Danika's POV.-I cup the running water into my palms and splash it against my face. Switching off the tap, I lean heavily over the sink, trembling hands grabbing tight on the edges as my hollow eyes look into the misery-stricken Danika in the mirror. Dead eyes, a paler skin, and dismay hovering over her.I had another vision. And it was horrifying.Elizabeth, that soft-hearted rambunctious darling...I never wanted her to soil her hands with their filthy blood. There's going to be a car explosion at the detriment of her emotional hysteria at the height of its surge. It was so vivid, like I was there myself and the scorch of the fire scalded me.My skin still singes softly as Violet heals me. I think I must've woken Charles from my scream too. My head sinks as a dismal sigh drops from my lips. No matter how hard I try to breach those flames...I can't tell the result. The fiend and Mayor Tuyen...will they die?Not to mention the danger lurking in Ludis's shadow."Ha...so tiresome.""H
Danika's POV.-Can't sit still, pensive with limbs trembling and nerves rattling, all senses at their pique as my fretful eyes dart about to observe the scenery. It's all forest of tall trees on either stretch of the one-way tarred road. It's late in the afternoon as we're on the way to Ewon. The lush greenery is blurry in my distracted vision as I swallow the lump in my throat restlessly.He's been off the grid for a couple of days already. That's dreadfully ample time for any calamity to have struck him. Is there a possibility that someone saved him? Maybe he suffered lethal injuries and passed out somewhere, recuperating? That's ridiculous. Vyin would easily locate him. I need to calm down and stop running my mind amok with dismal assumptions. I strain out a sigh, rattling my neck to look over at my mate with a listless expression dimming his features. He's just as worried, but not as quietly hysteric as I am.I return my gaze to stare out the window, rolling it down to permit t
Danika's POV.-Blink. Blink.Slowly, I register the lazy movement of my eyelids that brings a blurry light into my vision. Shutting them gently as I attempt to turn on my side, something compels them back open and this time, I see clearly. The slumbering face of my mate up close to mine as his gentle breath caresses my face.Huh? I'm back home? But I was with Ludis and the other guys just now. Ugh, I scrunch my face as I wince to a weak throb crossing the right side of my head.'Are you okay, Dani? Seems you had another vision,' My wolf pacifies and I subdue the throb, staring at Charles sleeping so soundly. I brush the back of my fingers against his side bangs as I reply to her distractedly, 'I feel alright'.As if. There's a mortifying ball kindling in my heart. Staring at my mate like this does nothing but amplify the intensity of the brewing implosion in my chest.My caresses bring his eyelids moving and his eyes come open, distraught for seconds before fixating on me. I let my
Danika's POV.-Maybe that was too forward and preposterous of me. I mean, it's not like we have to conjure how to go steal a map of how to navigate the path there- it's not even a physical phenomenon. A portal like that will be a herculean and energy-depleting task. Sigh, I frown, scrunching my face and rubbing my chin with my mind dissolving even further into my murky thoughts. The sound of the kettle whistling tips me out of it a fraction to register my mate busy at the counter. Staring at his back, my thoughts persistently cloud my vision.I'm only running a pointless merry-go-round in my head here when the answer is right before me. It's useless and petty to still hold it against her, but the fact that I need her before progressing beyond this steel wall is far too jarring.I have to get to Aunt Sue somehow. She possesses all the answers I need. My hands clench towards the one decision I've been bent on avoiding. In the end, it's come back to this. The guilt still prickles my
Danika's POV.-"They absolutely mustn't get their hands on it."A Grimoire? It's the first time I'm hearing of its mention. From how serious she is...I tense considerably at the dire importance of what she just said. Whatever that magical relic must be, it must be insanely powerful.I gulp and ask her while maintaining her heavy gaze, "What's a Grimoire? Is it some sort of relic?"That only intensifies the heavy air around her that sprouts goosebumps across my skin. I glimpse at my mate to see him leaning in with rapt anticipation. When she starts to speak again, I lazily drag my gaze in a horizontal line and settle then on Aunt Sue staring at me."It's a book of magic spells, rituals, and instructions used by practitioners of magical traditions. Its texts are sacred and secretive, containing knowledge and information on various magical practices, symbols, and techniques."'That's some really powerful stuff there. A book can wield that much? Amazing,' I hear Violet marvel and I reson
Danika's POV.-"Find the ancient marked oak tree."In most fairytales, that usually unfurls into an epic adventure of wonderful discoveries. But let's wake up to the real world where there are about a million Oak trees in Ewon alone. It's troublesome to search and not to mention I'm taking a huge risk if I step into that land.Elizabeth will sense me on the spot. That's why I'm grumpily sitting this out for now. Perhaps, with Aunt Sue they can make progress. I wouldn't even know what I could use to recognize it. Hmm, she did mention some unique carvings on it's bark. Sigh, I wish Mother had shared it with her."If glares could set a place ablaze, we'd all be ashes by now."A voice teases me out of the blue and I distractedly slide the ceramic plate into the rack while turning to my right to see Taren with a teasing smile.I blink at him, "Am I glaring that hard?" I begin to grow conscious, bringing my dripping gloved hands to dab my face.Taren shakes his head slowly and swipes my
Danika's POV.-'Danika!'Shit! They shifted.I shudder at the loud sounds of scuffle, the bloody malice in the air, and the crushing of things. Without a moment's hesitation to even consider the others with me, I dash after their trail and jump into the dark narrow space."Taren!"I can see them, the two large wolves finding it difficult to fight in this small space. I suck in a breath with my eyes spread wide, watching the familiar and larger dark brown wolf clap its vicious maw on the scruff of the grey wolf. The grey wolf bellows a cry and frantically shakes its attacker off.This is bad, I can sense more hostiles coming. Five angry wolves are bounding here, fast! What do I do? I can't shift in such a precarious situation.We left Feng Xi and the others stunned back there. Shifting will only complicate things further. A cluster of howls suddenly rattles the air from behind me. As I turn to see them, they're already charging in, all with flashing sharp dentition honed to kill, and
Danika's POV.-What the heck is this little creature? My hand reflexively whips out and truncates its attack by grasping its thin ugly neck and harnessing my fingers to make it croak. This filthy aggressive little thin with pointy long ears, unsightly crumpled face, vile mischievous black eyes, dirty but sharp teeth, and a jagged blade axe swinging about with its persistence to attack me.My mother taught me about the various kinds of Fairies, so I know how to identify them at first glance. This one appears in the form of the friendly Boggarts. But I know its true nature underneath that reeks acridly. This is a Boggart, a shape-shifting malevolent creature. "Hmmm," I hum with interest, stepping away from the pavement and further toward the alley to prevent any by-passers from seeing us. Good thing the street is empty for now. "You think I can be fooled so easily?" I smirk, leaning in a bit as the blunt blade of the axe swipes past my face by an inch.The ugly thing glares daggers
Danika’s POV. - Three Years Later. ~ “Ludis did what?” I gasp, pulling a chair to sit while Kashira grins deeply to affirm what he just said. I settle down and look between him and Mao before lowly asking again, “He fought with them?” “It’s not uncommon among us, you know,” Mao starts to say in a rather calm tone. “Especially among Alpha families. If there are sons and daughters, or even just a son, it’s a test the son has to carry out to determine if his sister’s mate is worthy of her.” I bite down my protest and frown. “Ludis isn’t just any wolf, he’s an Alpha male and of the heterochromatic bloodline,” I argue defensively and Kashira shrugs, “I admit all four of them were powerful and Ludis didn’t make it out without a few bruises.” “But the kid won, and the princess is his,” He cheers, munching his dish of Chow Mein. Doing well to quell my argument as I growl stubbornly and Mao smiles at me. “This is great! I haven’t been to a Chinese restaurant in ages.” “Eat up and leave,
Danika’s POV.-I’m nervous. This is the most I’ve been in years. I can’t even breathe properly. Clutching my mate’s arm, I lean against him, trembling as I try to stabilize my breath. The Faeries who’ve helped me into my bedazzling nature-enchanted gown stare at me with confidence, trying to restore my timid brave spirit as I shut my eyes for a moment.I feel his soothing palm brush over mine and his tender voice speaks to me, “Do you want to sit down for a minute and pull yourself together?” Then he takes on a sarcastic edge, “Or I can just go out there and let them know you’re not up for it.”I growl and snap my eyes open to glare at him who smirks at me, poking between my brows as he says, “Yeah, that’s it. We can start from there.”Thanks to his tease, I’m a bit annoyed and I use that emotion to shake myself out of it. Ridding the unwanted anxiety and uncertainties that latch onto my frame and heart. Grabbing the bodice of my shimmering gown, I step forward.“I’ve kept
Danika’s POV.-Taren and Emma? Wow, will you look at that? Although it might seem as if Emma’s so smitten as she fusses endlessly, running her trembling lips, blinking her eyes, nervously fiddling with her hair, and unable to tone down the heat resplendent on her face...Taren is keeping cool about it but, it’s evident that he enjoys the reaction he’s eliciting from her.I don’t want to be privy to what they’re talking about. I muster a small smile, watching them a little longer as I feel a familiar presence close in on me. When her trembling fingers try to touch her hair, Taren beats her to it, sleekly sliding his fingers against hers to tuck it behind her steaming ear. At that stunning action, their gazes meet and hold for a moment before Taren averts his to smirk a little while Emma palms her face.“She’d never let Lian hear the end of it. But here she is, acting so silly like a girl experiencing her first love.”I raise a brow at Elaine who grins at me, only to have me deb
Danika’s POV.-“You’ll sell the property?”“We’ve thought about it and that’s the conclusion we came down with.”Those voices sound familiar. I groan in my sleep, rousing sluggishly along my slow turn over. On my back with my hand rustling the sheets in search of my mate, I frown and open my eyes. I jump out of bed, pick up a random shirt from the floor, and pull into it along my exit.“Now, don’t look gloomy. It was never a home for you.”“Still, it’s where we grew up. Have a rethink, Christian. You’re making a hasty decision.”Found him. Wearing a gummy smile, I embrace him from behind, pressing against his bare back and snaking my arms around his waist as I drag my forehead up to his shoulder. He probably sensed me coming, that’s why I don’t elicit much of a reaction from him. I want to place my head on his shoulder but find Liam staring at me with heavy drowsy eyes.“Why you this little...” I whisper at him and his hazy eyes clear to revive a grin. Liam pecks my nose
Danika’s POV.-Why’s she with the Elf? How did she get here so fast? Puzzled, I walk towards them. Aunt Sue raises the Elf’s head onto her thighs and stares at him with a form of sadness I don’t understand. I watch them with scrutiny, how the Elf barely moves with his breath fading fast while Aunt Sue takes his numb hand in hers.“Sue...” He rasps, his voice almost just air. But she hears him, and so do I as I keep away. “...I’m sorry I couldn’t...go back to you...properly...”The little life force inside of him disappears after he says that. Aunt Sue hugs his head to her chest, trembling softly as she mutters in a shaky voice, “The times you did...they reached me.”‘Seems like they had something going on in the past,’ Violate ponders while I just stare at her as she slides her palm over his eyes to shut his eyelids. She gently guides his head off her thighs to settle on the floor as if he’s only sleeping.“Every sinner deserves even one person to mourn them.”I push forw
Danika’s POV.-“It’s a pity that her daughters inherited everything about her.”The splitting sound of a gunshot suddenly rings out. In a flash, Elizabeth and Chestnut fall over the handrail and Grandma Bo breathes her last. Shock stuns me in place, with eyes spreading wider each slowly ticking second as I remain numb and unperceptive for a moment.“Watch them die.”It all rushes back into me in an instant. The ravenous and black rage that consumed me before, sets my being ablaze in a breath. I leap over the handrail, going after them. I don’t see Chestnut. Elizabeth is still in her bind and I catch her when she’s just an inch from the floor.“Your Highness! This is the worst to have happened.” I hold my sister close, barely succeeding at holding my rage to force a turn around so I can see Tara and my mate. I see Chestnut is with my mate and I hand over Elizabeth to them.“You all should leave...help Yi Wen...and get the Tuyens out of here,” I manage to growl, the last r
Danika’s POV.-Poof! The head my maw should’ve crushed to pieces explodes into ashen fairy dust. I fall back swiftly and shake my head to rid of the cloud. Only to growl ever nefariously at the face of my grinning enemy standing across from me – with the stolen Grimoire in hand.“Heh, think you’d get me so easy?” He grins diabolically, intentionally hinting at the large black voluminous book in his hand. “I commend your prowess for making it this far, but this is as far as you-”Cut to the chase already. I ain’t got time for pointless blabbering!I’m onto him with a breath, working my maw aggressively, pounding my hefty paws here and there, breaking the floor and sending tremors through the walls- it’s now it comes to me. This is no longer the haunted maze. We’re inside the Tuyen’s mansion. What a sneaky game indeed.I snag him with a swing of my left paw, smacking the side of his head to send him smashing through a wall. The result isn’t gratifying, it only burns my fury
Danika’s POV.-“Danika, hey, slow down. You’re not thinking of rushing off, are you?” Taren questions behind me as we sprint back to the car. “Persuading me won’t work, Taren,” I cut him off coldly. “You heard that thing as clearly as I did.”We get to the car and I briefly turn to face him as I drop rustily, barely keeping my tumultuous rage in check so I don’t snap at him, “I don’t need your help to go save them.”I grab the handle and yank the driver’s door open, zeroing my smoldering orbs on my mate as I give the command, “Move over to the passenger seat.”They all regard me with surprise, Charles blinking at me like I’m someone else. He frowns and attempts to challenge me, only to flinch at the realization of something and lean worriedly towards me. “Is something wrong? Why do you look so angry?”“We’re only wasting valuable time,” I swat his concern aside and use my ability to make the shift happen. I snatch control of the steering wheel, startling my sister to prote
Danika’s POV. - My muscles still hurt from the intensive training I just concluded. I’m so sweaty, it’s making my clothes feel uncomfortable. I cringe at the reek of heat oozing from my body as I enter the Pack House with my mate behind me. It’s hard not to inhale the stench, and it’s driving me crazy. “Sparing with Alpha Vyin and Ludis for over three hours sure is taking its toll,” I grumble with a crumpled face. I toss my face aside as if I can detach my soul from my body, inadvertently robbing myself of sensing where I’m heading. That’s when my right foot bumps into something and my body lurches forward with a yelp. “If you were going to become this grumpy, you shouldn’t have chosen to spar in both wolf and human forms.” I cringe pathetically at the flat tone of my mate who’s saved me with an arm around my waist. “We don’t have much time,” He begins to say after helping me straighten up. “You go freshen up, in the meantime, I’ll go get the kids.” It’s day four already, and to