Julian POVCecilia had woken up, but I still didn't feel the mate bond between us. My wolf, Zevin, was particularly frustrated. He had seen Cecilia's wolf, Nana, and really liked her.'Nana is stronger than I imagined. I thought she'd be as petite as Cecilia,' Zevin remarked in my mind.Zevin was a black wolf, the same color as Hogan's wolf. The black fur allowed us to blend in perfectly at night, making us more effective in combat. Despite this, Zevin took great pride in his strength and believed he didn't need camouflage. Apart from Hogan, Zevin hadn't met a werewolf who could defeat him.I felt a heavy weight in my heart and said to Zevin, "Didn't Dr. Pearce say that one must endure 24 hours of punishment from the Moon Goddess after breaking a mate bond? Maybe the Moon Goddess will arrange a new fate for Cecilia after 24 hours."Zevin nodded, but the words felt more like a comfort to me.After leaving Cecilia's room, I headed to a bar in the Thorn Pack, where Pearly had told
Cecilia POVWhen I woke the next morning, the pain in my body had lessened, though my wolf and I were still quite weak. Pearly had already packed our belongings, and I was eager to leave this dreadful place."Pearly, book an afternoon flight. Let's go home," I said."Okay!" Pearly exclaimed, hopping onto my bed and pulling out her phone to search for flights.Just as we were about to leave, Mindy entered my room. The moment she entered, she burst into tears, catching both Pearly and me off guard."What's wrong? Don't cry. Talk to us," Pearly said, moving to Mindy and placing a comforting arm around her shoulder. But the more Pearly tried to soothe her, the harder Mindy cried."You have to help me," Mindy sobbed."Calm down. Tell us what's happening," I said, gently patting her back."Rosie told me to get Dr. Pearce to bring her some medicine. But no matter how many times I called, he hung up on me. Rosie threatened to kick me out of the pack if I didn't get Dr. Pearce to her.
Vahn POVStanding at the door of Cecilia's bedroom, I found nothing but the bare bed. Even the wicker chair and small table from the balcony had been removed overnight. I remembered how Cecilia used to sit on the balcony with her tea, saying that she loved watching the sunset over the Thorn Pack."Such a sunset makes me feel healthy and optimistic," she used to say before she became Luna.Now, she was really gone—she had even erased all traces of herself from this place.I loved Freeda, but I never denied the mate bond I shared with Cecilia. 'Is Cecilia's heart made of stone?'I pounded on the door, cracking the panel.'Isn't this what you wanted?' Kai, my wolf, taunted."Shut up!"After enduring this torment for 24 hours, Kai and I were drained. When I finally returned to my room to collapse into bed, Freeda came over."How are you feeling?""I'm okay.""You've moved on. Congratulations!"I forced a smile, hiding my resentment."I came to discuss our wedding. I've picked
Cecilia POVIt took us an hour to reach the airport, followed by a two-hour flight. Finally, we arrived in Monia, the nearest city to the Lotus Pack.Since the Lotus Pack was situated in a valley, we had another three-hour drive to reach Lotus Mountain."It's already 9.00PM. Why don't we spend the night in Monia and head up tomorrow?" I suggested.As much as I wanted to get home, the mountain roads weren't safe at night. I didn't want to trouble Julian any further. He had already driven Pearly and me all day, essentially acting as our unpaid bodyguard—a task far beneath his status."Now that we're on your turf, we'll follow your lead," Julian said with a smile."Pearly, book us the priciest hotel in town," I instructed, channeling my inner girl-boss attitude.After dropping off our luggage at the hotel, I took Julian and Pearly out to try some local Monian cuisine. I hadn't been very hungry on the flight, but now that we were back, I felt rejuvenated. My appetite seemed to have
Julian POVFor the first 10 seconds of the race, I stayed in my lane and kept a deliberate distance from Ashton.When he neared the bend and began to slow down to make a right turn, I seized the opportunity. I slammed on the gas and rammed into his car.Without seats or doors, the impact sent Ashton flying out of the vehicle and tumbling down the mountain. Meanwhile, my red car, aided by the resistance from Ashton's car, managed to veer right and crash into the rocks but successfully made the turn. Before I lost control, I jumped out of the car.The whole maneuver took only 20 seconds."You're really lucky!" Wesley wasn't upset about losing the race. Rather, he patted me on the shoulder in excitement."It's not just luck. It's about calculations. Timing and speed are everything," I replied."So, you planned to use Ashton as your brakes and steering wheel from the start? Man, I didn't expect such intelligence from a werewolf. I thought you guys were just impulsive."He draped an
Cecilia POVI felt like I was consciously drowning, immediately regretting my decision not to knock back additional shots. If I had been drunk, the voices telling me I couldn't do this would have faded away. But perhaps it was precisely those doubts that fueled my rebellious urge.There was no harm in breaking some of the rules.As werewolves, we were acutely aware of each other's desires. Hence, I surrendered completely to the passion of the moment.His hands roamed up and down my spine. The way he kneaded his thumb into my breasts had me feeling needy.His kisses traced a fiery path across my collarbone and traveled over my entire body. When his stubble brushed against the inner part of my thigh,the warmth was intense as it radiated from me, but the burning between my legs made me press my thighs together. The movement forced me to let out a small moan. I needed him. The only thing I wanted was having him between my legs, whether it was his hand, face, or cock.His hand s
Julian POVWhen I woke up this morning, I glanced over to see Cecilia sleeping soundly beside me. The morning light caught the peach fuzz on her face, giving her a golden glow. Her steady breathing was gentle, and the gentle rise and fall of her chest bore a red mark. I carefully lifted the blanket and saw her body dotted with hickeys. A mischievous satisfaction bubbled up inside me, like a child reveling in a well-played prank.I never realized how mesmerizing it could be to watch a woman sleep.Though the usual morning desire tempted me to wake her, I knew she needed rest more than anything else right now, so I didn't wake her up.I headed to the hotel lobby and inquired about the best boutique nearby, hoping to buy her a dress. I chose a fiery red one, thinking of how I always cleaned up and dressed well for my mother after a battle. I wanted Cecilia's mother to see her looking radiant and vibrant.After buying the dress, I walked back to the hotel, my thoughts turning seriou
Cecilia POVI listened to Julian and slid into the passenger seat, acknowledging that his driving skills were a bit better than mine.As we drove home, my mind kept drifting back to the creature we had seen. Pearly wasn't the only one who had never seen anything like it.When I was younger, my father and brothers had taken me all over the mountains near the Lotus Pack. We had encountered all sorts of bizarre animals—giant glowing blue snakes, massive worms with hammer-shaped heads, and many more. But something like that? If it really lived here, I would have seen it before.A nagging unease settled over me, so I decided to call my mom. I tried twice, but she didn't pick up."Why isn't Mom answering?" I muttered, frowning as I prepared to dial a third time."She's probably in the kitchen making something delicious for us and didn't hear her phone," Pearly said from the back seat, handing me a bottle of lemon juice."But—""Pearly's right," Julian chimed in. "You're just getting