/-Aria-/The cry of the baby sounded like a melody to my ears. I did it! I gave my mate a child! The curse was broken! Happy tears streamed down my cheeks. I was not the useless omega after all. Finally, my mate would be able to present me to the Elders with pride. No one would look down on my tiny weak wolf anymore. Most importantly, I would stop being Alpha's dirty secret. “You did it, Aria. It’s a beautiful girl. She has her father’s eyes and your smile,” Mary, the nurse told me. Tears of joy streamed down my cheeks. All those months of humiliation had been worth it. When I became pregnant with the baby, Asher pleaded I keep it a secret. That his father would never let him take over the pack if he discovered he’d impregnated a cursed omega.I tried not to be hurt by that. Everyone called me cursed because no one knew my parents or where I had come from. I was a stray who stumbled into their pack years ago and since then, I have been doing my best to serve them so they don’t s
/-Aria-/My eyes fluttered opened. An excruciating pain shot up my sides and I hissed in pain. My mind was foggy and a terrible migraine shot through the sides of my head. What is happening? The last thing I remembered was the anguish of burning to death. My chest tightened as I remembered the shrill cries of my baby. I glanced around but all I noticed was the surprisingly large bedroom with a strange girl sleeping by my side. This didn't seem anything like the afterlife. I looked down at my body, expecting to see a burned skin but I was taken aback by the flawlessness of the pale milky skin. “W…what is happening…” I croaked. My throat hurt from extreme dryness. The girl by my side raised her head and yawned tiredly. When her eyes connected with mine, she let out a scream, startling me. “Jasmine?!” She was already off the bed, at a reasonable distance. Her green eyes were wide in shock and slight panic.“You're awake?” She mumbled skeptically. Who is Jasmine?“Aria…” I drawled
/-Aria-/My entire being froze. “Excuse us,” he ordered and everyone left the room without questioning him. They were even more afraid of him than I was. He took a sit by my bedside and his cinnamon scent messed with senses. I shook my head, refusing to give in to that sweet temptation. The last time I gave into a sweet scent, I was ultimately disgraced, accused and incinerated. The thought of the innocent life I brought into the world, only to be cruelly snatched, made my heart ache. I would never forgive them for that. One way or the other, I will make them pay for what they put me through. They will suffer and cry for help but no one will listen to their pleas. “Jasmine,” my attention was drawn back to the scary gorgeous man before me. “What you did yesterday was over the top…”I was startled by the hardness in his voice. “Your family proposed this treaty and I agreed despite the protest from my people. I didn't come to your doorstep to declare a marriage or buy you from you
/-Aria-/I didn't know what to say to him or how to respond. Dammit, I didn't even know who he was!“We can leave now, Jasmine. We don't need to wait for the…” I pulled away from him and he looked up in surprise. “I am not running away…” I was going to say his name but I realized I didn't know it. “I am engaged to Adonai as you know and he is already furious enough about the incident.”I didn't know how deep his relationship with Jasmine ran but I was trying to be cautious to avoid attracting problems and doubts. “But you have never cared about what my brother thought. Why now?” He asked. I blinked. Jasmine was sleeping with her fiance's brother? Could this day get more complicated? Before I could answer the door opened and Ariel walked in.Her eyes darted between the man and me and I could swear I caught a glare. She walked to him and draped herself around him. “Darling, where have you been? I've been searching all over for you. I wanted to inform you about the good news but it s
/-Aria-/Join the line of mistresses? That line didn't make sense until three days later. I was currently surrounded by maids, dolling me up to grace the King's bed.Frankly, I was not looking forward to it. This was not how I planned it out. It felt like my bad luck was messing with my plans once again. Either that or the goddess was using me as entertainment. “You look beautiful, my lady. With a face like this, you will quickly become the king's favorite,” one of the maids said. I didn't want to become his mistress. I wanted to be Luna! But I couldn't tell her that. If only the goddess sent me back a day before the wedding. Things would have been easier.“How many mistresses does the King have?” I inquired. I needed to know my competitors before venturing in. “Just three. Agatha, Vera and Lara. Vera is his favourite and from what the rumors say, she's the only one that can satisfy his sexual urge,” she answered.“And why is that?” I was piqued now. She looked at me in surpris
/-Aria-/At the first trust I discovered my mistake. Jasmine might have been cheating on him but she was a virgin. The pain cut through me like a double-edged sword, with a cry erupting from my throat. I didn't sign up for this. Another thrust and I felt like I was dying. Worse, his arms trapped my waist securely in place as he slammed into me. “Please stop…” I sobbed, but almost as the words left my lips, another thrust followed.It was then the servant’s words replayed in my head. Once he starts, he will never stop. I am doomed! I barely had the time to dwell in regrets as the thrusts came faster and deeper. I screamed, struggled and pleaded but nothing could stop this man. He continued thrusting without mercy, allowing occasional curses slip off his lips. In no time, my legs were trembling and my core throbbing from how hard he pounded me but he didn't seem anywhere near done. My breathing became laboured and soon enough, my lungs began closing up on me from the impact of
/-Aria-/No.The word was at the tip of my mouth how do I deliver it without being suspicious?“Dante…”“Are you going to refuse me again?” He dropped my hand. “You know, sometimes I don't understand you. You act like you're in love with me but in reality you are just using me to spite my brother.”He walked out of the room in anger and I didn't bother to stop him. It was good riddance!Prisca walked back into the room almost immediately and I was confident she heard everything we discussed. I expected her to ask me about it but instead, she returned to our earlier conversation.“So what happened last night?* “You're not going to ask about Dante?” I raised a brow and she sighed. “Is there any point? You won't listen to what I have to say anyway. You prefer chasing a man who is cheating on his mate when you can easily have a fresh relationship with the King,” Prisca said. I immediately added her to the list of people to keep around me. “I know I should ask you to follow your heart
-Vera-I sat with the other mistresses, Lara and Agatha as I recounted the account of the previous night to them.“As it seems, the new mistress, or should have been Luna,” I expressed visibly, extending my hand and allowing a moment to sink in her titled description. The other ladies snickered at it and I continued satisfied. “Happens to be a weakling who is no match for the alpha. So he had to send for me when she passed out.”“Oh poor Lady,” Agatha said without any sympathy in her voice. “You mean she could not take it that she passed out.”“Yes of course,” I nodded the affirmation. “And the alpha had left her unconscious there while we were at it. When I left his room, she was still there.”Another round of laughter echoed within us.“But seriously,” Agatha said when the laugh subsided. “You cannot blame her. We two have not been able to handle the alpha as well.”“Speak for yourself,” Lara quickly snapped as if the statement had pricked her like a needle on the bare skin. “You ar
- Aria-I moved from my hiding spot where I have been eavesdropping on the conversation between Dante and Asher.I have always known Dante has something up his sleeves, and this was evident. Adonai and the council of elders had not believed me.Now here was Dante, plotting with this man to bring Adonai down, yet back at the pack, he was acting like Adonai's dotting only brother.So many things ran through my mind, but the one that bothered me the most was all Dante had said about Adonai.I have been wondering what he felt when I left, but I had not expected it would affect him as much as Dante said...well maybe I did.My heart ached at the thought of what Adonai was going through because of me. No, I shook my head. Why am I concerned about the way he feels? He can go to hell for all I care, I do not and will never love him.But as much as I tried to convince myself, my heart felt otherwise. I have to think and leave these emotions aside. I have no time to go through with my revenge. I
- Aria -Madin had escaped, successfully slipping out of our hands. I was worried about that because I did not know who he was working for as a spy while he was here and why."So what do we do now?" Zafa asked."We have to be on the lookout so we won't be taken off guard. There is another pack or group of werewolves who are interested in us, and for whatever reason, we are not sure."We had kept him in custody intending to get information from him after we were done with Moondream."What's next is returning to Moonwalker. We need to put things in order. You will talk to your people. They are moving with us."Zafa's brows creased in thought."I don't know what the people will think about this," he said. "We have been here all our lives. I don't think the people will feel safe about leaving for another place. You know we are different from others and that was the reason that pioneered the other werewolves against us.""You are with me," I told him confidently. "You don't have to worry a
-Aria-It was cold and dark outside. I don't know for how long I have been sitting here, but I was all alone and thinking.I had left Adonai in bed and sneaked to the verandah. I relished the thoughts of that young and naive girl, an ordinary girl who had been attracted to the alpha of her pack. She was so foolish enough to think she would have a place in such a man's heart.I remembered how I secretly had an affair with him and got laid all because I wanted to break his curse and that I did also because I loved him. He kept me hidden from the pack for long. That was the spoiler from the beginning, I should have known.But he told me he was waiting for the right time to announce me as his wife and that time never came. The heartless man watched me and the infant, which was his seed, burn to death.My thoughts were not for self-pity of what had happened to me but, amazingly, of how I wished I could be that girl again but had stayed away from the alpha and the troubles of the throne.I
- Aria -It was a fierce battle but we fought with everything in us. I kept the thought of protecting my people and the image of Adonai close to heart and it kept me focused and going. I could see that we had taken more of Moondream's warriors down, and we were winning.I paused to take a breath."Aria watch out!" I heard someone shout and turned around swiftly. There was a blade flying towards me. I wouldn't have been able to avoid it even if I had moved at twice the speed it came with.I closed my eyes, already expecting the blade to pierce through me and in that split second, remembered my baby. I held my hands around my stomach protectively."No!" There was a scream and that was Adonai.Then everywhere went silent. I waited for a moment to feel the pain but felt nothing except the pressure of my hands on my belly. I brought my palms to my face to see if there was blood. There was none.Adonai was upon the warrior who had thrown the blade at me and killed him.I heard a movement an
- Dante -I paused to rest a bit, feeling very exhausted and my skin burned from the scorching of the Sun. I was in the open field, alongside some people from my pack who had been fetched to work here. In a few days, I am already looking like a shadow of myself, thin and worn out in shabby clothes.This was where all my hard work had landed me. I have lost everything. Just as I was about to move, men from my pack cornered me. The looks on their faces were not friendly at all."What do you want?" I had to ask when they stood around me without a word."You are the reason why we are here," one of them said. "You brought this upon us, and they made us slaves."And it was only then I noticed the weapon in his hand."So what now?" You are going to kill me?" I had to put on a bold font even though I was scared."Yes we will," another answered menacingly."And what is that going to change or solve?" I wanted to keep them in the conversation so I could buy time before a guard came around. Ther
- Adonai -Someone cleared his throat and we both looked up to see Zafa standing by the door."I am so sorry to have interrupted this moment, but there is something on ground," he announced before closing the door and walking in. "News just reaching us that Zico has taken over your pack and made your people, slaves."I stood up from the bed."What about Dante?" Was the only thing I could think of and say. The looks on their faces were that of disapproval. Because I still cared about my brother despite everything he had done to me.I knew Dante intended to become alpha and there was no way he would have agreed to Zico enslaving the pack under his reign. So I wanted to know what had happened to my brother. I waited for an answer, hoping that the worst had not happened."Your brother is not dead," Zafa said as if he could read my fear. "Yet," he added. "Zico has made him slave, including all the elders that had stood with him, and appointed a new council that will oversee the pack while
- Aria -It broke my heart to pieces seeing Adonai like this, but I did not understand what he was saying about eloping with another man."You did not write any letter to me saying you have gone to be with Zafa?" He further asked and I narrowed my eyes in thoughts."Never did I write such," I told him, and he cocked his head in a direction, finding it difficult to believe what I had said."Then where were you on the day of the wedding," he crossed his arms over his chest. I sighed deeply and walked slowly to the bed. I sat on the edge with his eyes following my every move, waiting for an answer."I was kidnapped by Prisca," I told him, my voice low.The expression on his face turned to shock."Yes," I continued. "Prisca kidnapped me. She had been a traitor all these while but I never knew until that day. I found out she had been making attempts to kill me before now. She stood in the facade of a friend, waiting for the perfect moment to strike."Adonai went mute for a while, processin
- Zafa -I walked into the room I had reserved for Adonai after he had freshened up and rested from the fight.He was standing by the window, looking out. He did not turn round when I walked in. I stood in the middle of the room with my hands behind my back."Greetings, alpha," I called out to get his attention."Why did you bring me here?" He asked instead, and I was puzzled by his choice of words."What?"He turned round to look at me."Why did you come for me and then bring me here?" He repeated and in the brief moment of silence that followed, I wondered why he would be asking that."Your brother wanted to kill you," I said. "If we had not been there you would have been...""Better off death," he cut me mid-sentence. "What, you think you have done me a favour by saving me from Dante and then bringing me here?"I took in a deep breath, willing myself to remain calm despite the odds. There was no point exchanging words with Adonai. I should understand what he is going through. He mi
- Adonai- I closed my eyes tightly and expected to be in the afterlife by the time I opened them again, but my body seemed to remain on the previous, nothing had changed.I opened my eyes to see Dante being thrown roughly aside by a big werewolf and another fight had issued. Werewolves from another pack had attacked. They did not look like the ones in Moon Dream.I cracked my wounded brain to see if I could recall who they were but nothing was coming to mind. They looked entirely different and large.At some point, I began to wonder whose side they were on, confused. There was something about one of them, who looked bigger than every other werewolf.I was surprised to find out it was a female. She was so strong. But there was something even more fascinating. I felt a connection to her, but I could not tell who she was until..."Aria...!" Someone called and I turned round sharply. I recognize the voice as Zafa's. He was trying to get her attention, but Aria was in her world, uncontrol