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 POVA vial was opened, and one of the glasses was tainted. I watched as Milana drank from it, only for her body to falter moments later.Eva grinned sadistically as Milana struggled for her life, doing nothing to help, seemingly reveling in the torture until the poor girl drew her last breath.As if that wasn't enough, Eva, with the help of her servant, carried Milana's body to her room, acting as if Milana was simply blackout drunk before proceeding to hang her after breaking her neck to make the story more believable.There was likely more, but Eva shoved away my hands before I could uncover any more of her atrocities."Don't you dare touch me," she warned, walking away.I was appalled. She had just taken a life, yet she acted as if nothing had changed. What kind of evil was she?"You killed her?" The words stumbled out of my mouth, my shock palpable.Eva paused, glancing back at me. "What?"Now she had the audacity to feign ignorance. I approached her, grabbing her by the