~CIARA'S POV~
I woke up with a rush of excitement flowing through my body's veins. I was humming a song while making the bed because I felt so happy. Today was the day I'd spend time with Noah exploring the wonderful city of Rome. I made a list of everything I wanted to see and experience, including the Pantheon, the Colosseum, The Vatican museums, climbing the Spanish Steps while enjoying real Italian gelato. I was so excited to make the most of our time together, so I hurriedly prepared.
As I stepped out of the room, eager to begin our tour, I was surprised to see a complete stranger in the house. My mind was a mixture of both curiosity and caution as I approached this gorgeous lady. She sat comfortably cross-legged on the kitchen stool sipping coffee, wondering who she could be.
"Excuse me, but who are you?" I asked. I couldn't help but give her a once over. She was the
~CIARA'S POV~I didn't know what I was until I turned sixteen. I kind of already knew I was a supernatural being, my grandma who I had lived with since I was old enough to walk told me my dad was a werewolf and my mum a lycan, which had seemed fictional and surreal to me, I had laughed. I was seven at the time and I acted older than my age. I wasn't the type who believed in things like that.My Nana had stared at my reaction.‘I need to put the fear of the goddess into you as she had said.’Nana always referred to the higher deity as ‘goddess’ but I didn't understand it then.She had then taken me to a ritual dance at night to see how ‘my kind’ looked like.It was a festival of some sorts, many art were being displayed, gory at best, a man was giving a prophecy about someone who would bridge the gap between t
~CIARA'S POV~The day I met Noah was the day I knew he was my mate.It was a moment I would never forget.FLASHBACKI hadn't done badly for myself— or so I believed. I had taken up a job at the Lycan community primary school and I taught the little lycans the way of the world.Nana always said I was trying to pursue other things so I wouldn't have to think about the fact that I was a lycan. She had been persistent ever since I had vowed never to shift again to make me come to terms with it.“You cannot reject it. It's a gift! You need to harness it, because there in lies your power.” She had said severally.“This ‘gift' as you
~MARIA'S POV~*FLASHBACK*My studies on supernatural creatureshad brought me here, to this small American town which issaid to be home to werewolves.My mother had always scolded me for having an overactive imagination. She was a realist, and she felt it ridiculous that the village in Rome where I grew up had such beliefs and even harbored an antipathy toward such creatures.No, werewolves don't exist.There are no vampires. She would say to my never ending questions.Unlike the parents of other children, she never once mentioned to me that Santa Claus came down the chimney to bring me gifts for Christmas. She always told me she had bought them herself.
~NOAH'S POV~The sound of the door interrupted our discussion.“Just a moment…” I stood up and went to answer it.I was grateful for the interruption because I was beginning to see black spots. Now that Ciara knew about my sickness, I felt she would take it more personally than me.I stood at the door with great difficulty. Before I opened it, I sensed it was Signor Russo scent."You've got to be kidding me! What do you want?”“I'm sorry for how I behave and I was hoping we could start on a nice footing."“Yeah….. Thank you.” I moved to close the door."Since we are g
~AVA'S POV~The pack was in disarray and in need of their Alpha. Alpha Noah had done the most irresponsible thing— eloping with his mate and leaving his pack unattended to.It was hard enough keeping things intact when a spy was brought in from the borders to the packhouse.We were still having our trainings to keep the younger wolves fit and more in control during the next full moon but I could see the unease even in their young ones eyes.They knew better not to ask for the whereabouts of their Alpha but they got home and told their parents their fears that the Alpha had run off.Every day since he left, I had to entertain questions of where he was and when he would be back. I was getting really frustrated but I tried my best to quell their fears but it was only getting very difficult because I didn't have the authority or the voice of an Alpha to shut these werewolves up.The Beta of the pack, Ross, was completely useless since he had found his mate. Riley was the next but he was o
~AVA'S POV~There was an eerie silence that lingered in the air after his abrupt absence. I knew someone had to keep the pack stable and in order because the Beta hadn't returned yet, but something inside of me began to rise.I spent every waking second thinking about taking the coveted Alpha rank. However, there stood one thing in my way: Noah, the pack's current Alpha and fierce defender of its legacy. I had to take him out of the picture if I wanted to win. In my mind, the plan started to come together.The park was preoccupied with what they were doing and had no idea of my secret preparations. I knew the secret to Alpha Noah's location lay in his study, and I was going to find it. I moved inside his study as stealthily as a shadow.Surrounded by mysteries that Noah had carefully kept to himself, it was a forbidden haven full with artifacts from the pack's past.I could smell something musty as I carefully pushed open the massive oak door. The only form of light in the room was a
~NOAH'S POV~Maria's weekend house had big windows that let in plenty of light in the morning. I had tried to keep my feelings of paranoia aside because of Ciara. But still, I felt windows were a little too many that I always felt it would be easy to be spied on. I pushed aside my concerns, smiling contentedly, I took a sip of my coffee and relished the quiet environment. Maria laughed at something Ciara had said as she sat across from me. "You should have seen the look on his face!" Ciara laughed. Maria answered with a smile. I grinned, pleased that my friend and mate were getting along so nicely. Our outdoor brunch was the ideal way to begin our day in Italy. At that moment, Maria's phone began to ring from inside the house. She got up from her chair and apologized, saying, "Excuse me, I'll just go grab that." While she was gone, Ciara and I carried on our conversation. It was barely a minute later that Maria was back, her brow furrowed and she was still holding the phone in one h
~CIARA’S POV~ I yawned and stretched, still exhausted from the previous night. Next to me, Noah slept soundly. But his brow was furrowed, as though he was still burdened by the attack from the previous night, even as he slept. Thank the goddess for Noah's strength. He had bravely fought them, coming out on the other side. He was wounded but alive. But still, I was aware that the assault had to have damaged his ego as an Alpha of a pack. Though words seemed insignificant in the face of such an insult, I longed to console him. His features had finally turned peaceful while he slept. It was still a secret that i hadn't yet told Noah. I was a lycan with the same level of strength as any man. And these miscreants would come to fear my fury. But I didn't anticipate Noah holding on to me all day. His life would still be in danger if I spent the entire day with him. Then a guy attacked us on our morning walk, and I knew it had to stop. I got into an argument with Noah so he would le
The priestess Zara spoke in ancient tongues while chanting in a little clearing far into the forest, her voice resonating over the foliage. Standing next to her, Ciara's heart was heaving under the weight of what lay ahead.Her hands lifted to the sky, "By the ancient powers of the forest, we beseech thee," she said.With breath caught in her throat, Ciara observed the enchanted circle that Zara's words created around them. Even though she understood what needed to be done, the concept made her shudder."Ciara, Noah needs you," Zara whispered gently, knowing in her eyes. "As you are his mate, you are the only one who can give him what he needs to survive."Ciara reached out to Noah, who was quiet and pale on the ground, nodding, her hands trembling.
CIARA'S POVThe last few days had seen a further worsening of Noah's condition. His motions were slow and strained, his formerly bright eyes now dull with suffering. With a troubled heart, I watched him from the doorway. It hurt me to see him struggle because I was his partner. The idea of losing him was unbearable to me, especially at this point when his stability was vital to our pack."Hey, Ciara," was Noah's feeble greeting upon my entrance into the room. His voice was barely a whisper, and it made me feel pain."How are you feeling today, Noah?" I questioned, trying not to let my dread get the better of me.Noah forced a meek grin, but the pain was evident in his eyes. "Just another day, I guess," he replied, his voice strained.
CIARA'S POVAs Noah's recovery progressed, I was thrown into a leadership role that I had not anticipated taking on so quickly as our pack's future Luna. It was a difficult chore that I had not expected, but I had to respond when duty beckoned. Standing before our pack, prepared to allay their fears and lead us toward stability, were my beloved brother Alex and the courageous rebel leader, Nathan, who stood by my side throughout those tumultuous days.As I rallied the group in the center of our domain, I spoke to them with a sorrowful yet resolute attitude. "My fellow pack members”, I started, thanking everyone for attending, my voice firm despite the nerves gnawing at me, facing our pack members who were assembled in the meeting chamber, their faces eager to please. "For all of us, these past few months have been turbulent. We are currently navigating a
UNKNOWN POVHeart thumping in her chest, Ava stood at the edge of the forest. The air was thick with tension, like a storm building on the horizon, and she could feel it. A couple of her faithful soldiers stood beside her, their faces stern and gloomy.With a low, frantic voice, one of them added, "We have to do this, Ava."Ava nodded, her jaw clenched in resolve. She was aware of the stakes. Tension between their packs had been growing ever since she had assumed leadership in Noah's absence as Alpha. And now it had reached a tipping point.She showed no signs of fear as she faced Noah and his soldiers directly. Ava wasn't ready, but she pretended to be, and it felt like everyone had something against her.Ava snarled, "Oh my goodness, see who decided to show up," as Noah's pack appeared out of t
AVA'S POV*FLASHBACK*It has been unsettling recently. Something in the air was causing my skin to stand crawl. Perhaps it was just the excitement of the upcoming full moon, or perhaps there was something worse hiding in the shadows.Among the pack, I had heard murmurs and quiet talks that ended when I got close. It felt like they were planning something behind my back that they would prefer me to be unaware of."Are you alright, Ava?" Marcus asked, a hint of worry in his voice.I responded, attempting to sound assured, "I'm fine." On the inside, though, I was far from okay. It seemed like trouble was building, and I couldn't get rid of it.I had called a meeting of the coun
NATHAN’S POVI was restless, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. One of our spies learned the truth from Riley, who was previously Ava's closest confidant but was now imprisoned in the packhouse for treason. That spy happened to be Steven, one of our most trusted loyalist to the cause. My heart was thumping with anxiety and shock as Steven was telling me the news.I paced in our makeshift headquarters, a room in James's house. The air was heavy with tension. Jude, along with all of us in the rebellion, had been studying Ava for any vulnerability. We had to figure out how to overthrow her and set the pack free from her oppression.Our biggest chance for information had been Riley, who had formerly worked with Ava before. He used to be her Beta, her former lover, but she betrayed him by saying he was a traito
AVA'S POVI summoned a meeting of the general council. Riley's punishment was over, but there were more urgent concerns to attend to. It was necessary to find Justina and the other traitors. The authority I wielded as Alpha of my pack hinged on it."Among us, there is a traitor," I declared with a forceful voice. "Justina has sided with people that want to bring us down. We must discover her and the other people who have turned against us."“I’m glad you're finally making a move on her,” said Leo.The others gave a nod."We have to take action against her betrayal," I said. "We will search every corner of our territory until we find her and those who conspired with her.”
NATHAN'S POVI smiled as I recounted the day's events while I lay in bed that evening. Though we had made headway, our top priority was releasing Noah, Ciara, and Alex. As I was preparing to retire for the night, I heard footsteps approaching my room. Jude, accustomed to a life of vigilance, would rather spend the night outside, so I was the only one in the room. The scent floated towards me. It was Grace.As soon as she knocked and entered, I shot out of bed. "Can I sleep here, Nathan? I'm scared," she said.After a brief pause, staring at her with shock, I firmly said, "No, Grace. It's not a place to sleep."She began pressuring me, "But please, I don't want to be alone.""You know the rules," I said, shaking my head. &ldqu
Steven's POVI never imagined that I would find such important information. Usually, being a servant means remaining unseen, but on that particular day, fate had different ideas.It was simply another typical morning at the packhouse. A sense of tension pervaded the room as I stepped inside in the low light. With solemn expressions on their faces, Ava and the council members sat around the enormous oak table. As a servant, I knew better than to interfere, yet I had to be there."Ava, we need more supplies for ourselves. Or did you bring us to this pack to suffer?," a very authoritative voice challenged from one of the council members.Ava narrowed her gaze.Everyone wanted to express their ideas at the same moment, thus there