Silence filled the room and the only sound I could hear was Alexei's sword swishing in the air as I spun it in order to warm up my hand. I used the sword as my stick when the beta winner glanced at Alexei, who was now giving me a sly, sideways sort of glance, in which I couldn't figure out whether he was in favor of stepping up for him without asking for his permission or not. The winner looked at Alexei to challenge him instead but Alexei just offered him a short nod. “I fear for your life, Leonid.”“What?!” the beta named Leonid inquired incredulously before he looked back at me in fright. ‘Try not to kill my beta... remember that you just became our Luna today, Alvarez. Don't fuck this day for us,’ he reminded me, which debased my rising sense of determination to harm. For a moment, I forgot that we were in Triton and not Calisto. I was certain I was thinking of stabbing this beta in the foot for underestimating me. ‘Don't worry, Volkov. You are the only one I would love to kill
My grasp tightened on the knife’s handle as Alexei allowed me to put pressure on his neck, until I saw blood drawing from his skin. Agitated, I swore straight in his face before I threw my hunting knife away. I pushed him many times but Alexei didn't even bulge as he towered over me while looking at me with those predatory eyes, ready to ravish me. “Goddess, I hate you! I hate you so much...” I gritted and then gave him a last push to no avail. Panting, I relinquished my anger and raised my eyes to meet his. The moment his lips parted, I locked my hands to his face and placed my lips on his. I have no idea as to why I did such, yet I found my repulsiveness pleasurable and sustained when Alexei’s hand found my waist and pushed me against the three as he slid his tongue and sucked mine when I matched his rhythm. My moan caught in the back of my throat and I was pulling him closer to demand more, wanting him to get under my skin and force him to stay there for as long as I wished. It
Dear Miya, I hated Alexei even more than I wished. On my first day in Calisto, he flooded me with jests, mostly naughty ones. And my bitch of a wolf loves it whenever she sees those cheeky grins of his. Sometimes, I do too, but most times I hate it. My sense of brutal elimination for him is getting worse since I have thought of four ways how. Five ways rather, when Alexei himself gave me the idea that I could end his life by using a pillow. I fear that I will commit a sin because of him one day, and you, not reminding me that it’s unforgivable is difficult. After spending time with him, I thought about it twenty times. Twenty-one now that he was the topic of this letter. If you are wondering if ever we kissed, yes, we did. Twice. And I hate it. I could have stopped at one time, but I was the one who kissed him for the second time. It was strange of me, right? I shouldn't have done that. Maybe it was my wolf that did. Yes, I’m sure my wolf was the one who acted out and not me.On my s
“What?” I queried incredulously. “I’m not going to do it. I already kissed you in front of your family last time, I’m not doing what you're asking me right now.”“Oh, for wolf’s sake. You’re just going to stare into my eyes, Alvarez. It’s not science,” he disputed. “Just do it, damn it. He’s been worrying about us not talking to each other for weeks. Actually, not only him but also curious shifters who thought this bond is starting to fall apart because of a lot of different beliefs. That reason was enough indication that they want us to be seen in public again.”Obliging, I placed my hands on his chest and forced a sweet smile at Alexei. “And who do you think should be blamed for that? It was you who distanced yourself from me, so I guess you are. I was all right with us tormenting each other with words until you get overdramatic.”“You don’t know how much I suffer whenever you’re near,” he said tightly but smiling wide at me, his hands now locked on my waist. “At our last intimate j
Nobody dared to utter a word after the uncalled but brave introduction and we remained looking at each other as though we knew we were bound to meet and this occurrence was destined to happen today. I already felt a bond even though we didn't exchange a word. Just like the famous saying in the North, a single glance is enough to recognize a bond. I supposed it's true. She wasn't like the gentle but brave Miya I know, more like in between Alexia and me: compassionate yet bold, which complemented mine. “Oh, right,” she added after a brief silence and then curtsied, her knee almost touching the tile while her hand placed on her chest. The shifter stood up and lowered her head. “Apologies for that. I got carried away. My masters... forbid me to apply today, saying you are delusional and evil. I insisted, so they locked me in my room. I...” The female shifter touched her arm and that’s when I realized she had bruises. Hearing her explanation and seeing her state exasperated me. Omegas hav
“This is madness...” Alexei muttered while we were waiting at the top of the mountain, agitated still. His tone was nothing like I had heard before, making me wonder whether I was imagining things because he surprisingly looked concerned. “That omega wouldn't stand a chance to Leonid. You may have defeated him in a spar but there’s no guarantee that omega will succeed like you.” “That omega has a name,” I assented before shooting him a sharp gaze. “And why must you think so negatively? Is it because she’s female? Or is it because she's an omega? As the Alpha of this pack, do you even know every name of your omegas here in the Triton?” “It’s because she’s a member of this pack and if she were to die in the race, we are both screwed,” he snapped, his eyes shaking in anger, for a second, I thought he would lay a hand on me when he slightly flinched. But then he retracted with a huff. “Screwed not just here in Triton but to the whole North. Being an Alpha requires a lot of things you wou
“Since when did you know her?” Alexei asked when he, probably, could no longer bear not to pry, looking at Yelena with pure curiosity before turning to Mikhail. “Hell, don’t you dare deny it! You didn't ever shed a tear for me when I got wounded in a racing battle when we were fifteen.”“I don't know her, all right?” Mikhail pressed, avoiding Alexei’s terrorizing gaze. “She’s an omega, why would I?”Lie. Mikhail was lying. I could tell it from the way his voice ascended. Him avoiding our gaze and the way he looked at Yelena with fondness. However, just like Alexei, I still couldn’t figure out how the two were acquainted.“Oh, so the tears you just shed were just for dramatic effect, huh?” Alexei asked in sarcasm. “Believe me, we, males treat our tears more than our life. We are not capable of wasting them unless it was something we deeply care for. Like family, friends... or mates.”When Alexei said the last word, both of us automatically looked at each other in sync, but the moment o
“How am I supposed to do that?” I roared in frustration, slapping the water from the bathtub and spilling the bubble that was covering my body. I don't know how long I have been soaking in the bathtub ever since I got inside the bathroom to ponder a solution. Even now, I can't find a way to solve what dilemma we will have to face tomorrow. I had forgotten that as the Luna of the pack, it was my duty to secure him an heir. But I don't want to be like other Lunas who would do as they are told. That was the exact opposite of what I wanted to do in Triton and everybody knows that. What they didn't know was this facade of ours, what we are showing to others in public was a mere agreement, and consummating the copulation is no part of that. No consummating means no heir. I sighed and held my head low, closing my eyes to calm myself because I was beginning to lose my nerve. I took my time to succumb in peace until the bathroom door opened and presented me with the naked Alexei, who was sur
“I couldn’t believe that shifters here in Buenavista forgot the siblings after just two decades, what are your plans for the Martinez siblings and Calisto now?” Irino asked, breaking the peaceful silence I had with Alexei.“Well...” I looked at Mason and Miya and exhaled deeply. “I would love to give them a proper burial and let the Calisto know that they were the Martinez siblings who survived the fall of the Martinez twenty years ago. The shifters who should be the ones ruling Calisto and not the Alvarez. I would also love to conduct a rescue and search for anyone who survived other than Mason and Miya that day to give Calisto back into their hands.”“What if they were the last of their clan?” Irino asked.“I have no choice but to let Akim take Calisto as the new Alpha like everybody was expecting him,” I answered and paused before I faced Irino and the others. “But I won’t let the others face the same leadership here in Calisto, so I will take the shifters who wanted to leave the p
“I’m sorry, Miya...” I uttered under my breath when she dropped at the last blow.Witnessing how Miya shifted back to human, my knees gave up and I threw the gun in outrage, fear, and sorrow. As much as I was thankful that the gun saved me and Alexei, it was still the most dangerous weapon anyone could have possessed to kill one’s wolf.I immediately held my belly and made sure that the baby was alright inside me by caressing it several times. I watched the siblings' dead bodies lying on the ground and heaved a deep sigh.With a heartbreaking sight, I suddenly remember their fates read by the wolfsayer six years ago. It was blank. Unreadable, as the wolfsayer called it, saying she had trouble reading their mates and possibly that they were one of the few that aren’t fated for another. I recall refusing to believe our wolfsayer before, thinking that she only made a mistake.And it turned out that wolfsayers don’t make mistakes. Because the meaning of Mason and Miya’s blank fate is beca
Miya let out a horrified scream before she shot me using her malevolent, trembling eyes. “This is all because of you... this is all because of you! You killed my brother.”Stunned and weeping, I ignored Miya’s outburst and held onto Mason’s stab wound, pulling him closer to me as I refused to believe what Miya had done to her own brother. Mason's eyes were fluttering when I looked at him and his vision was unfocused while watching the setting sun.“Mason, look at me...” I told him as I kept tapping his cheeks. He slowly complied and gave me a sad smile when our eyes finally met. “The Moon Goddess is very kind to let me see you before my life ends, Aera. I had no regrets about saving you, so you should feel the same.”“No, Mason. You will not die! Do you hear me? You will live!” I persisted, but Mason’s breathing started to become shallow and short, making me panic more than I already was.I was now covered in blood. And I didn’t know where to place my hand when Mason suddenly reached
“I will not mess this up, sister. You can trust me,” Mason said, avoiding my gaze as he faced his sister and undisclosing the state I was in.He could have told Miya that I wasn’t unconscious anymore. Kill me the moment he had crouched down since I was secretly listening to their conversation when I should not. Slit my throat without waiting for me to gain consciousness but he didn’t. He remained pretending that I was unconscious for my own sake.With that considerate gesture, I felt like there was still kindness in him, which Miya had totally forsaken a long time ago because of her rage and her intense need for revenge. I most definitely feared that my life was possibly coming to an end, but I felt rather confident about Mason sparing my life.Silently, I just wished I was right.“I trust you,” Miya said to her brother and then she left the cell afterward, leaving Mason who suspiciously trailed his eyes on her sister and let out a big sigh of relief when she was finally out of sight.
MIYA26 years ago...“Yes, honey. You heard your father right. You will be the first female Alpha of the North and the North Canideans will love you once you take the highest rank,” my father, Manolo Martinez, said to me, twirling me in the air and my laughter and shrieks filled my room that blissful night.My mother, Susan Martinez, gave me a warm smile before she walked toward my father’s side. “Okay, that’s enough. The heir to the highest rank will need to get a lot of sleep so she can be the first female of the North when she turns twenty. And that is fifteen years from now. You need to be strong and brave when that happens, Miya honey. For your shifters and for Calisto.”“I would be strong and brave, mother. I promise,” I vowed with my hands spread in the air and then explained excitedly when my father twirled me even faster.After a few turns, my father placed me down and gently tucked me into bed. They kissed my cheeks and wished me good night as their daughter and now the newl
I woke up in a dark room with fear and anger filling me, my hands and feet tied behind my back and I was helplessly facing the floor, trying to shout for help but no words could emerge from my mouth other than a silent moan.Struggling yet determined to move, I tried to free myself by flinging my hands constantly behind my back but my whole body was still numb that I even find it hard to blink or even turn sideways so I would not put all my weight on my stomach since I was a month old pregnant. I am soon to become a mother and I couldn’t lose the most precious blessing the Moon Goddess has given me when other shifters are struggling to bear a child.I never thought that a shifter like Miya, let alone a shifter whom I treated as one of my closest friends and a sister more than I treated Aena would do such a thing to me. And maybe— no, certainly, I am to be blamed as to why I am here in this dark and cold room only the Goddess knew where it was located. It appeared that I trusted Miya t
A week later...Wearing a black dress, I made myself inside Calisto’s hall without minding the mixed gaze of everyone was piercing me.All eyes immediately turned on me when I stepped inside and they gave me a deep respectful bow when I walked past them. Not just Calisto but all shifters from other packs who paid a visit to my father’s funeral. After everything that I had been through, the praise and the exaggerated appreciation, seeing them treat me like I was next to the Moon Goddess was never new, especially when there was a rumor that I helped Muck and not long after when Andras revealed that it wasn’t a rumor but the truth.Aera the Great. That’s what they called me even before the revelation. Now that the truth was out, they began to worship me for driving out all the Antartis as though I did it by myself. I had help. Andras could receive some attention as well, including the Muck’s brave shifters who fought with me during the riot, but the North has never been a fair region eve
“I am what?” I blurted, holding my stomach, unable to believe what Yelena said. “No, I am not.”“You are. Look.” Yelena held my waist and made me face the mirror. And then she tilted me to the side and carefully scooped my bump I never knew I had. “You are pregnant.”I gasped when I realized Yelena was right and my hands flew to cover my mouth in shock and delight. “Oh, my Goddess... I am! I am indeed with child, Yelena.”“You are...” Yelena gushed and did a little jump while holding my hand. Out of excitement, the news made me jump as well with her, but Yelena stopped me immediately. “Careful, Aera. You cannot jump or fight, or do straining activities from now on. You have a precious life inside you now. Oh, what a blessing for you and your mate! We shall tell the others, especially Alexei.”“No,” I cut her off, making Yelena's eyebrows arched in wonder and confusion. “I'm afraid we have to keep it for ourselves, Yelena,”“Why?” she asked with a little wondering laugh that turned out
“W-What?” Mason asked, his tone in utter disbelief and rather contemptuous. “Aera, are you hearing yourself? Are you forgetting yourself? He is your father.”The corner of my lips arched and I looked away, dropping my gaze to the table with a silent yet spiteful laugh before I looked back at him testily.However, this time, my lips turned into a thin line and my reaction turned cold, my face went slack quite intentionally, not because I regretted what I said but because I was disappointed by the fact he had the courage to ask me such an absurd request when he knew my painful past. And seeing how he gave me the reaction, right exactly the opposite reaction I would like to receive from Mason, I knew that the madness inside me that had been kept and caged for long awakened, wanting to spew forth and wild.“A father who abused me mentally and physically,” I corrected him, my voice rising in fury. “Now, let me return the question to you, Mason. Are you hearing yourself? You know exactly wh