I swallowed hard. "Forgive me. I thought it best not to disturb your work with the light."He moved closer, the weight of his gaze pressing down on me. "You're lying." His hand shot out, pinching my chin, forcing me to look at him. "You forget your place, maid."I met his eyes, refusing to cower. "I meant no harm."For a moment, there was silence. Then, to my surprise, Cida released me and smirked. "If you want to know something, Amelia, all you have to do is ask." Didn't I already ask?Later that night, back in my quarters, the encounter replayed itself over and over in my mind. Why hadn't he punished me? Was this a test? A warning? Whichever it was, I knew one thing: in deeper than I had thought, and Cida a lot more dangerous than I had given him credit for.Gina's warning echoed in my mind. She wasn't wrong about one thing: playing this game with Cida could very well be the end of me. But I couldn't stop now, not when I was so close to unraveling the truth.The Next Morning:Life i
The figure nodded and opened the letter. The farther he read, the wider the smile spread across his face. "Interesting."I waited, unable to utter another word, until finally the figure spoke. "Tell Cida that we accept his terms. The Convergence will happen as scheduled."As I bowed and turned; my mind whirled: What terms? What plan? I have to find out-but I have to make it out of here first.As I took some steps, a familiar face looked at me. Was that? Derek? I could've sworn it was him but because of the cloak and eerie atmosphere, I didn't have time to confirm. What was he doing there?Heading back to the estate, my mind was preoccupied with Derek. Did his brother know what he was up to? By the time I made it back, dawn was already breaking into the world. Cida was waiting for me, standing in the courtyard."Did they accept?" he asked, his eyes aglow."They did," I replied.Cida's smile turned triumphant. "Good. Everything is falling into place."I nodded, though unease coiled in m
At the heart of it all was Cida, overseeing each detail.I watched from the shadows, my mind consumed by Derek. If he was truly tied to Kyrexi, then he was more dangerous than any of us had realized. But what part did he play in Cida's plan?I didn't have much time to dwell on this, a commotion breaking out near the gate. Derek stumbled in, flanked by Arachne. His eyes met mine, still glowing faintly. Cida nodded to me, telling me to leave. But I stayed in a quiet place, quietly observing them."He's here," Arachne said, her voice cutting through the silence that hung heavy over them.Cida's features changed with a flash of acknowledgment crossing over his face. "Kyrexi's vessel," he said with near reverence.Derek frowned at him. "Do not call me that. I had no say in it.""Choices mean nothing," Cida replied suavely. "You are what you are. And you are critical to the Convergence."His face white, his fists rigid and his whole body brimmed over with defiance. "I will never help you."
Amelia's POV Cida's voice cut clear, sharp, commanding. "Follow me. Now."I followed wordlessly, my heart thudding in my chest. I knew what was coming-a reprimand, perhaps worse. Cida didn't tolerate insubordination, and I had stepped far out of line tonight. But as I trailed him through the dim corridors leading away from the courtyard, I couldn't help but notice the tension in his stride. His movements were less fluid than usual, more measured. Controlled.We entered a room lit by flickering sconces, casting around the walls, dancing shadows on his face, illuminating sharp angles of his jaw and that cold precision in his eyes. Deliberately, he closed the door. The soft weight of sound felt almost heavy. He turned then to face me."What were you thinking?" his voice was soft, still laced with steel.I looked down, unable to say anything. It was too complicated, too raw inside me. "I. I thought I could stop it," I mumbled. "I couldn't just stand there.""You disobeyed a direct order,
She was a distraction-a dangerous one. Her defiance, her passion-irritated me, infuriated me. And yet, I couldn't stop thinking about her.Amelia.She was an enigma, a spark of chaos in the otherwise orderly world I'd built for myself. I'd tried to keep my distance, to treat her like any other subordinate. But every time I looked at her, I felt my resolve start to break.She didn't know, of course. I'd made sure of that. I couldn't afford to let her see the way she affected me. To let her know how often I found myself watching her when I thought she wasn't looking. How often her voice lingered in my mind long after she'd spoken.It was foolish. Weak. But no matter how hard I tried to suppress it, the feeling persisted.When she’d stood up to me last night, defying my orders, I’d been furious. But beneath the anger, there had been something else. Admiration. She was brave, even when she had no right to be. And it was that bravery that made her dangerous.I couldn't let her get too clos
Cida's POVThat night, I gravitated toward the quiet corners of the compound where I knew she often went to be alone. It wasn't intentional-or at least, that's what I told myself. But as I rounded the corner and saw her sitting on the stone steps, staring up at the stars, I felt this strange sense of relief.She didn't notice me at first; her attention was elsewhere. Her silhouette was outlined by the soft, silvery shine of moonlight, and for a moment, I let myself simply watch her.She looked peaceful, but I knew better. There was a storm under her serene surface, much as there was under my own."Can't sleep either?" I asked, my voice breaking the silence.She jumped a little and then turned, glowering at me. "Alpha"Amelia's POV I sat outside because I was trying to persuade the moon goddess to help me. I didn't know what I was doing anymore.Was it my destiny to disrupt the Convergence? I was angry! I wanted revenge, nothing more than to see the whole pack in flames. They deserved
"It's not like he ever did!""Maybe Bolton should take over…"The last comment hurt more than he cared to admit.He couldn't take the disrespect and ordered them to move. They scrambled, each going to do his own thing.The room fell silent the instant he stepped into the main hall. Dozens of eyes swung to him, anticipation and wariness etched on every face. Bolton stood near the center of the room, his stance casual, though his eyes were razor sharp.Derek drew in a deep breath, and forced himself to meet those gazes. "I know my absence has created… uncertainty," he started off, his voice firm against the storm that was within. "But I promise you, I did not abandon you."A low murmur spread through the crowd. One of the older wolves, Miza, stepped forward. His grizzled face was etched with concern. "Then where were you, Alpha? And why didn't you tell us anything?"Derek hesitated, the truth slipping like sand through his fingers. "I was… handling a threat," he said vaguely. "One that
Dorian's POV In my dreams, I found myself standing in an endless expanse of silver light. The air shimmered like starlight, and the ground beneath me was smooth and cold, as though made of polished moonstone.Amelia stood before me, an apparition of a figure and so sad with unshed emotions brimming in her eyes. Her fingers brushed my cheek; I felt the same warmth I felt the last time she touched me. "Dorian," she said, soft yet audible. "Why do this?"My breath clung to my throat. "Amelia, I do this-for you -to bring you back.Her face clouded, and she shook her head. "You waste your time. The Tooth of the Moon Goddess is not to bring me back"I staggered back, her words going through me like a physical blow. "That's not true. Kali said-Kali," Amelia cut in, her voice sharp. "You can't trust her, Dorian. You've always been stronger than she lets on, but she's leading you down a path she dared not take herself. Isn't it strange?""No." I shook my head, refusing to believe it. "You do
Of course we were going to sleep with an eye open, afterall a were wolf cannot be fully trusted.Ryder sighed "How long do you think it will take before you find her?""I don't know. I just know I need to find her." I replied."I understand. Let's get some sleep."I nodded and fell asleep only to wake up not too long after. There was a creature chasing Bolton. At first it was funny until, it started to kill the pack members in masses. It even killed Martha. I lunged towards it but then it looked at me and laughed.A sarcastic laugh."You call yourself Alpha? You and I know you aren't capable."I got confused for a moment, it could talk? What was this?I didn't have time to think carefully before it attacked me. If it killed me then I'd have died a useless Alpha.I attacked it with equal strength but it's hand morphed into a sword and was plunged directly into my heart.I gasped for breath. Only for me to realize it was just a dream. It was already dawn so I woke Ryder up "Let's move"
"Then you have to make sure no one figures it out," I said firmly. "Do it."Arachne shook her head. "You're playing with fire. If this goes wrong—""It won't," I interrupted. "Just do it. Now."She sighed again, obviously unhappy, but started gathering her things. She took me in a little house in the middle of a forest. I watched as she pulled out vials of strange liquids, powders, and crystals, mumbling incantations under her breath. The air around us grew heavy, charged with almost electric energy.Whatever he had in mind, she added, her voice tight with focus, he'd better be prepared to deal with its fallout afterward. When this gets moving, there's no pulling back until the course is run.She just had to make it convincing.When she was done, she told me that it remained one last thing."We need to find a way to get the information to him."" No one knows where he is" I reminded her."I could find a way to get the information to him. I only need something of his -clothes, nail, ha
"What do you want to know?" She asked stuffing the money in the pockets of her gown.I smirked and asked "Where's your Alpha?"She looked around before whispering "Everything I say is from hearsay. I heard he left with his friend to find a lady in his dreams."I wanted to laugh and send her off because Derek could get any lady he wants. Why would one whom he couldn't get approach appear in his dreams?"Okay, did any weird thing happen before that?" I asked. I needed to gather as much information as possible."I heard that some witch visited him but no one really talks about who or why. Then he came back some days later and was asking weird questions to the guards. Like if they saw someone come into his room. Then he held a meeting telling us he's trying to solve a problem that could probably bring danger to us all."I looked at her "Bring danger?""Yes. He even handed over power to the Beta and went on his search.""Nothing else happened?"She thought for a while before shaking her he
I stared at Mateo like he had gone crazy. My next move?... as if this were some kind of game I was supposed to be winning. I wanted to argue, to demand that Mateo take me to Chris immediately, but deep down, I knew he was right: Gina was dangerous, and if she suspected I knew more than I was letting on, things would get worse-fast.I looked away, my eyes straying to the garden as I struggled to steady my mind. The flowers seemed lined up in a neat parody of the storm raging inside my skull. "Fine," I said finally. "But I want your word that Chris won't be harmed.""Do you think I'm a monster?" He asked me.I glared at him."You have my word, ma'am" he replied curtly.We stood for a moment in silence, everything weighing down on us as if it were a physical force. Finally, I turned back to him. "What's the next step, then? What do we do about Gina?"Mateo's eyes darkened. "We watch. We wait. And when the time comes, we strike."His words sent a shiver down my spine, but I nodded. The fu
A knot of dread began to twist in my chest. I could no longer turn a blind eye to this; there was something darker at work here. I thought of Cida, who was probably poring over documents long buried, trying to find out where he went wrong. And I thought of Elder Kato, if he was so wise, why wasn't he able to identify that she was not right for the pack?The pieces were not falling into place.Lucinda's voice cut through my reflections. "Be careful, Amelia. Digging too deep has consequences.""I know," I whispered. "But we need the truth."And truth, I knew, would change everything. Was this what the seer was talking about?Lucinda's voice brought me back to earth "Earth to Aurora!""Yeahh??""Don't you want to know what happened to Chris?"I opened my eyes wildly "you know what happened to him?"She shook her head "ofcourse not! I just thought you could find a way to find out. After all, he doesn't deserve to suffer, he's just a pawn."I sighed agreeing with her, but even though he's
I frowned. "And what do you think I should do?"Investigate in silence. Gina is to be kept bound, but alive. Her use is not at an end just yet. And Lucinda." He paused in search of exactly the right words. "She is to be watched carefully. It is often behind the mask of loyalty that the sharpest daggers are hidden."His words sent a run of ice through my veins, but I nodded. A man didn't reject the experience of the Elder Kato.Lucinda's POVI watched him go, Elder Kato taking his leave from Cida's chambers, a flutter of unease dancing across my chest. The old man was perceptively astute, far too much so for my taste, and the minute he started digging deeper, he might find threads leading back to me.I couldn't allow that to happen but if things comes to the worst, I'd tell them the truth. I had made up my mind.Chris' POVThe dusty floor of the cabin was my seat, in an excruciating pain in my wrists-the ropes were too tightly laced-but at least my kidnapper had given me a little water
I started pacing, taking slow, measured steps, rubbing my temples. How did this blow up so badly? The cut from Gina runs deep -at least, I gave her a chance and I allowed my title to ride on her, only to see her standing here entangled in deceptions and schemes that sink every piece of what I'm trying to build.Lucinda's POVIt was almost too sweet to mask this satisfaction as she was being dragged away. She had played and lost. I didn't know how exactly this all worked out. I wasn't the one who arranged for her study to be open. I knew she was a terrible person but I never had evidence.But something inside me knew this was a short-lived victory only. Gina was a rabid dog, dangerous even when cornered, and unless I finished what I had started, she might still claw her way out of it and expose me.I said nothing, but my mind raced with every step of my plan: Chris, already out of the picture-the loyal guard she had tried to use as a scapegoat-his absence had served its purpose well, a
As Gina mouthed those words to me, I didn't react but I think Cida noticed cause he squinted his eyes before starting to walk away.As the surprised guards dragged Gina, she suddenly screamed and said out loud "I'm innocent. Ask Chris. It's definitely him. He's the person put in charge of that study."Everyone stared at her but the Gamma spoke first "Chris? The guard?"Her eyes widened "Yes, it's him. I hardly use the study. He's the only one who opens it and locks it when the maids need to clean it."I couldn't believe this witch, she was playing the blame game!Boris looked at Cida who looked at her skeptically before ordering someone to find Chris.As a guard went to find Chris, Gina shook the hands of the guards off her body but they didn't let go until Cida gave them permission to.The atmosphere was somewhat tense. I looked at Lucinda from the corner of my eye, she seemed to be seething with anger. This wasn't good.We all waited for Chris to come, I bet he'd have peed his pants
Who could be knocking at this hour? I held a little knife in my hand and walked slowly towards the door. I mean, many people don't like me, what if someone decided to attack me? "Who's there?" I asked."It's Lucinda, open up please." Her voice sounded croaked. I quickly dropped the knife and opened the door."What happened to you? You don't look well" I said looking at her face.It was not until she raised her head that I saw the hand prints and marks on her neck. It was a very terrible looking bruise. "Who did this to you?!"Shee looked at me with anger in her eyes "Who else?"That witch! "What in the actual hell?! What exactly happened?"***After the banquet, in Gina's room."Get me Lucinda! Now!"The maid scurried away to call Lucinda who was packing away some plates."The Luna requests your presence."Lucinda smirked and walked to Gina's chambers "Luna, you wanted to see me"Gina was so furious she rose her hand to slap Lucinda but to her surprise Lucinda slipped down with ease.