Mima’s POV A cold, damp chill clung to my skin as my eyes fluttered open. The scent of burning wax and blood filled my nose. Candle flames danced wildly, casting twisted shapes across the chamber. I was lying on a raised stone platform, my arms and legs restrained by heavy iron chains with spikes that dug into my skin when I moved. Blinking against the dim light, my gaze trailed across the room. At the far end, an altar stood, stained dark with what I didn’t want to guess. A massive, ancient-looking book lay open beside it, its pages yellowed and curling at the edges. Symbols, etched in something deep red, covered the surface, pulsing faintly as if they were alive. Then I saw them. A ring of twelve figures stood around me, their long black cloaks blending seamlessly into the shadows. Their faces were hidden beneath deep hoods, but I could feel their eyes watching me. Behind them, separated from the rest, was a thirteenth figure clad in red. Unlike the others, his presence
Rake's POV I could feel the rage burning in my chest. The moment Mima was taken, I went wild. I didn’t think so. Didn’t plan. I just moved, tearing through the castle, demanding answers that no one could give me. My wolf pushed at my skin, clawing to get out, and I let him... just a little. The memory of her voice screaming out my name before she disappeared right in front of me kept playing over and over in my head. The figure that held on to her, I would find him and snap his neck. I seethed. I needed to find her. I needed to make sure she was okay. My mind wouldn’t let go of the fear that gripped me when I realized she was gone. Tracking the remnants of the portal took longer than I’d hoped, the researchers group in my pack found it difficult to determine what kind of transportation stone it was and where the destination was. Since I also hadn't marked Mima, I couldn't talk to her through the mind link. I rubbed my forehead soothing the headache I was having. Mate.
Rake’s POVI didn’t leave her side. Not for a moment.When I brought Mima back to the pack house, I laid her in my bed. The healer examined her, but there was nothing to explain what had happened. No marks, no wounds. Her skin was smooth. She only had chars on her but after cleaning her up, she was fine. But something inside me screamed that something had changed.I paced the room, my wolf anxious, pushing against my chest. Something was wrong. I couldn’t place it, but I could feel it, her scent had altered. I could put my finger on it but I just knew that something was not the same anymore.The pack was restless. The warriors muttered behind my back, questioning what had happened, why she was taken and why she returned to this state. They were already suspicious of the state she was in when I brought her in, but now, they're more curious.They wanted answers I didn’t have. I couldn’t give them answers because I didn’t understand this either.“Stay away,” I snapped when one of the war
Mima's POVI had lied to Rake.I had to.Why did you lie to mate?“So now you want to talk to me? You've kept me shut out from reaching you all this while. I told one little lie and you're coming for me?”Mate needs truth.“Stop it, okay? It's not safe for him to know.”I remembered every single thing that had happened to me. From the abduction in my room to destroying the room I was almost sacrificed in. What I didn't remember was how I got back to Rake's pack or how he had gotten there.I told mate to come.“Even after I told you not to several times? I handled it. Now there's a target on his back, too, if those people are still alive.” I sighed as I ran my hand through my tangled mess of hair.I looked at myself in the mirror; I didn't look any different. Passing out for three days did bring colour back to my skin but I was skinnier.My tummy rumbled as if it could hear my thoughts. I chuckled as I got into the shower and got myself ready.By the time I was getting out of the bathr
Rake's POV“I would like to request more time before Mima introduces herself to the pack and for us to mate. She is not ready yet.” I said as I sat on the throne looking down at all the elders in their seats.A larger percentage of them were dissatisfied with the fact that I found my mate and they are yet to know who she is or what she even looked like.After not meeting my mate for years, many of the elders started getting greedy and setting me up with their daughters or nieces or even their cousins because of the power of a Luna.Once Mima came into the picture, they saw her as a threat to their big plans. At first, they thought she was fake, so they didn't think too much about it, but my soldiers have been spreading news of meeting her.They have been agitated ever since.They have finally found their voice and now want to use the powers of the elders to subdue me but they must have forgotten who owns the pack and who rules over them.“Rake, my dear. It is tradition that a week aft
Mima's POV“Why hasn't he come to see me yet, Daria?” I sulked as I lay on Daria’s lap.She had offered to wash my hair, and after drying it, she insisted on oiling my scalp. The gentle pressure of her fingers massaging my head was soothing, yet it did little to distract me from the frustration gnawing at my chest.Since the day Rake found me in the lake, he had refused to see me. He didn’t even speak to me that day either. No explanation, no confrontation, just avoidance. It pissed me off that he refused to listen to what I had to say.Daria had been by my side ever since then. More than just a maid, she had become like a sister to me. We had spent countless nights talking about everything and anything, whispering stories to each other when sleep evaded us.Daria wasn’t originally from this pack. Her home had been destroyed, and she was taken captive with her younger brother, similar to what had happened to me. But unlike me, she had managed to escape. That was when she met Rake, wan
Mima’s POV“Where are we going?” I asked for the tenth time as Rake dragged me forward.“Stop asking. I wouldn’t answer no matter how many times you ask, you know.”I huffed in frustration. “Fine.”“Don’t be so sulky, you’ll see soon enough.” He chuckled as we continued walking, holding my hand firmer.We finally arrived at the soldiers’ building. I hadn’t been here before, but with the number of broad, muscular men walking around in uniforms, I could tell this was their turf. The scent of sweat and metal filled the air, a sign of intense training. Every person we passed bowed slightly with small murmurs of ‘Alpha and Luna.’I still wasn’t used to it. The way people looked at me with respect, acknowledging me as their Luna, as if I truly belonged here. It felt strange, almost unreal.“Where is she?” Rake asked, stopping in front of a soldier who looked to be of higher rank than the others.The man straightened immediately. “Greetings, Alpha. She’s in room 113. The second door on the l
Rake's POVI stood outside of the room with a smile on my face. Mima was probably going to be pissed that I kept this from her for so long, but she would be happy, too, and if she was angry, I'd just find a way to appease her.My mind went back to how enthralling she had looked earlier and my heart raced.“Alpha. I'm sorry but I would like to have a word with you.” One of my subordinates called out to me. I nodded at him and followed him to one of the equipment rooms.“We finally got wind of the people that you had described.”At the mention of his words, my face immediately turned into a frown.“Tell me.”“They don't exist on the map.” He said before sucking in a breath and gauging my reaction.“What?! What do you mean by they don't exist on the map?” I asked fuming.“We couldn't find any trace about them from anybody. They didn't have a specific location. I asked around and some people did know them. Some had seen them lurking around in the shadows of their pack or walking in broad
Mima's POVWith the little strength I had left, I rolled to the side just as the bat came down with a loud crack against the wooden floor, splinters flying everywhere.Stephanie cursed, stumbling slightly from the force of her missed attack. I used the moment to my advantage, pushing myself up despite the dizziness threatening to pull me under.Stephanie recovered quickly, turning to swing again, but this time, I was ready. I ducked under the arc of the bat, lunging forward and grabbing her wrist.With all the anger and frustration burning inside me, I twisted her arm sharply, forcing her to drop the weapon with a cry of pain.I didn’t stop there. I slammed my knee into her stomach, knocking the air out of her. She gasped, doubling over, but before I could do anything else, I felt a cold, sharp object against my throat.A knife.Stephanie might have lost the bat, but she wasn’t done. Her wild eyes burned into mine as she held the blade close enough that I could feel its bite against m
Mima's POVI walked through the dark halls of the hospital.I needed to check up on Julia. It had been a week since my visit to the gods' realm, and despite our best efforts, we had made little progress on training Kia. I had thought it would be simple, considering we had the book as a guide.But the wording and diagrams were cryptic, layered with meanings that twisted upon themselves. Every sleepless night I spent trying to decipher them had left me frustrated and exhausted.And about the news concerning Ria and Kian? We have got nothing. The only good news is that the soldiers are working hard enough that they can now almost beat Beck and Zahra in a one on one. Their group battles aren't strong yet though…My boots echoed against the polished floor of the hospital. The nurses on duty were few, and from my inquiries, it turns out that the doctor is on his break so the whole hospital is just quiet.I reached Julia’s room, pausing for a moment before slowly pushing open the door. The r
Mima's POV My ears were ringing when I slowly opened my eyes to look up. Someone was carrying me in her arms and I couldn't make out who it was. Her long delicate fingers slowly dropped me to the ground and I saw Kia on the other side of her.I kept willing the ringing to stop but it only got louder. I placed my hand on both sides of my head and after a while, the ringing stopped. I raised my head to look up to see the goddess facing the god of destruction head on and from the look on his face, he was scared? The god of destruction's expression flickered between anger and feigned amusement, his dark eyes narrowing at the radiant figure before him. The goddess stood tall, unfazed by his presence, her very being emanating a power that seemed to press against the fiery air of the realm.“You were going to let them leave?” The goddess asked, her voice was calm but there was an underlying annoyed tone. The god of destruction let out a deep, dark chuckle, though the amusement didn't qui
Mima’s POVWe appeared in another realm and it was dark and gory like. There was fire everywhere or was that Lava? The walls seemed as though we were melting and a thought crossed me that it seemed this was a volcano like environment. Perfect habitat for one of destruction. The heat was unbearable and I felt extremely hot but all my focus was on saving Kia. I thrashed against the guard that was holding, my wrists aching from his strong grip. “Let us go!” I growled, struggling harder.The guards ignored me and forced us forward, marching toward an enormous door. The doors pulled open on their own and we walked through. I was still looking around, trying to gauge where we were and the level of danger we were in when they shoved me and Kia to our knees.I instinctively reached for Kia, pulling him close to my side as the towering figure seated on a throne stared down at us.The god of destruction and punishment.His presence alone was suffocating. His dark robes rippled like living sh
Mima's POVThe man stepped forward, his handsome face on display as he moved. He had a cream and blue apparel on, and his hair was in long dark locs that fell below his shoulders.His pasty skin, the same shade as Kia’s, glowed in the dimly lit prison.“Kia,” he breathed, his voice deep. Kia took an uncertain step forward, his small fingers gripping my hand tightly. “Daddy?” he whispered, as if afraid the image before him would disappear.The man nodded, his expression softening. “Yes, my son. I’ve wanted to see you for so long.”Kia’s fingers twitched in mine, and I knew he wanted to run to his father, to embrace him, but the thick golden bars separating them made it impossible. His father knelt before him, leveling his gaze with Kia’s, and reached out to touch the barrier, his fingertips shimmering against the energy that crackled in the air.I cleared my throat, breaking the moment. “You called me here for a reason,” I said, trying not to show how intimidated I felt by his powers.
Mima's POV I walked through the halls to Zahra's room. Rake had gone to check the soldiers and also learn the new moves that Beck was showing them. Daria had holed herself up in the library looking for anything that could be of help.And Julia? She's still unconcious so we've not gotten any news from her. I had asked a maid who told me that Kia was with Zahra. It had been a day since I had come back from the goddess' realm to see Kia's father. I needed to wait a while before rushing into things.I swung the door open and walked in to see Kia and Zahra together on the bed, reading a book, with snacks around them.“Hi guys, am I free to join you?” They both looked up and Zahra nodded.“Mima!” Kia said, smiling at me with all his teeth. I smiled back at him and ruffled his hair as I sat beside him. “Hey kiddo. So there's somewhere we need to go. Want to come with me?” I could feel Zahra staring intently at the side of my head but I don't look at her. Kia nodded, enthusiastic to go
Mima's POVI closed my palm, extinguishing the fire, and Rake gasped."Wow... I mean, not that I didn't believe you but... wow... that's so impressive."He said, and I just laughed. It was actually impressive if I say so myself.Rake reached out, taking my hands in his, his eyes scanning my face. "And this is how you defeated them? How long have you known you had this power?""It has been a while now.," I admitted, squeezing his hands gently. I didn't know how he would take that information, knowing that I kept this from him for so long. "It's been revealing itself to me in pieces and I don't know if I've unlocked all my powers yet. But there's something more pressing I need to handle."His brows furrowed in concern. "What is it?"I hesitated. Telling him would only make him worry and dumping all that information on him now? but there was no avoiding it. I can't keep things from him for so long any longer. "I have to go to the goddess realm."Rake stiffened. "What?! The goddess' rea
Mima's POV It's the next person's turn and like the other, he attacked first rushing towards me with his fists balled. I knelt down, doing the same move as earlier and punching him.Moving him slightly backwards. He winced from the hit but regained his composure immediately. He came at me again but this time. I just held his hand and slowed the speed of his punch that was supposed to come at me. I imbued my powers in my palms to make it hot and he didn't flinch from it. I tried harder but he didn't show any reaction.“You too. Move to the right. Who's next?” I said to the line and another man stepped forward.This went on for a while and I was starting to think I was mistaken when the man I was holding jumped back, screaming.“You—” he looked at me with so much hatred in his eyes and I finally smirked.I pointed at two men from the right that I had cleared before. “Hold him.” They rushed out and held him down to the ground, watching him struggle. Three others from the line took th
Mima's POVWe walked back into the Arena with the guard behind us. “I was waiting for you.” Rake said but I just ignored him.“Why aren't you talking to me?” “Oh, now you're seriously asking me that? After you turned a deaf ear to me pleading for the life of the elders? I knew that they didn't do too well or even do good by disobeying you but taking their life is just too cruel of a punishment to give.” “Mima, please. They deserve this.” He replied and I just couldn't tell if this was the man I was falling in love with.Wait … what did I just say? I'm in love with Rake? I felt a blush crept up my cheeks and he looked puzzled staring at me.“I wouldn't sit here and watch you take innocent people's lives”. I stood up and walked away and Take rushed to grab my hand and spun me around, pulling me to his chest. “Fine, I'll do anything to make you happy.” And he pecked my forehead.“Release them.” He yelled and everyone turned to face him with wide eyes. “Throw them in the dungeons in