Zelene Sallow:"Where's Mom?" Shane and I rushed upstairs to find the cellphone Hans had mentioned. The things Hans had told us were devastating for Shane.Oscar looked up from his phone while he sat in the room where she was supposed to be resting. Ray was in his room with Axel, who was trying to stay close to him to prevent any further interaction with Vera.After learning what her father had done, they were now cautious of Vera and what she might be capable of."She went to use the restroom, why?" Oscar frowned, noticing our breathlessness. Shane was visibly upset, and Oscar couldn't help but see it."Where is it?" Shane avoided Oscar and began searching the room. I had to get closer to Oscar to update him on what was happening."Hans claimed that Lady Jewel was in a consensual relationship with him," I whispered, observing Oscar's eye roll as he doubted the man. "But there's more."I watched him slowly stand up and move closer to me as Shane continued to make a mess in the room."
Zelene Sallow:"Yuna isn't here!" I screamed when I rushed into the room and found her crib empty. This was my worst nightmare coming true. We had been so preoccupied with everything else that no one had thought she would come for Yuna."We need to find her," Oscar grabbed my arm, trying to snap me out of it before I got overwhelmed by tears and despair."How could she do this to me?" I screamed, sobbing as I followed behind Oscar, who was pulling me along with him."Right now is not the time to lose our composure; we need to find her. She wouldn't have gone too far," Axel ran behind us after making a call to Shane, who was already searching for her."What did Shane say?" I asked him, stopping near the car."He said some people saw her heading towards the mountains," Axel replied, helping me get into the car without any delay.Ray didn't come with us because, clearly, Vera wouldn't allow it. Moreover, he seemed to have lost his rationality to the point of becoming Vera's puppet.We dr
Zelene Sallow:We began our journey back home in two different cars. Shane and Axel were in one car, and Axel had asked to carry Yuna, while Oscar and I were in the other.Oscar and I were the first to reach home. The rain had become so heavy that we had to rush inside instead of waiting outside for Shane and Axel's car.Once we were in the foyer, I began to pace around, glancing at the entrance for Shane and Axel and around the mansion for Ray."Ray!" Oscar called out for him, preparing to search for him, but before that could happen, Ray himself walked out."Oh my!" Oscar sighed in relief, and I echoed the sentiment."Where is Vera?" I asked instead of allowing Oscar to speak.Ray turned to look at me with a blank expression and then muttered, "she's resting in the guestroom.""I heard about Lady Jewel," Ray said with a shrug of his shoulders, "karma catches up with bad people sooner or later." Clearly, he was devoid of emotions because he wasn't himself. I couldn't even imagine how
Ray Steele:I sat her down before the council, and they signed the papers for her punishment. She hadn't really said anything but kept staring into the distance, silent tears rolling down her eyes.I didn't bother talking to her the entire time, but I did plan to give her a piece of my mind. After the council cleared the charges from Zelene's name and signed Jessica's punishment, I handcuffed her in silver and made her walk behind me to the vehicle outside.In a few days, the full moon would consume me again, and I would forget about my love for Zelene. I would once again be upset with her and dismiss any love and affection for my daughter. It was just so unfair, but I was stuck in this mess.After I sat Jessica down in the back of the vehicle, I asked her, "What did you get out of it?" She had her head tilted, and big tears were forming in her eyes."You would have ended up with Axel if you hadn't caused all this mess," I knew sooner or later Zelene would have felt the mate bond with
Zelene Sallow:I watched as he tied my hands to the tree and then walked back to Vera. He had brought me to the woods and waited for me to regain consciousness. Now that I was awake, I was back to facing horrors.The two of them stood in front of me, Ray with a blank expression on his face and Vera with a proud smirk. The rain had blurred my vision, preventing me from seeing the disdain in their eyes as they looked at me."This is not going to help you get him," I voiced, shivering from the cold but filled with anger at the same time."He's already mine," she shrugged, showing me her bloody palms.I didn't understand the meaning behind her gesture until she clarified, "Every time my blood penetrates his mark, he becomes more and more mine.""Then what do you want from me?" I yelled, struggling to make her hear me through the heavy wind and pouring rain."Huh! Because you're never truly gone. Every time I have him, you crawl back into his life. This time, you almost made him break the
Zelene Sallow:"Finish her!" Vera shouted. I saw Ray narrow his eyes and raise the knife blade, ready to strike me with force. He pressed it down hard, and just as he was about to slice my neck, I managed to utter through my broken sobs, "I love you."All of a sudden, everything went quiet. Ray paused for a moment, and the hardness in his expression softened."I never stopped loving you," I whispered once more, closing my eyes, ready to meet my fate."Do it, what are you waiting for?" Vera screamed, and I braced myself for the end. But then, nothing happened. I felt the cold blade being lifted from my neck."I guess I've been waiting for her to admit her love to me," he said in his usual, soothing tone. My eyes opened in shock as I saw Vera looking at Ray with utter surprise."Ray! Baby! What are you saying? Remember what we talked about?" she said with a broken smile, trying to get closer to him while secretly cutting her palms.I didn't understand what she was doing until I remember
Zelene Sallow:My heart sank as Ray tightened his arms around me, pulling me closer to his body while he reached his other hand out freely behind me. I couldn't see what was happening behind my back, but a sudden sensation of something splashing against my bare neck made me shudder and broke Ray's embrace."AHHH!" Vera's painful cry echoed through the air as Ray's knife slashed her throat before she could stab me. Ray shielded me, pushing me behind his back even though Vera could no longer pose a threat to me.Vera dropped to her knees and gurgled, her eyes blinking with difficulty but fixed on Ray's face."You------," she whispered, "for her---," her voice began to fade.As she face-planted, her body started to shudder. I shook my head as I contemplated what her death would mean for Ray."No!" I exclaimed in a shaky tone, rushing in front of Ray to hastily unbutton his shirt while he gazed at me with an astonished expression."You shouldn't have killed her," I protested, struggling t
Zelene Sallow:Life had been treating us very well. I didn't want a grand public ceremony, so we waited for the next full moon to perform the markings. They had organized days to spend with me. While I would be on a date with one brother, the others would take care of Yuna."Hey! Is everyone ready?" Shane came looking for us as I dressed Yuna in a sweet pink dress. She looked like an angel. It was her first birthday, and I couldn't have been happier watching her being adored and cared for by her fathers."Oh, look at you!" Oscar rushed into the room, gasping in awe at the sight of Yuna. Shane scooped her up, and she giggled in his arms."Let me hold her," Oscar insisted, and Shane passed her over. Ray and Axel entered the room after getting ready, and their expressions mirrored those of the others."Don't think we forgot about you. We'll compliment you once we've showered our daughter with enough praise," Axel teased me, making me laugh at him before he turned his attention back to Yun