PEONY CRIMSON’S POVHis heart was beating fast, its rhythm rubbed off on me. Under a sky studded with stars and embraced by the silence of the night, we seemed to be able to listen to each other's heartbeat and all the feelings that flowed from it. Then a strange sensation tugged at my core. A familiar invisible force wrapped itself around my core and intertwined with my blood. Our eyes locked. Felion's face was reflected in his eyes, and almost as if it were imagination, I saw him calling out to me. His voice so clearly echoed in my head, I got goosebumps. In reply, Emily let out a long, longing howl.Xander flashed a meaningful smile. Feeling like I was wallowing in an icy puddle, my legs went cold as soon as I realized something. I shook my head vigorously, withdrew my hand from his grasp, and stood up abruptly."Don't say it." His hands wrapped around my waist bringing me a step closer to him, closing the distance until our breaths collided. He brought his lips to my forehead a
PEONY CRIMSON’S POVMy eyes closed, silent tears streaming down my face. With his thumb, Xander wiped them off. He sent out a regretful sigh that covered my face. There was a fresh realization and an all-encompassing silence as we both became silent. That I had made the wrong choice and erred in every way as well. Xander wasn't the only one to blame. He did take me down from Luna's position in favor of Azalea, but I was also playing with fire behind his back with Xavier. Whereas it could have been that time if we decided to communicate and listen to each other, we could have reached an understanding and things wouldn't have been this messy. "I'm sorry too," I whispered, opening my red-rimmed eyes slowly. My eyelashes were wet, cheeks moist with tears. "I wish I'd asked first. I became your mate but had no idea of your suffering.""No, I'm the one to blame." Xander shook his head."So do I.""You did nothing.""I ran away.""I caused you to.""It was my fault as well. I-"When Xander
PEONY CRIMSON’S POVThe bright sunlight bathed my face as I made my way down the small path that led to the backyard of the packhouse. I was careful not to let anyone see me. When I got to the cottage, there was no one in sight except for a slip of note. It said that Gloria was taking the girls to the tower. I chugged my water, then flopped down on the living room sofa. I'd been missing all night, what was I supposed to explain to my daughters? I massaged my stiff shoulders, probably because I accidentally fell asleep by the lake after... that moment.I touched the upper lip, gasping at the flash images of last night's moment crossing my mind. What was I thinking? He made it through the crack in the towering wall I built. Was it because of my sympathy for his curse and guilt over the misunderstanding that ended our relationship? Or did the restored mating bond effect contribute to that? I didn't ask Emily about this. She must have encouraged me to accept this reconnection.Thinkin
PEONY CRIMSON'S POV I kept walking toward the tower despite Gloria's yells that she was trying to stop me. I went to the back door from the exterior of the packhouse, which was in addition to the main door inside. My rage grew with every stride.The door made an unbearable thump against the wall as I virtually kicked it. The witches of the Ravens gasped in disbelieving shock, realizing that I was trailing a whole lot of anger. They remained silent but made room for me to pass through."Where's Killian?" I asked one of the witches harshly."Sorry?""Where's that scumbag Killian?!" "No idea," the witch shook her head as she backed away as far as she could."Peony!" Gloria caught up and put her arm around my shoulders. "Don't be hasty!"I froze. As I looked at the strange looks the witches were giving me, I realized how stupid I looked right now. My hands were clenched tightly. Need to remind myself that I wasn't Xander who was easily controlled by his emotions. Gloria released her em
XANDER ALVERIUS'S POV I witnessed Peony's back walk out of the room followed by her witch friend. The disappointment radiating from her eyes was so strong that even her sweet floral scent turned bitter. I gritted my teeth, then shot Killian a glare. "What kind of nonsense did you feed her?" I asked.He shrugged ignorantly. "She demanded the truth, I gave it to her." I launched myself at him, all my strength concentrated in my legs. I grabbed his neck with my right hand and shoved him quickly into the wall. My blood ran through my veins like a raging river of wolf strength. I gripped harder, but Killian remained erect, his face slowly going pale.I knocked the man to the ground. "You're going to pay for this."Killian dropped on the ground and groaned in agony as he clutched his red palm-marked neck."Can't wait," he said sarcastically.While exiting the Tower, I sent a mind-link to all Blue Moon members. I knew it was impulsive, but no one knew Peony's next move. I'd better warn ev
PEONY CRIMSON’S POV"Girls, go to your rooms and pack your clothes. We're getting out of here right now." I shouted at Rose, Jasmine and Violet who were watching TV in the living room. They turned around, looking at each other in confusion."Why?" asked Violet, curious and stiff.As she straightened her legs and stretched, Jasmine, who was curled up in the corner of the sofa, yawned."I'm sleepy, Ma. Why not tomorrow?" she asked sleepily. Rose gave a pillow for Jasmine to lean on, then shot a worried look at me.I dashed into the girls' room and reached into the closet to retrieve a big bag, acting as though it was my final day on earth.Every time I stuffed my girls' things into that large suitcase, a lump formed in my stomach—a sickening, creeping feeling. Like before, we moved around a lot, and I never thought of Blue Moon as my permanent home. I was still unaccustomed to the anxiety and strain it caused, regardless of how frequently I moved.Violet yelled, "Ma, we can't just leav
PEONY CRIMSON'S POVI could see my girls laying in bed with numerous medical instruments attached to their bodies via the transparent glass wall. At first look, they resembled ones in the mortal world, but magic controlled the technology. The infirmary could no longer give the necessary care, so we were in a private room in the tower. Nothing but the pulsing sounds of heart monitors and breathing apparatus filled the room, creating an atmosphere filled with tension and anxiety.The senior healers from the infirmary and the witches took turns checking on them and reporting to Azalea. Then the archmage gave a short nod allowing me to enter. She watched me for a while before leaving me alone in the room."Violet...."I walked over to my eldest daughter's bed. My heart rippled at the sight of her so fragile in the crystal green light. I grabbed her hand tightly, trying to give her some warmth and strength, even though I knew that my own strength felt so weak in front of her."My dear Jas
PEONY CRIMSON’S POVEven after seeing me explode with emotion, Azalea still looked at me with pity. She reached out and squeezed my left shoulder as she smiled thinly. "I get that you're upset about this, but you're not in the right mind. All you need is delicious food and enough rest, then we're up to discussing this matter again.""You're wasting too much time!" I snapped, then muttered wryly, "I'm wasting too much time," my hands clenched into fists, I stared at the archmage with all the inferno burning inside me. "It all ended up like this. If you don't pull out that curse right now, they....""Let's not jump into the conclusion too fast, okay?" Azalea interrupted me, patting my shoulder. I brushed her hand away roughly.I vaguely felt something warming up from inside my chest. Emily was spreading her energy to calm me down. She didn't say anything, just wanted me to be one step more capable of thinking clearly. I breathed in and out, feeling all the freshness of oxygen filling m
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