KEILAH I let out a frustrated sigh and flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. My choice? Was it really?If I didn’t do this, Ralph’s wolf would never get back to him, and he’d slowly waste away. But why should I care? Why did it have to be me who saved him?A bitter laugh escaped me.I hated him. I wanted to hate him. But deep down, a part of me still ached at the thought of him suffering.Closing my eyes, I whispered, “Damn it.”I let out a tired sigh and got up, smoothing the sheets on Damien’s bed. It was a small act, but it kept my hands busy—kept my mind from spiraling. Once the bed was neat, I headed out and into my room to clean up. As I stepped inside, my lips twitched in amusement. Garbie was curled up on my bed, sleeping soundly. A quiet laugh escaped me. “I remember her saying she's a vampire who doesn't get tired,” I murmured to myself. “But look at her, sleeping like a peaceful tired toddler.” Shaking my head, I grabbed some clothes and headed to the
RALPH I watched her, every muscle in my body tense with a mixture of rage and something far darker—something I couldn't name. Her lips, soft and warm against mine, had been a shock to my senses. I could feel the bond snap into place the moment she kissed me, my wolf roared to life. It was everything I needed to reconnect with the beast inside me, but nothing had prepared me for the flood of emotions that came with it.I pulled away, gasping for air, my eyes snapping open to find Keilah still frozen in place, her expression unreadable. I saw it, though—the conflict, the confusion, the pain in her eyes. She wasn’t unaffected. She felt it, too. But her body was betraying her. She hated me. I could see it in every movement, in every cold, calculating glance she sent my way.I swallowed the anger rising in my throat, my chest tightening. “Damn it,” I muttered under my breath, pushing away from her.I needed to control myself. I couldn’t let her see how much it had affected me. My wolf was
KEILAH The world spun violently around me as I tumbled down the rocky hill, my body rolling uncontrollably over jagged stones and patches of rough dirt. Pain shot through me with every impact, but I couldn’t stop. I had no control over my descent, and the speed at which I was falling only increased with every passing second.Above me, I could hear Garbie’s frantic voice, shouting something I couldn’t make out. My head slammed against the ground, sending a sharp, dizzying pain through my skull. I gasped, my arms flailing, trying to find something—anything—to stop my fall. But the hill was too steep, too cruel, and all I could do was brace for the inevitable.Then, suddenly, my body collided with a thick patch of grass, soft compared to the harsh terrain above. The impact still knocked the air from my lungs, but it slowed me enough to let me twist and dig my hands into the dirt. My fingers curled around a thick root, and I clung to it desperately, my chest heaving as I fought to catch
KEILAH A deep, bone-chilling growl rumbled through the air, cutting through the steady downpour. My breath hitched. The creatures didn’t move, but I could feel their presence pressing in, watching.“How do we stop the rain?” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the storm.Garbie let out a frustrated sigh. “If I knew, we wouldn’t still be here!”I clenched my fists. My soaked clothes clung to me, making the cold settle deeper into my skin. I could barely tell where my trembling ended and the shivers from the cold began.I tilted my head slightly, careful to keep my eyes shut. “What if… what if we change the way we feel about it?”“What?” Garbie asked, confused.“The rain,” I said quickly. “What if it feeds off fear? I mean, think about it—when it started, we panicked. What if that’s what made it stronger?”Garbie went quiet again, then, after a moment, said, “That’s ridiculous… but I have no better idea, so let’s try it.”Before I could concentrate my mind, a strange, hollow soun
DAMIEN I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails cut into my palms, drawing blood. The scent of it filled the air, but I ignored it. The urge to destroy something—anything—coursed through me, but I forced myself to stay still. Losing control would get me nothing. Seth spun me around by my shoulder with a rough jerk, forcing me to face him. A guttural growl rumbled in his throat, his eyes burning with fury. "Where is Garbie? Did she go with the human?" His voice was sharp, laced with accusation and barely contained rage. A snarl erupted from Ralph before I could even respond. "She fucking has a name," he snapped, stepping toward Seth, his wolf flickering beneath his skin. Seth didn’t even glance at him. His glare stayed fixed on me as he spat, "To fucking hell I care about that." His chest heaved with frustration as he ran a hand through his hair before stabbing a finger in my direction. "I never liked that little thing from the first time you brought her here, and now look—she
DAMIEN I parked the car at the side of the road, the wheels crunching over gravel as I threw it into park. I turned to Seth, keeping my voice steady but firm. "Stay in the car. I’ll be right back."Seth didn’t say anything, just nodded as I got out of the car. I walked to the backseat, opened the door, and carefully lifted Marina into my arms. Her body was cold, unnervingly still.As I moved towards the woods, I noticed Ralph getting out of his car right behind mine. He didn’t say anything, just leaned against the side of his car, his arms crossed. He wasn’t trying to make this more complicated than it already was.James met me halfway as I carried Marina, walking quietly beside me, his eyes scanning the forest. We made our way towards the boundary where the barrier that separated the woods from Greenery Village stood visible, a shimmering line of magic hanging in the air. It felt like stepping into another world, one that was both calming and dangerous at the same time.When we reac
DAMIEN Ralph let out a frustrated growl. "Africa? Are you serious?"Sylra gave him a pointed look. "Do I look like I'm joking?"Dahlia sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Okay, fine. Where exactly in Africa?"Sylra hesitated for a moment before answering. "Uganda.Ralph let out a scoff. “Great, I’ve never even heard of Uganda before.”Sylra rolled her eyes. “Not my problem. But if you want your girlfriend back, you better figure it out fast.” There's an elder there, a powerful fae who might be able to help you."I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. "Might?"She shrugged. "Depends on his mood."Ralph cursed under his breath. "Great. So we have to fly across the world to beg some moody fae elder for help?""Pretty much," Sylra said flatly.I glanced at Seth, who had been quiet the entire time. He met my gaze and gave a small nod. We didn’t have a choice."Fine," I said. "Give us his name and where to find him."Sylra stepped back into her house, leaving us standing there. A f
KEILAH The old woman didn’t flinch at Aaron’s warning. Instead, her sharp eyes studied me, her expression unreadable. The people around her murmured in hushed voices, their gazes shifting between Aaron and me as if we were pieces of a puzzle they couldn’t quite fit together.Garbie moved closer, her arm brushing against mine. “Keilah,” she whispered, “I don’t like this.”Neither did I.The old woman took a step forward, her long robes whispering against the ground. A faint golden mist trailed her movements as if the air itself bent to her will. “Step aside, Aaron,” she said calmly, but there was an unshakable authority in her tone. “The girl is ours.”I turned sharply to Aaron, confusion tightening my chest. “What is she talking about?” I demanded. “What does she mean I’m theirs?”Aaron didn’t answer me. He ignored me completely and stepped forward, his eyes locked onto the old woman. “Enough of this, Elira,” he said, his voice dangerously smooth. “She’s mine. I found her first, and
DAHLIA The laughter from the group ahead died down. It was eerie—too sudden to be natural. Every single head turned in perfect unison as if some invisible signal had passed through them.Twenty pairs of eyes landed directly on us.My breath caught.Then, from the centre of the group, one of them stepped forward. He was tall and broad, easily over six feet, and darker than the others. His skin was deep ebony, smooth and unblemished, and his eyes—gods, his eyes—glowed faintly gold. There was something terrifyingly beautiful about him. He was the kind of man who didn’t need to speak to command a room. Power clung to him like a second skin.And then he smirked—right at me.I felt my wolf rise like a tidal wave beneath my skin, teeth bared. She didn’t like him. Neither did I.Jay stepped forward, slightly in front of me, his body stiff. A low, warning growl rumbled in his throat, barely audible, but enough to carry through the mountain air. “Back up, Dahlia,” he said without turning.The
KEILAH My hands clenched into fists. I shot the Queen a death glare, my chest rising and falling as fury surged through me like wildfire.How dare she.How dare she strip away something so sacred, so personal—without my permission, without remorse.The Queen, unmoved by my rage, sat back down with her usual elegance, brushing invisible dust from her gown. “Let’s continue.”“Why did you do that?” I snapped, my voice trembling with emotion. “What gives you the right to erase my marks?!”She raised an arched brow as if the question amused her.“What do you take yourself to be?” she said coolly, her tone sharper than any blade. “Marked by men—a vampire and a werewolf? Are you cursed? Did they put you under a spell, or are you simply desperate to belong?”I felt like I’d been slapped.Aaron, standing stiffly to the side, stepped forward, his tone respectful. “My Queen… perhaps if I could speak to her, alone—”“No!” I growled, pointing a shaking finger at him. “Don’t come near me.”A blast
KEILAH The moment the words left my lips—“Because I'm not marrying Aaron”—Damien’s reaction was immediate.His jaw clenched, eyes narrowing ever so slightly as something fierce flickered behind them. He didn’t say anything right away, but I saw the way his body tensed, how his shoulders rose ever so slightly like he was holding himself back from exploding.Then he said it, his voice low and tight, “You even know his name?”I blinked at the sharpness in his tone.“Are you two that close already to know his name that fast?” he added, a hint of accusation buried beneath the calm. I bit my lower lip, trying not to smile. His reaction—stirred something in me I hadn’t expected. Possessiveness, worry, maybe even jealousy. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t affect me.Tilting my head back just a little, I looked up at him with wide eyes, studying his face. He looked so intense, so deadly serious. I mumbled beneath my breath, soft enough that it felt like a secret, “Are you jealous?”He d
DAMIEN The crowd held its collective breath, and for a moment, the world seemed to freeze. Every eye in the field turned toward me, a weight pressing on my chest as I felt their gazes like flames on my skin. The woman beside me muttered under her breath, her voice trembling slightly as she whispered, "Holy God, I can't believe this."But I didn’t even hear her. My eyes were locked onto Keilah, every inch of me drawn to her, my breath shallow. She was there, real, in front of me. I could see her trembling slightly, the magic around her still buzzing with energy. Her eyes were wide, searching mine, and for the briefest moment, it felt like everything else in the world faded away.The Queen's voice broke the heavy silence. "Young man, step forward," she commanded, her voice soft but filled with authority.Without hesitation, I moved, the pull to her undeniable. The woman beside me—who had bound herself to me—took a step back, following behind as the others in her group murmured, but the
RALPH The moment I hit the ground—or whatever the hell this was—I knew something was wrong."Son of a—!" I barely got the words out before I was yanked down again, thick vines wrapping around my arms and legs like living chains. No, not vines. Roses.Giant, deep red, glowing roses.I thrashed, trying to pull myself up, but the damn things had a grip like iron. Every time I moved an inch, they sprawled higher, coiling tighter, dragging me deeper into their grasp. Their petals looked soft, almost beautiful—until I saw the teeth hidden beneath them, snapping dangerously close to my skin."That woman said the fae world isn't a joke!" I growled, struggling harder. "But she failed to mention the motherfucking sea of carnivorous roses!"A thorn sliced into my arm, and I hissed. Great. These things weren’t just strong; they were sharp as hell too.I twisted my body, trying to reach for the knife I stole from that fae’s house in Uganda strapped behind my back. My fingers barely brushed the ha
DAMIEN I blinked, my head spinning as the world around me came into focus. A crowd surged forward, their excitement pressing in from all sides. The golden gates ahead towered impossibly high, stretching so far up they seemed to dissolve into the silversheen skyline. Laughter and murmurs swelled like a tide, the energy crackling in the air. I turned sharply to the woman clutching my arm like an iron shackle. Her grip was too firm, too sure, like she was bound to me by something more than just flesh and bone. It was unnatural. My patience snapped. “What the hell did you do to me?” I hissed, keeping my voice low. “Dragging me here without me even realizing?” She barely reacted—just smirked, her amusement infuriatingly effortless. “No questions,” she said smoothly. “We’re heading inside. After watching the queen’s granddaughter, we can talk about you.” I ran a hand through my hair, frustration prickling at the edges of my mind. I should’ve been furious. I wanted to be. But somethi
DAMIEN A soft breeze rustled through the glowing leaves, carrying a scent both floral and unfamiliar. The air was thick with magic, an energy that pulsed like a heartbeat around me. Every breath I took felt charged, as though I had stepped into a world that was alive in ways I couldn’t comprehend.I straightened, brushing off the damp moss clinging to my clothes. Ralph was nowhere in sight, and I had no idea how far we had been separated.I turned slowly, taking in my surroundings. The trees stretched endlessly into the sky, their bark a deep shade of violet, their leaves shifting colours with each passing second. Strange, bioluminescent flowers bloomed at their bases, casting a faint glow onto the forest floor. The ground beneath me felt oddly soft as if the earth itself breathed beneath my feet.I needed to move. Standing still wouldn’t get me any closer to Keilah.A distant chime-like sound echoed through the trees, almost like laughter, but distorted. I tensed, scanning the shado
KEILAH Before I could even begin to think about what this meant, the door opened again. Two beautiful women entered, their dark hair flowing smoothly behind their backs. They wore elegant gowns, their movements graceful as they stepped forward and bowed lightly. One of them lifted her head and spoke softly. “Please follow us.” I hesitated. “Where?” “It’s the queen’s orders,” the other woman said gently. “We are to get you both ready.” I glanced at Garbie, still feeling the weight of the queen’s words pressing down on me. But I had no choice. With a deep breath, I stood and followed them.One of the women gently took Garbie’s arm, leading her in a different direction, while the other woman motioned for me to follow her. My heart pounded as I was guided down a long corridor until she stopped before a door and pushed it open. I gasped. The room before me was like nothing I had ever seen. The ceiling was a massive glass dome, revealing an endless, mesmerizing underwater world
KEILAH The queen reached for my hand again, but I quickly pulled back, pressing it tightly against my chest. "I’ll walk myself," I said firmly. The queen only smiled. "Alright, follow me." She turned to Aaron, who was still bowing. "You too, young man. Follow me." I reached for Garbie’s hand, gripping it tightly as we followed the queen. Aaron walked behind us, leading Varion. As we stepped forward, my jaw dropped. A long, gleaming walkway stretched before us, leading straight to the most breathtaking castle I had ever seen. The path was made of smooth, silver-white stone, polished so perfectly that it reflected the sky above like glass. It felt unreal, like stepping into a dream. On either side of the walkway, lush gardens bloomed with flowers I had never seen before—petals shimmering in iridescent colours, shifting as if they were alive. Glowing blue vines twisted up golden trellises, their faint light casting soft patterns onto the ground. A crystal-clear stream ran al