Veronica’s POVIt was as if I’m taken back to a century ago.Jadeline’s next memory is the first great eclipse as I realized the surroundings and the sky in her vision.I felt her body freeze from where she was paralyzed in front of me, my gaze briefly checking on her before I looked around to see the memory in detail.It was her and Helian.“They will find out about this,” young Jaedelinne was agitated as she paced back and forth, fumbling with her fingers.“I’m telling you! You should just give this up,” her voice broke and she moved to hold his arm, pulling him.But Helian remained staring at the waterfalls. I wasn't sure if he’s not listening or he just can't hear her.Jaedelinne faced him even as his eyes continued to look past her. There was definitely something wrong with him. He doesn't feel like the same man in her earlier visions. It was as if he’s not in his right mind.“Helian! Helian, listen to me!” Jaedelinne said louder this time. She’s growing more anxious as she fran
Veronica’s POV“How did you break free?” I choked out while I tried to remove her grip on my jaw.I need to think fast. I cannot lose the upper hand or everything would go downhill and she would turn the tables on me. Yet I can’t let her predict how I plan on getting away from her.Jadeline let out a hollow, bitter laugh. “Don’t be so full of yourself, Veronica. I would give it to you—it was a nice try but you know better than underestimate me.”“A flimsy spell of illusion won’t keep me for long.” I yelped as her claws dug into my flesh, blood dripped on my chin. I pulled on her wrist but she just gripped me tighter.Perhaps this strength is still part of the perks of her contract with the dark entity. The spell wasn’t fully completed, I wasn’t able to weaken Jadeline to her lowest. “You think I’d agree to let myself be tortured in pain for your satisfaction?” Her frenzied eyes stared into mine. Her words piqued my attention.That’s right, what triggered her sudden will that allowed
Veronica’s POVEveryone in my life has betrayed me.This realization dawned on me as I felt my numbing wrists from the heavy metal cuffs they put on me, chaining me to the crusty brick wall of the packhouse’s basement prison.My vision is slowly becoming blurry from dehydration and starvation. I can barely see my scarred legs and I couldn’t remember how long I have been locked up in this dark place.Suddenly, as I was on the brink of losing my consciousness, the sound of the cell bars opening and the looming shadow of a person from the light outside woke me up.“Ah, what a sight to behold,” the moment I heard her pesky voice, rage took over my exhausted body. I clenched my fists, the nails digging deep in my palms that I am sure were bleeding. Even with my messy long hair covering my face, I felt her bending down before placing her hand fan below my chin and lifting it for me to see her unsightly face.“Oh how the high and mighty Veronica has fallen,” her mocking tone and grin made m
Veronica’s POV“For the sin of stealing the virren moonstone and attempting to kill the Five Elders by poison, here stands Veronica Crysmorra, former Vameer, and Luna of the pack to receive her divine punishment.”There was utter silence. I thought that my heart would beat fast in fear for my fate but perhaps I am too dead inside to feel any of it. Everyone was looking at me— in disdain, disappointment, anger, and many other things.I stood in the middle of the platform. There were no stars in the sky and the moon is now behind the gray clouds. I tuned out the declaration of the rest of the damnation ritual. I couldn't care less. After all, it will just end up with me getting beheaded or burned alive.Just in time, I heard the footsteps of someone coming towards me. I knew to whom it belonged. My hearing may be weakened in my state right now but I could recognize him. Colton Vameer.My Alpha. My husband. Ex-husband, given that he will now be replacing me. He stared at me for a long
Veronica’s POV“This is for the best. You will be helping the pack and repenting for your mistakes at the same time,” I avoided Jade’s attempt of caressing my face.“Quit pretending to be a good stepmother. There is no audience now,” I told her.“I just wanted to comfort you, dear,” she said and I clenched my fists so that I could ignore her existence inside this closed space.We are in a covered wagon as they escort me, still chained, towards the agreed meeting place. I was told that the exchange would be held there.All I understood was that I would be a peace offering for the treaty. Long ago, Eviera was on par with the Helios pack. But our pack experienced a decline in recent years. We fell off with the Helios pack and with the power that they accumulated now, our pack cannot stand against theirs so we remain in the shadows to avoid conflict given our ugly history. It was not clear what the exact cause of the bad blood was but we were not able to patch up with them for 20 years.
Veronica's POVWhat awaits me on the other side could be hell.I am not sure what to expect when they told me that I will be sacrificed and sent to the Helios pack for the treaty. So far, they have yet to kill me.At first, I thought that we would be treading the cold on foot. Or maybe just me, as a punishment or initiation but I was shocked to see that there was a carriage waiting once we crossed the river. They gestured for me to hop in so I did.“Do not look through the windows,” the gruff voice of one of the three representatives of the Helios clan told me. I still could not make out their faces because my eyes are really blurry now, my headache is becoming worse.I said no complaints and simply followed them. I am still gauging how they act, I don’t want to make a mistake and suddenly anger them. I am on thin ice.For a second, escaping crossed my mind but I knew that it would be too risky. I am not in my best condition and even if I manage to pull it off somehow, I wouldn’t know
Veronica's POVThe days passed by quickly in my new reality. It was the opposite of what I expected.It has been five days and I have recovered somehow. I am still pretty much a prisoner and I have not attempted to escape. I don't think I have the capacity yet. Besides, I have no concrete plan. I do not exactly have allies to lean on so my best option is to stay here for the meantime. Free food, free lounging.They are generous. I had a couple of clothes to change into and the food was good. You could tell that they are abundant in resources that even a prisoner like me gets a quality meal.I don’t really have anything to do around here all day. I can’t exactly roam around outside. So I sit on the bed every day. Stare at the ceiling. Get mad and try to sleep. Wake up to get mad again.A hobby I picked up, however, is eavesdropping. That sounded weird but I had no other entertainment. My heightened hearing came back on the third day and I used it right away.Their pack is loud with so
Veronica's POV It became a habit. The nameless man with red eyes kept visiting me every night from then on. “The mask is stupid,” I glared at him. “You are not a child playing superheroes.” He chuckled. God, I hate his chuckle. “I have to keep the mystery going y’know,” he tilted his head on his hand as he sat on the couch across from me. I don’t need to see past the mask to know the shitty grin he definitely has on. “Didn't know you were so interested in me. I am flattered.” His red eyes were playful and heavy. The weight of his stares could be felt through my bones, like he was staring at my soul yet I cannot read his mind. “Not all interest is a compliment,” I told him with a frown. It has been three days. At first, I tried interrogating him especially when he came back the night after I confronted him with a mask on. He was evasive and he was just dismissing my questions. I had no choice but to let it go. However, I have never stopped speculating who he is. Right now, I
Veronica’s POV“How did you break free?” I choked out while I tried to remove her grip on my jaw.I need to think fast. I cannot lose the upper hand or everything would go downhill and she would turn the tables on me. Yet I can’t let her predict how I plan on getting away from her.Jadeline let out a hollow, bitter laugh. “Don’t be so full of yourself, Veronica. I would give it to you—it was a nice try but you know better than underestimate me.”“A flimsy spell of illusion won’t keep me for long.” I yelped as her claws dug into my flesh, blood dripped on my chin. I pulled on her wrist but she just gripped me tighter.Perhaps this strength is still part of the perks of her contract with the dark entity. The spell wasn’t fully completed, I wasn’t able to weaken Jadeline to her lowest. “You think I’d agree to let myself be tortured in pain for your satisfaction?” Her frenzied eyes stared into mine. Her words piqued my attention.That’s right, what triggered her sudden will that allowed
Veronica’s POVIt was as if I’m taken back to a century ago.Jadeline’s next memory is the first great eclipse as I realized the surroundings and the sky in her vision.I felt her body freeze from where she was paralyzed in front of me, my gaze briefly checking on her before I looked around to see the memory in detail.It was her and Helian.“They will find out about this,” young Jaedelinne was agitated as she paced back and forth, fumbling with her fingers.“I’m telling you! You should just give this up,” her voice broke and she moved to hold his arm, pulling him.But Helian remained staring at the waterfalls. I wasn't sure if he’s not listening or he just can't hear her.Jaedelinne faced him even as his eyes continued to look past her. There was definitely something wrong with him. He doesn't feel like the same man in her earlier visions. It was as if he’s not in his right mind.“Helian! Helian, listen to me!” Jaedelinne said louder this time. She’s growing more anxious as she fran
Sebastian's POVI didn’t plan on leaving Veronica to herself until I heard the fading voices and tortured sounds of my siblings. At first, I was still conflicted because we have anticipated complications like this but I had a fraction of a second to decide when I felt their fading presence.My body moved on its own and I came rushing to them.It’s as if my entire being is being pulled towards the grave danger that it detected. I felt an ominous disturbance that sent my instincts into alert. I knew this was no regular for, surpassing even what we projected.I have to trust for now that Veronica could handle herself before I go back to her.My strength has never been challenged to the point where I consider the possibility of losing. Hence, I never feared an opponent. I even So this unfamiliar trepidation that flows through my veins right now is not a good sign.It was the same case for my family, my siblings. Being at the top means that there are only a handful that can stand against
Third Person’s POVWhile Queen Veronica was extracting the strength and power of her once stepmother Jadeline, on the other side of the kingdom, three figures dashed in full speed within the woods of Helios.They followed the shadow that was ripped out from the body of its host as it soared through the sky with its ominous aura.Within minutes of crossing the woods behind the main castle, faraway from the square where Veronica was at, and the waterfalls that will be the venue of the ritual, the forest finally opened to a clearing.“It’s reaching the seal, brace yourselves,” Rowan says as they draw closer and the shadow starts shooting downwards.There was a giant boulder with the carvings that the Supreme engraved last time he was in the territory. The symbols started glowing as the entity neared. “Stop!” Rowan instructs and halts in his feet with his arm extended to make them cease on their tracks too.Luciana and Nolan slowed down close behind him. They all watched the scene unfol
Veronica’s POVJaedelinne was the first Luna of Helios.I thought I had prepared myself to expect the most unexpected truth that I could find about her past but this is still something that has never crossed my mind.She was the first queen of Helios, part of the original royal family of the pack.My mind started filling up with different questions, racing as it tried to put the pieces together. Was this why she was hell-bent in banishing me here? Is the ritual at midnight something she would use against her old kingdom? If she was the first Luna, why did they exile her to become a rogue?The wind became colder than it already is. I started trembling in the winter despite drinking the soup concocted from the sunflame iris to battle this harsh storm. My head whipped around as I realized that the hurricane-like dome we were in the middle of was drawing closer to us, growing smaller by each second.It crossed my mind that perhaps my spell went out of control but I couldn’t break the inca
Jadeline’s POVI once had everything and I lost it.Veronica’s hands feel cold from where she was holding my temple. I knew her well enough to understand that it's not because of the winter storm tonight.It’s because despite all the horrible things I did to her, she still doesn’t want to hurt me.It’s this side of her that I detest.It’s that heart of hers that I abhor. But it's what allowed me to reach here so really, I have her to thank for it.“Who's there?!” I faintly heard her yell towards someone.Not even in my lowest point or desperation that I’d think someone has arrived for me. So I knew it must be part of her spell.I could barely see it from my peripheral vision—an image of a girl passing through like some sort of ghost.I saw that strawberry-blonde locks and wanted to kill myself right then and there have it not been for the ritual.My body couldn't move, paralyzed by the pain and because of the heavy shackles she put on me.Ah, I think I understand what she's trying to
Veronica’s POVWe managed to crack the best plan to defeat Jadeline.It took five Rozeiroses and me, brainstorming for days before the day of the eclipse, just to stand against her. But then I guess she has lived for a very long time. She wouldn't have lasted this long if she's easy to take down.“That demon would be trouble if we were to try and kill her,” Rowan ponders while holding his chin. “That's our biggest problem.”“Don't you know any binding spell, Luciana?” Declan turns to their sister to ask.She sighed, “I’m sure that dark entity is some sort of high-end demon.” She looked at each one of us, “I don't think I know a seal that could handle it.”“Even the kind of spell you use to seal and bind me?” Sebastian interjected.Tension instantly filled the chamber. We stared at him with unease.It was kind of morbid for Sebastian to speak about it so casually, as if it's a normal thing to do.With what I witnessed last time, he was treated almost as low as a mindless beast. I know
Veronica’s POV“I am not your daughter.”I was finally able to say it out loud laced with all the fury I have against her.Jadeline laughed, finding it amusing for her. My misery always seemed like her entertainment. She tilted her head and grinned, “Ah, too high and mighty now for mommy, eh?”“Bullshit,” I glared at her and snarled, “I am not as desperate and weak to still keep my previous devotion that you manipulated me into and fall for your words after I find out the things you did to me, how you ruined my life!”She stared at me, her grin turning into a soft smile that made me want to vomit, “I gotta say I miss my sweet little Veronica who was obedient and starry-eyed for my affection,” she lamented with the old gentleness that I almost mistook hearing a bit of sadness—but that can’t be. She’s a conniving monster.I cannot trust anything about her.I gave her a steely gaze and answered, “You’re the one who killed her.”I might’ve imagined because of the distance between us how s
Veronica’s POV“This dagger is the best weapon that suits you.”Jadeline opened the lid of the carved wooden box to reveal a dagger with a golden hilt. It was my eleventh birthday.Father threw me a big birthday party in place of his absence, something that slowly became a staple from then on. I received presents from some pack members but I’m not really close with them. I think even the Alpha of that time, Colton’s dad, dropped by to give his present.For my young self, however, the best gift she received was the dagger.“Thank you, Mother! I will take care of this!” I happily hugged the weapon to my chest as if it was a normal thing to give to a child, like a toy or a dress that she gives Ruby.Jadeline patted my head with a smile that made me feel validated, “I’m sure you will, dear.”I stared at the silver hilted dagger in my hands today. It never felt like it fits in my hold but my own dagger was back at Eviera—I never got my things back from my previous kingdom.“Ah, you’re a cl