Stefan’s POV Gwen stays in the bathroom for quite a while. Long enough to have me almost bursting the door open to ensure she is alright. When she emerges, her face is freshly washed, but her bloodshot eyes give away the fact that she has been crying. I start towards her, reaching for her, but she shakes her head and moves aside. “How can I know when it’s him and not you?” Frustrated that I can’t comfort her, I scrub my hands down my face. “I don’t know if there’s a way to tell that when I’m in wolf form. But as human, my eyes. When they glow, that’s him. He has never taken over my human body, and I don’t think he can. But when my eyes glow when I haven’t shifted, it’s a sign that he’s here, paying attention.” The look she gives me tells me exactly what she’s thinking. That night we had sex after I had a little too much to drink. “Gwen, I’m looking for a way to keep him away from you, okay? And I’m taking all precautions to ensure he doesn’t spring up on me even with my wolf. I d
Gwen’s POV There must be something wrong with me. That’s the only reason I’m sitting here, feeling sorry for myself, instead of staying by my twin’s side and making sure she’s okay. A twin I haven’t seen in eighteen years. One I thought was dead. That’s why she feels like a stranger, right? It’s not my fault that I don’t feel any sort of attachment to her. Maybe this is about me getting lost in my mind, thinking of how she was always everyone’s first choice. How I was always her back up. I remember crying for days on end when my mother took her and left me behind. Even at five, I knew my mother didn’t love me like she did her. I never figured out why my mother hated me so much. Enough to erase my identity and force me to live as her favourite daughter when she lost her. And just when I thought I was done living in her shadow, just when I reclaimed my own identity, she shows up again. And goes right into the arms of my mate. My mate, who was her childhood friend. Who looked far
Gwen’s POV When I come to, the first thing I do is check the time. I sigh in relief when I realise I was only out for several hours. It’s now eight o’clock at night, and I’m starving. I should take care of that before finding Stefan and giving him a piece of my mind about what I think of him pulling his little hypnotising trick on me. I head downstairs, mentally steeling myself for whatever scenario awaits down there. Hint: scenarios involving Stefan and my sister. I’m not sure who between them I’m less ready to face right now. Maybe both of them, together. The living room is clear and I’m almost believing I’m home free when I walk into the kitchen and there they are. “Eat all of it,” Stefan is saying, placing a steaming bowl of soup in front of Mari. “You’ll feel as good as new in the morning.” She flashes him a grateful smile as she grasps the spoon beside her. “Thank you, Stefan.” You know what? Maybe I’m not starving after all… Before I can tiptoe out of the entrance and ba
Stefan’s POV “Wow, wow, wow, what do I owe the pleasure?” It takes a second. A second to get up there, meet him at the top of the stairs where he’s standing with that stupid smirk on his face, and plaster him to the wall with my hand around his neck. His smirk drops while his eyes widen. He hadn’t expected that, uh? What, did he think I came by for a chat? There’s a commotion behind me—likely his men scuffling with Levi, Andreas, and Max. But I know none of them will make it up these stairs. “Human trafficking, really? How low does this pack go, exactly?” I ask, obviously not expecting a reply because my fingers are not letting much air get past his throat, let alone words. But he manages a few. “Fucking. Let. Me. Go.” His hands grab at mine, but he’s no match for my strength. He should have known that on the night he challenged me. He growls, and I glimpse his fangs breaking through his gums. Trying to shift on me? Yeah, I would like another go at that throat of his. Would pr
Stefan’s POV “The guy was like twice his size. And he just stood there, chest puffed out—” “Mari!” I groan, hoping to bring a stop to her storytelling. But she’s bent on embarrassing me, it seems. It doesn’t help that her audience seems thoroughly entranced. “And tells him that he would have to go through him first.” They all burst into laughter—something they’ve all been doing ever since Levi asked Mari to spill a few details about my childhood. I wouldn’t call what’s coming out of her mouth a few details. If someone was taking notes, they would already have enough material to write my biography. “I appreciated him sticking out for me, but I really wish he hadn’t. He got so many scars on account of my bullies.” “That’s how Alphas are made,” Andreas cracks, raising his glass to me as if in a toast. “He is a true one,” Mari says, lifting her glass too. She meets my gaze. “Still saving me to this day. I’m grateful.” Something passes between us as our eyes connect. I give her a sm
Gwen’s POV When I was in high school, I liked this guy. Matthew Simpson. Matthew was…well, he was that boy most girls had a crush on at some point. Him having a lot of options didn’t help my case. It also didn’t help that he was from the wrong side of the tracks. Or rather, I was the one from the wrong side of the tracks. I think my crush on him got serious when I was around fifteen. As the school semesters came and went, I became resigned to the fact that he would never notice me. Not that I expected him to. He was from a good family–read wealthy–and he was smart too. He was also the best player on the school basketball team. In short, he had it all. And boys who have it all don’t exactly pay attention to girls like me. Girls who barely pass their tests, girls who are on the teachers’ shit-list for being a little too far off the mark of what model students should be. Girls who don’t exactly have the best fashion sense. So I was certain I would forever be a speck in his periphera
Gwen’s POV I leave the bathroom with renewed determination. To quell those misplaced ugly thoughts and try to enjoy the night. It’s been a long time since I had a night out, anyway. Also, in the past, I spent my nights in clubs serving drinks instead of having fun–I shouldn’t let this night go to waste. I take a deep breath as I emerge from the hallway leading to the bathroom and scan the bar area. I’m guessing Stefan must be there after– “Let’s get out of here.” A hand lands on my arm and I turn to find Stefan beside me. “What? Now?” I ask. “Yeah,” he says, already steering me towards the exit. “What about the others?” “They are staying.” There is a sense of urgency in his voice, as if he can’t wait to get out of here. I try to get a good look at his face, but the disco lights aren’t helping. So I voice my concern. “Is something wrong?” He shakes his head. “No. I just want to be with you, alone.” “Oh,” I mumble. I’m all for that idea. When we make it outside, the car is
Stefan’s POV When Levi came to me with news that he had found a healer who can help with my little intruder problem, I thought my troubles were over. Of course, that was before I realised that my body had more ideas on how to screw me over. I had it all figured out. Once Mr Nosy Werewolf Prince from Goddess knows when disappeared into the recesses of my mind, nothing could come between me and Gwen. But as things turned out, I don’t need an unwelcome guest in my body to screw up my mate bond. My body is doing that all on its own. Memories of that night in the nightclub flash through my mind, and I cringe internally. Standing there, super aware of Mari next to me. The roaring need that coursed through my veins. The visions that crowded my mind. Visions that should have been my mate. Instead, all I could think of was mating Mari. Marking her with my scent. Making her mine. It was exactly like I had heard in stories of werewolves finding their mates. The body-crushing need to be with
High Palace, Ninth Heaven Selena, Moon Goddess, walked through the open doors of the High Palace. It had been centuries since Mother Creator had summoned her. A summon from Her Holiness was a rare occurrence that sent fear through even the most powerful deities. It often meant one of two things–you’ve gotten on her bad side, or she’s about to give you a new Order. Orders could be bad or good, but it was better to manage one’s expectations. Selena spent most of her time at her Lunar Palace, overseeing the race the Holy Mother had sanctioned her to begin as guardians to the human race. That had been thousands of years ago, and it had been her last Order. She wanted to hope, but she had a sinking feeling this summoning was not about her Order. When she got in front of the throne, she got to her knees, her white robes spilling on the iridescent marble floor. Holding her hands together in front of her, she bowed deeply. “Mother.” There was nobody on the throne, but the creator’s
Stefan’s POV It’s not until I watch the flames engulf her body that all hope dies within me. Gwen is gone. She is dead. When I saw her at the castle two nights ago, I thought I had time. Now, I have all the time in the world, but I don’t have her. I have nothing. And it’s all my fault. If I’d never let her leave, this would not have happened. Heck, if I’d left her alone that night I found her at the nightclub, she would be alright. ‘You can delay fate, but you cannot change it.’ That’s what Eric said when I woke up in the middle of the jungle after he went off running last night. She was meant to die, that’s what he meant. That it didn’t matter what I did or failed to do. She would have died anyway, at that exact time. He said the High Priestess never mentioned it. She told him about his own demise, but not a word about Gwen’s. Why did she insist on sacrificing Gwen in her past life when she must have known she would die young? Because then, she must have known that Gwen
Stefan’s POV “Why did Alexander help Theodore?” I ask Phillip when he shows up in the library in the evening. I’ve been in here most of the day, looking through Alexander’s books. Eric insists that I’m wasting my time. But time’s all I have. Gwen has been avoiding me all day since our conversation in the garden this morning. I know I have to give her time. It’ll be a while before she wants to see me, leave alone talk to me. While I wait for that time to come, I’ll not stop looking for a way to give her something she might want more than me. Eric says he is not the one she loves, but she hasn’t heard their story. Maybe…what if…what if all this time, he was the one she loved? She says if we break the bond, I’ll realise I never really love her. What if that’s true for her? Maybe without the bond, I’m nothing to her. Because we were never meant to be. We only found each other because Eric chose me as his host. I’d never have gotten tangled up with her. I only served to bring the
Eric’s POV Gwen and I are a pair of star-crossed soulmates. That’s what the High Priestess told me in my past life while trying to dissuade me from going through the ritual that would keep me around for half a century. She said no matter how many lives our paths crossed, it would never end well. I don’t think I entirely believed her back then. After all, she was the same person who took Ruby’s life with a lie. She could have been lying to get out of performing the ritual because it was forbidden and would cost her. Even if she was telling the truth, it wouldn’t have changed my mind. It’s okay if I never get to be with her, as long as I can protect her. I had hope that would be for at least a few years before my spirit dissipated. But all I’ve gotten are a few months so far. And unless I convince Gwen to give Stefan another chance, that might be all that I get. We make the switch in the morning. I told Stefan I can rob him of his body. I was bluffing. I’ll be lucky if I can hol
Stefan’s POV I catch Gwen just before she hits the couch behind her. Her limp body falls into my arms and I lift her, holding her against my body. This is not one of the scenarios I had in mind when I imagined how it would be when I saw her again. I imagined she’d be mad and say she hates me–and I could see that in her eyes when I walked into the room a moment ago. But I didn’t imagine seeing me would be so horrible for her that she’d pass out. “Where’s her room?” I ask the vampire. “Can you get the healer? I’ll make a call.” When the vampire came to me not long ago, I wasn’t at the pack. I was in possibly the hundredth town I’ve been to in the past five months, looking for her. “This way,” he says, leaving the room. I follow him into the hallway and up a flight of stairs. He branches off on the third floor. He opens a door to the east and I walk through it into a large bedroom. “Make the call,” the vampire tells me as I lay Gwen on the bed. “I don’t want to spook anyone.” I
Five Months Later It’s been five months since Alexander died. In that time, I’ve not left the castle. I could go anywhere I wanted, but that’s the thing. I don’t want to go anywhere. Not for another two months, at least. When the baby comes, I cannot stay here. It’s fine to isolate myself in the middle of the jungle with no contact with the outside world save for a vampire butler who refuses to leave, but I cannot do that to a child. When she comes–according to Phillip, who can sense a ton of things I’d normally need an ultrasound for, it’s a girl–I want to give her a normal life. As normal as I can before she grows up and finds out she is a werewolf. I don’t plan on looking for a werewolf community. There are werewolves who live in the human world, perfectly hidden. As long as I raise and teach her well, it can be just the two of us, living a peaceful life away from the chaos in the supernatural world. When I leave the castle, I intend to move to one of the houses Alexander lef
Gwen’s POV I wake up in the middle of the night to strange sounds coming from the hallway. I sit up in bed and listen. When a feminine scream rends the air, I jump out of bed and rush for the door. When I get to the hallway, I see a woman outside Alexander’s door. She turns around when I appear, and on seeing me, rushes towards me. “Help me! They are trying to–” She comes to a sudden stop as a stricken look crosses over her face. She stumbles back, eyeing me with suspicion. “Are you one of them?” Phillip appears from Alexander’s room and I walk over, looking between him and the woman. She is human. “What is going on?” “Don’t worry about it,” he tells me. “Go back to sleep.” The woman is looking between us, pressing herself against the wall. I look at her. “It’s okay. No one’s going to hurt you.” There’s only one reason a human would be in a vampire’s castle. But as long as I’m here, no one’s getting drained. She looks at me with wide, terrified eyes, unsure whether to trust me.
Stefan’s POV “So you went to bed with a vampire,” I mutter into the dark room after Eric is done with his story. ‘After everything I’ve said, that’s what has left an impression on you?’ I sigh and rub a hand over my face. “You have faith in this vampire, but you have no idea what he has been up to for the past five centuries. He is working with an asshole like Theodore. Maybe Gwen is not as safe with him as you think. Maybe at some point, his dark nature caught up with him and he found everything he did back then laughable. Maybe he took her so he could do what he failed to do back then.” He is quiet. And that means he knows I could be right. ‘But she is still alive,’ he says after a moment. ‘I would feel it if she died, no matter where she is. He wouldn’t keep her alive if he was back to his true nature.’ “There are worse things than death,” I whisper. What if he is torturing her? She is a werewolf, so he cannot drink her blood. If he regrets the things he did for her hundreds
Five Hundred Years Ago The vampire disappeared right in front of their eyes. Eric hated it. It was the most annoying ability those cursed creatures had. When they knew it was a losing battle, they avoided all contact with werewolves. Because once a werewolf got their claws or fangs into their undead bodies, they couldn’t get away. With the vampire gone and the High Priestess done with her ritual, he rushed to the altar and fell to his knees. He unfastened the ropes around Ruby’s limbs and gathered her in his arms. Tears blurred his sight as he called her name, stroked her face, embraced her limp body close. She was gone. It felt like someone had reached into his chest and tore his heart out. How could he have such a connection to a human? He had never understood his feelings towards her. At twenty eight, he was yet to find his destined mate. He should have met her about a decade ago. He assumed she was already dead. Was that why he had been able to fall for her so hard?