora. Adriana confirmed I was right when she said, "Aurora has agreed to meet us for breakfast. We should leave now and make o
Marc's Point of ViewThe moment we reached the edge of Charleston’s industrial district, our mood changed to serious mode. The dilapidated warehouses loomed ahead, their skeletal frames standing against the faint glow of distant city lights. The air was thick with the acrid scent of saltwater and rust, a sharp contrast to the quiet rage simmering within me.Every fibre of my being was screaming to charge in, to find Lucienne and end this nightmare, but I couldn’t afford to lose control. Not now. Not when we were this close. I glanced at Cole, who sat rigid in the seat next to me, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were bone white. His wolf, Blaine, was barely restrained, a growl rumbling deep in his chest.“Breathe,” I murmured through the mind-link, my voice steady despite the turmoil churning inside me. It was a simple command, but it carried more weight than either of us could have anticipated. I wasn’t sure if I was reminding him or myself.The tension from us was plain to
Cole's Point of ViewThe growl of the SUV’s engine echoed my mood—low and simmering with restrained fury. A day’s drive to Charleston felt like an eternity. Every kilometre of road we travelled was one less between us and Lucienne, but it didn’t feel fast enough. Every second on the road felt like a century.My Lycan, Blaine, prowled at the edges of my mind, eager to tear into anyone who had dared harm her. The fact that we had to wait to reach her made my blood boil. Marc sat in the back seat next to me, his posture rigid and his eyes locked on the road ahead, his knuckles white as he gripped the armrest. The fire burning in his amber eyes mirrored my own.Queen Adriana sat in the front with King Daemon driving, their presence commanding yet oddly comforting. Daemon had been our anchor through this ordeal, his steady voice reminding us that charging in mindlessly would only hurt Lucienne. Gamma Ellis was quiet beside us, his jaw tight as he stared out the window.Tension crackled in
Marc's Point of ViewThe day and a half since Lucienne’s abduction had been the longest of my life. Every moment stretched like an eternity, the bond Cole and I shared with her still present but muted. Every attempt to reach her through the mind-link was met with silence. It was maddening. Cassius, my Lycan, prowled restlessly within me, his frustration mirroring my own. We were helpless, and it was tearing us apart.King Daemon and Queen Adriana had been our anchors through the chaos. King Daemon, in particular, had taken us aside, his voice heavy with a mixture of pain and understanding. “I know what you’re going through,” he said. “When Adriana was taken years ago, I thought I’d lose my mind. But rushing in blind only makes it worse. You have to trust the process. You have to trust her.”Trust. The word felt hollow when my mate was out there, suffering. But his experience was hard to ignore. Adriana had been sitting beside him, her gaze fierce yet compassionate as she nodded in agr
Cole's Point of ViewI could feel the tension in the air as we got out of the cars. It was a mess. The only positive point was that everyone was here and alive. Everyone except Lucienne. Given that our Lycans were not completely losing control, there was still hope. Hope that she was still out there, still alive.Marc mind-linked our father, urgency lacing his voice as he delivered the grim news—Lucienne had been taken. But what came next was a devastating revelation. Elizabeth and Michaela had escaped, aided by none other than Dwayne. The timing was far too coincidental, a connection that couldn’t be ignored. Whoever was behind this knew exactly what they were doing.Father also sent through half a dozen of our best trackers via a portal that Queen Adriana had created. The trackers spread out, scanning the area with the precision of trained hunters. But they had about as much luck as we had in human form. We knew the general direction they had gone, but that was it. Marc decided that
Cole's Point of ViewI could feel the tension in the air as we got out of the cars. It was a mess. The only positive point was that everyone was here and alive. Everyone except Lucienne. Given that our Lycans were not completely losing control, there was still hope. Hope that she was still out there, still alive.Marc mind-linked our father, urgency lacing his voice as he delivered the grim news—Lucienne had been taken. But what came next was a devastating revelation. Elizabeth and Michaela had escaped, aided by none other than Dwayne. The timing was far too coincidental, a connection that couldn’t be ignored. Whoever was behind this knew exactly what they were doing.Father also sent through half a dozen of our best trackers via a portal that Queen Adriana had created. The trackers spread out, scanning the area with the precision of trained hunters. But they had about as much luck as we had in human form. We knew the general direction they had gone, but that was it. Marc decided that
Lucienne's Point of ViewThe faint echo of footsteps from above stiffened me, and my senses strained for any sign of danger. Every sound in this cell was magnified—every whisper of air, every creak of the floorboards. It had been hours, maybe longer since I had last seen anyone. My body ached, and my wrists were raw from the restraints, but I forced myself to stay alert.When the door creaked open, I expected Beatrice’s manic figure or Rodney’s menacing leer. Instead, Michaela’s familiar form came downstairs, her face carefully blank but her eyes darting nervously. She carried a tray of food, the smell wafting toward me, making my stomach growl despite myself.She hesitated before crouching down to push the tray through the bottom of the bars. She moved to the box on the wall that adjusted the chains. The weight eased slightly, and I could finally lift my arms enough to rub the soreness from them.“You need to eat,” Michaela said softly, pushing the tray toward me. Her tone was quiet,
Lucienne's Point of ViewI sagged against the chains, reeling from the sting of the whip. My wrists were still tightly bound, but the slight loosening of the chains gave me a moment to catch my breath as I gasped, my chest heaving. Beatrice stood in the dimly lit cell, her body tense and poised, the whip in her hand slicing through the air with a sharp crack.Suddenly, the heavy door slammed open, and Rodney stormed in, radiating a palpable fury that seemed to charge the air around him. Without a moment's hesitation, he reached out and seized her wrist, the force of his grip causing her wrist to break, and she staggered slightly. With a swift motion, he wrenched the whip from her hand, sending it flying across the cell to land with a dull thud on the cold stone floor.Beatrice's heart raced as she met his intense gaze, realisation dawning on her that the confrontation was far from over."She's already been whipped today," he snarled. "The plan is not to kill her.""I don't care!" Beat
Lucienne's Point of ViewClio stirred. At first, it was faint—a mere flicker of warmth beneath my skin, like the distant glow of a candle struggling against the darkness. It wasn't the full return of her vibrantly strong presence, but it was enough to send a wave of relief coursing through me. For the first time since I'd been dragged into this grim, lightless cell, I felt a sliver of hope.Her energy was weak and groggy, like waking from a deep, drugged sleep, and I could sense her struggling against the lingering effects of the wolfsbane. She couldn't speak, couldn't send me her thoughts, but I felt her there—a fragile yet unmistakable connection humming faintly within me. It was proof that the activated charcoal Michaela had smuggled to me was starting to work, pushing back against the poison that had muted her.I closed my eyes and concentrated, drawing strength from that tenuous bond. Clio's presence reminded me of who I was, of the power locked away inside me. Even if she couldn
Lucienne's Point of ViewAs the sound of their retreating footsteps faded into silence, the tension holding my body upright gave way. My legs buckled, and I sank to my knees, the chains rattling softly as my arms hung limply above me. Pain radiated across my back, sharp and relentless, each breath pulling at the torn skin where the silver whip had bitten deep.For a moment, I allowed myself to feel it all—the anger, the fear, the helplessness. The weight of the situation bore down on me, pressing the air from my lungs. I clenched my fists, forcing my mind to remain clear. I couldn’t let this break me.“They’ll come for me,” I whispered, my voice cracking against the stillness of the cell. “Marc and Cole will find me.”I repeated the words like a mantra, willing myself to believe them. Marc and Cole were my mates. They wouldn’t rest until they tracked me down. The wolfsbane might dampen the bonds between us, but they were still there, faint and fragile threads that connected us. Once C