ENIDAS PLAIN AS THE DAYI stepped out of the soothing shower spray and found a towel. With the blood washed off my skin and my body back in shape, I bounced off in perfect shape. I found fresh shirts in the closet of the room I chose to stay in away from Mildred. Last night I had collapsed in bed and hated to think I shared the same room with the wolfless girl. Although I had slept deep, something I hadn't done in months I still wasn't balanced with the idea of sharing the room with her.My eyes fell on the little velvet box and a small smile twitched on my lips. I got dressed, slipped the box into my hip pocket, and headed out the door to my home office. I couldn't focus on my work, Chase's attitude plagued my mind. Chase never cared about whatever I did. He trusted my judgment but now he was acting all weird and talking about our plan in a manner that alarmed me, I needed to act quickly to shut him out. But Chase was a key player in this game. He was the brain behind it all. I s
MILDREDTHE GREAT FALLThe little slip from the balcony plagued my mind and fed my dreams with what would have happened if Enid had not intercepted the fall, turning my dreams into a nightmare. I would come abruptly awake the minutes the body would have connected to the hard floor. Enid had taken the fall instead. He had looked beyond mad to have me behaving recklessly. Maybe he would have hit me had Chase not been around. I sat by the window and stared at my bruised ankle. It had been about a week now. I was able to manage a walk with it, it healed faster with the help of the ointment. My back was all healed from Enid's assaults with the silver whip. Now I was freed of the pain my body had been in a few days ago. Enid was gone from the room. Since the second I had left him with Chase after the accident, I hadn't seen him. He never came around, he never checked in to see if I was eating right and tending my wounds against the elders' meeting. But I knew there was going to be no el
MILDREDREVIVAL"You look beautiful, my Queen!"Enid cradled my face with his fingers and a broad smile on his face. I flushed at his words, gulping down the effect of his words on me. But it was a charade. I understood this was all a show put forth to make the pack members believe their Alpha had fallen in love alas. He led me from the two pack Elders that had met us by the car when we arrived. He arched his arm and I held to it as we walked down the stretched-out red carpet. Cheers erupted from the exhilarating crown as they watched us move to take our seats at the designated place for royalties. Enid helped me to my chair before he took his. "Make sure that smile doesn't fade from your face," Enid commanded quietly as he leaned over. Chase took his seat closer to us and beamed at me. His hair was golden and his image preppy."What do you wish to revive, my Luna?" Chase leaned in and whispered. I thought about it over and again and didn't find anything worth reviving in my li
MILDREDPURE MONSTROSITY"Let our Luna whirl the revival pool!"One of the elders I now know as Remy announced as we reached a large fountain where the water would be sprinkled on every pack member in the sun just to trap its energy that would sustain us through. The ritual gets completed at night in the moonlight where food and drinks are shared to signify love and abundance. Only then will the goddess revive us all. It was what Chase was able to tell me on our way to the big fountain. All I needed to do was to plop my hand into the water and give it a gentle stir. It was a simple task, one I could carry on without blinking. As the pack members who were waiting to be refreshed at the pool clapped, I stepped forward toward the pool to stir it. This was a proud moment for me. This moment made me forget all the hurts of the past few days. Even my ankle which wasn't completely healed was not sending those tiny tingles of pain through me. This was my glory day. This was my moment of
MILDREDSO NOT WATERMELONMy feet were sore and my back hurt. My stomach seemed to double up in a manner I feared I'd throw up.My ankle had tried for the day and was packing up, the pain was now fresh. Perspiration dampened my face breaking through the makeup product on my face.My breath ragged as I wandered the endless seeming entrance road and I knew I had exceeded one hour from just walking yet I never got to the gate. My feet were now heavy and my spine hurt making me realize I should have remained in the car. Now it was double the pain. I looked up to see the gaze zoomed far away from where I stopped and the security guards standing by the checkpoint. There was a renewed hope in me but my legs were too heavy to go any faster. Slow and steady was how I was ever going to win this race. I looked up to the sky and wondered what time it was. No cars were entering or leaving that I could request a lift from. It was evening, and a lark sang heavily from a tree a few distance away f
MILDREDLITTLE ACT OF AFFECTIONI was by the table in no time. Hesitating meant heightening Enid's fury. He frowned at my night dress and was not pleased to see my hair now pulled into a messy ponytail. Enid was in a beautiful cream dress shirt, his hair was brushed to perfection and his cologne was intoxicating. He stirred up a fire in my soul Every Time he was this close. My eyes watched his face dropping on his full lips. He was not mad anymore. His lips were no longer crimped and his eyes were void of spite from earlier."You're not dressed yet?" That was all he said after a careful study of me. "I didn't know we'd be going somewhere else," I replied honestly. Tonight was the last phase of the revival, the meal and wine celebration and I didn't dare imagine Enid wanted me to be there. "Fifteen minutes," he muttered. "I'll wait fifteen more minutes and if you slack off I might not forget your insulting actions earlier. You know how I can be, right?" He softly brushed his thum
ENIDI AM NOT XIMENA!The urgent meeting that evening plagued my mind. No matter how hard I tried, I could get my mind off the threat that was looming, lurking somewhere around. The Outlanders. They were close. Their threats were becoming visible and more viable as days went by. They were increasing in size and strength. They were growing fearless and wild. Enough reason for the elders to make my Kingship official. My gaze dropped to Mildred and she was greedily forking an oyster into her mouth. She looked relaxed now that there was something to focus on.The dress she wore made it hard for Chase to wander his eyes on her, it made her appear invisible to everyone else on the table. Exactly how I wanted her to appear. She didn't seem to care. All her attention was on her meal. I refilled her glass with some more wine and she shuddered and shook her head. She didn't like it but I wanted her to get used to the taste. She struggled with the drink and fought to swallow it. "Are you a
MILDREDTHE KISS TEAI huffed. For the millionth time that morning, colors tinged my cheeks and my thick lashes fluttered as the nasty memory of me sealing lips with Enid plagued my mind. Now I felt like mold. I felt giddy and worse I felt uncertain about what was swirling in Enid's mind. The alcohol had hit me really hard. It was my first shot at something so nasty. It was the first time I had no control over my mind and emotions. I kissed Enid.A strained laugh broke from my lungs, high-pitched like a strangled hyena as tears trickled down my face. "I practically kissed Enid," I whispered and my tone blurred out the line between incredulity and fear. Blame that on the drink.Blame that on Enid. I had gestured that I didn't feel so right with the nasty drink but he chose to feed me with it. He forced me with his constant glares to chug on the drink and now, look where it left us. Look where it left me. Panic. I was now wallowing in uncertainty. I had no idea what exactly was
MILDREDTHE END.I sat on a bench at the burial ground, surrounded by the peaceful silence of nature. In front of me lies the grave of my beloved sister, Ximena. I took a deep breath and began to speak, as if she's still with me."Ximena, it's been a year since you left us. I know you're no longer here, but I need to tell you everything that's happened. I need to make sure you know how much we've accomplished, how much we've healed."Elias and Naveah, they thought they could get away with taking you from us, but they were wrong. Enid and I worked together to bring them to justice. They're now serving life sentences with hard labor. Molly, who was sheepishly helping them, was released and came to me asking for forgiveness. I forgave her, and we've moved on. Marcella, who was also involved, was released but left the pack in shame. Elder Remy, Elias' accomplice, was given a one-year jail term and was banished from the pack as soon as he was released.I paused, looking at her grave."Toda
MILDREDFINALLYI woke up to a knock on the door, my heart was still heavy with grief and I didn’t expect that anyone would be at my door this early. My heart still aches badly. I had only met my twin sister,the Ximena I thought I was impersonating all along, I didn’t know that she was my other half, I had the opportunity to meet her, how could she even be gone already? This doesn’t even make sense!She was taken from me in an instant, by a bullet meant even for me. I felt very guilty even until this moment. I grumbled as I got out of bed and made my way to the door. Vanessa stood outside, her face looking really somber.I looked at Vanessa for a moment, then nodded and walked back to my bed. She suddenly hugged me tightly and burst into tears. I tried to hold back my tears, but I couldn't. We both cried for a while. Then, she held my hands and looked at me with sad eyes. "Someone is here to see you, Mildred," she said softly. "Who is it?" I asked, my voice barely audible. "Just c
MILDRED RIP XIMENA "Oh no, Ximena! Please wake up! We've just found each other, don't leave me now!" I screamed, my voice shaking desperately. Ximena's body lay limp on the ground, her eyes closed, her chest bleeding from the gunshot wound. "Take this madman away!" Enid yelled, and the police dragged Elias away, wresting the gun from his hand. Ximena's eyes flickered open, and she gazed at me with tears streaming down her face. "I'm so glad I found you, sister," she whispered, her voice weak. "Navaeh took me from our mother when we were babies. She used us being twins and that fact that it was a taboo and we will be killed if disclosed to blackmail me, but I'm free now." I held her hand, my heart breaking into a thousand pieces. "Don't worry, Ximena, you'll be okay. We'll get you to the hospital, and you'll survive this." But Ximena's smiled, even though I could see how sad she was through her eyes. "It's too late, Mildred. The bullet hit my heart. I'm sorry...there's nothi
MILDREDHE PULLED THE TRIGGER!"This is it, Marcella! You're going to pay for all the suffering you've caused me!" I snarled, my hand cracking against her cheek in a resounding slap. "And that's for Ximena! I turned my icy gaze on Navaeh, my eyes blazing with pain and fury. "Navaeh," I spat, my voice dripping with venom. She cowered, her body trembling like a leaf, as she beheld the wrath in my eyes. This was the moment I had been waiting for, the moment of reckoning."You treated me like dirt, Navaeh! You made me feel worthless, always favoring your own daughter, Molly, over me. You never cared about my well-being, only your own selfish interests."“Errmm, I…I…” Navaeh tried to speak, but I wouldn't let her. "No, you don't get to talk! You sent me out into the night, alone and vulnerable. If not for destiny, I would have never met Enid. You would have gotten me killed by gunmen or kidnappers because you obviously wouldn’t have paid a dime to get me out of there"My voice cracked w
ENIDMILDRED AND XIMENA ARE TWINSElder Remy's face turned beet red with rage. "You've betrayed the pack, Enid! You lied about Ximena! You're a disgrace to the throne!"Mildred dropped to her knees, pleading with the elders. "Please, have mercy! Enid had no part in this. I deceived everyone, I pretended to be Ximena. I'll accept my punishment, but spare him!"I watched, frustrated, as Mildred took the blame. Didn't she realize she was making things worse? I thought she had learned to think before acting, but apparently not. I felt a surge of annoyance, wanting to tell her to stop, to let me handle it. But I kept my cool, knowing that would only make things worse.Remy's harsh words towards Mildred ignited my anger. "Shut up!" he barked, and my blood boiled. How dare he disrespect my mate?Mildred's attempts to take the blame only made Remy more furious. "You're not fooling anyone, this was a plan between you and Enid. You'll face a harsher punishment," he snarled, ordering the guards
MILDRED OFFCOURSE SHE IS NOT XIMENA I paced back and forth in the room, my mind racing with questions. Why did Enid look so worried? What could be so important that he had to cut our night short? We had plans, plans that didn't involve returning to the pack's headquarters until whenever. I felt a knot in my stomach, my wolf senses tingling with unease. As I paced, my feet carried me to the window, where I gazed out into the night. The stars twinkled, but my eyes saw only darkness. My thoughts were a jumbled mess, my emotions raw. I couldn't believe what Enid had just revealed - that my stepmother, Navaeh, had locked my wolf away all these years. The pain and anger I felt were overwhelming. Eventually, my back ached from pacing, and I collapsed onto the bed, covering myself with the duvet. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, and I let them fall, my body shaking with silent sobs. I didn't know how long I cried, but exhaustion finally claimed me, and I drifted off into a f
ENIDMILDRED HAS A WOLFI couldn't contain my excitement. Today was going to be very beautiful and I just couldn't wait. I don't want to spill the tea to Mildred so I just asked her to get dressed but has been trying to ruin the surprise with too many questions."Where are we going?" she asked for the upteenth time, her eyes sparkling with curiosity."Somewhere special," I replied, my smile growing wider. "Just trust me."She laughed and chatted as she got ready, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of joy being around her. I helped her into the car and asked her to stay quiet.I signaled Courtney and she injected her with a sedative. I thanked Courtney and we drove to the forest, where Danda, a powerful shaman, was waiting for us.*"Mildred's wolf has been locked away," Danda revealed, his eyes looking serious. "Her stepmother's doing, no doubt." I was so shocked, how can someone penetrate such cruelty? What could she have done for him to have done that? She deserves to be punishe
ELIASTHE CAT’S OUTTA THE BAG!I swirled the wine in my glass, the rich aroma filling my senses as I sat in Elder Remy's cozy sitting room. The warm glow of the fireplace lighting the room and it made it exude an aura of wealth, but my mind was far from at ease.I summoned the Elder himself, elder Remy had so much power and influence in the pack and I knew he would be the best person to help me with this. My thoughts raced with the weight of the secret I carried - the truth about Ximena. Or rather, the imposter who had been masquerading as her.I took a sip of the wine, the flavors dancing on my tongue as I gathered my thoughts. How could I break the news to Elder Remy, to the entire pack, that the woman they believed was their beloved Ximena was a fraud? That Enid, of all people, had been deceiving them all?I began to have double thoughts. What if that scares them and they deny me the throne too since we are related and have same bloodline? Not possible! They will trust me and see
MARCELLAPLAN BI sobbed like a child who had been denied chocolate, feeling helpless and defeated. Elias's betrayal cut me really deep, and I couldn't bear the thought of him ruining my reputation with whatever video he took of me, but Alexis's warm embrace and gentle words of encouragement comforted me. "Marcella, it's not the end of the world," she said, trying to make me feel better. "We'll find a way to make it through this without Elias soiling your name."I looked up at her, tears streaming down my face. "But how? He's going to ruin me, Alexis. I've come too far to let him win." My voice cracked, and I felt fresh hot tears tingling at the corners of my eyes.Alexis' facial gesture changed, I could tell an idea had clicked. "We'll set him up, Marcella. I'll act like I want to get down with him, and then I'll raise an alarm, saying he tried to molest me. We'll turn the tables on him, and he'll be the one who's left looking bad."I sniffled, considering her plan. It was risky, bu