로그인-THIRD PERSON’S POV-
“What is this hustler’s name?” Seff engaged Jarvaldo with the business card in his hand. He rose from the chair and his foot knocked over the empty communion wine bottle. It clinked and rolled on the floor.
“He goes by the pseudonym of Shekel Moneta,” Jarvaldo divulged. “Give him a call. Tell him that you’re my guy.”
Seff stopped the bottle with his foot and bent over to steady it on the floor. When he straightened, he took out his new Android phone to make the call. He wasn’t in the bullshit today with Jarvaldo. He assessed the business card and whispered the contact details:
1 000 EZE BUCKS
Looking back at his phone, Seff procrastinated at the dialpad section. Doubtfully, he punched the digits. He knew he got the first part right but where was the rest of the numbers to complete the standardized ten-digit contact.
Seff grimaced, pursing his lips. “E. Z. E. ―” His crimson eyes narrowed as he searched the number keypad for the words to press. “Where are you ‘eze’ and ‘bucks’?”
Jarvaldo snickered, holding down his laugh. He knew well that Seff was absolutely clueless about what to do and enjoyed his misery.
“Are you playing with me?” Seff fussed, darting a mad gaze at his comrade, feeling frustrated because he was stuck and Jarvaldo’s behavior meant that he was up to something. “Is this phone defective?”
“No.” Jarvaldo shook his short, shaggy, brush-cut pearly-white head, folding his lips under to conceal his amusement.
Seff resumed his efforts on the phone, grinding his teeth because he could not figure it out. Steaming with impatience, he shouted after a minute of trying to solve how to make that phone call. “Telephone numbers aren’t supposed to have words! That’s what the fucking technician taught me.”
Jarvaldo burst out a deep, snort-filled laugh. He slumped backward in his chair with his upper body jerking from his humor.
The entire time, Seff’s anger was boiling. Irately, he scratched his cotton puffs of white hair. He remembered when Jarvaldo had tricked him into tasting some white powdery stuff that got him as high as a kite. His high ass tripped on the stairs, and as he was going down, he farted loudly and crash-landed onto the mother superior.
Seff practically began humping the petrified, screaming nun. When Jarvaldo got him off her, Seff sat there a minute at the bottom of the stairs, giggling, before shifting into his large blue-black wolf and running off to do some other stupid shit that would make even the devil laugh. His wolf had never been more doped.
“If you don’t shut up and tell me how this works, I’ll wrap this communion tray around your neck.” Seff erupted, threatening to use his metal-bending power in a loathing tone.
Jarvaldo's laughter died down. He blew Seff off with a hand and rose to stand by him to explain how to substitute the letters with numbers. Finally, Seff made the call, cursing under his breath while the phone rang at his ear.
Once the call ended, Seff alerted his boss, “Dymian, I’m off.”
Dymian nodded curtly and Jarvaldo followed him out.
"Rovell, let's go and visit Mrs. Bumpkin. We’ll also put in our order to the pirates of the Vale." Dymian stepped from his desk.
Farrah mutely gazed out the window.
His second-in-command arched his full white brows, wondering why make the requisition from the underworld when the money ought to be present first. Nonetheless, Rovell repelled raising his objections because of the finality in Dymian’s tone. He settled down with a nod.
"Farrah, go and monitor the portals. Do not leave the chapel," Dymian ordered.
She bowed and in two strides his husky voice warned, "I hope that I don't have to tell you to stay away from the alpha prince while I’m gone."
Farrah groused internally that she had no intention of seeing Vaheed. Outwardly she responded politely, "Of course not.”
Priest Ramcrook entered the study, meeting Dymian and Rovell before they got to the doorway.
“Father Dymian, you have a visitor.” Father Ramcrook informed him with hands behind his back. “He claims to be Alpha Rowling.”
Dymian smirked evilly. “By all means, I’ll meet him in the auditorium.”
“I’ll go and receive him,” Rovell went off, immediately.
Dymian exited with the priest, talking.
Farrah watched them leave and sighed. She had been busy using whatever power boost she stole from the red wolf to create portals at the two sinkholes they left in Bolivia and Uganda.
Fucking Selene closed all their past entry points into the realms. Now they had no old connections to count on for the war they would wage. That was why they relied on the pirates of the Vale in the underworld to secure a passageway to a particular realm.
While buried in her thoughts, she made her way to the roof.
Ever since she met Vaheed, something inside her twisted. It tied her gut into knots of conflicting emotions. While Dymian had a past mate whom he killed, Vaheed was her first mate. The irrepressible experience nagged her. The uncontrollable bond pulled at her so hard that she could barely avoid him.
She was miserable.
Lust, desire, and hunger mauled her daily. Something fervid swirled inside of her for the low-down prince. Something not even Dymian could give her. Right now, the thought of continuously being in Dymian’s bed was starting to make her sick to the stomach. She hid it well.
Indeed, it was hard not to go to the basement to see him. Her wolf yearned for his scent. Dymian could certainly sense the change, yet he told her not to reject him. He planned to use the mate bond to an advantage. To what extent? She didn't know. Apparently, he was keeping things from her. It was unusual of him to act in this way.
These erotic feelings were alien.
Farrah knew only purpose. Fighting for a reason. Fucking for an objective. She knew not love.
Nothing in her life had ever been just because. Together with her comrades and Selene, they fought many battles and won. Their last feud was against the moon goddess and the other four Worgens, which they failed back then. Though it was the same fight that landed them in a perennial slumber with their powers sealed.
Farrah ended up on the flat concreted roof of the chapel standing in the center of two domes. The sun was setting. A coolness descended on the land. The faraway street had a busy line of traffic. It was the end of the day and people were trying to get home.
Home.
She had no home.
A hollow sensation tore at her chest with the desire for one.
A whispering breeze flowed around her, whisking up her long, white strands in a slow, swaying dance in the air. She closed her eyes as it caressed her face, driving her distressing thoughts away. She drew a large intake of its freshness, feeling peace.
"Don't walk away from what I’ve given you." A voice softly whispered as the wind whirled around her.
Farrah's eyes flicked open. They scanned the surroundings but she was alone. Both of her hands threaded through her flying wavy strands to keep them away from her face.
"Do not defy your destiny." The breathy female voice graced her ears once more. "You know the right course."
Was it Dymian getting into her head to test her? Or was it a direct message from Selene?
Peace deserted Farrah, leaving an awry sensation in her stomach and muddled mind.
-
RAINA’S POVEventually, I pulled over at a lakeside promenade and killed the engine. I dropped my hands from the steering wheel into my lap, taking a deep breath in and out to steady myself. The ache in my chest eased just a little, and I actually felt somewhat calmer.Staring beyond my windshield, I noticed a wide wooden boardwalk stretched along the water's edge. Its weathered brown planks traveled toward a distant line of trees and rolling blue-gray mountains. Suddenly, I felt like going for a walk.I raked my hair over and leaned back in my seat and then stared out the window, overlooking the calm, glassy body of water.I've never been here before, but the scenery was quite beautiful.Since I was done screaming...was done crying and wasn’t going to wallow in my own self-pity, I lifted my chin, plastered a faint smile, and I opened my car door.Just when I landed one foot outside on the peach-colored pavement, in a flash, Valen was before me, looking quite frantic. He held out the
RAINA’S POVTears blinded my path as I panted furiously, running through the high black gates to leave the memorial garden. I didn’t look back, not even once.Enlightening. Not in the good sense, because the worst just happened. It was the shock of my life. One that shattered my heart into a million pieces.No matter how I tried blinking the salty water back, the wetness trickled down my cheeks, and I couldn't let Jiya see how much she affected me.I headed straight to my car in the perpendicular parking area.“Raina!” Valen roared, but I couldn't stop.It hurt too much, as if someone had thrust a barbell straight into my chest.I didn't know what to make of the intimate position I found Valen and Jiya in. It was too intimate, and to top it off, their bond couldn’t be broken. What a slap!As soon as I opened the car door, I jumped into the driver's seat, started the engine, and reversed so fast that I knocked over the garbage bin on the other side of the asphalt parking lot. Then I dr
VALEN’S POV“I know seeing me with her hurts, but I was trying to uncover her next move,” I explained, brushing strands of hair off Raina’s neck. “I'd rather endure your anger for a minute than let another threat slip past me to harm you.”Hellbent on interrupting us, Jiya laughed me to scorn. “Tell her how we were just playing it rough. You were showing me what you'd be like in the bedroom. Tell her…hahaha. I was just feeding you what you came here hungry for. Hahaha.”Dropping my hands from Raina, I swung sideways, eyeing Jiya maliciously.Her eyes fell to my crotch, as if she expected to see my cock stir for her.Now who's the naive one?My anger flared at her jeering, and the pure disgust I felt from being connected to something like her brewed with it. I wouldn’t dare to seal this botched-up mate bond, not even with a ten-foot pole."Fucking had enough of this one for the day," Zeus growled at me, finally sorting out his head.In that moment, we decided to do something we should h
VALEN’S POVAlthough I wasn't hiding anything, I didn't want Raina to know I had sought Jiya out.My heart thumped against my chest as it registered. Shit. I knew how bad this looked.“That’s an understatement,” Hera murmured worriedly.Like a live wire, the bond I had with Raina tugged at my heartstrings, her scent intoxicating me.I instantly gave in to it, and with a contemptuous sneer, I pushed Jiya's legs down off me and shoved her to the ground, then backed away from her.“Valen, we should talk about this first; it's better this way," Jiya said, grabbing onto my arm, trying to hold me back. I bet she counted on Raina showing up.Without a second look, I growled a string of vile curses and tore my arm away.My heart thundered as I swung around to look at my precious mate. My real and only mate. The only sun I wanted to rotate around every day, always.Those blue eyes pierced me through her long, burgundy strands that gently fluttered in the breeze. She stole my attention, fixating
VALEN’S POV"Training,” Jiya stated, staring distractedly at the white building.“I'm busy,” I hissed through my teeth.“Not you.” Her eyes flashed at me, peeved. “I need proper sessions."“I won't let Raina train you. If you want to learn Luna duties, I suggest you go read a book,” I denied her."Ugh! Not that. With Raj." She emphasized. “Training with Raj.”That threw me off.For a second, I thought I had misheard. "Raj?""Mmm-hmm. Yes."Narrowing my eyes, my confusion deepened. "You want me to arrange for you to have private training with Raina's father? Wasn’t it clear, just now, how much he hates you?"Jiya's expression softened into a plea, and it made something twist uncomfortably inside of me.She shifted on her feet and folded her right arm across her stomach to grip her left bicep."This is something important." She blinked and averted her gaze at the memorial wall to our right. “He'll be difficult if the Elders approach him. I think he'll be receptive if it came from you.”
VALEN’S POVZeus roared. My desire to protect and nurture was well in overdrive.I curled my hands into fists against the strong compulsion to run to Jiya’s defense.To keep the impulse down, I quickly bit my fist, drawing blood. I didn’t want to bring their talk to a premature end. Neither would I ever let this damn connection control me."Raj, you will understand one day, I promise," Jiya stated, her tone mellowing.“You don't get to approach me and interrogate me about my family,” Raj snarled. “Not when you're after my daughter. Leave my family alone.”“You shouldn't discriminate,” Jiya responded flatly. “Everyone is treating me like I'm stealing something. I'm not against Raina, but I should be happy too.”Raj snorted. “Then be happy but not at the expense of others. You know what's funny to me? How you were here before and never once did you chase Valen, or declare this cock-and-bull bond.”“I explained that before,” she defended harshly.Raj laughed mockingly. “It didn't exist. I
THIRD PERSON’S POVRaina froze. Her eyes twitched, and her mouth dropped like Daffy Duck’s beak hitting the ground.“You’re what?!” With her blood hurtling against her eardrums, Raina crushed the paper as her hands coiled into fists. “Who?”“That conversation is not for you. Until my son wakes up a
THIRD PERSON'S POVVance growled, fierce and visceral. “You don’t get to give up on him, not while he’s still breathing!”The Alpha's chest heaved, eyes blazing at Blayne, who shifted uncomfortably in his chair.“Haah,” Duke sighed and tsked. “You had to do it.”“Are you preparing me for the worst?
RAINA’S POVThe night held its breath, giving off a sharp edge of fear.A hum and a whiff of something ancient, something not of this world, wafted through the atmosphere.The grief-stricken Luna stood at the bedside, whispering Valen’s name in between soft sobs. Her hands hovered over him. One held
VALEN’S POV“Selene’s spirit dwells here, Raina,” I gestured to the space around us. “There’s more power in this circle than you could ever imagine. The Coyolxauhqui stone will protect you. So please stay inside it.”“Watch her,” Zeus nagged.“You’re experimenting with me, testing the limits of you







