-VALEN’S POV- My jaws dropped in shock and perplexity. "No!" Disheartened, I shouted and began pounding on the dark walls of my windowless wolf's mind. This had to be some kind of a nightmare. All the motors in my mind were stuck in disbelief. The news was a bitter pill to swallow. "I know that it's the last thing that you want to do, but your mate bond has to be severed for the wolves’ endless heat to end." Dad pleaded earnestly. "If you can hear us, please understand that it's the right thing to do." "I won't!" I yelled with disapproval, gritting my teeth. I can't give up Raina. I loved her very much. It was unreasonable to request that of me. Anger streamed through my veins. This was the part where I would shift into my wolf and go running to blow the steam off. Or at least, rip something to pieces. In the darkness, I had no outlet. No way to vent. As a result, the fury mounted as the duress overburdened my mind. "Valen, please listen to me." Mom took a turn to speak to me, v
-RAINA’S POV- Funny how, in fairy tales, things may go horribly wrong. Nothing is ever accurately depicted since everything got twisted upside down and inside out. The thin line between love and hate was crossed. It was so much easier to hold on to the bitterness when the pain of rejection was a constant reminder. Humiliated. Shattered. Humbled. The rejected Luna Queen. All of these represented me and I made the headlines on social media as well as in the newspapers. It was three days later and the wound in my heart was fresh. She-wolves joyously commented on Valen’s bachelorhood. Many expected the elders to convene for a claiming ceremony to be held or at least issue letters of candidacy to Alphas, whose daughters they thought would be outstanding Luna Queen prospects. In a rapt buzz of togetherness, the werewolf realm sang their way through the summer haze. Their droning and raves saturated the air with a tincture of annoyance that understated a terrible bitterness. On the f
-RAINA’S POV- Not everything that contains sugar is sweet. Not everything that comes from above is a blessing. “It would put you in a better position if your mating was done immediately,” Alpha Vance stated in a calm tone. He was deflecting things to make it look like it was in my best interest. “I agree,” Mom consented, looking down at Dad, who nodded. I can’t believe that my parents were in on it too. I listened, thinking that it was unfair that they all kept deciding what was good for me. After our wolves had sex for four months, I should have been impregnated. I wasn’t sure if I was. The thought of carrying Valen’s pup would complicate the situation between us. What was the rush anyway? Valen knew that I needed space, but obviously, they didn’t take my breakup with him seriously. Valen was the deceptive wrapping of an artificially sweet bond. Devoured and bleeding. The barriers crumbled whenever I was around him as the walls kept caving in. My feelings were a smoky illusion
-VALEN’S POV-It’s over?Yesterday, Raina said it was over.What the fuck?Why should I accept that?My heaving chest was loaded with the uncontrollable rage my wolf discharged in me. It accompanied a persistent desire to take Raina, hold her close, and carry her far away from everyone. She'd be available just for me."Get your ass up, Theo!" I roared. My eyes swept the training ground at all the shirtless alphas at Wolkrane, I needed more of them to challenge me. "Carson, Delroy, Wentz, Lawrence, Santiago, Chen, and Pierre, join the ring."Red was the color of the day.Five naked and bloodied Alphas laid unconscious on the dirty ground and were being pulled away. I stood in the center of the sparring field to unleash every ounce of fury inside of me. I woke these suckers at three this morning since I couldn't sleep.Heaven’s fireball was high in the sky. Hafts of its rays drowned the island in heat. Everyone wore only shorts. Well, they've been training and now it was time to test th
-RAINA'S POV-It was 6 a.m. The grey and white panel pair curtains were drawn at my windows to let the awakening magic of the sunrise fill the bedroom with light.Here I stood in my room scrutinizing what was supposed to be a disguise. The image that the mirror reflected might work to get past the lot of Omegas at the packhouse and the medical staff.I pressed a hand to my tummy, wondering if there was a bun in the oven. Four months of mating between our wolves were sure to get me pregnant. I heaved up breakfast yesterday. Therefore, today, I decided to skip the meal.It was also possible that the frequent queasy feeling was caused by my lack of eating. Or perhaps I was trying to make an excuse rather than to believe that I was pregnant.A baby.It would be nice. I would love my child.But, I don't know. Am I ready? Can I do this when Valen and I are not stable?On the other hand, if I hadn't conceived, then why not? Was there an issue?It was frustrating.I figured that I could sneak
-RAINA’S POV- There was a group of girls sitting on the couch in the living room area. Valen dragged me over to them. With his free hand, he grasped the wrist of the blond-haired one with gray eyes and hauled her to her feet. “Alpha, please don’t hurt me!” The poor girl shrieked in terror. “I didn’t do anything.” “Leave her alone. She’s not a part of our beef.” I appealed for the innocent girl. My brows dipped. She whimpered in a complete state of panic. With that deranged expression in his eyes, I wondered what he was going to do to her. Inquisitiveness and concern for the unpredictable propelled me to fight the hand that bound me to his side in hopes of saving the petrified girl. An awry intuition hinted that something terrible was about to go wrong. “This is between you and me,” I touted. Valen gave me an ugly sneer. "Is this the monster that you want?" He crashed his mouth on the she-wolf who was fucking enjoying it. My mouth opened in a silent scream. My eyes watered. My h
-RAINA’S POV- Shivering in fear, anger, and humiliation, I went past him to the open doorway. “Get out!” The sight of him made my lips tremble and my eyes rankled. Being near him was unbearable. My breathing labored and my hand shook as I pointed in the direction for him to leave. I had to hide the excruciating heartache that wafted into me. In his presence, I would crumble and the pile of leaves I had raked up from the dismal corners of my life was sure to be blown away, scattering my emotions and returning the scene to a cluttered landscape once more. Fur began to sprout from his pores. The dynamic shift coated his muscled thighs, calves, and hands in short black fur. He turned and strutted over to me with intense growling. Then he slammed a powerful fist on the threshold. I flinched at the loud bang. Angst brewed inside of me as his black eyes penetrated mine. His wolf was out and he was still naked. Although Valen had not fully shifted, Zeus was the one that I was facing. The
-RAINA’S POV- Time froze. Earth stopped rotating. Zeus’ dark and red eyes gave me a long, puppy-like, heartbreaking expression. They dug into my soul. Closing my eyes, I shattered the hourglass with the courage I convoked. My heartbeat rushed when I opened them. The back of his finger caressed my cheek. “Don’t mark me,” I remarked, because I was still nursing a deep-seated anguish that would return once the pleasure he wanted had dissipated. Also, my infertility was a whopping issue that could not be swept under the carpet. The truth of my barrenness was utterly unbearable. Being infertile was an obstacle on the path of despair. Zeus would be devastated to know that I couldn't produce his pups. I couldn’t tell him to stop loving me. The affection, pleading, and even desperation in his gaze made my stomach wrench painfully. Guilt soaked into every part of my body for saying no to him when he wasn't the culprit that hurt me. His face fell with disappointment and he lowly growle
VALEN’S POV“Raina is hurting.” Penn interjected, finishing up and discarding the cotton in a bin.“I saw the pain in her eyes when she saw Snow with your baby.” She gazed sadly at Devin and added under her breath. “I can imagine what that feels like.”My Beta averted his eyes to the side of the room, avoiding hers, suddenly unsettled as he scratched behind his ear.I blew out a hard breath. I did not care about what was up with these two. Raina was priority. The mate bond wrenched at me in a silent cry from her that only I could hear. Missing the softness of holding her hands and basking in her endearing presence, hugging, touching, gazing—I just can't go on without it.“I'm pissed too because the future hasn't changed and at some point, you'll give the dick away.” Devin aired bluntly. “How could you? After all those times you swore to me…”“I'll never cheat on Raina.” I cut in sharply, darting daggers at him.Unconvinced, he huffed. Then he spoke again, his voice quieter. "She loves
VALEN’S POVMy eyes snapped open, looking up at the wooden beams in the ceiling in confusion.This was Wolkrane.I can’t be here. Not when I promised Raina to be home by 9 P.M. daily. My head pounded with hazy memories, and I missed her pleasantly cool scent so badly. With her beautiful burgundy...Oh, fuck!I bolted up from the bed, and pain exploded on my side, spasming up and down my torso. Immediately, I glanced down at the three stitches that I just accidentally ripped, blood trickling down my side and into my gray sweatpants.Angry at myself for not knowing how long I’d been asleep, I yanked the IV line from my arm.Cursing silently while gritting my teeth against the agony, I barged out of the bedroom, ignoring the trail of blood I left on the umber-weave pattern of the vinyl plank flooring.Dizzy waves swept over me as I descended the stairs, determined for someone to tell me that it was a damn nightmare. That I imagined it all.“Where is she!” I roared, bulldozing into the sm
RAINA’S POV“Kókkino, I don't know,” Gustav replied with understanding in a low voice. His words lingered, heavy with an edge of doubt. “The sword should have taken his life.”I swallowed hard and confessed dejectedly, “I wanted to believe him, but he can’t be the real Valen.”Gustav hummed thoughtfully and moved to the foot of the bed to remove my shoes.Flashes of the harrowing hurt in the last Valen’s eyes made my forlorn heart sink deeper and deeper. It seemed nearly genuine, yet it was not. It was a mask to get me to lower my guard. I was glad that I didn’t let the bond derail the mission this time.My eyes trailed to my guardian, and I expressed, “The timekeepers were so cruel. This is my ninth trial, and if he's not my Valen, he'll kill me again. As an anomaly, they've cursed me to die over and over.”“Then I will protect you,” Gustav swore, putting down my shoes at the bedside while his gaze met mine. The sincerity and promise were clear in his voice.“How long do you think I
RAINA’S POV I lingered behind Gustav as we arrived by teleportation at a sprawling lakeside manor. With urgency, he stalked off down a corridor that cut straight through the house. I broke off into a little jog to keep up with his large strides. Walking by his side, I felt curious and apprehensive about where he had taken me. Warm tones guided me through the great hall. Feeling antsy, my head pirouetted in the unfamiliar environment. Gaping archways revealed sitting rooms, recreational rooms, a grand dining room, and others. Each was filled with soothing terra cotta tones from walls painted in red earth color. “Nice safe house,” I remarked as he led me up the winding stairs, overwhelmed by the sheer size of it.Layers of vintage finds, painted artwork, and houseplants created a classical, inviting effect across the spaces. Together with white and green accents, the wall's reddish tone produced a muted color scheme that brought a diverse range of furniture pieces in a harmoniously b
VALEN’S POV“Grrr! You are not needed here,” I growled, feeling my skin ripple, pinning the man in place with a murderous glare.“The nerve of that Worgen,” Zeus snarled in my head.Nyx and Zuzu swayed their attention to the obnoxious intruder, waiting for my command to attack him.“Stand down, Nyx. Do not attack him, Zuzu. Hibernate,” Raina commanded them, her back constantly bumped into my chest from her struggle against the grasp I maintained on her arms.It was a shock to see my guardians revert to a leisure position, debunking their fight mode.Raina averted her eyes to the man in full white. “Get me out of here, Gustav.”“Careful, Bluebella. Do not deliberately make me jealous. My wolf is unsettled as it is. You are mine,” I muttered into her ear, and she flinched with resistance.Swinging her sabre-rattling eyes sideways, she expostulated, “I’ll chose him a million times over you, you fake bastard!”What the hell was this?She was protecting him—choosing him?Wanting to go with
VALEN’S POVThe portal spat her out with a thud on the floor of my sanctum in a disheveled mess.“Mate! Mate! Mate!” Zeus purred, going into overdrive to touch what was ours.Thank fuck.“Ugh!” She groaned, landing face-down, and something clattered on the floor.My body jumped to life as her rich scent wrapped around the entirety of my being like thick vines.“She came back to us!” Zeus’ rear end started to twitch and wiggle in excitement to see our beautiful mate.Gladness pumped my heart wildly, and my feet moved briskly before my wolf shouted at me to go to her. Zuzu flapped her giant wings in flight towards her regular spot on a custom-designed tree branch in the corner.I rushed towards Raina, dropping to my knees and gently grabbing her shoulders to help her to stand. My heart danced with delight when the sparks erupted across my palms from the skin-to-skin contact.“She’s back,” Zeus howled in my chest with joy and enthusiasm, jumping up on his two hind legs.Raina's legs gave
VALEN’S POVEighty-four hours.Three and a half days.It’s been that long since I’ve been home and without my precious Luna. Precious time was being wasted when I should have been able to go after her. That knowledge and helplessness weighed heavy on my chest, obstructing every labored inhale.Detached from everything, I wallowed in heart-shattering misery.With a deep scowl, I ran my thumb over the inscriptions of the golden bracelet as my mind worked overtime. My brain felt like it was on a treadmill, unable to stop.At this point, my eyes were hooded and void and my brain wasn't far from becoming the same. Frazzled and throbbing.“You’re the reason she disappeared.” Zeus snarled in my head, castigating me for putting Vaheed over our mate. He rambled, “If we weren’t away, we would have been here to stop her. I told you to leave him alone, but no, you had to go and bring him back. Are you trying to make us mateless?”My throat was too parched to argue with him.The worst had happened
VALEN’S POVAll their heartbeats rose, thundering against their chests. Devin quickly scurried over to the witch’s side.My eyebrows met. My face scrunched up and I pointed at Penn. My voice was incensed, and my teeth clashed together. “You let her go?”They visibly sagged under the weight of my temper. Anger pulsed through my chest, the upcoming headache didn't help his bitch fit either.“Well, I—um, I, er,” Pennelope stuttered and Devin frowned, spinning around to cup her face before facing me again.Letting out a breath of disbelief, I felt like my whole world was caving in. My vision went spotty as I pictured Raina lost and on her own in an unfamiliar world, and this witch did nothing to help her when she had the means.“It’s not that simple. I tried to stop her…” Penn explained, shaking her head, and went into more detail, stumbling over her words. “...once she saw Snow, she decided to go AWOL.”"Slow down, Penn." Devin guided me because at this point she was mumbling, and I didn
VALEN’S POV “Beta?” I scowled in the witch's basement after descending the last step of the stairs.Thick tension greeted me. One built on apprehension and fear.They were as scared as a kitten that had just noticed the shadow of a dog’s tail lashing against a white wall. I could feel the weight of their trepidatious stares pressing against me. Their fretting, whispering thoughts practically radiated off them like static.Zeus growled low and ferociously in my chest, unsettled by the hangdog silence. The implication of guilt hung heavily in the air.My anxious eyes roamed every inch of the space, skipping through the bookshelves, futons, chairs, and stone tables seeking the one woman that my soul ached for. Seeing no trace of her, my longing hammered our bond with impatience.An outburst climbed up my throat to be lashed out, only to be hindered when Venus flew at me. I swallowed the impending words. She gripped the front of my black shirt and tugged it repeatedly. Immense anxiety fu