DARREN'S POVTo heal myself, I shifted to my wolf self. Licking my wounds and hibernating in my room. At times like this, memories of the first day I transformed haunt me. I remembered crying endlessly. That's when dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.Since then, he has lost himself. Scream and cry like a child. Blaming himself for my curse and repeating the same words, "I can fix this. Let's go back to the mountain!"But every time we ask him, he forgets. Even in his sound mind, if he recalls the day I got bitten or saw me in my fur self, he drifted into his own world.I lost myself the day my curse surfaced, and I lost my dad too. Mom suffered for it. Withdrawing herself from the world and hides in the four walls of our mansion. Hard as it is, I needed to project that I was okay. That I accepted my faith. But deep inside, I'm dying, repeatedly."Son, I think it's about time to announce your engagement with Leona," mom break the ice between us. Dad was hysterical seeing my wol
LEONA'S POVI remove my arms around Tyler and shove his hands off of me. We turned mute. Darren stood there with narrowing eyes. Tyler's face tightened in fear while Sophie returned to her table.Darren retracts, going back to his office. I followed him inside and waited for him to talk, but he just sat on his chair, breathing heavily. At first, I wondered if he was sick, but when he looked up and met my gaze, his eyes narrowed, and his veins popped from his neck."Ah, Darren?" I step back while he moves closer until my back presses the wall."Don't let other men touch you. You're mine," he groans in anger.I felt my skin shiver to the bone. I never saw him that angry. His pupils dilate, and I swear his eyes have changed color. And what's weird, he sniffed me. I thought he didn't like my smell!Did he say you're mine? Is he serious or delusional?Darren backed away and returned to his chair as if nothing had happened. I just went out of my own without any words, stunned. Did he want me
DARREN’S POV “They know each other? How did they meet? I need to know,” I pace in my room in the resort where we will stay for weeks. I saw how Andrei looked at Leona. She mesmerizes him. Something is happening between them, or maybe for my cousin or Leona. Ah! I’m going nuts! But I will find out. This photoshoot is going to be fun. I will keep an eye on those two. After settling in my room, I went out to check on Leona, and what a coincidence. Her room was across mine. We both came out all of a sudden. She was about to retreat into her room, but I heard her friend Sophie calling her name from the hallway. “Where are you going?” I asked nicely. “We are going out for a quick stroll. Sophie wants to check the island,” Leona answered shyly. “Just the two of you?” “Yeah? Tyler wants to rest, and who else would have wanted to go with us?” “No one. Enjoy your stroll,” I left hurriedly. Maybe I was just checking if Andrei would come with them, or do I want to ensure he isn’t going? S
LEONA'S POV I glared at Sophie, but she ignored me and continued out. "I want to talk to you," Darren uttered in full authority. My heart started pounding as he closed the door. "About what? Should we go outside? I mean, it's kind of…." "No. Let's talk here," Darren lay on our bed, crossing his legs comfortably. I stayed on my spot and kept my distance. I won't give him any chance to get near me or pull me closer to him. His smell turned weird. He was ecstatic, and it startled me. "So, what do you want to talk about? Is it confidential that you need to barge in our ro…." "How did you meet Andrei?" his face suddenly darkened. His aura shifted fiercely. I can sense his blood boiling and his temperature rising. What's wrong with him? I narrated how I met Andrei the night at the twenty-four-hour mart. He suddenly went calm. I can hear his pulse beating normally. It rises as his temperature rises. "That's it? Why is he acting like a close friend?" "I honestly don't know. Maybe
LEONA'S POV "Is that me?" I watch myself in the mirror. I didn't recognize my face after the makeup. "Yes, Darling, it's you! Look how gorgeous you are!" Franco, the gay makeup artist, compliments my beauty. He was bubbling about how he loved my eyelashes, hair, curves, and everything about me. It feels good when someone appreciates you. "Oh, my God! Leona, you are a Goddess! Look at you. Girl, you look like a star," Sophie giggled with tears of joy. "I thank Franco here for doing some magic on my face." "Magic? Darling, no, you are a beauty. I don't need to put a lot of makeup on you because you are a natural. Hmm?" Franco snapped his finger in the air. "See? I told you," Sophie was always a proud friend. Franco pulled out the wardrobe for my fitting. I was stunned by the clothes I needed to wear during the photoshoot at the beach. They are too skimpy, and I can't imagine myself wearing a bikini. "Are these what I will wear?" "Yes, Darling. Now go to the dressing room s
LEONA'S POV "Oh my gosh! It's Margaux!" I immediately open the window, crawl my way out, and jump to the back of the house. When I was returning to the photo shoot, I looked back and couldn't believe how I had done that—maybe adrenaline rush. I don't want to get a slap on my face again. God knows if I can still hold back my anger. From a distance, I heard Margaux enter my room and search for me. She was about to go hysterical but didn't see me inside. Darren made an excuse to check any clothes I had to replace my skimpy swimsuit. Still, Margaux got jealous of Darren's attention toward me. "Whew!" I sighed in relief. "What's wrong?" Sophie noticed my sweat and cold skin. "Nothing! Just nervous," I answered, wiping my sweat and dabbing the tissue onto my face. "Goodness! Why are you sweating like crazy?! I need a retouch here!" Franco clapped his hands and ordered his team to fix my makeup. Margaux went back to the beach, glowering. I caught her eyes looking at me angrily.
DARREN'S POV "Nothing! Okay? It was an accident," I implied. "Shut up, Darren! I want to hear it with Brent's mouth," Margaux watched Leona and Sophie with Rupert go upstairs, "Brent, what is it?" Brent told her what he saw, and Margaux snapped like a child throwing tantrums at us. She demanded me an explanation for why did I hug Leona. I didn't owe her an explanation, so I walked out and started the stairs. But Brent was too pushy and wanted to hear it from me. "Dude, do you like her? Come on, dude, answer me. I will definitely puke if you say yes," Brent followed me. I got pissed, so I told him what he wanted to hear. "No. I don't, and I never will," I answered and headed to my room. LEONA'S POV Rupert urged us to leave. We went into our room to avoid Margaux and Brent. But they are so loud that we can hear their arguments upstairs. I just wished Darren didn't do that. We are listening attentively. I opened my senses. I learned from my pack. Our colleagues are on the
LEONA’S POV Unfortunately, Franco was not satisfied with some of the pictures. Even the camera operators and the marketing team. Some photos need to retake, and Mr. Hanada wanted a collaboration of the Muse men and women models. That would only tell that Darren and I will do a photo shoot together. Awkward. After what happened last night, I can’t even look him in the eyes. I was whining to myself when Sophie entered the room. “What are you doing here?” “I didn’t say anything! What?!” I turned to the startling. “You just sell yourself. All right, what is it?” “What?!” I glared at her and sat on the bed. “You were saying something, and don’t lie. Because if there’s nothing wrong, you wouldn’t be here hiding with that dress and full makeup on.” Yeah, I forgot I was wearing the dress I used during the photo shoot yesterday and wearing full makeup. After Franco painted my face, I felt jittery and hid in the room. I sighed and sat on the bed. My mind is battling with me if I
VICTORIA’S POV“Imbeciles!” I roared thunderously, “How can a pack of rogues outsmarted you?!”“Victoria, calm down. Your know how rogues think. They will do everything to get what they want. No one expected that,” Alpha Scott defended our guards. I wanted to cut off their heads and feed them to the lions. “How can I calm down when they have Leona now? Tell me!”Sooner or later Leona will recover and came back to help with the uprising. She needs to pay her debt. A life for a life. She killed my father, then I will kill her.“First, we must find their nest, retrieve Leona and pursue the execution day fast. The council will suspect now why we didn’t showed them Leona.”“Exactly. What are we going to do now?” I asked. “Attack first. Kill them all especially Leona and her boyfriend. I smell something’s fishy with him.”“Very well,” I send out my men to search the rogues hideout. Well see if Leona can escape again. When alone, I went to my father’s grave and reminded of myself my promi
DARREN’S POVWe used the shortcut that Ellen showed me. It was one of the fastest way for us to arrive in the pack. One of the spies informed us that Leona was taken out of her cave and now facing the whole pack for her execution. She was tied up on a poll and very weak due to beating. The spies would sometimes suck in the cave and gave her food and drinks to survive. Victoria ordered now to feed Leona to weaken her. “We are going to attack the pack that’s it?” I asked Ellen again for clarity. They will be a diversion while I help Leona to escape. Today, they will kill Victoria. “Are you nervous Darren? You’ve been asking the same question since yesterday, and I still answer the same thing.”“Yes, I am very nervous. I’ve been to a fight but not the whole pack. I’m afraid what would happen during the battle.”“Don’t be. Keep your head on this battle, and stay focus.”“Right.”Ellen joined Anna and the other Rogue while I will have to go to other wolves who camouflage as members of
DARREN’S POV“Drinking her blood. I am not sure about that. Our situation right now is very complicated. Leona needs my help.”“But your curse will be permanent on your birthday. Its up to you,” the healer walked away. Tomorrow is my thirtieth birthday. The day set for me to lift my curse, and Leona was still in the cave, lock in a silver cage, and fighting for her life. If I drink her blood, we will all end up dead in this place. No ones going to save us but ourselves and I’m sure Victoria deployed all their guards to tighten the security in triple. “Hey, what have you decided to do tomorrow? If you want to tell Leona about the blood, we could sneak inside the cave and tell her,” Ellen said. She took a break of polishing their weapons. “I have to save Leona. Maybe if we get lucky tomorrow, I could tell her about the blood and drink it before the day ends.”“In that case, braise yourself, and relax. You need your strength tomorrow. We need you.” Ellen went back to her chores. I was
DARREN’S POV“Did you sleep well?” Ellen checked on me in the guest room. I didn’t sleep well last night and kept staring at the moon while everybody was sleeping soundly. “Not really. First time in this place I guess.”“You have to get use to it. By the way, breakfast is ready. The Omega will come here later to serve your clothes and everything that you need.”“Wait, what? The Omegas? I don’t need their help. Just give me the clothes and I can take care of myself.”“Apparently, that is not how it works here. You are the Alpha, we all serve you.” Ellen left before I could even uttered a word. So that was what Leona told me. She was an Omega and her undying duty was to serve the Alpha and the future Luna. Without her knowing that she is the true Alpha. And as expected, the Omegas came with some clothes Anna picked for me to wear. Aside from that, they arranged my bath and asked to scrub my body which was too much. I totally declined. “I can take care of myself. Thank you,” I deman
DARREN’S POVEllen and I waited at the end of the cave. Indeed, Victoria visits Leona after sunset. She was pleased to captured her and tortured her. I wanted to intervene, but Ellen stopped me. I am no good to Leona dead. “What’s your plan? It better be a good one,” I walked out of the cave so as not to hear my beloved Leona’s scream. I cannot bear to witness her suffering.“We will save her on the day of her execution. In front of the whole pack and the council.”“Why not right now?! What if Victoria kills Leona before that day comes?” “She won’t. It is her pride to kill in font of the entire pack the true Alpha of this pack.”“Huh? What do you mean?” “Come with me.” Ellen led me to jungle. Out of the packs domain. We need to stay hidden especially her. She was an outcast now. A rogue. Victoria caught her but was saved by other rogue werewolves who oppressed the current Alpha. They had been trying to remove Alpha Riley and now Victoria on the throne. But none of the council lis
DARREN’S POVWe were waiting at the Eldrich’s property impatiently. Nothing shows up. Leona was out there somewhere in the forest.I packed my bags. I can’t stay and let the hours passed by. Leona’s life us at risk. “Bro, you can’t go out there and search for Leona. God knows what was waiting for us there. It's not safe!” Rupert stopped me. “I need to do this. Leona is out there fighting for her life and what am I doing? Nothing. What if no one come huh? Who’s going to save her?”“But Mariko said someone will come. Have faith, bro.”“You can stay here if you like,” I continued packing. No one could stop me. Not even Rupert. When suddenly, someone was at the door, knocking loudly. Rupert opened it and was taken aback. A werewolf entered the house. “Darren!” I face the werewolf and was about to shift, but it shifted back to human form and mentioned my name. I quickly told Rupert to go to Leona’s room and check some clothes for the woman. She was panting and fell in my arms. I cove
LEONA’S POVMy only lite was the torch left by the guards. I screamed as loud as I could, but no one hears me. And the silver cage suddenly makes me weak. My head was throbbing with pain. I’m losing focus. I’m not supposed to get affected by it because I am a human. Why am I feeling weak? Why do I feel like my skin was burning?“Darren, if you could hear me, help. Help me!”I tried calling Darren inside my head. Since he was my mate, I was hoping he could hear me though I am a human. He might not noticed my call because being werewolves was all Darren know.*******Meanwhile, news about Leona’s captured circulated the pack like virus Ellen discovered her best friend’s returned and investigate. Ellen asked her friend guards and confirmed the news. “Can I see her?” Ellen asked the favor. The guards gave her fifteen minutes to talk to Leona and then leave the exit passage of the cave. She couldn’t let her come back in the entrance. It would cost her job and life. Ellen agreed and s
DARREN’S POVSophie handed me a letter from Leona. She was followed by that Alpha Scott and went back with him to Manhattan obediently. “No, no!” I quickly loaded my things in my car and was about to leave when Rupert and Mom stopped me.“Bro, what’s going on? Why are you such in a hurry? And where is Leona?”“They took her! I must save her before they execute her!”“What? Hold on son, who are you talking about? Can you stop for a while and talk about this?” Mom demanded an answer. Mon urged me to go back inside. Desperate, I went back inside and decided to tell them Leona’s story. It would be hard to believe, but some stories are true. “Are you joking? Because this isn’t a good joke Darren!” Mom admonished, feeling shocked. “I wish I am, Mom, but I am not. Leona grew up in the world of werewolves. She was their slaves.”“Oh, God, that is horrible! Are they going to execute her now?”“Hopefully not, Mom. I need to go there and save her. Besides, the lost daughter of Luna Aurora is
MIA’S POV“I’m not crazy! He is a monster!” We heard Margaux shouted to the townsmen who mocked he, “I will get you Darren and the whole world will know about you! I swear to God!” Margaux threatened us before leaving. Swearing to exposed Darren and me. I felt her determination, and I know this isn’t the end. “We better keep an eye on Margaux. She will be back,” Darren said drinking a lot of water. “And that is the reason why we need to leave this place and move somewhere safe, away from the people,” Madam Sonia chimed in. Darren doesn’t like her decision and rebuke the conversation. “Oh, Darren!” Don Rafael came to him, crying like a child. He was worried about the townsmen and brought up the thought of leaving. Like a child, he asked Darren to moved out and knows a place where he would be safe. “Where? I don’t think there are place in this world where werewolves are accepted in the society.”“There is I~I forgot where,” Don Rafael scratched his head, digging deeply in his brai