~Elena~ My toes curled up in the sand as I slowly stood to my feet. That voice wasn’t Xander’s voice; it didn’t sound like a familiar voice either. I stood face to face with an unfamiliar face smirking down at me. He was huge, though Xander was huger than him and more handsome too, but their aura was almost the same. “Who are you?” I managed to stammer out. He straightened up and sighed loudly. “Venus, I am Venus. The Alpha of Ice Jade Pack.” My eyes dimmed as I tried to remember where I had heard that name before. “Ice Jade Pack?” I whispered under my breath. “You have heard about it, haven’t you?” he chuckled, his eyebrows furrowing down at me. “No,” I shook my head and his brows snapped up in surprise. “Your mate hasn’t mentioned the pack to you before?” he said in a mocking tone, and I glared at him. He shrugged slightly and took a step closer, I stepped back in fear and tripped on my feet in the process. My heart skipped as my body fell freely to the wet
~Elena~ My mind raced at his words. I shifted away from him and avoided his gaze until we got back to the Pack. I leaped out of the carriage and began to shuffle into the castle. “Elena!” He called out and I froze, shuddering slightly at the sound of his voice. I heard his footsteps echo behind me. He touched my shoulders, and I turned, staring at him blankly. “I will be in your room tonight,” he said, and I scoffed. “You better don’t come!” I snapped at him and shrugged his hands off my shoulders. I turned and proceeded to the castle. My heart skipped a beat when I saw Nathan approach me with a smile on his face. Immediately, his eyes landed on me, the smile disappeared, and the feeling of helplessness darted across his eyes. I knew he wanted to speak to me but he couldn’t because Xander’s sharp eyes were on us. He bowed and forced a smile into his face before trudging down to meet the alpha. I sighed loudly, trying to control the wild beating of my heart and the s
~Xander~ I walked around the hall, listening to the elders’ opinions concerning the Pack and the war. I was in the throne room with them, but my mind and soul were with Elena. I tried too hard to focus and stop thinking about her, but I couldn’t, no matter how hard I tried. I wonder what she has done to me. I am no longer myself; I am no longer the ruthless, feared Alpha everyone knows. I have become weak, and I know people are beginning to suspect it, too. This will turn out bad if my enemies should get to hear of my recent behavior, but what can I do? I can’t stop myself from listening to her voice no matter how disrespectful it seems. “Alpha, can you hear me?” one of the elder's voice drifted into my ear, and I snapped myself back to the meeting. “Huh?” I mumbled and they exchanged shocked glances. “Go on, I’m all ears,” I said and they continued with whatever they were rambling about. I felt a strange force coming in through the window. I looked at the window and
~Nathan~ I slammed my fist into the wall as I watched Xander walk off, dragging Elena with him. I can’t just watch him kick her around like a little child. I am going to get you out of Xander’s cage, Elena, I will set you free. “Alpha Venus,” I muttered and smirked, staggering up to my feet. “I know exactly who will destroy you, Xander.” I walked into the castle and shuffled into Aurora’s room without knocking. She spun around and gasped before throwing a towel across her body. “Have you gone insane? Why would you enter a woman’s room like that?” she snapped as she adjusted the towel. “Elena is pregnant!” I blurted out and she stopped adjusting the towel then glanced up at me. “Are you just finding out?” she smirked. “You know already?” I asked and she shrugged. “I knew it right from the moment she returned to the castle, there was a strange scent hovering around her. A familiar scent,” she muttered, dimming her eyes. “I don’t care about the scent, all I want
~Xander~ I sat quietly in Elena’s dimly lit room with Elena’s pale hand clasped in mine. My eyes were fixed worriedly on her face as I waited for her to wake up. I have been waiting here for a long time, yet she hasn’t moved a limb or shown any sign of getting up. Lavender assured me earlier that she was out of danger, but I can’t seem to believe her words. “Elena, why didn’t you tell me about the pregnancy, why?” I muttered and sighed loudly. I will destroy everyone who has a hand in the termination of my child, I will find whoever poisoned that wine and I will make that person pay dearly. After Lavender announced that she was pregnant and the pregnancy was gone, I felt like something had been destroyed in me. I hated myself for treating her unfairly for a little mistake that she made. Elena was kind and pure, unlike me. She saves lives, something that I have never done. Everything was my fault. I killed my heir with my own hands. My fist clenched as these thoughts
~Elena~ I slowly opened my eyes and found Xander staring down at me with a smile on his face. A smile that I have never seen before. It was sincere and pure. “I…” “Shhh… don’t say anything,” he placed his hand on my lips then bent closer and kissed me again. I breathed in sharply, waiting for him to break off so he could explain what was going on when I entered. “Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked when he finally pulled away. “Tell you what?” I asked in confusion, wondering what she was talking about. “About the child, why didn’t you tell me that you were pregnant?” he muttered and my throat knotted. “Me? Pregnant?” I gasped and staggered back, my head spinning wildly. Was I ever pregnant? My hand slowly dropped to my stomach, and I stared at it. “I am pregnant?” I whispered and Xander nodded. “You lost the child, Aurora poisoned you,” Xander said and my breath seized as my eyes widened in shock. I tried to stop myself from falling but my legs were too wobbly
~Xander~ I stared down at the paper before me, wondering what was stopping me from performing my duties for the past few days. “Have Elena ever asked about me?” I asked and Philip shook his head to my disappointment. I sighed loudly and dropped the pen in my hand. “Aurora will be executed tomorrow; send words out to the entire Pack,” I said, and Philip nodded. “Have you heard words about Nathan?” I asked, expecting to hear the news that he was dead but Philip didn’t tell me anything joyful like that. I groaned and threw down my pen, sighing loudly. “You may leave,” I instructed and he bowed before leaving. I got up from the chair I was sitting on and walked over to the window, staring down at the trainees. Something felt strange about the day. I perceived a familiar scent that I couldn’t seem to place. Where have I perceived this scent from? Why does it scream terror and danger? My beast and wolf growled at the same time, warning me of the incoming danger. My
~Xander~ I let Venus’s headless body slump down to the ground before walking close to Elena. She flinched back in fear as I approached her with clothes drenched in Venus’s blood. I bent down and extended my hand towards her. She cringed, holding onto Nathan. I frowned and remembered that there was still a fight going on outside. I left Elena and picked up Venus’s head, trudging out of the study room. Everyone moved out of my way as I walked out of the castle. The horror and fright on their faces were greater than the one they had when Venus appeared with his men. I walked out and raised Venus’s head in the air. “Surrender!” The growl froze many, and soon, swords began crashing down on the floor. “To your knees,” I ordered and the men dropped to their knees. “Kill them all,” I uttered and swords slashed into their skins as screams and groans ripped the air. “Light a fire!” I muttered when I noticed Nathan’s presence behind me. “Yes, alpha,” he bowed and walked
~Elena(Louisa)~ It was hard trying to convince Kayla and my foster parents to let me go, though they had no other choice but to heed my request. I was told that I was found floating on the shore of a beach the day they found me. They took me to the hospital and had me saved but when I woke up, I couldn’t remember anything about myself, not even my name. My foster parents, who had lost their daughter a month before they found me, took me in and named me after her, Louisa Neville. I was given the nickname ‘Luna’ because they thought I had a peculiar scent that didn’t belong to the human race. It was hard being who I wasn’t and leaving who I was but somehow, the cruel fate that separated Xander and I eight years ago was able to bring us back together, this time in a different way, in the best way. I wasn’t a contract Luna, nor Nathan’s mate. I was Alpha Xander’s true Luna, his fated mate. And this time around, nothing will be able to separate me and Xander. “Are you
~Xander~ I touched her pale face, tracing her chin with my fingers slowly. She stirred and fluttered her lashes, groaning loudly as her hand flew to her forehead. “Elena?” I called out even if she might decline to be Elena like she did the first time we met. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up on the bed. She glanced around the room and her eyes fell on her parents and sisters. "Mother, father," she gasped out and my brows snapped up in surprise. They gasped out and wrapped their hands around her. "I missed you so much, sister," Areola sobbed and hugged her. Melsa walked closer to Elena and rubbed her cheeks. "You are alive?" she muttered with tears glistening in her eyes. I watched Elena nod her head before burying her head on her shoulder. Elena's father glanced at me and gestured for the others to leave the room with him. I was the last person her eyes fell on and when it did, it widened in shock. “Xander,” the sound of my name from her mouth made me raise my
~Louisa~ My lips parted, and I let out a scream that got Kayla running into my room. My door burst open, and I clenched unto Kayla, who rushed to me. “Wolf, wolf!” I exclaimed, pointing at the spot I found it earlier but to my surprise, there was nothing there. Was the wolf gone, or was I hallucinating? “There is nothing there,” Lisa’s annoying voice spoke up. “Tell me what happened, honey, calm down,” Kayla muttered, rubbing my back soothingly. I took in a deep breath and started my explanation. “I saw a wolf, a huge black wolf, standing right there,” I pointed at the spot again. Lisa chuckled in disbelief. I narrowed my eyes at her and faced Kayla. “You need to believe me, Kay, it was standing right there, staring at me with golden eyes. It must have run into the woods when I screamed, I saw it!” I screamed out. My heart sank when I saw the look on Kayla’s face. She doesn’t believe me too, she thought I was making it all up. “I’m not making it up,” I whispered
~Louisa~ The shrill ringtone of my phone got me groaning as I forcefully snapped my eyes open and reached out for my phone, which had been ringing for half an hour. I gasped out loudly as my mom’s name flashed across the screen. “Hello, mummy,” I muttered, sitting up on the bed. “What took you so long to answer your phone, huh? I’ve been calling for hours; I thought something bad had happened to my sweet baby. You got us all so worried that I thought I would die of heartache. Isn’t the place nice? Do you want to switch—” “Mom, I’m fine!” I snapped, making her stop her endless talk. I heard her sigh in relief. “Why didn’t you pick up your calls? We called for hours.” “I was asleep, and besides, it’s not even up to an hour since I fell asleep,” I replied, narrowing my eyes at the exaggeration she was making. “Whatever, whatever, tell me how that place is, hmm? Do you like it?” “Well…” This is my chance to get away from the weird surroundings that no one loves to come
~Louisa~ I pushed Jason away and when I spun around, the stranger was gone. I faced Jason, filled with anger. “Are you crazy?” “Luna—” “I don’t like you!” My outburst made Kayla cringe back in shock. Jason’s lips parted and slammed together. I sighed out, trying to calm down after what he had done. “I’m sorry, Jason, I understand how you feel about me, but I don’t feel the same way for you,” I confessed. Kayla walked up to us and tried to talk me out of what I was saying but I shooed her out, standing on my words. “I don’t love you, Jason. You should find someone who does.” My heart shrank in guilt as disappointment and pain laced across his face. “Thank you for telling me the truth, Louisa,” he replied and walked away, not sparing a glance. Though I was filled with guilt for hurting him I was glad that I told him the truth before his feelings got deeper. I felt like a burden had been taken out of my heart. A hard slam on my head brought me bac
~Louisa~ “Brandon?” I scoffed and turned to take another path but he drew me back, clenching unto my arm. “Hey, let me go!” I yelled. “I have missed you, Luna; let’s get back together again; I promise to be a good boy,” he said, mischief twinkling in his dark eyes. I scowled at him, certain that there was no single ounce of repentance in him. When he didn’t relent to my warnings, I splashed the brandy on his face. The liquid got into his eyes and stung him greatly, forcing him to release me. “You scumbag, don’t you dare show up in front of me again,” I snapped at him and sent my feet into his groin. He cursed loudly and dropped to the ground, his face wrinkling in pain. “That’s for showing your disgusting face in front of me,” I muttered and blessed him with an eye-rolling slap, making him spit out blood. “And that’s for saying shit.” I grabbed a bottle of liquor and cups and went down to the place I had left Nat. As expected, she was waiting patiently for me. “
~Xander~ I stood by the window, watching the cars that drove in and out of the large gate of the castle. “Dear,” Mother’s voice piped behind me, and I shifted my attention away from the bustling activities below the castle. “Are you still drinking?” Mom asked and I glanced at the bottle of liquor on the table. “You don’t have to worry about me, Mother; I am fine,” I muttered, cupping her cheeks. She sighed and rubbed my hairy arm. “The elders are waiting for you in the throne room. It’s been eight years, and you’re yet to find a Luna for the people. Besides, we need an heir, too. Everyone is worried,” Mother muttered, and the smile on my face disappeared. I narrowed my eyes and pulled my wardrobe open then picked out a shirt. “I will wait for Elena to return.” Mother sighed at the words she had been hearing for the past eight years. “No one survives in that water, you said it yourself. She must be dead, she—” “I am leaving for the meeting,” I cut her off, slipping on the sh
~Louisa~ “One, two, three, go!” We chorused and poured the shots of liquor down our throats. “Oh shit! This burns,” Kayla muttered in a croaky voice. “I’ve got lots of projects this week,” Philo chipped, popping on a bubble gum. “And here you are drinking,” I chuckled. “Come on guys, what’s the motto!” Natasha snapped and we poured another shot and raised it over our head before screaming our absurd motto. “Drink now, study later!” We poured down the shot and slammed the tumblers on the table, coughing and breathing hard in laughter. “We should come here tomorrow, don’t you girls think so?” Natasha said and they all nodded their head in approval. “What about you, Luna?” Natasha asked, their eyes fixed on me. “Me?” I stammered and shook my head, backing out of the plan. “I’ve got work to do.” “Work?” Philo muttered, twitching her lips in disgust. “Community service. An architect student will never understand,” I replied, narrowing my eyes at her. They all bur
~Xander~“We searched the entire kingdom, Alpha. She is nowhere to be found,” Philip’s voice spoke up behind me.I smashed the vase I was admiring on the wall and spun around with eyes reddened in anger.Philip flinched back on seeing my face.“You searched the entire wolf kingdom?” I scoffed and Philip nodded.“Nathan must have been smart enough to take her away from the wolf lands,” Philip muttered a reply, rubbing his clammy hands against each other.“She hasn’t been found yet?” My mother asked from the doorway.The silence she received made her break into tears.She entered the study room and walked up to me then gripped my collar as she seethed angrily.“You have to find her, Alpha, you must find her!”I shut my eyes, breathing in deeply.All these things are happening because of me. If only I had woken up earlier, Nathan wouldn’t have snatched her out of my grip.How am I going to find her?The beast no longer lives in me, I can no longer track her location using the