KEILAH I didn’t know what was happening, but suddenly, every painful memory came rushing back like a movie set on fast-forward, playing at twice the speed, each scene more unbearable than the last. It started with the first time I came to the pack house, where Ralph subjected me to unspeakable physical and mental torment. The memory shifted to where I was being attacked by his pack members—wolves whose hatred burned through me as they clawed and struck, their growls echoing in my ears. They nearly killed me that day, leaving me broken and bleeding, barely able to crawl away. Then came Zac. The memory hit like a punch to the gut—just as his fist had, that horrible day, slamming into my stomach, causing me to miscarry my child. I felt the agony all over again, the sharp, ripping pain in my stomach as I crumpled to the ground. The painful flashbacks kept coming, each one more heartbreaking than the last—our endless fights, and misunderstandings that we couldn't resolve. And then… the
Keilah's POVI was sprinting through a dark forest, my legs burning with every step, begging me to stop. My chest heaved painfully, each breath sharp and ragged, but I couldn’t stop—not with the terrifying noise echoing from behind. I didn’t know what I was running from, only that something—or someone—was chasing me.The trees thickened, the shadows deepened, and before I knew it, I found myself trapped in a narrow, dark room. The walls were painted in a dark, unsettling red paint. When I reached out and touched the surface, the paint oozed into warm blood and started trickling down the walls and then pooled at my feet. A scream tore from my throat as panic surged through me. I jolted awake gasping, sitting upright so fast I nearly collided with the twins’ heads hovering nearby. Squinting against the harsh sunlight flooding the room, I groaned and stumbled to the window, pulling the curtain back to shut out the merciless light.Just as I closed the curtains and flopped back onto the
KEILAH “Cora, listen to me,” I said softly, placing a hand on her arm. “We’ll talk about this when I get back from Auntie’s memorial, okay? Right now, I need to be there. You know how important today is.”Cora nodded, her expression softening. "Alright. We’ll talk when you get back."She stepped aside and opened the door, giving me space to leave. I hesitated for a brief moment, glancing back at her one last time before walking past her and into the living room, where the twins were waiting eagerly.I bent down with a smile as both of them planted a kiss on each of my cheek. "Tell Grandma we said hi!" Avery said cheerfully."Yeah, and that we miss her!" Zoe added, her little face bright with sincerity.Cora chimed in from behind. "And please tell her that we love her. Tell her to forgive me that I couldn’t visit her this time."I nodded at them, smiling despite the heaviness in my heart. "Of course. I’ll make sure she knows."I slipped into my boots, tightened the laces, and headed o
KEILAH I stared at the mark on my neck, disbelief gripping me. My reflection wavered in the dim lighting of the bathroom, but the mark was unmistakable. Damien’s mark—had reappeared after all these years, as though it had never faded in the first place. My heart pounded so hard it felt like it would break through my ribcage.This couldn’t be happening. My fingers hovered over the mark, not quite daring to touch it, afraid that somehow, it might respond, or worse, grow stronger. Memories of Damien flooded my mind—his piercing eyes, the way his presence had always both frightened and fascinated me. I had thought those days were over. But the reappearance of his mark could only mean one thing.He was back.But why? And how?Panic surged through me as I stumbled back from the mirror, pressing my back against the cold bathroom wall. My breath came in shallow, uneven gasps, and my thoughts spiralled wildly. Was this a warning? A threat? What did Damien want? No—I had left that world behi
KEILAH The driver called out again, his voice more urgent this time. "Get back in the taxi, miss. This place isn't safe at this hour."I wiped the remaining tears from my cheeks and nodded, still feeling shaky, but I obliged, climbing back into the taxi. My body felt drained, like a puppet whose strings had been cut. “Take me to my address,” I mumbled, barely loud enough for him to hear.He glanced at me through the rearview mirror, frowning. “Are you sure you’re alright? You don’t look it. I’m guessing you ran off from that hospital without being discharged.”“I’m fine now,” I lied, trying to sound more convincing than I felt. My throat was raw, my mind racing in a thousand directions. I needed to be anywhere but there—away from the hospital, away from whatever was happening to me.The driver hesitated for a moment, still unconvinced, but finally sighed and turned the car around, heading toward my home. By the time we arrived, dawn was just starting to break, soft light creeping ov
KEILAH The man straightened, towering over the others around him, his movements deliberate, slow, like a predator sizing up his prey. His glowing eyes locked onto mine, and a deep growl rumbled from his throat, echoing off the alley walls. The others—seven, or even more of them—turned to face me as well, their gazes as cold and merciless as his.Panic seized my chest, but I didn’t back down. My legs felt like lead, trembling, but I stayed rooted to the spot. The stone had barely fazed him, only seemed to amuse the others. One of them—a tall man with a scar running down the side of his face—stepped forward, his lips curling into a sinister grin."You've got some nerve," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Throwing rocks at us? Little girl like you should know better."I clenched my fists, trying to keep the fear from swallowing me whole. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure they could hear it. But I wasn’t here to run. I was here for answers. So bring it on.The man's grin widened
KEILAH The thug grinned at the two other men in the room, and with a nod, they closed in on either side of him, sharing the same vile smirk. The air in the room grew thick with menace as they followed his lead. Then he turned his gaze back to me, his hand already tugging at his belt, slipping it from the loops of his pants with a menacing swish and a new wave of panic crashed into me. I knew exactly what that bastard was up to."Yes," he said, his voice low and malicious, "exactly what you're thinking. Why don't me and my boys have a little fun before you get the proper beating you wanted?”My mind screamed at me to move, to get up and fight back, but my body betrayed me. My legs were numb, heavy with pain, and I couldn’t summon the strength to stand. I tried to push myself up, but I collapsed back onto the cold floor, my entire body aching from the earlier beating.He unzipped his pants as he walked over to me, kneeling down to force my legs apart. I clenched my teeth, trying to use
KEILAH I took a shaky breath, still trying to make sense of everything. "How am I supposed to believe you?" I asked, my voice hard, though uncertainty was creeping in. "For all I know, you’re just making this up. I don’t even know who this council witch is. For the time I spent with Ralph, I've never seen her before. And you're not even from the Moonrise Pack to know anything about the council. Why should I trust a word you say?"Damien’s eyes flickered with impatience, and before I could go on, he cut me off. “I’m not here to make you believe me, Keilah," he said, his voice sharp and controlled. "I don’t care if you do or not. Just stay out of trouble because this is the last time I’ll ever interfere in your business.”His words hit me like a slap, but I refused to let it show. This was exactly what I wanted, wasn’t it? To never see him again? I forced myself to stay composed, biting back the angry retort I wanted to throw in his face. Instead, I straightened up."Exactly what I wa
KEILAH I didn’t know what was happening, but suddenly, every painful memory came rushing back like a movie set on fast-forward, playing at twice the speed, each scene more unbearable than the last. It started with the first time I came to the pack house, where Ralph subjected me to unspeakable physical and mental torment. The memory shifted to where I was being attacked by his pack members—wolves whose hatred burned through me as they clawed and struck, their growls echoing in my ears. They nearly killed me that day, leaving me broken and bleeding, barely able to crawl away. Then came Zac. The memory hit like a punch to the gut—just as his fist had, that horrible day, slamming into my stomach, causing me to miscarry my child. I felt the agony all over again, the sharp, ripping pain in my stomach as I crumpled to the ground. The painful flashbacks kept coming, each one more heartbreaking than the last—our endless fights, and misunderstandings that we couldn't resolve. And then… the
KEILAH My eyes fluttered open slowly, the haze of sleep still clouding my mind. A heavy, unfamiliar weight pressed down on my chest as I blinked, the world around me coming into focus. For a brief moment, I thought I was still with Damien, safe in the warmth of his presence. But then… I saw him.Ralph.My breath hitched, my body freezing as my gaze locked on his. Ralph. The one person I’d sworn never to face again. The one who… no. I couldn’t think about it. But the memories came anyway, crashing over me like a violent storm. His betrayal, the pain, the utter devastation that had shattered me into pieces I thought I’d never be able to put back together.For the first time since being with Damien, all those buried emotions clawed their way to the surface, sharp and suffocating. My throat tightened as if invisible hands were squeezing the air out of me. It had to be a dream. Maybe Damien had some sort of side effect—sharing a bed with a vampire king like him could mess with my head, ri
DAMIEN I’ve been pacing back and forth for what feels like hours, the frustration clawing at me with every step. Keilah is gone, and I know it’s either that damned witch’s doing or she disappeared on her own. Wherever she is, only God knows. Tracking her this time won’t be easy—it’s going to be a hell of a lot harder.I’ve tried countless times to use my vampire powers to vanish through the air, but every attempt was futile. The barrier was impenetrable, which meant only one thing—that witch had secured the entire house with it.If I catch him, I swear I’ll kill him.And after what felt like an eternity, the sun finally rose. I let out a frustrated sigh and smashed the door open. Of course, I passed right through—meaning the barrier had broken. The cars were still parked where they had been, but then—that scent. A familiar, lingering trace of a werewolf.I tensed, my senses sharpening. There was movement, and out stepped the alpha from the bar last night.“Hello there,” he said, st
HUSTLE’S POVThe four of us Milly, Tasha, Maureen and I sat huddled together on the bed, sighing in unison, each lost in our own thoughts but connected by a single dilemma: whether or not we should head upstairs to check on King Draven and Keilah. “I can’t believe we’re actually doing this,” Maureen muttered, breaking the silence. “How did we even agree to come to the human world just to keep an eye on King Draven and his woman?”“Not just keeping an eye on them,” I added with a wry smile. “We’re also supposed to stop them from sharing a room. Like that’s even going to work.”“I’ll go and make up an excuse to get Keilah to join us,” Tasha said, heading toward the door. We all watched her in silence, none of us daring to speak. Just as she reached for the handle, she stopped abruptly, letting out a heavy sigh. “I don’t even have a heartbeat, but I can feel it racing,” she muttered, turning back to face us. “I can’t do this.”I stood up, brushing off the tension in the room. “Let’s ad
DAMIENBefore I could finish, Keilah moved faster than I anticipated, rising on her toes and slapping her hand over my mouth. The action caught me so off guard that I froze, my glare snapping at her. “I’m so tired,” she said with a laugh so awkward it almost made me cringe. “Let’s just get some sleep.” What the hell was she doing? I stared down at her, her hand still pressed against my mouth, as I tried to piece together this sudden display of... whatever this was supposed to be. I pulled her hand away firmly, my brows furrowing. “Keilah,” I started, but before I could say more, the short man’s voice interrupted. “Do you guys have a problem?” he asked, his beady eyes flicking between us. Keilah’s response was immediate, her tone overly bright. “Not really!” she chirped, then she leaned closer, her voice barely a whisper. “I'll explain.” Explain? About what? Her words were quiet, but there was a weight in them that kept me from outright brushing her off. I studied her for
KEILAH I stared at him, my heart hammering in my chest. Surely, I’d misheard him. Surely, he hadn’t just said— “My price is your uterus,” the man repeated, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. His calmness made it even more unsettling. My mouth opened and closed, words failing me. The room seemed to tilt for a moment, and I grabbed the back of a chair to steady myself. “You can’t be serious,” I finally managed, my voice cracking. “Oh, I’m very serious,” he said, turning fully toward me now. His piercing eyes locked onto mine, unrelenting. “What I want is not negotiable. You came to me, seeking warmth, seeking help for him.” He gestured vaguely toward the door, where I imagined Damien still standing, pacing and waiting for me. “This is the price.” “Why?” The question slipped out before I could stop it. “Why would you ask for something so... so horrifying?” The man’s lips curved into a faint, humourless smile. “Because you’ll pay it if you’re desperate enoug
KEILAH The moment the lighting magic struck me, it felt like I had been hit by a train made of pure energy. My body flew backwards, colliding with the ground with a force that knocked the breath clean out of me. A ringing filled my ears as I struggled to process what had just happened, my body trembling violently from the impact. For a moment, I couldn’t tell up from down, the world around me spinning in a dizzying haze of cold and pain. When I finally managed to open my eyes, the first thing I saw was Damien rushing toward me, his face contorted with fury and worry. "Keilah!" he shouted, dropping to his knees beside me. His hands hovered over me, as if unsure where to touch, his panic barely restrained. "I’m... fine," I croaked, though my body screamed otherwise. My vision blurred as I tried to sit up, only for Damien’s hands to firmly press me back down. The memory of the short man standing in the doorway flickered in my mind, his sharp, hostile eyes burning into me. I turn
DAMIEN I stared at him for a moment, my mind racing to make sense of the situation. The man didn’t flinch under my gaze, his eyes unwavering as if he were the one in control here, which was the truth. This was his territory. "You’re looking for the witch, I assume?" he said, his voice smooth, almost mocking in its calmness.I narrowed my eyes. "I thought witches were women," I muttered, more to myself than to him.He chuckled a low sound that seemed to carry some hidden meaning. "Assumptions can be dangerous," he said, his grin never faltering. "Not all magic wears the shape you expect."I wasn’t sure if I was more confused or intrigued. My focus sharpened, sensing something ancient, powerful, and completely unyielding about him. He might not be the witch I was expecting, but he knew something—something I needed to know."Who are you?" I demanded, my voice firm, though I couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling in my gut.He tilted his head, considering me for a long moment, before rep
DAMIEN I glanced down at the damn rock, now sealed tight, its magic flickering out like a light being abruptly cut off at night, leaving entire neighbourhoods in darkness. And just like that, I was left in the dark, too. The only thing it confirmed was that the witch I’d been tracking was somewhere in this town. The question was, where do I begin?I looked up at the chaotic bar in front of me. Stepping inside, I immediately felt it—an overwhelming surge of energy in the air. I pushed through the crowd, the noise of the bar buzzing in my ears, the thick scent of alcohol and sweat hanging heavy in the air. Magic crackled all around me, a low hum that made my skin crawl. She was close. I could feel it. Whoever this witch was, I was getting closer to her. But then a shadow loomed in front of me, broad and blocking the way. The guy was taller than me, and built like a brick wall. I could already sense it—the weight of his presence, the raw power he radiated. "Vampires aren't welcome h