Tristan dragged himself to Francesca and barely caught her from slumping onto the ground. His vision heated up in his panic. Briskly, he felt for her pulse. It was faint. His wolf howled in pain, and so did Tristan as vine-like cords grew on their mate, ruining her perfect skin. "Qin ai de, no. Wake up, please." Tristan whispered. Francesca was deathly pale, and it was breaking his heart. "Don't do this to me." "Selene, get ahold of yourself." Hecate suddenly appeared beside him. She touched Francesca's skin, just above where the glow was. Tristan, in his devastated state, faintly realized that there was also a white glow around Francesca. "It's Selene. She's being forced to leave Francesca's body. She's holding on, trying to save Francesca's dying body." Hecate whispered. "What did I tell you, sister? The battle is here, on the moon." Olga crooned. She stood a few steps away from them, her sisters beside her. All around them, people have completely stopped pummeling each other,
"I can't believe you kept me in the dark for so long," Francesca told Alberto. They were in the great hall of Luna's fortress, now Selene's again, looking at the trapped essences of the Roman goddesses in front of them. On that battlefield, once Helios became her and Selene, everything went smoothly. It didn't take much for her to overpower the Roman goddesses and harmlessly extract them from their vessels. But despite their victory, Francesca still had this weight in her heart. Considering what she just learned, no one could blame her. "I have nothing else to say except that I did it to protect you," Alberto replied. Francesca could only nod. She could tell any conversation with her father would just be for nothing. She knew why he did it and he would stand by it. Alberto cleared his throat awkwardly, "Do you really need to go?" "I want to be with him and he can't stay here. The moon would sap his energy." Francesca said. "And the earth would do the same to you." Alberto frowne
The pain was excruciating. Francesca felt her confidence waver. In front of her, the moon was about to mee the sun. And she wondered as hot tears ran down her face, if she would see it happen in her current state. She felt like dying. But Tristan, with their mind link, reminded her to keep looking in his eyes. He held her gaze, giving her all the strength she needed. "This is the last of the mark, Francesca. Please bear with it," the gamma who had been marking her whispered. The tip of the rod touched her skin once again and Francesca screamed. "I'm here. Keep looking at me. You can do this." Tristan said in her head. A long pause ensued as Francesca dipped her head low, completely spent from the ritual. "Qin ai de," Tristan murmured, his palm against her face. His voice shook in fear. "You're okay. You're okay, right?" Francesca willed herself to speak, or even to just lift her head to tell him that she was alright. But her face felt like lead. "Hello, Francesca." Two fami
She was Stefano's favorite tonight, his eager weight on top of her more suffocating than usual. He grabbed her throat with his Alphan force, and his other hand ran over the length of her entire body, touching her in places that hurt. In fear for her life, Francesca struggled."Just stay still, Francesca," her husband whispered hotly and he forced into her when she was far from ready. Francesca cried out but bit her lip at the last second, drawing blood."Wait, p-please." she rasped, tears gathering in her eyes.But her husband was barely paying any attention to her, assaulting her body mercilessly. The hand on her throat tightened inch by inch, and Francesca began to feel lightheaded. Her hands weak
“We’ll get out of here soon. I promise.” Mira murmured over and over again as she treated Francesca’s wounds. They were back in the bedroom, ordered by their Alpha to step out after the whole ordeal at the dining room. Francesca’s breath hitched as she remembered what had happened. Stefano did not even look remorseful at what he did. He meant to kill, and it did not make a difference if it were Francesca or Carmel who had taken the hit.Carmel. Poor little Carmel. She was so young and full of hope. She did not deserve to be lying cold and dead on the floor like that.“Are you breaking down again?” Gianna said, removing herself from against the wall and grabbing Francesca by the shoulders, “You have to be strong. Do you know how Mira and I survived being married to that bastard for so long? We rein in our emotions. The biggest mistake you can make in front of Stefano is to show him your tears.”
The party was in full swing. In every room of the house, people swarmed, heightening Francesca’s anxiety with the noises they were making. The wolf inside her was also uneasy, and still a bit angry at Francesca for what she attempted to do the night before.We're still going to do it, you know. But with a bigger purpose in mind this time. We'll be stuck together on the next plane, are you really going to be mad at me for a long time? Francesca told her wolf, but she received no acknowledgment.“Stay calm and smile. You know what he’ll do to you if you were anything less than happy in public.” Gianna whispered beside Francesca, “You look beautiful. Try to enjoy the night, okay?”Francesca nodded, hands grasping the front of her dress to keep the piece of paper hidden inside it intact. She planned to enjoy the night, sure. Though not in the way that Gianna hoped. She thought about it last night, and sh
Strong arms pulled Francesca back away from certain death and she heard the song again, this time emanating so strongly from the one who held her. Her back was flushed into his front, so tight Francesca could feel the sinews of his muscles and the harsh pounding of his heart against her."Did you really think I would just let you do this? I don't even know your name." His voice sounded behind her, rich and deep. It brought a chill to her spine. Francesca closed her eyes, feeling all tension drain from her body. She tilted her head up towards his and he held her waist tighter, bringing his forehead down between the crook of her neck and shoulder. Francesca felt something wet touch her skin and she realized that he was crying, too."What's your name?" Her mate whispered softly and she felt that slight movement of his mouth against her skin.Her wolf sighed in pleasure, and she murmured, "Francesca.""Francesca." He repeated so revere
Francesca seated herself beside Stefano, unable to look at where Tristan was seated at the other end of the table. She couldn't bring herself to know what his expression might be. Francesca particularly skirted mentioning her relationship with Stefano when they earlier. She did not want to see the disappointment on Tristan's face.Stefano grasped Francesca's waist, lips touching her ear as he hissed into it, "I'll have to punish you later for disappearing on me, you know that right?""I'm sorry," she muttered, offering no explanation.Her husband frowned at her, but then his expression smoothened as he regarded his fellow Alphas. "Everyone, I would like to introduce you to my wife, Francesca Lopez." He then turned towards Francesca with a smile that he never showed to her in private, "Darling, I assume you already know everyone at this table? Well, except for Manhattan's new Alpha, Tristan Williams."Catching on to her husband's act, Fra
The pain was excruciating. Francesca felt her confidence waver. In front of her, the moon was about to mee the sun. And she wondered as hot tears ran down her face, if she would see it happen in her current state. She felt like dying. But Tristan, with their mind link, reminded her to keep looking in his eyes. He held her gaze, giving her all the strength she needed. "This is the last of the mark, Francesca. Please bear with it," the gamma who had been marking her whispered. The tip of the rod touched her skin once again and Francesca screamed. "I'm here. Keep looking at me. You can do this." Tristan said in her head. A long pause ensued as Francesca dipped her head low, completely spent from the ritual. "Qin ai de," Tristan murmured, his palm against her face. His voice shook in fear. "You're okay. You're okay, right?" Francesca willed herself to speak, or even to just lift her head to tell him that she was alright. But her face felt like lead. "Hello, Francesca." Two fami
"I can't believe you kept me in the dark for so long," Francesca told Alberto. They were in the great hall of Luna's fortress, now Selene's again, looking at the trapped essences of the Roman goddesses in front of them. On that battlefield, once Helios became her and Selene, everything went smoothly. It didn't take much for her to overpower the Roman goddesses and harmlessly extract them from their vessels. But despite their victory, Francesca still had this weight in her heart. Considering what she just learned, no one could blame her. "I have nothing else to say except that I did it to protect you," Alberto replied. Francesca could only nod. She could tell any conversation with her father would just be for nothing. She knew why he did it and he would stand by it. Alberto cleared his throat awkwardly, "Do you really need to go?" "I want to be with him and he can't stay here. The moon would sap his energy." Francesca said. "And the earth would do the same to you." Alberto frowne
Tristan dragged himself to Francesca and barely caught her from slumping onto the ground. His vision heated up in his panic. Briskly, he felt for her pulse. It was faint. His wolf howled in pain, and so did Tristan as vine-like cords grew on their mate, ruining her perfect skin. "Qin ai de, no. Wake up, please." Tristan whispered. Francesca was deathly pale, and it was breaking his heart. "Don't do this to me." "Selene, get ahold of yourself." Hecate suddenly appeared beside him. She touched Francesca's skin, just above where the glow was. Tristan, in his devastated state, faintly realized that there was also a white glow around Francesca. "It's Selene. She's being forced to leave Francesca's body. She's holding on, trying to save Francesca's dying body." Hecate whispered. "What did I tell you, sister? The battle is here, on the moon." Olga crooned. She stood a few steps away from them, her sisters beside her. All around them, people have completely stopped pummeling each other,
The man sighed, "I guess I deserved that cold greeting." He inclined his head, as if seeing something in front of him other than Francesca, "Hello, sister." "Helios. It's nice to see you." Selene greeted, confirming what Francesca already suspected. Her sister getting burned like that, after telling Francesca that she was the sun. Mariana was the vessel for Helios, the god of the sun, and Selene's brother. "Where is this? Where did you take me?" Francesca couldn't care less about the sibling's reunion. She needed to know what he had in mind for suddenly showing up. "You're on the sun." Francesca whipped her head up at his height. But the shock was only temporary. In the past, Francesca would have panicked more at the thought of being on the sun, but she was too numb to feel anything at the moment. These gods and the games that they play, causing mortal casualties here and there. Helios needed to pay for what he did to her sister. "It was an accident, Francesca. Please, let him ex
Francesca and her older sister Mariana were playing tag outside their old house back in the Philippines. Their little feet dangerously skittering on the wet ground. The rain had just stopped and the air had that smell that Francesca loved. "Cheska, come on! Faster!" Mariana shouted back at Francesca, "Count of ten and if you can't catch me by then, I won't tell you my secret." "Okay, okay, I'm coming!" Francesca yelled, giggling. "One, two, three, four, five.." her sister taunted and Francesac sped up. "Caught you!"Francesca excitedly announced as soon as she caught up with her sister, hugging her arms. Mariana shrieked. "Girls! Careful or you might fall into the water." their Mom shouted from the direction of their house. "Yes, Mama!" They said unison, giggling. Their Mom had such a loud voice. "So..what is it? What's the secret? Come on, I caught you." Francesca asked. "Okay, here goes." Mariana smiled, then she whispered, "Do you know? We are from the moon. You don't remem
Tristan and Stefano found themselves fighting side by side, both using halberds to assist them in battle. They found it strange compared to how werewolves fight with their bare hands. Tristan, for instance, found it a bit troublesome. But as someone who wasn't from the moon, the place tends to suck some of his energy away, so he needed the boost. "Are you seriously leaving her alone to deal with Luna?" Stefano asked Tristan, briefly gazing in the direction where Francesca and Olga were dueling. "If there's a fight that she would win, it would be that one," Tristan answered confidently. "But don't worry, I'm keeping an eye on her." Of course, he was. Tristan did not need to say that out loud for Stefano to know. Stefano grunted, eyeing Tristan with begrudging respect as the latter overpowered three Lunars at once. Tristan was obviously much stronger now, having been turned into a full-blown Alpha. That also meant Endymion's soul had been extracted from his body and sent back to the
Luna's forces now consisted mostly of Diana and Hecate's people. She could recognize them from the gaunt, haunted look of the people from the underworld, and the A****n-like hunter's garbs of the women of Diana. They stood a meter away from the Greek goddesses' forces, in a standstill before an impending fight. "Luna. I see you've made your sisters pick up the mess you've created again." Francesca said, speaking as Selene. "You." Olga spat out. She stepped forward to Francesca, but Tristan, his claws out, shielded his mate. Olga paused, staring at Tristan. Francesca smirked, she knew exactly why Olga hesitated. Tristan was different. Free from her hold. "What did you do to him?" Olga growled. "Nothing. He was just reminded that he belongs with me," Francesca said. Olga fumed but didn't say anything. Francesca knew that Olga and Luna didn't really need Tristan anymore. Their plan of trapping Selene by using the human half of Tristan's soul had failed. So, it was a matter of prid
Their plan was to attack the unwitting Luna in her own castle, and Francesca could have a panic attack just thinking about it. It was true that the old Francesca, who was fearless and optimistic, was back. She could feel the old her and she was happy to welcome her back. But remnants of the version of her that was wounded by Stefano by all means possible still peeked from where she had hidden her. Speaking of the devil, Francesca saw Stefano approach her from a corner. She tensed like she always does whenever he's near. But she thought about what Tristan said about it previously and held her ground. "Hi," Stefano said as soon as he reached her, scratching the back of his neck. Francesca wasn't at all used to seeing him so unsure in front of her, it was unnerving. "Hello," Francesca greeted back cautiosuly. "Francesca, listen, I--" Stefano said. "If you say you're going to apologize for everything you've done, I would have no choice but to laugh." Francesca interrupted, her heart f
Francesca almost fell on her seat. Selene. She was back. She grasped her chest in happiness. "Hello, Francesca." Selene said, "I see you left some space for me to easily find you. Thank you."Of course." Francesca replied, "But you had us so worried. What took you so long?" "Just found it hard to say goodbye for a while." the goddess answered. Just then, a delayed reaction of the goddess coming back inside her hit Francesca and she almost lost her baalnce again. “Francesca, are you okay?” Stefano caught her arm. Seeing who was holding her, Francesca pulled it back instinctively and Stefano awkwardly let go.Tristan frowned, "Qin ai de, you're tearing up. What's wrong?" he asked, replacing Stefano's hand on her arm. Francesca looked around as everyone stared at her worriedly and noticed it was true. The blur must've been from the tears that were starting to gather in her eyes. They were tears of happiness, though. “I’m alright. It’s just…” Francesca said. She couldn’t help but smi