Now that Amias thought about it with a clearer mind, he could conclude that the bouquet was not the only luxurious item Era possessed. Even her clothes, shoes, bracelets, earrings, and necklace exuded an undeniable luxury.Amias rubbed his hands together before slipping them into his pockets. For a moment he looked around at the quiet surroundings. Era had led him to a secluded corner of the campus, away from the crowd."So, he really is your new boyfriend?"Era took a deep breath. "That's none of your business. The important thing now is to tell me, why did you come to see me?"The first suspicion came to Era's mind. She guessed that Amias' reason would not be far from money. After all, she didn't expect any other reason, knowing Amias' nature only too well. Amias was a drunkard, a gambler, and a drug addict.A cynical expression appeared on Era's face. "Do you want money? Or do you want to sell me again to pay your debts?""You're really something, Era. How could you talk to your fa
Oscar once again proved his principle: when it came to Era's safety, there was no room for risk. He did not want to take any chances. So, he decided to take Era back to Pondera E.V., back to The Palace, right after the graduation ceremony ended.On the other hand, Era did not resist. Usually, she would try to reject Oscar's behavior, which she considered excessive, but not this time. She also didn't want to take any risks because the situation seemed to be more complicated than she had initially thought.The incident with Amias shocked Era because she had never imagined that those who were spying on her would go so far. It turned out that simply watching her was not enough for them; they were willing to cross the line.In fact, Era despised Amias to the lowest point of her life. All she wanted was to sever all ties with Amias. But this was not the way. She couldn't let others suffer because of her, even if that person was Amias."Era."Oscar's voice broke Era's reverie. Her focus, whi
Philo quickly drove away from the palace towards Avaluna Village after receiving orders from Oscar. He did not waste any time. It only took him about ten minutes to get ready—just change clothes—and pack his equipment into a bag.The day had changed by the time Philo arrived at Avaluna Village. He was greeted by a thick fog and drizzle that dampened the rest of his short journey.Philo aimed his car at the Ross home. He thought it would be the best place to start the investigation, since it was there that Amias had been visited and beaten by unknown people.The car didn't stop right in front of the Ross house. The caution that was ingrained in him made Philo act with full consideration. He didn't want to attract the attention of the villagers, even though the area was quiet at the time. There might still be one or two people out there who could spot him.Philo left his car at the hospital after pretending to enter as if to visit someone. He slipped into the darkness of the night and s
"Then who is he?"Era broke the short silence that had fallen after her confession. She had waited, but Oscar hadn't said anything to her. Instead, he kept looking at Philo with a look that only deepened her confusion.The situation was indeed disturbing. Era was well aware of that, especially since she was the object of all this. She didn't want to be kept in the dark. She wanted to know every bit of information available, at least so she could anticipate who she was up against.So, Era looked back and forth between Oscar and Philo and asked, "You both know them, don't you?""Yes," Oscar finally replied, taking a moment to catch his breath. "Philo has been investigating. Most likely he is a werewolf from The Elven Pack."Era frowned. "Elven pack?" she repeated uncertainly. "I don't know them."Oscar nodded. "Of course you don't. You only know the Xylvaneth Pack."Era narrowed her eyes. "Are you mocking me?""Not at all," Oscar replied quickly. He wiped his face briefly. "In fact, it
Seth wouldn't have considered the idea if Irene hadn't brought it up. Until then, he hadn't noticed anything unusual about Dree. She seemed like any other girl to him. Now, thanks to Irene's words, everything about Dree made him question her true nature.First, as the flirtatious waitress had pointed out, something that Seth had initially thought was ordinary now seemed unusual: Dree's pale skin and slender frame. He had assumed it was just her body type, her genetics. But now he shuddered at the thought. What if Dree's genetics were vampiric?Secondly, as Irene had mentioned, it seemed rather strange that Dree had such a strong instinct. It was impossible for a normal human. Now Seth found it strange that he hadn't noticed any werewolves watching them that night, while Dree had been very aware of them.Third, hmm. Seth's eyes narrowed as he reached for his napkin and wiped his mouth. Vampires liked blood, didn't they? Was that why their cheeks always seemed to turn rosy?Seth cleared
As long as Era was in Celestial City, Seth kept watch over her. He never left her side until she was safely inside her apartment. For Seth, there was no place in Celestial City that could be trusted for safety other than the Avalon Gardens apartment.Seth really did carry out Oscar's orders as best he could. Even when Era didn't want to be guarded, he cleverly watched over her from a safe distance, ensuring her safety one hundred percent. One way he did this was by following Era home after she finished working at the cafe.Now that Era had returned to The Palace, Seth realized that there was no harm in continuing to follow that route. He thought that maybe one or two members of the pack would still think that Era was there. If that happened, he might get some valuable leads.Seth turned the wheel and made a turn at an intersection where the streetlight was broken. He looked at the flickering light and shook his head, thinking that the twinkling stars were much nicer.Thoughts of twink
Seth took a long breath as he watched them go. Then he quickly returned to the car, coinciding with the appearance of a motorcycle gang having fun."Seth!" Dree exclaimed as Seth entered the car. She quickly assessed Seth's condition. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"Seth shook his head. "I'm fine.""Oh, thank goodness." Dree's eyes closed dramatically as she breathed a sigh of relief. "I was really worried." After a moment she opened her eyes again. "I was really scared because just by looking at them, you could tell they were really evil. They could have hurt you."Seth added, "And hurt you, too."Dree was stunned. Seth's words made all the words that had been on the tip of her tongue instantly disappear."So, would you mind telling me what happened earlier?"Dree blinked. The question managed to snap her out of her daze. She cleared her throat and shook her head. Then she told everything that had happened."They asked about Era's whereabouts, and since I didn't know, I told them that
Era thought that leaving Avaluna Village and never seeing Amias again would be the end of all the chaos in her life. But it seemed she was wrong. Fate still enjoyed throwing new chaos her way. New problems appeared, like shadows that promised to follow her endlessly.At first, these problems didn't bother Era much. Her life experiences had taught her not to be afraid to face problems. She believed that no matter what the problem was, it would eventually come to an end.Unfortunately, that wasn't the case now. Era realized that the problems she was facing also affected those around her. Amias and Dree were two such examples.Era didn't want to think negatively, but the worry came unbidden. In the end, she was haunted by one question. What if something bad happens to the people around me?Era's heart was restless. Her mind was unsettled. Every passing second felt agonizing. She kept hoping that Philo would soon provide the information they needed. But it didn't seem to be that easy for
Now in wolf form, Era stood tall and unyielding, her sharp gaze fixed on her attackers. She radiated a powerful aura that was both intimidating and unshakable. With a ferocious growl, she lunged forward and slashed at the first wolf with her sharp, formidable claws.The first wolf howled in pain and was thrown aside. This enraged the others, who roared furiously and charged again.Era didn't falter. She deftly deflected a snap bite aimed at her neck, twisting her body and narrowly avoiding the sharp teeth in a matter of seconds.Their claws clashed, sending sprays of blood into the air. The sound of their struggle tore through the night, a deafening cacophony of snarling and tearing flesh. The battle raged on, brutal and relentless, with no room for mercy.Era moved with agility and precision, meeting each onslaught with fierce resistance. Though surrounded, her fighting spirit remained undimmed. She refused to allow fear to enter her mind.But fending off a pack of trained wolves was
The clash of metal echoed, followed by a violent jolt that almost caused Era to lose control. She growled in frustration and quickly turned the wheel to steady her car, which had almost skidded off the road.Era glanced into the rear-view mirror. There she saw a massive figure with glowing green-yellow eyes running parallel to her car.Era’s body instantly froze. It dawned on her that it wasn't a human, but a wolf, and certainly not an ordinary one. It was much larger than a normal wolf, its dark fur shimmering in the moonlight.Era swallowed hard and gathered her courage. She shifted her focus back to the road, trying to assess the situation, but at the same time more massive shadows emerged from either side of the forest. They moved quickly, bursting through the undergrowth, stalking her car like a pack of hunters closing in on their prey."Damn it!" Era cursed, gripping the wheel tightly. She stepped on the accelerator, deciding that fleeing the pack of wolves was her best option.
Era stepped out of the Opulence Bistro; her breath ragged. The sound of her sneakers scraping the pavement matched the rapid beat of her heart. The cold night air had no power to quell the fire of anger burning in her chest."Bastard," Era muttered, her lips pressed tightly together. Her frustration was so intense that it felt suffocating. She glanced back at the entrance of the Opulence Bistro for a moment before continuing on to her car. "I shouldn't have met him."You're right, Era. You shouldn't have met him. Didn't I tell you not to go? Oh God, I don't know what will happen if Oscar finds out what you're doing now.Suddenly Era's eyes closed dramatically. She responded to the words of her wolf spirit. Be quiet. I don't want to talk now.Era felt so stupid. How could she trust Freddy? She had been so naive, thinking that meeting him would lead to him releasing Amias.It wasn't that simple. The realization hit Era hard. Even if Freddy had Amias, that didn't mean he would just let h
Freddy was still in the Opulence Bistro. He stood in the corner of the room and stared at the table where he had met Era earlier. His wine glass was still there, its contents untouched.Freddy's breathing was heavy. His chest rose and fell with uncontrollable emotions. He could barely contain himself when Bernard finally arrived, his head bowed."Bernard," Freddy growled, his face flushed with anger. His hoarse voice made the air around them feel sharp and tense. "You really made a fool of me!"Bernard mustered the courage to speak. "Alpha, I—""You said the potion would take effect in ten seconds. But what happened?" Freddy's eyes widened in anger. His jaw clenched as the memory of what had happened earlier rekindled the fire of his anger. "The potion was useless. Era wasn't affected at all."Bernard looked stunned; confusion evident in his gaze. "That's impossible, Alpha. The potion—""Enough!" Freddy snapped, his anger spinning out of control. Reflexively, he grabbed Bernard by the
A grin appeared on Freddy's face. His happiness was written all over his expression. He casually leaned back in his chair and let the satisfaction flow through his entire body.Era's voice still echoed in Freddy's mind, repeating over and over like a victory melody. The wave of satisfaction became almost overwhelming, making it impossible for Freddy to hold back. A small laugh escaped his lips—a soft chuckle, but full of meaning.The plan had gone smoothly, even better than Freddy had imagined. His threats had backed Era into a corner. In the end, she had no choice but to follow his orders. Era had moved exactly as he had wanted.The room seemed to warm up, radiating an air of triumph from every corner. Freddy rose from his chair and walked to the large window that framed the dark night sky. He slipped both hands into his pants pockets while his eyes stared far ahead, brimming with confidence.Freddy had won the first stage of the game. The euphoria filled him with a passionate burst
The voice crept into Era's ears like a sharp knife, slowly slicing, creating invisible wounds that burned every nerve. It made Era's heart pound violently through words that carried an implied threat.A chilling sensation appeared, piercing Era to the bone and freezing her. Her body stiffened completely, unable to move in the face of the terror that gripped her.The atmosphere changed instantly. The air grew heavy, thickening within seconds.The walls of the corridor seemed to close in. They moved slowly, pressing mercilessly against Era, suffocating her with their closeness."Era, are you listening to me?" The voice came back, softer and yet sharper. It brought a wave of fear that crawled over every inch of Era's body, making her breath catch and her blood run cold.Era's hand holding the phone began to sweat, and the perspiration only got worse. That voice was no ordinary threat—it was a certainty of the disaster soon to come.Era’s throat tightened. Her tongue felt numb. Yet she
Oscar lay motionless on the bed. All of his wounds were hidden under layers of bandages. His chest rose and fell slowly, each breath sounding labored, as if his body was still fighting the exhaustion that consumed it. He looked exhausted. A pale hue colored his face, one that usually radiated the strength of an Alpha. Even his once strong fingers now rested limply, as if surrendering to time.Beside Oscar sat Era, who had been at his side the whole time. She sat close to the bed, her fingers lightly stroking the back of Oscar's bandaged hand.The worry inside her was relentless. Fear hovered like a specter, always looming. No matter how many times Landon and Philo tried to reassure her, Era couldn't calm her mind. For her, the only way to get all the dark thoughts out of her head was to see Oscar regain consciousness.For this reason, Era stayed close to Oscar. She wouldn't go anywhere until he woke up. She even refused Aaron and Ursa's pleas for her to rest. It was impossible for her
The darkness of the night began to fade. The glow of the full moon was no longer as bright as it had been. The sky gradually shifted, leaving a gradient of purple that slowly turned into orange streaks on the horizon.The morning breeze carried the scent of damp leaves and fresh dew, soothing the weary souls that had endured the long and harrowing night. Sunlight began to creep through the tall trees, illuminating tired faces now covered in gratitude. The atmosphere, once tense and heavy, gave way to a deep silence filled with meaning.The Lunaria Forest felt desolate. The scent of earth mingled with the metallic taste of blood, leaving haunting traces of the battle that had just ended. Tall trees, usually standing proudly, appeared damaged—some with broken branches from the fury of the brutal clashes.In the midst of all the destruction, Era felt a surge of emotion well up in her chest. Her heart pounded wildly—not with fear, but with an indescribable relief.Era’s tired eyes scanned
Instinct had already sounded its warning. An uneasy feeling clung to Oscar's mind ever since he received Nicholas' challenge to a fight to the death. He knew there would be parties trying to take advantage of the situation, and his suspicions proved correct. Information leaked. No one knew who was behind it, but the supposedly private fight to the death at Riverdale Bluffs had turned into a spectacle that drew a large crowd. Oscar couldn't even keep track of which packs were present.Unfortunately, the problem didn't end there. Bad news arrived just as Oscar was preparing to face Stephen. The palace had been attacked by the Phydaron pack. As a result, Oscar left the arena in a hurry. He ignored Stephen's taunts. It didn't matter if he was branded a coward for leaving the fight. After all, he didn't owe Stephen anything, and what mattered most was Era's safety—his top priority above all else.Oscar jumped effortlessly into the helicopter, followed by Philo, Thad, and the Warriors. As