There were glimpses and unfinished sentences. Lifeless body of a child, probably a weak blood.‘Another disappointm—’Peeled skin. Severed muscles.‘Burn him, prepare the other—’Eyeballs leaking from the eye sockets. People struggling as her helpers stuffed clothes in their mouth to muffle their gr
[Xanthea]‘… to cure the curse your mother put upon us because only you can.’Asher’s words hit me like a blow to the chest, leaving me breathless and blank. I stared at him as thousands of thoughts rammed into my mind. I was scared like I had never been before.Although I couldn’t decipher who I wa
The soft flutter in my chest instantly turned into electrifying goosebumps as he wrapped his fingers around mine, his grip tightening, holding my hand with an intensity that sent a shiver through me.We stood at the same distance as before, yet somehow, we had come closer.There were no words betwee
Waiting, uncertain if someone would show up, was the worst feeling. I knew because I’d felt it when I called Ezra for help with the kids and waited. Those few minutes shattered me. I couldn’t even imagine what six-year-old Ezra endured, waiting for years.“A girl had been observing Ezra all this tim
[Xanthea]Asher’s tone grew heavier and I could see why through my mother’s memories.“The weak bloods were promised a permanent secure shelter within these walls…”All the giant gates and smaller exits of the walls were closed, trapping all the weak bloods while they were fast asleep.For the first
The controllers frequently singled out groups of weak bloods, forcing them into perilous situations before kidnapping the survivors under the cover of night. These survivors were subjected to experiments, injected with various drugs, and then sent back within the walls.Most died, but those who surv
[Xanthea]‘We’ll make it…’Words stabbed out of Ezra’s dry throat.‘We’ll make it…’His legs buckled under the unbearable weight of exhaustion and starvation, but he gritted his teeth, refusing to fall.‘We’re almost there…’His every step was a cruel punishment, as he pushed through the pain, punis
I shook my head, biting down my lips.“Don’t do this to yourself, Ezra… please… stop… just stop now…” I choked on my words.Asher took a deep breath and spoke in a shaking voice.“Ezra kept carrying her dead body for days... until her body started to decompose and rot on his shoulders.”Tears blurre
I could feel the disturbing possessiveness radiating from her, turning me on for some darkly fucked up reasons.Why?Why now, Xanthea?Why did you say these words now of all time?Why now when you don’t mean them — when I can’t accept them?I tried to break free, to step away, but she held me tighte
She blushed, lowering her gaze shyly as she wiped off her tears, taking deep breaths.“If you had to punish me… you would have isolated me in your dark room, not here, where I am surrounded by your comforting scent every second.”She chuckled, licking tears off her lips as she shook her head.“No. E
My legs grew heavier as I neared the bedroom. The door was slightly ajar; the room buried in darkness and a biting cold silence.Shards cracked beneath my shoes as I entered. Xanthea knelt in the center of the room, her head held low, her figure a shadow against the towering windows that framed the
[Asher]The numbers on the screen of the laptop before my eyes blurred into meaningless shapes. The voice of my cabinet members sitting around the round table faded into a distant noise.I was supposed to focus on the budget plan, the foundation for the pack’s next financial year — a matter of irref
“And… what about… Xanthea?” Nesryn asked cautiously.“What about her?”“The way she went against the demon lords, and then Ezra relapsed… I know her actions won’t go unpunished. But… she was unconscious for three days straight. She woke up only two days ago. Asher, she’s mortal. She can’t survive lo
And Raven knew it better than any of us. The potion wasn’t as effective as Raven had expected. If the healing went on at this speed, it would take Ezra months to regain consciousness.The tension on Raven’s face said that there were several other complications in the treatment that only a healer cou
“Alpha…” a healer called, snapping Raven’s attention back to the reports as he resumed his focused analysis of Ezra’s condition.***“Waaaah!” Cedric, standing beside me, let out the loudest sigh. “I literally thought Ez bro was gonna die. That’s a relief.”Nesryn, standing on my other side, squinte
[Asher]Raven finally accepted his dragon blessing.He might act all strong and unbreakable, but I always saw right through him. Even now, when I look at him, I see a shattered boy trying to build walls so high that no one, not even his own pain, could reach him again.Our father had scarred him in
“Dragons, especially dead dragons, don’t make mistakes, Raven,” Asher said firmly, holding my gaze. “There is no greater healer than a dragon, and they chose you. They responded to the purity of your heart and blessed you. So that night, when you felt nothing but helpless, you unknowingly came up wi