CAMILLE'S POV I jolted awake to the sound of Collins crying out in his sleep. His small body was shaking violently, tangled in the sheets as he fought against whatever nightmares were haunting him. My heart ached seeing him like this. I reached out and gently shook his shoulder. “Collins, sweetheart, wake up. It’s okay. Mommy’s here.” His eyes flew open, wide with fear. For a moment, he looked disoriented, then he threw himself into my arms, sobbing. I held him close, rubbing soothing circles on his back. “It’s okay, baby. You’re fine now. It was just a bad dream. You’re safe.” He clung to me, his small body trembling. “Mommy, the bad men... they were coming for me,” he whimpered. I kissed the top of his head, trying to keep my own tears at bay. “No one’s going to hurt you, Collins. You’re safe. We’re all safe.” The door creaked open, and Dimitri stepped in, his eyes full of joy. I was reminded of the birthday celebration he wanted to throw, but seeing Collins in this state made
CAMILLE'S POVSuddenly, the music stopped. The room fell silent, the abrupt end to our dance jarring. Dimitri and I turned to the record player and saw a strange woman standing there, removing the pin from the wheel. Her presence was so unexpected that it felt like a punch to the gut.Dimitri immediately stepped in front of me, shielding me with his body. “Who the fuck are you?” he demanded, his voice a low growl.The woman chuckled, a sound that sent chills down my spine. “You’re the protective one, aren’t you?” she said, her tone mocking. “Relax. I’m not here to harm anyone. Unless, of course, my hand is forced.”I tried to peer around Dimitri, my heart pounding. Something about her seemed familiar, and then it hit me. The pale white hair, the sharp features—“Abigail?” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.The woman smirked, fixing her hair. “I might have my youth and all, but it’s still rude not to call your grandmother by her proper title.”My breath caught in my throat. “
DIMITRI'S POVOnce Abigail vanished and the contents of the box were revealed, I put a call through to the first sentinel guard.The guards stationed outside of my quarters had been given an early break because I wanted to spend time with Camille. Never did I imagine Abigail De'Crescent would waltz in uninvited.In seconds, five stern-faced sentinel guards, followed by Neal, entered the room."What the fuck happened?" Neal asked.I simply pointed to the box while I held Camille, who was still shaken up by what she had seen.Neal wasted no time in going for the box. I heard him gag when he realized who was inside of it."Is that not the witch?" he asked with hollow eyes as he shut the lid of the box.Neal instructed a sentinel to retrieve the grisly package."The first sentinel guard told me that it came from Abigail?"I gave Neal "the" look, and he immediately fell silent, turning his sights to Camille."This dropped when we lifted the box," the sentinel who grabbed the box said, hand
DIMITRI'S POVNeal gave me "the look," pure, undiluted terror."Is that some kind of joke?" He chuckled."Do I look like I am joking, Neal?" I retorted, my voice unwavering.Neal's eyes darted around the room, as if searching for an escape from the harsh reality I had just laid before him. "You can't be serious. Visiting Abigail is suicidal. What can you really do? At least Camille stands a chance to actually do something if the situation calls for it.""I've already made up my mind," I said, turning towards the door. But Neal stepped in front of me, blocking my path."What is this really about, Dimitri?" he demanded, his voice laced with frustration and concern.I took a deep breath, the weight of my words pressing down on my chest. "I'm tired, Neal. I'm tired of seeing Camille go on and on battling her own family. I just want her to forget and fucking live for once."Neal's eyes softened, but his stance remained firm. "And do you think she'll be able to forget and live if you die? B
CAMILLE'S POV I woke with a start, my neck throbbing with a dull, familiar ache. The memories flooded back in a rush: Dimitri's hand snapping my neck, the darkness that followed. My accelerated healing must have brought me back, but the pain lingered as a reminder of his desperate act. As I pushed myself to my feet, the scene before me made my heart clench. Dimitri and Neal were locked in a brutal struggle, both going for each other's throats and battered. Neal’s eyes flicked to me for a brief moment before he raised his hands, a gesture of peace. "Enough. White flag. White flag." Dimitri stood there, breathing heavily, his fists still clenched, eyes wild with lingering rage. The air between them was thick with tension, each man barely holding himself back. Slowly, I stepped forward, hoping my presence would diffuse the situation, but Neal’s eyes met mine again, a silent signal for me to pause. Understanding his unspoken message, I moved closer to Dimitri. His body was tens
CAMILLE'S POV The witch bowed and retreated, closing the door behind her leaving Abigail and me alone in the room. The tension was palpable, the air heavy with unspoken words and unresolved conflicts. "Why are you here, Camille?" Abigail asked, her voice sharp and inquisitive. "Curious about what I said, or did my gift leave a bad taste in your mouth?" "I—" I tried to say, only for her to cut me off mid-speech. "Forgive me if it is the latter. I tend to go overboard sometimes." "I’m here to end this," I repeated, my voice unwavering. "The curse on Dimitri, the twisted legacy you’ve left. It all ends now." Abigail’s smile faded, replaced by a look of curiosity. "I truly do not understand what you see in the Galdina boy." "Apart from him being my mate or the father of my children?" I retorted. I wasn't expecting a response from her, so I just continued. "He happens to be kind. He sees me as an actual human being. Something I am starting to believe you do not understand." Abigail
CAMILLE'S POVAt the mention of Bo, Abigail's composure shattered. Her face contorted with rage, and with a flick of her wrist, a surge of dark energy lashed out, striking me with the force of a hurricane. I was thrown backward, my body colliding with the wall, and a searing pain exploded in my head. Blood gushed from my nose, warm and sticky, dripping down my face and onto the floor.Abigail advanced toward me, her eyes blazing with fury. The air crackled with her power, a suffocating, oppressive weight that pressed down on me. "Why is it so hard for my women to see reason?" she hissed, her voice cold and venomous. "If being your villain is what it has come to, then so be it. We both have forever to forgive one another."I struggled to my feet, holding my bloody nose, my vision swimming. Each breath was a battle, each step a Herculean effort. But her words only steeled my resolve. "I don't intend to live forever, Abigail," I spat through gritted teeth. "Not if it means ending up hear
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