ELIANA. Beneath the canvas of the night sky, Denver’s chest was lightly bathed in an ethereal silvery glow. We laid side by side with my head upon his chest and my fingers circling around the tattoos on his skin.With an arm around my shoulders which fell down my back, Denver pulled me closer to him as if the space wasn’t non-existent between us again. I wasn’t complaining, like I said I wanted nothing more than to remain in his arms. Forever.As his distinct raspberry cologne trickled up my nose, the memories from a few hours earlier came flooding back to me. Denver looked down and an innocent smile curled my lips to hide the carnal thoughts sweeping through my head.“Nothing” I whispered in a light sing-song voice but Denver narrowed his eyes. His hands briskly waved across his face. “Is there something on my face? Is it an insect?” He sat up dramatically and I couldn’t help but burst out into laughter. “I said nothing, relax” I whimmed.“Why are you looking at me then?” He chuckle
ELIANA.“So when are you going to tell everyone?” Denver asked me as we walked down the stairs the next morning. My eyes remained fixed on my adorned finger before I looked at him.“I’m sorry what?” I blushed. Denver rolled his eyes to the back. “At this point, you better get married to the ring” He teased under his breath and I chuckled softly. “Don’t give me ideas” I whispered, brushing into his shoulders. “But it really is beautiful, I’ll give you that.”A smile took charge of his lips just as we came to a halt right in front of the Pack kitchen and he looked at me. It was well into the morning on the next day and I was pretty sure I heard voices, Thelma’s especially. I met Denver’s eyes.“I asked, when do you want to tell everybody?” He finally repeated. I just shrugged, biting into my lips. “Maybe later in the evening, I don’t know” I replied which was a big lie by the way because as soon as the doors parted and I stepped right into the kitchen, the words escaped my lips.“We’re
ELIANA.I stepped outside onto the balcony, sauntering towards the railings, on which I placed my arms upon. I fixed my eyes into the night sky, wondering how fast the day went by. The news of Denver and I's engagement had already spread around town and we spent the evening having a large feast with his Pack and mine.It was one of the very few times when we weren't thinking about anything really. Most of us were just in the moment, enjoying ourselves.Me especially.Throughout the whole day, I had tried my best to not give a single thought to Jaxon or Sienna or being a Hybrid. I was only human today but then night fell and my thoughts returned back to my head. I couldn't escape them this time so I excused myself from the table to go outside.Here I was, standing with my gaze falling over the Pack grounds. I heaved a deep breath through my lips, taking a sip of the wine in my hands and it was then the doors opened behind me. A part of me instantly thought it was Denver who probably wo
ELIANA. There were a few murmurs beneath the sound of his voice as every eye stared at the both of us, wondering what he was about to say next and I'm not sure any of them would have been able to guess. I nodded at him."I have gathered you all here today," My Father started, looking to everyone else and they sat up. "And it is with great service and humility, and pride for leaving this Pack for thirty years that I have now decided to step down as Alpha of the Blood Hound Pack" He paused.And there was a slight uproar, more like a surprise reaction. They looked at themselves with shock in their eyes. "The last thirty years have been the highlight and the best of my life, leading each and every one of you the best way I could. To see the strength and resilience that courses through your veins fill me with so much pride and joy." He continued. "And I'm going to carry that, every single day for the rest of my life.""I may not be your Alpha from tonight, but each and every one of you s
ELIANA.The winds coursed through my hair as I dug my feet into the ground. Strands danced across my face and a stint of anxiety pounded my heart. I folded my hands in a fist, looking ahead at the crowd that had gathered.Every single Pack member, both the Blood Hounds and the members of the Black Mountain Pack were gathered in the massive arena. A ground of about a hundred square feet that was built for only days like this—days of the Alpha Battle. It had only happened once before, my Great Grandfather they told me. He was brave enough to challenge the Skywalkers. Hitler-like Alphas that once ruled the Blood Hounds and that fight that day, even though it was centuries ago was meant to secure the Jacob’s right to the throne and crown. But today, Jaxon had challenged for that rite. Not only that, he had challenged me to a fight. And so here I was.If you asked me how we got here from last night, I’m not sure I’ll be able to tell you but all that mattered was finally, we were doing t
ELIANA. I felt more powerful now that my Wolf had taken over. Like a strength I knew nothing of before now coursed through my veins and I brought my eyes to face Jaxon's stone-cold face but for the first time that night, I wasn't afraid of him. It didn't take him so long for him to attack again but this time, as he lunged himself forward at me, I twisted my neck to sink my teeth into his back. Jaxon let out a wounded growl of agony and to the shock of the rest of the Pack, he fell to the ground.I breathed out, a piece of his skin hanging from my teeth which I spat out before proceeding to circle around him. He turned back immediately to match my eyes and it was clear that I'd gotten him. It felt so good to see him in pain even though it meant that he was probably going to be even more ferocious now.But that was a good thing, because I was too. Now that I had gotten the upper hand, it filled me with the desire to take the lead. I pounced on him on the ground but he was quick enou
ELIANA."It's okay" Denver whispered. "You're okay." He said.At that moment, I lifted my gaze to my father who stood amongst the Elders as they crept closer to Jaxon on the ground. Then the verdict thundered throughout the arena.“He’s dead!” They announced to an uproar but my heart fell in my stomach. I looked at Denver. “Jaxon is dead” The realization hit me like a wave as tears welled up in my eyes. “You did it” He whispered to me but as soon as they fell down my cheeks, I shook my head.“I killed him” There was a crack in my voice and Denver arched his brows. “Yes, Eliana. Yes you did” He didn’t make it any easier. Because for some reason, while everyone clamored with victory, it was a strange feeling for me. It was guilt and anger. Still anger.After all this while, I thought seeing him dead would fill me with resolve, that it would be the one thing that would make me finally get over every terrible thing that he did to me but he was dead and still, nothing changed. I burst int
DENVER. It had been half an hour since Eliana left the arena. She said she'd needed to clean up which was understandable after her bloody victory over Jaxon. But now, the party was imminent where she was supposed to deliver her first speech as Alpha of the Pack too but she was nowhere to be found. I pushed through the doors of the Pack house and the hollow echo of the emptiness was what first hit me in the face. I looked around before straddling the stairs and it was almost as if no one had come here. That was the first time I felt the sting in my gut feeling.That something was wrong.But then again, it couldn't be. I shook it off. I told myself that it was better to relish in the good moments like tonight's victory. Not everything had to go horribly, right? There was no other shoe...At some point, there was supposed to be a happy ending, right?I threw one look over my shoulders as I made my way first to the Alpha Chambers but Eliana wasn't there. So I went ahead to her room whi
ELIANA."The baby's coming now""The baby's coming now, Denver" I screamed through my teeth, reaching to grasp his hands from the wheeling bed. "I have to go call Thelma to tell the nurses to prepare the birthing room" He replied. Tears welled up in my eyes as I gasped. "Don't leave, Denver." "I'll be right back. I'll be right back, Eliana. I promise." He scrambled through the doors as fast as he could and I heard the echoes of his footsteps draw further away. But just after him, the door opened."Nora" I lifted my eyes to face her. "What's going on? I heard screaming—" She walked into the room before letting out a gasp. "No, Eliana!" Shock filled her eyes as her lips parted with a smile. I reached for her hands and I nodded. "Yes" I muttered, biting into my lips to try and curtail the pain. But really, it was so searing that my eyes rolled to the back of my head. "Ahh!" I yelled as yet another contraction rippled through me. Nora was panicking as I jolted back and forth the bed b
ELIANA.FOUR MONTHS LATER."I'm the luckiest man alive to be here a second time. Those were the first words that he said the last time he was standing here” Cory looked up from the paper in his hands. Though in a wheelchair, his road to recovery was beyond impressive.That he was even here, among us on this special day meant a lot—especially to Denver. I could tell by the way his eyes looked around the adorned hall. He stood there in his stormy grey suit, just as it was the day we got married. It fit him so perfectly that I was jealous. Today, we decided to renew our vows, something to remember the day that really changed everything. The day that we sealed the deal forever and I first called Denver my husband. I looked to Cory at that moment and the tears stung the back of my eyes. Oh how I wanted the day to be perfect, and by perfect, I meant exactly how it was months ago. But in that moment, I realized that wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be like that anymore.For starters, I could
ELIANA.A knock on the door drifted my attention. As I sat in front of the mirror, I couldn't pretend that my heart didn't drop at that moment. I turned around and then Thelma walked in. There was an unsettling look across her face when our eyes that I suddenly stood, Denver beside me. "Alpha Eliana," She pursed her lips. "Someone is here to see you."Silence immediately pierced the air with the thought of Aurora dashing across my mind but then she cleared her throat. "It's—" Thelma paused, darting her eyes between Denver and me. "It's Nathaniel.". She muttered. And at that moment, I swallowed a hard lump down my throat. Denver reached to squeeze my hands. "Nathaniel" I mumbled in disbelief. "He said he really wants to see you" My eyes met Denver's in a lock as I slowly nodded. "It's okay" I whispered. "I'll see him. I'll see him.""You sure?" Denver asked. I forced a smile to my lips."He's my brother, after everything, he still is" My eyes fell from his hands as Denver cleared h
ELIANA.To my Eliana.From Nana. Those words would echo for so long to come. I remember the moment I first held the letter in my hands. My chapped dirt-filled fingernails clinging to the piece of paper with almost as much curiosity as devastation.The grief still hit, like a storm against my face, a sour taste in the back of my throat. The grief was there. But in that moment, I remembered Denver’s words. In this moment too.As I walked towards her coffin which laid open in the center of the fire. The air was gloomy with ash and the warm golden hue illuminated the tears that filled the eyes of everyone that had gathered here—for her funeral. Nana. Just like my Mum, just like Adam—it was a rite.Whenever one of us died, they were to be buried the next day. And my Nana had found a place right next to my Mum. I halted right next to her coffin even though earlier, I had no idea I would be able to do this.I threw a look back at Denver who had paused some meters behind. To allow me a mome
ELIANA. My knees grazed the ground upon where my Grandmother laid and the crown of my head rested upon her chest. Frail, still and quiet. It was the kind of silence that was deafening, that evoked the river of tears streaming down my face. The kind that echoed over and over that my whole world had crumbled, right in front of me—right in my hands. And I held onto Nana's garment, as if maybe I could grasp tightly enough, I may be able to bring her back. But my powers had never felt further from me. Each spell that escaped from my lips was like an echo from an empty vessel. The words didn't form, the winds didn't move. I was no longer a Witch, no longer a Hybrid.Now, those words would've meant the world to me at any moment besides this but right now, right now it was just too much. I cried, right on top of her, I cried until my chest started to ache and my throat was sore and my eyes could no longer bring any more tears.I cried because I had lost the one person that I had—that I thou
ELIANA.The full moon rose that night.At about 3 AM, it had hit its apex. The winds coursed through my hair as I gripped my Grandma’s hands. I could still hear her, even with my eyes closed. Her incantations, her magic.For that moment though, I was taken by the night, bathed in ghostly light. The shadows of Denver and my father, and Ivan, all waiting for things to go south so that they stepped in. I had assured them I had the spell under control but of course they wouldn’t believe me.This was the most powerful type of magic there was, one that I had never done before. One that had never been successful before. But I stood there, beneath the silvery moonlight, clinching onto hope and the enchantment that flowed from my Nana’s lips.I could do it, I reassured myself. I could be something. I could be different and that was the one thing that kept echoing in my head.The fact that I could actually be happy, happy with Denver and my two kids. No one after us, just peace. Don’t we all de
NANA ABIGAIL.For the most of my life, I think I’ve been a horrible person.The mere fact that I was born a witch proved exactly that. I was a traitor, a manipulator, a liar. A liar.A liar.But I wasn’t always like this. We weren’t always like this. Cursed. I was also once a little girl with an older sister she looked up to like a god. A mother that was the best there could have been. I had a family who loved and would do anything for each other.We were Witches. For the longest time, we journeyed across the earth to find ourselves a home. Then we found the haven in Oakland. The people were happy, everyone was happy with my father. He had led us to safety, he had cared for us, all the Witches.We were the happiest we could have ever been. But then the Werewolves came, they too had found a home in Oakland. The town itself, wasn’t always like this. Nestled in the hills and forest, it was a town away from mortal eyes. Its cobblestone streets were laced with enchantment. We had made thi
ELIANA. "Tonight is the night of the full moon."Denver’s voice hit my ears softly as I rolled onto him. I fluttered my eyes open to the little sunlight that poured in through the curtained windows. I couldn’t help but groan tiredly even after the nap I had just taken.It had been the busiest morning, from helping Denver’s entire Pack settle in to preparing for the spell tonight, fyi I didn’t need a reminder because only then did I feel the tension weave through me. And I was barely even awake. My hands wrapped around Denver as I laid on his chest.There was this comfort that came from hearing his heartbeat and being that close to his skin. Perhaps, he knew which was why he stayed still. I felt his hands wrap around my waist too.A deep sigh escaped my lips.I ended up lifting my gaze to him and I caught him already staring down at me. “Ugh please don’t remind me” I groaned softly. “It’s almost like I should just stay here forever” I whispered. Denver’s palms weaved into my clothing
ELIANA.“I regret to inform you that Cory suffered a fall inside the building, and on top of that was almost crushed by some of the debris that had fallen” The doctor explained with a piece of paper in his hands. His eyes fell to Thelma especially whose hands held up her chin in a tragic manner.The remnant of all the tears she had cried clung desperately to her lashes and at that moment, a hard lump slipped down her throat.“With a fall like that and everything that happened, it’s not uncommon to be presented with some signs of head trauma which would explain his partial loss of memory and inability to do the things he was once doing.”I folded my arms across my chest, dashing a glare at Denver. His face was filled with unease and an emotion I couldn’t quite decipher. Like every word that came out of the doctor’s mouth was a thorn poking him in his chest. I saw the way he looked at Cory laying there.That was his best friend. His person. His brother when Blake wasn’t. And he was jus