ELIJAH“You must be what they call the Shadow wolf,” I say as I look at him. “I’m you,” he speaks back, his eyes staring at me with a look that’s devoid of any emotions or expressions. “You are the Shadow wolf.” I scoff. “I don’t choose this path.” I spat. “It does not matter what you choose. Fate has chosen for you. No matter how much you resist it, it's going to stay attached to you.” His words make my jaw clench. “Then I’ll control it.” “You can’t. A hunter hunts by choice. But a beast is beastly by nature. You are a shadow wolf by nature. You can’t change nature.” I narrow my eyes. “So what do I do then?” “Accept me.” He says in a nonchalant tone. “We are the same person. I’m just a more powerful version of you. If we become one, the world becomes yours. You’ll rule over it and make everyone worship Lord Umbra. The one and only God of this world.” “Nonsense! I’m strong enough and I rule my pack. And my wife is my world. I don’t need anything else.” “She is your enemy!” He
VERENACeline walks into my bedroom with a look of concern etched on her face and asks me. “Where’s he?” I point towards the bed and she sees him lying on the bed. I told her everything on the phone. When I held him in my arms, I could feel his heartbeat. I know he’s alive. But he’s not responding. My heart breaks at that thought. Celine slowly walks over to the bed and places her coat on the couch nearby. She exhales and rolls up the sleeves of her blouse. She, then, closes her eyes and her lips move as she mumbles some incantation under her breath. A few seconds pass and she opens her eyes, then places her palms on top of Elijah’s chest. She moves her palms on top of his body for a few seconds before her eyes stare ahead, as if she’s thinking something, “He’s not dead. But he’s not alive either.” My lips part in shock from her words. Not dead, not alive? “What kind of condition is that?” She looks at me. “Shadow wolves have special powers. They have control over their lives. If
VERENAI stare at the watch again and realization dawns on me. I turn towards Joshua. “This is Ezra’s drawing. I think it's about the watch that Ezra gifted Drake and Dory. He said that it can track their locations.” Joshua’s eyes narrow. “But how will it help us? It must be just a silly toy he made.” His voice is laced with a hint of skepticism.I shake my head. “Ezra doesn't make silly toys. He can actually make good gadgets. And this is Elijah’s handwriting. He must have written this for a reason.” Joshua looks at the paper. “Then let's find Drake.” We both rush out of the room and I min-link Drake. “Drake, where are you?” “Luna, I’m training. Why?” He responds. “Come to the packhouse immediately.” I order. “Okay.” Seconds later, Drake walks inside the living room and meets us. I look at him. “Do you have the watch Ezra gifted you?” He frowns and looks at the two of us. “Yeah, I do. But…” he scratches his head. “But what?” “I don’t remember where I kept it.” he says, look
VERENADrake and Joshua rush to my side, their faces etched with concern. "Maybe it's broken," Drake suggests, his voice a mixture of hope and despair.I refuse to give up. "We can't let it break," I say, my voice firm. "We have to fix it."With a newfound determination, I leave Drake's room and head towards the dining room. The dimly lit room has a few lamps casting a warm glow on the table. The aroma of freshly cooked dinner fills the air, a tantalizing scent that makes my stomach rumble. But because of Elijah’s condition, all my appetite has died down. I won’t be eating anything tonight. Ezra is just about to start his dinner, his eyes sparkling with anticipation when he sees me. “Mommy, are you going to have dinner with me?” he asks in excitement and my chest tightens. I have to refuse him right now. “No, sweetie. There’s something I need your help with.” I say and his face lights up. "Sure, Mommy!" he exclaims, his eyes wide with eagerness. He’s always happy to help me. “Uh,
VERENA“Where’s Dory? She didn’t come to play with me today.” Ezra complaints, pouting. “Is she playing hide-and-seek with me?” I smile, a bittersweet expression playing on my lips. "Sort of," I reply, my voice filled with a newfound hope. "She's playing hide-and-seek with us."Ezra chuckles, his laughter a soothing balm for my troubled heart. "That's like Finding Dory," he says, his eyes sparkling with excitement.I smile, wiping the tears quickly that threaten to escape my eye. "It is," I reply, my voice filled with a newfound hope. "Now, it's time for bed."Ezra nods, his enthusiasm fading as the reality of sleep sets in. As I tuck him in, I watch him drift off to sleep, his small chest rising and falling with each breath. In the darkness of his room, I find a sense of peace, a flicker of hope that illuminates the path ahead.The meeting room, a dimly lit space filled with the scent of wood and leather, is our chosen venue for the meeting. Joshua and Drake stand before me, their f
VERENA“You don’t fucking have to. I don’t care about it. Verena trusts me, that’s more than enough for me.” Carlisle replies. "I'm here to help, not to hinder.""Yeah, right," Drake scoffs. "We'll see about that."I step between them, trying to defuse the tension. "Enough," I say, my voice firm. "We have a mission to accomplish here. We need to focus on that, not on our personal grudges."Reluctantly, they both back down. But the undercurrent of animosity remains a constant threat to our unity.Ignoring the animosity, I shift into my wolf form, a white, powerful beast. The other warriors follow suit, their forms morphing into a strong army. The men and women from the Moonlight pack join us, their numbers bolstering our ranks.With a final glance at the gathering storm clouds, we set off, our footsteps a rhythmic drumbeat against the earth.The forest seems to swallow us as we keep running.he trees, ancient and gnarled, reach towards the sky, their branches intertwining to form a cano
VERENAI leap into the air, my body twisting in mid-air as I aim for its vulnerable throat. My claws connect, a sickening crunch echoing through the chamber. The Ashwalker lets out a final, agonized scream before collapsing to the floor and a white light consuming it before it disperses into the air. Satisfied, I turn to face the remaining Ashwalkers. They are circling Drake and Joshua, their eyes glowing with a feral intensity. I know I have to be careful. These creatures are more powerful here. Joshua manages to tackle one with his strength but the rest try to gang up on him. As the Ashwalkers close in on Joshua and Drake, they form a menacing wall of darkness, I know I have to act. With a roar, I launch myself into the fray, my body a blur of motion as I tear through the ranks of the Ashwalkers. My claws rake across their hides, leaving deep, bleeding wounds. They howl in pain, their attacks becoming more desperate. I protect Joshua and Drake, shielding them from the Ashwalker
VERENAMy gaze falls on the woman whose body is half-burned. Her closed eyes snap open, making my heart jump into my throat. Shit. Then, with a sickening crack, the first tube shatters. A torrent of liquid cascades down, the thick, viscous substance quickly pooling on the floor. Panic surges through me as I realize the danger we're in. I grab Joshua and Drake's hands, pulling them towards me. The liquid is rising rapidly, and we have to move.As we stumble through the rising tide, the Ashwalkers emerge from the cracked tubes one by one. Their eyes turn hollow, and they transform into wolves before my very eyes. Their howls echo through the flooded lab, sending shivers down my spine.“There are too many of them.” Drake says as they surround us. With the thick liquid stuck to my feet, it's getting hard to move around. What do I do now? The world is a blur of motion as I swing my fist towards the Ashwalker charging at me. The air is thick with the scent of sweat and fear, and the soun
ELIJAHTheon scoffs. “Happy, my ass! You know what’s going to truly make me happy? All of your deaths! I’ll become the next shadow Alpha and end every single one of you. That kid of yours..I’ll kill him too if he gets in my way!” He growls. My eyes darken. “You shouldn’t have said that,” I say in a low, dangerous voice and stalk forward. Theon braces himself for my attack but he is taken aback when I approach him at lightning speed and rip his head off. He gets no time to fight and drops dead on the ground. I watch him with a look of sorrow in my heart. There was no saving him. “I’m sorry for not being there for you.” I tell him though I know he won’t hear me. I wish I could change things in the past. I would have built a new relationship with him, one where we supported each other as brothers and didn’t go after each other’s throats. VERENARegef and I battle each other using our celestial powers. I’m stronger than him in terms of my position as the Luna Guardian. But he has years
ELIJAHI step before Rena and throw my dark energy towards Regef to neutralize the attack that he did. Regef’s wolf growls at me in anger and charges straight at me. But there’s Theon beside him who follows suit. I’d have to deal with both of them. I am about to charge at Regef when I feel that stabbing pain within my body again. Umbra is trying to gain control over me again. “This is fruitless,” I hear a voice in my head and realize that it's Regef’s. Is he mind-linking me through the bond we have as Umbra’s cult? “You should stop going against your fate. Your body won’t be able to take the resistance as it is built for dark powers. Fighting against your nature will only get you killed.” I grit my teeth and close my eyes to control the pain. I can sense Theon lunging at me but a bright globe of light collides against his body and throws him away. Regef stops and looks at Theon laying in the ground. I look beside me and see Rena step forward. She looks at me and places a hand on
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