Hades,The chill crawled under my skin as I realized she was nowhere to be found. Not just Elysia—Ruby was missing too. A sharp, unsettling fear gripped my chest, an unfamiliar weakness I despised. My first rule, the one I swore never to break, suddenly felt insignificant. Never expose my original form in the human world. But I had no choice. I shifted without hesitation, my wings stretching against the wind, the dark red aura radiating from my body as I took flight. The countryside was mercifully empty at this hour; otherwise, I would have been seen. But I didn’t care. Nothing mattered if I lost her. I scanned the land below, my gaze sweeping over rivers, fortresses, and every shadowed corner that met my sight. My senses were heightened, my mind sharp, yet I found no trace of her. Dread clawed at my chest, an emotion I had long since buried, one I refused to name. By the time I circled the woods, my attention shifted to a vast field of dandelions and wild roses. In the daylig
Elysia,"It's your fault. It's your fault!!!" The scream of that foreign voice rang in my head, but it started fading as an unfamiliar heat spread through my body. It wasn’t the kind of heat that came with despair—it was something else. Something primal. It felt like my wolf was in heat, an overwhelming sensation that drowned my thoughts and left me feeling weak and hypnotized. The voice still lingered, however, like a ghost whispering through my bones, keeping my body tense despite the feverish need crawling under my skin. Was it Stella? The witch Hades loved? It felt different, but why did I hate her so much? The way her voice dripped with affection when calling his name made my stomach twist. Jealousy? What a ridiculous feeling. I didn’t even like Hades—at least, that’s what I had convinced myself. The mate bond was the only thing between us, this unbearable force keeping me tethered to him. My body craved him, but my mind resisted. And yet, the moment I heard that voice,
I woke up to warmth—too much warmth. A strong arm was locked around my waist, and the steady rise and fall of someone’s chest pressed firmly against my back. My entire body felt caged, a solid wall of heat surrounding me, and for a moment, confusion clouded my mind. Then the scent of fire, pine, and something darkly intoxicating filled my senses. Hades. My heart lurched painfully before I even opened my eyes. The memories of last night rushed in. Yeah, we marked each other and crossed all the limits we were supposed not to. I felt our mate bond throbbing. I felt the connection between us.I tried shifting, attempting to put some space between us, but the arm around me tightened, pulling me impossibly closer. "Where do you think you're going?" His voice was thick with sleep, low and rough, sending a shiver down my spine. I swallowed hard. "I—I wasn’t going anywhere." He hummed in response, the sound vibrating against my back as his breath ghosted over my neck. Before I
Certainly, The changes between us felt overwhelming, a shift neither of us had fully prepared for. Both of us carried dominant wolves within us, and the strength of our mate bond made our possessiveness clash like two opposing magnetic forces. It was an invisible tug-of-war, unspoken yet felt in every interaction. What surprised me the most, however, was Hades' unwavering stance on the matter. He hadn’t once expressed regret or hesitation about what had transpired. There was no guilt, no reluctance—only certainty. Yet, a lingering worry remained in my heart. I wanted to be a mother. And he didn’t. The golden morning sunlight streamed through the wide windows, casting warm streaks of light across the dining room. The atmosphere was serene, almost deceptively so, considering the turmoil still lingering in my heart. Hades and I were preparing breakfast together, something that hadn’t happened in days. Since that night, we hadn’t left the bed much, consumed by the hunger of our
Hades’ POV, "Which part of my body said that I didn't like you?" The words left my mouth sharper than I intended, but damn it—I meant them. Elysia froze, her eyes wide, lips parting in shock. She hadn’t expected me to snap, and frankly, neither had I. But how could she even think I didn’t want her? I took a step closer, and she leaned back instinctively, almost as if she thought I’d lose control again. That flicker of fear gutted me. Slowly, deliberately, I crouched down in front of her chair so I wasn’t looming over her anymore. I wanted her to see me—really see me. "Is it my face?" I asked quietly, voice softer now. "My mouth? My eyes? Because every time I look at you, they only do one thing—follow you like a lovesick idiot." She blinked rapidly, clearly thrown off by my sudden change in tone. "Or maybe it’s my hands." I reached up and gently wrapped my fingers around hers resting on her lap. "You think these hands would spend hours cooking for you, holding you, fighting for
Elysia, "I will be back for dinner!" His voice was warm yet firm as he pressed a feathery kiss against my mark. The familiar sensation sent shivers down my spine, but before I could fully savor it, he had already grabbed his suitcase. "Another town visit?" I asked while fixing his tie, my fingers smoothing over the fabric with practiced ease. "Yes. We must find those parts of the book!" His eyes gleamed with determination as he allowed me to adjust the knot properly. "I will let you know if I find the wizard or witch nearby!" I gave a quiet nod, his scent wrapping around me like a comforting embrace. Just standing this close to him made me crave his presence even more. "Be home early. I will wait for you," I murmured, my voice softer than I intended. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips before he stole a quick kiss. "Okay, I am off!" I followed him to the main entrance, my steps slow as I watched him leave. Alex was already waiting by the doorway with the car, standing
Hades, The scent of baked coffee mixed with something unfamiliar hit my nose the moment I stepped into the old boutique. The dim lighting cast shadows over the wooden furniture, and porcelain dolls lined the shelves, their empty eyes watching in silence. To the untrained eye, this place might seem like nothing more than an antique shop, but I knew better. Something in the air felt ancient. Powerful. As I scanned the room, footsteps approached. An old man… sixty years old, left leg injured. I didn’t turn immediately, letting the presence behind me settle. The scent of age and faint traces of medicine clung to the air around him, blending with the wood and dust of the shop. "Welcome," a frail voice greeted. Slowly, I turned to see him leaning on a cane, his posture slightly bent with age. Despite his weak frame, there was a sharpness in his gaze, a knowing glint that told me he wasn’t just an ordinary shopkeeper. He studied me, taking in my presence with a look of mil
The old man’s directions had led me here, to the outskirts of the city, to a place where time seemed to have withered into the past. The road twisted, narrow and cracked, winding through an oppressive silence that felt thick enough to touch. The air itself grew colder as I approached, charged with an energy that had long been dormant in the world of the living.And then I saw it—the chapel.It was a shadow of its former self, standing on the edge of the world, as if forgotten by both man and God. The doors, once grand, now hung ajar, groaning as they protested against the intrusion of time. A sense of foreboding filled the air, thickening with each step I took toward it.I pushed the door open, the rusted hinges screeching in protest, and entered.The chapel was empty, save for the remnants of a faith that had long since abandoned this place. The candles, barely flickering, cast long shadows on the walls. The altar stood broken, cracked stone and stained glass that had lost its color.
I was stunned when he said it.His voice had been quiet, almost hesitant, but the weight of his words struck me like a storm breaking over calm waters.He knew. He knew about my second chance at life.That impossible secret I had buried deep inside me, locked beneath layers of silence and fear—he had just spoken it aloud like it was nothing. Like it was normal. Like it didn’t change everything.I wanted to ask how. I wanted to understand. But I couldn’t focus on him anymore.Because the Dark Stone was pulsing in my hand.A deep, thrumming beat—slow and relentless. It wasn’t just a stone. It felt alive. And with every passing second, it dug deeper, pressing its will into my skin, into my blood, until I could feel it crawling through my veins like smoke made of shadow.It whispered to me."Power. Corruption. Madness."The words slithered through my thoughts like snakes, coiling tightly around the parts of me I didn’t want to acknowledge—the anger, the grief, the desperation. It knew who
Elysia,The moment the figure stepped into the moonless clearing, I knew we weren’t alone. Something ancient stirred in the shadows—its hunger palpable, its gaze unseen but heavy on my skin.I tightened my hold on Hades, but my eyes remained ahead, locked on the figure cloaked in midnight. Around us, the darkness pulsed with unnatural rhythm, and one by one, more emerged—cloaked beings, their hands already crackling with magic.Wizards. No... sorcerers. Old ones.They formed a circle, trapping us in a ring of glowing runes etched into the ground. Their faces were hidden beneath deep hoods, but I could feel their magic thrumming like a war drum—primordial, malicious.The sky was darker than we remembered.. The lightning was displaying like a hired actor in the distance. Hades bared his fangs, his eyes glowing crimson with fury as his wings spread wide behind him. The air turned colder with every breath he took, shadows rippling outward from his feet.“We’re surrounded,” I muttered, st
I thought the night would be spent without incident, peacefully, as it always should. Rosé was in my arms, warm and relaxed, her body pressed against mine. We slept in that timeless, serene way, until the sound came—unnatural, strange, slicing through the quiet like a scream from the past. My eyes snapped open, heart racing.It wasn't the usual sounds of the night. Not the wind rustling through the trees or the distant hoot of an owl. This was different—something far more sinister. It caught my attention immediately, and as I tried to focus on the source, I heard voices outside, growing louder, laced with panic.Rosé stirred beside me, half-awake, her fingers curling around me instinctively. She was still groggy, but the unease in the air seemed to drag her from sleep. I felt her body shift as she clung to me, her breath warm against my chest.“What is it?” she murmured, barely awake, but already sensing the shift in the atmosphere.I opened the window, the cold night air biting at my
Hades,The horses’ hooves echoed in the stillness of the night as we made our way toward the village. The forest around us seemed to watch, as if holding its breath. Elysia had been quiet for hours now, her usual confidence replaced with something softer, something I couldn't quite place.I turned my gaze to her, watching as her eyes scanned the path ahead, her back straight and poised. The way the moonlight caught her hair made her look ethereal, as if she didn’t belong to this world at all. After discovering our identity, we decided to shift to our original form except letting our Wolf roam freely. Otherwise the witches would spot us. I hated that she’d been forced into this situation. I hated that she’d taken parts of The Knowledge, to protect me. But I’d never been one to ask for explanations—not when the truth was hidden so far beneath the surface.The road wound toward the small village, nestled in the valley like some forgotten corner of the world. There was something quiet
Unknown's POV,"Haris is burned to death?" My voice was calm, or I thought I was calm. However, every vein in my body was screaming.Haris, one of my trusted people, died? By whom? A young woman? This was unacceptable."We found no more traces of that woman. However—" Kaelan hesitated, pulling out a handkerchief from his robes —" We have found traces of abnormality in these ashes. It wasn’t a witch or wizard's flame."He opened the cloth in his palm and revealed a pile of fine, dark ashes. They were unremarkable at first glance, but the moment I stepped closer, I felt it. That strange hum in the air. The unsettling vibration that laced the magic left behind.My eyes widened. In a world ruled by witches and wizards, what kind of flame could reduce someone like Haris to ash in seconds?I reached out and took a pinch between my fingers. The moment the ashes touched my skin, a violent surge ran up my arm. It wasn't pain—it was a shock, a jolt of power so foreign and dark that my muscles r
My heart sank when the dark shadows shrouded the sky, surrounding us like a layer of thin black polythene. At first it felt like our soul had been deprived by something stronger, heavier and suffocating. But that feeling soon disappeared when Bryan's hand reached my shoulder. " Who are you?" He whispered, " It seems like you are their target. Are you running away from someone? Be honest with me if you want to stay alive!" He warned with a shiver-sending coldness. However I could feel the edge of the concern and genuine worry in his tone. My palms sweated as I grabbed the leather jacket that I was wearing. The night was cold and it was freezing my body. But the tension felt unbearably suffocating. " I...!"" If I am not wrong!" The person in the shadow, wearing a black robe and a book on his hand, cut my words... " You are Master Bryan from the front line Border area!" His voice was condescending. His eyes glistened with a distinct red flickering. A sharp light came out of the bo
He had Two different colors like Hades had. But before I could ask, the color changed. And, The fortress shook violently. I didn’t know what to expect.The roots, those monstrous, writhing tendrils of darkness, seemed to be multiplying with each passing second. The air was thick with dread, suffocating, as if the fortress itself were alive, breathing down on us, caging us in. I could feel the walls closing in, the air getting heavier.Bryan didn’t wait. He moved, swift and deadly, like a shadow. The shimmering blade in his hand cut through the chaos around us, the magic crackling with energy, searing the air. Sparks flew in every direction, the sound of blades slicing through the air mingling with the guttural growls of the creatures encircling us.I watched him for a split second, too transfixed by his movement—his grace, his power—before I forced myself to snap out of it.Focus.I drew my dagger, its cold metal steady in my grip, though my hands trembled slightly. The trembling ha
Elysia,Within ten seconds, we were no longer in the dark chamber that held the Breath of the Dark Stone. The moment we inhaled it, everything shifted. Now, we stood before an enormous fortress, its towering walls strangled by thick vines of thornbane—a plant I recognized instantly. Black thorns curled outward like claws, and tongue-shaped violet blossoms swayed as if breathing. The very air felt hostile.The burning sensation in our throats had dulled, but the aftertaste of magic lingered like smoke in our lungs. We didn’t know how we got here, but it was clear—this place was nowhere near safe.Thornbane. Poisonous. Paralyzing. Hallucinogenic.I remembered its profile from Grandma Aurora’s herb book. One brush of its thorns could freeze the lungs, make you hallucinate until your heart gave out. People didn’t survive thornbane. It survived them.I scanned the environment, instincts prickling. Bryan stood beside me, silent, his face turned toward the fortress that looked like it had be
Elysia, When they dragged me through the castle corridor, I expected shackles. Maybe a blade to my throat. At the very least, a magical seal to silence me. Like that wizard threw a flaming arrow towards me. But instead, they gave me to him.Bryan Archerys.The infamous Archerys. From the knowledge I could gather, Bryan Archerys was the Master of the Wizards in the borderline town. One of the strongest and perverted Man. I thought I would have to show my real identity to escape. I hadn’t known what to expect—rumors were like poisoned honey in the wind, each whisper sweeter and more lethal than the last. But nothing could’ve prepared me for that room, or him.His presence was a thick shadow. The kind that clung to your bones even after you left the room. When our eyes first met, something deep inside me recoiled. It wasn’t fear, exactly. It was… something older. Something rooted.And now, as we rode together through the blackened woods toward the Dark Stone, that shadow rode with me.