"Hey! Wake up!" Freya heard, followed by a gentle, but slightly violent shaking. She slowly opened her eyes only to squint it as a massive amount of sunlight rushed into her eyes. "I'm up. I'm up." She responded, shoving Daya's hands away from her and sat up. "Am I late to training?" Daya didn't respond and Freya opened her eyes to see her staring at her speechlessly. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Freya questioned in confusion. "The whole Council has been up since 2am, Freya. It's a wonder how you managed to sleep without getting disturbed by their noise." Daya mumbled, sitting on her bed. "They've been up since 2am? Why? Did something happen?" Freya got up and walked closer to her window. She didn't have sensitive hearing and since she was really beaten up last night, her body went unconscious in a bid to regain its energy. "Few minutes after 2, someone sighted Tiffany Vetto climbing up to the rooftop. According to the person, she didn't think there was anything
In the Council guards quartersThe sound of something shattering and breaking filled the air as Council guards passed by. Some of them would stop and cast worried glance towards the direction it came from, while others hurried out without looking. "Hey, are you sure we shouldn't knock and ask what's going on?" A Council guard in a group of 3 asked, turning to look at the door as well. "Alarick is a weird person. I heard his previous roommates all resigned from being Council guards when they weren't changed into another room. Since then, well, the Council has pretty much left him alone." The second man shook his head. "What could be the reason they're all shunning him?" The first guard asked, turning to look at his friends. "Honestly, no one knows. None of his colleagues said anything about it until they left. And my horror of what habit he might have trumps my curiosity." The third guard responded, getting ready to continue walking. "What if he's really hurting himself in there?"
“Are you sure you're okay?” Daya asked for the nth time, seeing Freya dose off in the middle of their training. Freya rubbed her eyes vigorously and opened it to reveal dark eye bags underneath them. “I'm sure it's not a big deal.” “It's a pity Brianna is too preoccupied to take a look at you.” Daya sighed, then paused, “Actually, I don't think so. I think she'd be more than happy to take a look at you.” For the past three days, more and more people have done one or two things which got them gravely injured. Presently, all thirty rooms assigned to Brianna for keeping patients were all occupied by unconscious people or people who were severely injured. “I don't know about that. Even without me doing anything, they seem to find something wrong with whatever I say and do just to convince themselves I'm worth loathing.” Freya chuckled darkly, glancing around her. In truth, she wasn't bothered about their hatred towards her, but she was still a weakling and didn't want to further agg
Cleopatra heard someone walk into her office and raised her head to see who it was, then lowered her head to her paperworks again. "How was it?" "How was what?" Neon scoffed and took her seat opposite her. "Isolation." "I isolate myself even when I'm free. But the Council prison was way louder than I thought it'd be." "Loud? It's a dungeon. I don't remember signing anything that said they could congregate together or something like that." Cleopatra said, raising her head again. "It's not that kind of noise." Neon shrugged and looked away. "It was more of their sobs and screams after getting lashed by the Council guards. I felt like my ears were going to bleed whenever I heard them." "Hey, you're sounding a whole lot like Nebra. I see her cruelness has rubbed off on you." Cleopatra scoffed, pointing her pen at Neon's nose. "How is saying I don't like the sound of people crying cruel?" "I don't want to argue with you. It reminds me of arguing with Nebra and I usually beat her
Despite her surprise, Neon rushed out of where she hid. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?" She hissed, tearing Freya away from the girl."Neon?" Freya called, a hint of familiarity in her voice. Neon turned to look at her and found her eyes glowing a fierce red. Neon's wolf whimpered in fear causing her to widen her eyes in shock. "H-how is this possible?" She stuttered, seeing goosebumps rise from her arms. "It's been a long time." Freya smiled. Neon felt the smile looked familiar, but she didn't have the time to think of where she had seen it before because she recalled there was a girl planning to kill herself. "Hey! Stop it!" She yelled, running towards the compelled girl. The girl had a blank, obedient look in her eyes as she continued walking despite Neon's words. "It's no use." Freya smiled creepily as she walked towards Neon. "Why are you doing this? No, who the fuck are you?!" Neon seethed, her wolf's fear causing her to stand rooted to a spot. "I don't know why
"That's it?" Nebra inquired, her gaze closely following the woman's movements around the room.The woman, who had been tidying up her materials, paused momentarily, casting a brief glance in Nebra's direction. "You should get some rest.""Get some rest? I was forcibly taken by your people and brought here to endure mental torment. I'm not typically one to question, but you've delved into my memories in search of something, so I believe I deserve to know what's happening," Nebra retorted, her finger gingerly touching her aching head.Only a few moments ago, the woman had removed the chains that had bound Nebra after completing her numerous spells. These spells had physically drained Nebra, and she couldn't shake the persistent dizziness."Forgive me if releasing you makes you believe you have a say in this matter," the woman hissed, grabbing her stuffed duffel bag and striding toward the exit.Nebra muttered, "You could at least share your name," realizing the woman was indeed right abo
"I'm surprised you're not trying to discourage me from going. Do you plan to nap me along the way?" Neon joked as Cleopatra handed her the blueprint of the Vause family house. "You haven't visited her in years. Even though she might not be in the right state of mind, I'm sure she'd be happy to see you. Who knows, she might even stop being crazy." Cleopatra shrugged, masking her sadness. Neon paused briefly. True, she and Nebra had left as soon as the attack ended. All this while, they never stopped to wonder how their aunt who lost her two brothers and sister in-laws, along with numerous close friends, was faring. "Is that guilt I see in your eyes?" Cleopatra scoffed and walked ahead. "Nebra and I should've gone to see her sooner." Neon murmured. "Despite being in so much pain, she made sure you tried to bring us back to the Council." "It's 18 years already, Neon. Besides, I think it's good none of you visited. My mother was a big mess. She still is, though." Cleopatra concluded
With five tournament winners being absent the following day, they were only five people in the training house.There were two sparring groups currently sparring while Daya had a cloth wrapped around her knuckles as she trained on a punching bag. The door soon opened and Madison walked in, hands behind her back as always. Everyone took their position opposite the mat, hands behind their back and eyes firmly staring ahead of them."Jenna, Tiffany and Mary will not be joining us for a while because they're still unconscious. Neon was excused out of the Council and will meet us in the human city." Madison said as she unhurriedly paced to and fro. "What about Freya Armstrong?" One of the boys with black spiky hair, suddenly butted in. Madison halted and slowly tilted her head to look at him. His eyes met her chilly gaze for a second and he quickly lowered them to the floor again, cowering in fear. "Forgive me." He apologized, but added, "I went over to Brianna's office this morning and
Jerome Nichols' House,"We've gunned down every werewolf we know about, and for those we are yet to find, we're doing our possible best to bring them in," a Werewolf Hunter stood opposite Lance and reported."What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jerome Nichols yelled at his son as he rushed into the house.Lance dismissed the Werewolf Hunter with a wave of his hand and walked up to Jerome. "Just taking care of business, Dad.""Taking care of business? You're tearing apart everything!" Jerome seethed and looked around him. "Where's Hezell? Why didn't he stop you?"Lance adjusted his tie with a stoic gaze. "Hezell... isn't here."Jerome spun around in disbelief. "Where did he go? And who authorized you to do this then?""He had something to take care of and left the house to me. But then the man he left behind passed on an instruction he had received to me," Lance said and leaned towards his father's right ear. "He said we were in great danger if he didn't call the house seven hours
“What?” Sarah straightened up seeing Joshua and the four other witches step backward. “The barrier is opening up on its own.” He glanced at her warily. Knight, Landon, Adley and Kourtney got serious recalling what Joshua had said before he began trying to reopen the barrier. “Why do you all look surprised? Did you really think they stood a chance against Hezell just because they were Alphas? Bless your delusional heart.” Mendoza's mocking voice came from behind them. “Release me and I'll consider talking to him to at least keep one of you alive. That's the great length I'm willing to go just for old times’ sake.” However, the group ignored her and armed themselves with the guns her pack warriors had taken with them. “Those things you're holding won't deter him.” Mendoza stated the obvious. “I swear if you keep talking you won't be alive to witness what would happen in the next one minute!” Adley glowered, glancing behind her shoulders to look at her. Mendoza frowned and as muc
Hezell suddenly laughed. “I didn't think I'd ever be captured again, but just to be safe, I left a few orders that should be carried out if I don't call Jerome Nichols’ house hours after leaving.”“I never should've let you out of the Council for any reason whatsoever,” Cleopatra clenched her fist tightly.“It's not your fault. He just has a way of getting to people,” Nebra exhaled, glancing at her.“This isn't something that can't be taken care of. A quick trip to the Council should solve it once you return with Council guards,” Steele uttered calmly.Cleopatra looked away from him guiltily. “I sent half of them to the human city to help Hezell out in searching for you since he told me you were captured by Hazel.”“You… how do you come up with these things? You make life hard for others even when you're totally powerless,” Neon sighed, glaring at Hezell.“You can't blame me for trying to stay alive,” Hezell shrugged and looked down at the chains on his wrists. “The massacre will cont
Mariah gasped and stumbled backward, while Freya sat up and proceeded to stand on her feet. Her previously pale face had brightened, and her dull eyes were now full and vibrant.“If you wanted to kill me, you should've done so on the podium. A knife into my abdomen without the boring words you said would've been just fine,” Freya stretched and glanced at Mariah.“You were unconscious just a few minutes ago. So how is it that you're suddenly so hale and hearty now?” Mariah asked and warily got on her feet.“I woke up two nights ago, but I discovered I couldn't move. It wasn't until this morning that I realized Lalisa did something that made me weak. When Hezell killed her, the magic began wearing off. But when your goon brought me here, meters away from Lalisa’s body, the magic wore off totally,” Freya explained with a shrug.Mariah didn't know when she swallowed nervously. This was the Freya she knew, but at this same time, she didn't feel like she knew this person in front of her.“A
"I know no one has ever told you this before, but you're misguided. You're doing things for the wrong reasons," Terry didn't to struggle with Hezell as he knew his attempt would only be futile. Hezell's eyes were cold as he tightened his grip on Terry's throat."Hezell," Freya called out to him weakly, her voice barely audible over the scuffle. He flung a half-dead Terry down the stairs before rushing to her side.By the time Terry reached the foot of the stairs, his eyes were barely opening, and his breath had become a raspy whisper. None of the heartstealers had the heart to help him as they feared it'd make Hezell see them as his enemy. Nebra, on the other hand, hurried up to him. She held his arm, ready to relieve him of some of his pain, but he stopped her with a feeble gesture."There's no need. I'm more than ready to finally meet my ancestors," Terry coughed weakly, forcing his eyes open, "And you shouldn't be so eager to help the man who almost sacrificed your cousin.""Us
While they remained outside, attempting to reopen the barrier, Nebra fell onto a pile of sand once she was inside the barrier. She groaned and rose to her feet. As she patted away the sand that had gotten into her hair and clothes, she raised her head and looked around.The sky was blue and crystal clear, almost like a painting. Just ten meters away from her were numerous rows of houses.She cautiously sauntered towards them, but much to her surprise, she didn't come across a single soul.She was still wondering if she was dropped in the wrong location when she heard shouts coming from a particular direction.At the same time, the sound of numerous hearts beating at once overwhelmed her.She zoned out of her wolf hearing and rushed towards the direction of the shouts until she walked into a town square filled to the brim with people."So many heartstealers," she mumbled in disbelief, staring at the people who she feared numbered more than two thousand.Her attention was drawn to an el
"Hezell... what a bastard!" Sarah seethed as she got flung backward by the barrier.She waited for a few seconds and didn't get an expected rebuke."What? You didn't find anything wrong with what I said? You don't find me wh... Neon?" She glanced around to see Neon was nowhere to be found."Steele and Hunter are gone too," Knight said, noticing his two competitors were absent."Nebra too," Kourtney scoffed."That's ridiculous. Where could they have gone?" Landon frowned. He refused to believe Nebra somehow made it into the barrier and he couldn't."If they aren't here, that only means they slid into the barrier just before it closed," Adley stated the obvious truth."I was at least a few inches ahead of Neon, so how could she have gotten in and I didn't?" Sarah hissed, waving Adley's words aside."Well, it's not that surprising given she's a beta and you're not," Adley retorted, meeting Sarah's enraged eyes."Beta? What's so good about being a beta? I'm going to be stronger than a bet
Joshua's brain momentarily shut down as he stared back at the man. He had every reason to believe they were serious, but for some reason, he was hoping they were just messing with him. However, one minute later, and they still had the same suspicious look on their faces."Cat got your tongue?" One out of the two men across from him raised his brows provocatively."Mr. Hezell won't take it lightly with you once he hears of this. But if you explain things to us, we might put in a good word or two on your behalf when we report you to him," the second man across from him added seriously.Realizing that what was happening wasn't a joke, Joshua slowly raised his hand, getting ready to mumble a memory-erasing spell when the man next to him suddenly laughed. He widened his eyes a little bit in surprise as the other two joined him in laughing."We totally had him fooled," one of the men across from him laughed."He was first confused, then horrified. I'll give anything to see that look on his
In the woods where Sarah's pack is located,"You took off the chains, but we're still pretty much your prisoners, aren't we?" Sarah hissed as she was pushed into a room by a pack warrior.She stopped talking, seeing the others in the room as well. "Tell me you dragged them in here the same way you did to me.""This isn't the time for one of your incessant whinings, Sarah," Neon hushed."So you think it's okay that I was dragged in here like I can't walk by myself?" Sarah asked provocatively."Hezell has been informed of Freya's whereabouts, and he's already on their territory. It'll only take him a few hours to get through their barrier," Mendoza's voice successfully drew their attention to the other end of the room where she was.Sarah looked away from her and glanced around the room, which turned out to be the armory room."You have guns. I take it you stole them from the humans," she commented, picking up a pistol. "Ouch!"She dropped it immediately when it burned her palm and glar