CAMILLE'S POV"So you will have him die?" Neal chipped in almost immediately. "What the fuck happened to you, Milana? It's like I don't even know who you are anymore."I watched Milana's face contort into something bitter. What Neal said hurt her. But she quickly composed herself. "I am not doing this because I am selfish." She retorted. "I expected you, of all people, to see that."Neal stepped forward. "Well, I don't. What I see is a woman letting her jealousy turn her ugly."Milana scoffed, looking at Eva for support. Eva must have gotten the message because she joined her new soul sister to strengthen the blockade that Milana had created with her body."You are protecting her an awful lot. If I weren't certain you had a little sugar in your tank, my mind would take this in a completely different direction."Milana then stepped forward, her face inches away from Neal. "You might have gotten your loyalties muddled up, but I am here to remind you. She might be his fated mate. But I
CAMILLE'S POVThe scene looked like a church. There were dried flower petals scattered over the floor, and there were rows of benches lining the room.It felt as if I was in the very room with them. A ghost unseen."Victor, what are you doing here?" Hugo's tone was tense as he walked down the altar to meet Victor. "Guest will soon be gathering. My bride will soon be here. You cannot do this. Not now.""Do what?" Victor scoffed. "Talk some sense into you? Hugo, I am in pain here. You are about to walk the aisle with my sister and make unbreakable vows to her. Am I supposed to sit and watch?""You don't have to be here," Hugo replied. I could tell he was trying so hard to be nonchalant about it. "I didn't invite you for a reason.""Grace is my sister! I'll hear everything. I don't understand why you would do this—""To protect my seat!" Hugo replied. "Lycaon, you are so self-absorbed. Do you think I want to be here? Do you think I want to marry your sister? No." He reached for Victor,
DIMITRI'S POVI didn't think I was going to make it. I was slipping in and out of consciousness. The pain tortured me till my body turned numb.At that moment, when I looked death in the eye, I got clarity. It was like every moment of my life came together to speak to me.I had been so torn about who to choose. My beast wanted to claim its mate. Touch her. Taste her. Love her. But my promise was the only thing holding me back. I did love Milana. But what I felt for Camille was different. It was a fire I hadn't known. It was why I had been against initiating the rejection. Why would I want to strip myself of a sensation that felt so euphoric? That should have been the telltale sign, but my ego wouldn't let me see it because I would have to break a promise. I would have to show just how selfish and vain I could be. Milana had been the byproduct of the necessity to fix the mess that my disease or curse had caused in both the werewolf and the Lycan species. It was a promise I had no q
DIMITRI'S POVWhen I walked through the hallway with her in my arms, I found Milana waiting. She was the only one. That surprised me. If there was one thing I knew about Milana, it was that she took her sleep routine diligently.She had this gentle smile on her face when she realized I was alright. I watched that gentle nature die when she realized I was holding Camille in my hands.I truly would have loved to do it in a different place. But if it had to be here, then so be it.I walked up to her slowly. Maybe because a part of me didn't want to do it. I didn't want to hurt her.She had been through thick and hell for me, and I was just about to push her away like she was nothing. She has spent all those years waiting on me, and I was just about to render them meaningless."Hey," I began.Milana's eyes did not leave Camille. When they eventually did, I noticed that she looked hurt. Which, in turn, broke me because I was about to make it so much worse. "I'm glad you are alright." She
EVA'S POV"Eva, are you awake?" I heard Milana's annoying voice wake me up from sleep. She banged the door loudly, too, as she talked.It didn't help that Amity was trying to rouse me using gentle parenting, either. I placed a pillow over my head and almost screamed. What was it this time? I had spent hours at the hospital, starving myself of sleep. Now that I was finally starting to get some, Milana was at my door, probably with another sob story of hers. It made me wonder if she was even an asset to me. The girl was utterly useless. "Should I send her off?" Amity whispered. "I could tell her you are sleeping."I raised a finger to shut Amity up before proceeding to remove the pillow from over my head. No. That was unwise. I did not have that privilege yet. So I had to manage. I sat up and faced Amity. "I'll see her."Amity nodded in understanding before retreating to a corner, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the sudden visit from Milana.With a heavy sigh, I swung my legs
CAMILLE'S POVHe was acting strange. But I didn't fight him. I liked how he smelt. I just wanted to take it all in. "I chose you," he told me when he finally broke the hug.I looked at him, puzzled. "You chose me?""I ended things with Milana." He told me."Oh." I wouldn't lie. I was taken by surprise. Dimitri had been torn about choosing. So, the sudden shift almost seemed out of character. "How did she take it?"Dimitri chuckled. "She hates me. She probably hates you, too. But I know Milana. She will come around.""And what made you finally choose? You were having an existential crisis about it before?"My wolf seemed to be pissed about my question."Gurl, we have him now. Don't ask irrelevant questions."But to me, it wasn't irrelevant. I wanted to know what would make my indecisive mate certain. "Because I almost died, and you were the one on my mind. Not Milana. It made me realize I held my promise to her in higher regard than my love for her. You are my mate, and for good reaso
CAMILLE'S POVI slowly blinked my eyes open, the warmth of the morning sunlight filtering through the curtains gently coaxing me out of my slumber. When I shifted in bed, I became acutely aware of the weight of Dimitri's arm draped over my waist. I could also feel his steady breaths tickling the back of my neck.Turning onto my side, I gazed at him, my heart swelling at the sight of him at peace beside me. His features looked soft in the morning light. I fixated my attention on the rhythmic rising and falling of his chest with each breath.It reminded me of the first time we met. He looked just as pretty.I couldn't help myself. I reached out, trailing my fingers through his tousled bedhead.Despite being a tangled mess, his hair felt unbelievably soft beneath my touch. It was a tangled mess of curls—a testament to the passion we had shared just hours before.I couldn't help but smile as I remembered the events of last night, the way he had made me feel more alive than I had ever
CAMILLE'S POVHearing him say those words killed me a little. Because I felt the same.Why did I feel guilty? I didn't do this. I didn't push Milana to do something so... permanent. But there was also that voice at the back of my head that reminded me that this was as a result of my selfishness. My throat grew heavy, and even breathing became increasingly difficult."Get her down!" Dimitri screamed. "Get her down this instant."The hurt in his voice was nearly maddening. I watched in horror as the sentinels around scrambled to loose the noose from Milana's throat. Rigor mortis has set in, making her body stiff. All of it except her head. The way it dangled as they cut the noose that wouldn't free itself off told me that her flesh was the only thing keeping her head attached to her body.I couldn't watch. I turned away from the scene. Tears were beginning to form in the corner of my eyes. I couldn't read them in. They streamed down my cheeks as I fled the scene. I had barely made i
CAMILLE'S POV I took a deep breath as the massive ornate doors of the Lycaon Church slowly creaked open. My heart was pounding like crazy - this was such a huge moment. As the doors parted, a sliver of light spilled in, and I stepped forward, the delicate lace veil over my head obscuring my vision and hiding the intense emotions I felt from the hundreds of eyes watching me enter. The air inside was cool and thick with the sweet smell of incense. I could hear the rustle of fancy silk dresses and reverent whispers as everyone turned to watch me walk down the aisle. Soft, beautiful piano music began playing, a serene piece I had chosen myself to start off this grand ceremony. As I made my way up the gold carpet that seemed to glow like a path of light before me, the veil cast everything in a sort of ethereal, dreamy haze. I could feel the intricate embroidery on my exquisite gown as my fingers brushed against the fabric - it was an actual work of art, adorned with symbols of our histo
CAMILLE'S POV"No..." Eva shuddered when the weight of her sentence finally settled in. "No..."She ran towards my feet and knelt, her eyes wide with desperation. "I know what you want, Camille," she pleaded, her voice cracking. "You want me to beg for all the horrible things I've done. And I understand now, I do. I'm sorry for being so cruel. But two wrongs don't make it right. This is inhumane! A collar is a for a dog.""A troubled dog." I corrected as I knelt down to meet her gaze."I'm only being a good sister, Eva," I said softly. "You were raised wrong by your mother, Adele. Despite everything, I didn't think you deserved to suffer for something your mother and my grandmother had a hand in creating. So this is your chance at a new beginning, Eva. Be good."Eva's face twisted in disgust. I watched her muster the courage to do it. At first, fearing that the collar would catch on to her nefarious intentions if she tried to spit on my face. The second the collar caught a whiff of he
EVA'S POV (THREE DAYS AFTER THE EVENTS OF RAVENFORD)Three days of pure torture had passed. There was no clean drinking water, bath, or even a basin to wash my face or hair. The guards were rough whenever they could be, and I had only been given a decent meal once. So, panic seized me when I heard keys rattling in the lock of my cell, and the door creaked open.I looked up and saw three guards approaching. With each step they took, I shrunk back further."You can't kill me. I haven't been tried yet. I'm innocent."One of the guards stepped forward and slapped me hard across the face. I dropped to the floor, shuddering from the impact."You whiny bitch! You kill one of our own and try to harm our prince, and you have the audacity to call yourself innocent. You have no idea how much every one of us is fighting not to take your life and be done with it." Through gritted teeth, I managed to speak, "I am Eva Dumont, future Luna of the Lily of the Valley pack, and a cursed beast like you
DIMITRI'S POVI turned away from the Deltas, my mind already buzzing with plans. Their eyes followed me, filled with a mix of worry and resolve. They knew what we were up against and grasped the dangers. This was no time to hesitate."Follow me," I commanded, heading toward my chambers. The guards moved with me, their steps precise and silent, a result of years of training. The atmosphere was thick with the seriousness of our mission.Once inside my bedroom, I went straight to the dressing table and grabbed my phone. I dialed quickly, the familiar number bringing a brief sense of comfort in the chaos. Ginger answered almost at once."Ginger, it's me again. Back to business. I have three men with me, so the spell needs to be done twice."There was a short pause before Ginger's calm, reassuring voice came through. "No problem, Dimitri. I can manage that."I set the phone down on a dresser and turned to the first sentinel guard. "Step into the rune. Ginger, start the spell."The guard an
CAMILLE'S POV The necrotic green glow exploded out of me, shattering the windows and shaking the very core of the building. The door I had transmuted into a wall disintegrated completely. The light consumed everything, and when it finally died, my eyes struggled to adjust to the debris and the afterimage of that sickly glow. My breath came in short gasps, and I blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of the scene before me. Amid the wreckage, I saw Abigail not far from where I stood. She lay on the floor, her eyes wide and filled with shock. A tremor ran through me as I wondered if the spell had worked. Had I failed? Abigail’s movements drew my attention. She stared at her hands, her expression one of bewilderment. Then, her gaze shifted to the ceiling. The rune I had drawn to seal her magic was now fractured, broken by the cracks that laced the ceiling. Fucking hell! She rose to her feet, power radiating from her as she turned to face me. “I gave you the opportunity to touch a r
CAMILLE'S POV The space around me seemed to thrum with the weight of Asmodeus's words. "The rune is known as the Sigil of Perdition," he said, his voice low and measured. "It is an ancient power, capable of manipulating the fabric of reality in ways that no ordinary spell can." I felt a shiver run down my spine as I emboldened myself to ask the question that mattered the most. "But, will it work?" Asmodeus's gaze met mine. It looked like he was almost disappointed that I would ask. "Well, I hope so," he replied. "What I am gambling on is your raw strength, Camille. You are much stronger than Abigail. I felt it when you awakened. The demon blood that runs through your veins is not recessive like it was with Bo." I frowned, not fully understanding. "What do you mean by that?" Before he could answer, a bright light assaulted my eyes, turning my vision completely white. Panic tugged through me as I tried to blink away the blinding light. My senses felt dulled, as if I were suspen
DIMITRI'S POVI awoke with a start, finding myself on the cold, hard floor. The chill sent shivers through my body. Blinking rapidly, I struggled to shake off the haze of unconsciousness. As my vision cleared, I noticed intricate rune drawings on the floor beside me, softly glowing in the dim light. My heart sank as I recognized the teleportation sigil. Beside it lay Neal, motionless, his chest rising and falling in shallow breaths.That could only mean one thing. Camille had knocked him out cold, too, and gone to Abigail alone.An admission that heavy made my skin crawl.“No, no, no,” I muttered, my body starting to tremble. “Camille, what have you done?” I approached the rune, my steps heavy and reluctant, each one echoing my growing dread.Without wasting time, I turned and opened the door, my mind racing. I needed help, and I needed it fast. I hurried down the hallway, my thoughts a chaotic swirl of worry and rage. I was angry at Neal, and more importantly, I was angry at myself.
CAMILLE'S POVI tried to keep my eyes open, but I was unable to, and my whole world turned dark.When I blinked my eyes open, I found myself in a blank white space. I turned around, seeing no exit and no door. I looked down at my body and noticed it phasing in and out, looking whole one second and translucent the other second. I whispered, "Where am I?"A voice whispered from behind me, "You've lasted longer than I expected."I turned to face the voice and saw a handsome, pale-skinned man, shirtless, with what looked like liquid darkness covering his body from his hips downward. He had horns that curled back from his forehead.I recognized him from the memory of Abigail. He was the demon Abigail mentioned was her mate. "Asmodeus," I whispered."In the flesh," he retorted.I took a step back, uncomfortable and unsure of what this meant. Was I in hell? What had I done to deserve hell?"Why am I here? Why are you here?"Asmodeus replied, "You are here because you are tethering between l
CAMILLE'S POVHearing her sound so callous of people's lives reminded me of someone. It reminded me of Eva. In fact, they were more alike than I would love to admit. Vindictive. Myopic and downright cruel.I forced myself to stand. It was hard, but I could manage. My body had started to heal itself. "The Galdinas suffered for a sin they had no idea of. They had no idea what they did to deserve such a fate, but they still suffered because you were spiteful of your father? Do you know what that did to me and my son?" I demanded, my voice rising with every word. "Do you know what that did to my mate?"It was clear that Abigail didn't give two shits about my pain. As long as the Galdinas were involved, she seemed perfectly capable of blocking out her empathy if any still even remained. But seeing no remorse on Abigail's face set my blood on fire. I charged at her and swung with all my might, knowing damn well this was a fight I couldn't win but not caring regardless. She easily dodged