Alpha Jaxon's POVThe biggest mistake of my life was leaving Astrid like that.When it was time for the ritual to begin, I couldn't make myself stop thinking of her. Stop thinking of how disturbed she would be without me there after just coming out of an almost coma.Focus Jaxon.The sooner I got this ritual done with, the sooner I could go back to her and make up for leaving her the time she needed me the most."The ritual will consist of three steps." The Supreme Witch informed Kiara and me after putting us in our respective positions for the ritual.Please let us leave this place.Suddenly I heard Astrid's voice in my head, soft and pleading. Her words rang through me leaving me in a sea of guilt. Should leave the ritual to check if she was fine?The Supreme Witch was still speaking."The first step will be carried out by me, the second step by Kiara, the daughter of the Alpha King who will use her relationship with the Alpha King to secure a direct line of connection to him,"No,
Kiara's POVMoments after I reached the room, the Supre Witch was at the door, she took one look at the portal and gave me a side glance that Alpha Jaxon missed because he was staring intently at the portal as though that would enable him to pass through.The witch stepped into the room and Alpha Jaxon's head shot up at the scuff of her boots against the ground.Then he approached her like a man on a mission."What is that?!" He growled pointing at the portal.She frowned slightly crossing get arms somewhat petulantly."Why are you asking me? I just got here."Alpha Jaxon was not in the mood to joke.He looked partly out of his mind as he leaned in with his teeth drawn back in a growl."But this is your kingdom as you haven't failed to remind me,"He placed his hand on her shoulder and it wasn't an even remotely comforting gesture. "And that thing there is witchcraft that has abducted my woman."The Supreme Witch looked at him with what I could only term as shock. I doubted anyone had
Astrid's POVI landed on soft marshy squishy ground after the vortex spat me out.Looking around the forest floor surrounding me, I realized that it might not have been a vortex-like I thought but a portal.I didn't recognize where I was and it didn't look like anything I had gotten a glimpse of in my brief time about the Supreme Witch's grounds.All around me stunted and twisted trees grew into each other, their branches intertwined. The place smelt of rust and decay.To make things worse, I didn't know where Xavier was. I didn't know why he tried to save me, risking his life for me only for us to be separated by the force of wind in that portal.I rolled on my back, the mud smearing across my clothes.So I didn't know where I was while my body trembled. I was still feeling some side effects from the sickness I had just recovered from. How would I get out of this place?No sooner did I think it than I heard a full drawn-out growl from no animal that I knew could make.I paused and tu
Astrid's POVThe teeth clamped down on my leg and I felt my skin give way, pain racing through me.I should have realized something immediately the land monsters left. They had not only left because of the water but because of the fact that there were monsters in the water.I tried to hold on to the rocks at the bank of the river but there was no use for it as the creature proceeded to drah me inside the water slowly but surely.Victoria was tapped out, tired from our first shift and my body was weak from both the shift and my slow recovery from my mysterious sickness.I thought of my life. It seemed like I was doing that a lot lately because of how much I was risking my life. I thought of the many things I could have done.I thought of Alpha Jaxon. I would never get to see him again but I hoped that he would miss me even if it was for only a second.I wondered if Xavier had died because of me. If he was, did he deserve it? Was I a wimp for wanting to cry at the thought?Then there was
Xavier's POVThe sharp edge of pain wed to pleasure from Astrid's bite brought me back to myself but it was already too late for me to do anything as I had already come inside her.Astrid's body went limp beneath mine and I pulled out of her feeling like the worst person on earth.I was an asshole and I knew it but in my entire life, I had never been with someone who hadn't wanted me.I was the Alpha Heir, whenever I wanted to fuck someone who wasn't Lyra, it wasn't an issue. I simply did it. After all, they were all fighting for a chance to be my Luna.But now looking down at Astrid's smaller weaker frame, I knew that I had crossed even that limit as well. Even in the dark lit up only by the faint moonlight, I could see how pale she was and when I checked her temperature, she was burning up.My wolf felt stronger than ever before and I could feel the warm content knot that was our mate bond nestled in my chest but it wasn't as much of a comfort as it should have been.Astrid too must
Astrid's POVWhen I woke up, my body ached all over and I felt so tired.I was so sure that when I opened my eyes it would be to see a monster or worse Xavuet but when I opened my eyes, I was all alone in my bed.I was no longer in the swamp. How had I gotten out? I couldn't recall anything apart from the one thing I desperately wanted to forget.I saw the jug of water and the empty glass next to it and promptly remembered that I was thirsty.Sitting upright, I reached out for the glass but when I touched it, I couldn't hold on to it. My grasp was too weak and it slipped.It never landed on the floor as someone caught it.I looked from those familiar broad hands to Alpha Jaxon's beautiful steel gaze."Alpha Jaxon?""Astrid." He said and the way he said my name made me feel all warm over and I knew at once that he had been the one to save me.What this meant for our complicated relationship, I had no idea.He poured out the water for me before placing the glass at my lips so that I cou
Kiara's POVEverything in this place had become strange since the rescue of Astrid from the monsters in the swamp.Oh, how I had prayed to the Moon Goddess that she would die. That she would die and let me keep my identity as her father's daughter and Alpha Jaxon.But she didn't die and the Goddess disappointed me as well as other people had.I didn't see Xavier and I wondered what Alpha Jaxon had done with him and if he had really slept with Astrid as Alpha Jaxon had feared he would.I noticed the friction between them when I had come in to observe her while she was being examined by the Supreme Witch."What is wrong with her?" Alpha Jaxon questioned the witch anxiously. "Why is she still unable to move?"Apparently, the bitch could no longer walk. She should have just saved us all this trouble and just died instead. But no, only her legs stopped working.The Supreme Witch looked faintly puzzled as she touched Astrid before shaking her head and pulling back to face Alpha Jaxon."This
Alpha Jaxon's POV"Astrid, I'm coming to save you!" I growled.It was my fault and mine alone that I had lost her once again.When Astrid said that she wanted Kiara to wheel her around instead of me, I was bothered.Ever since waking up, Astrid had been not just cold towards me but just despondent in general.She didn't read the books I left in the room for her. She had lashed at Priscilla almost injuring her when she had suggested reading to her.The only time that Astrid seemed like her former self was when she went on her strolls.That was one of the reasons I always followed her and Kiara secretly as they went on their strolls. The second was that I still didn't fully trust Kiara.Not after what her sister had done.But for today's stroll, I had been unable to follow them because the Supreme Witch came to see me.I had been meaning to talk to her about our departure plans so I didn't see an issue with meeting with her.Astrid had been fine in all her walks this far, she would be f
Ten years laterAstrid's POV"The Crimson Moon Pack has successfully launched a multi-species academy in the interstate that will be our first step in cementing the centuries of bad blood between vampires, werewolves and witches."The entire hall fell silent listening to her and I guess even as her mother I was also in awe of Valerie's boldness and confidence.She was well-spoken for a child. Well, not that she was still much a child any more at ten.She would have her first shift in three years and then she would have a more active role in her position as Alpha King.She met my gaze across the distance between us and I gave her a subtle thumbs-up that had her smiling brightly before continuing her speech.No one would be able to tell how anxious she had been when she had been rehearsing this very speech with me."I know it will be hard. Everyone has lost someone. Even though I lost my dad to this fight, we will make sure their deaths are not in vain." Val's voice didn't crack even a
Kiara's POVIsn't it funny how the difference between a villain and a hero is the person telling the story?After Alpha Jaxon found out that I had been lying to him about being the daughter of the Alpha King, he left shattering my heart into so many pieces that even breathing was difficult for me.After he left, I hid myself in the grand expand of the supreme witch's home. She must have known that I was there but she didn't come looking for me.People like me didn't matter much to people like her.Until we do.That day for me was the day I left my hiding spot to get food to eat.One might wonder why I did just leave. But how could I leave when I had nowhere else to go? I no longer had a pack house, I no longer had a big sister to look out for me. Even the pack that I had betrayed Alpha Jaxon for had thrown me out.I had nowhere.In my haste to hurry back into my hiding spot after stealing some food, I took a wrong turn and found myself lost in the maze that was the Supreme Witch's res
Astrid's POVAs I hugged Alpha Jaxon, I felt at peace for the first time in a long while.The war was over. The vampire hunters killed the vampire king in our fight prior to meeting with Alpha Jaxon and the screams I heard leave his throat would forever live within me.We had lost people but I had faith that in time we would be able to rebuild and—A loud screech pierced through the air.What the fuck was that?I pulled away from Alpha Jaxon breaking away from our hug to see a massive shadow overhead.Goosebumps crawled over my skin as I realized that the form of that… thing was distinctly familiar."Those are…" My voice trailed off as my heart refused to believe what I was seeing."The monsters from the swamp." Xavier completed it for me.So it wasn't just in my head. They were really here.More of the creatures flew overhead, swooping in."What are they doing here?" Alpha Jaxon was as perplexed as we were.Last I remembered, Alpha Jaxon had informed me of the witch putting up a spel
Alpha Jaxon's POVFor Caleb.That's what I said within myself for every swing of my blade that cut down a vampire.Today's battle felt different whether that was because of my resolve to get rid of as many vampires as possible or because of something else.It didn't matter though.I beheaded the vampire heading right towards me in one fell swoop even as the frontlines of the vampires pushed against the werewolves."Hold the line!" I called out both in person for my allies and through the pack link for my pack members.We were on equal ground today due to the terrain so if we let their considerably larger force get through our front line, they would crush us regardless of how hard I fought.It was, to be very simply put, a numbers game.My frontline held and the battle thickened.I trode forward, step by step with enemies and friends alike at my side clashing and dying in different forms.From wolf to partial shift, to human and vampire form, they fought and the field ran red with bloo
Astrid's POVWhen I neared the border to the Crimson moon pack, I was moving as fast as I could.The Alpha hunter had won't to get the remaining two telling me that they would meet up with me in max two hours.Which gave me two hours to reach Alpha Jaxon and make a plan on how we were going to rendezvous with the army and the vampire hunters.Reaching the borders I heard a loud screech."Let me through! I need to talk to Astrid!"The guards didn't seem ready to let whoever that was through the borders."Leave or we will have to deal with you using force." The guard warned.The female sounded like she felt insulted by the guards' words."Using force? Who the hell do you think you are to talk to me like that?!"That voice. That voice was so familiar and the arrogance that laced those words could only belong to one person but what was she doing here?I walked faster so that I could see her face for myself to confirm but her next words confirmed my suspicions before I saw her."I am going
Astrid's POVYou see, there was something I didn't tell the Alphas about the vampire hunters.During my time in the bunker, Dad had told me about them when recounting the tales of the war.Three vicious heartless ferocious fighters who seemed to never age. Some said that they were bigger monsters than the vampires.I guess I would find out.I headed out trying to push away my father's cautionary words from my head but I couldn't.The vampire hunters had promised him help but at the moment when he needed them the most, they didn't show up.If they failed me this time as they had my father before me, then we were as good as dead."Princess." Elder Gideon seemed shocked to see me at the door of his house.Admittedly, it was a rare occurrence for me to be there at all. I always tried to keep a very professional relationship with the Elders before they could think to question my authority as a woman leading their pack"I need you to look after the pack for me in my absence," I said going s
Astrid's POVAlpha Finn tried to bluff his way through the situation."Do you really think they will betray me like that? You must have lost your mind, Astrid."He took a threatening step towards me only to be blocked by a much larger older Alpha on a buzz cut and with an unfriendly face.The Alpha looked down at Alpha Finn with barely restrained disgust."I think we are the ones that lost our mind following a hybrid."Alpha Finn took an almost unnoticeable step back but I saw it."Alpha Nicolai, can't you see she is trying to divide us?" He said cautiously.Alpha Nicolai bared his teeth at him."All I can see is a vamp whore."Then faster than I could blink, Alpha Nicolai reached out and tore Alpha Finn's neck open.A blow like that would have killed a wolf but for a hybrid like him, he healed almost immediately but the other Alphas were already crowding in on him slashing and tearing him up faster than he
Alpha Jaxon's POVI didn't tell Astrid the reality of this war.I didn't tell her about the stench of death that I woke up to. The blood, the pyres that never stopped burning and the senseless endless death.Astrid not coming here with me was without a doubt, the best decision I had ever made.The vampires fought to injure or maim us with obscene speed knowing that now we feared injuries as much as we did death blows hence why we opted for large-range weapons like swords, bows and fire bombs instead of just our claws now.But even with my intense strategy, it was still a numbers game. A game that we were slowly losing.The explosion rocked the earth and the last of the vampires began to retreat. We had won today's fight. Only the goddess could guarantee tomorrow's win."Fall back!" I called out for my men and our allies. "Take our injured and fall back!"Where did Caleb go?This was the time we were supposed to meet so t
Astrid's POVIt had been three months. Three months since I saw Alpha Jaxon. Three months since I touched him.I went to bed in my room with his clothes next to me because of how much I missed even his scent. I missed him more than I knew was possible. So much so that I found myself crying on the harder days.But that was only possible at night when I was alone in my room with Val.In the daytime, I was the backbone of the Crimson Moon Pack. The one the people and the elders looked up to in Alpha Jaxon's absence."The harvest last month is half what we used to have." Elder Gideon said and I could barely hold back a tired sigh.Between how much we were pumping out into the battlefield to feed the people there and the poor yield this season, it was to be expected.My hand beneath my jaw, I met Elder Gideon's gaze."We need to boost our output."Elder Jared, the bane of my existence these past three months scoffed."