WRITER'S POV CRAVEN PACK It had been exactly five days since Amaya's escape failed. She still didn't know if she was to feel relieved yet. Damian hadn't brought up the room nor punished her for trying to escape. She, in fact, hadn't seen much of him since then and heck she wanted it that way.Laura was on her tail almost every single second of the day. Although she pretended to keep her distance but each time Amaya checked it was obvious she was watching her. The only times she got to be free from her watchful eyes was during the nights and early mornings. Amaya felt very restricted. She sat in the huge house all day long doing nothing. She had no friends and missed Nelo and Selene so much. At least back at the servants house, she did chores, sneak to the training ground and played with the girls but there was nothing fun to do. Most importantly she was going crazy not visiting a training center. Since she couldn't ask anyone, she decided to find out where the training center was o
AMAYA’S POVHUNTING DAY IN CRAVEN PACK Maybe it was because I was excited but I barely slept the previous night. I kept turning and rolling on the bed until it was 3am when I sprung up and began to prepare. By the time I stepped outside to the point of gathering, a lot of people were already there and the place was booming. I guess I wasn't the only one excited. I felt Lyra’s eyes on me. For some reason, I had this strange feeling she was watching me. Last night I was surprised when Laura told me I had a prominent guest. Knowing I knew no one in Craven Pack, let alone someone prominent, I had reluctantly left to see this guest of mine only to meet a sophisticated lady. She had scanned me weirdly. “Hi, I'm Lyra Cartwright although I'd prefer you call me Lyra. I heard you are Damian's guest.” Her lips curled and I had heard her mutter some words under her breath which I didn't grab. But I wasn't stupid. I didn't need to hear to know what she must have said. “Well, I guess we will b
AMAYA'S POV “Deer!”We were already deep into the forest when I heard the sudden shrill and I ran towards the direction I heard the scream. To my greatest surprise it turned out to be Lyra. It wasn't just her but also the Beta and Gamma; Raze and Oliver. There was no deer in sight and they had a mischievous grin on. Sensing that I had just been played, my teeth clenched. I wiped the sweat dripping down my forehead and suppressed a hiss. Their stupid joke had made me run for nothing. I turned towards them really trying my best to hold back my anger. “There's no deer.”“Oh, my bad. We thought there was a deer,” Lyra smirked. To me, I thought it was maybe understandable why Lyra was acting like a bitch but Raze and Oliver? I just couldn't understand why they hated me for no reason. Ever since I came here, they would always sneer at my face and ignored me. And honestly I would prefer they'd rather keep sneering and ignoring than to find my trouble. "Well, next time make sure to be cert
WRITER'S POV “We are sad to see you leave. We will forever remember and miss you here,” Instructor Matt said. His eyes were warm and he sounded sad. But none of the emotions he showed mattered to Nelo. Instead she scoffed under her breath at his sudden act of care. “And remember you are always free to come back. This is your home and you will always be welcomed here,” he added and Nelo resisted the urge to slam back with‘goddess forbid’ out loud. She murmured a barely audible ‘thank you’. “You still refuse a proper farewell?” instructor Matt asked again. Usually it was announced in front of the girls if any one of them became free but Nelo had to beg him to not do it. The girls already hated her. She would prefer to just leave quietly without having to see their betrayal faces. The only person she probably would feel guilt for not telling that she was leaving was Selene. Talks about Amaya were bound to pop up and she wanted to avoid that. “No. I would like to leave now.”“I hope y
AMAYA'S POVThe atmosphere during breakfast had never been this stiff. Both Nelly and Lyra joined in. Everyone focused on their plates. I had noticed that although Nelly and Lyra spoke, if you watched closely you'd see it was almost forced or there was something hidden behind the fake exchanged smiles. I was thinking why Lyra suddenly developed hatred for me on her arrival but it wasn't difficult to figure it out. She had feelings for Damian and now she saw me as a threat. I may be wrong but that was most likely the reason for it. Nelly never told me her relationship with Damian. It was strange–her closeness with Damian while being a young housekeeper. However, what I just couldn't understand was Nelly’s dislike for Lyra. It was hard not to notice the forced closeness and smiles. But then I thought, it could actually be fun watching the two play the who-is-smarter game. As for me, I probably would be rooting for Nelly. We had already started eating when one of the maidservants anno
AMAYA'S POV “Stay here and I will speak to him,” I told Nelo and dashed after Damian. Even if it meant going on my knees I was willing to do it. His strides were quick and he was about to mount the stairs when I finally caught up with him. “Please…she is my best friend. I promise you that she will not cause trouble.”He spun and with one yank, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards himself forcefully. I gasped feeling his piercing intense gaze grip me. “Do you suddenly have the boldness to demand something from me? Have you forgotten how you came to be here? Do you take me for a fool, huh!”“I–” My body stiffened. He was too close and his eyes were fixed on me in a dangerous manner. A servant must have dropped a utensil as the sound of it echoed deafeningly in the house. It was followed immediately by hurried footsteps rushing out. He leaned in, jaw clenched. “Do you not like it when I'm nice with you?”“I do– I—”“Then why do you fucking push me? Do I need to remind you? You are
WRITER'S POV WESTWOOD PACK“Bring the seer out!” Lucius ordered. By now she should have bridled her tongue and come to her senses. Once in a while in such cases, he needed to remind people that he was still the Alpha of Westwood. His jaw stiffened. “Damian…” The only one that marred what would have been his perfect leadership and authority. “Have you come to your senses now?” He asked as the seer was brought before him. The seer gave a disgruntled scoff and attempted to break free from the grasp of Tommy and Jaxon. “My words remain the same even if you kill me. I speak nothing but the truth and words of the moon goddess,” she gritted. Lucius' eyes pinched. Had he not been clear enough? “I see you have made yourself quite comfortable in my dungeon and are begging for more stay. Take her back!”“That girl is not ordinary! You are making a mistake!” Seer growled as she was being dragged away. “Stop!” Lucius commanded and with long strides he descended the podium of his Alpha seat and
AMAYA'S POV “And you are all set!” Laura exclaimed as she began to put away the brushes and stuff. “Wow. You are snatched!” Nelo gasped walking in. I grinned admiring myself in the mirror. She didn't need to say it, I was glowing. Laura was like a pro. The way her hands moved on my face as she worked. Carefully choosing the colours, the brushes and delicately applying them. Even before she was done, I could already feel it would turn out great. Back at the quarters, I prided myself in my red lipstick. I had never really done full face makeup and dreaded it because the first time I saw Selene tried it, she looked like a vengeful ghost. “Thank you, Laura,” I thanked her again. It would be my first official outing as Damian’s guest. Yes, that was what I finally accepted he took me as. Although I still worried if he had other ulterior motives, he was yet to make a move and at the moment I was at peace. Laura of course still hung around me but the best part of it was Nelo’s presence.
Nelo paced around her room. Every second she stopped and stared out of the window, expecting, hoping and praying that somehow her biggest fear would not happen. She hoped that Amaya would have gotten her letter. Although she would have hoped that somehow she didn't and that Damian would overcome and win the assassins on his own. But that was what she couldn't hope for. She had made sure to drop the Aetherleaf in his study. There was no way he would defeat those assassins after inhaling that. She sighed regretfully. She regretted it. She really did.She didn't want anything happening to Damian. She wished she didn't have to make difficult choices like this one. Damian was her end point. But then again she had to do what she had to do. She'd decided to stay back in her room and waited as everything unfolded. But when she heard Nelly barking orders at the guards and at the maids and everyone she saw, she knew it was better to be out. It would be suspicious if she remained in her room wh
AMAYA'S POV I returned to the park and sat on a bench. Outside was calm. Everyone looked so happy and it was like I was the only one feeling this enormous turmoil. Beside me was a family and on my other side were two lovers. They giggled and I couldn't help but notice how they stare affectionately at each other. They saw only themselves. They probably didn't even notice I was beside them. “Mummy! Daddy!” the little kid called out to her parents. She looked so happy as she ran into her father's waiting arm. At that moment, it faintly occured to me the kind of trust children had for their parents. The trust that he would never drop her, that his arms are strong enough to catch her and hold her no matter what. It reminded me of my parents too and it made my heart ache. Everyday I prayed to not wake up one morning and discover that I had forgotten their faces. I clung onto those memories of them I had because they were all I had. I briefly shut my eyes to bask in them. To remind mys
Damian tried to launch an attack but then he stopped. His eyes widened. His body was not feeling the same. Something was wrong. Something was wrong. Was it because of Amaya? His fist curled. The whole set up suggested Lucius must have found out about Amaya's strength and seeing she was away from him decided to strike. He tried not to panic but it was as though the weakness of his body doubled with creating in him the one attribute he detested so much—fear. “Run Damian. Run out of the room and alert the guards.” The warning echoed in his head. But he inwardly shook his head, remembering vividly those words, those words that he had lived by all his life. “I am Alpha Damian. I do not run in the face of adversities. I am the leader and protector of Craven. The day I run from danger is the day I become useless.”No matter how weak his body had become he would not run away.“Did Lucius send you?” He clenched. “Answer me! Did that loser send you!”The men began to circle him like wolves,
Lucius sprung from his seat as if suddenly overcome by something and charged outside. Tommy and Jaxon were at the door and just about to get in when he dashed outside. “Call them back!” he yelled. Tommy and Jaxon stared at him, puzzled. “I said call the men back! They are not to kill Damian!” he repeated authoritatively. “What?” Tommy was stiffened as he leaned back stunned. “We can't pull off now,” he said, eyes narrowing. “I didn't say we, I said pull off,” Lucius gritted, emphasizing on the ‘I’. “Call them back. They must return to Westwood immediately.”“You can't pull off the operation now!” Tommy slammed. “Are you challenging me?” Lucius questioned, taken aback. Their gaze held…long, icy, air thickened with unspoken tension. Lucius' jaw was set and firm as fury brewed within him. He could not believe Tommy was talking back to him. His own beta!After a moment, Tommy stepped back and gave a strained chuckle. ”I would never do that, my Alpha. I'm just saying this is the bad
“Speak, what is it?” Lucius demanded, trying to contain his annoyance. Like what was so urgent Jaxon had to make him leave Amaya at that moment. What better time would he get to be in such proximity and calmness with her again? “It better be something important,” he added, his face wrinkling. “The elders are meeting behind your back,” Jaxon revealed. “What?” Lucius leaned back, forehead burrowing deep. Anxiety etched deep into his face, the irritation on it replaced with a mixture of worry and disappointment. He'd always known they were a bunch of greedy elders but he didn't think they would start this early to show their hidden claws. Things were beginning to look good for him. He stifled a groan. “When did this start? Are you just knowing about it now?” He asked Jaxon. “I'm sorry but we have been so focused with Balus and your mate–”“Who started it? Chief elder? What is their reason for betraying me? Why can't they trust in me?”“Their reason remains that you have yet to fulfil
AMAYA'S POV Blown off by Lucius' sudden request, my mouth hung open. But then we heard a shrill cry before I could speak. Someone had collapsed. Grateful for the interruption, I darted over to the place the sound came from. It was later realized that it was a prank by some of the arena keepers. Some of the people that were around complained about the silly prank before returning to what they were doing. “Do you care for anything?” Lucius asked as we went back to our position. “Uhm–”“Wait here. I will get us something,” he said hastily and hurried away before I could refuse. “Amaya,” I heard someone call my name less than a minute after Lucius left. I turned and there was an elderly woman beside me. Surprised, I scanned around to check if she had company. I hadn't heard her join us. “I am alone,” she replied like she had read the question in my mind. “How did you know my name?” I asked, still trying to grasp the whole thing. She smiled. “I would be damned not to recognize gr
Damian looked at the wine cabinet yet again. They were begging for his touch, begging him to have a taste. He exhaled wistfully, forcing his gaze away from the direction. He must stay sober. If not for anything, to think on how to handle the matter at hand. This last month had changed him. He didn't know what it was or how it had happened but deep within him he knew it was something about Amaya. He could not let her go as she wanted, yet he couldn't keep her. But what baffled him was how she knew about what the Seer had told him. He was actually planning to tell her the truth. He was on his way to tell her everything. How had she found out before he told her? He sighed for the zillionth time, massaging his throbbing temple. He hadn't had a restful time ever since she left the house. “You should go find her,” Raze suggested, breaking into his thoughts. Damian sat up, suppressing a grunt. He would have gone after her as she was leaving if it was that easy. He saw the hurt in her e
AMAYA'S POV I had no idea where I was headed. I was unsure of absolutely everything. I was scared, confused, hurt, battered inside but still determined to keep walking. All I wanted was to just leave. Everything felt so exhausting and I knew I would probably choke to death if I stayed there for another second. I thought he cared about me now. I was foolish. How could I have believed someone like him. How could I have trusted a power hungry Alpha like him. He would never change. I should have known. The thought that I went the extra mile and pleaded with him to seek out the Seer on my behalf pained me the most. All the while he knew how to help me but kept it away from me. I should have known when he bought me…I should have known when he was willing to let go of hundreds of warriors and servants just to buy me. I had thought he saved me from Lucius…I should have known when he didn't kill me despite knowing I entered the forbidden room. I let out a laugh and I wished I didn't hear i
The significant mood lift in Amaya's behavior was quite noticeable to everyone. So obvious it baffled both Nelly and Lyra who were among the ones that looked at her like she was covered with poop after the news spread. After they had breakfast and since they had nothing to do for the rest of the day, Amaya decided to retire to her room. “What’s going on? You finally don't care about people knowing you don't have your wolf. Strong girl,” Nelo teased with a small nudge. Amaya laughed heartily. “No it's not that… it's just…Alpha Damian will help me,” she said, grinning, their conversation at the stream replaying in her head. Although he hadn't given her an outright answer because Raze interrupted. But he listened to her and that itself showed he cared. “Hmmm,” Nelo murmured. “Why? You still don't trust him? He is not as bad as you think…well, he may be difficult some times but look beyond the scowl on his face and you'd see the real Damian.”Nelo gave a shrug. “Still, he murdered hi