Almost as if time were frozen, everything felt like it had stopped around me. My eyes bulge wide as they lock on to my newfound target; the shadowed figure becoming my sole focus while my surroundings disappear one by one, meaningless as I slip into my petrified trance. I feel my body begin to shake erratically; unable to do anything other than stare back at the hooded figure menacingly greeting me, shuddering as I fight the outpour of burning tears welling at the corner of my stinging eyes.
How did he find us? Get Raven and get out of here, Willow! It’s not safe!
Despite my wolfs encouragement to scream for Raven I find that my words fall short; breathless murmurs escaping me in place of wanted desperate calls, falling victim to the paralysing fear as it begins to smother me in its unwelcomed darkness. My chest begins to quickly tighten as the creeping fear grips me within its hold;
“Tell me she’s joking. That’s hysterical!”my wolf snorts amusedly within my spinning skull, refusing to believe the witches supposed revelation of my apparent past.“She has to be. That can’t be true,”I agree,“-there’s nothing royal about me or Ash!”A playful smile spreads across my disbelief riddled face as I look at the enchanting witch sat in front of me, her lips poised as she rests her delicate hands on top of her crossed knee while studying my face, waiting for my reaction patiently. I begin to chuckle softly; my face contorting as I suck in the air greedily, my timid giggle growing into an uncontrollable roar of laughter while Marie looks at me confused, her eyes shifting towards Raven, unsure of what’s going on as humoured tears stream down my cherry red cheeks.&l
I feel a sense of numbness lingering within me as my unrested eyes begin to flutter; exhaustion still weighing over me as if it were a dark cloud, consuming me as I try to wake from my slumber. The ambient glow of the brightening room breaks through the darkness of my shut eyes while I begin to gently stir after a sleepless night. I fight the urge to drift back off to sleep despite my body's demands; clutching the warm duvet to my chest as I lay on my side, unravelling myself from the cocooned sheets while I wiggle around dozily.I lift my heavy head from the comfort of my bed; the gentle buzzing within my ears slowly fading when I notice excited conversations erupting from outside the confinement of my still room, spread throughout the lively apartment contagiously. I throw myself back down; pressing my face into the soft bedding as I listen to the frantic commotion breaking through the closed bedroom door, sparking my curiosity and convincing me to get up.I ro
A momentary glimpse of discomfort consumes his anxious face as he sits himself up; his defined back muscles flex effortlessly while he turns around, fumbling nervously as he adjusts the cluster of pillows nestled behind him before resting back down against them. He continues to fidget; gently gnawing at the rough skin on his lips while exposing his bare chest from underneath the half-strewn blanket, his aura growing tenser as the seconds pass by. He smooths over the wrinkled cover with outstretched hands as he tries to buy himself some time while a worried frown hangs above his narrowing eyes. He eventually settles down; running a clumsy hand through his messy hair before allowing his arm to rest behind his head, exposing his muscular bicep with ease with its inked decoration wrapped snuggly around it.Elijah chuckles uncomfortably as he gently shrugs his shoulders, “I don’t know where to begin.”He pauses with hesitation; taking his time as he draws
My head tilts as I look back at my excited mate while he anticipates my response; a wide grin still decorating his angelic face as he patiently waits for my answer, unaware of the panic building within my frozen body. I feel a powerful concoction of emotions stir from inside of me; an overwhelming tidal wave growing, formed by fear and doubt as they crash against one another. I allow the worry to take root, weakly submitting to its force as it consumes my clouding mind while the weight of Elijah’s request begins to gather on my trembling shoulders.“Huh?” I finally manage to murmur as my jaw gapes wide, unsure whether or not I had heard Elijah correctly.A soft rolling chuckle bursts from my mate's enticing lips; invitingly filling the air around us as he watches me fidget under his unshifting stare, “I want you to be my Luna, Willow,” he repeats warmly. “Did h
My exhaustion riddled eyes can’t believe what’s laid out before me while the recently uncovered book sits on my lap invitingly; I remain motionless as I ogle downwards in amazement at my recent discovery, shocked to my very core while I study its dust-caked cover. I blow a sharp gust of air towards the dated leather, hoping to clean it to no avail as only a small gathering of the collected debris comes away. I carefully run my hand over the crisp and dry covering, brushing the remaining grime away allowing the barely visible royal blue pigment to break through even more than it already had done before.Faded gold inscriptions decorate the book in its entirety while a hallow crescent moon sits delicately in its centre. Within its shape, tribal-inspired patterns flow gracefully within its confines, amplifying its already distinct beauty. I trace my finger above the intricate engravings, taking my time as I allow each and every detail to sink in and settle within my
I follow Marie as we get lost in the maze-like house; unsure of where to go while we blindly try to navigate our way through the unfamiliar layout, managing to stumble upon every room apart from the kitchen itself. After closing another incorrect door behind us, we wander back through into the still corridor feeling none the wiser as to where we need to go. We struggle to stay quiet; spluttering into our clasped hands as they smother our crumpled faces, trying to console the uncontrollable fits of laughter erupting between us. Despite our best attempts of remaining silent, we fail miserably at our task at hand while attempting to creep around the confines of the large slumbering home, uncertain as to whether or not we have disturbed anyone within the sleeping household.When we eventually find our destination, I set about busying myself while Marie explores each cabinet and drawer in sight with a burning intrigue sprawled curiously across her face, mesmerised by the different
I head towards the cabins gently creaking door as the wind begins to pick up its pace outside, howling softly while my wolf's confidence begins to take root within, a steady flow of adrenaline coursing through my pulsing veins as I gradually settle into our newly shifted form. Soon her intensified emotions cloud my very own; effortlessly conquering my jittering nerves as I give in to her dominating presence, altering my state of mind as any hesitation I had previously felt disappears without a second thought. I push through the weathered barricade uncaringly, channelling my wolf’s surfacing hubris while I burst back into the open glade with my head held high, striding back across the empty field as I make my way towards the others.As I near the group of waiting wolves I can sense a steady flow of watching eyes begin to fixate on me while my wolf's personality continues to seep into mine, blurring the line that usually separates us from one another. A mixed display of c
My body begins to tremble with excitement as the pent-up information held within me all day begins to pour out. The heavy burden of secrecy being lifted from my over lumbered shoulders causes a rolling wave of relief to flood throughout me while Elijah rubs his stubbled chin, listening attentively as I fill him in on what I had uncovered this morning. I watch as he nods his head in acknowledgement; somehow managing to take in each rushed word that escapes from my blabbering mouth as it moves one hundred miles an hour, bobbing his head gently every few seconds as he tries to make sense of my passionate ramblings regarding the Blue Moon Pack’s ancestral book.He raises an intrigued eyebrow; folding his muscular arms against his chest causing them to almost burst from the confinement of his fitted shirt, a glimmer of bewilderment shimmering within his steel-like eyes as I tell him about the ancient language inscribed upon the crumbling pages held within the book of memoirs
Paralyzed by the rolling current striking my back, I wince in pain as my muscles contract in violent spasms. Gasping sharply in gushing heaves, the unexpected shock successfully draws the remaining air held from within my lungs when I notice a persistent heat swelling inside of them as if they were fit to implode at any given second. Incapable of comprehending what is happening to me, I plant my feet heavily into the ground when the unceasing bolt of burning energy escapes from my forcefully opened mouth and attempts to drag me backwards with its unbound force. In awe and confusion, I watch through the glare of the dazzling light while the fierce sapphire beam of light oozes from my jaw and escapes in a voracious roar towards my trembling foe. With sweat-dampened fur, I surrender to the scorching heat that the power brings—succumbing to its presence and allowing the uninvited energy to bring my blood to an unnatural boil, defying all that I had ever known in the very process.
“Ow. What the-,” Sam splutters from the weighing pressure being pushed down against him, “What do you think you’re doing? Get the hell off of me, you stupid mutt-” he breathlessly spits in complaint while directing a hammering flurry of blunt kicks and torpedoing punches into my exposed torso; his fiery blows accompanied with every curse word held within his known vocabulary as if they were fuelling each of his attacks, screaming at me from the top of his lungs with nothing more than a burning hatred embedded deep within his tone before yelping in a strained huff, “I said get off of me.” “Do it now, Willow,” my wolf commands with authority, demand riddled within her urgent request while she clearly instructs, “-end him and this nightmare already. Show him no mercy. We both know he deserves a lot worse than what he’s abo
“Right,” Elijah clears his throat while masking his concerned reservation; trying to maintain his calm composure as an unbound worry weighs heavily throughout his voice, “-the pack is all ready and waiting to leave on my word. We’re just standing by while Marie mixes the last ingredients for the portals…” he confirms, “She can’t pinpoint where we’re going to land exactly, but she’s told us we’ll be there soon. So, stay put and promise me you won’t go after Sam until I get there, okay?” “Okay,” I let out a sigh of relief; noticing the tainted reluctance embedded beneath, “-but please hurry. If we lose him, we lose the dagger. I can’t let Sam get away, Elijah. I just can’t. Not when Ash’s life depends on it…” “I know, and he won’t. We’ll get him and make this right, I swear,” Elijah firmly promises, his words filled with commitment, “-but you need to wait. Moon Goddess knows what other tricks that mutt has up his sl
“Ash. Stop and think about what you’re trying to do for a minute, will you? You don’t need to listen to him, Sam isn’t your master. No one is. And you’re not one of his stupid foot soldiers either. So, please, just listen to me,” I plead nervously while almost choking on my floundering words; stammering as my voice wavers while I try my best to sound unfazed by the looming threat heading my way - watching in disbelief as my brother continues to take his thundering footsteps towards me, just like he was instructed to do. “Please don’t do this. I know you’re in there somewhere, listening. You know that this isn’t you, you wouldn’t do something like this. You’re my big protective brother, you would never lay a finger on me let alone kill me,“ I beg once more while the rising desperation floods my being; attempting to reason with the mindless inhabitant currently possessing my brother’s vessel, wielding my words like an unseen sword as they try to pierce the dark magic constrain
I manoeuvre effortlessly away from the attacking duo as the brainwashed soldiers battling in Sam’s aid scramble towards me in a blind, uncalculated rage. Stepping outside the imminent line of fire with less than a second to spare, I narrowly escape Blaine’s swinging claw as it hurtles down towards me while producing a sharp swooshing noise, disturbing the dusty air surrounding us even further than it already was. With my mind racing as it suddenly works overtime, I meticulously observe every detail unfolding around me while they take place and surface. Feeling my body slip into a state of flow, I give in to my instincts and begin to nimbly circle around my foes – far too quick for either of them to keep up. Becoming one with the desolate room and all the elements within it, I notice a new sensation sweep over me as an unexpected wave of tranquillity settles within—a strong serenity spreading throughout my being despite the looming danger making its way towards me, leaving me to feel
Standing to my feet, the blurring colours of the grimy basement continue to settle around me as my senses thankfully return gradually alongside each internal pulsation of power gathering within me. I inhale sharply as I waver with stumbling feet; feeling light-headed while I fight to find my bearings with outstretched arms, awaiting my balance to return while I adapt to the overpowering sensation spreading throughout me. With a clearing mind, the high-pitched ringing that was consuming my hearing drifts away while the wolfsbane within my system grows equally inactive—just as the Destined Ones had said it would. With unsteady legs, I stumble forward when my ears abruptly fill with the instant noise of everything surrounding me—amplified with velocity as its range reaches much further than it had ever managed to before. Overwhelmed by the eruption of clashing sounds hitting me without warning, I clasp my ears as they burst with pain while I try to regain control amidst the cha
I hold my breath with anticipation as the large room sits before me in impenetrable darkness that doesn’t seem to lift; my sight greatly limited while the vast space surrounding me finds itself exposed to the consuming shadows of the night outside, lit faintly by the gentle cast of the moon's broken glow barely entering through the thin arched windows stretching high at my sides. The soft light illuminates a small space before me as I step into its welcoming gaze, the sound of my reluctant footsteps echoing eerily around me while I tread delicately across the stone cobbled floor. The room remains still as I wrap my arms around myself; clutching them tightly against my chest in an attempt to prevent the continuation of my persistent trembling while I shuffle into the natural spotlight that awaits me, terrified of what to expect as I seem to be all alone despite the beckoning invitation I had received. Was the voice that I heard nothing but a trick? Is this another nightmare?
With the overflow of wolfsbane swiftly flooding through my system greater than ever before, I slowly descend into myself and become a passenger held within my own body while the deadly toxin spreads throughout. Incapable of responding to the simplest of commands, I remain immobile despite urging myself to be the exact opposite—left feeling utterly vulnerable, defenceless at the mercy of my vengeful captor while he grapples me roughly. With each laboured breath I take, the poison soaks in further - wrapping itself around every molecule held within my lifeless body, and smothering them one by one as I lose the battle of controlling my being. A low humming builds within my ears the heavier I feel myself grow. While I teeter on the edge of unconsciousness, my limbs and muscles ache with a burning persistence. Its overwhelming sensation sweeps over me as if it were bound by no restraint, submitting me into defeat effortlessly like I belonged to the pain itself and that alone. Sub
As Sam takes a confident stride towards me, a vile smirk plays on his cut lips while he sneers wildly in my direction. I find myself stumbling back the further he ascends, a pained expression twisting across my face as I feel my chest slowly begin to cave in from the rapid panicked breaths fleeing it. Sam glares at me with a wrathful grimace while he wears a heavy frown; his head cocking to the side allowing his sunken features to come into view, the bulging scar brandishing his face tugging at his badly treated skin. I shudder while studying my former captor; swaying unsteadily as his sickening scent unwantedly drifts towards me in the gusting breeze causing my legs to waver from beneath me as they battle to withhold my weight – my voice muffled by the fear gripping me within its hold while all I can do is gawk back in horror. Sam’s cold eyes flicker around as he calculates his surroundings meticulously; observing my companions with a grim smile still cast upon his face as