The room fell into a heavy silence, punctuated only by the soft rustle of fabric and the occasional creak of wooden furniture. Each member of the group absorbed the weight of Miriam's predicament, their expressions a mix of concern and determination.Zande was the first to break the silence, her voice steady as she proposed, "We should gather intel on where he might be holding Miriam's mother. Check nearby towns or abandoned buildings."Amia nodded in agreement, adding, "Maybe someone in those towns has seen or heard something. We can discreetly ask around without drawing too much attention.”Dedari leaned forward, his brow furrowed in thought. "What about using our network of allies? They might have information that could help. But then, Is Morel his real name?"Everyone turned to Miriam at Dedari’s question. Miriam’s mind raced with memories of her encounters with her master, of her trainings with him, of his twisted love for her mother. “He's always been secretive, but I first fo
"Where are we going, Raul?" This was the tenth time that Olivera had asked her mate this question since the latter had suddenly sprung up a journey they had to take before she left the pack with Miriam in three days time. Olivera hoped to the goddess that Raul wasn't bringing the trip up to stop her from going with Miriam to rescue her mother, his mother. Or else she was really going to have it out with him, and it wasn't going to be pleasant. It had taken a two days before he had gotten around her going to the mission, never mind that he had hurriedly conceded to her opinion in the meeting a week ago. It had taken two days before he had tried convincing her to stay back, to let the ancients take care of it. But she had refused. These past few months, she had learned to trust her instincts.And now he was springing up a journey he hadn't brought up in the week she had spent training, strolling with Amah and the other females, getting to know her pack members, helping Jeremy with hi
As Raul's words hung in the air, a heavy silence descended upon the car. The engine hummed softly, the only sound breaking the stillness that enveloped them. Olivera still sat on Raul’s thighs, but her hands were gripping the edge of the seat, having left Raul’s shoulders after the drop of his bombshell. She stared out the window, unseeing, trying to process the thunderclap he had just dropped; her fiery hormones dying out just as quickly.Her mind raced, trying to make sense of what Raul had said. His father, whom everyone believed to be dead? It seemed unfathomable, surreal even. She glanced at Raul, searching his face for any hint of a joke or deception, but his expression was serious, his eyes focused on her, as if he was trying to bore holes into her head.Emotions churned within Olivera. Confusion, anger, disbelief, and a strange flicker of fear mingled together. If Raul's father was indeed alive, what did that mean? Would Raul come under his influence again? Why had he kept thi
Olivera and Raul stood side by side, their breath visible in the crisp morning air as they surveyed the location where Raul's father stayed. The sun had just begun to peak over the horizon, casting a golden hue over the abandoned cabin nestled among towering pines. For Raul, this place was a mix of nostalgia and trepidation—a reminder of a father he thought he knew, yet whose acts had shaped so much of his life.As they approached the cabin, Raul's mind flooded with memories he had tried to suppress. He recalled the stories his mother had told him about his father; how he was a charismatic man with a laugh that filled the room, yet always seemed to be searching for something just out of reach. Raul couldn’t help but wonder why his mother had lied. Maybe, If she had told him what to truly expect from his old man, then he would have stayed away from the latter.But then…the woman wouldn’t have known the extent of wickedness that was his father. She wouldn’t have known that the man wou
Raul hesitated; his throat suddenly dry. He glanced at Olivera, who nodded subtly, encouraging him to speak. Gathering his courage, Raul finally spoke up. "This is Olivera," he began, his voice steadier than he felt. "She's... she's my mate. She's come with me to see you."His father’s eyes flickered with surprise; a hint of recognition mingled with something unreadable. Another heavy silence settled over the room, the weight of unspoken words threatening to suffocate them all.After what seemed like an eternity, his father finally nodded, his expression guarded yet not unkind. "Welcome, Olivera," he said gruffly, his tone betraying a hint of weariness. "What brings you both here?"Raul shifted uncomfortably, unsure how to navigate this delicate conversation. "We... we wanted to see how you were doing," he replied evasively, the words feeling inadequate even as they left his lips.The aging male nodded again, his eyes narrowing slightly as he observed his son. "And the pack?" he press
Raul’s mouth was open as he exchanged glances with a gawking Olivera. Gory’s disappearance had shocked them both. Raul looked at the spot again, before returning slowly to his seat. “Did you see that?”Olivera nodded absentmindedly. She had seen the strange motions of Gory’s hand, but had thought that there were movements borne out of nervousness, not until she had felt the darts that had been directed toward her, that had been stopped by the shield that she had created around Raul and her. What if she hadn’t been proactive? She didn’t think that Raul noticed, since they were surprised for different reasons. Whereas Raul was surprised that his old man had suddenly disappeared, she was surprised that the man’s magic was strong enough to officiate a disappearing technique. If that was so, it meant that the male was practicing magic. It meant that he had lied to Raul again. He wasn’t sick. She was sure that Raul had made that discovery too, if the fisting of his hands were any indicati
Olivera inhaled deeply for the fourth time, standing at the large entrance doors of the palace, whilst waiting for Miriam to meet her there, so that they would be off to find her mother. Raul’s mother. Beside her was Raul, whom, although she noticed that his hands were shaking, she didn’t speak to him. She already knew what his problem was. He was scared for her. She was scared for herself too, never mind that she believed she was ready. In the last three days, she had intensified her training, spending more time with Vee and Jacob, learning about the old ways. Jacob. She smiled at the thought, her heart rate calming at the goodness that was her brother. She couldn’t get over what he had suffered, or the choices he had made, or the fact he was mated at his young human age. She had teased him mostly about it, especially when he had tried to convince her to let him come along with them on this mission, until he had stopped, giving up hope on following them. She would have loved his c
“Are you nervous?” Miriam asked Olivera as they stood by the edge of the thick forest that led into the unknown; a forest that was just after Raul’s pack. Olivera shrugged her shoulders. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t feeling nervous. She was. Yes, her many trainings with Miriam during the days in the magic cloaked location had opened her eyes to the riches within her, had dealt with the last of the fear and timidity residing within her, but she was still a fleshly being, and going into the unknown was always going to be nervous at first to whomever was in a fleshly state. Yes, she was nervous. But she wasn’t afraid of the unknown. She believed that she was prepared, and this time around, she believed that the goddess was on her side. She had grown believing that she was cursed, that she was unknown by the gods, by the moon goddess, but the events over the last four months had told her otherwise. All these happenings had been orchestrated by the divine forces, who were