(Alexander)SOMETIMES, when I look at them, I see nothing of the happy family everyone was talking about. I look at the Aldanas and I see bridges burning.Dominique and Chantal were very attentive to Katriona. They could easily bag the best mother and sister awards as they fill her plate with food. For outsiders, the two would appear very sweet. Someone had to look closely to see that their gestures were meant to embarrass Katriona, to make her look unstable and very dependent in front of other people which seemed to be their motive anyway.But Katriona just took whatever they offered with that alluring smile of hers. In fact, she sounded bubbly when she thanked them.The Katriona in the North was very transparent. But the Katriona in the city was an enchanting puzzle. I could no longer guess what she was thinking. She was smiling so beautifully but gone was the usual warmth I would feel within whenever she smiles.She was sitting between me and Bradley. Why was this bastard even here
(Katriona)“STOP looking at her as if she is the only one who deserves all your time and attention. Open your eyes! Can’t you see that my sister doesn’t see you the way I do? I’ve loved you since we were young! My feelings had never changed even if you left the city. Look, if this is about my former fiancé, don’t mind him. What I had with him was purely based on business. What I feel for you is nothing like that. It’s stronger. I always knew you would return to the city one day, alpha. I waited for you. For me, it’s always been you. So, please look at me, too.”I was inside my room and currently changing my clothes for my date with Bradley when I heard Chantal say all that. If I didn’t know about her nonexistent heart, I would say that she was hurt. But that was the thing about my sister. She could say and do whatever was necessary to rise on top.She could fake anything… even love.I was sure that dramatic speech was meant for Alexander since Bradley excused himself a while ago to ta
WITH every step I took away from Alexander, my wolf howled. I could feel her clawing out of my chest, desperate to reach out to him. I had to stop moving for a minute when the clawing got too much that I almost couldn’t breathe.This was a hundred times worse than burning inside that barn house, than being pushed in the stairs, or getting struck by Chantal’s arrows. It felt like the pain was stealing my breath away.When my memories returned, I didn’t cry. When I realized I was betrayed or when I remembered my family’s lies, my eyes remained dry. Even when I shed blood last night and saw the monster I needed to become, no tear had slipped from my eyes.I wouldn’t break that now.I wouldn’t cry this time either.
(Alexander)‘AN ALPHA should have three things: pride, honor, and strength. Lose one and you can forget about ruling a pack.’ That was the number one lesson the professors taught me during university days.Honor? Check. Strength? Double check. As for the pride, it had been crossed out of the goddamn list the second I decided to drive back to the Aldana estate. While ringing the doorbell, I had to completely abandon that five-letter word.It was raining. The warrior that I assigned here told me that Katriona came home alone. She had no memories of the North and how she bravely conquered the rain and the thunder back there. I didn’t want to leave her with Charlotte and Diana in moments like this. She must be in the bathroom again, sitting on the tiled floor, as the water runs from the shower.Just imagining it filled me with worry.Diana opened the gate with a male servant holding her massive floral umbrella for her.“Did you finally realize your mistake, Alpha Trevor? Are you here to
“STOP trying to recruit me in your miserable club. I’m already happy with my own life. I can pick my own woman. I don’t need your help. Pair me up with Charmaine or another woman again and you’ll all see what happens next. Those are Alpha Alexander’s exact lines when he barged into the castle and announced that to the ministers there.”Lauren giggled. “You should have seen everyone’s reaction, Katie. They were so shocked. But what they found more shocking was about Charmaine. They didn’t know who she was. I didn’t know either. Until he told them that he’s referring to your sister. Finally. That bitch has found someone who wouldn’t fall for her trap. It’s time for her to get off her high horse. Have I told you how much I dislike her?”She did. Many times, actually.She said it was hate at first sight. She hated Chantal even if she didn’t do anything to her. She said it had something to do with her gut feeling. She used to warn me not to trust her too much but of course, I didn’t listen
(Alexander)“THE BEASTS always recognize each other. I saw Katriona’s. Her beast looked straight into my eyes, into my wolf. What surprises me is that the beasts surrounding her don’t recognize her,” I told Clyde and Duke when we were the only ones left in the conference room. “Aside from that, she is staying awfully quiet. This is not her. Katriona is not introducing her beast to anyone when she could use it to stop the people from looking down at her, especially her family and the Order.”Clyde stared at the house of cards he built on our conference table. “That’s because Katriona’s beast is in an entirely different league. Besides, what’s wrong with being silent? The silent ones are always the deadliest, buddy.”I put down the phone that I had been using to browse engagement rings. “What do you mean? Do you know something?”Duke’s lips twitched in amusement. “Are you finally done being a delulu, my dear nephew?”“Thinking ahead and being delusional are two different things, uncle.”
KATRIONA remembered me and she was out to hurt me back. To deny me. And worse, to erase me from her system and from her life.I wanted to push it and tell her that what she heard in the basement was not real. She must have been thinking that just like everyone else, I tricked her. But after seeing how she broke down, after remembering how she looked at me with those dead eyes, I had to restrain myself.She had been too broken that whatever I say now would not help with her pain. I don’t think she would believe me either. And she had every right not to believe in me. She was protecting herself… from me. I was relieved that she had learned how to value herself more.Still, it hurt like hell. But I will take all the pain she would throw my way as long as she was alive and I get to see her safe and sound. I would rather we fight like this than not have anything at all with her.Clyde was right. Katriona was taking her revenge. She wanted to break me. That was my intention, too, when I to
(Katriona)I WISHED my body could lie as effectively as my mouth. But even now, I couldn’t deny the tingling between my legs. My body was a traitor. I thought I was just craving food again. But once this bastard started touching me, I realized that the one I was craving for was him. No food could satisfy me because it was him that I wanted.If I try hard enough, I know I could push Alexander away. And yet, I wasn’t doing that. Instead, I had been fighting the urge to run my fingers through his hair, to remove his hair tie, and mess it up a little.My body, at the moment, was a hopeless case for this man.It didn’t help that Alexander’s eyes had become darker as he watched my every move like a predator waiting for his chance to pounce on his next victim.“You’re a pervert, do you know that?” I said in a hoarse voice.“Only for you. Besides, whether you admit it or not, you love me more because of it.” He tossed the melted ice cream in a nearby trash bin before he casually wiped my han
IT WAS past eight in the evening when I received a call from Clyde informing me about Willow and Katriona’s location. I teleported right away; my chest was still pounding.And there, I found the loveliest pregnant woman in the world.Katriona was in a yellow dress that barely reached her knees.God, it felt so nice to see her wearing bright colors again.She was standing in front of our home… back in the North.When she saw me, concern crossed her eyes as she started explaining, “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to leave. I mean how could I? That’s still technically my house. I only wanted to visit this place with Willow for a moment. She teleported us here but we lost track of the time wandering around. I also met the other kids again. They requested me to play the guitar and before I knew it, we were having lunch and snacks together.“When I finally wanted to come back, Willow got dizzy and we had to stay longer. The omegas called the doctor and guess what? She’s pregnant!” Katriona’s eyes
(Alexander)“DID you see that, Xander? I won!”My smile widened when I saw Katriona’s eyes shone after beating a former warrior in chess. I loved to see her win and it was precisely because of this smile. Everyone in the room was just watching her as she stood up to greet me as if it was the most natural thing to do.I looked at the chessboard before smiling at her. I kissed her forehead. “You did great, love.”After Dane’s death more than a month ago, I thought I would see Katriona waver. She didn’t. She had only let herself mourn for a day and the next day; she started exploring knowing that her father wouldn’t like to see her wallow in misery.She drove around the city and in the nearby provinces all by herself. But of course, I was right there, following her secretly from afar. She had no problems still doing anything she wanted to do because she was naturally strong. It was just two weeks before she gave birth now but her little bump could pass as only five months.She traveled a
MY STEPS slowed down when I finally saw him again. Today, he was no longer in that custom-styled suit. His leather shoes had been replaced by sneakers and he looked untidy for the first time. Gone was his regal aura.He didn’t look like a king anymore.But a lost old man.He was rocking himself back and forth while holding his mate’s photo as he stared at the clear sky from the window.I had always doubted his wife. And I’d already rehearsed about what I would tell him after I was able to show him her true colors. But it turned out that there was no need for that anymore. Beatrice had shown him all her darkness and this man bravely and foolishly accepted that darkness.I no longer had to ask if his black heart was finally breaking at last and if he was feeling that same agony that he put me and my mother through.Because it was already showing. His eyes had become swollen with tears. And the photo he was holding was already soaked with those tears.Now that I think about it, maybe Aug
TO MY SURPRISE, there were more wolves who jumped down the gates and joined our pack. Half of them were the members of the Order. The others were the royal family’s warriors themselves. Alexander and I glanced at each other and nodded as we led the pack towards the mages.Clyde had blocked every spell thrown our way. The mages may possess strong powers but without them, their bodies were like those of humans. Compared to them, the shifters were still faster, especially me and my mate. And with Clyde blocking the attacks, we were able to charge forward.I sank my claws and teeth into the body of the first mage I saw and tore his arms apart before slamming him onto the wall before I proceeded to another mage.“Katriona!”I wouldn’t have stopped until I heard that voice.It was Rhodora.She stood a few meters away from me. But what caught my attention was the sword she was holding. Alexander had told me about it. It was the missing sword. The Legacy. The one from my ancestors.“No one hu
(Katriona)R HAD one mistake. She may have been successful in masking her scent from my wolf but she left a drop of her blood on the floor. She was injured when she came here to spy on me herself. Her latest victims must have tried fighting so hard for their lives before they died in her hands.When Alexander called Clyde over, the mage did not waste time to prove himself. He still felt guilty for failing to cure my father and he was too eager to offer help in any way possible that tracing the owner of the blood did not take him much time.He was also inspired more than ever now since Willow was back on his side. I heard that they got separated after Willow decided to marry the man her parents had chosen for her who was also a shifter. It happened years ago. She was so afraid that her parents would disown her that she chose them over her own heart. Unfortunately, her husband sold her to the high-ranking mages. Since then, her life had fallen apart.Now that they were back in each oth
Fifteen years ago…‘THAT’S ENOUGH, Johann! I’m begging you! Just hit me, okay? I would take it all! Please spare our son! Bradley is still too young for this!’ Beatrice screamed as she struggled to crawl on the floor to reach us.‘No, mom! I’ll be fine,’ I mouthed and tried to smile to reassure her despite the blood dripping in my head. ‘This will be over soon. Just please... look the other way for now. I can still take it.’Tears streamed down her cheeks. She could barely open her left eye after Johann made her his punching bag again last night. Her right cheek was swollen, she had cuts on her face, and bruises all over her body. Each time I would see her framed picture in the living room, the only picture she had before she married my father, I couldn’t believe that it was her.No one would be able to recognize her like this anymore.Beatrice looked thinner and smaller now. Her bright smile from the picture was replaced by sheer agony, by her tears that I see every waking day of my
(Alexander)I BREATHED sharply and braced myself for the worse. I could still remember how the King and the Order looked at me like I had gone insane when I rejected the crown. They must have been expecting some good news when they saw me in a flashy suit after a long time.They must have thought the suit was for them.Hell, no. It was exclusively for this interview.Duke, the oldest in my pack, happened to also be the only one among us who had a social media account. He saw the post, took a screenshot, and sent it to me last night. I shook my head. I could still imagine him grinning as he tried playing cupid for the first time.I never wanted to be a king. I only considered it when I thought Katriona wanted to be a queen.But she didn’t.Everyone has been failing to see it but she only wanted to be herself.She had lost herself for too long that there was no other role she wanted than to finally be the real Katriona Aldana. She was still in the middle of rediscovering herself, of re
I COULD not tell how long I had been running. I just knew I needed to escape for a while and calm myself because I didn’t want dad to see me have a meltdown in front of him once he woke up. I didn’t want him to worry again.I was sure he would already worry about breaking his promise to me again.I ran and stopped only when I was in the middle of the woods. I howled and howled until my throat burned, until the nearby wolves had awakened and howled with me.Clyde’s last words were still echoing in my head.‘We found two kinds of poison in your father’s body. I was only able to get rid of the one affecting his wolf. It was no doubt the poison your wolf had detected. The second poison, however, seemed like it had been in Dane’s system for years. It has already spread in different parts of his body. I’m sorry but you need to prepare yourself, Katriona.’‘How much time do you think we have left?’ I asked, my voice was shaking.Clyde sighed. ‘To be honest, I don’t think your father can make
HIS SHOULDERS shook.Dad had always been a proud man but tonight, he looked defeated, like somebody had taken all his hopes and dreams away. I clenched my hands.My expression hardened when I spoke, “What did I do this time, dad? Where did I go wrong again? I’ve manifested as the wolf you had always wanted me to become so why do you still look like that? Is it because of Chantal? Look at me and see who is here for you right now! See me for what I am! I am your only daughter! Chantal is never going to come back! I will not allow someone who tried to kill you to ever step foot into this estate again!”Dad looked at me and my stomach twisted at the agony in his eyes. “I had hurt you so much, didn’t I?”“Yes, you did.” My voice cracked. “And I want to hate you so much for it, dad.”He lowered his head. “I’m so sorry.”“I tried telling you about it, dad. You didn’t believe me. You lied to me. You said you would be my protector. You swore to be there to chase away the monsters under my bed.