VERENA Ruth has been the only one, aside from Carlisle, who has been kind to me. She treats me well, and I enjoy spending time with her in the kitchen. We sometimes gossip about random things, and I get some vital information from her regarding the pack. She scoops up a steaming spoonful of tomato soup from the pot and carefully hands me the ladle. I blow on the spoon softly to cool the liquid and take a sip. The rich flavors dance across my taste buds, and the warmth of the broth is like a soothing caress to my itchy throat. “It's delicious,” I hum, feeling the urge to grab another spoonful. Ruth chuckles as she notices me eyeing the soup, “You’ll get to have it during lunch.” My eyes brighten up at that. I can’t wait to have soup for lunch. The little peaceful moment is dampened by the voices of the girls across the kitchen, “She looks like a twig. Does she not have a wolf?” I stiffen. They are suspecting it too. “It’ll be nice if she does not because then the Alpha will not al
VERENA My grip around the glass tightens as I feel Ruth’s hard gaze on me. How did she suspect it? I don’t have a wolf, so she couldn’t have smelled it on me. “What makes you think that? It's–it's nothing like that,” I say, my palms sweating profusely. I don’t want to lie to Ruth, who has been nothing but kind to me. But I don’t have a choice. She could reveal my secret to Carlisle. Ruth’s face softens, and her shoulders relax slightly as she looks at me. “You don’t have to be scared of me, Verena. I'm not planning to tell anyone,” she says, as if reading my mind. “There’s no secret,” I mutter immediately, hiding my face behind my hair. I'm sorry, Ruth. Ruth presses her lips into a line, then says, “I've been watching you struggle in the kitchen, sweetie. And I have years of experience to know that it's not just the aftereffect of your banishment.” I gulp, feeling a lump form in my throat. If there were a possibility for the floor to crack open and swallow me, I would consider my
VERENA “I don’t think anything good will come out of him knowing about it.” Carlisle deserves to know since he’s the one who gave me a place to stay and saved me from becoming a rogue. But I am scared of getting banished again and losing the only reason I have for living: my baby. Ruth nods, “I understand. Carl won’t hurt you or the child. But it will create complications which I am worried won’t be limited to the relationship between you both. It can go beyond that since the child is not his, and you are his mate.” My heart thumps in my chest as I realize what she means. If I am meant to become Carlisle’s Luna in the future, then my pup will be an illegitimate heir to the throne. Even if I refuse to become his Luna, it doesn't guarantee that my child won’t face threats in the future. As long as I am Carlisle’s fated mate, my child will be a target for those who want us gone. I look down at my lap in sadness, “I don’t want to complicate Alpha Carlisle’s life. He is my second cha
VERENA My heart beats wildly in my chest as Alpha Carlisle stands beside me. How much did he hear from our conversation? "I, um, I'm sure anyone would love the soup Ruth made," I point at the bowl on the table near me while sweat trickles down my back. Carlisle looks at the soup with a light frown. "I see." I hope he buys my lie. His sharp gaze lands on me as he tilts his head. "I thought you two were talking about something else by the look on your faces. Something more…serious." I feel the lump in my throat. Are we that obvious? Ruth’s voice breaks the awkward tension in the air. "Verena is quite serious when it comes to food. It shows through her good skills that she doesn't take it lightly." Carlisle smiles upon hearing Ruth's compliment. "I can't agree more," he turns to me. "Since she has entered the kitchen, my taste buds have been spoiled in a good way. But what I love the most is the desserts you make. They are out of this world," he compliments, and his blue eyes swirl
VERENA I choke on the meat upon hearing what Carlisle just asked, and immediately down the water in the glass kept before me. Carlisle’s face turns rigid with concern when he says, “Take it easy, Verena. I was just kidding.” But the look in his eyes tells me otherwise. Was it really a joke? Carlisle sighs, his blue eyes falling on the table as he continues, “I know it's hard for you, considering he was your husband and mate.” He doesn't mention his name, but the hardness in his gaze is enough to convey his disdain for Elijah. “Believe me, I understand what it feels like,” his gaze turns distant before he looks at me again. “I won’t pressure you into something you don’t want. Instead, I just want to stay with you and learn more about you.” His words are supposed to ease the knots in my stomach, but they only twist tighter in guilt. Maybe it's because I have been in his shoes once. I have felt the pain of unrequited feelings because I was a second chance mate too. It took me years
VERENA"Me? Why?" I ask, my face turning pale.“A partner is required to attend the exhibition since there’s dancing besides the exhibition,” he replies while swirling his glass, the red liquid dancing within its curved walls.“Like a ball?”“Yes, like a ball. People will get bored if it's just an exhibition,” he remarks with a casual smile.I want to refuse, but before I can open my mouth to say a word, he speaks again as if knowing what I’ll say.“I don’t want to hear a no, Verena. If you are not coming with me, then I’ll not attend the event,” his voice is firm, leaving no room for argument.I purse my lips for what seems like a few seconds, and answer, “Alright.”Carlisle’s eyes glisten with excitement, “Good. My night at the Moonlight Pack won’t be boring anymore.”“I hope so,” I say, hoping he doesn't see through my facade concealing my decision to leave tonight.I push my chair back and rise to my feet. “Thank you for the meal,” I nod in gratitude, ready to leave when his voice
VERENAI gasp as I feel my body being propelled towards the tracks, with the train inches away. In a flash of light, I regain my balance and step away from the edge of the platform.The sound of the train tires passing through the platform overcomes the sound of my racing heartbeat as I stare at the old lady with wide eyes. My body would have been smashed by the train. Did she push me mistakenly?“Why did you–” I stop as I notice how the old lady straightens her back and flexes her arms. A shadow falls on her round face while her eyes glint yellow with a hint of danger in them.“Tch. So close,” she clicks her tongue.I gulp the lump down my throat while positioning my body in a fighting stance, “Who are you?” I ask in a serious tone.The old lady pulls a knife from the pocket of her pink sweater and flips it in her hand like a pen. Her lips curl upward in an unnerving smile. "Aw, don’t be scared, angel. I’m just going to hurt you a little."Then, in a second, the knife is inches away f
VERENAAs soon as the lights are turned on, a portrait of a lady on the wall across the room flashes before my eyes. The lady sits on a chair, and looks back at me with a certain pride swirling in her green eyes, her long midnight blue hair cascading down her slim neck. The lady in the portrait is me.A gasp leaves my lips. Why am I in this portrait?“Her name is Julianne,” Carlisle’s voice sounds heavy when he speaks beside me, “She was my mate, and my late wife.” There is sadness in his sapphire eyes as he stares at the portrait.My jaw hangs in disbelief. Is he joking? Because Julianne looks exactly like me. The similarities are so strong that for one second, I started to wonder when I took a picture like this.Carlisle slowly turns to me with a grimness on his face, “You are not my first mate either, Verena. We are both each other’s second chance mates,” He utters with not a single hint of playfulness in his voice. “My mate died in a car accident two years ago. It was two months a
VERENAI shift back and just stare at her in silence, watching her fumble with her words. Her lips are quivering and she’s sweating profusely, her midnight blue hair sticking to her forehead. She literally copied my hair color and my hairstyle. When she realizes the coldness in my gaze, she stops and starts yelling.”You can’t kill me! Dad will end you. I did what I did and I will do it again with you!” her eyes go round as she looks up at me with a psychotic look. She starts laughing and I know that there’s no humor or happiness to the laugh. “You deserve it all! You are fucking bitch who was born in a wealthy family and was accepted. You have no idea what it feels like to be unwanted. So…so I did all of this. You needed to feel what I felt too. And I succeeded!” she throws her head back and laughs even harder. “I succeeded in ruining your life! After this battle, you’ll have nothing left for you. Everything will be taken from you. Your Elijah, your kids, your pack…everything! So go
VERENAA warm sensation takes over my body and I feel a tingling sensation in my spine. The celestial light builds within me and I aim it at the Ashwalker wolves. They take a step back as if they can sense that power within me. Serena opens her mouth and light erupts from it. It's directed at them and the moment it hits the ground, a huge explosion takes place. I hear lots of howls and the light blinds everyone in the field. When it fades, a huge crater is formed on the ground and there’s no sign of the Ashwalker wolves and the cloaked men who stood with them. The impact was so huge that it got everyone’s attention. Nixie stares at it with wide eyes. “What the fuck,” she says as she measures the depth of the crater I created. “Damn! That’s so badass!” Dory exclaims and I smirk. We approach Joshua and Irene who also are staring at the huge crater. They turn towards us and Dory steps forward, shifts back and kneels down. Joshua looks at me and I see concern in his eyes. “Rena…Irene
VERENAI run towards the main battlefield and Nixie’s petite figure comes into sight. She’s standing against my men, guarded by the Ashwalker wolves and a few of Umbra’s cult men. I watch in horror as Nixie, her eyes filled with a malicious glint, hurls a gas bomb towards Irene and Joshua. The bomb explodes, sending a toxic cloud billowing into the air. Irene and Joshua cough, their faces contorted in pain. Joshua, with his enhanced senses, manages to shield himself from the gas, but Irene, still recovering from her previous injuries, is more vulnerable. I can see her coughing violently, blood staining her lips.“Irene,” Joshua goes to her and holds her while she drops to the ground, the coughing not stopping.Nixie grins as she looks at them. “You used to call me Dumpster Barbie, right? Now what, huh? Can’t speak?” she taunts and then pauses. “Oh wait! I totally forgot to say this. This gas has a special role, you know? It can take away the vocals of the person it affects. Permanen
VERENAI grit my teeth and clench my fist in anger after I shift back. Dad shifts back to his human form too and glares at me, standing protectively before mom. “Dad? Are you seriously going to protect her? You know who she's working for,” I ask him, my eyes pleading for him to see the truth in this situation. She’s not our ally. His face contorts in anger as he hears my words and he growls at me. “I trust her. There must have been some misunderstanding.” His eyes flash and I realize that he’s not in himself. It's the mate bond that’s making him say this. My dad isn’t as strong as I am when it comes to staying away from our mates. His love for mom will destroy him. “Oh yes it is, Ray. He’s making me do these things,” Mom says and makes this sad face. I wonder who’s better at acting innocent—Nixie or her? Oh wait, I forgot that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. She proves she’s her mother. I look at Charlotte and mind-link her. “You are being a total bitch! You used my fat
VERENABut my words fall on deaf ears. He lunges at me, his claws outstretched. I dodge his attack, barely escaping his grasp. I'm filled with a mix of fear and anger. How can he hurt me? How can he turn against me after all this?I draw upon my celestial power, a surge of light coursing through my veins. My eyes glow a brilliant white, and my form shifts, becoming more powerful. I face him, my stance defiant."Elijah, stop!" I shout, my voice filled with authority. But he won't listen. He's lost in the darkness, a creature of pure instinct.We circle each other, our eyes locked in a battle of wills. The air crackles with tension as we prepare to strike. The battle between the Luna Guardian and the Shadow Alpha has begun. A battle that has occurred through different generations and timelines. I don’t want this. But do I have a choice? And what will we do if we both die? I look into his eyes, and see no sign of him. Is he gone? Did Umbra take him from me? I steel myself for what I
VERENAMaria walks towards me. “What happened?” She asks with a frown on her face. “It's mom. She’s here.” I say and Maria’s eyes turn wide. “Charlotte is here? Oh my Goddess!” She rests her hand on her chest and looks worried. I can sense the conflict arising within her. Mom was Maria’s best friend. I’m sure she still cares about her. I look at Irene. “We need to go out there. I’m sure the others will need us.” Irene steps forward. “Of course. I’d be so glad to go out there and kick some—” she halts and looks at the kids. Ezra gives her a sly smile. “Aunt Irene is saying some adult words again.” He makes a tsk sound with his mouth and shakes his head as if disappointed. He does this whenever Irene has a slip of tongue. “Shut up. I didn’t say anything. I only said that I will kick them.” She argues and I roll my eyes. She’s seriously fighting with a kid. “Rena, someone should stay with the kids to protect them,” Maria tells me as she holds my arm. She looks at Elijah who growls
VERENA"You're back," I whisper, my voice barely audible. "You're really back."Ezra smiles, his eyes filled with warmth. "I'm here, Mommy," he says. "I'm not going anywhere."In that moment, all the pain, the fear, the uncertainty - it all seems to fade away. We've won. We've defeated the darkness.Irene quickly turns around and her eyes go wide as she sees us. “Oh Goddess! It worked! Fu—Sorry. I mean hell yeah!” she shouts, raising her fists in the air. She looks no less than a lunatic but that’s how she is.I turn to Venus who just stares at her with her big green eyes, her little hand clutching Ezra’s shirt as she sits on his lap. I kneel on the floor and take her other hand, then kiss it. “Thank you, thank you. You’re our savior.” I whisper to her and cup her little face. She makes a sound with her mouth, having no idea what I’m talking about. I look at Elijah. His head is tilted up towards the ceiling, pushing back his tears of joy and relief. He’s trying to act strong but I k
VERENAI feel a strong vibration at the pit of my stomach. It makes my guts muscles clench uncomfortably but then a warm sensation travels up my spine. Venus stops crying and I open my eyes to see a vibrant light form in the middle of the air. It casts its bright light on the room and reduces Ezra’s dark aura, allowing him to take a breath and relax a little. Venus looks calm too and is staring at her brother with her big eyes. I look at Elijah and he nods. Ezra lifts his head and his face looks better, a lot less pale as he stares at us. But he’s still in his dark aura. Maybe the energy that we created helped to slow down the process. He looks at Venus but does not say anything. I move towards the bed and Venus raises her arm like she did in the kids room when she saw me. She smiles at her brother, her green eyes lighting up. “Veenie…” Ezra whispers. I carefully place Venus on the bed and hold her back. In case Ezra does something, I’ll pull her back. Elijah stands beside me and
VERENAVenus squirms as she sees him and it hurts him but he does not show it on his face. “Are they still out there?” Maria asks me and I shake my head. “No. But we need to be careful. Elijah and I’ll handle everything. Let's go.” I tell them and we carefully walk out of the kids room. Elijah walks ahead, his senses alert for any incoming dangers. I look around too but Venus gets uncomfortable when I’m too tense so I’m trying to stay calm. I look at her and recall the vision I had. I couldn’t see her face but I felt the same way I am feeling right now. The feeling that you have when you are close to your daughter. Venus looks up at me with her big eyes and I give her a smile. “Don’t worry, angel. We’ll be fine,” I give her a kiss on the forehead and she giggles. We reach the bedroom and Elijah opens the door. The moment the double doors swing open, a strong wave of dark aura crashes on me, forcing me to take a step back. Venus squirms again and looks away, as if she’s afraid.