Third-Person POVTraversing through forests and crossing over mountains, Sibyl had no idea where she was.She was merely following Carl's trail.Clearly, Carl was a well-trained warrior and very vigilant, so Sibyl had to keep a careful distance from him.She didn't want to lose Carl, nor did she want him to discover her.Fortunately, up to this point, Carl hadn't noticed her presence.For Sibyl, it had been a long time since she felt this nervous yet excited. This kind of thrill was entirely different from the witchcraft and spells she was used to. Nevertheless, Carl's soul kept attracting her, and she could feel his torn soul calling out to her.As strange as it might sound, Sibyl felt that she was meant to save him.She could see the fragmented shape of Carl's soul, as if she was born to save him, or rather, them.The sky was getting dark, and Sibyl found a reed-covered spot to rest. This would be her resting place for the night.She found some wild berries and non-toxic wild plants
Third-Person POVThe castle’s debris fell like raindrops over the calico cat's head.The calico cat sprinted as fast as she could but couldn’t resist glancing back. The fox's fiery fur seemed to blaze before her eyes.That was definitely not an illusion, the calico cat thought. She almost saw the fox's disdainful smile.But her attention was drawn to the boy lying motionless on the ground like a corpse.Broken rubble rained down from the sky, landing around the boy, nearly burying him in dust and stones.It was dangerous.“Damn…” the calico cat muttered, turning back to run towards him.This even surprised the fox chasing her, causing him to pause and tilt his head to see what the calico cat was doing.After all, a ruin lay behind her.The calico cat rushed to the boy’s side. His face was paler than the surrounding dust, looking as if he were truly dead.“You can’t die in the mental world…” the calico cat muttered as she bit the boy’s clothes, trying to drag him to safety.The boy rem
Third-Person POVWhen Sibyl woke up again, she felt as if she had been beaten up, her whole body aching painfully.Her vision was dim, but it was clear she was not in a natural environment anymore. Instead, she saw neat iron bars in front of her—Was this a cage, or a prison?! she thought in shock, but how could this be?!Who would put her in a cage or prison?She turned her head, feeling a bit more awake, and the fog in her mind slowly dissipated. She finally confirmed one thing: she was indeed locked in a cage by someone.The place where this cage was located was very dark, and she had no idea where she was.Another problem was, where was Carl?!With a "snap," it seemed someone had turned on a light switch.The world instantly became blindingly bright, and Sibyl raised her hand to shield her eyes."Well, the little girl is awake. She sleeps a long time," a male voice said.Sibyl rushed to the iron bars, "Who are you?!"The two men chuckled cynically, but no one answered her question
Third-Person POVSince Sibyl discovered that the foxes were monitoring Faye, there had been no activity for several days.The only change was that they moved Sibyl from the iron cage to a small, ordinary room.The small room had everything a normal living space would have, but Sibyl felt more imprisoned than in the cage because she was alone, and her meals were delivered by different foxes each time.No matter how much she asked or made a fuss, no one spoke to her or said Faye’s situation.Carl… Sibyl forced herself not to think about him. She had thought he would be grateful since she had saved him once, but after that day, Carl never came to see her again.Although Sibyl could hear the howls of two struggling souls late at night, Carl never sought her out.Wasn't that why he brought her here? To heal his fractured soul, and then... kill her?It didn’t matter anymore. The most urgent thing now was Faye’s engagement ceremony, which was only a few days away, and she was still trapped h
Third-Person POVAfter that day, all the foxes' attitudes towards Sibyl changed.Although they still treated her with disdain, Sibyl could feel a hint of wariness in their behavior.It must be because of Carl, Sibyl thought.Even Carl’s attitude towards her had changed. The most obvious change was that Sibyl was moved to another room, and that room turned out to be Carl’s!In other words, she had moved into Carl’s room.Oh, Sibyl had thought Carl lived in that dark dungeon.During the day, Sibyl stayed alone in Carl’s room. It still felt like being in prison: Carl’s room was large but cold. During the day, she could enjoy the space and everything in it, but the emptiness was unbearable. Of course, those two male foxes always found opportunities to make sarcastic comments, implying that staying here was better than being thrown into the dungeon.Sibyl would silently find things to do, like reviewing the beginner spells she had practiced hundreds of times or writing page after page in h
Third-Person POVToday’s sunshine was splendid, and Sibyl wandered idly in the garden. It was more of a grassy area with some plants rather than a proper garden, far from the grandeur of the Sheffield family castle’s backyard. The foxes were busy plotting how to ambush the werewolves, so this place was neglected and had grown wild.Sibyl liked this little garden because no foxes would come here, giving her some moments of peace.She looked up at the sun, now high in the sky, almost erasing her shadow. It was nearly noon.This meant it was almost time for lunch.She wondered who would bring her food today.Sibyl sat under a tree, feeling bored. The shade brought a coolness that she found quite comfortable. She slowly closed her eyes, almost drifting off to sleep.She didn’t know how long had passed when she heard footsteps approaching from a distance. Sibyl listened carefully and discerned that the person was initially unsure of her location.She smirked to herself.“Stupid fox!” she t
Third-Person POVCarl returned alone to his other room, feeling for the switch on the wall. The sudden brightness from the electric light made him squint, allowing him to take in the full view of the room.This room was filled with cold, lifeless machines through which Carl could spy on the werewolves, observing their every move. He often sat here alone, staring at the screens. Sometimes he didn’t know if he was watching to deepen his hatred for them or because he envied them and wanted to be part of their world.The room also housed a cold, steel cage, designed solely for him, to contain his madness and prevent him from harming others.Carl had long been accustomed to this setup. Why did this room now feel so unbearable?He began to miss the other, more normal room, the one with furniture, a bed, and the warmth of the little witch.Sibyl, that woman… damn it! Carl found himself thinking about her again.In recent days, Sibyl had frequently occupied his thoughts: the moments they shar
Faye's POVI put down my pen and shook my hand. Writing so much these past few days had left my wrist feeling sore.Touching the golden flute hanging around my neck, I continued writing invitations for the engagement ceremony. Liam and Leander wouldn't let me do anything else, and this was the only task I managed to wrestle from their hands.“Knock, knock,” came the rhythmic sound from outside the door.By now, I could tell whether it was Liam or Leander just by the knock. Liam’s knocks were rhythmic, usually two or three at a time. He would knock once, wait, and if I didn’t respond, he would knock again with the same rhythm.Leander’s knocks were as enthusiastic as he was, rapid and insistent, like he was knocking on a drum, making sure I opened the door immediately.I slipped on my slippers and darted to the door, opening it eagerly.Liam was looking at his phone, but when he heard the door open, he looked up and gave me a charming smile.I couldn’t help but greet him with a passion
During that time, Joanna was always off somewhere, traveling by herself. No one knew where she went. She would leave for long stretches, sometimes disappearing for years, and didn’t bother checking in with anyone. Naturally, her parents freaked out, not knowing if she was safe or if something bad had happened to her.As I sat there by the water, Sasha handed me a drink. It was this weird, green liquid that I wasn’t sure about at first, but after a sip, I realized it was lemon tea, with a hint of mint. Not bad at all, really refreshing."And then?" I asked, curious about what happened next with Joanna.Sasha sighed, shaking her head like she regretted it a little. “Well, her parents eventually went to Michael's dad for help. Since Michael was good at handling this kind of stuff, his dad put him in charge of finding Joanna.”I sipped my drink again, enjoying the way the mint cooled me down from the inside. "So, Michael went after her?"Sasha looked at me with a mix of guilt and understa
Joanna might be an amazing actress, but honestly? She's not fooling me. It's like she's playing a role, trying to be someone she's not—probably because she can't stand that Michael and I are together. I could feel her trying to mess with us, but I wasn’t about to let her win. If she wanted to act, well, I could act too.The sunlight felt warm on my skin as I stood there watching her. I smiled confidently, letting Joanna see me looking totally unbothered. She dove into the water with all the grace of a fish. I had to admit, she did have an incredible body—she was rocking a white bikini that had these thin straps crisscrossing over her chest and waist, making her look like some kind of living sculpture. Even the lower half of her bikini had those same crisscrossing straps under her belly button. Honestly, it was a look.Meanwhile, Sasha was already in the water, her swimsuit much louder and flashier than Joanna's. She was wearing this fluorescent green bikini with stripes and a skirt th
Joanna’s POV“So, I’m not the kind of girl who lets a man push her around. After all that happened, I left anyway. But no matter how long I stayed away, I’d always get messages from Michael. Some of them were about family stuff, other times he’d talk about finding his mate or being engaged or something. Honestly, it was pretty confusing for me during that time.”Despite saying she was troubled, a small smile crept onto Joanna's face as if remembering something amusing.“Eventually, I figured out that all of those excuses were just Michael’s way of trying to get me to come back. There was never a fiancée or mate. It was all just a big story. So, I was a little surprised when I heard this morning that you two were mates. But, hey, you’re mates arranged by the Moon Goddess, so everything should be fine, right?”Joanna finished her little story with a bright smile, clearly satisfied with herself. But me? I was furious. My fists were clenched so tightly, I could feel my nails digging into
It wasn't until Michael had completely disappeared from view that I became aware of the unsettling stare from behind. I could feel Joanna’s eyes boring into me, but I refused to acknowledge her directly. Instead, I turned and made my way toward my room, hoping to escape the tension she brought with her presence.But, of course, Joanna just happened to be standing in my path.She wore that same infuriating smile, the one that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Your relationship with Michael seems... strong. You’re quite adorable when you're with him, Cecily."Her words dripped with something—sarcasm? Malice? It was hard to tell. I wasn’t sure what she was getting at, but I didn’t care to find out. I wasn’t in the mood to engage with her."I'm heading back to my room," I said, keeping my tone as neutral as possible."I know I upset you yesterday, and for that, I’m truly sorry," Joanna replied, taking a step closer as if that would make her words more sincere. "I didn’t mean to offend you. Le
Joanna's giggle echoed through the room, its beauty contrasting with the venomous intent behind it. Her voice was as sweet as a siren’s, but I could feel the malicious undertones. "Former friends, Sasha? That's not quite accurate. Michael and I were more than friends."I knew Joanna was up to no good. I had seen it in her eyes the moment I met her. Whatever her goal was—whether to make me jealous, provoke anger, or worse—I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of seeing me unravel.She turned her gaze toward Michael, who remained focused on his coffee cup, now almost empty. He hadn’t acknowledged her presence, which gave me some comfort, but Joanna wasn’t finished. "If you two are truly mates," she said, her voice dripping with false innocence, "may I ask, was it the Moon Goddess who arranged this, or did Michael choose you?"Her question cut deep, even though it was wrapped in a seemingly casual tone. I clenched my fists under the table, my wolf surging with rage. Joanna was impl
"Would you like to come downstairs for breakfast, or should I bring it up to you?" Michael asked, his voice soft and tender. As he spoke, he reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair away from my face. His touch sent a warm shiver down my spine, the closeness between us undeniable.I found myself smiling at Michael, wondering how I hadn’t fully appreciated this side of him before. I had always been so caught up in our arguments, his domineering ways, and the battles for control that I had somehow missed these moments where he could be... sweet. The realization washed over me—there was more to him than the arrogance and possessiveness I had been focusing on. If I allowed myself to let go of the tension between us, there was an undeniable pleasure in being with him.“I’d like to go downstairs to eat,” I replied with a soft smile, feeling more at ease than I had in a while.We walked down the stairs together, and I found myself momentarily at peace. But as we descended, my mind wande
The night had ended in a comfortable silence, with both of us content in each other's presence. By the time I had finished my tasks, Michael was still seated at his desk, absorbed in a pile of paperwork. His brow furrowed in concentration, and I didn’t have the heart to disturb him, nor did I want to leave his side. So, I watched him, feeling the steady calm he radiated.Before I knew it, I had dozed off in the warm cocoon of the study, lulled by the scent of Michael that filled the room. It wasn’t long before I felt someone gently lift me. I knew it was Michael, and feeling safe in his arms, I allowed myself to drift deeper into sleep.When I finally woke up, the morning light was already creeping in through the curtains. My body felt well-rested and refreshed. At some point during the night, I had been changed into my pajamas, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Michael had been the one to wash and dress me while I slept. A small smile tugged at my lips at the thought.I glanced to my
"Oh god, absolutely not," Michael exclaimed, his voice laced with frustration. "Yes, we had a relationship in the past, but we broke up a long time ago. Joanna came by a few times after that, but it wasn’t for me. She had business with Samuel and others. I was too busy to even notice when she came or left. But I swear, Cecily, nothing happened between us after we ended things."I turned to face him, my mind clouded with uncertainty. Should I believe him? Jealousy burned inside me, poisoning my thoughts. The mere idea of him being intimate with Joanna made my skin crawl."My little wolf," Michael's voice softened as he lifted my chin gently. His expression was tinged with regret. "If you want me to apologize for my past, I can. But remember, I’ve lived a long life, Cecily. I’m not a saint—I’ve had relationships, felt emotions, just like anyone else. But if you're blaming me for something more than that, it's unfair. I’ve never been in two relationships at the same time. When I met you,
"I can't just pretend nothing happened, especially after my wolf reacted the way it did." I shrugged, trying to stay calm. "I need to know, Michael. I'd rather hear it from you than find out through Sasha."Michael hesitated, his brown eyes locked on mine as if weighing his options. I held his gaze, determined to get the truth. If he wanted honesty between us, he needed to practice it too."Okay," he muttered, running his hand through his hair, clearly uncomfortable. "She's... a friend."A friend? Joanna's behavior toward Michael was far from friendly. It was passionate, intense—nothing like the casual interactions between Sasha and him. I took a deep breath and asked the question I had been avoiding but couldn't ignore any longer."An ex-girlfriend?"Michael's expression stiffened. He didn’t nod, but he didn’t shake his head either. Silence hung between us, thick and heavy. I knew the truth was coming, but it didn’t make the waiting any easier. If Michael wanted me to be honest with