Jade’s pov: To say the queen was livid, as she saw the guards’ futile attempts at getting through to us, would be the understatement of the century. But truth be told, I couldn’t be bothered with her at the moment. She was just a deranged woman among many, and though there would be no helping her, I knew my time here was up. The guards were stopped by the barrier. Despite all their efforts to get to us, they couldn’t… But I wasn’t sure how long said barrier would last. Paulina was already beginning to pale, as it seemed to drain her of energy. They kept urging us to drop the barrier so we could talk, but we weren’t stupid enough to do as they said. Before long, Anna grabbed my hand and said in a timid voice, “Repeat after me.” I trusted the little girl enough to do as she said, and repeated the Latin words she chanted. And just as Paulina’s barrier was about to give way, another one sprung up. “You put a barrier in place?” Paulina let out in an incredulous tone of voice. She wa
Alex’s pov:My worry became my fuel as I fought off the guards with barely contained anger. I couldn’t allow myself to be consumed with fury, as I feared I would lose control, which would prove lethal.My wolf could tell that the danger was real, and recognized the witch and her daughter as people who needed our protection, in addition to Jade and Lucille – Jade’s mother – naturally.There was no doubt in my mind that there would be consequences to today’s chaos, but chances were that the Alpha King would not condemn his mother. The queen had naturally retreated along with her servants, and I was left to fend off the attackers.The guards were strong, almost as strong as Trevor, and they knew how to fight in a group, their movements in sync… But I was an Alpha, one of the strongest of the country, and this was my family they were threatening to harm.Even though the territory was foreign, I got the upper hand before long, and they laid wounded and passed out on the soil of the forest.
Alex’s pov:Soon, I was holding Jade in my arms, bridal style, while following a servant to the hallway where her room was located. Paulina had said she would probably come to on her own, and there was therefore no need to panic. Lucille, Jade’s mother, was led to the clinic, almost against her will, but I naturally sent Cole with her. I couldn’t bring myself to relax around them now that I knew they tried to hurt my mate.Paulina’s little replica, whose name I believed to be Anna, was adamant about staying with Jade, and Paulina had trouble convincing her to go to their room.“It’s okay,” I soon told Paulina. “She’s just a kid.”“Are you sure?” She asked, tilting her head to the side.“Positive.” I assured her with a small smile.“I will be in the room across from this one then,” she declared with a nod.I placed Jade on the bed softly, and seeing the sereine look on her face, I reasoned that she wasn’t in any pain.Anna stayed by the end of the bed, her eyes locked onto Jade’s face,
I stood there, watching her from afar as she trained, as diligently as the best warrior in the pack, even though she was no ordinary member. I watched her, half mesmerized, half perplex…How could a girl be so beautiful, so graceful, even as she fought a vicious wolf?She was so captivating, I ached with the need to possess her and make her mine.Wolfless and perfectly flawed as she might be, she was a sight to behold.And most importantly, she was mine.As it was, the only obstacle that stood in the face of our happiness was the fact that she, herself, didn’t acknowledge me as her mate.Indeed, it seemed like despite the sharp senses bestowed upon her, she hadn’t felt the sparks when our skin touched. And she also didn’t feel the sizzling electricity in the air whenever we locked eyes.How oblivious could she be? And just how much more time could I stand this impossible situation?A week ago, I welcomed her family into the pack. And needless to say, she had me at hello.My beta clear
Training had me perplex… Indeed, the hairs at the back of my neck stood to attention, and my skin warmed up deliciously, as I felt stares on me. I was not usually as vain as to want attention on me. I was, however, cursed to draw attention at each and every event, seeing as I was the only wolfless member in the pack. A week ago, my parents and I were welcomed into this new pack. And what a nice change of pace it was! My previous pack couldn’t even tolerate the sight of me after they found out, on my sixteenth birthday, that no other entity – no wolf – manifested itself in my brain, and that I was unable to shift. I went from the easygoing girl, who only had friends, to the outcast, the disgrace of the pack in less time than anyone would need to say wolf. No matter what I did or said, no matter if I defended myself against the insults thrown my way, or just fought as viciously as the next wolf when a rogue attack occurred – in an attempt to prove myself worthy of belonging to the p
Moonlight Village was a far cry from the hidden forest-implanted village my family and I used to live in. It was only when I joined school, a few days after we settled in, that I learned that there was no need for hiding anywhere in the village, as there were no humans in it.It was again a welcomed change to what the norm used to be for us. Having to live in hiding so to speak had never allowed me to feel free.Even the teachers of the school were werewolves, and they knew how to keep the class in check, even though wolves could be rebellious in nature.My first class was not one I favored. Indeed, I was never very good at calculus, and the teacher instead of scolding for not knowing something very basic, told me softly that I should get a tutor.I looked around, much like a deer caught in headlight, not knowing what to say to that, or who to ask.I had gotten acquainted with quite a few classmates, but I wasn’t sure how they felt about me. I didn’t want to feel inferior because of m
I wasn’t particularly slow but I almost needed to run because of the alpha’s long strides.I followed him blindly, trying to keep up with his pace, my eyes cast down, focusing on his legs. I wouldn’t want to look him square in the eyes a third time, I, a common non wolf.He led us outside, and he was soon enough getting into a convertible car.I stood next to the car, hesitating, until I heard him say, “Are you getting in anytime soon?”I was beyond flattered, and yet scared like never before. Nevertheless, I obliged him and got inside the car silently.I inhaled deeply, enjoying the smell of leather. I refused to rest my back against the seat, not wanting to let my guard down, when an alpha was sitting next to me, looking positively murderous.He leaned forward and I stiffened. He raised an eyebrow in question and proceeded to fasten my belt.“Werewolves as we might be, I wouldn’t want any harm to befall you,” he told me.His words, simple, and yet oh so sweet, had the knack to calm
The alpha entered the building and I followed him timidly.I had no idea where he was going. Again, thanks to his long strides, it was hard to follow him. Admittedly, the fault laid in my own short legs – I was rather small for a werewolf.Nobody at the building dared to stop him. On the contrary, many greeted him with utmost politeness.He suddenly stopped in his tracks and I bumped into his back.His scent was heavenly, and his muscles spoke louder than any words could of the training he must go through every day. I was in a little bit of a daze when he turned around, a smirk playing on his lips.“Are you okay, Jade?” He patted my head, like one would a child.“I wasn’t paying attention. I’m sorry,” was my quick response.“How about you walk by my side instead?” He offered in a soft tone of voice.I gasped in shock and surprise. “I could never…”“Why not?” His frown was almost imperceptible but it was there nonetheless.“For starters, you’re you and I’m me,” I said timidly, wishing
Alex’s pov:Soon, I was holding Jade in my arms, bridal style, while following a servant to the hallway where her room was located. Paulina had said she would probably come to on her own, and there was therefore no need to panic. Lucille, Jade’s mother, was led to the clinic, almost against her will, but I naturally sent Cole with her. I couldn’t bring myself to relax around them now that I knew they tried to hurt my mate.Paulina’s little replica, whose name I believed to be Anna, was adamant about staying with Jade, and Paulina had trouble convincing her to go to their room.“It’s okay,” I soon told Paulina. “She’s just a kid.”“Are you sure?” She asked, tilting her head to the side.“Positive.” I assured her with a small smile.“I will be in the room across from this one then,” she declared with a nod.I placed Jade on the bed softly, and seeing the sereine look on her face, I reasoned that she wasn’t in any pain.Anna stayed by the end of the bed, her eyes locked onto Jade’s face,
Alex’s pov:My worry became my fuel as I fought off the guards with barely contained anger. I couldn’t allow myself to be consumed with fury, as I feared I would lose control, which would prove lethal.My wolf could tell that the danger was real, and recognized the witch and her daughter as people who needed our protection, in addition to Jade and Lucille – Jade’s mother – naturally.There was no doubt in my mind that there would be consequences to today’s chaos, but chances were that the Alpha King would not condemn his mother. The queen had naturally retreated along with her servants, and I was left to fend off the attackers.The guards were strong, almost as strong as Trevor, and they knew how to fight in a group, their movements in sync… But I was an Alpha, one of the strongest of the country, and this was my family they were threatening to harm.Even though the territory was foreign, I got the upper hand before long, and they laid wounded and passed out on the soil of the forest.
Jade’s pov: To say the queen was livid, as she saw the guards’ futile attempts at getting through to us, would be the understatement of the century. But truth be told, I couldn’t be bothered with her at the moment. She was just a deranged woman among many, and though there would be no helping her, I knew my time here was up. The guards were stopped by the barrier. Despite all their efforts to get to us, they couldn’t… But I wasn’t sure how long said barrier would last. Paulina was already beginning to pale, as it seemed to drain her of energy. They kept urging us to drop the barrier so we could talk, but we weren’t stupid enough to do as they said. Before long, Anna grabbed my hand and said in a timid voice, “Repeat after me.” I trusted the little girl enough to do as she said, and repeated the Latin words she chanted. And just as Paulina’s barrier was about to give way, another one sprung up. “You put a barrier in place?” Paulina let out in an incredulous tone of voice. She wa
Jade’s pov:The old hag was approaching us on steady steps, unmistakable greed and murder in her eyes, followed by two servants whom I had seen around before. There was no denying that she knew what Anna had told me earlier… If not, why would she be here in the forest, a place she had not stepped into ever since I began training here? She stopped at a distance from us and offered us a yellow, toothy smile, which was predatory at best, and which had the knack to send shivers running down my spine. The woman was dangerous, and I knew that from day 1. “Hello, Judy,” she greeted me in her mellow voice which always grated on my nerves. “It’s Jade, your highness,” I corrected her without batting an eye, knowing full well she was doing it on purpose. “I heard the news,” she let out without so much as a preamble, a devious glint appearing in her eyes. “Congratulations are in order, I guess.” I let out a crisp “Thank you” in response, because I was brought up well, and couldn’t be inso
Jade’s pov:2 weeks into the training, and I started having a good grasp of the concept, which up till now had been totally foreign to me. Annabelle’s diaries definitely hadn’t covered much… but then again, she must have only jotted down what she knew of, what she experienced. “Your wolf is here to guide you,” Paulina never failed to remind me. “Trust her but don’t let your instincts take over. Remember that you have witch blood in your veins. And witchcraft is all about giving something, in return for something else.” According to her – and I could only trust her since the Alpha King himself trusted her – being a born healer meant I was a wolf but also a witch. Having grown up in a pack, it was only natural that the wolf manifested first. Sometimes, the witch side of a healer could stay dormant for years. Mine was triggered because of my emotions. I didn’t understand the specifics of how this gene was passed down to me, but Paulina told me I was a light witch – all born healers we
Jade’s pov:My call with Alex was brief because I told him I was tired. My beloved mate didn’t hesitate to tell me to lay down and get some rest. Truth be told, I was more worried I would break down crying on the phone, because of how I missed him already.I wrung my hands together, almost painfully so, the longing almost too much to bear. From the day we found out about Jessica’s betrayal, we barely had time to ourselves.I sighed as I remembered my dad’s passing, and had a hard time keeping a positive outlook on everything going on.There was a knock on the door just as I was about to step into the bathroom for a quick shower. I sensed a werewolf, and my sense of smell told me it was mom.I didn’t think twice of it and went to get the door.“How’s the room?” She asked in a sweet albeit curious tone of voice. “Are you well settled?”“See for yourself,” was my answer as I let her in.She closed the door behind her, and soon sat on the edge of the bed, typing on her phone, before showi
Jade’s pov: The servants looked at us with something akin to puzzlement, as mom and I walked behind the man who had brought us here. The driver followed us with our luggages trailing behind him. We might not be real guests, but they were treating us rather well. The man, who was just as impossible to read as the building was austere, turned out to be the gamma, for he had been greeted with great respect a couple of times already – Gamma Spencer, they called him. He led us to what appeared to be the dining room, where the one I recognized as the beta was sitting at a big table, a laptop in front of him. It was eerily silent, and one could almost hear a needle drop. He focused his gaze on us after a beat, his expression still that of a bored man who couldn’t care less about us. I couldn’t help but find him a tad bit haughty, and I hated overly confident people with a passion that had for only equal my hatred for liars. “Beta Marc,” the gamma let out in greetings, “As per his high
Jade’s pov:It was only when the car began to move, and I believed that Alex wouldn’t be able to catch my expression, that I began to sob – hard… as pathetic as that might sound. Mom patted my back a few times and told me sweet, soothing nothings, and that seemed to do the trick, for I soon quietened down a notch. Admittedly, my wolf was excited at the prospect of training, but also sad because of this forced separation, and that didn’t help. Nevertheless, she still found it in her to say, “Easy sweetheart. Don’t forget you’re pregnant, and these mood swings affect the baby.” That had the knack to make me calm down completely. I needed to see this training as nothing but a task I needed to complete, in order to stand proudly next to my beloved mate. It was the only way this whole ordeal would be more bearable. But then again, I knew that I would soon be so busy, I wouldn’t have much time to lament… and I was looking forward to it. For this wasn’t me, and I hated being a crybaby.
Alex’s pov: Jade was leaving today. She had a sad smile plastered on her face, and I knew I couldn’t show her just how affected I would no doubt be by the separation. I schooled my expression into a neutral one, hoping it would convince her the way I wasn’t that everything would be okay. Her mother was sitting by her side on a bench, in the gardens of the pack house, and her presence alone seemed to be the reason why Jade still had it together. I hated that I couldn’t do anything to prevent this from happening. And I hated how powerless this made me feel. I felt unworthy of my title as alpha, of my role as the protector and provider, especially when I recalled the whole Camelia fiasco. Speaking of Camelia, she had been sent to her coven, with a letter which explained her transgression, and the leftover cookie which could explain everything. She was no longer my problem. And though it saddened me that we couldn’t be friends as we used to, her betrayal stung more than it probably sho