In the colorful garden of the Foster family, Serafina holds a glass of wine in her hands. She takes a sip, the aroma of the wine mingling with the floor scent in the air. As she savors the wine, anxiety gnaws at her, causing her to continuously tap her foot on the ground. Lost in thoughts, Sera didn't notice Xavier approaching.“Elena, mind if I join you? You've been here for a while. I sensed you needed some company.” Xavier says, his voice calm. Sera raises her head to glance at him and she smiles. “Of course. The Full Moon is on my mind, stirring up all sorts of feelings.”Gazing at her lovely face, Xavier ponders whether she chose to embark on this mission willingly or if the Moon Church is forcing her to play along. He nods and takes a seat beside her on the bench. “It has that effect on everyone. The garden's a good place to untangle thoughts. What's on your mind?”“I have uncertainty about the success of our plan, and it's making me nervous,” Sera confesses. She's been tryi
Alpha Damon couldn't sleep. He wrestles with a tumultuous sea of emotions as he recalls his last conversation with Lana. “Don't fall for me. I know it'll be challenging given our relationship as mates, but give it your best shot. I don't know how to reciprocate such feelings, and I wouldn't want you to get hurt.”Her gentle murmur of his name elicits a groan from him, and a heavy sigh escapes his lips. “Perhaps it's the right choice. If she doesn't love me, she won't feel obligated to endure my company, especially if I become more unbearable to her.”His mind wanders to the past, and the memories of his parents’ rough relationship replay like a reel. His father’s maltreatment of his mother is a painful reminder of a love tainted by manipulation and mistreatment. His mother, driven by her misguided devotion, had stayed. She’d endured every one of his father’s abusive love and had even loved being used by him. These haunting thoughts stir a fear within Damon. He fears he isn't any be
LanaThe tension in the dining area thickens as Matthias directs a pointed question at Katarina. Everywhere becomes so silent like a graveyard, and I can't help but wonder if she will reveal the truth.Holding my breath, I brace myself for whatever choices she decides to make. As they exchange glances, I watch her meet Matthias' chilling gaze with a steely determination that surprises me.“No, Matthias, I haven't found my mate yet. I'm still searching,” Katarina replies, her voice steady despite the fact that she just lied. Matthias's scrutinizing eyes linger on Katarina for a moment longer, as if he can sense the unspoken thought beneath her composed expression. “It looks like we all have a lot to discover,” Damon interjects, leaning back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. “Let’s eat. We have to be on our way soon to dig out more truth.” He muses, his amusement is obvious in his deep commanding voice. All of a sudden, I have an inkling that he's the reason we are having th
Damon and his companions settle in an elegant secluded mansion in Vintage, the capital of Human Land. The city is renowned as the residence of choice for the influential and wealthy. “Mr. Blackthorne, you have a visitor. Should I send him to your study?” The voice of one of the human servants emerges from outside the door.He exhales heavily knowing fully well it’s Donovan, but he’s not certain if he's prepared to listen to his report yet. “No, escort him to the drawing room.” The Alpha returns, rubbing his hands all over his face as he sighs again.He is frustrated because Lana has been avoiding him. She has valid excuses, but he can tell that she doesn't wish to be alone with him. She's often with Miss Hart or her brother. He can feel that the Full Moon is approaching because he can see things with blurry outlines, and his wolf is also eager to find his mate. However, he's conflicted about the looming danger that comes with the Full Moon, especially now that he’s aware that the v
Sera and Luca arrived in Vintage this afternoon with another vampire, who joined them in the Black Pack. She refused to join Luca on this journey and even told him about her painful memories of Human Land, but he ignored her pleas, and practically dragged her along.When they arrived at the portal, a young beautiful woman, who she later discovers was Luca’s former blood slut, accompanies them to a five-star motel.Luca swiftly took her out immediately after settling down, leaving Sera with his intimidating tall friend until they returned with Lohan.“I'll return with Princess Lana. Stay in your room. Don't wander about until I inform you where to find me for the ritual,” he says coldly to her, then turns his gaze to May.“You should rest. You’ll need it,” he advises.“Come back soon,” May replies sweetly, and Sera pushes away thoughts she doesn't want to entertain.After he departs with his vampire friend, May excuses herself to order food. “I will eat with Sera. You can leave for yo
LanaThe moment Damon moves away from me to defend Matthias, panic grips my chest. Darkness engulfs me, and I'm swept off my feet by an unseen force before I can cling to him. The world blurs as the vampire carries me into the night. His relentless pace propels us through the moonlit forest. His cold arms bind me, rendering me captive to his supernatural speed.As we hurtle deeper into the shadows, fear of my blood being extracted pulsates through my veins. I'm certain that this time, they won't stop taking my blood until I die. Desperation fuels my struggle, and with a surge of adrenaline, I manage to reach into my hidden pocket. I clutch the vial of vervain tightly in my trembling hand. In a daring move, I nervously twist the cap open, and with a swift frantic motion, I fling the vervain into his eyes. “Fucking bitch!” A guttural scowl escapes him, and his grip on my waist momentarily falters.Seizing the opportunity, I kick him and break free, stumbling away from him. “I won't l
“I am yours,” Lana’s acceptance startles the Alpha for a moment. She has once declared that she didn't belong to him, but here she is, admitting his claim.“So adorable…” A smirk plays on Damon’s lips, inwardly elated and aroused by her submission.Their eyes lock, and he moves to squeeze her hip, ready to pull down her long floral skirt when her low, enchanting voice halts his action.“And you are mine too... right?” The expectation and vulnerability in her golden brown eyes, which he had yearned so much to see these past few days, halted him from saying what he might say if circumstances were different. And he hadn't almost lost her to his enemies, because he couldn't protect her.Damon breaks the silence with a tender smile, his fingers tracing a gentle path along her cheek. “Yes, Alana.” He responds, his deep commanding voice a soothing murmur. “We belong to each other. I am yours, as much as you are mine.” Lana responds to his words not with words of her own but with a soft, pas
In the cold, dimly lit cell, Sera’s eyes flutter open. The silver-induced chains dig into her flesh as she attempts to stir, and her memories gradually return. She can't recall how long she’s been tied up, or how many days she’s been unconscious, but she's certain that she’s back in Damon’s mansion. Weakness and pain course through her as her mind replays Lohan’s death. The wolves that attacked them that night severed his body parts right before her until he lost his life. Watching the only support in her life killed in such a gruesome way had caused her to blank out. “Did he suspect anything when he found May’s? What will happen to me now?” Serafina ponders hard, shivering at the thought of having to live without any support. Just like the cell, she feels empty and cold. She misses Lohan. He was her loyal friend. Sera is aware that Damon kept her alive to interrogate her, but she’s clueless about her. She doesn't know anything about Luca’s former blood slut, except her surname.Lo