Liliana’s POV
I stand before Landon, my heart pounding in a rhythm of both determination and dread.
“Landon,” I begin, my voice steady despite the chill that dances along my spine, “you’re concealing something from me, and I demand the truth.”
He averts his gaze. “Liliana,” he starts, his voice as cool and emotionless as ever, “my mother… she was acquainted with a woman. A woman with hair as white as winter’s first frost. She was the Frostbite Pack’s first ever Sorceress. The White Sorceress supreme.”
The air grows colder as if the very mention of the white-haired woman draws the warmth from the room.
“She would come, always shrouded in veils, as if the night itself cloaked her in secrecy,” Landon continues, his eyes now lost to the past. “She would always come to vis
Kaden’s POVI have never felt such anguish in my life, not even I lost my mother to the creature she has become. I look at Liliana who sits before me, perched against the tree with her head down and my heart breaks.The loss of her wolf is more than a physical absence; it's a spiritual amputation, leaving her incomplete in a way that goes beyond the physical realm.How much pain did she bear and how is it that she has shielded all this from me? From all of us? How is it that she has been able to keep this agonizing secret of her and bear the pain alone?Liliana is strong, fiercely so, but even the strongest can be brought low by the trials they face.The weight of her suffering and the toll it has taken on her becomes painfully clear to me.I reach out, my hand closing around her arms with more force than I intended, my emotions set loose. "Why didn'
Liliana’s POVI stand alone in Kaden’s bathroom, change out of my bloodied blouse and inhale Kaden’s lingering scent. The strong scent of musk, pine and cedar stirs memories I have tried to bury deep within.The memories flood in, a cascade of emotions that I struggle to contain. I remember the sense of completeness that came with being by Kaden’s side. I remember the time when Kaden saved me from the humiliation Aden brought upon me during our pack engagement.I remember the time when I first set foot in this palace, remember the grandeur and warmth that greeted me.I remember our first night together, of how he kissed me, touched me and filled me with his seed. I remember his presence, both comforting and intimidating for every moment that I stayed there. His laughter and melody filled the halls. He introduced me to Evander, his brother, and I recall the sense of belongin
Liliana’s POVThe shock of the discovery lingers in the air as Evander takes the lead, approaching the hobbit-sized door. With a duck of his head and a careful manoeuvre, he manages to squeeze through the small opening, his tall frame bending to accommodate the tight space.Kaden follows, his movements swift and determined, a stark contrast to the gentle care Landon takes with me. Landon insists that I go before him, his actions the epitome of chivalry."After you," he says, gesturing towards the door.I crouch down to step through the doorway. It is narrow, and I can feel the cool brush of the walls against my shoulders. The door leads us to an open field.Once out, I straighten up and look back to see Landon emerging, his concern for my well-being evident in his eyes. Together, we stand, the gentle glow of the light from the room we left behind casts long
Evander’s POVThe sewer is graded with despair, time forgotten and forsaken by light. As I navigate through its tunnels, the stench of decay rubs my senses. The walls are slick with moisture, the air heavy with the weight of the earth above. Water drips in a steady cadence, the sound amplified in the oppressive silence. The cracks are sigils and designs on the walls with worms and odd insects crippling around.I move from one passage to the next, my footsteps echoing in the hollow expanse. The darkness here is absolute, a suffocating blanket that seems to swallow the feeble beam of my phone’s flashlight."Kaden!" I call out, my voice bouncing off the walls, distorted and strange. There is no response, only the mocking echo of my own words."Really how did he build his palace above without realizing that this exists?" I mutter to myself, shaking my head. How can a man be s
Liliana’s POV The Black Wolf stands before me, wrapped in shadow. Its eyes, spectres of gold, hold me captive, and I am torn between a striking fear and a strange sense of curiosity.Curiosity killed the cat, Liliana. My consciousness speaks to me and I am sure Cathy would have said the same if she were present.But I am no cat. I am Liliana Ross of the Woodlands and Azure.With a swift turn, the wolf runs away, and I follow, my legs clumsy in comparison to its lithe form.Damn, I wish I could shift! I wish so much for my wolf to lend me her strength and speed.It is quick, darting through the underbrush, and I struggle to keep pace. Yet, every once in a while, the Black Wolf would slow down a little, casting glances over its shoulder, its gaze beckoning me to continue.“Where are you taking me?” I ask,
Liliana’s POVAn alien presence invades me, a force as cold and foreign as the dark side of the moon.It bleeds into my veins, exploring, searching the essence of my being. I can feel it moving within me, slithering through my mind, my soul, leaving a trail of cold flames in its crossed path.Then, the cacoon unraps itself around me and I fall to the ground.It hurts, my whole body hurts but I force my head up and raise my eyes to the White Sorceress. “What...what are you doing to me?!"The Sorceress stands before me, gently stroking the Black Wolf’s head."My dear friend here insists you are the one who can turn her back into her human form,” she replies, her voice a melody that is both beautiful and terrible. "She thinks you are the one we have been looking for.”“You’re crazy!&
"CATHY!" I cry out.My voice stretches out and beyond the bounds of the hut mansion and into a forest marked in the unknown.The Sorceress' chants crescendo and the spirits swarm around me, their ghostly fingers clawing at the air, eager to claim my essence. Their jaws gaping and forms distorting in this reality.The Black Wolf approaches one step at a time. Its presence a silent force that commands attention, walking in an easy curve around me."Please, let me go," I find myself in a subconscious plea with the mind of the Black Wolf, my words a mixture of desperation and hope. But the Wolf does not respond.The spirits lash out, their frustration palpable as they fail to penetrate the barrier that protects me. The Sorceress' voice is unforgiving, her chants echo in my head like a curse that would go to the end of time. The symbols on the ground pulse
Liliana’s POVA surge of power courses through me.And with it, I know that my wolf is back.Yet I am different, in a variety of ways, from what I was before. Could this have something to do with the Sorceress’ chants? I do not know.But if I could jump fifty feet in the air before, I can leap a hundred now. If I could hear a leaf break and fall a mile away, now I can hear an ant crawl from its hole at twice that distance. My sense of smell is a wonder; the night air is an encyclopedia of fragrant information to me. And my eyes are like lasers. Not only can I see much farther than before, I feel the fire in my gaze, and I seriously doubt if even the Black Wolf can withstand the power of it.Yet these refinements are not confined to strength and power. There is something else that has entered my life, something that I have never known before. I do not even have a word for it. I just feel -- lucky, as if good fortune will smile on me.I am confident as my flesh knits itself back togethe
Liliana’s POV“Alpha, your mate is here to see you.”My heart skips a beat at Jonathan’s words and I quickly stand from my desk to smooth my dress.“How do I look?” I ask.Jonathan makes a face. “Do you really want to know?”I should never have asked him. Crumpling a paper in my hand, I throw it at him but another hand catches it and we both cock our heads to see the person materializing from behind Jonathan.“Landon, you’re early.” I break into a smile.Landon tips his head and strides in, his presence shifting the entire atmosphere. He reaches me and places a gentle kiss on my forehead and around us, the council members share chuckles, breaking the seriousness of the meeting.“Alpha Liliana, would you like us to step out of the meeting room and give you some space?” one of the elders asks, covering the smile on his lips with the palm of his hand.I look at him and feel my cheeks flush red. “No, no, we are fine. Landon, can you wait for me in the study and I will come –““Oh that won
Liliana’s POVKaden.He is alive!My heart feels like it has been given a second chance.I reach out to touch his face, my hands trembling with a mixture of emotions."Kaden," I whisper, my voice shaky yet filled with joy. In that moment, everything else fades away, and it is just him and me.His gaze meets mine, and I see the flicker of recognition. There is a warmth in his eyes, a reassurance that we have weathered a storm together."Liliana," he says, the sound of my name on his lips balms my soul. The relief in his eyes mirrors my own.A smile forms on my lips through the tears. “I thought I had lost you."His hand finds mine, fingers intertwining, and I feel the strength in his touch. "You didn't lose me. I'm here."It is then that I know, deep within my heart, that I love him more than I realized. The air around us seems lighter and In this moment, amidst the fragility of life, the truth becomes crystal clear — he is the one my heart bleeds for, the one I cannot imagine a future
Kaden’s POVI open my eyes to a meadow, a serene landscape painted with the soft hues of wildflowers. The gentle breeze whispers through the grass, and the air carries the sweet fragrance of nature. It is a tranquil haven, the view of it contrasting the chaotic world I left behind.But what is this place? Heaven? Or hell?I push myself up and rise from the flowers to find the warmth of the sunlight casting a golden glow over the meadow. Butterflies dance in the air and a distant murmur of a babbling brook complements the soothing ambiance.Okay….this definitely cannot be hell.My hand touches the grass beneath men they are soft and soothing to touch and I take in a deep breath. It is a moment of calm, a pause in the relentless storm that has marked my recent journey.My eyes roam the place meadow and settle on a woman by the stream. She is playing with the water, gently sploshing her hand back and forth in the stream. There seems to be no one else but her.I get up on my feet, noting
Liliana’s POVThe moment I step into the force field, an intense burning sensation sears through my skin, a fiery onslaught that feels like the very essence of my being is aflame.My muscles convulse, and I grit my teeth against the searing torment. The healing factor, ordinarily a beacon of resilience, now struggles to mend the wounds inflicted by the force field's malevolent energy. Each attempt at recovery is met with an unyielding force, pushing against my limits.It is as if every cell in my body rebels against the intrusion, fighting to resist the fatal grip of this hellish force field and it takes all my might to stop myself from fainting.Outside the castle, the atmosphere rumbles. Lightning rends the sky with its jagged fingers, illuminating the darkened clouds. Thunder roars in symphony with the raging storm, echoing the tempest I navigate. The forces of nature seem to mirror the celestial conflict within, an ominous backdrop to the struggle for survival playing out within t
Liliana’s POVThe frantic pace of our footsteps reverberates through the palace corridors as we hasten our come back. Each hurried step feels like a silent plea for Kaden's safety.I glance at Landon, the tension etched on his face mirroring the apprehension growing within me. He is speaking urgently into the phon, barking orders to Marcus. I catch fragments of his conversation—evacuate everyone, check on Kaden.My heart quickens, a foreboding shadow casting its chill. Evander silently squeezes my shoulder.We finally reach the palace after what feels like an eternity but Landon stops in his track. He spreads both hands out to stop us as well."Something's not right," he says, his voice low.A shiver runs down my spine, and the opulence of the palace loses its lustre.My fingers clench, betraying my rising fear. A bad feeling claws at the edges of my consciousness. The warmth of Kaden's embrace, the safety we shared, now feels fragile, slipping away like grains of sand. What if I...wh
Liliana’s POV “Let me go!” I scream, desperately pushing the hand away. But the bastard’s hold is firm. “Liliana, calm down!” Calm down my foot. Screaming once more, I flip around and lash out a leg only to have my foot caught by two strong hands, hands that had once held mine before, hands that have given me nothing but love and care. Landon’s hands. Amidst the chaos of the storm, my eyes widen in disbelief as I see Landon materialize by my side. His familiar presence frays my nerves. In an instant, he picks me up, his strong arms wrapping around me protectively. I am safe. Landon holds me close, a silent reassurance that echoes louder than words. "We've got you," he whispers, his voice steady. I bury my face in his chest and let out a stifled sob. I am safe. Another hand lands on my shoulder but this time I do not scream. "You're safe now," Evander’s voice rings out in the cave and I lift my head up see his face staring back at mine. Ever so gently, he cups my cheek in his
Liliana’s POVI hang from the cave ceiling, cold chains biting into my fur. The cave is dark and damp, hewn from rough stone. The air is heavy with the smell of dampness and ancient stone, and a chill breeze rushes through the cavern.Stalactites loom above, and below me, sitting on the uneven ground of rocks is a glass chalice.Drip, drip, drip my blood goes into the glass, creating a tiny swirl of dark red liquid. The irony of it, I am staring at my life force draining away, pooling into the glass below. "You are the key to my great plans," the Sorceress says, a dark silhouette against the dim cave backdrop. Her words echo off the cave walls.What does she think she is, a vampire?The Sorceress chuckles as she emerges from the shadows and stops right in front of the glass chalice. He bends over ever so slightly and picks it up, holding it nearer to my gaping wound.Her eyes glint with an unsettling mix of power and malevolence as she looks into the glass. "Every drop of your blood
Evander’s POVMy eyes sweep the surroundings, the wind ruffling my dark hair. The cliff's edge looms, daring me to leap.I estimate it to be nearly twenty storeys down. No human would survive the leap. But I am not a mere human. I am a wolf.My regenerative system is miraculous, if you believe in miracles-- which I do not. I can be stabbed in the arm with a knife and heal within minutes without scarring. But if I were to jump off this cliff and accidentally have some stump fo a tree pierce my heart while landing, then maybe I would die.But both Landon and Kaden had taken the leap before. And they survived."This can't be that bad," I say to myself taking in a deep breath. I prepare for the jump. Digging the soles of my right foot into the ground, I shove myself off the rocky surface with such force that I become airborne.Midair, limbs spread, I feel the gust of wind against my face. The world blurs around me as I plummet towards the ground. Adrenaline courses through my veins, every
Landon’s POVSometime before Kaden’s entrapmentI walk toward the exit of Kaden’s study, intending to go after him. The concerning thoughts for Liliana and the unsettling revelation unfolding in Venice's chamber ring in my ears. Something is wrong, very wrong.With three short strides, I reach the door but before I can reach for the doorknob, Evander intervenes, his hand outstretched to stop me.His grip is firm. He tilts his head slightly, a silent query etched on his face. Our eyes lock, a silent exchange laden with unspoken questions."Where do you think you're going?" Evander asks.I take a deep breath. "I need to go back to the cave. I think we missed something there." The words escape in a rush. My gaze remains fixed on Evander, seeking understanding in the depths of his eyes.“The cave?”“Yes, the one where Liliana met the Sorceress.”Evander frowns a little before his expression shifts, registering a blend of understanding and shared worry. He nods in acknowledgment, releasing