☾☾☾ SASKIA'S POV ☽☽☽ Following the trail Crystal pointed me at leads to another pathway, but one blanketed in an unhealthy covering of snow. It seems to get colder as I head South, away from the middle of the garden where the dome stands, and so does whatever inner joy I formerly owned dwindle and grow dimmer. I scowl at my feet, which are barely covered in my silver sandals attached to five-inch, strappy stiletto heels, then sigh deeply when I conceive of how cold snow customarily is. Making up my mind to carry on, I lean forward to tighten the straps of my shoes before I move. "Ow...ow. That hurts... Damn this!" are the lines along which my refined, genteel language takes form as I wade in ankle-deep shavings of snow. "What the actual effing hell?" I add eons later when I reach dry land. The relief I feel is incontrovertible and would be visible, nearly tangible if anyone were to be within range of sighting me. A grey, coarsely toned rock that has been rolled off to the side o
☾☾☾ SASKIA'S POV ☽☽☽ Alpha Connor must be as perplexed as I am since he replies, "That she was. But what meaning does that bear in this case?" "She was knocked unconscious by the Bloodroot plant, wasn't she?" "Yes?" "Then the only logic sensible is that your daughter is a witch." "What?" Someone yells, and it's not until the two Alphas are looming over me that I understand it was me. "Saskia. You're okay. Thank goodness." My father hugs me, and I let him have his moment before drawing away. "What do you mean by that? I am not a witch." Mikael disregards my query and poses his. "How long have you been here?" "Long enough to hear you call me a witch." "Yes. I'd have to agree with Saskia." My father cuts in. "She has no magical skills or abilities whatsoever. She's been human all her life." "Thanks a lot, Alpha. That most certainly did not sound depreciating at all." I glare at the Alpha, who looks offbeat, all formal in a black tuxedo. I'm not used to seeing him this dresse
☽☽☽ MIKAEL'S POV ☾☾☾ Connor is as cunning a man as ever. The lies he spews are never-ending. However, I have cause to believe he was genuinely confused at my accusation of his daughter being a witch. Regardless, I wouldn't put it past him to be a lying, deceitful bitch, pretending to be ignorant of an issue so vital. The Luna was certainly in the dark on her situation. I couldn't have imagined a more shocked expression creasing the planes of her face and twisting her beautiful mouth as it frowned at me. Though I'd been sure she'd wake soonest since a witch and a qualified doctor had attended to her, my tense shoulders had sagged with relief. An invisible load had been shot off my back to see her vibrant and full of life. There's no excuse enough that I could have put out to justify my Luna being taken down on the first day in my—and forthwith, her—pack. It's past dusk. She sits not far from me at the table dedicated to VIPs, which stands useless from now as it indicates nothing
☽☽☽ MIKAEL'S POV ☾☾☾ With a shake of my head, I make for the little gathering. I've been generous, permitting them to host the many conversations they want without disturbance. I need Saskia with the most resourceful person I associate with my utmost trust in the pack: Maggie. Margaret has served me for years. When no one was by me, she'd patiently stood by and believed I would come together in the end despite my spiralling down into a void. Never did she doubt my capability. As so, she's my right-hand woman. Always has been. Always will be unless she or her loyalty changes. Remarking that night is fast falling, I halt in my tracks. With a hand-flick, I beckon on Serenge, a floater guard stationed about the stage. "You called, Alpha?" She bows, and I wave her to ease. Her right hand cradles her side, and I acknowledge the presence of her arms. Though she poses no threat to me, pointing out one's weapon or somehow placing it in sight is respectful when speaking to an Alpha. It com
☾☾☾ SASKIA'S POV ☽☽☽ His kisses startled me. I'd not expected that the Alpha had it in him to be that sweet. Automatically, the whole of my body warmed up at the sugary gestures, and butterflies enjoyed a field day in my stomach. Weirdly, I am not confident that if he'd kissed me on my lips, I would have had as strong a reaction as I did. It was too much of an intimate act. Maggie seems to agree as she has the biggest, most teasing smile on when she reaches me and offers to take the shawl Crystal brought not long before. My face heats up at realising that he'd done that out in the open, not caring that anyone was around. Not even my father. "May I?" "Thank you very much, Maggie." With my stained cheeks in the opposite direction of her inspection, I relinquish my cloak to her. It's good timing, as if she'd noticed the cloth being close to falling off my shoulders. I peek at the man still sitting at the table behind Maggie. A gasp catches in my windpipe as he glares at me. What wa
☾☾☾ SASKIA'S POV ☽☽☽ "Let's go, Maggie." I beckon on the woman who has been waiting with a grim look eclipsing her beauty. She heard everything, no ambiguity there. I simply do not care. It's not like anything wrong was said about Mikael or his pack. I'd likely get chewed out for volunteering to leave without his input or knowledge. Aside from that, I'm inclined to trust her. Mikael spoke of her fondly and even went as far as to mention that she was trustworthy after the wedding. She'd decidedly demonstrated herself to be dependable in the past. I hope to be closer to her and maybe cultivate a meaningful relationship, as it's plausible that I'll be alone without anyone to confide in for a while. "It might not be my place to tell this, Luna," she starts abruptly, alarming me in the process. "I am sorry. I did not mean to startle you." I shake my head in the negative. "It's not your fault. I was lost in my own world. Go on. Speak freely with me." Distract me from this ongoing hell
☽☽☽MIKAEL'S POV☾☾☾ The sun held up its place in the battle for long, but darkness has finally won, and night is befallen. Road lights leap on as I cast by. Rounding the mountain range, more glows dot the horizon as the city's dark side awakens. Twenty minutes have flown by since I started the journey. But with the speed I'm travelling, the den will soon be in sight. I'm the sole driver on course for as far as I see in the shadows, even with my acute vision, a trait werewolves possess. If it were plausible that I saw further, the result would be the same. I'm certain I'd be alone. Not many souls wander down the road leading to the lairs of vampires at this odd hour. Even a child knows it's when the dead have their feasts. This wait to get where it's essential that I be, bores me. I can't in any fashion delay to meet the men who'd been so audacious to ambush the Alpha of Guttenbrieg. It will be a grand reunion tonight. Anticipation sends my fingers into dull drumming against the s
☽☽☽MIKAEL'S POV☾☾☾ In the cold silence of the car, I hunt for my phone. When I unearth it, I out a curse at the blinding light. The screen is so radiant I nearly toss the gadget aside. The only thing that keeps me back is I have people on standby, doing assignments for me that might require them to make contact. The Delta, for one, is a messenger that must supply a report before sunrise. I have reason to anticipate his message, whether it results to bad or good news. It's only expected when magic is involved. Or rather, to be precise, a problematic magician. Toning down the strength of the display, I sift through the voicemails dropped by. Some I cannot listen to in the present. They are those that demand I pay my utmost heed. Without attentiveness, it is feasible, though not guaranteed, that I miss crucial details that otherwise would have been scrutinised and faced sedulous analysis. Reaching a relevant mail, I tap on it. Serenge's voice plays out, but not loud or audible as I