Lucinda barged into my room. She looked calmer than before. "The Luna calls for you."What were these two planning now? I didn't want to deal with them now but I didn't have a choice, did I? I simply nodded and followed her calmly.As I entered Gina's room, I saw her being helped into a dress two sizes smaller than her size. "Tuck it in properly!" She shouted at Natasha, Natasha bowed and pushed it with all her strength.When I had watched enough to make me feel like throwing up. Lucinda announced my presence to the witch.She moved forward with a no-expression face. "Luna, Amelia."I strode to a more visible part of the room, and I couldn't help but sneer inwardly as Gina's gaze fell on me."Maids, leave for now," ordered Gina in a cold voice.Natasha curtsied with the other serving girls and left the room.Gina's smile twisted sinisterly. "Aurora, I told you that he wasn't interested in you; that he'd be done with you once he had gotten what he wanted from you, but you didn't lis
I stepped back, my eyes scanning and inspecting the tables. Everything was in order but I wasn't feeling at ease.I walked out of the hall and bumped into Mateo. Maybe he could help?He had apologized and began walking away when I called out to him. "Mateo!"He turned back, his face expressionless."Could we talk for a minute?"He nodded simply and we moved aside to talk."The Luna asked me to serve Elder Kato knowing fully well I know nothing about him."I watched his expression, expecting it to change but it didn't, seems like he already knew."So?" He asked."Uh, look, I know she's planning to embarrass me. She wants the Elder to be angry at me and the Alpha to be displeased with me so I need help.""How are you sure?" He asked with an eyebrow raised."Sure that what?" I asked confused."That she wants to embarrass you?"I looked at him like he was a fool. Was he trying to cover up the fact that I was right? Or was he trying to get under my nerves? " You know the kind of relationsh
I took a step back from the counter and stuttered "He asked me to get a potion possible to neutralize any thing""Anything?" She said already in thoughts."Yes" I replied nodding my head.She walked away from the counter, muttering somethings to herself... She got on wheeled ladder and moved it to a section where there were only a few bottles left.She picked two and brought it to the counter. Then she asked "Do you know if he wants to put it in a bowl of soup or rub it on the body?"I hesitated before answering "In a bowl of soup"She nodded and pushed back the tube, then handed me the liquid in a small bottle. "Two drops is enough. If immediately it comes in contact with the soup, it turns slightly yellow-" before she could finish her sentence, the animals started making noise.Their cages were clashing against each other and I could here many hissing sounds. "If it turns yellow, add one more drop. If it turns purple, serve like that."She completed her sentence before going to sepa
I didn't know why I decided to peep over the counter...maybe because I remembered her as a short old lady or maybe because I heard some rustling coming from there.Imediately, I saw what was there clearly; I screamed again and ran out. Snakes! Everywhere! Big and small, long and short! They were of many colors; all huddled up together, behind the counter. It was so creepy.I tried to push the door open but it wouldn't budge. I started to cry, I only wanted to speak with the old lady, why was all this happening to me? I scratched at the door with my nails. Even though I knew my actions were going to be fruitless, my desperation didn't give me time to think of smarter ways to handle it.I turned back and saw that two snakes had made it above the counter and were slowly slithering towards me. I lost my senses and started scanning the room, looking for something to smash the door down. At the end I found nothing, then I remembered that with my wolf I could easily tear them apart, but imme
Lucinda sneered inwardly, what a way to paint black in white.She bowed with the resentment and anger she had tried to hide, now evident in her eyes "yes Luna"This didn't fully go unnoticed by the Luna. She almost choked on the the cup of tea she had lifted to her lips, did Lucinda know what she was planning?She laughed and scolded herself for being too cautious. Lucinda was a human pawn in her game. Even if she found out, she'd be willing to give up her life for her. Some people are destined to be slaves for the rest of their lives. While she was destined to have moved from rags to riches and she was going to keep it that way.As she wrapped up the thoughts in her mind, she heard that the Elder had passed the pack's border and would be arriving soon.Lucinda had made up her mind as she walked out of the Luna's chambers, she was going to wreck the Luna's plan. What had she been thinking? That the Luna liked her? Or that she was going to be under her protection for a lifetime? She ha
With my sudden outburst, Lucinda bowed her head and apologized."I'm sorry Amelia, it's just that, I know I'm not capable enough to defeat her on my own. So I really need someone as strong and defiant as you."I snickered, how the tables have turned."Would you speak already? What lousy plan could your Luna have thought of?" I asked getting impatient.Her tone turned cold as she leaned into me. "You don't know the lengths that Luna's gone to. Tonight's dinner isn't about you or me; this is her stage, and we're the pawns she's playing against one another."I narrowed my eyes. "Out with it, what is the plan?""She's cooked up some 'sabotage incident', some manufactured moment of treachery, one carefully contrived just to incriminate you, Aurora. Only it was so ingeniously contrived that unless it comes off precisely, I am the scapegoat," Lucinda muttered to herself, in a tone stiff with suppressed outrage.I was beginning to think that this was a fake act, I mean what's with all the wor
I sighed and made up my mind not to take her words seriously but then the words of the woman in the garden rang a bell in my head.'That's for you to find out. Just know that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.'Maybe she was the book? Why did her words have to be unclear?! Urghhh! I threw a little tantrum in the room before straightening my gown and walking out.Immediately I stepped out, I went to my room to search my things. I searched and searched but found nothing. Was she deceiving me? After a fruitless search, I was walking out of my room when as something under my bed caught my attention.It was an old dusty box, I blew the dust off it and opened it. It contained a roughly squeezed piece of clothing. What was this doing here? I brought out the cloth and a vial fell out. She wasn't lying!I smiled to myself, giving the vial to Mateo to dispose of. As I was walking back, Gina was screaming her lungs out asking them to find me. Seems the Elder had come. I was even curious to
What was going on? I moved aside to pour water from a jug to offer the Elder. At least, till the effects of the sourdrop wore off.As I walked up to him, Gina leaped up off the floor as her voice cut through the room in whiplash sharpness. "Aurora! What have you done? Stay away from him!" she shrieked, loud and clear, while her long, thin, accusing finger pointed my way. In a second, all was silent in the big hall, all eyes turned to me in shock, confusion and suspicion.I froze, my mind racing. This was it, her trap, so intricately laid out. The room seemed to shrink as my brain fumbled for the right words. Before I could utter a word, Lucinda stepped forward, her face masked in concern." Luna," Lucinda began, her voice shaking just enough to make it appear sincere, "we mustn't jump to conclusions. Perhaps the Elder merely had a reaction to the drink. Let us first ensure his safety before assigning blame."Gina's eyes flashed in anger but then immediately smoothed out. "Of course, y
Thane's POVJames edged himself a bit sideways. "But that isn't the worst thing. I caught something in passing, though."I raised my head towards him. "Continue".James leaned somewhat forward, tone lowered. "I heard two Redblood guards talking… It was about both packs, only that someone seeks an alliance with them."Dead silence.Greggory's expression darkened. "Whom?James shook his head. "They didn't say a name. But they were talking about a pack that sees our pack as a threat. A pack that's looking for allies to take us down."A slow, dangerous growl built in my chest.Grim, who had been leaning against the far wall, pushed off and walked forward. “And you’re sure they were talking about us?”James nodded. "Yeah. The way they spoke about it… Seems like some kind of personal vendetta that's gotten out of hand. Whoever this is, he's getting ready for something."I balled my fists. Of course. All along, I'd assumed my only hurdle was Redblood. If there was some other pack in the mix,
I swore softly. "Can he prove it?""No," James said. "But he's watching me close. If I make one wrong move, I'm dead."I blew out a sharp breath. "You need to be careful. If you're exposed, Thane won't just kill you--he'll use you as proof that we've been meddling in his affairs."James nodded. "I know."I watched him for a moment. He had done well, but the risk was going up. "For now, maintain your cover. Thane sent you to spy on us, so keep him with just enough information to satisfy him—but nothing to place us at a disadvantage."James smirked. "Of course, Alpha."I stood, letting out a sigh. "War is coming, James. We must prepare for it."James nodded "So what do I tell him exactly about the Lena that never showed up?"I thought long and hard before answering "Tell him the truth. She's not here and Malik is still here.""Yes Alpha-"Then I smirked "Also let him know that we're not the only ones that have enemies.""I understand perfectly Alpha" he replied.He was about to leave wh
Grim crept in, his voice reduced to a whisper. "Don’t play this down. I've watched you fight, your technique. You're too smooth, too polished. You're no rogue, no vagabond, Robert. You're something else."A cold sweat erupted on my brow. Grim was not letting this go. I needed to deflect him, and quickly.I forced a laugh, attempting carefreeness. "You're sore because I beat you, Grim," I exclaimed, attempting teasing. "I assure you, I'm a humble warrior attempting to make a name for himself."He still didn't look convinced."Listen, Grim, assuming I'm a spy, don't you think I'd be stupid to taunt one of the most powerful brutes in this pack?" I protested, my best shot at sounding logical.I just wanted him to let go of the thought that I was a spy. Even one suspicious person could ruin my plans.The eyes of Grim turned in my direction long enough, then finally, flicked away. He then said with an emotionless expression but a threatening and killing, low voice."I have my eye out for yo
Thane’s POVIt had been more than a week, both Lena and Malik hadn’t return. I understand that Malik is quite playful but Lena is uptight. I should know, since I trained her for years. She wasn’t someone that could be easily defeated. I slammed my fist on my desk multiple times, the sound echoing through the room. “Cida, that insufferable pain in the neck” just kept getting under my skin.I never really wanted to pay attention to him but he was always challenging me. The first time he tried to destroy my relationship with other packs, then he took my spot at the convergence. He belittled me over and over again.I called for Robert, one of our newly admitted pack members. He was a skilled rogue, ruthless and quick. I just needed him to check the situation at Redblood pack. “Robert, my commander says you’re on par with some of my soldiers and you’re better than most. I have a task for you” I said.James’ POVI had been here for a while, I pretended to be a nonchalant rogue before they c
I pushed the door open, and the hinges shrieked loud in the silence. The air inside was stale, thick with magic. Around the walls, rows of shelves lined them, filled with jars of all things from dried herbs to bones and other things unidentifiable.Arachne herself was standing at the center of the room, commanding and terrifying."Ah, the Beta," she said, dripping mockery into the words. "How predictable."I took another step closer, hands fisting at my sides. "So you're the cause of all this? What do you intend?"Arachne smiled, her mouth curling sweet. "Questions, so many of them. Never you mind. All your answers will be supplied in due time."She turned her hand out to me, and my chest became wrapped in thick, turgid air weighing invisibly on my skin."You'll do one thing for me," she announced, cold-voiced to the final degree. "Go home and tell him the game begins. I never get refused."And in one twitch of the wrist, I was swallowed into the darkness.Derek's POVHours later, Bol
Bolton's POVThe scent was insistent, a bright line laced through the dark brocade of the forest. Moonlight seeped through the canopy high above, slashed in scattered rays on the forest floor. Every step forward was like taking a step deeper within the waiting jaws of something unseen.The smell of the Moonbloom now blew up stronger, thicker, almost miasma, tinged with some darker undercurrent, a nasty metallic tang right on the edges that put me on edge. My wolf growled. His voice low in my mind came as a rumble of concern."This is not right," he said shortly, his tones clipped.I know, I breathed, my voice barely audible. My gaze whipped between trees, peering for motion, a glimpse of anything—the creature or worse, whatever was beyond.It was as if one part of nature was alive, breathing onto me from every corner. Whispers rode the wind down the passage, pricking the back of my neck. Shadows danced on the edge of my vision, always out of reach, and the trees looming closer, it see
I lay there motionless. Well, the plan was something like this, I kept saying to myself: Let it strike, let it feed, but keep the Moonbloom's fragrance around long enough.The beast growled low in its throat and sprang. I closed my eyes as its claws raked across my chest-the sting was sharp and very quick. Blood flowed free, but I didn't wince.The creature sniffed the air, as if noticing the flower pinned to my body. It leaned in, it's growl softened as it tore the Moonbloom into pieces. For one moment, I actually thought my plan was going off without a hitch.But in one moment, it did the most miraculous thing of all: it stopped abruptly. Its gold eyes locked on mine, and something old and awful passed between us. It let out one final guttural growl before disappearing, as if it had never existed in the first place.I stumbled, agony burning in my chest. My shirt was slick with blood, my vision splotchy. I laid a shaking hand over my wound, and mind-linked Bolton."Bolton," I called
Derek's POV"Is it ready?" I asked, my voice low and even.Bolton nodded. "Yes Derek."At his response, my heart began racing slightly.I looked at Derek and his eyes seemed to flash with amusement, but he said nothing. I simply reached out and took the box from him."I'll take it from here," I said, my voice firm.Bolton nodded. I felt a sense of trepidation wash over me. What would happen next?As I turned to leave, Bolton called out to me. "Derek, wait!"I turned back, my eyes questioning. "What is it?"Bolton hesitated, unsure of how to phrase his concerns. "I just...I don't think this is a good idea, Derek. You're putting yourself in a lot of danger."My expression turned ugly. "I can take care of myself, Bolton. I'm the Alpha, after all." I was going to keep walking but I turned back "I know you actually don't care about me, you're just reminding me that I'm not as powerful as Dorian and I won't take it."Bolton looked at me blankly before raising his hands in submission. Why co
In the Silvermoon packErica sat on a bench looking out to the tranquil lake before her. The sun was setting, casting an orange hue upon the whole scene. Yet, though it was a serene moment, the thoughts whirling through Erica's mind were anything but tranquil.If Derek finds out she was the one who caused his beloved pack to suffer so much loss, he won't take it easy on her. Asking for Arachne's help was out of the picture, that bitch had gone crazy. It was after the illusion incident Erica realized she had been used by Arachne.Arachne never really cared about the deal, she only took what she needed. After she had done that, the rest didn't matter. Erica gritted her teeth, with everything she's been through, she was jilted. Ha! Who would've thought?Derek was not the smartest person, but he was her greatest weapon. Now that she had gotten him into so much trouble already, she was going to have to do things on her own.Erica took a deep breath and ran her hands through her hair. Shoul