VERENAI feel a little tired as I sit in my office. It’s the next day and I can’t bring myself to focus on my work. After what happened last night, my mind keeps going back to what I felt when I touched Elijah. Elijah did return to the party after an hour, but the whole time he seemed lost and distant. He’s hiding something from me. I did not ask him yesterday because I was busy attending to the people and making sure Ezra doesn’t catch onto the tension between us. Elijah also did his best to act normal. That feeling did not return at that time, so we shared a dance and spent a good time together. He avoided talking about it, so I thought not to push him. He has gone for a run now. It’s a little strange how he frequently goes for runs through the forest. When he returns, I’m going to confront him. There’s another thing that’s bothering me. “Luna?” Dory’s voice greets me through the pack link. Since I’m the Luna now and have become a member of this pack again, I can mind-link with
VERENA“A polygamous marriage.” She utters, and I control the urge to raise my brows to show the shock I feel right now. Polygamy? “Elijah and you aren’t married yet. But you must be planning to. I understand that you want him. I get it. He’s extremely handsome, powerful and rich. Which girl wouldn’t desire that?” She gets up from her seat and walks over to me, standing in front of me and smirking. “Just like you, I want him too. But you have kids and I am not a home wrecker. So that’s why this is the best idea. To be in a polygamous relationship.” “And what if I refuse?” I ask. “Oh, come on, Verena. Think about it. You are turning old and unattractive. A mother with two kids and a pack to handle isn’t that sexy. Elijah would need someone to quench his desires, right? He can do that with me. I can give him everything he desires. My body, the money and power I have as the princess of Eroz. It’d be a win-win situation for both of us.” “And what if I refuse?” I ask. She starts to la
“Stay away from my mate!” He growls at her and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me closer. His presence calms me down, and I inhale his musky scent. “I’m sure I made everything clear last night. But if you’re too slow to understand, then I’ll say it again. Verena is the only woman I’ll ever love. No one else.” He roars and my heart skips a beat at his words. “Yes bitch. Have that!” Serena mutters inside my head. Leila’s eyes soften with sadness as she sees us, but then her facial features morph into a hard look. “What is so special about her, huh? Everything she gives you, I can give you, too. Actually, I can provide more. I am better than her in every aspect. Can’t you see that, Elijah?” She looks at him and her gaze softens again, desperation clear in her eyes. “You will be happier with me. I promise.” She moves closer to him. I take a step forward. “He’s mine!” I growl and grab Elijah by the back of his neck. His brows lift as I pull him closer and sink my canines on his n
VERENAHe rides my body with the passion of a beast. Faces close, our fingers intertwined against the tangled sheets, we move to the raw rhythm. I straddle him, my hips grinding as he thrusts inside me. His hard, rough strokes rock my body. Waves of pleasure fill my senses and I scream as he keeps going. Each thrust brings me closer to the edge until I can’t hold it anymore. His hand grabs one breast and gives it a hard squeeze. He leans down and sucks my neck. I moan as his teeth grazes my skin. He pierces his canines inside and the pain gets immersed into the pleasure of my climax. I arch my back, seeing stars in my vision as the powerful sensations of connecting with him and releasing myself dance together in a fierce rhythm. “Elijah!” I whimper, clutching his hair as an anchor to not let myself get washed away with these strong sensations. He grunts as he gets his release and pulls back. He pants and collapses into the tangle of my legs. He stays between my legs, props his hea
VERENAI walk towards the mirror and look for the hair brush. Where did it go?! A hand reaches out and pick’s the hairbrush from the vanity table. I blink furiously as he hands me the brush. I snatch it from him and start brushing my hair. My eyes lift towards the mirror and though he’s staring at me, I can tell he’s deep in thought. He wraps his arms around my waist and rests his head on my shoulder. “What if the truth is the reason that pulls us apart?” He asks, his warm breath falling on my back. I stop running the brush through my air and look at the mirror again. His pain, I can sense it even more now. “Then it's more of a reason to tell me.” I say in a calm voice. He sighs and pulls me closer to him. His arms tighten around me, as if he’s afraid of losing me. My voice softens as I ask him. “Elijah, what is it?” “Have you ever heard of Shadow wolves?” He asks and my brows knit. Shadow wolf? That term seems to be familiar. Where did I come across it? I rack my brain to remem
VERENAI sit beside Elijah at the long conference table in the meeting room of the pack. Alphas from different packs are seated around the table, including Carlisle and Alpha Nova. The Alphas who had initially not attended the meeting when I called them for it are also sitting here right now. A part of me loathes them and I mask it behind my calm expression. I wonder if Cyrus would have spread some kind of a rumor about Elijah and ordered these Alphas from meeting, would they have done the same as they did to me? I remember dad telling me that female leaders are still not taken seriously. “As you all know, we are gathered here to discuss the recent threat we are facing. The Ashwalkers. The goal of this gathering is to find a solution that will work for everyone.” Elijah mutters, his back ramrod straight and his face hard, showing the ruthless Alpha side of him. His aura is intense today. Is it his Shadow wolf’s aura? Serena is sleeping so it's not affecting her. But I feel the repu
VERENAHe’s strong and special. Just like Elijah and me. I can sense it radiating through him. “King Rowan!” One of the Alphas acknowledges him and everyone stands on their feet, bowing to him in respect. Elijah does not make any effort to stand. He just narrows his eyes at the man who’s the Alpha King. So he’s Rowan. I had never seen him before so I’m a little shocked. What is he doing here? His golden brown eyes scrutinize the men until they fall on me. I don’t break eye contact as he challenges me with his stare and I raise my chin to show him that I’m not one to be dominated by his rank. He smirks, a satisfied look in his eyes that can make anyone else tremble with one gaze.I hear someone grunt and see Irene step inside through the door, glaring at Rowan. “I don’t remember sending you an invitation to join this meeting, Your Highness.” Elijah says in a calm voice, flipping the pen in his hand, taking his name as if making a mockery out of it. Rowan doesn't seem bothered by
VERENA“Believe what you want. I don’t need to prove myself,” He gives me a sharp look, “Either there’s one or multiple celestial wolves behind it. What I can say with guarantee is that they don’t intend to be the werewolf race’s guardian.” “No. They intend to change everything about the werewolf race. Bring in a new God, forge a new path.” Elijah says and I look at him. His eyes seem distant, as if he’s lost in something. “A new God?”Alpha Oliver asks and a wave of discussion erupts into the meeting room. “Elijah?” I place my hand on his, feeling it sting but I don’t pull away. If I want to be with him, I have to learn to handle it. He snaps out of his trance and looks at me. He realizes what everyone’s speaking about. “What I mean to say is that whoever is the leader of it wants to play God and rule over us. Power makes people greedy and leads them towards the path of destruction.” He says and everyone nods in agreement. Clearly, the information about the Moon Goddess being mis
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.