RAFAEL.I sneaked up the stairs in nothing but my trousers and my wet shirt hanging across my arms. I was gentle enough to not wake Kayla up but that was only a mission half accomplished because now I was to walk back into my room without waking Veronica too.My hands grasped around the knob and I pushed it open slowly to avoid the creaking sound. I was careful enough, walking to my bed and slipping beneath the sheets and it was then the lamp turned on. Veronica reached to it and looked back at me.“Where have you been?” She asked softly amidst a yawn and I ran my hands through my moist hair. “I—“ I stuttered, realizing I should have probably come up with an excuse on my way here. “I showered in the guest room after speaking with Lucien” I continued.“Speaking with Lucien?” She echoed and it was just as confusing to her as it was for me. But as bright as Veronica was, she did have a soft spot for me, allowing my words to settle in her as the truth. She leaned in for a kiss and then
KAYLA.Since I got here, I’ve noticed a few things.The Lycans lived much differently than how we did back at Blood Moon. They were organized, tactic and not to mention, even more powerful. They seemed to always be in control or on the verge of it. Everything here was well intentioned and happened for a reason I noticed.Their shifting also came easily to them. Or perhaps as they grew, they learned to control their powers and most primal desires. Unlike my people who could only transform during a full moon, the Lycans were blessed with the ability to shift whenever they wanted. I’ve watched Rafael slip in and out of his beastly nature and it was clear that of all of them, he was the most advanced and powerful. It made sense that he was Alpha King, able to rule fairly over the wolves of the Black Mountain Pack, commanding as much respect and regard to him. It was essential for the smooth running of the pack that they accepted him as king to rule over them. It wasn’t a messy politica
KAYLA.Immediately Rafael entered the car, we pulled away from the sidewalk. I bade goodbye to the Black Mountain castle with my eyes as if we weren’t to return back at dusk. To be honest, I was just relieved that I was going back home even if it was for short time. Blood Moon treated me horribly I know, but it was also where I spent the majority of my life. It was more than the people that made it home to me, it was the large garden at the back of my house where I would sit when I was ten, with my pen and journal in my hands. There would be colorful butterflies dancing in the flowery-scented air that would fill my nose. I would hide there every evening while everyone else was inside. No one cared to look for me so far all the work had been done and sitting in that garden as the sun set was my quiet time. It was where I learned about everything I knew today.About the humans, the lycans, emotions and even the languages.I wasn’t privileged to go to school, so the most of my knowled
FIVE YEARS AGO.I remember hearing the voices come from behind the door as I walked towards my father’s chamber with his plate of food in my hands. I was shaking, dreading the moment I would stand before him because I knew what was coming. I knew Rose had laid her hands on my journal and now she was going to report me to father and I was scared that I wouldn’t live past that day. I wrote down my innermost thoughts in that book and some of them were the horrible ways that they treated me that I wanted to tell my mother.My heart stopped once the door flung open and there was a lone tear that escaped my eyes. Archer hovered with anger, landing me a slap across my face without any hesitation.Stars dwindled in my eyes as the plate crashed to the floor and then he took me by my hands and slammed me into the wall. “I read it all” He gritted through his teeth, far from pleased as I whimpered in his grasp.“I’m sorry” I apologized.“You realize you’re so ungrateful. You know that?” My fathe
KAYLA."Have you lost your mind?" Rafael fastened his grip around my wrists and held me back from walking out of the doors. “I know him, Rafael. From years ago and besides he’s already seen us. There’s no way we can run” I muttered beneath my breath.“I’m not allowing you go out. You won’t put yourself in such danger, not while I’m here” He shook his head as I wriggled out of his hands, an arch came between my brows.Everyone else stared from behind as Aiden inched closer towards the door.“Let me handle this” Rafael added and there are was a glimmer of fierceness in his eyes. I held him back from walking towards Aiden and he turned to me. “Don’t hurt him. He’s harmless” I whispered and Rafael pushed a hard lump down his throat.I knew it had been five years since I last saw Aiden and he was the only one armed with a silver arrow but I trusted him. Rafael on the hand, I knew he wouldn’t hesitate to gut out his throat if he did as much as look in my direction. My eyes met Aiden again
KAYLA.Immediately I walked into the room, my eyes met Rafael’s as he sat up against his bed. The air between us was thick with tension and once I closed the door behind, there was a brisk silence.I could hear his heart pound in his chest and the shallow breathes that preceded his first word. “Kayla” He called my name with a smirk across his lips and I walked to sit right beside him on the bed.When I was closer, I saw the bleeding wound carved into his back by the arrow. He was sweating profusely, an aftermath of the wolfsbane antidote and my eyes melted with tears. I reached to touch his exposed skin but Rafael backed away.“I’m fine.” He muttered.“Hope they didn’t get to you?” He asked instead and I shook my head with a hard lump slipping down my throat. “Rafael you don’t look fine” I continued and he wiped across his forehead.“It would heal soon.” “It should have by now. You’re an Alpha and the healing process doesn’t take this long” I said and he gritted his teeth, holding ba
KAYLA.The forest hummed with life as soon as I heaved in a deep breath through my lips and my entire subconscious was summoned to where I stood. The smell of burning wood hit me before I even realized where I was.But the tall shivering trees and the hawks that crowed very loosely beneath the dark skies made it obvious I was standing in Manila forest. I had no memory how I got here and the first thing I did was pinch myself so I could wake up from this dream.The forest was eerily silent, sending an echo of the creaking twig beneath my feet as I took my first step. My heart pounded in my chest as I looked around.“It’s a dream” I wearily whispered to myself but it did so little to comfort me. The moon broke through the leaves, lighting up a dirt path ahead of me and since there was no way back, I didn’t have a choice but to follow.My hands separated the leaves in front of me as I kept on walking through the deserted cursed forest with no direction whatsoever. Until suddenly, I coul
KAYLA.My father’s room was as silent as a graveyard.He laid unconscious across the bed with his hands connected to the fluids that pumped through his body. I made my way into the room as quietly as I could, settling down on the chair beside him.Archer seemed so peaceful while he was asleep, but he also looked just as miserable. I wouldn’t wish being striped off one’s Alpha title to become next to nothing upon my enemy but this man wasn’t my enemy.He was my father.And that was the only reason I still felt connected to him, our bloodline was the only reason I felt sympathy for Archer. He once treated me like trash and a slave, and I could just as easily do the same but I could not bring myself to.He was still my dad and he was all I had left.He was the only link that I had to my mother so when I feared he’d died, my heart sank so low into my chest. I watched him asleep for the next few hours and reminisced on what could’ve been. I didn’t think Archer had an idea that we’d reloc