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
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 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
Freya's P.O.V I stared at my reflection in horror; at the fresh bruise on my left cheek; watching the skin swell…the dark bruise standing out like a sore thumb. But the instant I touched my finger to the contusion, I yelped in pain, gripping the counter with my fingers so tightly that they turned white. My lips trembled; tears welled in my eyes as a scream caught in my throat, begging for an escape. But I couldn't do it. I couldn't even scream; I couldn't even cry. 'I couldn't let him know…' I thought to myself. 'I couldn't scare him!' Breathing through my mouth in short bursts, I tried to will the tears away. I had to be strong, not for myself, but for him. I was the only one he had and if he saw me like this, as the broken shell of the person I used to be…No! I couldn't let that happen. But avoiding the bruise wasn't an option. I had to make the swelling go away, before he woke up. So I balled up a few pieces of paper towels and placed the lump ins
Freya's P.O.V Now, I opened my eyes slowly, letting the unshed tears roll down my cheeks before I turned back to the mirror once again, to access the damage to my face. Nothing was broken, that much I was sure about, but the bruise was going to darken even further until it was a blue-black spot that stood out even in the dark. I had to make sure to hide it. My skin looked as pale as a ghost, which made my blue eyes seem haunting. They seemed too big for my face. Combined with my hollow looking cheekbones, I pretty much looked like a walking-talking horror movie. My bangs covered most of my forehead, reaching past my brows and stopping just above my eyes. I knew I was no looker, but as the days went by, I had started to look even worse. My ink black hair had once reached up to my waist in long delicate curls, back when my mother had still been alive. But now, I've had cut them short to my ears to save myself so much unwanted trouble. Because long hair was easier to gri
Freya's P.O.V I moved out of the way hastily as the red and black jeep sped past me through the open gates and headed straight for the parking lot. It was followed by another sleek black car that left a gust of smoke in the air, making me choke on the fumes. Derek Roland and Alexander Cabot were the first to step out of the jeep. They were Cameron's best friends and some of the hottest boys in school. Derek with his jet black hair and grey eyes and Alexander, Alex, with his brunette hair and green eyes that were usually behind gold rimmed glasses. And the next person to step out was Cameron MacGyver himself. The boy with the sandy blonde hair and electric blue eyes that had the entire school mesmerized. All three boys were not only good looking with the perfect athletic body, but they were also great at studies as well as good athletes. They were the elite students of our tiny school, the boys who made the entire town proud. And then there were the cheerle
Freya's P.O.V "Freya," the math teacher, Mr. Agnes, called out to me in his usual strict voice while handing out our test results from last week. "Come up here." The instant he told me to 'come up here', I knew that I had failed the test. And even though I could conjure up a thousand different excuses for my failure, the truth was, I had never been good at math or science. I don't even know why and how I ended up in these classes in the first place. With everything going on in my life, I was pretty sure I was just sleep-walking from one day to the other, just waiting for Julian to grow up so this could all be over. Pulling my hoodie down lower on my face, I got up from my seat and headed straight for the teacher's desk. He handed me my paper right away, his expression grim. "You'll need to complete another assignment if you wish to pass high school, Freya." F+ Could've been a minus, right? At least it's a plus. Without s
Freya's P.O.V I hadn't expected him to wait for me, or even bother to look back even once. Then why…why did it feel like a betrayal when he left the room suddenly, like the mere thought of being around me was like poison to him? Was I over-thinking? Did the searing look he gave me a few minutes ago all part of my imagination? What was wrong with me today? "Freya." Upon hearing my name, I came forward to greet the teacher. Mr. Agnes brought out a stack of papers and placed them on the desk. "Here you go. Complete these papers by the end of this month and I'll consider giving you a better score. Remember, the lesser the mistakes, the higher you score." "Yes, Mr. Agnes." I bowed my head out of gratitude, thankful that he was at least trying to help me pass high school. I reached out to take the papers, but before I could remove my hand, Mr. Agnes reached out to place his hands on top of mine. My entire body froze in s