Dragana POV The sound of that voice sent ice-cold shivers down my spine and if Jasmine had not been holding me, I would have most certainly dropped to the ground. Jasmine snarled at him, saying nothing. I slowly turned around, even though I was not sure I wanted to see the owner of that voice, the one who spoke those words. Standing in height a little taller than Jasmine was the biggest Lycan I have ever seen. A similar kind of gray fur, however, he had muscles twice the size of hers. His long canine teeth were bloody, his eyes radiating purple. When he moved, his fur almost seemed to spark silver. There was an incredible power and incredible aura pulsating from his whole being. It felt as if he could bend anything to his will, simply looking at them. I have never felt such power, it was as if the Earth would spin in the opposite direction if he commanded it. “Going somewhere baby sister?” he said snarling, walking slowly in our direction as if he were stalking us. It took me a mome
Roman POV To say that I was confused and conflicted with myself would be an understatement. I do not know what came over me last night. I had the same urge to protect Dragana, I wanted her, that much has not changed. But there was something else. I felt something. I felt a bond of some kind. I slept soundly with her in my arms for the first time in many years. I woke up not wanting to let her go. However, I knew I had to. I had a mate and my fidelity, love and responsibility belonged to her. Something was nagging me though; I could not explain it. When I kissed her this morning before she left, it was incredible. For the first time, I just wanted to kiss her, I wanted her to know the gentleness, the actual kiss, other than the raw sexuality behind it. I hesitated at first, but when her plump warm lips opened to me, I lost myself in her scent, in the warmth of her mouth, in the fact that she was responding. I could have stayed like that forever, kissing her as if I was drowning and she
Dragana POV Opening my eyes slowly, I was adjusting to the bright light around me. Passing through the portal, I did not ask where I was going or why. All I needed to do was escape Dark Lord Khor, and with Jasmine’s help and my mother’s ancient magic I managed somehow. I still did not understand how a lullaby could do such a thing. My head was hurting and in fact, my whole body was aching. I did not know where I was. Sounds of birds and water were near and as I slowly got up, I realized I was on the beach of some kind. Sun was shining bright, and it looked like it was midday, someplace, somewhere. I looked at my leg, and while there was some dried blood, my wound was closed and completely healed. Stumbling, I tried to get up, but I felt weak, weaker in fact then ever.“Teleportation spells are advanced, and if you are not practiced at it, they will take a lot of energy out of you. I suggest you move carefully and get up easily”, I heard a man’s voice. I tried to see who was speaking
Roman’s POVThe excitement of finally seeing my mate, of holding her close to me was buzzing around me. Electricity of it was unreal and I was beyond ecstatic! Finally, my fated mate, my Luna Queen, future mother of my pups, stability for my kingdom, stability for my packs, stability for me, and I for her. I thought of all the ways I will make her celebrated, wanted, elevated, loved, cherished, and supported. She was my destined, the gift from the Goddess after all. I kissed her with all I had, sparks flying around, and she welcomed my kiss, her plump lips opening to me, her warm tongue dancing with me. However, something was wrong. Something was seriously, very, very wrong. The mate bond was faint if there was a bond at all. She was a beautiful and attractive woman, but this was not a mate pull. This much I knew. It was definitely NOT what I expected, not what I have heard or what I have known. This was also NOTHING compared to me kissing Dragana! Caleb was roaring in my head, he rea
Lady Jasmine POV The smoke and fires were around me, as were the dead bodies. I smelled blood and death. Laying on the ground, my whole body was aching and all I heard was buzzing. My vision was cloudy but I was trying to see, trying to get up. Yet something held me down. “It is an immobilis spell, you will not be able to move until I say so", I heard the voice of my brother. “WHERE IS SHE?????” he roared. The portal had succeeded, I thought to myself. The lullaby worked. Little did Dragana know that was an ancient spell, but it required a power of a well-trained witch to open it. She was not trained. I took a chance, praying it would work to save her. It did. So, at least she was safe, I thought to myself. “WHERE IS SHE?? I WILL NOT ASK AGAIN JASMINE!!!!!!”, my brother was pacing around me, the ancient magic embedded in him, his tattoos becoming active, moving up and down his arm, his aura becoming more dangerous every moment he moved. I tried to speak, but blood was pooling in my mo
Beta Artemis POV The white lights above my head were blinding. I slowly opened my eyes and the sheer power of them nearly blinded me. I was slowly adjusting to it. The room was spacious, white, and smelled of cleaning chemicals. I must be in a hospital, I thought, trying to get my bearings, to orient myself and understand what was happening. Again, I struggled to open my eyes, but gradually things were falling into focus. I tried to get up, but noticed I was plugged into machines beeping. Turning to my right, I saw an unexpected person. Alpha King Jonathan. Technically, a former Alpha King. Yet, he was sitting in the chair next to my bed, looking intently at me. “You woke up son!” his deep voice rumbled, and I could tell he was relieved. “You gave us quite a scare there, my young buck!”, he chuckled. I tried to speak, but words were not coming to me. “Nurse”, Alpha roared, and soon, a diminutive, yet strong-willed she-wolf appeared. Her expression was that of no-nonsense. “Alpha King
Roman POV At this point, I did not know if I was coming or going. Sitting behind my large desk in the pack office, I was surrounded by King Malakai’s people – a couple of his generals, one of whom looked at me with literal hatred, his healers, Slavic coven witches and my father. Dragana was missing and I felt as if part of me was missing – the chasm of emptiness because of her disappearance not only shocked me, but nearly killed me. I did not understand why that affected me the way it did, but here I am, stuck with these people who apparently can do nothing but argue. Lady Jasmine’s injuries were severe, but her physical body was mending. However, it was her mental state everybody was concerned about and nobody had any real solution to it – we did not know how to bring her back from the veil in between. Then there was Art – my brother from another mother, my childhood friend, and my Beta, who barely survived and from what I learned survived only because Lady Jasmine helped him, eve
Dragana POV The sun was shining brightly, the smell of seawater and sand hitting me as I was waking up. A large white canopy tent was around me, however, inside it looked more like an ornate and very elaborate living room. Beautify decorated red and gold cushions with intricate designs were everywhere. Fresh flowers of all kinds and glass and gold ornaments stood around me, catching the sun and sparkling in reflection. Crystal chandeliers were hanging as if suspended in mid-air by sheer willpower. I was laying down on a very large white and gold ottoman, a light blanket on me. I heard people and sensed their presence but really saw nothing. Sitting up, I was trying to recall where I was. “You have woken up child!”. I heard the voice belonging to Solomon, whom now I understood was my great grandfather, my family. “Where am I?”, I said groggily. “You passed out child, summoning and traveling through Silver Gate took a lot out of you”, he said with a smile, although I could sense concer
Beta Artemis POVAs we sat by the willowy tree in the ever-encompassing darkness, I started to feel…. Well… different, would be the best explanation. There was something here… Something an eye could not see, something that devoured your very soul. Emir whimpered, and this was strange – my wolf was a warrior, unfazed by anything. Roman was chewing on his food, looking at me strangely, his eyes flickering between him and Caleb, something happening, something he did not share. “Can you reach Caleb?”, I asked Emir and the definite answer was no. Our wolves could not communicate to one another and that was a huge red flag! I did not know what was happening. The darkness around us started moving and through the shadows I heard her voice… Faint at first, but then I felt her. I felt her calling to me, I felt her presence, her scent, her ever-present light… I opened my eyes, and there she stood before me, my beautiful Dragana, smiling at me, in flesh.It had only been moments since we left the
Roman POVWe sat down in the darkness that enveloped us. It was not like anything we had ever seen, it was permeating, ever dark, ever shadowy. It almost all felt unreal, as if we stepped into a realm unseen, something made of the darkness itself. Although I was initially reluctant to have Art join me, I was grateful for his presence, for his stoic aura and his support. Still chewing on a piece of beef jerky, I set up a temporary camp. We had moved far, and I knew we did not have a lot of time, but I needed to talk to him. Events back home did not allow us a conversation, and I needed to speak to the only other man Dragana loved. I needed to come up with a plan. Just in case. Just in case I did not make it out of here, I needed to know that he would love her as she deserved to be loved. In truth, I already knew that, but somehow, my heart was heavy, and I simply needed my friend.I knew he was restless seeing the dark waters. In truth. I was too; however, I did not want to admit it. I
Artemis POV When Dragana opened up the portal, I did not know what to expect. I knew we were going into a treacherous situation – by all accounts. What I read about the Yamuna River, coupled with what King Solomon said, did not look promising or encouraging. Surely, we were walking into danger, but none of that mattered. I loved her. I loved her with every breath I took and would gladly lay my life down for her, as I would for Roman. My connection to him was different, but there was love in my heart for him too, love, loyalty and friendship that only came from years of shared life like we had. We live in a strange world, one that to humans, at least most, would be incomprehensible. When I was young, I thought about their ways, the way they love, the way they live. I wondered what my life would be if I were born a human. I observed them, read about them, and thought to myself. Imagine having to work so hard, continuously on the verge of injury or death, struggling for most hours of you
Dragana POV“Regina Dominum???? You are not the Luna Queen yet, Alice!!!” I heard a strong booming voice of Alpha King Jonathan as strong as a command almost, his eyes piercing and blazing at her. I could tell he was none the more pleased with her invoking the ancient rite. “My son has not marked you, nor mated you from what I can tell from your scent… You do smell… well.. different… in some way, that I must admit… But you do not smell of my blood!!! You do not smell of Spieta line!!” he now all but growled, his hazel eyes turning almost crimson. I had never seen him that mad, nor did I know that his eyes had such a deadly hue to it. He looked quite intimidating, in fact.“Ah… ah.. no matter old timer”, Alice snickered.. “Roman and I will be mated and marked in no time, as soon as he is back from whatever idiotic and self-serving trip this betrayer, this murderer sent him to. In fact, how do we know that she is not planning to overtake the pack itself???? She must have sent Roman to h
Dragana POVGamma Aldar’s wife, Rose, looked bewildered and her face was a river of tears. A petite brunette with beautiful, amber-colored eyes, she held his body as if it were a baby, her sobs piercing my very soul. I knew they were fated mates, and I knew they had children. In fact, I remember delivering one of their sons many years ago, a chubby blonde boy with his mother’s eyes. I could not imagine or fathom the pain she was going through, and my heart went out to her. I was still in shock that somehow the dead man’s hand had the piece of my dress, covered in blood, but that was not my main concern. It should have been.“IT WAS HER!!!! SHE KILLED HIM!”, came the screeching voice of Alice, storming with purpose from a corner of the circle, her eyes flaming with fury, her hand outstretched and pointed at me. Everybody’s eyes turned toward me, confused and insecure, doubt in their eyes, yet nobody said anything. Rose lifted her eyes up to me, puffy and red, looking between me and Ali
Dragana POVMy aunt and her husband excused themselves to go meet with their children. It was just yesterday that they all arrived, and I was excited about meeting my relatives. I understood most favored a witch gene, although a couple of them were hybrids, so we had a lot to discuss. Fluttering emotions were overcoming me every time I thought of them. Having a family also made me feel stronger, and an anchor if you will, albeit a little insecure. For somebody who did not even know I had a family, I now swam in family relationships, magic, lovers and everything in between. My whole world had been tossed upside down and I was still adjusting to it.My great-grandfather, the sage of old times, looked at me with tenderness. “My sweet child…. A new day, a new dawn is coming into your life… The question you need to ask yourself, is are you going to allow it to control you… Or will you step up and control it?”, he asked, as we made way toward the packhouse. My stomach was grumbling, and I o
Dragana POVWatching both of them getting ready to go to Yamuna, to risk their lives for Jasmine, tightened my heart and nearly made me breathless. The weight of what I asked of them weighed heavy on me, and while I appreciated their bravado and their honor in making sure that I understood that none of this was my fault, none my responsibility, deep down I knew better. I also knew that no matter what, I could not choose between them. I knew in my heart that I loved Roman, in spite of all the past, in spite of fear that he would never see me as an equal, never see me as somebody worthy. Many years of solitude within the pack, many years of cold shoulder and downright emotional abuse, did not disappear simply because he confessed his love. I did not know if they ever would and if I ever would fully make peace with this. However, right now, at this moment, as we stood there, on the cusp of change and on the cusp of their departure, I could not allow such a burden to be placed on either o
Roman POV“Yamuna River…..” I heard Solomon’s strong voice echoing around our odd gathered group, snapping me from my thoughts of my night with Dragana and her revelation of truly being my mate. I was ecstatic and apprehensive all at the same time, as even though Aisha and Caleb had acknowledged and recognized each other, Dragana did not accept me, nor did we mate, nor was she marked. I did not know how to feel about it all, but one thing was certain. At least I was not crazy, well, not as crazy as everyone thought anyway. I knew I had seen the beautiful white wolf; Caleb and I knew she was our mate. What sorcery Alice was playing at and why to fake mate bond, I did not know. Both Dragana and I also thought that perhaps there would be a possibility of her being an unwilling victim of a larger force at play. We had a plan. A plan I was going to discuss with Art and Gamma Aldar when I returned. Dragana had promised to discuss this with Solomon and the Slavic Coven, her uncle, Lord Samue
Roman POVWe made an odd crowd standing under the blue-blooming tree. Dragana, Lady Asma, Lord Samuel, King Solomon, Art, and I. Odd crowd indeed. It was the early morning hours and we only had two days left until we had to return with the Blessed Blade, the only way to save Lady Jasmine from certain death. Dragana stood there stoically in a white gown that in the morning sun made her look etheric. Her silver, sparkling eyes stood out more than usual and I could see a gentle smile whenever she gazed at Art or myself. I had a lot of emotions raging within me, a lot that I was trying to understand after my night with her.Flashback*****************I had to know. I had to ask her, even though somehow, inexplicably, even though she claimed I meant nothing to her, I could feel that she was lying. I knew that her body melted into mine as I had into her, a feeling unlike any other in my life. I knew she felt it, I knew she felt some type of a deeper connection. I could see I had put her on