LAUREL’s POVThe cell door opens to Ariel’s room and I see her sitting at the edge of her bed with her head bowed and arms hugging her waist.“Ariel, we need to talk.”She hugs herself tighter but does not look up.Helios scowls and steps into the room. Behind us, Ares pokes his head out of his cell door and I motion for him to come and join us. He does but remains standing by the door. He knows not to interrupt when Helios is interrogating someone.“Is her name cleared?” he whispers to me and I shake my head solemnly.“Let’s talk about Marcus,” Helios says when he reaches the foot of Ariel’s bed. He has her attention.“What about Marcus?” she asks, her voice flat and cold.Helios crosses his arms. “Tell us what happened.”Ares tugs at my sleeves and I put a finger to my lips, indicating for him to keep quiet. He pouts.Ariel rubs her stomach and mumbles, "Marcus died."“You killed him.," Helios does not mince his words.“No! I’m innocent!”“We went to your old house back at Stormbreak
LAUREL’s POV The gift of a child is supposed to be a beautiful and sacred one from the Moon Goddess. It is supposed to bring nothing but joy to the mother and yet, as I look at Ariel standing at the borders of her pack, her shoulders hunched and tears streaming down her face, I see no happiness in her eyes. There is only resignation. Ares hugs her tightly, whispering soothing words into her ears but Ariel keeps shaking her head. “I’m sorry,” she says, her voice quivering. “No, no, no, don’t you ever say that,” Ares says, cupping her face and forcing a smile. “I never regretted meeting you.” “I used you…” Ares gently takes Ariel’s hand to give it a squeeze. “It doesn’t matter. I’m staying with you.” Ariel’s body quivers. She lowers her head and shuts her eyes, lifetimes of pain etched on her face. “You’ve done enough for me. It’s time for you to leave.” “No, I’m staying with you to the end!” Ares explains. The offer is a genuine one and it touches Ariel but I can tell that she
LAUREL’s POV‘That woman was my mother.’ Helios’ words keep repeating in my head and in an instant, everything comes together.His unwavering belief that a mate bond would surpass everything stemmed from his mother who tried to murder him for the sake of her mate. Now it all makes sense. Know I know why he does not believe me when I tell him I will stay with him no matter who my mate is. I look at Helios but his face remains hidden in the shadows and my heart suddenly goes out to this beautiful, heartbroken man. All around, people see him as Helios the conquerer, the dictator, the ruthless Alpha who rules with an iron fist. But no one has ever seen beyond his façade of invincibility to realize that beneath the tough exterior, lies a man in grief, a man in fear and a man in pain. To witness his own father’s death at the hands of the very woman who was supposed to love and protect him…it must have scarred his soul. Just what kind of life did Helios have growing up? Now I know why the
*This chapter was written with Halloween in mind. I hope you’ll enjoy it :)LAUREL’s POVIt is with a heavy heart that I walk into Ares’ room. But I put on a smile for my grieving friend's sake. His heart has been broken, the very least I can do is to cheer him up.
LAUREL’s POV Silence fills the room and all eyes fall on me. I am late, fashionably so. Quickly, I straighten up and flash a smile at Caleb, grateful that he had caught me before I fell flat on my face. He winks back and lets go of me. “Ahh…Beta Laurel, I trust that you have had enough of your beauty sleep?” Nox. Sarcasm drips from his every word as he greets me from the head of the table. He is seated in Helios’ chair with his legs comfortably propped up on the table and there is a smug look on his face. He is happy that Helios is not here and he is even happier that I am late. My eyes narrow at him but I do not answer him. Instead, I walk up to Alpha Erik who is seated next to Nox and bow low with respect. “Alpha Erik, please accept my sincere apologies for not being able to greet you when you arrived. But I am confidant that the welcoming entourage has welcomed you with great spirits.” Alpha Erik smiles warmly at me and gives me a fatherly pat on the shoulder. I look up into
LAUREL’s POV “You are carrying a child.” The doctor’s words echo in my mind and I become very still. It is strange, I feel as if I am watching a drama unfold before my very eyes. Pregnant? Me? It cannot be. I have only been with Helios for – “You are about two weeks along,” the doctor continues. “Laurel Moon?” My head snaps up from staring at my belly and I nod mechanically. Doctor Ramoth sucks in a sharp breath and looks from me to Caleb before shaking his head. He must think that Caleb is the father. I find that funny and suddenly let out a chuckle, surprising both men but the doctor does not share my humor. He looks to Caleb once more and says, “Would you mind excusing us for a bit? Caleb’s brows furrow but he does as the doctor asks and steps out of the examination room. And once we are alone, the doctor leans in and whispers to me, his tone deadly serious, “Laurel Moon, are you witho
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. 
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