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 Something shifted in the way they treat me. “Anything I request for?” I eyed him with furrowed brows. “Yes,” the pack Beta Eamon, as he finally introduced himself to me earlier, answered in a monotonous voice. “What if I will only eat boiled virgin rabbit soup from the Highlands of the South?” I asked. I bet he is a strict general in their pack because I watched how hard he fought back rolling his eyes. Tough guy. It was quite amusing. “Then we will procure you the boiled virgin rabbit soup from the Highlands of the South,” he answered with an evident grudge. I held back a snicker but grinned widely after successfully messing with him. This is my first genuine big smile since my life went down the drain. I don’t know what changed but I will not poke around a blessing and risk jinxing it. “I would very much like a big bowl of lasagna and a medium-rare ribeye steak with a tub of sundae of all possible ice cream flavors with lots of sprinkles, chocolate syrup and m
Veronica’s POV All eyes were on me. Even without my heightened hearing as a werewolf, I could feel the deafening silence and hear the way everyone held their breath once they realized my presence. There were no announcements. I have a new scent that all of them would pick up quite easily. Because I am an outsider. Because I don't belong here. I stuck out like a sore thumb. The towering figure of a man around 6’3 ft tall approached me. It took me a second before I recognized him. He had a buzzcut with his large body. His steps were heavy. Eamon, the pack’s Beta. The Alpha’s right hand man. He stopped in front of me, his back was on his pack and uttered, “Come follow me.” It almost echoed through the entire hall. That is how unsettling the silence was. I cannot pick up the smell of everyone but again, even without my lycan senses, the air is filled with too much tension. Eamon suddenly turned to face the awaiting crowd of his pack members. He was frowning and in a strict voice,
Veronica’s POVDays have easily passed by in a blur.“I must say, I enjoy seeing you this enthusiastic,” Sebastian chuckled from behind me.“Well, it is my first time outside of our continent,” I answered, before sparing him a glance over my shoulder as I beamed at him, “Like I really am in a new land right now!”I couldn't control the evident glee in my voice. I know I seem like a child opening her holiday presents with the way I am acting but this does feel like one. Also, I am pretty comfortable gushing this way in front of him.“Oh, it’s so beautiful here Sev!” I jumped a little as I turned to look out the giant windows again and watch the bustling streets below.From where we are, the view shows the entrance and the crowd with their daily activities. I have seen creatures I have only heard about or read in the books. There was a centaur and even dwarves. I never thought I would actually see one.I looked back at Sebastian again who was walking towards me as I asked, “Can we tour
Sebastian’s POVI miss my wife.It’s literally the only thought I have in my mind right now. I wonder what sneaky naughty thing she is up to at this moment? I’m sure my sweet devious Veronica is up to no good. She cannot stay still and I actually find that cute.I could picture clearly how she would roll her eyes, pretending she hates it, but the light blush on her cheeks and the way her lips would quirk upwards a little is a traitorous habit I don’t think she’s aware of. It’s adorable. I could not stop the way I smiled to myself just thinking of her.“I’m glad you loved it, Alpha Sebastian!” Exclaimed and laughed rowdily by the suck-up king who I forgot was trying to strike a conversation with me about allying with his pack. I can’t even recall his exact name but he must have mistaken my smile as a response for whatever nonsense he was yapping about.“Sure,” I dismissively uttered in a monotonous voice, not even caring enough to correct him, and eye the hand he clasped on my shoulder
Veronica’s POVToday, I have decided to take a break on my plans… even as I find myself still busy.I relayed the task of looking for the spellbook to Keldor yesterday. However, I told him not to rush it. I don’t want him to be put into danger and become suspected if he acts too hastily.Eamon is still trying to find out how Jadeline met my father and her time as the infamous rogue. For a while, I considered asking Declan for help again, remembering how good he was at digging things up. However, I decided not to in the end. They don’t exactly know that part of my relationship with Sebastian, the whole revenge thing, and I’m not sure I want them to find out. Besides, we’re not really that close for me to ask another favor.
Veronica’s POVThe scary thing about death is that it continues to take everything from you even as time passes. It is something permanent and irreversible.I know I love my mother dearly. I still mourn for her. Despite this, she has now become nothing but a figment of my memory, a feeling I have known yet cannot fully remember. Her face is long forgotten at the back of my mind. Father burned her photographs years after grieving. I resented him silently for a while because of that. I thought it was him moving on and erasing any trace of my mom. Looking back today, I guess he couldn’t take the pain.I know she has purple eyes because we share the same unique color. I’m not quite sure if she really had long wavy hair just like mine too or I was imagining it. Turning her into a reflection of me, desperately wanting to be connected to her. As years go by, I become less and less certain of what she was like. I just know she loved me. I just know that I will forever yearn for that love. I
Veronica’s POV “Keldor, I need you to calm down,” I said in a slow pace to get through to him. He looks like he's on the brink of a panic attack from where I was watching him in my crystal, “Breathe,” I coaxed. He seemed to listen and took sharp intakes of air. He gasped for a couple of seconds before I spoke again to keep his mind occupied. “Now, are you okay?” I asked. He was rushing with his words, running, when he made the call to us. I was scared for a moment thinking something bad happened to him then he started rambling. Keldor slowed his breathing and got his composure little by little, “I’m fine,” he said. More to himself than to me. “Did anyone see you? Are you sure no one is looking for you now?” I continued and observed him closely. His eyes were darting around then he seemed to sit down. “Yeah, yeah,” he cleared his throat and wiped a hand over his face. “Okay,” I responded and shifted into my firm voice. I bet he hates to show vulnerability so I would act norm
Third Person’s POVKeldor hasn't stayed in one place since he was born.He was an unwanted illegitimate child of an upcoming Alpha from a pack in the West. His mother died giving birth to him. Because of this, he was orphaned at a very young age.Ever since then, he has always been an outcast for his entire life. No one wanted him in their pack. He was shunned and uncared for, loitering at the territory with no house willing to accept him.Despite all this, he survived.It's not like he was particularly trying to live… he just somehow did. He wakes up every morning because his eyes still open. Not like he was looking forward to days to come. He remains breathing and so time passes by.He was born to this world lost and without a place to belong.“Darkness is not your foe,” Luna Veronica says, the first lesson she taught him. It was during the training session when they begin in the evening. “It is your ally,” she adds.“As werewolves, we are servants of the moon,” she surrounded him a
Veronica’s POV “I'll be going now,” Sebastian says as he drops me a kiss on top of my head from where I was sitting on the couch. I hummed in response and stretched my legs, the cloth slipping a little on this cold morning. The weather is slowly showing signs that the heavy winter of the North is just around the corner. “See you at dinner?” He asked and I nodded, giving him a glance and a smile before my attention was back on the envelope I was checking the front and back of. Isolde delivered me this envelope earlier, just in time when we woke up. She said it arrived around dawn. I waved Sebastian goodbye as he headed towards the door. “Try and not give anyone a hard time just because you feel like it, today, alright?” I said, teasing, at the last minute before I looked at him from where I was on the couch. He's back to his daily duties today. Quite busier than usual because of the said upcoming intense winter. He laughed at my remark while he opened the giant doors. He looked
Note: The following chapter contains explicit adult content.* * * * *Veronica’s POVI don’t hate the monster in Sebastian because I actually love the idea of keeping it on a leash only I could control.This is something I have just recently come to terms with.The unmatched passion, desire, and hunger he puts in every possessive touch, every domineering grip, and every greedy grasp is a reminder that I am wanted. I am needed. It placates the anxious part of me that always fears unworthiness. “You’re so damn hot, baby,” Sebastian smiled in between our kisses and pulled a bit on my lower lip with his teeth, his hand stroking up and down my spine as I straddle him on the bed, “Fucking love how crazy you get,” he whispered and bent down to lap on the skin of my neck.I whined and looked up at the ceiling, breathless, as my fingers massaged his scalp, pressing him more to myself, the friction sending waves of pleasurable electricity within my nerves. I couldn’t help but grind on his lap
Veronica’s POVMy reputation in Helios has never been better.It has been three days since Driselle’s imprisonment. It became a big shock for the entire pack. She was pretty well-known and they all felt betrayed. From being one of the most loved members, she became the most hated in the kingdom.Word got out about the verdict I have given too. Most of them contradicted my decision, saying I was being too lenient for settling with lifetime imprisonment. Helios is known to be cruel so that makes sense. For them, execution is how they punish the majority of their criminals. They gave me a pass, though, and mostly sympathized with me saying it is probably stressing for me because she harmed my life and that I was just a forgiving person.