DANE’S lips parted as he watched the daughter he unknowingly mistreated. Even the men behind the drums had paused as Katriona let out the loudest roar this kingdom had ever heard, making the wolves inside them whimper. The guests' hands tremble while holding their phones. Their screens broke with the impact of Katriona’s roar.I grinned. That’s my woman.The betas staggered. Their wolves shrunk while the alphas had instantly recognized the descendant of the moon goddess and their true alpha queen. She was as big as the alphas. And when she roared, everyone’s wolf was affected. Including mine. Under the moonlight, the specks of brown and crimson on Katriona’s white fur looked like blood.She was beautiful, the most beautiful wolf I had ever seen.This was her dream. Seeing her finally become the best version of herself filled my chest with so much pride. She had been denied this her whole life. She had made the ground her stage. The little wallflower was now turning into the brightes
“WHAT kind of game are you playing, Katriona?”Chantal’s voice was low.I flicked my eyes back to her who was now being dragged by the warriors. I motioned them to stop for a while. Her legs were still bleeding from the bite and it would continue to bleed and ache for a long time unless I gave her my blood which I had no plan of doing.Every day, she would beg to just die because of the pain but she wouldn’t die. I will make sure of that. Chantal still had more than two decades to make it up to me. So, even if she dies, I will revive her if I have to. Only to make her go through the same helplessness over and over again until her mind gives out. And I will make her mother watch just like how I made her watch through her cell as her daughter’s birthday surprise unfolded in front of her.Chantal would never be able to use those legs to stomp on people anymore. After this, she would not get to look others in the eyes with the same arrogance she had before.I stared at her for a minute. T
‘HE may not be the alpha you will choose in the end. But he will always be the alpha who will love you the most… even after you are done choosing.’Those were Clyde’s words when we met the other night for the blood contract. Before that, he asked to speak with Willow through video call to make sure that she was safe.‘I know you have no reason to believe me but that day, you were not the only one who was wrecked, Katriona. I hope you will regain all of your memories for your sake and for my best friend’s as well.’I met Alexander’s eyes while Clyde’s words were still playing in my head. My hands instinctively reached out to touch his cheeks but at the last minute, I clenched my hands and put them inside the pockets of the coat I was wearing. He made sure that I was decent enough to face everyone. That's why before the warriors arrested Chantal, I was already wearing a dress, his coat, and a pair of sneakers.So many things have changed between us now. These days, I was the one doing t
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.
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
(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
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
(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