Before Liliana's Torture
Light fills the eastern sky, I stand by the open window and look out towards the land that I own, the Northlands and a bitter chuckle escapes my lips.
I, Landon Frost, Alpha King of the Northlands, leader of the Frostbite pack have everything his heart desires. Power, Money, Longevity….I have everything except for one thing. My mate.
Devastation fills me to the core. It feels as if all the world around me has lost its colour, with only grey hues of despair replacing it. I once read a discussion about which was the worst pain; severe emotional or severe physical pain. The article had come to no conclusions. Now I see why. One always brought the other. I actually feel as if I have been knifed through the heart. I feel the urge to shout, to run away, but I cannot. I have lands to conquer, an empire to run, I have a future to build, even if it is a future without
Liliana's POVI wake up to a whirlwind of thoughts. Confusion overcomes my mind and the pain from the torture still claws at my skin. I take a deep breath and let out a raspy cough before slowly feeling my healing factor kick in. The wounds start to close and my skin starts to mend, albeit strangely slow. I shudder to think what would have happened if I did not have my healing faction.I could have died.But I am not dead. I am alive, and for that I am grateful. Now all I need to do is get out of here and find my way back to Kaden, find the pack doctor and…”Aieeee!”A hand clamps over my mouth. “Shhh…they’ll hear us!”It is Marcus, Kaden’s Beta.I swat his hand away and hiss, “Marcus, what are you doing here?”He leans back and looks waril
Liliana’s POV A deafening silence engulfs the chamber as everyone stares at Bella’s final resting place…the pool of lava.I want to feel something, anything by what I have just done but I can barely comprehend any emotions. Bella is dead…I…I killed Bella.“You! YoU! YOU!!!!!!” The silence is abruptly shattered by Aunt Celine's blood-curdling scream and she lunges at me with a murderous rage in her eyes.I stumble, weakened and in pain, as she relentlessly attacks me. Each blow lands with the force of a sledgehammer, and I feel the breath being knocked out of me with every strike. My confusion deepens when I realize I can no longer shift.Cathy, where are you?!"You killed my daughter!” Celine screams again, she wraps both arms around my neck and dings her nails into my skin. She is choking m
Liliana’s POVPain flares with every step, reminding me of my injuries. Each movement of my battered body aches and twinges in symphony as if my whole body is ridden with arthritis. I am only twenty-one but I feel as if I am over a century old. Goodness, is this what ageing humans feel like all the time?“We’re almost there, Liliana,” Venice, the chambermaid says softly as she guides me along. I wince a little before nodding.I am battered and broken; physically, mentally and emotionally but I do not cry in front of her. She sets me down on Kaden’s king-sized bed and I give her a wane smile. The room is dimly lit, with four walls of blurred shadows, but it could have been decorated with balloons and flowers for all I care right now.“Would you like something to drink?” Venice asks, concerned. She does not want to leave me alone.
Liliana’s POVKaden's palace welcomes me with the grandeur and warmth that I have come to cherish. I practically bounce out of Evander’s car and so excited am I that I fail to notice Evander silently driving off without bidding me goodbye.I waltz into the palace grounds with a smile on my face. It is good to be happy, it truly is. The child that I am carrying must be a blessing from mom and grandpa and I cannot wait to share the good news with Kaden.Will he be over the moon? How will he react? I cannot wait to find out."Excuse me," I call for one of the maids who is cleaning a mantle along the hallway. "Have you seen Kaden?” I do not feel his presence anywhere."He is not around," she replies and carries on cleaning almost instantly.“I see…” He was here when I left a few hours ago. I wonder where he we
Liliana’s POVMy footsteps lead me in a disoriented loop and I follow, lost in the moment and void of thoughts, and before I realize it, I am back at the bar where I first encountered Landon on my twenty-first birthday. The bar is loud and full of people swaying to the hectic tune that the DJ is spinning. I am not exactly in a mood to party but I find myself weaving my way through the crowd and onwards towards the bartender’s table.I quietly take an empty seat and wearily look around. The place holds memories of a different time, a time when I was blissfully unaware of the chaos that would unravel my life. A time when all was as simple as A, B, C.I think back to one of my lessons with Evander. He had taught me the theory of the butterfly effect, he taught me of what I have come to experience. This place...this is where it all began. The little butterfly that now is two universes colliding,
Kaden’s POVI sit at the head of the long meeting table, not really listening to the words flying back and forth between my leaders. They are discussing where to find Aden. That son of a bitch has gone into hiding after the fall of Antonio Ross and though I would love more than anything to skin that coward alive, my mind keeps drifting off. In fact, I find it increasingly hard to concentrate with each passing second.‘Kaden,’ Lucifer, my wolf taunts, ‘you're done for. Liliana has you wrapped around her fingers. You'll be her submissive and she your dom. Imagine her dog walking you on the streets of your pack. You'll be a good little pet for her.’I growl and the heated discussion at the meeting table suddenly comes to a standstill.“Alpha?” Marcus looks at me and I dismiss his question with a wave of my hand.“Conti
Kaden’s POVFuck my cowardice.I need her more than my pride. I need her more than the all-consuming fear.The decision to find Liliana becomes clear to me. The thoughts of losing her, I cannot bear that. How can I explain everything to her? How can I make her understand?"My Lord." I hear a call from the corner of my palace from where I stand. The person comes running and I can hear his thundering heartbeat as he reaches me, out of breath. I turn over to see a servant of mine."I have information to relay.""Then do it." My face scorn, each and every muscle contort to a frown."It’s about Liliana, my Lord."I find myself drawing a sharp breath. “What about Liliana?”"She….she has gone to Alpha Landon's penthouse."“I see.&
Liliana’s POVHours have gone by and I realize I am lost. I do not even know where I am. But one thing I do know, I am tired, and I am hungry. My stomach twists in knots and I feel nausea rising within me, telling me that my child is hungry, my child needs to feed.I gaze around, frantically searching for refuge and food, wondering if I should retrace my steps back to Azure or the Woodlands but I know the moment I step into my own pack, both Kaden and Landon will come for me.I cannot go back. I will not go back.I trudge on, stumbling from town to town until I reach the outskirts and by the time the sun sets, I reach a clearance and see a camp in the distance. Tents raised, boxes, bags and most importantly, there is food. I see apples, oranges and bread laid out on crates. There is even a turkey roasting over a campfire. From afar, I hear the sound of merry laughter and people