Fiona’s POV.
I didn’t know where I was running to. My feet felt light and heavy under me at the same time, heart pounded loudly over the harsh pants leaving my lips as my lungs worked for air.
Fuck.
“Hello, Fiona.”
I shuddered heavily at the flashback. How did he find me out? How did they find me out? I covered my face. Anxiety and panic had my vision spinning as I fled, turning at the next corner which Led me to the rows of bathroom. I ran into one and slammed it under lock and key before scanning the room for people. Luckily it was empty.
Had I stayed just a little bit longer, I would have fainted on the spot. Overwhelmed wasn’t enough to explain the numerous emotions I felt at that moment. My wobbly legs took me one to the many pristine rows of ceramic sink with golden faucets and I gripped the one closest to me with shaky hands as I turned on the faucet, watching water rushing unforced and free in a stead unbroken flow. I wish my life was like this. Free. Unshackled.
My gaze shifted to the pale face staring back at me in desolation. My thoughts going through a million things per second as I fought back weak knees and nausea.
I remembered how they all looked at me. Soren’s curious eyes, Lyn and Kai’s blank eyes which hid nothing of their deceptive intentions… and Jin’s familiar smile… like we were friends.
Vomit crawled up my throat and hit projectile style in, splashing into the sink with a disgusting sound. I felt relieved still. I don’t know how long I stood in front of the mirror staring at my reflection while the faucet ran but it must have been quite a while because a someone knocked, startling me from my thoughts.
For a brief moment, I panicked, thinking it was one of the guests, or even worse, one out of the four alphas had come to seek me out.
“Fiona? Are you in there?” Will, the head butler of this household called out, knocking gently on the door despite the noise coming from the party.
My legs nearly collapsed under me in relief at the sound of his voice. “Yeah. I’ll be out in a minute, Will.”
“What are you doing locked up in there?” he asked, working the handle of the door in a vain attempt to open the it. “And it’s locked.”
“Uhm…. I was feeling a bit under the weather so I came out for some fresh air.” I called out, hastily splashing my face with the cool water before drying it with a paper towel.
“You have time for a break, there’s a party going on and guests to serve.” Will chided gently.
“I know, I know.” I answered, hastily fixing my hair before sliding the mask in place. I think the vomit earlier helped calm my nerves. I left the bathroom feeling lighter, apologizing at Will’s unimpressed glare with a light hearted smile as I kissed his weathered cheek fondly. Will was like a father to me. He was the only one who knew just a piece of what I’ve been through. He’d found me that night in the closet, and that night when the four alphas tried to force themselves on me. But like me, there was nothing he could do. His hands were tied just like mine was.
Adjusting the mask over my face once more, I moved to the kitchen and grabbed a tray of champagne before joining the endless stream of servers and began serving the guest one after the other while the party raged on.
“Hey, over here!” A voice yelled over the noise and I turned around to see the group of girls dressed in expensive, revealing dresses looking pretty with make up on. I moved towards them and almost fell as realization dawned on me. It was the group of girls who bullied me this morning.
“Hello?” one of the girls called out, rudely snapping her fingers at me. “Do I have to do your job too? Or are you slow?”
“Right, I’m sorry.” I said, walking up to them with the tray of champagne and a sinking heart. Please God, don’t let them recognize me. Please God don’t let them—
“Hey, look it’s that girl from earlier.” The girl who called my attention earlier — I don’t know her name — called out snidely, gently jabbing her elbow at Helena who sat close to her.
Fuck!
I couldn’t run away again. Will definitely will get mad and disappointed and I didn’t want to think of what could happen if the news reached the Luna’s ears. At the thought of her rage and the awful punishment I’d receive, I stood rooted to the floor silently with my head bowed low.
“You’re right it is!” Helena said with a sneer. “How come you’re here?”
I didn’t want to draw attention to myself and I wanted more than anything to avoid conflict with Helena. That was not on my bingo card tonight. Unfortunately my silence seemed to anger Helena even more. She didn’t understand that I would be the consequences should this banquet go south. Honestly, I don’t think she would care. Helena hated me with every fiber of her being and I didn’t know why. We’ve never been friends or anything like that.
“I’m fucking talking you so you should fucking answer me!” she demanded, back handing my cheek heavily at my silence.
I wasn’t expecting the slap and the impact sent the tray of champagne which I held flying from my fingers. The flutes crashed against the marble floor in loud crash that immediately halted the noise if the party. I stared dazedly at the broken flutes and the spilled champagne racing to my feet. Shock and panic multiplied the sensations of the numerous gazes staring at me to a thousand. The sound of broken glass was deafening even to my ears.
Oh no. God, please no. Just get on with the party and ignore me, please!
I felt wetness on my cheeks and hastily slid my fingers under my mask to touch them. Tears. I suddenly felt cold all of a sudden. Tears streamed down my cheeks as the feeling of reckoning subdued me.
“Are you crying?” Helena sneered, laughing cruelly at the sight of tears leaking from my mask.
Sinking to my knees, I picked the broken shards and slowly dropped them on the tray one after the other. The hushed whispers reached my ears in a weird symphony and the stares that didn’t seem disappear no matter how much I begged. My hands couldn’t stop shaking as apologies spilled endlessly from my lips as tears clogged my throat and leaked free from my eyes. I felt pathetic and wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole and die there.
The sound of heels clacking against the marble floor reached my ears. My heart slammed in my chest the second I looked up and saw her. The Luna was coming right at me, striding with this unbreakable focus, her eyes locked on me in anger like a hawk circling prey. Every part of me wanted to run, but I was frozen, trapped in place as if my feet were anchored to the ground.
She looked fierce—unbelievably fierce. Her steps were quick, powerful, and her whole body seemed tense with purpose, like she could spring forward any second. The look in her eyes was terrifying: dark, intense, like she could crush me without even thinking twice. The closer she got, the more I could feel this instinctual fear twisting inside me, making it hard to breathe, hard to even think.
My hands felt clammy, fingers trembling against the broken shards of glass, and the air around me seemed to close in, thick and stifling. Every little sound felt louder—the clack of her heels against the marble floor, my own heartbeat, the ragged edge of my breathing. A thousand terrifying thoughts flooded my mind, each one darker than the last, each one imagining what she would do to me. At the consequence of disrupting the party. The distance between us grew smaller and smaller, and as I stared into those fierce, unyielding eyes, all I could do was stand there, paralyzed, feeling like my very life was dangling by a thread.
“Exactly what is happening here?!” she snapped, leveling angry eyes at my crouched form. “Can’t you ever do anything right? You useless—”
“She clearly hit you, why are you apologizing?” a dark, lofty voice said behind me. A voice I was overly too familiar with. A voice with never stopped chilling something inside me with fear.
Stunned, I rotated my neck to look behind me and there they stood. The four alphas standing behind me like honorable soldiers glaring fiercely at Helena. I didn’t know what to do or feel. But one thing was certain. This party was about to take a surprising turn.
And I was caught in the crossfire.
Fiona’s POV.Stunned.I was stunned and shocked at the same time. Of all the ways I could imagine this night going south, this wasn’t one of them. I just stayed rooted on the spot, staring at the four alphas in dumbfounded amazement.“Are they speaking up for me?” I thought mentally.The party fell into hushed silence as the drama unfolded. I saw Helena and her group pale at the unexpected sight of the four alphas. Helena looked pale, gulping instinctively as Jin and the remaining three drew closer but her main focus was on Jon watching her with cool, blank eyes.“I asked you a question, Fiona.” He said again with a deceptively soft voice, his face was anything but. His dark eyes had a hard glint in them. He turned those dark eyes to me in question and I resisted the urge to flinch under his intense stare. That and the anxiety crippling me at the nearness of the four alphas surrounding.I said the only thing that came to mind at best, “I’m sorry.”A slight frown appeared between his b
Fiona’s POVNo matter how much I thought about this, it made no sense. He had a motive, that alone was certain. If not why would he act any different. I was a nobody yet here I was sitting in Jin’s room while he dressed my wounds with such care that left me feeling wary and highly uneasy. The sensation of his hand wrapped around my injured wrist had me flinching at the barest sensation of our hands touching. And it was not in a good way.“Hold still!” he ordered, tightening his grip around my wrist for good measure and my panic tripled.“What if he lied to you and this was just an excuse to get you under him?” A twisted voice in my mind whispered. “You’d scream and no one would hear you.”Instinctively, I tightened my grip on the knife, my palm suddenly felt clammy.“I can basically hear your thoughts, Fiona.” Jin spoke, meeting my gaze squarely. “I gave you my word that nothing will happen to you.”“And I told you that your word means nothing.” I replied smartly, resisting the shudde
Fiona’s POV“Oh, shut up! I thought I told you to leave already.” Jin reprimanded idly, wrapping the ends of the gauze in a bow before wrapping his hand around mine, holding me captive.Lyn looked positively red with rage, his body tensed for a fight. He was about leaping for Jin’s throat when Soren and Kai held him back roughly by the shoulders, forcing him in place. “Don’t do anything you’ll regret later.” Soren whispered fiercely into Lyn’s ear as they struggled. “Come on, let get some air.” He said, successfully dragging Lyn out of the room while Kai closed the door quietly behind him. I heard Lyn’s disgruntled argument as they walked away and Soren and Kai’s muted voices, catching the words, “mate” and “Fiona”My name… I raked my brain for memories of the four of them fighting and was shocked to find there was none. They rarely fought and seemed to agree with each other on everything. So why now?“Thanks.” I whispered, rubbing idly at my sore wrist, lost in thought. Anything
Fiona’s POVThe party was over. Finally.My body ached in places I wasn’t aware was capable of getting sore but it was nothing a hot shower and a good night’s sleep couldn’t fix. I saw Gemma trying to stifle a yawn from the corner of my eye and I snickered at the sight. Like me, she was equally exhausted and her eyes looked sunken and bleary and I knew she’d trade her life’s possessions for her bed in a heartbeat if offered.“You look like shit.” I commented as she drew near, carrying a tubful of empty plates and cutleries.Gemma shrugged tiredly but chuckled. “You look even way worse. How’s your hand?”I held our the hand in question to inspect Jin’s work. “It’s okay, I guess.”“Parties like this always wear me the fuck out. I’d trade anything for my bed.” Gemma whined. “Then why are you here of you’re only going to be lazy?” I asked, my voice light with impish amusement.Gemma squawked indignantly at my words but she knew it was a joke. “Lazy? You’re the most laziest person I’ve ev
Fiona’s POV“Will, do as I have ordered.” Luna commanded coolly.I felt large reluctant hands close over my shoulders and began pulling me up to my feet. My body felt lifeless like it wasn’t my own. I could slowly feel life draining out of me. I had the mind of asking Will for a knife to end my suffering should he leave me there. I know he’d do it. He cared enough for me too….he had too. There was no telling how I’d be if I ever came out from the Black Room so I might as well kill myself to end my suffering as Jin said. Is this really my end? After all these years of physical and emotional torture. Is this really it? Honestly, I was relieved. My earlier hysterics was gone, replaced with this soothing calmness that was a bit terrifying at first. Finally… “Wait a minute!” Jin called out, rising to his feet; Soren, Lyn and Kai stood up behind him as well. “"Luna, I don't think she should be punished so severely."Will stiffened behind me and I looked up to him in confusion. Why did he
Fiona’s POV.“Oh, fuck no.” I breathed. Without a second thought, I pinched myself again, harder this time and realized with horror that this was not in actual sense, a dream. Mates? I was mates to four men I hated with every fiber of my fiber of my being. Turning dazed eyes to meet Will’s equally stunned ones which he tried so hard to mask under the mask of indifference, “Will?” I croaked. “Is this some kind of joke?” The Luna snapped. Neither of them answered. The silence in the room was to thick, or was it just my imagination? Their collective stares impaled my body from all corners, and I was left to bare the burden of their words. What the fuck did they mean by that? I never gave any signs of liking them so why? Unfortunately being mates was like a matched marriage, you couldn’t choose who you end up with. But four? I couldn’t even stomach the sight of them together. What the hell do I do now? “Jin!” The Luna yelled, drawing the four alphas attention to her in unison. Whate
Fiona’s POV“Fiona?”“Yes?” “Are you okay?” I stared at the mug of scalding sweet coffee next to me, dazed. I was dazed. What was he doing here? He had no business in the kitchen. Unease slithered deep in my guts like rattle snakes. The sweet coffee I sipped earlier tasted like bile. I could feel the sleep deprivation taking over. That’s the only thing that could explain why Jin was in the kitchen at the break of fucking dawn, preparing breakfast nonetheless! He made me a cup of coffee for goodness sakes. Suddenly, I felt ill. The strong urge to vomit crawled up my throat, threatening to explode from my mouth like a missile. I imagined emptying the measly contents of my stomach over the cup of coffee and the ingredients for the Luna’s breakfast and didn’t think neither of them would appreciate the mess. I imagined Jin forcing my face down, forcing me to clean up the putrid mess I made with my tongue, or something equally vile and disgusting—and shuddered in repulsion. A gentle han
Fiona’s POV“ No! It’s not like that.” I cried, shaking my head frantically in denial.” When I came down this morning, Jin was already—” “ Shut up you manipulative whore!” The Luna yelled, hatred and rage brimming in her eyes. “Silence! Another word from your lying tongue and I’ll rip out your mouth.”“Watch your tongue, mother!” Jin warned stonily, anger sipping from his tensed frame in waves. But his mother ignored him. “You think you can easily weasel your way into becoming a Luna. You may have my son fooled with your innocent act, but not me. I see you for the vile creature you are. The only thing your disgusting identity is worth being is that of a nanny.” She snapped. Tears filled my eyes at her cruel words and quickly blinked them away. But the more I blinked, the more they flowed. I tried and failed to connect the woman who saved me on the day of my parent’s death to the woman glaring at me with open hate. I wanted to ask her what I did deserve her hate. Why not matter what
Fiona’s POVThe moment Lyn arrived, the air seemed to shift, turning sharp and heavy with his presence. His footsteps echoed against the tiled floor, each step firm and deliberate. My heart pounded in my chest as I looked up at him. His usually charming,, playful face was now a mask of cold fury. His pale complexion had drained further, but his eyes—those dark, piercing eyes—burned with something terrifying.He took in the mess around us—the broken chair, the scattered books, my tearful, broken expression and his face darkened further. His lips curled downward, and his voice, low and sharp like a blade slicing through ice, sent a shiver down my spine.“Who,” he bit out, his words slow and deliberate, “gave you the courage to cause trouble right under my nose?”The room fell into a suffocating silence. The group of girls, who just moments ago had been so full of confidence, now shrank back. Even their ringleader, the one who had mouthed off tome first, looked pale. But she still stra
Fiona’s POVThe news about the four Alphas fierce competition for me intensified, spreading like wild fire around the entire school. And with the popularity and rumors came new enemies I knew nothing about. I haven’t seen Helena much ever since I resumed school, and rumors of she and Jin’s untimely break up was gossiped about until went stale. I heard she transferred departments so that was why I rarely saw her. Unfortunately, her suddenly transferring majors left her old clique without a leader. Which was a relief considering the fact that I didn’t have to any other encounters with her. That didn’t mean the trouble stopped. I've been feeling uneasy all morning and had somehow gotten used to stares and whispers. But the moment I stepped into the corridor leading to the library, I felt it—the shift in the air, the weight of unwelcome stares pressing down on me. I wasn’t alone.I barely had time to register the approaching footsteps before a group of girls blocked my path. At the cen
Fiona’s POVJin’s confession filled my brain all day, distracting me through lectures, while having lunch with Rowan. I still hadn’t given him an answer. And then there was, Kai. His persistence was something to be admired, if not entirely irritating. I can’t mention how many instances I have gone out of my comfort zone to avoid him. “Fiona, he’s here again,” Rowan teased spearing a forkful of salad onto her mouth, wagging her brows impishly.“Don’t even start,” I muttered, rubbing my temples.“I’m being serious.” she said, watching something behind me with keen, perpetually mischievous eyes. “And he’s heading this way.”“Oh my fucking goodness.” I sighed, the throbbing in my eyes intensified. “I’m going to the bathroom.”Rowan looked thoughtful. “You could. Or you could sit there and listen to what he wants to say.” “I already what he wants to say.” I muttered. “He’s like a fucking bulldozer at this point.” Rowan chuckled. “I think you’re the only thing on his wants to bulldoze.”
Fiona’s POVI could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on me as my words hung in the air. The once lively crowd had gone eerily silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.My gaze swept across everyone present, taking in the reactions of the Kai family elders. They exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of surprise and confusion, as if they couldn’t quite believe what they had just heard.And then, there was Kai. The disappointment in his eyes deepened with every passing second, the flicker of hope he had clung to now dimming into something heavier—something dangerously close to resentment. I felt him grow cold beside me. His jaw tightened, his lips pressed into a thin line, but he said nothing. He didn’t have to. The disappointment radiated off him like a slow-burning fire, scorching in its quiet intensity.Eugene cleared his throat quietly, searching for what words to use. “A-are you certain we can’t change your mind?” he asked weakly. Jin nearly snappe
Fiona’s POV“Hey, Rowan.”“Fiona? Where are you? I’ve been trying to contact you for three days now! How are you? Are you okay? Please tell me you are?” Rowan’s panicking voice blasted the confines of the car.I grinned at her terrified voice then affected a sober voice, “What if I tell you I’m not okay, and that I’m on my way to the ER to treat my broken bones.”“What!?” Rowan screeched. “Fuck, what hospital is it? Fiona speak the fuck up—” I cackled at her fear. “I’m fine, Rowan. Honest.”“I’m glad my concern is amusing to you.” Rowan hissed. I immediately sobered up. “You know I didn’t mean that. I was joking, darling. I promise I’ll tell you everything when I get back, okay?”“Fine. God knows you owe me one.” Rowan said smartly. “Are you on your way home?”.I glanced at the familiar surroundings zooming past mea before replying, “Uh, no. I’ve got drop by Jin’s house first but I’ll see you later.”“Okay. Are you sure you’re alright?” Rowan probed once more.“Yes, Rowan. I am.” I
Fiona’s POVPanic clawed at me. This was all too much pressure. I watched as Jin rose slowly to his feet, eyeing the writhing shadow monsters skeptically."Okay. Think. There must be something you've missed, Fiona. Think!" I muttered to myself, pressing my eyes closed in concentration. The ancient texts in that old grimoire, the whispered instructions and chants were failing us. My mind raced, a whirlwind of fragmented knowledge, desperate for a solution. Kai was down, Soren and Jin was hurt, and the shadow beasts were relentless. We were running out of time."Think, Fiona, think!" I screamed internally. I scanned my memory, flipping through the pages of countless arcane tomes. Then, a flicker. A forgotten passage. A detail I’d dismissed as insignificant. It was a footnote, almost an afterthought, about alternative activation methods. It was vague, cryptic, but… it resonated. A spark of hope ignited in the darkness of my despair.Immediately, I snapped urgent eyes to the central
Fiona’s POVMy heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the encroaching darkness. No sooner had we begun unloading than I felt them – the pursuers. Their presence was a tangible thing, a cold dread that prickled my skin."The crystals go there," I pointed to a patch of worn earth, where the markings I had made were still visible under my flashlight. "Soren, connect that line to the north node.""Got it, Fiona," growled Soren, his massive form already hefting a heavy stone."Every one get into the circle and do not leave no matter what until I say so." I announced. I focused, pushing aside the fear that threatened to overwhelm me. The magic circle was intricate, a delicate web of power that needed precise placement and intention. My fingers flew across the surfaces of the stones, tracing the ancient symbols and items we had gathered then began chanting the forgotten words. The air shimmered, a faint blue glow beginning to emanate from the circle’s center."They're a
Fiona’s POVThe cavern shimmered with an eerie blue light, the jagged ice crystals reflecting a cold glow that pulsed like a living thing. But we weren’t alone.A sharp gust of wind howled through the chamber, carrying with it a flurry of frost. Then I saw them—ice elemental elves, their lithe bodies shimmering like frost-covered glass. Their piercing, glowing eyes locked onto us, and in an instant, they attacked.“Move!” I shouted, diving behind a frozen stalagmite as razor-sharp ice thorns shot toward us in a deadly barrage.The Alphas scattered, their movements swift and precise. Jin, ever the protector, positioned himself in front of me, sword raised. A shard of ice whizzed past my ear, slicing a few strands of my hair before embedding itself into the ground. I clenched my fists, summoning my energy, but the elves weren’t giving us a moment to breathe.“Go for the leader!” Lyn growled, rolling under a streak of frost magic that turned the stone floor to ice.The elves moved in un
Fiona’s POVThe first clue had led us to the deep swamp behind the old site. It was said that a rare plant, Dark Light Algae, grew here—an essential material for activating the magic array. But as I stood at the swamp’s edge, inhaling the thick, musty air, I couldn’t help but wonder if the legends had conveniently left out the part where we’d have to risk our lives to retrieve it.A dense, eerie fog coiled around twisted trees, their gnarled roots jutting out of the soggy ground like skeletal fingers grasping at the air. Every few steps, the murky water gurgled as if something unseen was shifting beneath the surface. The air was thick, humid, and heavy with the scent of rot and stagnant water.“Ugh, this place reeks,” I muttered, wrinkling my nose as my boots sank into the soft, treacherous earth. Each step was a gamble—too much pressure, and the ground threatened to swallow me whole.“Watch your footing,” Kai warned, his voice strained with concentration as he tested the ground ahe