Ayra I was looking at the beta coming towards me, his hand outstretched in an embrace. The rogues were all around him, their arms outstretched likewise, all of them seeming to come from different directions all at the same time. They were crowding me, boxing me into a circle. Perspiration poured down my back in rivulets, making the blouse I was putting on stick to my skin. They were coming closer and there was no space to run anymore. I screamed and at the same time I shot upwards, out from the darkness and into the light. The rays of the sun poured through my windows, and I wanted nothing more than the sunlight. It was one of my numerous nightmares where my uncle and the rogues seemed to be chasing me. It never seemed to stop, the nightmares. They were always in my sleep constantly, unwavering, refusing to let me go even if I was far away from their reach. I stood up from the bed, discarding the sheets that had given me solace the previous night. Slipping my hands into my lower b
SELENE I gazed at Ayra from my seat on the table. It was a battle of wills, this game we were playing. She stared at me and when I stared back, she glanced away. The hatred inside my system was threatening to gush out of my pores any minute, like a venom it was waiting to be unleashed. She had come into the silver crescent pack like a thief in the night, and had stolen the Alpha right before my very eyes. She was eyeing my throne next, and wasn't willing to let that part of me go without a fight.I watched her as she ate,and I desperately wanted to tell her to remember that she was with child, that she should mind the type of food she consumed. But the hatred in me was greater than care, and the silver of affection was no match for the revenge that I planned on a daily basis to dish out to her. The signs had been there all along, the signs that she was going to bite more than she could chew. It had been there when she saw the fuss alpha Jasper seemed to make as soon as he saw her p
Ayra I applied the last of my makeup, my heart thumping in my chest. My stomach was fluttering, and I had to admit, I was very lightheaded. It was going to be my first ball amongst the wolves of the silver crescent pack, and I was excited for it. It was my chance to make new friends outside the Palace, it was time to meet new people. Pregnancy didn't allow for the luxury of walking around a lot—especially when the pregnancy was as important as an alpha's offspring. One couldn't be necessarily found outside the Palace walls because it was believed generally that the pup within a wolf should never be put at risk, no matter what. So finally going outside was going to be a huge relief. It was something I wanted to do—to meet the women folk and discuss trivial matters. To meet the women of the court and admire their dressing. To watch the ball in all it's splendour and glamour. To get lost in the lights and the flurry of activities that was a silver crescent ball. I cherished this feeli
ALPHA JASPERI waited for Selene to round up her makeup, checking my reflection in the full length mirror in the hall. The robe was knee length, but it gave me the perfect royalty look. Anybody who me would know instantly that I was different from the rest. That had always been my plan, to stand out from the rest. That was how I had become an Alpha, from striving to become different, from wanting so badly to be different from the rest that I had actually become very different, way different even beyond my expectations.If there was anything I wanted, it was for Ayra to be on my arm and not Selene. I missed her already, and the few days I have spent outside her chambers at night have not been very friendly. Is this what I called a temporary arrangement? Is this what I had referred to as the meantime till she was delivered of her child?It was slowly striking me that even if Ayra was delivered of my offspring,I wasn't going to let her go just like that. She was my responsibility, the mo
Arya PovWhen the Alpha approached, In curtsey, I bowed, then raised my head to meet his gaze. It was different from the way he looked at me. That familiar spark was gone. What could be wrong? Despite the heat of the wine in my system, my head was telling me that something serious was going on. So even though I was a little drunk, I was able to control myself just fine.“Repeat what you told me in the car, Selene.”Bracing up, I watched Selene take a deep breath before she began to explain. “Ayra Scotler came to my room and stole my necklace. The prized possession my mother gave me before she died.”“The necklace with a silver crescent sign?”“Yes, that one. I was in the bathroom when I saw her steal into the room and carry it ontop of my bedside table.”The noise that followed her announcement was painful to hear. The gasps that followed a few minutes later told me the story that I wanted to know–that everyone was looking at me and expecting me to say something. My heart in my hands
Alpha Jasper I watched Ayra bow before me, and it took me a huge deal of self control to restrain myself from taking her in my arms and raining kisses on her head. She was so beautiful in the black gown that she was putting on that I wondered if Selene would ever match up to her. Pregnancies were supposed to stress a woman,but in Ayra, the reverse seemed to be the case. She was ever glowing, ever radiating, and I looked at her and was proud that indeed, this was the mother of my offspring.I gritted my teeth together, swallowing my smile. I was showing her that I was annoyed by her behavior, that I was angry with what she had done to Selene, if indeed she had taken the necklace.Threading on cautious grounds, I faced Selene instead.“Repeat what you told me in the car, Selene.”I watched Selene purse her lips before speaking up. A crowd had started to form slowly, and I desperately wanted to tell them to go away. But I had no control over this type of crowd. “Ayra Scotler came to m
Sofero PovJust before the ball started, I went to take care of Arya's dress, ironing and making sure it was in perfect shape for her.She was like a sister I have never had; even though we weren't in the same rank, she treated me well,not rubbing my wounds on my face and reminding me how low life I am, just like Selene does.She was kind and accommodating; sometimes I have wished she could take away the Luna position from Selena and take over as Luna. The world needed to see how kindhearted she is, but I guess she wasn't interested in the throne.Why was she different from the others? I know how many could kill given the slightest opportunity to be the fated mate of the Alpha. But Arya was humble and down to earth.I folded her ready clothes to drop them off in her chambers. I knew I wouldn't be able to pay her off for her kindness, and it pierced my heart badly at what I was about to do. I had no choice.As I neared Arya's chambers, I saw Luna Selena looking around like a thief on h
Selena PovThe piercing eyes of the people around her made Selene feel so much guilt.She couldn't stand under her feet any more. She was scared and dejected, with anger boiling through her like venom. Who could be the man who defended her? Has she enchanted everyone again? Why was everyone defending her? She once wished the people would cast down on Arya and torture her with their words, but her plans were scattered. I put that necklace in there; who could have removed it? Did anyone see me while I was going into her room? I thought to myself.The air was tight; nobody gave me attention, not even Luna. I had successfully washed my linen in public. The anger I had towards her was bigger and bigger this time. I clenched my fist. Everyone was paying attention to the highlight of the event, while I heard nothing just deep in my thoughts. I had watched as Alpha Jasper took Arya away through the exit.Was he going to look at me after this? Is it all about Arya Arya Arya everywhere I go
Arya stood before the tomb, her body shaking with sobs as she gazed upon the final resting place of her son, Akira. The tomb, reserved for descendants of the alpha lineage, was a poignant reminder of the legacy that had once belonged to her family, but now rested with Damian.Luna Seraphine's gentle touch and soothing words offered little comfort as Arya's grief consumed her. The pain was suffocating, and the realization that she would never see her vibrant, full-of-life son again was a constant, crushing blow.Arya's heart seethed with anger towards Alice and Leo, her cousins who had orchestrated the palace attack. If not for them, Akira would still be alive, safe in her arms. The thought fueled her anguish, and she whispered into the wind, searching for the essence of her deceased parents, who had promised to always be with her.But their spirits seemed distant, and Arya felt only despair. The warmth and love she once knew were now replaced with an unrelenting sorrow. Even with Luna
The priest ran his hand through his thinning hair and let out an exasperated sigh. "Arya, I really wish there was something we could do. But the laws of our order expressly state that we must not interfere in conflict between brothers of the same kind. The consequences are dire. I'm sorry Arya, but our hands are tied," the man said somberly with his eyes closed.Arya thought to herself and knew there was no use trying to convince the order to go against their traditions. But there had to be a way to salvage the situation and stop her cousins from visiting evil upon the pack and perhaps, the whole earth. Just then, an idea flashed across her mind and she gave it no time to settle well before voicing it out."How about you train me to harness my magic and become powerful enough to stop the enemy. That's not something you cannot do, right?" Arya asked, hiding the pain and anxiety in her voice as she spoke.The priest squinted his eyes, deep in contemplation. He focused on a particular gr
Damian approached the house with a plastic bag containing their dinner, his eyes scanning the surroundings with a mix of caution and confusion. He had parked the van a few poles back, just as he'd done when he was with Anika, and walked the rest of the way, his senses on high alert. As he moved through the night, he swept his gaze from side to side, high on alert to spot any strange movements, his ears perked up to catch the slightest sound. Not that he expected danger to be lurking around, but one could never be too careful.A sense of foreboding and dread sat in his stomach, and he suddenly felt goosebumps on his skin, a rare occurrence for a Vis Wood like himself. His heart raced slightly faster, and his hand instinctively went to the pocket where he kept his dagger, a habitual gesture that had become second nature to him. These were odd behaviors for his wolf, and he could only wonder what was wrong. The house came into view now, and he looked to the side, ready to cross over th
The Blood Sisterhood were a secret sect of elite female warriors who paid allegiance to the Luna alone. They were part of the hidden tradition of the pack, a secret passed down from one generation of Luna to the next.Luna Seraphine took a deep breath, gathering her strength. "Sisters, I need you to go and ask for help from the Order of the Sun, the coven Arya's father belonged to during his lifetime. Tell them a daughter of theirs is faced with the threat of death at the hands of wicked people."The forewoman spoke up with a hint of hesitation in her voice. "This thing you ask of us, it totally goes against all that we represent. It is against our ethos to seek help from the witches." She stated gently but firmly.Luna Seraphine's voice came barely audible above a whisper. "Unless you're up for a battle against hell itself, I suggest you do as I have just requested."The woman argued, "We shall fight till death then. Our pride as a group supersedes the need to ask for help from the l
"There's no chance that would ever work!" the witch cried immediately after Leo told her what he needed her to do. She gently extracted herself from underneath his piercing gaze and walked over to the other side of the room."And why is that?" Leo asked, his voice cold and impatient."You see, the only reason why your sister could call you back up from the underworld was because she had at least a part of your dead corpse. And the head especially, makes things easier. If you don't have her body with you, I'm afraid there's nothing I can do to help," the old witch explained, feigning confidence and busying herself with arranging spices on a shelf in the corner.Leo flashed to her side using his heightened reflexes and hoisted her up in the air by her neck. "I'll go get her body. If you are not here when I return, I will find you, and I will kill you," he threatened through gritted teeth."I'd also have to wait for a full moon," the woman's desperate voice pleaded."I don't care! You'll
Damian consoled Arya over the loss of her child, but he couldn't seem to comfort her enough. She was a wrecking ball of sobs as she held baby Akira's dead form in her hands, even as Damian held her to his chest. What the bastards they had just killed did to the baby was heartless. Even in death, Akira looked like a beam of peace, his lips and skin now taking on the grayish pallor of death."I wish I had the words, my love," Damian found himself saying into the air, even though he was addressing Arya. It hurt him to see the woman he loved in such a state.Tristan and the other men from the elite command that had come with Damian to rescue his mate stood akimbo around them, at a loss for how to console both their alpha and his mate.Suddenly, Arya let out a loud gasp and began crumbling to the ground, struggling to breathe. Everyone was too stunned to do anything at first, until Damian snapped out of his shock and held her up firmly, struggling to contain both her weight and that of the
Damian sat in the backseat of the van, lost in thought. He was confident that after asserting his dominance in the Silver Crescent pack, Jasper and his followers wouldn't dare trespass again. He adjusted his new jacket, provided by Tristan, knowing his previous clothes would be ruined after his transformation.As they approached the Ember Moon pack, Damian's keen sense of smell detected something strange. He exchanged a concerned glance with Tristan, who nodded in agreement. "Kill the engines," Damian ordered, and the driver complied without question.Damian jumped out and crept behind the wall, motioning to Tristan to follow. "Break the men into groups," he whispered. "Take the secret side gates scattered around the fence. We need the advantage of surprise." Tristan nodded and relayed the orders to the men, dividing them into four groups to cover the North, East, West, and South wings of the premises.Damian led his group of six, including Tristan, towards the West wing. As they appr
Arya and Luna Seraphine sat on their seats, their senses on high alert. The sounds were getting closer, and Luna's voice was laced with urgency as she turned to Arya and said, "Quick, go to Akira. I don't like these sounds."Arya's heart sank into her stomach as she remembered her dream and recalled that Akira went missing in the dream. She never found him. If that were to happen now, she'd kill herself. She was sure of it.She ran as fast as her legs could go, her pace fueled by adrenaline. She turned into a side door to climb into a corridor when a body was tossed out of the corridor, and she stopped dead in her tracks. Her wolf instincts, though rarely active, screamed danger. The corpse was dressed in palace guard attire, partially shifted into its wolf form, badly disfigured, with a gaping hole where the left eye should have been and another in the chest.Slowly, she lifted her eyes to look into the corridor where the body was flung from. Her skin crawled at the sight before her.
Damian strolled into the garden, his eyes scanning the area for his mother and Arya. He recalled his mother inviting Arya to tea the previous night and smiled, remembering the closeness they shared. He had finally made up his mind to sire Jasper's child, and his thoughts were filled with Arya.As he approached the umbrella-shaded table, he beamed with a wide smile. "Top of the morning to you two, beautiful ladies." He kissed his mother's forehead and took Arya's hand, lifting it to his lips. His eyes locked onto hers, and he heard her subtle gasp."Hello, Arya. I trust you slept well?" Arya replied shyly, "Yes, alpha. Thank you."Luna Seraphine playfully rolled her eyes. "Yes, I slept well too, thank you." Damian chuckled and said, "I was going to ask you that, mother." He turned to Arya, his smile lingering.He noticed the tea on the table and teased, "I see you've both decided to have tea without me, then." He picked up his mother's cup, and she protested, "Put that back down, sil