Era decided not to dwell on Gerald and Barbara's strange behavior. There was something far more pressing to deal with at the moment—the strange looks from her fellow students. They were clearly staring at her with a different intensity than before.Her forehead was furrowed. Their eyes darted around. Then Era's voice questioned Seth in a hushed tone. "Is it just me, or is there something different about the way they look at me, Seth?"Seth sighed as he scratched the tip of his temple with his index finger. "Actually, that's what I wanted to tell you," he said, causing Era to turn and look at him curiously. "There's been some news circulating around campus lately, especially after the incident that happened to you in Arbora Forest."This time, Era's steps stopped abruptly. Her expression changed. She looked at Seth with a horrified expression. "Don't tell me that..."Oh no! Era couldn't even bring herself to finish her own sentence."You're right," Seth said with a helpless nod. Obviou
As it turned out, there was another thing Era had to take care of besides her research data and graduation preparations, namely her part-time job at Central Perk & Pour. This cafe, quite popular among young people, had been her lifeline before she met Oscar.Era decided to quit. She thought the sooner the better. Besides, she needed to focus on completing the final processing of her research data.Era's reasons were logical, but still caused surprise, especially for Audrey Perry. It seemed difficult for her to accept the fact that Era would soon quit."Are you serious, Era?"Era nodded as she closed the door to her locker. "Of course I'm serious, Dree. I handed in my letter of resignation earlier. So, this month will be my last month working here. Besides, just think about it. The boss has been very nice to me because I haven't been to work for over two months. Logically, I should have been fired by now, right?"Dree couldn't help laughing. "You're right. You should have been fired, b
Not long had passed and these moments would surely fade away soon. This thought briefly crossed Era's mind as her workday came to an end and she and Dree strolled through the night streets together.The chill of the night air was beginning to feel different, a clear sign that the season was about to change. Era zipped up her jacket to cover her neck, which was beginning to feel chilly. Meanwhile, Dree beside her seemed unaffected, her jacket unbuttoned and occasionally fluttering in the night breeze.Era narrowed her eyes and looked at Dree, her forehead slightly furrowed. "Don't you feel cold?""Cold?" Dree repeated, as if she had to confirm Era's question while also looking back. Then she smiled faintly and shook her head. "It doesn't seem too cold yet.""Really?" Era asked.Dree nodded. "Besides, how can you not like the cold when you've spent most of your life in Avaluna Village? Isn't there hardly any sun?""You're right," Era grumbled, memories flashing through her mind. She rea
Dree's confidence only added to Era's confusion. On the other hand, the man seemed to want to take advantage of it. It seemed that his mind was clearer now, and the idea of leaving crossed his mind. Besides, he had to admit that Seth possessed a strength that wasn't fully reflected by his casual and neat appearance.The man growled and tried to pull his hand out of Seth's grip. "Let go of me!""Don't expect me to let you go," Seth replied casually, tightening his grip. The man's cries of pain grew louder as a result. "So, what do you want me to do with him, Era? It's clear that he has bad intentions towards you."Era wasn't sure. "I don't know him, Seth. I don't know why he blocked my way.""Did you hear that?" Seth raised his fist at the man with a gesture full of intimidation. "Tell us, who are you and what is your business with her? Tell us, or I can't guarantee that your fingers will stay intact."The man gritted his teeth. His pride was hurt. As a result, his rationality faded ag
"You're the one doing this to me, right?!"Coming to campus and finding her ex-boyfriend going crazy on her was definitely not what Era had imagined. But that's what happened now. She had just gotten out of Seth's car, taken five steps away from the parking lot, and was about to walk straight into the lecture hall to meet Madeline, when suddenly Gerald appeared with Barbara, blocking her path with overflowing rage."Wow!" Seth immediately stepped forward and stepped between Era and Gerald. "Take it easy, Robinson. Don't you have anything better to do this early in the morning than cause a scene?"Gerald turned angrily to Seth. His right hand was raised with a pointed forefinger pressing against Seth's chest. "This is none of your business, Cooper. So, you better step aside before you regret it."Seth chuckled wryly. It seemed like threatening statements were coming his way quite often lately. He shook his head. "On the contrary, Robinson. Let me tell you, quit while you still can. I a
Era wanted to express some of her thoughts and thought it was the best decision. After all, she was about to graduate. She would leave Celestial City soon. Of course, she wouldn't meet Gerald again.Unfortunately, Era's intention was shattered by the reality that Seth's words were indeed true. In fact, Gerald burst into laughter and mocked her."Your behavior now is truly amusing, Era. Do you think you're so great just because you dated Oscar?"Era closed her lips tightly as the voice of her inner wolf spirit echoed in her mind. Seth's words were indeed true. Look! He really had no self-awareness.She let out a small sigh. "Fine, then. I won't do or say anything else. It's up to you, Gerald. We have nothing else to discuss, and I hope this serves as a lesson to you."Era no longer cared. She decided to leave. Her feet moved, but Gerald acted unexpectedly.Gerald blocked Era's path. Curses slipped from his lips as his hand rose. His palm tensed, then slid swiftly, aiming for Era's chee
Philo wasn't at all surprised to find Oscar restless in the early morning, considering the events of last night, when someone had tried to hurt Era again. As a result, Oscar seemed irritated now, although it wouldn't have been a serious problem since the someone was just an ordinary human, especially since Seth always kept a close watch on Era.But Philo could understand Oscar's concern. He knew very well that Oscar's reaction was a common thing that every mated werewolf experienced. Therefore, his priority now was to calm Oscar's emotions. He didn't want Oscar's emotional turmoil to suddenly erupt in the office and have an impromptu meeting that would certainly cause a stir. He remembered the last time Oscar had acted like this; the whole office was in chaos as all the approved partnership proposals were re-evaluated."Looks like my suspicions were correct."Philo had just thought of a few topics he felt were safe for morning conversation. Unexpectedly, it was Oscar who spoke first.
"It is unbelievable, Oscar. Unbelievable that you marked me without my knowledge? So, tell me, when exactly did you mark me?" Era couldn't contain herself. She bombarded Oscar with questions that filled her head. "Since when?"Oscar sighed for a moment. "Era, I was wondering. Who told you about this? I—""There's no need to beat around the bush, Oscar. Just answer my question," Era cut in quickly, taking a deep breath. She tried to calm herself, even though it was difficult. After all, she had just faced Gerald and now she was surprised by an unexpected fact. "When did you mark me?""All right. I'll answer your question." Oscar sighed again before finally answering Era's question. "Actually, I've been marking you since the first night you officially became a werewolf."Era's eyes widened. "You?""I marked you on the night of The Sacred Ceremony."Era stumbled. "That was so long ago and you never told me?""It's not that I didn't want to tell you, but I didn't know how to explain it. E
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
Throughout her life, Era had witnessed and endured countless chaos. Her life had never been peaceful. More often than not, problems would come crashing in and leave her life in shambles. But of all the turmoil, none was more terrifying than what she was about to face.Era was shaken. The chaos wasn't just the physical destruction or the deafening noise—it was far more than that. It carried with it the threat of death everywhere, a fear so palpable and overwhelming that it felt like invisible chains wrapped around her entire body.The air grew heavy. Pressure from all sides. Amidst the relentless cacophony, Era felt small, fragile and utterly powerless.The Palace of Xylvaneth, long a symbol of strength and protection, was on the verge of collapse—both literally and symbolically. The tremors that rippled through the ground, emanating from the battle in Lunaria Forest, seemed like a harbinger of the disaster that was about to unfold there.The rumble of wolf paws pounding the earth in t