LAUREL’s POV
“No,” I say, I am not amused. “You are not allowed to enter.”
Caleb puts on a pout. “Why not? As your knight in shining armour, it is my utmost duty to make sure that my lady is well and taken care of, especially when she is unwell.”
I feel my temper flare and my chest rise and fall with my growing temper, I poke him squarely in the chest, “For one, you are NOT my knight in shining armour. And two, I am NOT your lady. I am grateful for your help, truly, I am, but this is where we draw the line. This place, “ I thump my feet on the wooden floorboards, “is my home, my territory, my personal space and no one else is allowed to enter.”
“No one but Alpha Helios?”
Caleb's question catches me off guard and for once, I have no smart-ass reply to give him. He has struck a chord. And it is a deep one at that.
“It's his baby you're carrying, isn't it?” he asks again and when I do not answer, Cale
LAUREL’s POVDeath.It is inevitable. For all who are born are destined to die. It is a fact that everyone knows, including myself.But why do I find it hard to believe that death has claimed Helios.No, it cannot be.I shake my head. It is my turn to grab Rhode by the collar and I hiss in his face, “You lie.”Helios has never once lost a battle, he has never once yielded in combat. No one should have been able to slay Helios, he is the undefeatable Alpha of the Southlands. How can he be dead?It is a joke…it is a cruel joke. It has to be.Rhode’s lips quiver, he is in disbelief himself. “I am sorry, but it is the truth. I am so sorry…the guards found his body by the borders while on patrol. They are bringing his body back as we speak.” He breaks down into an uncontrollable sob and that is when the truth sinks in. 
LAUREL’s POVI walk towards the Blue House, slowing my pace as I approach the entrance. The place looks barren and empty, guarded by only one man. There had been so many before, and all but one have gone into mourning, lighting candles outside the morgue.The lone guard lifts his eyes to meet my face and bows slightly and I can tell that he is grieving, but most of all, he is scared.What will happen to the pack now that our Alpha is gone?I want to cry more than anything but I have to keep it together for him and for everyone in the pack. In a way, Nox is right, we are only as strong as the weakest link. There will be no weak link, not here, not in Morningstar. We will prevail, we must.I nod back and enter the Blue House. Inside, it is quiet as it is cold. I draw in a deep breath and slowly exhale as I walk towards the basement door.There is someone I need to see before th
LAUREL’s POVWe sit on the steps of my porch, both Caleb and I. I have a blanket wrapped around me while he has taken off his shirt. It shirt hangs by a stick next to the bonfire we made next to my porch. The rain has finally stopped and in its place is a clear night with stars shining bright above our heads without twinkling.“Feel better?” Caleb is the first to break the silence.I nod, folding the blanket over myself.“Do you think you can win in the duel against Nox tomorrow?”I suck in a breath and look at the sky. “I don’t know.”It is an honest answer.I feel Caleb’s fingers graze against mine, his warm, mine cold and I look down to see him taking my hand and rubbing them with his.“You’re cold,” he says simply and I am suddenly reminded of how Helios once warmed my hands. My body instinctively acts and I quickly snatch
LAUREL’s POVI stand at the Morningstar Square as the blazing sun rises above the horizon. Today, there is no morning breeze, instead, I feel the heat radiate in rippling waves as they rise above the ground over my boots. Here is where the duel with Nox will be.A throng of spectators have gathered, they sit on rows upon rows of bleachers that curve upwards and though I wish it did not have to come to this, I have to admit that Rhode did a spectacular job in creating this makeshift arena. There is even a large scoreboard that has been erected behind the bleachers. I wonder if anyone placed bets on this duel.“Laurel! You can do this!” someone screams from the crowd.I squint my eyes, shielding them with my hand as my head turns towards the direction of the voice. And from the stands, I see the twins. They jump up and down, shaking their fists in the air.“We’re rooting for you!” the
LAUREL’s POV I should be dead, but I am not. The sun, now high up in the sky shines down on me and its rays fuel the transformation in my body. It is something Deigo did not tell me about. I guess he himself did not know that. I draw in a breath and my heart gives a single powerful beat. As it does so, death releases its hold on me and slithers away. With the beatings of my heart comes a newfound strength that I have never felt before. If I could jump thirty feet in the air before in my wolf form, I can leap fifty in my human form now. If I could hear whispered conversations in the next room, now I can hear hushed talks a mile away. My sense of smell is a wonder; the musky ordor that prevails in the air hits my nostrils and I can smell my own blood mixed with Nox’s sweat. Hmm...Nox doesn’t smell very nice. Slowly, I open my eyes and turn to look at the man who is trying to murder me. He gasps, feeling the power in my gaze and with a flick of my finger, I push his hands away. The
LAUREL’s POV Marty. I had put so much hope in the past being the past but it seems that I am beset with problems, they never seem to stop. I rub at my temple and wave Rhode away. “Tell him I will meet him at the meeting room in the town hall.” A worried Rhode bows and retreats. Then, slamming the door shut, I quickly take out the tiny bottle from my pocket and pop Doctor Ramoth’s pill into my mouth, swallowing it dry. It is my last pill, I will have to pay him a visit later for more supply. The effect is immediate and I feel the cramps in my stomach lessen. I inhale deeply and palm my belly, whispering an apology to my unborn child, “As soon as mummy gets rid of Marty, you can have your fill.” It is my desire to talk Marty out of this whole charade of me being his mate. He and I both know who his fated mate is; Jamie. I frown as I pull my jacket tighter around me and step out of the chamber. The guards immediately stand erect and give me a salute. These are the guards who stood g
LAUREL’s POV “Stop.” A voice speaks and the hands that were tearing at my blouse, violating me quickly stop and drop to their sides. I blink away my tears to see an outline of someone moving towards us. It is only an outline but the voice that spoke sounded devoid of life. The shadow pauses. The person finally steps out of the shadows and my heart all but stops a beat. Jamie. Never in my life have ever been so happy to see her. She is green from head to toe and naked as a newborn but she walks seemingly without shame. “What are you doing here?” Marty whirls around and growls at her. “Is this how you treat your one true mate?” Jamie asks him again, her voice remains flat and monotone. “It’s none of your concern woman. Leave before I whip you again.” Jamie considers her answer for ages. “No.” Then, she looks in my direction and directs the question to Marty bitterly, “Are you trying to fuck her?” Marty loses his patience and slaps her across the face. But to my surprise, Jamie
LAUREL’s POVIn the darkened room, I stand guard against the door with the stool in my hands.But Marty does not come. No one comes.One day passes, and then the next and by the third…at least I think it is the third, I am weakened from starvation and severe dehydration.And just when I think I will die in this Goddess-forsaken room, a knock comes at the door.“I’m coming in, darling.”Whatever is left in my blood freezes. He is here. My hands grip the legs of the stool and with all my strength, I lift it above my head, ready to strike Marty when he enters.There is a single click on the door and it swings open with a bang. Light from the hallway pours in, momentarily blinding me.“Did you miss me?” his voice rings out and I run forward to smash the stool on his head, hoping to distract him enough for me to run. Surprisingly, Marty does not dodge. He must
HELIOS’ POVI should be fading into nothingness, I should be dying. But somehow I am not.Pain, red searing pain and a darkened cloud of confusion swim around me, but through all this, I feel the touch of an angel. I feel something warm and moist touch my lips.It tastes like blood; extremely sweet blood. So sweet that my lips begin to suck feverishly on it. I have tasted this blood before, many moons ago in my chamber but for some reason, I cannot remember how I tasted it before. Was it when I was in my beastial form?The flow of blood that has been steadily dripping from my throat finally begins to slow. At first, I think it is because my body is running out of blood, but then I realize I am healing, which should be impossible with a gaping hole in my chest. Yet, after a few moments, my vision clears and my heartbeat begins to grow stronger.I open my eyes.Laurel lies beside me. And she is feeding me her own blood through her wrist.A smile touches my lips and for a moment, I think
LAUREL’s POV My wrist snaps and a cry of excruciating pain escapes my lips. And as if the Sorceress is an advocate for tortures, she twists my arm to an almost breaking point and forces me to my knees. The Sorceress towers over me, still holding onto my arm but surprisingly, her has changed into one of gentleness. “Does it hurt?” she asks. I grimace. “Yes.” She smiles and breaks my arms as well. All at once, a tsunami of pain shoots up my body and I let out a scream. She releases me the next instant and I fall to the ground, cradling my broken arm and wrist. But it does not take long before I begin to heal. The presence of the black mist within me no doubt speeds up the process. But there is a pain beyond the physical one. A pain that has pierced my heart and soul as I look up into the eyes of the Sorceress. The eyes of the woman who calls me her child. “Do you still not know who I am?” she asks once more. She reaches out to stroke my head. “You look so much like your father, Lau
LAUREL’s POVThe Sorceress stands and stares at me. Her eyes are so dark. As dark as the –“Black mist?” the Sorceress answers for me and I go completely numb. Seeing my reaction, the Sorceress throws her head back and laughs. “Do you know where this power of yours comes from?”I think back to the frayed papyrus that lies within the underground archive of Morningstar and I remember the story. It was exactly the same as my recurring dream. Only, the written words on the papyrus went on to further describe the catalystic events that soon followed...‘The day came when the Alpha King could finally no longer live with the insanity.“Oh Great Moon Goddess, please forgive me for my sins. Please stop this madness from spreading,” he begged.And the Moon Goddess came, she stood in front of the Alpha King, radiant like the full moon.
LAUREL’s POV I hurry along the broken path of the Dark Forest, following the scent of the man who had recently walked before me. The scent of the man I love, Helios Morningstar. And as the western sky turns to a dull orange, I pick up my pace. I have an inkling something has gone wrong. Many steps later, the full moon starts to rise in the east, touching the top of the barren trees with a silver, haunting glow. The branches sway in the breeze, as if shaking their heads and saying, “No, Laurel, you must not go.” I reach a stream, one that I have never seen before and notice that it flows red. Blood. But whose? I frown and am just about to kneel and check it out when I hear footsteps. Panicked and urgent ones. Their scents are familiar and in an instant, I am back up on my feet to see two figures pushing past the dead branches and stumbling towards me. “Ares! Diego!” I call out. Relief washes over me like a tsunami, Ares is alive! “Laurel!” Ares cried out, pushing Diego out of the
HELIOS’ POV“You lie,” the Sorceress says, her voice flat and her eyes dark. She drops the fork back onto her plate with a little clink and spits out a piece of the cut-out heart. Jamie’s lifeless form continues to stare at us through the sockets of her now glassy eyes.“Maybe you didn’t season it with salt and pepper.” My hand goes to the doorknob only to find it locking itself. In an instant, all the windows slam shut. The chandelier disappears, as do the grand staircase and black and white marbled floor. And now, in its place is a dilapidated hut with a tiny flame that floats in the air.I see skeletons scattered everywhere, skeletons of all her past victims carelessly strewn all over the floor.Truly, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.“I thought we were of the same mind, Helios. I thought we could be friends. But it seems like this will never happen and for lyi
HELIOS’ POVWe step into the Dark Forest as the last rays of the sun touch the face of the earth. Jamie hugs herself and looks around nervously. As does Diego.“Alpha Helios, why are we here?” Jamie asks, her teeth chattering nervously. She is all dolled up and dressed in a beautiful lime green dress that flows like the gentle breeze on a midsummer’s night. But there is nothing elegant about the way she carries herself. Not with the chain that binds her around the neck.I turn my head over my shoulder and stare at her shivering form but I do not reply her. Diego tugs at the chain that binds her and she stumbles a little before she manages to find her footing once more.“Did you bring me here to kill me? But we’re mates, Alpha Helios. You are my second chance mate!” she demands.At her words, Diego shoots me a look before quickly averting his gaze and trudging deeper into the f
LAUREL’s POV Helios holds my hand as we walk along the dazzling clear river bank at the valley. My hand disappears in his large one and I am grateful for the warmth that he gives me. A squirrel hops along the river bank, stopping for a second to look at us before quickly hopping away. “How did you run so fast?” Helios finally asks. I stop in my tracks and Helios turns his head slightly to study my face. I slip out of my shoe and rub my feet against the prickly grass, unsure of how to explain myself. The reasons are unclear in my own mind. Helios shifts his body and takes my other hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Is it your wolf?” “Daphne is…” “Different?” “Yes.” “How so?” My tone is cautious. I do not want to end up sounding like some mad woman who has lost her mind. “I’m not entirely sure but I think it has something to do with the way I found her in the woods.” “In the woods?” “Yes. She was in the form of the black mist, like the one that took Helen’s life at the
LAUREL’s POVI awake with a bolt and a pounding heart from a nightmare. But as it is the case with many bad dreams, I cannot remember much of them. Except for the screaming.And a figure cloaked in black pointing a finger at me.“Laurel?” Helios is instantly by my side, holding me protectively in his arms and that is when I realize that the screaming came from me. I had been screaming in my sleep.“Are you alright?” he cups my face and wipes away the beads of sweat that have gathered on my forehead. I blink, feeling my chest heave up and down, drawing in deep burning breaths that do little to warm the cold that has seeped into me. I frown. The cloaked figure in my dream had said something…but for the life of me, I simply cannot recall what she said.Wait. She. How do I know it was a she?“Laurel?” Helios calls out again and I look into his worried eyes. “Yo
HELIOS’ POV HOURS BEFORE THE MATE BOND TAKES PLACE AND SOMEWHERE DEEP INSIDE THE PRISONERS’ CELLS “I swear! I’m telling the truth! I swear on the Goddess’ name!” Jamie cries as she hangs from two metal chains. Her feet dangle precariously away from a pool of molten lava. I had tried to be nice to her, I had given her the chance to confess her crime. But she chose to deceive me. “You don’t think I would truly believe a word that you said did you?” I ask and tip my head at one of my warriors, He lowers the chain and an agonizing scream tears through the torture chamber. Jamie is lowered to but an inch away from the bubbling lava that threatens to turn her now beautiful legs into black-cindered stumps. She cries, shaking her head desperately, “I….I swear. I saved Laurel. I was the one who killed Marty! Is this how you treat a saviour? You should be thanking me! Laurel is alive because of me!” I sigh. I have had enough of her theatrics. With a hand, I motion for my warrior to bring