PEONY CRIMSON’S POVThe sweet warmth in Xavier's arms brought a sense of safety and serenity to my soul. For a few seconds, the world seemed to be ours alone. I drank in the rhythm of his heart, merging with my own. To the love I found in the way his eyes looked at me, a single tear slid from the corner of my eye.As he gently set me back down on the ground, out of nowhere an excruciating pain pierced my chest, making my breath catch in my throat."Ouch!" I hissed softly, trying to endure the pain. Xavier noticed immediately, his eyes full of worry as he released his embrace."Peony, what happened?" His voice was full of anxiety."Ughh!" I groaned, "I don't feel good."I squeezed my left chest, which felt as though thousands of needles were sticking out of it. My head was heavy and my breathing was laborious. Breathing became challenging, as if something were tightly constricted around my chest. The intense beating against my ribs and the churning sensation in my stomach made the pain
PEONY CRIMSON'S POVThe bright light gradually went out of my perception as my surroundings shifted. We were standing in the front yard of the packmansion, which appeared to be glowing after some repairs, with Xavier's hand still around my waist. The procession of maids and employees greeting us surprised me even more. "Welcome back," Xavier whispered, landing a sweet peck on my forehead."Welcome back Luna Peony." they all bowed respectfully.I didn't see this coming. Really, the last time I was here, they all seemed to have forgotten about me. Yet now they were bowing respectfully to welcome my return to White Moon. Xavier led me inside. I glanced at the maids and caught Fey among them. She threw me a fleeting smile of encouragement before bowing again. "What? Why do they call me that?" I asked, "I don't need this kind of excessive respect."Xavier giggled softly. "You need to. Zedd announced it officially yesterday."As I tightened my grip on Xavier's arm, I looked back. There w
PEONY CRIMSON’S POVI rested on Xavier's shoulder and closed my eyes, listening to the calm, regular beat of his heart. His arms encircled my nude body beneath the sheets. I could temporarily forget all the chaos in my life while I was in his warm, secure hug. For the remainder of my life, I needed this comfort, and my triplets did too.I told Luna Lucia about my dream a few hours before dawn, and then Xavier returned to convince me to go to bed. But knowing that Rose and Violet's fate was uncertain, how could I sleep? My longing for Jasmine was intensely pressing against my chest as well. I ended myself whimpering beneath Xavier as he kissed my anxieties off my body rather than falling asleep.I noticed that hues of purple and orange were beginning to emerge in the pitch-black sky outside the window. My body was exhausted from lack of sleep, but at least I was able to think a little more clearly and be more composed than I had been the night before.I blinked, watching Xavier play a
PEONY CRIMSON’S POVElenor gasped. "How?" Alpha Aragon and I assisted Luna as Xavier got a chair for her to sit in. I believed they had rushed here without caring enough about her pregnant self to tell me this right away. Alpha Aragon took off his jacket and set it on his wife's shoulder.I sent Elenor off with Gloria to take care of Rose and Violet's stability because I felt that the ritual would not be performed that day."How could the goddess reach you?" I asked."She came into my dream last night, just like you had that day." She more or less told me that in her dream, the Moon Goddess appeared in the form of a wolf exactly like the one I had seen in my own dream. I still couldn't believe that such a seemingly harmless and meaningless dream was related to all this."So we just cancel this ritual?" Xavier asked, "What do we do, then?"Luna Lucia asked Alpha Aragon to fetch an ancient calendar from the temple's storage cabinet. While scanning the dates on the calendar, Luna Lucia
AZALEA'S POVWith a snap, all the crystals on the hallway wall lit up. Its soft yellowish glow illuminated the darkness but still left enough shadow. I walked down the passage as I traced the surface of the wall with my fingertips. Feeling the dampness and coldness of the stones, and listening to everything that happened behind them. A tower for a witch wasn't just a building to live or work in, it was also a true friend and a good reporter. Because I could listen to everything that happened inside the tower with just one touch.I swung the door wide open. I ordered the two witches who were observing Jasmine's green crystal's performance to leave. The normally talkative and curious six-year-old girl remained completely quiet. To be frank, this was quite a pleasant sight. She never seemed to run out of questions, always keeping me on my toes and making my head spin. "Now what should I do with you?" I asked the air. I circled the bed, scanning the girl's body and the blackish patche
AZALEA’S POV"Did someone die?" I chuckled, "Peony, perhaps? No?"The calico cat wriggled her tail in the air as she leered at the door. I opened it, going where the cat's slick paws took me. When we eventually reached the tower, the cat changed into a fiery-haired woman in an instant."You're not going to like this," she said with a grimly serious expression."What is it, Elenor?" She didn't say anything until we arrived at Jasmine's infirmary. When we entered, Elenor leered at the girl then let out a long sigh as if being consumed by disappointment."She is not the blessed one.""Then is it Violet?" I asked, but she stared at me in dismay.To be honest, from the moment I saw the triplets on the day I took them in, my eyes had fallen on Violet. Her eyes showed that she was a brave and determined little girl who wasn't afraid to say what she thought or deal with the problems life brought her. She really nailed the role of the older sister. There was something in her eyes—a hint of
XANDER ALVERIUS' POV"Son of a bitch!" I threw my phone against the wall with anger boiling in my head when two knocks on the door came. "What do you want?" I snapped."Alpha, I brought the report you asked for yesterday." The voice came from Stuart. I wiped my face roughly, ignoring my phone that was shattered on the floor, and flung myself into a chair. "Come in."Stuart approached me with a reserved demeanor. He held a bunch of papers and added them to the chaotic heap on the desk. I casted a casual glance at the documents, my lack of interest evident as I reclined in the chair.Stuart cleared his throat. "First, I heard a rumor that Miss Peony and your brother have officially made their relationship.""Ha. I figured as much." I groaned, "I paid a hell of a lot of pain because of it."Deep down inside my left chest beat a heart, but no one could hear it since it was replaced by an enormous hole that only I could see. A void brought from the mating bond break. A clue that, while de
PEONY CRIMSON’S POV"Zinnia!" Datura barked as she chased after her sister. The two young pups were having a blast, tumbling around on the lush green grass in front of the packhouse. Meanwhile, I sat at the picnic table, observing their playful antics. The early fall sky was adorned with delicate clouds, and despite the chilly breeze, the two wolves were engrossed in their playful antics.In spite of the delightful and charming sight in front of me, I couldn't help but feel that this precious moment was temporary, bound to vanish like a fleeting breeze. "Are you guys okay?" I asked, approaching Zinnia and Datura who were lying on the grass. They shook out their furs, then shifted to their human forms in unison."Excellent." Rose smiled brightly, not looking tired at all. "Zinnia is friendly and caring. She told me many things about the Goddess in my head. Last night, we talked about so many things that I slept late. Sorry, Ma."I chuckled as I handed her a glass of milk. "It's oka
PEONY CRIMSON'S POV Ten years later.His tongue swept across my teeth, claiming every inch of my mouth as his own. I was breathless, but with his hand on my ass, I couldn't help but deepen our kiss. The warm spring sunlight from the window falls on my hand on Xavier's nape. In his office, I was on his lap, pausing the kiss to take a deep breath. Our eyes met, locked, and the explosion of love in my heart grew greater and greater by the second.Xavier's thumb wiped away the saliva on the corner of my lips. His golden eyes glistened with warmth. His hand on my waist gave me a sense of security and comfort that hasn't gotten old at all over the past years.Xavier's hand traveled down my skirt. His touch burned every inch of skin and stung my inner thighs. I bit my lower lip when he rubbed my skin so gently and temptingly. I could see his mischievous grin when his finger slipped under my panties.“AHEM!” I gasped in surprise, almost falling over if Xavier didn't hold my waist. We both
PEONY CRIMSON'S POVThe gravestone bore Xander's name. A sculptor from Blue Moon skillfully carved it in no time. Even the carver was shocked when he was told to write his Alpha's name on it. This was due to the unpredictability of the man's permanent departure from the world.I was still in denial too. Only a few nights ago, Xander and I were finally on the same page, but later, I witnessed his body being placed in a casket and lowered into the grave.My eyes were swollen and my cheeks were puffy. My chest ached and my head was spinning. My energy was so drained that I didn't know how I'd find the strength to stand in front of Xander's grave. I was so mentally and physically exhausted that everything felt numb.My gaze shifted to the dozens of bouquets of flowers piled up on the mound of dirt. All of Blue Moon exploded in grief when the news came, then they flocked to accompany their Alpha to his final resting place. Xander was ruthless, volatile, and as fiery as his blood-red eyes,
PEONY CRIMSON'S POV "N-No, Vi-Violet. She's gonna break her promise again and again!" I cried out, grimacing at the pain wracking my head and body every time I tried to open my mouth. Killian rewarded me with an angry glare, as his hands clenched into fists, the more pain his shadow tormented me with.“Silence!” Azalea gasped, “The first thing I'll do after absorbing her blessing is to kill you!”I laughed like crazy. “You hear that, sweetheart?”Violet pressed Rose even closer in her arms. She had a defensive look in her eyes as she shielded her sister with fierce protectiveness. Azalea seemed weary of this little game. Her steps galloped closer. No matter how loud I screamed, Killian held me down with his magic and Azriel restrained me from getting up. My face repeatedly slammed into the ground, I swallowed dust and grass, but no matter what I had to stop Azalea from touching my daughters.And then, at the promised moment, it was like time stopped and everything went silent. In a
PEONY CRIMSON’S POVMy breathing slowed, stabilized. My rage was transformed by the satisfaction of seeing the Saintess lying on the ground. The corner of my lips lifted bitterly. As I was about to turn around, Elenor's hand suddenly caught my ankle and I almost tripped."You'll never know how powerful Azalea will be." Elenor coughed.I pulled my hand free from her grip. "She will never get the chance."Ignoring her, I strode back to Luna Lucia and Violet. Both were fine, but something sparkled in Violet's eyes when she looked at me. "You're okay?" I cupped my hand to her cheek. "Let's get out."Luna Lucia shook her head. "No, I think this is my limit. I can't walk any further," she breathed tiredly, "Huft... who knows that being pregnant makes my knees weak?"I gave her a sympathetic look, grasping her hand. The baby in her belly was the future of her pack, I couldn't force her to take risks if it endangered them both. "I know. I'm so sorry for dragging you into all of this mess. B
XAVIER ASHERIUS'S POVA tangy metallic blood dripping from Felix's muzzle stung our olfaction. The crimson liquid tainted all over the ground like paint on a canvas, added with corpses with ripped open neck as finishing touch.We changed shifts back into human and walked toward Jasmine on the stone table. Poor girl tied up, eyes closed, a purplish bruise on her neck. I watched Xander loosen the rope, totally self-aware that I couldn't precede him to help the girl."Didn't hold back at all, huh?"My eyes darted to the cave door. A woman with platinum blonde so bright it'd blind others and a pair of wicked green irises. A low growl escaped Xander's throat as he saw her."Take Jasmine back to White Moon. You're needed there more. I got this," Xander growled, patting my shoulder with a straight ahead glare.Giving him a quick nod, I slipped an arm under Jasmine's neck and down her legs, carrying her. Me and Xander were basically on the same boat, with the witches’ betrayal. But as I agree
PEONY CRIMSON'S POV "Seems like there's nothing to worry about so far," Elenor murmured, settling herself in an armchair by the fireplace.So that my two daughters could feel a little more at ease in this climate of caution, the Saintess, Rose, Violet, and Luna Lucia all made their way to the library.I was confused at first; after all, how could the Darkness have known about the Gifted One's return? Luna Lucia explained that they learned a lot from the Mystwolves they killed, and that it was easy to acquire secrets, even if they were based on rumor.The point is that the Darkness had their sights set on Rose. They would reach White Moon at some point. Ha, they wanted to take my daughter? Over my dead body."Is there anything we can do here, Ma?" asked Rose, all anxious but seemingly trying to hide it by fidgeting her fingers. Violet was next to her, tense and alarmed. She kept frequent glances at Elenor. If I showed them mine, it would only worsen their mood. In this uncertain stat
XAVIER ASHERIUS'S POVAll of the trees in the Nameless Forest had leaves that were turning orange and yellow by the time autumn arrived. The dry grass crunched beneath our feet as we came to a quiet stop not far from the cave we were heading to. Other than the wind whistling and the chirping of migrant birds, there was no sound. At that point, the silence in the area made me uneasy.A black wolf next to me pricked up his ears and glared towards the cave entrance. I told the mages to go into the cave and assess the situation first, while the other wolves dispersed behind us.I couldn't help but inwardly hope that at least two or three mages would stand guard there so that I could quickly complete this mission, bring Jasmine home and return to my new life with Peony as a happy, intact family."We must rush in and wipe them out! No time for strategy!" Felion snarled, "I'll behead all of those pesky witches!"Yes, the vicious Felion was hiding behind the irrational Xander. The fury had be
PEONY CRIMSON'S POVI straightened up and sat staring at him with a kind of bitterness filling the roof of my mouth, surprised to be shoved so unkindly. "That he is worthy of forgiveness." I said, no louder than the swish of the night breeze, but as serious as a heart attack. Xavier also sat up, squaring his shoulders. He blinked, then chuckled. His hand tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear."My Queen, your jokes are hilarious," he replied, about to lead me back to bed.I shook my head. "No, I mean it," I emphasized, "The deep regret and despair mixed with anger reflected so brightly in his eyes when he talked to me."A sheen of pain smeared across Xavier's golden eyes, and he squinted. His hands dropped to the mattress and his glare hardened, slashing the air between us with disdain.It felt like a very long time had passed between us at that precise moment. At that moment, he appeared so far away and inaccessible, even though we were sitting across from one other on the same b
PEONY CRIMSON’S POVThe team leaders, gammas, and betas convened in the meeting room. I was treated far more respectfully by the members ever when I was officially introduced as Luna. They were also aware that my girls were the subject of the discussion. I could see their confused glances as they found Xander standing as far away from the table as possible, with all his pent-up anger suppressing the atmosphere. "I sent Stuart and his team to the cave where I found the triplets. When we thought it was just an ordinary one, it turned out to hold something beyond measure." Xander was the first to speak up after Xavier had summarized the problem.Stuart laid out a drawing resembling a beehive on a sheet of watercolor paper on the table. The top left corner features a cardinal arrow. The illustration had numerous tiny squares joining a series of lengthy, twisted tubes that resembled octopus tentacles.Stuart extended his forefinger to the bottom end and divided the space in half by imagin