Sophia POVI blinked a few times, feeling my whole body aching, not just my chest, something is very strange, very different… The air around me is not the same as I am used to.Finally, I managed to focus my gaze and came face to face with a very familiar ceiling, a light gray tone, with a small chandelier with golden details. I turned my head and came face to face with the dark wood desk and sat on the bed, my heart racing.I couldn't have come back to this cursed place, how was this happening? I know this room very well, as it is the same room where I suffered various abuses, from physical and mental tortures to rape…I looked down and saw that I was wearing a silver nightgown, my hair reaching my breasts, in a platinum blonde tone, almost white… The tone he loved, always saying he was in love with it and that I should never cut or dye my hair.I widened my eyes, seeing the various reddish scars on my arms, I was sure they should have already healed!‘Heavens, what is happening?’ I
Achilles POV"Achilles, calm down, pacing back and forth won't help." Khalid said.I rolled my eyes; the meeting is very important, and I simply can't stay still. I know a lot depends on the council accepting our request.It will be very difficult to prove that we didn't kidnap Sophia, but I'm sure that if we can make the council force Ivar to bring Sophia to the council, then we'll have a chance.I felt my energy being drained less than two hours ago, which indicates that Sophia is still conscious and her memory hasn't been completely altered."We will bring Sophia back." Hélios said determinedly."I know..." I whispered and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath.I heard two knocks on the door and opened my eyes, and soon after Hyperion entered."They are ready." Hyperion said.I looked at Khalid, Hélios, and Alex; everyone here is in favor of going to the last resort, even if it means declaring war against everyone.The walk down the hallway was quick, and during that time, I used my
Khalid POV"If all the evidence is true, then the Black Moon pack will be punished." Azrik said, looking at Ivar in an intimidating way, which made the alpha shrink. "But there is another question, why bring these truths to light only now? You stayed with the Moon Warriors pack for a long time, helping them... Why didn't you tell them about these revelations?"I looked at Hélios, as this is a question he might be asking himself, his anger is contained, but I know he can kill me if he wishes."Because it wasn't my job to do the work of the Alpha and Gamma of the pack." I answered truthfully. "It's not my role to find the culprits of the attacks... If the pack can't do that, then it's the pack's failure, not mine. I never hid the information, and just like I found it, they could have found it if they had looked properly."I see Hélios clench his fists along his body, I don't blame him for that, but I won't sugarcoat my words, he needed to know the raw truth. They had failed in that, and
Achilles POVI understand Hélios's anger and Khalid's reasons... Both are right in their views, and Khalid is not wrong in saying that we failed as a pack, not only that, we failed to protect our Fated.I watched as the greenish energy transferred to the pen drive and held my breath, as Azrik showed no sign of noticing the strange energy, but he began to work on the laptop without any issues, and the energy dissipated after a few minutes."I do see several pieces of evidence here that Naomi, or Sophia, was not kidnapped." Azrik said, lifting his face from the laptop.His eyes sought Ivar's, who stood his ground."Who abandoned Naomi, I'll call her that for now, injured and almost at death's door?" Azrik asked."We don't know." Gáta answered. "Things are confusing, even the Bond of Fate is strange and fragile."Gáta made a motion with her hand, and then two red lines appeared, one on my wrist and one on Ivar's... Mine was dimmer, weaker, while Ivar's was brittle and emitting small spar
Hélios POVThe witch's suggestion makes sense, but it means that everyone would see the curse inside Sophia, and there are several possibilities for how this meeting could end. Among the most likely, two stand out: the first would be the execution of Sophia as soon as they perceived the presence of the curse; the second, that some would fight against the curse to try to save her. However, neither of these options brought any guarantee of success or safety for her.My thoughts were in chaos. Sophia had already suffered enough, and the idea that her life was still at risk made me uneasy. I looked at Khalid, as among us, he always had extensive knowledge and a much better way of expressing himself than I did. Maybe he had a strategy to get us out of this complex and potentially deadly situation for Sophia.“Indeed, Lady Shangō Furen's suggestion makes perfect sense.” Khalid finally spoke, his voice filled with consideration.I was surprised, as I was sure he had also come to the same con
Sophia POVMy eyes blinked repeatedly as a wave of pain coursed through my body, as if sharp blades were piercing my skin without mercy. However, the worst pain was in my head. Fragments of disconnected memories mixed, strange names echoed in my mind, forming a chaotic whirlwind of thoughts.With great effort, I forced myself to get up. My body protested with every movement, but I knew I couldn't afford to stay still. Time wouldn't wait for me, and neither would he. I should have already prepared breakfast, and the punishment for my failure would come, inevitably. However, if lunch was perfect, maybe he would show some clemency. Maybe the pain would be less.I dragged myself to the closet, each step a reminder of my fragile state. I chose a white dress with long sleeves, the fabric covering every inch of my marked skin. The neckline was modest, and the skirt extended to my feet. I made sure to arrange my hair in a side braid, resting over my right shoulder, exactly as he had taught me
Sophia POVThe woman had long silver hair that seemed to float, as if there was a breeze. Her eyes, glowing like blue embers, carried a weight I had never seen before, as if she were very ancient, as if she had witnessed entire eras rise and fall. Her face was sculpted with refined features, beautiful and impenetrable, but her expression was a confusing mix of emotions: anger, sadness, shock, and some others I couldn't identify, something deep and immortal, as if her soul carried scars that time couldn't erase.Her black robes flowed around her slender body, adorned with golden embroidery that sparkled in the light, like lightning illuminating details in a stormy sky. There was something mesmerizing about the way the fabric moved, as if it were alive, responding to the energy that vibrated in the air around her. In her steady hands, a staff shimmered with bluish sparks, small lightning bolts snaking its surface like living creatures, pulsing with ancient magic.But even with so much p
Sophia POVThe witch looked me up and down, evaluating me, and I know she is trying to read my soul, but I am too complex for that to be easy. In this incarnation, I am just a human, which makes it even more difficult to discover my true identity as a Chimera. Her penetrating gaze seemed to scrutinize every layer of my existence, trying to find some hidden clue, something that would reveal what I really am. But she wouldn't be able to. I spent years hiding, rebuilding who I am, and it wouldn't be that simple to unravel me.“You have a very strong magic in your body.” The witch informed me, her voice filled with a certainty that made me shiver. “When you underwent the recovery surgeries, an entire coven cast a very strong spell so that you would not be found or even recognized by Ivar Volkheim… But, with Gáta's help, that spell weakened, and he managed to find you.”Shangō Furen declared, and I noticed in her expression that she was impressed by the situation. If even a powerful witch
Sophia POVAs soon as I opened my eyes, I found myself in a gigantic space, so vast that I couldn't fully comprehend its size. It was as if I were an astronaut seeing the Earth from afar.I realized that as my mind adapted to this new dimension, things began to make sense. Walls of clay appeared, along with various doors and stairs. Many of the doors were already broken, with some pieces still hanging, but many parts had fallen to the floor where the door should have been. I also noticed broken chains.I walked to the nearest door and looked through the space where the door should have been. I noticed green smoke filling the room. I shivered, understanding what it meant—each door represented a creature I should have had, but which was now taken by the Mother of Monsters.My heart tightened as I looked around and saw so many broken doors, so many shattered chains, each representing a part of my soul that had been taken. Sadness began to set in, as many creatures would never see the lig
Sophia POV"You are a Chimera." Nina spoke again, in a gentler tone, like a kind teacher explaining to a child how things work. "Changing your appearance is not simple."Nina's words changed the atmosphere in the room again. Everyone fell silent, absorbing the weight of that statement. Achilles approached me, as if he could protect me from the truths that were about to come. Khalid just watched, with a serious expression."Alright, I understand." I said and felt Achilles hugging me from behind, his hands passing around my waist, a silent form of comfort. "Continue.""A Chimera is composed of several beings, several animals, mythological or not." Nina explained.And then she looked me up and down, analyzing every aspect of me, both physically and my soul, and I noticed a touch of melancholy in her eyes."And you have lost several since we first met." Nina explained.I felt a pang of pain in my chest, as I knew that meant I had died in agony each time one of those creatures left. Nina n
Sophia POVNina turned with the same grace that always surrounded her, her movements smooth like a silent dance. Her eyes landed on Alexandre, and to his surprise, her expression remained serene, unaltered, as if the words he had just spoken were no more than part of a trivial conversation.Alex was not prepared for such tranquility. The lack of reaction completely disarmed him, and I could see insecurity take over his features. Even his wolf, which had been animated and even aggressive, retreated inside him, as if shrinking before Nina's calm. All the aggressiveness that had emanated from him dissolved into the air."Interesting." Khalid said with a low laugh.Nina looked at him, and for a brief moment, I saw a subtle smile on her lips, but then she turned back to Alexandre again."My name is Alexandre." Alex introduced himself, almost stammering."I remember your presence in our laboratory." Nina replied, her voice maintaining a neutral tone.Alex nodded, not daring to speak. Nina's
Sophia POVKhalid nodded at my response. There was no questioning, no questions, and certainly no doubts, only understanding and acceptance. And that brought me a peace I didn't know I needed.This had always been my bond with Khalid, long before he became my mate… The vampire understood me on a different level from Achilles and Perseus, but that didn't mean something would happen between us.I had never thought of betraying my mates, I had never thought of Khalid as anything more than a good friend, only now, feeling the attraction of the bond, I started to feel this way, never before."When do you want this change?" Khalid asked me, his voice now carrying a more sensual tone, something I hadn't noticed before."As soon as possible!" I replied without needing to think much about it.I felt Achilles's body tense up, and I turned my head to look at him."You just woke up…" Achilles explained. "I don't want to put you in another coma… Your body is under a lot of stress."I sighed and he
Sophia POVI feel a shiver run down my spine with that phrase, something I didn't know was possible, because there's a different tone, it's not like Khalid telling me I'm an object, it was different…It was acceptance, certainty, as if, by calling me that, he was recognizing something beyond the physical, beyond desire, beyond the blood that pulses in our veins.He didn't see me as a possession, but as part of something ancient, sacred.My Shi. A phrase that meant our souls were connected…Maybe that's how I should have felt from the beginning with Achilles and Perseus, but I was different back then, I didn't know about this world and had to learn about everything…It's not that the connection between me and Khalid is stronger, but it's different… And this difference is glaring… Because Achilles and Perseus had to fight from the start to win me over…They were the ones who taught me about the Bond, the Balance, and what it means to be a mate, and in this difference, there's an added w
Sophia POVWaking up should be easy, but honestly? In my current state, it's not. My whole body aches, as if needles are penetrating my muscles, and I let out a groan of pain. But that only worsens the situation, as my head starts spinning, even with my eyes closed.I took deep breaths several times to try and make the sensation go away, until I felt my hands being held. The touch is gentle and loving, and I can feel the sparks of destiny taking effect, spreading through my wrists and up my arms, easing my pain.After a few seconds, I managed to blink a few times before focusing my gaze. I know I should pay attention to Achilles and Perseus, but what catches my attention is a completely different smell.It's a strange mixture, dark yet warm at the same time… It's like black amber, with myrrh, mixed with the dry heat of the desert at sunset, where the sand still holds the warmth of the sun, but the air begins to cool. There's a subtle scent of dried earth after rain, rare and sacred, m
Achilles POV"Shut up!" I yelled at the illusion, my voice reverberating through the space like a furious thunderclap.I turned abruptly to Perseus, my breathing heavy, and without hesitation, I raised my hand, slapping him across the face. The sharp crack of the impact echoed through the place, my Alpha widened his eyes, surprised not only by the blow but by the intensity of my gaze that openly challenged him."I know you better than anyone, Perseus, and I know you're not like this! You're not a monster!" I exclaimed."This is the second time I've put her in a hospital!" Perseus shouted, his voice filled with anger and despair.He pushed me hard, but my feet remained firm on the ground. His strength could have knocked me down, but I wouldn't back down."Next time she might not survive!" I said with determination. "And will you allow there to be a third time?"My voice came out cold as ice, sharp as a blade. I watched the red mark of my fingers begin to form on his face, standing out
Aquiles POVThere is a lot of information, but it all makes sense… Although I don't like the idea of Khalid being a permanent part of our lives. I would have liked a moment just for me and Perseus with Sophia, something we've been seeking since the first moment we saw her, and now we have to accept that this moment may never exist.I closed my eyes for a few seconds and sighed. My body and my wolf are tired; after all, we've been drained intensely and constantly, and I feel my body losing strength and my legs giving in under the weight of exhaustion. Before I could react, I felt a pair of firm hands holding me, preventing my fall.“Aquiles!” Hélios shouted while hugging me around the waist.Hélios's scent became stronger, always with a woody touch and a hint of aged leather. That same scent calms me and gives me a bit more strength.“Hélios…” I whispered his name and rested my head on his shoulder. “I'm tired… My energy is drained.”“I know, my love.” Hélios said and led me to the bed
Khalid POVWe opened the door and saw Alex there, he had already tidied up the room, and then Hélios gently placed Sophia on the bed, as if she were the most precious and fragile thing in the world. My heart tightened seeing her so vulnerable. Despite everything we've been through, I still don't know if this will last, if this connection will remain intact when the storm passes.‘What will Sophia think when she wakes up?’ I thought to myself, feeling the weight of that doubt in my chest.I sighed, automatically adjusting my suit, just to keep my hands busy. My eyes turned to Hélios, who now observed Sophia with a serene expression, something rare to see in him. I was still impressed at how someone so explosive and unpredictable could seem so calm at that moment.“No, I didn't know… At least not with 100% certainty, but I already suspected that something like this could happen.” Hélios finally turned to me, after adjusting Sophia better on the sheets. “What woke me up was feeling the b