Sheera shivered helplessly. She had never heard such venom in his voice before. For a moment, and wished she could turn back the hands of time and never say the truth to him. He sounded like he'd kill her."You've been a witch this entire time!?" He roared, closing the distance between them and wrapping his hand around her throat.It wasn't as effective as it'd have been if it was Keegan choking her. Sheera almost felt nothing - it wasn't because it wasn't painful, but only because she had gotten too used to Keegan's cruelty that her senses dulled to the pain inflicted by others."Who are you?" He growled in her face, pulling her even closer, his breath hot and laced with fury. "This whole time, you've been with us, hiding your identity while wrecking havoc? It was your kind that did this to him. So, you know who's responsible, don't you? Heck, you were probably behind the death of Bara's son."&
Was it normal for that to happen? Or was he finally dead?Sheera didn't know what to believe.Her hands trembled as she went closer to him, putting her hands on his cold chest. She repeated the spell, again and again, but nothing was happening. Nothing changed. No, this couldn't be. "What is happening?" Kalaril stepped forward, his voice hard and demanding. The restrictive wind had vanished, allowing him to move. Sheera didn't know what to say to him. She didn't even look at him as tears dropped from her eyes to Keegan's still form. "I'm talking to you!" Kalaril roared. "I don't know!" Sheera cried. "It's... It's supposed to work. He shouldn't go back to sleep, or- wh- whatever this is."In one swift motion, Kalaril pulled her away from Keegan. He spun her around to face him, then clamped his hand around her neck. "You assured me!" He yelled into her face. "You told me you could do it!" "I know... I'm so sorry. I'm sorry," her body wracked with sobs. He pushed her away. "Get
Malkar felt weak in the bones as he ran to Keegan's Chambers. Fear made it's way all the way to his throat, tempting him to give up what he had eaten an hour ago. The Fortress was already buzzing with the news, word spreading like wildfire. The people at the gate had been too joyous, the Keepers had to let them in. Hence, the Fortress was overflowing with them.Joyous shouts rang out from every corner, drums pounded in celebration. It was as though, an important festival was taking place. Malkar was held in disbelief. His heart hammered against it's ribcage as his legs carried him faster. The crowd outside Keegan's quarters was extreme, it was a hassle jostling his way in. It wasn't easy walking all the way to Keegan's room. When he finally reached, he had to stop at the door as the room itself was overcrowded with members of the council and other relatives. There, he found Keegan on the bed, laying and still looking pale. But his eyes were open, slowly taking everyone in. Six Doc
Sheera passed the night with Elke. Before bedtime, Elke had expressed her worry. "Your body still seems intact. The Demon King didn't take any physical part of you."Sheera laughed, her tone light as if the very idea amused her. "Do you think he decided to just let it go?"She was drunk with happiness on that night and didn't want to bother over consequences. "No! He never gives without taking, Sheera. It is a part of him."Sheera looked away, eating from the bowl of meat the woman had prepared for them. Elke grabbed her hands, forcing her attention to her. "Listen, I am very delighted that the Alpha is back, but I wish we had achieved this in a different way. I fear for you, Sheera. Since no physical part of you was taken, I fear the Demon King might have taken something far more precious. Something personal.""And what could that possibly be?" Sheera narrowed her eyes. "Aside my body, I believe my powers are the only things I have. Maybe, he took them. And oh, I'll be the happies
Sheera felt as though her heart had frozen in her chest, unsure if it'd ever beat again. Yes, she was glad the Alpha was back and had been longing to see him - but not like this. There was no way he was summoning her to the Courtroom for pleasure like the last time. No, this was something different. Something worse. She breathed shallowly as she followed the Keepers, knowing it was only going to get worst if she resisted. They walked into the courtroom which was occupied by just Keegan and Kalaril. Keegan. Her heart gave a startled leap, then stopped mid-throb. He was there, looking so alive. Healthy. The last time she had seen him, he had been at the brink of death. But there he was, healthy. The sight of him filled her with so much joy, she wanted to cry. She sniffed, lowering her head as she stood before him."Greetings, Alpha."Silence greeted her words. He was still so cold towards her. Memories of when and how he used to touch her teased her mind. She's missed it, she woul
It was a long day for Keegan. It was nightfall by time he retired to his chambers in the company of Kalaril. They spoke idly of the day's events as Keegan removed his heavy regalia. They shared a drink afterwards, the conversation drifting from trivial court matters to lighthearted jokes. But Kalaril's next words shifted the tone abruptly. "Don't you think you should let her go?" Kalaril asked.Keegan took a deep drink from his cup, not bothering to look at Kalaril until he had emptied it. "Who?""Sheera." He clarified. "The mate bond is gone now, and I understand that you want to punish her for hurting you. But don't you think it's more painful seeing her around? I was thinking it'd be best to let her go."Keegan's nose twitched in irritation. He poured more wine, the liquid swirling in the goblet like his unspoken anger. "No." His voice was hard. "I don't want her gone, Kalaril. Not yet. I still want her to suffer.""You used to like her. Love, maybe. Is it really necessary to k
A WEEK LATER.It was midday, and the sun hung heavy in the sky, casting a warm hue over the farmlands of Howling Ridge. Sheera, along with Tabitha and a lot of workers were working on some of the farmlands.Howling Ridge was known for it's abundant lands, and this very farm was one of the prized estates of Keegan's ownership. The rich, expensive field stretched out as far as the eye could see. It wasn't the first time Sheera was working on the farms, but never had they received guests while at work. That day was different. Six carriages arrived. Sheera couldn't breath as the riders drew nearer, her heart racing with an overwhelming mixture of fear and longing when she recognized the figure at the head of the procession. It was Keegan, his tall form regal atop his favorite black horse. What was he doing there?His golden hair caught the sunlight, gleaming like molten metal, and his cold silver eyes glanced the lands as if weighing it's worth with each glance. Sheera
Odessa's moans filled the room as she straddled Keegan, her hips moving fervently, her skin slick with sweat. Her breath came in ragged bursts as she bounced atop him, her nipples grazing his chest with every rise and fall. Keegan's hands rested loosely around her waist, his eyes closed. He was seated in his chair, a single bead of sweat trickling down his neck. It was supposed to feel incredible. Odessa was giving it her all, but even her guts told her something wasn't right with Keegan, as it had been ever since he regained consciousness. This is the third time they have been intimate since then, and the last two times, his mind seemed distant, and in the end, he didn't finish on her. Now, he sat there, his eyes closed. It looked like he was enjoying it this time around. Odessa desperately hoped he was. But she was far from the truth. As Keegan closed his eyes, all he could see were the memories of a certain lady on him, a lady with long black hair, vivid blue eyes, and a scent
ONE YEAR LATER"I therefore, crown you, Sheera Ashbourne Cipher, Luna of Howling Ridge, to rule beside our Alpha, Keegan Cipher for as long as you live." The Elder proclaimed, resting the Luna crown on her head just before the crowd exploded into a madness of applause and revelry.Sheera's heart pumped faster. Her stomach was filled with too many butterflies, she felt she wouldn't need to feed for some months. Her cheeks were pink as she looked at the Alpha who stood in front of her, wearing a proud look. Her Keegan. Tears stung her eyes at the realization that they were finally going to be together forever. She had always hoped for a day like this, and now it was finally happening.The Elder turned to the throng. "People of Howling Ridge, I present to you—your new Luna!"The applause and jubilation grew louder. Sheera turned to face them, a smile on her face. She didn't know if it was the baby hormones again, but she was so close to shedding a tear. Not a Luna-ish thing to do, She
Sheera thought her happiness was complete, not until she got some visitors at the Fortress.She was beyond shocked when she saw her mother—Dasha—and Naya come over to visit her. They spent a long time embracing and asking each other questions. Apparently, Dasha and Naya had been hiding in a friend's barn since six months ago, when Sheera's secret was revealed. They'd been scared when it happened and contemplated fleeing, but knowing Zandov and a lot of Keepers would be searching for them, they figured it would be impossible leaving the Pack without being seen. Thankfully, the one friend Dasha had and trusted took them in and hid them in her barn. They'd been there since then, still afraid of fleeing and getting caught. Sheera was beyond relieved to know they've been alive and safe. For the past six months, she'd been hoping they managed to escape to a better Pack.She took Dasha to Morginna who was glad to be able to meet the woman that had helped her. She thanked Dasha once more
Keegan suggested they used a locator spell on Odessa to know where she was. With what Thessaly had done, he wouldn't be surprised if she had something to do with Odessa's disappearance. When Morginna did the spell, using one of Odessa's belongings, she was able to trace her and it led them to a tomb, deep in the woods. Odessa was found unconscious with a rotten corpse beside her. It took them a while to realize the corpse was Nailah. They took Odessa to the Fortress where she was immediately attended to by a healer. .........Zandov requested audience with Keegan in his room where he expressed his displeasure over the new law he'd implemented. "This is a mistake. We cannot have witches living amongst us all in the name of protection. Every problem we have encountered that you believe this witch of yours have saved us from were all caused by this same witches. If it wasn't for her kind, she wouldn't need to save us from anything." Zandov grumbled. Keegan had been writing in a par
There was a crowd outside. The people of Howling Ridge gathered around the raised platform, most of them having sore eyes from long torturous hours of crying. The loss of their loved ones ran deep. Keegan walked up to the platform, his eyes scanning them. He'd called for the gathering as soon as he returned to the Fortress. He granted access to every one of his Pack members, wanting them to bear witness to what was about to happen.The people had been looking forward to him, wanting to hear what he had to say. It was as though, his words could provide any form of closure for them. "To the strong esteemed people of Howling Ridge," Keegan began, his icy voice cutting through the crowd that had turned very silent. "I want to thank every one of you for making it here today. I know you all are grieving. So, thank you for coming as requested."As you all already know, something strange happened to us during the Eclipse Moon. It is the first time in history that something this powerful ha
The Eclipse Moon was over. The sun rose brighter and earlier than usual, as it always did after such nights.The wolves had shifted back to human form, but a lot of them were dead.Keegan—though unable to do anything about it—had watched as some of the wolves around him died slowly and painfully, bleeding through the nose and eyes. He didn't need to do a deep thinking to know it had to do with Thessaly. But strangely, it hadn't affected him. The only pain he felt had come from the Eclipse Moon.Keegan feared it was the end for the wolves as prophesied, and there would be no stopping it.But fortunately and surprisingly, it stopped.When the Eclipse passed and they'd regained control of themselves, he looked for Kalaril, hoping nothing bad had happened to him.Fortunately, he found him, not far from where he was.
Their hearts were racing in their chests. For a moment there, they were too weak to run. Too hopeless to do anything. "Is this it?" Ravyn stepped forward. "Are we just giving up?""There is nothing that can be done anymore!" Sheera's voice rose in anguish, trembling with frustration. "She's started it already. We didn't get there in time. The wolves...they are all going to die!"Sheera fell to her knees, her head spinning. It felt like air was being drained from her lungs. Keegan. Keegan. Keegan.That was all she could hear. All she could think about. "No." Morginna shook her head. "We must find her.""To what end, mother?" Sheera shouted, her tears running down. Morginna paled. Turning to Sheera, she felt anguish for what she was about to say.****They followed the blood trail, faster this time. Finally, it ended. They looked ahead at the temple where the trail had ended. "You sure she's still there?" Ravyn asked. "She can't leave until the Eclipse is complete. She's the one
Sheera thought deeper. Fought harder.The sun was setting. The Eclipse moon was only moments away.It was obvious they might never find Thessaly before it's too late. She was good with covering her tracks, and she'd also created a barricade around herself, blocking any witch from tracing her with a spell.This method was clearly not working. They needed to devise another solution.Sheera froze when something replayed in her mind. 'Thessaly had created a barricade around herself, blocking any witch from tracing her with a spell.'Hold on...Her mind raced as she called out and ran after Morginna. She was panting when she found her with Ravyn."Sheera, are you...""You mentioned once that the reason you couldn't seek refuge with the witches after you gave me away was because they might want to find and
Sheera's eyes stretched so wide they felt as though they might escape their sockets. Despite how terrified she was, there was a ball of heat forming low in her abdomen. The Alpha had a hundred reasons to kill her, and he could do it so easily now. "I do not care about the silly excuse you gave." His voice was a low growl, his hand still pressed over her mouth. "What you did was an act of betrayal. You played me for a fool, and that goes to show that you are a horrible person."His silver eyes burned with fury, their intensity a flame threatening to consume her whole. His face, shadowed and taut with rage, seemed carved from stone, every line of it etched in hatred.Sheera didn't dare to utter a word, knowing none could satisfy him.Slowly, he released his hand from her mouth. His gaze raked over her, dark and menacing.He brushed his fingers around her neck, causing the ball of heat to spread wider in her abdomen. She closed her eyes, awaiting the moment he'd strangle her. "You 'hu
Hours passed.Sheera awoken on the ground, amidst a jumble of overturned carts and crates.She was bleeding from too many parts of her body. That was because she had crashed into some weapons from the cart.She grunted in pains, sitting up. She couldn't get to her feet. The pain was too much, and she was losing too much blood.Looking around, she noticed her horse was gone, which could only mean one thing—so was Thessaly.She remained there on the ground, waiting and hoping for help.After several hours, Morginna came just like she had hoped for.Before leaving Elke's place, she had gotten her necklace back—which Elke had been in possession of. Ravyn had been waiting outside the Fortress. She met with him, gave him the necklace and described where Thessaly was.Good thing Ravyn was smart and knew how to fo