Veronica’s POV The reception was festive and lively. The entire Northern continent celebrated with us. Sebastian and I sat close to each other. He had his hand on my lap as I leaned to him. I'm getting more and more comfortable in his presence. Well, he is now my husband so that should be normal… right? Nothing to overthink about. Yeah, okay. That's right. This is normal. This is not wrong. I can give myself this. And if I crave something greedier whenever he touches me, that's only mine to keep. The banquet was elegant and gorgeous. It was able to accommodate a great amount of our guest list. I heard there were even some attendees from the West, East, and South too. Naturally, there were a lot of faces I didn't know. But of course, there are also those I am very familiar with. Ruby and Colton were lining up to greet us at our table that was situated in front and on a stage of the venue. Because of our status, we're not the ones to go around the tables to thank our guests. The
Note: The following chapter contains explicit adult content.* * * * *Veronica’s POVEverything happened in a blink of an eye. One second we were still at the reception, next thing I knew, I was in his arms inside his master's bedroom.His chambers were dark and there were only the two of us. Alone. It was utterly silent in the night. I imagined this room to be bigger and surely it is. Yet it still somehow feels cramped. Like it’s closing in on us, trapping us into a space where we have no choice but to close the distance between our bodies.“Hey,” Sebastian whispered. His voice sounds so
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