Cameron's P.O.V "Both Alex and Mirage?" Alpha Charles, my father, clenched his jaw. "And we're finding out about this only now? What on earth had the guards been doing at night?" "Lucas and Dylan at the front gate said that they were at a daze," Sarah reasoned with my father and I was glad that she was still here because she was the one of the people he still listened to. "Around three at night…it got really foggy and they went out to check. After that, they don't remember much of what happened. It was all foggy and unclear. The next time they returned, over an hour of time had passed and they couldn't remember anything." "Definitely magic, but I'm finding it hard to understand how a witch can cause time lapses or make people lose sense of time," Freya shook her head, rubbing her hands up and down her arm. "The time when my coven came to take me away, they had used fog as well, mixed with a sleeping spell. But thi
Freya's P.O.V Everyone from Alpha Charles's office made their way to Julian's room immediately. All except for Daisy, who went straight to her lab to grab the vial containing the cure and bring it to Julian's room. Cameron held onto my hand tightly, in case I fell over again, but I wasn't going to. I was a lot more stable now and I had to see if the cure really worked. God, I hoped it did. Julian hadn't been conscious for the last four days and with each day that passed, I could see him slowly fade away. I was trying my best to stay strong; for him, for Cameron…but I couldn't do it for much longer. He was the only one I had left…my only family. If something happened to Julian…no! I couldn't even think about it! He was only ten! He hadn't even lived his life yet! How could someone be so heartless as to do this to a child? Mirage was right! Alistair was a sick, twisted bastard who just wanted to get what he wanted and he didn't care how he got it. He didn't
Mirage's P.O.V "Alex!" I went to reach out for him, but Alistair caught me from behind with his hands around my waist and hauled me back to his chest. "Now, now…" his menacing voice reached my ears from behind, making a chill run down my spine. "Don't rush yet. You don't want Akiko's hands to slip and behead your little boy-toy, now do you?" "Don't you dare! Don't you fucking dare!" I was past getting scared of him. This wasn't about me anymore. This was about my mate…and from the looks of it, he already had tortured Alex while I had been out. But as Alistair's nails dug into my waist, I knew I had enough. Jabbing my elbow into his side, I twisted out of his grip as soon as I heard him groan out a curse and then I twisted around and held out my hand in front of his face, palms out…and released a ball of light. A high pitched scream tore through Alistair's mouth, the sound like nails on a chalkboard. But b
Mirage's P.O.V "Mirage!" Alex reached for me with his hands, as far as he could go, but the shackles restrained him. I was frozen in place, both in pain and fear as Alistair drank from me. A vampire could make its bite both painful or use a sedative kind of substance from its tongue to numb the area before a bite to make it painless…For me, Alistair had always made it painful. Even now, my entire body felt numb from the pain as he drew out my life's blood. I could feel myself getting weaker and weaker as my hands hung numbly by my side, while I felt Alistair's grip on me getting stronger. My legs could barely support me anymore by the time he was almost done feeding from me, so when he removed his fangs and let me go, I dropped onto the floor like a stack of potatoes, almost lifeless…unable to move. I felt drops of blood rolling down the side of my neck, from the open wounds that he had left behind…but there wasn't much blood left in me anyways…
Mirage's P.O.V My eyes fluttered open to the familiar ceiling of my room back at the packhouse of the Ocean Runners pack. However, it took me a second to realize that it wasn't the ceiling to the room that I shared with Alex…but the room that I had been staying at before…when I had first arrived at the pack. But before the sinking feeling could settle in my stomach, a face appeared in my vision that had my eyes widening with shock as my memories of recent times returned with a vengeance. "Maze!" "Finally, sissy!" She gave me a big smile. "I was getting tired of waiting for you to wake up!" And with that, she literally pounced on top of me, engulfing me in her arms and swamp me in the familiar scent of her body. I wrapped my arms around her just as tightly; holding on to her just like she was holding on to me. At Alistair's place, there had been hardly any time for us to actually interact with each other, but now, w
Mirage's P.O.V Alex watched Maze bounce out of the room with a smile on his face. "I've never had siblings, but now I miss not having one." He gave me a sheepish smile. "Maybe we should make sure that our kids don't feel alone, so we should have many." My heart literally threatened to burst out of my chest. "You're not mad?" "Mad?" Alex's smile instantly turned into a glare. "I'm ready to throw you into the dungeons and throw away the keys so you don't ever think about doing stupid things ever again." He closed and locked the door before he came to sit at the foot of the bed, keeping a safe distance from me. I missed his touch…I missed not having him near me; especially when he was purposely shutting off the mating bond from his side. I wasn't even aware he could do that. "I…guess we have a lot to talk ab-" "Let's start with the fact that you actually tried to 'drug' me with a few
Mirage's P.O.V The man that stepped out of the van in front of the packhouse…didn't look like my father anymore. I remembered a man with light brown hair, fair skin and sparkling amethyst eyes and lips that were always smiling. He used to glow with a certain light, as if he truly was some kind of a fairy…a fairy of joy and happiness and love. But this man…he had dark, matted hair that was cut short plastered to his skull. His eyes were sunken in and his lips were pressed together into a thin line. His skin was ashy and the glow I once knew was all but gone. Moreover, he was now bent at the waist and almost less than half his weight. It was as if those monsters had sucked him dry over and over, making him survive on the bare minimum just so he could once again produce more blood for them. The names of those who had our father hadn't been disclosed by the Queen, but Maze's mate feared that whoever it was that had him, was very close to the Queen, if not someone fr
Mirage's P.O.V "Now that everything important has been done and dealt with…are we going to talk about how you deserted us all and went your merry way or are we just going to pretend that you didn't just act like a major bitch?" Sarah almost spat out her morning coffee while Darcia, Cameron and Alex jumped up from the table and disappeared out the door like little traitors, leaving me to deal with Freya's wrath all alone. It was a week after my dad had gone away to the Autumn Court with my grandmother and a day since my sister left with her mate for Alaska, with a promise to visit as often as she could. But now that everything was done and dusted…it came time to face the hardest part. Freya and Sarah. The two women who had come to mean more than family to me. And the two women who I abandoned and hid information from as I went with Alistair, with the thought that I might never see them again. For Freya…the betrayal was even deeper, especiall
Lilac's P.O.V It's been a long ride and a very eventful one at that and anytime I think about what Krimson and I have been through, I'm just grateful we had the strength to go through everything we went through and we were able to come out of it even stronger than how we were before. As the sun cast its warm, golden rays across the university campus, I found myself sitting on a bench, the weight of decisions pressing against my chest. The soft whispers of the leaves rustling in the gentle breeze mirrored the conflicted thoughts swirling in my mind. Krimson, my mate, had offered a future tied to our pack, an enticing prospect for many, but not for me. I gazed at the sprawling grounds, feeling a tug in my heart that wasn't just about academic pursuits. The university held promises beyond the textbooks and lectures. It offered freedom—freedom to carve my own identity, to explore knowledge that extended far beyond the boundaries of our pack's traditions. I yearned to brea
Krimson's P.O.V I woke up to the pale light filtering through the hospital room, the faint beeping of monitors sounding in the background. My vision was hazy at first, the events leading up to this moment a jumbled mess in my mind. As I blinked and slowly tried to focus, the first thing that became clear was Lilac's form, peacefully asleep in a chair next to my bed. Relief washed over me as memories flooded back, fragments piecing together into a coherent narrative. "Lilac," I whispered softly, my voice hoarse from disuse. She stirred slightly, a faint flutter of eyelashes against her cheeks, but she remained deep in slumber. The sight of her there, unwavering by my side, despite everything that had transpired, filled me with an inexplicable warmth. I couldn't help but recall the chaos of that night—the confrontation, the whirlwind of emotions, and then the blankness as consciousness slipped away from me. But here I was, waking up to her steadfast presence. It m
Lilac's P.O.V I watched Silver hurl accusations at me, adding to my guilt. I wanted to explain, to make her understand that it wasn't intentional, that the circumstances had shifted beyond my control. But words seemed to desert me in that moment as I grappled with the weight of her accusation. However, Krimson's voice echoed in the room then, commanding even though weak. "Silver, it's not Lilac's fault," he said firmly, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "I made the decision. I took action to protect." Silver's gaze snapped toward Krimson, her eyes filled with disbelief. "What are you saying, Krimson? You hated her, didn't you? Then why would you risk your life to save her?" Krimson shook his head solemnly. "No, Silver. I never hated Lilac, it was our circumstances that I hated. It felt like the Goddess had played a cruel joke on me. But I couldn't run away from a bond fated by the goddess herself, Silver. I had caused Lilac enough pain as it is…I
Lilac's P.O.V I nodded, my mind racing with the urgency of the situation. I moved towards Silver, hoping against hope that all of this worked. "Silver…" I called out to her slowly, making her head snap in my direction. "Please…you need to stop all of this." But Silver's face twisted in a sinister smirk. "It's too late to stop any of this, Lilac. This ends with one of us." "It doesn't have to be that way, Silvia." I shook my head, pleading with her. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Del approaching her steadily from behind her, while I kept on engaging her in conversion. "It does, Lilac." Silver snapped at me, turning her body around so she was facing me completely. "You don't understand-" It was all Del needed, for her to turn away, so that our plan worked. Without wasting a second, he came up behind Silver and wrapped his arms around her body, holding her in place as he took her by surprise
Lilac's P.O.V For a moment, time seemed suspended, the tableau frozen in an eerie stillness. Silver hesitated, her gaze flickering between me and Krimson, the dagger held poised in the air, its lethal purpose momentarily forgotten in the face of Krimson's interruption. "Step away from her, Silver," Krimson's voice cut through the tension, unwavering and authoritative. His stance was firm, commanding obedience without question. The grip of Silver's magic lessened, the pressure easing just enough for me to draw a ragged breath. My muscles protested as I struggled against the binds anew, though I didn't dare to take my eyes off Silver, her expression a maelstrom of conflicting emotions - anger, desperation, and a hint of something I couldn't quite place. "Krimson, you shouldn't be here," Silver's voice wavered, a tremor betraying the turmoil within her. Her grip on the dagger faltered, uncertainty clouding her features. "You know I couldn't stand by and
Lilac's P.O.V The air was thick with tension, a palpable energy that crackled around us like a storm waiting to break. "Silver, you're fooling yourself if you think you can wield that kind of power," I said softly, my gaze fixed on the gleaming knife in her hands. "You're not a true Silver Alpha Breeder, you never will be. You can't ever access my full potential." Silver's laughter cut through the serene air, a sound that held a hint of something darker beneath its surface. "Oh, you have no idea, do you?" Her eyes glinted with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. "You underestimate what a witch can do, what I can do. I'm part wolf, part witch. I'm a hybrid that is already stronger than both a wolf and a witch! There's nothing I cannot do, Lilac!" "You think I chose you to lead our pack because of some noble sentiment? No, Lilac." Her voice was cold, devoid of any warmth. "I chose you because I knew the stronger you became, the more that dormant p
Lilac's P.O.V My eyes brimmed with confusion and hurt as I confronted Silver in the dimly lit room I was being held captive in. "Did you…ever really consider me a friend, Silver?" my voice trembled with a mixture of fear and desperation, my heart aching with the weight of betrayal. Silver, her gaze heavy with sorrow and a haunted past, met my eyes. "I used to belong to a peaceful pack, a pack that had been my home since the day I was born," she began, her voice tinged with a raw emotion that spoke volumes of her pain. "We lived in harmony, in unity. It was everything to me." Tears welled up in Silver's eyes, reflecting the agony of memories etched deep within her soul. "Your father," she whispered, the words heavy with anguish. "He... he attacked our pack. In the dead of night, when darkness cloaked the land, he led a brutal assault." I felt my heart ache for the woman that I had once considered my biggest alley, but now, she had turned out to be my bigges
Krimson's P.O.V The night hung heavy around us as we tore through the city streets, the engine's roar mingling with the howling wind. Del and I were on a mission—racing against time to reach Silver's apartment. It was imperative that we find Lilac before anything sinister unfolded. "Alpha Krimson, step on it!" Del's voice cut through the adrenaline-charged air, urgency lacing every word. His grip tightened on the door handle as we swerved through the dimly lit alleys, the neon signs blurring into streaks of color. "I'm pushing it as hard as I can!" I shouted back, my eyes fixed on the road ahead. The weight of worry pressed on me like a leaden cloak. We had to reach Silver's place, and had to find Lilac safe and sound. Finally, screeching to a halt outside Silver's building, we leaped out of the car. Breathless and tense, we dashed up the stairs, each step echoing the pounding of our hearts. As we reached Silver's door, our hopes soared, but a hollow silence gre
Lilac's P.O.V As I slowly arose to consciousness, I found myself grappling with the weight of my heavy eyelids. My mind sluggishly pieced together the fragments of reality, pushing through a dense fog of disorientation. The air felt heavy, each inhale a laborious effort that failed to fill my lungs as it should. A peculiar lightheadedness swept over me, a disconcerting sensation akin to floating on the edge of a dream. My initial attempt to stretch my arms, to move, met an unexpected resistance. Panic flickered through my drowsy mind as the realization hit home—I was restrained. My fingertips brushed against something coarse and unyielding, confirming my fear. The sensation sent a jolt of adrenaline through my groggy state, clearing the haze momentarily. I tried to rise, only to discover the cruel truth of my predicament: bound, not just by ropes or chains, but tied firmly to what appeared to be a marble table. The cool surface pressed against my skin, a s