LIANA"Sara, stay here for a moment. I'll be right back," I said, trying to keep my tone casual. I walked towards the direction where I saw the figure sneaking out of the trial room, my senses on high alert.As I rounded the corner, ready to confront whoever it was, I froze.There, standing awkwardly by the exit, was Jordan.I slapped my forehead, a mixture of relief and exasperation washing over me. "Of course, it’s you."Jordan looked up, his expression sheepish. "Hey, Liana."I glared at him. "Jordan, what are you doing here? Sara wanted to surprise you."Sara appeared behind me, raising her hands in defense. "Don't look at me, it was all his idea."Jordan shrugged, giving a sheepish smile. "I wanted to join in on the fun, but Sara wasn’t letting me. So I thought I’d surprise her instead."I sighed, shaking my head. "I thought the whole point was for you to be surprised."Jordan grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "And I decided to play Uno reverse card, hehe."I couldn't he
LIANAThe club was alive with music, laughter, and the clinking of glasses. “This is the best night ever!” Sara shouted over the music, her eyes sparkling with happiness.“You deserve it, Sara!” Noelle chimed in, her voice full of affection. I joined in the laughter, trying to push the worry gnawing at the back of my mind. But Ricky's warning about Lara’s return kept replaying in my head. I glanced around the club, the vibrant atmosphere doing little to ease my unease.“Liana, you okay?” Sara asked, her brow furrowing with concern.I forced a smile. “Yeah, I am just... thinking about everything we need to do before the wedding.”Noelle rolled her eyes playfully. “Come on, Liana. Tonight is about having fun! We can worry about the details tomorrow.”“Yeah, you are right,” I replied, trying to sound more relaxed.One of Sara’s friends handed us another round of drinks, and we toasted to her happiness. But my mind was elsewhere. I knew I needed to call Zaylen. I had promised him I wou
LIANAI awoke to a sharp, metallic chill against my skin, my body aching and my mind groggy. As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I realized I was in a large, empty warehouse. Panic set in as I took in the cold, industrial surroundings, the faint smell of rust and oil mingling with the morning air.I tried to move, but a sharp pain shot through my wrists and ankles. Looking down, I saw thick, silver chains binding me to a metal chair. The touch of the silver burned against my skin, and I cursed under my breath. These weren't just any chains; they were specifically designed to hold werewolves."Dammit," I muttered, wincing as I struggled against the restraints. The silver sizzled against my skin, making my efforts futile.I hollered into the empty space, my voice echoing off the concrete walls. "Hello? Is anyone there? Let me go!"Silence greeted me, amplifying my fear. I wondered if Sara and Noelle had noticed my absence yet. Would they have called Zaylen? If he knew I was missin
LIANAMy gaze fixed on the figure emerging from the doorway, the heavy footsteps echoing through the cavernous space. My breath caught in my throat as recognition struck me with the force of a sledgehammer. It was my father.He stepped forward with a casual air, as though he were strolling through the park rather than walking into the scene of a grim confrontation. His face, usually so familiar, now looked foreign and unsettling. His eyes, once warm and protective, were now cold and calculating.“Good riddance. One more werewolf is down,” he said, his voice laced with a disturbing blend of satisfaction and indifference.The words hit me like a physical blow, and I stared at him in disbelief. “You… you are here? Why? Why are you doing this?” My voice wavered, struggling to comprehend the betrayal unfolding before me.He chuckled, a harsh, mirthless sound. “Why are you so surprised? Didn’t you know I hate animals?”My heart pounded against my ribcage, each beat a painful reminder of th
LIANAThe gunshot had barely registered in my mind before I was frantically scanning the warehouse. My heart raced, my breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps. My father lay sprawled on the ground, motionless, but my attention was drawn to a fleeting shadow moving away from the window.“Zaylen!” I called out urgently, my voice trembling. “Can you get these chains off me? We have to go after that shadow!”Zaylen, his face etched with pain and exhaustion, turned his fierce gaze toward me. With a grimace, he fumbled with the chains, his hands shaking from the effort. “Hold on, Liana,” he grunted, his strength waning.The chains clattered to the floor, and I was free. I wasted no time, sprinting toward the warehouse door. The shadow had disappeared, but I had to try. I burst outside, the chill of the night air hitting me like a wall. I ran through the darkened street, my eyes straining to catch any sign of movement.But the shadow was gone. I paused, panting heavily, the cold creeping int
LIANAThe night was eerily silent as I stood outside the derelict building, the moonlight casting long, ominous shadows across the broken concrete. My heart pounded with a mix of anticipation and dread. This was the headquarters of the secret society, a place I had tracked down using the information I knew about my father's old office on the outskirts of the city. It seemed fitting that he had chosen this secluded spot for their operations, a final, twisted connection to his betrayal.The faint sound of clashing metal and guttural growls reached my ears as I approached, my pack members already engaged in battle inside. My senses were heightened, the training I had undergone sharpening every instinct and movement. I tightened my grip on the hilt of my weapon, the weight of it feeling reassuring in my hand.“Let’s move!” I called out to the pack members who were fighting their way through the chaos. Their faces were set with grim determination, reflecting the gravity of the mission.
LIANAZaylen’s gaze shifted, his eyes showing a flicker of hesitation. “About that…”I narrowed my eyes, sensing his unease. “You…” I said, disbelief creeping into my voice, “you have known about my mom’s whereabouts this whole time, haven’t you?”Zaylen’s expression was pained, his usual confidence faltering. “Liana, I—”I cut him off, my voice sharp and accusatory. “No wonder you still haven’t found her when she definitely lives in our town!”His eyes dropped to the bed, avoiding mine. “She told me not to—”I felt a cold surge of anger and confusion. “When? When did you find out about her?”Zaylen hesitated again, the silence stretching between us like a chasm. “It was shortly after finding out your identity,” he said finally, his voice barely a whisper.The anger I felt was like a storm raging inside me, and it was only intensifying with each passing second. “What?” I snapped, my voice trembling with a mix of betrayal and fury. “You knew all this time and didn’t tell me?”Zaylen’s
LIANAThe sight before me was almost too much to bear. My mother stood in the doorway, her presence as real as the pain in my chest. But the face that had once been my ideal of beauty was now marred by deep, cruel scars. They were harsh and unforgiving, stretching across her features and twisting her once-familiar visage into something almost unrecognizable.“Mom… your face…” My voice broke, tears welling up despite my efforts to stay composed. I was overwhelmed, caught between the flood of emotions and the stark reality of what stood before me.Her smile was wry, and it held a kind of resignation that made my heart ache. “This is the reason I didn’t want you to meet me.”My throat tightened, a sob rising unbidden as I choked on my tears. The image of her beautiful face from the old photos I’d seen seemed so distant now, a haunting reminder of how much had changed. “You… Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you hide from me?”Her gaze softened, and she took a step closer, gently placing