Following my confession of stark reality, no sooner had our hushed whispers and teary-eyed confidences faded to a close, Aiden, Penelope, and I quietly parted ways. Perfectly aligned twines of destiny abruptly severed, and our paths diverged in the eerie semidarkness of late evening. While Aiden's silhouette melted into the dimly lit corridors of our separate dormitory while Penelope's car roared to life, whisking her away into the mist enveloped roads, I stood alone under the dying, fluorescent street light. With the last rusty screech of Penelope's ancient Ford receding in the distance, my tentative steps led me back to the ghostly silence of my dorm room. Depositing my weary body on the worn-out armchair, I found myself impulsively reaching for the witch's book - an enigmatic link to our tangled past and an uncertain future. It lay forsaken on the corner desk, bathed in the yellow warmth of the desk lamp, an instrument harboring potent knowledge - knowledge
"What's with that look, Ethan? It's like you were mourning someone in that room." I almost stumbled to the ground the second my ears heard the voice coming from behind me. When I turned around, a flash of my terrible past flickered into my memories. "Mind your own business, Lilith." Right after letting out those words, I slowly dropped my eyes down to her stomach. Who could have thought? Lilith has been carrying Mark's baby for like how long? Five or six months now? Lilith was once my mate. And their baby was a product of their betrayal. Funny to say, but it seems that her goddess beauty no longer works for me. My wolf once high over heels every time I see Lilith. But it was all in the past now. My best friend and mate. I could not help but scoff. "A lot of things happened since then, Lilith. If you think that I am still interested in making up with you and Mark, you got it all wrong." "Once my baby gets born, can you be his godfather?" Those were Lilit
On our way to the nearest elevator, Mark's phone suddenly rang. He pulled it from his pocket and scanned the screen for a few seconds. "Change of place," he uttered and set the phone back in his pocket. "That was Alpha Ezekiel. He's waiting for you at the restaurant." We hopped out of the elevator and went back to the parking lot where a black BMW car waited for us. As far as I could remember, it was the same car Ezekiel kept on using in and out of the school. "Are you sure about using Ezekiel's car?" I hesitated to hop in but I was already left with no choice when Mark occupied the driver's seat and even put on his seatbelt already. "I mean, what if we meet an accident in the middle of our journey and scratch his car? I don't have a single cent in my account right now." To my surprise, Mark scoffed but in a good way, reminding me of the old time we shared when we were still best friends. Good memories flickered in my mind at the moment while looking at him. I also
Ezekiel also leaned his elbows closer to the table to hear my words loud and clear. "If I know anything about magic spells, you could have been dead by now. After Mark and I evaluated what you have done in your lab, you were the one whom I will cast some dark magic on." then I rested my back on the chair and took a sip from the glass of wine on the table. His expression changed right there and then. I could see a mix of sadness and anger in his eyes. But we know that between the two of us in the restaurant, he has no right to get mad at me. The situation in the laboratory was worse than I thought. Their conditions were worsening. My wolf could sense everyone's profound depression, hopelessness, and regrets. Regrets that they agreed to us locking them there. "Anyway, thank you so much for the meal, Ezekiel," I added before I moved out of my seat. Then, I grabbed a few bucks from my pocket and set them underneath one of the dishes. I did not wait for Ezekiel to say
"We'll make sure my plan will not fail, Aiden." I tried to remain calm as much as possible. "Even if I have to sacrifice my wolf for your and Penelope's survival. Anyway, do you still have the gold that I gave you?" Aiden hopped out of the bed and slide to his wooden drawer. "Yeah, I still have it with me, Brother Ethan. I am still feeling hesitant to sell this. What if it's fake?" "Appraise the gold first before selling it." I provided him with a good suggestion. "Let them check the quality of the gold if it's fake or not. Once proven its authenticity, it's up to you if you are going to sell it or not. It's for your future, Aiden." "What's the point of having a future if not without you, Brother Ethan." Aiden's statement somehow itches my heart. "We may have a few misunderstandings recently, but you will always be a family to me. No magic spells can change that." Aiden and I could not help but burst out laughing after realizing our conversation has started to beco
Penelope and I moved away from the crowd unnoticed, especially from the cops who were more focused on keeping an eye on the dead bodies instead of searching for a clue. We slide into Aiden's spot. "What the hell was that?" Penelope whispered while remaining her distance between me and Aiden. "Not sure what they were but it seems those marks looked like footprints. Huge footprints as if coming from a monster." I whispered back. "But why am I not sensing a monster's presence all over the place?" With swift and cautious steps, we made our way toward the alley closer to the footprints, our senses still heightened. As we entered its shadows, the scent hit us like a wave. An unfamiliar, pungent odor filled the air, a scent that spoke of danger and deceit. A chill wind howled through the desolate hallway as we continued surveying the scene before us. The floor was marred by footprints, each one leaving an imprint of the horror that had occurred. The sight of the two
"You can relay to us your message and we'll inform Alpha Romulo as soon as he arrives," he added. "I appreciate the effort, really," I replied with a humble smile on my face. "But I think it's better if I tell him myself. We haven't seen each other for so long, so I guess, I have to wait for him in his office." "That would be better as well." says one of the werewolf guardians. "Your name was always the talk in the mansion. I highly suggest you visit your friends here. "Really?" my smile was extended. "Do you have any idea what the rumors about me?" The two werewolf guardians suddenly exchanged glances. It was the kind of exchange that was telling me something is running around the mansion behind my back. Aiden and I have been unparticipative in the pack's regular activities. We were supposed to help the pack by all means but because both of us are committed to work and school, Alpha Alexander gave us the benefit of the doubt. "Nothing, in particular, Ethan
"Are you sure about this, Alpha Romulo?" the wolf who expressed his disapproval is one of our alpha's betas. "I mean, this is news to us. This is evidence of betrayal by the pack. Our werewolf pack to be exact. We should arrest him." All the werewolf guardian in the room nodded in agreement, supportng the beta's idea of arresting me. But I cannot blame them to feel betrayed. Even I, myself, find this confession a betrayal to the pack. However, confessing my hidden secret was supposed to be against my will but it was also the only way for Alpha Romulo to believe me. Everyone listens to him alone. They follow his words. "We should not keep a traitor in our pack, Alpha Romulo." sauggests one of the werewolf guardians. "If the rest of the packs in the world know about this, they will probably despise you." "Does Ezekiel knows about this too?" Alpha Romulo finally spoke up albeit the tension in the room was already inevitable. Everyone agreed to my imprisonment. But upon
"This changes everything, Ethan," he murmured softly. "We might stand a chance against the witches if we unite our forces." Despite that my wolf still hadn't gotten the picture of his plan, I nodded in agreement, feeling a newfound sense of hope coursing through my veins. "Then we must get this done, Hunter," Aiden replied on my behalf. "The entire city has been hunted by the witches. It was them who are behind this madness." "Count me in," Conrad seconded, "Even if I don't have anything about magic spells or my wolf being the weakest in this group, I will help you with all I could have." "By the way, who are you people?" I could not help but ask those two werewolves Hunter Grey brought with him. They barely open their mouths as soon as they appeared in the bunker. And if I am not mistaken, they are not Hunter's friends or part of his pack. However, my instinct tells me that they were twins or siblings when they did not just have the same physical appearance b
"Okay, I think we plan B?" Conrad asked, his voice strained with worries, especially when Penelope's wolf started getting wild. "Ethan? Aiden? Plan B?" Penelope was now in her full werewolf transformation. And just like the first time that I met her in my dream, even my werewolf eyes could barely recognize her anymore. She was as though everything changed in just a blink of an eye from the once loving and caring Penelope, who turned into a wild murderer werewolf. And it was proven when she just jumped on top of me and began attacking me with her sharp and elongated claws and fangs. Aiden and Conrad were both stunned and dumbfounded by how strong Penelope's wolf really is. They were simply standing on their spots with their eyes wide open while Penelope was trying to bite and rip me apart. But I did not let her do what she really wants to happen. So, I put enough strength into my fist and punched her straight in the face. Aiden and Conrad's jaws dropped to the g
"Who said I am leaving her here?" I asked. "I brought her here so we could save Penelope from the witches. But first, we have to make sure she cannot escape or do something to us." Conrad, without asking further questions, wandered the entire house to look for anything we could use to hold Penelope. Aiden kept on talking to her, begging her to wake up. My wolf, on the other hand, kept my sharp eyes monitoring outside the house. I had to make sure no werewolves managed to follow me, especially since the house we are in has no fences around. Anyone can barge in at any time. Needless to say, our scents are everywhere. Newly bitten or shifted werewolves have more heightened senses compared to us. "Are you sure, Brother Ethan?" Aiden's face started to brighten. "Please, we need to help her. She must remember us as soon as possible." I nodded to Aiden without looking at him. Based on my quick observation, Penelope's condition after getting hit by lightning and thunde
"Penelope?" Conrad and Aiden breathed out her name in disbelief. "Is that really you, Penelope? What are you doing? Why are you with them?" Aiden asked, his voice laced with concern. "Isn't it obvious?" Penelope extended her response with a smile on her face. "I am here to be with you and Ethan, Aiden. And I missed you both so much. Get out of there, Aiden. Come. You can hug me." Despite Penelope's sweet and convincing words, my heightened wolf could barely sense and feel any emotions from her eyes. She managed to spill those words but I didn't sense any sincerity from her voice. Sad to say, Aiden was blinded by it. He begged me to remove the protective barrier so he can hug Penelope. I cannot blame him to fell for her words. My little brother was still in love with Penelope even if he already knew that she no longer belongs to him. Penelope loves me. That is why she accepted my wolf to be her mate. "Please, Brother Ethan," Aiden continued. His tears began pour
"How I wish you won't regret losing us again, Alpha Romulo," I replied, my voice strained with utter regret and dismay. "If we were the monsters you think we are, isn't it ironic that we are still locked up in this hell of a place?" Alpha Romulo's expression remained impassive, save for a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. Perhaps he was intrigued by my sudden shift in tone, my sincerity flowing through each word. After a lingering pause, he nodded to his betas, signaling their departure. They evacuated the place, leaving us alone once again, a sense of resignation settled upon us. We were trapped with no way to escape the inevitable. The hours ticked by. And the weight of our impending doom hanging heavily in the air. "You could have done something, Ethan," Conrad highly suggested it. "The Ethan that I know would do something, everything, in his power to make things right. But you didn't. And I started to doubt if you are the real one." "We are the real ones, Conr
All the information Conrad and Alpha Romulo brought to us was news to me to the point that I no longer knows what to do. Using magic was no longer an option for me. If I am gonna use magic, then what? Aiden and I will be running for our lives again? Where? To the outside world where we could only see burned trees, abandoned buildings, shoved grounds, and empty streets? To start a new life? There is no life outside anymore. We see it with our own eyes. Everyone was already occupying this underground world in order to survive. The three werewolf packs, despite their differences, managed to survive for two consecutive years. It only means there is no hope outside. While holding onto those awful thoughts, I could not help but drop my butt to the ground with my arms wrapping around my knees and my eyes closed. The holding cell was dimly lit, with the only source of light coming from a small window, casting shadows across the cold, stone walls. Aiden and Conrad lay on
"The only person who can answer our questions is Alpha Romulo, Aiden. The two of us missed the chance for two years, remember? And I can't wait to see him," I replied, my voice filled with overwhelming excitement. "Me either, Brother Ethan," Aiden agreed before he shrugged at me. "But do you think he grows old that much in two years?" I don't know what kind of question was that but all I know is that within those years, a lot of things could have happened. That includes Penelope. My wolf missed her so badly. I want to hold her hands. Kiss her lips for like ten minutes straight. But then again, it has been two years passed already. A lot of things could have happened within those long years of waiting. Perhaps Penelope happened to have her new mate by now. After a few minutes walk, Dexter stopped walking. Then Alpha Romulo emerged from the shadows, his tall figure illuminated by the pale tube lights. His intense gaze assessed us from head to toe, suspicion clouding his piercing e
"Yes. He's pretty alive." Dexter replied, his voice calm. "If you have more questions to ask, please, address them to Alpha Romulo. I am not allowed to give you more information about anything. My wolf was simply tonight's in charge to keep an eye on the mansion." Indeed, I had a lot of questions to ask Alpha Romulo. Questions that he was the only one who knows the answer. On the bright side, knowing that he was alive gives us faith and hope. Who could have thought the protective spell I cast two years ago remains strong and become their source of protection? But two years? Sorry, but it was pretty hard to believe when we just stayed in the past for weeks. Meanwhile, Aiden and I walked side by side, our spirits high, as Dexter confirmed the incredible news. Alpha Romulo and some of our werewolf guardians were still alive. For the past two years, they believed we perished in the battle against the witches, but now there was hope shining through. Dexter had confir
"What about the pack?" Aiden highly suggested it. "Perhaps if we go there, we could find Alpha Romulo. After all, he is one of the most powerful wolves I have ever known. Or at least one from the pack, right?" Everything began with Romulo's pack. His mansion has been the haven for the witches. They come and go without being noticed. And as far as I could remember before these terrible incidents happen to our world, the witches were furious at me for breaking the deal. I involved everyone, including Romulo's pack, believing that my plan of saving humanity will work, but it didn't. Perhaps this was the result of what I did. So I highly doubt Aiden's claim to be true. The pack, I believed, was the first target of the witches. Even if Romulo is a powerful alpha, his claws and fangs, or even his wealth don't stand a chance to someone who can cast magic. However, we can't stay in an empty school either. We need answers as soon as possible. I need to find someone to ask