CHAPTER EIGHT
-ANTONIO-
A silence fell over us; pregnant and suffocating. The wind roared around us, carrying whispers of sorrow and regret. Weldon seemed lost in the past, his face a mask of pain as he recalled the long hours waiting for his sister to wake.
His hands clenched and unclenched; a physical manifestation of his internal struggle. "Even though Mr. Leon, the Alpha Father, knew of Mina's condition, he did not disqualify her. Instead, he appointed her to the role of Delta. He even postponed our first leadership meeting to ensure she wouldn't miss it."
CHAPTER NINE-WILHELMINA-Trisha and I strolled down the corridor of the grand mansion, heading back towards the ballroom. She walked beside me, her steps in sync with mine. We remained quiet as we walked, not exchanging any words.Saying goodbye to Antonio, I had felt an unfamiliar void and chill settled over me. His warmth and company brought out emotions in me that I had never experienced before. Now, I felt a strange emptiness that made my heart ache in longing. This was not the life I had chosen for myself. I was being forced into a marriage with a man I didn't love. My heart s
CHAPTER NINE-WILHELMINA-Severa and I exchanged glances, both of us relieved by Boris' temporary absence. As the crowd weaved around us like an intricate lattice of emotions and pleasantries, Severa turned her attention back to me. Her gaze was full of curiosity."Seems like you have quite a lot on your mind tonight," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper among the clamor. "What have you been thinking about?""It’s nothing I can tell you here," I admitted with a smile.
CHAPTER NINE-ANTONIO-The Moon Goddess's Ball was ending, and everyone was heading out. I had spent the majority of my evening in the company of Lady Basia. Although I was engaged to my fiancé, my heart and soul were pulled towards my true mate, Wilhelmina. It made it difficult to focus on my current relationship. Every moment felt off, and being with the wrong person just felt plain wrong. As much as I longed to be with Wilhelmina, I knew it wasn't possible at the moment.I watched as she chatted animatedly with Boris, a flicker of jealousy sparking within me. Seeing them t
CHAPTER NINE-WILHELMINA-I witnessed Thorin escorting Antonio out of the building. A feeling of sadness and emptiness washed over me. My instinct was to call him back, to stop him from leaving but deep down, I knew I couldn't. There were too many curious eyes. If either of us disclosed the truth about our relationship, it would only add more complications to an already delicate situation."What the hell is his problem?" Boris snarled."Calm down, Boris," Weldon advised, placing a hand on the agitated man's shoulder. "Pr
CHAPTER NINE-WILHELMINA-It was not a soft peck, nor was it a quick peck meant for show. It was a passionate, lingering kiss that sent ripples of shock through the atmosphere in the limo. Severa melted into him, her fingers curling in the lapel of his jacket. A soft moan escaped her lips as if she had been waiting for this very moment. Their bodies pressed together.The sight of them kissing stunned me for a moment, causing my mind to go blank and temporarily distracting me from the heat and dizziness. "What… what are you doing?" I asked in a breathy whisper, my voice coming
CHAPTER NINE-WILHELMINA-Our kiss ended abruptly as Boris pulled away, his eyes full of desire. In one smooth motion, I was suddenly lying on the floor of the limo. Severa was next to me, also lying down. Boris's eyes bore into us, as he loosened his tie.Even in the fog of the potion's effect, I felt a bolt of fear shoot through me. Boris's predatory gaze traveled from me to Severa, who was blinking back the heavy haze, her chest rising and falling with rapid breaths."Boris," her voice trembled, but there was defiance
CHAPTER NINE-ANTONIO-The sleek black limousine stopped at the entrance of the Alpha's estate. The driver emerged from the front and swiftly opened the door for us. As we made our way inside, our coats were gracefully taken by a team of attentive servants.We were each guided to our individual suites on the second floor. I entered mine, shut the door, and made a beeline for the bed. The events of tonight had been overwhelming.I had met my mate, who would soon be the Luna of the Gravemaw Hounds. Thankfully, the
CHAPTER NINE-ANTONIO-I sat alone in the dimly lit room, the deafening silence ringing in my ears. A sigh escaped my lips, a deep and pitiful sound that echoed across the stone walls and filled the room with my regret.A soft knock echoed through the room, breaking the stillness. The door creaked open and Thorin walked in, his face pensive, "Are you alright, Antonio?" he asked, coming to sit next to me on the bed.I shook my head, watching the flickering flame of the candle. "I feel terrible for deceiving Lady Basi
CHAPTER THIRTEEN-WILHELMINA-From the window of Weldon's car, I observed the plane taking off in the distance. Severa was leaving with Maria, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Arnet. It would be some time before I saw them again. Weldon had suggested that I go with them, but I quickly shut down that idea. I was done being a helpless damsel; I would fight my own battles, with or without men by my side, even if one of them happened to be Antonio.Boris and Trisha were my adversaries. It was their actions that led me to this predicament, and now it was up to me to find a solution. A
CHAPTER THIRTEEN-BORIS-The arrogant Lycan actually believed he could steal my woman away from me! Who did he think he was? Just some pompous prince? That didn't mean anything to me!I stormed through the halls of Gravemaw Mansion, my fists tightly clenched. The servants wisely stepped aside as I made my way past them; they knew not to interfere with my seething rage."Boris," a familiar voice called out from around the corner. It was my mother. Her expression was unreadable as usual. "Follow me. We need to tal
CHAPTER THIRTEEN-SEVERA-Thorin kept his promise and brought me back to my family's home the next day. The drive there was quiet, both of us lost in our thoughts. I knew he could sense my anxiety.Thorin looked at me, his brown eyes softening. "Severa, you'll get through this," he murmured, placing a comforting hand on top of mine that was clenched on my lap."I know," I responded, trying to smile at him.My gaze dropped to his neck, where I had le
CHAPTER THIRTEEN-WILHELMINA-Maria and Severa stood close together, their arms locked. I stood before them like a shield, savagely determined to protect them at all costs."What do you want, Remus?" I asked.His laugh was a cold echo in the room, chilling me to my bones. "You're not naive, Wilhelmina," he chuckled. "You understand why I'm here. The Alpha demands the return of his fiancés.""We aren't going anywhere," I said, my voice low and threateni
CHAPTER THIRTEEN-WILHELMINA-It had been roughly a week since we uncovered that Trisha was responsible for the manipulated feelings between Prince Kinnsion and Eris, utilizing a Potion of Charm, while also pressuring Estrada into creating said potion.Antonio, Weldon, and Thorin had confronted Boris and Trisha about their criminal activities, sparking the beginning of an investigation. Antonio had also revealed our mate bond to them during the confrontation.Antonio warned us that there were spies from the Lyca
CHAPTER TWELVE-ERIS-We were now aboard a plane, en route to the Lycan Empire. The group consisted of myself, Hiro, Princess Alina, Kinnsion, Nora, and Estrada. The tension inside the aircraft was palpable, the air felt thin and suffocating, the silence echoing louder than the hum of the plane's engines.Hiro had originally been sitting across from me, but he eventually moved to sit across from Princess Alina. The two of them were now murmuring quietly to each other.Nora and Estrada were situated far from us, each engr
CHAPTER TWELVE-ERIS-Exhaustion consumed me. My head throbbed and my body felt like it had been run over by a truck. Even my emotions were worn out. It had been two days since Mrs. Arnet cured both Kinnsion and myself of the Potion of Charm. I could still remember the sensation of being cured so vividly.A cooling wave washed over me, erasing the shimmering illusion that had once trapped my mind. I remember looking into Kinnsion's eyes, seeing his love for me dwindle. Our love wasn't real. It was manufactured by a potion, by magic, nothing more. It left a hollow feeling in my heart
CHAPTER TWELVE-HIRO-Prince Antonio then turned to me. "Hiro," he said in a more gentle tone, "could you please explain how you came to be in the basement of the Alpha's Estate?"A slight chill ran down my spine as I nodded in agreement. I took a deep breath and began recounting the events that unfolded, starting from our mother's order to Eris and I."It all began a few days ago when Prince Kinnsion and Princess Alina came to visit," I explained. "Our mother commanded us to use the Potion of Charm to make them fall in
CHAPTER TWELVE-HIRO-Glancing around, I could feel the tense atmosphere in the room. Everyone seemed to know something that I didn't. I turned to Eris. She seemed uneasy, her usually flushed cheeks now drained of color. "What's going on?" I asked, bewildered by the sudden shift in mood.Eris remained silent, her gaze fixed on Prince Kinnsion. Her eyes glimmered with pain and sadness.Prince Antonio let out a heavy sigh, then turned back to me. "This could mean your father is involved in your brother's and mothe