Vienna’s POV: Tessa’s anger melted into doting affection within a matter of seconds. “You’re right, my darling. What would I do without you, she would have boiled away all my blood with her presence alone, not to forget, how ill mannered she really is!” Gemini smiled brightly. “But I'm here, aren't I? So forget about her! It’s Sunday and I have plans to go on a lunch date with Asher, so I wanna have a light breakfast. Whatever you have made, leave that aside. I need something light.” "Of course, love. What exactly do you feel like eating? Tell me, and I’ll make it for you. Anything you want, all you have to do is speak!” “Um… not much, maybe a few quesadillas, some waffles… just a few though, not too many! Some fresh apple juice, and two omelets. That should be enough." Tessa’s smile widened. “Oh, lovely! I have already prepared the quesadillas, and I’ll whip up everything else within minutes. Just come along with me…” I bit my cheek to stop the snarky laugh climbing up m
Fynn’s POV:The chill of the early morning was sharp and moist, the cool air rushing in through the windows while I shuffled into the kitchen, the sleep still not fully gone from my eyes. I pulled a bowl from the cabinet and filled it with water from the tap, before I walked over to the freezer and grabbed two trays of ice. The coldness was biting against my fingers, the cubes crackled and hissed as I dropped them into the water. Setting the bowl down on the counter, I reached for some spare towels and cut them up into long strips.Kai hadn’t been this sick in years.I don't remember a time when he might have developed such a high fever… save for that one when we were pups, barely old enough to shift. And even then, it hadn’t been this bad. He was always the protective one, the older twin– as he loved to flex, any chance he got… that cocky bastard. And because of his tendency to be loud and boisterous, it was completely jarring to see him in this state. Was I too harsh on him yes
Author's POV:Gemini was getting ready with complete excitement, knowing that the only obstacle in her way was going to vanish from her life soon. After the way Asher had been acting after the mating ceremony on Vienna's birthday, the fear of Asher going after that witch to chase her back, had again started to pinch in Gemini's heart. However, she found some peace in the way things had turned out at home, and judging by how her father was reacting, it was becoming certain that Vienna wasn't going anywhere near her two mates. And neither was Gemini in favor of leaving any scope for her to get back to Asher, in any condition. The fire of betrayal in Asher's heart has already been ignited once, and now she just had to keep fueling it so that it wouldn't die anytime soon. If her words didn't do the trick, then she had the perfect idea to distract him today. She pulled out a skin-tight spaghetti strap sundress in sheer, cream colored fabric. The neckline plunged scandalously low, draw
Author's POV:Once their plates were cleaned and the waiter had cleared the table, Asher leaned back in his seat, pulling out his wallet and tossing some cash onto the table. “Get your coat,” he said, standing up. “We’re leaving.”Gemini tilted her head, batting her eyelashes up at him. “What’s our plan for the rest of the day? We've got the whole evening ahead! Maybe a movie, or—” “I’m taking you home.” Asher interrupted, shrugging on his jacket. The smile froze on her face, he couldn't be bored of her already, was he? “Home? So soon?” “Yeah.”He said flatly, already heading toward the exit without bothering to check if she was even following him. “I have got some things I need to drop off there.” Gemini blinked, rushing to catch up to him while her heart plummeted into her stomach. And then it clicked: the gifts she had seen in the back seat of his car! Her mood lifted instantly, and she did a little happy dance in her mind. He was so considerate! He was thinking ahead
Fynn's POV:The sun had almost covered half its journey across the sky, and by now, I had brought over all the paperwork from the pack house, back into our room. The desk here was smaller and difficult to organize, but this way, I could also keep an eye on Kai, who was mumbling but still asleep. I glanced over, thinking he was just tossing in his sleep again. But in a burst of energy, he launched himself from the bed, his movements jerky and uncoordinated. “Kai, what's the matter?” I called, setting my pen down. He didn’t respond to my call, as if he didn't hear it all. Instead, he stumbled over to grab a pair of pants, yanking them on in a hurry. He was halfway through the process of pulling a hoodie over his head, when I shot up from my chair. “Whoa, whoa…” I rushed to him and grabbed his shoulders to steady him. “What do you think you’re doing? Get back in bed, you’re burning up with fever!” Kai’s eyes were wide and hazy, but he had the energy to shake his head stubbo
Fynn's POV:I could feel it in my own bones, since my wolf had already started taking over all my sensible thoughts by now. She was not well… but I couldn't claim the bond, nor could I give Kai the false hope. So it was better for me to remain quiet for now. And that's why, I decided to lie and continue my lie further, gently nudging Kai back towards the edge of the bed until he was sitting down again. “Look, I think you’re just having feverish hallucinations, and nothing else. To put your overactive imagination to rest, let me try calling Vienna, okay? You can hear it from her own mouth.”He nodded reluctantly, and I grabbed my phone, dialing her number. The line rang and rang, but there was no answer. I called her again, but still nothing. On the third attempt, the ringing tune was replaced by an automated message that stated, her phone was switched off. Kai was already getting anxious, and I said quickly;“Wait! Let me try the landline at the Belmont mansion first.” He waite
Fynn's POV:I was standing outside Vienna’s hospital ward, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed, and observing the chaos that had formed around Vienna. Through the small glass window in the door, I could see her… on the bed, pale and unmoving as needles were jabbed into her wrist.That boy, Asher, was here too. Her ex-boyfriend, who had cornered her during the party on her birthday, made her hand bleed and scared her half to death… here he was today, dashing around the hospital hallways like a headless chicken. At the command of the nurses and doctors, he was running some errands to the pharmacy and labs, looking genuinely concerned on the surface. However, I didn't trust him for a second, my hands itching to slam him against the wall and ask him to stay away from Vienna. Then there were the other two: that Gemini girl standing near Tessa, hovering at the corner of the room. Both mother and daughter were ranting and sobbing in turns, fussing loudly for Asher’s attention
Author's POV: At Asher’s brash display of arrogance, the only thing that Fynn did was show a smirk on his face, his hands slipping casually into his pockets. "Oh, is that so? But even if the case is going to be in your favor, we’ll see about that, won’t we? I have already agreed to that part, so do me a favor and please take your crooked face out of my sight?" His voice was laced with mockery, but Asher’s chest puffed up with confidence. He spoke with a hint of offense, yet wanting to portray himself as benevolent and kind. "Absolutely, you will! It’s just a misunderstanding between us. And this is why I am even tolerating you, because even if she is mad at me, she has included you in her plan. So consider this as a leverage of my love for her, that I am not kicking you out! But don't you ever forget that at the end of the day, she loves me, and you can get lost on your own!”"I never knew that you were this overconfident! Anyways, I’m willing to wait and watch you prove that, but
Kai's POV:Darius’s roar shook the Arena, his fury so unbearably feral that even the audience members flinched in their stands. His eyes, bloodshot and wild, locked onto me with nothing but pure hatred.I didn't make a move to stop or provoke him, I could see the sorrow reflected in them. Despite everything, he was a father who had just lost his child. My eyes followed the older Alpha as he circled me, as if he was sizing me up before the attack. “I will tear you from limb to bloody limb! And then you'll see why you shouldn't have challenged a Blackwood!!”His voice was hoarse with rage, but I remained still. My muscles tensed up in anticipation of an attack, but I kept myself locked in my stance. He was acting on emotion more than reason, and that made him unpredictable… this could go either way, and I needed to conserve all the energy I had left. My shoulder burned where Asher’s fangs had torn into me, but I didn’t let it show.Darius finally took a step forward, his entire fram
Author's POV:Screams tore through the crowd as Asher morphed into something far beyond human or wolf… far beyond the limits of ethics or morality. “What the HELL!! This is forbidden!” “How dare he bring something forbidden into the Arena! Doesn't he fear the Moon Goddess?!” “Has anyone even seen something like this before!?”“This is madness!” But despite the protests, nobody actually called a stop to the duel, shocked and intimidated by the form they had seen him take… and Asher was the last one to care. His body was shaking, too weak to control the raw power running through his veins as his blood magic strengthened his muscles. And then, with a guttural snarl as his only warning, he lunged. Kai stood his ground, keeping his grip loose around the iron blade to avoid tiring himself out. He tuned out the uproar around him, the frantic cries of the spectators, and focused only on Asher. He adjusted his stance. He had to stay focused, especially since Asher's limbs were mov
Author's POV:Kai's pulse was hammering in his ears, drowning out the chaotic shouts and shrieks from the crowd. Every instinct in him was telling him to move, but his gaze was locked onto Asher. Asher, who was more like a blur of rage and shadows at this point, his silver blade gleaming under the torches. It wasn't just a dagger– rather, it was a definite death sentence for any werewolf. And right now, the target was Fynn. Kai knew that Fynn was looking away from them at the moment, and shouting to alert him would be completely useless. The noise from the crowd was absolutely deafening, like they were standing at the foot of a waterfall as the voices crashed together in an uncontrollable wave. And even if Fynn heard him, he might not be able to dodge in time. His mind raced for a solution, scanning the arena… until he found it!Just outside the boundary, his eyes caught on a thick log of wood lying on the ground. It was probably a fragment of a wooden pole, which had broken o
Author's POV: Every breath that Asher took, depleted his body of its remaining energy, costing him a lot more than it should; but he barely noticed. Still, the pain in his body was nothing compared to the fire burning in his mind. His fingers twitched, as his heart pumped out the last reserves of his energy through his veins. But even in this state, every fibre of his being was screaming at him to get up. This wasn’t over. Not yet. Not until he decided so!Supporting himself with his left arm, he gritted his teeth, trying to fight through the pain. At the same time, he slipped his right hand into the folds of his pants, where he had hidden a silver dagger… his last ditch effort to seal the result of his competition. His fingers wrapped around the hilt of the blade as he exhaled. All his life, he had been preparing for this moment. Every practice session, every duel till now, every drop of sweat he had shed in this Arena, it had led him here. And wasn’t about to let this chan
Author's POV: The drumbeats echoed through the Arena, but their rhythmic thumping wasn't just supposed to mimic the heartbeat that was resonating deeply within the bones of every onlooker. Rather, they were also supposed to summon the spirits as witnesses of the Championship. And the chants of the crowd were rising to a crescendo as the first match of the championship was about to begin. Each face-off was a complete battle of strength, will, and heritage within itself. The fighters stepped into the circular ring, moving into their designated positions. The other purpose of the drums was to ensure that through the aura maintained inside the Arena, no one could completely shift into either pure human or pure wolf form during these fights. The sacred rules of the Arena were made to ensure fairness during the duels as the chants were being chanted by the shamans. The first pair of fighters stepped forward, their muscles rippling beneath their partially shifted forms. The fighters’ n
Author's POV: The Northern Pack of Hefternort had always been a mystery to outsiders. Famous for being extremely reclusive and bound by traditions, they preferred to keep to themselves, rarely mingling with other packs, let alone humans. They were probably the only packs which clung to the old ways of living like tribals, worshipping their forest gods alongside the Moon Goddess, and taking on the burden of preserving the ancient rituals long abandoned by modern packs. Known to be one of the powerful packs, they never cared about any competitions, and rarely even revealed themselves to anyone. They were invited to the Championship every year, but they never cared to show up. And that's why, people slowly started to believe that they were not interested in the Championship at all… but the assumption that they might show up one day was there in everyone's heart. Still, no one had actually expected them to enter the championship. The murmurs of the crowd grew as did the level of exci
Author's POV: Over the past week, all petty rivalries and long-standing clashes had been stashed away for later. The packs and pack members had set aside their grievances with each other, as all their focus had been narrowed to a single event: the Championship for the Supreme Alpha. Preparations had been in full swing for a while now, as volunteers from every pack had been sent to coordinate the efforts. A massive Arena had been constructed within a neutral territory outside of Camden Falls; for this, the vast central area of the woods had been carved out, forming a battleground designed to test the mettle of those who dared to claim the throne. But what was special about the Challenge for the Supreme Alpha was that, unlike other competitions where there was always a winner and a loser… in this Arena, there was no guaranteed winner. If the finalists Alphas ended up killing each other, then there shall be no Supreme Alpha for that tenure. And coincidentally enough, all the champ
Vienna's POV: Orion’s face had gone pale, as sweat started to trickle along the sides of his temple. His lips were shaking with the effort of keeping his tears under control, but no words came out of his mouth. Probably, he still needed time to believe that the girl he had left at the mercy of Tessa and a few pennies in his house was his actual daughter, the one carrying his bloodline.The one who actually deserved his love, care and attention. While he had done the exact opposite of it, since he had given all his affection, care, attention, money and privilege to the one who wasn't even his daughter. He had really messed up big; all this time, he had been cherishing the stone while neglecting the diamond, and now when he had finally come to know the reality of his daughter… I have already decided to leave him. And that's not even my fault, I reminded myself. Old bonds were hard to break, but it was him who hadn't given me the place and attention I always deserved… and he didn't
Vienna's POV:I could feel the tension in the air; and the awkwardness was thick enough to choke on, as Orion stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "What... what are you saying... about Vienna?" Before I could respond, Tessa’s voice cut through the silence, dripping with frustration. “Gemini isn’t your daughter, you thick-headed fool!” “So stop thinking of ways to get her killed and beg Vienna to save her life. Or I won’t let you take a single breath in peace! I’ve done all this, planned all of this… just for my daughter’s sake! And I’m definitely not going to leave her fate in your hands, so that you can risk her life in a Blood Auction.” Tessa was definitely scared out of her wits, since she had gone from pleading with Orion to threatening him within minutes. And Orion didn’t seem to know what to make of it. He stared blankly at Tessa for a moment, still scrambling for some form of clarity, his voice shaky. “Vi… Vienna is my daughter… and not Gemini…” That was thw