Raul sat alone in his office, the room dimly lit by a single flickering candle. The weight of Olivera's words pressed heavily on his mind. She had told him something that seemed impossible, something that threatened to shatter his entire understanding of his past. According to his mate, his father had lied to him. But how could that be? His father had always been a beacon of honesty and integrity, a guiding force in his life. The idea that he had been deceiving Raul all along felt like a betrayal too deep to comprehend.He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair as he replayed the conversation with Olivera in his mind. Her eyes had been filled with sincerity, her voice steady and unwavering. She was his mate, the one person he was supposed to trust implicitly. The bond they shared was unbreakable, rooted in truth and loyalty. How could she lie to him? The very thought seemed absurd. And yet, the doubt lingered.Raul's mind raced with conflicting emotions. On one han
10 years ago.Seventeen years old Raul paced tro and fro his large room, his excitement bubbling over as he grabbed his phone to call Leonard. They had been planning for weeks to go to the biggest party of the summer, and tonight was finally the night. The anticipation had been building all day, and he could hardly contain himself.The anticipation didn’t dull over when Leonard missed his calls ten times, or when the latter didn’t call back. Raul knew his cousin’s house, his cousin who treated him much better than his mother did. And so, without wasting time, he donned a casual attire, and made his way to Leonard’s house.It was a perfect summer evening, warm and golden with the sun setting in the distance. Raul made his way through the familiar neighborhood, his steps quick and light. Leonard’s house was just around the corner, and Raul could already imagine the two of them walking to the party together, talking about all the fun they were going to have.As he approached the house, R
8 years ago.19 years old Raul stood in the council hall, his heart pounding in his chest as he watched the scene that was unfolding before him. The air crackled with tension as Miriam, a once-respected member of their pack, his stepsister, was dragged in by guards, her wrists bound and her eyes filled with defiance. It was a sight that sent a shiver down Raul's spine, for he knew the gravity of the accusations that had led to this moment.Leonard, Miriam’s lover and his cousin, surged forward to stop them, his desperate cries echoing off the stone walls of the hall. But the guards held him back, their grip firm and unyielding. Raul's gaze flickered to his cousin, the anguish etched on Leonard's face cutting him to the core. He had been the one to make the report, to his father no less, detailing the abominable relationship between Leonard and Miriam.Raul's father, the alpha of their pack, had not taken the report lightly. He had believed, like many others, that Miriam had used dark
The Present Time.“You aren’t going to answer the question?” Raul noticed that Leonard's facial features had hardened again. Well, it was to be expected. He thought, letting out a weary sigh. “I am not calling for her help, Leonard. I am sure you know that.” A tense silence, after which Leonard chuckled darkly. “I knew, but I had still thought to ask. Dumb right? Wishing that you would probably get down the high horse and ask for help. Maybe then you will see that she is not as evil as you think.” Raul scoffed. “Why are you so obsessed with your first cousin? Isn’t the relationship abominable? What about your mate? Have you bothered searching for her? Why are you so hung on a woman that doesn’t care about you?” Leonard gritted his teeth, then stood up from his seat, as if to leave.“What? Discussing it makes you uncomfortable?” Raul taunted, riding on the waves of aggression.Leonard chuckled again. “You are really clueless, aren’t you? I actually pity Olivera.” Raul hit the ta
Olivera's heart felt like a heavy stone in her chest as she sat by Raul's bedside, watching him in his coma. A whirlwind of emotions tore through her, each one vying for dominance in her already overwhelmed mind.Guilt gnawed at her relentlessly, a constant reminder of the harsh words she had spoken to him moments before he slipped into unconsciousness. She replayed their discussion over and over in her mind, each word a dagger stabbing at her conscience. If only she had been kinder, if only she had just listened and kept her opinions to herself, perhaps things would be different now.Regret washed over her in waves, threatening to drown her in its suffocating embrace. She wished she could turn back time, go back to that moment and choose her words more carefully. But she knew that was impossible, and the weight of her mistakes pressed down on her like a crushing burden.Fear gripped her heart in icy fingers, squeezing until she could barely breathe. The thought of losing Raul, of nev
Olivera sighed wearily as she dropped on the bed with a soft thud, aware of Vee stepping into the room, and shutting the door after him. “He will be fine, Olivera. Nick had mentioned so. I checked him myself, and he would be fine. And don’t blame yourself, you weren’t at fault.” Olivera shook her head, sitting up on the bed. “Probably, but I am sure that our last conversation was part of the things that had put him in that state. You heard what Nick said. He is in a coma. We are not sure when he is waking up. What if…” Olivera lifted her hands as she spoke and let it fall again, tears beginning to fall from her eyes for the umpteenth time since the news. “He will wake up, Olivera. I have a feeling that he will be better when he wakes up, his memories and all, including the truth about his mother’s departure.” Olivvera flunked her hands. “That’s what I am talking about. I had been part of it. I had caused him to go into an induced sleepy state!” “To remember, Olivera. If I should
Olivera was staring at the grandfather’s clock which read eleven pm, but her thoughts kept roaming around the pale state of Raul, and the entirety of what she was. It was barely five minutes after Vee had left her to herself, and Olivera would be lying if she said that it didn’t scare her. A lot of things could go wrong in five minutes. A knock on her door startled her, and she quickly sat up on the bed. The knock sounded again, when silence continued to reign in the room. “Come in…” Olivera said unsurely, aware of the erratic beating of her heart when Seth came in.Seth, who had taunted her. Seth, who had almost raped her. Seth, who had abused her with his hands.Olivera's heart plummeted as Seth stepped into her room to serve as her guard. The air grew thick with tension, suffocating her as memories of their past encounters flooded her mind.She remembered the cruel taunts, the mocking laughter that had echoed in the room when Seth crossed her path. The wounds of his words and
Olivera's mind buzzed with a cacophony of thoughts as she stepped into the secret room further, seeking solace amidst the chaos that consumed her thoughts, especially when she found nothing at first, nothing that would make a noise. Her mate's condition weighed heavily on her heart, each breath a struggle as she grappled with the uncertainty of what lay ahead.As she wandered deeper into the room, her eyes scanning the shelves and tables for any sign of a clue, she paused in her tracks, her gaze drawn to a mesmerizing sight. Floating just a few feet above the ground was a portal, its swirling colors casting an ethereal glow that bathed the room in an otherworldly light.The portal shimmered with hues of cerulean blue and emerald green, each hue dancing and melding into the next in a mesmerizing display of magic. Olivera couldn't tear her eyes away, captivated by the beauty and mystery of the swirling vortex before her.Could this be it? Could this be what had made the noise that she