All Chapters of Rising From the Ashes of Her Past ( A Lunas Tale): Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

***Trigger Warning*** This chapter contains descriptions of sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised. From Arina's POV "Welcome to the family," Aella says before embracing me. I could feel her warmth and sincerity through her hug. Aella stood about five feet five inches tall, had a body rivaling Salma Hayek, and was completely natural. Her blonde waist-length hair was tied in a high ponytail. She wore teal-colored Victoria's Secret sweatpants, a white crop tank top, and a fuzzy white cashmere sweater. Long, thick eyelashes framed her blue-green eyes. Her olive-colored skin looked like it had never been exposed to the sun. She had a soft, gentle smile that lit up her entire face when she talked. Her makeup was minimal, just enough to accentuate her features. I could tell she was naturally beautiful and didn't need much makeup to enhance her beauty. "Come inside. You must be starving," Aella said as she pulled me upstairs and led me to the front door. I glanced over my shoulde

From Alexandre’s POV Listening to her talk about her past was the hardest thing for me. Besides living through it, this was probably the most challenging thing she ever did. All I wanted to do was hold and comfort her, but how? What could I say to her that she hadn't already heard? She told us what she had endured at the hands of the people who were meant to love and protect her. I thought I was lucky to have parents who showed me love and affection, parents who would kill anyone who hurt me. The biggest shock of all was that she turned eighteen today. As soon as she mentioned that, I decided we should take a break from the discussion and showed everyone where they would sleep. Aella was elated to have Arina here. Growing up, she was always in the house alone, and now she would have someone to keep her company. I didn't want to push the whole mate bond on her because of all her traumatic experiences, but I was willing to accept her rejection if she refused. "Let us take it day by

From Arina's POV Telepathy - I was fascinated by the fact that Aella could read minds. I didn't know it was possible. I couldn't help but be in awe of her. "Do you hear everyone's thoughts?" I asked. "Uh, yeah. Pretty cool, huh?" Aella replied with big eyes. "It's tricky to control it sometimes, but I use it when I'm in school, especially when there are tests," she winked as we walked into her room. As I walked into her bedroom, I was astonished by its beauty. Her room was just as grand, if not more. The walls were black with gold trim, creating boxes as decor, and the royal purple headboard made the room lively with just the right amount of color instead of white. The plush gray carpet was just as soft as it looked. As I stood in front of the window overlooking her backyard, she came up behind me and handed me a black pair of leggings, a white, black, and teal Victoria's Secret sweatshirt, and matching teal Ugg boots. "Here," she said, handing me the clothes and a shower caddy f

From Arina’s POV The drive into town with Aella and Thiago was unsettling, especially since I didn't know them. While they tried to include me in the conversation, I wasn't sure what to say. The only thing I could do was gaze out the window and take in the surroundings. All the autumn trees displayed beautiful burnt orange, red, and yellow leaves, like postcard pictures. As I stared out the window at the big blue sky, I thought of the times when Father and I would go to the park after training with our ice cream in hand, and we would sit under the vast Acacia trees staring at the sky while talking about his trips to other cities, states, or countries. Among his favorite places were the French Polynesian islands. I remember he talked about a small island known as Papiete with its beautiful blue skies and crystal-clear waters. “One day, I will take you there, and you will fall in love with it,” my father would say. A tear rolled down my cheek as I remembered his story. Our car sudd

From Alexandre's POV The staff had set everything up perfectly, from the light gray cushion covers to the dim lights for when the sun gave way to the moon. The brightly lit fire in the center fire pit I built last month was the best centerpiece for the occasion. I had planned on having a movie night in the theater. However, with so many questions still needing answers, a cozy fire would set the tone for tonight. In addition, the full moon would mean Arina would shift. The first shift was the most brutal, especially for wolves. It's not as painful for Lycans since we stand on two legs instead of all four. For a wolf, it takes a heavier toll on your body because of how they transform. Yet, now that she was officially eighteen years old, there was no way to stop that from happening; the moon goddess herself couldn’t stop it even if she wanted to. I could see D’Artagnan pacing around in my head; he was also worried. Although he was usually quiet about his emotions, he was more concerned