"Is Clarisse the alpha of the pack?" Arabella asked Thalia.She set aside her almost empty cup of coffee before glancing at Thalia. While she could guess that Clarisse held a leadership role in the pack, she couldn't tell if she was the overall head."She's the female alpha," Thalia replied."That's amazing," Arabella mumbled, wondering how a middle-aged woman could gather everyone together to lead them. She had seen many males in the pack, but Arabella knew that being an alpha had little to do with mere strength.Besides, there was something about her she couldn't quite place her fingers on. It felt as though she was a different werewolf. The aura that radiated off her was different from that of the others. Even far different from what she could feel around Thalia.Or maybe she was the one thinking too much.Letting her mind wander back to Blaze, Arabella stared at her phone briefly, sighing when she saw no message as she had hoped. She then glanced up as Clarisse returned, holding a
THE SIN OF THE FATHER(Part One)100 YEARS AGO(Before Allesandro and Arabella were born)MOONSTONE PACK, ASCOTANAllesandro Rocco De Luca, the first, strode into the large room. It was the biggest space in the entire pack house, often used for meetings. The room was now filled with the pack's elders, twenty in total, each wearing a solemn expression.Rocco wasn't unaware of the reason they had gathered; after all, he was the one who had called the meeting. However, he didn't think it was as dire as they were making it out to be."Alpha," the elders said in unison, rising to acknowledge his presence. Rocco nodded and motioned for them to sit."Alpha," one elder stood up. It was Lawrence, the oldest and arguably the wisest among them. He was also the leader of the elders and was the one who spoke most of the time on their behalf.Leaning on his cane, a smile graced his wrinkled face, and his eyes blinked rapidly as he spoke.Rocco couldn't help but marvel at how he still stood despite hi
After navigating her unfamiliar surroundings, Arabella realized she was not as alone in the room as she had thought. She clutched one of the pillars, taking cover behind it as she heard voices."Sandro," Arabella murmured, a frown creasing her face. It sounded remarkably like him, but she couldn't be certain. Besides, she wondered if her sudden transportation here was anything like what had happened to Her, Blaze, Sandro, and Alessia back at Ascotan."No, it's different," she muttered, shaking her head. Clarisse had mentioned that they were experiencing events from a hundred years ago firsthand.Arabella let out a breath, her eyes narrowing as she waited for the approaching figures to reveal themselves. As the footsteps drew nearer, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Instinctively, her hand shot to cover her mouth. She gasped into her hands, her eyes widening as she turned to see who it was."Clarisse," she hissed, glaring. "You scared me.""I'm sorry," Clarisse muttered.Arabella glance
Sandro winced, rubbing the back of his head after colliding with a tall tree. Standing up, he took a deep breath and surveyed the forest surroundings. He was certain he was in some kind of forest, thanks to Clarisse's questionable idea.Arabella was nowhere in sight, and Sandro wondered about her whereabouts. Dusting his hand on the leather jacket he wore, he approached the forest opening, muttering, "What the hell?" His eyes widened as he halted, observing a surreal scene before him – a gathering of a thousand phoenixes as if stumbling upon a slumber party.Their colorful wings concealed their features, giving an impression of deliberate hiding.A cool voice interrupted Sandro, explaining, "It's the Phoenix Rising Ceremony, happening once every 100 years."He turned to see Clarisse."What the hell?" Sandro growled. "Why bring me to a costume party, and where's Arabella?"Not finding Arabella behind Clarisse, he expressed his concern."She's where she should be," Clarisse replied. "A
Arabella had passed the third room, still uncertain about the ghost's intentions. Despite her confusion, she couldn't halt her steps.Each successive room she passed seemed even more sorrowful than the last."Where are you taking me?" Arabella queried as they entered the fourth room."This is where you were executed. You let him fucked you, and he still killed you," the woman disclosed, causing Arabella to frown."I don't understand. I genuinely think you've got the wrong person," Arabella insisted."No, it's you," said the woman, gripping Arabella's hand. Before she could pull away, Arabella's eyes widened, witnessing flashes of Allesandro the first, a woman resembling her, lying in a pool of blood, staining Allesandro the first face."Did you see that?" the woman inquired, releasing Arabella's hand."I still don't understand what's going on," Arabella murmured, caressing her hand."You will soon," the woman assured.As they continued walking, the ghost began recounting their history
Arabella, Sandro, and Clarisse reached the entrance of the Phoenix's sacred ground. Lady Arabella stood at the center of a pentagram, and close to her was an elevated platform with a golden cup and an open book next to it.Turning to address the gathering, Arabella gasped softly. "Is that me?" she murmured, looking from Sandro to Clarisse and back at the woman."You go about looking like everyone, Cara. Not that I blame you for that," Sandro grunted."You're one to talk," Arabella glared at him, recalling her confusion between Alessandro the first and Sandro earlier. Now, she was faced with her own lookalike."Like I mentioned, the sin began a century ago, stemming from your ancestors. The figures you see here are your forebears," Clarisse explained."What about Alessia, then?" Arabella inquired, considering their twin connection. "If there's a first doppelganger, it would make sense for her to be present too.""She was absorbed by the first, but that's a tale for another time," Clari
Arabella struggled against the chains that bound her, wincing as her skin burned – a sensation reminiscent of when Alessia had bound her.Now, facing Sandro, she observed him being restrained, not by Astralys herself, but by skeletal beings emerging from the ground, conjured by Astralys."What do you want?" Arabella inquired as Astralys approached a presumed spell book.Astralys flipped through its pages, wrinkling her nose, then tossed it toward Sandro, who narrowly dodged the incoming book."Stupid witch!" Astralys growled, advancing toward Arabella. "I will end her bloodline.""What do you want with me?" Arabella asked again."Be cautious, or I'll be forced to eradicate those little demons within you. But I need them; I need you." Astralys loosened Arabella's restraints, dragging her toward a podium, then turned to Sandro."Bring him."The skeletal beings that held Sandro maneuvered him like a ragdoll. Though he struggled to break free, their grip remained firm as they brought him
Blaze groaned as he woke up. The ringing in his ears persisted, showing no signs of stopping anytime soon. He remained confined in the dungeon, and it was no surprise. Sandro wouldn't release him easily, especially after what had transpired.Now, Sandro was aware of Arabella's location, and Blaze couldn't help but feel responsible.The truth had been extracted from him through torture, yet he believed it was his fault for not resisting.But then again, resisting would be tough when your weakness was exploited against you.He scowled at the several marks lining his skin and the unyielding chain that kept him restrained. Trying to break free only resulted in discomfort- burning sensations that sent a jolt of electricity through him as well as a brain freeze."Fucking bastard," Blaze snarled, kicking a pebble and wincing.The chain not only hindered his escape but also suppressed his abilities. Now that Sandro knew his identity, escaping would be an uphill battle.Glancing at the hay-cov
EPILOGUEFOUR MONTHS LATERSandro stretched his legs, shielding his eyes from the sun with sunglasses. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Arabella had suggested a vacation by the beach, and they had been here for four months now. He still wanted to fulfill all her wishes, agreeing to everything she desired.Lately, it had been peaceful. Since the altercation with Paolo, there was no imminent threat to Arabella, though he couldn't say the same for himself, which he didn't mind. He didn't believe his enemies would ever cease, as wherever he went, he seemed to attract more.He didn't want to involve Arabella in his dangerous lifestyle, but he also doubted his ability to shield her completely.Alessia had disappeared. When Paolo had died, Sandro had taken the time to scour the building for her before leaving for the Villa, but he hadn't seen any trace of her."Why are you staring at her?"Sandro snapped his head at the sound of Arabella's voice. She stood above him, arms folded. H
Arabella wasn't as tired as she expected. She continued battling, and almost half of the members of the Salvatore house were already down. Although she couldn't unleash her powers to the fullest, she had imbued her knife with magic, enhancing its effectiveness even more.The enchanted blade caused immediate falls to anyone it touched, adding up to a high body count. Despite her victories, the number of foes she faced showed no signs of diminishing.Sandro, absent since his departure, left her uncertain about his fate. Paolo's absence suggested he wasn't defeated, as Paolo would have returned if he had been. Alessia was also nowhere to be found; Arabella wondered if Paolo had taken her with him.Yet, she was glad the merge hadn't happened.***Running after Paolo led Sandro to an unfamiliar location. Uncertain of his whereabouts, he felt a rush of anxiety as his gaze fixed on what appeared to be a full moon at the room's far end, shining brightly. Sandro, feeling a tingling sensation,
Paolo paced nervously, his gaze repeatedly drawn to Arabella, securely bound to the chair. At first glance, she seemed unconscious, her head hanging limply, but a closer look revealed that she was simply staring down."How much longer do we have to wait?" he inquired of Alessia, who had resumed her position inside the pentagram."A few more minutes or the ritual will be incomplete," Alessia replied.Despite the requirement for a special full moon, she had assured them of conjuring the moon to ensure the ritual's success. However, the actual full moon was still two weeks away, and Paolo couldn't afford to wait."Should I resort to force to speed things up?" Paolo clenched his teeth and advanced toward Arabella."I'll break ten fingers and ten toes if you lay a hand on her," Sandro declared, suddenly appearing in the doorway."Sandro," Arabella smiled, relief washing over her at the sight of him. Although she had never been particularly thrilled to see him before, his presence now offer
Goodness!Sandro pressed the gas pedal, driving over the speed limit. Relieved that the road was empty, he was aware that if someone had been there, a collision was inevitable, and he wouldn't have cared.His sole focus was reaching Arabella."Is she foolish enough to go to that guy without telling me?" Gritting his teeth, he tightened his grip on the steering wheel.He had only left to settle some business deal with another pack that he had an alliance with, and it was to get them to fight in the war with him.Of course, he had done all he needed to do, albeit too late.Arabella, that he was trying his best to protect, wasn't even in the villa anymore.His phone rang, and glancing at the screen, he swiped to answer. "If you harm her, Paolo, I'll make sure you regret it. I won't hesitate to take you down with me!""She's still alive, De Luca. Why not come see her condition for yourself?" Paolo replied.Just then, a scream erupted from Arabella, further unsettling Sandro. "Let her go,"
No sooner had Arabella left than a loud boom echoed through the air. Though Thalia wasn't sure if it was an actual cannon, it sure sounded like one."Ah, darn!" she exclaimed, gasping and huddling against the wall. The cannon seemed to have targeted the building, affecting all the rooms. The meeting structure teetered on the verge of collapsing, with the pillars bending sideways."Are you okay?" Elisha asked, pulling her towards a corner."I am. How about you?" Thalia replied, scanning the area to see if others were in the same predicament."What's happening? And where is Bella?" she inquired."The attackers are here," Janice explained. "I overheard their conversation earlier, and I think my father spoke to her. It's why she left.""Why would she do that? That's so foolish!" Thalia hissed."My father is sly, Thalia. I don't know what he must have said to Arabella, but he can kill anyone he wants if she disobeys. She probably left for everyone's safety," Janice reasoned."That doesn't
TWO DAYS LATERThinking all plans would come easily as they were all gathered together, however, the reverse was the case. It was even more difficult to agree with all that was said, especially since it was the last day.Still, there was no attacker in sight, and it didn't seem like anything was going to happen. It was almost noon, and Arabella, Thalia, Elisha, Janice, and Annalise were in the meeting room.Some members were on guard, watching for any activity to report to those inside. However, Sandro, Arabella didn't know where he had gone. He said nothing to her and left the house."He should be here; at least, he's the alpha, and many of these people can listen to him," Elisha said, eyeing the other members in the room, acting as if they were bothered by the current situation."They listen to Bella, too," Thalia said. "She should say something to them."Say something? Arabella didn't know exactly what she was going to say. They weren't the phoenixes, and even though Orga and the r
Sandro awoke the next morning, groaning and turning to his side. "Arabella," he murmured, breathing in her scent before slowly opening his eyes. Using the pad of his thumb, he gently rubbed her cheek to confirm she was really in bed with him. He wondered why she hadn't left after he fell asleep, maybe because she had dozed off too.Gripping a lock of her white hair, he swirled it in his fingers. His free hand moved down to her stomach, caressing it. Sandro grinned as he felt a kick as soon as he touched, retracting his hand as Arabella groaned and turned."Sandro," she murmured, gripping his shirt.Raising his brow, Sandro watched as she began to unbutton his shirt slowly. Her hands slipped into his shirt as soon as she finished unbuttoning."Arabella," Sandro groaned as her hands moved further downwards.He didn't know what she was doing, and the thought of stopping her crossed his mind, but he didn't want to startle her. She seemed deeply asleep, and he hoped she would stop on her o
Sandro's condition hadn't improved; if anything, it had worsened. Arabella doubted it was due to the injury, which had already closed up two days since it happened. She had returned only yesterday to the room and found him sprawled on the bathroom floor.Initially, she thought he had stopped breathing, given his lack of movement, until she checked his pulse. Though she wouldn't admit it, she felt relieved. As much as she detested his behavior towards her, she was relieved he wasn't dead."I hate this," Sandro groaned, snapping Arabella from her thoughts. His lashes fluttered against his cheeks, and he opened his eyes slowly.Frowning, he murmured, "Bella?""Yes," Arabella said, placing her palm on his forehead to check his temperature. "How do you feel today?""Worse," Sandro mumbled, attempting to sit up. His eyes stayed on hers for a long time, making Arabella conscious of what she was wearing. She had opted for one of Sandro's T-shirts as she hadn't had time to do laundry. Now, she
Entering Thalia's room, Arabella made her way to the couch where Thalia sat."Trouble in Paradise?" Thalia raised a brow, sniffing. "I can smell blood on you. Did something happen?""In short, we were attacked by rogues, and Sandro decided to fight them off.""Typical Sandro," Thalia smiled. "But why the blood? Did you both engage in some kind of blood play?""What?" Arabella scoffed, "Never. Just because Blaze is no more doesn't mean I'll forget our moments easily. Besides, Sandro got injured during the fight, and I'm here because he said some really insensitive things.""About you not being receptive to him as you were to Blaze?" Thalia questioned."How do you know? Did you eavesdrop on us?""I'm a werewolf, remember? I can hear things miles away. Plus, your attitude towards him says it all. I've been watching," she said.Arabella shrugged. "I don't think you'd want me to relate with him either. He's been cruel to me, tried to kill me, and took me against my wish.""I know he did aw