Serena's POVWe both stayed quiet a while because neither of us wanted to revisit that topic we dropped, most especially me. As much as I had so much hope for the fact that Arden cares, I can keep myself in the dark and pretend he hasn't hurt me before. That might be a reason why I might never trust their vague words. Unless he comes out to tell me what his intentions are, I will not hold out hope foolishly.I glanced at him and he seemed uneasy. I understand though. He is trying to put in a good word for his good friend but it isn't working. He might think he failed to get me to believe what Arden says and I feel bad for him for being disappointed but I'm choosing to be selfish for once.I didn't like how quiet we both are so I decided to bring up a topic that will lighten the mood because I don't like how long this silence has lasted."Rachel seems so fond of you. She kept talking about your date with her last night. Seems like she's very fond of you" I said.He looked at me and the
Serena's POVI could feel my palms becoming clammy as beads of sweat gather on top of my eye brows. I know I wanted to know the truth but now I'm reconsidering it."Serena, there's nothing to be afraid of." Gilly said to me. "And it's okay, if you don't want to know."I swallow the lump in my throat. "No, I do. I'm just a little bit nervous." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I opened them and I felt a little less nervous. "I need to know more about myself and why I am seemingly very important to the King."She dropped her cup and leaned in. "The Wolf Mother was legendary because her birth symbolized the great unification of all the werewolves and their Wolf pack making into one great pack. Up until now, she is still the most powerful werewolf to be born. Over the years, her powers tend to descend into other wolves but they could never be truly as powerful as she was."She had various abilities and one of them was the power of control. Her words could influence all werewolves b
Serena's POVI was completely confused, and I had nothing to say. What was there to say, I am completely lost. This is ridiculously. This is so messed up. I can't believe this is the secret war we need to fight, and I thought Derek was the main enemy. The witches had planned this through and through. If anything happens, they will attack.Also, Arden was cursed, and I'm his second mate. This is too much information to get at once. If his previous mate was killed in advance, then who am I? Am I his mate truly? Or am I just a means of delay? Is this why Arden never truly loved me?"Serena, you look deadly pale, and I'm worried. You want anything to eat or drink. I didn't know a werewolf could be this pale." Gilly said in panic."I'm okay. Really, I am." I said, but I didn't sound convincing at all."No. I can't risk Arden finding out that you came to see me and that you became this pale. He might think I tried to kill you." She said in a whisper."Gilly, I can assure you that I am fine.
Serena's POVGilly could not look me in the eye. I don't understand why though, because she said she knew nothing about the witches' plans and how to break the curse. I trust that she is telling the truth. Honestly, I am so surprised at why I trust her this much.She looked at me nervously, like she had another bombshell to drop. It's like she was trying to find a way to put it so it doesn't shake me to my core, but I believe I won't be surprised if the next thing she says. I didn't pressurise her to speak, but I decided that if she were ready, she would tell me."The reason why I don't know if Arden's curse can be broken is because…" she paused, and I kept looking at her, urging her to continue. She looked unsure, and her voice came out lowly and fearful. "I'm a werewolf."I stared at her in shock. She's a werewolf? But Rachel and Alpha Zone said she was a witch. She even referred to herself as a witch. How is she now a werewolf?"Here me out. I was taken by the witches when I was li
Serena's POVI looked at Gilly Ponder for a while after she said she didn't believe me. It seemed like she must have also thought about the points I gave. It's miserable how tense things are because if she could go out, all she needs is one day with Alpha Zone, and she would change her mind about all of the doubts she has."So, he is a nice guy?" She asked again."He is just a little grumpy sometimes," I said, and she smiled. "I can already tell that you two will be good together, and you will be together forever.""I hope so." She said, and she meant it.Unlike earlier, she looked happy and excited, with a glint of hope in her eyes. I'm thrilled to see she isn't being sceptical about Alpha Zone, and I hope he does treat her nicely, too."Gilly, I need to leave now," I said to her,She looked downcast for a moment, and that broke my heart. She needs someone always to come and visit her. I know Alpha Zone is busy these days, and I was just lucky, but it isn't right that she's always le
Author's POVAfter hours of Serena visiting her, Gilly had felt very anxious about whether she would keep her word, and she had enough reasons not to keep her word. Witches raised her, and she might be an imposter. Gilly half expected Serena to never let her out of this chamber, but she also hoped that Serena might treat her differently from the others.Then, the door opened. She stood up abruptly to see who it was, for it wasn't time for her to have her next meal. There were two guards. They looked at her with disgust."The King asked to release you from this chamber, and you will move to a room closer to the royal family." He said stiffly."Really?" She asked in excitement. She felt tears fill her eyes because Serena kept her word."Get your things and follow us." The other said.She went to pack her bags and took a few room decor for my new room. She hoped it was better than this one and had the freedom to decorate it however she wanted, but it might be problematic because of the a
Author's POVAfter the banquet last night, Gilly was feeling down, and she also felt worse because she didn't have the opportunity to talk to Alpha Zone even though she did see him at the banquet last night. He looked so cold and nothing like Serena said, but Gilly knew Serena wouldn't lie to me about him. She had been honest and kept her word, so Alpha Zone should be far from what she told Gilly about him.She went to the kitchen, and luckily, no maid was there. So she went to work quickly before anyone could catch her. She made Alpha Zone breakfast. She made bread for him, went to the garden to get fresh fruits, and made hot tea.She was excited as she went up to his room, but when she got there, she realized that he wasn't there. She felt downcast; she did all that she did for nothing. She turned to leave, but she realized his room was messy.She kept the food and tidied up the room, leaving it spotless. Then, she noticed he had torn clothing, and she mended it.While she was mendi
Serena's POV"What is going on here? I asked. I saw Gilly on the ground and a maid's feet on a book.I knew exactly what was going on. They were bullying her just because she was raised by witches. What's worse is that after we told them not to do it, they went ahead to do it because they think they can get away with anything they do just as they got away with bullying me."Serena, I was just trying to read and…""I wasn't asking you." I said to Gilly, who was trying to explain. I know if I let Gilly speak, she will downplay the situation. I didn't want this situation downplayed.I walked in front of her, making the maid remove her leg from the good and take a step back. "I was asking you." I asked with all the venom I had in me.I recognized one of the maids. She was an omega from my pack. One of the very few who survived the witches' attacks. I would have expected bullying from an Alpha or Beta but an Omega? It was awful to see the cycle continuing. Even after everything they saw I
Evelyn PoVAt first, I had not thought that Gilly's story would turn out to be so tragic. I thought I was merely doing my mother a favour: I was releasing a spirit and giving peace to the pack. But every single step I took in the direction of solving was heavy with shadows that just threw more secrets in my direction. I could feel the darkness circling in, twisting me into a hangman's noose.The old records of the pack were dusty and brittle, worn yellow with age. Weeks I spent in the archives bent over a desk deciphering the scribbled handwriting and cryptic notes. Draven helped where he could, his fingers dancing over ancient texts while I pieced together, bit by bit, the fragmented history of Gilly's downfall.It started innocent enough. Gilly was loved; with those attributes of kindness and strength, she was never really a natural leader. Somehow respect turned to jealousy, and jealousy turned to betrayal. The swirling in the ancient documents held very hostile stories of a family
Authors PoVThey started like whispers in the night.In the stillness of sleep, they forced their way into her brain to take her through dark and twisted visions. Some shadows curled around her, cold and snake-like; their touch glided over the rippling skin and left frosted impressions behind. The dreams picked their way through her nightmares the same way—her pack in chains, expressionless and with eyes like black pits; there was someone ahead, a person cloaked in shadows.The figure's face shifted and distorted; at one time it would be reminiscent of Gilly with her soft features, at another of Gloria, with that awful smirk. She would desperately attempt to run, to scream, but either the land would crumble beneath her feet, swallowing her whole in the world, until she woke up gasping for air.The dreams haunted her daily, tormenting her with the reality of the world outside the realm of sleep. Gilly's spirit seemed to linger in the edges of reality sewn into the very fabric that woul
Evelyn PoVThe truth sat heavy on my chest, a stone sinking into dark waters. Gilly's voice lingered in my mind, a soft, desperate whisper threading through my thoughts even as I went through the motions of daily life. The blood of the betrayed will break the chains.Those words had been haunting me ever since the ritual with Draven, every syllable a jigsaw puzzle piece that refused to fit. What betrayal? Whose blood? The answers I sorely craved could only be unearthed by digging deeper into Gilly's past, the life which she had led before Gloria's darkness swallowed her whole.I started my search among the old documents located in the pack's ancient archive building where old books and fragile scrolls blended their aged scent with forgotten tales. For hours I studied the pack's historical records that included birth and death records as well as political alliances and loyalty breakdowns. Being careful with my page turns made me sharply conscious that the sound of crinkling pages carri
Evelyn PoVWas this a mere figment of my imagination?… Gilly’s voice had become an echo that trickled into the stillness, catching me unawares. The torment did not even allow me peace in sleep. I would close my eyes, and her voice would take me into shadowed dreams-corridors layered in darkness, chains clanking in the distance."Evelyn."It now sounded weak and soft, no more than an echo but soon merely a whisper grazing my skin. Jerking upright in bed, I pulled the blanket tighter around my shoulders."Wh-What do you want from me?" I whispered back, my voice lost in the dark.Silence.I woke up abruptly from my bed before drawing the blanket closer to protect my shoulders."What do you want from me?" I demanded quietly. I managed to answer him but my words vanished into the darkness.Silence.I clenched my fists. “If you’re real I need to see you to be sure.”The air moved through the room as the window remained closed. The candle flame moved in an unexpected sideways wave as though
Evelyn’s PoVAs I came to stand amidst the rubble of Odessa’s fortress, there rioted smells of smoke and blood. The bodies of both friends and foes lay scattered on the ground from a battle that, to me, seemed less a victory than a doomsday. My body screamed for peace, and the tightness of every muscle felt unbearable; yet it could hardly compare with the turmoil within me.Finian stood a few paces away, his eyes piercing into mine. His expression was inscrutable-somewhere between hope and acceptance. His knuckles were bruised, his hair caked with dirt, and yet still he seemed the bedrock I have leaned upon during my stay with the pack at Odessa. He had saved me countless times, and now, standing before freedom, I no longer knew where we stood.And then there was Marcus.He emerged from the smoke like an apparition. Relief, pain, and something else—something much deeper, something older, much older—were stamped on his face, making my chest tighten. The last rays of sunlight broke thro
Author PoVBefore sentries had time to alert their camp the arrows struck their targets. The wolves crashed into each other while they shifted as their howls unified their counterparts.Inside the fortress, Evelyn felt it. The vibrations of battle were within her, through the stone walls, deep and low; she felt a low hum settle deep into her bones. She was clasped in silver chains burning against the skin, watching Finian about to die.One of the guards entered the room quickly, his face extremely pale. "We are under attack!"Odessa's face hardened, "By whom?""Callum and his people… he’s alive my alpha. And the Red Blood Moon pack."Odessa's lips twisted into a snarl. "Then they have come to die." She turned toward Evelyn, handing her a dagger she had drawn from her belt. "I ought to kill you. But I will save you for last.”Evelyn then looked into Odessa's eyes, her fear burning away and replaced by determination. "No, I will save you for last.”Then the ambush began. Callum and Ryan
Author PoVThe woods was dark as Marcus and Luca passed through the underbrush in silence. Marcus’s heart thudded against his ribs, with a steady caution. He glanced toward Luca, who had graduated from one stern face of determination to intent.They had been trudging through the woods for hours on nothing more than scraps of intelligence and the stubborn pull of hope. Ryan's rogues had pointed them in the right direction but were ultimately not adventurous enough to try to approach the Red Blood Moon pack directly. After all, Odessa's territory was a death trap of sorts. Even the most adventurous rogues knew better than to cross her borders without sufficient cause.The moonlight was just enough to see the outlines of makeshift tents and some shadows on watch. Marcus motioned for Luca to keep it low and crouched behind some ferns to take in the camp."Do you see her?" Luca whispered in a voice so faint it was almost a sigh."Not yet," Marcus ground out, struggling to make each breath
Serena’s PoVTears stung my eyes, and I woke up in a start with broken breath as the persistence of the dream clung to me. In this muted room, shadows danced upon the wall; for a second, I was hardly certain of where I stood. The dream had borne the reality—Odessa, her eyes bright with evil gleam, standing atop a heap of bones. Her army, a roar of growling rogues and defiled creatures spread out to the last sight. And then there was Evelyn... Evelyn was there, firmly standing by the side of Odessa, the empty look on her face an undercover of madness.I put my trembling hand over my forehead, it was sweating. This dream wasn't just a figment of imagination; it was a warning.I pushed aside the thick furs, stood, and went to the unbarred window. The pack grounds lay quiet, a deceitful calm before a storm. My instincts screeched like a mother's intuition that something far worse than what we had imagined was in the making.If only I could make Ardan see it too.But Ardan... he was no lon
Evelyn’s PoVThe dagger felt heavy and cold in my palm. Odessa’s cold demand rang in my ears. Kill Callum. Bring me his head. This wasn’t a test or ,twisted game to see how far I would go to prove my loyalties. I just had to do it. I knew I had to do it.If I turned it down, she would turn against me. If I carried out her order, I would lose the only ally I had managed to win over. Either way, she would win.Not this time.Finian walked beside me as we traveled through the thick forest. His expression was a mixture of concern and determination. He had not questioned me for warning Callum. He had not hollered when I insisted we needed to fake a death, to give like a disguise for the purpose of tricking Odessa into believing I had done my job. Instead, he nodded, affirming my sense of loyalty."Are you sure it will work?" he asked softly."It must." I responded. "If Odessa realises we lied to her, we would be dead."