CARSONI woke up panting heavily.I sat up on the couch where I managed to get some sleep. I looked around, listening if I would hear Ashley’s voice. I wondered if, by any chance, she had called onto me.The dream was too clear, too real!I saw Ashley, she was being dragged by a strange force. She called out to me, many times.“Carson, save me!” That was all she said.I tried to reach her. I did my best, but I just couldn't. After I had battled many obstacles, the road was finally clear. I flung myself in her direction and stretched my hand to her. But it was too late. The force dragged her into a dark place where my hand could not reach.My heart was heavy with despair. I could not sleep a wink after that dream. I got up and tiptoed out of the small castle we were staying in.I did not care what happened, I just had to get as close to the main castle as possible. I had to confirm that Ashley was not calling out to me for real.I flattened my body on the wall and went close to the sid
ASHLEYI didn't know what day it was or what time of the day. I was being drawn away from the real world with each passing minute.I was being haunted in my sleep, again. And like the other times, I could hear Alpha Hendrix's voice. I always heard it in my sleep, faint at first, then louder. But I'm always unable to understand the words. It felt like he was speaking a strange language. I was tossing again. I felt restless. It was as if his claws were scratching my chest, digging for my heart. No! No! No! I sat up quickly. My chest rose and fell as I tried to catch my breath. The air crackled with an unnatural energy as Alpha Hendrix began his chant. His voice was a low rumble. It carried a creepy tone that made me cringe. His words echoed through the room, resounding in my ears. But something was different this time. I could hear the chants. “Oh dark powers of my ancestors in before me, hear my plea. Grant unto me her power. Let me have all of her strength and her will. Break her
CARSONWe set out to find Circe. Our journey took us through treacherous domains, across raging rivers, and through thick forests.How was Circe able to show up at the palace with so much energy if she had to go through such stress? Then it occurred to me that she was not an ordinary she-wolf. She probably had some hidden routes that she took.The journey to her place was not an easy one but we were driven by our sole goal, the determination to save Ashley.I almost puked when Circe's cabin came into sight.My nose wrinkled in distaste as we pushed through the thick bush to a clearing where the cabin stood. We were faced with a rickety structure. There was no trace of what it looked like years before because it had lost whatever vibrance it might have had in the past. The structure stood shakily, supported by two ancient trees.It looked like a risky mission.As we drew closer, the stench became overpowering. It was a suffocating mix of rot, stale incense, and some other unsettling st
CARSON“I hope this turns out well for us and Ashley,” I heard Brody say.I turned to look at him. A shiver ran down my spine as we got to the entrance of the elders’ cave. The air was thick with tension, fear and unease hung heavy in the air.“I just wish we did not need the elders with us on this one! If only it was something we could do on our own,” Axel whispered, his voice barely audible over the howling wind.“We have no other choice,” I replied, my voice firm, trying to hide the anxiety I was feeling.“Yeah, Ashley's life is at stake,” Brody added.I stepped into the cave, my eyes adjusting slowly to the dim light. The elders were gathered around a fire, their faces edged with worry.What was it this time?“How is your mission coming along?” one of the elders asked, his brows drawn.“We can say we have made progress. We heard about a family that possesses the power we seek. The ones who told us said you would know if we told you about them. They mentioned something about them s
CARSONThe path ahead was filled with dangers at every turn. As we ventured deeper into the forest, the trees grew taller and thicker. The light from the sun managed to filter through the canopy of trees. Aside from that, it was already getting dark. But we couldn't return to the palace without a solution. The air was filled with the sound of the rustling of leaves beneath our feet and our heavy breaths as we rushed through the forest.My senses were on high alert, scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger. I noticed my brothers were doing the same. We made sure to check for anything that might be lurking in the dark.There were strange sounds at intervals. Howling of wolves in the distance. But we persevered, our determination was fueled by our love for Ashley.After long hours of traveling, we finally reached the village. As we approached, we were greeted by a group of villagers, their faces frowned with curiosity and suspicion. We explained that we were seeking the help of
AXELMy heart pounded like a drum in my chest as I watched Jasmine step out to the living room. Her eyes were dark with anger. She whispered something to her mum while looking in our direction. Her mum nodded, rubbed her back gently, and left us alone in the living room.A deep frown carved her face as she gave us an acidic stare, one after the other.“What do you want!” she asked in a very bitter tone.I couldn't believe it. Jasmine, of all people, was the one who held the key to Ashley's salvation. It seemed like the universe just wanted to mock our predicament.The memory of our last encounter still stung.It had been a bitter breakup, filled with accusations and hurt. The way our love turned sour and became a toxic broth of resentment and anger was not something I wanted to dwell on. I had been the one to break it off, a decision I never regretted.I had never imagined that we would cross paths again, let alone find myself under such dire circumstances. But now, faced with the pos
JASMINEI sat outside with my mum, listening to the instructions she gave. The moon hung high in the sky, casting shadows over the earth. My eyes danced from the shadows of the ancient oak trees that surrounded our home to my mum's face.A shiver ran down my spine as I thought about what I was about to do.I listened carefully as my mum rolled out the various activities that were involved in the ritual I was about to perform. She explained the demands of the ritual in detail, causing a chill to wash over me.“It would require you to sacrifice a part of yourself, Jasmine. You would have to push aside your desires and feelings. You would be face to face with the gods.”Her words made the ritual seem scary and I wondered if I was really ready.I asked her questions about the dos and don’ts of the ritual. She rolled out another long list, including that I could not carry out the ritual in anger or any form of grudge.After she had explained. She took me to the sacred room and asked me to
JASMINETonight, I would turn the tables.I laughed loudly. A wicked sound that bubbled deep within my throat. It came off exactly the way witches laughed, having an effect that made one's skin crawl. I felt very powerful and on top of the world. Having soaked myself deep in the powers, it was time to direct the powers on what to do.The air grew heavy with magic. I began to chant, my voice rising and falling, in accordance with the rhythm of my heart. The words of the spell flowed freely from my lips.“By the forces of the moon and the stars, I summon the spirits of darkness. Hear my plea, pay heed to my command. I call forth destruction upon Alpha Hendrix! Render his powers useless by the great powers of my ancestors. Let him lose his strength. Bring his life to an end! I call forth destruction upon Ashley Kim! Let her lose her mind. Extinguish her life completely, by my will!”As I chanted the spell, I felt something rising on my inside. It was as if I had been doing it all my life
ASHLEY I recognized them the minute I saw them. Their faces were covered as were the faces of every guard in the palace. But there was something different when our eyes met. I felt a spark on my inside. My wolf surged within me, causing my heartbeat to triple. “They have come to rescue you. Your true mates!” I tried to wrap my head around it but my mind was blurred. I knew them, I felt it strongly, but I did not know exactly why they came for me. I wanted to stay back and check what it was about, but Killian would not let me. When he insisted that I left the throne room, I had no choice but to leave. As I went to my chamber, I saw another wolf. His eyes ignited the same spark in me. We stood staring at each other and just like the other two, he also was dressed as a guard. “Who are you?” I asked, calmly. “You do not know me? Ashley?” He looked heartbroken and shattered. “I feel a connection with you, but I do not know exactly who you are.” We went into my chamber and he took h
AXEL“All we need now is to reach the palace,” Carson whispered as he crouched beside me in the forest.Things were not the same after Killian defeated us and took Ashley away. Breaking the mate bond was extreme. It made it impossible for us to connect with Ashley, thereby making the search for her longer than normal. But we finally found Killian’s pack.While he was busy shuffling between his pack and the capital,we were busy making our way deeper into his territory. We had killed many of his guards and he had no idea what was going on. We had eaten deep into his territory. We took our time, knowing that this was no small battle.As the days went on, we were able to make our way into the village, hiding behind cabins and caves.“Now that they know we are here, we have to be more careful. I would also suggest that we hurry up and get into the palace,” Brody said as we sat down to strategize.We entered the palace at night, through the back. We injected the guards and put them to sleep
KILLIANAfter the marriage ceremony between Ashley and me, a wave of fulfillment washed over me. I stared at her with pride. My labor of many years finally paid off.I instructed the maids to set up a room specially for Ashley. She was my Luna and I wanted that to be evident in e etu way. I assigned some maids a d to get. They were to ensure that her needs were met.I visited my secret room to do a power check. I was elated when I discovered that some heights which had seemed impossible a while back, I now surpassed.I had a meeting with the elders later in the day. I could see the hidden questions in their eyes as they stared at me. But no one dared to ask me questions.“The time to claim what was rightfully mine is here. It's time to ascend to the throne.”They stared at me, still confused. Then they began exchanging confused comments among themselves. I wonder how I surrounded myself with such dummies.“It's time to declare myself as king of the entire capital. I will now be the
KILLIANI took Ashley to a dimly lit chamber. It was bare and cold, save for a funny-looking bed. I had to be sure that she was ready to do my bidding. She had to prove herself worthy of my palace.I stood over her, my gaze unwavering.“You will be my Luna,” I declared, enjoying the way my voice echoed in the room, “we will be married, and you will serve your purpose.”“Never!” she barked, her eyes spitting fire.I chuckled, a low sound that ended almost immediately, “we'll see about that.”I began pacing the room, speaking of our future, of our children, of a life together. The more I spoke, the angrier Ashley became. She was not willing to do my bidding. Her eyes pierced my heart as she shot daggers with them. But I didn't care.I had come a long way on this plan. I had put in so much to ensure that I got Ashley as my Luna. Having her tight here in my territory was proof that the universe was granting my long-term desire.I tried to resist the urge to hit her. She kept swearing at m
ASHLEYThe moon was full and heavy, sending shadows all over the forest. I looked around trying to understand where we were at the time. I looked around trying to trace the road from where Killian parked his car.“My men will take care of you for the night. Enjoy the space given you in the cabin. Tomorrow, we will continue the journey to my park.”I did not respond to him, neither did I look in his direction.“You heard me right?”I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that this evil creature was the same Long Leg Ahjussi that I had known for so long. I felt miserable. I had been played. I let myself be used! To think I had sold some information to an enemy. “I want some time alone!”He looked down at me for a few seconds, “you can have your time alone but don’t try anything funny,” he said dangling his index finger in front of me.“I don't care what you would do to me!” I said, angrily.“Ashley!” he shouted, his voice laced with a wickedness, “I would advise you to corporate
ASHLEY“I am Ashley's online lover!”I stared at Killian with my jaw dropping in shock.Axel and Brody turned to look at me with confusion. I couldn't believe I was in such a terrible situation. It was too overwhelming to find out so many things at once.I thought we had escaped.Brody told me that waiting in the underground room was too risky.“That Killian guy is too sensitive and smart. We cannot let him get us so easily,” he paused and looked around, thoughtfully.Then he pointed to the wall at the other end of the room. I looked at the wall, wondering how we would go through it. He held my hand and rushed towards the wall. He stretched and tapped the wall and a pad of buttons appeared from the side. I had no idea that the wall was computerized. It opened up, creating a space for us to go through.I followed behind Brody and waited for him to close the wall again.“Carson is waiting for us outside the school walls. Just follow my lead and we will be fine. I'm sure Axel is facing h
AXELWas Killian monitoring us?I couldn't get my mind off what Ashley had shared with us. Killian was definitely monitoring us. We all agreed to be more watchful of him and to report any suspicious movement to the rest of us.I sat beside Killian during basketball training. Our team had just scored a superb goal and we were leading. Killian jumped on his feet and cheered for the goal. I remained in my seat while shouting at the top of my voice.Just then, Killian's phone chimed, and a message popped on the screen.If you let the info slip, then I think we need to act fast.I gasped and looked up. I was relieved to see that he was still occupied with cheering our teammates.His phone chimed again.She might have sensed something was off already and might have told the others. Was this about Ashley?I looked up to find Killian staring down at me. He quirked his brow questioningly at me. I ignored him and looked ahead.He sat quietly and picked up his phone. I expected him to check hi
ASHLEYHanging out with Killian was quite comforting. Being with him gave me a break from all the hurdles and pressure back in the palace. His presence always brought a sense of calm, a kind of balance in the weight of my life.There was so much to plan. I attended a series of meetings with my mates and the elders. Aside from the stress, I was getting used to the real life of royalty. But I found myself looking forward to the relief that came with spending time with Killian.I told Anita about him and I also told Long Leg Ahjussi. He said he was happy for me but he wouldn’t want someone else to take his place in my life. I laughed at him for being jealous.I reassured him that no one could take his place. While I relaxed with Killian in school, I did not discuss my life issues with him. I was careful to avoid telling him personal things and other occurrences in the palace. I felt more comfortable telling them to Long Leg Ahjussi. He was very understanding and we had come a long way.J
AXELI could not avoid the smell of sweat that filled the air in the basketball room. I sat in the front row, watching the others play, while waiting for my turn. The repeated thud of the ball against the floor echoed in my ears, while my eyes got busy with something else.I watched Killian, the new guy, with a mix of admiration and unease. His movements were effortless and his shots were calculated. There was an uncommon grace to his play that resonated with something deep within me. I concluded it had to be born from years of practice since he did not mention anything about being from a special breed or having any powers at all.But that grace, it was something. The fierceness with which he played could not be possessed by just any wolf. He seemed to have a perfect blend of expertise and that feral touch I couldn't place.At first, I'd been wary of him. His arrival had disrupted the school in a very haughty way. It felt like a sudden intrusion into our territory. But as the days pas