JASMINES POV “Urm…I was in the…in the…” “Are you okay?” Lucy interrupted, running her fingers down my cheeks. “You’re crying, what’s wrong ?” She pulled me into a hug without waiting to hear what I had to say. I’m sure if I told her, she wouldn’t be holding me this close. “I’m…I’m fine,” I stuttered, cleaning the rest of the tears from my face. We pulled away from each other, and I saw the request boldly written on her face. It was the morning after the surf party, and as promised, I was supposed to follow her. “Are you sure you can still do this?” She asked, taking my hand with deep concern etched on her face. I nodded with a forced smile. “Of course. Why not? I’ll just quickly grab a bag,” I went to my wardrobe to select something better to wear. My door swung open, and Caine strode in hurriedly with my name in his mouth. He froze upon seeing Lucy. “Lucy…you’re…here,” he drawled questionably, stealing a glance at me right before they hugged and kissed each other. “Yeah
JASMINES POVMy head throbbed with dull pain as my eyes stirred open. My body felt weak and my wolf was silent in my head, like she was never even there to begin with. I blinked away the fog clouding my vision and finally got a chance to see my environment.A fully white oak tad room, with a white ceiling hanging above me. The lights were white as well, at the center hung a thin silver rod. I tried to reach for it, but my hands didn’t move. They were strapped to the bed—I just realized. My legs too, and there was a leather strap wrapped around my waist. “Where am I?” I blurted, panic setting in as I scanned the other sides of the room. “Luce?” I called my voice suddenly getting shaky. My head was empty despite how hard I tried to reach for my wolf. “Lucy!” I called again, louder this time. Footsteps echoed from the corridor outside the door. Slow, deliberate, with each step sending a chill down my spine. The door creaked open, and two elderly figures walked in. The man had a strik
LUCY'S POV Jasmines’ muffled screams from the oak room traveled across the hallways while I sat watching over my brother in his room. My heart clenched with guilt, a flicker I had never imagined would be there. What if she died in the process? My door opened, and my mother walked in—her expression calm and triumphant. “How is your brother holding up?” She asked as she sat beside him. I didn’t give her a response immediately. My eyes just followed her movements, slow and steady, until I knew what to say. “Will it kill her?” I asked, stirring a glare from her. Unlike other days where her glare would make my heart skip a beat, this only fueled the anger in me. “Are you concerned? Or pretending to be?” She returned with another question. “What does it matter, mother? Will the procedure kill her? I need to know,” I snapped. A small smile curled the edge of her lips, and her eyes narrowed into mine with a sharp intensity. “She will survive,” “Doesn’t sound like it,” “She’s a seek
JASMINES POVThe next time I opened my eyes, I was lying on my bed, blinded by the lights coming from the bedside lamp. I groaned, turning to the other side to face the door. My head throbbed with pain as I sat up, mustering every strength in me to not fall back on the bed. Every breath I took felt like dragging air through shards of glass. “Jasmine,” a familiar voice called. Caine. He was sitting at the edge of the bed, which made it impossible to notice his presence because the bedside lamp only illuminated the head of the bed, leaving that part of the room dark. His usual stoic demeanor softened by concern, and he slowly stood up. “You’re awake. I waited all day and was already losing hope,” a scoff was laced with his voice. My lips parted to say something to him, but sharp pain seared through my head, closing my mouth immediately. Memories of what happened in Lucy’s house flooded my mind in fragments—the pain, the blood, the desperation…my claws slicing through Lucy’s fathe
CAINES POVI stood at the end of the hallway, staring at Jasmine as she walked into her father's office. She stole one last glance at me, her eyes filled with anger and deep seething resentment towards me. If I was her, I would have felt worse. She went in, slamming the door behind her and leaving me standing in the silent corridor. “Are you just going to stand there staring at a door or will you come in?” My father's voice called from inside his office. I sighed, turning the doorknob and pushing the door in. Dave was already seated at his table, legs, and hands crossed as they awaited my arrival. I shut the door behind me and went further into the office, taking my seat on the couch far from the table. “I want you closer,” my father instructed as he took his seat. “There’s a lot to do in the pack, father. I would very much appreciate it if you just summarized whatever this little family reunion is about,” I blurted, stealing a glance at his wife, Dave’s mum, who was standing at
JASMINES POV“Leaving…why?” I asked my father who hadn’t sat since I walked into the office. He just filled me in on the plans of Alpha Morgan leaving the pack with his family. My heart raced with fear of Caine being along that relocation. “Is Caine going too?” He stopped pacing about, shaking his head in negation. “No, he’s staying,” he didn’t look comfortable with his answer. He finally turned to face me, his eyes heavy with an emotion I couldn’t describe. “In fact. Morgan plans on making him the next Alpha,”My heart sank at his words. Caine?Next Alpha?It was happening too soon. Even if we did expect it, none of us expected it to happen this soon. Why the sudden change of plans?I swallowed, rearranging the look on my face to hide my concern. “And? Does that bother you?”“The boy is young,” my father hosed. That was when I understood his pain and where all his restlessness was coming from. He’d probably expected Alpha Morgan to make him the next Alpha. He served the pack for
JASMINES POVThe following morning, I woke up to the sound of the loud chattering of pack members and buzzing machines on the lawn. I dragged my feet to the window to see what was going on. A clean-up?Is this because Caine is being named the Alpha of the pack today?I hurriedly washed up, found something nice to wear, and left my room. On my way down the stairs, I bumped into Dave.“It must hurt,” Dave said, stopping me from walking past him. I shook my head a little in confusion, refreshing my tracks to where he was. “What?” my voice was below a whisper. “I said..it must hurt to adapt to changes. After being with something or someone for so long,” he added. My mouth spread open to say something to him, but this felt like a morning trigger, and that was the exact opposite of what I was looking for this morning—or who? “Where’s Caine?”“Off somewhere…taking on his new role,”“And are you leaving too?” I asked, leaning on the staircase.A small smile tore across his face, and he t
JASMINES POVHis words hit me like a sledgehammer, and my pulse quickened in humiliation. “Little rejected bride?” A wave of humiliation drowned in me, and my eyes drifted from them to the floor. I felt tears brewing in my eyes, but I fought it with every strength in me. Never was I going to let him see me break down. After everything, this is what I get? The man whom I loved, has again, proven that I’m not capable of being loved or being cared for. Lucy laughed, the sound of her voice echoing in the diner as she walked to me. “What’s wrong? It’s just a stupid game…”“Yeah…a stupid game,” I repeated, forcing a smile. “Don’t look sad, it’s just for fun. After all, we used to play it when we were younger and you always like your role. That is why I suggested…” she paused, glancing at Caine as her eyes grew wild. “We…suggested that you take the role,” she completed, snuggling me. Her words were light, almost carefree as if she didn’t realize the kind of dagger she’d plunged into my
JASMINES POVI stood before the mirror, staring at my reflection. Time had passed since the last servant came to inform us that the car was waiting. I’d completely lost myself in my reflection. The woman staring back at me was different. Someone I’d long admired to be. I let out a sigh, taking the veil off my face. “Are we ready?” I asked Alyssa who was still gathering a few things from her bag. “Yes…just these little things I have to get them we’ll move,’ he said.I didn’t mind, because I felt like I had all the time in the world. I was willing to stand before the mirror, simply staring at myself and the baby bump that was evident from the white gown I had on. Two knocks landed on the door, and it creaked open. From the mirror, I saw my mother. “Mum,” I called under my breath. She told me that she wasn’t going to make it because she was still taking care of her husband. Seeing her here sent chills down my spine. I strode hurriedly across the room, but she covered more space tha
JASMINES POVI walked into the cemetery where Lucy’s body was buried. Carrying my flowers in one hand and holding Caine in the other. It was a month after her death, and as much as I tried to deny it, I could feel the void in my heart. She occupied somewhere in my heart, despite the betrayal and hatred, and I just couldn’t bring myself to deny that fact. Caine wasn’t in support of my going to visit the cemetery, but I insisted. I had to remind him of Lucy’s parents whom they locked up and weren’t able to pay their daughter a visit at her grave, nor did they have a chance to see them lower her into the ground. She was a villain, yes—but also a human being. “I’ll wait out here,” Caine said. I didn’t argue. We disconnected our hands, and he kissed me before letting me off. Caine was still a work in progress. He was taking on a new personality, one that was completely in contrast to who he was before the accident. His memories were not completely back, but each day, with my presenc
CAINES POVThe next time I woke up, I couldn’t move my hands or legs. I scanned the room area after getting a clearer vision. The smell of wolf’s bane was strong in the air, and that explained why I felt weak. “You’re finally up, welcome to the party,” Lucy drew my attention to her. She was crouched beside Jasmine, and something about that position upset my wolf. He wanted to defend Jasmine, to stand up for her. But our strength was sealed. “Get away from her. Who are you?” I gritted.“It’s so sad that it had to be your memory that was lost. A part of me wished you died that night,” she blurted. “What?” I asked. Then I understood what she was talking about. My accident. “That girl…Elara right?” She chuckled. “She was this close to figuring out. If only she’d been smart,”I groaned, pulling against my restraints. “You killed her!” I yelled. But only a sinister smile played on her face as she moved from Jasmine to me. “You can’t do anything, Caine, not even now. You couldn’t even
CAINES POVThe call dropped.I yanked the phone from my ear, staring at the screen as static hummed in my ears. The connection had been lost.Jasmine’s voice still rang in my head, breathless and desperate.I’m pregnant—with your child.I shot up from my chair so fast it clattered against the floor. My wolf was raging beneath my skin, demanding action, demanding I find her.Just then, a car drove in. I moved to the window to see who it was. Lucy. My eyes drifted to the clock, and it was a few minutes past twelve. The sky was completely dark, and the moon was hanging with a moonlight under the cloud. “She sounded scared…and urgent…” I thought. All of a sudden, my wolf was full of rage. The fragment of memory that I had tried to remember felt like it was fighting its way up. But distractions. Lucy was coming up, and I had to confirm my suspicions. I reached for my phone and sent a text to Beta Joseph, telling him to track my phone and find me if anything happened. I sent the same
JASMINE’S POVThe moment the door shut behind them, I let out a shaky breath, my body sagging against the chair. My arms ached from the restraints, my head pounding from exhaustion, but none of it compared to the sharp pain radiating through my stomach. The warmth of my blood soaked into my dress was a terrifying reminder of just how much danger I was in.I glanced at the table where Lucy had tossed her phone. It was my only chance.My eyes drifted back to the door after I heard a sound. I thought they were coming back, so I curled back into my tears. After a few seconds of waiting, and no one came through the door, I let out a heavy sigh, staring at the phone. Desperation fueled me as I forced my body forward. I fell from the chair and crashed my face on the floor. Shock coursed through my face, sending my head and my brain pulsing with the taste of blood that circulated in my mouth. I ignored the pain, keeping my eyes focused on the phone that lay on the table. I started crawlin
LUCY'S POVI slammed the brakes, drifting the car out of the garage. I saw Caine standing at the edge of the hallway through the rear mirror. His gaze was fixed on the car, his body still as I drove off. I knew he was getting suspicious, and it was only a matter of time before he came searching or digging for answers. I drove into the silence that filled the night, a clear contrast to the storm of thoughts that raged in my mind. I’d asked for dinner with them because I started noticing the low murmuring when I wasn’t looking. They were getting suspicious, questioning my whereabouts and my lateness to the events and important meetings. I also noticed how distant I had become due to the plans Bryan had and the hitches we experienced over the month. Recently, a few days back or so, Adrian went on a hunting spree, killing tons of humans and werewolves. According to my parents, he was facing the likelihood of the breakout of another disease all because he hadn’t found someone who was
CAINE’S POVThe silence that filled the room was suffocating. The way all eyes drifted to me, I knew I shouldn’t have uttered those words. I took a little drift away from Lucy’s stare, traveling my eyes around the room. The eyes of others carried a heavy weight, like a secret, lurking behind them. I made sure I observed all before returning my gaze to Lucy. Unlike others, and unlike the first time the question was asked, she was smiling. What changed?Wasn’t she curious to know what changed?”“Go on, Caine. Why don’t you tell us? Are we supposed to be expecting someone else,” she asked again. The rest returned to their meal, the forks clanging softly against their plates. Even their eyes were buried into their plates, and it felt like they were expecting some kind of outburst of something—a quarrel perhaps. “Are you okay mate?” Harper nudged me, Snapping me out of my zone. I forced a smile, nodding hurriedly.“Of course. I just didn’t spot Joanne in time. My sight I guess.” lie
JASMINES POVThe light shuffling of feet and the muffled voices stirred me up from my sleep. Standing at the edge of the room Bryan, talking with Adrian. They were discussing in lie tones, but Bryan seemed to be angrier. “You led them here!” He yelled, pushing Adrian. For reasons best known to Adrian, he wasn’t getting angry just like Bryan. He maintained his cool, taking the blows and the blame. “Deal with it,” Bryan snapped. “It’s already been dealt with,” Adrian said finally. My vision blurred for a few seconds, and I blinked several times to get a clearer view. Silence fell in the room after Adrain spoke, safe for Bryan’s heavy breathing. “You what?”“They’ve been dealt with. And Lucy drove off with their bodies to bury them somewhere far,” he explained. With the I saw things, Bryan wasn’t in support of that. He took two steps forward, and the third step placed him directly in front of Adrian.“You killed the cops?” My breath hitched after hearing what the offense was.
CAINES POVIt was the second month since the arrest of Lilian. My father has been silent on the progress being made by my uncle and the rest of the investigation team—that’s if progress was being made. On the other hand, Natasha has been nothing but helpful. For reasons best known to her, she only let me discuss things I’d planned for and my father eventually left. She stood in as my therapist. On the other hand, Lucy is awkwardly absent from the house. She leaves so early and comes back really late at night. When I asked, she attributed the return of her parents and her brother whom the police department was after. I walked out of bed, moved to the mirror, and ran my fingers through the bandage on my head. Two months had come, and gone, yet I still couldn’t get an answer to the most bothersome question in my mind.Why Jasmine?A few days ago, I asked my father. I wanted to know why she was the only name that kept recurring in my head. I noticed the way he tried to avoid the qu