CAMILLE'S POVIt made sense. But for some reason, I still refused to comprehend it. Records wouldn't be above lying. It's been done a thousand times. But a big coverup involving a coven I had been told time and time again wanted nothing to do with even other witches; it was a bit too much to accept.Still facing the witches, who seemed as confused as I was, I realized this secret was a well-kept one. "I need to see the supreme," I mentioned and continued back to the entwined tree. I passed through the barrier and back into the coven, not minding the whisper or the watchful eyes of the coven sisters. When I reached the chamber of the supreme, there was a warlock guarding the front door. He warned me not to get too close, warning me with what looked like a whip of air. Whatever fear of the unknown I had was gone. I was hungry for answers. "I need to speak with the supreme.""You will have to wait," the warlock retorted. "She is having a word with one of our own."I was frustrated, bu
CAMILLE'S POVOphelia must have noticed the shock written across my face."Camille, is everything alright?" she asked, concern etched into her features.Turning to face her, I clutched the phone tightly in my hands. "Ophelia... Dimitri knows who I am," I blurted out, the weight of the revelation heavy on my shoulders.Without another word, Ophelia enveloped me in a tight embrace. "It's alright," she murmured, her voice a soothing balm against my anxiety.But I couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal. Neal had promised to keep my identity secret, yet here we were, exposed to the dangers of Dimitri's world far sooner than anticipated."If he knows who I am, it's only a matter of time before he realizes the kids are his," I confessed, the fear evident in my trembling voice. "I'm scared, Ophelia. That world is dangerous. It's terrifying. I can't bear the thought of putting them through what I went through."Ophelia gently smoothed my hair, offering what little comfort she could. But deep d
DIMITRI'S POVWhy was it so hard to be mad at her now that I was in front of her?She looked... Beautiful. It was the first time I had seen her without her mask. Whatever doubt I carried about Cameryn ever being Camille was gone. Cameryn was Camille. Both women were one and the same. She looked just like she had done the first time I set my eyes on her in the councilroom. But there was something else. It wasn't the madness pumping in my blood or the animal inside pleading to be set free. She had changed. She had grace.I watched her eyes widen as I asked the question I still couldn't wrap my head around. "...how are your kids mine?"We stood dangerously close. Skin touching and eyes pinned on one another—a bad idea. But I couldn't help myself. "What are you going about?" She finally broke the silence. "My kids aren't yours.""You're lying," I told her. I didn't need to listen to her heart to know she was. Her silence hadn't even been the admission of guilt. It was her eyes. She pul
DIMITRI'S POVIf I could reject her, would I be able to do it? I had told myself my word was my honor, but seeing my mate in such a state because of the words I had spoken while I was drunk and torn between what my beast wanted and what I was bound by honor to do shattered me completely. The thought didn't linger for long. If I were in control, I wouldn't do it. I couldn't. But she didn't know she had that power. She didn't need to. "No," I replied. "If the heavens put us together, there must be a reason for it." "You would disregard Lady Milana?"My jaw tensed. It was foolishness to hold on to the bond. I could tell her and be done with all this mess. But would that really solve anything? I was bound to her mate bond or not. I had kids with her. As much as I wanted to blame the beast for my indecision, this was all me. I did not want to let Camille go. "I would not disregard Milana. I promised to marry her.""So what about me, Dimitri? You would keep me as your mistress?"The
CAMILLE'S POVHis hands reached for mine. This time, I didn't fight him. I let his hand touch mine. His palm was warm. I could feel his callouses graze my skin. It made the contact raw."It's alright," he assured me. "Whoever your ancestor was, you aren't him. I'm sure you are a good person."That was the thing, though. I wasn't a good person. I ran away from this life out of fear of what would happen if my pack got to know I was like my grandmother. I hid the identity of their father from my kids because I was afraid an answer would lead to them yearning to know him. I might have convinced myself that I was doing it for their good. But now, I wasn't so sure. So, who was I to call Victor a monster? I wasn't there. I didn't know the half of it. It was just me being selfish again. Because his curse had affected someone I cared about. As the car arrived at the gates of the Lycan kingdom, I decided that my karma was just. But maybe it was time I owned that selfishness. The gates opened
EVA'S POVWhat sort of animal was she? Blood was trickling down my nose even when I tried to block the flow. The damage healed relatively quickly. But it wasn't my nose I cared about. It was my ego that Camille had bruised. I had played out this scenario many times in my head, and never did it occur to me that she would react this way. She had changed. She wasn't the soft girl who allowed people to walk over her anymore. "What exactly were you looking for?!" She yelled at me, her first balling up again for another swing. If we were alone, I would probably tell her. Her very existence irked me. Why was she the special one? Why was she born to the right mother? Why did she have to descend from Abigail? Why did she have to be blessed with that same gift, and why did she have to gain Dimitri's affection? As if the kiss wasn't enough, I now had to come to terms with the fact that she had children with the man I had tried my best to seduce. Why did the universe favor her and not me? Bu
CAMILLE'S POVWhy did I say it? Was it the flash of memories that assaulted me when Eva's maid knelt in front of me to beg for forgiveness?I knew her. It might have just been one encounter, but it didn't take long to realize how the rumors had spread about my pregnancy. Amity had been the one to tend to me the night that Alpha Lucian had locked me up, thinking I poisoned the pheasants. She was the one who put the idea of a pregnancy in my head when I didn't realize it, and she had been there when I had tested myself with the kit. I didn't need a seer to realize the foul play. So why couldn't the same thing be happening now?Amity was Eva's lapdog. She was just playing the role that was demanded of her. I realized it when Amity brought up the kiss to spark tension between Milana, Dimitri, and me. She had tried to hide the excitement that flushed through her face. But I had heard her heart quickened. I had seen her lips twist into a sardonic smile. She orchestrated this. Of course,
CAMILLE'S POVWhen I approached Neal, I could see the anger in my children's eyes. It was like they already knew something. My steps slowed when I reached the bench.Neal looked up to see me, his eyes squinting to block out the sun burning behind me."Hey," he greeted.I offered him a warm smile. Perhaps for a goodbye that didn't last a day. "Hey.""I'm sorry," he continued. "You're not at fault here," I assured him. It was the truth. My anger could not tip over to him. He was the one who exposed it all. What had happened was meant to be. Secrets were hard to keep. I turned to Sophia, who stared at me with a plain face. But her eyes seemed like they were tilted upside down. She was angry. Collins carried the same energy."Soph?" I managed to croak, reaching for her hand, only for her to shrug me off."Go away. I don't want to talk to you." She sulked. "Why?" A sob caused the word to glide out of my tongue wrong and scrambled. "Because you are a liar." Collins retorted, crossing h
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