Irina looked at Alec and then at her Dad and then smiled at me awkwardly.I was getting impatient with what was happening. Was Randalf playing with me? I hated it.“If there is something you need to tell me, tell me now.” my frown deepened. I didn’t like it when someone wasted my time.“You know, Alpha Alec had proposed to me already, Alpha Evan,” Irina uttered timidly and with a shy smile as she looked at her fiance’s face. Alpha Alec, on the other hand, looked so proud as he smirked at Irina Ambrose. I didn’t question what made them look better together. Superficial people are very often attracted to each other and I wasn’t a shallow person to get attracted to a lady like Irina.It’s just insulting that they didn’t tell me sooner and they made me assume.“So it’s my sister who was arranged for you,” she smiled.I didn’t know if she was happy for me about her sister but I could sense something in that smile. A relief? I wanted to scoff. Shake my head and grin. So she knew the rumors.
[ALEC’s Point-of-View]I watched Irina lead the Alpha of the Blackwood to the receiving area of Ambrose Manor. Since the first time I saw Evander Edgerton, I knew within me that I didn’t like the guy. I hate that arrogant look in his eyes. The way he looked at everyone like they were insects in front of him. I couldn’t understand what made Evander different from me. We were just the same age. Came from a Clan of powerful werewolves and went into the same training under the most skilled fighters on this continent.I hated that power came from how vast your territory was and the Blackwood Pack has the largest part and biggest population in the continent. I had no idea how Evan could manage such huge responsibility but I still thought he was just an ordinary who just happened to be the son of a powerful and much wealthier Alpha.“Wait…” I uttered, getting Evan’s attention, “Did you just say that Holly is your mate?”“Yes. Is there a problem with that?” He asked so casually I wish I could
Poor Holly…I watched her take off her robe and dabbed wet cloth on her neck. She was panting, her breath formed white smoke as she exhaled. And I was really happy about the substance I put in her drink because it didn’t fail my plans.Holly would get what she really deserved and I would make sure of that.Down the hallway, I saw someone walking and was delighted to see Alec’s Beta, Robert Medford walking silently around the house, making sure he was always present whenever Alec needed him. Robert was only two years older than Alec and was still single in his early thirties. I thought he wasn’t that bad if I would set Holly up with that man.As bubbly as I could, I walked behind Robert and thought to startle him. But as expected for an Alpha's Beta, he immediately sensed my presence and I found it boring!“Lady Irina? What are you doing here? It’s almost midnight!” Robert asked with a casual look on his face, obvious that he wasn’t happy to see me alone with him in the hallway.I put
[EVAN’s Point-of-View]“I got a news, Alpha Evan.”I gestured for Kian to go ahead and say it.I was in one of the luxurious rooms in the Ambrose Manor and Apha Randalf made sure I was comfortable before he left me. The room was vast with elegant furniture and a magnificent view of the ocean which I enjoyed. Kian, on the other hand, stayed in a room, five doors from here. Ambrose Clan was known as superficial. They love wealth. And I could see it through their lavish lifestyle.“This is about the Snakewood Pack.”I froze. Frowned.“Most of the packs in the North have already signed the alliance except the Snakewood Pack,” Kian articulated, his voice soft but sharp. I remained looking at the ocean while he stood behind me, head bowed a little in courtesy.“Alpha Charlie Wakeham… he is getting more difficult these days,” I murmured. My face was hard and my eyes were dark.“I apologize, Sir. I did everything to convince the Snakewood Alpha but he remained stubborn.” I felt Kian’s frustra
Just like how I imagined it, her lips are so sweet, so soft…As if possessed by something, I kissed Holly back and ignored all the warning signs that appeared in my head. I didn’t care what was the reason why she went to my room. I didn’t care why she kissed me. What were her intentions were. All I knew was I wanted her. I wanted her so badly and it was my chance to feel her. To have my arms around her small, sexy body.Holly’s arms were wrapped around my neck and my hands went to her thighs, lifting her as she wrapped me in her legs without breaking our kiss. A moan escaped from her when I forced her mouth to open with my tongue and kissed her deeply, passionately. Hungry for her softness. Hungry for her taste.I tossed Holly on the king-sized bed and she bounced, her body squirming with wanting. I smelled her desire…her lust to be touched and that made me more aroused, my body reacting to that wild, sexy look on her face as she gazed at me with her sultry eyes half-opened.I climbed
[What are you doing, Evan? She’s already in front of you! You have your chance to be mated with her!]I ignored the furious voice that echoed in my head.[What if she wakes up and refuses you?! What will you do Evander?!][Shut up, Leo.] I hissed at my wolf, [I won’t do that when she’s like this. I am not that kind of person.][It is obvious that the Moon Goddess arranged this for you, Evan. For all the good things you did for the peace of all packs in this land. This woman is a gift! And you are just going to ignore it?]I hate it when Leo gets hot-headed when he is frustrated, [Not like this, Leo. I can’t do that to Holly.]Leo scowled and I saw his translucent image at the other side of the bathroom. Leo is a black wolf with crimson eyes glaring at me, [I don’t understand you sometimes, young man. You are known as the most ruthless Alpha on many battlefields in this land. And yet here you are, getting soft to a helpless girl who already threw herself to you.][She is not herself.]
[HOLLY’s Point-of-View]I wrapped and dried myself with a clean white towel while averting my eyes from Alpha Evan, too scared to look him in the eye.I was sitting on the edge of his King sized bed, in one of Dad’s luxurious extra bedrooms built for his special visitors who wanted to stay overnight in his Manor. Dad was a very proud man and all he wanted was to hear praises from his colleagues about what a wonderful and generous friend he was. And what Alpha Evan was using was the most expensive room in the Manor, more exquisite than my Dad’s own bedroom.That was how special Alpha Evander Edgerton was.And what I did was unforgivable.Of course, I lied to him. There was no way I would ever tell him I remembered everything about what happened between us last night. That every detail of it was vivid in my head. Every sensation, every touch of his lips on my skin.My face was red like a tomato. It was very embarrassing and not very me.I thank the Goddess and all my ancestors that this
What was happening?I followed Evans. I looked at his face first and saw him so annoyed by something he saw at the end of the hallways and that’s when I recognized it was Irina and Alec screaming at the top of their lungs at this fr**king early in the morning.“No! That’s so unacceptable Alec! I hate you!” Irina screamed, hitting Alec’s chest with the side of her fist, “I hate you! I hate you!”“Hey! Listen, Irina! What you are thinking is nonsense! I never loved that woman, you hear me?! Is rejecting her not enough?!”I almost grimaced. I felt like a cold knife pierced my heart and I was bleeding badly. Only it wasn’t blood that drenched me but tears as I fought hard not to run away and stay hidden behind Alpha Evan’s broad body. Frozen. Hurt.It was embarrassing that the whole household heard that they were arguing about me, and I wondered what Alpha Evan was thinking.“I don’t care, Alec! The fact that you are mated with that—with that—”My eyes widened when Alpha Evan stepped forw
[HOLLY’s Point of View]Evander held my hand and squeezed it tight as we watched Alec jump his way down the mountain with Misha, who was still unconscious, on his back.“Are you ready?” Evander asked. There was sadness and fear in his green eyes, but he was smiling at me. He was smiling with a promise that he would do everything to keep me safe and alive no matter what.And that scared me.When it was just me and him and the war that was waiting for us both, that’s when I felt the terror and I knew he saw it in my eyes. But instead of telling me that things were going to be alright, instead of telling me that we would survive this, he kissed my forehead and pulled me to him in a tight embrace. We stayed like that for a minute as we listened to the rustling of the leaves in the forest. The sound of the birds in the sky and the water of the stream as it splashes softly against the small rocks. We felt each other’s warmth and the gentle brush of the cold breeze on our bare skin. His lips
[HOLLY’s Point of View]I stood and gave my dad a determined look. I would never hide again. I would never just watch and wait. “I can fight, and I will fight for my friends and family.”Dad’s exhausted face beamed with pride and love as he patted me on the shoulder and smiled at me. “Let’s go kick someone’s *ss.”I laughed softly at the unusual words Dad used, and then we nodded at each other, preparing to lunge midair to shift into our wolves. My eyes were on Alec and my husband. Evadner was still on top of Randalf’s reaching for the old man’s head, but Randalf, despite his age, was still physically strong for his human form.On Dad’s cue, we jumped high from the ground, so high that all the eyes in the camp got distracted from us. Two glittering silver wolves, so ancient and beautiful, everyone stopped from what they were doing. Even Evander’s eyes widened with both awe and shock as he saw us, and Randalf took advantage of it and immediately ran away from my husband like a terrifie
[HOLLY’s Point of View]There was no way I would let him go again. No way I would let him dive back into Randalf’s camp now that the old man knew he wasn’t on their side.I heard Dad’s scream even when I got out of the main hall and straight to the courtyard, where I shifted back to my wolf form and fought three more rogues before I had to hide behind the tall walls of the garden labyrinth to breathe. My strength was slowly depleting and the wounds on my back hadn’t completely healed yet. I had to go after my husband and make sure he could go out there alive with or without the witch who helped him.Randalf will kill him on sight once they see him.[Evander!] I screamed, trying to reach out to him through our bond. [Evander! Where are you!?]But it seemed he was too far away or something interfered with the mind-link connection, so I decided to stand on my four paws again and used my ability to sneak around without being detected. The mountainside wasn’t too far from the Snakewood Pal
[Holly’s Point of View]“Dad!!!”I was about to lunge myself towards them, but strong arms pulled me back. I was baffled when I saw Alec pulling me away from Irina, who was still holding the short sword to my father’s neck.Every part of me ached, but nothing could compare to how my heart felt as I saw the despair in my father’s eyes. He mouthed the word “No.” but I shook my head as tears rolled down my face. There was no way I would leave him in the hands of the man who wanted him dead! There was no way I would let him die!“Tell me what you want, Randalf! Just don’t—” I swallowed hard as a sob emerged from my swelling throat. “Just don’t kill my father!”“We already have what we want, Holly! We don’t need you! Now that we have the Alpha King, the whole palace and the realm will kneel to my father, and nothing can stop us now!” Irina yelled at me with detest in her voice. “Kill both of them!”“Stay behind me, Holly!” Alec yelled as he shifted back to his wolf form and kicked and cla
[HOLLY’s Point of View]“Evander disappeared from the frontline.”My focus on my baby Evlon was distracted by Kian’s murmur as he noticed Evander’s disappearance from Randalf’s side. It suddenly made me nervous. What happened to him? Where did he go?Mel took baby Evlon from me when I pushed myself to sit on the sofa. The room was still filled with the scent of my blood, but my family didn’t mind. They were more concerned with my healing and Evander’s situation, while all our eyes were now focused on the news.“I have to go there,” I said, still wincing from the pain, but I had to do something. For my father and for my husband. “I have to be there for my dad and Evander.”“You just gave birth, Holly! Your body is still healing, and your wounds are still fresh! There is no way I will let you go there in this condition! My brother will kill me!” Sheiyan hysterically uttered, knowing that when I said things, I would do anything to do it.But this time, Shei was right. I assessed my body,
[ALPHA EVANDER’s Point of View]My whole body tensed as I stood slowly with both my hands on the level of my head.Charlie’s eyes told me that I would be dead once I made a wrong move, and I had to be careful. He was already thinking that I sided with Randalf, and without him knowing the truth—about what really happened in the mountains—Holly’s father would never understand why I had to do all of this.“Listen to me, Charlie—”Charlie sighed, and the dark look on his face turned into disappointment. I felt my whole being finally relaxed as he stepped away from me and onto the chair of his desk. He clasped his hands, and I finally saw that exhaustion that deepened his set of honey-brown eyes.“Holly told me everything, Evander. I was really furious that you put your family’s life in danger, but I understand when Holly told me that all of you were after that pearl. And she told me everything about that pearl. About how Randalf stole parts of her memories and stored them in that thing. U
[ALPHA EVANDER’s Point of View]“What is wrong with you, Evander? You look like you had seen a ghost.”I barely heard Randalf’s voice as I kept my breathing in control while having this excruciating pain I felt in every inch of my body. My head felt like being pierced by thousand spears, and it took me a lot of strength not to fall down on my knees and scream from the pain.Misha looked at me as she put her fingers on my pulse and felt my forehead with the back of my hand. My jaw tightened as she gave me a warning look not to make the pain look too obvious. “I think he is having a fever. It must be the infection he got from the pit.”Randalf scowled at Misha. “Go and give him something, Misha! We can’t display any weakness while we are being broadcast all over the continent. Go and do something about that infection or whatever the hell is that!”“Yes, Alpha Randalf.” She bowed her head to the old man. I gave Randalf one piercing look from the corner of my eyes and then averted immedia
[HOLLY’s Point of View]“What is the commotion about, Kian?”Everyone was in the sitting area with all their eyes focused on the sixty-inch-wide television screen. Shei increased the volume, and I saw so many rogues standing on the northern borders of the Snakewood Territory. I didn’t feel good this whole morning, and all I had were eggs. Other than those, I threw them up, and that’s why I had been dizzy the whole day.All the Snakewood soldiers lined up in defense positions outside and inside the gates and the wall; all were armed with razor-sharp metal claws, all strapped around their legs and paws. Some were armed with crossbows with silver arrows for it was forbidden to use guns inside the continent and within the realm.“Randalf isn’t bluffing at all. He really has thousands of Rogues with him,” Alec murmured in horror. His mouth was slightly open and his face was pale as paper when the excruciating memories of their stay in the rogue camp returned to him.Everything was shot liv
[HOLLY’s Point of View]The banging on the door suddenly sounded unreal. Then for once, I thought the noise was just from the thumping of my own heartbeat reverberating through my deafened ears. The violent winds from the mountains threw the windows of my room open. The hinges creaked threateningly as the white sheer curtains whipped against the glass panes.Mel’s small hands were painfully tight against my wrists and she was incredibly strong; it terrified me. Something was happening to her. It was as if the darkness stored inside that pearl necklace had influenced her mind when it should be her who was supposed to command the ‘thing’ to obey her bidding.The power that was stored in the pearl was too much for Melinda to control and I saw it on her face. She was asking me for help.“Mel! Just tell me what’s happening!” I asked through gritted teeth. I tried my hardest not to panic as the black completely covered her eyeball and my neck and shoulders started to feel so heavy it felt