The Ravenstone’s home is not just a pack house. It’s not even a simple pack mansion. It’s a freaking pack estate. And Mila Ravenstone takes no liberties in wowing us on the tour. Whenever Wilma and I become convinced there is no cooler building than the last, the next one turns out to be even better.We start the tour from the private quarters; reserved for the alpha and beta’s family, where Wilma and I were being hosted, and moved to a movie theater, the hospital building, a freaking general store, a swimming pool that’s open to all pack members, a massive parking lot with at least more than forty flashy cars, a restaurant that even serves Italian dishes, a sports arena with all kinds of sports equipment and even a kindergarten.“It’s practically a town.” Wilma says, impressed, and I can only speechlessly nod, my mouth ajar like an idiot.We had to drive a golf cart around just for the sake of easier navigation. Now, Mila restarts the engine, having finished showing us the kindergart
I blink.In a flash, Ethan has the hooded figure pinned to the wall, arms twisted behind their back in an angle that looks painful. “What the fuck?!” The hood falls away, revealing black hair held up in a high ponytail, and Alexia Haufmann’s face contorted in pain.My eyes widen. “Lexie?”“You’re gonna break my fucking arm!” She yells.“Ethan, let her go.” I order quickly.Ethan glances at me hesitantly, then lets her go, stepping back.She glares at him, wincing. “The fuck, man?”“What the hell were you doing?” I demand of her.“Braiding her hair, what else would I be doing?”I look over at mom and sure enough, her hair has carefully been parted in two, and there’s an unfinished braid on one side.A breath of relief leaves me. “I thought…”“You thought what?” Lexie prods, looking at me with hurt.I shake my head. “Nevermind.”It was ridiculous of me to even think that. We’re safe here. And I can trust Alexia. Right? I steal another glance at her; the brown rope of her shark tooth nec
I try on more dresses than I care to count.I thought prom dress shopping with Wilma and Bibah was torture? Mila’s idea of a makeover is basically hell. Two maids have been fussing over my hair for an hour now, trying to shape my red tendrils into a hairstyle that suited Mila’s taste. I’m pretty sure I’ve gotten heat damage from the amount of times a curling iron has passed through my hair. My lungs feel like they’re congested with hairspray.Mila holds up a sparkly blue dress with a corset bodice. “Perfect.” She mutters to herself, beaming, pleased.It’s not my color, but I’m not about to argue right now. I’ll willingly wear a potato sack of her choice if it means she’ll stop making me try on more dresses. It’s more workout than I’ve had since fighting Lucien and his men.A stray curl falls over my eyes, and I huff it away with a breath.It falls right back.I sigh, resigned.It would be rude and discourteous to decline the invitation to the pack dinner, and that’s the only reason ke
“Uh, sorry to interrupt your display of authority, oh mighty one-eyed alpha, but you see that look on my sister’s face? It means she’s either gonna throw a mean comment or her fists.”Luke Ravenstone raises a singular, dark, military straight eyebrow. His gaze travels to my fists, and sure enough, he finds them clenched. A mild threat, although I’m pretty sure there’s nothing in the world this man can feel threatened about. His eye darts behind me, straight to Wilma, still snuggled in the bed.“She doesn’t like being told what to do.” My sister adds, and I almost crack a smile.Luke tugs at the glove on his right hand; the only tell-tale sign of discomfort I can decipher from him. “And I don’t like being disobeyed.” He counters, his frown deepening although I can tell that his annoyance is being replaced by something else; curiosity.Maybe even amusement.“Ha! You should tell that to your tie.” Wilma says, and from my peripheral vision, I see her point to it. “It’s crooked.”It’s not.
What a mess.I realize I don’t know where William’s room is when I exit the dining hall to find him. And these sparkly heels are fucking uncomfortable. They don’t even fit well.I kick off the heels and pick them up.Sighing, I begin to roam the hallways of the private quarters. It’s like a maze; confusing, large, frustrating, and I don’t stumble into anybody I can ask for directions. Although I think that’s probably a good thing. I don’t want to have to talk to any strangers right now. For safety measures, I turn another corner and hope no one followed me out of the dining hall.I try my best to think of it logically; mine and Wilma’s room are upstairs on the second floor. Shouldn’t his be somewhere around there? But our rooms are guest rooms. There’s a third floor above, but I have no idea where it leads to. I huff out a breath. Mila left the private quarters out on the tour.Mila…I wonder if she’ll still be as hospitable as she had been before, now that her husband has all but ann
Silence answers me.Is he asleep in there? Or is he even in there at all? I knock again, listening closer for any sound. Nothing. I glance at Rosa questioningly, and she gives me a nod. I take a deep breath before opening the door.It’s empty.William Ravenstone is not in here.I walk in, and a shiver wrecks through my body. It’s so cold in here, because the air conditioner has been left on full blast and all the two windows in the room are open, letting in the chilly night air.I look around the space. It’s so different from his room back in the Acadia Academy dorms. First off, it’s gigantic, furnished with a king sized bed, a walk-in wardrobe, a workspace, a bookshelf on the far wall, and a chandelier. But it lacks… life. There are no chessboards, or plants, or a cat named after a chess prodigy, or sketches on the desk. The whole room could’ve simply been copied from a home magazine and pasted in real life.I turn to Rosa, and she’s already looking at me. I swallow the small sense o
“Bella!”I groan and turn away from the voice, trying to sink deeper into sleep. I’m underneath the embrace of clouds, floating through my dreams, but the voice comes again, shaking me out of my slumber.I peel my eyes open and find my sister’s panicked face, looking down on me. Something about the way her eyes are wide and seem to be in shock makes me bolt upright in bed.Wait, bed?I don’t remember when I got back to my room last night. All I can remember is the rooftop, with William’s head on my lap and staring at the stars. I must’ve fallen asleep there, right after he had. I’m still in the blue dinner dress, which explains why my body feels like it’s bound.“Bella!” Wilma calls again, shaking my shoulders.I blink back at her, fully awake now. Her expression makes a shot of panic flash through me like electricity. My heart climbs up to my throat. I don’t want to think of what could get Wilma shaken like this, but the worst case scenario comes to my mind. Mom. “What is it?” I dema
Sprinting to my mom’s hospital room is the fastest I have ran in my entire life, in flip flips and a tight dinner dress.I burst through the doors and careen to a halt, relief flooding through me in comforting waves. I never thought hearing these damned beeping machines would be reassuring, but they are. Mom is in bed, still unconscious, still stuck in a limbo between sleep and death. And Lexie’s braids are still intact; two ropes on either sides of her face.Wilma passes me and reaches mom, pressing her fingers to the pulse on her neck as if to make sure everything is okay, and then double-checking the machines. She sighs in relief, her shoulders slumping as she sinks into the chair near the bed, and closes her eyes.Mom is okay.Well, not exactly okay, but nothing bad has happened to her overnight. Not like Lexie. For now.The door behind me creaks open and I whir around on my feet, ready to jump into action and very much on my guard, but the creased face of the doctor looks back at
I can't help the grin as it stretches across my face. Even when I tone down my teeth display for the camera, my giddiness makes my grin return to its full glory.These are the kind of joyful moments in life when everything aligns perfectly, and the future gleams with a brilliance that outshines the sun.Similar to tiny fireflies, the fairy lights surrounding us emit a soft glow in the approaching evening. My gaze shifts to the rows of people smiling and mingling, the white roses gathered in their transparent vases, the band playing an old classical melody that Akio Kamio has cherished for most of his life, and ultimately to Bibah's radiant smile, outshining even the stars in the sky.Bibah stands gracefully in her wedding gown, a vision of elegance and modesty. The gown's creamy hue complements her radiant complexion, and the intricate lace patterns and delicate beadwork trace enchanting designs across the fabric.Her head is adorned with a delicate hijab, carefully draped to frame her
The idea of dying... it's like staring into a dark abyss, wondering what lies beyond. Am I ready for it? Is anyone ever truly prepared to let go of everything they know? It's as if life is this intricate tapestry, woven with memories, experiences, and dreams, and death is that final thread that could unravel it all.I've heard people say that death gives life meaning. That the inevitability of our mortality forces us to seize the fleeting moments and savor them. Is that why we laugh, love, and strive to make a mark? To counteract the impending darkness?But what if it's not about the mark we leave, but the mark we've made on ourselves? Like, how every heartbreak, triumph, and mistake molds us into this intricate sculpture of a person. And maybe death is the moment when we step back and see the whole masterpiece.It's terrifying, though. The unknown. The thought of losing consciousness, of the world carrying on without me. Will I be forgotten? Will my laughter fade into the wind, like
The mountain top stretches out before us, bathed in the silvery glow of the moonlight. Jagged rocks and hardy shrubs dot the landscape, offering scarce cover. The air is crisp and thin, carrying with it a sense of anticipation. A veil of darkness conceals the treacherous precipices that lie beyond the edges.My heart races as we stand on the precipice, the night sky a blanket of twinkling stars above. The wind whispers of secrets yet to be revealed, as William's gaze scans the vast expanse. This was the kind of place he used to love—a rooftop under the sky.His eyes narrow, a flicker of recognition passing over his features, like a spark trying to ignite a long-dormant memory. I hold my breath, hoping that this moment will be the catalyst, the key to unlocking the past he's lost.Before my thoughts can fully settle, a guttural shout splits the air, shattering the tranquility. My head snaps towards the disturbance, and my heart lurches as seven figures emerge from the shadows, armed wi
“Are you sure this is the place?”“Absolutely.” I whisper back at William, uneasily glancing around the empty expanse of the beach. It feels like we’re about to break into a bank and steal cash. “Unless she invited me for breakfast in a friend’s apartment, then I guess we’ll be knocking on a strangers door.” I add in a rush of huffed out breath.William looks skeptic. “Isabe-”I step forward and press the ringer, cutting off William’s words. Time had passed us by while on the boat, and now it’s past the normal curfew of the resort. The demarcated areas outside the resort -including the mountain we’d impulsively decided to go to- were now closed off for the day. Since Tamie has been here her whole life and her family owns the resort and I somewhat feel as if we’re friends now, I thought that maybe asking for her help would be a good idea.Silence continues to answer me.“Mochi definitely came out of here.” I mutter, frowning at the whole modern shack like it had personally offended me.
“Maybe we should call it a win win and stop here.” I suggest, leaning back as the last few chuckles escape me, my laughter finally subsiding.William raises a triumphant eyebrow as he rearranges the chess pieces back to their normal starting formation. “Giving up already?” He taunts, smirking.“You wish.” I reply, rolling my eyes before sighing. “I’m just tired of staring at the pieces.”We have been playing cheating chess since after breakfast when I got back to the suite from my conversation and walk with Tamie. William had brought his chess board along from the pack estate, and had suggested we play it, in hopes that he might remember something again. There has been no luck in that area, but at the very least, we’ve had an unexplainable amount of fun as the hours flew by. We fixate on morals of the game, creating new rules, and finding more ridiculous ways to justify breaking the classical rules of chess.The sun is setting now, painting our beach-side view of the window a brillian
The very next morning, I wake up early, get out of the ball dress I ended up sleeping in, and took a quick shower, changing into more comfortable beach shorts and a loose tank top.When I leave the bedroom, William is still curled up in the sheets, sleeping. I call the room service and other an elaborate breakfast, hoping to return the heartwarming gesture he had done to me when we got here.Out of the breakfast of waffles, fruits, and a jug of a fancy cocktail blend fresh from the Island’s own produce, I only manage a single waffle before leaving the suite and closing the door softly behind me.Now, where the heck do I start looking for Tamie?I go out to the beach, taking the trail where William and I had first seen her walking her Pekingese dog. Well, more like where we saw her dog about to drown and rescued him.It’s a sunny day, the sand warm as the soft, fine grains slip in and out my flip flops. The ocean’s waves laps eagerly at the shore, and I squint into the far distance, in
Leaving the chaotic ballroom behind, we retreat to the quiet safety of our room. The tension of the night still lingers between us, though now it's wrapped in a cocoon of slight awkwardness.William doesn’t say anything, still steaming with remnants of his anger, and neither do I, as we enter the bedroom and he shrugs off his jacket. I notice a few specs of blood staining the front part of his white shirt.“You shouldn’t have done that.” I sigh, retrieving a first aid kit from a nearby drawer, sitting him down at the edge of the bed and gently begin tending to the cut on William's lip, my touch both soothing and reproachful.He winces at the disinfectant that touches the small split flesh where the silver rings had made impact."Oh, now you can feel pain?" I chide softly, dabbing the wound with an antiseptic swab. "Stop being such a baby. I know you were defending me, but there are better ways you could’ve handled the situation."Like poisoning the bastard.Or gutting him in a dark al
We spend the rest of the night and the following day simply talking and exploring. William asks a lot of questions about our time in Acadia Academy, and I try my hardest to answer him to the best of my ability, although none of my answers end up triggering his memory.Soon, the night of the ball arrives.Preparing for the ball is a whirlwind of anticipation and excitement. The vibrant energy that courses through me is infectious as I carefully choose my attire for the evening; my makeup already done and my hair painstakingly pinned up into an updo. The dress, a delicate masterpiece of flowing midnight blue silk, shimmers with an iridescent glow in the soft light of our suite. Its off-shoulder neckline adds a touch of elegance, and the intricate lacework along the bodice and hem hints at the craftsmanship that went into its creation. With every twirl in front of the mirror, I feel like a character from a fairytale.I don’t even remember when I bought the dress.The air is electric as I
I gradually stir from my peaceful slumber, the room cast in a gentle twilight as the sun dips below the horizon.I yawn.How long have I been asleep?As I stretch and sit up, I notice a beautifully arranged plate of dinner on the nearby table and a goofy smile overtakes my face. William must’ve kept it there for me. I glance around the bedroom and the living room for the second time, looking for him, but I don’t spot him anywhere.Where did he go?My stomach rumbles in response to the inviting aroma of the garlic butter stake and potato skillet, and I find myself savoring the delicious flavors as I sit at the edge of the bed with the tray and devour the food.Sated and content, I decide to take advantage of the cool evening air and to also look for William. I change out of my t-shirt and jeans into sleeping shorts and a bralette, despite the cool weather. The sliding glass door leads me to the terrace, where the world is adorned with the soft glow of moonlight. My gaze is drawn to the