ARIANNA’S POVI was exhausted. Turns out bloodletting was exhausting. Dave had called it bloodletting when I called to congratulate him this morning. I wasn’t being completely drained but it definitely felt like it. Being drained of blood while my energy was being channeled for a spell to save lives. If there was something more dramatic than exhausted, then that’s what I was.It had been a long day, but I could rest now knowing I had done everything I could and the mystic moon would not be wiped out. At least not by this plague. Maybe by Carter’s iron fist regime, or hunger after he burns through the money Luciano gave him when we left, “You’ve done well” Naomi said to me with a smile on her face. We had been getting along quite well. Her face gave off a don’t mess with me vibe but that smile said give me a hug. And she smiled a lot. Well, she smiled a lot with everyone except Carter.I never bothered asking why she didn’t like him. He was Carter, he probably said or did something t
ARIANNA’S POV“Am I disturbing something?” Luciano asked over the phone.“No, just heading to bed. What have you been up to?” There was no point reliving the awkwardness that just happened. “Just work. Are you packed for tomorrow?” He sounded different, weird, “Are you okay? You sound weird” I asked avoiding his question. “Just a long and confusing day. What time do you leave tomorrow?” He asked again.“Umm … I’m going to stay one more day.” It was crickets after I said this. I knew he wouldn’t like it, but I expected him to say something. “Luciano, are you there? I agreed to have dinner with my parents tomorrow night. I just thought to get it over with, hear what they have to say.”“It’s fine Arianna, talk to your parents. Are you getting along with your sister?” That was an out of the blue question. “I couldn’t even if I wanted to. No one knows where she is. Carter basically turned the pack inside out looking for her.” I answered, he was still weirdly quiet. “Luciano?’“Yeah, we
ARIANNA’S POVI had no idea how far I had run but it was very dark now so I headed back to Carter’s. My parents were gone when I got there but Carter was waiting for me in the living room.“Where have you been?” he asked ‘I went for a run to clear my head.” I tried walking past him but he stood in my way.“Can we talk?”“About what Carter? How you ambushed me with that stupid dinner?” Great, so much for a run to clear my head.“No, that wasn't an ambush, I just wanted you to know that you have the option of coming back.” I looked at him standing there, he was actually serious. This had to be a joke.“Coming back! I have the option to come back. Come back to what Carter? Parents who hate me or a mate who rejected me. Which is it? I was furious and screaming. How dare he? How dare all of them? “It's not like that anymore. Things can be different now your mom wants you back and your dad will come around.”“Oh, really, is that supposed to make up for everything?”“No, it's not. But you
LUCIANO’S POV“Where did you get that?” I asked Ciara as she pulled a key out of her back pocket.I recognized the key, it was the third spare to my office. I had one, Dave had one and Ariana had one there was no reason why Ciara was holding one.“I think you know where I got it.” she responded. There was no way she had this, Ariana would not give it to her.“You expect me to believe that Ariana gave that to you.” “Well, no. She didn't give it to me. She just told me where to get it. Your bedside table, nice room by the way. That bed post could be useful.” She winked at me“Why would she do that?” I asked, getting impatient.“You need to pay more attention to your mate. She may love you but she fears Carter more. Or maybe … she loves Carter. Whatever her reasons, it didn't take more than one conversation with Carter to convince her. I wasn't there for it. Did he wooh her or did he threaten her or maybe a little of both.” She shrugged She was mad she was insane that had to be the onl
ARIANNA’S POV“As of this moment, you are no longer a part of this pack. You will leave this compound immediately.”I was shocked into temporary paralysis. For almost a minute, I could not move or blink. What was happening? Had I stepped into a joke? My body had no reaction for this moment. I tried to talk to form a train of thought, but I kept coming up blank. My shock finally gave way to anger. He was believing whatever shit story Ciara told him, over me. If there was ever a person I trusted with my feelings, my fears, it was him. And he was tossing me aside with such ease. I took a deep breath and drew myself up to my full height. “Goodbye, Luciano.” I walked out of the office without looking back. I ran down the stairs, passing Dave on my way down and not stopping at his excitement to see me. I ran past my suitcase, I didn’t stop running till I was out the gate and a good distance from it. That was when the tears came. I folded myself up by the roadside, and let the delayed f
LUCIANO’S POV“Where is Arianna going in such a hurry?” Dave asked as he walked in. I didn’t give him an answer but my face must have told him that something was off. “What did you do?” He asked. I could not relive what just happened. My chest was so tight, I could barely breathe. I got up and left Dave standing confused in the middle of my office. I must have walked the full perimeter of the compound more than ten times. I could not bring myself to stop moving. What had I done? What if I was wrong? She looked so broken before she left. “Goodbye Luciano” those words kept replaying in my head. No, I did what had to be done. I can’t have a traitor hanging around. The thought did not sit well with me. The girl I had fallen for was not a traitor. What the hell happened? How did we come to this? “Fuck!” I screamed into the distance. I saw Dave walking towards me, waving his phone in the air.“Where is she? Why isn’t she taking my calls?” There was no point avoiding him anymore.“I
LUCIANO’S POV“Can you tell how long it has been in there?” I asked Sarah“The date it was sent is right here. I don’t know how you didn’t notice it earlier. It’s not a very complex one so your phone should have been acting up trying to get rid of it.”“It’s not mine. It’s Arianna’s” I said more to myself than to Sarah.“You didn’t say if I should delete it or not.” I looked at her, thinking for a moment.“No, there’s no need. I’ll take care of it.” I stretched out my hand and she handed me the phone.What the fuck had I done? I sat in my office the entire day. Hating myself and relieving the past month. “The phone has a mind of it’s own now.” “What key?” “Goodbye Luciano.”I had been an astronomical asshole. I believed she lied to and betrayed me. I needed to find her. How? “Her credit card!” I picked up my phone and dialed Gerald. He managed all my accounts and the pack’s and also Arianna’s. He had given her all her cards and information. I looked at the time and it was well
LUCIANO’S POVI was back in my office. In hindsight, I should have known I would not find Arianna in that room. The purchases and splurging was not her. Why would she leave her phone on the side of the road and her credit card in a motel?I knew the answer as soon as I asked the question. She did not want to be found. I had driven her away. For good. Even if by some miracle, I found her, she likely would not want to come home.I tried speaking to her in my mind but she shut me out. Ironic, I had shut her out first. I was staring at her phone and card on my table when Dave walked in.“Nice of you to show up, Dave.”“I heard you drove out like a maniac last night. What was that about?” He took a seat across from me instead of his couch. I guess he wasn”t staying.“Needed to check something out urgently.”“As long as you are fine.” He eyed the items on my table before getting up to leave. “You were right. I screwed up.” He sat bacl down. “Go on,” he said I explained how Sarah had con
ARIANNA’S POVAlex walked in and the sea of people standing around parted for her. She looked gracious and I couldn’t wait to tell her that her dress captured the light of the moon like she wanted. The crowd of people parted and converged around her. It was like a maze that opened up in front and shut behind you as you walked. They were leading her to the center. To her minotaur. But this time, it was no scary monster, it was the love of her life. She finally got to the center of the crowd and stood opposite Dave. Luciano stood with them to perform the ceremony. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. His robe, fortunately for me, left a lot of his chest bare. There was a lot left to the imagination but just enough was open that I couldn’t help but stare. I stepped up when I was called. It was time for best friend duties. I handed over the stone. It was white but a little see through. It was supposed to represent the moon. Luciano took it and placed it in Dave’s hand, he then covered it
LUCIANO’S POV“And what’s wrong with that?” She asked me. Fuck! That question tugged at the beast in me that just wanted to take her, with zero regard. I took a deep slow breath to calm myself. We both needed this, but she needed it more. Her body needed to remember that there was a lot more than the pain she had endured. “Shhh” I whispered back to her.I traced kisses all over her body, slowly, and holding on to her hips. Those hips. I would let them move, in time. I made my way down her body till I got between her legs. I buried my face in there and took a deep breath. The smell of her arousal drove me nuts and I could feel my erection grow in my pants. My tongue immediately went to work. Licking and sucking at her mound. I could feel her shaking beneath me and it made me happy. I slipped one finger into her opening and heard her let out a loud moan, I slipped in the second finger and let go of her hips. She was thrusting against my fingers now, my thumb once again found her c
ARIANNA’S POV “Alex, you did it! It’s beautiful.” I told her as we stood in the clearing. “You should see it at night, with the lights lit.” She said. “Two days away now. How are you freeling?” The smile that covered her face was infectious. I didn’t realize I was smiling too. “It feels like a lucid dream. A good one.” She explained.“Well, it’s not a dream.” I told her. “There you two are. Your parents have arrived.” Dave announced as he walked into the clearing. I watched Alex subconsciously gravitate into his arms. There was no thought behind it. Her body just moved. I loved that they had found each other. In the midst of all the crazy, something beautiful came out of it. “Where are they?” Alex asked Dave.“Luciano is keeping them busy in the big house. They came with the mystic moon’s new Alpha, Dylan.” Dave explained. “That still feels weird to hear. Alpha Dylan and the mystic moon. Thank the goddess for that.” I shuddered. Alex squeezed my hand for a brief second befor
ARIANNA’S POVLuciano took my hand in his and we walked off into the field. I had no idea where we were but I wondered who owned this place. No way, It was just a wild field. Someone definitely took care of it. There were wild flowers around, two trees apart from each other. But the grass was not wild. From the beginning to the end of the field the grass was cut to the same length. It had this feel of a wild place but at the same time, I could see the intentionality behind it. I watched Luciano spread a blanket on the grass and place the basket to the side. He stretched out his hand for me. I took it and he led me to sit on the blanket. I had never seen this blanket before, so I wondered where he got it. “So, what did the Chef pack us?” I asked. “Chef didn’t pack it.” He answered a little annoyed. “I was just teasing.” I told him. “I know. And I told Estell what to pack. So it was partly me.” He said, sulking. I giggled at his face. He reminded me of a toddler who wasn’t gett
LUCIANO’S POV“Good for Dylan.” I muttered. “Good for the mystic moon. Good for us.” Dave replied. I nodded at him. “Would you mind inviting him to the ceremony? Some of the pack is going to be here anyway.” I asked.“Of course. I was only trying to keep Carter out. Dylan is good. I think he and Alex used to be friends before he left the pack.” “Sounds good. Anything from the other Alphas?” “Just the usual. Nothing about us or Arianna though…” he looked like he had something else to say but could not decide. “What is it?” “Collin was trying to stir some of the others but they shut him down.” Dave explained.“Can someone do the rest of us a favour and challenge him already? By the moon! It’s always something with him.” I said, frustrated.“He’ll be out soon. Without an external factor to distract his pack, they will start to realise what a terrible Alpha he is.” “That may be true, but I doubt it’ll be that easy. He lets them get away with a lot of truancy. This year alone, more
ARIANNA’S POV“Did you know that Ciara was changing the natural state of your forest?” I asked Luciano.We were sitting by the kitchen Island, eating a bowl of microwaved lasagna. I was eating anyway, Luciano was just keeping me company. He had a confused look on his face that told me he had no idea that Alex was planting flowers in his forest. I giggled before explaining to him. “She says its too green and needs other colors to pop.” I explained. “Of course it needs other colors.” We both laughed at the way he said that. It was so playful and almost like saying why didn’t he think of it. “How was your fitting. Can I see your dress?” He asked. “Sure. It’s up in my room.” I said. I could see the very minute flicker in his eyes. If I had blinked I would have missed it. And if I had not noticed it a few times before I would have sworn I imagined it. “What’s wrong?” I finally asked him. “What do you mean?” “Just now. When I said you could see my dress. There was this … I can’t exp
CIARA’S POVHow would I explain to Dylan that I wasn’t welcome at the Ice claw pack? The last thing I wanted was him associating me with Carter’s tyranny. It was bad enough that everyone knew we were together. We were together. The thought took me by surprise. I knew we were done but I had not said it out loud. He was sick and dying. The last thing I wanted was to become his nurse and in extension, the punching bag for all his pain. I would make up an excuse to not go. He had his beta. From what he said, it would be no more than two days. Just a formality. There was actually no need for me to be there. The environment around the pack had been light and welcoming. Everyone who left with Dylan during the plague was back. Families were happy and no one even spoke of Carter. It was almost like he didn’t exist. But he did.I walked by his house for what seemed like the hundredth time in as many days. I knocked but there was no answer. He had locked his door days ago. His door was never
CIARA’S POVI knew Carter was weak but I at least expected a fight. Watching him writhing on the floor with drool running out of his mouth was just embarrassing.He could not even get through his change let alone fight. Everyone who gathered to watch didn’t seem to understand what was happening. “Is that part of it? “What the fuck is happening?”“Can he stand?” I heard these questions randomly from the crowd. This was beyond bad for Carter. If he couldn’t even turn, how did he plan to survive? It actually explained why he was absent during the full moon. Dylan walked up to Carter’s shivering body and placed one leg on top of him, signaling that the fight was done. If we could call it a fight. Dylan standing with Carter beneath his feet was the signal everyone needed to stop feeling sorry for Carter. The screams of joy were deafening. It was like years of pent up frustration could finally be let out. I ran inside Carter’s house to grab blankets. When I got back outside, old man M
CARTER’S POVI looked at my reflection in the full length mirror. I looked like I was hexed. Considering I had no idea what Luciano stabbed me with, I guess I could be hexed. Hexes were the worst, it was also George’s best guess. If he was right then there was no way out of this for me. I would walk a slow pain filled journey to my death. Curse Nadia. What did I ever do to her for her to do this to me? Not only did she tell other witches not to help me, if this was really a hex then it would not matter who wanted to help. Only the witch who places the hex can remove it. I had been in so much pain lately, I actually tried calling her. All my calls went straight to voicemail.In hindsight, leaving threats on her voicemail may not have been the best approach. I did leave an apology, but she still has not called back. I would find a way, I was not going to go down like this. “Max!” I called out. He ran in seconds later. “Any idea where Ciara has been since yesterday?” I asked him.