Cerelia’s POV I opened my eyes to a soft, feathery touch on my cheek. It scalded me almost making me gasp. When I opened my eyes, I gasped at the sight of my mate hovering over me. His hot breath on my face played havoc with my senses. “Xandrios? What are you doing in my bed?” I gasped, looking down at myself. Thankfully, I was fully clothed. Then why was he here? He rolled away with a smile hovering on his lips. “Don’t you remember anything from last night, Cerelia?” He held my jaw-dropped gaze with amused eyes. I blinked in confusion. Last night? How could I not remember a thing after the kisses? I had gone off to sleep. Did he sneak into my room and claim me? Surely I would have known if he did that. “What did we do last night? Did we..?” My face paled as his smirk widened in response. “Hell, no. You had a nightmare. I heard you screaming. You were under a panic attack and I came in just in time to comfort you. Later, you stopped me from leaving. That’s it.” I watched the amu
Cerelia’s POVI rushed inside, panic settling in my heart. If the Red Wolves were here for me, it wouldn’t take them long to get to me. I just hoped they wouldn’t harm my mate and his hospital to get to me.For the rest of the time, I stayed inside. I didn’t want them to know my exact location in this enormous hospital. It would be easy for them to get me if they knew.The door clicked open, and I jumped up, startled out of my wits. Did they break the lock? I sprang from the couch in my room and took on a fighting stance. Before I could find anything, my bedroom door opened and Xandrios peered in.“Hey, are you planning to kill me?” he chuckled, making me blush.“Not at all.” I relaxed and walked out of my room with flushed cheeks. “What are you doing here? Don’t you have any patients to check?”He smiled and gestured towards a large food packet kept on the dining table. “I brought lunch. Help yourself.”I felt relieved at the sight of the food. Seeing the Red Wolves had disturbed me
Alexandrios’s POV I swerved and picked up speed to get rid of our stalker. When I reached Aunt Syble’s house, I would inform Homer and Stavros about the enemy. “They’ve found me, Xandrios. They’ll capture me.” Cerelia looked pale as a sheet. I knew she was going through a panic attack, but I couldn’t stop the car now. The stalker would catch up.“They can’t. Just relax, Cerelia. Once we reach Aunt Syble’s house, I’ll ensure our stalker is captured.” I could see the wolf still chasing us at a distance through the rear-view mirror. His red eyes glittered in the darkness as he picked up speed. He didn’t look like any of the normal pack members. If we couldn’t lose him yet, it meant he was more cunning than I had expected him to be. I swerved into another lane that opened onto the highway. Crossing the stretch as fast as I could, I swerved onto the highway and into another lane. Cerelia sat gripping her seat handle while I swerved into innumerable lanes and out again until we reached t
Alexandrios’s POV Strangely, the door was open, and I ran inside. I knew something was wrong because I had closed the door when I left. “Cerelia!” my voice echoed around the empty house. There was no response. Panic settled in my heart and I ran from room to room. The house looked ransacked, with things strewn all around. A fight seemed to have taken place here. “Cerelia? Lena!” No response. My worst nightmare had come true. It seemed Delta Maverick had barged in and taken my mate away! “No, it can’t be possible!” I screamed in the still house. I flung open the door of the last bedroom to see Lena lying unconscious on a couch near the door. There was no sign of Cerelia!I immediately mind-linked with Zephyrus. ‘Come to the house, fast. Lena’s unconscious and there’s no sign of Cerelia. I think they’ve taken her, bro.’ ‘I’ll be right there.’ He disconnected the link, and I leaned over to pat Lena’s cheeks. “Lena?” I checked her pulse, and it was normal. Lena opened her bleary
Cerelia’s POV Alpha Achlys carried me all the way through the tunnel under the McDougall Trail. It was so well concealed I doubted if Xandrios would ever find me. They fed me some herbs to camouflage my scent and theirs as well. It was so effective that I couldn’t even get their pungent scent.Delta Maverick drugged me so that I had no strength in me to fight. It worked, but not enough to make me lose my consciousness. I couldn’t retaliate or fight but I could see where they were taking me. Was it to their hideout in the Pikes Peak, Colorado? I remember my dad mentioned it once before going out to save the pack. If only I had known it would be the last time I would see him!“Which tunnel now, Maverick?” yelled Alpha Achlys, his voice echoing around. At thirty, he was the most powerful and evil of the lot. I lay limp in his arms, unable to move a muscle. But this couldn’t go on. I had to plan my escape before they injected the potion into my system. I didn’t hope for a rescue. Maybe
Alexandrios’s POV I drove back to the McDougall Trail area where Alpha Alexios had promised to meet me. There had been no update from Stavros, and I was on the verge of losing hope. I would have been clueless if Alpha Alexios hadn’t agreed to help me. This wasn’t a mission I could succeed on my own. Whatever the case, I would never have given up.I reached the location and noticed an agitated Zephyrus, waiting for me with Stavros and his team. Zephyrus didn’t look pleased with me, but I didn’t care this time. My mate’s life was at stake here, and I didn’t need anyone’s permission to seek her. I didn’t understand Zephyrus’s attitude towards Cerelia. Why was he so biased towards her when he was a just and benevolent leader? “There, Dr. Alexandrios is here.” Zephyrus came towards me with a scowl. I got out of the car and faced him. “Did you call Alpha Alexios? Shouldn’t you have waited for me instead of taking matters into your hands, Alex?” “You weren’t there and time was running ou
Cerelia’s POV The air was thick with dust and the scent of damp stone. The rough walls of the cave pressed on all sides. I had been imprisoned here for a few hours, but it was already taking a toll on my health. I could hardly get up from the stone platform that served as my bed. Alpha Achlys had planned my Luna ceremony tonight, but my health deteriorated after reaching his cave. Although he hadn’t yet forced me into anything, I knew it was a temporary lull before the impending storm. Alpha Achlys had other plans in store for me. All hell would break loose when I refused to cooperate with his plans. Ever since he brought me to his makeshift home in the caves of the Pikes Peak, I had fallen sick. The strenuous journey, coupled with the sedation and herbal concoction, had taken a toll on my health. I just wished Xandrios would rescue me and treat me. These Red Wolves had left me tied up in a cave to die with no medication or food. I needed energy to heal myself naturally, summon my
Alexandrios’s POV We reached Pikes Peak in the wee hours of the morning, but the place was deserted. “F*ck! They’ve escaped again.” Alpha Alexios and his team inspected all the caves occupied by the enemy. They had left behind plenty of belongings in their hurry to escape. I gasped as I entered a cave. There, lying on a stone platform, were Cerelia’s burgundy parka and clothes. “Her clothes!” I gasped, checking them for blood stains. Had they harmed her? Why were her clothes here? Did she shift?“Oh! It seems they had tied her up,” said Alpha Alexios, picking up a rusted chain with a lock. “I wonder why they untied her!” I looked around to find a plate of half-eaten food. “At least they gave her something to eat.” However, Alpha Alexios was more interested in staring at the ground. I followed his line of vision and found strange footprints on the floor. They didn’t look like normal shifter footprints. These were of a slender wolf who hardly pressed her heel on the soft ground. Her
Cerelia’s POV I froze, my heart sinking with apprehension. I was suddenly unsure of Zephyrus’s reaction towards me. After all, there was a time when he hated me. “Welcome back to Lucania, Cerelia. How are you now?” he asked in a good-natured way, releasing my mate. I searched his eyes and saw no judgemental look hidden there. Xandrios had truly cleared every ounce of doubt from Zephyrus’s mind. “I’m fine, Alpha. How’s your Luna?” I had always liked Lena more than him. She was kind and forgiving, like a mother should be. “She’s doing fine. You can meet her tomorrow when you officially join our pack. There is a meeting in the morning at around 10. Why don’t you come down to the packhouse with Alex? You can meet the entire pack and join us.” I glanced at my mate, not knowing what plans he might have. I couldn’t go to the packhouse on my own in this condition.“We’ll be there, Zeph.” Zephyrus nodded at my mate and smiled at me before joining Stavros at the bar for a drink. “Are you
Cerelia’s POV The cab sped down the familiar roads and entered Lucania at last. All tiredness and exhaustion vanished, and I gazed out of the windows. The memories came rushing into my mind. They weren’t happy memories. A strange restlessness gripped my heart. What if the pack members didn’t accept me? What if Zephyrus didn’t want me in his pack? That angle hadn’t occurred to me until now. I turned to look at my clueless mate. “Xandrios, what if they don’t want me?” He smiled at me, pulling me to his side. “You have nothing to fear, baby. I’ve cleared your name when I returned to Lucania. Now the whole pack knows your true identity. Why won’t they accept you?” His words relieved me. He hadn’t forgotten while it had totally escaped my mind. “Oh, you remembered? Thank you, Xandrios. What about Zephyrus? Did he change his notion about me?” “Yes. He apologized, and he has agreed to welcome you to the pack. Are you happy now, Cerelia? I sought help from Alpha Alexios to prove your tru
Cerelia’s POV My knees buckled at his heartfelt admission. The intensity of his feelings for me took me by surprise. I had expected anything, but not this. His muscular arms went around me to keep me upright. “Are you alright, Cerelia?” His voice was warm against my ear and I sagged into his chest, maybe to stop him from leaving. “How can I be alright when you’re leaving me, Xandrios?” I looked up to see the fleeting emotions of pain and longing in his eyes. “You know I don’t want to leave you. That’s the reason I was dreading meeting you. I knew I couldn’t go after meeting you once.” He held my face between his hands and drowned in my eyes. “I couldn’t leave without meeting you even.” “Then don’t leave without me.” His arms fell to his sides in defeat. “I have to, Cerelia, but I’ll be back next month.” He flashed a tight smile at me while my heart wanted to howl and protest. How could he leave me for a month? “I won’t survive that long without you, Xandrios. Take me with you,
Cerelia’s POV I watched my mate in awe. How did his speech melt the bitter hearts of two hundred silver wolves? I had no idea, and neither did Alpha Alexios. He smiled at my mate, embracing him for easing his task. It wasn’t easy to convince bloodthirsty wolves who had been agitating for the last two months. Yet my mate made it look like a child’s game. I was glad he could connect to them with his honesty and simplicity, the way he connected to me. “Beta Theodore, do you agree to the rules of the council and the new rules of the pack?” asked Uncle Alarik. “Yes. If no one has a problem, I don’t either.” I released a sigh of relief that all matters were resolved, and there would be peace now. “The meeting is dismissed. Let’s join hands and make Pieria a heaven on Earth for all silver wolves. There’s another good news for the pack members. As a token of appreciation, Dr. Vasiliou has agreed to set up a hospital for all of us in Pieria. We wouldn’t need to go to Thessaloniki for medi
Cerelia’s POV“Xandrios, what the hell are you saying? How can you accuse Nikos?” I faced my mate fiercely, shoving him backward. Nikos tried to protect me, knowing my delicate condition.Xandrios looked even more furious. What was wrong with him? “Why can’t I? How could you move on from me, Cerelia? How could you forget me and accept him in your life?”I gaped at him as realization struck me. Did he think Nikos was my rebound? Did he think I was carrying my brother’s pups?“Are you out of your mind? Nikos is my brother. Why will I move on with him? If you don’t want to accept me and your pups, why are you here? I’m fine. I’m alive. Go away, Xandrios. I don’t need you.”I left him frozen on the spot as tears stung in my eyes. “Bro, please, can you help me to my room? I’m feeling dizzy.” I didn’t look at Xandrios, my heart breaking at his lack of trust in me. Didn’t he feel my love for him? I had endured so much, hoping to unite with him one day. For months, I waited for him to rescue
Cerelia’s POV “Cerelia, how are you today? Aunt Sophia wants you in her clinic for a checkup. She has lots of patients today. She can’t take out time and come over,” said Nikos, coming into my room. It had been over two and a half months since my grandpa died. My pregnancy was progressing well, and I looked pregnant, too. Aunt Sophia still thought my condition was critical, although I wasn’t bedridden anymore. Yet I couldn’t leave the mansion and go to Lucania.We were all imprisoned inside. There was mayhem outside with Grandpa’s supporters demanding justice. They wanted Uncle Alarik to step down and Grandpa’s friend and counselor, Beta Theodore, to take over as Alpha of the Silvermane Warriors. With an impeccable track record of always following the rules of the pack, he was a strong contender. But our family refused to bend to their demands. As Grandpa’s true successors, Uncle Alarik and Uncle Viktor were the rightful leaders of the pack. Every day, their demands grew violent an
Alexandrios’s POV Annabeth frowned as she switched on the lights. I waited anxiously for her to explain. Cerelia’s face kept on flashing across my mind. Was she in pain? Did her grandpa start the purification process? Had she forgotten me? Had she mated with a Silver Wolf? Whose hand was she holding? I was at my wit’s end, with so many questions flitting across my mind. I needed answers. “The black smoke you saw denotes danger. It seems your mate is shrouded in danger. The painful expression on her face denotes health issues. Maybe she too was unconscious, like you, for a long time. It points at a curse, but the white cloud looks hopeful. The evil force controlling your mate is no more. The curse has vanished. She’s free now.” I watched her with confusion, my mind swirling already. I couldn’t understand her. “If Cerelia’s free, can I go to Pieria and rescue her?” Annabeth gave me an agitated look. “No, not until the black smoke reduces. You could lose your life, son.” My heart an
Alexandrios’s POV I opened my eyes and looked around the hospital room I was in. It was torture to be admitted to my hospital under a colleague’s care. I had no idea what happened to me. I suddenly lost consciousness when on my rounds. The tests produced no problem at all. Yet I was in a semi-conscious state for fifteen days, receiving intravenous treatment. I could hear and feel everyone’s concern, but couldn’t move an inch. I was at my wit’s end and so were my close friends and colleagues, Dr. Daniels and Dr. Bradley. They couldn’t pinpoint the cause of my illness from my reports. I could hear Zephyrus and Stavros discuss the possibility of a curse. “I have a hunch that even Cerelia is suffering the same. It’s a mated wolf’s curse, prevalent among the Silver Wolves as a punishment for disobedience. I had heard about it when in Aromania,” said Zephyrus. My heart sank with dread, and I forced myself to open my eyes. I saw the look of surprise on Zephyrus and Stavros’ faces. “Alex
Cerelia’s POVI stirred, but my body ached tremendously. It seemed like the last drop of energy was wrenched out of me. Was I dead? Did Grandpa’s deathly grip or the touch of his sword to my skin kill me?I could hear faint voices near me. It seemed I was far away, unable to open my eyes or move my body. A cold metal touched my chest, and I gasped, filling my lungs with a lot of oxygen. What was it? I tried to shout for help, but no sound came out of my lips.“She’s responding!” someone cried out close to my ears. I recognized that voice instantly. It was Nikos’s. So I wasn’t dead. I was still at the mansion and my brother was with me.“Nikos,” I croaked into the deafening silence. “Water.”There was a shuffle, and someone held water to my lips. I drank a sip and then another. It energized me, and I slowly opened my eyes. Everything was blurred and I could hardly focus on anyone. The room was full of my family members. Was my grandpa here too? Fear gripped my heart as I blinked to ref