(Cassandra)“HELLO again, Cassandra. Do you remember me?”As soon as I closed the door of my cabin, I heard that voice. It was easy to remember the owner of that voice because he was the only one who had sent shivers all through my bones when I first saw him. He was Kenneth, Valerian’s acquaintance. Even if the two men seemed to be close to each other, I couldn’t bring myself to like him the way I liked Nick. The sight of him made my stomach churn.It was hate at first sight six years ago. Six years later, it was still hate at second sight. It was as if we were mortal enemies in our past lives.“Why are you here? How did you even get in? This isn’t right. We are not close enough for you to come inside my cabin. Please get out. I don’t want you inside my personal space, Mr. Alvarez. If you want to talk to me, let’s do it outside.”This resort in Nueva Ecija was widely known for its beauty and tight security. The first one proved to be true, but not the second.Kenneth laughed. “Still a
(Valerian)I WAS in the middle of dealing with the thirteenth guard who tried to stop me from getting inside the castle when I sensed their King’s presence at last. I tossed the guard outside the door. If Kenneth had not evaded the guard, his white suit would have gotten dirty with blood.He eyed his fallen men. Most of them were unconscious. Lucky for him, they were still breathing although I must admit I was almost tempted to snap their necks and pull out their hearts. He gazed at the broken windows and furniture and at the blood on the white carpet.“You had made quite a mess in my castle, Sir,” Kenneth calmy said as he stepped inside. “I didn’t know that you have a thing for this. Had you informed my assistant about your arrival and about how much you wanted to be welcomed with blood, I would have prepared blood bags for you. We have tons of them in the kitchen and in the storage room.”In an instant, I was already in front of Kenneth. I held him by the collar. Many of his Knights
I RELEASED Kenneth and stepped out of his castle. At the gate, I saw Nick waiting for me. So, he was the reason why I heard the sound of a helicopter a while ago.“I had a feeling that I would find you here and I was right. Where do you plan to go now, Val? Tell me and I will drop you off. With your current state of emotion, I am worried that you might break things. If you want to pick up Cassandra-”“No, I won’t. I’m going back to Maryland.”“Are you leaving Cassandra behind?”I walked past him. “As if I could do that to the only woman who made me feel that I still have a heart. When I told her that I would protect her, I meant it. That promise still stands regardless of who she is. All of my weapons are in Maryland. I need to get them back.”I was excited to see Cassandra, but I couldn’t seem to face her right away knowing that she was Alexandra. When I remembered Kenneth’s compulsion, it took all of my willpower not to go back to the castle and attack him again.It was true that I
“THAT’S the girl, Alpha,” Richard uttered.I didn’t answer and just walked towards the woman who seemed to be so immersed in her little world. I stopped just a few steps away from Cassandra who still hadn’t raised her head. She was too busy drawing what seemed to be a rose on a little girl’s palm using her fountain pen.The girl giggled. “It’s ticklish, Miss Cassey.”When I looked at the palms of the other children, I saw drawings of different kinds of insects, animals, and plants. There was a spider, a dragonfly, butterfly, elephant, dog, cat, tulips, and roses. She was good with her hands. All of them looked really nice. My daughter would love something like that as well.“There, it’s done. Do you like it?” I heard her say.My heart leaped. Even that voice was achingly familiar.“Very much,” the girl answered. “Thank you, Miss Cassey.”Cassandra finally lifted her head and smiled. “I’m glad you liked it. You are welcome, kiddo.”When I cleared my throat, our eyes locked. I heard her
‘DADDY, Mommy did it! She is an in-demand photographer now! Wasn’t it her dream? She made it happen,’ I suddenly remembered Iris saying. Her voice cracked, but then she smiled at me. ‘I am so proud of Mommy, Daddy. I saw her works on the net! She is as beautiful as you said, as wonderful, and as talented. She didn’t know me, but guess what? She gave me a hug and earlier, she tried to stop me from crying. She gives the best hugs and kisses. I want Mommy to hug and kiss me again. I just hope… that she remembers us soon so I could tell her how much I miss and love her.’“Whether you are good at it or not, we will find out tomorrow, Miss Hudson. However, it’s an event that will last for three to five days. That’s how wolves celebrate. Will that be okay? By chance, is there somebody who is going to be angry if you were to stay with the wolves for a couple of days?”Five days were not even enough. If only I could make an event for my wife that could last for a lifetime, I would do just that
WAS it longing that I saw in the Alpha’s eyes? It kept drawing me in.I nodded and just said, “I hope so, too, Alpha.”“Luther.”“Pardon?”“Please call me ‘Luther’. Alpha sounds too… distant. Can I call you by your name as well? After all, we will be seeing each other for a while.”“All right. Luther it is. Feel free to call me by my name, too.”“Thank you.”When Luther smiled, I suddenly remembered his daughter. I didn’t know that he could actually smile like that. He looked less formidable, more humane, and more… amazing.“You’re drifting, Cassandra.”My cheeks turned red. I was not aware that I was just staring at him like a school girl fawning over her crush. That was so embarrassing!“God, I’m sorry. I didn’t notice. It’s just that I remembered the princess when you smiled. The two of you look similar when you smile. Her smile was contagious… and so was yours.”I heard people near us gasp when Luther suddenly laughed. “It’s the first time that someone told me that my daughter and
MY DRIVER was about to close the car door when I saw Iris running out of the manor. It was almost twelve midnight. I didn’t stop by in her room because the servant said that Iris was already sleeping and I didn’t want to wake her.She was running in her big mickey mouse dress and with her bare feet. I stepped out of the car, met her halfway, and immediately lifted her with one hand. My other hand was busy wiping the sweat off her face with my hanky.“Why aren’t you sleeping yet?”“I set an alarm. Grandpa told me that you will arrive at around ten in the evening that’s why I was awake when you came, but I couldn’t visit you in the hall because they said you have a meeting. I went to the kitchen and waited there for you, Daddy. But you took so long. I got bored so I ate a little while waiting.”‘Little’ was an understatement. I know my daughter like the back of my hand. Her ‘little’ was a lot for humans to take. She must have raided the fridge again. She smelled like pizza and yogurt. T
THE WOLF staggered. I may have lost my memories, but I was neither blind nor deaf. My senses still worked just fine. And I knew how to read between the lines.“I told you I’ve been watching you on TV. The way you looked at me with pain and longing as you talked about your wife, the way you held me close to your heart while we were dancing as if you didn’t want to let me go, the way your voice would shake a little every time you would call me by my name, and the way a tear fell down your cheek when you turned your back on me after dropping me off my cabin, I’d seen it all, Luther.“Then you told me about your wife coming back in this town after so long and without any memory of you. And now, you are here at an ungodly hour, quietly waiting for me outside my door. I’m sure you wouldn’t have done this for anybody. And I wouldn’t have felt like this for anybody. How long have you been waiting?” I rubbed my palms together and when I gathered enough heat in my hands, I pressed it against hi